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45 - To the Ends and Back
Last Updated:
2024-07-17 02:34:26
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 46 - For What Purpose
Many Years Ago (Part 3)GILDEONAs the boat slowed, he steered it toward a large outcrop nestled in the heart of the branching inlet. He aligned the vessel alongside the rock face, hiding in plain sight. His movements were steady and certain, just as how Haemos had taught him long ago.Two of the crew shifted into their beast forms, anchoring the boat with their tails wrapped around the outcrop's protrusions.The inlet offered several paths to the open sea. They had to stay close to where the sylph ship would turn, ready to strike at the right moment. Gildeon began brewing different battle scenarios in his head, assessing possible escape routes. Sylphs should never be underestimated. They'd all learned that the hard way.“Camouflage!” Commander Haemos barked. The crew, including Kohina, melted into the hue and texture of the black rock behind them. As they gripped the gunwale, the camouflage extended to their ship, blending it into the landscape.Gildeon left the helm to help, shiftin
Last Updated : 2024-07-20MAD END'S DECEPTION 47 - Barbarian
Many Years Ago (Part 4)GILDEONThe room loomed dark and vast, with crates piled high against the walls. In the shadows, a tuft of blue curls glinted, belonging to a sylph warrior slumped against a silverwood container, sword in hand. Fresh blood seeped through the bandage around his chest, staining his ribs. He tried to stand straight, assuming a defensive stance, but his other hand instinctively clutched his wound.Gildeon suspected they had come from battle. But where? The Blinking Island? What had they fought over there? That would explain the small crew. They’d probably lost people.Gildeon reverted to his mortal form. No need for dragon strength here. He could probably take the sylph blindfolded. “What happened to all of you?” he asked, scratching his head with the tip of his shortsword.The warrior’s face remained impassive, but his blue eyes betrayed him. Pain, fear, confusion, and desperation flickered there.“What are you?” the sylph demanded in a cold, hissing voice. Gildeo
Last Updated : 2024-07-21MAD END'S DECEPTION 48 - That Would Be Too Easy
Many Years Ago (Part 5)GILDEONHe idly scratched his head with the point of his shortsword. “What’s a girl like you doing on a ship like this?”Her blue eyes glowed with fury as she tightened her grip on the dagger and sprang to her feet. He immediately shoved her head down before she could rise, his strength overwhelming her.“Hey, your brother used his last bit of strength to keep me from your crate,” he said in a low voice. “So stay there until I figure out what to do with you.”The girl pushed to her feet again with an angry cry, raising the dagger with both hands and aiming it at him. He grunted, catching her wrists. Swiftly setting his sword on a nearby barrel, he snatched the dagger and thrust her head down once more, forcing her back inside the crate.She squealed, clawing at his arm.“You're as stubborn as your brother, I’ll give you that,” he remarked, inspecting the dagger. The hilt, white and shaped like a griffin, reminded him of the ship's figurehead.“If you hurt my br
Last Updated : 2024-07-24MAD END'S DECEPTION 49 - One of Our Own
Many Years Ago (Part 6)GILDEONThe outpost harbor came alive as soon as they anchored. The crunch of boots on thick snow echoed through the crisp air, mingling with the crackling flames from the fire pits scattered around the camp.Gildeon sat on the gunwale, one leg propped up on the rail, waiting for the right chance. He’d left Ghulik in the hold to stand guard, making sure no salamander would discover the sylph girl. Sneaking her out wouldn’t be easy, especially when every man on land was eyeing this ship like a fucking naked lady.The captive sylphs had their blindfolds removed, but they remained bound and gagged. One by one, they were dragged out of the ship. There was no fear on their faces, just grim resignation.A bleak smile curled his lips. Wasn't it the same for everyone? Getting caught by the enemy was a death sentence. Survival was impossible. But for one of them, maybe he might be able to help.The girl’s brother had regained consciousness not long ago. As he walked by,
Last Updated : 2024-07-25MAD END'S DECEPTION 50 - Sympathizing With The Enemies
