Keith stood still where he was taking everything in. It was extremely similar to the lost Mogwai city he and Lawan discovered earlier that year. "Warmer than expected" he muttered unzipping his coat. Flashes all around him as female Mogwai soldiers grew to human size surrounding him. "Easy. I didn't come looking for a fight" he said holding his hands up.  A small woman walked casually to his giant feet. "Interesting. You come unannounced by high their magic, brandishing a magic sword, stays in giant form, and the leader of a hated enemy and say you didn't come for a fight" she said. "We both know if I meant to do harm, we would not be having a conversation now" he said. "Then for what purpose you come?" she asked. "To seek an alliance" he replied. The soldiers looked at each other. "Peace negotiations? Why now after four months of silence?" she asked. "Maybe we can speak in private?" he asked. "Shrink yourself as a gesture of good faith" she said. Keith looked at the soldiers who had glowing hands ready to strike. "If on your honor I am not to be harmed" he said. "...agreed as long as you do not provoke us” she replied. Keith shrank himself to her size and walked towards her. The girl looked to be 19 and wore a dark blue dress, flats on her feet and her hair in a ponytail. "Easy boy. I can feel power from her. Do not take her beauty as weakness" Oberon whispered. The woman waved her hand at the giantesses around them and bid one to stay. "Follow me" she said.

As Keith followed her, he took note of the citizens. Those that did the dirty work, garbage collection, street sweeping, cleaning windows seemed to bow as others passed by. Their clothes poorer in nature. The others dressed in clean modern attire, but he found it odd as he saw no poor looking children at all. "State sponsored care?" he wondered. Stranger things got as he kept walking down the Main Street. Estates and mansions were fantastic but segregated. The less fancy housing looked similar like copied. He once remarked that the mogwai way of life was like North Korea. He had no idea how right he was. "Memorizing all you see to add to your files?" the woman asked. "Actually, we got a good deal of intelligence on you over the last few months. Is it true your leadership body committed suicide?" he asked. The woman flinched. "After your cowardly trap shrank them to the size of ants, it was the only choice they had to alleviate the shame. I myself was spared as I was on assignment at the time" she replied. "You sent soldiers to obliterate a city full of innocent people. If my attack was cowardly, it was brought upon by your people's dishonor" he said softly. Keith knew that would sting the woman. Honor was everything to a Mogwai.

"But I did not come to discuss the past. Nor bring death to your people so you can relax" he said. "Who said I was not relaxed? Did I not agree to parlay?" she asked. "Yes, but your giantess guard behind us is terrified of me" he said. The woman stopped at looked up. The soldier stood at attention. "I assure you she's nearly shitting herself. Her bare feet are sweating more than normal. A telltale sign of fear" he said touching his nose. The woman looked at the giantess' feet. Being human size, she could not wear shoes as to mar the street. Angrily, she dismissed the giantess. "This way. We are almost there" she said. Keith followed her through a gated entrance into a meticulous estate. Servants rushed to the main entrance as their mistress had returned. Their eyes suddenly locked onto Keith. "He is a guest. Fetch us some tea" she said gracefully as she took off her flats. Keith took off his shoes and his sword and two servants took their shoes away as they entered. The woman bid him to enter the main hall and sit. "We have not been formally introduced. I'm Keith" he said. "...I am Fang Xiao Long" she replied. "Which family point? North, south, ...

"West" she said. Keith nodded. "I met the one from the North. Xaimei. She commanded a phoenix" he said. "I know. Also, I know she died in battle" Fang said as she changed behind a curtain. "She died well with honor of that means anything" he said. "It does. Thank you" Fang said reappearing in an old style of dress and sat down across from him. "Now. Why ask for an alliance now?" she asked. "Have you ever heard of an organization called ZODIAC?" he asked. Fang tensed up. "We have had dealings. None of them ended well" she replied. "Same thing on our end. We've killed over half their leaders but now they have what they want" he said. Your people killed leaders of ZODIAC?! Why do you insult me with lies?  he sneered. "It's true" he said sliding his phone to her. On the screen was a picture of the Eye of Bast and the Signet of Tantalus in his hands. "Please...continue" she whispered as a servant brought tea and cups. "Their leader Markus seeks to release ancient Etherion users from a special kind of prison. Now he has the tools and my very own daughter to do it" he said. Fang cocked an eyebrow. "He has your daughter? She's not among you anymore?" she asked. "...yes" he replied. Keith knew giving that out was a dangerous thing.  

"Even with the addition of an extremely powerful Mage in our ranks recently, it's not enough to stop what he has on command" he said. "Explain" she said. Keith explained Susan, what he had learned about Markus' army, and ultimately what his goal was. "I should've had more tea made" she muttered pouring the last. "That's all you have to say?" he asked. "Other than you're a damn fool for coming here? If magical beings are to become the rulers of Earth under him, what's to stop us from joining his ranks?" she chuckled. "Let's not kid ourselves here. As much as you like enslaving humans, you ultimately want them exterminated in China. Every last one in this country as revenge for driving you out from your homeland centuries ago.  That won't fit into his plans. His goal is not to exterminate but enslave. To keep humans as pets and plaything not kill them. What do you think he'll do when you try to kill 1.3 billion of them?" he asked. "There are over 6 billion..."

