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169 - Now That They're Gone
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2025-01-07 08:54:24Related chapters
MAD END'S DECEPTION 170 - Keep Watching, Salamander
GILDEONHe followed Drusden’s gaze upward. They watched Dragon Zylas as it roared and thrashed against the fog restraints. Each movement of the beast was a futile clash against the binding force.“You know,” Drusden said, breaking the silence, “I couldn’t figure out what you were at first. Had my suspicions, of course.” He shrugged. “But it wasn’t until I saw you like this that I knew for certain.” He leaned forward in his seat, clasped hands dangling loosely between his knees. “I thought Zylas was the only one.”Gildeon had wondered the same, but there was no way he’d share that with the bastard. “Where did you find him?” he asked, crossing his arms. Deep down, he burned to know. Uncovering Zylas’s origin might shed light on his own existence.Drusden tilted his head, his cryptic smile widening. “If I show you, will you answer a question of mine?”Gildeon’s brow furrowed, instincts kicking in as he studied the Headwitch. That smile, the gleam of curiosity in his eyes—it all felt like
Last Updated : 2025-01-08MAD END'S DECEPTION 1 - Clover Wish
ARAHPlumber Paul was dead.Not even a month had passed since he’d walked into her shop and picked her Clover Wish for his first tattoo. She'd pitched that design as a lucky charm to her clients—just a gimmick of sorts. So imagine her surprise when Paul’s wish to win the lottery actually came true days later.Now, he was gone. Just like that. It wasn’t because of her tattoo, of course. But with that last memory of him, how could she ever look at her Clover Wish and call it lucky again?Her eyes drifted down to Barky, who was happily munching on his dog food. She squatted next to him, stroking his back and twirling her fingers through his soft brown fur. At least she had this big guy to cheer her up.The bathroom door creaked open. She glanced up to see Gildeon strolling down the hallway in black sweatpants, rubbing his dark hair with a towel. She’d seen him naked plenty of times, but each time, his perfectly sculpted body drew her gaze like a moth to a flame. The way his muscles flexe
Last Updated : 2024-06-07MAD END'S DECEPTION 2 - Star-Crossed Lovers
ARAH“Still at the coroner’s office.” She threw him a puzzled look. “Why?”“Nothing,” he said, returning to his dinner. “And no, I won’t come.”Her shoulders slumped. “It’s Plumber Paul’s funeral, Gildeon,” she said, frustration slipping into her voice. How many times had he let her attend community gatherings alone?“Will it kill you to show up just this once?” She stabbed her fish harder than necessary. “I’m sick of making excuses for you.”And sick of the gossip that she was an incompetent wife or that she was trapping Gildeon in a loveless marriage. If only they knew what was really going on within these walls…The irony made her want to bang her head on the table.“I’ve got better things to do,” he said dismissively, not even bothering to look at her.“Like what?” She scowled, feeling the air thicken. “You never tell me what you're up to when you're not at home or at school.”His face froze, his eyes darting at the space surrounding her like he was seeing something she couldn’t.
