"Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor." —Thích Nhất Hạnh
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Rose woke up still in a daze about last night. Her meeting with Dominic felt like a passing dream in her head, a dream that linger freely inside her mind. She had never met someone so forward like him and perhaps because she hadn't allowed anyone inside her small world.
Rose questioned the sound about last night which came from the forest. She was no fool to be fooled. She clearly heard the sound of growls from behind the bushes and yet what appeared was a squirrel. It was hard to think that in such a short time, Dominic had killed whatever beast that had been hiding behind the bushes and Rose crossed the idea at first thought. Perhaps the wolf had ran away? It was a good news but she worried if the wolf was still roaming around their village.
Rose quickly tied her hair into a b
Rose hurried inside the house, her eyebrows continue to knot as she thought about the possibility that doesn't seem possible when she noticed her sister's feet before looking up to see Josie's eyes.A smile quickly appeared on Rose's lips, retreating her frown, "Josie, sister."Josie stared at Rose in silence and Rose could see her older sister's studying gaze on her that makes her question if she had worn her dress wrong or if she had her hairs sticking out in a strange manner. "Something's wrong?" Rose questioned and Josie shocked her head."Last night," Josie started but quickly pursed her lips. Rose didn't hear her sister's first two words and only heard her when Josie asked, "Can you answer my questions truthfully, Rose?"Rose looked at her sister with questioning gaze, "I have never lied to you sister. What's the matter? I didn't eat your cookies, did I?"Josie quickly shoo
Rose went back home when on her way she had seen a man's back who seemed to be familiar. When she had gotten closer, the person had turned his back before she could properly identify him. It turns out the man was Mr. Harding.Politely the man offered her a smile and though Rose felt that she shouldn't be closer to the man for some reason, it would be polite not to return his greeting and ignore him."Miss Rose," greeted Jayden Harding. "It's a fine afternoon. I heard what had occurred to your family, I hope everybody is alright in your home?""Nothing had happened. Fortunately, the huntsmen had killed the wolf before it got to our home," Rose answered briefly, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Harding I will have to leave—""Truthfully, I have been waiting for you, Miss Rose. In hope that I can speak with you," Mr. Harding cut to her words earlier before she could dismiss the man and leave the p
Sitting over the window, Dominic leaned to the frame of the window as he let his long legs to swung down. One of his hands settle on the stool, making a slow tapping sound as he stared at the moon before him.A knock came to his room in time when he was admiring the bright moon that settled high on the sky, "Come in." He ordered.Cain stepped inside the room and his eyes ventured around the room he had entered. Unlike the other rooms in the castle, only the particular room was left unoccupied. The furnitures had been covered by large white satin cloth to avoid dust from accumulating over the furnitures. The silver moon shined over the sea of white behind Dominic, making him more aloof."New news?" Dominic questioned with a hint of amusement, "I would like to hear it if that woman has drop dead.""By the time that happen, the entire castle would be on fire and havoc," answered Cain, causing Dominic to
Rose read the letters aloud as reading didn't help clearing her doubt for any second, "It has been a long time, dear sister. Things haven't been going well in the house. As your sister, I do not think it was a good choice for me to ask you help with the condition and burden I have to shoulder but I have come to the time where I am cornered and I cannot ask any help to people other than you. It is shameless for me to ask your help but I cannot find anyone else other than you to turn around on. Please, please answer my letter.""Shameless," Josie's voice came behind them. Her expression was sour as she continue to hear the letter written by their aunt. "Now that she is in need help, she finally write this letter? Not only is she shameless but a hypocrite! She knew better than anyone else how shameless she is and she still speak as if it wasn't something she intended to do?""Calm down sister," Rose said as Josie raised her voice. Her hand soft
The day came for aunt Mary to come according to her letters. The date had fallen at the same day she had promised to meet Dominic. Rose would want to say that Dominic had been the one who forced his way on making promise to meet, regardless, Rose had made a promise to him even if it was only one sided. She decided to meet Dominic as her curiosity also urge her to find answer on who had exactly killed the wolf.Mrs. Maury, her mother had woken up so early in the morning that made it as though she was competing against the blinding sun.The reason was her excitement toward the expectation of meeting her younger sister again. After knowing the past that occurred between her mother and her aunt, Rose understood her mother's deeply joy but her worries lie at the help that her aunt had written in the letter. Although her aunt had asked for help, she didn't describe what kind of help she needed with.
