Book One – Chapter 4

In his defence, both figuratively and literally, Yves was a Lightshifter wizard. When mastered, glass magic was versatile and highly effective, whether for long-distance or close combat, targeting a single adversary or a large group. Atop that, shard constructions were equally potent for defence, serving as formidable shields.

Thus, while the bow held remarkable potential for a wizard not disposed towards duelling, Yves could unleash hundreds of shards with a simple flick of his wrist before the next Worldbender shapeshifter or Transcender could even meddle the bow from his back. In short, dedicating time to learn archery had never seemed worth it. Plus, Yves hated lugging around bulky things on his expeditions.

Yves had never intended to wield the bow or any of the other two lightgiving artefacts as weapons. Originally, he had acquired all three as self-sustaining sources of light back when coping with darkness had been his paramount concern for survival. The bow’s arrows emitted light when drawn, which Yves could harness. The Lightning Staff had the ability to summon lightning, a power that was both a weapon against his enemies and a threat to himself. It was a means of last resort, and since the common glass wizard had no disposition for elemental magic, there was hardly anyone less suitable to wield it than Yves.

While travelling, he ultimately carried only the wand and two enchanted daggers. Daggers were the only physical weapons Yves could somewhat handle, but even these were just a last resort, in case all his energy was depleted or his magic rendered ineffective by an adversary.

That said, he stored no other weapons here. The rest of the underground chamber, except for the narrow pathways and the central table beside the meditation crystal formation, was stacked with shelves and containers holding books, scrolls, and ancient texts.