Watching Sonya nervously bite her nails, tried to figure out a different way of escaping the room. Walking around the room with his mind’s eye scanning for nails was a moot experience. The only nails in there were his silver ones and whatever ones were holding the cabinet together.

Inspecting the cabinet he tried to figure out what nails he could use without destroying it. As he felt around the inside of it revealed that it was made of mostly particle board and not an ancient magical item. He even thought about asking Sonya if she knew this cabinet was fairly new.

Looking over at her as she stared back at him as she continued chewing on her nails. How long had she been in here was anybody’s guess but would she risk her life for freedom was anyone’s guess.

Standing up and dusting off imaginary dust Dean walked closer to Sonya. Squatting down to be eye level with her he said, “I have a partner trapped in a labyrinth that needs help, and that cabinet is our best bet to escape,” as he hooked a thumb over his shoulder to point behind him. “I know it’s a lot to risk but I need you to tell me it's ok to get to work to break out of here.”

Sonya just nodded her head as she chewed her nails until they bled. Her missing hand tucked under her arm as she started to rock back and forth.

Dean took that as an agreement and with not a second thought he stood and turned around. Walking to the cabinet he reached his hand out and started to pull on the nails. The nails holding the cabinet slowly pulled free as his nose began to bleed as he strained to use his power. As the nails flew to his hand, the cabinet fell apart like cheap furniture. He could even see a capital I printed on it, as he wiped the blood dripping onto his lip.

Sitting down in the center of the room the 12 nails sat equidistant around him in a circle. Dean struggled to hold the nails up as he created a circle on the rock floor. He never struggled this much with his power before. Thinking back over the course of the day he never used his power to this extent. With the circle cut into the ground he let his power go.

Laying down in the circle, his head pulsed with the beat of his heart. The dim lighting of the room became too bright as he put his hand over his eyes. Breathing deep and steady he felt shaky and weak all of a sudden.

“You need to rest,” Sonya said from her corner. “How much of your magic have you used today?” She asked as she got a little closer to him.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

“A lot more than I ever knew I could,” he said through a groan.

“You need to sleep before you push any more magic through your system,” she said. “You can only handle so much before your body begins to shut down.”

“I didn’t know that was a thing,” Dean replied.

“Most people don’t have enough natural power that this ever becomes an issue,” Sonya began. “You have enough power to muscle your way through dimensions but don’t know about the limits of how much power you can draw? Who the hell trained you?” she said as she forgot her nervousness.

“I spent years under Druid Brother and I couldn’t even power an enspelled portal to the Grimmlands,” Sonya replied with a little spite. “Now get some sleep if you are going to be able to free us.”

Dean began to argue with her before he thought about it. If Sonya lost track of time in here and it had been less than a day then he could get some rest.

Closing his eyes, he let his mind wander going through his life before Aggie. Bo’s death and trying to convince anyone that a monster took him. The bullying and teasing he went through and all the help his mother tried to give him. And then her death when he was 15. Losing the only family he ever had was traumatic. But learning that his mom’s best friend and his godparent didn’t want to take in a disturbed teenager. That probably hurt the most.

Group homes weren’t even that bad he thought to himself. But he also realized he had given up at that point. Life was too much and he was just going through the motion until Aggie found him and gave him so much. Aggie gave him knowledge of what the world really was. That he wasn’t crazy or a liar. That monsters are real. But most of all he gave him a home, something Dean quit hoping for years ago.

His eyes snapping open, Dean knew he didn’t rest much but he couldn’t wait much longer. Galvanizing his will he sat up and positioned himself back in the circle. Sitting in the classic meditative position he blocked out everything as he focused on two things. The nails around him and rescuing Aggie.

As Dean slowly his breathing he focused on the little points of lights the nails made up in his head. Connecting with the nails, they all stood up straight around him with eerie unison. As Dean felt the nails around him he knew these nails were not the pure iron that Fay magics were weak to. But they would work.

Dean closed his eyes as he sat in the lotus position in his circle. Inhaling slowly through his nose, Dean could feel his power filling him like a balloon. As he exhaled slowly through his mouth, he could feel the magic potential in his circle become thicker with power. Repeating this over and over again. The nails in his mind’s eye glowed brighter with every exhale of energy. Until they were all glowing little suns to his magical senses.

Slowly opening his eyes, he looked at the nails as they crackled with his energy. The circle pulsed with his power as Dean slowly reached over to break the circle, releasing all the energy at once.