Entering the Ruins

The deep night sky was like a dark-blue curtain, dotted with twinkling stars. A bright full moon, like an emperor, was surrounded by the glittering stars. Alexander emerged from the portal in a pristine, moon-white robe, standing proudly high above. Bathed in the watery moonlight, the old mage stood out.

Ryan spotted Alexander from afar as he took out his exquisite, ornate staff and began casting a spell in the sky. As Alexander chanted loudly, an enormous spherical barrier quietly took shape, enveloping the clearing where Ryan and the others stood and a vast stretch of the surrounding mountains.

As the powerful spell took effect, the vast surges of magical power and tumultuous elemental disturbances sent the small animals in the mountains fleeing in panic. Ryan gazed up at the sky, studying the barrier that had vanished from sight. Though he could no longer see it, the moonlight had suddenly grown hazy and blurred, letting him sense the barrier's presence. His sensitive spatial awareness also warned him of unseen dangers nearby.

Alexander finished casting and glided gracefully back to the ground. A black-robed Mage on guard at the site promptly stepped forward. Alexander instructed the quick-witted Mage, "The small Mythal is in place. Tell those people from the Enforcement Division to clear the area."

The black-robed Mage nodded solemnly and went to carry out the order.

Alexander hadn't bothered to hide his exchange with the Mage from Ryan and the others. Ryan heard every word and couldn't help but marvel at the Mages Guild's extraordinary show of force.

In his earlier conversation with Alexander, the old Mage had been vague about the deeds of the great Mage Adam. Ryan had pressed him for details, only to be brushed off with a few perfunctory answers.

Still, from Alexander's arrangements and actions, Ryan could tell how much attention and concern he had for this great figure, who was likely a fellow transmigrator from an earlier time. If the ruins hadn't restricted the power of those who entered, Ryan suspected the old Mage would have gone in himself to ensure everything went smoothly.

In Ryan's eyes, Alexander had truly spared no expense this time. He had even brought out one of the Mages Guild's trump cards, the "Magic Mythal." That showed how seriously he took this and how determined he was to claim the knowledge and inheritance within the ruins.

Mythals were rare in Faerûn. In the world of Toril, they were powerful magic with strategic importance. They worked by using the Weave to confine a specific shape to a particular location, thereby making magical effects permanent in that area.

Sometimes a Mythal was so powerful that it could even distort and rewrite the rules of magic and reality.

Most Mythals were defensive in nature. They were generally used to limit which kinds of magic could be cast within their domain and to protect specific places. Whether it was the enormous floating cities of lost Netheril, or important cities like Silverymoon and Candlekeep, such powerful magic had been used to great effect in their defense.

But the most famous Mythal on the continent of Faerûn was the Mythal of Dragon Madness, created by the long-eared Elves during their war with the dragons for dominion over the continent. All the high-ranking Elven Mages had devoted themselves to studying it, until they finally devised the spell.

A Mythal was a powerful barrier covering a vast area. It possessed a simple awareness of its own and was a living, three-dimensional defensive system woven from magical energy, usually created to protect a city or holy site.

But the ancient Elven Mages had taken a different path. In a sudden stroke of inspiration, they used a star in the sky as the core of the Mythal, allowing its power to cover the entire continent of Faerûn.

Even more astonishingly, these madmen had actually brought their far-fetched idea to fruition. They chose a comet called the Kingslayer Star. Its size and energy were just right, and it only appeared once every three hundred years—not often enough to drive the dragons too mad and make them destroy themselves along with the entire continent.

Once completed, the Mythal became a devastating weapon against the dragons, completely changing the course of the war. Under its influence, the frenzied, irrational dragons rampaged, slaughtering and destroying every living thing in their path. The vast Dragon Empire collapsed, pushing the dragons almost entirely off the stage of Faerûn. The Elves then rose to supremacy, establishing the glorious Elven Empire.

Feeling the Mythal's spatial seal and the disorienting effects and other restrictions and enhancements within its range, Ryan silently lit a stick of incense for the spies sent by various organizations to investigate and keep watch. These unlucky fools had been caught inside the Mythal. They couldn't call out for help and expect an answer, and if they ran into those bloodthirsty Enforcement Mages, they could only pray they'd be luckier in their next life.

After Alexander had finished arranging for the Mythal to be maintained and the area around the ruins to be guarded, he turned around and looked solemnly at the young people before him, who scarcely dared to breathe. His brown eyes were filled with the weight of a mountain, and his imposing presence was so overwhelming that Ryan could hardly believe this was the same eccentric old man. Perhaps this stern, awe-inspiring side was the old man's true nature.

"Everyone, I'm entrusting this expedition into the ruins to you. Be careful once you're inside. You must get your hands on the ruins' control core. Understood?" Alexander's commanding voice echoed in Ryan's ears, and the Mages Guild members immediately answered in unison.

Alexander looked with satisfaction at the fully equipped, spirited Mages before him. His gaze paused as it passed over Ryan and the four others, whose style was completely at odds with that of the Guild Mages, before he continued, "All right. I'm going to open the ruins' entrance. Get ready."

With that, Alexander walked toward the far end of the clearing. The entrance to the ruins, set into the mountains, had already been cleared by the Mages Guild. The rubble and dirt had all been removed.

The massive marble doors were adorned with exquisite reliefs. Dignified angels clashed with hideous demons, while a majestic floating city at the top proclaimed the vanished glory of the magical empire. On either side of the doors was a recess holding a fist-sized white crystal.