Last Updated : 2024-06-07MAD END'S DECEPTION 3 - Plumber Paul
GILDEONAs soon as Arah drifted off, he slipped out and hit the road. Her Clover Wish tattoo and Plumber Paul's death might’ve been a coincidence, but he had to be sure.“Where to now, Master?” Ghulik asked in his tiny, raspy voice. “Ghulik's tired, Master.”“You wouldn’t be tired if you didn’t provoke the dog,” Gildeon shot back, glancing at the two-foot, gray-skinned creature beside him.Barky's restlessness had kept Arah awake longer than usual, so he had to wait before leaving. His destination was opposite the tourist area, but the locals were early risers. There was always the risk of being seen even before dawn.So far, the streets were deserted.“But that mutt is wicked, Master. Always angry. It wants to eat Ghulik,” the goblin snarled, scratching the air with his sharp nails. “Can Ghulik eat the stupid dog once we're back home, Master?”“No,” he said firmly, turning onto a dimly lit street.Ghulik grunted, slumping against the seat.“You’re supposed to hide when the dog's arou
Last Updated : 2024-06-07MAD END'S DECEPTION 4 - Powerful Witch
GILDEONBy the looks of it, the tattoo's magic had been drained, siphoning Paul’s life in the process. Whoever did this staged it to look like a jellyfish attack.“Ghulik, can you trace the source?” he asked urgently. The goblin clambered over Plumber Paul's body, sniffing around.“A witch, Master,” Ghulik said after a moment. “Ghulik smells the powerful kind.”“Are you sure?”The goblin nodded, stroking his pointed ear. “Ghulik lived with witches and faes long time ago,” he said somberly, his face twitching as if recalling a painful memory. “Ghulik knows who are friends and who are enemies.”Ghulik had been his secret companion for a thousand years. They knew everything about each other, except for this. Once, he’d tried asking the goblin about his past on Earthland, but Ghulik had begged him not to pry any further.He respected that.“This is not friend, Master,” Ghulik said, lifting his face to him, his crimson eyes bulging in terror.Gildeon stepped back, pushing a hand through hi
Last Updated : 2024-06-07MAD END'S DECEPTION 5 - Mad End's Wall
ARAHLater that night, she woke up in a strange land. Her muscles ached, and it felt like her bones had been shattered and reassembled. Maybe this was what it felt like to be struck by a ship or to fall from the sky. But how was she alive? Her head throbbed, and the only thing she could remember was her name.Panic rose in her chest as she looked down to inspect herself. Her skin, decorated with odd blue marks, was pale—almost translucent—blending with her silk dress. Her body felt light as if she could easily float and disappear into the wind if she wanted to.Behind her, a towering wall of black rock loomed, stretching along the shadowy horizon. The only exit was a vibrant wall of pulsating lights ahead.“Am I dreaming?” she muttered, feeling as though her mind had been caught between two worlds, two fabrics of time and space.The wall before her buzzed with energy, making her skin prickle. She struggled to her feet—every movement was like wading through chest-high water. She teeter
Last Updated : 2024-06-08MAD END'S DECEPTION 6 - On Your Knees
ARAHUnable to get back to sleep, she climbed out of bed and stepped out of her room. Barky’s ear perked up, but he stayed snoozing on his cushion. She was about to head to the kitchen when her gaze flickered toward the window. Gildeon’s car was missing from the driveway. Had he left? Where could he be at this hour?She shook her head, sighing. Why would this even surprise her? This wasn’t the first time her husband had disappeared into the night and returned in the morning without explanation.Arah grabbed a glass of water, the cold liquid offering some relief as it slid down her throat. Her gaze drifted toward the dark hallway, lingering on Gildeon’s study. She had planned to break into it tomorrow while he was at work, but since he wasn’t here now, why wait?Without thinking twice, she retrieved Tonio’s toolkit from under her bed and made her way to the study, switching the lights on. She knelt before the vintage-looking door lock, heart pounding as she tinkered with it.Tonio had
Last Updated : 2024-06-08MAD END'S DECEPTION 7 - Sea Glass
GILDEONHe had always known Arah could shut out the world when she needed to focus, just as she had a minute ago. She’d remained oblivious even as he parked the car and walked through the door.But her picking the lock on his study had caught him off guard. This was new. A black box lay sprawled on the floor, its contents a jumble of instruments. Where did she get them?Just when he thought he had Arah all figured out, she found new ways to surprise him.But this time, she’d crossed a line, and he wasn’t about to let it slide.“I’m ready,” Arah said, a bold expression etched on her pretty face. Her chest was out, deliberately drawing his attention to the curves of her breasts, their buds poking hard against her nightdress.Lust surged through him, his pulse racing in anticipation. The thought of stripping her and making that tight body squirm under his touch made his cock twitch.He could take her right then and there, but he restrained himself. He had promised not to touch her until
