She scratches the back of her head nervously. Who knew what the monster's bet was. She didn't know what the thing looked like, how it spoke, it was just Kanoe being a sort've translator. That made her uneasy. She just wanted to get this over with and get on with life for pity's sake. Was it selfish to want Kanoe to herself alone?

Though it wasn't the point at the moment, it was all Clarice was thinking of. She was going to share things with her lover once they awoke, and this monster whatever it is interupted her. Perhaps she was thinking far to much in this. She gives two long and deep breaths to calm her and dislodges herself from Kanoe's tight grasp.

"Of course. Let's just hope we can do this...deal."

“So be it,” Spectre boomed, its Voice set to give Kanoe a sudden, terrible thrill. Reaching through space and time, the Thing quickly found and retrieved a creature with which to test Kanoe’s resolve.

The air rippled as Spectre used its awful will to rip open a portal. A crack in reality formed just inside the door to the witch’s bedroom, quickly forming a pane of pure chaos that stretched from floor to ceiling. Almost immediately, the horror it had chosen began to boil through the portal. An ever shifting mass of light blue flesh slipped through into the room. It appeared to be little more than a huge knot of tentacles covered in a pulsing web of yellow-orange veins. The creature seemed almost to flow into the room, its uncountable number of appendages propelling it with a strangely fluid grace.

“This is a Magivore,” Spectre’s throbbed to Kanoe. “As its name indicates, it eats magic.” The Thing paused for a moment. The Magivore’s five largest trunks swivelled this way and that, appearing to look around the room despite their lack of eyes.

Kanoe's body tenses up suddenly as the Voice booms inside her body. Her eyes widen as she sees the air itself begin to shimmer and tear open. This was not a portal, it was very unstable more like a tear in reality itself. Was what she summoned really this powerful? She was not sure where the opening led but something was already waiting and pouring into the room. The thing was disgusting and the witch seemed to pale even more at the sight of it. It was just a writhing mass of tentacles or bright colors.

But, that was not the worst of it. As Spectre spoke to her, Kanoe's hands grip tighter onto Clarice. A magic eater, what will happen to them if it touches them? She tosses the covers away as she pulls Clair off the opposite side of the bed with her. Modesty was not something she was worried about as she pulls the nude woman closer to her own. She was more concerned about the mass of tentacles that devours magical energy. The dark witch knew very little about creatures like this one. If it fed on magic, how were they going to defeat it.

"Clair," Kanoe whispers, trying to sound calm as possible, "D-Don't go near it...it feeds on magic. I...I didn't know it can do things like this."

Clarice was glad she believed Kanoe throughout this whole thing or she would've been for a rude awakening. A portal-no, more like a tear in densions was opened before her eyes. Kanoe wasn't the only one who turned pale as the disgusting mass of tentacles seemed to have will of its own. All hopes of it leaving were gone as the portal behind it shrunk. She shiver fervently and squeeks as she's pulled abruptly from hiding under the covers to the opposite side of the bed. She grasps Kanoe tightly and holds her close as she watches with absolute fear. It...eats magic? She thought it was a mere thing to try and rape them and now it can sap them of their powers.

Once strong and prideful was now a shivering and sobbing girl in her lover's arms as she holds her close and tries her best to pull both herself and Kanoe into the tight corner they wewre already in. She was frozen with complete fear, unable speak but merely stare at the writhing mass of tentacles. If anyone paid attention they would see she was hardly breathing with her shivering body. though her lvoe was trying to remain calm, even her best efforts didn't help the young witch as her arms were frozen tightly around her waist. She couldn't move unless provoked really but it would only be for screaming and running. She had never expirienced fear so badly and it nearly made her heart stop in her chest as it pounded so hard even Kanoe would feel it.

She didn't need to tell her twice in not going near it, as a matter of fact she didn't need to tell her at all. How would they stop such a thing? More importantly...was it going to eat away their magic and leave them defenseless humans?

“The creature is hungry,” Spectre continued. “But it will most likely be satisfied by draining either of you.” The Magivore slowly oozed farther into the room, its five primary mouth-stalks gradually homing in on the pair of witches huddling in the corner.

