***
McCoy watched the pitched battle between the Sluagh and the poppets with only slightly less awe than the others. He had seen a lot during his lifetime, but this was definitely a first. The monkeys were outnumbered about two to one, but their magical origins and aggressive fighting style made them more than a match for the evil fairies.
Still, the numbers were on the side of the Sluagh. They would probably overwhelm the poppets at some point, but McCoy was hoping that their ranks would be decimated enough to allow he and the others to finish the job with their iron-loaded firearms. Between the poppets and the demon, the ranks of the Sluagh had dwindled enough that McCoy was fairly certain they would have little trouble disposing of the remaining fairies.
As he thought of the demon, he glanced in the direction of the other battle to see how it was progressing. To his surprise, he saw that the demon had vanquished its Sluagh attackers and was now moving quickly across the field. His eyes followed the entity’s projected path and he was even more surprised to see Cynthia running toward them. At first, he thought that she was on the attack, but then he saw that her attention was on her father, and he saw the fear and concern on her face.
Something had snapped within her, and now she was just a frightened young woman running to the aid of her father.
Unfortunately, she was also about to become breakfast for a maddened demon.
Uttering a silent curse, McCoy dropped his walking stick and raced to intercept the rapidly advancing fiend.