Part 1: Quintus, the Fifth Wizard
56 Montblanc Leo Tolstoy Sky Blue
Long after the other four wizards went home, Quintus’ patience finally paid off. On the right foot of the sphinx of black quartz, the largest toe showed a slight abnormality. That toe had to be the way inside, and in time, Quintus would unlock its secret.
57 Robert Oster Astorquiza Rot
Quintus stood before his wardrobe staring at a virtual sea of black robes. With a sudden grin, he whispered a secret spell, then pulled out a single blood-red robe.
58 Herbin Lie de The
Clad in his blood-red robe, Quintus returned to the mystery of the Sphinx’s toe. The glyphs indicated the toe had to be pushed and pulled at the same time. A clear impossibility. But impossibilities were why magic existed in the first place.
59 Kaweco Summer Purple
Poor, exhausted Quintus flopped down onto the sand. All his efforts to both push and pull the Sphinx’s toe had failed. And yet, he was sure there had to be a way...
60 Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo
Quintus sat in the sand, pondering pushing and pulling. Push one part and pull another? But the toe seemed whole. Which part should he push, and which pull? Compression? Tear it apart? But in which direction or in what sequence? "Well," he said, "there was only one thing to do: try!"
61 Monteverde Copper Noir
Quintus laughed hysterically as his twin spells pushed the sphinx’s toe out from the inside and pulled it out from the outside. It’s possible he was suffering from sleep deprivation.
62 Robert Oster Blue Night
As night fell in the desert, Quintus conjured an orb of light, straightened his back, and told the butterflies in his stomach there was no need to flutter about so nervously. "No need at all," he whispered as he stepped into the gap left by the sphinx’s push-pulled toe.
63 Robert Oster Blue Denim
While Quintus toiled upward in the night, the other four wizards slept safely in their beds: one with a lazy dog at his feet, another with a quick brown fox at his back, the third with a box of five dozen liquor jugs hidden under his bed, and the fourth dreamt of waltzing zebras.
64 Robert Oster Blue Sea
On and on Quintus trudged - along narrow passageways and up quartz staircases. Clearly the sphinx was larger inside than out. Just at the edge of his vision, something blinked! "Gaaaaaaah," Quintus screamed.
65 Kaweco Midnight Blue
As echos Quintus’ scream faded, a voice came from the darkness: "What a strange greeting. Still, one must be polite." Quintus moved his light closer. "Gaaaaaaah!" the creature screamed. After Quintus’ heart returned to his chest, his eyes beheld a tiny sphinx, no longer than his forearm.
66 Diamine Indigo
After their morning ablutions, each of the four wizards asked each of the other wizards whether they’d seen Quintus since they left the desert. How many times was Quintus asked about? (Leave a comment.)
67 De Atramentis Pearlescent Whisky Brown-Copper
Quintus blinked at the tiny sphinx. "I’m Quintus," he said. "Nice to meet you," the sphinx answered. "I’m Makhabesh. I don’t suppose you know the way out of this trap?"
68 Diamine Blue Lightning
After a dozen confirmations that no one had seen Quintus since they had left the desert, Primus announced that they would undertake a search and rescue operation - immediately after breakfast.
69 Robert Oster Moss
"Trap?" Quintus asked. "But I worked hard to get in here." Makhabesh nodded sagely. "That's how they got me - a mysterious set of glyphs around the sculpture's left eye. Took me days to figure it out. But when I returned to leave, they eye was sealed tight."
70 Robert Oster Bronze
The four wizards stood staring at tracks in the sand. "Well," said Tertius, "he managed to get the toe out." Secundus pointed where smaller tracks disappeared between two toes. "He must have gone inside." Quartus scratched his head. "But why pull the toe back after him?"
71 Robert Oster Heart of Gold
Quintus and Makhabesh raced down quartz stairs and along narrow passageways, following the orb of light bouncing ahead of them and praying they weren't too late.
72 Callifolio Bonne Esperance
Primus shook his head. "Quintus wouldn't pull it back." Unless he had something to hide from us. "First we figure out what spell he used!" Then I have to figure out if I want my troublesome fifth wizard back.