"He's cultivating humans descended from Lemurians. Those with power. And I'm betting there's more than a few in that 1.3 billion. Ans that's not even your worst problem. As I said, those with Lemurian blood and magic get top spot in his new world and those that don't are slaves. That's means you. Well, maybe it won't be so bad. He might leave the yaksha alone seeing how peace loving they are but your kind? Naw, he'll wipe you out of existence within a week just to make sure. You thought you had to fear my daughter? Imagine 13 just like her and far more ruthless" he said coldly. There was silence between them. Keith rubbed his eyes. "You may rest in the guest room. I have to discuss this with others" she said. Keith nodded and followed a servant to a room. He laid down on the bed and sighed. "Well I'm still alive" he muttered.

He sent off text messages to Lawan and Susan assuring he was alright. After blowing up his phone for 20 minutes he finally relaxed. Keith closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. He awoke some time later hearing clicks from his phone. He turned his head to see pictures and emails opening and closing seemingly by themselves. But as his eyes focused, he could see a very tiny person was standing on the screen. With speed, his fingers plucked whomever it was up, and his free hand picked up his phone. His email was open in one app with the word zodiac in the search box. His text app open with a similar search. Keith turned his attention to his fingers and squinted. "Seems Fang sent a little spy to search my phone" he said. His voice booming at the person, a female he guessed. She wasn't struggling in his grip and stared at the titan. "How does your people treat spies? I'd imagine if you were in my shoes, you'd crush them into paste between your fingers and simply drop them down your throat" he said coldly. "You're lucky I'm not you" he said concentrating. The spy grew between his fingers until he stopped it when she was a few inches bigger. More manageable yet harmless. He relaxed and let her fall into his open palm. Covered in black fabric, the 17-year-old girl said not a word to him. Keith could tell she was afraid as her fingers and toes kept clinching. He looked back at his phone. 12:34 a.m. Beijing time. "I'm guessing you unlocked my phone by looking at my thumbprints" he said smiling. He extended his finger to her and she flinched. "I won't harm you, but I do expect some answers" he said petting her hair. Keith saw he wasn't going to get anywhere with her and left the room with her in tow.

"Where's Fang?" he asked a servant. "This mistress is indisposed. Please return to your room sir" the older woman replied. Keith ignored her and followed her scent in the house. It led him to a training hall where a young man waited outside with a towel. He tended up and barred his way. Keith shoved him aside and three the door open. "I asked not to be...I see" Fang said relaxing her stance. Standing barefoot, clad in a white shirt and black leggings, stood Fang. "It's this how you show hospitality? By spying on me while I sleep?" he asked showing the girl. Fang scowled at her and Keith got his first reaction from her as she cowered in his palm. "I know she was acting on your orders" he said. Fang made a gesture and grew the girl to their size. She waved her to leave. The girl scampered out of the hall. "What did you expect? An enemy coming to us about a coming war and needing our help? We were to take you at your word and possible photoshopped pictures?" she asked walking away and picking up a stave. She twirled it around showing off her martial arts. Keith grabbed another and stood in front of her.

"And if we did join your fight? Your kind would drag us down and we'd end up cannon fodder" she said coldly. Keith swung the stave and she ducked. Using momentum and ducked down cracking her in the shin making her stagger to the floor. "I'll have you know my people have gotten stronger since this summer. Fang was not happy. She attacked him slowly at first as if playing with him but soon found herself being parried away. She slammed her stave to the floor and jump kicked. Keith blocked using his forearm and grabbed her big toe twisting it. The pain made her fall off balance. She angrily threw the stave away and Keith did the same. Fang was astounded to see not only he holding his own but actually using familiar combat forms. She stopped to catch her breath and Keith pivoted his right leg and raised his left arm. "Crane blocking tiger" she muttered. "Wife taught me" he said. She raised her hand to stop the match. "I apologize for underestimating you" she said. "Not your fault. Everyone looks down on borrowers, but we got our own advantages even if we can't use magic"

She looked at him curious. "Our eyesight and hearing are better than yours. All I had to do is watch your muscles flex and listen for your heartbeat to increase to know when you'd attack" he explained. She sighed and nodded. "The truth is I believe you, but the branch families are skeptical. ZODIAC has kept their peace for many years" she said. "And they need further convincing" he said. She nodded. "ZODIAC has bought

 shares in China's ZTE squeezing us out. We've sent agents to ZTE to investigate at the sudden want in our largest mobile telecommunications company but not one has returned. If you find out the reasons why..."

