Chapter 80: Jealousy |
The Magic Inn.
The window seat on the first floor, that seat Jiaina had been occupying for three days now.
After class, she would sit here and watch people come and go outside the window. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the little pouch at her waist.
Antonidas and Krasus sometimes lectured together. Jiaina had been quite happy when she saw Allen during class, but as soon as class ended, Allen slipped away like a gust of wind. No one knew what he was busy with, and after class he was always impossible to find.
She figured he was probably avoiding her. Otherwise, why couldn't anyone find him anywhere in Dalaran?
"Jiaina." Arthas's voice came from beside her as he sat down across from her with a teacup. "How was today's History of Magic lecture? I heard Lord Antonidas lectured in person, it must have been wonderful."
Jiaina pulled her gaze back from the window. "It was okay."
"Okay?" Arthas smiled. "I heard Lord Antonidas rarely lectures in person. If other apprentices heard you say 'it was okay,' they'd probably chase you down and beat you for insulting him."
Jiaina tugged at the corner of her mouth, a small response. Her gaze drifted back out the window.
"The weather should be nice tomorrow." He put down his cup, keeping his tone light. "Dalaran's floating gardens are in bloom this season. Have you been? I heard those flowers are magically cultivated, a single bloom can display several colors."
"No."
"Then shall I take you? Morning is quieter, the scenery is best—"
"Arthas, you come find me every day. Don't you have anything else to do?" Jiaina's voice was soft.
"Huh?"
Arthas froze. He opened his mouth to speak but found the lines he'd prepared stuck in his throat, none of them coming out.
He looked at her; her gaze drifted out the window again, like a bird ready to fly at any moment.
Suddenly he felt both very near and very far from her.
Near enough to see the shadow her lashes cast on her cheek, far enough that she seemed not of this world.
His guards outside the inn looked displeased.
How dare this woman treat the prince of the Kingdom of Lordaeron like this!
Outside the inn, a man wearing a wizard's hood halted.
After these days of investigation, Kel'Thuzad had confirmed one thing: there had never been a mage named Ner'zhul in Dalaran before.
He had gone through all enrollment records, guest logs, even the inn's resident lists. Nothing.
There was only one exception: that young man who had accompanied the Kul Tiras "princess" to Dalaran a few days ago.
His file was sealed, his name did not appear in any public records, his movements were mysterious, and after coming to Dalaran he vanished. No one knew where he was, no one knew what he was doing.
Kel'Thuzad suspected that this man was Ner'zhul.
That man had ruined his painstaking work. How much time and effort had he poured into building that organization, only for it to collapse in a few days because of that con man.
Those he had personally recruited, those he had patiently persuaded and guided step by step—after hearing that fraud's ramblings for a few nights, they threw their founder aside.
They called the fraud "Master Ner'zhul." They obeyed him blindly, they worshiped him as a god.
And Kel'Thuzad—his sincere words of counsel—were seen by them as the jealous ramblings of a clown.
He inhaled deeply and forced down the storm of emotions.
He lifted his head, his gaze cutting through the inn's glass window to fall on a golden-haired girl.
He would also destroy what Ner'zhul cared about most.
Kel'Thuzad stepped into the inn.
Arthas sensed it first. He looked up and saw a man in a dark robe walking toward them. There was something unpleasant about him.
He rose and moved to stand in front of Jiaina.
"Who are you?"
Kel'Thuzad stopped. The face under his hood was half-hidden in shadow, but a pair of gray-blue eyes could be seen.
Those eyes looked at Arthas, then past him, toward Jiaina behind him.
"Stay away from her." Arthas's voice turned cold.
Jiaina lifted her head from her book. She saw Arthas's silhouette blocking her, and the hooded man opposite standing completely still. She didn't know what was happening, but her hand had already quietly closed around the staff hanging at her waist.
---------------
In Kel'Thuzad's room, Allen held a wooden-carved raven in his hand.
The piece was carved from some dark wood, the feather patterns fine and flowing, each barb carved sharply and clearly.
