The Butterfly Girl: A Star is Born

#126 Prison of Shadows

[Sophia]

I kept my eyes shut tight, wiggling and trying to worm my way out of this stupid, sticky trap. I couldn't pull my arms out from behind. Tugging my wings was too painful and I was worried I'd loose some important feathers. I could hardly feel my own legs. Cold, blind, and no weapon to help free myself. Had I really been successfully captured? I paused for a moment to catch my breath. Before struggling more violently one last time, one more attempt for sweet release. And I suddenly stopped when I felt a couple feathers being plucked and I decided to think of another way to get out that didn't involve pulling something else important. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of a different alternative.
I hated this feeling.
I hated being imprisoned.
Just when I thought I left that feeling behind and I would never experience it again. Of course something else had to come along and tie even more weights to my ankles to keep my head out of the clouds for good. I guessed I couldn't escape it forever.

I sighed and hung my head in defeat. Maybe if I just stopped for a moment, I might be able to do something clever to get out of this. That, or something else will just spontaneously happen and I'll just wing it.
"Surprised to come to terms with your capture? If you thought you could sneak away from this, you can add that to your growing list of mistakes." the Demon suddenly appeared and the entire room dropped in temperature once more. I shivered violently as its eyes circled me.
"But I think you'll be happy to know that you're not the only one who'll step into my snare. I sense... another enemy of mine is getting closer to discovering our little hideaway."
What? It doesn't mean...
For a moment, I was hopeful that my friends would be on their way to attempt a rescue mission and get me the hell out of here. I believed that. Until I suddenly thought about if I was the bait. And this whole thing was a trap. Just like when Apollo got caught before the first time it tried to catch us. But with my crystal in its... shadowy... you know what? I don't even know if it has hands, but it has my weapon and using that power might make this rescue a little more difficult. My confidence wavering, but my relief in their strength would not be tested so easily. And as if on cue, the Demon held up the faintly glowing gem in front of me.
"Unfortunately for you, with the key to a higher power... the victory will turn to me this time. I am curious to see what my own enemies will bring to this situation."
Its eyes suddenly faded from my gaze and my own eyes darted about as the crystal floated ominously before  me. I was afraid to know what was going to happen, I was afraid to find out what it was planning on doing with my gem. A gust of wind kicked up behind me and it grew stronger every second. Small wisps and trails of black smoke and shadows followed and began enveloping the light of the crystal. My entire body felt like it was tightening. Was it the sticky trap slowly suffocating me? Or the Demon's power radiating around me and slowly draining my life force in the process? As the shadowy figure got stronger, I could feel the gem pulsing. Beating through my chest like a second heartbeat.
A very painful heartbeat.
I couldn't breathe.
Each pulse of the gem felt like it was trying to fight back, as well as my own body trying to fight through this strange and painful feeling. My own heart trying to fight against this most unwelcome pain as did the crystal.
As the wind howled around me, I began to hear whispers from within. Strange whispering that I couldn't not focus on. The tight, clenching feeling in my chest was now joined with a strange, sickening feeling in my head. I shivered uncontrollably. I felt like I was going to throw up and be squeezed to death at the same time.

Whatever the Demon was doing to the crystal, I was beginning to feel it too. My own strength wasn't enough to fight back against this feeling. And it didn't seem the power of the gem could resist the power of the Demon's darkness for long.