"Then they owe me a favor" he finished. Again, she nodded. "Start with their office in Hong Kong. I'll send an agent to accompany you" she said. "As long as that girl is the one that comes with me" he said. "You must be...she can do no magic other than size magic. She's a mute. There are far better" she said. "She didn't bat an eye as I held her trapped between my fingers. All I need is a good fighter and someone who knows to keep a low profile. That's my condition" he said. Fang left the hall followed by Keith. She wiped the sweat from her face and walked right up to the girl kneeling on the floor in the main hall. "Banshen. You are to accompany this male on his mission. See to all his needs and defend him. Do not fail me" she warned. Banshen looked shocked but obeyed by nodding. 20 minutes later, they were on a private jet to Hong Kong.

"That looks cute on you" Keith said pointing to her pink sweater and white coat. She didn't say anything. "So, it's true you're mute?" he asked. She nodded. "First time on a plane?" he asked. She shook her head. Keith found her to be very withdrawn. "I'm Keith" he said extending his hand. She didn't move. "Shake" he said. She extended her hand and he shook it. "I'm not the big bad evil your people make me out to be Banshen" he said. She stared out of the window and closed her eyes. Keith followed suit and took a quick nap. The plane landed as he yawned. 3 hours of sleep but he took what he could. Banshen was already waiting at the door for him. "Where's your stuff?" he asked. She pointed to her pocket. "Ah, same deal" he said grinning. She nodded and exited the plane. A private car pulled up and both got in. He found it odd as they weren't heading to the economic district. "Where are we going?" he asked. Banshen typed on a phone. "Safe house? I guess we could freshen up" he said. They were dropped off at an apartment building. Nothing fancy at all and unassuming until you reached the door. Keith could sense a barrier. Banshen touched glowing arcane and the door unlocked.

She kicked off her shoes and bid Keith to use the bathroom as she sat on the sofa. Shrugging, Keith went to take a shower. "Saved you some hot water" he said as he came out. To his surprise, the girl was naked. She quickly bent down and took his cock out. Before he could object, she started sucking it. "Fuck...no. No, Banshen" he said pulling back. She pointed to herself and nodded. "No that's not it. I know she said to see to my needs but that doesn't mean you have suck my dick or fuck me" he said. She looked confused. "Just...go take a shower" he sighed. When she emerged, she sat down on the bed quietly. She looked at him and their eyes met. She suddenly shrank down in front of him and spread her legs. Keith shook his head. The girl used magic to switch the situation completely and now he was staring right at her giant shaved pussy. "That's not going to change my mind. It's not a size thing" he said. She restored their sizes. She typed on her phone. "No, I do find you attractive. It's just I don't fuck girls unless I feel something for them. And the same should go for you" he said. She hung her head. "You...you don't understand any of that do you?" he asked.      

She didn't answer as she stared at her toes. "Come on. We're on the clock" he said petting her hair. Banshen stood up and opened a closet. Inside were black stealth suits and a variety of weapons. She quickly put her’s on and chose a straight short sword. Keith took more time as not being accustomed to wearing such a thing. She helped him into it and zipped the back. Keith could smell her pheromones. She weakly smiled at him as he turned to look. "Damn thing is tight huh. You can see the bulge" he said. Banshen grinned slyly. "What's so funny? I can see your nipples you know" he said. The girl blushed and coughed as she checked her sword. Keith enlarged his and checked it. Banshen was mesmerized by it. She went to touch it. "NO! Don't...don't touch it. It's extremely dangerous. It could crack a diamond like a peanut shell. Not to mention it absorbs magic" he said. Banshen backed away. "If we're ready we should head out" he said. She nodded and led him out of the apartment. "Shouldn't we conceal ourselves? We look like broke ass ninjas" he asked. She shook her head and led him to the rooftop. There he saw a bird coop and she opened the cage. She placed a pigeon on the ground. She smiled at him as she shrank them both. It was then Keith noticed the bird actually had a saddle on its back. "You must be joking" he said. She shook her head as she climbed onto it. She yanked Keith on and she had him hold her waist. From a tiny pouch, she waved a strange scented dust near its beak. The bird cooed and suddenly took to the air. Keith screamed as they climbed higher and higher.

Banshen tapped his cheek and he opened his eyes. "Fuck!" he said seeing them flying over Hong Kong a thousand feet in the air. He held her tighter and she exhaled hard. "Oops. Sorry" he muttered easing up. It was surreal to travel in such a way. An inch-tall flying on the back of a homing pigeon. Not to mention he was holding onto a girl that earlier that year would've been trying to kill his friends. An updraft caught them, and Keith tensed but Banshen hunkered down as the bird glided and dove. The bird made a hard right and headed to a gated two-story house. It promptly landed on the roof. Banshen had the bird smell another type of dust and it flew back the way they came. "So how do we...oh" Keith said as she went and fumbled with a brick in the chimney stack. "This house is really old. Probably why a house is smack right in a city with one of the highest real estate prices in the world" he said. She typed on her phone. "Victorian era. Built after the boxer rebellion? You're pretty smart" he said. The girl blushed and shrugged. She wedged the false brick aside and had them slide down a rubber insulated wire.

