LOGINShare
138 - Voice In My Head
Last Updated:
2024-10-22 22:30:55Long Time Ago (Part 5)
YOUNG GILDEON
Chunks of beast flesh fell from the dragon’s mouth as it growled, spraying fat, guts, and spit in their direction, clinging to their skin. Gildeon trembled. A pure, beastly dragon stood right in front of them—a creature he’d only seen in the seers’ drawings.
A creature that wasn’t supposed to exist anymore.
‘Where are you?’ he asked the voice inside his head, but there was no answer. For the first time, the monster was quiet.
The fear in his chest only worsened.
“Are we going to die?” Nalini whispered, her hand shaking as she held his arm.
Gildeon clenched his teeth. He had to protect her. He had to make the dragon chase him so she could get away.
But how? He could barely move.
The dragon growled again, and Gildeon nearly wet his trousers. The creature took two heavy steps, its wings swinging, sending a gust of wind crashing into them. Cracks
Related chapters
MAD END'S DECEPTION 139 - When the Chaos Started
ARAHHer hair was neatly tucked under a black cap to avoid attention, which seemed to be working since her friends hadn’t noticed her yet. Cora, Tonio, and Mabel sat off in the distance. Patricia was there too, along with Nick—just the sight of him brought back those strange flashes from when they’d shaken hands. They were pieces of her memories, but they had come too fast to make sense of. Nick’s reaction to that still bothered her, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.Part of her wanted to stay close to her friends, to be there when the chaos started. But she knew they’d be safer if she kept her distance. The farther away they were when Vergilius and his brides thought about snatching her, the better.At least Stringmaster had kept her word—puppet inmates surrounded her friends, acting as protectors. That, somehow, brought Arah a sense of relief.She glanced around, trying to spot any sign of the enemy, but saw nothing. Were they hid
Last Updated : 2024-10-23MAD END'S DECEPTION 140 - Began to Unfold
ARAHHer heart pounded. Had she misheard the mayor’s last words? Judging by the crowd’s stunned and confused reaction—and Roselia gasping beside her, muttering “No”—it didn’t seem like she had.Fear twisted in her stomach. “Roselia,” she whispered, nudging her. “What’s happening?” But deep down, she already knew something terrible was coming. Before she could get an answer, her gaze snapped back to the mayor, whose eyes had turned blood-red. Fangs appeared as she lowered her head toward Mr. Pili’s neck.Arah’s breath caught in her throat.Mr. Pili froze, eyes wide, lips trembling, unable to scream. A shocked silence fell over the plaza, broken only by his ragged breaths and the sickening slurp of blood through the mic. Arah’s stomach churned—and likely everyone else’s, too. She couldn’t believe this was happening. In public. Right i
Last Updated : 2024-10-23MAD END'S DECEPTION 141 - Small, Cursed Chance
GILDEONIf there was one thing he had learned about witches, it was that no crucial information ever came for free. Vergilius’s next words only confirmed it.“I shall,” the vampire witch said, “once you have agreed to join hands with me instead.”A smirk pulled at Gildeon’s lips. “I thought you're stronger than Drusden,” he taunted. “Why do you need me?”“We are both well aware he has a dragon shifter at his side.” Vergilius shrugged, tipping his cane upward, then at Gildeon. “Two, if we include you.”Gildeon pressed his lips together. “How did you know?” He wondered if Drusden also knew what he truly was, but figured without seeing him in full dragon form, that man wouldn’t have a clue.“I am privy to many things, salamander.” Vergilius tapped his temple through the brim of his black hat. “Just as I know how a low mortal can—” He waved his wrinkled hand. “Transcend his own limitations.”Gildeon wasn’t sure what the v
Last Updated : 2024-10-24MAD END'S DECEPTION 142 - Until the Order's Done
GILDEONVergilius vanished from his spot. Before Gildeon could turn, he felt the vampire’s presence behind him, fangs aiming for the soft spot on his neck. Instinct took over—scales crawled from his shoulder, thickening over the vulnerable hide just as the fangs struck. The tips cracked with a sharp snap, a brief vibration running through his flesh.Gildeon didn’t hesitate. He reached out, claws clamping onto the back of Vergilius’s neck. With a growl, he effortlessly hauled the vampire witch off his feet and flung him toward the church wall. But before the impact, Vergilius darted aside, landing gracefully on his feet like a cat.“I am impressed, salamander,” Vergilius said with a smirk, tracing the jagged edges of his half-broken fangs. “Or should I say, dragon? What I have learned of your kind holds true—impenetrable skin, indeed. But we shall see about that.” His fangs regrew, gleaming beneath the moonlight, thicker than before.The f
