Isaac noticed my interest in the knot. “The archmage spent a number of years at sea in his youth. Personally, I think he was a pirate, but he denies it. The gleam in his eye when he does, however, makes me question his sincerity. During those days, he learned many knots and, across the centuries, acquired new ones from time to time. Sending him a note tied in an elaborate knot will guarantee a response. He gets so many notes that he rarely reads them. But one with what he calls a “knotty flourish” will always get his attention.”

  That was a nice piece of advice shared so openly by the Majordomo. “Thank you, I shall keep that in mind. Where is the archmage? I should have liked to thank him personally.”

  Isaac’s expression fell. “The official word is he is out confronting the troubles that plague us. And he certainly is doing just that. But in truth, I have not seen him since he departed an hour before the Deathlight struck to confront an old infernal enemy. I am certain it was no coincidence, and it drew him out of the city when he was needed here the most. The explanation I gave at Mage Council was accurate.”

  He settled more comfortably into his chair and, sitting back, crossed his legs. “There has been no word from him since that time, although he did send back a couple of misfits whom I’m sure you would like to meet. A young journeyman sorceress named Jade and a halfling monk named Stix.”

  “A halfling monk?” I asked, startled. “I thought all monks were human.”

  “Yes, as I did until yesterday. In truth, he has more burglar in him than he does monk, but that might just be my bias as an old man. I am good at sleight of hand, but that young rascal seems to teleport objects into his hands and from there, into his pockets. If I didn't know better, I’d say he had a bit of prodigy in him as well, albeit in less noble trades.”

  “I’d like to meet them both. They may be able to help with our Special Services work.”

  He slapped his knee and said, “My thoughts exactly. And it would get them out of The Tower.” He winked at me.

  Pointing to the bag, he urged, “Well, go on then, open it.”

  I did and discovered an overflowing handful of fifteen, 14pt magical gems.

  “This is not a gift, it is a small fortune.” I declared.

  He waved his hand in the air magnanimously. “The archmage is often generous with his gifts. He makes a habit of a significant gift to new mage patrons. That is a bit more generous than most, but he had commented that you were a treble maker and deserved more.”

  I shook my head.

  He agreed. “Yes, one learns to just accept his odd sense of humor and turn of phrase. But he anticipated some trouble in your future through his mystical ways, and wanted to replace the fifteen five-point gems you placed in your staff with these. He handpicked them for you and said you would know what to do with them.”

  There were some obvious gemstones present, such as an emerald, topaz, and sapphire, but there were others more rare, such as an opal, onyx, and I gasped, there was even a magical spinal used by necromancers and a black opal used in Shadow Magic.

  I held the last two up. “These are highly questionable choices,” I said to Isaac as he examined them. His eyebrows raised as well.

  “The archmage must have had his reasons. Maybe they are intended for protection against those magics.”

  I stared at them and then looked back up. “With your permission, I will inspect these two in your presence. If they rub me wrong or something untoward occurs, I leave it to you to decide how to respond.”

  He nodded, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. My worry about gemstones considered cursed or evil did not seem to phase him much. Perhaps it was because he knew the archmage would not gift me something that would do me harm. At least not intentionally.

  I set the black opal down and concentrated on the spinal, willing a casting point into it.

  My mind was drawn into a dark domain. I was used to a little color reflection in my mind from the gemstones, but this was darker and deeper. There were whispers and hints of secret knowledge pushing against the boundaries of my mind.

  But while annoying, the whispers were not so invasive that I could not maintain focus. I saw many dark and terrible effects, including the ability to summon lesser undead, to surround myself in a set of acid armor that would damage weapons that came into contact with me, but also an ability to locate necromantic energies and to protect against them.

  In my anxiety, I asked, “Master, would you choose the ability to locate necromantic magic or protect yourself from it?”

  He sat back from where he had leaned forward to watch me and crossed his legs again. “If I was concerned about discovering a necromancer or undead that I searched for, I would choose the former. If I wanted a rapid means to defend myself from an unexpected attack, I would choose the latter.”

  “That is sound advice.” I said and chose the power to create a field of protective energies around me in a ten-foot radius that would repel lower-level spells and effects of necromancy.”

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  I explained my choice. “I chose the protection option because in an emergency where seconds count, it is best to have that protection. If I need to locate a necromancer or necromantic power source, I could always go back in and change my option. At least, as long as I had not used its power yet that day.”

  “It is what I would have chosen.” He agreed.

  He leaned forward again when I picked up the other gem, the black opal. These gems were arguably one of the rarest gems in Alluvion, and a magical cut version was an order of magnitude rarer.

  I used another casting point and willed myself into the gem. It was less a sensation of color than ash and fog. I actually coughed out loud for a moment, so unexpected was the effect.

  My mind searched through options. Instead of leaping out at me and pushing against my mental barriers, these powers skirted around the edges of my awareness, and I had to actively seek them out. It took real effort.

  I did not realize it, but my brow began to sweat, and the Majordomo had moved around the table to kneel beside me, watching my eyes and face. But the real world was nearly forgotten as I searched and searched to no avail.

  Eventually, I decided to try a different approach. Instead of seeking out the elusive powers I knew were there, I tried summoning one to me through sheer strength of will. I focused on protection against shadows, the parallel power I tapped in the spinel gem.

