Cent, short for Maleficent, recently found out that she is the daughter of the great demon Beelzebub when she got a pair of horns on her eighteenth birthday instead of a pair of skating shoes. She finally got her answer why she never once felt that she belonged, turns out, she is not entirely human. When her estranged dad came knocking to take her away from her wretched foster life, Cent grabs the opportunity to be with her only ‘living’ family. But, he is called the great demon for a reason. After disturbing her life, he drops her like a sack of potatoes in front of the gloomy gates of Transylvania Academy. She realized that before her great demon dad can accept her, she still needs to prove herself worthy. Does she have what it takes to carry the privilege as an only child of a great demon? Does she have what it takes to be a monster?
더 보기THE STALE colors of her ceiling welcomed her when she woke up briskly. Her ragged breathing and sweat-covered shin were not new for Cent. She spent her seventeenth year dreaming as if she was being chased by something ominous, only to wake up abruptly when a pair of large flaming hands engulfed her. This vicious cycle became a regular thing for her when she celebrated her seventeenth birthday. And now, with her eighteenth birthday just two days from today, her nightmare became more prolonged and hotter, as if she was soaked and boiled.
Glancing at the alarm clock on her side table, Cent groaned when she found out it was still three AM. Like always, she would wake up every three AM from that hellish dream. Sitting up, Cent fisted her long raven-colored hair. “Fucking perfect,” mumbled Cent.
Her day would always start like this. Waking up from some weird psychotic dream, she would spend the remaining hours of dawn doing yoga as she listened to the soft tune of Mozart’s piece through her Bluetooth earphone.
Cent grew up without a family to lean on. The concept of family and home was so strange that she started to resent it. But deep down, Cent desired what it felt like to truly belong. Though with the fact that she was abandoned in front of a foster shelter, Cent grew up feeling that she never belonged in the world. That nagging sense kept her awake for many hours, only to be awakened by a nightmare.
Stepping inside her cramped room, she immediately dressed up. And in front of a broken large mirror in her room, she stared at herself. Cent wore her infamous black long-sleeved dress and black stockings to cover her marked legs. On her fifteenth birthday, strange tattoo-like symbols started to appear around her legs, and after three months after her fifteenth birthday, both legs were surrounded with some weird skin marks. Cent asked for the help of a dermatologist, but this new type of skin disease was something that the dermatologist had yet to see. She tried to make a tattoo artist remove them, but even the famous artist on their block refused her since these marks were apparently part of her skin.
Cent hated her body. She hated being different. She loathed the idea of being an outcast.
And she dreaded what she would get this eighteenth birthday of hers. Cent stared at her reflection with a blank look. She had long, straight hair that reached her waist with bangs that almost covered her eyes, a pale complexion, and a skinny body with a height of 5’4. Cent wondered where she got her features. “Did I get my hair from my mom? Or from my father?”
Upon realizing that her questions would never be answered, Cent glared at her reflection, which earned the mirror a new set of cracks. The sound of the mirror breaking snapped Cent from her reverie.
I did it again.
One of the primary reasons she never felt that she belonged was her quirks that started manifesting after she celebrated her tenth birthday. Shrugging it off, she stepped outside to attend her class. The shadows under her bed followed her outside; Cent muted their whispers of death as they stuck to the shade of her shadow.
Let’s go, guys.“Shoot! I am so late for Madam Lira’s class!” Cent ran like a mad woman, not minding the harsh whispers of the teens who grew up with her in the shelter. But she never dared to look back at them; she never wanted to stand out.
Grabbing her pocket watch from the right side compartment of her gothic dress, she almost dropped the wretched pocket watch upon seeing the time.
I
won’t make it! And it is Madame Lira’s class! I am so dead.“Cent, where are you going?” Sister Tasha, the shelter’s caretaker, asked Cent when she passed by her.
She knew why the kind-hearted nun asked in wonder since she passed by the door. “I forgot something!” Instead of dashing like a woman being chased by death, Cent proceeded to the garage of the shelter home, which no one used since the sisters did not drive.
Crouching behind the trashed cars that loitered around the unused garage of the shelter, Cent scanned her surroundings for any signs that she was not alone. The shadows moved like a cloud of smoke around her. “Go and check it,” Cent ordered the shadows. She watched how the smoky creature transferred from her shadow towards the shadows around the garage. She snuck a peek into her pocket watch. “Shit.”