Last Updated : 2024-10-25MAD END'S DECEPTION 143 - We're On Our Own Now
ARAHIt took her a moment to grasp the situation. They were completely trapped within thick walls of shrubs—with even a roof overhead. She couldn’t believe how those branches and leaves managed not to fall on their heads.Her hand flew to her Gorgon amulet. The pendant vibrated intensely, growing so hot she thought it might burn her skin. The dark magic surrounding them was overwhelming, making her feel dizzy.The lights continued to flicker, and the anticipation of them going completely out churned in the pit of her stomach. If the whole plaza went dark, it would be a complete disaster. People were already panicking, and some had even been trampled. Thankfully, there weren’t many children around, though hearing the cries of a few seized her gut. The enemies had better not harm a single child, or Arah would lose it.“Stay close to me, Miss Arah,” Roselia said in a low voice, her arm raised protectively in fro
Last Updated : 2024-10-26MAD END'S DECEPTION 144 - Secret Enchantment
DRUSDEN’S COVENA sudden blast of energy ripped through the plaza, yanking Lokius, Alaunus, and Vienna into a warped fold of space before hurling them off their feet in the blink of an eye. They barely had time to flinch before they were airborne. They spun and flipped, gasping for the breath that had been knocked clean out of their lungs.Water from the fountain exploded into splashes around them, droplets striking their skin and catching flashes of light.Meanwhile, Stringmaster’s soldiers closed ranks tightly around her, forming a fortress by the fountain to shield her from the shockwave.Vehicles skidded off course. Parked cars rocked, triggering alarms in a shrill, chaotic chorus. Windows in nearby shops and houses shattered outward, raining glass onto the street in a glittering cascade. Stray dogs and cats bolted in a blind panic. Civilians caught in the blast’s furious path outside the plaza crumpled where they stood—some lay still
Last Updated : 2024-10-30MAD END'S DECEPTION 145 - She Wasn't Human
ARAHShe felt everyone’s attention on her, confusion and silence swallowing up the crowd. Even her friends whispered her name in surprise. Her fingers pressed hard against her collarbone, the heel of her palm catching the strong vibration of her amulet.What was she supposed to do now?“Whatever happens, Miss Arah, don’t dare step outside this circle,” Roselia warned.Arah let out a tense breath and whispered, “But if she actually kills someone else—”“Oh, I absolutely will, sylph,” Mayor Velazquez interrupted, catching Arah’s words even from a distance. Had she overheard more from her talk with Roselia earlier?“Don’t listen to her.” Roselia’s fingers dug into Arah’s arm. “We can’t let them capture you, no matter what. Please, tell me you understand.”Every fiber of her being wanted to protest, but with Roselia’s intense gaze reminding her of what was at stake, Arah could only bite back her words.Roselia and
Last Updated : 2024-10-31MAD END'S DECEPTION 146 - A Strange Connection
ARAHBefore she could locate the source of the voice, Mayor Velazquez snapped her attention back.“Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” the mayor said, clapping her hands before glancing at Mabel and leaning in slightly. In a feigned whisper, she told her, “You’ve been extremely helpful, dear. But this is the part where you run.”Mabel whimpered, casting Arah one last, terrified glance before hurrying back to the others. Arah swallowed, unable to bring herself to meet her friends’ eyes.“Isn’t it amusing, Miss Arah?” the mayor said. “Your friends seem more frightened of you than of us.” She tilted her head. “That’s the thing about keeping company with ordinary humans—they always end up disappointing you. And you, them.”Arah’s breaths shook with anger as she clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms. “Let them go,
Last Updated : 2024-11-01
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
