Rewards

After speaking that legendary name, Alexander's thoughts seemed to drift back to the dazzling golden age of magic. Majestic flying cities towered high above the blue sky, the brilliant radiance of arcane power illuminated the entire land, and mighty Mages commanded the weather, reshaped mountains, remade the earth, and advanced civilization, all in an attempt to raise the banner of magic and challenge the gods upon their heavenly thrones.

Alas, after Ioulaum, the greatest Arcanist of the Netheril Empire, disappeared, his disciple, the archmage Karsus, had ultimately decided to cast a forbidden spell unlike any other, for the sake of the country and people he loved. It was the first and last twelfth-circle spell in the history of Faerûn—"Karsus's Avatar."

The spell could temporarily steal a deity's power, and Karsus had chosen Mystryl, the first Goddess of Magic.

However, Karsus had underestimated the damage the spell would inflict on the Weave. As the spell later known as "Karsus's Folly" proceeded, the Weave was damaged and primordial magic ran rampant. The surging, violent energy stirred every arcane element between heaven and earth.

The Goddess of Magic sacrificed herself to protect the Weave, then was reborn as Mystra, the second Goddess of Magic. After briefly becoming a god, Karsus also died, overwhelmed by the divine power and knowledge he had taken into himself.

The loss of control over magic and the failure of the arcane caused the flying cities of the magical empire to tumble from the sky one after another. Coupled with the Phaerimm's rampage and the threat of the Orcs, the vast empire collapsed in a single day, leaving behind only heaps of rubble and survivors consumed by bitterness and grief.

Recalling the former splendor of the Netheril age, Alexander couldn't help sighing. He lost his interest in talking and said to Ryan:

"Here, take this, young man. Come to the Mages Guild on the next full moon, and someone will take you to the ruins. As for your reward for this mission, go and collect it yourself."

With that, Alexander tossed a round, platinum-colored badge to Ryan, who had been quietly waiting nearby as the old man reminisced.

"Teacher Alexander, what's the mission reward? Can I choose for myself? Could you give me a hint?" At the mention of a reward, Ryan reflexively glanced at the Nether Scrolls lying on the round table beside Alexander.

He'd thought the reward for this mission would be a chance to read the mysterious spell knowledge recorded in the Nether Scrolls. He hadn't expected an extra bonus, too. Ryan promptly abandoned his dignity and stared at the old Mage with his sapphire-bright eyes, putting on a cute act in the hope that his undeniably good looks might earn him a little more.

Alexander smiled kindly at Ryan, who was trying to charm his way out of trouble. Using "Mage Hand," he moved the Nether Scrolls into his hand and waved them in front of Ryan, teasing him. "Ha ha ha! Don't tell me you want these, too? Once this old man is done with them, you can ask your teacher to borrow them. I'm sure Yefalin isn't that stingy.

"As for now, I can't hand them over. How about this: you can choose two treasures from the Mages Guild's collection, and I'll also give you the magical models for two fourth-circle spells."

Ryan pressed his lips together, barely stopping himself from laughing aloud. He was too embarrassed to tell the smug old Mage that he'd already recorded all the knowledge in the Nether Scrolls, and just needed to sit down and study it properly.

After all, in Faerûn, Mages needed to spend more than a month reading a single Nether Scroll, even with their full concentration, to finish it. The tiny scrolls contained an immense amount of complex information. As soon as someone read a "page," the silver magical script would swirl and shift across the surface, rearranging itself into the next page's contents.

On top of that, the sheer volume of complex information would assail a Mage as they read, placing even greater demands on their mental strength and willpower. But Ryan's system could shield him from the impact, allowing him to receive the information intact and store it all in an organized way. Even someone as experienced as Alexander could hardly have imagined Ryan had a cheat like that at his disposal.

Ryan put on a thoughtful expression, as if weighing the offer carefully, then slowly nodded. Inside, he was practically bursting with joy: I'd just gotten a Nether Scroll for free. What a windfall!

"By the way, Teacher Alexander, I ran into an assassin from the Zhentarim on the road. Could I trade him in for a little extra reward?" Ryan remembered that he still had a corpse stored in his Wayfarer's space. The space was kept at a constant temperature and was sterile, so the body wouldn't rot, but having it there still made Ryan uncomfortable. He might as well take this opportunity to get rid of it.

Ryan took the dark elf's corpse out of his space and set it down in the room. Alexander gave it a cursory glance, stroked his beard, and said, "A Bloodhand Assassin from the Zhentarim. Every one of them is a master of the shadows, with at least a thousand lives on their hands. I can't believe one of them fell to a young fellow like you. I'll give you two thousand Gold Talons for him."

