Joining Forces

"What do you mean, 'ran away'?"

Anduin could tell Nick had more to say. Had this legendary wizard really retreated back then? Had he abandoned his teammates and fled?

And from Nick's account, Haierbo couldn't simply be described as powerful. Not only could he use a wide-area AOE spell that affected people's minds, he could also cast spells with dozens of wands at once.

Could a normal wizard really do that?

Casting spells wasn't as simple as just waving your hand. And it wasn't as if having more hands made it easier. The entire Wizarding World had no record of anyone casting spells with both hands at once.

Anduin had tried dual-wielding wands himself, but casting a spell might look simple, when in fact it required coordinating one's thoughts, incantation, and magic simultaneously.

Moreover, magic had to move in accordance with the laws of nature. The human body simply couldn't produce more than one point from which to discharge magic.

Perhaps Haierbo could manage it because of his bizarre body.

But as soon as Anduin pictured Haierbo's appearance, the whole thing somehow took on a different tone. Why did this creature seem so Lovecraftian? Wasn't this supposed to be the wizarding world?

As Anduin's thoughts wandered, Nick grew unusually agitated and buried his face in his hands.

It was a long while before Nick finally calmed down. "I was afraid. I faltered. When Haierbo killed my comrades one by one, I just stood there like a fool. I even prepared to turn and run."

"I'm ashamed of how cowardly I was back then. But what Haierbo showed us was so horrifying that it was impossible to even think of fighting him."

"What happened after that? Since you managed to get out of there and take the Philosopher's Stone from Haierbo,