Of Magic and Misery

Story by StrangeBreed on SoFurry

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The following is something I'm very proud of so I'll be posting it on both my profiles. This is another Halloween special of mine, this time about a witch. There is small moments of both straight and gay sex, but for the most part this is a horror/action based story. There is moderate gore so be warned of that. I really hope you enjoy it :)


Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

Cool it with a baboon's blood,

Then the charm is firm and good.

_ _

~ Macbeth, William Shakespeare

Smoke billowed up to the cave's ceiling as a cauldron bubbled and pulsed, the numerous ingredients slithering and sizzling as they shifted through the boiling heat. Stalactites littered the ceiling and water dripped from corners of the walls, a constant autumn air filling the deep cave as it blew in from the mountainside. The whole cave was eerie and haunting, various paintings and tapestries illuminated by fire and the cauldron's unearthly glow.

Near the entrance a hungry, desperate man clung to the walls as he stepped into the wide chasm, with wobbly, almost failing legs. He had been lost on the road for quite some time, and prayed desperately that the place he had now found was his salvation. Wisps of air seemed to cling to his sickly ears like whispers as they echoed across the damp room, the cold, hard stone on his feet rough and sharp, like fangs of some formless wolf.

His eyes widened when he finally reached the large cauldron in the center of the room, the near acidic concoction a pleasing thought from his desperation and hunger. He nearly had reached the surface of the glistening liquid when a small hiss attracted his attention. Slowly along the side of the cave crept a black cat, its back arched as it glared with piercing yellow eyes; its teeth bared in a wordless threat.

The man gave little fear at the sight of the mere feline, his attention quickly stolen away by the witches' brew. Before he could have a taste however, footsteps alerted him to the presence of another, his eyes darting to the deeper section of the cave as a figure approached him.

She was beautiful, long black hair, flowing from the wind of the mountain, violet eyes that seemed to look into the man's soul, and a smile as white as a cloud. "What brings you to my home?" the nameless female asked with a curious, but friendly tone, "You seem weak, tired, perhaps... hungry?"

"I... I did not mean to intrude," the tired, sickly man replied in a pitiful stance, "I am just, d-desperate, you must understand..."

"I do, do not be afraid gentle, and kind sir," her eyes seemed to flicker as she watched him drool over the cauldron's contents, "Please, do eat, I would not have a guest left starving in my presence."

The man looked at the beautiful woman as he nodded, shakily reaching into the cauldron and cupping a good amount of the liquid with his palms. He was surprised how it managed to be cool to his hands, but warm as he pressed it to his lips. It tasted wonderful, a delicious brew of potato and leek, just like his mother used to make.

He took several more handfuls, his appetite growing more satiated with each swallow full. When he had finally had his fill he smiled to his host, graciously thanking her for her hospitality, "How c-can I ever rep-ay..."

His words gurgled out in a sick slur as he attempted to speak, his lips numb as his hands began to shake uncontrollably. He looked down to steady his extremities but was left in horror from the sight of himself. His palms had all but gone as the sharp white edges of bones reached his gaze, his mouth opening in shock as he looked at his near skeletal hands. As his lips parted from each other teeth feel from his mouth to his boney hands, words no longer able to be spoke correctly as he whimpered in disgust, "My t-teef, a-y-you, wha-you!"

Tears began to stream from his eyes as his vision grew blurry, blood trickling from his pours as his heart began to fail. Its rhythmical beating slowed down to a crawl as he staggered forward, boney hands reaching to strangle the woman who had tricked him.

He could not see her as he moved forward and it took little effort for her to grab his side, hoisting him up with little effort as she dropped him into the steaming cauldron. She stepped away for only a moment, returning with a long staff-like rock. She began stirring the boiling concoction with a sinister grin, reaching down to pet the black cat as it rubbed against her leg.

...

Alexander armed his crossbow as he faced the rest of the town, his fellow villagers reflected by the burning flames of their torches, as they glared each other down. "They will know judgment," he shouted onto the roaring crowd as his speech neared its finale, "And we will know peace!" Despite his strong speech, his calculated words, and his posture of pride, his mission would not be as easy as it was sold.

Atop the on looking mountain lived a dark enchantress, demon of evil and corruption that used sexuality like a dagger. Several men, women and children had gone missing over the past months, and those that did return were in a form nearly unrecognizable. The last child that returned, did so disfigured and burned, his eyes a dark black as his blood had been boiled to tar; an enchantment all that left him in a masqueraded form of living.

