'Do you think the greatest mages of old were all naturals? No, Judith. They researched ancient writings, searched for knowledge, studied hard. If you have the aptitude, it's easy to drop a beautiful cone of cold, but if not, there are other types of magic you can study. Entropy is a rare field, which you can only master with practice and relentless learning. The deeper your knowledge is, the more you know about yourself. And if you know yourself, you won't be ever tempted by demons and resort to their ways.'
' How am I different from a blood mage if I massacre a whole platoon with a death cloud?'
'If we are called to war, we must answer. A war mage kills not for pleasure but for duty, and uses the quickest, most secure way as possible to defend herself and her comrades. Killing is an ugly duty, but if it needs to be done, it's better with the least amount of mess.'
'And with blood magic, the mess is inevitable... I see what you mean there, Senior Enchanter.'
'Laugh as you please now, Judith, but soon you will not be a child anymore, and you will face dangers so grave that they will cripple your body and your soul if you don't stand ready. Study, child. Learn the ways of the spellcaster. Because your time will come, and on that dreadful night before your Harrowing, knowledge will give you peace.'
“ The song of Lúthien before Mandos was the song most fair that ever in words
was woven, and the song most sorrowful that ever the world shall hear.
Unchanged, imperishable, it is sung still in Valinor beyond the hearing of the
world, and listening the Valar are grieved. For Lúthien wove two themes of
words, of the sorrow of the Eldar and the grief of Men, of the Two Kindreds that
were made by Ilúvatar to dwell in Arda, the Kingdom of Earth amid the
innumerable stars. And as she knelt before him her tears fell upon his feet like
rain upon the stones; and Mandos was moved to pity, who never before was so
moved, nor has been since. “ (JRR Tolkien: The Silmarillion)
I couldn’t even think of a decent caption for my own artwork, but you know what they say, a Goblin King is worth a thousand words, so have not only one but two (or three!) ;) ;)