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AN-2021/02/17: Chapter betaed by Miette and dpstone12 :)

By the end of the day, Severus was exhausted and sore. Dhaal was bored out of his mind but had valiantly remained with him, unwilling to leave Severus on his own. As usual, his Familiar was perched on his shoulder as they made their way back to their house.

"You cannot remain to watch me everyday Dhaal. I cannot even fathom how boring it must be for you to watch me repeat the same move again and again. I was bored and I was the one practising," said Severus quietly.

Dhaal chirped gently and rubbed his head against Severus' hair. He Sensed to Severus his agreement as well as his reluctance to abandon Severus among enemies.

"Dhaal. As long as I am with Master Richtigk, nothing will happen to me. I bet you anything that for now, they are only waiting for me to open myself to ridicule or embarrass myself and fail the Korkein expectations," said Severus darkly.

He knew he had not impressed anyone during his meeting with the Korkein. He was determined to have their jaws hanging during his performance next year.

Once at the pagoda, he showered leisurely, enjoying the hot shower as well as using a few ointments to soothe his soreness–he would need to thank Erwarten for these. Dhaal had left to explore the pagoda and its surroundings with a promise to call for Severus if anything went wrong.
Severus gave a longing glance to the bed before making his way to his Master who was already waiting in the dining room. He needed to eat to keep his strength but he would gladly have gone to sleep right now. Emboldened by his midday experience, Severus sampled food from all the plates available. As he took his first bite, he was reminded of how hungry he was and had to slow himself down not to gobble his whole meal at once.

Drunek watched him with amusement, and waited for Severus to have a second helping before asking about his day. His Master listened intently and did not seem surprised by Master Richtigk teachings.

"Master Richtigk said he taught you Taichichuan," stated Severus, looking at his Master inquiringly.

"Indeed," answered Drunek with a smile. "Like most practitioners of Magic among Goblins, I came to Bǎo to perfect my Taichichuan and thus improve my capacity for Magic. I was a difficult student, passionate about runes and curses. I did not have much patience for Taichichuan as I considered I knew it well enough, having practised it since childhood," he smiled ruefully.

"My Master specifically asked for Master Richtigk to teach me. I can tell you the first months were hard on me," added Drunek. "I remained until I was deemed passable in the Chen form. It took me three years."

Three years to be passable. He only had one to excel. He could do it. He just needed to remain focused. Severus had the feeling his Master had not been assiduous at first.

"Why did you not teach me the Chen form instead of the Yang one?" asked Severus, curious.

"Always so direct Daoack. And yet it works," said Drunek, smiling slightly. "The Yang form is the form which is mostly taught to all young Goblins in Europe. Purists say it is less effective than the original Chen form because it was adapted for Wizards. The truth is the Chen form demands more efforts to achieve. Most Goblins neither have the time nor the motivation to practice Taichichuan enough to learn it properly, and failing can be a discouragement," Drunek paused, taking a sip of his lager.

"The Yang form is enough to balance Magic inside oneself. Many do not need more. Only those studying Magic and healing, as well as a few soldiers, really need to perfect their use of Magic to the point the Chen form is useful. Even then, it depends on the kind of Magic and healing you wish to perform."

His Master looked at Severus squarely in the eyes.

"Most of our wizard Apprentices struggled with the Yang form. You learnt it more quickly than any ever did. It might be because you are our youngest wizard Apprentice in history."

Really? Severus thought he had struggled with Taichichuan. Not as much as with Gobbledegook but still.

"Wirkrund and I estimated the Yang form was enough to begin your formation. When it became obvious you were improving far more quickly than any of us expected, we decided to move on the Chen form once you mastered your Sensing Shields. Obviously, we did not have the time to begin before coming to China," explained Drunek wryly.

Severus temporary desire to break his Apprenticeship during his second year had to have dampened his Master enthusiasm for sharing knowledge too, even though Severus had never felt unwanted nor had Drunek ever left his questions unanswered. Severus pushed the thought aside. Regrets had never helped anyone.

"You never said I performed better than expected," he said instead, raising one eyebrow at Drunek inquiringly.

His Master laughed

"I felt it more prudent not to inflate your ego. We have seen cases of failed Apprenticeships when the student suddenly believed he knew everything better than his Masters. Of course," said Drunek as he looked at Severus with his penetrating gaze, "I do not think it is one of your faults."

Severus nodded. There was still so much to learn.