Many Years Ago (Part 7)GILDEONHis thoughts drifted for a moment, and he paused from tending his sword when he noticed the silence. He turned to the table.The girl was gone.“Fuck,” he muttered. The tent flap fluttered in the wind, swinging open and closed, revealing glimpses of the dark sea in the distance.Tossing the sword onto the bed, he rushed out and scanned the area. He darted into the bushes, finding Ghulik dozing on a tree log. With a swift kick, the goblin jolted awake, snarling, his scrawny arms flailing, claws ready to strike.“Where’s the girl?”Ghulik’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What girl, Master?”Gildeon glared at him.“Ah!” Ghulik stumbled off the log, falling onto his grey arse. “Ghulik thought the Sylph Girl was with Master.”“Smell her.”The goblin’s sharp-nailed fingers tapped together nervously. “Forgive Ghulik, Master,” he said, grimacing. “Ghulik does not know the Sylph Girl’s scent yet because of the sigil on her crate.”Gildeon raked his fingers thr
Last Updated : 2024-07-26MAD END'S DECEPTION 51 - Created A Monster
PresentGILDEONHe blinked away the sweat dripping into his eyes. Hot breaths burst from his mouth. His mind was a storm. What had just happened? He’d relived every damn second of his past, and now thick fog surrounded him again. He turned, squinting at the car headlights bearing down on him, engine still running, driver’s door hanging open.How was he standing in the middle of the road when he’d just been driving a minute ago?The world reeled. His head throbbed. His heart pounded like a drum. More thoughts of the past flooded back. Images of the rooms where Siegfrid and Irmeena were held for weeks. He remembered every fucking detail behind those closed doors—the beatings, the screams, the tearing flesh, the cracking bones, the stench of blood and fear.And the desperate urge to end it all himself right then and there.He shut his eyes as the sylph girl's pained voice echoed in his head. “You lied to me!” Her cries, the hatred in her blue eyes, her small body shaking in grief and ang
Last Updated : 2024-07-28MAD END'S DECEPTION 52 - Never Meant to Upset You
ARAHShe woke up late in the morning. Last night, she had waited hours for Gildeon to come home, but he never did. The door to his room was slightly open. Peeking through, she saw his bed was untouched.A soft snore drifted from the living room. Was he sleeping over there?Combing a hand through her hair, she padded down the hallway and found Gildeon lying sideways on the couch, his hands tucked under his arms. Her mouth fell open, and her hand froze in her curls.Why didn’t he sleep in his room?His clothes were the same as yesterday, and his dark hair was disheveled. Even with the AC low and the heat outside, he looked cold. She approached quietly and leaned over, pressing the back of her hand to his forehead. No fever, thank goodness, but his breathing sounded tired. He also smelled musty and herby.“Where the hell have you been?” she whispered. Deep inside, she was still hurt from last night, from him leaving her alone just like that again. But seeing him like this, she was more w
Last Updated : 2024-08-01MAD END'S DECEPTION 53 - Blocked It Out
ARAHShe craned, scanning the store for any sign of the cat. Nothing. “The black one who just—”“Hey, cute boy!” A husky, melodious voice cut through her words. The green-eyed guy leaned casually against the counter, a basket brimming with pet toys next to him. “How much for all of these?” His intense gaze locked onto hers, even though he was addressing Jeric.Jeric excused himself and moved behind the counter. The green-eyed guy turned away, but his unsettling smile lingered in her mind. Arah had met plenty of quirky people, but he was the first to creep her out.Shaking off the unease, she grabbed a basket and slipped in a bag of kibble, cans of dog food, and some new treats for Barky. When she returned to the counter, the green-eyed guy was already gone.She set her basket down.“You okay?” Jeric asked, ringing up her items. “Mrs. Garcia doesn't let her cats in the shop anymore after someone tried to steal one of her Bengals last week.”Arah grimaced. It was maddening how people co
Last Updated : 2024-08-02
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 204 - I'm The Only One
ARAHShe heard the unmistakable flutter of wings in the distance—heavy, powerful. They sounded too large to belong to the owl.And then she heard something else. A loud, familiar, inhuman heartbeat.Gildeon’s.Her own heart pounding, she rushed out of the house and into the front yard—just in time to see Gildeon land in his beast form. His wings beat the air, whipping gusts of wind against her face. Then, slowly, they began to shrink—until they vanished completely from his back.She had a thousand questions, but they all slipped away the second she met his gaze.She sprinted toward him and threw her arms around his massive form. She didn’t care about the roughness of his hide or the searing steam rising off his scales.“Where did you go? Why did you disappear? I was worried,” she blurted, her voice trembling with emotion. Everything was welling up inside her, and for a moment, she thought she might cry. She only pulled away when the heat between them became too much.“I had to take ca
