Arcane Addiction

Not long after Dalaran's political turmoil, his life remained largely unchanged.

That day, he was discussing a paper with Khadgar. "I think His Excellency Kael'thas's research into magical addiction has already demonstrated one thing: the power of magic can harm us too," he told Khadgar.

"But magic lets us do so many things, including restoring our health, doesn't it?" Khadgar was still unwilling to accept his view.

"Magic can only heal physical wounds, but the shadows in the mind are the most frightening of all. That's why I say we must be cautious with magic. It's like holding something without knowing what it is-you shouldn't use it rashly. Because even as it makes things easier for you, it might also harm you."

"Whatever the case, we can't just stop using magic. We're mages," Khadgar said somewhat petulantly.

"That's why we need to study this peculiar power called magic, so we can control it better instead of being controlled by it." This was the conclusion he had reached from studying Kael'thas's research into arcane addiction.

Just a few days earlier, Khadgar had obtained Kael'thas's research manuscript from somewhere and brought it to him so they could study it together.

Of course, he could hardly turn down an opportunity to study an Archmage's manuscript. After looking through it with Khadgar, he discovered that it concerned arcane addiction among the High Elves.

Kael'thas described arcane addiction in great detail in the manuscript. It was, in fact, a manifestation of an extreme craving for magical power. Many High Elves displayed such symptoms to varying degrees.

However, the Sunwell provided them with an endless source of magical power, and they usually relied on it to suppress their addiction. As for why symptoms of arcane addiction developed, Kael'thas had not offered much explanation in the manuscript.

The most important point in the manuscript was his mention that Dalaran's mages seemed to be experiencing similar problems. However, the problem was not serious, and the mages could overcome it through their strong will alone. Arcane addiction also seemed to occur only among spellcasters. Other professions, particularly combat professions, showed no such symptoms at all.

Could arcane addiction have been caused by excessive exposure to magical power? Kael'thas and many High Elf mages had recognized this possibility, but they could not stop using magic, so giving it up completely was impossible.

With the Sunwell supporting them, the High Elves had simply stopped considering the issue when they saw no more serious harm from arcane addiction.

Even Kael'thas was no different, as was evident from the way he had hastily ended the manuscript without pursuing the research further. But the manuscript had shown him a hidden danger faced by mages. If prolonged exposure to magic caused arcane addiction, how exactly did magic affect mages?

The symptoms of arcane addiction that Kael'thas described in the manuscript resembled drug addiction, yet it was far harder to overcome than addiction to drugs in the real world. Reading this, he could not help wondering whether magical power might act on the brain just as drugs did.

Yet he still felt that was not quite right. Arcane addiction was far harder to overcome than drug addiction; it required not only tremendous willpower but also complete separation from magic.

Finally, he thought of a possibility. Could magic have caused a problem with their minds or souls? The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed, because the soul, mental power, and magical power had always been closely connected. He had verified this before, particularly the fact that mental power could control magical power.

At this thought, he immediately asked Khadgar, "Khadgar, I wanted to ask: how do you convert the magical power in the Void into your own magical power?"

Khadgar gave him a puzzled look. "Why are you asking that? That's taboo among mages. Asking mages about their training methods is very rude. I imagine you wouldn't tell others your own training method either."

Khadgar's words made him realize he might have phrased his question poorly, so he said, "I'm not asking you to tell me your training method. I'm only asking where magical power goes after it enters your body."

Khadgar scratched his head, unsure how to answer, because he had never considered the question either. "I can't explain it clearly, but I can feel it inside my body."

Allen fell silent. He recalled the description of spellcasting in basic magical theory: mages used their own magical power to construct runes in the Void to cast spells. Mages used mental power to control their own magical power, but how exactly did they control it?

After hearing Khadgar's description, he suspected that magical power was combined with the mage's own mental power. Otherwise, there was no explaining why mages found it so much easier to control their own magical power than the power in the Void. Only by integrating magical power into mental power could they wield it as naturally as their own limbs.

This also explained why the High Elves suffered from arcane addiction. Living near the Sunwell, they were exposed to its magical power every day, far more than the mages of Dalaran were. Their minds and even their souls had formed extremely close connections with the Sunwell's magical power, making it virtually impossible to quit.

