“I have an idea,” Mary Elise said as she looked towards Katie. “Remember Kevin?” Katie smiled as the two teens turned towards the small squad of fox beasts. Katie and Mary’s rings now began to glow as Circe and Baba Yaga watched with interest.
The fox creatures seems unaware as the two teens began to transform them. At first it was difficult to see what was happening, that changed as the two witches watched the creatures begin to shrink in height. Katie and Mary Elise were not only making the creatures smaller but younger as well. The fox creatures continued to yell coordinates, their voices become more youthful while their bodies began to lose muscle mass.
“Keep firing,” Rodger yelled, his voice cracking as he went from teen to preteen. Bernie nodded as he now tried to adjust the mortar, finding the task difficult as he was now significantly shorter and younger, appearing to be a small child of 9. The two witches could only smile with malicious glee as the squad of adult fox creatures had been reduced to a group of preschool sized fox cubs. The fox creatures looked at one another in shock, finding themselves now far too young to mount an offensive.
“Very clever,” Baba smirked. “Now if you will excuse me, their is something I need to do.”
Rodger and Bernie gazed at one another, stunned to discover they had been transformed into small children once more. Before they could say anything they saw the old crone appear before them, a hungry look on her withered face. “My, my, my,” she grinned, licking her lips. “You certainly are adorable, good enough to eat in fact.” The fox creatures gaped in horror as the crone quickly snatched two of the cubs up by the scruff of their necks.
Katie and Mary Elise felt their stomachs turn as the cubs screamed in abject terror as the crones jaw seemed to distend. “No stop,” the cub screamed as Baba dangled the small cub over her gaping maw. Katie and Mary Elise were two horror struck to speak as Baba Yaga released her hold on the cubs, dropping the cubs into her waiting mouth, quickly snapping it shut as she began to eat the cubs. The sound of bones being knashed pierced the air as Baba swallowed the remains of the cubs, smirking at her companions before letting out a small burp. “Hmmm, needs garlic,” she grinned.
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An explosion of wood and iron echoed through the manor as Lilith obliterated the thick front door of the manor. The combined counter curses of Merlin and Lilith had pierced the defenses of the Kitsune manor, allowing them to enter. Lilith closed her eyes, trying to pin down the exact location of her child. “They’re upstairs,” she whispered. “We just hurry, I can feel Jack and Kellies essence beginning to falter.” As she stepped forward two of the Kitsune guards lept from the shadows, fangs bared as they attempted to attack.
Merlin held out his hand, his spell flinging one of the creatures through a nearby wall incopasitating the creature, Lilith however was not so forgiving. “Your suffering shall be so great you will beg for death,” she hissed as she suspended the creature in mid air. The creature could only growl, unable to speak as it glared at Lilith. The witch smirked as she began to slowly close her open hand.
Kat and Merlin watched stone faced as they listened to the bones of the fox creature snap like twigs as Lilith began to crush the creature in her grasp. The fox creatures arms and legs seemed to fold in on themselves as they compressed onto its body. Once the legs and arms were compressed against its body Lilith began to do the same to its body, crushing the creature as if it were in a compactor. The creature howled in pain as blood and gore dropped from its body. The wailing cries of its death rattle echoing through the manor as Lilith compressed the creature into a fleshy lump before sending the remnants of its body soaring across the room. The fleshy paste making a wet and unnatural sound as it splattered against a wall, leaving a bloody paste that slowly slid down towards the floor.
“Was that really necessary,” Kat asked, her eyes transfixed on the malformed corpse of Liliths victim. “They have brought this on themselves,” she hissed. “Do not concern yourself with my methods girl. The Kitsune have declared war on us by taking my child. This shall be the fate of their entire race. Focus on finding the children, Merlin, Rexie and myself shall deal with their leader.”
Katie looked at Merlin, noticing the stone faced look on the ancient wizards face. She could see that the ancient wizard was willing to go along with Liliths plan if it meant saving his daughter. Merlin could feel Katz gaze as he shifted his eyes towards Kellies daughter. “Katherine,” he said slowly. “We have a common enemy. An enemy that is willing to destroy your mother and father. You may not wish to believe this but this violence is necessary. Your parents need to be protected, I know that if it was your daughter being threatened you would not hold back in your actions.”
Kat paused as she took this in. Yes, she would do anything to protect Morgan, but killing seemed a bit much. For now she would have to trust Merlin, their would be time after this was done to talk over the morality of killing ones attackers. “Okay,” she whispered. “But when this is done you and I are having a long talk.”
Merlin nodded as Katie now began to search for her parents and Mia. As she disappeared into another room Merlin looked towards Lilith and Rexie. The two demons were hell bent on destroying the Kitsune, while he wished to stop it and save his daughter he was not quite ready to kill. While he could only hope that Lilith would not resort to genocide of an entire race, he had his doubts. For now he and Lilith were allies in a struggle to save their family.