Tas watched in amazement as the bottoms dropped out of six huge barrels hanging from the walls on level three, sending thousands of sponges tumbling down onto the floor in the center of the chamber.. This was. done-apparently-in case all they nets on every level failed. Fortunately, the net on level nine actually worked, spreading out beneath the mage just in time: Then it folded up around him and whisked him over to the baldeny where the gnomes, hearing the mage cursing and swearing inside, appeared reluctant to let him out.

"Sonowevergthirg'sfineandit`syourturn;' said Gnosh.

"Just one last question!" Tas yelled at Gnosh as he sat down in the seat. "What happens if the emergency backup system

with the sponges fails?"

"Ingenious-" said Gnosh happily, "because you see if the sponges come down a little too late; the alarm goes off, releasing a huge barrel of water into the center, and-since the sponges are there already-its easy to clean up the mess-'

The chief pulled the lever.

Tas had been expecting all sorts of fascinating things in the Examination Room, but he found it-to his surprise-nearly empty. It was lighted by a hole drilled through the face of the mountain which admitted the sunlight. (This simple but ingenious device had been suggested to the gnomes by a visiting dwarf who called it a 'window;' the gnomes were quite proud of it.) There were three tables, but little else. On the central table, surrounded by gnomes, rested the dragon orb and his hoopak.

It was back to its original size, Tas noted with interest. It looked the same-still a round piece of crystal, with a kind of milky colored mist swirling around inside. A young Knight of Solamnia with an intensely bored expression inn his face stood near the orb, guarding it. His bored expression changed sharply at the approach of strangers.

"Quiteallright," Gnosh told the knight reassuringly, "these are the two Lord Gunthar sent word about-" Still talking, Gnosh hustled them over to the central table. The gnome's eyes were bright as he regarded the orb. "A dragon orb;' he murmured happily, "after all these years-"

"What years?" Fizban snapped, stopping at some distance from the table.

"You see,'' Gnosh explained, "each gnome has a Life Quest assigned to him at birth, and from then on his only ambition in life is to fulfill that Life Quest, and it was my Life Guest to study the dragon orb since-"

"But the dragon orbs have been missing for hundreds of years!" Tassaid incredulously. "No oneknew about them! Flow could it be your Life Quest'"

"Oh, we knew about them;" Gnosh answered, "because it was my grandfather's Life Quest. and then my f.athez's Life Quest. Both of them died without ever seeing a dragon orb. I feared I might, too, but now finally, one has appeared. and I can establish our family's place in the afterlife-"

"You mean you can't get to the-er-afterlife until you complete the Life Quest?" Tas asked. "But your grandfather and your father-"

"Probably most uncomfortable," Gnosh said, looking sad, "wherever they are- My goodness!"

A remarkable change had come over the dragon orb. It began to swirl and shimmer with many different colors-as if in agitation.

Muttering strange words, Fizban walked to the orb and set his hand upon it. Instantly, it went black. Fizban cast a glance around the room, his expression so severe and frightening that even Tas fell back before him. The knight sprang forward.

"Get out!" the mage thundered. "All of you!F

"I was ordered not to leave and I'm not-" The knight reached for his sword, but Fizban whispered a Few words. The knight slumped to the floor.

The gnomes vanished from the room instantly, leaving only Gnosh; wringing his hands, leis face twisted in agony.

"Came on, Gnosh"" Tas urged. "Ive never seen him like this. We better do as he says. If we don't, he's liable to turn us into gully dwarves or something icky like that!"

Whimpering, Gnosh .allowed Tas to lead him out of the ' room. As he stared back at the dragon orb, the door slammed

shut.

"My Life Quest-" the gnome moaned.

"I'm sure it will be alb right," Tas said, although he wasn't' sure, not in the least. He hadn't liked the look. on Fizban's face. , In fact, it hadn't even seemed to be Fizban's face at all-or anyone Tas wanted to know!'

Tas felt chilled and there was a tight knot in the pit of his

stomach. The gnomes muttered among themselves and cast baleful glances at him. Tas swallowed, trying to get a bitter taste out of his mouth. Then he drew Gn .osh to one side.

"Gnosh, did you discover anything about the orb when yo studied it?" Tas asked in a low voice.

"Well;' Gnosh appeared thoughtful, "I did find) out th

where's something inside of it-or seems to be-because I'd st

a2 it and stare at it without seeing anything for the longest t

then, right when I was ready to quit, I'd sere words swim

about in the mist

"Words7" Tas interrupted eagerly. "What did they say?"

Gnosh shook his head. "I don't know;" he said solemnly, "because I couldn't read them; no one could, not even a member of the Foreign Language Guild-"

"Magic, probably," Tas muttered to himself.

"Yes;" Gnosh said miserably, "that's what I decided-"

The door blew open, as if something had exploded.

Gnosh whirled around, terrified. Fizban stood in the doorway, holding a small black bag in one hand, his staff and Tasslehoff's hoopak in the other. Gnosh sprang past him.

"The orb!" he screeched, so upset he actually completed a sentence. "You've got it!"

"Yes, Gnosh;' said Fizban.

The mage's voice sounded tired, and Tas-looking at him closely-saw that he was on the verge of exhaustion. His skin

was gray, his eyelids drooped. He leaned heavily on his staff, "Come with me, my boy," he said to the gnome. "And do not worry. Your Life Quest will be fulfilled. But now the orb must

be taken before the Council of Whitestone."

"Come with you;' Gnosh repeated in astonishment, "to the Council"-he clasped his hands together in e.xcitement"where perhaps I'll be asked to make a report, do you chink-"

"I wouldn't doubt it in the least;' Fizban ansWered.

"Right away, just give me time to pack, where's my papers-"

Gnosh dashed off. Fizban whipped around to fare the other gnomes who had been sneaking up behind him reaching out eagerly for his staff. He scowled so alarmingly that they stumbled backwards and vanished into the Examination Room.

"What did you find out?" Tas asked, hesitantly approaching Fizban. The old mage seemed surrounded by darkness. "The

gnomes didn't do anything to it, did threy7"

"No, no:' Fizban, sighed. -Fortunately for them. For it is still active and very powerful. Much will depend on the decisions a few make-perhaps the fate of the world.."

"What do you mean? Won't the Council make the decisions:"'

"You don't understand' my boy" Fizban said gently. "Stag a

moment, I must rest:' The mage oat dot~rn; leaning against a

wall. Shaking his head, he continued. "I concentrated my will on the orb, Tas. Oh, not to control dragons;' he added, seeing the kender`s eyes widen. "I looked into the future:"

"What did you see?" Tas asked hesitantly, not certain from the mage's somber expression that he wanted to know.

"I saw two roads stretching before us. If we take the easiest" it will appear the best at the beginning, but darkness will fall at the end, never to be lifted. If we take the other road, it will be hard and difficult to travel. It could cost the lives of some we love, dear boy. Worse, it might cost others their very souls. But only through these great sacrifices will we find hope" Fizban closed his eyes.

"And this involves the orb?" Tas asked, shivering.

"Yes:"

'Do you know what must be done to . . . to take the d-dark road?" Tas dreaded the answer.