“Due to her slightly greater control, it should be attracted to Clarice.” Spectre’s Voice continued to beat against Kanoe’s mind as it explained the situation. “It will probably ignore you if you do not bring attention to yourself.” The writhing mass of tentacles reached the bed and began to boil up and over it, taking the most direct route toward the food it had detected.

“Such is your test; if you do not interfere, the Magivore will sate itself on your lover. Alternately, if you divert its attention to yourself, it will drain away the power you have spent so much time and effort to cultivate. The choice is yours.”

The thing already had their scent and was making it's way to her bed. The rest of the world sounded mute as the Voice continues to explain the situation and her test. It will feast only on one of them? Spectre was a cruel being to put them through this. This creature's existence revolves around ending their's, a horrible weakness. Would any spell effect it or will it simply devour the spell? Even if it were possible, the thing would only be attracted more quickly by the collection and gathering of mana for a spell. The weapon they both relied on was useless and will soon be taken from one of them soon.

Her eyes could only see small glimpses of the door beyond the mass of writhing blue flesh. A break for it seemed unlikely for both of them. The bed she put between it and them was now blocking their own way out. They could try to run around the bed but the creature will easily move to stop them. If she went alone...she could reach the door and the creature will turn it's attention to Clarice.

Kanoe looks to Clarice as she feels her lover's grip tighten. Her eyes widen at the sight. This woman was so strong before, protective. Now, the mystic looked so helpless and vulnerable. Clair was just staring in utter horror at the sight of what could end a lifetime's worth of work. Like herself, the woman no doubt relies on her magic to protect herself. This was not a weapon you could go to a store and buy if you lose it, this could take years to get back if it is possible at all to restore. The dark witch was frightened herself. Soon she will have to make a choice.

Kanoe pushes Clarice further into the corner if that is even possible. A hand gently rests on the woman's cheek and turns her lover's gaze towards her body. She never thought Clair could end up like this. Slowly, she strokes the woman's cheek trying to soothe her.

"Don't look at it," She whispers, "Shut your eyes and don't open them. I'll..I'll figure something out."

Clair on absolute instinct grips kanoe and pulls her back as she lays a shivering kiss to her cheek. She was afraid more for Kanoe then herself be the absolute truth.

"D-d-d-on't...d-do anything stu-stupid Ka-Kanoe. I-I'm scared more ff-ofor you...." she stutters horribly a she pulls the woman behind her in a gripping hug. She does close her eyes, but tears of sorrow and aguish drench her cheeks and slide down the crevices beside her gritting mouth. She was unsure why she was so fearful, but maybe it had something to do with Kanoe? If the woman she loved got drained of her hard work...she could never forgive herself. The bet she had heard of never registered to her that this was it. She shiver violently as she keeps her lover close and safe away from the monster. Her lower lip quivers a her hoarse mouth tries to speak, but it was becoming difficult to say anything with a dry mouth.

"Pl-please....le-leave her alone. If...if you want magic then...ju-just take mi-mine and leave her be....please...." she whispers a she hesitantly stretches her leg out so the thing has a better time touching her. She was scared to lose her powers and become weak and useless, but she couldn't very well let her lover sacrifice years of hard work. Her eyes remained shut, not only at Kanoe's request, but she couldn't even look at the thing she was speaking to. Goosebumps wer apparent on her bare skin, tears streaming down her face gave her her pitiful look indeed.

"I-if you can hear me monster...m-make this thing take me....just please...leave Kanoe be. Please le-leave her alone."

Excellent. As expected, the two witches valiantly tried to save one another from the encroaching beast. Though in the end neither woman’s actions had a significant impact on the creature’s objective. The Magivore had already been trying to push Kanoe aside to reach the tastier treat beyond when Clarice moved to reverse their positions.

