Book One – Chapter 4

For the same reason, he had the Bow of Light. This longbow was crafted from materials almost translucent, shimmering like nacre. Its string served as a channel. To draw this bow, the wizard-archer had to transfer his energy through the string. However, unlike the Lightgiver Wand, the bow did not store this energy for later; instead, as the string was drawn back, it wove the wizard’s magic into ethereal arrows. Much like the wand’s ability to conjure light, the bow manifested razor-sharp arrows, held at the ready for precise firing. Furthermore, these arrows were no ordinary projectiles — they erupted upon impact, adding an element of explosive destruction to their mystical properties.

In terms of rarity and value, this longbow stood as one of Yves’ most distinguished and treasured artefacts. Its craftsmanship was close to unparalleled, and it managed to conserve every ounce of energy during the transformation, setting it apart from the many inferior channelling devices that suffered from energy loss. This was a weapon suited for a luminary or a warlord. It was not a weapon for Yves. He did not know how to handle it. Well, he knew how it worked, in theory, but he could not do it.

The bow demanded an immense amount of concentration for effective use, and in the hands of an inexperienced archer, it was difficult to aim. In the hands of the not-at-all-experienced archer who had no business even considering himself an archer, it was no more effective than something one could cobble together from a stick and a piece of string. Despite owning it for six years, Yves could count on one hand how many times he had bothered to practice with it.