It was clear this way of entering was set up for tiny people some time ago. "I thought we were going right to their headquarters" he said after landing in a surprisingly clean fireplace pit. She typed again. "So, your inside man lives here and doesn't go out much. Must be some guy to afford this" he said. She pointed to herself and gesture money. "Oh. You pay him off" Keith said as they stepped out onto the floor. Keith stopped her pointing to his ears. He could hear creaking floorboards. A giant man walked through the living room to the kitchen. "Grow us back. If other went missing, we need to be ready" he said. Banshen agreed and restored their size. The girl creeped quietly up to the man who poured a glass of alcohol. Close enough, she grabbed him from behind and pulled him to the floor. The muffled man shrank in her grip until she had a good grasp of him in her right hand. Confidant, she walked to his couch and sat down dropping him on his antique coffee table. "Oh god not another one" he squeaked. "Yes and no" Keith said walking into view. "You're not a mogwai" he muttered. "No, I'm not and I find it interesting you didn’t start in Chinese. Why?" Keith asked sitting down. The man didn't answer.

Banshen bent forward and pinned him down on the table with a finger. With her free hand she began tearing off his clothing until he was left naked. "I suggest you answer our questions. You answered in English before you saw me. Why?" Keith asked. He looked terrified but still didn't answer. Banshen looked to the side to see a small bowl of cashews. She picked one up and placed it next to the man. She made a gesture. "Wha...what's that mean?" he asked. "Means she's shoving that up your ass if you refuse to talk...for starters. I'm betting you don't wanna be raped by a nut...forgive me a legume" Keith chuckled. "Please...I can't. They'll kill me and my son" he begged. Keith stood up and walked over to the bookcase. On it was a picture of him and a boy around 8 years old. "This him?" Keith asked. The man nodded. "Where is he now?" Keith asked. "In his room" the man replied. "Just you and him here?" Keith asked. "For now. They will return. They will know if I talked. They will find me if I run. They...they killed the others who came" he replied. "I suggest you start from the beginning" Keith said sitting back down. The man went to explain that the Mogwai uses him to program exploits into the firmware updates for ZTE. From there they can hack any ZTE phone they wanted but two weeks ago his son came home from school with a young man. A western man. Naturally the father freaked out and the man pushed his way into the house. He ordered the father to create a firmware update. The father refused and threaten to call the police. When he went for the phone, the man chuckled telling him that would be a very bad idea. He turned around to see his son shrunk and held captive in his fist. He threatened to crush the life out of him if he didn't agree. The father agreed.

To keep appearances, he wiped the boy's memory and sent him upstairs but warned not to tell a soul about their agreement or else. A Mogwai came not long after about an end of the year update of their own and the man refused. Before he could say anything, the Mogwai was gone but the next day he found a tiny body cut to pieces on his kitchen counter. It was the mogwai from the day before. A reminder to keep his mouth shut. Another came days later, and a similar fate came upon her. And then a third one and this one was burnt to a crisp. The man was losing his sanity finding and disposing of them every other day before his son came home from school. His story was interrupted by the sound of cracking floorboards and footsteps. "Daddy. Who are they?" the boy asked in Chinese. Banshen went immediately to shrink him until Keith stopped her. "Friends" the father replied. The boy got closer. Keith caught his scent. Soap, slightly sweaty feet, and testosterone. Keith found the latter strange. And as he got even closer, he noticed something completely off. Keith stood up. "I'm Keith" he said. The boy flinched for a very brief moment. Enough to confirm a suspicion. So fast none registered it at first, Keith grew his sword and stabbed the boy where he stood. He pulled it back and flicked it free of blood. "NOOOO! I answered your questions!" the father screamed as he watched the boy fall to the floor bleeding. "That's not your son" Keith said. His sword glowed as it absorbed the illusion spell. To the father's and Banshen's astonishment, the boy was not a boy but a young western man. "He's...he's the man that came home with my son" he muttered. "He took his place to keep tabs on you. Probably soon after that day" Keith said bending down.

"Where's my son?!" the man yelled. The young man grinned before dying. "Goddammit. The wound wasn't even that bad. Must've killed himself somehow" Keith muttered. "And the likelihood of my son being found if he's alive" the man said. Keith motioned for Banshen to step aside. "Grow him back. The way he is now he won't say shit. Not even the threat of death will get him to talk" Keith said. Banshen looked at the sobbing man. She reluctantly agreed and restored his size. "I doubt he's dead. They're probably keeping him alive somewhere in case they need him further" Keith said. The man looked at him. "If you help us, we will try...keyword try to find him" he said. The man nodded and disappeared upstairs. He returned with some clothes on and booted up his PC. "I have to log into the program engine and load the script. This will take a bit of time" he explained. "Do it. We'll be upstairs looking around for a clue or something" Keith said walking upstairs. Keith and Banshen searched the boy's room. Nothing odd on his laptop. His phone looked clean. Banshen sat on his bed. "Rest. I'll shrink down and take a different perspective" he said. Keith shrank down and began exploring the room. Banshen watched in amusement as the small man crawled on top of bookcases, a desk, a tv stand, underneath the bed, and eventually emerging from a closet. He sat down near her feet and sighed.   