Ten minutes before the devil-like Madame Lira starts her class! Hell will break loose if someone is late for her class!
Biting her lip, Cent summoned the shadows in her mind.
Did you find anything?
The hissing whispers of the shadows confirmed that there was no one around the area. “Good. You may come back now.” And so they did as the shadows settled back to hers once again.
These shadows have been her companions ever since she could remember. They played with her during her childhood years. And when she grew up, she learned to control them to do her bidding. Cent realized that she was far from average and feared that the ordinary people around her would know about her weird abilities. They would cast her out for real.
It’s not like I am into social pyramids, but at least I have a wallflower life. Where no one sees me and no one cares what I do.
Concentrating as she closed her cobalt-colored eyes, Cent pictured the black butterflies in her mind. A zap of cold breeze whipped her body just like what she expected. She envisioned a flock of black butterflies surrounding her body from the tip of her hair to the last of her shadow. The next thing Cent knew, her body turned into hundreds of black butterflies.
This was one of the weird nonhuman abilities that would allow her to travel long distances. Cent used this quirk often since her first class in Julliard was from the terror madam named Lira. Just uttering her name would make her shiver.
Cent, in the form of the black butterflies, traveled a twenty-minute worth of distance in five minutes. The black butterflies passed through the vents of the prestigious school. Then they passed through the giant fans. Cent observed that every student was now rushing toward their classes.
I don’t have time to go to the rooftop! The comfort room! Wait, where’s the comfort room with the slightest probability that the girls will use it during this time? Ah! I don’t care anymore!
In her command, the black butterflies flew to the nearest lady’s comfort room. She breathed relief when no one was using the said area. The flock of butterflies passed through the vent straight to the farthest cubicle. And the black butterflies formed a human silhouette until Cent returned to her human image.
Not bothering to look at her pocket watch, Cent rushed to her first class. She winced when the hallway quieted down. “I am so dead,” said Cent.
CENT ALMOST fainted when she opened the studio’s back door where Madame Lira’s class was being held. No matter how slowly she opened the door, she was met by the smoldering look of the middle-aged woman.
I’m gonna die.
“Maleficent Smith!” Madame Lira’s thunderous voice boomed inside the spacious studio. Cent could not help but wince as she heard her dreaded name.
Maleficent, the name embroidered on her silk blanket, covered her bloody and tiny body. Sister Tasha told her that she might be a rich man’s long-lost daughter since the basket she was placed into was embroidered with gems that saved the shelter from bankruptcy at that time. Cent held into the thought that someday her parents would find her. So Cent refused to be adopted until Sister Tasha gave Cent the former’s last name.
“You dare to be late for this class! Did you forget that you are only here because of your blasted scholarship?”
She heard the snickers of her classmates. She hated being the center of attention. She feared they would notice that she was not ordinary at all, leading to her being a total outcast. The thought made her body shiver; she felt like she was going to throw up. Cent just looked down as if she found something interesting on the floor as she clenched her fists.
“What? You turned into a mute now?”
The clicking of Madame Lira’s heels made the shadows lurking inside her shadow hissed with obvious contempt. “No,” replied Cent in a hushed yet fearful voice. She was not afraid of Madame Lira anymore. Instead, she was worried about what would happen if Madam Lira came near her that would snap her shadows.
They were hard to control when they were agitated. And they were only in this state if she was in a perilous state like now. “No, what?” Madame Lira’s looming silhouette covered Cent’s cowering frame. Cent still refused to look up. She remembered the state of her mirror in her room; if she dared to look at Madame Lira when her mood was in disarray, Cent could not guarantee the professor’s safety.
“Are you daft? Or have you lost your common etiquette along the way? I said, no what?”
Cent felt the cold and painful touch of Madame Lira’s fingers on her chin as the latter forced Cent to look at her. Madame Lira succeeded. Cent’s once cobalt-colored eyes turned into hideous lime green as if they were shining beneath her bangs. “No, Madame Lira. Please.”
Madame Lira’s perfect eyebrows arched but let her chin go harshly. She walked back to her table in front of the studio. Still looking down, Cent sat to the farthest chair from the others to avoid being talked upon. But she heard every word that her classmates uttered.
“What a weirdo.”
“Who is she?”
“I can’t believe I failed to notice that we have a freaky classmate in this class.”