"I did tell you Apprentices usually become Usta in their third year," teased Drunek.

"Yes, but I thought you meant wizard Apprentices, and that you did not get many," answered Severus.

Drunek shook his head lightly.

"I said Apprentices, Daoack," he repeated gently. He smiled suddenly.

"Lord Malfoy told me how you learnt Potions. He wanted me to understand how special you were."

Severus expected the sudden pang of sadness in his chest at the evocation of his Mentor. He did not expect the warmth that came after, at knowing how proud of him Abraxas had been.

"I agree you being a natural at Potions helped, but your curiosity and your hard work still are the main reason you succeeded in your recipes. You learnt Transfiguration with a lot of sweat and effort, but you now are better than most of your peers."

"I am not that proficient at Transfiguration Master!" protested Severus vehemently.

"Really?" said Drunek coolly. "According to Professor McGonagall, while you lack any instinct which would allow you to make great discoveries, you are above at least seventy per cent of the wizarding population in the mastery of the subject."

Severus was gobsmacked.

"That is not possible. Those who study this field after Hogwarts must represent more than that."

"I assure you your professor was categoric. She even confirmed to Fejed- Professor Flitwick that she would love to tutor you after your Apprenticeship with us. She really thought you could achieve a grade III mastery."

That was...

"I don't understand how she can say that when my results in Hogwarts were not... well..."

"She reviewed your OWLs and NEWTs after inquiries from Professor Flitwick on our behalf," answered Drunek.

Severus raised an eyebrow at him.

"Lord Malfoy told us of your struggles to make sense of Transfiguration and gushed over your incredible improvements. We wanted a more objective opinion."

Severus nodded in understanding.

"Anyway, your hard-work is an asset, but it would mean nothing without your curiosity. Curiosity is what led you to us," said Drunek, daring Severus to deny it with the twinkle in his eyes.

Severus only shrugged in agreement.

"But curiosity can be dangerous. Many Dark Lords became Pahuu because of their curiosity which made them throw caution to the wind," added Drunek warningly.

Severus nodded. If Mother had not drilled inside his skull the Dark Arts rules… If he had not learnt about Khorlos… Who knew what he might have attempted? Even now, he felt as if new vital rules might be dropped on him at any time, just around any corner during a new lesson. It could be so easy to dismiss safety concerns in the face of precious discovery.
His Master laugh brought Severus back to the moment.

"I think you need to sleep Daoack. You look ready to fall," said Drunek gently.

Severus sheepishly bade him goodnight then went up to his room. Dhaal was back from his exploration, asleep on Severus' pillow. Severus smiled, knowing how lucky he was to have found him. He fell asleep listening to the soothing sound of his Familiar's light purring.

The next days followed the same pattern as day one. Severus practised one movement until he was bored to tears, until Master Richtigk deemed it precise enough. Then the Master made him perform the entire sequence of the different movements they had reviewed together again and again.
While Severus practised, the Master usually was silent, only speaking to give Severus instructions or correct his form. But a few times, he imparted precious knowledge.

"You must be settled in your body. Legs always slightly bended, pelvis low, coccyx facing the earth and top of the head facing the sky. Remember, you are a creature of Air and Earth. One must not take over the other. Remember, you must feel that your Magic comes from Migmen."

Severus had heard the same words from Wirkrund during his first year. But he had thought he had the posture correct by his second year.

"Focus Daoack! Your Magic comes from Migmen then spreads all over your body. It is important to be settled and strong in Migmen to control your magic flow. It is important to be settled in Migmen to control your magical core."

Yes, Severus knew the concept. Yet, he still struggled to feel Magic coming from this precise point, low in the back, almost at the same level as his navel. Master Richtigk had explained Migmen was the physical representation of Manipura, the Wizards' main Khorlo. It did not help Severus as he struggled to feel his Magic spread through his body from this point only. Master Richtigk said Severus still had trouble distinguishing his own Magic from the outside flows he used to perform Magic.

"It is important to know your own Magic from the outside flows to be able to cut yourself from those flows," continued Master Richtigk, almost echoing Severus thoughts. "If the outside flows are twisted, you must be able to feel it and refrain from using them."

Easier said than done. But Severus understood it was a crucial step toward his mastering of Magic. Again, he tried to feel his core among the magic flows. And again.