"To go alone is foolish," the town mayor whispered into Alexander's ear as the man's speech had ended, "I beg that you take a party with you, I be-"

"No, I will not risk others," his fingers traced the trigger of his crossbow as his breath slowed to an agonizing crawl, "For my husband, what they did to him, I will not waver in my course... you also know, no other man is like me in this village, I will not be persuaded by her sexuality."

"You say that now," the mayor continued to caution him, "...but many others have been swayed by means unlike their normal ways."

"Be that as it may," Alexander growled as he placed the crossbow in the holster around his shoulder, "My mind will remain unaltered, and that demon's fate will be set in stone, a judgement of blood and fire, this town shall be victims no longer."

"Aye," the mayor said disheartened, "Well you'd best visit the church before you go, the good father wishes to bless you in the holiest of armor."

Alexander nodded despite his disbelief in such things, "Very well, may god's mighty hand strike evil with mine, and leave not an inch of their skin left to stain this world further."

...

Alexander's eyes remained closed as water fell from the priest's hands in tiny droplets, words of prayer whispered in a low drawl as fingertips tapped at his forehead in a symbolic tickle. "You have been blessed my son," the priest said as he held out his hand, helping the hopeful hero up to his feet, "You now carry the lord's holy armor with you to your crusade."

Alexander smiled as he grasped the priest's shoulder, "I shall use it well!"

"Be careful Alexander, you may be strong and wise, but the witch on the mountaintop is no small demon," the priest gave a look of deep concern as he spoke, his eyes alight with fear, "Make sure your heart and soul are both entrusted to god, or her wicked ways will ensnare you, like they have countless others."

Alexander was stern as he nodded in understanding, his steps towards the church doors deliberate and slow, "I assure you father, there tricks shall carry no hold over me, I am different you see, and as such... I will not find any satiation in the hungers they wish to tantalize me with."

The hair on the back of his neck stood as the priest's hand brushed by it, resting on his shoulder as he spoke in nearly a whisper, "Do not underestimate them Alexander, you may feel you are different, stronger, impenetrable... but these demons will find a weakness where you thought you had none, do not give them a single thought as you enter their domain... one sentence is all it could take for them to course you."

Alexander looked grim as he stepped forward, the priest's hand gently dropping from his shoulder, "Then I will cut out their tongue before they can speak." Without another word he pushed the doors to the church open and left into the cool air of the night, the priest motioning the shape of a cross as he prayed silently, and desperately.

...

The journey was not long, but each moment felt like an eternity as Alexander made his way to the top of the mountain, fear slowly raising in him as he made his way to a den of absolute evil. The wind howled at the mountaintop like a hungry wolf, and the wisping of air pierced Alexander's skin like daggers of ice.

He held his coat tightly to his body as he clung to the cold rock beside him, nearly thrown off the side of the great rocky peak as it gusts continued to blow in a powerful cascade.

Just before he was blinded by the constant heavy winds, Alexander found the unearthly glow of the cave's entrance. The brave warrior took a deep breath as he charged forward, focusing on keeping his mind guarded and strong as the warmth of the cave hit him in a quick flush. The whole cave had a strange scent to it, a cross between rotted meat and strange spices flowing over the large room. He could tell the cave ran deep, but was still curiously entranced by the room he found himself in.

There were various paintings and tapestries around the walls of the cave, symbols and artifacts of unknown origin littering the stone walls of the cave. They were illuminated by firelight as the cauldron bubbled in a spasm of heat and light. Alexander looked down into the vat if boiling liquid, its swirling bright and hypnotizing, almost entrancing him as he looked on.

It took effort to steer himself away, but he found the courage to, fingers caressing the handle of his crossbow as he ventured on further into the cave. Upon entering the next chamber, his vision grew a tad blurry from the strange hews around him. Several strange symbols pulsed in a low eerie light, the occasional trickle of light slinking around the walls like trickling blood. Each symbol seemed to make its own unique tone as the light slithered through it, the strange shapes illuminating in a deep green shine.

As he remained in the chamber, more of the symbols illuminated brightly, the strange sounds growing louder and louder until he was unable to stand the buzzing in his ears. He rushed away from the chamber as quickly as possible, slipping suddenly as the uneven ground seemed to slip away like mud. He fell downwards in a sudden tumble, feeling the harsh edges of the rocky walls before suddenly falling through a hole in the center of the wide spiraling floor.

