Upgrade

Duke, bless his cotton socks, immediately spun on his heel, Jaina's dazzling performance already a distant memory. His mind, a whirlwind of strategic calculations and arcane ambitions, had already moved on.

There were some folks, some things, in this world that just didn't sit right with him.

Take Kel'Thuzad, for instance. Every time Duke laid eyes on that sinister, sneering wretch, his fingers practically itched for a brick. He fantasized about slamming it down on Kel'Thuzad's head, cracking his skull open like a rotten nut, and then, just for good measure, unleashing some soul-shredding spell to ensure the ghastly necromancer could never, ever, ever rise as a Lich. That would truly be a feather in his cap, a service to all of Azeroth.

Alas, such delightful fantasies were strictly off-limits. Why? Because the conniving creep was one of the six legitimate, card-carrying members of the Kirin Tor Council, a big shot in Dalaran. To off him now would be like throwing a wrench into the entire Alliance war machine, sparking a full-blown civil war with Dalaran itself. Not exactly on Duke's to-do list.

Besides, Kel'Thuzad was, at best, a second-string villain. If Duke was going to go on a homicidal rampage, he'd aim for the big leagues, the head honchos. Like, say, slaughtering the buffoons around him to snag himself a shiny Phoenix mount.

Oops, my bad. Duke mentally slapped himself. He hadn't meant to sound so... enthusiastic about mass murder.

In truth, Duke approached the venerable Archmage Antonidas, who was reportedly on the mend, with the utmost respect. The old man, surprisingly, looked spry as a spring chicken, not even confined to his sickbed.

Duke found Antonidas in his laboratory, a place that, if Duke hadn't repeatedly confirmed Kael'thas's directions and if Duke, being able to resurrect, wasn't immune to a stray fireball or a blunt object to the head, would have made him seriously suspect Antonidas was moonlighting as a dark warlock.

The massive hall was bathed in a perpetual twilight, a gloom that clung to every shadow.

It wasn't because the lighting was on the fritz, or because Antonidas was some kind of eccentric who enjoyed brooding in the dark. No, the air itself in the entire hall was thick with a palpable, unsettling aura of dark energy, like a bad smell that just wouldn't quit.

Even with several regional bishop-level priests from the Church of Light, looking as uncomfortable as a dwarf in a gnome hat, tirelessly blasting the evil energy with Holy Light, the malevolent aura in the hall stubbornly clung on, like a stubborn stain on a white tablecloth.

"Master Antonidas," Duke began, trying not to breathe too deeply, "is your... curse still giving you a hard time?"

The white-haired Archmage, currently fussing over a shimmering, translucent cover that glowed with a faint golden light, finally looked up. "Curse? Oh, that old thing?" he scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Archbishop Faol already helped me pare that down to its bare bones. Frankly, I was worried the Archbishop would go full-throttle and obliterate it entirely, and then where would my research be? That's why I asked him to leave a little something for me to play with."

Duke's jaw hit the floor, a silent thud echoing in his mind.

Because he saw, with his own two eyes, that Antonidas had used some incredibly arcane, mind-bending magic to literally rip the curse, which was practically tattooed onto his soul, clean away. And then, the old mad scientist had slapped it onto a mirror image of himself, all for the sake of magical experimentation.

"You... you don't feel pain when your soul is ripped apart?" Duke stammered, his eyes wide as saucers.

Separating one's soul was, without a shadow of a doubt, a hundred times worse than having your hand slowly, agonizingly, sawed off. Duke couldn't fathom how Antonidas had pulled off such a feat without screaming like a banshee.

The ancient wizard stroked his magnificent white beard, a twinkle in his eye. "Some things, my dear Duke, if you do them often enough, they become old hat. For the sake of groundbreaking research, a little discomfort is a small price to pay. Besides," he leaned in conspiratorially, "aren't you also dabbling in soul separation? I heard about your little demonstration for King Aiden. There wasn't a single speck of soul left on that mirror image of yours. How did you manage such a delicate operation? And when that Blademaster got a lucky shot in on one of your doppelgangers, it must have stung a bit, right?"

Seeing Duke's face contort in a grimace of remembered agony, Antonidas nodded sagely, convinced he'd hit the nail on the head.

"It... it did smart a little, yes," Duke admitted truthfully, his voice a low rumble.

A perfect misunderstanding. Duke's mirror image wasn't actually controlled by a soul. However, getting skewered by the Triple Blood Blade of Chieftain Dahl of the Fire Blade Clan? Yeah, that really stung.

