The Curse of Arnford Manor

By Mythical Traveller
[mythmanxvi (at) hotmail.com]

CHAPTER II: Battle


An Abandoned Cloth Factory, Applebury, NC
July 13th, 1931, 11:04pm.
Four hooded figures silently advanced through the smaller loom chambers. They were 
spaced widely apart, carefully scanning what little they could make out in the 
darkness. Around each of their necks was an ancient necklace incorporating a unique 
gem.

As one of the figures stepped through a brick archway, a dark creature, the size of a 
human, crawled down the wall behind them. The monster, with its jet-black skin, 
clawed hands and wasp-like wings traversed the dusty bricks like a giant spider. After 
sizing up the intruder, the monster opened its fearsome mouth in a silent sneer. The 
hooded figure was totally oblivious to the immanent danger they were in. The creature 
contracted its hind legs, preparing to pounce with full force.

DEMI! DUCK! an earthy masculine voice warned.

The hooded witch obeyed without question, immediately springing into a forward roll 
to remove herself from the unknown danger. As she hit the ground, an arrow bound 
for her would-be attacker whooshed through the air above her head. Swift Coyotes 
aim was true; his arrow pierced the monster through its left shoulder.

The creature screamed in anger. Demi, the fortunate witch who had just escaped a 
gruesome death, jumped to her feet and assumed a defensive stance. Dear 
Goddess... she exclaimed, as she saw the beast for the first time.

The monster glared at Swift Coyote with menacing red eyes and snarled. But when it 
noticed that the Native American warrior had already taken another arrow from his 
quiver, it evasively leapt across the room to the opposite wall. It scuttled along the 
wall so quickly that Swift Coyote could barely keep his bow pointed at it. 

The monster managed to get uncomfortably close to him and then it pounced. Swift 
Coyote let fly with his arrow, but this time the creature batted it away in mid-air. With 
impeccable timing, Levinia, another witch entered the room and summoned a 
precision gust of wind that blew the monster into a brick column, before it could harm 
the warrior. By now, the commotion had drawn all four hooded witches to the battle.

Swift Coyote wasted no time in grabbing another arrow and firing it into the dazed 
creatures back. Half of the factorys grimy windows shattered as the creature howled 
in pain. Mortal weapons were unreliable, at best, against magical enemies, but Swift 
Coyotes arrowheads had been laced with a potion that was known to dispel evil 
energy. Although the arrows seemed to hurt the beast, it clearly had a lot of fight left. 
Before Swift Coyote could get another arrow, he was tripped by the monsters long, 
barbed tail.

With the warrior down, the monster rose to its full height and set its sights on a third 
witch, Nina. It raced towards her, claws bared and ready to rip her flesh apart. The 
brave witch stood her ground, thrust her arms forward in a pushing gesture and called 
forth a wall of flames to separate her from her attacker. The creature hit the wall at 
full speed, only to bounce off it as if it were made of solid concrete. It quickly 
regained its footing and attempted to outmanoeuvre its enemies by climbing the walls 
once again.

Demi called upon the bricks in the walls and columns to hurl themselves at the 
monster, but this tactic only served to enrage it further.

No good, Levinia conceded, Its too strong! With a sigh, she realized what had to 
be done. Nerine! Ill need your help! she said. The rest of you, buy us some time to 
cast!

She crossed her arms over her chest and began to silently mouth an incantation that 
she alone truly understood. Nerine, the fourth witch, stood behind Levinia with her 
eyes closed and her arms outstretched, channelling her energy into Levinias spell.

The two remaining witches continued attacking the dark abomination, until a well-
aimed arrow from Swift Coyotes bow skewered it through the left breast. It hadnt 
been seriously wounded, but the creature had finally realized that it was outnumbered 
by formidable foes. With a jarring cry that sounded like a dozen iron hooks being 
dragged down a chalkboard, the creature made a dash for the nearest window.

Its trying to escape! We cant let it get away! Nina shouted. She called forth 
another wall of flames to block the window frame and once again, the creature 
bounced right off it.

The monster, which wasnt even dazed, circled around the humans at a distance, 
heading towards the opposite end of the room. It was clever enough to duck behind 
the looms and pillars for cover along the way. Nina, Demi and Swift Coyote watched 
the creature intently, poised to take advantage of any clear shot.

When the abomination leapt behind one pillar and did not emerge on the other side, 
the group became increasingly anxious. Nina cautiously sidestepped into a better 
vantagepoint. When she was finally able to see the far side of the pillar where the 
beast was last seen, her blood ran cold.

