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37 - A Chance to Start Over
Last Updated:
2024-07-08 20:54:30
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 38 - Loopholes in the Story
GILDEONHe inspected Agent Durante’s ID and badge, his eyes narrowing slightly behind his eyeglasses. He couldn’t be certain how legitimate this was, but so far, he wasn’t sensing any deceit from the man. Still, why would a bureau agent need something from Arah?“Hi, sir, is this about the incident at the amusement park?” Arah's voice was soft but steady as she stood beside him. “We’ve already talked to the police.”Gildeon put his hand on the small of her back, drawing her close, her soft curls brushing against his arm. “My wife has nothing else to say about the case, Agent,” he said, handing back the badge. Durante didn’t take it back yet.“I understand.” The man smiled, his brown eyes glinting under the sun. He looked mixed-race, probably half-European. “But I’d like to get the information firsthand,” he explained. “The case I’m working on might be related. Mind if I come in?”Gildeon felt Arah’s hesitation as she glanced back at the house before saying, “I actually have guests ins
Last Updated : 2024-07-09MAD END'S DECEPTION 39 - About Having Kids
GILDEONJust when he thought he’d dodged a bullet with the witch business—at least for now—Harlan Durante added to the complications Gildeon had to deal with. The disappearances the agent mentioned earlier plagued him. How many victims had already been reported?He gripped the knife tighter, slicing through the nearly ripe Indian mango. He imagined the fruit as the heads of those pesky witches screwing things up on this island. He might need to break into Arah’s studio to get the records of all the clients she’d given her Clover Wish tattoo to.The sooner, the better.Arah's voice from the living room cut through his thoughts. “You think Agent Durante suspects something?”“He might, but whatever he finds out won’t harm us,” he replied confidently, setting down the knife and lifting the platter of mango slices. “Besides, our families have always been careful at covering their tracks.”He crossed the living room in a few long strides and found Arah lying on her side, her blue curls sprea
Last Updated : 2024-07-10MAD END'S DECEPTION 40 - You're Worth It
GILDEONHe waited for her reaction, but she simply leaned her head against his chest again. One arm slid across his back, the other snaked along his abdomen, making his muscles taut. It was deliberate but hesitant, testing his reaction. He pulled her closer with a firm grip, showing it was all good—that he wanted to feel her soft body against his too.“Was he good to you?” she asked again. He could barely concentrate with her breasts pressing against his side. He wanted to rip off her bra and feel their fullness through her blouse. “Your adoptive father—Haemos?”Hearing the name made him pause, a familiar twist in his gut. “I used to look up to him,” he said, voice steady but strained. Memories flashed, but he forced them back with practiced control. “Even when the family did violent things, he lived by a code. He treated captured enemies with decency.”“Used to? What happened?”He sighed, masking his frustration and resentment. His fingers traced along Arah’s arm to distract himself,
Last Updated : 2024-07-11MAD END'S DECEPTION 41 - Let Me Forget
ARAHShe barely had time to breathe. Gildeon caught her off guard in the most titillating way. His lips were fierce, his fingers tangled in her hair. Her heart thumped loudly as she melted under him. His tongue demanded entry, and her lips parted instinctively, their mouths melding. The taste of the Indian mango they’d eaten lingered, sweet and tangy, contrasting with the raw, assertive way he kissed her.Her mind swirled with faint memories and sensations. She'd been kissed before, but it had never felt like this. At least, that was how it seemed. This was unrestrained, wild, making her pulse do somersaults. The thought of how intensely Gildeon must've missed her all this time made her belly flutter. Their breaths mingled, hot and rapid, their heartbeats a frenzied duet in her ears. Even the air itself seemed to hum with a gentle, electric charge.Arah mimicked the movement of his tongue, savoring every bit. Her skin tingled with the thrill of not knowing what to expect. Her trembling
