Quoted By:
<span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“If you want to protect her, you're welcome to come with me.”</span></span> you proposed.
You honestly didn't care where they went so long as they stayed out of your way.
The woman's eyes widened, and she lowered her broom slightly, giving you the opening you needed to brush past her and head for the door.
<span class="mu-s">“What are you?”</span> she asked in a challenging tone. <span class="mu-s">“I can sense your lifeforce…'intertwining' with hers.”</span>
You paused at the door, your hand mere inches away from swinging it open.
Now that was a question that you <span class="mu-i">really</span> didn't have time to sit down and answer. She would have to settle for the abbreviated answer for the time being.
<span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“I am a faithful servant of Khonshu.”</span></span> you declared, glancing over your shoulder at her. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“And, so far as I can tell, your granddaughter is as well.”</span></span>
That statement earned mixed reactions from everyone. The old woman had a conflicted expression on her face, while the demon dog was clearly wary of you.
And the green demon was…
Well, their mask was still very angry looking, and you were having trouble getting a proper read on them.
But, despite their skepticism towards you, you hadn’t told them any lies, and the most overtly threatening thing that you did was tie up the dog.
After a moment of tense silence, the old woman nodded once.
<span class="mu-s">“Very well. We will follow you.”</span>
"Seriously? Just like that?" the green demon said, turning its mask to stare at her.
<span class="mu-i">“Young!”</span> the demon dog exclaimed, giving its master what you thought might've been an incredulous look.
<span class="mu-s">“There's no point arguing, Smokey.”</span> she admonished it.
You all watched as she crossed the room, set down her broom, and took up a cane in its place. It looked to be hand-carved.
But on the way back, something strange happened. With each step, the woman known as “Young” started to shrink. The length of her stride became shorter, and her height dwindled to that of a young child. Her hair had lost some of its length and volume from when she was a full grown woman.
The cane appeared to grow larger in her shrinking hand, and her clothes…
Her clothes really <span class="mu-i">were</span> shrinking! Somehow, they were shrinking to comfortably fit her smaller form. Throughout all this, her stride was unbroken. To her, this was the most normal thing in the world.
The demon dog known as “Smokey” knelt before her as she approached, and Young climbed over it and patted its head. The dog slowly rose with her comfortably seated atop his back, and now it was the demon’s turn to start changing.
Its steps were halting at first. Its legs shook under the weight of its master, but with each step, its feet grew steadier. And larger!
It’s entire body was growing larger, until it looked more like a Dire Wolf than a shaggy old dog.
Young met your eyes as the dog stopped to stand beside you. Despite her appearance, there was still wisdom in those small, squinty eyes of hers.
(Cont.)
