Of course, my rod would be loading itself now. In fact, things were imminent. So I said: "You have had time enough. I have given you every advantage, and not interfered. It is plain your magic is weak. It is only fair that I begin now." I made about three passes in the air, and then there was an awful crash and that old tower leaped into the sky in chunks, along with a vast volcanic fountain of fire that turned night to noonday, and showed a thousand acres of human beings groveling on the ground in a general collapse of consternation.

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