“Shh. She might be a stalker. You don’t want to be stalked by her, right?”
I am not a stalker.
Cent felt the comforting hiss of the shadows as they patted her shoes. Smiling bitterly, Cent bit back her tears.
They are right about two things, though. I am weird, and I am a freak.
Cent wished to run away from this class, but if she did, she would lose the only purpose worth living for her. She would need to adjust to a new environment if she ran away. And being new meant being the center of attention. Cent hated that thought, so she needed to steel herself to maintain being the wallflower of Julliard.
THE NEXT day, Cent was an hour early for Madame Lira’s class. She sat silently at her spot. Two black butterflies flew around her as if they were playing with her while the shadows with her hissed like they usually did.
The bell rang, but no one came, so Cent started to wonder. Thirty minutes after the bell rang, a teacher’s aide came in. He looked surprised when he saw her, which caused her to wonder more. “Why are you here? Haven’t you read the post from the school’s page?”
I don’t have a gadget. Cent wanted to reply, but she just shook her head. “What happened?”
“Your professor in this class croaked last night.” He replied casually. Those three last words froze her.
So it happened again.
Maleficent stared at the gates of the Transylvania Academy. A pair of black dragon-like wings folded behind her as she landed a few meters before her alma mater. She did not know why, but it felt like a long time since she was here yet in reality it was only a few weeks.She could still remember the first time she saw this school, she did not think that she would value this place so much. Maleficent never thought that she would treat this academy as a place closest to home. For the past years of her life, even though she grew up in a foster home, Maleficent could not sense any sense of belong there – not until she met the people she grew to care about in Transylvania Academy.That was why, in that illusion, she was able to see the light at the end of a seemingly endless loop of despair. The shackles of the past? She was already free from it. All thanks to those who trusted her, cared for her, and loved her despite the horns and gigantic wings.For those who trusted Maleficent despite
Before Maleficent 's mind shatter to the endless stream of torment, a warm aura enveloped her curling and shaking body. Like a cocoon of protection, it soothed her mind, body, and soul.Though ethereal, Maleficent was familiar with the warmth being emitted from the crimson-colored aura around her. With teary eyes, Maleficent stopped shaking and screaming words of helplessness and profanities."Sshh.. Stop crying, little Halfling." A deep and warm voice vibrated within her, muting the wicked one. The voice continued, "Remember, amidst the painful memories you have, you have bright ones as well. For every step you take back you forward thrice the distance from the past. Why? Because you have us and we have you. You are not alone anymore.""I.. I am not alone anymore?" "Remember... Where you surrender yourself to this prince. Like I said, there will be no going back. The moment you accepted me, there is no more turning back... little Halfling."Where I surrender myself?Flashback...“I
"Stop it! Stop this!" Maleficent was now hysterical. Even with her efforts to stop the wicked voice from spewing nonsense in her mind over and over again. "Stop spouting nonsense!""Hehehe! What nonsense? All chatters of these are facts! They are flashbacks from your memories!""You're right. These are all memories so it is now part of my past." There was now a hint of strength in Maleficent's voice."Foolish woman indeed! Hahaha! You... You will feel that familiar sense of loss and pain once more, Daughter of Greed!"Maleficent's heart pounded which immediately dimmed the small ray of light for Maleficent. "Wha-What do you mean?""Like what happened to that time when you almost that Halfling Prince, you will feel that helplessness and fear and sorrow once more sooner than later! But this time, you will lose him for eternity! Hahaha!"Flashback..Maleficent was too fixated on using her ability as the wielder of the darkness that she stupidly failed to realize the dwindling state of he
"My father knows why I did that! You can't brainwash me!" Maleficent the Glutton found her strength as she stood. Her gaze followed the swirling black smoke around her. "He won't abandon me!""Ting! Ting! Ting! You are wrong again! Haven't you remember? He once abandoned you! Hahahaha! Foolish girl!"Flashback... “Please, leave me alone,” said the Halfling, “I…I don’t want to see you anymore. So please, throw away all the guilt that you have in your heart and know that for a short period of time, you made me feel the emotions I thought I would die without.” The Halfling cleared her throat as if a lump was lodged in it before she continued. “Please respect my decision.” On cue, the torches that littered the prison cell were engulfed by a cluster of shadow for a fraction of a minute, deeming the entire prison cell for a small period of time that it was almost unnoticeable. People would believe that it was the grand duke who lost his composure during his visit, but Damon the prideful
