Julianne nodded a little too fast at Dev when he suggested leaving and a wave of dizziness caused her to fall to her knees.

"Hey, are you alright?" Dev immediately crouched down to check on her. She smiled and felt the congealing blood stretch at the corners of her mouth and gagged. Dev backed away quickly and Julianne retched and heaved, expelling all of the rotten meat Kushiel had consumed on her behalf. She felt like she had been hit by a bus; Kushiel's possessions always hurt. She could always feel the ripping and tearing of her flesh as it assimilated her form, but the power it granted her always produced results. Usually in the form of her survival. Only twice before had it ever taken over so completely and gorged on the flesh of man. Each time was just as sickening and horrifying. Julianne started crying.

Dev pulled her into a hug, making sure to secure the borrowed jacket around her shoulders to preserve her modesty. He tensed up when he felt Jim's arms on his, cradling Julianne from the other side. They all huddled together, using each other for a moment. The tears slowed and dispositions leveled. Julianne's tried to stand up and realized her legs weren't ready to work yet.

"Can you help me up? I can't..." Her voice caught in her throat. Dev and Jim reached down and lifted her, supporting them between her. The strength between the two men caught her briefly off guard and for a moment, she forgot that she could rip a man in half if the need arose. It was comforting to be in their arms. "Thanks."

"Dev, I know you got some new pep in your step, and you got us here to begin with, but where is here? How do we even go about leaving?" Jim said switching gears.

"Well, I assume the same way we got here. I just think it and it happens." Dev closed his eyes and tried to focus on his kitchen, on bacon and eggs and clean clothes. Each time he felt the tug of magic begin to pull him there blackness washed over the vision and he lost his concentration. Jim looked at him expectantly and Julianne looked hopeful. "I... Every time I start to take us, a black 'cloud' fogs it all up and it stops working."

"You're being blocked." Julianne sighed. "I was worried that may happen. It seems like getting here was a one way trip. We'll have to find the exit to this penetralia."

"Can you walk?" Dev asked. Julianne tried to stand on her own two feet and faltered. Dev swept her up and carried her in his arms. "Is this okay?" In response, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled her cheek to his chest. To everyone's surprise, Julianne fell asleep.

"Guess that's a yes." Jim joked. "So, now that our expert is napping, do you have any idea how to find the way out?" They shared a knowing look.

"Magic." They said together.

* * *

"I don't think my watch is working." Jim said checking his watch for the umpteenth time. "It still says its 9:30 and I know we've been here for hours."

"If I had to wager a guess, I'd say this place has different rules for time." Dev offered.

"Huh?" Jim grunted. "Different time rules?"

"Remember how I was 'missing' for a week? It really was just a few hours for me. P.H. zipped me forward." Dev shrugged at the incredulous look on his face. "Magic, Jim. Magic." They stopped in their tracks and shared a chuckle. "Can you believe it?"

"I'm living it and I don't believe it." Jim wiped the corners of his eyes. "You still okay holding her like that? You sure she ain't heavy?" Dev looked over his shoulder at Jim. "Magic! I know, dang it!" They both laughed again.

Over the course of the last few hours, Dev and Jim had found dozens of illusory doors and rocks, each hiding paths through the labyrinthine darkness. Julianne still slumbered curled up in Dev's arms, lightly snoring. Jim had his revolver out, determined to help if the need arose, stating 'Gunpowder and Lead is its own kind of magic'. Dev was nervous; they hadn't encountered any other Malformed or abominations. He was worried that when the other shoe dropped and he was holding onto Julianne, Jim's gun may not be enough to stop some of the horrors they had already faced.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

They had traveled for miles it seemed. Sometimes when they needed to back track, the way vanished and they had to spend time finding a new path. Dev was lost in thought when Jim shouted to get his attention.

"Dev! I see light!" He sprinted off.

