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</span></span>​</div><span style="font-size: 18px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">A fierce wind howled, sounding louder than a tornado. The room shook violently as if they were tossed into the middle of a seismic event, and objects were hurled into the air by the force that rocked the room. Over the centuries, the Merrick family familiars had taken many forms. But no matter what form they had taken, Kasabian<i> knew</i> his task was to assist his witch.<br/>
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As Mihai's familiar, Kasabian would help him along his development with using different types of magic, helping him directly manipulate the natural energies contained in stones, herbs, astrological aspects and in the four elements. If and when Kasabian was in familiar form, whether it be in astral or physical form, he would enhance Mihai’s magical power.<br/>
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Kasabian was Mihai's healer and guardian, a mediator between the ordinary world and the magical world, and together with his witch they formed a powerful bond, allowing them to perform magic in the material realm and the otherworld. Kasabian would not hesitate to warn his witch of possible dangers, or in extreme cases-- defend him to the death.<br/>
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Mihai was probably taught at an early age how to understand familiar spirituality to a greater degree.<br/>
That way, he would be prepared at his coming of age to connect with his true familiar. By the time he was ready to cast his first spell, Mihai was probably well aware that a true match with an utterly loyal familiar would bring magical stamina, unfailing love, kindness, understanding and beauty into his life.<br/>
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The panther's fur shimmered like black satin as it moved, its angry eyes glowing like topaz gems as it flashed its elongated, blood-streaked canines threateningly in Devlin's direction. It sank its canines into the dark witch in an attempt to disable him, but it had a devastating effect on Kasabian.   Once the big cat got a taste of the dark magic running through Devlin's veins, his bone crushing bite was released.<br/>
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However, Devlin held on tightly to the panther's fur in order to rob Kasabian of familiar energy. Weakened, the large cat's shadowy form melted into a dark corner of the room in an effort to recover residual magic in case he needed to defend himself from a stronger Devlin. Devlin was playing a deadly game with his use of blood magic. As Devlin absorbed his energy, Kasabian's own familiar magic began to lose its ferocity and focus.<br/>
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The powerfully sleek, muscular form of the panther started to phase in and out, with Kasabian's human form bleeding through. Kasabian wisely switched to the next best thing, the form of a smaller feline. No longer able to use a panther because it required more familiar magic, Kasabian quickly downsized to the next available member of the cat species, the <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lynxuk.org%2Fimagesgeneral%2Flynx2.jpg&amp;hash=8db0921e41b1f5bb5b119e6bed693547" href="http://www.lynxuk.org/imagesgeneral/lynx2.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Eurasian lynx. because it  was still lethal and used less magic to maintain its form.</a><br/>
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Its reddish brown fur was heavily spotted in inky rosettes with a white, spotted belly that aided the cat when camouflaging itself in snowy, forested areas while hunting prey. Long legged with huge, snowshoe-like webbed paws ensured he remained an efficient and fast predator even in deep snow. The lynx had a distinctive ruff of hair around its face and neck and a short tail that was approximately eight inches long with a black tip.<br/>
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The lynx had small tufts of black hair on each of its ears that helped provide it with exceptional hearing. Its coat was thick, and far too dense and double layered for Devlin to grasp as he had done while Kasabian was cloaked within a panther's skin. Kas didn't waste any time planning an attack. The medium sized cat launched itself from a crouching position with every intention of raking at Devlin Blackmore with its claws extended from its heavy paws.<br/>
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Having learned a hard lesson, it flailed at the witch without lagging behind in one place too long, not allowing Devlin to have another crack at draining his familiar magic a second time. The Eurasian lynx was a highly efficient hunter, capable of bringing down prey four times its own size with its own weight, momentum, agility and claws, then killing his prey by choking or suffocating it with a bite.<br/>
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The Eurasian lynx was an exceptionally powerful hunter even amongst cats, and as of right now, it was holding its own in its battle with the dark witch. Easily adapting to his surroundings, it was agile and able to move more nimbly than a panther could, especially in a small space. The lynx guise that Kasabian had transformed into, sensed the presence of his one, true witch.<br/>
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It became territorial and protective of Mihai as he crawled into the room through the smashed window, growling at Mihai as it tried to warn him of the potential danger. The cat knew that Mihai needed to tread carefully around the dark witch, who was in the process of repairing his wounds from the panther bite, and as the minutes passed, he would be at full strength due to the familiar magic it tapped from him.<br/>
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Now that Mihai made his official arrival within Devlin's domain, the lynx could not allow Devlin any opportunity to hurt Mihai. The lynx formed a furry barricade of teeth and claws as he positioned himself between the two witches.  Now, the dark witch would have to overpower an angry 75 pound lynx first before ever reaching Mihai.<br/>
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Due to his witch's close proximity, the magic drawn from their natural bond was much stronger than if they had remained apart and was helping Kasabian to recuperate from his lost magical essence. Recharged, the lynx took out his rage upon Devlin, ripping a hole into his cloak and rending four jagged, bloody wounds across his chest.<br/>
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The attack provided enough of  a diversion to keep Devlin from conjuring up another spell, allowing Mihai to collect a burned out candle and relight it, so he could summon up his own power. Kasabian couldn't remain in lynx form and unite his own magic with Mihai's at the same time. It became apparent that he needed to change back, in order to help his witch with the invocation.<br/>
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Leaving Devlin wounded and bleeding heavily, if only temporarily, Kasabian returned to human form, the rosettes softening and fading from sight until Kasabian stood beside Mihai clothed in his satiny human skin. Mihai's psychic shielding was important to Kasabian because he was extremely sensitive to psychic vibrations and magical power.<br/>
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Kasabian had visibly reacted in the presence of Devlin's evil energy, and conjuring a spell to bind the magic and prevent any further damage from the negative enchantment from occurring was a priority. A small pouch was fastened to the belt at Kasabian's waist, and opened by deft fingers. The smudging ash was taken out and a sigil placed with his fingers on Mihai's forehead, his own and the flooring between Devlin, the familiar and his witch.<br/>
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<i>“In Hecate's name I bind Devlin to the flame,</i><br/>
<i>I cast Devlin’s powers to the wind, that all may know his shame,</i><br/>
<i>May Hecate envelope him in the threefold law,</i><br/>
<i>May their ability to raise magic fall on deaf walls,</i><br/>
<i>May Hecate stop his harm in the future, present and past,</i><br/>
<i>Only at my will may this binding be uncast,</i><br/>
<i>So Mote It Be!”</i><br/>
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Together, they invoked the powerful binding incantation, directing the spell to restrain the dark magic and render it ineffective. Joining hands with Mihai, Kasabian concentrated on projecting and merging his familiar magic  with Mihai's so it formed a ball of flame to trap Devlin on all sides. The incantation was invoked from memory alone and with conviction and respect for the goddess' power and that of the four elements within the ritual circle, as Kasabian spoke the following words into existence:<br/>
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“We bind Devlin's feet from bringing harm to others! We bind his hands from reaching out to harm others! We bind his mouth from conjuring evil to harm others. We bind his mind from sending energy to harm others. If he should continue, let all negative energy that is cast be reflected directly at Devlin! Great Mother, we have bound Devlin from harming us and other innocents. By the powers of three times three! By Earth and Fire, Air and Sea! We fix this spell, then set it free. Twill give no harm to return to Mihai and me. As we will, So mote it be!"<br/>
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The earth shook, and then fell still.<br/>
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The sound of the wind softened to a breeze that swept the smell of corruption away, and left the smell of running water and moist earth behind in its wake.<br/>
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The spell was complete, and the outcome of it remained to be seen.</span></span>