Стража! Стража!

           Thedragonflamecaughthimfullonthechest.Foramomenthewasvisibleasawhite-hotoutlinebeforetheneat,blackremainsspiralleddownintoalittlepuddleofmeltingcobbles.

           Theflamevanished.

           Thecrowdstoodlikestatues,notknowingifitwasstayingputorrunningthatwouldattractmoreattention.

           Thedragonstareddown,curioustoseewhattheyweregoingtodonext.

           Colonfeltthat,astheonlycivicofficialpresent,itwasuptohimtotakechargeofthesituation.Hecoughed.

           "Right,then,"hesaid,tryingtokeepthesqueakoutofhisvoice."Ifyouwouldjustmovealongthere,ladiesandgentlemen.Movealong,now.Movealong.Let’sbehavingyou,please."

           Hewavedhisarmsinavaguegestureofauthorityasthepeopleshufflednervouslyaway.Outofthecornerofhiseyehesawredflamesbehindtherooftops,andsparksspirallinginthesky.

           "Haven’tyougotanyhomestogoto?"hecroaked.

           TheLibrarianknuckledoutintotheLibraryofthehereandnow.Everyhaironhisbodybristledwithrage.

           Hepushedopenthedoorandswungoutintothestrickencity.

           SomeoneouttherewasabouttofindthattheirworstnightmarewasamaddenedLibrarian.

           Withabadge.

           Thedragonswoopedleisurelybackandforthoverthenight-timecity,barelyflappingitswings.Itdidn’tneedto.Thethermalsweregivingittheliftitneeded.

           TherewerefiresalloverAnkh-Morpork.Somanybucketchainshadformedbetweentheriverandvariousburningbuildingsthatbucketsweregettingmisdirectedandhijacked.