73 Kobe #28 Suzuran Green / Lily of the Valley Green
Quintus nearly smashed into the inside of the sphinx's toe (the big sphinx, not Makhabesh). His own footprints appeared to come from under a quartz wall. "Nooooooo!" he cried. "The good news," Makhabesh said, "is that there's a very nice cafe right about where this thing's stomach is supposed to be."
74 Noodler's FPN Van Gogh Starry Night Blue
"We've got it," Secundus and Tertius shouted in unison. The four wizards watched as the toe pulled slowly away from the rest of the sphinx. When it cleared the other toes, a faint cry came from deep within, "Wait for me!"
75 Noodler's Heart of Darkness
Quintus and Makhabesh had just topped the first set of stairs on their way to the cafe when light appeared behind them. Makhabesh took wing and disappeared back the way they'd come like a dart. "Wait for me!" Quintus cried.
76 Kaweco Smokey Grey
Makhabesh flew as fast as he ever had, twisting to squeeze through the narrow gap and out into the sunlight. "Free!" he yelled, soaring into the blinding light. And suddenly he was so overtaken with a fit of hysterical laughter that he had to land before he crashed.
77 Montblanc Royal Blue
As the other four wizards stared at the tiny laughing sphinx, Quintus tumbled out into the sunlight. "Thank," he gasped, "the inky stars!" At the sound of his voice, Makhabesh flew up and perched unsteadily on Quintus' shoulder. "So," Makhabesh said, "when do we go in and rescue the others?"
78 De Atramentis Indigo Blue
"Go in?" Quintus shouted. "It's a trap!" Makhabesh patted Quintus' shoulder with one paw. "Sure, but now we know it's a trap, can't you five use your magic to prop the door open?" The other four wizards continued to stare.
79 Caran d'Ache Magnetic Blue
"What others?" Primus finally asked. "Well," Makhabesh said, "there's the archaeologist and his assistant, and the couple on their honeymoon, and the other couple celebrating their retirement. Then there's the treasure hunters - we could leave them inside. And there's a history professor who won't stop talking, and that guy in the corner muttering to himself..."
80 Pilot Parallels Mixable Colour Yellow
[Two days later...] Armed with their staffs, potions, and spells, the others left Secundus and Tertius at the entrance, just in case, and set off into the sphinx-trap. "Maybe before we do the rescue part, we could get one of their bacon cheeseburgers," Makhabesh suggested. "Mmmm."
81 Montegrappa Dark Blue
After getting six cheeseburgers to go (a request which made the server suspicious), Primus pounded his staff against the floor three times, cleared his throat, and announced, "We're here to rescue you! The right forepaw-" A fireball flew from one corner of the cafe - straight at Primus.
82 Robert Oster Great Southern Ocean
"Noooo!" Quartus yelled, thrusting his staff into the path of the fireball! Primus ducked as the fireball split. Quintus set his staff and cast a shielding spell around himself, Quartus, and Primus. Trapped patrons screamed and scattered. And Makhabesh flew right into the face of the fellow muttering in the corner, and began to claw his eyes out.
83 Monteverde Fire Opal
"My eyes! My eyes!" cried the muttering fellow from the corner. "Sieze him!" Primus ordered. Quartus and Quintus dragged the enemy into the light. "Gaaah!" shouted the three wizards in unison. "It's Marsell, the Oily Sorcerer of Bicbiro!"
84 Pilot Mixable Colour Pink
While the three wizards bound Marsell and stripped him of his magical paraphernalia, Makhabesh directed his fellow trap-ees toward the big sphinx's right forepaw. Suddenly, all light vanished, there was a bang, a flash, smoke, and when the wizards re-conjured their orb-lights, Marsell was gone!
85 Sailor Jentle Black
After a moody trip home, Makhabesh took a flight around the wizards' keep while they held a private meeting. Later he found Quintus turning circles in his room, staring at his belongings as if he didn't recognize them. When Makhabesh flew into view, Quintus sagged into the nearest chair. "They're kicking me out," he said.
86 Noodler's FPN Dumas Tulipe Noire
"I'll claw their eyes out!" Quintus flicked a hand and the door swung shut. "There's no point." Suddenly he stood and pulled a pack from his wardrobe. Makhabesh watched in fascination as far too many things disappeared into the pack. "No more laundry," Quintus muttered. "No more dishes. No more ... just no more." He looked up with a grin.