"Goblins and Wizards are lucky to possess main Khorlos belonging to the middle. When creatures' main Khorlos are too high or too low, the upper or lower ones are usually blocked. Magic widens the main Khorlo because it cannot exit to the other side so it must go back the way it came from. This is what leads to imbalance and craziness. Faes and Vampires for example, use walls to counter the widening of their Khorlos. Until they manage to crack at least one of the middle Khorlos to diminish magic pressure, their wall will wear itself out in time. Contrary to bridges, walls must be replaced until enough middle Khorlos are cracked to prevent their wear."

Severus avidly listened to the Master while focusing on not losing the precision in his movements. He was pretty sure this was another part of training. The ability to perform Taichichuan while doing something else in the meantime. From his lessons with Master Suoajack, it would be useful to be able to use both Magic and Taichichuan in fights.

"Focus Daoack. Do not lose the precision in the movements!"

Severus sighed internally but complied.

"Again."

Severus knew his legs muscles would have already cramped up if he had not been training for two years already. Was Master Richtigk as demanding with beginners? He shuddered as he thought of the Chen form demonstration the Master had performed during his meeting with the Korkein. It was going to be painful.

Severus was relieved when the weekend finally came. He knew learning and practising with Master Richtigk would pay and that he would be grateful in the end. Drunek had assured him once Severus got used to the intense practice, he would enjoy it. But for now, his whole body was aching. He was also missing Frekka and the children fiercely. Thank Merlin, Dhaal and Drunek were here–and he was looking forward to going back home in a few hours.

Severus was in a good mood as he arrived back at the pagoda he shared with his Master. As usual, he took a hot shower to remove the strain in his muscles after a hard day of Taichichuan practice. Dhaal was once more exploring the area surrounding the pagoda. Severus had the feeling his Familiar would soon get over his caution and give in his curiosity to delve further into the city.

Like every evening, Drunek was already seated at the dining table. To most, Severus' Master would have looked peaceful. To Severus, his Master looked worried. They ate in silence. Severus enjoyed his food even though each passing second cemented his feeling he was not going to like whatever had his Master so troubled. He had barely finished his plate when Drunek spoke.

"Daoack. I find myself in a quandary," stated Drunek gravely. "Traditionally, non-goblin Apprentices begin their learnings in China until they are deemed ready to choose a specialization. They only gain a Master when they begin their specialization. Wirkrund chose to divert from tradition for several reasons. Your young age, the fact you did not have a mastery yet as well as your grandfather and Mentor demands, all this and more had him choose to proceed differently with you. I think it worked wonderfully, you have improved more quickly than any other Apprentice," said Drunek proudly.

Severus dreaded the "but" he felt coming.

"However, my presence with you here is seen as a weakness for you. Today's rumours are that you are either too weak to take care of yourself, or too untrustworthy to be let out of sight by our clan."

Severus closed his eyes. He had not expected this. But he should have. His Master presence could be interpreted as a monitoring in case Severus suddenly decided he finally wanted to break his Apprenticeship as he had before.

Drunek sighed.

"I was supposed to remain with you several weeks. Even months. Until you were settled. But now... You must make a choice. Do you want me to leave you alone among strangers or would you rather suffer the rumours?"

The answer was easy. Even more so because Dhaal would still be here.

"I understand, Master Drunek. And I think you should go back home," answered Severus calmly.

Drunek looked at him in the eyes several moments, gauging Severus' feelings. Then he nodded.

"I won't go back on weekends," added Severus.

Drunek sighed.
"Daoack–"

"You know your leaving does not mean anything if I go back to your family during weekends," interrupted Severus.

His Master looked at him sadly but after several minutes of Severus silently but resolutely holding his gaze, he nodded.

"You're right. I… Your Usta stone can be used to communicate with Wirkrund and I. Do not hesitate to use it if there is any problem. I am serious Daoack," said Drunek sombrely.

Severus was surprised but nodded, thinking he would need to examine the stone tonight.

"Right. Tell me of your day Daoack. I do not need to leave right away."

They talked late into the night, then Severus hastily scribbled letters for Frekka and the kids, apologizing for not being able to come back as expected, and gave them to Drunek. His Master hugged him closely as they said their goodbyes.

