The Last Guardian Read Online Free PDF Page A

blinked for a moment, and looked away from the master mage, seeking to avoid his piercing glance. “You could read books without having to read books.”
    “Very valuable for a researcher,” said Medivh. “You belong to a community of scholars. Why don’t you do that?”
    “Because…because…” Khadgar thought of old Korrigan, who could find anything in the library, even
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    the smallest marginal notation. “I think we do, but for older members of the conclave.”
    Medivh nodded. “And that is because…”
    Khadgar thought for a moment, then shook his head.
    “Who would write if all the knowledge could be sucked out with a mental twist and a burst of magic?”
    suggested Medivh. He smiled, and Khadgar realized he had been holding his breath. “You’re not bad.
    Not bad at all. You know your counterspells?”
    “To the fifth roster,” said Khadgar.
    “Can you power a mystic bolt?” asked Medivh, quickly.
    “One or two, but it’s draining,” answered the younger man, suddenly feeling that the conversation had taken a serious turn once more.
    “And your primary elementals?”
    “Strongest in flame, but I know them all.”
    “Nature magic?” asked Medivh. “Ripening, culling, harvesting? Can you take a seed and pull the youth from it until it becomes a flower?”
    “No, sir. I was trained in a city.”
    “Can you make a homunculus?”
    “Doctrine frowns on it, but I understand the principles involved,” said Khadgar, “If you’re curious…”
    Medivh’s eyes lit up for a moment, and he said, “You sailed here from Lordaeron? What type of boat?”
    Khadgar felt thrown for a moment by the sudden change of discussion. “Yes. Um…A Tirassian wind-runner, theGracious Breeze,” he replied.
    “Out of Kul Tiras,” concluded Medivh. “Human crew?”
    “Yes.”
    “You spoke with the crew at all?” Again, Khadgar felt himself sliding once more from conversation to interrogation.
    “A little,” said Khadgar. “I think I amused them with my accent.”
    “The crews of the Kul Tiras ships are easily amused,” said Medivh. “Any nonhumans in the crew?”
    “No, sir,” said Khadgar. “The Tirassians told stories of fish men. They called them Murlocs.
    Are they real?”
    “They are,” said the Magus. “What other races have you encountered? Other than variations of humans.”
    “Some gnomes were at Dalaran once,” said Khadgar. “And I’ve met dwarven artificers at the Violet
    Citadel. I know dragons from the legends; I saw the dragon’s skull in one of the academies once.”
    “What about trolls, or goblins?” said Medivh.
    “Trolls,” said Khadgar. “Four known varieties of trolls. There may be a fifth.”
    “That would be the bushwah Alonda teaches,” muttered Medivh, but motioned for Khadgar to continue.
    “Trolls are savage, larger than humans. Very tall and wiry, with elongated features. Um…” He thought for a moment. “Tribal organization. Almost completely removed from civilized lands, almost extinct in
    Lordaeron.”
    “Goblins?”
    “Much smaller, more the size of dwarves. Just as inventive, but in a destructive fashion. Fearless.
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    I have read that as a race they are insane.”
    “Only the smart ones,” said Medivh. “You know about demons?”
    “Of course, sir,” said Khadgar quickly. “I mean from the legends, sir. And I know the proper abjurations and protections. All mages of Dalaran are taught so from our first day of training.”
    “But you’ve never summoned one,” said Medivh. “Or been present when someone else did so.”
    Khadgar blinked, wondering if this was a trick question. “No sir. I wouldn’t even think of it.”
    “I do not doubt that you wouldn’t,” said the Magus, and there was the faintest edge in his voice.
    “Think of it, that is. Do you know what a Guardian is?”
    “A Guardian?” Khadgar suddenly felt the conversation take yet another left-hand turn. “A watchman? A
    guard? Perhaps another race? Is it a