I wave goodbye and head towards the Magus chambers.

  I open the door to a long spiral staircase where, at the top, resides the Magus’s chamber. A moving portrait of a great battle is painted on the wall. As I climb the stairs, more of the painting reveals itself, showing Jaknights battling these green dragon-like warriors and huge dragons that are eating suns.

  The wall, on occasion, opens to another passage; some short, others longer than I can see. As I pass one of the halls, I hear a voice call out.

  “Jaknight Asela.”

  Damn. Only one person would call me by my last name.

  I turn around, and sure enough, Assessment is there. You can always tell who they are thanks to their white robes. The assessor is not that big in height, but certainly, his gut is almost as wide as him. He has long blonde hair he ties back.

  “Yeah, how may I help you?” I ask him in my most polite way. I hate dealing with Assessment, but I can’t just ignore him.

  “You can help me, Jaknight Asela, by telling me what you were thinking fighting a high Alfaere beyond the boundaries of the Grey?”

  I raise an eyebrow.

  “I was thinking: gee, don’t die.”

  “Do you have any idea of the damage you caused?”

  “Somewhat,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.

  “Somewhat? Is that what you said?”

  He pulls out some massive tome from out of his robes with a look of zeal and opens it.

  “Shattered a level three moon and sent meteor showers as far as the Dedial system. Hmm. Destabilized seven planets from their gravitational anchors. Caused mass earthquakes and tsunamis across another fifty-seven planets. Wait, there’s more.”

  He taps the page.

  “Caused nine stars to go supernova. Left scars in the local space-time that have created four massive black holes that swallowed several systems already. Casualties are still being calculated. This is why your battles must remain in the Grey.”

  He keeps looking at the page, shaking his head, tsking with his tongue.

  “It will take Assessment a long time to repair the damages that your duel caused. A long time,” he mutters. “Not to mention the various afterlife reports we will need to make.”

  “Look, I tried to keep it in the Grey, but she got out of it and went nuts. I did my best to contain it. You try keeping your head from being taken off and stopping planets from cracking apart from her slamming into them. Not easy. But still, I took a major piece off the board, and many worlds still stand and will continue to stand now that she’s gone.”

  The assessor looks at me, studying me.

  “You will write a full report on your duel with a detailed analysis.”

  Crap. I hate writing reports.

  “Umm, what was that? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

  “I said I want a report.”

  “You want to teleport? I don’t think it’s possible here.”

  “No. I said I want a report.”

  “My ears are still ringing from my duel. Did you say retort?”

  “No, I sai—”

  “Just tell me later. I have to go. It’s important Alliance business with the Magus.”

  I turn and run up the stairs. I hear him call my name a few more times, but I ignore it. I reach the top with a bound, where there is this red door with metal vines over it. I approach the door and turn the knob, entering the chamber.

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  It is filled with all sorts of wires, screens, runic pads.

  Let me tell you something. Wizards are freaking weirdos.

  They dress weird, talk weird, think weird. Especially Maguses. And this one standing in the corner is wearing a coat that looks like it is made of circuitry and wire. He has silver-beaded dreadlocks. Goggles that are brass-looking. One lens is long like a telescope and keeps zooming in and out with a mechanical whirl. The other is like a stained glass window and moves like a kaleidoscope.

  He is leaning over a desk filled with swirling tomes made of light, and there is this small golden ring. It is slowly building something like a tower. And there is this mini automaton. It appears made of silver, like some sort of lizard that walks on two legs. They both look on as the tower is being built.

  Then it stops and starts smoking.

  The automaton looks panicky and starts hitting the ring, and the Magus starts yelling in some robotic chatter I don’t understand.

  The device then shakes, and the Magus and the automaton duck as it explodes. I barely duck as the shards, once small, grow to a very large size and embed themselves in the walls. One shard grows so big it almost reaches the middle of the room.

  The Magus and automaton start arguing again.

  See what I’m talking about? Freaking wizards.

  I clear my throat.

  “Ahem.”

  They stop and look at me.

  “I’m Jaknight Finnbarr. I was ordered to come see a Magus.”

  “I don’t recall… oh yes. Jaknight Finnbarr. I have been waiting.”

  The Magus comes over and extends his hand.

  I shake it. It feels cold, mechanical. Was it a mech arm?