When Severus got back to his room, he first took his Usta stone out of his cupboard. With a frown, he also took the chain Frekka had given him after he had received the stone, the chain that allowed him to wear his stone around his neck. Its weight against his chest was comforting. Carefully, Severus Sensed the stone. First, he felt how the stone bounded him to his clan, how he belonged to his clan. Then, faintly, he felt the communication possibility. Gently, he used his Magic to activate the runes and checked his Master could hear him. Drunek answered at once, and explained to Severus the stone would also record a message if Drunek did not answer. Reassured he was not totally alone among strangers, Severus waited for Dhaal's return to explain their new situation before going to bed.

Severus slept badly that night. The nightmares which had plagued him after Abraxas death had abated but never stopped. After his Master's departure, they came back with a vengeance. Only the fact Taichichuan did not require complex thoughts saved Severus from severe humiliation in front of Master Richtigk. Luckily, Severus began sleeping better once he got used to his Master's absence.

Two weeks after Master Drunek's departure, Severus was still perfecting his Yang form with Master Richtigk. Today, they had begun practising Zuǒyòu Lōuxī Àobù, one of the martial walks. The walk was quite short during the form, but to learn and practice it, Master Richtigk–and Wirkrund before him–had insisted Severus needed to be able to walk long distances using Zuǒyòu Lōuxī Àobù. So Severus was walking lines in the dojo, focusing on his placements and balance.

Suddenly, Dhaal Sensed him he was being attacked. Severus only had the time to anchor himself in the ground before being pushed in the back. He neither fell nor stumbled, thanks to his Familiar's warning.

"Hmmf," growled Master Richtigk. "You were lucky this time. Remember this is a martial walk. You must always be balanced on your feet, never on the verge of losing your equilibrium. The Zuǒyòu Lōuxī Àobù walk is designed to advance while opponents are rushing at you, kicking with their feet at your sides and standing in front of you to block your path. You must be able to walk, push back their kicks and push those blocking your advance while always being centred and strong on your legs. Again."

The whole afternoon, Severus walked while Master Richtigk pushed him at unexpected times, from different angles. Sometimes from behind. Sometimes he kicked at Severus' sides. Sometimes he stood in front of Severus, waiting for Severus to try to push him back.

"Again. Strong on your legs. Not rigid, solid! How do you expect to use Sensing efficiently if you cannot manage to push me back in a sheltered room with no distraction other than I?" growled Master Richtigk.

Severus knew the Master was right. He really was trying, going so far as to ask Dhaal not to warn him of the Master attacks. He had practised this walk before with Wirkrund. But Severus felt as if he never had. Intellectually, he knew he would have already fallen many times if he had only learnt the walk with Master Richtigk. But the Master's running criticism made him feel like an awkward duck walking on uneven ground.

Severus gritted his teeth and kept going. He knew it was important. There was no point in trying to learn the Chen form if he could not master this walk. So he walked. Again and again.

Days passed as Severus practised.

One day, as he was taking his lunch break, he heard joyous sounds outside, songs and music tickling his ears. He waited several minutes but as the sounds only grew louder, he quietly made his way outside, Dhaal on his shoulder. His Familiar now explored the city during Severus' lessons, but he always came to eat with Severus.
The sight which greeted them was magnificent, grandiose and beautiful. Dozens of Goblins, Faes, and who knew how many other magic species were advancing in the street while they danced together in synch. Behind them, a big parade float pulled by deer carried the musicians, from as many different species as the dancers were. Magic fireworks were gliding through the sky above the parade, to the delight of the many children watching.
Behind the musicians, performers were doing acrobatics as well as showing off beautiful illusions of magical creatures. They were followed by children tossing out flowers which floated languidly in the air, almost dancing before slowly touching the ground in beautiful figures.
The last parade float was a huge throne, pulled by red foxes which were too big not to be magical. Orange, brown, red and golden silk fabrics were draped all over the float, giving a sense of autumn and fallen leaves. On the throne, a kind of Fae was sitting, unlike any other Severus had ever met, figure lean and delicate, golden skin and red hairs, looking both beautiful and fragile. If Severus had to guess, he would say she was a dryad, Faes who lived inside trees and were seldom seen by anyone other than their kin. The Fae was waving delicately at the crowd, smiling shyly.

"How do you find the October celebration?"

Severus did not startle. He had sensed Master Richtigk coming. And Dhaal had warned him as well.

"Impressive and beautiful," answered Severus honestly, not trying to hide he was enjoying the show.

Master Richtigk smiled slightly.

"It is one of my favourite traditions. The celebration of the beginning of a new month beginning. Even though it is less than it once was," said the Master wistfully.

