Chapter 718 I Never Break My Promises, Fabian.

"Now I feel bad for my new friend. It seems I won't be able to see him for quite some time."

Aries slowly descended on the ground, eyes still glowing with black. The darkness in her eyes slowly faded, only to reveal a pair of cold eyes. She kept her eyes on Fabian, saying nothing.

"Maleficent --" Third stopped mid-sentence as a force assaulted his abdomen, sending him flying. He couldn't react quickly, crashing into the Forbidden Mansion mercilessly.

"Too loud," was all Aries said, eyes locked with Fabian. "Now, better."

"Won't you let them go?" asked Fabian, cocking his head to the side, referring to those who were trapped in Maleficent's world.

"I promised everyone I will give them a good life," Aries dawdled, sauntering towards Fabian. She stopped at arm's length, scanning his sharp but refined facial features. "This world is so much cruel, is it not? In my world, they will have peace. There will be no wars, no problems, and no deaths. It will give them happiness."

"Happiness... that is not something you can give or enforce to people, my lady."

"But I am their queen." Aries took a step forward, planting her hand on his chest. "You wielded me for many years, Fabian. You understand everyone's suffering; you've seen it. This world is unfair but in my world? They were all equal."

"Who are you?" Fabian narrowed his eyes, tilting his head to the side. Her touch was familiar as he had held his dark spear for a very long time, but the look in her eyes was foreign. It was hard to point it out. "Maleficent? Aries?"

"I am both. The one they both denied because they senselessly believed in the false goodness that was left in them. That goodness doesn't exist, Fabian. It was taken, stolen from them. You should've known that if only you do not deny reality."

"I never denied reality."

"Until you laid your eyes on me." Aries lifted her chin, her tone full of certainty. "You never denied reality until you saw me, and told yourself, you will rather die than follow and believe someone like Marsella."

"I am not Marsella, though." She shook her head sideways. "I don't plan on using you to mess with someone just because she was envious of her sister."

Aries closed in, eyes still locked with his. She then pressed a finger on his firm chest, fluttering her eyelashes ever so tenderly.

"I am better than Marsella, than Maximus, than the Grimsbanne. The Barrett blood that runs inside that body knows that very well." The corner of her lips curled up subtly. "Peace... is the only thing I seek. But these people simply ruin everything I had prepared for them."

"I offered kindness and they returned it with vileness. They robbed me of everything, violate me as they pleased, kill me over and over, and implicate those who followed me." Sadness and anger swirled in her eyes as she frowned. "I am done with it, Fabian. I am so done with their tactlessness, like children, who never had an idea how to do things right."

"So you planned to trap everyone in that world?"

"Trap is such a big word that gives the wrong idea, my dearest." Aries shook her head, barely blinking. "I am offering them a new life. A life that is ten times better than the one we all knew."

"Their bodies will die."

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"Does that matter? They can still feel everything and taste everything. They breathe and live. It's almost the same. What's the difference?"

Fabian assessed Aries, pressing his lips into a thin line. A layer of chill coated his countenance, understanding how twisted and blinded she was at the moment. Aries didn't lie when she said she was both Maleficent and Aries.

Aries was never a good person. She was someone who was trying so hard to slay her demons, to make herself believe her past didn't haunt her until now. Her traumatic past... would never grant her peace, especially, if the life she had chosen never knew the face of peace.

So this was Aries with all her darkness amplified that her rationality was clouded, meant to never see the sunrise.

"They don't die," answered Fabian calmly. "That's the difference."

"Was it bad?"

Yes. Of course. Death was a part of the life cycle. Time and growth as well, but he figured there was no point in talking sense with her. This wasn't the right time for that.

"You can kill me now." Fabian raised both his hands to his side as a gesture of surrender. "I think we've lost."

"No, we haven't. We're just starting." Aries shook her head, tilting her upper body to the side, smiling. "I still have to deal with that demon over there. I wonder if he and Marsella would be useful or... if they were better off dead."

"I won't be useful."

Aries straightened her back, smiling at Fabian. "You will be, Fabian. I will never waste a talent like you."

The moment those words rolled out of her tongue, a dark shroud slowly enveloped Fabian's spear once again until he could feel Maleficent's incredible darkness. Fabian glanced at his spear and deep lines appeared in between them.

"I never break my promises, Fabian." Her soft voice made him face her squarely once again. "I didn't plan to take it away from you. At least, not permanently."

"Don't be angry anymore." Aries cupped his lean cheek and smiled. "I didn't mean to tease you like that."

His plain countenance remained the same, keeping his eyes on her. A shallow breath slipped past his lips, satisfied that she didn't take away his beloved weapon. Although there was now a slight difference from this dark spear.

He could feel, hear, and know her heart. 

"What do you want me to do, Aries?" his lips parted, breathing out his words calmly.

His question put a smile on her face. "Seize them." Her eyelids dropped, smirking. "All of them."

"As you wished."

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[ Maleficent's World ]

"Aries!!!!" Abel growled his lungs out, standing in the middle of the banquet hall to see that Aries's body wasn't in there anymore. Joaquin was beaten and breathing heavily on the side, but Dexter, with whom he clashed with already disappeared.

"Aries Grimsbanne." Abel's eyes blazed, looking around at the banquet that was turned upside down as a result of Dexter and Joaquin's fierce duel. He balled his hand into a tight fist, grinding his teeth, knowing he would be trapped in this world without her.

"Your Majesty." Conan gulped, staring at Abel's side profile. "It seemed the only way out of this world is for Isaiah to find a way."

Abel was aware of that, but his body still trembled in anger at the thought.

"She better be prepared once I get out of here..." Abel breathed out, voice shaking with unspeakable anger. He stretched his neck from one side to the other. "... I'll lock her up next time."

Conan's jaw tightened, studying the invisible fire enveloping Abel's body. He looked around. Everything was a mess, and the guests were still unconscious on the floor.

'It seemed we would be in deep slumber until someone in the real world does something,' came into Conan's eyes, letting out a deep sigh, certain they would be in here for some time... or forever.

There was no telling.

They could only hope those who were left in the real world like Isaiah could do something about this problem.

Until then... they could only leave everything to fate.

-- END OF VOLUME 4 --