Bound and Broken: An Isekai Adventure Dark Fantasy (Melas Book 1) V.A. Lewis (feel good books to read .TXT) 📖

I finally got his attention, and indicated the pistol and my chains. Theodore paused for a moment, realizing what I wanted to do. He hesitated, but nodded slowly as I readied to throw the weapon to him.

I stopped myself when I saw his face twist into horror. He was staring at something behind me!

I spun around quickly, raising the gun as I did. But there was a flash of light. Before I could even react, I found myself rolling on the ground, covered in… glowing chains?

Julian Mancis, owner of the Mancis Company, lowered his cane, the mana crystal on its tip dimming. He strolled over to me as I struggled against the bindings made of mana, but I could not break free. I glared up at him as he picked up the pistol I dropped, and inspected it slowly.

"You’ve caused me a lot of trouble today, girl," Julian said.

The sounds of gunshots and fighting died down. The last of the rich man’s bodyguards were finally killed— their screams the only thing indicating to me that any of them were still alive. Eventually, it stopped too, and the owner of the Mancis Company sighed.

"For your sake, and mine, I truly hope you were worth all this trouble."

Then it was over.

The battle ended with the slavers of the Mancis Company winning; Julian went to speak with the Bolerian officials— probably to bribe them to cover up this entire ordeal— while the remaining guards rounded up the slaves and brought them somewhere else.

It was only when all the other slaves were taken away, did somebody pick me up, and brought me to Julian. He looked down at me with a cold, cruel, gaze as he spoke.

"What do I do with her, boss?"

The old man, dressed in his well tailored suit, turned a cold eye towards me; I was manacled, once again. This time, however, it seemed like they gave me a stronger pair of chains. It felt heavier on both my arms and legs. And despite the minor medical treatment they gave to my ankle, the injury was being exacerbated by the new set of chains when I was not sitting or lying down. Julian Mancis shook his head, and gave out his order.

"Lock her up with the other troublemakers. Together with the heavy transport merchandise. Ensure nothing of this sort happens again."

Then he turned around and stalked away.

The guard grunted in affirmation, and roughly dragged me across the room into another, smaller storage room. The room was dark, and there were massive cages and boxes inside of it. He walked up to one of the cages, and tossed me in, locking both the metallic doors of the cage and the wooden door of the room as he left.

I looked around the empty room, and felt… horrible.

Everything went better than I expected— I knew that jerks tended to dislike other assholes, so I pitted them against each other, and it worked. Yet, I was forced to watch them brutally murder each other, and was not even rewarded with freedom. My escape attempt failed and now, I was alone.

Or so I thought.

From the corner of my eye, I saw something move in the cage! A shadowed figure was laying down just behind me, in the same cage I was in, and it looked like it was sleeping.

I froze. I did not know what it was in the cage with me, but it had to have been dangerous. Why else would they be locked up like this?

The only question was, what was it? Was it a Monster? An animal? Or a very scary person? I did not know which of those options I wanted, but I wanted none of them.

Whatever it was, I did not want to find out, so I stood very, very, very, still. Unfortunately, it must have already been awake, as the figure slowly shifted itself into an upright position, and opened its eyes.

Two glowing green eyes stared down at me, and a pair of triangular ears perked up on either side of its head. The humanoid figure stretched, yawning, as a tail uncurled from behind its back, and stepped forwards to meet me. She was a person.

"Nn, who are you?" she purred.

I took one look at her, and realized that something terrible; something fiendish; something truly unholy— even beyond my worst nightmares— occupied this cage with me. If only it was a Monster, I sighed.

Carefully, I moved. I calmly took my right hand, and placed the base of my palm gently onto the top of my face, resting it on my forehead.

I facepalmed.

A catgirl? Are you actually kidding me right now?! This world has CATGIRLS?!!

I groaned.

Yep. I truly, really, sincerely, hate this world.

Chapter 15: Nightmare

"Melas, dear, where are you?"

I looked around my room, listening to the familiar voice speak. Searching for the source. She was not here.

I ran out of my room, and glanced at the kitchen; she was not there either. I threw open a door, and glanced into the only other bedroom in the house— not in here too.

"I’m here, mom!" I cried out into the darkness, my voice echoing around me over and over again, as if I was in some vast and empty cave. I turned as I heard a voice call for me.

"Come here, my dear. It’s not safe there."

This time, I heard the voice come from the outside, beyond the front door. I raced in its direction, swung the door open, and then—

I saw my mom standing there, in her garden, the place I could always find her. She was bent over, tending to some plants, faced away from me. Her long black hair ran down her back, and she had her signature purple pointed hat on over it. I ran