“Your love seems quite eager to sacrifice herself for you,” Spectre mocked. “Perhaps you had better explain the situation to her.” The horrid mass of tentacles wasted no time seizing the leg Clarice proffered to it. An appendage about as thick as her ankle leapt out to entwine the slender limb, slithering ever higher as it began to pull her toward the rest of the mass.

“Better still . . . Why not let her feed the beast,” the Thing continued. “She need never know the creature was meant for you.” It relied upon the effects of its Voice and the horror of the situation to hide the flawed logic of that statement, though it didn’t expect Kanoe to choose that route in any account.

She quivers to the Magivore's touch as it tries to move her. Eventually it will have no choice but eat what was before her. At least that was her intention. Kanoe blinks as she was suddenly pulled back into a soft kiss. The witch blushes faintly to Clair's words. They were not exactly reassuring, the woman looked completely struck with horror. She feels the corner of her walls press against her back as her love holds her there. What was this woman doing? Then she hears her try to call out to Spectre or the monster or both. The thing was going to go after Clarice first due to her greater amount of control and skill with her magic. She was jealous of this yes but, it would do nothing for her pride to overcome a powerless woman.

"Clarice stop it!"

This being was toying with Clair emotions as well now, even without the woman being able to hear the Voice. The dark witch grits her teeth as tears stream down her face. If she does nothing then Spectre wins. If she interferes then she will lose the large well of mana that was within her. It would not be the first time she lost all her mana. Her mistress drained her near completely and it left her weak for days. Was this the same thing? Something inside told her it wasn't, that this thing was something far worse. Clarice was already further ahead than her in the art of magic. Even as a rival, they were still lovers. She can't let this happen. She started from nothing initially, she will find a way to get it back. Kanoe reaches out to Clair as her fingers slip from her grasp. She did not have long to act.

If it ate magic then anything she throws at the thing will be drained away. At least that's the theory. If she is going to go down, she might as well figure out a way to harm it so this will never happen to Clair again. Perhaps there is an indirect way to harm the creature. Her shadow spells tend to end in a concussive blast that could blow the Magivore back but, that would still leave them trapped. That left her with just fire magic. She was unsure how fast this thing will react to channeling so she may only get one or two spells off before it finds her to be the tastier treat.

"Clair hold on!" Kanoe calls out.

The witch snaps her fingers, channeling a small bit of mana to ignite the four candles behind the creature. Perhaps it will react to the candles for a moment, it was worth a shot. With Clair pulled away, she was free to leave the corner and interfere now. Kanoe rises to her feet and runs towards the foot of the bed. Words of magic fell from her lips as she swipes her hand along the mattress. Flames arc from the palm of her hand, trailing behind it as she rakes it along the bed. If she can't attack it directly, she will just set her entire bed on fire. Would not be the first time she destroyed her room due to her magic. Her hand began to blister and burn slightly from the backlash of lacking control. But, she did not care. The young witch continues to run around to the other side of the bed, channeling her mana. If this does not get the thing's attention, nothing will.

Fear strikes her heart as it pounds nearly painfully in her chest. her offer seemed to make the beast put its focus on her for the moment. It's slimy appendages stiffen the woman and she stays frozen as it begins to pull her close to itself. Just having an even closer view of the creature that may leave her worthless was enough to make the witch whimper in shivering fear.

Her body of course denies her courage as her nails try to dig into the carpet in hopes of stopping the thing from pulling her any closer. She hears the faint call of Kanoe but dares not turn to her as she leaves range of her lover grabbing her. If she even looked to the darker witch she may go insane and struggle like a fish out of water for the mistake of putting herself on a horrible line. But she would gladly do it to know Kanoe would be safe. Her magic seemed to spark in her hands as if to try and do something of its own accord. It was so difficult to not let it control her body, but it lacked so much common sense. Her hair trails behind her as she begins to whimper louder as the tendril around her leg begins to travel up her thigh. She gulps but was immediately turned to more light. No...Kanoe wasn't...

"Kanoe, what are you doing?!" she cries out bewildered that she would dare try to bring attention to herself. Her hands ball into fists as realization comes forth. The darker woman would never allow her to sacrifice herself in such a way. Why didn't she even think of that? Her lover was far to kind, to loving for lack of terms to not interfere. What should she do?