Everything went quiet as he hit the dirt floor below, coughing as the wind was knocked hard out of him. He looked around in a momentary daze as he looked around the strange rocky hallway he found himself in, slowly and carefully getting to his feet. He hit the back of his head against the low ceiling with a gentle thud, hissing out a low groan as he rubbed the newly sore spot. He took one step at a time as he made his way down the strange hall, following the small slither of light at the opposite end where he now stood.

When he finally reached the other side, a warmth filled his body as a bright hew of light seemed to illuminate his surroundings. This new room seemed oddly wholesome, pictures of someone's family surrounding the walls, and instead of rock there was wallpaper. Suspicion filled Alexander as he entered the strange room, knowing there was no way a room like this could possibly exist in the center of a mountain.

Just as stepped cautiously forward, the sound of purring came at his side, a small black cat arching its back as it rubbed against the side of his leg. He reached down absent-mindedly, scratching at its back gently, eliciting more purrs from the furry little creature. A sweet perfume began to billow into the room as his fingers were lost into the fur of his new found friend.

His eyes watered as shivers ran up his back, the mass of fur beneath him slowly fading away as he grew dizzy.

Heat began to stir inside his skin and he found himself sweating profusely. He could only bare it for so long before he found himself shredding the clothing he worse. Within moments he was left naked, standing bare as the day he was born in the eerie glow of the impossible room. He heard a sudden low moan behind him as the touch of skin pressed against his back, his head twitching to look upon the beautiful ebony woman that pressed against him.

Her hands roamed over his chest as he reached back to clutch her side, her digits wandering down before wrapping around the now hard length of Alexander's shaft. She tugged ever so gently on his cock as she nipped at his ear, foreskin pulling back as she wiggled her thumb over the exposed head. He bit his bottom lip as he let out a low moan, his breath escaping in a withered chill as the maiden continued to touch him.

Her dark skin gave stark contrast to his lighter tones, and her touch was perfect. Her tongue glided up his neck as she kept stroking his manhood, her fingers occasionally cupping his balls with the faintest squeeze. Slowly she shifted around to his front, nipping his lip before gliding her tongue down his chest. It grazed the hair of his pecks and sank between his legs, her lips kissing the tip of his hard cock before swallowing the entire length down.

Precum slid over her tongue as she gulped down the hard length, her head bobbing smoothly as she felt Alexander's hands hold her hair. "Th-this is," he spoke in a lustful daze, "This is so good, this, no..." The woman stopped as she looked up at him with her deep yellow eyes. "This is wrong, y-you have no hold over me demon!" She hissed at him as he attempted to strike at her, the spell on his mind momentarily broken before she rushed forward and slammed him to the ground.

"My mistake," the deep, seductive voice of a male spoke as her form was replaced with that of a strong, firmly built man, "Don't think I'm unable to charm you though!" Alexander fought his urges as the stud above him sucked on his neck, their cocks pressing against one another as the strange man rubbed them both together with his hand. "Tell me," the man spoke as he reached down with his spare hand, rubbing Alexander's tight pucker with two fingers, "What kind of man are you?"

Alexander moaned out as his backside was toyed with, nearly drawing blood as he bit his lower lip. He pushed suddenly forward, dropping his dark skinned lover to the floor. The stranger grinned up at the intruder as he pinned him to the floor, natural blue eyes meeting unnerving yellow as he rubbed his cock along the stranger's rear. "I'm this kind of man!" Alexander growled as he pushed forward, his cock slowly sinking into the tight warmth of his new lover's flesh.

The man moaned with loud hunger as he was taken, his body tensing up as Alexander treated him so roughly. There was no foreplay or ease, Alexander's tension relieved in a quick fury. With each thrust he seemed to grow weaker, his sexual frenzy draining the life right out of him. His nose began to bleed as he finally reached his climax, his whole body tightening as he filled the stranger's backside with a heavy load.

"That was wonderful!" a woman's voice whispered gently as she reached up to kiss him, Alexander realizing his cock was submerged in the folds of the girl he had earlier met. He grit his teeth together as he felt betrayed, almost more by his own temptations than by the villain in front of him, but just as he went to grab her, he felt a harsh stinging in his back, his body unable to move.

It took a moment for his eyes to refocus, but when they did his situation became all too clear. Both woman and man remained no more, in their place was the black cat from earlier, slinking away in the darkness of the unlit chasm of empty rock. Alexander turned slowly to see what hat snagged him, and was left horrified as he found himself impaled in several places by heavy hooks.

"Tricky isn't she?" a low feminine voice called as a figure stepped slowly into view. It was dark but Alexander could still see her, the woman's violet eyes almost glowing in the void. "She's such a good little pet, does so much of my work for me."

