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116 - When the Truce Finally Broke

Penulis: Sakiah Zee
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2024-09-30 23:51:33

GILDEON

They found another abandoned block, perfect for a battlefield. Alaunus set up a grid to prevent any destruction if things got out of hand. Arah watched from the railing upstairs, standing between Vienna and Drusden, who was smoking what had to be his tenth cigarette of the day.

Zylas had been asleep just minutes ago, but he’d managed to get up—probably smelling the fight about to happen. That worked for Gildeon. He wanted to see how these witches would react if he challenged their precious coven member to fight him.

Ghulik had been circling and sniffing Zylas—trying to figure out how that man existed, especially on Earthland.

“Who do you fancy fighting first?” Alaunus asked with a false air of friendliness, standing against the wall and massaging his hand.

“Why, you joining in? Thought you were just a healer,” Gildeon said dryly. “Shouldn’t you be off burning herbs or polishing crystals?”

Zylas howled with laughter by the stairs, a fresh beer in hand. “That was a solid burn, m
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  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   117 - Just A Combat Test

    ARAHStringmaster had sent the guards to clear away the mangled bodies before the next fight. She overheard something about the hooded witch stitching them back together as if they were really just dolls, never human to begin with. Her neck prickled at the image of those severed heads getting reattached… the inmates lurching around like zombies again.Her gaze flicked to Gildeon, seated in the corner by the bench, staring at his torn-out claw as it slowly grew back. She’d seen things like this happen with Aktaeon and Nalini, but witnessing it on Gildeon felt so unreal. Arah reached into her dress pocket and pulled out the handkerchief she’d grabbed before they left the base. Just as she was about to head downstairs, Drusden’s voice stopped her in her tracks.“I’m curious, Mrs. Ayadi,” he said, eyes on his cigarette. “Why didn’t you tell him you’ve already regained some of your memories?”Two days ago, when she’d confronted Gildeon about who they really were, she hadn’t felt ready to

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-03
  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   118 - Should Be For Real

    GILDEONHe yanked off his shirt, tossing it aside. Time to get serious. Individually, these three looked tough—tougher than that rogue crab witch he’d dealt with before. Gildeon could’ve faced them one by one, but he needed to see how they fought together.Half his arm shifted this time, controlled power surging through his veins—stronger than before. His dragon eyes activated as he sized them up. Lokius had the strongest aura of the three, but it was weak compared to Stringmaster’s.Gildeon watched as Vienna’s bracelets slid off her wrists, expanding and locking around the necks of Lokius and Alaunus. Their auras fused into hers, red embers thickening around her. Her aura was steady now, unlike before. It wasn’t until Lokius and Alaunus both shifted into cheetahs that he got an inkling of Vienna’s ability.Gildeon dropped into a low stance, eyes sharp, ready as they charged.Everything happened fast.Inches away, the cheetahs shifted into bulkier cats. Jaguar Lokius lunged, jaws snap

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-04
  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   119 - This Real You

    GILDEONHe stood under the massive showerhead, cold water hammering his heated skin, washing away the grime, sweat, and blood with a sharp hiss. Foamy soap pooled at his feet, swirling in murky streaks before slipping down the drain.For a prison block, this shower room was surprisingly clean. Decent. Probably the witches’ doing. Drusden’s coven lived a mainstream lifestyle—nothing like what he’d come to expect from most witches. How someone as straight-laced as Roselia had ever belonged to them baffled him. Gildeon still had no idea what had pushed her out.The fight with the witches had drained him a bit, but nothing a solid meal and some rest couldn’t fix. His wounds had nearly closed, but the deeper damage—whatever traces of poison lingered—was taking its time to heal. He kept his dragon scales over his thigh and arm, pushing his body to mend faster.One hand braced against the tiled wall, the other slicking his wet hair back. In his

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-05
  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   120 - Rescued Her

