es,ahugebatcamestraightathim,baringitssharp,hideousteeth.KingDimitridrewouthisswordandshouted,

    “Youwickedmonster!Idonotwanttokillyou,soIwillonlywoundyou.Gobacktowhene!”Whileturninghisbodytoevadethemightywingsofthebat,heluitswingandsshedadeepgash.Thebatshriekedinpainanddroppeddowntowardstheground.KingDimitri’stimelyassistancewasashotofadrenalioMedusa.Summoningupherstrength,shesankhercwsdeepintothebackofanebat.Meanwhile,Lightning,theultraintelligentwarhorse,tooktheinitiativeandsoughtthemostadvantageousangleforhismastertoswinghisswordahereonitsownaccord.Whereswordandfleshmet,bloodspurtedoutinstreams.Thebatswereallreadywouheadditionofafresh,strongopporoutedtheirinalsystematicattadtheykherewasnohopeofvictory.Sosquealingandsquawking,theyflewswiftlytowardsthenorthwestandsoondisappeared.KingDimitriandMedusarushedafterthem,butseeingtheenemywereinfullretreatandsoonvanishedfromsight,theystoppedandflewbacktowardsthepace.WheivesgatheredonthehillsandkesaroundthepacesawKingDimitriflydownfromthesky,theyallgavearesoundingshoutofvictory.Theyhadneverseentheirkingactiveinbattlebeforeandweremesmerizedbyhisceandbraveryunderfire.Itstreheirloyaltytotheirliegearibes’allegiaowardstheKingdomwasstrohanever.

    Thefullmoonmovedslowly,sograduallyastobealmostimperceptible,scatteringitsalluringradianceoverthetranquilmountainsandwaters.Thecarcassofatalree,evidentlydeadformanyyears,stoodinthemidstofawoodedareabythedesotekesideacrossfromthepace.ApairoflittlepeoplesatosbrawasMr.Fingerandhisnewpanion,Vio,whohadeoutonthisentedeveningtoadmirethebeautyofthefullmoon.Theyhadjustwitheferociousbattlethattookptheskiesashortwhilebefore.Mr.Fingersaid,

    “Iamsoproudofmyoldfriend,Dimitri.Ihaveneverseenhistruecolorsbeforethis,alwaystakinghimforamellowgoodguy,somewhatlikeabrokenballdiscardedbytheroadside,tobekickedaboutbyanyonewhopleases.Whowouldhaveknownhehadhiddehs,withadaringandresolutionthatpelsmetoseehiminapletelynewlight!”Viostaredstraightaheadacrossthekeatthefiresthatdottedthehillsidearoundthepapletelyignthewordsofherpanion.ItwasthepeopleofthedifferenttribesgatheredtheretodohonortotheirKingandcelebratehisvictory.Indistinctfragmentsofsongs,musidughterdriftedoverthewater.Viostiffenedandhereyesbecamecoldandsharpasabde.Shesaidcoldly,

    4

    “Disasterising,butyouhavenoinklingatall!Youarereallyimbeciles!”

    “Whatdisaster?Whatareyoutalkingabout?”

    “Don’taskaboutit.”repliedVitofaceMr.Fingersolemnly.“Ifoneday,DimitriandIetoaheadtoheadfrontation,adeadlyonewhereonlyonewillsurvive,whosesidewillyoubeon?Hisormine?”

    “Suchthingsothappen!”repliedMr.Fingerimmediately.“Dimitriismyoldfriendandyouaremywoman.Howtherebeanymortalfrontatioweenyou?”

    “Nevermindaboutallthat.Ijustwanttoknowwillyouhelphimorme?”

    “OfcourseIwillhelpDimitri”repliedMr.Fingeruantly.“Heismyoldfriend.Ihaveknownhimformanyyears,butIhaveknownyouforlessthanaday.OfcourseIwillhelpmyoldfriend!”