"Not good. That other guy's scent is all over the room, but the kid's is weak. Found a pair of dirty socks with his scent but it's days old. The boy hasn't been here in over a week I'm betting. Fits with his dad's story. Banshen picked him up and placed him next to her on the bed. She typed out something. "I don't have a clue what to tell him. Looks like a sweet kid too. Smart and studious by the looks of those textbooks on his desk. Loves his dad a lot. Supported by him emotionally judging by those three Kung Fu trophies on the bookcase. Was I kidding him by saying he was still alive?" Keith asked the giantess. Banshen typed on her phone. "If it was me, I wouldn't kill the boy. Too valuable a hostage" it read. "He could be anywhere by now" Keith groaned. He unshrank himself. "Let's tell the dad" he muttered walking out.

"We found no leads on your son. All I can see is he hasn't been here in over a week" Keith said to him.  "I promised his mother before she died, I would care for him even at the cost of my life. This...all of this is for him" the man said softly. Banshen pointed to the computer screen. "The project they had you working on" Keith said looking at script. "There and loaded. Just a few more lines of code and it will be done" he said. "And it's a firmware update? Same security flaws?" he asked. "Actually no. In fact, it's a packet" he said. "Packet?" Keith asked. What they had me do indicates it's supposed to be part of another set of code. It's not even the complete update" he said. "That makes no damn sense. Why would they tell you to make an incomplete update? Why parse it out instead of you doing the whole thing?" Keith asked. The man shook his head silently. "I've stopped caring. My son is gone God knows where and it's because of people like you" he said coldly at Banshen.

"Yeah you. They had to have found out about me by your kind. It's not enough you toy with our lives but to bring a foreign evil as well? Curse you and all your ilk!" he said literally spitting at her feet. She watched the man break down sobbing as he clutched his son's picture. Banshen looked down and away.  He was everything to me. He would've been a far better man that could ever be. Smarter than me, he excelled in everything he tried his hand in. He was even supposed to attend a Kung Fu championship next month. He already won a few" the man said upset. "I saw the three trophies in his room. I'm not going to give up looking" Keith said patting his shoulder. "...three? He only won two" the man said. "Well I saw three in his room" Keith told him. "Impossible. I've gone to all his matches and he's only won two" the man said to him. "It couldn't be" Keith muttered. "Couldn't be what?" the man asked. "You son might've been here the whole time" Keith said heading back upstairs. Banshen and the father followed.

"Here they are" Keith said placing them on the desk. "Yes, I know these two but not this one" the father said. Keith took a hard look at it. "Strange. The others have dust on them but not this one. Like brand new and heavier. Banshen tapped on his shoulder and showed him her phone. He read it and looked at the trophy. "Shit your right! The others have a figure in the same kicking stance but not this one. Uniform is missing too. Banshen put it on the floor. I want everyone to step back" he said. Banshen did as Keith shrank himself. He took out his sword. "What are you doing?!" the father said frightened. "About to free your son if I'm right. Now be quiet. This shit isn’t easy" Keith replied. Keith concentrated his will into the sword. Such a delicate process wouldn't have been possible with his old sword Rune Breaker, but this wasn't his old sword. Crafted with the finest magical silver and hammered, folded, and quenched dozens of times by the most experienced man to ever walk the Earth, the new, vastly more powerful, Rune Glory could sense the desire of her master. The blade glowed as it turned an ethereal strange smoke like form. Keith swung it down swiftly and it seemed as if the blade cut clean down through it. He stepped back.

In seconds, the figure on the trophy shined brilliantly and when it faded a small tiny boy fell into Keith’s arms. Keith grew back immediately and placed the boy on the desk. "My son. Is he..."

"Alive. Very weak but alive" Keith said not looking away. Keith checked the boy over. He was breathing. His giant finger felt his little heart beating abet weakly. His fingernails tickled his tiny bare feet and Keith smiled as his teeny little toes curled. "No neurological damage" Keith sighed. "Please restore his size. I beg you" the man pleaded. "Not yet. His body went through a trauma at the molecular level. Doing so now could be dangerous. In a few hours after he stabilized we can" Keith said. The father caressed his son's hair weeping. Keith and Banshen gave him some time alone. "Why do such a thing to a child?" he asked. "It's brilliant in a disturbing way. He had to keep your son hostage so shrinking him was a no brainer. But he would have to worry about a tiny boy escaping or getting killed in an accident. Cages wouldn't be the best bet, so he transmuted the boy into brass and hid him in plain sight as a trophy" Keith replied looking at the sleeping four-inch child. "Your son was transmuted in a fighting stance. Means he was ready to beat that guy's ass. You should be proud to have such a brave son" Keith told him. "I am. He has his mother's heart" the father said.

