"Uh…"
Ethan froze for a moment, then felt a surge of joy. An NPC had approached him to talk—this usually meant there was a quest involved. In *Godfall*, quests were rare, but each one was incredibly valuable. Quests provided not only a large amount of class experience but sometimes even granted special feats. Most importantly, completing quests spread a player's name among the NPCs, which was crucial for world exploration and integration.
With this in mind, Ethan stood up straighter and said seriously, "Yes, I am a magician. Would you like to see a performance?"
"No," Keke Luo bluntly rejected him, his face cold. "I don't like magician performances. You're all a bunch of swindlers."
"Uh…"
Ethan was taken aback. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Shouldn't this trigger a quest? Why was there no follow-up?
Pondering for a moment, Ethan decided to try again.
"Master Keke Luo, while I am a magician, I'm not like those wandering tricksters."
"What makes you different?" Keke Luo asked, intrigued.
"I've stood atop the highest peaks, using the power of magic to outwit the gods and bring fire to mankind.
"I've ventured into the deepest abyss, freeing poor souls deceived by demons and guiding them to heaven.
"I am a guest of Winterhold, Silver City, and Baldur's Gate. I've driven away terrible dragons using nothing but my magic.
"And I've—"
"Stop, stop, stop, enough with the lies," Keke Luo interrupted with a look of disdain. "You're the most shameless adventurer I've ever met."
"…"
Ethan was speechless. This didn't make sense. He had the *Silver Tongue* feat, which gave him +3 in Diplomacy. Even if the NPC didn't trust him, this kind of reaction seemed too harsh. Unless… Keke Luo could see through his level.
"Master Keke Luo, can you see through me?" Ethan asked cautiously.
"Of course. You're just a level 3 magician, aren't you?"
Keke Luo adjusted the thick glasses on his nose, looking quite proud of himself. "With these eyes of mine, your lies are plain as day."
"Alright then."
Ethan shrugged. If that was the case, there was no point pushing for a quest. In *Godfall*, the NPCs were more like real people, capable of making their own judgments. Whether you received a quest or not depended on luck.
As he took the deck of cards and prepared to leave, Keke Luo suddenly called out to him.
"Wait a minute."
"What is it? I've already paid you," Ethan replied, narrowing his eyes. Was this old dwarf planning to swindle him? There had been cases of NPCs pulling such tricks.
"Even though you're just a level 3 magician, you're also the only magician in this town. So, I want to ask for your help with something."
"Happy to be of service," Ethan said, excitement bubbling up inside him. It seemed this was a magician-specific quest.
Keke Luo rummaged through his belongings for a moment before pulling out a piece of parchment. He laid it out on the counter, revealing a map of The Northlands.
Pointing at the map, Keke Luo said, "I need you to help me recover an item. It was lost to the Frozen Circus, located on the Snow Plateau."
"Uh… so you want me to go to the Snow Plateau?"
"Exactly," Keke Luo nodded.
"Goodbye."
Ethan turned and started walking away without hesitation. No way. The Snow Plateau was in the northern part of Dragonspine Mountain, a high-risk area. Forget about the ice dragons and frost giants there—just the extreme cold alone would kill him. Not to mention he'd have to cross the mountain. This was a suicide mission. Whoever wanted the quest could have it; Ethan wasn't interested.
"Wait, aren't you curious about the reward?" Keke Luo called out, clearly panicking. He had finally found a magician, and there was no way he was letting Ethan go so easily.
"If you can complete the task, I'll let you choose any item from my equipment vault."
"This isn't about the reward. I'm only level 3, with low ice resistance. I can't even survive the Snow Plateau."
"Don't worry about that. I'll lend you the Eternal Flame."
Keke Luo pulled out a red crystal pendant from his pocket and waved it in front of Ethan.
"The Eternal Flame! Are you serious?"
Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the red crystal. Sure enough, inside the crystal, a faint flickering flame could be seen.
