Hello, everyone! Past Chyna here. I'm writing this...*checks date* a little less than a month before this comes out. I have a new goal! Are you ready?...3,000 words per chapter! Starting now. Can I do it? Let's see... Modern Chyna here. The answer is yes. Yes I can.

Now, COMMENT REVIEW TIME!

TheKittenAuthor: Kitten, I am writing this is the past, before the last chapter even comes out, but I'm saying this because I know you. Please, PLEASE, for the love of purity, do NOT take the next 1,000 words or so in a dirty context. I have none of these intentions, but I know you'll go right to them. Modern Chyna here. Smokey has a name, but you'll find that out later. Also, don't blame Jersey. Think, who do we know who gave Jersey a bunch of cursed jewelry?

LostHero171: Update, then. I want to watch Snow murder Bufs. You know this is bad, and yeah. I had a lot of fun writing this story chunk. Of course, Cecilia came up with the idea, so thank her.

ReadALLtheBooks: Not her fault. Paper cuts suck. And we are all weird, my friend.

Cecilia Green: Well, yeah. You're the one that binge read my chapters AND found the time to write well-thought out reviews AND gave me the idea. of course I'd do that! That's what buddies are for. And messing with Fables is great, particularly the ones that get really salty about it. Glad you liked the chapter!

Now that everything has been addressed... LET THE STORY BEGIN!

The creature howled joyfully, stretching its limbs, which made a noise similar to breaking bones every time they popped. The snake-tail rose in the air, spread its hood, and hissed in a way that could only be described as triumphant, fangs bared. And Jersey and I? We both just stared, completely dumbstruck.

The demon-clearly, that was the only thing it could have been, and even if it wasn't, I was going to call it that- finally stopped rejoicing and stood up straight, revealing that is was almost as tall as me. How had I not noticed before? It looked at me, its neon green eyes boring into mine, glowing like hell fire, and I found that I couldn't move. A thick, cloying feeling, like being filled with heavy smoke, filled me from head to toe. "Tell me, mortal," the demon growled. "Are you the one that released me?" Its voice had changed-the best way to describe it was that it sounded like three demons speaking at slightly different times, which made a sort of ripple effect, if that made sense.

The voice reverberated around my skull, echoing over and over in an eerie chorus. The unknown command was apparent-I had to tell the truth. Had to.

Without my having any control over it, my head bobbed up and down like it was on a string. Words came to my lips of their own accord. "Yes, my lord," I said mechanically. I felt my cheeks grow hot. 'Lord'? Where had that come from? I tried to move, struggling as hard as I could, but it made no difference. I might as well have been a statue.

Jersey started to speak. "Girl, you need t-"

The demon's head whipped around, momentarily freeing me from its paralyzing gaze. The smokey feeling lifted like someone had flipped a switch. I gasped and shook my head. "Be silent, slave!" snarled the demon, and Jersey seized up like he had been struck by lightning. The demon shifted slightly, one ear pointing towards a wall.

A pointed metal shield, somehow, lifted from its place, hurtled towards Jersey, and struck his head, making an awful, wet sound like a watermelon hitting concrete. Instantly, Jersey collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, blood pouring from a gash on the top of his head. I lifted a hand to my mouth in horror, but managed not to cry out.

The demon looked back at me, but this time, I was ready. I looked down at the floor, avoiding the power of its fiery gaze and, although I could feel it burning in my direction, I managed to not look up. Feeling pretty clever, I was just trying to think of a plan when the demon spoke, using the same rippled tone as before.

"Look at me, mortal."

Look at me, look at me, look at me echoed in a ghostly chorus. Slowly, painfully, against my will, my head lifted up until I was staring straight into the demon's hell fire eyes. Instantly, heavy smoke filled my body, and I couldn't move.

"Now, then," the demon mused, pacing around me, but keeping its gaze locked on mine. The urge to move was almost unendurable, like an itch; having this creature so close to me, and an injured Jersey almost feet away, was agonizing. I struggled, but I couldn't budge.

The demon spoke again. "Since you so kindly freed me from my prison," it said, walking behind me so that I was forced to follow, rotating on the spot. "You must be rewarded."