Its gone! she announced.

Gone? Demi responded in disbelief, Can this thing turn invisible?

I... I dont know, Nina answered truthfully.

Swift Coyote, Nina and Demi gradually spread out across the chamber, searching for 
the elusive monster. The worst part was the tormenting silence. Every creak the 
floorboards made beneath their feet put them on edge.

Without warning, the creature landed on its feet, right behind Demi. It mustve been 
crawling across the high ceiling. Demi turned, with only enough time to see its 
horrendous dark face hissing at her with a murderous scowl. 

NOOOO! Swift Coyote cried, as he ran at the beast with his hunting knife drawn. 
He managed to slam the monster into a nearby pillar before it could harm the witch. 
But the creature kicked him back before he could sink his potion-laced blade into its 
flesh.

The muscular Native American quickly steadied himself and entered a tense standoff 
with the monster. Nina and Demi looked on, unable to hurl bricks or fireballs into the 
fray, for fear of hitting their friend by mistake. 

The monster made the first move, slashing at Swift Coyote with its sharp claws. 
Once... Twice... The third attack ripped deep gouges into the flesh of his arm. He 
winced, but didnt back down.

Enraged by what the beast had done, Nina cast a stream of fire from her fingertips that 
hit it square in the back of the head. It proved enough of a distraction to enable Swift 
Coyote to drive his knife right through the monsters ribcage. The potion on the knife 
was a stronger dosage than on the arrowheads and Swift Coyote was sure it would be 
enough to incapacitate the creature. He was unfortunately mistaken.

It grabbed him by the throat and lifted him right off the ground. Nina and Demi had 
no choice but to assault it with all the magic they could muster. But this time, the 
monster barely flinched at their attacks. It wouldnt let them distract it from crushing 
the warriors windpipe between its fingers.

BOOM!!!

An ear-splitting bang shook the entire building as The Goddess sent a spear of blessed 
lightning through the factorys roof, and into the vicious entity. It had taken Levinia 
over a minute of intense concentration to call forth such power, but the investment 
had paid off.

The creatures fingers slipped away from Swift Coyotes throat as its lifeless body 
collapsed on to the floor. Levinias magic had burnt a 3-inch-wide hole through the 
creature, all the way from its upper back to its belly. Swift Coyote bowed his head and 
rested his weight against a nearby pillar as he caught his breath. Air in his lungs had 
never felt so good. He looked up just in time to see Levinia collapsing into Nerines 
arms.

Is she okay? he croaked with concern.

It was a very powerful spell, a very draining one to cast Demi answered calmly. 
She needs to rest for a while, but shell be fine.

What about you? Nina inquired, staring at the blood pouring from the gashes on 
Swift Coyotes arm.

The warrior covered the wound with his other hand to stem the blood loss and winced. 
Ill live, he replied in a deadpan tone. Despite his encouraging response, Nina was 
still upset by his pain.

As Nerine and Demi tended to their sister, who was conscious but weak, Nina and 
Swift Coyote carefully approached the monsters corpse. For the first time, they were 
able to carefully examine it.

The creature was basically humanoid in shape; it had two arms and two legs. A four-
foot long tail grew from just above its butt, with a pointed tip that had two rows of 
barbs. Almost all of its body was covered in smooth, jet-black skin. From its 
fingertips and toes grew claws that were even darker. Anchored to the back of its 
shoulders were two pairs of wasp-like wings, one small, one large. The larger wings 
had an eight-foot span. Both pairs seemed to be made of many segments of tough, 
dark red crystal, separated by a network of purple blood vessels.

The beasts head was almost human, except for its unusually large eyes and mouth. Its 
blood-red eyes had no irises or pupils. The mouth, frozen for eternity in silent scream 
by Levinias lightning bolt, was filled with silver, inch-long teeth, all of which were 
canines. At first glance, it appeared that the beast had long, dark hair. But on closer 
inspection, the hair was actually long sheets of skin, growing in rows from the 
monsters head. 

Whatever species the creature was, it was almost certainly female. Upon its chest 
were two round breasts, comparable to a fine-figured woman. However these breasts 
looked disturbingly firm, as if they were made of muscle or cartilage instead of supple 
fat. The small areolae and sharp nipples were shiny and multi-faceted, as if they were 
made of polished black glass.  But the most obvious clue to the monsters gender was 
just below its curvaceous ass: a closed labia that was almost human-like, except for 
the fact it was bright red - a stark contrast to the rest of its body.

This was no evil spirit, Swift Coyote said as he pondered the bizarre physiology.

