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25 - A Memory Flashed
Last Updated:
2024-06-28 16:46:51
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 26 - Have I Killed Someone
ARAHEverything was hazy and happening so fast. She was riding something warm and alive, with feathers—like a bird. She waved her hand, throwing a spear downward without touching it. She killed someone. She couldn't see who it was. And then Gildeon. It was a blur, but she saw him on a horse in the distance, staring at her. She heard her own voice whispering, "You came, just as planned," before feeling a sudden shake, the vision dissolving abruptly.“Miss, are you okay?” A woman’s voice snapped her out of her daze, a hand on her shoulder. It was the little girl’s mom.Arah blinked and nodded, trying to collect herself. “Yes, I’m fine,” she said reassuringly, a shaky smile on her lips. “Just had a mild headache.”Inside, she trembled. Was that really a memory? She couldn’t wrap her head around killing someone—with a spear and while riding a bird, no less.Her mind reeled.“Do you want us to call for help?” the mom’s voice jolted her again.She shook her head. “No need, thanks.” She put
Last Updated : 2024-06-29MAD END'S DECEPTION 27 - Nowhere Else to Run
ARAHHer reflexes kicked in. She leaped from her seat, the chair clattering to the ground. Dodging to the side, she barely escaped his grasp. She stepped back, almost colliding with Madam Linlin, who had also sprung up, her eyes wide with shock. Crystals on the other table rattled against Arah’s back.“Mister, you’re scaring my client!” Madam Linlin exclaimed, then suddenly froze. “Wait, you’ve been thralled! Who’s your master?”Thralled? Master? Arah was about to ask what she meant, but the bald man snarled, animalistic, startling her. With a forceful swing, he swept the center table aside. The tent shook violently, making her fear it might collapse. The cards scattered, mingling with her toppled paper bag.“What do you want?” Arah yelled, heart pounding. Her hand fumbled behind her back, searching for the biggest crystal slab.He didn't respond. Dark eyes filled with silent rage fixed on her. His muscles tightened, veins bulging in his temple and tattooed neck. His posture was unner
Last Updated : 2024-06-29MAD END'S DECEPTION 28 - It's Your Turn Now
GILDEONThe crabman struck first, three massive arms slashing through the air. Adrenaline surged as he threw himself back, narrowly avoiding the pincers. Compared to the creatures he'd battled thousands of Earthland years ago, this creature was low-level. Still, with his power restrained, this fight wouldn't be easy.The creature’s arms moved in a deadly rhythm, advancing with a lumbering but relentless gait. Smaller crabs formed their legs, their joints clicking with precision. Each stride sent tremors through the sand.Gildeon cracked his neck, eyes locked on the creature’s grotesque clusters of tiny crab eyes. Could it see him? Or was it just driven by pure instinct? Its gaping maw, where a mortal mouth would be, was a horrifying mass of interlocking claws and mandibles.The crabman lunged to bite, but Gildeon evaded, shifting his focus to its master. The unprotected witch stood on a rock, eyes closed, arms spread, fingers rubbing together as she channeled power to her creature. He
Last Updated : 2024-06-30MAD END'S DECEPTION 29 - Red Speck of Light
GILDEONHis eyes fixed on the witch, who was tossing her disheveled black hair aside. One witch down. One more to go. After dealing with this problem, he’d have to hunt down all of Arah’s Clover Wish’s clients, making sure they wouldn’t invite more witches to the island.What he’d do to them, he still had to figure out.“Hey, handsome,” the witch said, her tone playful and shaky. She sounded desperate. “How about we try this again, huh?” She crawled toward him on all fours, a coy smile playing on her lips. Spray mist splashed on her back, and he could almost taste the salt in the air as he stopped before the rock she was on.“You can be my master, and I can be your servant witch,” she added, fluttering her eyes. “With benefits if you want.”With his mortal hand, he grabbed her by the neck and said coldly, “I already have a witch, and she’s way more competent than you.”She winced, feigning hurt. “Ouch. No need to insult me like that.”He contemplated whether to snap her neck or burn h
Last Updated : 2024-07-01MAD END'S DECEPTION 30 - Every Ounce of Strength
ARAHShe bolted back into the amusement park, shoving through the chaotic crowd. Her mind spiraled, unable to fully comprehend everything happening. What had she done to these people? Was it something from her past? Panic threatened to overtake her, but she knew she couldn't succumb to it. If she were to survive the night, she had to stay focused.Screams, frantic footsteps, and racing heartbeats filled the air, merging with her own. She couldn't tune out the noise—every shadow, every sudden movement could mean danger. She even started suspecting everyone who glanced her way. Lights flickered sporadically, mirroring her confusion.She overheard a staff member mention that the police were on their way. All she needed was a safe place to hide until then. Spotting a cap on the ground, she picked it up and tucked her blue hair under it, hoping it would help her blend in. There were no signs of the bald man or the bearded man so far, thank goodness. And the hooded stranger didn’t seem to b