Banshen tapped his shoulder. "I know. They can come right back. Mr. Lu, I need you to finish their demand. Send it off" Keith said. Then man nodded. "My son..." he muttered. "Will be cared for by my friend. I need you to get to it" he said. The man looks at her coldly. "I swear no harm will come to him" Keith said. "Forgive my skepticism but I have heard what Mogwai do to cute or handsome human males. Including children" he said coldly. Banshen, who had shrunk herself down and climbed onto the desk looked up at the giant. It was clear that she was deeply hurt by the comment. Keith watched the man leave the room. "Don't pay him no mind. I know..."

She shook her head. She sent a text to Keith. "I deserve that and much worse. I will care for the boy. See to the father" it read. Keith left her alone and went downstairs. She held the boy's hand and stroked his hair. She had done horrible things in her life. Some just to pass the time, some being ordered to do so, and others to see to her frustration. She had never given thought to those she crushed under her feet, tortured with her ass, or simply eaten alive. And yes, some were as young as the boy in her care. But being with someone that treated her as a person instead of a weapon made her rethink things. And it brought guilt. If he made her feel this way in just a few hours, how would she feel being around him for much longer?

The father typed away adding script to the program code. An hour passed, two hours, three. "Done. All I have to do is send it to the server" he said. Keith nodded and Mr. Lu sent it off. "Now what?" he asked. Keith checked his phone. "Now we unshrunk your kid and you two pack your bags" Keith replied.  Keith followed him upstairs and saw the man check on his son. He cocked an eyebrow to see the Mogwai hadn’t moved and was stroking his shrunken son's forehead. "Any change?" Keith asked her. She smiled and made a snoring sound. "Good, that's good. His dad sent off the update" he said. She stared at him wide eyed. "I know it's risky, but these people wouldn't have stopped for anything. It would've just got worse. This way they get what they want but I memorized the IP address of the server farm where it went. I can back trace their connection when they go to verify it. I'll then be able to see what they're up to" he explained. Banshen nodded and went back to watching the boy. "You look after him like a mother. Do you have kids?" he asked. She paused and texted him. "...I did once. Not anymore" she replied. Keith wondered what that meant. She was 17 so her child had to be extremely young. Whatever answer to his question must've been a painful one for her and he left it alone.

Keith watched quietly as the father packed clothes for his son then turned to look at him. "Can you undo it now?" he asked. "Sure. It's been long enough" Keith replied picked the boy up and placing him on his bed. Using the sword in its shrunken form, Keith delicately pricked the boy's finger. It was far easier and safer than trying an ethereal cut. The boy slowly grew as Rune Glory absorbed the shrinking spell cast upon him. Back to normal size, his father wasted no time cuddling him. "D... daddy?" the boy asked opening his eyes. The father nodded. "The westerner! He's...he was here" the boy said looking around. He saw Keith and cowered in his father's arms. "It's okay. They're friends" Mr. Lu said. "Your English is very good" Keith said. "Daddy makes me practice a lot" the boy said. "How do you feel? Do you remember anything?" Keith asked. "The strange westerner was glowing and my room got really big. Then...then I was in darkness for a long time all alone. But before I woke up, I felt a warm hand on my hand, and I heard singing. A pretty song by a girl" he replied. Banshen hopped off the desk and grew to human size. She patted his head. "It was you wasn't it? This hand and you singing to me" he said. Banshen weakly smiled.

"You should go now. Don't use credit cards. Cash only" Keith said. "Already took all the cash I had from my safe. Get dressed son" the man said. "Where are we going? Why do we have to go?" the boy asked. "Someplace far away. Bad men like the westerner you saw before want to hurt us" the man said quietly. Keith and Banshen watched quietly as they entered a taxi 20 minutes later. The man paused and turned around. "Thank you" he said softly. Keith waved bye as he and his son entered the taxi. "We should get going too" he said. Banshen nodded and threw some dust on the ground. Moments later a pigeon flew down to the ground. "How?" Keith asked. She made a circle motion with her hand. "He was in a holding pattern? Haha...okay. Got it" Keith chuckled as they hopped onto the bird. Hey, flew back to the safehouse. "Don't know about you but I could use another shower. I smell like fireplace and pigeon" he said shedding his clothes. Finishing his shower, Banshen took her turn quietly. He didn't know her well, but he could see something was on her mind.

She came out in just a towel and bent over to take a bottled water out of the mini fridge. She handed it to Keith and got another for herself. "He said you were singing. Are you really mute?" he asked. She looked frightened to answer. Keith pulled her to sit next to them. "What happens here stays here" he said softly. She looked at her toes. "You're not mute, are you?" he asked. She looked into his eyes. "N..no" she stammered. "Then why don't you speak?" he asked. "Speak...n... not...well" she replied. "English or in general?" he asked. "All" she replied. "Mogwai...don't...let us live" she replied. "Why would they hurt one of their...oh. Oh, I get it now" he said nodding. "Your name. I translated your name earlier. Banshen means halfling in Chinese. You're only half Mogwai. I'm betting the other half is human. They don't allow children with physical or mental issues to live" he said. She looked terrified and bowed on the bed. He could hear her sniffling and shaking. "And it was safer to pretend you couldn't speak" he finished. "Banshen. Look at me. I'm not going to rat you out. Now raise your head" he said. She did and he felt so sorry for her. "Do you want to come back with me? You can live freely. No missions, no fearing for your life" he asked. She was so shocked she sat up.

