Organization (Part 2)

"Finished reading?"

"Finished. You weren't ripped off. The prices you paid for everything were about the same as Windrunner's."

Sylvanas widened the distance between herself and Shane, then lay down on the longest sofa in the reception room and rolled over twice. "This is much more comfortable than your bed."

"If anyone else heard that, it'd cause a huge uproar. I don't want Alleria coming to my door to kill me." Shane found another sofa and sat down. It was soft and comfortable, its woven surface made from the fur of some animal.

The tea set and other items were made of crystal, the statues of white jade, and the carpets from Auckland Sheep wool. Shane disliked this tastelessly extravagant aesthetic, but the things in the reception room were not for his own use. As long as the guests were comfortable, that was enough.

"Once you've accumulated enough wealth, everything will become magical items anyway, so you won't have to worry about people calling you a nouveau riche. Your mage tower was just built. Isn't it normal that it can't compare to towers with a thousand years of history?"

"I'm not worried about that. I just don't like living too extravagantly."

"Is that so? I was going to suggest replacing your living quarters too, but forget it."

When it came to everyday items, Shane tended to think, It works pretty well, so I'll just keep using it. Unless something could no longer be used, he would not replace it easily.

"To celebrate the completion of your mage tower, I have a gift for you." Sylvanas pulled out a book from beneath her clothes and handed it to Shane. "I wrote this—<Ranger Training for Beginners and Elementary Advancement>. Take it and enrich that pitiful library of yours."

The book still carried the female elf's warmth. Shane took it and saw the words "Compiled and Written by Sylvanas Windrunner" in the lower-right corner of the cover. The library was divided into four main sections: Arcane Magic, Humanities and Geography, Magical Techniques, and Theories and Proofs. Sylvanas's book was placed in the Humanities and Geography section.

As Shane copied the spellbooks containing the second-circle spells he had learned, the number of books increased accordingly, filling the first row of shelves. Yet given the library's size, even if he copied down every spell he had mastered, it would still be far from full. Sailwind Harbor's library was much the same. Many practical books in the Arcane Magic section taught readers through stories, and those books filled most of the space. After copying down all his fourth-circle spell knowledge, Shane planned to write a story titled Shane and the Seven Troll Spellcasters, describing several practical spell applications and recording the troll traditions he had witnessed.

"Rumble—" The outpost's barrier suddenly lit up with white light, and the sound of an explosion reached the mage tower.

"Someone's attacking the outpost? Who's so bold?" Sylvanas frowned and sprang up, jumping out of the fifth-floor window. Rangers had their own ways of defying gravity. Shane walked to the window and heard her shout, "Everyone, prepare for battle! Mount up and wait for my command!"

The outpost barrier flashed again as a fireball struck it. Shane did not sense the taint of hexcraft; the attacker was using arcane magic. He stepped onto the teleportation array on the fifth floor and teleported to the observatory. Through the enchanted glass, he saw a figure outside the barrier. The fireball she cast lit up her face—it was a female elf.

Fortunately, because she was an elf, Sylvanas had not put an arrow through her heart. An arrow landed at her feet and burst with azure light, stunning the attacker. Several rangers then tied her up tightly.

They found a document on her. It was from Master Oakes of Silvermoon City, assigning her to Windrunner Outpost to assist Shane Dawnblade. There was also a letter to Shane from his mentor. It said that her name was Solarian, a fourth-circle mage discovered by his mentor in Eversong Woods, and that she was somewhat like Shane. His mentor did not want her to fall into decadence amid Silvermoon City's atmosphere, so he had sent her to Windrunner Outpost.

"She's yours now." Sylvanas tossed the girl at the doorway and left.

Solarian was a woman of few words. After being awakened, the rangers could get nothing out of her, so they had no choice but to hand her over to Shane. It was probably too late at night, and with the barrier in place, she could not contact anyone inside, so she had used Fireball as a greeting.

Shane guessed as much, but he still kept an eye on her.

When Solarian saw Shane in the mage tower, she merely nodded in greeting. She also specialized in the School of Conjuration, and her mentor had already assigned her study tasks. Every day, she read in her room, occasionally appearing in the library. She did not disdain the sparse collection and read through the books one by one. Her reading speed far exceeded Shane's copying speed, and she soon finished every book in the Arcane Magic section.

What would she do next? Shane soon found that he rarely encountered her in the mage tower. Then one day, he saw her in the library, placing a book back on the shelf. After she left, Shane took the book down: First-Circle Enchantment Spell: Hold Person.

The contents followed the same format as Shane's copied books. The final note read: "When you study knowledge you have already learned again, you will discover many new gains and improvements. Thank you, Mage Shane Dawnblade, for teaching me this."

This probably wasn't meant for me, Shane thought. Perhaps it was for apprentices who would study in this mage tower in the future. Was a tradition taking shape? Every mage who had stayed at the Red Sun White Tower could leave behind their own traces to guide those who came after them. He felt that he was doing something right.

All three mages copied books in their spare time, enriching the library one or two volumes at a time, though it was still insignificant compared to its scale. Two more collections also appeared in the Magical Techniques section. Shane placed Crafting Magical Items, a gift from his mentor, there, filling an entire bookshelf. The Construct Studies system was even more extensive, but it was still in Shane's head, and he intended to copy it after the Arcane Magic books. The other collection was half of Alchemy, contributed by Solarian. It had also been gifted by her mentor, while she was still studying the remaining half.

She also asked Shane for permission to use the alchemy laboratory, as her alchemy studies had entered the practical stage. Shane gave her the same treatment as Firehawk and hired her as the mage tower's Director of Alchemy.

With three people, could they be called some kind of council? Many "councils" in Shane's memories did not have many members either. Dalaran's ruling council had six members, while the Illidari Council had four...

Shane knew perfectly well that the mage tower had been built to monitor the Amani Trolls, and he had constantly been strengthening its power. With three spellcasters present, it would be difficult for the outpost to be breached unless all-out war broke out. During the day, they used telescopes to monitor a vast area. Troll movements involving more than a hundred individuals could not be concealed.

"The trolls have recently retreated back into their settlements. They almost never cross the blockade anymore." With fewer battle achievements to earn, Sylvanas complained to Shane. "Building the mage tower was very effective. The trolls have been scared off."

After hunting three priests, Shane had deliberately not crossed the blockade again, hoping to avoid the dangerous period of possible retaliation. Troll activity was weakening, which gave him time to accumulate strength.

After advancing to the fifth circle, his mind entered a stable period. He was still far from accumulating enough mental power for another advancement. During such a lull, practicing his skills and accumulating knowledge were the best choices. Shane's maximization of Pyroblast had recently reached the peak of the fifth circle, making up for the insufficient destructive power of his barrage-style attacks.