Brilliant sunlight shone over the emerald plains, while the ruins of the magically constructed tower, crooked as if they had been kneaded like clay, stood silently upon the ground. The howling breeze finally swept freely through the clear sky, no longer obstructed by any magical force field. Yet within the tower's slanted reflection, only a small square room and a figure seated atop it seemed to speak of the silence of the entire world.
Clearly, this square metal chamber was the laboratory the caster had constructed for temporary use, and the black-robed caster seated atop it was Whisper of Destruction, who had just concluded a long-distance projection conversation.
Punk's negotiation had undoubtedly been a success. The rather generous Pious One had agreed without much hesitation to trade divine materials for magical resources, and the Bright Moon Mage had finally found a buyer for the wealth he had obtained from the Sleepless Watcher's Eye.
For a long time to come, those resources would presumably be collected by the Grand High Priest of the Church of Life and exchanged for a great deal of precious supplies for Punk. This gain, independent of the adventure plan, counted as a decent bit of extra income.
After all, this was extra income sufficient to support a caster's research into souls.
In fact, after completing the adventure on Dolush's Eye, Punk had already determined what he would study next. Now that he possessed Blazing Sun-tier knowledge from the Netheril era, the most worthwhile subject before him was undoubtedly the legacy left behind by Mestur.
Piknat's Soul Fusion Technique! This was the wondrous magic said to allow one to advance to a divine throne. The entire Tide of Fate had been set in motion by it, the Mage Guild had collapsed because of it, and Mestur's fall