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by grapehyacinth
“Child, if you join me, you can punish them for that.”

The man seemed to tower over fifteen-year-old Armin Fielding, who was gawking at the bruises on his arms and chest. Several of the boys had beat him up before school, and he was ashamed. He was weak, and he was no match for five older boys.

“You can help me?” he asked.

The man drew his hand across Armin's torso, and it looked as if it had never been wounded.

The boy's mouth fell open. “Can you make me strong? All I ever wanted to do was be a teacher, and they're beating me up over that.”

The man chuckled. “I can make you an all-powerful teacher. You can reduce those kids to dirt.”

Armin scratched his head. His family was well-known in the community for its good deeds and charitable work. There were stories of great sorceresses and wizards in his family, which he found laughable. Yet his sister was exhibiting some odd talents lately...

“I can turn kids into dirt? Transforming's real?”

The stranger grew bright, and a jackal stood in his place. “Quite so,” it said, and became a man once more.

“Wow! Amazing! The stories are true!” Armin jumped up and slapped his knee. “But I can't kill people...”

“Then don't. Turn them into a...rock, but keep them aware. What great punishment! Get all your enemies! Make them into turkeys! Roast them for Thanksgiving!”

Armin laughed along with the man. “I guess it's better they're dead if I do that.”

“Of course! And it's far more satisfying to eliminate their souls. You'll be more powerful than anyone in your family. You can take over the country! No, the world!”

“Are you the devil?”

“Armin, please, really?”

“I'm religious. I believe in God.”

The man snorted. “This has nothing to do with God. There's good and there's evil. Darkness is deceiving, for it hides great wonders. It is a bottomless pit of sheer power that good cannot rival.”

“My family is good,” Armin said weakly. But he craved the limitless power the man was offering. He was tired of being weak and insignificant. “You'll teach me? You'll make me important?”

“Ah, my boy, you have great potential, being from such a legendary family. Converting from the goodness to the darkness will make you exemplary. You'll walk by my side as I guide you, and then you'll teach others the ways of our world.”

Armin gulped. “Please make me powerful.”

The man touched him, which sent a jolt of electricity rushing through him. Every cell of his body seemed to vibrate, and something that he could not identify was wrenched from him. His spirits fell as his body strengthened, and his soul began to decline.

But he was becoming beautiful and strong, and he exclaimed, “I'm a god!”

The man smiled. “Beauty will be fleeting, though you may wish to keep it as a disguise. Your true form will be much more imposing – like mine.” Glowing brightly, he grew larger, until an hideous mixture of dragon, man, and lion towered above the boy.

“That's what you really look like?”

“You will earn such a fearful form as you delve into the darkness. Glorious!”

“I look forward to it. Right now, I have some schoolboys to punish.”

The five boys stood over him in the schoolyard, intrigued. “Working hard on the farm, Armin?” asked Harry, the nicest of the bunch.

“You might say that,” Armin chuckled. He itched to exercise the power radiating through him.

Marty, who had previously given him a black eye, punched at him. “You think you're going to stop us? You'll never be a man, little boy.”

But Armin grabbed at his hand and held him there.

“Either will you, Marty.”

The boy frowned. “I can't move!”

Armin grinned, enjoying his new superiority. “I'm controlling you. Now stop being a man.”

“What?”

Marty glanced down to see his chest expanding. His hair grew longer, and something was changing in his pants. “What is this...stop!” he grasped at himself, looking up at Armin in shock. “Get it back! What did you do?”

“You're turning into a girl!” gasped Ronald, the instigator of many a fight.

“You're right, Ron. And he needs something to wear. So BE HIS DRESS!”

Ronald emitted a small squeak before crumpling to the floor as a bright gingham.

The remaining three boys tried to run, but Armin held them in place.

He turned his attention to Brett, the loudmouth. “You're always an ass, Brett, so become one.” As the boy's shrieks became brays, Armin turned away, not interested in his transformation into a donkey. Instead he turned to Jed, the leader of the group. “You bastard, Jed. Egging them on, starting this all...”

“Please, I'm sorry. I'll do anything!”

“You're dirt, Jed. Be dirt.”

“NO!” but the boy fell to the ground, now a shuddering mound of earth.

“He's still alive like that?” Harry whispered.

“Nice, huh?” Armin turned to the last boy, who was shivering. He didn't feel sorry for him, as he no longer had the capacity for it. But the boy deserved a lighter sentence. “Pick what you want to be, Harry.”

The boy made a strange face. He seemed fascinated with his powerful peer. “What do you need?”

“Need?” Armin repeated, taken aback.

“Can you use a new horse? I'd love to be a horse, and if it'll help you...”

“You want to serve me? As an animal?” This sounded so appealing to Armin, that he considered finding other people to transform as well.

“If you'll let me.”

“That's fine.”

“Make me a horse.”

“Become one.”

As he rode into the night on the swift stallion's back, Armin smiled proudly. Harry was better than any of his family's aging steeds, and Armin appreciated how the boy relished his new life.

Armin's future in dark magic looked promising. Now he could use people for what they were truly meant for – to serve him.