Unless they could sever their connection to magical power completely and cleanse the magical contamination within their souls. But even thinking about it made the difficulty obvious. After all, many mages had barely studied the soul at all.

At this thought, he could not help feeling fortunate. Because he relied on pure mental power to cast spells, coupled with the special nature of his soul, he had no need to worry about arcane addiction at all. I really don't understand what those early mages were thinking. They were unbelievably careless, stuffing things into their souls without even knowing what they were.

He did not tell Khadgar about this, because he had no evidence to prove it. Besides, if word got out, he would soon become the common enemy of mages.

After giving Khadgar a brief warning, he returned the manuscript and left the office. He had a class to attend shortly and needed to hurry over.

The day soon passed, and the next day he came to the office as usual. Today, he had not come for class, but to read.

The academy's library did not have as many books as the large Library outside, but it always had books that could not be found there. Today, he intended to borrow books on alchemy, because he had recently decided to obtain Alchemist credentials. He currently knew only three potion recipes, and all of them were for minor potions.

He could therefore only prevail through the quality of his brewing, and what he needed to do now was improve his success rate. He had come here to borrow books on alchemy because, although he had brewed many potions and produced plenty of finished products, he had discovered something.

He had hardly any technique, so he intended to learn some alchemical techniques here. Even the most ordinary techniques could improve the quality of his potions a little.

After borrowing the books, he returned to his lodgings and began trying out the techniques he had just learned. A week later, he had fully understood them. This was mainly because none of the books contained particularly advanced brewing techniques; otherwise, how could he possibly have understood them in a week?

He then rested for three days before coming to the Association to take the test. This time was different from the last. The Alchemist examination was far stricter than the apprentice examination, and three mages would be assessing him.

The three would each give him a score, then combine their scores to reach a final verdict. He knew only one of the three mages: the mage named Arthur from his apprentice test.

Arthur recognized Allen as soon as he saw him. "Oh, it's you, apprentice. We meet again. I said you would definitely come back, but I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

The white-bearded old man in the middle saw that Arthur actually knew the apprentice and asked, "Arthur, did you assess him before?" Arthur nodded and introduced him to the others. "This is Allen, an apprentice I assessed before. He's a promising prospect. These two are Master Keshus and Master Baolun. We are all your examiners."

Allen said nothing, merely rising to give them a mage's salute. He then went to the Alchemy Table and began his work. Today, he would brew three potions in total: the Healing Potion, Purification Potion, and Minor Speed Amplification Potion he had already learned. An hour soon passed, and his finished products were ready.

There was one Greater Healing Potion, one medium-grade Purification Potion, one medium-grade minor speed potion, and several inferior potions. The three mages took his finished products and began discussing them. "Not bad. He managed to brew potions of medium grade or above on his first attempt, so his success rate can't be too low. He also knows three recipes. I think he can pass." Arthur had a rather good impression of Allen, so he gave him the highest evaluation.

The others also thought he could pass, but their evaluations were fairly average. Naturally, the final result was a pass. Afterward, Arthur asked him to stay, and the two went outside the courtyard.

Arthur told him, "Your identification is being prepared, but it will take some time. Come back in three days to collect it. I asked you to stay today because I wanted to know whether you'd like to join the Association. You're an Alchemist with potential. That's clear from how many recipes you've learned in such a short time. If you join us, the Association will make your development a priority..."

He then said a great deal more to recruit him. Allen nodded from time to time as he listened, while inwardly weighing the advantages and disadvantages.

Joining the Association would place him firmly in Kel'Thuzad's faction, but judging from recent events, Kel'Thuzad's faction did not seem to be doing particularly well.

Still, he would not conclude from this that the faction would fall. After all, Kel'Thuzad remained on the Council of Six, a position secured by his strength.

In the end, he agreed, because only within the Association could he obtain more recipes, particularly those above minor grade. These could not be found on the open market, and most came from the Association. To obtain them, he first had to be one of their own.

Three days later, he received his identification, and the Association also issued him a Certified Alchemy Master's Mage Robe. Afterward, he looked through the items sold within the Association. They were all quite good, and there were even a few minor recipes he had not mastered. Unfortunately, he had no plans to study recipes just yet.