In a secluded grove west of Fairbreeze Village, a young Elf sat quietly beneath an ancient oak.
A thin layer of frost armor covered Karin from head to toe!
"Did it work?" He opened his eyes.
Nearly ten days had passed since his first meditation! Over that time, the soybean-sized source of mana in his mind had grown to almost five times its original size... of course, the effort he had put into it was almost unimaginable.
The Second Ring abjuration spell, Frost Armor, was the spell he was currently attempting!
Spells below the Third Ring-not including the Third Ring itself-had no strict restrictions on who could cast them. In other words, even the lowliest apprentice mage could cast some Second Ring spells. However, the power of those spells differed drastically depending on the mage's level. Take the Second Ring evocation spell Fireball, for example: an apprentice mage's might only blast a branch off a tree, while a Second Ring novice mage's could blast through a wall!
Naturally, spells of the Third Ring and above were far more complicated to control, and casting them above one's level was much harder.
"Although you finally managed to cast it, this frost armor is still far too fragile!" the All-Knowing Eye remarked bluntly. "It will collapse after taking an impact of roughly twenty horsepower, and a Fireball cast by an ordinary First Ring mage can reach ten horsepower!"
Karin was rather more optimistic about it. "So if I duel a First Ring mage now, I can take three fireballs and live another ten seconds or so!" he joked.
Karin got to his feet and stretched a little. After practicing Frost Armor for the past few days, he felt as though the cold had seeped into his bones.
"By the way, All-Knowing Eye, do you have any information on Melf's Acid Arrow?" Karin suddenly asked.
"Melf's Acid Arrow?" the All-Knowing Eye asked in puzzlement. "Why would you want to learn such a strange spell? If you want an offensive spell, Fireball or Magic Missile would be a better choice..."
"Never mind all that. Teach me how to cast it!" Karin replied firmly.
Left with little choice, the All-Knowing Eye said, "Melf's Acid Arrow is a Second Ring conjuration spell! You will need ground rhubarb leaves and an adder's stomach..."
"Mm!" Karin nodded. It looked as though he would have to visit Silvermoon City and see whether he could buy those things!
Just as he was leaving the grove, Karin came face-to-face with a young female Elf wearing snow-white Priest robes. He smiled and nodded to her, and she returned a slight bow.
Karin had encountered this female Priest several times in the grove lately. She seemed friendly enough; whenever she found him meditating, she would stand silently to one side without disturbing him!
Back at his cottage, he rummaged through his belongings for a few bags of silver coins, put them in his backpack, and mounted the plump hawkstrider in the courtyard.
"Karin, are you heading out?" A familiar voice called from a distance.
"Oliver!" Karin looked over his old friend, whom he had not seen for several days. Oliver wore a windbreaker and carried a pack, with a strange staff in his hand. "What are you getting ready for?"
"I've made plans with a few mage and ranger friends!" Oliver replied. "We're heading deep into Eversong Woods to search for traces of the Amani Trolls and embark on a grand adventure! Want to come along, Karin?"
Fairbreeze Village was at least fifty miles from the border between the Trolls and the Elves. How could they possibly find any traces of Trolls? Karin knew perfectly well that their so-called "adventure" would end up being nothing more than a picnic for fun!
"No, Oliver. I have some business to take care of in Silvermoon City!" Karin politely declined, tightening his grip on the hawkstrider's reins.
Though the hawkstrider was short and plump, it ran quite fast and offered a remarkably steady ride.
Fairbreeze Village was not far from Silvermoon City. After a journey of just over half an hour, Karin caught sight of its towering red walls.
There was a hawkstrider station beside the road. Since riding hawkstriders into Silvermoon City was forbidden, Karin would have to leave his there for the time being...
"Oh, my dear master mage, it would be an honor to look after your hawkstrider!" A shrill voice rang out, and a short figure rushed toward him!
It was a Goblin!
"Just one silver coin... one!" the Goblin said eagerly. "I guarantee I'll feed your hawkstrider nice and plump, master mage!"
Karin ignored the Goblin's deliberate flattery and simply tossed him a silver coin. "Sorry for the trouble!"
Two tall Elves stood at Silvermoon City's main gate!
Their faces were expressionless, and each held a staff in one hand and an enormous broad-bladed sword in the other!
Karin immediately felt a terrifying pressure. It was different from the pressure exerted by a high-ranking mage, an altogether strange sensation... in his mind, the All-Knowing Eye fell utterly silent, as though it had never existed!
Karin steeled himself and passed through the gate. Only after walking another few dozen paces did he let out a breath.
"Were they... the legendary Spellbreakers?" Karin murmured.
"The All-Knowing Eye does not know who they are, but can sense the tremendous threat they pose to mages. Those broad-bladed swords in their hands have probably claimed the lives of countless mages... that is why the All-Knowing Eye deliberately suppressed its presence just now!"
"Never mind. I'm a law-abiding citizen of Silvermoon City, so surely they won't attack me!" Karin muttered to himself as he continued on.
Silvermoon City's streets were bustling, lined with shops of every kind... most of the proprietors calling out to attract customers were Humans, Dwarves, or Goblins... while the customers, revelers, and pleasure-seekers inside were almost all High Elves.
Karin continued walking, searching for an alchemy shop.
Suddenly, he spotted a notice on a roadside bulletin board:
"After celebrating his four hundredth birthday next February, His Highness Prince Kael'thas plans to lead a group of young Elves to Dalaran for further study! Applicants must be under five hundred years old and possess spell slots above the Third Ring... interested citizens of Quel'Thalas may submit their details to the Royal Court!"
Karin stopped before the bulletin board.
"What is it, host? Does this interest you?" the All-Knowing Eye asked.
"Yes!" Karin nodded. "I've always felt out of place in Quel'Thalas. Dalaran is where I'll find like-minded people!"
"There are still eight months until next February... All-Knowing Eye, is there any chance I could break through to the Third Ring within eight months?" Karin asked.