Appetite for Destruction

Chapter 10

Gantlos charges at Duman who swiftly ducks, transforming into a hipogriff. He kicks Gantlos away with his hind legs, hoping that would damage him enough, but Gantlos just laughs as he turns into a swarm of bats. A dozen vampire bats charge at Duman and circle him at high speed. Duman shielding his face with his arms as he feels one of them dig its fangs in his elbow. He screams and jerks his hand, sending the bat flying away. Another bat bites him and he kicks it away. And another. And he shoves it away. At this point, Duman shapeshifts into a snake and slithers away quickly before becoming human again. He thought that could get him away from the bats but it's like a big target was painted in red on his back as they charge at him again.
"Gah! Stupid bats! Ow! Stop biting me!"

Bloom and Stella arrive at the scene, hiding behind a building and watching as the swarm of bats taunt Duman. "Should we help him?" Stella asks. Bloom could see their auras: Duman's cocky but distressed demeanor was predictable, except for a faint fragility cracking through. Meanwhile, the bats were like a hivemind, combined into a singular dominating aura. Seething vengeance, rage at the wizards. She swears there's a hint of guilt or melancholy in there, somewhere.
"Not right now..." Bloom finally says. Duman notices the girls and yells at them to help him out as he keeps getting bitten, feeling his magic getting slowly chipped away. He whips up a shield which pushes the swarm of bats away from him as they converge, forming back into Gantlos' silhouette. "Face it, Duman, you're weak without your powers!", he hisses.
"Shut up! I'll tear those fangs out of your mouth before you can scream about it!" Duman snaps back, which makes Gantlos laugh. "Oh yeah? Just try to do that!"

Duman summon a trail of lilac magic around him as he thinks of transforming into a minotaur. Something big, strong, and intimidating, something that'll make Helsing, or Gantlos, regret what they're doing right now. But as he tries to shift he can only muster up enough magic to turn into a cow. Duman looks at himself flabbergasted, trying to turn into a griffin, but only managing an eagle, into a manticore but can only manage a main coon cat. "What the heck?!"
"Of course, you're so dependent on your powers that when you feel vulnerable, you want to present yourself as bigger." Gantlos taunts. Duman shapeshifts back into his human form, yelling at Gantlos to shut up as he throws a punch to him. Gantlos grabs his arm and digs his fangs and claws into it. "Ow!!" Duman yanks his arm away, wincing as he looks at the red fang and claw marks, fresh with the scent of blood. He backs away from Gantlos who's radiating dark magic. He starts cackling maniacally, starring at Duman with mad eyes. Duman gulps as he notices red rings fading into the sides of his sclera, veins visible. It's like his shapeshifting magic was a drug. He shakes the anxiety off and prepares to shapeshift.

"(Think Duman, something strong! Something fast! Something to beat the shit out of this guy with!)" He tries again, Gantlos covering his eyes at the flickering lilac lights. He looks back at Duman, not a ferocious monster but a frail little rabbit. Bloom and Stella quietly gasp.
"HAHAHAHA, just look at you!" Gantlos laughs, "You thought you could be a big bad wolf but here you are, prey to your own magic!"
He goes over to the fragile black and pink rabbit, seizing its floppy ears and lifting Duman up; he was visibly shaking, curling into himself, almost crying from being so vulnerable.
"Not so tough now huh...? You know how it feels now, don't you? Come on, you're much stronger than me!...Heh, you look cute like this, wonder if you taste good too~"
Duman rapidly shakes his head as he paws at Gantlos' talons as the ghoul pulls him closer, his fangs shining as he opens his mouth.
"DUDE THIS TEASING IS GOING WAY TOO FAR! PLEASE!!" Duman cries.

"Ok Gantlos, stop this instant!" Bloom says, coming out of her and Stella's hideout. Gantlos pauses and hinges his mouth back closed as he and Duman look at the two fairies. Stella's coughing fits started again, she feels a bit dizzy as she looks at the moonlight; it was high noon for the darkness. She feels more green patches crawling onto her skin, her throat tightening more, either from the stress of it or the moon's effects. Her amber gaze shifts to Bloom, who despite losing her powers, had a flame of determination burning inside her.
"Helsing, and Gantlos, I can read your aura, you know that! And I know the wizards have hurt you but that gives you no right to torment Duman or Ogron or Anagan like this! I mean, what do you get from it?! Sadistic glee? By the end of this you'll regret everything so put that rabbit down! NOW!"