A shudder danced its way down my spine. I hated to think what this creature had in mind. Images of being used for some kind of ritual, or being eaten, or burned alive, rolled through my head like a slideshow. There was a hiss somewhere by my neck, and if I hadn't been frozen, I would have jumped a mile-the demon's cobra-tail had stretched unnaturally far and coiled around my neck, its fanged mouth inches from my ear. I could feel the tips of its teeth scrape my skin.

The demon stared at me contemplatively, cobra still wrapped around my neck, hissing softly into my ear. After a while, it became almost comforting- a heavy, warm weight, the same repetitive noise, soft and soothing, over and over... I snapped back to awareness, realizing with a thrill of horror what this demon was trying to do.

The demon seemed to sense my epiphany, and grinned, showing long white teeth. "Yes, child," it purred, and the snake around my neck grew tighter. "I see that you are different from most, especially for one so young, but it changes nothing. Do not think you can resist. I have bent beings far superior to you to my will. You will be nothing compared to them." It laughed, a sound that made nails on chalkboards seem like wind rustling through tree leaves. "Do not fear, though. You will serve a noble purpose."

The confident way the creature spoke made my insides tie themselves in knots.

The snake wrapped just tight enough around my neck to make it harder to breathe. The air in my throat caught, and I started to get dizzy. The snake started to hiss softly again, only this time, it was more tailored, slower and rhythmic.

I started to panic. If this demon succeeded, there was no telling what could happen. I could betray Fabletown. Worse, I could end up betraying the human race! I had to fight as hard as I could, at least until someone else came into the shop.

The most pressing issue, at the moment, was this snake. I wasn't sure how magically powerful it was, but I was already feeling the effects. My breathing slowed. My eyes started to get heavy. And my head, already fuzzy from slight lack of air, was getting even fuzzier.

For lack of a better idea, I did the first thing I could think of to distract myself from the snake's hissing. In my head, I started singing a song as loudly as I could, focusing on the words and nothing else. The song was the first thing that popped into my head: one of my favorites.

I heard there was a secret chord,

That David played, and it pleased the Lord,

But you don't really care for music, do you?

Well, it goes like this,

The fourth, the fifth,

The minor fall, and the major lift,

The baffled king, composing Hallelujah!

With each word, I felt bolder and more confident. I'm not sure how long I could last, but, at the moment, focusing on the song seemed to be working. I felt some of the fuzziness lifting. I blinked hard, and felt it lift more. My heart soared. I could do this! I could beat this demon's magic!

The demon frowned. "I grow weary of your games, mortal," it snarled. "You think this is even an eighth of my power? You think, somehow, you can resist? You delude yourself. Submit, and you will not suffer. Resist me, and I will tear your will apart!"

I almost scoffed out loud. If this thing was telling the truth, than I was a banshee. Feeling bolder, I continued to focus on the song. Maybe it was my imagination, but the snake's hissing seemed to be fading. The fuzziness had almost entirely lifted.

The demon growled. "So be it," it said venomously. The snake whipped off of my neck, surprising me. However, I realized I was still frozen, locked under the glow of the demon's gaze. I realized the glow was getting brighter and brighter, until I felt like I was staring into a green floodlight. And still, I couldn't move. I couldn't blink. I couldn't look away. The fuzziness in my mind returned full force. My eyesight darkened. The music in my head wavered and faded away. Too late, i realized this demon had barely tried to control me. But it was now.

The demon took one step forward, its body blurry through my dim, heavy eyes. "Now and forever, you shall be a servant of Abathoren," it said simply. "It is done."

The creature's eyes flashed once, blindingly bright, and I felt my willpower crumble to ash.

Bigby leaned back in his armchair, cigarette held tightly in his hand. He blew a long plume of smoke into the air and sighed, lifting a tan hand to rub it tiredly across his face. The thought of the paperwork sitting on his desk, all requiring his full attention and signature, made him groan out loud. He leaned forward and looked out the window. The sun was beginning to set.

There was a knock on the door, or rather, the sound of someone trying to beat down the door. Bigby frowned, stood up, ground his cigarette under the heel of his shoe, and walked to the door. Opening it revealed-of all people-Jersey, face pale and sweaty, blood coating the side of his head. His hand was lifted, poised to hit the door again.

