Waterdeep Mages Guild

As the warm morning sun spilled into the room, casting its glow upon Ryan's fair, smooth forehead, he finally stirred from his brief, light slumber.

"Awoo~~" Ryan let out a long, hearty stretch, a yawn echoing through the room. Recalling the magnificent and wondrous dream he had just experienced, a smile of anticipation and satisfaction couldn't help but curl at the corners of his lips.

Looking at the cloudless, clear weather outside the window, Ryan used a "Mage Hand" to push the casement open, allowing the fresh air of early spring, redolent with the scent of earth and grass, to surge into the room with the breeze.

Ryan felt his mind instantly sharpen, the fatigue of a hard night's work dissipating with the wind. A beautiful day is about to begin, he mused silently to himself.

After finishing breakfast with his family at the estate and spending a little time bonding with his mother, Ryan took his leave, heading alone toward the local branch of the Mages Guild in Waterdeep.

Navigating through the bustling crowds of Waterdeep and crossing the quiet, tree-lined paths of the Dead District, Ryan—dressed in a dark hooded robe and maintaining a low profile—followed the route marked on the detailed map of Waterdeep he had obtained from his family, arriving smoothly at the gates of the Mages Guild.

The Waterdeep Mages Guild was located in the central district of the city, the Castle Ward, housed primarily in a three-story marble structure set within a beautifully landscaped area to the south.

The entire framework of the building had been cast by a legendary mage, utilizing the high-level spells "Stone to Mud" and "Mud to Stone" to pour the structure in its entirety. Its ingenious and exquisite design stood out even among the surrounding luxurious villas and castles, fully displaying the opulence and elegance of the mages.

He stood quietly for a moment before the intricately carved marble gates, pondering what level of precise control and magical technique was required to manifest a fifth-circle intermediate spell to such a masterful degree. Seeing the profound wisdom in the minute details, Ryan couldn't help but feel awestruck and filled with yearning for the sheer power of a legendary mage.

As expected, if they are willing, the role mages play in driving the development of productivity is immense. Even for the most basic civil engineering, the results are immediate once magic is applied. It is a pity that the noble mages of Faerûn would never deign to stoop to the work of commoners; they only resort to such measures when showcasing their power. Ryan felt a sense of regret even as he marveled at the wonders of magical power.

Releasing a trace of mana before the gate to verify his identity as a mage, Ryan followed the summoned spell-servant into the Mages Guild. In the shadows of the street, several prying gazes watched Ryan's mysterious back disappear behind the marble doors before they exchanged glances and dispersed.

Stepping into the lobby, Ryan felt as if he had returned to his previous life. The spotless glass floor was so polished it reflected the figures of the scattered mages walking by. Bright magical light sources embedded in the solid wood walls and ceilings emitted a soft glow. In the corners of the spacious hall, several exquisitely shaped, lush green plants served as accents.

Behind the reception desk in the lobby, a beautiful woman with red lips, white teeth, and a graceful posture looked at the approaching Ryan and asked with a smile, "Mage, how may I assist you?"

Ryan displayed his mage credentials and replied, "I am here to submit a quest: the item delivery mission from Silverymoon."

The woman, who had been recording information, brightened at these words and asked softly, "Are you Mage Chris?"

Ryan frowned, not quite understanding why this woman would be interested in the name he had registered at the Silverymoon Mages Guild. With a hint of displeasure, he replied coldly, "Yes, is there a problem?"

The shrewd receptionist sensed something was amiss and apologized hurriedly, "Mage Chris, please don't misunderstand. It's just that the Guildmaster gave instructions that if anyone came to submit the Silverymoon delivery quest, we were to notify him immediately so he could meet them personally. He even mentioned your name, which is why I confirmed."

Ryan was even more bewildered. What right did he, a mere intermediate mage, have to be granted an audience with the Guildmaster who oversaw the entire Mages Guild in such a major city? Such a busy, high-ranking figure had precious time; why would he specifically want to meet him? Did his teacher have that much influence? Could it be that his Planeswalker abilities had been exposed?

The receptionist watched the expressionless mage lost in thought, waited a moment, and continued with a pleasant tone, "I have already notified the Guildmaster via magical communication. Mage Chris, please head up the stairs on the left and wait a moment in the reception room on the second floor. The Guildmaster replied that he will be here shortly."

Ryan suppressed his inner unease; since things had come to this, he could only bite the bullet and take it one step at a time. According to his teacher, she and the Waterdeep Mages Guildmaster were on intimate terms, so he shouldn't be in any danger.

Following the route indicated by the receptionist, Ryan arrived at the comfortable reception room. A spell-servant nearby thoughtfully prepared tea and snacks for him. Ryan thanked it, set the tea aside, and began to silently contemplate how to handle the upcoming meeting.

