The following Monday, Maddie turned into the usual badass again. Miracle tried to have eye contact with him, but he avoided it. He made the students in his class stand on the tables when they failed to answer his questions correctly. It wasn't surprising to see many heads almost touching the ceiling. Some of them even had to crouch a little to save their lives from the fast-spinning fans. His questions were always out of the box, with reincarnation being one of his favoritesWhen it was the Watsons' turn, they turned harder.The bias was obvious. He didn't like them."You." He jerked his head in Lyn's direction. "It's Lyn." She rolled her eyes.Maddie didn't give a damn about what she said. "If you have the right to choose, would you still choose to be a hu—" he paused, his eyes widening for a brief second before forcing the '-man' to the ‘hu-man' down his throat, "… choose to be who you are if you are born again?""Why not?""Tell me why.""I see no reason in telling you.""Then I s
When they returned home, the twins went up to their rooms to get changed, leaving only Miracle and Melvin downstairs.Hayden wasn’t around, again.Silver fronds in the living room swayed, more when they sensed the dragon girl approaching. Veins at the midribs lengthened, morphing into fine delicate hairs along edges of the pinnules. They detached from the plants and turned into layers of smoke, joining the rest lingering around the house. A silver puff leaped forward and caressed her forehead like it owned five fingers. As Miracle stroked the gray blades, she felt an instant replenishment of the elements in her body."I didn't know you're interested in decorative flowers.""Decorative flowers?" Glancing back, only then did she realize that these plants must've seemed dead in the eyes of a mortal. "Oh." She chuckled. "Yea. A… A little."“Miracle…" “Hmm?”Rubbing his palms against the pants on him, he wet his lips and stammered, “Actually I…”When he failed to deliver the words, he wen
Hayden sank his hand into the filthy liquid and pushed the residues into the sink strainer. “But it’s dangerous. Don’t do it." He pulled up its handle, dumping away the pieces of overcooked garlic."I need to be on my move already.” Miracle’s voice slowly increased. "We can't let them do whatever they want like we don't exist.""If you're gonna proceed with that method of yours, things could end up worse." He shook the water off his fingers."Hayden, you don't get what I'm saying. I'm not going to go around and ask one by one if they have any marks. I… I just want to know what they look like.” She breathed, ”So that I can be alert.""I don't see the need for that."A wave of pleasant smell wafted in the air as he stepped out of the kitchen with a cup of tea in his hand. "Please, Hayden." She walked over and grabbed the cup from him, the heat searing her skin. "Please," she repeated, trying her best to stay expressionless despite the burning pain.Shocked, he quickly took it back. "Wha
'It's time to wake up, Melvin.'"Who are you?"'You know I hate failures.'"WHO ARE YOU?"'I am you. You're me. We're...'"Melvin!"He jolted awake to Miracle's breaths brushing past his skin. Startled, he quickly pulled back his arm and withdrew his body from her.Too close.'A dream?' he thought.Glancing around, he realized that the lesson was still going on. And he, was still in class. Their literature teacher, Sam, didn't notice that one of his students had just woken up from a doze. He was so engrossed in copying the notes onto the whiteboard with his calligraphy handwriting. The extra curve he added to the letter "F" had turned it into a "P" in everybody's eyes except his own. The missing dot on the "i" made it seem like it was joined with the next letter "n", forming an "m". He claimed it was stylish when it was just a bunch of messy chains of alphabets grouped together to form words.Melvin dropped his eyes back on Miracle, the deskmate he had requested to be with on his firs
Melvin walked along the hallway, stumbling over the flower pot as he unknotted his tie. It toppled and fell on his bare foot."Oops." He bent his body to put it back.As he did so, his arms froze midair. His pupils contracted, a flicker of fear igniting in his eyes as he watched the plant inching its way onto his hand, tendrils weaving through his fingers while emitting eerie wisps of mysterious silver smoke. Cold sweat trickled down his neck, leaving a damp patch on his white shirt.“This is just a decoration, Melvin," he mumbled, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head. "It's not moving, nor is it breathing out smoke. Just a fake plant.""Melvin?"A tap on his tensed shoulder pulled him back to reality as if it was another dream he woke up to."What's the matter?" Hayden asked."N-Nothing." He spared another glance at the peculiar flower pot. Only after confirming that it was indeed the decorative plant he had been told about did he finally look away and join the others for lun
‘W-What?’ Miracle was shocked.The pink ribbon holding her thick bunch of hair loosened as Melvin gently tugged on it, letting the black, silky strands stroke his face. The fleece blanket drooping from the edge of the bed was kicked to the floor. Their kiss was deepening. She could feel his tongue reaching for the peak. For the first few minutes, Miracle wasn't doing anything to stop him. She stared right into his closed eyes, feeling her heat rising, listening to the soft moans escaping through the tiny gaps between their locked lips. She knew this was wrong. It shouldn't be happening. Yet, she couldn't overcome the desire that wanted him to be with her.To stay with her.And it was making her weak.'What is wrong with you, Miracle? Get away from him!' "M-Mmph… Let go!" She squeezed out the words, finally struggling to break free from his arms. His body lifted slightly when she tried to push him away, but he quickly pressed her hands back down and tightened his hug. He ran his finge
