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T.A.S. thinks about Cynerik's proposition. "Give me a bit of time for such a big decision. You know, I have to take care about Mary. And I also have to finish a delivery. But I very much enjoy to travel and fight with all of you."
The week after their return to the village, T.A.S. spends the day enjoying the calm city with Mary. They had never been this welcomed under people and the soft bed of the inn allowed his springs to rest for a while when he retreated to think about the past battle. He definitely felt some powerful guiding him - or did he guide the energy - during these minutes. When Brinda showed him the book she found, T.A.S. felt so happy. Happy to have a chance to read upon the knowledge and - even more important - happy that Brinda offered to share this treasure with him. On a sunny day they would read the book together sitting on the field outside the town while Mary would run around them or lay in the grass. But most days he let Brinda devour the book on her own.
Then at night, when everbody was asleep, he would head out into the woods with a light, the book and his crossbow. He found some not too badly damaged pages about how Orcs would use magic to guide and empower their attacks with magic. He armed the crossbow and aimed it and learned to concentrate himself on it. Every night his shots would improve. One of his bolts actually penetrated a smaller tree and did not even break. But after a few shots he would feel exhausted. The training drained his power quickly. Afterwards he would head to the inn and rest the early morning.
Near the end of the week a sudden idea struck T.A.S.: If magic can help me to shoot a bolt.. Can't magic fire a bolt on it's own?
He spends a day gathering some rosty metals, broken planks and dirty ropes from all around the town. Then he heads out to the woods where he assembles and deconstruct the parts again and again, trying to force some magic into them. After many tries he actually manages to construct a small crossbow-like machine that does not fall apart immediately. He lays a bolt into it and walks away from it. Then he focusses all his power onto the Boltthrower as he would name it. Slowly the rope is pulled backwards and snaps into position. The construct would turn around and aim at a slight angle upwards. Then, on releasing his mind, the little machine slings the bolt into the air where it flies over a long distance and hit's the target - a big apple hanging from a tree - that he had in mind.
Then the whole machine would explode into scraps.
Over the next two days T.A.S. improves the machine to make it last longer and refill bolts automatically.
One day, the young couple that took care of Mary and Jericho in their absence approached him. They would plead to let Mary stay with them - together with Jericho if Jexen would allow it. They had no children but they would love to care for them as if they were their own. After a long talk, T.A.S. reluctently agreed as it was the best for Mary. It would break his heart to leave her behind but here she had a safe home and could grow up as a normal child instead of living under a rock with him in the woods. He told them where they could find Jexen to speak with him as well.
Later that day T.A.S. would search Cynerik to speak about it with him to seek help and mostly consolation regarding the decision.
"I also decided to be part of our adventuring party. But I still have to deliver this bag of flour to the smith. It looks like we missed him by only two days. It's not about the value of the flour. It's about my honour, I will keep my promis."