Circe, Kellie, Mika and Baba Yaga glared at the severed head resting inside the glass they had conjured. "Who sent you," Kellie growled. The severed head sneered, its eyes flickering between the witches and wizards.
"I think it's pretty obvious who sent it," Circe spat. "Lilith dare attack my followers!"
"But the magic," Baba whispered. "Cant you feel it. That's not Liliths. It feels...foreign. Like the magic from that other timeline."
"But why would they attack," Circe exclaimed. "That makes no sense. No, this is Lilith."
"Do you really wish to go down that path," Baba asked. "Do you really want to challenge her?"
Circe paused. No, she didn't. Circe did not want to admit it but Liliths ferocity and magic could overpower her. The ancient witch was insane, no matter what Circe did Lilith would not yield, she never did. To challenge Lilith would cause the others to take sides. Circe did not want that, the others would look at her suspiciously considering she was consorting with Merlins daughter, even if was to only keep the peace between the kitsune and herself. "No,"she mumbled. "No I do not."
Baba nodded as she nervously gazed at the severed fox head. "We have a bigger problem now," Baba groaned. "If that demon was sent by Lilith than she knows everything. She would view what we have done as a betrayal and you know that's how she will frame it when questioned. The others will not stop her if she wishes to lash out and take vengeance."
"I am Circe," she declared. "Goddess of Grekk mythology. She would not dare attack us or risk the wrath of the gods of Olympus."
Baba could only shake her head as she sadly gazed at Circe. "You know nothing of her," she sighed. "Lilith has spent a lifetime fighting the gods. The only reason she has not ascended to the most powerful fo us all is because of her disagreements with those in power. They have kept her in check, but that is all they can do. Lilith is ancient and evil. If she chooses to destroy us there is very little we can do."
Circe grit her teeth in anger as her cheeks burned with rage. "I cant believe you would just roll over and serve," she spat. "Our power is immense. I can create an army more powerful than any the realms have seen."
"So can she," Baba countered. "Hell is filled with souls that would gladly serve. Do you think your army can defeat the denizens of the netherrealm?"
Circe opened her mouth before closing it. Baba had a point, trying to defeat Hell would be a herculean effort. "We will come back to this shortly," she said. "Right now we have a larger problem. My ambassador has been murdered."
Circe glanced down at her hand, the soul of Vixi sadly looking up at her with wide eyes. "What shall become of me goddess," she whimpered. "Please help me, I dont want to end up in the netherealm as a servant of Lilith."
"I can remake your body," Circe sighed. "It will take time but I shall take care of you." The wailing sounds of a thankful soul now flooded the room as Vixi thanked her goddess.
Kellie and Mika looked at each other apprehensively as Baba and Circe talked. As incredible as it seemed the situation had become both better and worse. Baba and Circe were willing to work with them yet Lilith seemed hell bent on their destruction. "Can this get any worse," Kellie thought. Her question was answered as a anthro hermaphrodite tiger bounded into the room, happily calling out to Mika.
Mikas eyes went wide as her jaw dropped. She recognized the voice, it was Claudia. What shocked her though was what she had become. "What happened," she gasped, her eyes beginning to dampen with tears.
Claudia had been so excited to show off her form to Mika, until she saw her girlfriend's reaction. Mika looked horrified at her form. "M..mika," she stammered. "Its me. Dont you like it?"
"Why do you have balls," Mika exclaimed. "Why are you an animal?" Angrily her and Kellie now turned towards Circe. Kellies magic now began to build, shaking the very foundation of Circes castle. "YOU DID THIS TO HER," she bellowed. "CHANGE HER BACK NOW!!!!"
"She didn't do this," Claudia said meekly. "I did this. I wanted to give you the best of both worlds Mika."
"Best of both worlds," Mika gasped. "You think I want you to be a giant tiger man or woman?!? You think I didnt love you for you? You think I care so little about you that I want you to change everything I loved about you?"
Claudia's lip began to quiver as she gazed at her furious girlfriend. "I wanted to be perfect for you," she whimpered.
"You were perfect for me," Mika yelled. "If you think so little of yourself that you would do THIS. Then I dont know what I saw in you."
"Mika please," Claudia sniffed. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to be special. Special for you."
"You are special," she yelled. "God damn it Claudia. I loved you for you. Not how you look but for who you are. If you think that you have to change everything to make me want you more than I fell in love with the wrong girl."
Claudia now began to weep openly as Mika angrily turned towards Circe. "Deals off," she yelled. "You transform my girlfriend into that then I dont give a damn if Lilith and the kitsune murder you and ALL your fucking followers."
"Goes double for me," Kellie hissed.
"You dare," Circe bellowed.
"I dare," Kellie retorted, her eyes beginning to glow with magical energy. "I told you when we came here that if anything happened to my friends the deal would be off. Now you changed Claudia and broke Mikas heart. You can find someone else to make your peace with the kitsune."
"Her transformation is temporary," Circe yelled. "Any of your friends transformed will change back once they leave. None of these changes are permanent."
"Doesnt matter," Kellie snorted. "I'll make my peace with the kitsune myself. Maybe I'll ally myself with Lilith to take you down. Regardless, we're done here."
Kellie and Mika turned exiting Circes castle as Claudia trailed behind tearfully. Circe could only grit her teeth in frustration as the teens exited. Her enemies may have tripled now, leaving her exposed.
As for Kellie she was furious. Circes magic had backfired and led to a fight between Mika and Claudia. A fight that would not easily be forgotten. As Kellie now searched for friends she feared what would become of them. Was Circe telling the truth? Would everyone change back? And finally what would they become if they let Circes magic change them?