Severus looked at him askance, and the Master nodded.

"Each month of the year is represented by a magic being, from Faes to Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins. Even Wizards at one time. The seers are the one who designate the representative of a given month when the previous one has died. Long ago, the parade lasted the whole month. It went through China, celebrating the month instead of just its beginning. It even paraded in front of Muggles. It was the time for small miracles and cemented the alliance between Magic and non-Magic," the Master sighed. "Now, the parade begins at Bǎo then goes through the Chinese Goblin side for a week."

"Why not go to the rest of the Goblin Nation?" asked Severus intrigued.

"It always was a Chinese tradition."

The excuse sounded weak to Severus. Unless they wanted to show their difference from the rest of the Goblin Nation. Chinese Goblins seemed to think themselves more sophisticated than those from other countries. Unless it was only Goblins from Bǎo.

"Your break is over Daoack."

Severus did not sigh. He went back to the dojo obediently and practised.

He felt his body adapt and get used to his intense practice of Taichichuan. He was not falling asleep at once after dinner anymore. So he took to exploring the wonderful libraries of Bǎo. Severus quickly discovered many were open at all hours as some creatures like Vampires preferred to live during the night. He was careful to never remain too late, knowing Master Richtigk would be severely displeased if his student yawned all through their lesson. Dhaal always accompanied him during his exploration, their only time together aside from lunch break. While Severus sweated under Master Richtigk supervision, his Familiar explored the city and looked for other Thestrals to teach him how to defend himself. Dhaal had not had any luck for now, but he was confident some were living in the dark woods outside the city.
Severus seldom saw people other than Dhaal, Master Richtigk and Erwarten. He might live in clan Röykkiö pagoda, but for now he had never met the other members living here for now. Being up at dawn certainly allowed you to avoid other people. Those he saw at the libraries were deep into their own research and ignored him.

Severus did not mind the solitude, Dhaal was all he needed even though he missed Drunek, Frekka and their kids. He was more disappointed by the fact he had yet to receive any letter. At first, he had thought his friends were busy with their post-Hogwarts studies. That had not accounted for Lucius' silence, but his brother could have been over his head with Defenders business or running the House. After two months though, Severus was inclined to believe he would not receive any letter in China–he had yet to guess what the Korkein was hoping to achieve by isolating Severus. He sincerely hoped Drunek had warned his friends so they would not worry. While Severus had dutifully written his letters to Lucius once a week and also sent a few to his friends, he was unsure they had reached them. Severus was reluctant to use his Usta stone to check with Drunek, he did not want to alarm his Master for what seemed a trivial matter. Moreover, his grandfather had to be aware of his situation thanks to his relationship with clan Runsaus and would share it with the other Defenders.

Twice more, Severus attended the new month parade. Each time was different. November was centred around food, hot beverages, cakes and sweets being distributed along the parade path. December had been the month of Magic creatures, different and intriguing species being exhibited by their handlers as they opened the way for the month's float.
The temperatures dropped below freezing water, and Dhaal decided to forgo his explorations and remain warm in the dojo while Severus practised.

Finally, Master Richtigk deemed Severus good enough–or unable to improve more–at the Yang form and began teaching him the Chen form.
It was as hard as Severus had expected. In his case, already knowing the Yang form was a downside as several of its movements were similar but different from the Chen form ones. As usual, Master Richtigk required precision and exactitude.
The other difficulty of the form were the jumps and kicks. While there were some kicks in the Yang form, they were few and solely at the end of the form. The Chen form had numerous kicks, jumps and kicks during jumps. Jumps Master Richtigk had Severus practice on a beam to work on his balance.

The first time Severus completed the form–imperfectly as Master Richtigk told him and had him doing it again immediately–he was taken aback at the intensity he could feel in the Magic around him. While Magic danced around him when he performed the Yang form, it felt focused when he performed the Chen form. As Severus improved his Chen form, he felt a difference in his perception of Magic, for example a better accuracy when he Sensed for a Rune's purpose. However, Severus was both surprised and disappointed not to see any impact on his use of Magic. Indeed, since he had passed the Ritual, Magic was easier to wield and control, but he had expected more. More power. More… He was not even certain of what he had expected, except he was certain something was lacking. He had tried working on casting spells with different intent to study how differently they affected their target. So far, no matter the intent, the results were always the same. It went against what he had learnt and understood of Magic and Severus was getting frustrated. When his wand had been out of control, he had unwittingly changed the result of a spell because of his intent. Why did it not work now?