"Demon, bitch of the underworld!"

"Shush!" the witch spat as she slapped the injured man in front of her, "You are dying, so save your breath, there's only one thing I want from you before I let you perish."

Alexander spit at the witch's face as he growled in anger, "How about that?"

The dazzling female wiped the spittle from her cheek as she chuckled to herself, grabbing the man's privates and pulling until his body lurched forward, the hooks in his back tearing deeper. Alexander screamed as the pain shot up through his body, his breath staggering as he went nearly blind with panic. "No, I believe I've seen enough of your fluids for one day... what I want is your blessing."

"My what?" Alexander whimpered as blood seem to pour from every inch of him.

"Your... blessing" she repeated as she stepped forward, her hand reaching out so her long fingernails could scratch at the man's chest. As she made circles around his heart, the silver outline of a cross began to glow, a slight burn touching her fingertips as she stretched out her palm.

"How about you just go to hell!" he retorted as she moved her hand away.

"Been there darling," she spoke seductively as she clawed his side, "Suffering is such much simpler up here."

"Only a heartless demon could make light of such pain!"

"Only a creature as weak as man could succumb to it," the witch retorted as she caressed his face, "You know you can make all this go away, all you need to do is give you will to me."

"I'd rather suffer an eternity of pain than give myself over to you!" Alexander yelled triumphantly, teeth bared as he remained knelt in tortured submission.

"Very well," the witch said with a grin and a snap of her fingers, "I can arrange that." Alexander watched on as the witch slowly stripped herself of her clothing, her naked form soon joined by that of the ebony woman from earlier. The witch stroked her fingers through the woman's hair, dipping her head back to give her a deep, passionate kiss. Her tongue was snake like and bitter as it explored her familiar's mouth, the two moaning in their embrace as Alexander soon began to realize the truth behind her words.

The large hooks in his back had begun to glow a deep amber, and the previous stinging had been replaced by a near nauseating level of burning pain. He howled in anguish as he felt himself burn alive, his body unharmed as he was made to feel the deathly grasp of fire in an endless loop. "You could earn, ahh so much more than this!" the familiar moaned out as her mistress had begun digging her slithery tongue into her damp folds, "Give yourself to her, and experience all there is to feel, all there is to know."

"N-no!" Alexander cried as his blood boiled white hot, "I-I will not, I r-r-refuse!!" As he screamed out in a tremendous fit, the cross on his chest seemed glow again and the hooks cooled down as they began to crackle and fizz. What wasn't reduced to liquid was cracked away onto the floor and the brave warrior found himself left with one last shot at redemption.

He dove for his crossbow in a fast swing, grabbing it and arming it before the witch could even react to the clamber. As she turned to strike him with her limitless arsenal of spells he made one precise, yet desperate shot, the arrow piercing the witch's heart, sending her onto the cold floor of the cave. She let out an inhuman roar, like a sickly bear as she writhed in agony, her eyes glowing red as the crackling of thunder poured out from her fingertips.

Alexander could barely roll away in time as the calamity of fire and smoke volleyed through the open air, the heat of fire warming the whole chasm as dark energy shot from the witch's fingertips. In her fury she had abandoned her charming disguise and left her true form out on display. She was hideous and sickly, her green skin riddled with warts and wounds and her teeth and claws like that of a vicious wolf.

Alexander reached for another arrow as the demoness charged towards him, and decided to attempt one last trick before his demise. He stabbed the arrow into his chest where the cross had continued to glow, screaming out in pain as his blood trickle over the sharp tool of war. His hands shook as he did his best to steady the weapon in his grasp, just barely loading it in time to fire one last shot, into the beast's beating heart.

A bright light seemed to fill the entire chasm around them as the witch shattered into shimmering dust, her last scream unlike anything the brave warrior had ever heard in his long life. The figure previously being pleasure by the witch had returned to its feral form, and was now convulsing as its fur boiled away, leaving a smoking pile of feline bones in its wake. The mountain around Alexander seemed to sigh a breath of relief as the tainted caves shook and pulsed, the sound of falling rocks echoing all around as his final moment was upon him.

Alexander dropped his crossbow as he let out a low, desperate sigh, chuckling to himself as he saw the cracks forming in the ceiling above him. He knew within seconds the giant mound would come crashing down, collapsing in on itself now that its mistress had departed. He shrugged as he reflected briefly on the topic of fate, nodding his head as he spoke to himself, "Holy armor indeed."

There were no other words as the rock came crashing down upon him.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. ~Matthew 12:43