Dralon and The Adventure in the Contrary World (English version)

Ebanister's Long Night

"And Ernest thought this vehicle would make us go unnoticed?" Bagus, rubbing his lower back, complained about their carriage pulled by a phantom horse and driven by a ghostly coachman.

It was late night when the magicians, each donning an enchanted wig, arrived in front of a small house shrouded in fog. It was a tall and narrow house with a sloping roof and few unkempt trees in a tiny front yard. It could have been easily described as one of the many common red brick houses in Canonbury, except for two small details: it was the only house on the street immersed in a thick fog and the only one where an old man, dressed in a robe, was on the lookout in the upstairs window, menacingly pointing a magic wand toward the street.

"I was waiting for you!" he whispered, waving the wand nervously. "I know who you are and I know what you want from me. Go away!"

"Ebanister, Ebanister, let us in!" said Gustaf. "We are not going to hurt you, believe me."

"No way!" replied the old man, ready to cast a spell. "I warn you! Take one more step and you'll end up roasted." To show he meant business, he mumbled a few words and twirled his wand, hitting his neighbor's hedge with a sizzling wave of green energy.

"Is that all?" asked Bagus, noting the hedge had only lost a few leaves.

"Well... that was just a test," explained the old man, blotting the sweat off his nose and chin with a handkerchief. "The next blow will be devastating!"

"Ebanister," said Gustaf advancing slowly, "why don't you try to be reasonable and put the wand away?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" answered the man, casting a new spell. "Take that!" The entrance gate started to growl and the mailbox, which had sprung a couple of sharp canine teeth, began to bite the air.

"Are you crazy?" yelled Bagus. "Do you want some mortal to find out who we are?"

"Don't worry. No one will notice some dead wizards on my sidewalk," replied Ebanister. "The house is shrouded in Grimor's fog."

"Why don't you give us a chance to explain?" said Archibald, walking carefully as he tried to tame the gate. "We just want to talk to you."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed the old man. "You want to rob me and get rid of me. This is what the master ordered, right?"

"You're wrong!" contradicted Gustaf, taking off his wig and revealing his true likeness. "Look carefully, Ebanister. I'm Gustaf Puddleclock, one of Nobilius's advisor. We are the good guys! We are on your side."

"We just want to help you," said Bagus, removing his wig and taking one step forward. "You're in serious danger!"

Confused, Ebanister pointed his wand at Gustaf, then at Bagus and then at Archibald, repeating the maneuver a few times.

"No! No one can help me!" said the old man, sobbing. "I've betrayed my own family. Do you understand? But now... now I can fix that."

"Don't be crazy! Please!" plead Gustaf, getting ready to pull out his wand.

"I'll fix everything!" repeated Ebanister, wide-eyed. "No one will win and no one will lose."

"Give us the chimeria, Ebanister, right now!" shouted Gammal, coming out of the shadows, wand in hand, "and no one will hurt you."

"Who's that?" Ebanister pointed the wand at the wizard, bringing his face to light with the flame of a magic candle. "I knew it..." Furious, the old man waved his wand, disarming the wizard and making him disappear in a powerful flash of light.

"No! Abigore!" cried Bagus, desperate. "What did you do?" "Go away!" the old man roared again.

"Ebanister, please, listen!" shouted Archibald, taking his wand out of his sleeve, still reticent to use magic in the mortal world.