Last Updated : 2024-07-02MAD END'S DECEPTION 31 - Nightmare Wasn't Over Yet
ARAHShe let out a shaky breath, relieved to have finally put some distance between herself and the brutish men. But she knew it wouldn't be long before they found her again—assuming they really did have some weird way to track her. She needed a good hiding spot, and fast. The Horror Maze was still surprisingly up and running, even though there was no one else around anymore. She couldn't tell if the flickering lights were from the chaos or just part of the maze's effects.She stumbled through the hallways, feeling dizzy and out of breath until she found herself in a catacomb-like chamber. Fake skulls lined the walls, and she squeezed into a small cave-like nook. It wasn't the safest spot, but her muscles were screaming for a break. If she didn't stop and rest, she was sure she'd collapse.Her flip-flops had already given out, so she tossed them aside. Dirt, blood, and something yellow—she didn’t want to know what—smeared the teal fabric of her dress. Torn in places, it was a miracle
Last Updated : 2024-07-03MAD END'S DECEPTION 32 - Like an Awakened Memory
ARAHShe tried to pry the axe free from the bearded man's head, but her hands were slick with blood and shaking too hard to get a grip.“Go. Move. Come on,” she whispered angrily to herself, clenching her hands.She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then snapped them open, forcing her feet to move.‘You gotta survive this,’ she thought.Abandoning the axe, she rushed out of the room. She ran nonstop until she found herself in a chamber fashioned as a haunted shipwreck on a foggy, dark island. It was surrounded by a pool of water that looked to be about hip or waist-deep. The air was colder here, making her shiver. Ropes, nets, and nautical props filled the space, and mannequins dressed as zombified ship's crew members stood eerily on the deck.An idea sparked. Quickly, she climbed the wooden ladder and hopped onto the ship. Stripping off her jacket, she draped it over a mannequin and positioned it in a shadowy corner to make it look like she was crouching there. The dim lighting ca
Last Updated : 2024-07-04MAD END'S DECEPTION 33 - You're a Disappointment
ARAH“Take,” he rasped.“Take… me?” she blurted, gripping the mannequin tighter. “Kidnap me? Is that it?” Her eyes narrowed as it dawned on her. “Did someone hire you? My family? Gildeon’s family?”“Take.”Frustration welled in her chest. She wouldn't get any real answers from him. She shuffled her feet, moving away from the bald man who had completely stopped thrashing. But his gaze stayed locked on her, watching her every move, waiting.She sat on one of the barrels, trying to calm her chest, unable to even think about running again. She tuned in to the noise outside. People were still crying and shouting, but there were no police sirens yet. What was taking so long?Her thoughts were miles away when the sudden sound of the bald man breaking free from the net and ropes jolted her back to reality.“Kill!” he growled through the fog, rattling her. Did he mean to kill her now? What changed?No time to think. She scrambled to her feet, raising the mannequin in a defensive stance. But he
Last Updated : 2024-07-04
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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
MAD END'S DECEPTION 185 - Source of More Power
ARAHTo say this was a massive shock would be an understatement. The idea of a lower mortal becoming a higher mortal was probably the last thing she had ever expected to hear.How could that even be possible? Flying to Shamibar in Zylas’s dragon form was already mind-blowing. But the idea of altering the very nature of a mortal by merely passing through the Mad End’s Wall? That was a whole different realm of insanity.No matter how she tried to make sense of it, the logic eluded her. Unless Zephyr was lying to Drusden. Maybe the sylph simply said whatever he needed to get what he wanted.“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” she whispered.In the next memory, Zephyr was gone. Arah barely had time to take in her surroundings before Drusden crumpled to the ground. Blood seeped from his ear as he fought to stay conscious.The stench hit her—a suffocating, sickly blend of rotting meat, unwashed bodies, and the sharp tang of smoke. She swallowed hard against the bile rising in her throat
MAD END'S DECEPTION 184 - Seize Greater Power
ARAHThe next memory swept her onto the battlements, where she had a clear view of the invasion unfolding below. This was a different place, a different time. A different nation. The people spoke in foreign tongues.Men in ragged clothing, their faces twisted with barbaric fury, slaughtered civilians with swords and axes. Limbs were severed, bodies crumpled in pools of blood. Women screamed as they were dragged away—some ruthlessly stripped of their clothes, preyed upon by these animals. Children’s throats were slit without hesitation.Arah grimaced in horror at every atrocity, her stomach churning. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to forget—to block out the carnage. But every anguished scream, every whispered prayer of the helpless, cut through her like a blade, carving into her heart and twisting her gut.Zephyr’s voice interrupted her thoughts.“Look at them,” he said to Drusden as he stood on the parapet ledge, gazing down at the massacre below. “Look at how your kind d