Last Updated : 2024-07-12MAD END'S DECEPTION 42 - She Was Wrong
ARAHShe sat frozen on Gildeon's lap, her throat clenched tight, trapping the words inside. What did he mean they needed to stop? She didn’t move, didn’t breathe—even as he reached for the blanket and wrapped it around her in silence.Her cheeks tingled with embarrassment. “Are you serious?” she muttered, her lips quivering, unsure how to react.He didn’t respond. His steady, serious gaze made her feel so small. She was shrinking by the second.Her eyes locked onto his, searching for something, anything, that would make this make sense.“Isn't this what you've always wanted?” she said, confusion in her voice.He held her shoulders, his hands sliding up and down her arms. His touch wasn’t warm anymore. “You're not ready,” he said with finality as if he had her completely figured out.She let out a laugh of disbelief, her eyes burning at the corners. “What do you mean I'm not ready?” Her voice nearly rose a note, her hands clutching the blanket. “Do you think I’d let you kiss me if I wa
Last Updated : 2024-07-13MAD END'S DECEPTION 43 - One of His Deepest Regrets
GILDEONThis was too much of a coincidence—if it even was one. Did this guy know Arah worked here?Durante cracked open his cooler, grabbed another beer, and strolled over. Gildeon caught a glimpse of a gun in the agent’s waist holster, partially hidden by his jacket.“Didn’t expect to see you here,” Gildeon said, keeping his tone casual.Durante waved his arm vaguely. “This is a public beach, isn’t it? I’m having some downtime.” His movements were looser, probably from the alcohol, less controlled than when they first met. His face gave no indication though. No red cheeks, no glassy eyes. He didn’t even stagger one bit.“Alone,” he implied, adjusting his glasses. “You're too far from where most people hang out.”“Too loud over there,” Durante said, nodding his head toward the distance. “I prefer the quiet.” His friendly smile looked unsettling in the dim light. “How about you, Mr. Ayadi? What brings you here this late?”He handed him a beer, but Gildeon quickly put up a hand to decli
Last Updated : 2024-07-14MAD END'S DECEPTION 44 - Crucial to the War
Many Years Ago (Part 1)GILDEON“When have I ever been wrong, old man?” He smirked, tasting the salt in the misty air.Commander Haemos let out a guttural chuckle. The others backed Gildeon up, pledging their faith even as their words danced with jest. A few threatened to break his dragon’s spine if he led them to nothing after disturbing their good night’s sleep.“Hey, I didn’t force all of you to be here,” he shot back, and they groaned, continuing to tease him.Ten of them were on this boat, handpicked by Gildeon and the commander. More had volunteered back at the outpost, but there wasn’t any space left. Besides, this was a side mission meant to be carried out in stealth. The smaller their group, the better.“I don’t know about you cunts, but I’m not sitting on Gildeon’s dragon ass,” said Aktaeon, their trailhound, tugging at a rope securing the rigging.Another round of laughter rang out.Gildeon shook his head, grimacing at the mist spray clinging to his face and clothes. The pr
Last Updated : 2024-07-16MAD END'S DECEPTION 45 - To the Ends and Back
Many Years Ago (Part 2)GILDEONHe averted his gaze, feeling the weight of the crew's laughter and jeering like a rock on his shoulders. Crude remarks flew through the air, and even Ghulik sputtered obscene taunts beside him.Gildeon scratched his head, trying to find a way out of the mess he'd walked into. But unless he jumped off the boat right this moment, he had no choice but to face their trailhound’s wrath.Before he knew it, the crew was restraining Aktaeon. His loud curses could probably break the silence spell cloaking their boat. The vessel rocked slightly, and Gildeon had to maintain a steady maneuver on the helm—otherwise, they would hit one of these rocks.“I’m going to kill you, Gildeon!” Aktaeon snarled through clenched teeth. The muscles in his face looked like coiled springs ready to snap.“Hey, your sister wanted it too,” he replied, but his attempt to pacify the situation seemed to be failing. “She said she wanted to feel the world, so I let her ride me.” He meant i
Last Updated : 2024-07-17
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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
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