In comparison to Rose's thoughts where her aunt would be hostile to her mother, she acted as though what happened in the past never occurred. She didn't know if this was good or not. Had her aunt forgive her mother? She wondered.When the dinner finished, Rose took the plate and walked out of the dining room alongside her older sister. Josie was the one who said, "Doesn't she seems to friendly? She keeps laughing at all time even when we did nothing but breathe.""True," whispered Rose. She thought about how her aunt should still hold some anger against her mother, considering how she keeps avoiding the letters they sent. But here she is, laughing in a way to make sure the air in the room was far from tense. After washing the dishes, Rose walked to the corridor which was not far from the entrance and the living room, looking toward the only clock they have in the house and read how there was only two hours until the promised time she made wi
The clouds covered half of Dominic's upper face as his eyes glowered to gold when he looked down on the man whose hand was now tied with a rope. Cain stood beside him with a quiet expression, saying nothing and accompany Dominic with his hands crossed together.Dominic offered the man a smile, "Once I thought you would be a good serviant after saving your life but it appears that you're the type of the dog who would bite his own master's hand, is it?"The man sitting in front of Dominic became scared seeing how slowly Dominic's eyes turn brighter in the golden color. It had started that Dominic was ordered by his father and third step mother to fetch them the finest quality of pelt due to Lady Ashely's wishes.Being one who was good at picking a facade, Dominic had went along with his mother's whim, wanting to see what the woman had this time only to find out it was another attempt to kill him by using one of his guards
Rose's breaths was cut off as shocked paralyzed her hands, causing her to let her hands hanging on the air. She blinked while looking at who it was."You," Rose said. At first startled, now she pulled her eyebrows together into a frown."Yes me, if you don't remember, I do have a name, you know," Dominic chuckled while looking at her green eyes before his eyes narrowed, "How strange, you look frightened, like a cat who drowned on a river, what's wrong?"Rose looked at him with an accusing look. "You're asking me why I'm scared? How about not following me around like that! I was scared."Dominic tilted his head and his frown begin to form as he hold her wrist which he noticed was trembling. "Following you? Who? Me? I came from your front not your back. We were walking at the opposite direction, Rose."Rose opened her pink lips only to close it again. She looked back and forward be
The guests had filled the entrance of the castle faster than how a fire would spread. Colors filled the white walls as not a single place inside was missed from being decorated. Some of the guests gladly greeted Dominic and his wife, Rose. They had acknowledge her soon and even called Dominic “duke”. As soon after the incident, Dominic ruled out is father’s death and take over the duchy, being the new ruler of his fief. “Congratulation on your marriage, I apologize for being late with my words of happiness, Duke Dominic,” said one of the guest, Mr. Hanggs. “It’s nice to see you too, madam Rose.”“Pleasure to meet you,” Rose greeted the man’s words back. “How is the land now to you, Mr. Hanggs?” Dominic asked the wise man who seemed to be quiet. “It does feel different now. I gradually found people who could suddenly fill empty barrel with water as miracle instead of fearing them. I’m also glad to see how wise our King is as he had rooted off all the corrupted royals. Now Essex fee
The ground shook and the impact of the explosion launched both Dominic and Rose backward. When Rose couldn’t hold him tighter anymore, she almost slipped from his back and fell. Seeing that, Dominic changed to his human form, capturing her body even though he was on air and shielded her in a tight hug as they roll down across the cold floor with a harsh thud. Both Shawn and Gallahan was thrown backward. They tried to nail their feet on the floor to no avail as the extreme explosion would had destroyed the entire land if not because of the shield that Gallahan had perfected for years from his life. The entire world turn black for a moment and by the time it turn brighter again, Shawn saw Gallahan who had sprawled across the floor and Balbazor who had been reduced into a scorched human corpse. Even after that however, Balbazor didn’t stop moving. He crawled with his body like a snake, disregarding how his fingers had been turned into ash. No one could ever see his features anymore, o
Gallahan faced off Balbazor alone. It was a crazy feat to not even die after receiving the harmful attack that was made to eradicate humans and Gallahan’s performance so far have shocked everyone including Balbazor himself. “You are agile,” commented Balbazor. “But if this tentacles weren’t around me, I would have destroyed you in seconds by now.” “Making excuses now? When you killed my family with your curse, you were extremely silent. I’ll put that mouth of yours to rest too,” Gallahan quirked a smirked, urging anger and fuming Balbazor. The ancient demon opened his mouth again but this time, Gallahan had a smarter option. Rather than shielding himself, he rushed forward. Balbazor smiled, thinking how foolish this human is for coming on to him face to face but he was startled as he saw Gallahan had dodged his previous explosion attack. This time, Gallahan murmured a spell and a sharp blue light appeared from his hand which went straight directly to Balbazor’s thick neck. The an