    ARAHShe gasped as his skin rippled before her, like ink bleeding into parchment. His face blurred then vanished—or rather, fused with the hard lines of the mask that took its place. He looked exactly as he had when she’d crossed the Mad End’s Wall.Warmth crept up her chest as her eyes took in the intricate lattice of black and gold scales, shimmering like polished metal. They blended seamlessly with the contours of his muscles, each movement alive, pulsing with energy. Even in the cold drizzle of the shower, she could feel his heat. His presence alone made the air thrum.Her memories of salamanders and their beast forms were limited, so she didn’t have much to reference, but she knew none could compare to Gildeon. To her, no one else would ever come close to how breathtaking he was. She had no words. He was surreal. He was beyond beautiful.“This is the real me, Arah.” His voice was deep and hoarse, almost animalistic. It made her stoma

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-06
  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   121 - When All Of This Is Over

    ARAHHe shoved her back into the shower, spinning her around before she could catch her breath. Her palms slapped against the cool tiles as water cascaded over her back, the chill biting into her skin.Gildeon was right behind her—heat, hard muscle, and raw power. She felt his erection, thick and demanding, pressed hot against her lower back. A needy moan slipped from her lips. He wanted her just as badly as she wanted him.“I don’t think the witches will burst in and stop us,” she muttered. “Why can’t we just do it?”“They will,” he rasped. “Trust me.”Was there something else he wasn’t telling her? Before she could ask, his teeth sank into her shoulder. The sharp bite stole her breath, and she cried out—a mix of pain, yes, but pleasure too. “I want to fuck you hard, Arah. But not yet.”His words intensified the throb between her legs.

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-07
  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   122 - Exactly Like Roselia

    ARAH“Then who did it?” she asked, her pulse pounding in her ears. Her mind flashed back to that night—to her terrifying encounters with each man. “Are you saying someone else gave the order?”“That is impossible,” the guard replied. “Once they are tethered to me, no one else can control or compel them without my knowledge.”“So what, you just… lost control?” Her fingers tightened around the edges of the box she was holding. As disturbing as the idea of Stringmaster trying to kill her that night was, it was at least better than this—the uncertainty, the lack of explanation for what had really happened.On a more positive note, it could be a weakness. If Arah and Gildeon could figure out how to exploit it—how to push Stringmaster into losing control of their puppets—it might just give them the edge they needed to bring down the cloaked witch.

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-08
  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   123 - No Manipulation In That

    GILDEONThey didn’t waste a second. He’d sworn never to leave Arah alone with the witches again, but this situation with Roselia demanded immediate action.Ghulik had guaranteed Arah’s safety, even with her hanging out with Stringmaster. That was enough to settle his mind. For now.During the drive, all he could think about was how he’d convince Roselia to help with the fight tonight. Knowing he might need her again for moments like this, asking her to stay at their place instead of allowing her to return to her farmstead, had already been a lot. Now he needed her to help the very people who once—and still—wanted her dead.He’d have to brace himself for a long, drawn-out argument.“How’s she been?” Alaunus asked, breaking the silence. He’d been staring out the passenger window, watching the shops and houses blur by. The way his red hair caught the late morning sunlight reminded Gildeon so much of Roselia. Had he not known better, h

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-09
  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   124 - Savant Witches

    GILDEONRoselia took a long gulp of her tea. “I can’t believe you’ve got the nerve to ask me that, My Lord,” she seethed, glancing up from the table, throwing him a pointed look. “You made a deal with them behind my back, and I made peace with that. Yet now you need me to help them?”Barky briefly stole his attention. The dog was sprawled out in the middle of the kitchen floor, front paws extended, hind legs tucked beneath him like a sphinx. His tail wagged in a slow, heavy rhythm, dark eyes fixed on Gildeon. Something about it felt off, unsettling, but he didn’t know much about Earthland’s domesticated animals, so it could be nothing.Roselia spoke again, and his eyes flicked back to her. “You’ve no idea how much every single one of them,” she said, waving a hand toward the far window, “even Alaunus, would want me dead the first chance they get.”“You’re part of the deal, Roselia,” he said, pinching the spot between his brows. “No one’s

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-10

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  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   II: CAYLAO FESTIVAL ARC. 194 - It's Just A Dream

