Faerun: The arcane mage is still too imprisoned.

After the battle on the city wall ended, Lance opened the control panel.

Current experience: 1206/7000

He opened the spell list and glanced at it, his gaze settling on several fourth-circle spells.

[Consuming 400 experience points, you have learned the fourth-circle spell—Polymorph!]

[Transfiguration: This spell transforms a creature you can see within 60 meters into a new form for one hour.]

An involuntary creature must make a perception saving throw to avoid this effect. This spell cannot affect shapeshifting creatures or creatures with 0 life points.

The changes produced by a spell last for the duration of the spell, or until the target's health drops to 0 or the target dies.

The new form can be any beast with a challenge level less than or equal to the target's own (if the target has no challenge level, its level will be used as the benchmark). The target's data and mind-related attribute values ​​will be replaced by the attribute data of the selected beast. However, its alignment and personality will still be retained.

The target uses its new form's health. When it reverts to its normal form, its pre-transformation health is immediately restored. If the target reverts to its normal form due to its health dropping to 0, its normal form will absorb all overflow damage. As long as the overflow damage does not reduce the creature's normal form's health to 0, it will not be stunned by the hit.

The creature's actions are limited by its new form. It cannot speak, cast spells, or perform other actions that require hands or speech.

The target's equipment is integrated into the new form, but it cannot be activated, used, held, or otherwise benefit from its equipment.

[Consumed 400 experience points, learned the fourth-circle spell - Advanced Invisibility!]

[Advanced Invisibility: You or a creature you touch becomes invisible for one minute. Any clothing or items worn on the target will also maintain invisibility.]

[Consuming 400 experience points, you have learned the fourth-circle spell - Banish!]

[Exile: You attempt to send a creature you can see to another dimension. The target must make a charm saving throw and succeed, or be exiled for one minute.]

If the target is a native of your plane, they are banished to a harmless demiplane. The creature is incapacitated during their time in the demiplane. When the spell ends, the target reappears in the space they were in before being banished. If that space is occupied, it will reappear in the nearest unoccupied space.

If the target is not a native of your plane, they will be banished back to their home plane with a soft "pop." If the spell ends before one minute has elapsed, the target will reappear in the space they were in before being banished. If that space is occupied, they will appear in the nearest unoccupied space. If the spell ends after one minute, the target will not return to their original location.

Lance turned off the control panel, turned around, and flew back into the city.

……

outside the city.

Elena stood on the high slope, watching the silver-white figure disappear into the horizon, and remained stunned for a long time.

"He's gone..." she whispered, a hint of disappointment in her voice, before following Olaf back.

After walking a few steps, she suddenly turned around and glanced in the direction of Rild City.

Will I see him again tomorrow? She wondered to herself.

……

Inside the main tent, Olaf sat in the main seat, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

Cassius stood before him, barely daring to breathe.

Olaf looked at the several generals inside the tent.

"Tonight, I'm taking some men into the city."

Everyone was stunned.

Cassius was the first to react: "General, are you going to capture that prince yourself?"

“Yes,” Olaf said. “And that mage, after casting so many spells today, will definitely need a good rest tonight to recover his spell slots. Let’s take advantage of his weakened state and capture Alfred.”

He paused, then said, "As long as the Prince is in our hands, Rield City is ours."

"General, how many men do you need?"

"Eight."

Olaf said calmly, "You eight Exemplars, come with me into the city. The rest of you, guard the camp and wait for my message."

"yes!"

……

That night, it was dark and windy.

On the walls of Rilder, patrolling soldiers walked back and forth with torches in hand, unaware that nine dark figures swept across the sky above the walls.

Olaf, dressed in black leather armor with a two-handed greatsword at his waist, stood on the crenellations of the city wall and glanced into the city.

The city was quiet, with only a few scattered lights.

He closed his eyes and recalled the intelligence provided by his informant.

Prince Alfred's residence was not in the city lord's mansion, but in a detached small building to the east of the mansion. There were not many guards, but at least twelve elite guards on duty.

"Come with me."

He leaped from the city wall, landing almost silently. The eight people behind him followed suit, like nine kittens, falling without a sound.

They moved along the alleyways, avoiding the patrolling soldiers, and crept towards the city lord's mansion.

When they encountered two patrolling soldiers on the road, Olaf waved his hand, and a vagrant darted out from behind him, knocking him down in two moves and dragging him into the alley.

He didn't make a sound the entire time.

Five minutes later, they arrived outside the small building.

Prince Alfred was sitting in his study reading the battle report.

He was dressed casually today, in a dark blue silk robe, with the top two buttons undone, revealing an old scar on his neck.

That was left from his battle with the northern barbarians ten years ago; if it had been an inch off, it would have damaged his artery.

"Your Highness, it's very late," the personal guard said cautiously, standing at the door.

"Hmm," Alfred responded, but didn't put down the battle report in his hand.

Those were Lance's specific battle achievements over the past few days.

In just five days, hundreds of professionals were killed, including many elites, which seems quite unreal.

Moreover, Lance casts more than ten third-circle spells every day, far surpassing the average mage.

Alfred put down the battle report and rubbed his temples.

He had seen many geniuses in the capital, and compared to Lance, every single one of those noble children was utterly useless.

"Lance must be some kind of mage variant, but what could it be...?"

"Forget it, what's the use of a warrior like me thinking about this? I'll ask Grand Mage Giboduan later."

Alfred chuckled. "Anyway, he's now a member of my Kingdom of Ereland. At his age, he'll inevitably advance to the Exemplary Rank or even the Heroic Rank!"

"The prosperity of my Kingdom of Eriland is in sight!"

"After we return, have His Majesty bestow upon him the title of Earl... no, let's make him a Marquis. What would be a suitable title for him...?"

Alfred fell into deep thought.

Just then, a very faint sound came from outside the window.

Alfred's pupils contracted sharply. He clearly heard the sound of armor rubbing together, and it wasn't the armor of his guards.

There was more than one person!

His hand was already gripping the hilt of the sword on the table.