"Jersey?" said Bigby, eyeing the dried blood crusted over Jersey's skull. "What the fuck happened to you?"

Jersey lowered his hand. "Listen, Wolf," he said, hurriedly. "There isn't much time. The long and the short is, your little Mundy pal came to my store, and some kind of demon came out of a necklace that Jack gave me-the fucker." He spat on the ground in disgust.

Bigby stared. "Wait, Madison came to your store? What the hell w-"

Jersey cut him off. "Sheriff, with all due respect, shut the fuck up. Whatever thing came out of that necklace is still out there. There's no time to stand around and play twenty questions. We've got to catch that thing!"

Bigby instinctively bristled at being interrupted, but managed to bury his anger. Jersey sounded panicked, scared, even. He nodded. "Follow me. Snow should know. But while we're walking, try to fill me in, okay?"

Jersey grumbled angrily, but nodded.

Bigby walked out of his door and was halfway down the hall before he paused. "Actually," he said thoughtfully. "We have to stop somewhere first."

Snow looked up from her paperwork as yells and thumps echoed from outside in the hall. "Watch it!" "Ow, that hurt!" "Stop cryin', you little fuck!" There was a grunt and a thump. Seconds later, the door swung open, revealing Bigby and Jersey holding a struggling Jack between them. Blood coated the side of Jersey's head, and Jack had a rapidly blooming black eye.

Snow stood up and walked over to the trio. "Bigby? What's this?" She eyed Jersey's wound with concern. "What happened to you, Jersey?"

Jack butt in before Jersey could respond. "Miss White! Tell them to let me go! I haven't done anything!"

Bigby growled and cuffed the other Fable sharply over the head. "Shut up," he snarled. He looked at Snow. "Listen, Snow. Jack sold Jersey a necklace with a demon in it."

Snow blinked, alarmed. "He did?" She rounded on the blonde Fable. "Where did you get a thing like that?"

Jack started stuttering. "Listen, Miss White," he managed to say. "I didn't know there was a demon in it. I got it from some witch at a bar-"

"Frau Trudy," Bigby cut in.

"-and thought it looked nice, so I sold it to Jersey," Jack finished. "How was I supposed to know there was a demon in it?"

Jersey let go of Jack and shoved him away. He yelped and instantly ran out the door, bawling about getting a lawyer. Nobody stopped him. "Listen, there's something else you need to know," Jersey said. "Your Mundy pal came to my place, and the demon got out when she tried to buy the necklace."

Snow lifted a hand to her mouth. "Madison was there? Where is she now?"

Jersey growled in frustration. "No fuckin' clue. Once the demon came out, it used some freaky Carrie shit and hit me over the head with a shield. When I woke up, they were both gone." He waited to see the impact his words would have, but seemed stunned when Snow gave him a tiny smirk. "'Carrie', Jersey? I didn't take you as a reader."

Jersey blushed beet-red. "Shut the fuck up!" he snapped. "That's not important! There is a demon loose in Fabletown!"

Snow's smile melted off her face as she assumed her usual businesslike air. She rounded. "Bufkin!" She shouted. "We need the book on demons of the Homelands! Quickly! It's urgent!"

There was a yelp, the sound of wings flapping, a few crashes, and, within a minute, Bufkin appeared, holding a tattered black book almost as big as he was. Groaning, he hit the ground with a thump,the book sending up a little cloud of dust when it hit the floor. "Here...you are...Miss White.." the monkey gasped.

Snow nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Bufkin. You can go rest, if you want."

Bufkin sighed gratefully, nodded cordially to Bigby and Jersey, and took off. Snow hefted the book from the ground and slammed it down onto her desk. She opened it and began to flip through the cracked, yellowing pages. "What did the demon look like, Jersey?" she said, still flipping.

Jersey screwed up his face. "It was like some kind of wolf." Seeing Bigby frown, he plowed on. "Cool it, Sheriff. It was like a black wolf, but it had huge-ass wings and horns. And it had a snake for a tail, too."

Snow suddenly froze, one page still held up, mid-flip. "Green eyes?" she said, slowly.

Jersey nodded feverishly. "Yeah. Really fuckin' freaky green eyes."

