"Know you not that I am the Master Magician and have power to destroy
you instantly?" shouted Curling Smoke, lifting his huge hand in menace.

Still the creature did not reply.

Instantly Curling Smoke unloosed his terrible Veil that Chokes, and
flung it at him. It smote against the drooped head of the unknown, but
instead of suffocating him, as Curling Smoke had intended that it
should, it floated harmlessly back again and hung itself about the
enchanter's arm.

Foiled though he had been in his first attempt, Curling Smoke was not
discomfited. He shook free his Veil that Blinds. "This--this shall
overcome you," he cried boastfully. "Now shall you learn how great is
the power of the Magician of Veils." With skilful hands he so wielded
it, that it struck full in the eyes of the intruder, even though his
head was still bent low. Yet in spite of this, the second veil drifted
back defeated to its place beside the Veil that Chokes.

Wrathful and puzzled because his veils had proved themselves thus
powerless against this silent and seemingly defenceless stranger,
Curling Smoke thrust out his powerful arms to wind his adversary round
and crush him, but the stranger melted from his coils, and stood beyond
his grasp unharmed as before.

Then he began again to mount. He reached the magician's shoulders, and
shooting yet higher threw back his head.

Curling Smoke, looking upon him, saw to his amazement the face of Prince
Ember; a giant now in size, and grey-robed, but still Prince Ember. What
had become of the Shadow Witch, by what magic the Prince had become thus
transformed, the magician could not guess, nor did he care, provided he
but succeeded in conquering this hated visitant from the Land of Fire.

He regarded him in silence for a moment, pondering how he should
accomplish it. Here was his match in size; here was one against whom
his veils were powerless; here, too, was a creature who melted from his
grasp when he thought to seize and twist him. What, then, remained for
him to do? This only: to overtop him and smother him by casting himself
down upon him from above.

Immediately he began to send himself upward in rapidly rising spirals,
so that he might throw himself down upon the stranger with the greater
force, but as he mounted, the other ascended also, faster and faster,
higher and higher, always head and shoulders above Curling Smoke.

As Curling Smoke rose, he shouted threats and defiance, shaking his fist