As the middle-aged witch Blanchett performed casting gestures Shade could not understand, the branches of the slender sapling that had just sprouted continued to grow. Not only did the branches lengthen, but the emerald leaves that grew upon them fell away and turned into tiny green people, quickly filling the little tree's branches.
They sat shoulder to shoulder on the upper and lower branches, each holding a different Musical Instrument.
As the witch saluted the god and then rose to sing, the "miniature" orchestra upon the little tree began to play as well.
Singing seemed to be an essential skill for Witches. The moment Lady Blanchett opened her mouth, Shade knew that Mr. Lehmann and Nun Perry had no chance of winning.
Shade had never heard the ballad the witch chose. It sounded like a rural folk tune, yet it was not merely a song praising butterflies and the god before them. It was a narrative ballad, telling of a witch who traveled everywhere upon a Unicorn, met her beloved lover, repeatedly parted and reunited with him, and after a series of adventures and trials, finally came together with him.
The song was almost as long as Nun Perry's hymn, but fortunately there was still enough time left. With the orchestra's accompaniment, the witch's already moving voice was elevated to an even higher level.
Thus, when she finished singing and bowed, both Mr. Lehmann and Nun Perry looked dejected. They too understood the gap between themselves and the witch.
Then it was finally Shade's turn. He stood up as well instead of remaining seated.
He stepped back a few paces so the round stool would not hinder his movements. Then he snapped his fingers. As he used the incomplete Mystic Lock, The Little Match Girl, a huge silver moon disk