The waiting was the worst part. What seemed like hours were only a few minutes as she hears the insects relentlessly tear at her door. Why did it always have to be her? Was it a scent or something she does that attracts monsters? Ok, maybe she tries to summon demons but she sure as hell did not summon this. She looks about the room and grabs a small kitchen knife, it was better than nothing. Of course she had something better than a simple sliver of metal but with so many bugs out there, she was not sure she had enough strength to kill them all.

The screams of the bugs nearly made Kanoe fall to her knees in fright. It sounded like they were in pain. Were they fighting each other? God she really hopes to out of this alive. The sounds of clawing had stop though she could still see the bugs swarming on the carpeted floor just beyond her kitchen. She was not going to go down like this. The young witch began whispering once more, gathering another orb of darkness between her hands. Whoever this guy was, he was going to meet a nice surprise.

She hears her door swing open along with the painful squish of footsteps. Walking on bugs, that sent a few more shivers down her spine. Kanoe shakes her head as she focuses on the small orb that was swirling in her hands. The person was infact a monster. He looked to be something from a sci fi movie, like Alien or Species or something. Her eyes widen as she took in the sight of him. Then the woman's eyes narrow to a cold glare as she throws the bolt of darkness right at the thing.

"No! I'm not happy! Why won't you go away?!" She screams in frustration.

“Oh…”

This was the only word that had the good fortune to make it past Jareth’s lips in the slight amount of time it took for the swirling, compact orb of dusk to pass from Kanoe’s fingertips and impact with his face. It took him by surprise, to say the very least. He felt the thing burst, the white-hot tickle across his nerves as the shadow coalesced with his flesh, pushing him backwards with a sheer physical force. One moment he strode through the room grandly, staring her down, and a flick of the wrist later his whole world had gone black.

It lifted him off his feet briefly, sending him skidding back on his heels to a crunching impact with the door. His head lolled on his shoulders for a brief moment, groaning as he lifted his gaze back to her. Reaching back, he placed his palms firmly on the face of the door, gritting his teeth and pushing, extracting the spines on his back from the wood with a pop of cracking timber.

A cough, he rubbed his head sorely, “Nice trick, I see you’ve managed to pack a few more up your sleeve since last I saw you…” laughing, he wiped the sickly orange blood away from his busted lip, “Then you were having trouble conjuring firecrackers.”

With a slow gesture, he brought his fist up to his face; a clench later and a row of nasty looking spines the size of hypodermics emerged from the bony ridges of his knuckles, glistening with an acrid clear fluid.

“It’s all right, I suppose. I’m not one to turn down a challenge,” he grinned, the thick, viscous orange blood from his lip smearing across the bottoms of his needle-like teeth.

With a dismissive backhand, he sent the dozen-some-odd spines flying towards her, a pneumatic hiss announcing their departure.

The witch was breathing heavily from a mixture of tension and fatigue. She was not sure how many more of those she could throw before running out of mana or worse...miscast. The spell hit dead on, right in that cocky monster's face. But, the victory was short lived. This alien bug person was much more durable than the other bugs. Her eyes focus briefly on the orange fluid on his lips, she can at least wound him though that carapace armor seems to absorb alot of the impact.

Kanoe kept her back against the wall as the monster tore himself from her door. The spines and shell all over his body made her almost think it was just a suit he was wearing. What was more shocking was this creature has been watching her. Hearing that only made her eyes narrow more as she glares at him.

"Why have you been watching me?" She asks.

Her question had to wait though as the beast rose both hands to his face. She almost cringes at the sight of rows of small spines growing from the knuckles. Apparently the fact she could use magic only goaded this monster to fight for his prey. She sighs faintly, this will have to end fast or she will have zero chance of enduring this. Just have to stay away from those...

Her eyes went wide as with a flick of his wrists, the spines went straight at her. She squeaks in shock as she quickly moves to the side, towards the corner of the kitchen. The young woman only made it far enough to avoid the spines when she realizes several had pierced her robes and embedded into wall, pinning her arm. With an audible 'Tch', Kanoe opens both her hands, bring her free one over to her trapped limb. Whispering a few soft words, she claps her hands together and swings her free hand out towards the bug man. There was a soft hiss as flames lick between her palms upon contact. A firebolt leaves her swinging palm, aiming straight at the monster's chest.

"How's that for fireworks.." She mumbles softly.

“You intrigue me…” he said briefly, in answer to her question. Taking a step back, he stroked his chin with blackened nails, pondering the statement for a few moments, “I’m really not quite sure why…”

He stalked further forward, the army of rat-sized insects parting before him like the red sea, leaving room for his heavy trodden footsteps. Eyes flicked immediately to the flames that licked her fingers, watching as they slid up and down, between her clasped palms, a beautiful and deadly oracle of what was to come, allowing him to steel for what was to follow. He watched as she snapped her arm swiftly, violently forward, loosing a firebolt at him with a snap of her wrists.

