Jeff watched in horror as Walker fell face down in the dirt in much the same way as John had. Seth had no such compassion. His only thought was to get off that stage and out of that tent as fast as he could. Leaving his young worshippers behind, Seth darted for the stage steps.
A bolt of energy from the old lady hit him in the neck. Seth fell, clutching his backside.
"No-one escapes Madame Illusia," she intoned. "When I have lowered myself into human form, it is painful that I must share that form with doubters and cowards. Yet my pain shall not last."
"Hey Seth, what's happening to you?" cried out Mike, one of Seth's young friends. Seth lifted his head weakly. His mouth was expanding and his cheekbones were becoming more pronounced. Solid yellow teeth pushed out only to become covered up by swelling and darkening lips. The three-day stubble, which Seth had cultivated as he fancied it made him look rugged, spread out as stubby grey hairs sprouted all over his face. Seth looked horrified as he puts his hands to his head, and felt his growing jaw, and then the pointed tips of his now furry ears.
Meanwhile John's naked body was now almost completely covered in gray hairs. His spindly legs had re-shaped into muscular hind parts. He stood up uneasily on tiptoes as the muscles at the top of his legs tightened. Those toes were fusing together and hardening, becoming darker and rounder. A scream from one of Seth's teen buddies (probably Mike) led John to over-balance, and his body crashed down onto his hands. Immediately the muscles and tendons in his shoulders re-aligned themselves to make the four-legged posture permanent.
Mike's scream came as he saw his left shoe split down the side and a fully-formed donkey's hoof emerge. As if in answer to the boy's question, the right shoe soon followed. Mike kicked off his pants and saw a line of dense grey fur spreading up his now thinning legs.