After choosing his feat, Anser began selecting spells.

Arcane Resonance granted him one 2nd-level Evocation spell. His choices were limited, and after a brief review, he selected the utility spell Darkness.

It created a 30-foot-wide (9-meter) area of darkness at a designated point for ten minutes. Darkvision could not penetrate it, and nonmagical light could not illuminate it.

The spell could also be cast on an object, which made it useful for causing trouble.

His second spell had to come from the Sorcerer spell list. He chose Misty Step without hesitation.

This 2nd-level Conjuration spell teleported him to an unoccupied space he could see within 30 feet (9 meters). It required no Somatic or Material components and was nearly instantaneous, making it excellent for either escaping or pursuing an enemy.

With his high Charisma enhancing it, Misty Step could carry him over thirty feet. Evading Fireball or a thrown javelin would become routine.

[Feat: Mark of Storm. Spells: Darkness, Misty Step. Confirm?]

"Confirm!"

The next instant, the magic within his body seemed to break free, surging violently. Every soft scale gleamed like metal, his body tingled, and countless inherited memories rose and fell through his mind.

Suddenly, wind swept through the room!

It grew stronger and stronger, snuffing out the oil lamp and sending clothes, bedsheets, cups, and everything else flying. Doors and windows rattled as though the roof would be torn away at any moment.

Bratt and Finn jumped in alarm. They hurriedly secured weapons and fragile objects and braced the window and washroom. They could never afford to replace anything they broke here.

Fortunately, the storm departed as quickly as it arrived. The room soon fell quiet again, with only the wreckage strewn across the floor testifying to what had happened.

After a long while, Anser opened his eyes. Magical light lingered in his pupils.

He pulled open his cloak. Strange, intricate magical patterns had appeared across the soft scales on the back of his neck, flickering in and out of sight.

This was the Mark of Storm. It granted the spell-like ability Gust of Wind, functioning like a biological instinct and remaining unaffected by the surrounding magical environment.

"I feel... excellent."

He waved to Bratt and Finn to show that he was fine.

The gains from this advancement were tremendous. His Charisma had reached 19, improving every aspect of his Spellcasting.

He had also learned four 2nd-level spells and two 1st-level spells. None dealt damage, but they greatly expanded his options and bolstered his survivability.

In addition, his Hit Points had reached 36 and his Mana 28, allowing him to cast nine 2nd-level spells in succession. His sustained firepower had increased again.

Reaching Level 5 required 6,500 Experience, however—far more difficult than advancing from Level 1 to Level 4.

'Level alone doesn't determine combat power!'

With his abilities, fighting three Levels above his own was not difficult. Unless he encountered an extraordinary genius, he could at least put up a fight.

Knock, knock, knock... The sound interrupted his thoughts.

Bratt surveyed the devastated room, exhausted, and reluctantly went to open the door.

Dara stood outside with her hands on her hips and a stern expression. "What are you doing? How could you cast a spell inside the room?"

Bratt smiled awkwardly. "Sorry. It happened without warning, but nothing was broken. Truly."

Dara looked inside, and her eyes met Anser's. She paused, looked away at once, and softened her expression.

"There had better not be a next time. Clean everything up. I'll inspect the room tomorrow, and you'll pay the full price for any damage."

"No problem," Bratt agreed immediately.

After watching Dara go downstairs, he hurriedly closed the door and shot Anser an aggrieved look.

Bratt was not being miserly. The incident had been genuinely terrifying; even the roof had shaken.

"An accident, nothing more." Anser had not expected it either and quickly changed the subject. "Have you inventoried the loot? How much did we gain?"

"Not bad at all," Bratt said in an imitation of Dara's tone.

He sat opposite Anser and laid out the items one by one.

Two coin purses, two wands, one magic ring, two Common Potions of Healing, three unidentified blue potions, two pocket watches, belt pouches, and various sundries.

There was no spellbook. Perhaps both men had abandoned the path of Wizardry.

There were no robes either. Anser remembered Fabian's robes being excellent, so Gass had probably traded them for the "class-changing ritual."

He picked up one purse. A griffon was depicted on its purple leather surface. The pouch was palm-sized and emitted a faint magical fluctuation.

"This looks like Fabian's coin purse."

The die rotated gently and quickly identified it.

[Magic Item: Griffon Coinpouch]

<Category>: Wondrous Item

<Rarity>: Common

This stylized purse is sewn in the likeness of the griffon's saddlebag from children's stories and legends.

The purse is 6 inches (15 centimeters) across and can hold up to 1,000 coins.