"Stellaerio Annual Dinner! Oh, yes! I've been waiting for this," Jessamine exclaimed, kissing the invitation card in joy.Jordan rolled his eyes. "What's so special? It happens every year."She drew in her body and placed her elbow across the division line—onto her deskmate's area. "Exactly! It only happens once a year and... Hey, hey!" Putting on a dreamy look, she asked, "Should I ask Melvin to be my partner?""You can try…" he murmured, labeling the apparatus he had sketched on his chemistry lab report—the sodium hydroxide experiment where they used hydrochloric acid to neutralize the solution to get those little crystals.“Right?" Running her fingers through her straightened hair, she rummaged in the front pocket of her bag for her mini mirror. "I look pretty good, to be honest." "If you don't mind being his another rejection," Jordan said, pointing his chin to the line of girls crowding Melvin's seat, "go ahead.""Can't I be the lucky girl he is waiting for?""Please." He held ou
Miracle sat in front of the mirror, staring at the reflection of her divine mark. It wasn't pure anymore. What was more devastating was that she barely did a thing worth the stain.She traced the softness on her lips, replaying the kiss scene she hid at the back of her mind. It was a playback. But the lingering sensation was still so strong that she could hardly breathe despite being the one and only living soul in her room."If this is how love feels like, then it's really evil," she muttered. "Why would you fall for a mortal, white dragon?""Love is never once evil."At first, she wasn't startled by the voice. 'Illusions,' she thought.But then it came again, and a presence was slowly emerging next to her shocked image."It's beautiful, Xue’er..."“You… You again. Who exactly are you?" Miracle held the back of her chair from toppling over as she stood up hastily. She was surprised to hear that her voice didn't crack like she thought it would. "And how did you know my real name?""I c
Layers of protection around the house were gone, and the silver fronds were nowhere to be found either. A strong tide of loss washed over her soul as Miracle walked in, her eyes reddening. His memory clung to every corner, stirring a deep pang of regret within her.The regret of failing to protect him."I wish you were here with us, Hayden. I wish you could see how we defeated the evils. I wish you could see how the world is right now. I wish..." She held back her tears. "I had protected you..."“I wish I had been there to save you, Mr. Watson, just like you did to me."Melvin moved in closer, his fingers gently intertwining with hers. She tightened her grip, her broken gaze, clouded with unshed tears, pouring out shades of guilt and sorrow she had for her half-mortal father."I miss him, Melvin."He patted her head and pulled her in
Her tears came falling down like rain. She did stop the war, but not the separation. The scene turned harder to bear when Maddie, too, was distorting in shape. He raised his hand and stepped back, stopping them from getting any closer.'Don't,' he mouthed.He had sought his revenge, and now he was ready to go.'It's time to meet my brother.' His voice echoed, distant and fragile, as the last solid piece of him dissolved away.Born as a fallen angel, one shall die as a fallen angel—this was the principle Arlyaen planted in them since the day they were born."Don't go?" Miracle whimpered, her voice barely more than a broken whisper as her tears slid through the fading form she could no longer hold onto."I'm sorry..." Melvin pulled her to him for one last deep, soulful kiss."I love you, Melvin," she uttered. “I’m sorry that I kept you waiting."He smiled faintly. “It’s worth the wait.”“I…”"Never did I know what warmth was until you melted my heart of stone, Miracle." His eyes misted o
At the back of her tongue, their blood surprisingly merged. Miracle drew in her brows. Something was awakening deep inside her, stirring a strange, fresh vitality.She sensed it. Her scars were healing, and her energy was recharging.As lightning rumbled across the tenuous clouds, it illuminated the pearl with a dazzling brilliance. Breaking away from their kiss, Miracle arched her body and gazed intently into the sky, as if the heavens themselves were reaching out to her.The glowing pearl floated from Melvin's palm, reaching for her chest, into the spot where it used to sit. Miracle jerked; her hands clenched into fists. Every part of her muscle contracted as her damaged blood vessels reconnected. They glimmered and wove back together, branching out in a frenetic dance and surging eagerly toward the pearl.Under the bright rays of the moon, her horns glinted. A wave of numbness washed over her soul. Her chest rose and fell with uneven breaths, each one more strained than the last. Fo