Severus sometimes wondered if the Ritual had worked as it should. Now that he had gotten over the rush of performing Magic instinctively and without a wand, he did not notice much improvement with his use of Magic.
Severus was also aggravated by his incapacity to differentiate air and earth Magic. No matter how much he focused and tried, Magic was just Magic.

One morning, Severus was once more performing his Chen form while focusing on sensing the different kind of Magic and failing. He wanted to kick a wall or something. Half a year under Master Richtigk tutelage and he had not much to show for his pains.

"Stàt."

Severus reluctantly stopped in mid-movement and fell back into Wuji.
Master Richtigk was watching him with a frown, a display of feeling quite unusual for the Goblin.

"You are still unable to sense Air and Earth."

It was a statement. Severus still nodded.

"I contacted your Master yesterday. He told me you once had wand problems," said Master Richtigk, watching Severus intently.

"Yes Master Richtigk," answered Severus. He barely hesitated before explaining the situation to the Master.

"My wand was custom-made by wandmaker Maverick. He said my wand could be perfect for me if I managed to master it. During my fourth and fifth year, I noticed a lack of power in my spells compared to my year-mates, as well as difficulties in controlling the power in my spells. My wand was also very sensitive to my intent, with some unexpected results at times."

Master Richtigk nodded thoughtfully.
"When did you master it?"

"Well. It got better by the time I passed my OWLs, though I really felt in control when I passed my NEWTs."

"Did you do anything particular to get your wand under-control?"

"I… I mainly used Occlumency," answered Severus honestly.

Master Richtigk frowned at that. He paced for several minutes before shaking his head.

"May I see your wand?"

Severus hesitated. After six months learning with the Goblin everyday, Severus felt he could trust him with the fact he had passed the Ritual. However, the truth was he knew next to nothing of Master Richtigk. Still, how would he justify a refusal to show his wand to the Master?

"I do not have one anymore Master," finally said Severus. "I passed the Ritual last year."

Only a brief flicker of the Goblin's ears showed his surprise at the answer.

"I see," the Master sighed. "It makes things both easier and more difficult. Come."

Severus obediently followed the Goblin, curious but still checking both his Sensing and Occlumency shields were up, and ready to defend himself if needed.
They walked through several corridors before entering a huge room. It looked like a training room with targets and mannequins to cast spells on. The Master led Severus to the right corner of the room.

"In the circle."

Severus walked inside the circle engraved on the ground after checking he could not Sense any nefarious surprise. He thought he saw approval on the Master's face but it might have been wishful thinking.
The Master then unfolded from the wall what looked like a wood arm with a glass lens at its end. Although he was too far to see them, Severus could Sense runes were engraved in the glass.

"Alright. You will cast a powerful spell and direct it through the lens. It must be a spell which affects objects."

A powerful spell which affected objects. So something with a physical effect. Powerful because it made it easier for the lens to do whatever it was supposed to, guessed Severus. Well. Confringo might not be ideal, he did not want to shatter the lens after all. Colovaria, the changing colour spell, might not require enough power to work. Hmm. Diminuendo. Worst case, the lens would shrink.

Severus focused then cast the spell wordlessly.
He felt it fly to the lens before it absorbed it. Master Richtigk approached the lens and gestured for Severus to join him. Inside the lens, a sparkling white ethereal ribbon was gliding around. Severus watched fascinated. As he observed the ribbon, he noticed there sometimes was a tiny spark of brown in the ribbon, as if a small brown ribbon was ensconced inside the white bigger one.

"This is unusual. Not unheard of but unusual."

Severus looked at the Master, waiting for him to explain.

"Each element represents one aspect of Magic. Fire is creation. Water is change. Earth is strength. Air is control. What you are seeing in the lens is earth Magic totally surrounded by air Magic. I think that because of your wand problem, you adapted your Magic use and now envelop earth Magic in air Magic to make sure you are able to control your spells. It means you have great control but less power. More importantly, you have lost most of your capacity to vary the intensity of your spells."

That… made sense. It would explain why he did not Sense the difference between the two kinds of Magic if one was hidden inside the other. He only Sensed air Magic. Although earth Magic had to be present on its own sometimes, why could he not Sense it then? Was it self-preservation because he was afraid of not being able to handle this Magic's strength? Or did he mostly use air Magic even when Sensing?

