Fate of Pandora - Book I

Mousetrap

Arika coughed. Her head pounded as she tried to remember what had happened. As she opened her eyes and sat up painfully, she found herself in an unknown place, and cursed under her breath for letting herself get captured – and especially for appearing so weak.

She wasn't sure what was going on, but for a moment, she wondered about her friends. What had happened to them? Were they captured as well? She couldn't help but wish they would come rescue her and, at the same time, she didn't want them to risk their lives over her. They must not, she thought. For a small guilty moment, Arika regretted diving into the world of gods with her newfound friends. All of this trouble began the moment they had met.

She was confined within the walls of a room so dark that she could barely see its limits. As her vision adjusted to the dim moonlight entering from two small cut out windows, she made out the shape of large machines and gears occupying the furthest half of the room. She tried to stand up, but was stopped when she realized her wrists were chained to the wall. Are you kidding me?

She shook her arms to test the rusty chains, but they were too thick, and did not budge against the girl's strength. Arika tried for a while to break free of them, but her wrists quickly became sore and she had to give it up for fear of hurting herself even worse. Then she tried slipping her hand through the manacle and out of the chains, but to no avail.

With a creak, the heavy wooden door opened and startled the girl. The light from the other side blinded her for a few seconds and she blinked. It took a moment until she was able to see the figure standing in the doorway.

"Did you sleep well, missy?" Kira began walking towards her. His big figure somehow blended in the darkness. "Our accommodations aren't the best, but I think they suit you well." He wore only half of his usual maniac smile, as if something bothered him very much.

In the short moment it took for Kira to cross the space between them, Arika experienced a plethora of feelings; at first, he frightened her; and then, she felt angry with him for chaining her in an unknown place; and at last, she became worried with the thought of what he might do to her next.

She didn't want to give him the pleasure of seeing her afraid and useless, so she turned away from him and stared at the floor.

That action seemed to bother the man and he grabbed Arika's chin in a strong grip, forcing her to look at him "Don't ignore me - or you'll dearly regret it."

"What do you want!?" she demanded, frustrated that she had to stare back at his dark eyes.

"Ah, yes, that's much better." Kira's anger seemed to diminish as he let go of her face. "What I want should be obvious to you by now." He grabbed her left hand and Arika knew he was going to take her Wolf God ring. She closed her hand in an attempt to stop him.

Kira didn't mind her silly attempt of disobeying him as he easily opened her hand by force and started to pull the ring off of her finger. Arika grunted, struggling to keep her hand shut, but he was too strong for her. In a last desperate attempt, she tried to transform, but she simply couldn't focus and the transformation failed.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" she cried as she fought in vain to stop him from taking her ring. She nearly growled with frustration. She felt like an idiot. Oh, why couldn't she transform? "So, this is your great plan? Kidnap everyone and take the rings from them?" she yelled at him.

"Oh, no. There will be no need to kidnap each one of you. Why would I do that if all of the demigods are coming here to deliver themselves directly into our hands?" Kira said matter-of-factly.