Beautiful, Akane thought, perfect. Roberta's feet went flying in the air as she landed on the floor with a magnificent whump! The startled expression on Jasmine's face was also priceless.
Neither Akane's amused expression, Jasmine's startled one, or Roberta's stunned one lasted for very long. With a flick, Jasmine's rapier turned into an axe, far too large for the angel's svelte female form, yet wielded easily in one hand as she leaped to Roberta's side. The axe crashed down, and Roberta's head rolled from her body.
"But, but. . ." Akane sputtered. "You weren't supposed to kill her!"
"Japanese!" Jasmine snapped. "You think everything is a video game!?" She kicked the head violently away, knowing that Tamthis's powers could rejoin head and body and bring Roberta back.
+++++++
Alexandra, Lisa and their charges had found a place to hide in the storage closet.
"Alex" Lisa began "I need to go now. I need to join my sisters. I think the battle may not be going well. Can you stay here and guard Jennifer and Kathy?"
Alexandra gave a weak smile. "I can, I know I can." she answered.
++++
The flaming swords of Luna and Erica cut through the snarling, snapping wolves, but the waves keeped coming, forcing the two angels backs to the wall and steadily circumscribing the area they could fight in. Erica's right arm was bleeding badly, and Luna was having trouble standing up with a gaping wound in her left thigh. It was frustrating knowing that they could heal these wounds themselves with a few seconds respite, respite they would not get.
+++++++
Fighting in the air takes practice, and Vicki had more of it than Lucy. Angels are also more natural fliers than winged kitsune. Vicki swooped in to pick up the unconscious Lucy, who had knocked herself out against a wall Vicki had led her into, and laid her gently on an empty rooftop. Surveying the situation, Vicki considered whether to seek out Tamthis and Kyriel, or help the beleaguered Erica and Luna.
++++
Jasmine looked at the evil smile on the face of King Tamthis and quickly glanced at the increasingly vulpine body of Kyriel. *Great* thought the Muslim angel *The new Nazarene screwed it up again* The thought of Tamthis, victorious in mental combat, disposing of the power of an angel in addition to that of the king of kitsune was deeply disturbing. Nothing to do now but summon the djinn and get it over with.
Nothing. All attempts to make mental contact with the djinn were blocked by a wall of blended kitsune and angelic power separating the city from the surrounding world. Tamthis's smile grew more evil. "Not so bold, are you, without ten thousand djinn handy?"
Jasmine smiled back. "In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, get ready to get your ass kicked, kitsune."
++++++++
"At this rate" the tick stated "I estimate you will have completely unwoven this magic by the end of the next century."
"Oh ye of little faith" Keiko responded. "But I could use some help. Let me see." She concentrated, and sent a message down the network of kitsune spells. "Hey, Akane" something told Keiko she might as well call the other Japanese kitsune what she wanted to be called "help me out here?"