Mentor

Leaving aside Capernian, who had stormed off in anger, she would certainly have exploded if they had not been in the library.

Once the construct was fully charged, Shane brought it out of the workshop. The abundant arcane energy lit up all five hundred-odd circuits, which branched like trees across each bone, somewhat resembling the electronic devices of his previous life. The guard construct at the gate even greeted it. Unfortunately, Shane's construct could only flash its single eye in reply.

"Mage of the Dawnblade, you have been conscripted." Just as Shane was about to head to the ironworks to install its armor, someone arrived to cause trouble.

Shane recognized him as one of the Windrunners who had taken Vereesa away. His malice was almost tangible. "Lady Alleria requested you personally. Commander Sylvanas will take good care of you."

A Mage Hand caught the document flung at him. From the Silvermoon City Royal Mages' Association to Ranger Command to the Sentinel Vanguard, not a single official seal was missing.

Alleria had issued it, citing increased troll activity and the need for reinforcements. She thought highly of Shane's exceptional talent, advanced spellcasting skills, and outstanding qualities that set him apart from other elves. She believed he could play a pivotal role in the Sentinel Vanguard. At the bottom, he even found his mentor's countersignature.

It had been issued three days earlier. Apparently, the messenger had waited outside the library for several days to deliver the conscription order to Shane in person.

"Why are you still here?" Shane asked when he saw that the man had not left.

"Miss Vereesa would never fancy you." The man looked smug.

"Is that all?"

"That's all."

Shane snapped his fingers, activating the second-circle evocation spell, Frost Ring. "Give him a bath." The construct's single eye flashed. Its two enormous pincers seized the man as though he were a chick, then followed the shot-put motion programmed into its behavior to send him flying.

"I, Lor'themar, will get even-" Splash! He landed in the sea.

There were still twelve days until the reporting date on the conscription order. Traveling from here to the Ghostlands would take only five days, or just one on a dragonhawk.

"Three days at the ironworks to install the armor, weapon systems, and powered wheels. Two days to buy supplies, then one day to visit my mentor. Finally, I'll head to the Ghostlands, with a day to spare."

Quel'Thalas produced no ore of its own. Everything Silvermoon City needed came through trade with humans. The ironworks stood not far from Sun Sail Harbor for the convenience of transport.

The ironworks' engineer handled the entire armor installation while Shane supervised. He was a dependable elf who followed the blueprints and installed the armor plates step by step, then sprayed them with the dark gold finish common among elves. A battering ram and a chainsaw were mounted on the two arms, one on either side. When deployed, they extended and connected to the palms to draw power.

The armor gave special protection to the core in the chest, with plating twice as thick as elsewhere. Its structure bulged outward in a thirty-five-degree curve, forming a heart-shaped defense. Its total weight was two and a half times that of a mass-produced construct.

Shane climbed aboard and took it for a lap around an outdoor testing ground. Its weight gave it excellent traction, and with four cores driving it, it ran fast and steadily.

"Your name will be Taigo. Taigo the construct."

Taigo's single eye flashed repeatedly to acknowledge the command.

Back at the ironworks, the engineer also expressed his admiration for the finished work.

"Your construct is incredible. It's the most powerful I've ever seen, apart from those belonging to the masters in Silvermoon City."

Shane would have been delighted without that last part.

Afterward, to prepare for the unexpected conscription, Shane spent all eight hundred-odd gold coins he had left. Most went toward spellcasting materials and everyday necessities, which he packed into a magical bag.

Shane had not seen Vereesa for many days, and he missed her terribly. Presumably, she was being watched too closely to slip out. Or perhaps she was working hard somewhere he could not see.

Not long ago, the girl had said, "I have to work hard too."

He wondered whether he could see her before leaving. Ask the Windrunners about her? Forget it.

Shane left letters both in his little house and at Vereesa's secret hideout, telling her how he was doing and that he would be heading to the Ghostlands.

Before leaving Quel'Sera, he also had to visit his mentor: Oakes Dawnblade the Earthshatterer, a master with a seat in the Silvermoon City Royal Mages' Association, an eighth-circle master of the conjuration school who owned an eight-story spire.