No, Nerine agreed, without taking her eyes off Levinia, Its a manifestation: 
Ethereal corruption that has been concentrated into a physical form. Theyre things 
that arent meant to exist and almost never do.

She turned to face Swift Coyote and was immediately concerned by the injuries to his 
arm. We need to tend to that before it becomes infected, Nerine said in a no-
nonsense tone. Come. 


------------------------------------

The Cozy Bunk Lodge, Applebury, NC
July 13th, 1931, 11:41pm.
The group was gathered around the small kitchen table as Nerine mended Swift 
Coyotes wounds. Levinia was sitting by the counter, sipping tea and nibbling on 
slices of buttered bread. She was much livelier now than she had been when they left 
the factory. She still felt tired and wanted to sleep, but it was important for her to 
nourish herself first. Especially considering her condition.

Nerine made sure Swift Coyotes bandage was sufficiently tight. Beneath it was a 
poultice soaked in a magical healing salve of her own concoction. Nerine was adept at 
all aspects of potion brewing, though she excelled at healing potions and aphrodisiacs.

And thats it. It should heal completely, Nerine said.

Thank you, Swift Coyote replied. He admired the skill shown in Nerines dressing. 
Youre a fine healer, he remarked. My grandfather wouldve liked you.

Swift Coyotes grandfather, Speaks With Stones had been the medicine man and 
spiritual leader for their tribe. He had raised Swift Coyote from a very young age, 
since his mother died in childbirth and his father had been killed on a hunt. He was a 
very wise and well-respected man, until a power struggle divided the tribe. Speaks 
With Stones supported the rightful heir to the chieftainship, but when the heir was 
ultimately vanquished, Speaks With Stones and his grandson were exiled from the 
tribe. They lived together in the harsh Arizona landscape, isolated from both other 
Indians and white men until Speaks With Stones died. After that, Swift Coyote 
wandered across America without a home or tribe to call his own.

Your body needs time to repair itself, Nerine added. You should get some rest.

I dont suppose it would make any difference if I told you I feel much better now? 
Swift Coyote asked with a smirk. Nerine simply smiled and shook her head. Youre 
a healer, all right! he chuckled. All right, Im going to bed, he announced. 
Goodnight, ladies.

Goodnight, Demi and Nerine replied, gazing at him with wide, affectionate eyes. 
Levinia also bid him goodnight, although hers was understandably lethargic.

As he left the room he stepped up to Nina, who was standing by the doorway. They 
kissed, tenderly and then gently pressed their foreheads and noses against each other. 
Maintaining that pose, they subconsciously synchronized their breathing with each 
other. Swift Coyote slipped his healthy arm inside Ninas cloak and gave her ass a 
friendly squeeze before walking off towards the main bedroom.

Ill be along shortly, she said to him.

Okay, he replied.

I think Ill hit the hay, too, Levinia said as she slowly stood up, leaving a quarter 
slice of bread and half a mug of tea still on the counter. I can barely keep my eyes 
open.

You feel okay? Nerine inquired.

Yeah, just really... tired, Levinia yawned. Goodnight.

Goodnight, her three sisters bade her with smiles, as she slowly stepped out of the 
room. Once Levinia had left, Nina took her chair and bought it closer to the table, 
where Nerine and Demi were already sitting.

After a brief silence, they began the inevitable discussion of the nights events.

Things like that... they dont just appear, Nina said.

I know, Nerine agreed, Something caused it.

...And it could produce another just like it? Nina postulated.

Thats what Im worried about, Nerine nodded. A pensive look grew on Ninas face 
as she considered that tonights battle might have been just the first of many.

An event powerful enough to cause corrupted energy to manifest would have to be... 
big, Nina continued. It would be abhorrent to The Balance; we would feel the 
disturbance.

You sense nothing? she asked Nerine. As the strongest seer among the four witches, 
Nerines impressions of the local aura were the most important to examine.

Well... there is some spiritual disturbance here, Nerine acknowledged. But I think 
thats a consequence of the death and fear that the manifestation caused... I dont 
sense anything powerful enough to explain its appearance.

Okay, Nina responded. Then well have to try to trace the creatures origin. 
Tomorrow morning, Demi and I will go to the site of the first attack.

The town orphanage, Demi added.

Well check it out... See if there are any clues that can tell us where the thing came 
from, Nina proposed. Her sisters both nodded in agreement. You should stay here, 
she told Nerine. Keep an eye on Swift Coyote and Levinia. Theyll need to rest 
tomorrow.