She touched his cheek and wept as she nodded. "Okay" he said. Her hands went down and pulled his cock out. She immediately went to sucking it. "I said you don't have to do that" he groaned. She pushed his hands away as he went to stop her. Keith saw in her body she wanted this. It's wasn't out of obligation. Her pretty feet swaying back and forth as she bobbed up and down his dick. Her tongue tickling his head. Keith groaned as he shot his seed into her mouth. She got up surprised. "I'm so sorry. I should've warned you" he said. She shook her head as she sloshed his cum in her mouth. She swallowed it and smiled. "S... sweet" she said. Her hands roamed all over his body as she studied him. She tossed her robe aside and held out her hand. Keith shrank before her as she got closer. At five inches, he was slightly bigger than usual, but it was clear she planned it that way. She held him in both hands smiling warmly. She kissed his face and then all over his body.

"Okay...that...oh shit...that tickles" he said as she licked his ass. She said him on her tongue and pulled it in. Half of him hung out of her mouth as she sucked on him. His bare feet touching her back teeth as she moaned. Suddenly, she pulled him out and now slick with spit, pushed him into her pussy feet first. Banshen was gentle pushing him in and out. He never went in more than shoulder deep. She took her time and was methodical. Worried she would hurt or scare him or just wanting this moment to last, he didn't know. But as he feet and legs touched her walls, he felt traces of scarring. Banshen had been brutally raped and more than once to do that. And with a whimper she came. Keith grew himself back and cleaned himself. She looked happy laying on the bed looking at him. Keith returned to the bed soon after. "Plane...ready...hour". she said. "Then we have a few more minutes of fun" he grinned as he sat down.

She looked at his hard cock and saw him looking at her pussy. She looked worried. "I know you've been hurt done there before. I can be as gentle as you need me to" he said. She was embarrassed that he knew she'd been raped. She turned away in shame. She felt him take hold of her ankle and brought her foot to his face. She was shocked seeing him suck her toes. "No... dirty" she whimpered. "Nothing is dirty about you" he said letting go of her foot. He slowly pushed himself inside her. "Wrong...I'm dirty. Bad...evil. Killed people. Good people. Children!" she cried. She felt him pull back. She was certain he would reject her but then she felt him push right back in. "Because you were told to. Ordered to. Raised to think and feel that it was the way of things. Forgiveness starts from within. It's the only way you can move forward" he said speeding up a little. She embraced him and sat in his lap. Keith gently bounced her up and down on his shaft until he felt a tightness. Banshen whimpered pitifully as she came. Her pussy milked his cock for seed which it gave freely. "They...won't let me...leave" she muttered. "I will think of a way, but you have to trust me" he said. She nodded silently.

On the flight back, she wanted to sit at his side but knew they were being watched. They couldn't show any affection or friendship. Keith could see she was worried. That she didn't want to go back to a life of servitude and torturing and killing people. Someone like her would kill themselves before going back to that. Keith had to think of a plan and quick.

Three hours later...

Keith and Banshen entered Fang's estate. They made their way to the main house and entered. There Fang sat reading a book and cracking her toes without a care in the world. "Back so soon? That’s either a good or very bad thing. Which is it?" she asked. "ZODIAC did indeed get to your contact. They killed the handlers you sent" he replied. "For what purpose?" she asked. "They needed him to write part of a firmware code. Why I don't know. To avoid a messy and possibly public fight, we had him complete and send the code off" he said. She narrowed her eyes and loudly slapped her book shut. "And our contact?" she asked. "Escaped into the wind. Where he went, we do not know" he replied. Fang got up from her chair and walked past him to Banshen. "Is what he said true?" she asked her. Banshen nodded. Fang shrank the girl where she stood. She placed her bare foot on her. Keith tensed up. "I can understand him but not you. You should have secured the contact by whatever means. You failed me. You failed the Mogwai" she said pushing her giant sole on the two-inch girl. "If I may interject. I didn't come back empty handed" he said. Fang released her foot on her.

"I have the IP address of the server farm the code was uploaded to. With it, your people can hack it at their leisure. All of ZTE's secrets are yours. Shareholders, product development, emails of the board members. You can make billions off of it or blackmail to your hearts content" he said. Keith quickly scribbled down the address. "Take this to your council" he said. Fang slipped her shoes on. "I shall. Banshen you are on house arrest. Servant. Take her to the cage" she said coldly. A middle-aged woman plucked the tiny girl from the floor and carried her away. "Make yourself at home" Fang told him as she departed. Keith sat nervously in the living room. He had prevented her from being crushed like a bug under her feet, but she wasn't safe by no means. And he couldn't risk attending to her right then. Fang finally came back two hours later. She looked tired and sweaty. She roughly kicked off her shoes and poured herself some tea. "You look exhausted" Keith said. "A bunch of squabbling egotists will do that. It was a close vote. 7 to 6 in favor of helping you. I was the tiebreaker" she said to him.

