Chapter 15: Chapter 15 The last one
After nearly getting zapped to death by lightning called upon by Lillian, Kayden finally arrived at the East Wing Manor.
He eyed the looming castle, deliberating whether to enter. By now, the stepmother and the sisters would have returned, and as that thought ran through his mind, Lillian joined him with a blank expression.
"So, are we done playing now?" Lillian deadpanned, her gaze never tearing away from Kayden.
Kayden smiled, but within seconds, his expression shifted instantly.
"Wait—Lilian, you left Cindy all alone in her room?" Kayden exclaimed, dread curling up in his throat. "Tell me—oh my God—I totally forgot she's all alone in there with those monsters that call themselves family!"
He picked up his pace, and within seconds, they vanished—thanks to Lillian's magic—appearing right at Cinderella's doorstep.
Kayden was a mess. His clothes were all blackened by lightning, his hair scattered in waves, but that was the least of his concern. Twisting the doorknob, he barged into the room, and just as he feared—Cindy had vanished.
"No!! Noooo!!" Kayden screamed.
This was that witch's work. Her doing.
Lillian, witnessing the exasperated look on Kayden's face, felt a wave of guilt. But if Kayden hadn't landed himself in trouble, she wouldn't have had to rescue him. So technically, it was his fault.
"Calm down. If you raise your voice, you might wake up the entire household," Lillian tried reasoning with him, but it was futile.
Then an unexpected thought crossed his mind. Was it the fairy godmother? Cinderella's own sister—the same one who seems to be scheming God knows what?
God, he was confused. He shouldn't be scared, but here he was, not only venturing into something dark—but also surrounded by people who might not have his best interests at heart.
Besides Lillian, he couldn't trust anyone. Right now, he was more conflicted than ever.
"I promised her, Lillian. I made a damn promise that she'd be safe. But look at this—she's nowhere to be found!" Kayden was hyperventilating. All his playfulness had vanished, replaced by the sheer will to survive this anomaly.
Lillian wasn't too afraid. Maybe she's around, she reasoned. She might've gone to get something—you never know.
"Let's check around. She might've gone downstairs to get drinking water, maybe?" she offered.
Just like that, a small ray of hope flashed across Kayden's eyes.
He rushed out of the unkempt room with its depressed-looking bed and reached for the door—but as soon as he tried twisting the knob, an unimaginable force jolted through his body, slamming him violently backwards.
Kayden's eyes bulged in shock.
"Can you feel that?" he asked, turning to Lillian, who wore a puzzled expression.
"What is it this time around?" Lillian stepped forward to examine the cause of the ruckus—only to realize too late that it was a magical barrier.
A poison to creatures like them.
The moment she touched the door, a force surged through her body, and she let out a loud, piercing scream that reverberated through the room.
"ARCHHHHHHHHHH!!"
Lillian screamed.
Kayden's face paled instantly. He rushed to help her—but to his horror, something sinister began to unfold.
Small dark dots began to pour out from her skin, followed by blackish liquid gushing from her nose in large quantities.
It was massive—pouring out in abundance.
Kayden's expression twisted from dread to pure horror.
Then, shakily, Lillian's voice came in a strangled whisper.
"This... is dark sorcery. Only high-class, powerful witches can perform this. I thought those beings were long gone... but I was terribly wrong. One of them cast a hex here. It doesn't affect you, Kayden... so you might have to continue this journey on your own... because I'm dying."
Her revelation hit Kayden like a hammer. His mouth hung open in shock.
She began to choke, still screaming—until her mouth opened wider—and before Kayden's eyes, small snakes began slithering out of her mouth, vicious and alive.
Stunned, he stepped back, hands shaking. This was pure evil.
Who could've cast such evil sorcery?
Lillian, stronger than she looked, clearly wanted her suffering to end. She was in pain.
With her final breath, she whispered—
"You're the last of your kind. And no matter what happens, Kayden, don't let anyone know your true identity. Or you'll face a fate worse than death. Trust me... you don't want to see that."
Then, with a burst of inexplicable light, her body swelled mightily—and before Kayden's eyes—exploded into a massive heap of flesh.
Kayden froze midair. For a moment, he thought he was hallucinating—until blood began dripping near his feet and bits of shredded flesh dropped onto his body.
He let out a deafening scream and bolted from the room.
But the evil was far from over.
Before him stood the devil herself—Mira—and she wore the sadistic laughter of a vile spirit.
"I see you escaped my spell. How... shocking," she sneered, eyeing the strange boy who had not only embarrassed her, but also ruined her plans to have Cinderella gang-raped by a bunch of mercenaries.
Well, the past was the past. Now she would take her revenge—and make sure he didn't survive even a flicker of what was to come.
"So... mind sharing how you escaped that trap I set?" Mira scowled, approaching Kayden, who instinctively stepped back several paces, ready to bolt.
"Who are you? And what do you want with Cinderella and me?" Kayden shot back, trying to sound fearless—though he was scared to his core. He'd never seen anything this terrifying before—but now wasn't the time to fold. This moment could determine whether he lived... or died.
Mira stopped, then burst into mad laughter. It echoed coldly.
"Oh dear... one question at a time. But first—you need to answer me. How did you escape my spell?" Her smile faded. Her face turned deadlier by the second.
Kayden's breath hitched.
"I... I don't know. It just happened. Next thing I knew, the lady I was with exploded..." he confessed, not missing the glint in Mira's eyes at the mention of Lillian's brutal death.
"Wow, so the fairy died? I never expected it to be that easy. What a weak being," Mira said heartlessly, then smiled maliciously at Kayden.
Her hands began to glow with a dark light. Her fingernails grew unnaturally long, her hair shifting wildly.
"I am a member of the Dark Witches—sent to kill and eliminate threats to our existence. But you—you're a barrier to my plans. And our Queen won't tolerate that. So, dear... you have to die."
Her eyes turned dark red, bloodlike—hollow and lifeless.
Kayden, still searching for a moment to escape, suddenly heard a trumpet sound echoing around the castle.
A booming announcement followed:
"Ladies and gentlemen of this household! His Royal Highness, Prince Zolan, is here to test the golden slipper to see who it fits. Maidens of this house, step out!"
The decree made Mira pause.
She turned back to Kayden, casting him a dark glance, and whispered—
"Give me a minute, love. I'll be back later... to skin you alive."
Like a vengeful queen, she strutted out.
Kayden sighed in temporary relief and was about to make a run for it—when an invisible barrier slammed him down hard.
He fell, screaming again.
"God damn it!" he cursed. What now?
If he stayed—he'd die. And there was no way he was going to let that happen.
Looking around, he caught sight of the invisible circle drawn on the ground. He could see it now—clearly.
"Remember... you're the last one."
Lillian's final words echoed in his mind.
Last of what...?
Still, he let out a shaky breath, took in the air around him, and closed his eyes.
Then he prayed.
"Please, Creator... just let me escape. I beg of You. I know I'm a sinner... but let me go."
A rumble shook the sky.
Dark clouds formed above, morphing into thunder and lightning, striking the glass window—shattering it—and hitting the witch's circle, forming a huge opening just wide enough for Kayden to pass through.
Eyes wide, he stared at the catastrophe his prayer had summoned.
Regaining his composure, he ran to the window—and seeing how high up it was, he rushed to the bed, dragged out the bedsheets, and began tying them together.
Time to do what he'd seen in movies.
He was going to make a rope... and get the hell out of here.
With a rush of adrenaline, Kayden began his move.