Snow turned and motioned for the two Fables to join her. They did, feeling slightly nervous. Once Bigby and Jersey stoon on her right and left, respectively, she pointed to the page in front of her.

The colors were faded, the paper rumpled, but the picture itself was clear: a giant, hulking black wolf with wings, curly horns, a lashing cobra tail, and a glowing set of venomous green eyes. Across the top of the picture, in faded, block-like text was the title: Abathoren the Bender. The picture itself was masterfully done; one could almost see the rise and fall of the creature's chest, the light twitch of its wings, and its eyes almost seemed to glow straight from the page. Snow shuddered and began to read the text under the picture.

"Moderate demon from the Nether Kingdoms. In addition to an arsenal of traditional dark magic, this demon has the ability to bend others to its will, freeze anyone who looks into its eyes, and possesses the gift of silver-tongue-able to force others to its bidding with its voice. Imprisoned by Ezgonnae the Youthful in an emerald necklace." She looked up and faced Bigby, eyes wide and full of worry.

"That's the fucker, all right," Jersey said quietly. Snow and Bigby turned to face the shop owner, who had gone pale, eyes glued to the floor. His hands were balled into fists, and he was shaking all over. "When it looked at me, it was like I was drowning in smoke-I couldn't budge." He looked up. "It got your Mundy pal, too. It figured out that she was the one that released it, and it got all excited."

"Wait," Bigby cut in, "Madison released it?"

Jersey shrugged. "She got a paper cut getting her cash out, and when she got the necklace, I guess the blood broke the enchantment or something, so when she dropped it, the glass broke as easy as anything. That's a thing for releasing demons, right? Blood from virgin maidens?" Suddenly, some of his usual mulish humor appeared. "Hey, she is a-"

"Jersey!" Snow said sharply. "That's not important!"

Jersey flinched. "Yeah, ok," he muttered uncomfortably. "Anyway, once her hand touched it, she flinched really hard and dropped the necklace. There was this little glass dome around the gem in the middle, but that broke. The shop started shaking, and smoke came out and turned into the demon."

Snow nodded encouragingly. "What did it do once it appeared?"

Jersey seemed unwilling to stop now that he had started. "It looked at her, and she went all stiff. It asked her if she was the one that released it." Here, Jersey gave a bitter chuckle.

Bigby frowned. "What did she say?"

Jersey chuckled again, just as sour as the first. "Yes, my lord," he said, in a high, scratchy falsetto. His voice dropped back to normal. "I don't think she meant to, though. That book said it can control people with its voice, right?"

Snow nodded. "Silver-tongue, they call it. Keep going."

Jersey sped up, like he was eager to finish. "I told her to run, but the thing looked at me, and I-I couldn't move. It threw a shield at me, and that's all I remember. When I woke up, I went straight to the Sheriff here." He pointed to Bigby.

Snow turned back to the book, running her finger along the text and reading what it said out loud. "This demon possesses two crucial weaknesses-if someone under its control is able to break free, it will be weakened considerably, enough to be killed by even a normal sword or dagger."

Jersey shook his head. "That's no good," he said bitterly. "The power coming off of this thing was fuckin' crazy."

Snow nodded curtly. "Alternatively," she continued, "Anything that spreads purity and dispels taint will weaken, or even destroy this demon with prolonged exposure."

Snow snapped the book shut and looked up at Bigby. "Sheriff," she said, voice all business. "You need to locate this demon. Take Jersey with you-"

"Hey!" protested the other Fable.

"-And hunt that thing down," Snow finished, unfazed. "Try to find Madison, too."

Bigby nodded once. "What are you going to do?" he questioned.

"Somewhere in the magic vaults," Snow began. "There's a unicorn horn. Unicorn horns have the power to cleanse taint from whatever they touch. It should be enough to kill this thing." She gave him a wry smile. "I'll leave the rest to you. Try asking the Mirror where the demon is, and work from there. I have faith in you. Come find me once you know, or wait until I get back, and I'll give you the horn." With that, she was off, high heels clicking across the floor.

Bigby cracked his knuckles. He turned to Jersey, who was looking slightly worried. "C'mon, Jersey," he said. "Let's go find a demon."