Page 72 of Dark Captivation

At least not until Mellow's voice seeped into my mind.

“No. I told you to stay away from the demon and now look what’s happened.” Mellow said curtly. “You never let me out for fun runs anymore. You only call me when your neck is on the line. Well, I’m tired of it. You’re on your own this time. Show these mages’ the power of your human form.”

She said what she’d come to say and she was gone. Not caring that I was weaponless in a sea of enemies without her.

An explosion broke the sound barrier as the blond mage’s energy blast took out five shelves at once. Ferina’s quickness got her out of the path of the blast in time to avoid being killed, but by the twin streams of blood that trickled from her left arm, she’d been winged by the blast.

Dirty hands trapped me as four more mages rushed in trying to take the two of us prisoner so they could use us to get to Malek.

Ferina howled in pain as another energy blast, this one only slightly smaller than the last, bounced off her leg.

Her fur was singed, and the smell of burning flesh made my heart squeeze.

“You’ll kill her!” I insisted, and the mages cackled boisterously.

“We only need one hostage to lure out the king. Your friend should have been smart enough to surrender instead of shifting. Did she expect to win against so many of us?” The blond mage said.

“Ferina!” I tried to get to her as she continued fighting off the mages' attacks. But I couldn’t help as three mages restrained me by my arms and hair.

Two more orbs struck her, she swiped her claws in every direction but there were too many mages, and they were too powerful. More of her fur singed, accompanied by more blood.

I refused to stand here on the sidelines, watching Ferina die. Even without Mellow I still had one weapon at my disposal. I hadn’t used my element since I’d been taken by Alpha Prometheus. It worked miraculously then, summoning unicorns who trampled Alpha Brock to death and allowed me to escape Prometheus’ grasp.

But my powers were dangerous. Once unleashed, my chaos can never be controlled. Summoning it is like opening Pandora’s Box. Once opened, the worst curveball the universe can possibly throw at you is sent your way. I only prayed that this time it helped and didn’t make matters worse.

“Chaos unleash!” I cried loud enough for the gods to hear.

The mages who restrained me exchanged puzzled glances but as a few seconds passed without anything happening they sighed, seeming to figure there was nothing to fear.

A buckling sound emitted from overhead and I whispered a silent prayer that Pandora had sent something that even the mages would fear.

The mages muffled their talking as small fissures appeared in the walls and ceiling of the library.

The ground shook and the shelves began to sway violently as a large portion of the library roof lifted, as if ripped off by a hurricane.

Pieces of roof including cement blocks, wood planks and heavy debris came raining down on our heads bringing devastating destruction to the library.

Panic stricken, the mages ran in all directions trying to avoid being crushed or injured by the debris. I flew to Ferina's side, tucking myself under her arm, keeping her on her feet as she continued to lose blood.

“We have to find cover!” My voice met the loud rumbling that engulfed us.

“Leave me and run, I’ll be okay. You’ll get farther without me slowing you down.” She coughed.

“I’m not leaving you.” I pulled us to the left away from the cinder blocks that pummeled the shelf a few feet to our left.

The mages’ shouts turned to a chorus of screams as a pair of eyes, the size of monster truck tires peeped in through the gaping hole in the ceiling.

“What is that thing?” A random voice shrieked as a giant hand infiltrated the library through the opening in the ceiling.

I froze and Ferina gasped as the hand seized one of the mages and plucked him through the hole. The mage screamed, going silent right as we heard a munching sound.

Ferina shifted back to human form, but she didn’t say a word, the astonishment in her round eyes speaking on her behalf.

“Okay. I think It’s time to get out of the library.” I shuffled in the door’s direction, helping Ferina along.

The giant hand tucked inside once more, this time grabbing a mage armed with a sword. The mage stabbed the hand frantically, seeming to aim for its wrists.

The giant hand shook the mage like a saltshaker. Whatever beast was outside must have seen the mage as a toy or something no more significant than an ant.

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