"Thanks. I really mean that" he said. Keith got on his knees and bowed. The woman smiled and pushed her sweaty foot on his head. "Do not thank me so quickly. You will get only 75 of our soldiers and they come from the 9th legion. Low level casters with discipline issues" she said Keith held her foot and kissed her smelly sole. "I'll take what I can get. A pleasure to meet a woman who can see the forest and not just the trees" he said smiling. "Flattery will get you everywhere with me" she smiled putting her teacup down. "Now I must attend to my failure of a soldier" she said. "And pray tell what is to become of her?" Keith asked. "This is her third fuckup on a mission. She has proven to be too much a hinderance and not an asset" she replied walking down the hall. Keith followed her into a room where a small cage sat while quietly popping a pill taken from his pocket. "Banshen, due to your incompetence, you let a valued asset escape us. This was your third great failure and you brought dishonor to my house. At dawn you will be executed. Spend tonight in meditation and pray for Buddha to grant mercy on your soul" she said coldly. Banshen hung her head and Keith could hear her whimpering. "If I may. She was under my command. I will not protest the judgement in honor of your traditions, but I ask I may carry out the execution" Keith said.  Fang eyed him for a moment. Banshen stared at the giant with shocked wide eyes. "Very well. You can do as you wish at dawn..."

"I rather it be now as I'm on the clock" he said. Fang sighed. "Okay. It would prove better in the eyes of the council she died quickly anyway. You may proceed" she said. Keith popped the top off the cage and used his fingernails to pluck Banshen up. She didn't squirm but stared at him helplessly and broken hearted. He opened his mouth and dangled her over it. He tried to tune out her sobbing and sudden squeal as she was dropped inside. Keith had to swallow her. At her size she could easily drown in his saliva. He felt her scream as she was swallowed alive. Another proof that she wasn't mute. "Sweet and sour" he chuckled. Fang laughed at patted his back. "You are not the same man from the summer" she said. "Good or bad thing?" Keith asked. "Depends and we shall see" she said. "I must be on my way" he said. "Of course. You shall have our soldiers on the 29th. Until then" she said bowing. "Until then. Joseph. I'm ready to return!" he yelled. Fang wondered who he was talking to and then was shocked to see a portal form before him. "You didn't tell me you had a Mage of this power" she said. "Joseph is powerful but I wouldn't want to be him. What good is power when you can't even heal your own heart?" Keith said before stepping through.

Keith emerged in the control room. He pushed Susan aside and bent down as he thrust his finger into the back of his throat. It took a few tries, but he puked up Banshen. He grew himself and snatched a bottle of water nearby. He splashed her and she coughed. "Easy. Just hold still" he said. "Undo the spell on her Susan" he said. Confused and full of questions, she reluctantly did. Banshen grew to human sized. Shivering and barely clothed she looked at him. "I needed your reaction to be genuine" he said. She slapped him before hugging him crying. "I'm just glad the antacid I popped earlier delayed digestion.  "Chelsea. If you can please escort her to medical and get her some dry warm clothing" he said. The borrower girl rushed to the giantess. "This way please" she said. Keith nodded for her to go. After she left, Susan looked at him. "Bet she was a nice fuck" she snorted.

"She was a warrior slave seeking asylum" he said. "So, is that a yes that you fucked her?" she asked annoyed. "The girl you're jealous of was brutally raped so badly the scars inside her pussy looked like a fucking road map. Not to mention she was scheduled to be executed at dawn. Hence me smuggling her out in my stomach. Still jealous?" he asked irritated. Keith stumbled on his feet and she caught him. "You pulse is erratic" she said. "Little bits of sleep and time zone lag is fucking with me. The mission was a success. We got 75 Mogwai coming to help us on the 29th" he said. "That's only two days away" Susan said. "I know. Cutting it close. Joseph when exactly is the Alignment?" Keith asked. "December 31st at 10:14 pm local time" he replied. "Two days to get them coordinated. No pressure" Keith muttered. "This isn't in our favor" Susan muttered.

"We're borrowers. When has the odds ever been in our favor?" Keith asked as he left the room. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon, he crashed onto his bed. Lawan, who sat quietly on the windowsill staring off out of the window was overjoyed to see his return but saw the utter exhaustion on him. She crawled onto the bed and to his face. "See? Nothing bad happened to me" he chuckled. She trembled touching his giant lips. "When you awaken you will suck my toes" she said. "Yes ma'am" he muttered. "Drink my milk and wash my pussy with your tongue" she said. "Yes ma'am" he muttered. "And after orgasming in your mouth multiple times, you will cuddle me as I cry like a child and thank Buddha for your safe return" she muttered as her voice broke.  "Yes ma'am" he said softly. Keith drifted off to sleep as Lawan lay naked near his mouth. His warm breath keeping her warm.