"Yes, the All-Knowing Eye never imagined anyone could make such an unwise decision!" the legendary magical construct in his mind shouted, ranting furiously. "The All-Knowing Eye even suspects that the host's last injury may have damaged his intelligence!"
"These are mana crystals! A cupful this large could buy a mansion on Netheril's black market, purchase the virginity of ten beautiful maidens, or even hire a fifth-ring mage to do anything you ask..." the All-Knowing Eye continued to wail in dismay. "Yet you, host, were foolish enough to give them up! To give them up!"
"Then housing in Feyrun is pretty cheap!" Karin quipped listlessly. "All-Knowing Eye, as your host, can I order you to shut up?"
"Of course... and you needn't even give the order!"
The muttering voice in his mind abruptly fell silent.
"Mr. Karin!" Mage Kirkland had walked over. "Are you certain about this decision? Are you sure you won't regret it?"
"Yes, Instructor Kirkland!" Karin nodded calmly. "I've decided to give up this cup of water from the Sunwell!"
"Very well. Young people always act rashly, and they always believe they won't regret their rash decisions!" Mage Kirkland shook his head, then waved his staff... the wineglass full of well water in front of Karin flew back to the lectern.
"Instructor Kirkland!" Enclair, who was sitting in the front row, suddenly stood up.
"What is it, Mr. Enclair?" Mage Kirkland turned around.
"Since Karin Sunfury has chosen to forgo this gift, might I be so bold as to request it for myself?" Enclair asked cautiously. "After all, I feel that one cup of well water can no longer satisfy my thirst for magic!"
Mage Kirkland considered this for a moment. "Since you are already on the verge of breaking through to the first ring, Mr. Enclair, you should be able to absorb twice the amount of well water completely!"
With that, the wineglass on the lectern flew down in front of Enclair! Enclair hurriedly caught it, then began greedily absorbing the liquid inside, impatient and utterly devoid of decorum! Everyone present, including Mage Kirkland, objected to this. After all, they all knew how irresistible the Sunwell's water was to mages like themselves!
"Karin, what on earth are you doing?" Oliver growled beside him, sounding displeased.
Karin ignored him and remained standing.
"Mr. Karin, is there something else you need?" Mage Kirkland asked curiously when he saw Karin still on his feet.
"Well... Instructor Kirkland, I wanted to ask whether you could teach me some meditation methods. Since I won't be absorbing water from the Sunwell, could I improve my understanding of the arcane through meditation?"
The moment Karin finished speaking, a ripple of quiet laughter spread through the Apprentice Horde.
"Meditation?"
"Is he joking?"
"We elves of Quel'Thalas need to meditate?"
Had Mr. Kirkland not been there, those quiet chuckles would probably have already turned into loud jeers!
Mage Kirkland, however, did not laugh. He explained quietly, "Meditation is actually a rather crude method devised by the humans of Dalaran to obtain a source of magical power... we high elves of Quel'Thalas can draw magical energy from the Sunwell whenever and wherever we wish. Since we have an ample source of magical power, we naturally have no need for such a crude method as meditation!"
"So it all comes down to the Sunwell?" Karin murmured to himself.
Mage Kirkland walked to the bookshelf behind the lectern and pulled out a thin booklet!
"However, I do have a book about meditation here, written by a human mage from Dalaran. If you're interested, Mr. Karin, you might like to take a look!"
With that, he gently waved his staff, and the booklet flew onto Karin's desk.
Karin looked down. It was wrapped in parchment, and its title read: "Simple Meditation Insights."
The magical gathering soon ended, and Karin picked up the parchment-wrapped booklet.
Oliver had held his tongue all morning. At last, he could speak without restraint.
"Karin, what are you thinking? Why did you refuse to drink the Sunwell's water? Are you really planning to meditate like those foolish humans?" Oliver demanded.
Karin had no idea how to explain it to his friend, so he could only wave a hand helplessly. "It's nothing. You go on ahead. I still have a few things to ask Mr. Kirkland."
"Take care of yourself, Karin!" Oliver sighed and left the Apprentice Horde.
Enclair left next. Before going, he whistled at Karin and taunted him. "Karin, here's hoping you become the finest elven meditator!"
Karin ignored the mockery. He did not actually have anything to ask Mage Kirkland; instead, once everyone had left, he walked up to the Apprentice Horde's lectern.
A poster was displayed on one side of the lectern. It was quite new, probably put up a week or two earlier. It announced that Terenas, the king of Lordaeron, was celebrating the birth of his son, and the newborn prince's name was Arthas Menethil!
Yes, there are only twenty years left until the Sunwell is destroyed! Karin said silently to himself.
Oliver could not understand, Instructor Kirkland could not understand, and even the All-Knowing Eye could not understand... because twenty years from now, the Sunwell, the high elves' most sacred treasure, would be destroyed, something none of the elves would ever expect!
For the elven mages, the Sunwell would then cease to be a blessing and become a source of torment.
After they had absorbed mana crystals from the well's water for years, their supply would suddenly be cut off. Countless elven mages, unable to endure the torment, would become mindless Wretched. Others would barely cling to life by consuming fel or drawing on the Holy Light. Even the survivors would suffer unimaginable agony under the grip of their addiction to magic.
Twenty years was merely a fleeting moment in an elf's long life! Karin had neither the confidence nor the assurance that he could prevent the Sunwell's destruction. All he could do was minimize its influence over him as much as possible.
Besides, in his previous life, he had come from that ancient nation in the East. Because of those two wars in the nineteenth century, he felt an instinctive loathing for addictive substances like these... no matter what, he wanted nothing to do with them!
"Give up on shortcuts like this!" Karin muttered to himself as he looked at the booklet in his hand. "Just buckle down, meditate, and study!"