Ryan looked at the dark elf's corpse lying on the floor as if it were a pile of glittering Gold Talons. His eyes shimmered with the gleam of coins. He hadn't expected the dark elf to be worth so much. In Faerûn, one Gold Talon was enough to cover a middle-class household's daily expenses for a month. Two thousand Gold Talons was a fortune to Ryan.

"Looks like crime really does pay," Ryan mused. If he weren't held back by his strength, he'd be tempted to visit a Zhentarim hideout whenever he ran low on money. The heads of all those scoundrels in Waterdeep must be worth a pretty penny.

"Alright, alright. Stop staring at that poor bastard and go claim your reward." Alexander had clearly lost his appetite for conversation and was starting to usher his guest out.

Ryan bowed deeply to Alexander, his gratitude sincere.

Although Alexander seemed like an irreverent old man, Ryan had felt the heartfelt care behind his words and actions. Ryan was more than happy to return his kindness and thanks.

Once he left the reception room, Ryan took out the round badge Alexander had given him and examined it closely, marveling inwardly. "Platinum, with mithral mixed in, and it looks like it's engraved with a spell, too. Amazing. The Mages Guild in Waterdeep, the wealthiest city in the Northlands, really does have deep pockets."

As Ryan was admiring the Mages Guild's generosity, a middle-aged Mage in black robes approached, his face expressionless. Ryan stepped aside to let him pass, but the Mage stopped and spoke to him in a cold, emotionless voice. "Mage Ryan, the guildmaster asked me to take you to the treasury to claim your reward. Please follow me."

Ryan awkwardly rubbed his straight nose. Watching the middle-aged Mage turn and stride off as soon as he finished speaking, Ryan gave a wry smile, then followed after him.

Along the way, Ryan tried to strike up a conversation with the aloof Mage, but the middle-aged man said nothing, like a golem, mechanically leading the way. Ryan eventually gave up, and they continued in awkward, deathly silence until they reached a hidden door.

The middle-aged Mage stopped at the entrance, traced a specific magical sigil on the door, and recited an incantation. After completing a series of tedious steps, he turned around and spoke in a chillingly cold, lifeless voice. "The hidden door will stay open for two hours each time. The room inside has a permanent spatial ward and magical surveillance. You may choose any two items, but don't try anything you shouldn't. Now, go in."

With the treasury before him, Ryan's excitement surged like that of the fanatical web novel readers who eagerly awaited the chance to pull their dream wife on-screen. He didn't mind the middle-aged Mage's coldness. He nodded, confirmed that his buffs were in place, and then stepped into the treasury.

Once inside, Ryan discovered that the treasury contained a world of its own. Expanded by spatial magic, the room was vast and spacious, with row upon row of exquisitely carved Ironwood shelves arranged in neat order. Magical lights overhead cast a soft, pleasant glow.

Ryan's eyes skimmed over the dazzling, multicolored crystals and gemstones, and the exquisite, polished jewelry, then moved on to the items and potions radiating magical energy.

"Ring of Spell Storing, infernal cold iron, Red Dragon blood, Spell Scrolls, water of life, blackblood flowers from the Abyss... Holy crap, they even have a Githyanki silver sword. Did they rob the Githyanki blind? I don't know whether to pity those hateful but pitiable bastards."

Looking at the dazzling array of treasures, Ryan wanted them all. Whether it was the life-saving water of life, a Spell Scroll inscribed with a ninth-circle spell, or the Ring of Spell Storing that fetched an astronomical price on the market, he coveted them all. Unfortunately, he could only choose two items. Staring at the vast treasury, Ryan's heart wept: "That familiar feeling again—the eternal comparison between an overflowing shopping cart and an empty wallet."

Time ticked away. Ryan made full use of every last moment, browsing the whole treasury and feasting his eyes on its riches, before finally emerging with two items in hand.

The middle-aged Mage was still the same as ever, like a cold machine. He remained indifferent to Ryan's last-minute dash. After Ryan came out of the hidden door, he methodically cast a spell to seal it. Only once everything was done did he speak to Ryan, who was leaning against the wall and playing with the two boxes in his hands. "You can exchange for the magical models at the reception desk in the lobby. The guildmaster has already granted you access. Just go back the way you came."

Ryan nodded, assuming the cold-mannered Mage had simply finished his duty and nothing more. He thanked him, then turned and left.

The middle-aged Mage stood where he was, gazing quietly after Ryan as he disappeared into the distance. After waiting a little longer, he vanished into the darkness around the corner.