The System AI, bless its digital heart, hadn't even registered the Blademaster's presence, and the protective shield it usually deployed in a blink of an eye (or rather, one ten-thousandth of a second) had utterly failed to block the attack. And Duke himself didn't have the fabled Ice Barrier, affectionately known as the 'refrigerator' spell, because his ice circuit was still in its infancy.

After landing in the wild, unpredictable world of Azeroth, Duke had quickly learned that obtaining spells or skills that made you temporarily invincible, capable of shrugging off any harm, was harder than pulling teeth from a Dragon.

A Paladin's invincibility? That required genuine recognition from the Holy Light itself, no faking it till you make it.

The same went for a mage's Ice Barrier. Sure, Duke could conjure up some run-of-the-mill ice blocks. But against a truly devastating attack, those ice blocks would shatter like cheap glass. To truly achieve that temporary invincibility, that 'untouchable' state, you were practically dabbling in the realm of 'domain power,' bending reality to your will.

To pull that off, a top-tier Ice Circuit was absolutely essential. Without it, even if you managed to learn the spell, it would be a neutered version, a pathetic Ice Barrier that lasted for a measly two or three seconds of invulnerability.

How could Duke, a man of such refined tastes and impeccable standards, stand for such mediocrity? In a pinch, one extra second could mean the difference between life and death. Oh, no, scratch that – it could mean the difference between life and moral integrity!

Go big or go home, that was Duke's motto. Either don't learn it, or learn the absolute best.

"So, you came here to see if an old dog like me can still hunt, eh?" Antonidas chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Alright, alright, I get it. My bad. I shouldn't have gone AWOL from my Alliance duties to tinker away in my lab. If that scoundrel Gul'dan dares to show his ugly mug again, I promise I'll be there with bells on. Though, honestly, a low-level thug like him isn't even worth my time." Antonidas then, with a flourish, pressed a small, pulsating magic beacon into Duke's palm. "Just activate this little trinket, and I'll be on your doorstep in a minute flat."

Duke was a little speechless. But then again, Antonidas was the Speaker of Dalaran, a living legend. He wasn't going to waste his time zapping every random grunt. The fact that he was willing to show up on command was an honor in itself. Besides, a Sun Mage who could teleport anywhere on the continent at the drop of a hat truly had the luxury of being a little eccentric.

Duke, for once, was at a loss for words.

Antonidas, seeing Duke lingering in his laboratory, blinked. "Hmm? Is there something else on your mind, young man? Or perhaps you're also keen to unravel the mysteries of this unknown curse? How about you sign on as my assistant? I'm particularly fascinated by your unique application of the Mage's Hand spell. I could offer you the prestigious title and perks of a Master-level assistant."

Duke practically turned beet red. He scratched his head awkwardly, then remembered the letter. "Actually, Archmage," he mumbled, pulling out the envelope from Duchess Janice, "Lady Janice asked me to deliver this to you."

Seeing the distinctive wax seal and the faint, lingering magical confidentiality spell on the envelope, Antonidas, the usually disheveled old wizard, actually blushed a faint, almost imperceptible shade of pink. It was a rare sight indeed.

He snatched the envelope with both hands, tore it open with an eagerness that bordered on unseemly, and then...

The old man's face fell faster than a goblin rocket.

It was an expression that was a hilarious blend of exasperation and pure, unadulterated fury.

Antonidas looked like he was about to blow a fuse, but then a flicker of amusement, a hint of helpless resignation, crossed his features. In the end, he simply threw up his hands in defeat.

"The Ice Circuit model, is it?" he grumbled, though a faint smile played on his lips. "That girl, Janice, she's a real piece of work, a master blackmailer! She... well, I suppose I brought this on myself. This excuse is barely acceptable." With a sigh, Antonidas waved his right index finger at his temple, and Duke watched, mesmerized, as a series of intricate, ice-blue magic runes began to emerge, swirling and dancing on his skin.

The continuous runes coalesced, forming a delicate, silken ribbon of light that wrapped itself around Antonidas's index and middle fingers. Then, with a flourish, Antonidas extended his hand, offering the glowing rune-belt to Duke.

When Duke once again felt that familiar yet profoundly alien three-dimensional magic model integrate itself into his spiritual sea, he was so utterly thrilled, he almost planted a big, sloppy kiss on the old Archmage's cheek.

System prompts:

"Congratulations, Host! You have acquired the Magus Magic Circuit Model: Ice Crown! This masterpiece was forged by the legendary Archmage Antonidas through thirty years of tireless practice, relentless modification, and continuous optimization. After rigorous comparison with Anasterian Sunstrider's Arcane Fire Circuit, this circuit has been deemed utterly flawless! The circuit model is rated S (Perfect), capable of boosting your existing Ice Magic Circuit's power by a staggering 108 times or more! Immediate practice is highly recommended!"