Last Updated : 2024-06-08
Latest chapter
MAD END'S DECEPTION 170 - Keep Watching, Salamander
GILDEONHe followed Drusden’s gaze upward. They watched Dragon Zylas as it roared and thrashed against the fog restraints. Each movement of the beast was a futile clash against the binding force.“You know,” Drusden said, breaking the silence, “I couldn’t figure out what you were at first. Had my suspicions, of course.” He shrugged. “But it wasn’t until I saw you like this that I knew for certain.” He leaned forward in his seat, clasped hands dangling loosely between his knees. “I thought Zylas was the only one.”Gildeon had wondered the same, but there was no way he’d share that with the bastard. “Where did you find him?” he asked, crossing his arms. Deep down, he burned to know. Uncovering Zylas’s origin might shed light on his own existence.Drusden tilted his head, his cryptic smile widening. “If I show you, will you answer a question of mine?”Gildeon’s brow furrowed, instincts kicking in as he studied the Headwitch. That smile, the gleam of curiosity in his eyes—it all felt like
MAD END'S DECEPTION 169 - Now That They're Gone
GILDEONHe could still feel Zylas’s dragon spirit, but Drusden had clearly disrupted his connection to the beast. The Headwitch had likely managed it while Gildeon focused on freeing himself and Roselia and keeping track of Arah.When Zylas had been about to attack Arah, Gildeon had been on the verge of shifting into his full beast form, consequences be damned. But Alaunus had beaten him to it. Unexpected, but favorable. Arah had been safe, and another of Drusden’s witches had fallen.Fortunately, Roselia had escaped the moment they broke free from the fog restraints. Gildeon was deeply worried about Arah, but he trusted Roselia to keep her safe.Gildeon glanced around the fog enclosure Drusden had trapped him in. He stood in the heart of it, a space eerily calm—like the eye of a storm. Dense mist coiled around him, lit by flashes of lightning cracking through the shrouded skies above. The air reeked of sulfur, every breath a sharp sting that burned his throat. Beneath his feet, the gr
MAD END'S DECEPTION 168 - The Plan's Changed
ARAHShe rolled hard to the side, her movement barely outpacing Tiger Lokius’s crushing pounce. His claws swiped through empty air as she scrambled to her feet, snapping into a defensive stance. She put as much distance as she could between them, her breath tight in her chest.The striped beast skidded to a halt beside Vienna’s lifeless body. His growl vibrated through the air before he began to shift. In a blur, his massive form condensed, fur melting into skin, until Lokius stood in his human form—tall and lean.His green eyes softened as they fell on Vienna. He knelt beside her, his fingers brushing tenderly over her blood-soaked blonde hair. “You rest well now, my darling Vienna,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Then he lifted his gaze to Arah, one arm resting loosely across his bent knee. He appeared relaxed, but his eyes remained guarded.He didn’t look like he’d attack her outright—but his calm was unnerving. Her instincts screamed for her to stay ready.
MAD END'S DECEPTION 167 - Chaos and Pain
ARAHShe didn’t know how this was supposed to work. Obviously, there hadn’t been time for Alaunus to spell it out for her. But she trusted her instincts to kick in.At the end of the hallway, Vienna stood—a shadow of the person she used to be. Her eyes locked onto Arah’s, cold and final, like someone who had already lost everything worth fighting for.Arah’s pulse hammered in her ears. The sweet Vienna she used to know was gone—she had died with Alaunus. This version had let the darkness in.“Was it worth it…” Arah broke the silence, buying precious seconds as her thumb traced the jagged edge of the mirror shard hidden behind her back. Vienna didn’t seem lucid enough to notice. “Whatever you sacrificed to gain power... to join Drusden’s coven?”No response.Arah pressed, “You wanted to avenge your parents?”Vienna’s gaze flickered. “The hunters,” she finally muttered, bitterness dripping from every syllable. “They’re cruel. They think they’re saving the world, protecting mankind.” She
MAD END'S DECEPTION 166 - Kill Her Easy