Maleficent shook her head. Both of her hands were now covering her ears yet it did not lessen the malicious whispers that seemed to resonate within her mind — within her soul."You are a child of misfortune!""Your existence is a mistake!""Maleficent, you are a child of disaster. No. You are the disaster yourself. You bring pain wherever you go!"Hot tears continued to trickle down Maleficent's chin as she closed her eyes tightly while shaking her head profusely. "No! You're wrong! I still have father!""Fool! You are your father's greatest heartache! He regrets that he brought you back from the mortal world!"Flashback...Grand Duke Beelzebub the Glutton lost the will to live the moment he thought he lost his wife. His misery did not lessen when he had to let go of his daughter and watched her grew up from the sidelines as one of her shadows. He had foolishly thought that it would all soon go away the moment he would take her from the wretched mortal world – or so he thought. He fai
"When you died, you angered the heavenly law!"A frown painted on Maleficent's face as she watched the image of Damon vanished once more, replaced by a dark smoke swirling around her. "Why? How did I anger the heavens?"A vicious laughter resonated within Maleficent's sea of consciousness. "Fool! You just took an archangel from the heavens!"Flashback...SELAPHIEL, a newly bloomed fallen angel, quivered upon the howl of sorrow that she had heard amid the cackles of the thunderstorm that loomed the entire Rancid City. Perhaps it was guilt that made her froze rather than to race to where the sound was coming from. It was as clear as the lightning bolt that littered the darkened skies of the Nether World who screamed those anguished laden screams. The disparity dripped from every letter of the word he cried from the top of his lungs.“Maleficent, my baby girl…” Translucent droplets fell from her eyes as her chest tightened upon the very thought of losing her child before she could even h
Maleficent the Glutton, who was now tugging her horn while tears trickled down her face, willed herself to stand up from being slumped."No... I will protect my parents so that... So that nothing will happen to them." Though Maleficent's voice was barely a whisper, it was filled with determination.But a mocking voice resonated in the darkness once again. This time, it did not belong to Maleficent's mother's voice but from Damon!"Liar! You died because you are weak! So how can you protect us?"Flashback...“Indeed. Farewell.” Maleficent whispered. On cue, a roaring sound elicited from behind him before he was taken by the looming shadow of the gigantic winged serpent.After her last two words, the entire arena had turned into one extensive domain for Maleficent. Her emerald eyes glowed more than ever at that exact moment; the song of battle cries echoed from her mouth as she screamed, flipping her position. Now, she was the one sitting atop the shell-shocked Gabriel the Faithful.“Di
Lost in a train wreck of vicious thoughts whispered by the man called Steffan along with the cries of Maleficent 's mortal victims, the Glutton heir started to crumble."I... I have my family..." Maleficent, though it was a whisper, tried her earnest to fight the malevolent thoughts that wreck havoc in her mind.But a mocking laughter echoed within Maleficent's mind that made her freeze. It was not the malicious laughter that made her stop from her tracks, rather, it was the familiarity of the voice.On cue, Steffan's face turned to a silhouette of Aurora — Maleficent's mother. Gone was the warmth in her eyes as she glared at the shell-shocked Maleficent."How do you know that I am genuine with your fickle family obsession, dear daughter?" "N-No way...""I did it once. What's stopping me to do it one more time?"FLASHBACK…“That? That w-woman is my mother?” With widened eyes, shivers wracked her body as if a bucket of cold water splashed her rigid standing form. The glowing embers of
"What I want? I want you to remember that a sinner like you is not allowed to feel any emotion but fear. Think of it as a payment for all the lives you carelessly took back when you were at the Mortal's Realm, Maleficent."With one statement, it sucked Maleficent the invisible shield of her title as Maleficent the Glutton as if she was back to what she was before she met her father.Flashback 3:THE STALE colors of her ceiling welcomed her when she woke up briskly. Her ragged breathing and her sweat-covered shin were not a new thing for Cent. She spent her seventeenth year dreaming as if she was being chased by something ominous only to wake up abruptly when a pair of large flaming hands engulfed her. This vicious cycle became a regular thing for her since she celebrated her seventeenth birthday. And now, with her eighteenth birthday just two days from today, her nightmare became longer and hotter in a sense as if she was soaked to be boiled.Glancing at the alarm clock on her side ta
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
댓글