    “YoujustsaidIwasyourwoman.”saidViomournfully,sntingareproaggazeathim,hereyesfullofgrief,bitternessandanger.“I

es,ahugebatcamestraightathim,baringitssharp,hideousteeth.KingDimitridrewouthisswordandshouted,

    “Youwickedmonster!Idonotwanttokillyou,soIwillonlywoundyou.Gobacktowhene!”Whileturninghisbodytoevadethemightywingsofthebat,heluitswingandsshedadeepgash.Thebatshriekedinpainanddroppeddowntowardstheground.KingDimitri’stimelyassistancewasashotofadrenalioMedusa.Summoningupherstrength,shesankhercwsdeepintothebackofanebat.Meanwhile,Lightning,theultraintelligentwarhorse,tooktheinitiativeandsoughtthemostadvantageousangleforhismastertoswinghisswordahereonitsownaccord.Whereswordandfleshmet,bloodspurtedoutinstreams.Thebatswereallreadywouheadditionofafresh,strongopporoutedtheirinalsystematicattadtheykherewasnohopeofvictory.Sosquealingandsquawking,theyflewswiftlytowardsthenorthwestandsoondisappeared.KingDimitriandMedusarushedafterthem,butseeingtheenemywereinfullretreatandsoonvanishedfromsight,theystoppedandflewbacktowardsthepace.WheivesgatheredonthehillsandkesaroundthepacesawKingDimitriflydownfromthesky,theyallgavearesoundingshoutofvictory.Theyhadneverseentheirkingactiveinbattlebeforeandweremesmerizedbyhisceandbraveryunderfire.Itstreheirloyaltytotheirliegearibes’allegiaowardstheKingdomwasstrohanever.

    Thefullmoonmovedslowly,sograduallyastobealmostimperceptible,scatteringitsalluringradianceoverthetranquilmountainsandwaters.Thecarcassofatalree,evidentlydeadformanyyears,stoodinthemidstofawoodedareabythedesotekesideacrossfromthepace.ApairoflittlepeoplesatosbrawasMr.Fingerandhisnewpanion,Vio,whohadeoutonthisentedeveningtoadmirethebeautyofthefullmoon.Theyhadjustwitheferociousbattlethattookptheskiesashortwhilebefore.Mr.Fingersaid,

    “Iamsoproudofmyoldfriend,Dimitri.Ihaveneverseenhistruecolorsbeforethis,alwaystakinghimforamellowgoodguy,somewhatlikeabrokenballdiscardedbytheroadside,tobekickedaboutbyanyonewhopleases.Whowouldhaveknownhehadhiddehs,withadaringandresolutionthatpelsmetoseehiminapletelynewlight!”Viostaredstraightaheadacrossthekeatthefiresthatdottedthehillsidearoundthepapletelyignthewordsofherpanion.ItwasthepeopleofthedifferenttribesgatheredtheretodohonortotheirKingandcelebratehisvictory.Indistinctfragmentsofsongs,musidughterdriftedoverthewater.Viostiffenedandhereyesbecamecoldandsharpasabde.Shesaidcoldly,

    4

    “Disasterising,butyouhavenoinklingatall!Youarereallyimbeciles!”

    “Whatdisaster?Whatareyoutalkingabout?”

    “Don’taskaboutit.”repliedVitofaceMr.Fingersolemnly.“Ifoneday,DimitriandIetoaheadtoheadfrontation,adeadlyonewhereonlyonewillsurvive,whosesidewillyoubeon?Hisormine?”

    “Suchthingsothappen!”repliedMr.Fingerimmediately.“Dimitriismyoldfriendandyouaremywoman.Howtherebeanymortalfrontatioweenyou?”

    “Nevermindaboutallthat.Ijustwanttoknowwillyouhelphimorme?”

    “OfcourseIwillhelpDimitri”repliedMr.Fingeruantly.“Heismyoldfriend.Ihaveknownhimformanyyears,butIhaveknownyouforlessthanaday.OfcourseIwillhelpmyoldfriend!”

    “YoujustsaidIwasyourwoman.”saidViomournfully,sntingareproaggazeathim,hereyesfullofgrief,bitternessandanger.“I