Noting the presence of the flames previously had given him the slightest of inklings as to her actions. It was this that allowed him to quickly bring his arms crashing together before his body, the chitin plates of his forearms absorbing the major force of the blow from the explosive, swirling ball of flame. He felt the white heat lap at the exposed flesh of his face, long tendrils of flame lovingly caressing the armor on the back of his fists. A grin came to his features, face and chest free of the brunt of the blast.

Still, the force behind the magic was enough to push him back a few feet, skidding back in place on the carpet as the flames washed over his form, dissipating in a crack behind him, leaving the top layer of chitin looking blackened and burnt, a number of embers still crackling merrily in divots worked into his forearms.

Shaking his hands as he came to his composure, he stretched, yawning, “Come on, little mouse…” he taunted softly, “Haven’t you realized? With my little friends, I could have you at any time I wish, I needn't even say the word, I only think it. I just like to watch you run.”

This spell was much less effective. The armor was resistant to her flames. She can try to go larger but that was dangerous. Besides the control that is needed for larger spells, there was no guarantee that she could avoid setting her room aflame. As much as she wants to burn this infested den to the ground, it would be hazardous to do so while still in it. It took a few tugs of her robe before she finally tears free from the wall, showing signs of fatigue from her spells and practices she did before the rude arrival.

She frowns at the holes in her robe, revealing parts of her pale arm. Another robe ruined, she sighs softly. The woman looks back at the monster. Intrigued? She could say it was due to her magic but her experiences with monsters shown that most were after her pale form instead. Kanoe's jaw clenches as he taunts her. There was not much she could do to stop him though. His armor plates protect him from flames and it would take a huge impact to even dent him. Using such a shadowbolt or blast would weaken and exhaust her further, making her easy prey for the little ones. At her current strength, she may be able to hold off the swarms of bug like creatures but there would be little she could do about the master of all this. Keeping herself on guard, she lets her arms rest at her sides.

"What do you want with me?" She says coldly.

If the monster was willing to talk, it was the only thing she could do. Even if there was no negotiating out of this, humoring him may keep him from attacking for just a bit longer.

“Want? Why ever would you assume that I want something from you?” he pulled the chair to her desk out in the middle of the room, spinning it on a finger and sitting down backwards, looking rather awkward and out of place, the armored humanoid sitting nonchalant in a room full of angrily squirming insects, none of which appeared to be anything akin to those found on earth.

For a second he surveyed the damage, the door with its melted lock and destroyed face, the ceiling with its litany of holes and crumbling plaster, the broken and bent air vents, the drywall forced out of massive gashes in the walls, even the window was cracked from the impact of his flying minions.

“I suppose it might’ve had something to do with my sending this full army up into your room, then bursting in and effectively nailing you to the wall, yes?” he asked, tilting his head to the side generously.

The wry sarcasm faded from his voice as quickly as it came, taking on a very dry, lecturing tone, “Well you see, my dear, my darling, I count myself somewhat of a philosopher. I’m a rather learned person, you’d realize if you might take the time to get to know me. I’ve doctorates and degrees and all manner of methods by which you little fleshworms designate intelligence, but nothing has come to benefit me more than my personal studies.”

He reached down, grabbing one of the pure parasites by the tail, picking up the wriggling little beast, a mouthful of nasty sharp teeth and hard armored segments, leaving it looking like a cross between a pill bug and a lamprey, “You see these little guys? My higher-ups, your government, the place that runs this bloody school, when it comes down to it, well, they can’t for the fucking life of them figure these guys out.”

He tosses the thing back into the fray, ears met with squeals at its reintroduction, “But, you see, I think I’ve got them figured out…”

With a smile, he picked up another, the same as before, beetle-black and writhing, “You provide the best kind of company to me, my darling: the expendable kind.”

Kanoe did not say anything as she glares at the armored being. To her, it looked like the bug man was admiring his minion's work. Her dorm room was in shambles, gashes from floor to ceiling throughout the entire place. The young witch was thankful that her books were still on the table and being ignored for now.

Perhaps it was the fact this person has trashed her home and was a complete monster that made her not really take his words to heart. It was one of those monsters, the cocky 'I'm better than you humans' type. She can't believe she could designate types to monsters, she really needs to find a way to fight these creatures off.

She supresses a quiver as she sees the monster pick up one of it's minions. Sure, she has attempted to summon demons but, she was still not fond of creepy crawlies. Kanoe was thankful that the little bug was tossed back into the fray though the squeals almost made her squeak in return. Fleshworm, that is what he refers humans as? Does this mean she was food for him or his pets? The term expendable did not sit well with her at all.

"So what now?" She responds, "You have me backed into a corner and trashed my home.."

The young student was failing to hide her annoyance in her voice. Perhaps most students would be too terrorfied to move. But, it was different for Kanoe, she has dealt with monsters before or rather she endured their tortures. She might as well get his intentions out into the light fully.

“What am I going to do with you…” he pondered to himself, sliding the chair back in as he stood. A look of amusement came over his features, a sick little joy as he paced back and forth in the middle of the room.