    ARAHShe slipped the cardstock with her printed Clover Wish design out of the binder, tore it into pieces, and dropped them into the bin. Then she pulled out a few more flash sheets—ones with patterns that looked a little too much like real sigils—and tossed those out too.She couldn’t risk setting something off again and starting another coven war.A month had passed since the incident. Life on Caylao Island had returned to normal, as if nothing strange had ever happened. The townspeople had been spared that horrific memory thanks to Roselia’s bewitching fog. If it hadn’t been for that, Arah likely would’ve lost her friends too after they found out she wasn’t human.She looked up at her friends gathered in the waiting area, swapping theories about what really happened at Baccayo Prison that night.“I heard Sharko’s gang was involved,” Mabel said, swirling her straw in her milk tea. “Maybe they tried to break out some of their old members.”Tonio grimaced, mid-chew on a massive bite o

  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   193 - Let It All Go

    GILDEONThey brought Arah to Roselia’s farmhouse. She was still out cold, and it would likely take her a few days to recover. Roselia had set up the back room, lit herbs that filled the air with sharp smoke, and circled Arah with crystals humming with healing energy.Gildeon switched on his dragon sight. Arah’s aura flickered, blue-green, faint. But something else swam through it—streaks of deep, electric blue that came and went like a second heartbeat.Gildeon hadn’t seen that on her before, but maybe they were remnants of some buried power. Something that had awakened when her life hung by a thread—something she’d used to wipe out both Zylas and Drusden.The aftermath of that fight still gnawed at him in strange ways, but none of it mattered for now. Answers could wait. He’d talk to Arah when she woke up.Gildeon pulled the blanket over her shoulders, then glanced at Ghulik, who was curled on a cushion near the bed, snoring like an old man, his belly swollen.Before leaving the Bacc

  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   192 - Drusden Was Dead

    GILDEONThe monster that had been Drusden let out a growl that made the air tremble. Its massive fist crashed down, shattering the stone floor, jagged cracks splintering out like veins. Gildeon staggered back, the ground quaking beneath him.He needed to get to Arah—fast. But his attacks were useless against this colossal Fog Drusden. His flames and claws struck nothing but air, doing little more than disrupting the mist. Meanwhile, every swing of its massive arm and stomp of its enormous foot shattered the makeshift walls and cracked the floor beneath him.He had to find its weakness. But even when he used his dragon eyes, he couldn’t find anything.Gildeon leaped back repeatedly, leaving decoys in his wake until the giant beast fixated on them. The distraction worked. With the creature’s attention elsewhere, he slipped into the shadows, making his way toward Ghulik and Roselia.Roselia was still unconscious, but her aura was slowly returning.“Master, Ghulik used last power to heal

  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   191 - So Much Regret

    DRUSDENHe had wagered everything he had left on this battle. Half his soul remained with the titan form he had unleashed against Gildeon, while the other was committed to harvesting Arah’s power.When all his comrades had fallen, he thought everything was lost—that he was fighting for nothing but survival and revenge. But then he had found a way to exploit the weaknesses of both Gildeon and Arah. And with that, an opportunity had emerged.This would be his last chance to complete the mission.For the sake of his fallen witches, he had to claim victory.The air shimmered with the sylph’s power—cool, electric, alive. It curled around him, thrumming against his skin. Even half of her essence would be enough to ignite the ascension, to send him spiraling into a euphoria of accelerated evolution.From a human who became a powerful witch to a witch on the brink of ascending to a higher mortal state—only one step remained. Zylas had to carry him up to the Shamibar to complete his transforma

  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   190 - My Past Self

    ARAHThe talons dug into her ribs, tight enough that she could barely breathe. Every movement sent sharp jolts through her side. Above, the wind roared past—a cold, biting force that turned her breath ragged and thin. She could feel the heat of the dragon’s underbelly, a stark contrast to the freezing air, like the sun trapped in scales.The wings beat in a steady, monstrous rhythm. Each downward stroke sent a tremor through her body, making her stomach lurch. The sheer power of it swallowed everything else, drowning out even her own pounding heart.She twisted, trying to turn her head, but the grip was unyielding. “Where are you taking me?” she yelled at the beast.Dragon Zylas answered with a roar—a gut-rattling sound that made her ears ring. Around her, the fog was still thick, high up in the sky. She couldn’t see anything else. Were they still above the prison compound?She struggled against the talons again, but it was futile. Not even her tattoos could help her now. They had sun

