Chapter 98

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Chapter 098: High-Level Spells

"We don’t have classes this afternoon, so I can help you plan your next steps," Malin said, pulling out several books from the bookshelf behind the desk and laying them out on the table.

"Do you have any ideas of what spells you want to learn or have heard of before? We believe that interest is the best teacher. Many novice mages are drawn to becoming mages because of Polymorph. Despite Polymorph being a spell that can easily lead to disasters on Azeroth, it’s easy to learn but hard to master. Practicing Polymorph is very helpful for the growth of a novice mage."

"Do you want to learn Polymorph, or… the Blink Spell? Another popular but potentially dangerous magic."

Jesse was not very interested in Polymorph. He currently relied on Fear to control enemies, and choosing another control spell, especially an Arcane one, would seem redundant.

As for the Blink Spell… Jesse admitted that this magic was very tempting for him, especially since he loved using it in the game and would love even more to learn it in real life.

Moreover, in the abandoned fishing village on the North Coast, he witnessed the power of sea monsters using Blink Spell… They suddenly appeared in front of him from behind, which was really intimidating.

"Unfortunately, Blink Spell is not currently open for apprentices to learn at the Wizard’s Sanctum." Malin’s words poured cold water on the excitement, "There was once an apprentice, only 13 years old, who used Blink Spell and accidentally fused his chest with a port box. It took two days just to separate the body. After this terrifying incident, the teaching of Blink Spell at Wizard’s Sanctum became very cautious. There are now restrictions on the display of Blink Spell spellbooks in the library."

Is that so? It’s a pity that when Jesse was being chased by the Naga, he was too far away to hear the incantation clearly. Otherwise, he might have been able to figure it out on his own.

But according to Malin, experimenting with Blink Spell is more dangerous than exploring Shadow Magic on his own.

"Master, I have heard of a spell," Jesse said. "I heard about it from Lordaeron, it’s called Mage Armor."

Malin nodded and asked, "Why do you want to learn this spell?"

"When I was on top of Stonewatch Keep…" Jesse said, "I was hurt by Shadow Magic, and the scars on my hands haven’t healed yet. That time was really dangerous, so I heard that Mage Armor can protect against Shadow Magic. That’s why I want to learn it."

Malin said, "Mage Armor can not only protect against Shadow Magic, but it can also protect against almost all magical damage. This can be considered one of the top-level protective spells, Mr. Seso. Of course, except for Light magic, but if you refer to Holy Light as a form of energy in Stormwind, you might get in trouble with the priests. Anyway, I suggest you start by choosing a course from Master Andromath first. If you aim to learn Mage Armor, you can sign up for the Protection School’s curriculum, study the relevant magical principles, and it will greatly help you in successfully mastering Mage Armor."

"So, I can’t learn it right now, right?" Jesse asked tentatively.

"Unless you’re Medivh," Malin said. "When he was just a young apprentice at the age of ten, his magic skills were already strong enough to crush me, a mage like me, as easily as squashing a bug. Thankfully, he was still a kind and innocent child back then, so despite having the power to harm thousands of people in the city, he only ended up accidentally killing his father."

"So, having natural magic ability and powerful magical talent is extremely dangerous, Mr. Seso. Learning magic that goes beyond your abilities… is even more dangerous. Although the Council of Tirisfal once imposed strict restrictions on magic studies due to Arcane misuse, it now seems they were too extreme. But it must be said that their intentions were absolutely reasonable."

"But if in the future I were to join your research, like going deep into the wetlands," Jesse said, "and encountering Dragonmaw Orcs, Dark Iron Dwarves, or even Red Dragons, I must have protection against both shadow and fire, right?"

"Are you setting conditions?" Malin said helplessly. "You may not yet understand why I don’t allow you to learn Mage Armor, it’s for your own good, especially with magic that affects yourself, you need to be extra careful."

Jesse asked, "So, what could possibly go wrong?"

Malin said, "The activation of Mage Armor is similar to the frost armor technique favored by ice mages, both involve forming an external shell of arcane-concentrated elements to assimilate and counter similar external magical intrusions… the dangers are also alike. Frost armor is very prone to icing the caster, especially those who are not skilled enough. Mistakes in spells or gestures can lead to such consequences."

"Mage Armor is much more complex, its casting process is lengthy because it weaves a vibrant outer layer with various magical protection effects to shield the caster, any mistakes in each color can trigger a chain reaction. An error could subject you to simultaneous backlash from five or six different elemental magics. In comparison, the demand for mental focus is actually secondary."

"I want to give it a try, Master," Jesse said firmly.

Malin didn’t reject Jesse again as Jesse expected, she just sat behind the table looking at Jesse, and after a while asked, "Have you already made up your mind?"

"Not too early," Jesse said. "It’s been about one or two days, after I felt like I had learned enough about my Light Spell. So, Master, is Mage Armor forbidden for apprentices to learn?"

"There are no strict rules like Blink Spell for Mage Armor," Malin replied.

"That’s great," Jesse said. "So, the next magic I want to learn is Mage Armor."

Seeing Jesse so determined, Malin hesitated again.

Maybe thinking about the Red Dragon, or thinking about Jesse’s focused look when casting the Light Spell just now, or considering whether this big boy in front of her would become another pitiful person who died tragically in the pursuit of ultimate power.

But for Jesse, his thoughts were simple.

If his affinity with Arcane energy was not as strong as he imagined, then the number of arcane magics he could choose was very limited.

To specialize in a widely applicable protection spell and a useful irreplaceable support magic… Master them to perfection, instead of wasting energy on memorizing numerous messy spells that could serve the same purpose.

Mage Armor is without a doubt the best choice for protection in this magic spell category.

Malin’s words confirmed this point, a lasting resistance boost is more versatile, able to protect you from fatal harm in various complex situations. Comparatively, various elemental protection barriers require much more skill and energy to use.

"Alright, two conditions." Malin finally said, "First, learn the spell of Arcane Intellect. You must practice this spell under the influence of Arcane Intellect, which can greatly enhance the accuracy of your spellcasting and your energy limit, thus reducing the level of danger. Second, do not practice secretly when I am not present. I must watch over you to prevent any accidents that you cannot control, or harm to others."

"I agree to both conditions," Jesse said decisively.