Chapter 238: Black Fire

Marin tried to speak but didn’t at once, just groaned in pain, and Jace suddenly realized what was going on.

It’s not even an arcane talent!

He pushed open the door and ran all the way to the Alchemist’s Need, shouting, “Shadow Protection Potion! I want the Shadow Protection Potion!”

The young Miss Lumiere, also frightened and flustered at the sight of Jace’s appearance, set a bottle of Shadow Protection Potion on the table, “There are only eight silver coins of this kind left Mr. ……, but you can take it first and then come back to pay for it later.”

“Thanks! Thanks!”

In one fell swoop, Jace exempted his entire pocket of a dozen silver coins on the table, took the potion and scurried back to Marin’s study to pour it down Marin’s throat.

Marin also knew what his problem was and drank the potion very cooperatively, closed his eyes tightly, drew a breath backwards, gritted his teeth and closed his eyes for a moment of reprieve, and said, “Close the door, quickly!”

Jace nodded and closed the door behind him before turning back to Marin, who had helped himself to the stool, and Jace felt as if he’d aged years at once, weak as a really bad old man, all that confidence he’d had before gone.

The two men were silent for a long time, Marin looked at the tabletop in front of him the sound of a single exhale and inhale was audible to Jace. This is really over, Jace thought to himself.

He didn’t know why such a thing had happened, casting what was clearly a magic that channeled the elements with an arcane spell, why was it being twisted and mixed in with Shadow energy?

Would this be the end of one’s journey as an Arcane Apprentice?

Trainee mage, full mage, court mage …… all become empty words?

Just a moment ago, he had felt that Shadow Magic had been the boost that had gotten him to where he was today, only to fall from the sky to the bottom in one fell swoop.

That’s the price, isn’t it, if, according to Gagin, it’s a necessary sacrifice to walk the path of the dark arts?

Thinking back on the spell he had just cast, he felt as if the arcane energies were following his commands, gathering all the fire elementals they could, but as he felt the mana rising and getting more and more excited about it, ferocious shadow energies suddenly appeared, hijacking the arcane endeavors midway through the spell, and were ignited by those fire elementals, creating a red burst of fire far more powerful than the power of the spell itself!

However, in the process, Jace thought he had successfully channeled the arcane energy, and in his excitement, he overlooked the details of the sudden transformation of the mana, and didn’t realize the problem until the mage in front of him was injured.

It seemed that the previous supposed increase in arcane affinity had been nothing more than an illusion, and from start to finish the growing willingness to respond to his calls had been the maddening power of chaotic darkness.

It felt as if his blood boiled as he felt the mana entwine the fire elementals, and the impatience to gather the dark shadows almost caused Jace to lose his mind, excited to the point of taking everything in front of him as what it looked like he expected it to be – that is, true arcane fire.

It was not until the bright red dark fire was completely released and the old mage fell to the ground …… in pain that he was suddenly awakened to the fact that everything was nothing more than an illusion that the Shadow had woven for him.

“Almost killed …… me, Mr. Sesso.” Marin muttered under his breath.

“I’m so sorry Maestro, I didn’t mean to.” Jace said.

Marin took a candy bar out of the drawer, stuffed it in his mouth, sighed and said, “Of course I know you didn’t do it on purpose, you’re not retarded! So what’s going on, come on give me a reason not to call a hearing.”

Jace said, “That black dragon …… used some kind of black magic on me, and according to those mages in Dalaran I was hurt very badly and have been suffering from the power of the Shadow ever since. But I thought it was just me being hurt by the Shadow, I didn’t realize it would affect my magic.”

“Dalaran, can you prove this?” Marin asked.

“Can, and Master Duchamp knows it.” Jace said.

Marin nodded, covered his chest and said, “Well, Jace Sesso, I’ll write a letter to Kenrito’s Magical Defense Department to ask about this, and of course I’ll ask Carlo as well. If they can both prove …… it for you then I’ll make this clear to Master Andromas, informing him of your special circumstances in case there are any further misunderstandings. But in the meantime, you honestly don’t cast any more spells in the Sorcerer’s Sanctuary outside of …… class.”

“I understand, Master.” Jace nodded.

Marin held the table and pointed at Jace, “This way, you tell me all the departments, all the people, that can exonerate you, I want as many proofs, documents, guarantees, etc……. This will also be more convincing with Master Andromas, and if you can get King Varian Urien’s guarantee, then you basically don’t have to worry about anything.”

“But King Varian doesn’t know about me being hurt by the Shadow.” Jace said.

Marin painfully caught his brow and said, “I’m just making an analogy, my silly student …… Do you far really want to find a prince or nobleman to vouch for your risk?”

“Princes and nobles, will Windwalker’s do?” Jace asked.

“What Windwalker, Aurelia Windwalker?”

“No, Walesa Windwalker.”

Marin frowned and asked, “How were you able to get assurances from her sister?”

“I ……” said Jace, “I road her against Talon-Bloodmage back in Dalaran, and Talon-Bloodmage attacked me with Shadow magic, could this also infect me with Shadow? “

“Ne…… wait a minute, why?” Marin narrows his eyes and says, “Talon Blood Demon? Why is it that I have absolutely no idea that you passed to Talon-Blood Demon? Kenrito …… ah …… Kenrito mentioned that a mage apprentice was spared and saved by the Farseer Ranger when the Talon-Blood Demon attacked Dalaran, and that person was you as well?”

“It should be.” Jess said.

“Mr. Sesso, are you on your way to visit your family in Lordaeron, or are you going to attack Dalaran?” Marin sighed and said, “But Ms. Winressa …… you should have a hard time reaching her, right?”

He coughed twice and gasped, “If you have her assurance, it’s not as important as King Varian himself, but it’s definitely considered important enough considering the current diplomatic situation and the reputation of the Expeditionary Force …… Can you really get it?”

“I don’t know.” Jess said, “I could try asking …… I mean, write and ask.”

“If your letter makes it to Quel’thalas, it will be enough to make the case, Mr. Sesso …… so good luck to you.” Marin took a long breath and said, “I trust you so I won’t ban you, don’t let me down. That’s all for today, I need to rest for a while, and if those damned Shadows haven’t completely consumed your conscience, at least go next door and make me a pot of hot tea, goldthorn tea, Sesso, just like before, so at least I can die a little slower ……”