Chapter 234 – Natural Understanding

Jace looked at the mysterious look on Galdus’ face, and then at Sulenna’s, and felt that the spell should not be simple.

“Will it take long? I’m actually here to see Ursula Deering.”

Galders said, “She just said she was going to bed, and there’s no movement over there at this point.”

“Going to bed so early?”

“She’s always had a different routine than normal, why don’t we go wake her up?”

“No, I’ll find her some other time.” Jace said.

Galdus says, “In that case, come with me and check out that spell, Gagin and I are looking forward to you trying it.”

“What’s the spell?”

“I don’t know.” Galdus said, “That’s why I was going to let you take a look.”

With that, Jess was instantly interested.

“Cute looking and so capable, ouch.” Sulenna shook her head and said, “I don’t know how mom and dad managed to give birth to you, Jace, is there a skill to giving birth? I’d like to learn that too ……”

Erland licked his teeth in obvious displeasure and whispered, “Drink less you crazy fucking woman ……”

Sulenna glanced at him and muttered something in a low voice.

Jace followed Galdus into the side hallway, and as he walked, Galdus said, “I heard Ursula say you were back the day before yesterday, why didn’t you come to me? I didn’t see you in good spirits.”

“I’ve had quite a bit of trouble in the past two days preparing for the Mage District ……, but it’s nothing now.” Jace explained, then asked, “How did you guys get that spell? No clue at all?”

Galdus said, “The source, you don’t have to ask. Specifically this spell, some time ago I have already tried it with Garkin, and Sulunna, but neither of them could successfully cast it, it is not a simple magic …… it is too long, and requires the ability to concentrate for a long period of time. Gakin thought you might have some different tricks up your sleeve from spending so much time with those mages, so he’s going to let you try it when you get back to see what kind of spell it is.”

Jess said, “But don’t expect me to make it for sure.”

“No, but if even you can’t get it.” Galdus said, “I’m about to move to Danmoro and ask.”

“Do the warlocks over at Ironforge know about this spell?” Jace asked.

“I’m not sure.” Galdus led Jace inside the passageway as he went to his room and pulled out a book before continuing on to the warlocks’ “practice room”.

“Maybe we know, maybe we don’t, we have very little contact these days, maybe those warlocks have Winterfest too, and.”

Arriving at the practice room, Jace took the leatherette paper Galdus handed him wedged in a book.

The paper reminded him of those Nasrezm-speaking papers in his bag, and for a moment the scene of the mysterious necromantic sacrificial site came back into his mind.

“What’s wrong, Jess?”

“It’s fine.” He looked at the spell that had been painted in front of him at some point and couldn’t help but ask, “Was this painted for this spell?”

“Yes, it’s a Shadow Enhancement spell from the Dwarves, but …… it doesn’t seem to be working too well, so you’ll just try to keep using this one for a while.” Galdus says, “Try pronouncing it while I correct your pronunciation.”

“It won’t trigger anything if you simply read it, will it?” Jace asked.

“It would save a lot of effort if we could.” Galdus laughed bitterly.

Jace nodded, he took one look at the generic characters and knew they were phonetic demonic, with familiar pronunciations in them.

“Tartarini, Monta, Inhagathon, Tuliloxeni, Tayatansayadini, Binotusi, Talviset, Elleman, Ulhaukskis.”

It was indeed too long, and while reciting it Jace always felt as if something wasn’t quite right with the spell, and stumbled over it.

But Galdus listens and says, “Pretty much, Jace, I have nothing to correct, I knew I should have called you. So let’s officially start casting the spell, the essentials of casting and whatnot are in the book.”

Jace took Galdus’s book, looked at the tinkered statements on it, and asked, “Is this the essentials of casting the spell that you got along with the incantation?”

“No.” Galdus said, “This casting gesture is something I’ve tried out a little bit based on other Shadow magic, and right now this is the one that feels the most obvious. The rest is up to your powerful innate understanding, Jace.”

“Innate understanding?”

“What kind of look is that?” Galdus said, “Don’t look at me like you’re innocent, Jace Sesso, it’s hard to believe that you don’t know anything about your Shadow affinity? Even Gagin could sense it, and even I think in his mind you were a replacement for that Morsul guy. And I’ve always felt that you’re no substitute, Jace, you’re unique.”

“Don’t say that, I’m just one of the club.” Jace said.

Galdus nodded, “Of course, we all have our gifts, it’s just that the vast majority of us spend our mediocre lives searching for where our gifts lie. And the day you step into the lamb that has been slaughtered ends the long search early.”

Jace wasn’t sure if Galdus was being genuinely complimentary, or if he was just blowing off a bunch of no-brainers in order to get himself to hurry up and try the spell.

In fact, he certainly wasn’t oblivious to the connection between himself and the Shadow, he just wasn’t sure where it came from.

When he tried to unleash Shadow magic, he could feel the Shadow power around him get excited as if it had a manic episode, Arcane was far less so.

But for those mages with a strong arcane affinity, their spellcasting is also an exciting process.

After all, the arcane arts are addictive, and the four laws of magic are written on the walls in the midst of the Wizard’s Sanctuary – the

Magic is very powerful; magic invites corruption; magic is addictive; touching the twisted void is like a moth to a flame.

For arcana, Jace didn t have much experience in this area, but for the Shadow …… he really felt it.

He’d actually always had an outrageous suspicion that being a traveler who’d idly searched too many strange things from the nooks and crannies of the internet in his last life had led to a serious buildup of messy, dark things in his head, and an overly high concentration of negative energy in comparison to the people around him, which drew the dark energies in like carrion inviting flies.

How else can you explain the connection between yourself and the Shadow?

Is it really like Galdez said, everyone has their own talent and he just got lucky?

“Well, going to give it a try?” Galdus asked.

“Okay.” Jace said, “I’m just a little unsure about this spell …….”

Galdus stepped aside and said, “According to Gagin’s words, this is part of the charm of the Path of Dark Arts, isn’t it? The Arathor mages of two thousand years ago were also at a loss when faced with the Path of the Arcane, but eventually they relied on their own explorations to come out on a different path from that of the elves, and now it’s our turn.”