The feel in his palm was warm and solid, like holding a small, congealed sliver of ancient power.
This had to be a top fragment of Atiesh.
So it was you who stole it.
No wonder. In the future game's Naxxramas raid where Kel'Thuzad served as the final boss, the top fragment of Atiesh would drop. It seemed he intended to reassemble Atiesh deliberately.
He examined it repeatedly, then glanced stealthily at Amy, who paid him no attention at all.
Seeing Amy not looking at him, Allen calmly shoved the piece into his pocket.
Wait a second, why sneak around?
This isn't a furball. Antonidas and Krasus did say in person that they had entrusted him to retrieve all of Atiesh.
Stella, who happened to catch this sight, quickly turned her head away and pretended not to see.
Side Quest: Magical Branch (Completed)
Quest Objective: Collect more magical wood fragments: 3/3
Reward: 1 Random Mid-Level Spell being drawn, 2 Free Attribute Points granted, Profession Level increased by 1...
...
Draw successful. Congratulations, you have obtained the spell: Bio-Location
[Bio-Location]
[Circle Level: 4th]
[Effect: You name or describe a creature you are familiar with. As long as that creature is within 1,000 meters of you, you will sense its direction. If the creature is moving, you will also know its direction of movement.]
Warlock Level 3 → Warlock Level 4
Unlocked new talents, one 1st-2nd circle spell, one cantrip, gained two attribute points
Great haul indeed, Allen stood before the bookshelf, choosing carefully.
[Detect Thoughts]
[Circle Level: 2nd]
[Effect: Choose a creature and force a Perception save. If the save fails, you may read its thoughts.]
[Mage Hand]
[Circle Level: Cantrip]
[Effect: Create a spectral hand that can manipulate objects and interact with them.]
Mage Hand. Allen read the description and a slight smile lifted the corner of his mouth. He was truly a mage—his cantrip was the proper Mage Hand. Who could say he wasn't a mage now?
[Talent: Luck]
[Effect: Once per day you may reroll a die.]
Allen's eyes locked on Luck immediately. A daily do-over beats any spell. No-brainer pick.
[Side Quest Triggered: The Legendary Staff (III)]
[You can tell, this is a staff. It keeps calling to its other fragments. Gather them and master the legend!]
[Quest Objective: Collect all legendary staff fragments: 3/10]
[Quest Reward: Random 9th-circle spell x1, 10 Free Attribute Points, unlock 1 Profession Sequence]
After that, Allen went through the motions of pretending to search, and found a small bundle of letters tied with black ribbon.
He untied the ribbon and read them one by one.
The first letter was scrawled and urgent: "Lord Kel'Thuzad, although Master Ner'zhul's teachings differ from yours, he has brought a brand-new perspective. We cannot exclude him simply because his viewpoint differs. Please calm down and give Master Ner'zhul another chance."
The second letter's tone was more aggressive: "Kel'Thuzad, you're being jealous. Since Master Ner'zhul arrived, the cult has shown real cohesion. Look at the knowledge he's brought us and those profound shadow theories. You never taught us these things before. If you truly care for the cult, you should support Master Ner'zhul, not oppose him at every turn."
Third, fourth, fifth letters. Each one pleaded with him, each one defended "Master Ner'zhul," each one questioned his motives. The lines were drenched in fanaticism and adoration; the respect for him as the founder had evaporated.
The last letter had no recipient and wasn't mailed.
In the center of the page was a single line, written in thin, spare handwriting:
"I will remember today."
No wonder he himself didn't come and didn't warn the other members not to come.
To be precise, he did warn, but no one believed him.
He could only protect himself, he didn't even dare go home.
So what was he doing now?
Allen continued to search.
He found excerpts from Dalaran's guest register and Jiaina's class schedule.
Below them was a hand-drawn map marking the patrol posts along the route to the Magic Inn and their shift-change times.
The last sheet had only one line, written dead center on the page.
"She waits for him every day. She is waiting for him."
Done for, Jiaina, danger!