I freeze in horror, my legs feeling wobbly. Then my anger flared up. "Mixed blood?" I roar. "If I'm not a demon, what am I?"
"Records and evidence point to a human. As fitting punishment you are condemned to live on their planet in exile and never return here."
I let a shriek escape my lips before I throw myself at the the demon speaking, towards the top of the dome. That was when I felt chains cuff my neck. I was yanked back.
I gave another screech of anger and flew in the direction of the source of the chain behind me. Another one cuffed my ankles to the ground.
Demons crowded into the Arena and started pulling on the chains, dragging me down. I beat my wings with a frantic hope that I'm strong enough to stay in the air, but I'm grounded before too long.
Demons grabbed my arms and legs, reaching for my wings to immobilize me. In panic, I'm afraid that they will take my wings or cripple them, so I pull them into the safety of my back. The skin sealing them in like a door that only I can open.
"No!" I shouted. "You can't do this to me! Let go of me right now!"
I thrash and struggle but their grips are all like a vise; clamped down and restraining me, as they carry me to the Pavillon.
The Pavilion was dark and unforgiving, meant to sentance the demons who break the laws of Demon's Core. Dread creeps up my spine as I see a small white spot appear in the center.
"Solstice, you are guilty of attempting to deceive Demon's Core and entering under false pretenses. If you dare to return here, you will be promptly executed."
The spot starts growing faster as I'm carried near it until it is bigger than I am with a blinding light; a portal into the human world.
I squeeze my eyes shut and begin a whole new round of wailing for them to stop, but they ignore me. The keep dragging me forward until I'm forced to stand in front of it.
I feel an agonizingly painful blast to my right side. Someone took the opportunity to shoot me while I'm vulnerable.
I grunt in pain as I look down at my burnt flesh, the skin blackened and burned.
A branding.
My head starts to cloud as I lose my footing and fall through the portal. I start screaming, and soon I'm falling.
The white light enveloping me until I black out from the pain.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