A thought comes to mind and makes her cringe. If she, manipulated her love into not caring, she could stop the woman from costing such hard work she had been doing for probably her whole life. The slightest thought of her own hard work didn't come to mind. Already her magic took over for 'fight or flight' response. Slowly her hand rises to point her palm at the woman and already red aura surrounds it ass she begins to mouth soft words of emotional manipulation. Using magic to lose magic...it sounded ridiculous, but...Clarice couldn't let the woman she cared for lower herself further. That was not love and Clair may just show how much she cared when her spell was finished...probably her last spell she would finish.

The tentacled horror’s reaction to Kanoe’s channeling was almost instantaneous. Even as she focused the power into her spells, it began to bleed away; the candles flickered, but did not stay lit and the flames that trailed from her sweeping hand were mere wisps that barely singed the sheets. In fact, she found it difficult to stem the flow of mana, requiring as much concentration to close off the conduit as it usually did to open it in the first place The dark witch did succeed in drawing the beast's attention, however. Four of its ‘heads’ followed her movements, and though it did not release her lover, it sent a swarm of appendages to grab at her as she ran around the bed.

Spectre watched silently as the situation it had created played out. Kanoe and Clarice put on a grand show, playing into its hands at every turn. Each seemed so focused on saving the other that she didn’t realize the most likely scenario was that they would both lose. If they continued to insist on sacrificing themselves for one another, they would both end up being diminished. The Magivore probably wouldn’t drain both of them completely before it was satisfied, but each would then have lost a significant portion of her power. Of course, Spectre would not accept that outcome as valid in regards to its wager; that was all or nothing.

Two of the creature’s main trunks swivelled back to face Clarice when she started to cast. It leeched the power of her spell as quickly as it had Kanoe’s disrupting the manipulation before it could reach full effect. Clarice also found it difficult to stop the power within her from rushing out to feed the beast as the red aura around her hand withered and flowed toward the creature which hungrily absorbed the mystic energy.

Kanoe gasps in shock when she began to channel her mana. Usually a large amount of mana is leaked out from her own lack of discipline but, this was nothing she ever felt before. The flame sputters and dies in her hand, leaving only a small wisp of smoke. But her mana was still channeling away. No, even from a distance the thing was sucking away her strength. She tries to resist the drain but she could not entirely halt her flow of mana. The witch sways and stumbles as she felt her body weakening. She knew it was hopeless now to fight it and if she resists then it may go back to Clarice. A weak sigh leaves her lips as she closes her eyes and continues to channel her magic, letting it drain right into the hungry monster's body.

The witch could only groan as she felt the tendrils lash out and bind her limbs and body. This thing was far more aggressive in it's draining compared to Mage. Her veins felt like they were burning as if the very life was being sucked out of her. Perhaps it was not too far off. Mana was in all living creatures and was a source of life. It's possible to hit zero and die from it or be otherwise completely helpless. She was already showing the signs of fatigue and exhaustion as she did what she could to keep her mana channeling. Her mind felt fuzzy, she was dizzy. Her body fell limp in the things appendages as she felt herself be pulled closer.

She opens her eyes but her vision was blurry perhaps from the pain of losing so much mana rapidly or perhaps from the tears that now water her eyes. The young witch could barely see Clarice on the other side of the bed. Kanoe could only hope the woman will let her make this choice and try not to interfere. Even if Clair were to try and fight back, she had no way to stop her now. Her breathing grew deep and ragged as she was pulled onto the bed, getting closer and closer to the hungry magic eater.

Clarice was beyond shocked as she watches her own hand let loose her mana and flowed directly into the creature. She gives a withheld gasp as her mana continues to drain, even without her using it at all. her hand refused to close to keep her strength, as if some odd force was just letting her magic be fed into the creature. her body was weakening of course because of it. After all, mana was always connected with physical strength. She whimpers now as her hand seems to be on fire and continues to burn before finally she manages to stop herself from being drained. She was panting heavily, at least 20% of her strength was gone in less then minutes and was taking a hard toll on her body to lose such amounts.