All right, Nerine agreed.

The three witches stayed up together for several more minutes, but none of them were 
in the mood for conversation and so they soon turned in for the night. Levinia, Demi 
and Nerine all slept in the same room, on three modest bunks, while Nina shared the 
cabins only double bed with Swift Coyote. 


------------------------------------


Nina, Levinia, Nerine and Demi were no ordinary witches. They were the mighty 
High Priestesses of The Coven of the Four Paths, one of the strongest factions in the 
world of witchcraft. As per the laws of the coven, each high priestess was a mistress 
of one of the four primordial elements.

Levinia was the High Priestess of Air. With long, bouncy locks of golden hair framing 
her beautiful face, she was the kind of woman who never failed to turn a mans head. 
She always moved with a dancers grace and her hips would sway melodically as she 
walked.

Nerine was the High Priestess of Water. She was a pretty young witch who exuded 
self-confidence in a very sexy way. Her deep blue eyes often betrayed the clever mind 
within, not to mention her ability to see what most others did not. She had long, black 
hair that she usually wore in a braid, unless she was casting magic, in which case, she 
would loop it back into a bun. Nerine had been blessed with a superb DD bust, which 
had known many happy hours of stimulating massage, from both her own hands and 
her lovers.

Demi was the High Priestess of Earth. Her most notable feature was her sweet, waif-
like face, complete with brown doe eyes. Yet despite her innocent appearance, Demi 
was a powerful witch who had proven her bravery many times. She had an athletic 
figure, with pert B-cup breasts and a firm ass. Like Nerine, Demis hair was also jet 
black, except hers was cut much shorter and she almost always had it pinned back into 
a short ponytail at the top of her head.

And last but not least, Nina was the High Priestess of Fire. It is important to 
understand that in the world of witchcraft, the primordial elements are often 
considered to be symbolic of many broad concepts. In Ninas case, her affinity with 
fire had just as much to do with passion and libido as it did with light and heat. She 
had spent much of her adolescence admiring the handsome young men who lived 
nearby. As a young adult, she layed with a man for the first time and she had loved 
the pleasures of a good, hard cock ever since. She fast became a connoisseur; 
sampling new positions and foreplays the way a gourmet tries every new food they 
encounter. By her twentieth birthday she had already made love in a haystack, in a 
tree house, pressed against a fence and even in a water-trap at a golf course. Half a 
dozen naive males had become men with Ninas legs wrapped around their hips.

As high-priestesses of the Coven of the Four Paths, the comely ladies were sworn to 
protect humanity from the various evils that would generally be considered 
unnatural. So when Nerines mother foresaw an impending darkness in North 
Carolina, the high priestesses dutifully journeyed there, with their Native American 
friend, to restore The Balance. By the time they had narrowed down the location of 
the catastrophe to the small city of Applebury, almost sixty people had been 
slaughtered in the most gruesome manners imaginable.

Swift Coyotes tracking expertise led the witches to the killers lair, where they 
bought an end to its horrific rampage.

They were victorious. But it had been a harsh trial for witches so young. They had 
only acquired their high-priestess titles and powers four months earlier. Although 
their mothers had educated them in the ways of magic from a young age, they had 
never faced a creature as resilient and ferocious as the one they fought tonight. For the 
first time, the witches truly appreciated how dangerous the duties of a high priestess 
could be.

The battle had left the witches so exhausted that they fell asleep moments after 
climbing into bed. All except for Demi. She spent over an hour tossing and turning on 
her stiff, cheap mattress. No matter how hard she tried, she couldnt stop thinking 
about how close she had come to death, during the battle. The image of the dark 
creature staring down at her, with its chilling gaze, tormented her until she decided 
that she didnt want to be alone. Not tonight.

Quietly, so as not to disturb her roommates, Demi got out of bed and walked to the 
nearby double bedroom. Once inside, she paused for a moment to admire the heart-
warming sight of her sister, Nina, naked and tightly spooning an equally naked Swift 
Coyote. Their bed was large enough for two people, though only just. By twenty-first 
century standards, it wouldve been regarded as a large single.

Already feeling the excitement sweeping over her nether lips like a pair of divine 
fingers, Demi peeled off her nightie and let it drop around her ankles. She ran her 
hands down the curves of her waist and hips, as if to awaken her sensuous, seductive 
side. Then she lifted the light bed-sheet and climbed on to what little mattress space 
remained in front of Swift Coyote.

