Following the River Styx

Chapter Six

A/N: I would like to thank all of my readers. This story has been a journey. I just finished writing chapter nine and expect to add one more chapter; if necessary, I may add an epilogue, but I feel right now that I've gotten it to a good place. I'm proud of my work with this one. With that said, it's time to plunge forward!

Reviews are always appreciated!

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The stampede of hooves and feet left the collection of witches frozen in place for a brief moment, a herd of deer waiting for impact. "Run!" Zoe's ragged voice rang out once more. Madison moved first, a whirl away; she grabbed Fiona by the sleeve of her blouse and bolted toward the door, and the former Supreme twisted with surprise at the action upon her person. She wrenched out of Madison's grasp and reached for Cordelia's wrist. Madison, shaking her head, ripped away from the group and abandoned them in the atrium.

Zoe stumbled and sprawled out on her belly. She slid a few feet, a baseball player straining for home base. "No!" Misty split from beneath Cordelia's warm touch and ran toward the fallen witch. "Zoe!" She dove to save her friend as the lead Minotaur encroached upon them with horns facing downward.

"Don't be stupid!" Fiona transmuted on the spot and landed upon the bull man's shoulders. She grabbed one horn and dragged it to the right; it collided with another of its herd and tossed her to the floor. One ducked toward the soft of her abdomen. A jet of flames erupted from the palms of her hands, and the stench of singed flesh permeated the hallway. "A little help?" scoffed the blonde as she shot back up to her feet.

With one of Cordelia's extended hands, she repelled another bull from goring Misty and Zoe. "Thanks," stammered Zoe as Misty hauled her upward. She staggered, but catching her balance, she scowled at the attacker. "We can take him." The Supreme gauged them once before she released the bull and went to aid her mother.

Magic fired from Cordelia and Fiona in synchronization as they teamed against the first Minotaur; each of them employed flames, pouring from their hands and appearing wherever their eyes grazed, so that the mingling magic flowed out of them like a waterfall. Both Supreme witches moved with the magic of their prime, strength flowing through their veins and power gleaming in their greedy eyes, harmonizing steps like practiced dancers. As the older witches advanced upon their opponent, Misty and Zoe suspended their Minotaur with telekinesis; it dangled upside down from the ceiling, horns swinging around and feet stamping on the tiles. The two pairs worked back to back.

The third Minotaur righted itself and charged at the two younger witches. "Watch out!" shrieked Zoe as she dove to the right; Misty shrank to the wall, but the last member of the small herd had laid its eyes upon Cordelia's back, and with the other coven members fleeing, it had a straight shot at her. It roared as it grabbed her from behind with one beefy hand. Tossed effortlessly into the air, Cordelia's stream of magic fire died out. She sailed like a boneless gymnast through the air, but no one waited below to catch her, and her body thumped unevenly upon the floor.

The beast that, moments ago, Misty and Zoe had pinned to the ceiling now fell to the ground. Fiona, caught off-guard by the return of the third animal, whirled around to aid Cordelia, but her own attacker drew nearer; when her back collided against the wall, her lip curled. "Cordelia!" Misty shouted. "Zoe, help me!" With an extended hand, she gestured to the beast that they had just dropped.

With a strain of combined magic, it lifted into the air again, this time with more urgency. The last Minotaur seized Cordelia around the waist and lifted her again. A gray smoke streamed from its nostrils; the low grunts drove the disoriented witch to wring her head around and flail, but she was powerless against the demon's strength. Misty and Zoe jerked their hands in unison to send their victim toppling on top of the other bull so that the three—the horned demons and the witch—landed in a pile upon the floor. None of the protruding limbs twitched.