Coins removed from the purse are miraculously clean and bright, as if freshly minted. The purse always weighs 1 pound regardless of how many coins it contains.

"Now this is excellent!" Anser's brows rose in delight.

He opened the purse and upended it over the floor. Coins poured out like running water, creating an impressive sight.

"So many! Hurry and count them..." Bratt dropped to his side to block the rolling coins and gemstones.

Finn simply emptied the other purse and counted everything together.

"Fewer than I expected." Anser could see at a glance that platinum pieces made up only a small portion.

The three huddled together and counted for a long while. They found sixteen gemstones of various colors and coins worth more than eight hundred gold pieces.

Silver and copper pieces were most numerous, totaling five or six hundred. There were also dozens of uncommon electrum pieces, over two hundred gold pieces, and more than fifty platinum pieces, minted in many different currencies.

Anser knew Fabian had possessed far more wealth. He did not know Fabian's class Level, but any Wizard able to build a tower was either an elite classed individual or came from a wealthy family. Either way, he could not have been poor.

Besides, Fabian earned more than a thousand gold pieces from his dozens of apprentices every year.

"Gass squandered it all. What an idiot—paying a cult to use him as an experiment. Desperation drove him to the worst possible cure..."

At least the coinpouch was excellent. Its rarity was low, but it was extraordinarily practical. At auction, classed individuals and nobles would undoubtedly offer high prices.

Anser continued examining the loot and discovered that only the coinpouch was truly valuable. Apart from the three Potions of Healing, everything else was nearly useless.

One wand was a Common Wand of Pyrotechnics, capable only of creating fireworks for entertainment or signaling.

The other was a Fine Wand of Web that could cast Web. Like the Staff of Goodberries, however, it depended on the Weave and spell slots and was extremely unstable. Using it in battle would be courting death.

The ring was a Fine Ring of Water Walking that could cast Water Walk, but the wearer still had to perform the casting. It suffered from the same problem as the Wand of Web.

Magic items of this kind were rapidly losing value. No one wanted them.

The four Magecleanse Potions had unknown effects, and no one dared use them, so they set them aside.

Anser placed his money and gemstones inside the Griffon Coinpouch. With it, he could carry any amount of money without weighing down his waist.

"How do we divide it?"

Bratt and Finn exchanged a glance. "Eighty-twenty. You take eighty."

"That's ridiculous. Sixty-forty." Anser did not deny his importance, but neither would he undervalue his companions' contributions.

Without Finn, he could not have tracked the enemy. Bratt handled every dirty and exhausting task and always charged first. Both were indispensable.

"We'll follow your decision."

"Mm."

Potions of Healing were shared consumables. They would divide the money after selling the magic items, gemstones, and sundries.

After deducting the more than three hundred gold pieces the team owed Anser, he ultimately took the Griffon Coinpouch and two hundred gold pieces. Bratt and Finn split the remaining money evenly.

Overall, Anser still benefited most. The Griffon Coinpouch was scarce and could not simply be purchased on demand.

Character Sheet:

[Name: Anser Holrevin]

<Species>: Human—Silverbrow (Medium)

<Background>: Noble

<Class>: Sorcerer (Draconic Sorcery)

<Level>: 4

<Experience>: 2,719/6,500

<Hit Points>: 36

<Mana>: 28

<Sorcery Points>: 4

<Armor Class>: 16 (15 + 1)

<Alignment>: Neutral

<Faith>: None

—Core Ability Scores—

[Strength: 12]

[Dexterity: 13]

[Constitution: 12]

[Intelligence: 13]

[Wisdom: 13]

[Charisma: 19]

<Skills>: Arcana +2, History +1, Acrobatics +1, Athletics +1, Medicine +1, Intimidation +1, Survival +1

<Feats>: Skilled, Tough, Spell Sniper, Mark of Storm

<Features>: Spellcasting, Innate Sorcery, Draconic Resilience, Draconic Spells, Font of Magic, Metamagic

<Metamagic>: Twinned Spell, Quickened Spell

—Spells—

<Cantrips>: Light, Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Sorcerous Burst, Mold Earth, Gust

<1st-Level Spells>: Disguise Self, Feather Fall, Jump, Shield, Chromatic Orb, Command, Magic Missile, Faerie Fire, Divine Smite, Longstrider, Fog Cloud

<2nd-Level Spells>: Dragon's Breath, Alter Self, Hold Person, Scorching Ray, Gust of Wind, Levitate, Darkness, Misty Step

—Other—

<Adventure Traits>: Mana Control, Extraordinary Talent, Arcane Resonance

<Resistance>: Lightning

(End of Chapter)