In a sense, Duke was now running on pure, unadulterated magical fission, equipped with a nuclear reactor for human use. He'd just taken a leap in the arcane arts that would make most Archmagi wet their robes.
The very instant Duke leveled up, the entire city of Dalaran erupted like a barrel of blasting powder. "Who in the blazes is getting promoted!?" screamed an apprentice, nearly dropping his spellbook. "This magical power is off the charts! Which Grand Master finally hit the big time and became an Archmage?" The low-level mages and apprentices, bless their naive hearts, were buzzing with unreliable exclamations, their eyes wide as saucers.
But the high-level wizards? Their faces were a study in pure, unadulterated horror. Many of them had walked that long, arduous road, transforming raw elemental power into the refined, potent magic of a Master. They knew the drill. But this? This was like comparing a flickering candle to a supernova. The sheer, mind-boggling quantity of magic was unprecedented. "Is he… comparable to Grand Magus Antonidas back in his heyday?" someone whispered, fear lacing their voice. "No! Even more exaggerated than the Speaker himself!" another gasped, clutching his chest. "This… perhaps only the legendary former Guardian, Medivh, could have unleashed such a terrifying surge of power when he ascended." A wizened old Archmage nodded slowly, his eyes distant. "Aye, I was studying in Elwynn Forest back then, and I could feel the magic erupting from Karazhan, over a hundred kilometers away. That kind of raw, untamed force… it felt mighty similar to what's rattling our teeth right now." A younger, more excitable mage chimed in, "My God, this is at least the combined magical might of a hundred ordinary Master Mages, isn't it!?" The question hung in the air, unanswered, as everyone collectively wondered: "Then… who in the name of the Light is it!?"
Feeling the hurricane of arcane energy gradually subside, feeling the raw, surging power in his body finally settle into a harmonious hum, Duke had to bite his tongue to keep from letting out a triumphant cackle that would shake the very foundations of the Violet Citadel. His system prompts, however, were having a field day, refreshing continuously like a hyperactive scroll.
"Since you have obtained the top-level arcane magic circuit, Arcane Throne, you have obtained all enhanced arcane metamagic feats by default." "You have acquired the metamagic feat Arcane Focus: The enemy's chance of resisting your arcane magic is reduced by 30%." "You have acquired the metamagic feat Arcane Focus: When you cast any magic, there is a 33% chance that you will enter a power-saving casting state. Casting in this state will reduce the mana cost of your next damaging spell by 100%." … "You have acquired the top-level metamagic feat Arcane Energy Storm: After activation, your spell damage increases by 100% and mana consumption increases by 50%, which lasts for 30 seconds. After using it once, you must wait for 5 minutes to allow your arcane circuit to calm down, otherwise the circuit may collapse." … "Since you have obtained the top-level frost magic circuit, Icecrown, you have obtained all enhanced frost metamagic feats by default." "You have acquired the metamagic feat Rapid Cooling…" "You have acquired the metamagic feat Ice Barrier…"
And, of course, there was the whole fireworks display of fire-related metamagic expertise brought by the Phoenix Flame. Duke was practically swimming in a sea of new abilities, his mind reeling from the sheer possibilities offered by these three branches of metamagic. With Medivh pushing up daisies and Khadgar off doing… whatever Khadgar was doing, Duke could say, without an ounce of exaggeration, that he was the only high-level triple-magic wizard on the whole darn planet.
The moment the thought solidified in his mind, as if on cue, three distinct sets of magical orbs, one for each school of magic, shimmered into existence behind Duke. The fiery red flame balls, the pristine white frost balls, and the shimmering purple-blue arcane balls danced in a mesmerizing triangular ballet behind his back. Exactly nine orbs, perfectly spaced, each occupying a precise forty degrees of his 360-degree personal space, like a celestial guardian.
Outside the state guesthouse, the entire five-member Council of the Kirin Tor had materialized, as if by magic (which, given the circumstances, was entirely possible). Even Archbishop Faol and Uther, the Lightbringer himself, were there, looking a bit like they'd just seen a ghost, or perhaps a very well-fed murloc. Everyone clapped, a polite but slightly stunned patter of applause. "Congratulations, Duke!" Antonidas managed, though his smile was stretched thin, like butter on too much bread. "You are indeed a genius!" Krasus boomed, his congratulations genuinely heartfelt, if a little overshadowed by the sheer spectacle.
