Jet stood in the halls of the baroness of the High Terrace. She adorned the grand robes of the Magi. As she approached the grand chateau, two guards blocked her path.

“Who are thou?”

Jet was taken aback by the guards lack of respect. The grand magi denoted the highest ranking of any magic user in the realm.

“I’m JetaGirl, the Grand Magi.”

The guards gave each other a sidelong glance.

“You wear the robes of a magi, but doust arn’t one,” one of the guards said.

“Why do you say that?” Jet said.

“Shonda is the true Grand Magi,” the other guard said.

“Who is that?”

“The woman who the dungeon master just proclaimed as the magi. She’s already been invited inside to help stabilize the failing constructs,” the first guard said.

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“You really shouldn’t tell her that,” the first guard said. “It’s not allowed.”

What the hell are these idiots going on about? Only player characters can be magi, let alone a Grand Magi.

“Where is this Grand Magi now?” Jet asked.

“She’s battling the beasts of unman.”

“What’s that?” Jet asked.

“And she claims to be the Grand Magi,” one of the guards chided.

“I am. Why don’t you fetch the dungeon master and we can straighten all this out?”

“He doesn’t answer to the likes of you. Now, beat it—and don’t come calling again.”

Jet retreated to the perimeter of the Timemaker’s Terrace.

Something is wrong. The dungeon master had proclaimed me the first Grand Magi.

The skies darkened, and the watchful eye that kept guard over this peaceful place changed color to an ugly red. It twitched as if its vision was impaired. Dark clouds moved in at an alarming rate. The winds of change bore down as the clouds opened to a torrent of rain. Cracks opened all around her, and red light shone up from a bottomless chasm. Creatures with many arms and legs crawled from the depths and bit into her skin. She tried invoking her shield, but it wouldn’t work.

“Un-Cras-Por-Cad!” Jet yelled.

The crevasse before her closed so violently rocks shot toward her. A searing pain enveloped her as her close fissure spell took hold. A distant horn nearly deafened her. A massive dragon, larger than any creature she’d ever seen in the Colossal Machine, blocked the sun. Atop the dragon was a female magi, dressed the same as her. She held a white staff with a shade of crimson.

“Welcome to my world of pain, JetaGirl,” the magi said as she waved the staff.

A blinding wave of pain became her new reality.