She could hear faint groans and whimpers as Kanoe was laid ontop of bed while she herself was pressing against the mass of tentacles. Tears stream down her face as she witnesses pure mana draining from the woman still. There was no way the creature was that strong to take that much without consent. Her lover was sacrificing it all just to keep her safe. But it was a lie in the end and she realized that soon enough. Whether they both kept going or not, it was going to happen anyways.

"Kanoe stop it! Don't you see what's happening?! Please! Stop channeling or you'll hit zero! Please don't this!! I beg of you!!!" she cries and fights blindly to reach the woman. Tears run down her face and nearly blinds her vision as much as her judgement as she tries her best to feed the monster what she can.

"Pl-please...I can't lose you...I'll die if you leave...do you understand?" she whispers as she tries to force herself up. Something seemed to snap in the witche's mind as totally loses all sanity and the calm mind she once had. Now was just rage, hatred, complete fury that her being was already supplying hormones to kick start her 'fight' response. It was hard to believe adrenaline would take over the body in such a feet as she begins to pound the creature as hard as she could with her fists, trying so hard, so desperately for it to stop its assault on Kanoe. She knew after this was she going to be sore and so weak, but the thought of her love dying on the bed where they had basically 'met'...that would be a fate worse then death.

"GET OFF OF HER!!! I SWEAR I'LL KI-KILL YOU IF YOU MAKE ME LOSE HER!!" she yells blindly as she tries her best to fight. It would be admirable to see the naked woman struggling to such lengths. She suddenly starts to chant once more and now her fists seem to steam as fire bluntly erupts around them as she tries to burn or make the creature leave the woman. She wasn't sure how long she could keep this up, but the strain was already becoming painful to her entire muscle mass.

"I SAID LET-LET GO OF HER!!!!!!!!"

The Magivore seemed momentarily confused when Kanoe began to channel her mana freely. It had never encountered a witch who didn’t resist having her energy leeched. It paused for a moment, instinctively accepting the stream of mystic power she was producing. The absorption of mana was only the first step toward its true feast. Once Kanoe’s reserves dropped below normal human levels, but before the loss became truly dangerous, the monster would be able to begin to consume her magical potential; that spark in her spirit that allowed her to build up so much mana. Normally it wouldn’t have to consider how to make ready for that eventuality, as several of its appendages would already be in place at the correct spots due to the ravaging necessary to force its victim to give up her energy.

Focused as it was on the dark witch, the creature was completely surprised by Clarice’s ferocious attack. It couldn’t understand her words, but it recognized her tone and aggressive behavior. Her anger meant little to it, however as physical blows against a shifting mass were largely ineffectual. However, once she began to chant, it immediately began to leech the power from her. Even a spell cast on herself required her to open a conduit to the energies within. The woman’s attacks were quite annoying however, so the monster took steps to restrain her. Another swarm of tentacles from the mass leapt out at the flailing witch, attempting to entangle her arms and legs and bind her as tightly as her lover.

It was far too late to go back now. Even if she wanted to, the witch did not have the strength nor control to close the flow of mana. She could barely see Clarice still fighting and struggling. Why was she fighting now? Her eyes blink slowly as the rush of mana leaving her body was making it hard to focus. Kanoe weakly shakes her head as the Magivore pulls her bound body closer. She needed to stop Clair. It would be pointless if both of them lose their powers.

"Cl-Clair..." Her voice was faint, "St-Stop..."

Tears wet her cheeks ass he watches the woman struggle and fight for her. She wanted to scream but only gasping breaths left her lips. The young witch stares in horror as more tentacles reach out and bind her lover. Kanoe shuts her eyes, she didn't want to see anymore. She never felt such pain before. She wanted to protect this one and all she did was put the woman in danger. The student remains limp in her bonds. There was no point in fighting or trying anything. She couldn't protect Clarice or herself. That being must be laughing down at her now. She could feel strength flow righ out of her body. She lost...