Milondar

Dejar staggered to his feet, finally understanding what Brando had meant by "watch out ahead"—the bend in the corridor outside the Nameless Hall, which they had passed during their patrols. He had been running at nearly full speed and slammed squarely into a wall harder than steel. Brando had appeared to be warning him, but in truth he had been diverting Dejar's attention by indirect means. By the time Dejar realized it, he had already suffered a heavy blow.

Brando passed Dejar, walked a few steps forward, then pressed himself against the wall. The army of animated spells behind them was less than a hundred feet away from him, but even closer to Dejar.

"What are you trying to do?" Dejar swayed as he looked at Brando, unable to understand why he had suddenly stopped.

"Watch the show."

"Watch the show?"

The moment Dejar finished speaking, he saw Brando pull a long sheet from his pack—oh, no, it was a gray cloak. But the cloak was so huge and long that it looked more like something meant for a giant. Dejar froze for a moment, suddenly finding it vaguely familiar. Then he saw Brando raise the cloak over his head and cover himself from head to toe. In an instant, he vanished completely.

"No, you devil!" Dejar immediately understood Brando's intention. He roared and looked back, his face turning deathly pale. Two wandering magic lords already towered before him like mountains.

"No, I'll never let you have your way, Count Tonigell!" Dejar looked furious. He stood there like an immovable mountain, looking as though he would rather die than lure the animated spells away.

The enormous animated spells, resembling celestial bodies, continued forward. Their softly glowing tendrils swept across the entire hall like a galaxy.

Dejar's face shifted between green