MAD END'S DECEPTION 203 - Pathetic And Predictable
GILDEONHe’d first crossed paths with Sharko during his and Arah’s early weeks on Caylao Island. Back then, he’d been sweeping the place—mapping the terrain, scouting escape routes, tagging danger zones. Getting a feel for the land.That had been when he saw it—a woman being assaulted by Sharko’s men.He hadn’t come to Earthland to play hero. Meddling in human filth hadn’t been part of the plan. But that scene had reminded him of what happened to Nalini. So he’d made an exception. He’d beaten the bastards and saved the girl.A day later, he’d stumbled onto one of Sharko’s operations—human trafficking, on top of drug dealing and whatever other scum-work the gang ran. That was also when he met Donny’s brother and helped free him from their clutches.Gildeon had confronted Sharko directly—broke enough bones to make him piss himself and swear he’d shut down his human trafficking ring and leave helpless women alone. Gildeon had thought the warning had landed.But after what had nearly happ
MAD END'S DECEPTION 202 - That Was All It Took
GILDEONHe still had a few days left in his hibernation. But then he heard Ghulik’s voice. Said bad men were trying to hurt Arah.Sharko’s bad men.That was all it took.He tore out of his cocoon without a second thought.In the past, he might’ve held back, avoided tapping into the rest of his abilities. Not anymore. He’d nearly lost Arah one too many times, and he’d sworn never to restrain himself again. So, he sprouted small-scale wings and flew through the night in his dragon’s mortal form—with Ghulik on his back.As long as Gildeon wasn’t in his full beast form, the island would be safe from his destruction.Not long after, he landed atop a jagged rock outcrop with a clear line of sight to Cora’s house. His dragon eyes locked onto Arah’s flickering blue-green aura in the distance. She stood with Cora, Mabel, and another woman he didn’t recognize, all being questioned by the police.Another unfamiliar woman lay on a stretcher, getting loaded into the back of an ambulance. Body bags
MAD END'S DECEPTION 201 - Let Everything Sink In
ARAHRoselia hadn’t been able to remove the bullet, but she managed to stop the bleeding, prevent further damage, and numb the pain. Mabel’s friend would still need to be taken to a hospital for proper treatment. Roselia explained that if she tried to heal her using supernatural methods and alter her memory at the same time, it could cause unpredictable side effects.Mabel’s friend had fallen unconscious. They bandaged her wound and gently moved her to the couch. Cora brought over a blanket and draped it over her.“W-What are we going to do with them?” Mabel’s sister asked, staring at the three corpses lying across the living room.Arah handed her a glass of water. “I think it’s better to leave them as they are. The police will take care of it.” She figured the authorities would arrive soon, especially if they believed Sharko’s gang had already finished whatever they came here to do.Thug Number Two would be a problem. He’d definitely run back to Sharko and report what happened. Then
MAD END'S DECEPTION 200 - Alter Your Memory
ARAHShe had a narrow window before any sudden movement might make one of the thugs pull the trigger out of pure reflex.Or panic.Before she even realized it was possible, her wind tattoo split into two. One lash coiled tightly around the ankle of the thug who was about to assault Mabel’s sister, dragging him down. He hit the floor face-first with a grunt, arms flailing to catch himself. The other streaked across the room and smacked the gun from the hand of the man holding Cora.Arah bolted down the stairs, snatching the fallen gun mid-run, and aimed the gun at Thug Number One. She’d never held one before and had no real idea how to use it. But she’d seen enough movies to get the general idea.Still, she hoped it wouldn’t come to that. To her, manmade weapons felt far more volatile than anything supernatural.She saw Cora grab a coat rack from the corner and swing it hard at the back of Thug Number One’s head. The man let out a stunned grunt, stumbling forward from the blow. He turn
MAD END'S DECEPTION 199 - Would She Kill Him?
