It was a tense, thrilling battle.
Watching the collapsing towers, John murmured, "An eternity in an instant has dulled your sense of time."
He twisted his wand and growled, "Incendio!"
A pillar of fire rose beneath each tower, destroying them all.
From the heart of the endless sea of flames came Eternal Sleep's voice. "Nox."
The flames abruptly vanished. Eternal Sleep stood high in the air, a trace of uncertainty on his face.
"Your magic exceeds my expectations," Eternal Sleep said as the ground split open.
The earth trembled.
Eternal Sleep swept his wand, and the sky suddenly darkened.
Countless birds filled it.
"Avis!"
Their raucous chirping was agonizing. His expression calm, Eternal Sleep looked down from above and waved his wand.
"Oppugno!"
Every bird froze, then plunged down in a tide that blotted out the sky.
John's expression changed. He used Transfiguration to create layer after layer of concrete walls.
But under the birds' assault, the walls were destroyed one after another.
At last, the attack stopped, and the final wall crumbled.
A streak of silver flashed before John's eyes.
He dodged desperately, but a bloody line appeared across his ear and cheek.
He grimaced and wiped his wound.
It was already healing.
Eternal Sleep frowned, and flames poured from his wand.
Crimson fire enveloped John, turning pink as it touched him.
John froze for a moment, then realized what the flames did.
They burned not flesh, but time.
John grinned. "Time is one thing I have plenty of."
Eternal Sleep watched as lumps of flesh writhed and grew on John's back.
Then the lumps split open, and a pair of wings emerged.
John gave a wicked smile.
He flew straight through the flames. Startled, Eternal Sleep flicked his wand rapidly, turning silver light into a sword that shot