Alexander placed his hand on the flawless white crystal and fed it magic. Specific fluctuations in magical energy rose and fell according to some unknown pattern. As the magic flowed into it, the crystal began to glow faintly, and a thread of pale blue light spread along the patterns on the door.

The eyes of the six-winged angel carved on the door began to glow. A beam of red light shot from them, scanning the white-haired Mage before the entrance.

At the same time, as if a series of linked switches had been activated, a chain of sounds came from within the ruins. The silent steel ruins seemed to come alive.

A cold, mechanical voice rang out: "Magical energy fluctuations detected. Verification complete. Archmage confirmed. Basic access key present. Visitor access enabled."

Alexander seemed to have expected this. He calmly took out a platinum-colored scroll and held it in his hand. A pulse swept over it, and the voice sounded again:

"Imperial relic detected: Nether Scrolls. According to Chapter Five, Article Eighteen of the laboratory management regulations established by the master, if connection to the Empire's Arcane Network is unavailable and contact with the Star Server has been lost for more than five hundred years, an Archmage may use a Netheril relic to activate inheritance mode.

"Esteemed Archmage, by invoking the highest principle of equivalent exchange, you may use the Nether Scrolls as collateral to activate inheritance mode. Would you like to activate it now?"

A screen unfolded before Alexander. On its clear display, two large options in ancient Netherese—"Yes" and "No"—appeared before him.

The white-haired old Mage didn't hesitate for a moment. He immediately selected "Yes."

"Inheritance mode activated. Laboratory startup commencing. Beep. Eighteen areas of severe damage detected. Power core damaged. Activating backup power. Restrictions starting. Those with legendary or higher combat strength have been placed on the prohibited access list."

As the cold mechanical voice rang out, the heavy marble doors slowly slid open with a rumble. The ancient laboratory, sealed for many years, saw the light of day once more.

Ryan gazed thoughtfully at the relief depicting the ancient magical empire crushing all who defied it. He only came back to himself when the doors had opened wide.

Ryan looked down at Jelona, still tucked into his arms, and lightly poked the resilient yet supple waist of the Half-elf in his embrace. "Hey, how much longer are you planning to stay there?"

Jelona's lovely, flushed face emerged from his chest. She shot the clueless Ryan an unhappy look. Her expression was alluring, touched with a hint of shyness; beneath her irritation lay an affection and contentment she couldn't hide from her eyes.

After resting in Ryan's arms for a while, Jelona had gradually recovered from the dizziness and nausea that had made the world spin around her. But nestled against Ryan's strong, broad arm, feeling a warmth and security she had never known before, the shy Jelona wanted only to lean quietly against him and shut out everything else. In that moment, time seemed peaceful, and she felt safe in his arms.

Jelona's father had disappeared when she was very young, leaving a father-shaped absence in her life. The solid, mountain-like security of a father's love was something she had longed for but could never have. Ryan's arrival was like a radiant, warm beam of sunlight, stirring her heart in the quiet depths of the Half-elf Ranger's soul.

The powerful, dependable young Mage, with his handsome, refined looks and considerate, gentle nature, gave Jelona a sense of security and happiness she had never experienced before. She couldn't quite explain what she felt for this handsome young man. Was it admiration, affection, or simply the emotion stirred by an unintentional kindness? A young girl's heart was like a poem. The only thing Jelona knew for certain was that she might—probably, perhaps—have already fallen for him.

Ryan had no idea that the upbringing and values he'd brought from his previous life came through in his words and actions. Combined with a charm that was nearly beyond mortal limits, his sunny, handsome face, and his well-built physique, he was irresistible to both sheltered young girls and worldly, seasoned ladies.

The Mages Guild members were filing through the open entrance one after another. Seeing that Jelona had recovered, Ryan casually freed himself from the slender, pale hands holding him, then called to the two burly men behind him, who had been watching with amusement. "All right, it's our turn. Let's hurry and catch up."

Ryan and the others followed the Mages Guild members through the heavy stone doors. Alexander watched the young people file into the ruins and stroked his long beard, his face full of meaning.

"President, is it really wise to let that kid from Silverymoon take a few adventurers of unknown background inside?" A figure suddenly appeared beside the white-haired Mage. If Ryan had seen him, he would have been astonished to discover that the icy Mage who had guided him the other day could look so angry and doubtful.

Alexander glanced at him with an air of nonchalance. The weight of his authority quickly brought the middle-aged Mage back to his senses. Still, since his trusted aide was only looking out for the Guild, the old man explained:

"What I care about is the knowledge and inheritance in these ruins. No matter who gets the control core, as the local landlords, we'll still get our share of the knowledge inside. It's not as if the Gold Talons in our bag are going to disappear, is it?

"As for those adventurers, the Guild's channels had already gotten to the bottom of things by the time they arrived in Waterdeep. Let the young fellow put his mind at ease."

The old Mage, confident that he had everything under control, had no intention of telling his trusted aide about his deal with Yefalin. After all, it was best not to provoke a divination Archmage who could casually drop a meteor star. Alexander narrowed his eyes, looking forward to seeing how the young people would fare.

Meanwhile, deep within the ruins, a purple crystal hub began to glow a faint violet as the ruins came to life.

"Skylight rebooting. Master, where are you?"

P.S. No matter what I do, I can't write romance scenes well. I'm putting out a call for a girlfriend so I can experience what being in love feels like.

Wait, I don't think I have any female readers. Never mind, then. A guy would work too. (Actually, a guy wouldn't work. I couldn't handle it.)