Crafting Diagram

"Class is over for today." Kaishius smiled and tapped the blackboard, reminding the sleeping children that their day of "torture" had ended.

Listening to the children leave amid laughter and cheers, Kaishius felt somewhat helpless. Compared to Quel'Thalas, the younger generation among Lordaeron's commoners placed far less importance on accumulating knowledge.

The Elf picked up the eraser, preparing to wipe away the writing covering the blackboard. His raised hand was suddenly stopped. Looking down, he saw that the slow-speaking child was tugging on his sleeve.

"Nathanos, what is it?" Kaishius asked curiously, noticing at the same time the drawing and ink-stained quill in the boy's hands.

The boy held up the drawing for him to see, and Kaishius narrowed his eyes. A strangely shaped bow and arrow had been drawn on it.

"What is this? Did you draw it?"

Nathanos nodded. "How... make... this?"

Question marks swirled around Kaishius's head. The Elf carefully examined the little brat, wondering what his purpose was in asking that question. He remembered that Nathanos always sat in the last row during class and was always the first to leave afterward. If there was anyone among all the children who was the most unnoticed, it was undoubtedly Nathanos.

"This is a weapon. It's dangerous."

Making a request is the same as making a deal. First, you need something to bargain with.

Nathanos choked up for a moment, because he had no so-called bargaining chip. He only wanted Kaishius to help him. "You... don't know... how to... make it, right?"

Combined with his halting manner of speech, those words sounded very much like mockery. Several black lines appeared on Kaishius's forehead. But Nathanos was only a few years old and did not understand what provocation was. Besides, there was no harm in telling him how to make a bow and arrow. He was only a child, after all.

"No Elf is unfamiliar with bows and arrows, child." Kaishius snatched the drawing from Nathanos's hand and casually handed him the blackboard eraser. "Do something for me as well."

Nathanos nodded at him, turned around, dragged a wooden chair in front of the blackboard, climbed onto it, and began working. Meanwhile, Kaishius started writing notes and instructions on the drawing.

"Do all... Elves... know... archery?"

"Not exactly!" Kaishius replied, frowning as he wondered whether his alterations to the bow limbs on the drawing were correct. "Most do, but only know the basics. They just shoot at dummies to pass the time. The true masters of archery are the Rangers. Every one of them is a Master Archer."

"Master... Archer?" Nathanos murmured. He did not see Kaishius nod, but a feeling of irritation arose in his heart. He did not know why.

The more arrogant a person is, the more likely they are to overestimate the power they possess. That is a fatal weakness.

"Tha... nk you." By the time Nathanos had finished wiping the blackboard, Kaishius had also finished explaining the bow and arrow on the drawing. The words that flashed through his dreams kept Nathanos from believing Kaishius's description of the Rangers, but he still intended to find out what kind of people they were.

After returning home, Nathanos briefly greeted Sally and quickly slipped back into his room. He crouched beside his bed and reached underneath to take out the book about minerals he had hidden there. He had already read half of it. He did not dare guarantee that he would be able to identify the ores described in the book the moment he encountered them in the future; that would take time and practice. Comparing it with the drawing Kaishius had altered, Nathanos quickly began searching. He read five pages, and when he turned to the sixth, something new caught his attention. The author of this book turned out to be a dwarf named Brann Bronzebeard, whose writing carried Nathanos to the distant south:

Twisted Corridors. I have never seen a place like this. The vegetation here is lush, just like in Elwynn Forest, but there is always a hint of gloominess. I do not know why. Perhaps the surrounding cliffs are too ugly in shape, or perhaps it is because of the Guardian Medivh. Personally, I lean toward the latter. Medivh has clearly made his domain as mysterious as he is, just like Karazhan. Yet the more mysterious a place is, the more it attracts me. There are so many ores and herbs here that they dazzle the eye, and I even discovered a new mineral deposit. Its structure contains magical energy. Incredible. I named it Arcane Crystal Ore to commemorate my visit here. Of course, that is only a little joke. Still, I remain shocked by everything here. The Arcane Energy faintly radiating from the Tower of Karazhan is affecting everything around it, including people. The Violet Eye, the organization Dalaran sent to monitor Karazhan, is very strange. They seem to have become guests of the Tower of Karazhan and have been welcomed by Medivh. Many members have moved into the tower. I truly cannot understand what Medivh is thinking. Perhaps he really is as hospitable as the rumors say. If I have the chance, I would like to visit him as well. But I have to get going. Many more places are waiting for me to explore.

"Karazhan?" Nathanos read aloud.

"Nathanos, time to eat." Sally called out. Nathanos answered, then put the book beneath the bed. After lunch, since Jonathan had gone out to purchase stock, Nathanos had nothing to do that afternoon, so he went to find Gudul early.

When he arrived at the blacksmith shop, Nathanos found Gudul asleep in a chair. The empty bottles on the table and floor were enough to show that someone else had been there. After calling out several times without any result, Nathanos looked around. Finally, he fixed his gaze on Gudul's wardrobe. Nathanos remembered where Gudul had kept the books last time. He opened the cabinet, and aside from darkness, a musty smell wafted out.

"What... is this?" Nathanos had actually found a scroll. When he opened it, the writing on it was all in Dwarven language. Nathanos could only understand a few words. It was a diagram, and the illustration showed a bow. Nathanos was very excited. He was certain it was a Crafting Diagram, and that the item it could make was the bow and arrow shown above. But after only looking at it for a few moments, he gradually realized that the bow seemed very familiar. He did not know why.

"Blood... wood hunt... ing bow!" Nathanos accidentally spoke the bow's name. His eyes never left it, but a callused hand suddenly snatched the Crafting Diagram from his hands. The other person smelled of alcohol, and there was anger in his eyes.

"Brat, how dare you rummage through my things?" Gudul shouted with a flushed face. Nathanos could not tell whether Gudul was red from anger or alcohol.

Nathanos looked apologetically at the dwarf. He wanted to say something, but another sentence he had heard in his dreams reminded him: Emotions are often not real. Do not judge someone only by the expression on their face.