"Congratulations, but… Duke," Prince Kael'thas began, his smile a peculiar blend of admiration and thinly veiled irritation. "You're not… targeting me, are you?" Above Kael'thas's head, three familiar yellow-green arcane flame orbs circled, his signature magical flair. Now, Kael'thas had three, and Duke had nine. It was like showing up to a fancy ball in a tuxedo, only to find someone else wearing three of them, all custom-made and sparkling. It was, to put it mildly, a bit awkward.
"No, no, no, Kael'thas!" Duke protested, laying on the sincerity thicker than a Frostwolf's fur. "You, my friend, are truly my master in this regard! I found that doing this alongside you actually helps me train my elemental manipulation skills better. So please, don't be surprised! I simply couldn't help but learn from the best. From now on, I'll tell everyone I learned it from you, okay?" Duke practically oozed his 'Hypocrisy' skill, a masterclass in covering up his purely show-offy antics.
And just like that, even Kael'thas, usually as sharp as a goblin's razor, was genuinely moved. "No, no, I'm ashamed to say that," he stammered, a faint blush rising on his elven cheeks. "Come to think of it, I've been a little… biased." Kael'thas frowned, and suddenly, three more arcane energy balls, weaker than his fiery ones, flickered into existence behind him. Duke blinked, barely suppressing a chuckle. Kael'thas looked a little embarrassed. "I apologize, it seems I've neglected my arcane training. The discipline of the arcane circuit can indeed strengthen my fire circuit. You've… enlightened me."
Just then, Jaina Proudmoore arrived, a vision of grace and beauty. "Congratulations, Duke!" she said, her voice sweet as honey. "Thank you," Duke replied, flashing his most charming smile. No matter where you were, a beautiful woman was always a welcome sight, a splash of color in a world of grey. This time, the moment her eyes landed on the nine shimmering energy orbs behind Duke, Jaina simply couldn't look away. She was staring at something that shattered her very understanding of magic, a glimpse into a power far beyond anything she'd ever imagined. For some inexplicable reason, watching Duke, who had so successfully mastered three schools of magic, she felt a strange, powerful throb in her heart. It wasn't that she'd fallen head over heels for Duke; it was that she'd fallen head over heels for the power of cultivating all three.
However, Jaina tucked this newfound desire deep within her heart, knowing full well that acquiring the magic circuit models for all three systems, let alone the intricate, fine-tuning details, was a secret mages guarded with their lives. In her mind, Antonidas had always been the pinnacle of magical power, the only ultimate being worthy of her apprenticeship. Now… her convictions were shaken, like a loose tooth.
Antonidas walked over, a weary sigh escaping him, and clapped Duke on the shoulder. "Anyway, congratulations, Duke. You can now proudly bear the title of Master. However, because of your… explosive promotion, you've rather neglected the mages you brought with you. If they come to me applying for contract arbitration, I won't lift a finger to help you." The implication hung in the air, thick as a Dalaran fog: Have you gotten enough out of me, kid? If so, hit the road, Jack, and stop being a pain in my neck. Duke managed a bitter smile, quickly bid farewell to the assembled luminaries of Dalaran, and beat a hasty retreat back to Southshore.
Duke had been off on his grand promotion quest, completely off the grid for two full months. And not only that, but with Duke gone, no one could open the portal to Karazhan, leading to a chorus of complaints from the mages who had flocked there, drawn by his burgeoning reputation. Poor Ilucia, Duke's long-suffering assistant, had been left holding the bag, comforting everyone again and again, promising that all sorts of benefits and courses would be made up the moment Duke returned. If Duke hadn't held the shiny title of Deputy Commander of the Alliance, many of those mages would have been banging on Antonidas's door, screaming about breach of contract and demanding immediate termination. But all those grumbles and grievances vanished into thin air the moment Duke appeared before them, radiating the glorious halo of a Master Mage, with nine shimmering energy orbs dancing merrily behind him.