LOGINShare
89 - I Trust Gildeon
Last Updated:
2024-09-14 08:58:05
Related chapters
MAD END'S DECEPTION 90 - I'm Your Fan
ARAHThe place was packed, far more crowded than Arah had anticipated, though she shouldn’t have been surprised. Mabel was the kind of person who could fill a room without even trying. She’d probably invited half the island.Above the bar, a large banner proudly hung with bold letters that read, ‘CONGRATULATIONS, NICK AND MABEL.’Arah took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves creeping up her spine. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that someone was watching her. How would she know if it was an ally or an enemy? Gildeon and Roselia hadn’t exactly given her instructions on how to spot a witch.Her eyes swept the room, searching for... anyone suspicious.“Arah!” She heard her name and spotted Cora waving her over from a table in the corner, where a three-tiered cake sat with the words ‘Just Got Engaged’ piped across it.Cora raised an eyebrow as they met halfway through the crowd. “Husband bailed again, huh?”Arah’s stomach churned, remembering how Gildeon was still locked up with
Last Updated : 2024-09-14MAD END'S DECEPTION 91 - Cold and Distant
ARAH“Oh, she’s talking about your work, sis,” Mabel butted in, gesturing over her shoulder. “I showed her my tats. Told her to drop by your studio if she wants to get inked, too.”“Oh.” Arah nodded, awkwardly rubbing the side of her neck. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the compliment or Vienna’s enthusiasm, but it felt weird when all she’d done for Mabel was a simple butterfly tattoo.But something about how Vienna looked at her—wide-eyed and almost awestruck—told Arah this wasn’t just about the tattoo. She just couldn’t figure out what it was.A voice rose from the stage, pulling everyone’s attention. Mabel’s sister—the maid-of-honor—stood with a champagne glass in hand, ready to give a speech. Mabel excused herself to join Nick at the front, and the room fell into a hush as the guests settled in to listen.Arah, though, had her focus elsewhere. From the entrance, she spotted a guy—early twenties, maybe—slightly hunched ove
Last Updated : 2024-09-15MAD END'S DECEPTION 92 - Leap of Faith
ARAHThe vampire lunged swiftly. Her reflexes kicked in, and she threw herself sideways, rolling against the cold tile just as his hand smashed into the wall, inches from where she’d been. He snarled, his nails dragging across the tiles, sending a jagged screech through the air that made her teeth ache.His other hand slashed toward her, but she ducked just in time and bolted for the door. Her heart raced, every nerve screaming at her to run, her breath coming fast and shallow. But before she could even reach for the handle, a gust of air hit her as the vampire leaped—effortless, silent—landing in front of her with a thud.She stumbled back.His head snapped toward her, jerky and unsettling, his red eyes unblinking. A tremor ran through his lean frame, and he looked like he could barely contain his hunger. His fingers twitched, itching to tear into her.Her mouth went dry. Of all the beings she could have run into tonight...
Last Updated : 2024-09-16MAD END'S DECEPTION 93 - Someplace Safe
ARAHArah and Vienna’s eyes met for a split second, but there wasn’t time for words. The cat leaped into the air, and everything exploded into motion—too fast, too chaotic for her brain to keep up.Vienna flicked her hands, a sharp, piercing sound splitting the air—nothing like the soft clinking from before. The first of her thick copper bangles slipped off her wrists as if alive, glinting as it flew through the air. A faint ringing followed—resonating from the bangles still on her wrists.Arah held her breath as she watched the freed bangles expand mid-flight, snapping shut around the necks of both the vampire and the cat. In an instant, the vampire twisted, shrinking and morphing into a black cat with blood-red eyes.The green-eyed cat wasted no time. It pounced, its teeth sinking into the red-eyed cat’s throat. The two crashed to the floor, a violent mess of fur, claws, and snarls. Arah’s stomach churned as the green-eyed cat bit down harder. Blood drained from the vampire-turned-c
Last Updated : 2024-09-17MAD END'S DECEPTION 94 - Wicked Sense of Humor
ARAHThey said Baccayo Prison had been around long before Caylao Island became the tourist hotspot it is today. As the island grew more popular, people just pretended it didn’t exist—like an ugly scar that no one wanted to mention. The local government quietly pushed it out of sight, never talking about it, so it wouldn’t spook the tourists. The prison was isolated, tucked far away from the beaches and resorts, near the jungle and a rough, restless sea—hard to reach.Arah had never imagined she would set foot in this place. Not only was she about to be near dangerous criminals, but she was also being escorted by a witch whose coven wanted to take whatever power they believed she possessed.Fate surely had a wicked sense of humor.Their car stopped before a massive, rusted iron gate flanked by tall concrete walls topped with barbed wire. Overhead, dim lights flickered, casting eerie shadows on the road. Two uniformed guards stood in watchtowers on either side of the gate, rifles slung
Last Updated : 2024-09-17MAD END'S DECEPTION 95 - Definitely Not Gildeon
ARAHThe guard led them down what felt like a back hallway, cameras watching from every corner. It seemed to stretch forever, with concrete walls pressing on either side—cold and oppressive. She knew what lay beyond these walls: the worst of the worst. Violent men who’d probably gutted people like livestock. Predators who’d done unspeakable things to women and children.Just the thought of them being so close made her stomach turn, and she had to fight the urge to throw up. But that wasn’t what made her skin crawl the most. It was the quiet. Apart from the occasional squeak of their shoes on the floor, the only other sound came from distant footsteps—likely guards doing their rounds somewhere out of sight. Now and then, the rattle of metal—a gate or maybe the clink of chains—cut through the silence, hollow and way too close for comfort.The stillness felt wrong. She’d expected angry voices, screams, and rage.But the whole prison felt… dead.They moved forward. The hallway opened into
Last Updated : 2024-09-18MAD END'S DECEPTION 96 - Headwitch
ARAHThe room Alaunus led her to was one of the cells, but it was larger than she’d imagined. Spacious, even, for a place meant to cage someone. The air was cold, a stark contrast to the warmth below, even without air conditioning. It smelled better here, with smoke drifting from a bundle of burning herbs—the same thing Roselia had used to cleanse their house.A small rectangular window was cut into the stone wall above. A metal cover with tiny holes lay over it, filtering the moonlight into thin, white beams. The light trickled down like rain, pooling onto the crystals lined up across wooden tables propped against the wall. The glow bounced softly from crystal to crystal, spreading like a delicate web of light, shimmering faintly on the walls.Symbols—dozens of them—were scrawled across the stone walls. Most were open-palmed hands, each with a spiral in the center. Her eyes followed them, and she swallowed hard when she noticed the deep red stains marking the designs.“Is that... blo
Last Updated : 2024-09-18MAD END'S DECEPTION 97 - Looks Could Be Deceiving
ARAHHeadwitch. She wondered… How powerful could they be to lead a coven full of witches with such crazy abilities—each strong in their own way?She glanced at the table of crystals across the room, the familiar black pyramid in the middle catching her attention.“I’ve seen that before. Roselia has one exactly like it. I just didn’t ask what it was,” she said absentmindedly.Arah had promised herself she wouldn’t mention Roselia, but then again, these were the people who had wronged their witch friend first. Why should Arah care if it stirred up unpleasant memories for them? She didn’t know the full story, but she trusted Roselia’s words far more than those of these witches.Alaunus stood silently behind her, then moved to grab the pyramid and held it out to her. She took it, surprised by how heavy it felt despite fitting in her palm. The surface was smooth, like glass, and she could see her messy, exhausted reflection in it.“It’s used for protective spells,” he explained, sitting do
Last Updated : 2024-09-19
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
