"I must say you have a rather...unique domain"

The Archmage said as he walked with Mar through their divine realm, the promise of peace that Mar had uttered sealed both of their safety from one another. Which was a pity if Mar had been in the mood to try and eat this god, but the moment he had stepped into her realm they knew that he was significantly more powerful than them.

"So, tell u...me more about the things you wish to sell."

Mar was uninterested in exchanging pleasantries with the man, only the value that he could provide the Swarm mattered, and ultimately there were few things that people could provide that Mar could not somehow get themselves. Alaric just smiled at the display of impatience and he casually made the three blueprints float ahead.

"First, we have these blueprints for enchanted architecture which I think your followers could find very handy. There is an anti scrying and sympathetic magic array, which should protect your territories from being unduly spied on through mystical means. We have a basic magical academy structure which has all of the essentials needed to educate Mages and work with magic. And there is a proper leyline amplifier. What makes these blueprints unique is that they alter themselves to fit the needs and aesthetic of the group using them, which makes them far more malleable than normal blueprints."

As he explained the nature of each construct he made the blueprints glow to indicate which one were which. Mar had to admit they were already tempted with this initial offer, but before asking about a price and revealing their hand, Mar gestured for Alaric to show the next.

"The books I have explained already, the first detailing the hidden mysteries of Soul Guidance Systems and how they not only shape the being holding it but the nature of reality around them, a Spelltome that contains the ability to unlock the hidden potential in every magical school ever discovered and that ever will be discovered. and a collection of dossiers on your future enemies and what it means to be a god."

Alaric seemed unconcerned with repeating himself as he went through the books and made them float similarly to the blueprints and then lastly he made the glowing sphere of energy and the staff appear. The pulsating orb of power floated while remaining fixed in one spot before the pair, while the staff slowly rotated.

"Gods often have issues with dealing with magic, your followers will have to deal with enemy magic users throughout their conquest and expansion. This miracle can aid you in aiding them, it allows you to destroy woven magic, both temporarily and permanently. Enchantments, spells, rituals, and the like all fall before you if you are willing to invest enough power into the miracle. As for the staff it is as I have stated previously a divine weapon, a materialized symbol formed of magic and faith which might serve you well here."

Mar didn't find the staff particularly interesting, nor did they think that Alaric thought they would compared to the other offers on hand. However, he didn't necessarily know that Mar had already realized this so there was a path ahead to get what they desired at the lowest cost possible.

"What price do you seek for the staff...and the other items you have shown u-me?"

"A new divinity like yourself is unlikely to possess much wealth as far as we gods see it, but I am a patient man and I understand that there are many commodities out there. Information being chief among them, but I would consider diplomatic relations between our followers and promises of favours being good as well. For the staff I would consider...knowledge about how you created that marvelous "Thrall-King Spider" that you used as a cover to establish your own legend. The blueprints are simple in that I think a tithe of faith or mana is enough to serve as a satisfactory trade, that or 10 souls from this domain as a tithe to me. For the Spelltome I would like an embassy established within your territory for my people to negotiate and deal with yours, and that they are allowed to study magic that your people might develop. The two informational works I am willing to give in return for information about how you underwent Apotheosis and the name of your particular Soul Guidance System. Lastly, the miracle I would trade for another miracle of your own."

Alaric presented his offering offers more like a series of lighting quick rapier faints in a duel rather than a considered opening for a negotiation. He spoke like a lecturer who had been binge drinking coffee for several days straight and when he was done he finished with an oily smile like he had not just dropped a relative tsunami worth of offers and demands.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Mar took the time to look like they were deeply considering the offer and allowed themselves to look "pained" at the first demand, and then let their genuine uncertainty shine through at the last one. How could Mar give a "miracle" to someone else? So that is what they asked which Alaric responded to with an equally genuine chuckle.

"Of course you don't know how yet, you have been one of us for what? A few days? This is a trick that it took me a long time to learn, but it has been a very valuable ones. All of us have powers that are entrenched in us by faith, core abilities that we cannot remove or change on our own. What we can do to them is that we can copy them over into a form like the orb you see before you, a template of a power that we can bestow on another god or other being for matter. The template will alter itself to fit the one they are bestowed too, so if you are interested you can do it. You must simply reach within yourself and pull a "shell" of the miracle out."

He projected emotions and abstract concepts at Mar with a flex of his aura and Mar understood the concept quickly enough. There was no way that Mar would give away any of the abilities that made them truly unique, but there was a worthwhile trade to be made here. At first Mar considered something like Enhance Poisons or Make Mah Field, but they quickly realized that the bait had to be jucier than that. The answer soon dawned on them and their vessel smiled at the Archmage as Mar put forth their proposal.

"As much as it pains me to say it...I will be unable to pay for the staff at this point, that secret is simply too great, but I can pay for the lesser offerings. First, let me present my proposed miracle to you."

Mar pushed against one power within their collection and willed a "shell" to appear within the chest of the vessel that it could draw out and hold as a glowing crimson sphere. It pulsated with pain, sacrifice, and the endless dirge of dying units as Mar had chosen Sacrifice Units as their proposed bartering item.

"This miracle will allow you to sacrifice followers to empower yourself in any way that you could dream of, you can channel their souls and life energy through you and truly achieve greater things than you thought possible."

Alaric stepped up to the glowing orb without bothering to hide his fascination as he saw the item that Mar held. He tentatively reached out before he stopped himself and grinned at Mar. To a lesser being it would be the kind of creepy grin that would send you running away or in her case pull out a can of pepper spray. But Mar was more than happy to ignore the inherently inhuman expression on the face of the Archmage.

"I take it that you accept. As for the other deals...I accept them, 10 souls, the embassy, and the information you have asked for will be delivered at my leisure. I promise that on my name and station."

"So abrupt of you, I would have expected haggling and a series of counter offers."

"Haggling is for people that have time to waste, I have none and I am busy incorporating every tool that I can into my arsenal."

Mar pushed their will against Alarics and ripped the items that they had purchased out of his grip and into theirs. They then instinctively shifted the entire landscape to put them back at the border where Alaric had first appeared and Mar pointed to the outside.

"Leave, we will most likely conduct more negotiations in the future, but I am weary of this and I have other matters to attend to."

The Archmage didn't exactly look offended at the incredibly swift end to the negotiations, as much as he looked bored and disappointed by the outcome. But the god shrugged and began to walk away while speaking.

"Suit yourself, I will instruct some of my followers to arrive where your followers are through long range teleport. They are not to be harmed or usurped from me if our deal is to stand. We will converse in the future I am sure."

And with that line the Archmage disappeared from view as he formed a floating gate composed of mystical sigils and stepped through it while making the archway fade behind him. Mar didn't particularly care about his feelings or his words, they were much more focused on the goods that they had just been given and they turned their attention to them with a gleeful smirk.