ARAHShe couldn’t move—not just because Alaunus’s lifeless, still-warm body was resting heavily on top of her, but because of shock. It was one thing to imagine killing enemies, to picture the justice they deserved for the horrors they’d inflicted on innocent people. But to witness their deaths in such unexpected ways was something she wouldn’t forget anytime soon.She was a soldier. She had torn lives apart with her own hands more times than she could remember. Yet here she was, pinned under the weight of a moment she couldn’t comprehend, her chest tightening with questions she didn’t want to ask. How had her past self survived this much violence without crumbling? Was she really that unbreakable back then, or had her time away on Earthland softened her too much?A sharp sob snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked, disoriented, only now noticing the weight on her chest was gone. Alaunus’s body had been moved. She saw Vienna cradling him from the corner of her eye, his head resti
MAD END'S DECEPTION 165 - Vienna's Weakness
ARAHShe was still reeling. The winged beast towering before her—the one Gildeon had called out to—was Zylas. Her mind flashed back to their conversation in the kitchen, his cryptic mention of flying. Now it made sense, and yet, it didn’t.This creature definitely didn’t belong to Earthland. What kind of shifter was he?Everything had moved too fast for her to process. One moment, she’d been sure the beast would crush her; the next, Vienna had dragged her along, the other collar now clasped tightly around the witch’s neck. Whatever spell Vienna had cast had left Arah paralyzed, her body refusing to obey even the simplest command. Her feet were frozen in place, and frustration clawed at her chest.Then came the sharp, insistent pain in her temple, like tiny bolts of electricity surging through her skull. It wasn’t just pain—there was something else. A flood of emotions and thoughts poured into her mind, and they weren’t hers. Panic rippled through her. Was she connected to Vienna’s min
MAD END'S DECEPTION 164 - It Wasn't Impossible
GILDEONHe stepped back. His claws dug into the ground, shattering the concrete beneath his feet to anchor himself, bracing against the impact. Where had Zylas come from? Even with the thick fog, Gildeon should have sensed the dragon’s approach—but his attention had been drawn to Arah.Nothing else mattered to him in that moment but her.His gaze darted back to her. She had been pushed back, slamming into a concrete wall. Arah regained her footing, but she was clearly in shock.Gildeon’s pulse raced as Dragon Zylas turned its head toward her. His body burned with readiness, poised to strike the beast at any moment. Then it hit him—this was the perfect chance to test his theory. If he was right—fuck, he had to be right—this might be their only way to win.Claws launched into the air.“Zylas!” Gildeon growled, the power of his voice rattling his bones. A bolt of lightning seared through his mind as he felt a connection to Zylas’s dragon, just like the first time he had commanded Raudr.
MAD END'S DECEPTION 163 - A Nightmare Brought to Life
ARAHShe could feel Vienna’s anger seeping into her skin. It was as if the witch were furious that Arah had dared to hijack her memory. It clearly had something to do with the swirling mass of fog above. Maybe its magic had triggered a connection with Vienna’s collar.Arah braced herself, thinking Vienna might lash out for peering into her past. But something told her it wasn’t the case.“What happened to your sister?” The question tumbled from her lips before she could stop it. In the memory, the twins had been inseparable. The sister’s absence could only mean something had happened to her. “Rose? Lily?”Vienna screamed. Her pain was so overwhelming that, for a fleeting moment, Arah wanted to comfort her. What the twins had endured was horrible. But Vienna was still an enemy. Arah couldn’t afford sympathy.Seizing the witch’s moment of distraction, she bolted. She sprinte
MAD END'S DECEPTION 162 - Third Entity
STRINGMASTERThe salamander’s arrival struck her like a thunderclap. She had hoped Vergilius would have done what needed to be done. Or, at the very least, that Drusden’s carefully laid trap would hold long enough for the harvest ritual to be completed. Yet, Gildeon had clearly managed to escape.Once again, they had underestimated him.Still, their coven had survived for centuries by anticipating every possible scenario. They were nothing if not prepared—though, as it seemed, even their contingencies had fallen short.The barriers they had set around the prison were supposed to hold. Even if breached, they were designed to sap the salamander’s strength. Yet there he stood, unscathed, where the prison yard met the road, his black and gold form silhouetted against the fog. Stringmaster was certain it was Roselia who had guided him to the weak points in their defenses.Roselia was supposed to have died back in