  The Magus speaks again, his voice sounding slightly metallic.

  “I am Magus Calyx.”

  Calyx. He must be a High Worlder, I think.

  “An honor, Magus Calyx. I am Finnbarr Asela.”

  “They tell me good things about you, Mr. Finnbarr.”

  He goes back to rummaging through some electro-tome scraps as he continues.

  “I wonder, are they true?”

  “Depends on what they are.”

  Calyx laughs and nods his head. He gestures with his hand. A large hologram appears of a galaxy.

  “This is your home, is it not, Mr. Finnbarr?”

  My heart pounds. As I look at its familiar pinwheel shape, I can recall the twin star systems that covered her like a warm blanket. I feel a lump in my chest. Was I homesick? I gather myself.

  “Yeah. That’s home,” I tell him.

  “Wonderful. Have you ever heard of the Cups of the Carnival King?”

  “No, can’t say I have.”

  “The Carnival King was one of the most powerful sorcerers of the old age. He used his magic to trap three powerful Cosmic spirits into three cups in order to stop them from destroying his realm. The cups were placed in powerful warding chests and scattered, hidden, and eventually forgotten. Till now.”

  “Let me guess. You found them?”

  “No, Mr. Finnbarr. But we found a way to locate them.”

  “Which is?”

  “You, Mr. Finnbarr. You.”

  “What?” Now I am surprised. What the hell does he mean, me?

  “Well, not you specifically, I—”

  The automaton who has been on the desk has begun to piece together some blue cube.

  “If that breaks, so help me.” The Magus’s voice seems angry as he looks at the automaton, who waves him off.

  “Magus, you said—”

  “What did I say?”

  “I was the key to finding some cups.” I am slightly annoyed.

  “I did?”

  I nod.

  “Yes, you did.”

  “I’m sorry. I have a lot rattling around in here. Excuse me.”

  He tilts his head and smacks the side of it, and out of his ear fall these small gear-like chips. He blows on them and sticks them up his nose, shakes his head.

  “Woo, that’s better. Mr. Finnbarr, the cups can only be found by a native of the Carnival King’s realm, and you are the closest and only available one for this quest.”

  “You want me to go hunting for some old cups?” I make sure he hears the disappointment in my voice.

  “Old cups? Mr. Finnbarr, these cups are imbued with enough energy to tip the scales of the war.”

  “Oh, like the Belt of Thadia, or the Rings of Votu, or the Orb of the Lesser Queen?” I say sarcastically.

  “Yes. With one difference. The enemy isn’t aware it exists.”

  “Do you think that will last?”

  “Absolutely not. That is why time is of the essence.”

  “How would I even find them?”

  “With this.” He produces a small square metal object. “Flip open the top and flick the wheel inside.”

  I open it and flick it. A light jumps out and flies around before zipping up the ceiling and disappearing.

  “Ahahaha, it works.”

  “Was it not supposed to?” I ask.

  “We had some problems earlier, but that is how you find it. Flick it and the light will fly towards it. Keep following. If it fades, flick it again. And voila, more light to guide your way. Remember, only you can light the way.”

  “You want me to go to my old world and use this flicker thing to find these cups and bring them back before the enemy notices. Is that right?”

  “You understand well, Mr. Finnbarr,” the Magus tells me, smiling. He seems very excited.

  I know the Magus is giddy to look at some new magic, but I am wary.

  “You said there were warding chests, so when I find them, what about those?”

  The Magus strokes his chin before speaking.

  “I got it. You will have one of the mages accompany you. They can disable the ward chests and throw off any enemy trackers that may come around.”

  I really don’t like having wizards on my missions. They talk way too much.

  “Eh, I’m fine. I think I can manage on my own.”

  “That was not a request, Mr. Finnbarr. A mage will go with you.”

  I sigh. Of course.

  “Can I pick the mage at least?”

  “They have already been chosen.”

  I sigh again.

  “Don’t be sad, Mr. Finnbarr. You will approve of them, I think. And if not…” He shrugs.

  “Will that be all?” I ask him.

  “Yes, Mr. Finnbarr. The mage will meet you in the courtyard later. Have a wonderful day.”

  He turns around and disappears into the back of his workshop.

  Well, time to find out who this mage is, and these cups, I think.