Chapter 13: Double Trouble?
Taylor's eyes narrowed as the door rippled one final time, the undulating surface giving way to a figure that stepped out onto the porch. At first glance, it was no taller than the imp they had captured. It sharp, pointed horns and elongated ears, but its features were sharper, more defined. A wide grin spread across its face, revealing yellowed, jagged teeth beneath a long, hooked nose and glowing pink eyes that flickered.
The dim light from the luminaries above cast an eerie glow, highlighting the deep purple of its skin — a stark contrast to the imp's leathery complexion. Unlike their winged captive, this creature bore no tail, and instead of wings, its forearms and legs were covered in thick, dark fur. Its chest was broad, defined with muscle, and adorned with glowing runic symbols that stretched from one shoulder across to the other like a pulsing tattoo.
A high-backed, armored collar sat around its neck, gleaming purple with intricate gold trim, and flared out over its shoulders, A belt of matching craftsmanship cinched its waist, with tassets draped over its thighs and a brilliant blue gem took the place of a buckle. Three golden rings pierced each ear, gleaming in the low light, while thicker golden bands coiled around its wrists and upper arms.
"No one told me humans had tricks up their sleeve," it said in a cold, hissy voice as it marched up to the top of the stairs, eyes glowing as it raked over all of them.
Taylor slid into a defensive stance, her muscles tensing as she glanced at the imp they had captured. "Friend of yours?" she asked, her tone sharp as Jen and the others closed ranks behind her.
The imp trapped in pumpkin slush scoffed, turning its face away with a low hiss. Taylor and Jen exchanged a wary glance before refocusing on the creature at the top of the stairs.
"So, you're the one responsible for all this chaos," Jen shouted, her voice hardening as her eyes narrowed. Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears, but she forced herself to steady her breath.
The figure ignored her completely, its glowing eyes sweeping past them to focus on the imp wallowing in pumpkin guts. It threw its head back and laughed, the sound high-pitched and eerie, echoing off the house and sending chills down their spines. "Look at you!" it cackled, clutching its sides. "You are an embarrassment."
The winged imp's head snapped up, its eyes blazing. "You are the embarrassment!" it spat, wings twitching as it strained against its bindings. "I follow the rules. This is my playground. You shouldn't be here."
"Rules, rules, rules," the purple imp mocked in a sing-song voice, waving a dismissive hand. "So boring. I saw an opportunity and I took it. And let's be honest, I did a much better job. The screams, the fear, the panic... it's exhilarating." His entire body shivered with excitement.
Ashley's voice cut through the tension. "Did they forget we're here?" she asked, her expression incredulous.
The imp's eyes darted toward her, and it sat down on the top step, elbows resting on its knees, face perched on its hands. Its grin widened to show even more of those sharp, jagged teeth. "Of course not, little humans," it cooed mockingly, drawing out the words. "You are far too interesting to be ignored. Especially you," it added, pointing a long, curved finger directly at Jen.
Jen's jaw clenched. "Who are you calling 'little?'"
"Ahh, size is but a matter of perspective," the imp said, its voice shifting, growing deeper with each word. Its form began to swell, expanding until it loomed over them, a hulking, grotesque version of itself. The rangers stood their ground, barely blinking as the creature's shadow stretched around them.
With a puff of pink smoke, the imp shrank back down to its original size, tilting its head as if amused by their lack of fear. "You don't scare easily, huh? That's not fun. But I suppose I could use a challenge."
"This is getting ridiculous," Eric growled, fingers twitching near his weapon.
Taylor placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Just go with it," she whispered. "They're having a diva-off. You're not missing much."
The imp's pink eyes flicked to Eric, studying him intently for a moment, but Taylor took a step forward, drawing its attention back to her. "Okay, punk," she said, her voice hardening. "You've played your pranks, had your fun. Now cough up the people you've taken and end this nightmare."
"Now why," the imp began, dragging the words out with mock innocence, "would I do that? The night has only just begun."
Ashley's patience snapped, her jaw tight as she stepped forward with barely controlled anger. "We know how this works. You're not allowed to hurt people. Give. Them. Back."
The imp's grin stretched impossibly wide as it straightened. "May…be, maybe not. I'm having so much fun tonight. I think I want a souvenir or two. Or ten." Its pink eyes gleamed with sinister delight. "Though I do wonder what will happen to them on the other side…"
"You little—" Ashley surged forward, but Eric grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
"Don't be rash. We don't know what he's capable of yet," Eric warned.
Ashley huffed in frustration, shaking off his grip but staying in place, glaring daggers at the imp.
"Ah ah ah," the imp tsked, wagging a finger. "Listen to your friend now, girlie. We wouldn't want…" His taunt trailed off as Eric raised his weapon, firing a warning shot just above the creature's head, forcing it to duck.
Jen stepped up beside Eric, fire in her eyes. "That's just a warning. We are not your entertainment. Give us back the people you've taken, or we'll show you just how interesting we can be."
The imp, now on its feet, paced along the porch, tapping its chin thoughtfully. "And here I thought we were all having fun?" It stopped, casting a sly glance at Jen and Eric. "You two are dangerous. That could be… interesting. But I can't have you spoiling everything. Tonight must go my way. So let's… put this on ice, shall we?"
