I dived into magic a bit quicker than I would have preferred but seeing as she is not born with magic, it felt fitting...
I hope you don't mind.
We will not be seeing every episode, a lot of time will dedicate to this girl's personal life. For reference, she is seventeen, a year older than Merlin. Her appearance will be seen in the next chapter. I hid it for a reason, mostly she lacks a mirror so no reason to explain her appearance yet. Sorry.
To Daphne's shock, the book she stole from Thomas Collin's home was not just a book on healing magic, but on magic in general. It was beautifully written, with over a hundred spells and potions. What really caught her attention was the way was written, less like a cookbook and more like a diary. It explained magic like way of life, not just a mere tool. It spoke of the Old Religion and those who practiced it, of the Three Faced Goddess and the Priests of the Old Religion and even on the Druids.
However, what caught her eyes the most was the three principles of magic.
Mind, Body and Soul. Without these aspects, embodied by the Three Faces Goddess, one could never practice magic. The books explained it this was.
Magic is a form of unity, that mixes the three aspects. Most sorcerers foolishly practice magic as if it is a tool. They focus on word and incantation, they focus on the single usage of a spell instead of the broader and more dedicated aspects of magic. It is for this reason they rarely reach any level of power. Even the most potent of natural born mages only reach a certain level as they approach magic from a utilitarian angle.
True magic requires constant study, dedication, appreciation and respect. It requires perfect unity of the three aspects which are Mind, Body and Soul.
For the Mind, one must hone their knowledge and learn to harness their thoughts and imagination. Patience and calm are a must, as are Focus and Dedication to a cause and idea. Memorization of the ancient tongue, of magical ingredients and magical moments, is a must. It is the power of the Mind that allows the means to control and focus magic, to give it purpose.
For the Soul, one must master control of themselves. To channel and harness their emotions, which emanate from the soul. The soul is one of the sources of power, giving strength and value to the magic. It is the spark that allows magic to be granted potency. Exposure to magic also increases ones ability to feel it's power, and opens one up to other arts.
For the Body, one must master their flesh. If they are born with magic, this is something one is born with however if one is not they must master this if they are ever to gain proper control and control of their powers. The body harnesses the power of the Earth, stores it and endures it. One must strengthen their body through exposure to fully master magic, less the power overwhelm them or they consume their lifeforce by mistake.
Together these three Aspects create the unity that allows for true and proper control over magic. It is only by combining and mastering all three that one is able to harness, control and endure magic at it's fullest and become more than a petty sorcerer. It is by combining these three aspects in their fullest that one gains true power, it is the source of a High Priest or Priestesses immortality.
So dedicate yourself, dear student of magic, and harness the very lifeforce of the Earth. Become as great as you can be and rise above the rest. Even if you were not born blessed, it is always possible to become great. Never forget that.
The words warmed Daphne, especially that last part. It felt good to know that despite not being blessed with power, with a gift beyond anything most mere mortals could understand, one could be great in the arts of magic. She felt... deeply encouraged. Whoever wrote this clearly cared for their students, of that she was sure. Of course, reading the front of the book, she laughed.
"Mary Collins you wrote this yourself? What did you do in the time before Magic become illegal? Were you a teacher? A healer like your son?"
Shaking her head with pleasure, she continued to read, moving on to the next sections.
Body
Though most start with spells, those that live with Magic have long since learned to start with other means to increase exposure and sensitivity to magic. While you read this tome and begin your studies, you will learn to master the Old language and strengthen your body to deal with the strain of your burgeoning powers. To begin, meditation is a great tool. It increases focus and helps with the gaining of sensitivity. As you do so, focusing and calming yourself, utter the phrase Ine cystignes infær me. Roughly this translates to Ancient Bounty, Enter me. It does nothing but harness the Earth's majesty and allows it to enter the flesh, the eyes turn gold for a moment and you become able to sense the powers you will harness. As you continue this, it will become easier and easier to harness magic until you no longer need it to cast spells. One day, if you have enough skill, you can cast spells of lesser or greater power without a spell at all.
Do not worry about having skill for there is power in the Old tongue itself, merely speaking it invokes the power of the Earth.
It is best to practice this power when you are tired, your body seeks power and energy making it more receptive to the Energy in question. There is a reason a vast majority of magic users practice some sort of martial art. The High Priests and Priestesses of Old were known to often be powerful warriors on top of being powerful Magic users for this very reason. It would best for you, my student, to do the same.
Curious, she turned to the window, it was rather late. It was close to nightfall, she might as well begin to practice this very spell. Sitting on her bed, she closed her eyes and centered herself, taking several deep breathes before she uttered the words she had read.
"Ine cystignes infær me." She whispered and immediately bent over as a rush of warmth overtook her, it was like she imagined a lightning bolt would feel like. She felt her eyes burn gold, her skin tingled, her muscles ached and she felt the world's majesty about her. "This... how is it illegal? It is a cruelty to forbid such a glorious sensation!" Then it faded away, leaving her tired and worn and eager for sleep...
So naturally, she cast the spell three more times, each time gasping at the wonderous feel of power...
"Uther is truly a fool to make this illegal... " Tears prickled at her eyes, wondering if this is why so many of the sorcerers she heard of were so resentful of the law, beyond the innocents slain, being robbed of such pleasure would have made anyone miserable.
Realizing she had too little energy to continue with the active magic, she turned back to the book.
"While your body recovers from the usage of magic, it would be best to practice learning of magic. Starting with the Old Tongue and magical substances. Many objects are imbued with or naturally channel magic well. Fire and Salt are natural channelers of power as they represent the cores of their elements. Water naturally is another. There are many herbs that can do this as well as certain gemstones and metals...
We will work on mastering this knowledge until you become able to tolerate using the drawing spell for more than five minutes. When that happens, you are ready to start on page twenty where we begin the more active aspects of magic. Until then, strengthen your body and mind, prepare yourself for the powers to come.
Daphne could hardly wait for that, and so she settled into her bed and ravished the book, learning all she could, grateful for her vast and swift memory. She was a busy woman and would have little time to read during the day. She would have to spend the wee hours of the night garnering her new powers. She could only hope Thomas would not resent her for this...
Or worse, his mother...Mary's threat still hung over Camelot like a veil, and she could not help but wonder if Arthur die this day.
One could only hope so.
Chapte end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was a joy to write.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.