Deus Ex Machina

It is a common feature in stories - a cliche, you might say. A deus ex-machina - an act of god that saves your character in a time of need. A time when all hope seems lost and the writer has truly painted themselves into a corner and must face that, the most unsavoury of choices - killing off a main protagonist. Well, my situation was possibly not quite so dire - for the villain was not about to kill the protagonist - merely capture her and take her to the Queen (whom might indeed kill her. Or brainwash her. Or worse.) And I am quite sure that Aurelia could have gotten herself out of the situation had the Deus ex-machina not occured.

In fact, the Deus ex-machina resembles more a "frying pan/fire" situation.

Still, I cannot help but feel a small spasm of guilt at having to use such a common plot device.

What do you think?

The black sifaka was fast, faster than the fossa. She dared not risking back to see how close she was, but she could hear him, crashing through the branches. Smell him. A strange mix of smoke and blood and something cold and flat and dead inside. Up, she scrambled, up as high as she could go. Up to cling to a slender branch. It began to sag under her weight. Her eyes met Noir's. Fires seemed to flicker in his irises, his lips drew back in a feral grimace.

"You're mine now,” he growled. Then his eyes widened, staring at something beyond her. Something up in the sky.

Aurelia followed his gaze, turning her head just in time to see great, clawed talons reaching for her. Felt them close about her as a gigantic eagle plucked her from the branch.