Pink energy flared at the tips of its fingers, and with a quick flick of its hands, two green, viscous blobs shot out from the house's walls. Jen and Eric barely had time to raise their morphers when the creatures struck.
"Time for…" Jen began, but a gelatinous tentacle wrapped around her arm, covering the morpher and yanking her into the blob's form. It molded itself into a solid cube, trapping her inside. Eric fired at the second one, but the blast was absorbed as it liquefied and slid beneath him, reshaping around his body into another cube of sticky jelly.
"Eric! Jen!" Taylor and Ashley's voices were filled with desperation as they watched their friends disappear inside the glistening cubes.
The imp threw back its head, howling with laughter. "Oh, don't worry," it cooed, wiping a tear from its eye as its laughter subsided. "They're perfectly fine. A little stuck, perhaps, but no harm done. For now."
It perched itself back on the step, crossing one leg over the other, grinning down at them. "Now, how about we make a deal? Hand over your little captive, and I'll set them free."
Taylor shot a glance at the bound imp, who was staring at her with wide, pleading eyes. "What do you want with him?" Ashley asked.
The crimson imp looked up at Taylor, "Do not believe a word he says. He has no honour or respect for the rules. He just wants me to take the fall for his misdeeds."
Taylor turned her back on the trapped imp, focusing on the larger threat. "Let's be clear," she said coldly. "I don't care what happens to him. As far as I'm concerned, he's part of this mess. But what guarantee do I have that you'll let my friends go?"
The imp grinned and raised a pointed finger, crossing it over his heart. "Isn't that something you humans do? You have my word, believe it, or not, the choice is yours."
As he spoke he hissed and threw out his hand. A spectral form of his hand shot out, growing larger in size as it drew closer to the imp on the ground. Ashley darted behind Taylor, sliding on the ground, pulling the imp out of the pumpkin and rolled onto her feet just as the spectral hand grabbed at it.
The purple imp hissed in frustration as the hand dissipated. Taylor clutched the Wes doll tighter, exchanging a brief, determined glance with Ashley before they turned on their heels and sprinted toward the gate.
Ashley yanked her jacket, trying to shake off the sticky pumpkin slush clinging to the fabric, her eyes darting toward the imp - still bound - in her hands. "What is going on?" she demanded, her frustration evident in every word.
The imp's wings twitched as it glanced back at her. "He's a Chaos Imp," it explained with a huff. "They like to ruin everything. And this one? He's a show-off. He's going to be in a lot of trouble once the Court finds out. This goes far beyond breaking the rules."
Ashley's gaze flicked to Taylor, who was frowning, her eyes scanning the area as they tried to put some distance between them and the house. But their escape was short-lived. A puff of pink smoke burst near the large pumpkin perched atop the carousel, forcing both women to skid to a halt as the purple imp materialized in front of them with a mocking grin.
"Ah, ah. ah. Not so fast."
"Teleporters," Ashley muttered through gritted teeth.
"He can only jump to objects infused with his magic," the crimson imp added, frustration lacing its voice. "He's been ruining my pranks all day."
The purple imp stood atop the carousel like a demented puppet master, its cackling voice amplified as if the air was vibrating with his laughter. He spread his arms wide, and sparks of pink-purple energy crackled up his limbs, engulfing his hands in flickering flames. "I tried to play nice," he growled, the sinister edge in his voice sending a shiver down their spines. "I gave you a choice. And as much as I love watching mortals run away scared and witless, I can't let you ruin my plans. Oh no, no, no. That just won't do. You may think you're very clever but we are running this show."
The flames surged up his arms, swallowing his entire form before shooting out like jagged bolts of lightning. They snapped and crackled through the air, latching onto the carousel, wrapping it in a net of glowing pink energy. The haunting, tinkling tune of the ride grew louder, filling the air with a twisted melody.
Then, with a creak of wood and metal, the skeletal horses began to move, their joints clicking as they moved in circles. Slowly at first, but with gathering speed, the carousel began to spin, faster and faster, until it was a blur of motion. The massive pumpkin head at the center groaned as it twisted, the carved grin morphing into a grotesque scowl, yellow light pouring from its eyes, locking onto the two rangers.
Ashley's stomach dropped. "Did he say we?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the grinding of gears and the echoing tune.
That's not what I'm worried about," Taylor murmured, eyes widening as the skeletal horses leaped from the carousel, one after another, their hollowed eyes glowing as they clattered down to the ground. Hooves pounded against the earth, kicking up dirt as they began to canter in a wide circle around the two women, closing in slowly like predators stalking prey. "I'm really starting to hate magic."
"I have to admit this would be cool if it wasn't so terrifying... and, you know, if they weren't about to attack us."
Taylor's jaw tightened as she watched the skeletal horses trot around them, their hooves leaving ghostly imprints in the dirt. "That's one word for it," she muttered under her breath, her mind racing as they backed up against each other, both searching for a way out.
The horses moved in sync, their bony legs kicking up dust as they circled closer and closer, their skeletal heads bobbing unnervingly in the dim light. The clopping of hooves grew louder, echoing in their ears like a drumbeat, matching the frantic rhythm of their hearts. "I'd feel a lot more confident about getting out of this," Taylor grumbled, "if the people with morphers weren't turned into dolls or trapped in jelly."
"You can say that again."
Thanks for reading.
Till next time...