According to legend, this continent was once a barren wasteland of darkness. But then, a hero named Argoth brought an eternal flame from another world, spreading light and hope to the land. In honor of him, the continent was named Argoth, and the flame became known as the Eternal Flame.
Even though only a small portion of the Eternal Flame remained in the crystal, it was still an incredibly precious item.
Unable to resist, Ethan used his *Insight* skill, and the flame's information immediately filled his mind.
---
**[Eternal Flame (Epic)]**
**Type: Accessory, Damaged State. Gather all pieces of the Eternal Flame for an unexpected effect.**
- **Trait 1: Eternal Burn (Ice Resistance +100).**
- **Trait 2: Fire Magic Damage +30%.**
- **Trait 3: Fire Creature Affinity +30%.**
- **Trait 4: When in the Fire Plane, All Attributes +30%.**
---
"Wow, no wonder it's the Eternal Flame. The traits are incredible," Ethan couldn't help but marvel.
Just the ice resistance alone was enough to outperform any ice resistance potion, and the additional traits—fire magic damage increase, fire creature affinity, and +30% to all attributes in the Fire Plane—were abilities any fire-based class would dream of. Having it was like gaining an extra S-level fire affinity talent.
"Keke Luo, you're really going to lend me this thing?"
"I'm only lending it to you. You'll have to return it once the mission is completed."
"…"
Ethan's excitement quickly faded. So it was just a loan. Well, it made sense—this was an epic-level item. Keke Luo certainly wouldn't give it to him permanently.
"And what exactly is in your equipment vault? The Snow Plateau isn't an easy place. If your stuff isn't good enough, I'm not going."
"Don't worry, it's top-notch gear."
Keke Luo chuckled and handed Ethan a list. Curious, Ethan glanced over it.
---
- **Oak Bow: Black Iron, Price: 1 Silver Coin**
- **Thorn Dagger: Black Iron, Price: 2 Silver Coins**
- **Wolfskin Boots: Black Iron, Price: 5 Silver Coins**
…
- **Silver Sword: Black Iron, Price: 1 Gold Coin**
---
"…"
Ethan was speechless. This junk was supposed to be top-tier gear? Was this some kind of joke?
And what was with that "Silver Sword"? The name was "silver," but it was a black iron weapon, and the price was a ridiculous 1 gold coin. Was Keke Luo trying to scam him?
"Keke Luo, if you're not serious, I'm leaving. This junk isn't worth my time."
Ethan pointed at the equipment list, frustrated.
Keke Luo huffed in annoyance, his bushy beard twitching. "What do you know? These are masterpieces made by dwarven artisans. I don't sell them to just anyone."
"Then you can keep them and sell them to someone else. Goodbye."
Ethan didn't bother listening to the dwarf's ramblings any longer. If Keke Luo was too stingy to offer decent rewards, there was no reason to take the risk.
"Wait, wait! Don't be so hasty. I have one more thing."
Keke Luo hurriedly stopped Ethan, a pained look on his face as he pulled out a small metal box.
"What's this?" Ethan asked, intrigued.
"It's the Phantom Card."
"Never heard of it."
Ethan shook his head. The name sounded impressive, but he had no idea what it did.
"You call yourself a magician and you've never heard of the Phantom Card?" Keke Luo scoffed. "It's also known as the Infinite Deck."
"Wait, what? The Infinite Deck? Why didn't you say so earlier? I'll take the quest!"
---
**[Ding! Congratulations! You have accepted the quest: The Lost Treasure.]**
---
**[Quest: The Lost Treasure]**
Keke Luo owns a priceless item of great importance to the dwarves, originating from the Tree of Life. However, years ago, it was stolen by a magician from the Frozen Circus. Keke Luo has been too ashamed to face his people ever since.
- **Quest Rewards:** Phantom Card, Dwarven Reputation +100, Level +1.
- **Quest Penalties:** Dwarven Reputation -100, Keke Luo's Hostility.
- **Note:** Rewards and penalties may change depending on the player's actions and words.