LOGINShare
122 - Exactly Like Roselia
Last Updated:
2024-10-08 22:00:00ARAH
“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.
Related chapters
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
Last Updated : 2024-10-09MAD 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
Last Updated : 2024-10-10MAD END'S DECEPTION 125 - Another Puppet
ARAHShe had no idea what was about to happen, but she steadied herself, bracing for the worst. The guard glanced at the ceiling camera and raised a hand, signaling to someone unseen. Seconds later, the control panel lights buzzed and shifted from red to green. Her head whipped from side to side, scanning the block. There was no upper level, which was a relief. But with six doors on each side clicking open—except for the last three at the far end—the numbers were still overwhelming.Her pulse hammered in her ears. She flexed her left arm, ready to call on the power of her wind tattoo if things went sideways.She held her breath.Her skin crawled as the escort guard let out a deep, unnatural roar, something no human throat should be able to produce. What the hell was that? A chorus of growls erupted from the prisoners’ cells, as if they were responding to the guard. The collective sound sent a fresh chill down her spine.
Last Updated : 2024-10-11MAD END'S DECEPTION 126 - It Was Never Enough
ARAHCrystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a soft, golden glow. Velvet curtains draped along the walls. The decorations were sophisticated yet outdated.“Where am I?” Arah whispered, glancing around. Stringmaster and the inmates were nowhere in sight. How had she ended up here? Drusden’s fog came to mind. Had she been caught in it again?This looked nothing like Shamibar. It couldn’t be another memory. This was still Earthland—but from a completely different time. People in tailcoats and ball gowns filled the room. Some were seated on plush chairs, others standing with glasses of wine, a few men with cigars between their lips.“My love, I have been cursed!” A woman’s voice rang out, drawing her attention to a small makeshift stage at the front of the room. It felt like a theater play, but with only one performer and a smaller, intimate audience. The room had a private air, as if it were part of a wealthy person’s home.
Last Updated : 2024-10-12MAD END'S DECEPTION 127 - A Vindictive Woman
ARAHThe scene shifted to a cemetery. Arah watched as Marianne knelt before her mother’s tomb, fidgeting with a faceless doll in a worn dress. Marianne spoke about how she’d sometimes pretend her mama was in the doll—one that Anne had once owned. It was dirty now, nearly bald.Tears welled in Marianne’s eyes as she spoke about her work. Arah could feel the burden of it all, the pressure Edmond was placing upon her. She knew exactly what that was like.Marianne’s face clouded with sadness as she vented about how her papa would’ve been happier if she had been the one who died instead. “You should have lived, Mama,” she whispered, brushing dry leaves from the stone. “I should never have been born.”The words triggered something in Arah, a familiar ache tightening in her chest. Though she couldn’t remember the exact details, she knew she had once said and felt something similar—that she should’ve been the one who died. That Siegfrid and Irmee
Last Updated : 2024-10-13MAD END'S DECEPTION 128 - Most Profound Fears
ARAHShe was transported to a lavish party at a big house that didn’t belong to Marianne and her father. The air was filled with chatter and laughter. Couples danced in the spacious center of the room as violins and cellos played in the background. Women talked about fashion and jewelry, while the men were engrossed in serious discussions about business and war.In the corner, she spotted Marianne, drinking alone, fully aware of the other women gossiping about her—women who once fawned over her to be friends. Arah pursed her lips. She hated those types of people.“I cannot believe Madame invited her,” one woman commented in a shrill voice. “She is nothing but a faded glory now. No one cares for her anymore.”“If she possessed even a shred of decency,” added another, “she would not dare show her face in society any longer.”Even men would quietly advise one another not to ask Marianne to dance. Some even deliberately avoided walking
Last Updated : 2024-10-14MAD END'S DECEPTION 129 - Dark Plane
ARAHDark Plane.This was one of those moments where the word felt familiar... like it was right there on the edge of her memory, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t grasp it completely.Drusden continued explaining to Marianne the two types of witches and how a human could cross over to that other dimension and receive a gift. It was different for everyone, he said, and there was always a cost. No one knew what that price would be until after what he called a ‘cosmic trade’ was officially made.Arah wondered what the Dark Plane was like. Just the name itself evoked a sense of evil and danger. Could sylphs and salamanders travel there too? Would they also gain additional power?“How am I supposed to cross this...” Marianne gestured vaguely, a slight frown forming on her face. “Dark Plane you speak of?”“You cross it as you would cross any other place, woman.” A raspy voice echoed from the shadows at
Last Updated : 2024-10-15MAD END'S DECEPTION 130 - Venom in His Words
ARAHCould he see her? How? She held her breath, not daring to move. Even as he inched closer, her body stayed locked in place. Her lips trembled, her mind racing between trying to make sense of the situation and figuring out what to do if he decided to attack or something.Zephyr’s thick brows furrowed, his indigo eyes so close they seemed to pierce straight into her soul. He lifted a hand, then stopped, his fingers just a breath away from touching her curls. Arah’s stomach clenched with fear. It felt like this had all happened before.“They say time and space bend differently in the ruins of Yonah’s Temple,” he whispered, his voice making her heartbeat quicken even more. “Strange thing, it is.”“What is happening, My Lord?” Drusden asked from behind.“Little Rabbit.”Arah blinked, the words making the back of her neck prickle.Zephyr’s lips twitched, caught between a smile and a chuckle. His eyes scanned her face, t
Last Updated : 2024-10-16
Latest chapter
MAD END'S DECEPTION 195 - Are You Magical Too?
ARAHShe checked herself in the mirror, smoothing down the pink dress covered in little floral prints—it matched the theme for tonight. It was her first time going to a bachelorette party, and everything she knew about them came from movies.And in those movies, there were usually male strippers.She’d asked Mabel if there’d be any. Mabel had just giggled and said “no” over the phone, but in that coy way that didn’t really feel like a no.That made her a little nervous.Arah wondered how Gildeon would take it if he found out she went to a party where half-naked men were out there flaunting their abs and grinding to some sexy music. Would he be annoyed? Jealous? Pissed?The thought made her smile as she stepped out of her room and passed by the study. She paused at the door, resting her hand against it, picturing Gildeon inside—still in his cocoon, still asleep.The first time he’d finally let her in, she hadn’t known what to expect. The study room had felt weird. Empty, no furniture,
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
