Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 200 The Wrath of the Heavens

Galas leisurely took a puff of his pipe, waved his hand and said, "No rush, they'll recover on their own in a few minutes. Let's talk about your matter now."

"My affairs?" The mage was somewhat confused. "You mean Sena deliberately framed me?"

"Don't exaggerate. How could it be such an exaggerated case of being framed?" The old man was somewhat dismissive, but his tone was also a bit sarcastic: "Sena is just a bit stingy. He considers anything he doesn't pick up as lost when he's walking. He thought he had a great achievement in his hands, but he only got a small share. How could he not hold a grudge?"

“Stingy as it may be, that old deer didn’t do anything wrong. He was just in a bad mood and too lazy to help you with the aftermath.” With that, Galas threw the leaf at Zhang Yuan’s face.

At this moment, accepting the offer was one thing, and not accepting it was another. If he accepted it, he would be disgusted by the drool on it; if he didn't accept it, he couldn't bear to part with this precious item.

Fortunately, Zhang Yuan reacted quickly and caught the leaf with a mage's hand. He then took out a handkerchief, carefully wrapped it up, and decided not to use it without washing it thoroughly.

After tidying up, Zhang Yuan looked at Gallas, who had started smoking his pipe in silence again. His mind raced, but his words were very respectful:

“Master Galas, thank you so much for your guidance and help. I wonder what we can do to repay you?”

To everyone's surprise, the other party stretched out his hand and said, "Repayment? No problem. Give me that leaf, and I'll consider it a favor I owe you."

The mage, somewhat embarrassed by the unsuccessful attempt to get a response, didn't continue the conversation and abruptly changed the subject:

Although I am a mage, I also possess some strength, so why am I completely helpless against your entanglement spell?

"So what do you think it should be like?" Garas withdrew his hand and asked in return.

Zhang Yuan was taken aback, but the other party spoke on their own without waiting for his reply:

"You academic types all you know is playing with theory and data calculations. In a sense, that's not wrong, but when you reach a certain level, hmph."

"You mean, the data and descriptions in those books aren't necessarily accurate?" the monk realized.

"So what if it's accurate? So what if it's inaccurate?" Garas took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled smoke as he spoke: "These so-called records of magic are nothing more than a superficial understanding of power. You must understand that the so-called standards are essentially just a description of the power of the strong, not a set of rules that restrict them."

While Zhang Yuan was still pondering the deeper meaning, the other party's words startled him.

"Is Tyrantil still holed up in his dilapidated tower all day? When did he start taking on apprentices?"

"Do you know my mentor?" Zhang Yuan was pleasantly surprised. If he was an old friend of his teacher, that would be even better.

Galas glared at him irritably: "Nonsense, otherwise why would I help you when you kids are so bored? Why would you fight with an old man like me?"

You made your move right away; how were we supposed to know what your tactics were?
Zhang Yuan inwardly scoffed, but outwardly remained polite, showering the other with compliments and even taking the opportunity to inquire about his teacher's past adventures and anecdotes with the other party. One was willing to talk, and the other was willing to listen; Zhang Yuan, thoroughly enjoying the conversation, suddenly asked:
"Master Galas, how did you know I was a disciple of Master Tyrantir?"

"You think that old guy is really unknown just because he's buried in his research all day? How many spellcasters in the Sword Coast wouldn't recognize the Highhold emblem on your robe? Let alone me."

Zhang Yuan slapped his forehead and suddenly remembered that he hadn't taken off the badge he had deliberately worn when he tricked Rick and Morty onto the pirate ship.

"Speaking of which, hmph, Tyranitar is still as old-fashioned as ever, isn't he?" Garas, now relaxed and unrestrained, picked his nose and said, "He was quite conservative back then, always worrying about this and that. I reckon that trait will only get worse as he gets older."

That's a very...

Although Zhang Yuan felt there was some truth to it, he still couldn't help but defend his teacher:

"The path of arcane magic is inherently perilous and difficult. Going fast doesn't necessarily mean going far. Being cautious and conservative is not a bad thing."

"Tsk, I'm not saying his caution is wrong. After all, you can't expect to fly before you can run, can you?" He offered this explanation, then the old man's tone shifted again:
"It is indeed necessary to learn the theoretical rules and lay a foundation at the beginning, but we cannot be bound by these rules and regulations. If we learn these spells too dogmatically, we will inevitably fall into the vicious cycle of knowing what but not why."

"Whether it's divine magic or arcane magic, these standard models of spells are merely a manifestation of their power. However, their core essence is far more than that. The rules are just a superficial description of the source of power that the strong wield." At this point, Garas completely lost his previous unruliness, and his expression became solemn, even somewhat holy.

"Tyrantir has been fixated on these appearances and so-called boundaries for too long. If he can't see through this, I'm afraid he'll have a long way to go before he can embark on the path to legend."

"Here, this is for you." Zhang Yuan quickly handed over a small trinket.

"Communication crystal? What are you planning to do with it?"

"Please speak to my teacher and see if he can give me some pointers. I am also a disciple of several legendary mages."

Upon hearing this, Galas rolled his eyes dramatically, looking at Zhang Yuan as if he were a piece of rotten wood that could not be carved:
"I'm just saying this. Everyone who reaches the extreme level is a lone wolf. They are not so easily persuaded by the words of others."

"Oh~" Zhang Yuan casually put away the crystal, and mustered his courage to ask, "Since everyone has their own path, what makes you so sure about my teacher's situation?"

“The last time I met Tyrandeur was last year.” Garas put down his pipe and stood up, his beard flowing, his eyes radiating an imposing aura. “Or do you think I’m one of those street minstrels, spouting nonsense to you here?”

The disheveled old man slammed his cane down on the ground, and in an instant, the world changed color!
The morning light that used to stream in through the window was now dimmed, and the ordinary bedroom seemed to have transformed into a forest wilderness. The vibrant life of the natural wilderness and the vast desolation of the world roared and washed over the space like a raging torrent.

Zhang Yuan, facing Garas Salt directly, even had difficulty breathing. The invisible air seemed to be frozen. In his eyes, the old man in front of him was like a towering mountain or a giant tree, or the embodiment of the will of nature, who had taken over the supreme authority of this world and had the power to punish and decide.

"I am Garas Skyfury Solt, the legendary druid."

(End of this chapter)