With his apprentice credentials, Shane encountered no obstacles on his way to see his mentor.

"I know all about your circumstances. You passed the mushroom theorem's test, mastered a magical art, advanced to the fourth circle, and learned three fourth-circle spells. Originally, Aldorron was to tell you certain things after you mastered a magical art. But since you're here, I'll tell you myself."

So being sent away from Silvermoon City to tend a nursery as an apprentice had also been a test. While his mentor spoke, Shane sensed the abundant arcane energy beneath his robes and his mind flowing through the surrounding space. Shane guessed that at least half of his thoughts were occupied with simulating arcane experiments.

"Once you have mastered a magical art, if you also advance to the fourth circle, you will be granted a metamagic technique. When you master that technique, you will be admitted into the library's governing body: the Arcane Brotherhood. Then you can earn more arcane knowledge through your contributions. But remember, every spell is a burden. At the lower circles, the effect is slight, but at the higher circles, it will seriously affect your mental stability. So if you wish to reach that pinnacle, you must possess both a love of the arcane and restraint."

"Go! Don't concern yourself with the Windrunners' petty little schemes. They're nothing to worry about. You will receive everything you deserve."

"Why don't you stop them, Mentor?" Shane asked.

"A test," his mentor replied. "You are different from ordinary elves, and I don't want you to become like them. Go to the Ghostlands and prove your worth-your worth as an arcane spellcaster."

His mentor's authority was unquestionable. Shane left without arguing.

"Mage Shane, our mentor instructed me to give you this." As Shane was about to leave through the main entrance, an apprentice handed him a book held in both hands.

The moment he took it, he could feel the dense arcane energy inside.

"Spell detected. Effect: protection from arrows. Spell detected. Effect: memory activation."

The Eye of Truth alerted him. Seven runes on the cover indicated that the spell could be used seven times.

He opened the book to find three fourth-circle spells and three fifth-circle spells recorded inside.

There was also a metamagic technique: Multicast. It allowed multiple instances of a single spell to be released within one casting time. The exact number depended on the caster's proficiency with the spell and their caster level.

After only a few glances, Shane put the book into his magical bag.

The three fourth-circle spells matched the schools Shane studied.

Conjuration school: Blink

Abjuration school: Arcane Barrier

Evocation school: Pyroblast

He did not memorize the fifth-circle spells, as his caster level was too low.

"Eye of Truth, how large is the gap between my mentor's strength and mine?" Shane wanted a clear measure of his own strength. Azeroth was a dangerous world. If he was too weak, he might die before Arthas even arrived.

"Insufficient intelligence gathered. A detailed assessment cannot be made."

"Make an assessment using the information available."

"Oakes Dawnblade the Earthshatterer possesses twenty times the user's arcane energy."

Twenty times. A somewhat despair-inducing figure.

"Then how does he compare with the Lich King in my memories?" Shane asked again.

"Based on currently available information and epic accounts, the Lich King is an immortal, a demigod. He is one of the most powerful beings on the planet Azeroth. The user's mentor would be utterly overwhelmed."

A possibility he had long anticipated was confirmed.

"Eye of Truth, begin devising a plan to increase my strength. Maximize efficiency."

As he said this, Shane was riding on Taigo's back. He had just left Silvermoon City and was on the road to the Ghostlands. He channeled his mana, and three mana orbs floated above his head. The arcane flame above him rose, and another three orbs revolved overhead.

"Initial plan: the user shall maintain three revolving mana orbs at all times, increasing to two or more sets when appropriate."

"Prioritize learning the metamagic technique: Multicast. It will greatly increase the user's combat strength."

"This device has observed that the user's physical fitness is below the high elf average. Physical training will be incorporated into the plan."

"To ensure the user remains healthy, the daily schedule is as follows."

Shane examined the timetable provided by the Eye of Truth. "Plan approved."

"Understood. Saving... It is now time to practice the metamagic technique. Please begin."

"All right." Shane began practicing according to the knowledge he had received.

Metamagic techniques were not passed down through writing or spell diagrams, but bestowed in the form of memories. Once memorized, they would be destroyed.