It was difficult and in the end she needed to press her back right up against his warm 
body, just to avoid tumbling over the edge. Still, the intimacy made it all worthwhile, 
as far as Demi was concerned. As soon as she was settled, she felt the Native 
Americans hand sliding over her thigh and coming to rest on the mound of her sex. 
His touch excited her, but she couldnt tell whether he was still asleep or not.

Hoping to provoke a stronger reaction, Demi wiggled her butt against Swift Coyotes 
dormant crotch. He murmured softly as he awoke and Demis efforts were soon 
rewarded with mellow kisses to her shoulder and neck. Within seconds she could feel 
his maleness growing larger and larger, rising up between her cheeks. She was glad to 
know that her body pleased him so.

Swift Coyotes fingers stirred and began to pet the small brush of hair between her 
legs. His affection caused the heat in her body to build rapidly and before long, she 
was ready to receive him.

She moved her hips so that Swift Coyote was free to enter her, then she reached down 
and guided his rod into her slick opening. Demi didnt make a sound, but she exhaled 
a deep breath as he filled her erogenous hollow.

They had little room for flamboyant gestures of passion, but Demi and Swift Coyote 
made the most of the arrangement. With a slow, but forceful rocking of his hips, Swift 
Coyote bought a great deal of pleasure to them both. He sent his fingers deeper into 
her private area where he ultimately used them to tease her clit. Meanwhile, he 
slipped his other arm beneath and around her torso, to simultaneously hold her close 
and fondle her breast.

They writhed in unison, drawing each other deeper and deeper into heart-pounding 
arousal. Finally, Demi came. A brief whimper of joy escaped her lips. Swift Coyotes 
maleness reacted with a mighty eruption of cum. As a witch, Demi was especially in-
tune with the magic of orgasm. She actually felt their separate feminine and masculine 
energies melding into a perfect singularity. When it was over, she was bathed in a 
sense of both empowerment and inner peace. The trauma that had kept her awake and 
driven her to Swift Coyotes side had been purged from her soul.

As Demi drifted into a welcoming slumber, Swift Coyotes hand retreated from her 
sex, to lovingly rub the slight bulge on her belly. 


------------------------------------

There was no tension between Nina and Demi over breakfast the following morning, 
even though Demi had stolen a moment of carnal delight with Ninas lover. After all, 
it wasnt the first time that one of Ninas sisters had slept with Swift Coyote.

It had only been four months since the sisters had met their handsome companion. 
Levinia was the one who first encountered him. He was working as a reaper in a 
wheat field near the farm where the coven lived. Immediately, she knew that he would 
be an ideal candidate for the role of the anointer, in their ceremony of ascension.

Later that same day, as the sun was about to set, she approached him and invited him 
to a picnic dinner. He followed her into the woods where he was introduced to her 
three sisters, Nerine, Demi and Nina.

At the time, Levinia and her sisters were merely the next in line to become high 
priestesses of the coven. The laws of the Coven of the Four Paths decreed that each of 
its high priestesses must each be a female-line descendant of a legendary champion of 
their own element. The laws also decreed that the four incumbent high priestesses 
must be sisters, fathered by the same man. Levinia, Nerine, Demi and Nina met these 
conditions, but there was one more condition that had to be met before they could 
become the new high priestesses. They had to conceive their own successors, all on 
the same night, with one man who was called their anointer.

The four sisters were quick to seduce the Native American and prepare his virile 
organ. As the sun set and the moon rose, Swift Coyote pressed his body against each 
of the beautiful witches and wrought songs of ecstasy from their lips. They rolled 
aimlessly across the grassy ground, like pairs of naked, red-blooded animals 
following their springtime instincts. Swift Coyote was kept hard and full of sperm all 
night by the covens magic.

Normally, once his role was complete, the new high priestesses would part ways with 
their anointer. But Swift Coyote was unlike most men. His grandfather had taught 
him well about the magical and spiritual nature of the world, so he respected the 
beauty and perils of a witchs lifestyle. He was also an orphan  he had no tribe, or 
coven of his own. So he would not foster any mixed loyalties within his children. 
Under these unique circumstances, the coven found it acceptable for him to maintain a 
relationship with his four new lovers.

In the months since, Swift Coyote had layed with each of the witches many times. 
Even though he and Nina had fallen in love, she didnt want him to deny his attraction 
to her sisters, nor would she deny them the pleasures of his company. After all, sexual 
desire was a natural part of being human. Besides, his experiences with them didnt 
inhibit his ability to make her quiver with euphoria.

Now, four months since that first exciting night with their warrior companion, each of 
the witches bellies was beginning to swell with the daughter he had given them.