"No! Wait! We should stay together!" Dev quickened his pace. He didn't want to wake Julianne but also didn't want Jim to get too far ahead. Sure enough, there was a dim light ahead. Jim had stopped at a corner hiding the light, gun raised. He raised his and and waved Dev to slow down and put his finger to his lips, silently shushing him. Then Dev heard the noise. A strange chattering, mixed with the sounds of something heavy dragging around in the room beyond. Dev gently set Julianne down, leaning her against the wall. She slumped forward still asleep. He crouched down and moved to the corner with Jim.

Dev pointed his fingers at his eyes and motioned that He would look. Jim nodded. Dev slid his face around the corner and looked, with magic and normal eyes. He tilted his head to the side, confused. Prepared for danger or the exit, He was not expecting to see a dollhouse with legs walking in slow circles dragging a body. Dev stood up and stepped around the corner.

"What is it?" Jim whispered. Dev turned and shook his head, shoulders shrugging, confusion plastered to his face.

"I don't know." He walked back and knelt to retrieve Julianne. They rounded the corner and the walking dollhouse stopped, a chain rattling to the floor. Jim and Dev approach slowly. Dev reaches out with his power to see if the body is alive or dead. A turquoise mist exudes from his left eye as he inspects the room. The body on the floor inhales deeply, sniffing the air.

"I smell new magick." A gravely elderly voice calls out, followed by a metallic chattering. Jim and Dev recoil and bump into each other as the old woman sits up suddenly. Matted locks partially obscure a strangely metallic smile. Her eyes are sunken deep into her skull, nearly hidden in the heavy mounds of wrinkles. She raises an abnormally large hand, the skin hanging off in thick flaps of flesh. She cackles at the two men as they look at her with look of disgust and confusion mixed on their features. "I used to be much bigger." The old woman tries to stand, but her legs won't move. She growls, a deep and unsettling noise that doesn't quite sound human. "Help an old woman up?" Her voice changes quickly to a kindly old lady.

"Don't touch her!" Julianne says stirring awake. "Barbaroi!" She hisses and Kushiel briefly manifests its horns.

"Ah, the fallen 'angel.'" The old hag says, sniffing towards Julianne. "The name: is Baba Jaga. Barbaroi is mine. Still favoring whores I see, Kushiel." Baba gnashes her teeth and snaps them together in a metallic clank.

"Don't listen to her. She's imprisoned here for a reason. The host is still alive from all the souls she ate. Children's souls." Julianne said with venom in her words. "She's not malformed, but she is just as evil as them. Maybe more so. Whatever she did to get her long life stripped her humanity away. The cost is obviously too high, witch."

"Don't act like you don't want to know, child. I will spill my secrets for a price: release me and you too can live forever. The diet is a hard sell to some, but once I get just a little morsel I'll be more than powerful enough to erase the rotten betrayer that feeds on my power. What say you?"

"NO!" All three said with revulsion. Baba was suddenly on her feet straining against the chain.

"I can teach you how to really use your power. I recognize Pandemonium. With your power under my tutelage, you could rule the world." She tempted to Dev.

"Think what you could do if you could control it, my dear. No more will you lose control. I can take away the pain with training." She offered to Julianne.

"You could take back your life. And have your own magic." She whispered to Jim.

"Boon for Bane, lovelies. You will of course have to suffer for true power. Do not let my current visage fool you. I have lived for 1000 years with this power. True, I let my guard down and my best pupil feeds off me. But." Baba said raising a finger. "She doesn't know my secret. She got too greedy too fast for me to reveal it." she cackles and backs away.

"Leave her. We will get out without her." Dev says. They make a wide berth around her, Baba Jaga's eyes boring into them as they circle around.

"Yes, you will. Good bye. For now." Dev with Julianne turned their back on the ancient hag. Jim briefly locked eyes with her and ran quickly to catch up with his friends. The sounds of Baba Jaga's evil laughter kept them company as they searched for a way out.