Chapter 5: Strange Committed Spell (2)

[Third Person's PoV] 

Two days later, Stephen finally succeeded in summoning the spectral raven for an extended period. The raven relayed back the information it gathered, allowing Stephen to understand the spell's true potential. Just like with the illusion spell, Stephen continued practicing until the summoning became effortless. Unlike the illusion spell, which took him 10 months to master, he perfected the raven spell in just six months—half the time.

Back in the forest, Stephen was now training with Asta. "Although you can't use magic yet, you should at least be able to fight. That's why you and I are going to constantly spar," Stephen said as they squared off.

"Will you also teach Yuno how to fight?" Asta asked curiously.

"With how much I rely on magic, Yuno's style would be more suited for magical combat," Stephen explained as they began their session, both shirtless, aiming blows at each other.

"The punches and moves we use will be unrefined, as we're still amateurs. But every fighting style starts from nothing and gets refined with constant practice. We're the same. We don't have teachers showing us what's right or wrong," Stephen added.

"You say you're an amateur, but you're totally kicking my ass!" Asta whined, dodging Stephen's hits.

"That's because I record everything I do and refine it every time I use it. I've learned how to eliminate unnecessary movements, make myself more efficient, and shorten my actions. It's taken me years of constant fighting—mostly against myself—to get to this level. You're lucky, though. You won't have to go through all that since I'm teaching you."

Asta, with tears of gratitude in his eyes, shouted, "You're the best, Stephen! Teaching me all your hard work!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now get into the proper stance like I told you," Stephen responded, amused.

As they continued sparring, Stephen noticed how quickly Asta picked up physical combat techniques. 'It's like his lack of magic has transferred all his potential into his physical abilities,' he thought.

"Damn, Asta. We might have found your calling. You and Yuno are complete opposites. He excels at magic while you excel at fighting. Where Yuno is naturally gifted, you make up for it with hard work and determination. You're loud and boisterous; Yuno's more soft-spoken."

"Oi! Was that last part really necessary?!" Asta shouted in protest.

Ignoring Asta, Stephen smirked and asked, "Shall we continue?"

"LET'S DO THIS!" Asta yelled, pumped up. "Maybe with this training, I'll finally unlock my magic!"

…

After sparring with both Yuno and Asta, Stephen sat down to think about which spell to learn next. Shebird perched on his shoulder as he drew in the dirt with a stick, circling three words: Offensive, Defensive, and Auxiliary.

"Alright, I have one of each type of spell to master. Shebird, you seem like a smart little lady. Which one should I focus on next?"

Without hesitation, Shebird hopped into the Defensive circle. When she looked up, Stephen gave her a teasing smirk. "You must really care about me. You want me to learn a defensive spell to stay safe, huh?"

Shebird huffed, flying up to a nearby branch, clearly not in the mood for his teasing. Stephen chuckled, "Don't worry, I care about you too."

Standing up, he stretched his arms and muttered to himself, "Let's see… how did it go again…"

He focused, and the tips of his index and middle fingers began to glow with Eldritch magic. Starting with one hand at the bottom and the other at the top, he moved them in opposite directions, forming a glowing circle in the air. Two more circles quickly overlapped with the first. Then, with a quick knock on his wrist, he summoned a large shield that filled the center circle. Another knock on his wrist summoned two smaller shields, which he punched into the outer circles.

With both fists outstretched, Stephen began raising the spell above his head, connecting all his fingers except his thumbs, right by his chest. Slowly, he spread his arms wide, causing the spell to expand and form a protective dome around him. Throughout the process, he muttered the incantation over and over again, focusing hard, "Aetheris sanctum me protegat."

But as the dome started forming, it shook slightly. Stephen furrowed his brow, shutting his eyes in concentration. Despite his efforts, the spell shattered, raining Eldritch embers around him.

Stephen sighed and sat down. "Just so we're clear, if I tried that in battle, I'd be dead by the time I finished the first syllable. Yeah, it's unnecessarily long. But that's why we train, to shorten the incantation. The effect is worth it though. This spell, Aetheris Sanctum—the Sanctuary of Aether—creates a protective dome around me and anyone close by. It shields us from both physical and magical attacks. The hard part is concentrating enough to maintain it."

To his surprise, Stephen mastered the spell in just five months, far faster than he expected. His ability to control Eldritch energy grew sharper with each training session, increasing his proficiency with every new spell.

…

Stephen hadn't learned a new spell since he turned 10 years old.

When he was 10, he had been eager to begin practicing the Axillary spell. Shebird had insisted on saving the offensive spell for last, believing it might be dangerous and wanting Stephen to be fully prepared before attempting it.

"This one is actually a very simple spell," Shebird explained. "It's called Darkwings."

"Volucris tenebrarum, da mihi alas fugae!" Stephen exclaimed as he crossed his arms, mimicking the motion of flight. In an instant, he unfolded them rapidly, dissolving into a flock of shadowy birds.

When the flock reformed into his original shape, Stephen grinned with satisfaction. "I got that on my first try…"

The real surprise came when he mastered the spell in just one month.

After that success, Stephen wasted no time and immediately moved on to the final spell he remembered, an offensive spell once used by the original Doctor Strange. When Stephen found it in the book of spells he bought, alongside the spell The Image of Ikonn, he assumed that whoever compiled the book must have been a fan of the comics, recording all the spells they'd seen like some sort of magical archive.

"By the Bolts of Balthakk!" Stephen shouted, thrusting his hands out to his sides. Large orbs crackling with lightning materialized around his hands.

With a swift motion, Stephen extended his arms, sending bolts of lightning flying from his fingertips, obliterating everything in their path.

A wide, excited smirk spread across his face as he stared at his electrified hands. Laughing in exhilaration, he marveled at the raw power surging through him.

Having finally mastered all five of his spells, Stephen didn't waste a moment. He trained relentlessly, honing each one, working tirelessly to improve his combat efficiency.

He trained day after day, and before he knew it, five years had passed, and he was now 15.

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