  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   189 - About to Go All In

    GILDEONThe apparition stalking toward him wore Commander Haemos’s shape. The details wavered and blurred, but Gildeon could still make out the rage-twisted expression on the ghostly face. Haemos’s fog sword flashed through the mist, a broad arc aimed straight at him.Gildeon shot backward, his eyes darting to Arah. She was squaring off against a spectral enemy of her own. He already knew Drusden was using their fears and regrets against them. But who could be Arah’s demon?Gildeon tensed, ready to rush to her side, but Fog Haemos cut him off, blade slashing in a tight swing. He ducked, but not fast enough. Steel bit into his shoulder. He grunted, blood spilling onto his hide. He’d been too distracted by Arah to harden his dragon scales in time.With a snarl, he wrapped his clawed hand around the fog blade, yanking it free from his shoulder. Agony rippled through him, but he didn’t flinch. Muscles strained as he drove the sword back into the ghostly figure, the force sending Fog Haemo

  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   188 - We'll Go Home

    ARAHThe moment her fingertips brushed his beastly face, a cold shock slammed into her, so sharp it stole the breath from her lungs. Her vision blurred, darkness swallowed her whole, and before she could resist, her eyes fluttered shut—When she opened them again, she was somewhere else. Her breath hitched as she took in the sight around her.Corpses.Men. Women. Children.Her people.Arah’s stomach twisted. Sylph bodies lay scattered across the blood-streaked ground. Their lifeless blue eyes stared into nothing. Some bore deep claw marks, some were nearly split in two, and others had been brutally ripped apart, as if a pack of rabid wolves had torn through them.The village lay in ruins, smothered by the stench of death. Salamander warriors moved through the carnage, their heavy footsteps crunching over bodies—as if to ensure no one had survived.Tears welled in her eyes. This wasn’t a noble battle. This was a massacre.A few feet away, she spotted Gildeon in his leather armor. His b

  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   187 - Remember Me

    ARAHFear coiled around her ribs like a vice.“I-it’s me,” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.Gildeon didn’t flinch. His lips remained curled back, exposing sharp teeth. His expression was predatory, enraged. In his eyes, she was someone else—an enemy.What had Drusden done to him?She tried to choke out his name again, but her throat tightened, the pressure crushing her windpipe. Her pulse pounded—a frantic drumbeat against his grip. The steam curling from his scaled body rolled over her in suffocating, blistering waves.How the hell was she supposed to stop this?Through tear-blurred eyes, Arah caught a flicker of movement—an outline shifting, pulsing like a mirage behind Gildeon. Her eyes widened as she remembered her creature-helper.Gildeon hissed, his body tensing as his free hand shot back, claws poised to seize whatever had latched onto him. The creature clung to his neck, jaws clenched, its form flickering in and out of focus.The grip around Arah’s throat sl

  • MAD END'S DECEPTION   186 - Been Happy Once

    ARAHDays passed. Drusden had recovered, but he remained at Roselia’s farmhouse.Roselia taught him about the old world and the ways of hedge witches. Drusden then hunted the dark witch responsible for the devastation—and eventually killed him.Together, they worked to cleanse the village of its plague and heal the people.Arah witnessed something shift between Roselia and Drusden. It was likely during this time that they began developing feelings for each other.Drusden also bonded with young Alaunus, though their connection was anything but paternal. He spoke to Alaunus about mankind’s corruption and the rewards of embracing a higher power as a witch.Roselia noticed it too, and Arah was sure it bothered her.Then came the day Drusden told Roselia everything—about Zephyr, about the vision of an army—an elite force of witches transformed into higher mortals meant to help Zephyr rule over Earthland.Arah wouldn’t have been surprised if Roselia had kept this knowledge even from Gildeon

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