Capítulo 671: Chapter 671: A Blood-Red Valentine (Part 2)
Brr! So cold!
The biting wind caused Jaina to shiver.
Despite her specialization in frost magic, the sudden shift from the warm, firelit parlor of Karazhan to the icy wilderness of the northlands made her tremble involuntarily.
She was dressed a little too lightly.
"Where is this..."
In mid-February, the harsh winter had yet to retreat, and the distant mountains and trees were blanketed in white.
Nothing but mountains and trees as far as the eye could see.
For Jaina, who had no experience in wilderness survival, this was a blind spot.
Her mind felt numb: Where am I?
At that moment, Duke's voice echoed in Jaina's ears.
"Ah!" Jaina jumped, startled, and the sleeveless design of her mooncloth robe did her no favors, instinctively causing her to wrap her arms around herself, rubbing vigorously for warmth.
"This is the northern mountain region of Tirisfal Glades," Duke's blue and white mage's robe rustled in the biting wind.
Tirisfal Glades?
The smart Jaina suddenly thought of something, and her face turned pale in an instant.
"Right! The first lesson I have for you is 'survival'! How to endure in this world that will soon become terribly dire. The requirement for the first lesson is not high—just survive for 24 hours in Tirisfal Glades, infested with orcs, with your current gear."
What?!
Upon hearing this, Jaina nearly cried out in dismay.
Was she, a young girl who had never lived independently and was underage, expected to survive 24 hours without winter clothes, food, aid, or any means of warmth, in a dangerous forest where orcs could appear at any moment?
Isn't this bullying?
Tears quickly gathered in the corners of Jaina's expressive eyes, and for a moment, Duke almost softened at the sight of her pitiable state.
But a great actor remains a great actor.
With feigned magnanimity, Duke asked, "Are you scared?"
"I am!" Jaina suddenly looked up, a glint of relief in her tearful eyes: Oh! So Duke was just trying to intimidate me, to give me a scare!
With a wave of Duke's hand and a brief incantation, a tall, illusory portal opened.
Just as Jaina was about to step through, her body seemed to petrify, frozen in place.
Jaina would recognize this scene even if she turned to ashes.
On the other side of the portal was—Kul Tiras!
"Just promise to tell King Proudmoore that you give up on seeking my tutelage. Then you can step through this portal and return to your warm home, to be your Kul Tiras princess," Duke said slowly, his words cutting into Jaina's heart like a knife.
No one had failed to remind Jaina that Duke disapproved of her, did not wish to marry her, nor did he want to take her as a pupil.
But those coveted [Smoking Gloves] made young Jaina forget all about it in her excited joy.
Now it seemed to be true!
Yes, she could indeed go back, but what then? To have come under Duke's wing in the name of apprenticeship, only to be sent back because she couldn't endure the harsh training—such humiliation would have her father skinning her alive. Forget Antonidas, no mage in Dalaran would take her as a pupil after that.
Thinking this, Jaina's mouth tasted bitter.
Did she even have a choice?
Jaina bowed with impeccable grace, using a term of respect: "No, Teacher Marcus, I am your student. I've come to Karazhan to receive your guidance, and if you believe wilderness survival is greatly beneficial to my growth, then I accept your trial. 24 hours, right? I hope you will come to retrieve me on time."
"I promise to return precisely after 24 hours," Duke said with a lift of his chin.
"One more question."
"Ask."
"What if I encounter a danger I can't handle?"
"Do you remember your elder brother Derek's coming-of-age ceremony at 16? Your father gave him nothing but a dagger and pushed him into a pool with a mature shark."
Jaina felt goosebumps all over. She had grown up listening to her father and brother's great deeds. Only when she was older did she realize how perilous it was.
In the sea, facing a shark's assault, the only way out was to stab the very tip of the shark's nose with the dagger at the moment of its lunge, then twist the shark's head with the dagger to escape the bite radius. Otherwise, a mere scrape from those jagged, sharp teeth meant gaping wounds, or worse, death from infected injuries.
Jaina trembled like a leaf, but after a few seconds, she managed to steady her shivers and bowed again: "I understand, Teacher. May I ask one last question?"
"Go ahead."
"Did you experience something similar in your time?"
"I have."
"Then I have no worries. If my teacher could do it, so can I." A firm light shone in Jaina's azure eyes.
"Very well!" Duke declared, and the portal in front of her vanished.
So cold!
Exhaling a frosty breath, Jaina realized she needed to find some clothes first. Otherwise, she wouldn't last 24 hours—she'd freeze to death in one.
Her only consolation was that today she wore standard mage boots instead of high-heeled shoes meant for parties. At least she wouldn't despair of walking the treacherous mountain paths barefoot.
From a cave on the mountainside 500 meters away, a beautiful elf adjusted her wind-tossed golden hair and looked back with a smile: "Duke, you really are ruthless."
"Do you think so, Aurelia?"
Aurelia smiled, "It's too cruel for a girl who just turned 14. Don't you know? Today is her birthday."
Pfft! Jaina's born on Valentine's Day? What is this twist?
Duke really didn't know whether this was how history originally unfolded or if it changed because of his arrival. Well, let her hate if she must. It's better than her following the original path and becoming a 'daddy seller'.
Duke pulled Aurelia into his embrace, feeling the elf's warmth: "Jaina is undoubtedly a true genius, with the talent to grow into a mage of the highest order. But this world is never short of geniuses, and those who reach the pinnacle are one in a million."
The elf's eyes danced, "Is it because geniuses perish from their pride, laziness, or die of misfortune on their path to growth?"
"Exactly!"
And not exactly!
I just don't want her to become that terrible woman who betrays her father and the Alliance!
Below, Jaina wandered aimlessly in the cold wind, and suddenly, she discovered something that brought her joy—a wisp of smoke.
The rising smoke was visible even from kilometers away.
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder