Temptation

Chapter 12
Chapter 12

“Temptation” Part 12

 

By Oni and Piper

 

 

Night has fully fallen and Jym leads the way to the temple, taking his small force around back to look for a discrete entrance.

 

"Well, you know temples." Alyssa whispers to Amara.  "How do we get in?"

 

The little blonde, only eight years of age now, scrunches her cute face in thought before replying.  "The side facing the well, there should be a door." Amara decides.   "Ah, see?  There it is."  She adds with a smile.  However, when they sneak up to it they find it locked, causing a frustrated grunt to be heard in the moppet's adorably high pitch.

 

"Okay, I may be able to pick this." Jym says after studying the door, surprising Amara a bit.

 

"Huh?  As in pick the lock like a common thief?"  The miniature Paladin comments judgmentally, sounding as if the very idea is offensive.

 

"Um, Reiko was showing me how."  Jym shrugs apologetically.  He pulls a set of lock picks from his belt pouch.

 

Amara crosses her skinny arms and glares at him, but instead of creating the image of a scolding righteous holy warrior Jym can't help but picture her as a little sister threatening to tell on him.   "Where did you get those?!" she asks in a scandalized whisper.

 

"As I said, from Reiko." he whispers back.

 

"Oh Jymmy," she sighs, sounding disappointed.  "It's bad to steal." she scolds cutely.

 

"I know, I know, but who are you gonna tell on but me, huh?  Look, if it opens the door, it was a wise investment of effort." he says, fiddling with the lock.  With an audible click the door opens.

 

"See?  Worth it."  ‘Jymmy’ gives Amara a grin as Alyssa gives him a hug.  "Hey, squire's honor, I've never used it to steal anything.  It's just that even a good and helpful party needs to open locks sometimes.  Are we still good?" he soothingly asks Amara, as if asking a young sibling for understanding.

 

"Locksmiths ARE needed," the little Paladin admits reluctantly, her lips pouting slightly.  "Jus' don't make it a habit."

 

Jym nods sharply once then places a finger over his mouth.  He looks at his own nearby shadow.  "Reiko is the temple clear?" he whispers.  Back at the Inn, the witch has been using the shadows to check the interior of the temple, in addition to her activities to mislead and distract the priestess should the mysterious woman be able to keep track of the cursed.

 

The form in front of Jym moves, seeming to shake its head in a no.  As Jym holds his breath in concern the shadow takes the form of a small boy then returns to normal. 

 

"Just the priest?" Jym checks.  The shadow nods in response.

 

"Good.  Find the priestess then and keep an eye on her." he whispers.  The shadow nods again and fades back into the blackness.

 

The trio creeps quietly into the poorly lit temple, Alyssa closing the door softly behind them.

 

"Alright, we need to check for anything strange or that stands out." Jym whispers.  "Split up."

 

They sneak through the place apart at first, Amara's bare feet thankfully allowing for silent steps.  However, the little girl finds she is clumsy in her new form and bumps into things, until finally she just follows behind Jym like a puppy tagging along.  

 

Soon the diminished Paladin also finds she is uncomfortable with the darkness, a nervous feeling forming in her tummy.  The irony is not lost on her; she is a warrior of light who is now scared of the dark.  She knows she didn't used to be afraid of it but she can't imagine how and she doesn't find it at all funny, just frightening at how much the curse has truly changed her.  The worried child takes the back of Jym's tunic in her little hands, feeling only a bit safer.

 

"Will you visit me?" Amara suddenly asks, her voice a nervous whisper.

 

"What?" Jym asks back, looking confused.

 

"If we win, but we're stuck, will you visit me?" the little girl asks.

 

Jym gives the little girl a warm grin.  "Of course I will." he assures her.  "But don't think like that.  You'll get your age back." he promises.  Amara nods and smiles, her resolve returning as her admiration of Jym's bravery grows.

 

The pair continues looking, becoming startled when they almost walk right into Alyssa.  Amara bumps quietly into Jym and almost falls backward, finding him to be immovable.

 

Alyssa smiles and steps aside to let them see what she has found.  Behind the drape she is holding is a large symbol drawn on the wall, of a woman of thorns.

 

"Oh yeah, that's the prize," Jym whispers.  "Amara, what now?"

 

The symbol begins to glow faintly.  "We hide!" the little blonde whispers, yanking ineffectively on his arm.

 

Jym quickly grabs Alyssa's wrist and allows Amara to lead him to a hiding place.  They duck down behind a row of pews as the symbol brightens in intensity, and starts emitting a noise.  Jym squeezes the hands of both girls to calm them and stays quiet, the trio sliding under the pews to hide as well as gain a better viewpoint.

 

Wisps of light scrape from the drawing and coalesce, forming into the priestess, who seems to be continuing a motion as she walks forward, the drape falling into place behind her.  Jym and the girls hold their breaths as the woman looks around, her eyes blazing with white light.  Much to their relief however, she turns and continues into the back rooms.

 

Once she is long gone Jym manages to give Amara a confused look.  The little Paladin blinks and shrugs to indicate she has no idea what is going on or what he wants to know.

 

"Okay, how did she appear from the symbol?" he whispers in question.

 

Amara rolls her eyes and whispers, "Magic!"

 

"Yeah, I know that, but what kind?  And how does it help us?" he asks.

 

"She must have been somewhere else," Amara whispers patiently.  "She uses the symbols to get around, so these symbols are pro'bly all over town.  If we can find one, we can ambush her when she comes out of one." 

 

Jym and Alyssa are cramped in their hiding place, while Amara seems to be a fine size for resting there, her curse finally providing a tangible benefit.

 

"Could we trap her?" he asks.

 

Amara puts a finger to her lips in thought cutely chewing on her fingernail.  The small girl then slides under a few more pews to get further away from the back rooms.  Alyssa and Jym take the hint after a moment and join her.

 

"We should be able to trap her with symbols of Naita," Amara whispers so quietly that they have to read her lips, which are moving with a child's exaggeration anyway.  "She'll be more vuln... vuln'able when she's part of the light."

 

"Okay.  So we draw symbols of Naita on the floor in front of Rawnleigh symbol and it should trap her as light for a bit?" he checks, receiving a nod.  "Then what?  We attack?"  Amara bites her lower lip in frustration, thinking things over.

 

"Could Reiko attack her light with shadows?" Jym asks.

 

The little Paladin girl shakes her head.  "Shadows are slaves to light.  But, if we get the symbols right, we should be able to reverse her energies and return them to where she got ‘em ... from us, from the villagers ..."

 

Jym nods.  "Yes, much better.  We’ve got a plan, now let’s get out of …"

 

Alyssa suddenly slides back along the floor leaving behind a sharp scream.  Instinctively Jym lunges and grabs at the girl's hand, just catching it.  He then looks up to see the priestess, glowing with an unholy light. 

 

The teen redhead’s terrified face starts to soften right before Jym as she drops in age.  He can barely keep hold of Alyssa’s shrinking hand, her shortening arm.

 

Jym stands and tries to pull the now whimpering girl back.  "No!  Let go!  She didn't do anything to you!" he yells. 

 

The glowing woman merely laughs in response.  “Greetings children, it is rather late for you to be up, is it not?  Time for you three to be put to bed, you may crawl on the floor and play with one another when you awake.” She adds with humor.

 

As Jym stares in terror at the ever youthening Alyssa he feels ever more helpless to save her.  Suddenly however he notices the shadows behind the priestess move and reshape, then grab at her as thick black tendrils.  “Reiko!” he gasps with hope.

 

The dark shapes are unable to reach the glowing priestess, her light holding them at bay.  Still, as the light grows in intensity so do the shadows, which attempt instead to cover the priestess like a shroud.  It does not seem to truly work, but it does distract the woman, causing her to turn her head and snarl at the effort.

 

With a yell, Amara draws her sword from Jym’s belt and runs at the priestess with the blade gripped in both hands and held high.  The small but still brave Paladin is attempting to take advantage of the opening the witch has given them. 

 

"I smite thee!" Amara shrieks, swinging the sword with all the might left in her small body.  Regrettably Jym watches in dismay as the blade bounces harmlessly off the priestess' shoulder, the force of the swing knocking it from Amara's hands.

 

He feels hope return however as the priestess howls in pain and outrage and lets go of Alyssa, the now pre-teen sliding on the floor back towards Jym.  "The sword." he thinks.  "Reiko was right, a holy weapon does work."

 

The adult sorceress steps out of another batch of shadows a moment later, her magic at the ready.  "Hey bitch, pick on someone your own size."

 

Amara scampers over to her fallen blade and starts to pick it up again, but the priestess gestures at her and the little girl screams in terror.  A dark wet spot spreads across the front of her dress as she drops the sword and scurries away, looking smaller by the second. 

 

The priestess completely ignored Reiko despite the sorceress' formidable power, as if considering Amara the bigger threat, something the Kirasani notices.  "Jym, get the sword!" Reiko yells as she attempts to instead use her shadows to throw pews and statues directly at the priestess. 

 

The glowing woman gestures next at the witch and Reiko's breasts are suddenly so full that they hurt, and start leaking all over her dress.  Furthermore she is suddenly so aroused that her mind cannot focus on anything.  Her shadows lose their substantiality, failing in their hold on the benches and stone and raining them down instead around the terrified Alyssa and Amara.

 

As Jym pulls himself from under the pew a statue slams into the floor before him, blocking his path to the sword just as he hears the evil woman laugh again.

 

“Sharp toys are dangerous for children.” The woman intones, striding forward and lifting yet another fallen statue up with her powers, her intent to smash the ‘toy’ obvious.  Just before the priestess can get the white stone figure above the blade little Killi leaps from the shadows and pulls a tapestry over her head.

 

Jym blinks in surprise, then lunges and manages to reach the sword, thanking the righteous gods.  He takes a look around to gather the state of his group.

 

Reiko moans and falls to her knees, drool literally streaming from the corners of her mouth.  The witch begins to play with herself shamelessly, one hand reaching under her short bottoms between her legs and the other playing with her nipple which begins squirting all over her fingers.

 

Amara continues to scream, her voice growing higher with each breath.  His mistress looks even younger than Killi now, chubby cheeked and terrified, with tears streaming down her face.

 

Jym sees a once mighty pair of warriors, reduced to fates unimagined, while a third, a mere little boy now, still fights.  Taking a deep breath to strengthen his resolve Jym stands as the tapestry explodes off the priestess’s figure, throwing Killi hard against the wall.

 

She glares at the now unconscious little barbarian boy then focuses on Jym.  “And what are you going to do with that ‘toy’ little one?  Careful, you may cut yourself.” She mocks, taking a step forward.

 

Jym yells in anger then lunges at the priestess.  "In Naita's name, I smite thee!" he declares.

 

The priestess’ eyes widen and she balks, moving quickly away from him as if on air, then gesturing again at Reiko.

 

The cursed Kirasani sorceress falls to her back, her knees still bent and her feet under her.  She squirms and writhes in pleasure then cries out in ecstasy as she reaches climax.  An instant later the smell of Reiko's milk fills the area and tugs at Jym's sanity, compelling him to enter her, enter her and become part of her.  The squire falters in his attack and tries to overcome this sudden temptation.

 

An instant later Jym feels a terrible tension against the sword, trying to force it from his hands.  He holds onto it with all his might, but it is all he can do.

 

The priestess approaches, chuckling once more.  “You cannot win little one, you are no Paladin, merely a boy who dreams of being one.  I think I will leave you older than your mistress so that you may still serve her, this time by changing her diapers rather than dressing her.  Would you enjoy that?  Wiping her messy bottom and fulfilling your duties, as she does her duty by filling her didees?” the woman mocks.  “Or would you prefer to fall as the Kirasani did, ecstasy ruling your senses?  I believe you are getting a strong taste of that now.”

 

Jym shakes his head and slowly regains control over his mind, but finds his hands frozen in their death grip around the sword.  He will not let go, but he can’t move either.

 

“It does not matter what you choose,” The priestess continues.  “You will lose.  You might as well let go of the sword and end this game.”  Jym grits his teeth and does not loosen his grip however, despite a growing cramping in his arms.

 

The woman frowns.  “Very well, we appear to be at a stalemate.”  She glances at the crying Amara then says in a sickly sweet voice, “So, if you don’t wet the sword go, I’ll feed your sweet widdo Pally wally girl to your witch friend and allow her soul to be devoured in the dark one’s tummy wummy.  Won’t dat be fun?”  The priestess leans in closer, an evil grin on her lips as she adds calm whisper, “Or shall I start with the redhead instead?”

 

Anger replaces frustration for Jym and he opens his mouth to send a number of choice words learned from Reiko at the nasty woman.  When he does so however, new words come to him, his voice echoing with power beyond his form and reverberating throughout the hall.  "In the name of Rawnleigh's mother, The Mother of all born, I command you to cease your actions against Her Will and withdraw.  Your power here is ended, as I ... I sanctify these grounds in Naita's name!"  Somehow knowing what to do Jym reverses the sword and slams it into the floorboards.

 

The shocked priestess screams at him -- and vanishes in a burst of light.  The lines of the symbol of Rawnleigh on the wall start to bubble and hiss as they smoke into vapor.

 

Jym drops to the floor panting.  He is too tired to move, which is for the best, considering his still undeniable desire to crawl over to Reiko.  When he finally recovers, he sits up to look over the aftermath.

 

Alyssa crawls over to Jym and hugs him fiercely.  The girl appears to be ten or eleven, barely on the cusp of puberty. 

 

Amara continues to cry in dismay in the distance looking to be three at the most now that Jym can get a good look at her.  The blonde's wet and stained dress hangs on her, her bare shoulders outside and above the collar while chubby feet stick out just beyond the hem.

 

"Help me up." Jym tells Alyssa in a strained voice.  The young girl does her best, her loose dress getting in the way of her weaker arms.

 

Reality begins to return to Reiko as well.  Her dress is sodden with spilled milk and her … other juices.  The witch just stares at herself for a good while, her breathing slowing down.  Once she is calm enough she regresses herself to eight then begins to strip, wiping herself down.  "This is disgusting." she mutters.

 

Amara finally calms to hiccups and crawls out of her dress before standing, nude, and running towards Jym.  The teen squire startles as the chubby toddler hugs his leg fiercely and whines.

 

"Don't come over here, unless you want to lick milk off the floor." Reiko warns in her high voice.  "So, what happened?  I take it we didn't lose at least."

 

Jym notices that the sword remains upright where it was jammed into the floorboards.  "I ... believe we banished her.  Also, I think - I think I just sanctified the church," he says slowly, sounding amazed but somehow knowing that’s exactly what happened.  "I'm surprised it was so dramatic unless ... unless she wasn't really a person."

 

"She may not be anymore.  If she ever was," Reiko pipes, “Hold on, YOU sanctified the church?”  The witch sounds shocked.

 

“Um, yeah, I did.  Something, uh, came over me.” He replies sheepishly, gazing at the embedded sword.  With a gentle tug the blade easily comes out of the floor as if it had help.

 

“Looks like Ternha and Fides have finally smiled upon you.” Reiko says, referring to Amara’s patron deities.  “I guess they needed somebody to play Paladin.” She adds dryly.

 

The shrill whining of the babyish Amara reaches through Jym’s stunned awareness.  The teen sheathes his sword then picks little Amara up under her arms.  He stares at his former mistress for a few long seconds as the chubby toddler dangles teary-eyed in the air before him.  "Amara?" he whispers in shock.

 

"Jymmy!" the tiny blonde starts wailing, her arms held out desperate for comfort and protection.

 

"Hug her." Alyssa tells Jym calmly.  He does so, cuddling the tot as Alyssa rubs her bare back.

 

"That Priestess was certainly more energy than form.  That spells Avatar.  No wonder the locals couldn't hurt her.  It takes holy magic to beat unholy magic.  Good thing Amara tried the sword." Reiko adds.  “From what I could make out

 

The toddler calms down and falls silent.  Jym notices the adorable blonde sucking on her thumb for comfort.

 

Alyssa looks at Amara's dress.  "Well, at least she already peed, so you don’t have to worry about that." she assures Jym.

 

The small Paladin looks up at her former apprentice, takes her digit from her mouth, and complains, "Amawa got smawl."

 

"Yeah, Amara did get small." Jym agrees.  The tot's little feet are far from the floor now, her toes digging into Jym’s sides.  Amara grips his tunic with her small fingers and presses her chubby cheek against his shoulder.  Her features are so soft and chubby he can barely recognize her now.

 

Naked little Reiko runs a finger across her sticky, oily skin.  “Okay, this is still disgusting.” She repeats.  “Wait-a-minute!  The church is safe, but maybe not the village right?  Whoever created that Avatar might still be out there.  I should pull people here then."  The once again sexless witchling begins to concentrate and reach back mentally to the inn, to the room with John and the others.

 

The little Kirasani girl then steps through a shadow portal and a few moments later Sasha comes through with her little charges, followed by John and a sleepy looking Janice and Jamie.  Reiko walks out a moment later then opens yet another portal, looking more than a little wobbly on her bare feet.  In truth the witchling can barely walk straight after the orgasms she experienced, though she pushes on, wanting to help after feeling rather useless in the previous fight.

 

"Gettin' Dinni and her husband.  After that I don't know." Reiko calls back before moving through the second portal. 

 

Jym, realizing he's needed, hands Amara off to Alyssa.  The redhead had been fiddling obsessively with her oversized dress, keeping herself too busy to get upset.  She takes the tot without enthusiasm.

 

Amara has a similar opinion, immediately starting to whine to be let down.  Alyssa is more than happy to put the toddler on her little feet and return her attention to her draping dress.

 

Jym moves to the portal, hand on the pommel of his sword.  A moment later little Reiko stumbles as she leads Dinni and her husband through, closing it behind them.  Dinni has her nightgown barely on.

 

The little witch girl collapses to the ground and curls up into a ball.  "Just … lemme rest a sec." she slurs.  Lying down again, Reiko finds she doesn't want to move, just close her eyes and take a nap while her head buzzes pleasantly.

 

Amara, having scampered over to Jym to be near him, ends up in his way when he changes direction.  With the girl less than waist-height he runs right into her, sending her to land solidly on her pudgy bottom.  Unable to help herself, Amara starts to cry again. 

 

Jym sighs, and picks her up once more.  "Sweetie, you have to stay out from underfoot." he whispers to her.  He finds himself staring at the pathetic sight his mistress has become, the once noble Paladin now a pudgy little kid, with wispy hair curling around her ears and forehead.

 

The toddler rubs her blue eyes with her fists and sniffles.  "I want to hewlp," she says carefully.

 

"I know, and you can, but you need to be held if you're going to." he explains kindly.

 

Amara touches the handle of the sword sheathed at Jym's side, her sword she knows, but her tiny hand cannot even close over the pummel now.

 

Reiko begins to softly snore as Dinni modestly adjusts her gown.  "What happened?" the young Inn keeper asks, obviously worried.

 

With one arm under Amara's bare rump Jym instinctively begins bouncing the toddler as he answers Dinni.  "The priestess spotted us.  You can see the results.  However, I was able to banish her from the church.  Perhaps completely." Jym explains.

 

"What does that mean for us?" Dinni asks.

 

Jym sighs.  "I don't know.  But I do know the sword can hurt her.  It's holy, and it seems Naita can be channeled through it.  It's the only chance of truly beating her I think."

 

Sasha and John take the children to a pew to rest where Sasha sees the years her younger sister has lost.  "Alyssa?" she asks in a mixture of shock and worry.

 

The young girl doesn't respond, continuing to obsessively work on her draping dress, though without a needle nothing about it is changing.  Sasha kneels and gives her little sister a hug.

 

"No.  No.  Gotta fix the dress, gotta make it fit again." Alyssa complains weakly, distress in her pre-pubescent voice as she struggles uselessly against her older sister's arms.  Within seconds she begins to softly cry, Sasha trying to soothe her with gentle shushing.

 

Amara has begun to absently suck her thumb again, gaining the attention of both Jym and Dinni.  "My goodness, she's so small." Dinni breathes softly, brushing her fingers across the soft skin on the tiny blonde's shoulder.  "So very different from when we first met." she adds, making Jym realize his former mistress is now a whole decade away from even beginning her training.

 

Sasha looks up and spots the bare little bottom of Amara.  "Do you need changing rags for her?" she asks Jym.

 

"Shut up!" Amara screams at the woman, feeling more embarrassed at the idea of being diapered than being naked in her Jymmy's arms.

 

"Amara, be nice."  Jym scolds lightly.  He nods to Sasha and adds, "Yes, if you can get some, thank you."

 

Amara swats Jym's shoulder.  "I don't need diapuh," she whispers harshly.  "I can hold it and go like nowmal."

 

Alyssa suddenly gasps and gropes at her chest with desperate hope.  "They are bigger!" she exclaims.  "I'm sure of it!" 

 

The redhead's small breasts seem to look the same to Sasha.  Still the older sister kindly replies, "I'm sure you're right sweetie."

 

Jym sighs and looks sadly at his little mistress.  "And what happened to your dress then?" he whispers to her politely but firmly.  "Besides, you have nothing to wear.  Would you rather be naked?" he asks.

 

"I was scawed," Amara defends her dress.  "I just want a dwess, notta diapuh." she pleads.

 

"Jym!  Jym!"  Alyssa exclaims, running over to him with her dress hiked up.  "I'm growing!  I'm sure of it!"  Jym looks at the girl then bounces his mistress again.  Amara might be just a bit heavier now that he thinks about it.

 

He looks at Sasha with a confused expression and shrugs.  "They could be.  Slowly."  Amara grins and hugs Jym around his neck. 

 

"Still, we have another problem.  We don't have many clothes right now.  And Reiko was our only way of getting more.  She looks exhausted." Jym says.

 

Dinni kneels next to the little witch and runs a finger over Reiko's skin.  "She's filthy too.  Sticky.  Weird."  She leans in to take a curious whiff, gets a good smell of the milk, and then leans in closer.

 

"I'm never gonna get big again." Janice mutters to her brother as she looks across the room at the collapsed Reiko and the Innkeeper hovering over her.  It takes a few seconds for Janice to realize that the teenage girl is actually licking Reiko.  Janice's eyes widen then she points and calls out, hopping up and down in her little dress.  "Jym!  Jym!  Look!"

 

Amara finds herself quickly placed on the floor again as Jym gasps and runs over to pull Dinni off the little Kirasani girl.  The toddler Paladin wanders over to a pew and pulls herself laboriously up, having to swing one of her short legs all the way onto the seat for leverage.  The chubby tot then sits quietly on the wooden bench as she waits.

 

Meanwhile Jym finds he literally has to drag Dinni off and away from Reiko.  He then points at the puddle of milk Reiko left behind earlier.  "Nobody go near that milk.  Got it?"

 

Gazing at the still filthy little girl Sasha comments, "Our not so wicked witch still needs a bath.  There must be a tub in here, or at least some washing rags."  The adult seamstress heads for the back rooms to search.

 

Jym takes a close look at Dinni and notes she is getting slowly younger, her skinnier arms and face indicating she has dropped about a year to fourteen..  The girl is starting to tremble and is still trying to pull her way back to Reiko, too tempted by the milk to help herself.

 

"John, I need your help over here.  Find something to tie her up with." Jym says of the Innkeeper, locking his arms with Dinni's by the elbows behind her back.  The other boy hurries over to help secure her.

 

They succeed in tying together Dinni's wrists and ankles from strips of her dress.  The girl seems to have stopped regressing just under age fourteen, but she still longs for a taste of the witchling.  "Noooooo, please, just a little more." she moans as she lies on her side.

 

"Thank goodness Reiko made herself little." Jym comments.  "Any more of that milk smell in the air and we all might be like that." 

 

John nods in agreement and keeps his distance from the witchling. "Heck, even with her like this I'm fighting the urge to get closer and taste it again.  I still vividly remember, well, you know ..." the teen blushes even as he licks his lips, referring to his own moment of suckling on Reiko's teat.  He turns and decides to move even further away from the little girl just in case.

 

Sasha returns shortly with cloths and a pitcher of water to wash young Reiko.  Jym allows her to proceed with the task, warning the woman not to breathe too deeply and keeping an eye on things. 

 

The woman cleans the witchling up brusquely, perhaps still holding a small grudge against Reiko for giving Emelia her milk in the first place. 

 

Little Reiko shivers in her sleep from the cold water before Sasha finally wraps the girl in a blanket and places her on a pew to sleep.

 

"So, we're safe here, but stuck here?" John checks. 

 

Jym begins to nod then pauses.  “I think so, but I’m not sure really.  I do know what I did sanctified the church.  So, we’re definitely safe here.  As for leaving, we should wait till morning when everyone has gotten some sleep.  The village should be okay.  She's had control of them this long.  It's us she'll want, IF she’s still around.”

 

“So, she might be gone?” John asks.

 

“Yeah, she was certainly banished.  However, if there’s a magic-user nearby who was controlling her, it’s possible she, or he, is still out there.” Jym explains glad to remember some of Reiko’s previous discussions on Avatars.

 

"What was Amara saying about symbols around that symbol?" Alyssa pipes up, pointing at the faded drawing of Rawnleigh on the wall.

 

Jym blinks.  "I'm not really sure."  He walks over to Amara and plucks the small blonde up into his arms, causing the tot to smile at him.  He sits her easily on his hip this time, the action feeling natural.  "Sweetie, what were you saying about that?" he asks, showing her the drawing.

 

Amara's little toes grip his trousers as she looks the symbol over.  Jym doesn't see anything register on the toddler’s chubby face as she gazes at the markings.  After about a minute, she seems to lose interest and looks around the room.

 

Jym bounces his little mistress to get back her attention.  "So, nothing else, huh?" he checks.

 

The tiny girl's stomach rumbles.  "Hungry," she tells him simply.

 

He sighs.  "Sasha, is there any food back there?"

 

"Not really tiny-tummy food," Sasha announces.  "I guess she can suck on beef jerky until we cook something."

 

"Mommy can chew da food first then feed the little one." Five year old Hannah interjects in a sleepy voice.

 

"Which Mommy?" Sasha asks her young mother with a wry smile, ruffling Hannah’s hair gently and kissing the child on the forehead.

 

Little Hannah giggles and grins up at her adult daughter.  "You!" she says easily.  "You chew the food for her." she repeats.

 

Sasha fishes some jerky out.  "Tell you what.  You share this with her, and if it's too hard for her, you can help chew it up a little."

 

“Okay mommy,” Hannah says without hesitation.  "But only if she doesn't drool all over it," she adds, making an adorably disgusted face.

 

Jym sits Amara on the floor and pats her head.  "Well, you eat sweetheart, I'll look at the symbol with Alyssa."

 

Hannah tears the jerky in two with some effort.  Once done she scampers over to Amara and tugs on the girl's chubby foot, offering the jerky like a little girl playing mommy.  "Now try to chew it." she cutely instructs.  The former Paladin has been reduced to being mothered by a five year old.

 

Amara gives her a look of consternation, and places a corner of the tough jerky in the side of her mouth and tries to chew.  It takes her baby teeth several tries, but she never complains.  She starts to drool, and wipes her chin on her hand.

 

Sasha moves the other children to a pew, sitting them on a tapestry to keep them warm.

 

"I wanna be big." Janice whines, Reiko’s spell having trapped her at six for a day now.

 

John comes over to his little elder sister and hugs her, before kneeling in front of the little girl.  "Hey," he says quietly.  "We're almost there.  Just be patient, okay?"

 

"But she's tired again." Janice complains, pointing at the sleeping Reiko.  "An' I'm the least of their worries now."

 

John thinks about it, his hands on her shoulders.  "At the worst, you're ten years behind me.  Just ten years, out of... seventy?  They'll fly by again, and you'll grow in no time.”

 

Janice gives her brother a small smile.  "An' I won't be alone." she says, looking at the dozing Jamie.  "Yure a good brother Johnny." she adds.

 

"And you're a good girl," he tells her, hugging his sister again.

 

Meanwhile, Jym looks closely at the faded drawing of Rawnleigh, trying to notice anything useful.  The image had bubbled and boiled, but it did not disappear completely.  It merely looks as though someone tried to wash it off the stone wall.

 

"Why is any of it still here?" he asks aloud even though he knows Alyssa won’t know the answer.

 

“We’ll have to ask Reiko.” The redhead says.

 

"Because you cannot defeat me," speaks a voice in Jym's thoughts an instant later, though only on the edge of his consciousness. 

 

Jym turns and asks Alyssa, “What did you say?"

 

“We’ll have to ask Reiko.” The young girl repeats.

 

“Your companion did not speak.” The voice repeats.  Jym stiffens, but doesn’t know enough to be alarmed ... yet.  “Join me," it tells him, "and my power will be yours to control.  Your friends will live and be happy as they are."

 

Around the room, the children all start acting their ages.  Jym just somehow senses it and turns to watch, able to hear their conversations as if he were standing next to them.

 

"Aw poopy," Janice sighs to her brother.  "Daddy’s not gonna be happy.  We’re gonna be in so much trouble." She adds, looking like a scared little girl.

 

"Nah, he’ll probably start bringing you gifts again.” John says.  “Remember how he used to, when we were little?"

 

Janice grins, her sadness fading quickly.  "He did useta bring the bestest toys." She says excitedly, having begun to swing her feet.

 

John grins at her.  "And treats." He adds, eliciting a giggle from his sister.

 

Young Alyssa stops paying attention to the drawing, finding it boring, and runs over to play with the Paladin toddler, smacking into Jym’s arm as she goes.

 

Amara has begun to cry from the pain in her teeth so Hannah takes the jerky, drool and all, and chews it in her mouth to soften it up for the toddler.  However, she also finds it too tough and looks at the jerky with a whine.

 

"Oh, give it here," Alyssa says impatiently, grabbing the jerky from her small mother and holding it above Hannah’s reach as the little girl hops up and down, continuing to whine and starting to cry.  The redhead looks for all the world like a girl teasing her little sister, an evil grin spreading across her face.

 

Jym sees all of this as if in a daze then shakes his head.  "And the priestess?" he asks softly.

 

"Will be your servant, to wait on you hand and foot," the voice offers.  He pictures the buxom woman naked and kneeling in front of him.

 

"Who is she?  Really?" he asks.

 

"She is nothing but the will of who made her." The voice explains.

 

“Who are you?” he whispers.

 

The voice laughs, not unkindly, but still seeming to mock him.  “Turn right young squire.” It says simply.

 

Jym does so, and stares right at the symbol on the wall.  A shiver rises up his spine.  "Then you made her?  What do you want with this town?  These people?  This is all wrong.  It’s evil."

 

"It is different.  It is safe.  These people are happy." The goddess counters.

 

Alyssa chews the tough jerky until it is soft as Sasha brings Emmy over to eat as well.  The adult seamstress then hugs Hannah in a soothing embrace, calming her former mother before tickling the child’s tender skin and eliciting a flood of giggles.  Amara accepts the chewed meat readily enough from Alyssa and starts sucking on it.  They do all look happy, content, peaceful. 

 

Jym frowns, knowing better.  "These people are confused and deceived.  They were scared when they knew what was going on." he corrects.

 

"When it comes over them, they are ecstatic," the voice of Rawnleigh promises.  "They cannot be killed or hurt."

 

Alyssa can barely sit still, bouncing with happy excitement.  She starts telling Sasha a tall tale about the prince she is going to marry one day.

 

"Nor can they live.” Jym counters.  “Dinni, her husband, the whole town, all resigned to the same fate.  Childhood is only good when it is not eternal, or the end of an existence." 

 

“Then you do not clearly see.  This is who they truly are beneath their pretenses.  I am merely freeing them from lies.” The goddess argues.  “It is a freedom you would cherish as well my young hero, though your gift would be unique.”

 

Jym begins to envision himself as the protector of these people, of everyone in fact.  He glances at little Amara again and sees instead of his powerful and noble mistress nothing but a cute little toddler in a frilly yellow dress, with diapers and pigtails, drool smeared across her mouth and dripping onto her chest.  He knows she is now helpless without him, her new defender.

 

"Childhood is the best time of their lives," the voice assures.  He sees little Amara laughing, happier than he ever saw her as an adult.  "No doubts, no responsibilities, no aches and pains."

 

Jym shakes his head again.  "You need to leave.  This is Naita's domain." he states weakly.  Deep down he realizes he needs a moment to think. 

 

“You would be a guardian,” Rawnleigh continues despite his protests.  A vision of little Reiko and Amara scampering behind him, both eager to please him enters his mind next, the brightness in their eyes as they look up to him blinding.

 

“And a teacher,” the goddess adds.  Jym envisions a youthful but nubile Reiko, no longer taunting him, but begging him to teach her how to make love.  Even he never fully understood how much he secretly desired the witch as his pants become tight with his hardening member.

 

“To many,” the voice finishes.  He further sees himself bedding many a woman ten years or more his senior, leaving them eager young maidens in their beds the next morning, and laughing children by noon.

 

Jym closes his eyes and draws the sword, holding it in front of him.  "No!  Leave me be!  I don’t want power I just want to save them.  All of them.”  He looks away from the symbol, trying to get his bearings back.

 

The voice falls silent as he turns away, but leaves an answer to his stated desire.  He remembers all of the old people in all of the villages he has ever seen.  They seem to make up the majority of the villages' population, from what he can remember.  How is he to save them all?  Old and frail, they will soon fall ill and die, most certainly.

 

And there are those still affected by the power of the priestess.  And Reiko, she's a mess.  And Amara, currently sitting on the floor a naked toddler, drooling all over herself.  Surely he cannot save them all on his own.

 

Slowly but steadily the presence fades from his mind and Jym gains back his sanity, mostly, with only a wisp of lingering desire for what the goddess offered.  He decides to check on his charges to get his mind off the temptation of the visions.

 

Reiko is actually moaning and whining softly as she squirms in her blanket on the pew.  Jym can see a look of yearning on her features and he knows the witchling’s disguise is doing little to reduce her ache of longing to have sex.

 

Jym realizes something has to be done about Reiko, for the good of the group, but he wonders if the sword will protect him from her curse.  If anyone would know, it would be his mistress.

 

He finds Amara looking upset but being kept busy by young chatty Alyssa.  Jym sheaths the sword for the moment and approaches the toddler, kneeling in front of the blonde tot.  He takes one of her toes between his fingers and wiggles it.  "Hey sweetie, I need to know more about your sword, okay?" he asks in a syrupy voice.

 

Amara's big blue eyes turn to him, and her mouth opens in a wide baby teeth filled smile of recognition.  "Jymmy!" she exclaims, holding her arms out to him. 

 

Jym smiles despite himself and gives the tot a hug.  He is still amazed at how tiny she is.  "Hey there baby.  So, the sword?" he asks again.

 

"Sord," Amara repeats, and points at the pommel of the weapon.

 

Alyssa giggles.  "Isn't she the cutest?  I can't wait to put little dresses on her!"

 

Jym sighs.  "Is there anything special I should know about it?"

 

"Sord sarp," Amara warns sagely.

 

Jym nods and tickles Amara's tiny feet, causing the girl to squeal in delight and tuck her feet in.  "Yeah, she is pretty cute, though I could use her help as an adult now.  Oh well."  He finds his former mistress simply adorable and he can't resist tickling her bare tummy as well.  "Yes sweetie.  Swords are sharp." he teases.

 

Amara spends the next minute squirming and laughing as her huge squire tickles her all over.  Finally Jym stops and lets her calm down. 

 

"Alright, back to the matter at hand.  Mistress Amara." Jym begins seriously.  "You are the Paladin here.  I need to know what your sword can and can't do.  Can it protect me from the curse Reiko has?"

 

The toddler winces at his important tone, thinking it stern.  She then blinks a few times, a finger going into her mouth as she looks like she is struggling to remember something.

 

"Your sword mistress Amara.  Can it protect me from Reiko's curse?" he repeats.

 

"Sord... my sord..."  One of her hands goes between her legs, modestly covering up her privates.

 

Jym smiles affectionately.  "Yes, your sword." he nods.

 

She reaches out and touches the pommel while pondering.  "My sord is... da focus," she struggles.  "Focus... it focuses pwayers, making evil pay.  You hafta be a Pallydin."

 

"Really?" he asks.  "It seems to be working for me.  If not, then I could use your help."

 

Amara untucks her pudgy legs and stretches them out, her feet dangling straight out off the bench.  "Evil.  We hafta stop the evil," she says with growing conviction.

 

Reiko moans and rubs herself in her sleep, trying to at least reduce the growing itch with a 'scratch'.

 

Jym nods again.  "I think I'll have to drain her.  She's too obsessed with ... you know."

 

Amara gets to her knees so she can peer over the back of the pew and see Reiko for herself.  "Yeth.  Dwain."

 

Jym lifts the toddler from the pew, much to Alyssa's annoyance.  "Hey, you gonna bring her back?" the redheaded girl asks.  Amara settles easily on Jym’s hip, happy to get away.

 

"Alyssa, this is important." Jym tells the girl.

 

"She has to repent," Amara says slowly, hugging her naked body against his side and looking embarrassed as her modesty returns in full force.

 

"Repent?" Jym asks Amara.

 

"Repent," she confirms.  "If we make 'nother magic circle, we can sup... sup-pwess the evil and hewlp her cast it out."  Amara wipes the drool from her cheek in annoyance.

 

Jym bounces his toddler mistress on reflex.  "Well then, we should use the back room and get it ready."

 

Color enters Amara’s cheeks.  "Yes," she replies, struggling to deny the comfort her young body feels from the bouncing.  "I do wish I could be ap-pro-pree-at-ly attired," Amara mentions, slowly sounding the large word out.

 

"Let's go and set up.  You can talk me through it." Jym says, finding it easy to give orders now.  He looks back as he turns to go.  "Alyssa, is there anything Amara' could wear to cover up?"  His huge hand pats the tot’s bare bottom.

 

The young seamstress looks around then giggles.  "Not unless we swaddle her."

 

"No!" Amara says instantly.

 

"What else Alyssa?  Think hard, you're good at clothing." Jym compliments.

 

The little girl looks at him in childish petulance.  "So?  Maybe I don't wanna."  She sighs under his stern look however.  "Okay.” She says sheepishly.  “Give me half a day."

 

"Thank you." Jym nods, before carrying Amara to the back room.  "Okay, let's set this up."  The toddler’s little fingers clutch his tunic in a most fascinating way as she clings trying to keep herself steady. 

 

Jym notices that Amara’s blonde hair has lightened to an angelic yellow halo of curls.  "And by the way, while I'm sorry this happened to you, I must say I'm thankful to have seen you so ... adorable mistress." he adds softly.  He plants a kiss on the girl’s forehead then places her softly on the ground on her bare feet.

 

The toddler pouts in annoyance.  "It’s not fun," she whispers back.  "I feewl powuhless, weak, an’ I don’t wike it."  The little blonde then turns and looks around the room.  There is a bed and wardrobe in the room with the wardrobe open and empty.

 

Jym bends over a little and pats Amara’s back, making her stumble a bit.  "I know.  I’m sorry.  But you aren't all powerless."

 

The little blonde scowls up at him but says nothing.  "You kin git her inta da bed," she says thoughtfully after a moment, wandering around on her little feet.

 

"So by repent, do you mean Reiko will have to reject all the ... sex she's had?" Jym checks feeling strange speaking of this to a toddler.

 

"Dat's a good stahrt," she agrees.  "Her lewdness, her... her depwavity, is right up Rawnleigh's alley."  Amara shivers at mentioning the name.

 

"So ... the goddess is taking advantage of Reiko's faults." Jym states.

 

Amara nods emphatically, almost knocking herself off balance with her large head.  "Definitely!"

 

“That begs the question then, if this is how she takes advantage of people then what exactly is Rawnleigh the goddess of?” he asks, figuring the information can only help.

 

Amara ponders, scrunching her face up cutely before finally answering.  “Yahrning and desire.  She tempts and offas, givin’ yu wha’ yu most wan’.” Amara warns.  “Why?” she asks.

 

“No reason,” Jym says softly, suddenly feeling ashamed.  He changes the direction of the discussion.  “Just wondering mistress, what is your deepest desire right now?”

“Dat dis was ova, an’ we were all safe.” She replies automatically.  After a moment of thought however the toddler frowns.  “An’ I wish I was big again too.” She says.  “I hate feeling helpwess, an’, an’ mad.” She confesses.

 

“Mad?” Jym asks.

 

Little Amara glares a nasty look at him and cutely growls, “I don’t deserve dis!  I wassa a good girl!  Da best!” she pouts, her lower lip sticking out.  Her expression seems to scream ‘I’m better than this!’, though she merely looks like a bratty toddler.  Still, despite all she has been through, the little Paladin seems to have held onto some of her pride.

 

Jym kneels and gives his mistress another hug to settle her down.  “We’ll set things right, together.” He promises.

 

Amara continues to pout, but nods.

 

"Right then,” Jym nods back.  “Now, we need to try and get rid of those faults of Reiko’s so we can help her.  The things she desires that Rawnleigh is exploiting.  I’m ready to set up." he says, waiting for instructions.

 

The little blonde runs over to the fireplace and takes out a burnt stick, having to step inside to reach it.  Her chubby feet become black from the cold soot and leave cute footprints across the floor.  "Pull the bed into the middle of the room," Amara says.

 

Jym obliges, unable to resist saying, "Be careful with that, it looks heavy." 

 

When he moves the bed a small figure scrambles out from underneath it.  Jym sees it is the tiny priest as the small boy jumps up and runs for the doorway.  The scared child finds the door closed however and the handle too high to easily pull.

 

"Hold on now.  You don't want to make me have to chase you." Jym says calmly, walking towards the little priest.

 

The little boy screams and dives into the wardrobe, closing the door behind him.

 

Jym sighs, and then gently knocks.  "Hello?  Please come out.  We're not here to hurt you."

 

"Jym, the bed," calls Amara's high voice.  The miniature Paladin is trying to sound stern, but just ends up seeming cute.

 

Keeping that observation to himself Jym nods.  "Right."  He proceeds to finish moving the bed.

 

Little Amara crouches down and starts drawing on the floor, leaving a mark for every couple of her tiny soot stained steps as she makes her way around the bed.  The symbols look rough and don't mean anything to Jym.

 

"I'll get Reiko." he says.

 

"Uh huh," Amara nods continuing to draw and looking completely like a small child scrawling on the floor.

 

Jym returns to the pew where the witchling was last.  He finds that Reiko, still appearing to be a little girl, has her fingers buried in herself, unable to control her urges.  The Kirasani looks up at him feverishly.  "Jym," she pants a high pitched warning.  "Stay away."

 

But the teen squire merely shakes his head.  "Nope, we're going to try and help you.  Try to remove the curse.  Amara is getting things ready.  I'll explain in there but are you willing to trust us?" he asks.

 

Reiko laughs wryly.  "Is there a choice?" she manages to say.

 

"Not if you want some control over yourself, and not be a danger to others it seems." he admits.  "Your curse seems to have gone full bore now.  You can't resist can you?  And your smell ... heck Dinni actually licked you! 

 

Reiko grimaces in shame and looks near tears.  “Sorry.  So sorry.” She squeaks.

 

Jym continues.  “I know Reiko, I know.  Even so, Amara is talking about you repenting, and rejecting your decadence and stuff like that.  I think this will likely ... change you."

 

"This isn't fair," Reiko complains in a whiney voice.

 

Jym shakes his head in agreement.  "Nope, it isn't.  But unless you want us to bind you up and let the church lock you away, I think it's your only way out of this."

 

"Fine," Reiko sighs, quivering.  "Though I don’t think I can walk, and I don't think you can carry me.  I'm not as light as I look, not anymore anyway.  I think the bitch goddess stopped aiding my spells to teach me a lesson.  Pity I’ve never been a good student." She manages to smirk, even as her lips twitch in pleasure.

 

Jym leans over and wraps his arms around the blanket that engulfs Reiko and lifts her over his shoulder finding the apparent child to be extremely heavy.  "It's... fine," the teen wheezes, carefully making his way across the floor.  Reiko's small blanket covered rump pushes against the side of his face.

 

"If it's just appearance now, then make yourself an adult." he suggests.

 

"Not that simple," she grunts.  "It’s not much, but it does make a difference.  If I change back, you 'n me will BOTH lose control.  But I can’t hold it much longer I think."

 

"Then I’ll hurry," Jym promises.  They enter the side room and Jym drops Reiko onto the bed, his back thanking him.  The witch notices but does not understand the words Amara is writing.

 

Reiko lets the disguise drop when Jym steps away and reveals herself to be a woman in full-blown arousal, her nipples hard over her swollen breasts.  The pleading look on her face calls out for comfort and Jym finds himself sorely tempted to give it to her.

 

 

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