  Instantly, I was surrounded by a unique ashy fog, darker and more intense than the surrounding environment. I embraced it and focused my will and strength against it. It resisted and struggled. While at first it had appeared to have an interest in my summons, our contact quickly turned into a fight as I struggled to keep it from fleeing me.

  It felt like I struggled for long minutes, but when I came around, having subdued and inserted the protective powers into the gem to be used later, Isaac assured me the entire affair lasted less than a minute.

  He checked me over and looked deeply into my eyes. I felt a tug of magic, and it caused me to blink rapidly, my eyes filling with watery tears.

  “There is no sign of shadow in you.” He said in relief. “You were successful in wrangling the shadow power.”

  “I do not care to repeat that experience,” I said, slightly out of breath. “And that was just a 10pt gemstone,” I observed.

  Isaac returned to his chair. “No, I don’t imagine you would. Good souls do not mix well with the shadows.” He slapped his thigh in frustration. “What was I thinking? It was reckless of me to allow you to challenge that power with no training or preparation of any kind. Shadow magic is banned for good reason. It is a foreign power out of this realm. Necromancy is evil and corrupting, but it is a perversion of this world. Shadow magic is from an entirely different realm and follows different rules. Rules even the wisest of us do not fully understand.”

  I took a sip from the wine glass that had been sitting next to me from my previous meeting with the Gray Master.

  “Here,” he said, “let me get you some fresh water. You will want a clear head.” And he got up and went over to the sideboard and poured me a glass of water. He brought it back and handed it to me, concern still in his eyes.

  “I do feel much better, thank you.” And I took a long, slow drink.

  After a few more minutes had passed, I had recovered fully, save for the memory. I was more drained than I had expected and realized that I had used additional casting points as a part of my willful encounter. I did not remember calling upon them, but I had, indeed, used them.

  I very nearly interceded. Bella said, concerned. That is not a good place that you visited.

  Let’s hope we don’t repeat the visit. I said to her.

  “My strength is returning and should be fine in a few minutes,” I assured him.

  I looked through the other gems and then laid them out on the table.

  “With your permission, I will add the two primed gems now. I don’t want them just sitting around.”

  “I was hoping to get a look at your mage staff. But I suggest you add several others first, perhaps replace the same type gems to give your staff a sense of purpose and defense before you add necromancy and shadow magic into it.” He suggested.

  “That may be prudent. There is much about this artifact that I do not fully understand. I’d hate for it to get a troublesome personality.”

  “Let’s see it, then.” He urged.

  I summoned the staff from my ring. It appeared in moments, and I turned it so the gems faced him.

  “Fifteen sockets. Quite extraordinary.”

  I spent the next ten minutes conversing with the Majordomo, choosing powers, and inserting the archmage’s gems. The improved gems offered more options, and there were even some clerical options, such as Holy Ward and Wrath spell effects. I was quite pleased with the overall results.

  “And now my gift to you!” He said when I had completed placing the last two gems, the spinal, and finally the black opal.

  “Your gift?” I asked, confused.

  “Of course. You think that only the archmage gives out gifts?”

  “Well, no, but I didn’t expect-” I began.

  “Of course you didn’t. That is why it is a gift.” He shook his head and reached into his robes. He withdrew a similar small bag, but of a soft, gray color. He handed it to me.

  The drawstring was pulled tight but not tied.

  “Sorry, I didn’t add a knotty flourish.” And he smiled.

  I opened the small cloth bag and poured out ten, 10pt magical cut diamonds.

  “They are for your former master’s bracers and the five sockets I am here to encourage you to add to each. I already filled them with casting points for you.” He added.

  He had just given me one hundred usable casting points to add to my master’s silver bracers.

  “Isaac, I don’t know what to say. This is an amazing gift.”

  “There’s more. I had intended to add to your master’s base enchantments for the bracers, but seeing your mage staff and under current circumstances, I fear you will be far more of a target than I had initially estimated.”

  He stared at me and the ten rings I wore, the staff, my master’s bracers, which he had me roll up my sleeves to reveal, the ceiling, and finally came to a decision with the snap of his fingers.

  “I’ve got it.” He said with a smile.

  “What is that?” I asked, curiously.

  “You are going to get a fashion upgrade.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that,” I said.

  He waved his hand dismissively and asked, “Who would you say was more progressive, your mother or father?”

  “Definitely my mother,” I answered.

  “That’s good. I know your father well, and he seems fairly traditional. I was hoping your mother might be a little different.”

  “Yes, they are both similar and dissimilar in a lot of ways. But Mom is by far the more progressive-minded. But why do you ask?”

  “Because you are about to get a present from her. A pair of Elven Silver earrings with a couple of yellow diamonds to go with your robes.”

  “I’m not really that interested in wearing an earring,” I said.

  “Oh, don’t be prudish. They are all the rage. And it will be two, not one. Each will have a socketed magical gem.”

  “Umm, how dangly are they going to be?”

  “Less so than if you made one of your five-socket, Dwarven Copper pirate earrings.” He said with a laugh. Then, seeing my concern, he said, “They will each be a simple stud with the gem. It will look very fashionable and macho. As I said, they are all the rage.”

  “Then why are you not wearing any?” I observed.

  “Me? I am far too conservative for such trivialities. Besides, you’re the one I am trying to protect.”

  I wasn’t convinced.