“Brother, are we not related?” Young Shawn’s voice echoed against his ears. Dominic looked down at the child that had overheard the conversation of the adult. Gently he wrapped his fingers around his brother’s little ones and gave him a gentle smile, “Does it matter? Nothing will change even if we aren’t related, you will always be my brother.”Back to the present, Dominic found himself yelling at Shawn’s name as Balbazor had thrown a powerful magic at them. Rose’s eyes snapped open, showing the glistening green eyes of her had changed into purple. At the same time she uttered her spell, the wall broke. Dominic took no chance. He jumped from the staircase, landing down his two feet as a wolf and ran after Shawn. Surprisingly, Gallahan had stood in front of Shawn, shielding them both from the explosion. “I told you to stay away child!” Gallahan yelled to Rose who had rebuilt the wall.“I can help you ease the miasma,” she said, convincing the man only to see him frowning in disagre
When Dominic and Rose arrived at the foot of the door, they found that the glow of purple light had stopped and was quickly greeted by the roar of a monster. “It’s Balbazor, the ancient demon,” Rose explained, jumping down from his body. Dominic shook off his fur and turned into his human form, standing right beside her fully clothed. Although there are other pressing matter she couldn’t help and pointed out, “You can be clothed now?” “Hm?” Dominic looked down on himself, “Right I got taught by the other werewolves how to do that the last time we met.” Rose smiled, thinking how surely the relationship between him and his father had evolved into something closer where they could teach and talk to each other eye to eye. Seeing the progress, she felt moved. “Well what is with this Balbazor?” Dominic pushed the door open for her, they both entering the mansion only to feel the ground beneath them shaking. “He is the ancient demon who had formed contract with the first sorceress. She
Gallahan wasn’t daunted by the fact that Balbazor was more than fifth fold of him, looking even bigger and monstrous. Shawn could feel that demon had no pity or hesitation on him, willingly killing anyone who stood on his way. For a moment Shawn questioned how he could ever kill this monstrous being in front of him, finding it abhorrent that his entire instinct yelled that killing it would be close to impossible. Even coming near the monster he could feel the brimming heat that would burn his skin. “Shawn,” Gallahan called his attention to make sure the younger man wouldn’t feel daunted and eaten alive by his own fear. Shawn then watched Gallahan who in comparison seemed to be eagerly waiting for this chance to come his hand. It was something he had been waiting for a long time… finally he could avenge the death of his family who all ended due this demon’s twisted curse! “I want to kill you, you won’t even believe how much I have been looking forward to this day. My heart is beati
Dominic’s silver eyes also noticed the swirl of purple glow from the black mansion and turned his head again to the view before him. “What did you and the Master talked about?” Inquired Dominic while they run through the forest. “I told him that I will do something about the demon inside Isaac if he could help me end my curse but then he surprised me by saying that he doesn’t need help.” Rose responded. “I trust him.” “I do think he is someone who wouldn’t hurt his fellow sorcerer, you weren’t wrong in trusting him,” Dominic encouraged her. “But that sound too good to be true. He always ask people for payment if he help them.” “He did ask for something, he said to continue fooling my demon, Babylion,” uttered Rose. “I asked him why and he told me so he could use Babylion to kill that ancient demon in response.”“So this entire charade is because of him.” Dominic narrowed his eyes. They can’t seem to trust the Master completely, that man would do anything if it means to fulfil his
Shawn’s eyebrows furrowed as he saw a bright purple glow appearing from the room where the master and Isaac had fought in. As the master’s hand had been touched, Isaac had fulfilled his promise to erase the curse that plagued the Master. This should have call for a celebration regardless of the Master’s wish of never leaving the cave. But by fulfilling Isaac’s promise, the demon in him finally demanded for his reward and that reward was… for him to manifest into the world inside his body!When something suddenly clicked in his mind, Shawn bubbled out of anger.“Damn it! Damn it!” Shawn yelled, finally realizing the big mistake that he made by trusting that damn sorcerer king! He rushed out of the room, questioning everything that the sorcerer had done. He first of told him to imbue his magic on the crystal ball as if doing that would help. He said that by calming Isaac, he could convince him to drive out the demon inside. He also claimed that he wouldn’t kill Isaac thus why he had
Rose could feel the dark magic that entered her skin, crawling in such a disgusting way that she wanted to hurl but she couldn’t. There was something that was stopping her from moving and she couldn’t understand it as it felt slightly different when compared to the demonic magic that he uses on her. “Rose, make my life more colorful, won’t you?” Whispered Babylion. “Now go and betray your beloved. I want to see his face twisting in pain. From your memories, he seemed to the most fun to mess with.” Rose wanted to say no, she wanted to yell and disagree with Babylion’s words but she couldn’t move. She then had the sudden idea to play by what Babylion wanted and nodded her head slowly, agreeing that she would betray Dominic while her eyes turning unfocused, looking exactly similar as to someone who had just been bewitched.“Good, now play with me.” Back to the present, Rose run through her thins hands between her hair and pushed the golden locks to the back of her head, she sighed hea