Any deeper was going to hurt her. He threw the poniard away. He couldn't do it. Not to her. "Don't do this to me..." he begged, pressing the pearl against her scaly chest. "Get in... Get in, please." But it wasn't obeying. "UGH! Damn it!" Melvin pulled her closer and buried his face in her neck, knowing it would only cause her more pain if he were to continue pushing it. "D-Damn it…" He raised his head and stared up above, hating the fact that the dragon girl in his arms was fading away. The night sky was in total darkness, resembling the loss of hope in marking an end to the recurring cycle. Right in the middle of the woods was the happening that mortals were never going to believe. Melvin sensed defeat. Nothing turned out as planned. The protectors of peace… were losing. Arlyaen walked to them, conjuring an electrified plasma ball in his hand. It was enlarging, giving off blinding sparks as the coruscating filaments extended from the center. "Owning the mortal wo
Now, a breath was all it needed to expose their whereabouts."Hyntece, you promised me you'd never be like Lryke. You said regaining status as an angel is what you've been dreaming of all this while,” Arlyaen said. There was a strong note of threat in his words."Show yourself, traitor!" Vyre lashed the underbrush around in a frenzy."Come back to me, my child." Arlyaen wrinkled his nose to sniff out the presence of his own member. "Only I can grant that dream of yours."Miracle craned her neck, trying to get a glimpse of the unfolding scene. Startled, Melvin quickly pressed her down, a finger to his lips, urging her to stay low.But that was it.The next second, a violent squall hastily swept in their direction, thrusting the grasses around them away. Miracle couldn’t help but slacken her jaw at the real appearance of the lord of fallen angels. His lids were topped with slimy scales. Streaks of thin vermilion branched to every corner of his reddened eyes, highlighting the deadly gla
Arlyaen jerked his hand slightly to the left, and the dagger swished past Melvin's bruised cheek, hitting the rock at the back. For a brief second, it seemed as if time had stopped.Until the screechy laugh sliced through the oppressive silence.He had won the deal.Red chains on Melvin's head clinked as he struggled to push his body up from the ground. He flashed the white dragon a terrified stare, his cracked lips quivering to speak."You shouldn't have thought that you had an option from the very beginning," Arlyaen said with strong hatred laced in his voice, "white dragon."Miracle avoided his eyes, guilt washing over her soul. She knew she was officially repeating the sin her mother had committed. For a fallen angel, she was going to betray her species, her mission, and the entire of Long Sheng Jie.The evil lord snapped his fingers. One of the hundreds of thumping capsules clicked open, dropping a raw heart into his hand—his fifth bloody meal, as far as she could remember."Let's
"Wait a little longer," he said to the twins in his office. "Wait? We don't have any more time to waste, Mr. Vincent!" Lyn exclaimed. The room fell into pin-drop silence again. Frowning, Beck took off his specs and cleaned them with the cloth he took from the drawer. Blueness in his eyes was exposed. Though he looked calm, no one knew how unsettled he was at the moment. Miracle was in Arlyaen's hands. Whether she was alive or dead was still uncertain. He knew better than anyone else that they should be on their move and not sit back and do nothing like now. But he was waiting for someone. "I don't care. Even if it's going to cost me my life, I'm going to storm their f*cking territory and bring back Miracle!" Lyn clenched her fists and shoved Kingsley's hand away as he tried to pull her back.Right then, a knock on the door broke the tension growing in the air. "Maybe I can be of some help."Hearing that, Beck loosened his stiff shoulders, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his
The sharp pain on her wet chest jerked her awake. Miracle darted her eyes around, only to be shocked by the clanks from her limbs tied to the trunk of an oak tree. The metal shackles on her drained her energy every time she tried to break them apart. Red impulses flowing along the tree weakened her cultivation. The dimly lit atmosphere laced with clamminess told her that this was somewhere she never wanted to be."Love has always been my best friend." The cold, hard voice came through before he walked into her view. "Because of love, I've never lost."His steps echoed, reverberating through the cave’s damp walls. She tensed as what happened last night came flooding the back of her mind—from discovering Nancy in the toilet to getting caught in their net and everything in between. When Arlyaen finally stood in front of her, icy shudders ran down her spine as her gaze fell on the increased number of claret chains on his head. Half of them were from yesterday.From her friends who were sti
"MELVIN!" Lyn roared and pounced on him. Expressionless, he cast his hand in her direction, sending Lyn hurtling through the air. She landed with a painful thud, her face contorted in agony as she scrambled to her feet. The blast continued to surge from behind and charge at her. She squeezed her eyes tight. It was too late to defend. But just as she thought she was going to be flung into the air again, the force halted. She turned around, her broken gaze filled with incredulity. Her lips trembled from trying to choke back her tears when tastes of betrayal, defeat, and loss blended together at the back of her tongue. Her steps swayed, tumbling her to the ground once more. Specks of dust rushed into her nose as she struggled to breathe."Don't do this to her," Lyn pleaded between gasps. "That's Miracle, Melvin. It's Miracle… Please, let her go…”For a split second, she was certain there was a moment of Melvin reflected in his ebony eyes before he looked away.“Nice job, my fallen angel