The Witch: And Her Two Disciples __link__

But no disciple ever does. Because the first lesson the Witch teaches is this: Desire is the easiest spell of all.

At its core, a story about a witch and her two disciples is a story about the transmission of power. Magic in these narratives is a finite or dangerous resource. It cannot simply be shared; it must be earned, stolen, or inherited. The Crucible of Competition the witch and her two disciples

This was the lesson the witch taught her disciples: some sickness sits on the bones of duty. The cure would therefore require more than poultice. It would ask of the lord a restitution he had never imagined. Marta groaned; such demands were not in her herbs. Lenn's jaw tightened; restitution promised fewer coins than a broken charm. But no disciple ever does

The "Witch and Disciples" dynamic is a popular structure in manga and anime: Witch Hat Atelier Magic in these narratives is a finite or dangerous resource