ARAHThug Leader motioned to his men to let the girls go, but then pointed at Mabel, her sister, and the girl who’d offered Arah a cocktail earlier.“Those three, and of course, Cora—they all stay.”He turned back to Arah, sneering, probably waiting for her to object. But she stayed silent. He seemed like the egotistical maniac type. If she pushed him too far, he’d only make things worse.Arah settled for glancing at the girls as they whimpered, shuddered, and ran out of the house.“Don’t you dare snitch, or we’ll come after you,” one of the thugs growled, stepping aside and pointing his gun at each of them as they passed.Arah hated how calm they all looked. Like they weren’t worried at all that the girls might bring help. It said even more about the kind of power Sharko’s gang held over the island.“Now…” Thug Leader lifted her chin with the muzzle of his gun. “You said you’d give me a night I’d never forget?”“I need assurance they won’t be harmed,” she said carefully, nodding towa
MAD END'S DECEPTION 198 - Night You'll Never Forget
ARAHShe stared at the lifeless body of the male stripper, sprawled out across the unfurled cardboard box. Blood seeped from the bullet wound in his back. He’d tried to run after the thug leader warned him not to.And they killed him. Just like that.To scare the hell out of them even more, the thugs had dragged his corpse back into the house—for everyone to see. It looked eerie under the strobe lights.The room was tense. The music was still playing, but one of the thugs had turned the volume down. All the girls were huddled together in the living room, clutching at each other like their lives depended on it. Some were curled up on the couch, the others slumped on the floor with their knees drawn to their chests. Everyone was shaking and crying. No one said a word.Their phones had been taken, so there was no way to call for help—unless, of course, Mabel’s call to the police had gone through.One of the thugs paced behind them, gun in one hand, a slice of strawberry cake in the other
MAD END'S DECEPTION 197 - Why Zephyr
ARAHShe leaned against the chair, staring out at the dark stretch of sea. The waves lapped softly at the shore. Their rhythm tangled with the thump of club music and the high-pitched laughter of girls still partying inside the house.It all felt far away now.After that embarrassing moment in the living room, Cora had pulled her out. She was grateful for the breather.Mate. Bride. Little Rabbit—these words looped in her head like some bad joke.Had she imagined the whole thing? Maybe there was something weird in the cocktail she drank. Or maybe it was Barky’s bite, twisting her thoughts most strangely.Why Zephyr, though? Had she personally known him before? Back in Shamibar?Arah slid her hands down her face and let out a heavy exhale. She couldn’t picture herself ever being close to someone like him. Zephyr was dangerous—she knew that much. And whatever his game was, it didn’t involve good intentions. He wanted to raise an army for goodness sake.Behind her, the back door creaked o
MAD END'S DECEPTION 196 - Little Rabbit
ARAHShe barely recognized Cora’s house. Penis-shaped balloons were scattered everywhere, and strobe lights flashed so intensely they nearly blinded her. The music was so loud it made her ears ring. Good thing Cora lived far enough from the neighbors that no one would care, even if the guests started screaming at each other in the middle of the night.There were probably over a dozen ladies here—her, Mabel, Cora, and a handful of others Arah vaguely remembered from the engagement party.Mabel was dancing near a giant pink gift box wrapped in ribbon, right in the middle of the living room. When she spotted Arah, her eyes lit up.“Arah!” Mabel shouted, turning toward the other side of the room. “Sissy Cora, she’s here!” Then she pranced over, cocktail in hand, wobbling just slightly. Her tiara was crooked, and she adjusted it before leaning in to give Arah a double-cheek kiss.“Hey, quite a party you’ve got going on,” Arah said with a smile, handing over her gift. She glanced at the pin