MAD END'S DECEPTION 183 - Worst Death
ARAHZephyr brought Drusden to Yonah’s temple. And as she had with Marianne, Arah watched Drusden enter the Dark Plane with Zephyr’s help. It took longer this time, and at one point, she thought Drusden would die right there on his knees.When Drusden snapped back to consciousness, his palms slapped against the stone floor. His breath came in ragged gasps, sweat beading on his forehead. His skin was ghostly pale, his wide eyes unfocused—like a man who had stared into the abyss and seen something stare back.“What have you sacrificed, human?” Zephyr asked, crouching before him.Drusden slowly lifted his head, fat tears streaming down his cheeks. “My spirit will live on even after death,” he said softly. “I will never be able to reunite with my family.”Arah couldn’t begin to imagine the misery Drusden would endure for the price he paid.A small smile appeared on Zephyr’s lips. “For that sacrifice, the power you obtained must be great. Show me.”Without a word, Drusden exhaled, and a bi
MAD END'S DECEPTION 182 - Too Painful For Words
ARAHAnother death was reported—a woman who sold milk and eggs, saving every coin to buy medicine for her bedridden father.Arah watched as Drusden slammed his fists onto the desk, sending a quill and inkpot rattling, scrolls tumbling to the floor. His jaw tightened, nostrils flaring as he ducked his head, a muscle ticking in his temple. Even his men, though silent, shared his frustration.She still didn’t know how the deaths were connected to the ministers, but she believed in Drusden’s suspicions. This whole thing reeked of injustice. And more than anything, she wanted to see what he would do about it.The next day, Drusden and his men arrived at one of the ministers’ workshops. The place reeked of ink and damp parchment—likely the very goods being produced here.“Y-you shouldn’t be here, Inspector,” one of the workshop guards stammered, his face pale. “The ministers won’t take kindly to this.”Drusden barely spared him a glance. “I’m not here for their kindness, boy,” he said sharp
MAD END'S DECEPTION 181 - Nothing Too Tragic
ARAHDrusden looked almost the same as he did in the present—just younger. His brown hair was longer, and his face was more open, easier to read. There was no trace of his usual smugness. Instead, he was serious. Dutiful. His tone lacked the usual edge of playfulness she had grown so used to.How could he be the same Drusden, yet different at the same time? Maybe witch power really could change people after all.She followed Drusden through the streets until he stopped in front of a small house. Sympathy softened his features as he spoke to the victim’s wife. Inside, four children sat around a table—faces thin, clothes worn—with nothing but bowls of plain porridge in front of them.Arah felt a tug in her chest. It was obvious they weren’t eating enough. And now, with their provider gone, how would they survive?“I am deeply sorry,” Drusden said.The woman broke down, shoulders trembling as she wept.Drusden’s gaze flickered to the children, their wide eyes full of questions they were
MAD END'S DECEPTION 180 - Inspector Heman
ARAHIt was up to her to pull him out of it.The weight of that realization pressed down on Arah like a boulder. She was determined—of course, she was—but how was she supposed to do it? The thought of failing, of not being enough to help Gildeon, curled around her ribs like a vice.She shook her head, shoving the doubt aside. This wasn’t the time for uncertainty. Gildeon needed her, and that was all that mattered.She sprinted down the prison hallway, dodging jagged chunks of fallen stone and splintered beams. Behind her, the sounds of battle raged—Roselia and Lokius locked in a deadly clash.Then, a sharp cry of pain.Roselia.Arah faltered, her body twisting instinctively toward the sound. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to turn back, to help. But she knew Roselia wouldn’t want that. She wouldn’t forgive Arah for wasting time—not when Gildeon’s life hung in the balance.Gritting her teeth, Arah forced her feet forward.Outside, the fog wall loomed before her—a towering, imp
MAD END'S DECEPTION 179 - Key To Your Mind
GILDEONIn a blink, he was back in Drusden’s throne room. He dropped to his knees, palms flat on the cold floor, breath ragged. He hadn’t even realized he’d shifted back to his mortal form. His chest tightened, a storm of emotions threatening to tear free.His mysterious birth mother. His father’s death…He slammed his palms against the floor, frustration boiling over. Haemos and Kohina knew who he really was. Why the fuck had they kept it from him?Footsteps. Brown boots halted in front of him—Drusden’s. The Headwitch crouched, head tilted.“If you need a shoulder to cry on, mine’s available, salamander,” Drusden mocked.Gildeon’s glare burned as he met the bastard’s smug face.“Not gonna lie. Your father’s memory might be my favorite one I’ve delved into.” Drusden paced, dragging from his cigarette. “Learned a lot about your kind. Shame we never got the real answer about your mother.”He stopped, gaze lifting to Dragon Zylas as he exhaled a slow stream of smoke. “I really thought I’