"You need to learn how to merge the two Magics. Here is what it should look like," said Richtigk as he made the ribbon disappear then waved his hand toward the lens.

Severus Sensed Magic flow to the lens. He watched as a ribbon appeared in the lens. The ribbon looked like a braid of one white and one brown ribbon.

"Of course, depending on your spell, the two forms of Magic are not merged the same way," added Master Richtigk as he once more cast a spell toward the lens.

This time, the white and brown ribbons were side by side, gliding together.

"Come, Daoack."

Severus followed Master Richtigk again. This time, the Goblin led him to a small room. To Severus, the room felt void of magic flows.

"Here. Try to Sense earth Magic. I will leave you alone so my own Magic does not disturb you."

The Master left without more explanation, only closing the door behind him.

Great. What was he supposed to do?

As he once more Sensed the room, Severus only confirmed to himself there were no magic flows inside the room. Perfect.
Severus paced inside the room, clearing his mind like he would before practising Occlumency. Then, he let his Occlumency shield down. Then his Personal shield. Once more, Severus Sensed for Magic. He strained himself, willing himself to focus and scoured the entire room, with the same result as before. No Magic inside the room.

Severus sighed, shaking his head in frustration. Just once, he would like to achieve something without spending hours practising or trying to understand how to make it work. He loved challenges but it felt like nothing had been simple since the beginning of his Apprenticeship. Merlin, what he would give to just brew any kind of potion. To lose himself into the chopping, mincing, brewing rhythm…

Breathing deeply, Severus sat on the ground, back against the wall. Then he closed his eyes, and tried to Sense outside the room. He did not know how long he remained trying. Still, he felt nothing but the blank feeling associated with the absence of magic flows.
Determined to succeed, Severus barely hesitated before letting his Core shield down. He trusted Master Richtigk with his safety. Blanking his mind, he Sensed again. The room still felt blank, void of Magic. So he strained to Sense outside the room. He stretched his perception, feeling like there was something just out of reach.

"Broer!"

The anguished cry as well as a determined… tug, for lack of a better word, brought Severus back to the room. He felt exhausted and frayed at the edge. Suddenly, Dhaal was here. Severus did not know where he had come from. The door was still closed. His Familiar was checking him over, sniffing him as well as… Sensing his whole body.

"Dhaal. What happened? What's wrong?" asked Severus, his thoughts feeling foggy.

"You tell me!" screeched his Familiar. "You were widening your Khorlos!"

What?

Severus frowned, unable to comprehend what Dhaal was saying."I was trying to sense earth Magic–"

"Here?" hissed back the Thestral dubiously.

"I… Master Richtigk showed me how Air and Earth Magic were supposed to merge. He showed me what they look like when I use them. He told me to try again to sense earth Magic in here. I never thought..." trailed off Severus.

Dhaal looked him over once more before lifting his head and carefully exploring the room. He stopped a few times before walking back to Severus, shrinking himself to cuddle in his arms.

"I think I understand how Master Richtigk thinks it will help you. But not without me," finally said Dhaal.

He looked up to Severus.

"Never drop your Core shield when I am not here. Ever. Again," hissed his Familiar.

The threat would have worked better if he was not currently huddled in Severus' arms. Still, Severus nodded.

"I won't."

They remained on the floor together until Master Richtigk opened the void room door to tell Severus they were done for today.

"You could have warned me I risked widening my Khorlos," accused Severus, still shaky about the incident.

The Master looked at him impassively.

"You should know by now that any use of Magic which stretches your capacities induces that risk."

Severus gazed back at him, keeping his anger under control.

"I do. But I naively thought that as the Master responsible for my training had not given me any warning, the void room would protect me from this kind of unpleasantness."

The Master did not even have the grace to look contrite.

"You passed the Ritual. You have a Familiar, whoever and wherever he is," Master Richtigk's eyes bore into Severus' own.

"You never were in any danger of widening your Khorlos."

The Goblin did not give Severus time to answer as he left, his robes billowing behind him. The nerve of that man… Goblin… whatever. Dhaal had protected him. It did not mean the Master should not have warned Severus. Unless he had thought it would prevent Severus from truly straining himself to his limits to Sense earth Magic.

Severus scowled to himself. Goblins Masters were just infuriating. Dhaal soundlessly agreed, even though he seemed to accept Master Richtigk behaviour better than Severus.