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

The Chimeria

The children followed the instructions and arrived shortly at the entrance to the gallery. They were about to enter when they realized someone was already there.

"Reveal your secret, Ebanister!" said a panting voice. "You have no choice! It's your Master who commands it."

From the other end of the room, the children couldn't see who was there, but they could see shadows cast on the wall: one of a man with a cone hat and a wand in his hands, and the other of an old hunchback, hung by wires from a frame, like a puppet. The children knelt quickly, trying not to be seen, and listened quietly.

"Speak, Ebanister!" ordered the hissing voice. The sorcerer raised his hand, yanking the wires and causing the old man's body to jerk like rubber.

"AAAHHH!" His agonizing cry spread throughout the library.

"Where are they, I said!" thundered the sorcerer, hitting the old man in the face with his wand. "You want to be tough, do you? Let's play it your way, then," he said, moving the wand and causing the wires to tighten even more.

"AAAHHH!" The man's bones began to creak. "AAAHHH! Enough, please," he begged.

"Speak now, and you'll be spared!"

"OK, OK... they're... they're... they're..." said the exhausted old man.

"Hey! You!" yelled Peter, standing up. He realized his wand was pointing at the general manager.

The wizard froze and looked straight at the child in back of the room.

"What are you thinking?" whispered Michael, trying to pull him down. "Are you crazy? He is at least a black belt in witchcraft. He'll shred you to pieces."

"We can't let the black wizards get ahold of the chimeria!" replied Peter, leafing at the same time through the pages of the Great Book. "Besides, you heard what Dubbets said. The black wizards' power is limited until Gobler comes back."

"What do you think you're doing?" asked the man, grinning. "Are you trying to stop me?"

"Yes, that's the plan... LINGUAE VISCOSAE!" yelled Peter, taking him off guard. Then, he twirled his wand and hurled a spell. Immediately, dozens of tongues left the tip of the wand and wrapped the wizard from head to toes like the tentacles of an octopus, immobilizing him.

"Quick! Let's free that poor old man!" said Peter, running.

"OK, but I already know I'm going to be very sorry," said Michael, following reluctantly.

"We have to find a spell that can free him!" said Peter, kneeling at the old man's feet, thumbing desperately through the pages of the magic text.

"You'd better hurry!" suggested his brother, watching the sorcerer free himself from each tongue.

"Here! Freeing spells..." He read out loud. "To break a punishing spell cast by a sorcerer, check volume three of the encyclopedia. Rats!"

"Peter, do something!" Michael pressed him, while each tongue snapped off like a toothpick.

"B-boy!" called the old man, almost out of breath.

Peter ran close to him, rising on his tiptoes to hear him better. "How can we help you?"

"It's too late for me," said the man, who had lost every ounce of strength. "But you can still make it."

"We can't leave you here in this condition!" shouted the boy.

"You have no choice," he said calmly. "But first... you have to do something important for me... cough... cough! Can you promise? You must promise!"

Peter looked at his brother and both nodded.