Ryan had waited less than a few minutes when he felt a vast surge of energy ripple through the room. Like a startled rabbit, Ryan jumped up, instantly manifesting a Mage Armor, and gripped the scroll of Greater Teleportation in his hand, ready to flee the moment anything went wrong.

Accompanied by the vast energy fluctuation, a blue-shimmering portal opened in the room. Ryan stared with a grave expression at the portal that had appeared so abruptly, prepared for a strategic retreat at any second.

"Damn it, that despicable, shameless, bastard red dragon Claudius is simply a disgrace to all red dragons!

He agreed that if he lost at cards, he'd hand over the Heart of the Mountains, but he actually cheated while I was taking a call! Damn it, I'll definitely hit you with a Thunderstorm as background music while you're sleeping to make you feel good!"

Following the cursing voice, an old man with a white beard stepped out of the portal, clutching an exquisite staff. Once he stood steady in the reception room, the mysterious old mage snapped his fingers, and the glowing blue portal vanished.

Seeing Ryan standing at the ready in the room, the white-bearded mage stopped his grumbling and, with a kind and benevolent expression, said to Ryan, "Ahem, little one, you are the disciple Yefalin mentioned, right?"

Hearing his teacher's name, Ryan relaxed his guard slightly. However, having just witnessed the other side of this kind old man, Ryan dared not slacken, and he asked respectfully yet distantly, "Senior, may I ask what your relationship is with my teacher?"

Hearing Ryan's question, the old mage stroked his long beard, filled with emotion, "Yefalin, ah, she was a little monster. When she was young, I even taught her a few tricks. Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, she would be on the same level as this old man."

Ryan breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed his teacher was reliable after all. She hadn't dropped the ball this time.

The old mage looked at the handsome youth before him and continued, "Ryan, is it? When Yefalin and I were raiding the Astral Fortress of the Githyanki in the Astral Plane, she praised you highly.

She said you were the most talented and favorite student she had ever taught. We old folks are all very curious about you. To have someone as arrogant as Yefalin brag like that, little one, it seems you are not as simple as you look.

Hahaha, looking at your upright appearance, you have a bit of the flair I had when I was young. This old man has a granddaughter who just turned twelve this year; she's pretty and cute. Would you like to consider it?" The white-haired old mage, getting more and more excited, suddenly beamed with delight.

Cold sweat beaded on Ryan's forehead as he complained internally, Twelve is way too young! I'm not depraved enough to go after a little girl. Are you that worried about your granddaughter not getting married? Is this a blind date already? The pace is too fast; I can't handle it.

Also, did you just say something terrifying? What kind of mage treats raiding others' treasures in the Astral Plane as a pastime? Even if they are the Githyanki, known as the 'Astral Pirates.' Though, it is quite gratifying that those Astral thieves who do evil everywhere finally met someone who could rob them.

By now, Ryan was completely certain that this old mage, who appeared to be an otherworldly expert with a celestial aura, was definitely a lifelong friend of his teacher and a kindred spirit driven by their own interests. He lowered his defenses and took out the Box of Demon-Sealing Stones he had kept safely, handing it to the old mage.

"I haven't asked for your name yet, Senior. This is the item to be submitted for this mission; please check it." Ryan handed over the box respectfully. Even though this mage was an old rascal, he was a powerful and high-ranking old rascal, so he had to be even more deferential.

"I am Alexander Thrace, the Guildmaster of the Waterdeep Mages Guild. For your teacher's sake, you may call me Teacher. Why, didn't your teacher tell you about me?" Alexander took the box nonchalantly, set it aside, and asked curiously.

Ryan felt embarrassed and didn't have the heart to tell Alexander that Yefalin's exact words were, "Ryan, once you get to Waterdeep, go straight to the Mages Guild and find that old rascal of a Guildmaster. Just report my name, and the benefits will be huge."

Facing Alexander's probing gaze, Ryan could only stammer, "Teacher did mention you, just... well, she didn't go into too much detail."

Watching Ryan's attempt to cover up, Alexander snorted and said irritably, "That woman Yefalin definitely didn't say anything good. It's just because I didn't invite her when I went to travel in that legendary gold dragon's lair last time; she's been holding a grudge ever since."

Ryan felt completely numb, his beautiful illusions about these legendary masters who did nothing but stir up trouble successfully shattered. To avoid hearing even more explosive news before his heart gave out, Ryan changed the subject, "Teacher Alexander, aren't you going to check the contents of the box?"

The old mage smiled mysteriously, looked at the curious Ryan, pondered for a moment, and replied, "Very well, you have a part in this matter anyway, so there is no harm in telling you."