He had actually had another option earlier. Though the chains might have bound him, he could have taken the opportunity to finish off Ernites, that lunatic. But first, he feared this bizarre fellow would not be easy to kill for good. Second, that terrifying great fireball had been on the verge of erupting. He knew that flickering flame all too well-it was what happened when the Fireball Spell's temper reached its limit.
He heard the explosion behind him.
Ruger swung himself onto the Monster Wolf's back. Stroking it, he crouched low and gripped its fur, urging it to charge toward Ernites, who had become a human torch.
He considered whether to take this prisoner.
After a moment's hesitation, he abandoned the idea.
The twenty-odd illusory chains were another reason he gave up. For the first time in all this time, he had seen the Monster Wolf oddity fail to finish forming its chains promptly.
The numerous chains were not merely struggling between solid and illusory states. They also showed signs of merging, yet seemed unable to come together, locked in a stalemate.
Ruger stroked the wolf's head with one hand, directing its headlong charge straight at the fallen Ernites.
A relatively solid chain was emerging from the fellow's mouth, but Ruger showed no mercy. The instant Ernites came into view, Grey Bullet Spells from the two Fur Hands flew toward him, bombarding him relentlessly in groups of five. A Fire Nail Spear condensed in Ruger's hand.
Ruger closed his eyes the instant he released the spell, sending the Fire Nail Spear flying solely by sensing the Malice Imprint.
When he opened his eyes again, the Fire Nail Spear had pierced Ernites's forehead and pinned him to the ground.
The flesh of the fellow's chest had been blasted open. He looked