“Aha… I know what we’ll do with you…” he trailed off, dropping to a crouch as he bent once again to grab yet another grubby parasite, all jet-black, looking wet and angry, “We’re going to introduce you to a few of my friends, my dear. They’re not very bright, I’m afraid, but they’re oh-so-loyal, you couldn’t really ask for better hired help. They would, and have, let me kill them just for my own sheer amusement. It’s really quite mad.”

Tilting his head once more, he held the thing aloft in front of him, squirming and snapping at air with its circular jaws.

“This, you see, this is a tiny little member of a race known as the Nictus. They’re parasites, they infect, warp, and change other creatures, assimilating them into this hodge-podge swarm. The funny thing is, they can’t change humans. The mass of eggs, bacteria, and whatever else swims around in the slimy matrix they exude causes a massive infection and kills any human it touches.”

He dropped the thing to the ground with disdain, “At least, that’s what I was told. And yet, curiously enough, here I stand. Have you any explanations for that, my gifted little witch?”

“This…” he picked up another beast, this one near identical to the other save for a pair of bright yellow ovular markings on its back, “This little guy is mine. Bred him myself. From what I’ve figured, those others will kill you. This one might. I’m sure you’ll come to appreciate the difference.”

Maybe asking what will happen next was not the best of ideas. Might as well have asked how things could possibly get worse. Parasites that kill humans indeed make a situation worse. Lets just hope introduce does not include being bitten or stung by one of those vile things.

Once again the monster gloats about his power and control over his pets. He was like some snobby person who held a high position, in this case...king or prince would be accurate. Frankly, Kanoe could care less if all his little minions would willing give their lives at a mere thought from the creature.

She could feel a tingling sensation through her body as she felt her skin crawl. Just watching these parasites squirming about made her sick. He referred to them as Nictus, though that still did not explain where the things came from. They look like they were from another world completely. Wait...why mention that he was alive when a parasite bit him? Was this person...

"You...were human?" Kanoe says in slight shock, "And to answer your question, I do not know anything about these...Nictus or whatever you call them."

Gifted witch...apparently not gifted enough since she can barely make a dent in this monster and his army of parasites. She barely notices a difference in the second parasite that he picks up. It was slimey and disgusting just like the others as far as she was concerned. But, his explanation made her shiver and nearly step back against the wall. Might kill her? He can't really mean to test that theory...can he?

“Yes, human… for a little while anyway…” He sighed, looking contemplative at her mention of that seemingly troubling bit of the past, “I was cured, luckily, a few months ago to be exact. Couldn’t be happier, to tell you the truth. Wouldn’t you want that?”

He tilted his head to the side curiously at that, his eyes seeming to stare not at the girl, but through her, simply considering the middle distance for a few moments, lost deep in the reverie of his own thought. She was certainly pretty for his first test specimen; he wasn’t very keen on losing her to a mistake. Thankfully, he trusted his own abilities far more than any others who had come along. After all, he was the most qualified dealing with these parasites: he was one of them himself.

Finally deciding upon a course of action, he seemed satisfied. With a snap of his fingers, the full army of wriggling little beasts seemed to roll towards Kanoe, tripping and scrambling over one another in a madcap dash towards the girl. He turned his back as they swarmed, leaving through her busted-up door as his minions took care of her.

They crawled up over her like a wave of squirming, clawing roaches. The sheer weight of the hundreds of rat-sized insects on her would be immense, using their collective strength, they attempted to drag her over towards the bed, a number of centipede-like creatures wrapping around her wrists and ankles, doing their best to bind her to the bedposts.

Jareth, on the other hand, made his way downstairs to the dorm’s small medical pavilion, the cabinets stocked with bandages, aspirin, and other much-needed and basic medical supplies. Tossing them in a bag, he returned to the room to observe his little assistant.

"N-No.." She answers softly.

The monster did not seem to be listening, seeming to stare off into space. There was no point in trying to make a move while he was in his own thoughts as it prove to be futile against his thick armor and army of minions. All she could do was wait. Focus seem to return to the monsters gaze as it continues to gaze right at the woman. It was similar to many gazes she has seen from the various monsters of the island. Those eyes did not see a person but only a toy to play with.

With a snap of his fingers, terror struck Kanoe as she sees the swarm moving into the kitchen towards her. She did not even see him leave as she begins grabbing various objects in the kitchen to fight with. The sounds of crashing plates and breaking glass echo down the hall as the witch threw everything from the counters and shelves down at the approaching swarm. Words of magic scream desperately from the woman's lips as she uses every ounce of strength she can towards throwing bolts of darkness. Shattering of floor tiles and screeches of pain from the insects rattle the walls of her kitchen as bug guts splatter everywhere. The loud crashes ended with a piercing scream as the witch was overwhelmed by their sheer numbers.

"No! Stop! Please! Someone help me!"

Kanoe continues to struggle in the mass of crawling insects. Their weight was more than enough to bind her and begin to carry her slowly to her bed. Every breath the woman took exhales in a scream of terror. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest. The woman's cries grew weaker as she exhausted herself from screaming so hard and so much. Tears well up in her wide eyes, seeing the long centipede creatures crawl and bind her limbs.

"Please...stop..." She whimpers.