The symbols flashed above Tessa from the girl's palm, her multicolored eyes wide with worry. "C'mon, C'mon! I didn't save your life for you to die here," she muttered. She had yet to feel the effects of the box. Tessa groaned but didn't wake. More symbols flashed.
Enderstorm looked at the woman pleadingly, her expression similar to that of a puppy’s.
"Lacie, this is bad. I don't think…" While Anna was turned to the computer, trying her best to read through the hundreds of dense files, she missed what was happening behind her. Lacie had fished out a small knife, and managed to cut through the cords. A beep was heard, and a tiny tickticktick. Before Anna could look, a huge flash of white light spun out from where Lacie had stood and a huge explosion knocked her back and against the window. She yelped as the glass broke behind her and she fell through. Tiny pieces of hardware and high tech bits rained down after her as she landed hard on the sandy ground.
The girl shook her head and moved over to Enderstorm, pressing her hand against her hide while whispering reassurances. Thankfully, scales were not equivalent to skin, so she need not worry about looking into the dragon's mind accidentally. She transferred some of her own magical energy into Enderstorm.
Enderstorm relaxed slightly, spread her wings, and slowly stood, still weak but feeling better. She flapped her wings and rose into the air, picking up Danny and Tristan in her claws. She flew up, as high as she dared to go in her current state, just far enough that the box couldn’t suck the magic out of them as well.
Cinthia went back to Tessa and Ronan, giving them her mana too. She felt a little prick beneath her skin but brushed it off as she fussed over her best friend and Ronan.
Startled awake, Danny stifled a scream. "Oh, it's just you," he murmured. "Hey, I don't sense any life at all. Are we all dead or something?" (The box has just kinda taken the majority of his power already, but he's too tired to realize that)
Enderstorm didn’t speak, the energy it was taking to remain in flight while her magic regenerated too taxing for anything else.
Tessa's eyes fluttered, and she looked up at Cinthia. Her vision swam. "Ciao, bella," she said weakly.
Cinthia sighed and pulled her up. "Let's get you out of here." She then felt it. Her knees buckled, and the box pulled even more magical energy from her at a faster rate. "What…?"
Tessa panicked. "Cin, you need to leave. That thing… it'll take all of your mana."
But Cinthia refused to leave her friend. They moved farther away from the box, and Cinthia went to retrieve Ronan as well.
The box made a fizzling noise before it started beeping, slowly letting go of the magic it had stolen. Anna sat on the ground for a minute, staring at the box as it started to fall apart.
(Isn't Anna with Lacie somewhere else?)
Enderstorm began sinking, doing all she could to hold onto Tristan and Danny. She fell through the air, curling into a ball around the two so she could protect them from the impact. As she fell, the box released the energy it had stolen, and she felt her life essence rush through her, and she unfurled her wings, gliding gently onto the ground with Tristan and Danny clutched safely in her huge front paws.
Cinthia, however, wasn't getting her energy back. She stumbled, but gritted her teeth and continued dragging Ronan away from it. Better safe than sorry. If all else fails, I still got my hellfire.
(Anna fell out of the window when Lacie killed the box and there was an explosion.)
(Okay, so I'm still confused as to what is happening)
"Lacie, this is bad. I don't think…" While Anna was turned to the computer, trying her best to read through the hundreds of dense files, she missed what was happening behind her. Lacie had fished out a small knife, and managed to cut through the cords. A beep was heard, and a tiny tickticktick. Before Anna could look, a huge flash of white light spun out from where Lacie had stood and a huge explosion knocked her back and against the window. She yelped as the glass broke behind her and she fell through. Tiny pieces of hardware and high tech bits rained down after her as she landed hard on the sandy ground.
This was earlier. Anna and Lacie were in a room above the arena. It had a glass wall on the side facing the arena, so the scientists could watch them. Lacie triggered an explosive when she cut the cords, disabling the power that they were using to keep the box working as a magic magnet. It blew up, shattering the window and throwing Anna and about seventeen computers out the window. (It made sense in my head, maybe not so much on paper.)
(Okay, now that makes sense.)
Tessa gasped as her magic came back, then scrambled over to a groaning Ronan. Cinthia slumped against a wall, weak but relieved.
Anna took a deep breath, standing and making her way back to the group. "Do you feel better?" Her voice was shaky, still concerned.
Tess nodded, and so did Ronan. Cinthia stayed quiet, closing her eyes and leaning her head back. She had given some energy to others and a great deal had been stolen. It would take a while to regenerate hers.
Danny popped up. "I'm all good. Eleven year old energy is a wondrous thing!"
Enderstorm nodded weakly, slumping onto the ground with a groan.
“This day just keeps getting worse,” she said, closing her eyes as she rested.
Tristan stood up and brushed off his clothes, “That wasn’t fun. I want to get out of here.”
Anna walked over to them. "The way out is open. We made it into the facility, its all unlocked and open. But guys… Lacie's gone. She saved us."
Tessa slumped in sadness. She glanced at Cinthia. "Do you think…?"
Her friend shook her head. "I'm too weak, and by the time Demitri gets here, our window will be long gone."
Ronan pulled Tessa in a comforting hug.
Anna sat down lightly, wrapping her arms around her legs and watching the remaining group. "Tess, who's…" She gestured over at the unfamiliar girl.