Chapter 25: Betrayal497Please respect copyright.PENANAjPQWKx6r49
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The second kiss broke as a whistling firework shot up into the sky before exploding in a rain of colors. “I’m starting to feel parched. I’ll be right back before the grand ending.” She said softly as she tried to catch her breath.497Please respect copyright.PENANAs2aJkFHX3N
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He nodded smiling as he gently pressed his forehead against hers. “I’ll be here waiting.” He whispered and shared one last quick kiss before releasing her. He watched her quickly race back to the circle to get a drink and a small bite to eat.497Please respect copyright.PENANAGbXoVKnjyC
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Marenzo smiled as he watched her leave and sighed. He didn’t take immediate notice of the new footsteps coming onto the wooden bridge. He did take notice when he heard a ‘thud’ and a noise. “Ah!” the woman cried out as she fell and with a bag spilling fruits over the bridge. “No! My oranges!” she cried with an accent to her voice as she tried to grab them only for a couple to fall and bob down the river stream.497Please respect copyright.PENANA3VfC7ltiZe
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“Here, let me help.” He offered as he picked up one of her fruits and made his way over to her, picking up another and slipped them back into her bag. “Are you okay?”497Please respect copyright.PENANABBtO7fCbyS
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She sniffed and shook her head. “My ankle, I think I hurt it.” He shook his head and offered a hand. “Who are you?”497Please respect copyright.PENANAhzXBYoSZ8N
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“I’m just your average magic user.” Gently he began to help her up and held onto her when she stumbled. “You going to be okay?”497Please respect copyright.PENANAWPTDwfk22O
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She looked down silent before shaking her head. “I’m not sure.” She answered meekly before looking up slightly, mindful of her hood to shadow her face. “You sounded sad before. Tell Anna what is wrong.”497Please respect copyright.PENANANR3ws3gTeL
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“But nothing is wrong.” He replied with a bit of confusion in his voice. 497Please respect copyright.PENANAUoApn46CYZ
Nothing could be better actually.” He moved to try seeing her face. “Have we met before?”497Please respect copyright.PENANA5bA8vDHC1n
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“In another life we may have known the other.” She nearly purred as she glanced up past him and carefully twisted the ring upside down. “Tell me your name, kind handsome man.”497Please respect copyright.PENANA0mWQR2LEcG
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“Um…it’s Marenzo.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAgMvh5duqBW
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“A strong name, I bet you’ll be making someone very happy.” She said with a small smile as she attempted to stand on her own only to take a step and fall against him. As he caught her, her hands landed softly on his chest. “Deepest apologizes. I don’t know why my legs aren’t working right.” She sounded sad as she glanced behind him, a pleased glint in her eyes.497Please respect copyright.PENANAZ62yrNLuS6
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Alura was making her way back and finished eating a small sandwich. “That was good. Never thought beef and fish could taste that good together.” She sighed happily and looked towards the bridge. Her steps started to slow as she tilted her head in confusion. “Hm?” she blinked, “what’s going on?” she muttered quietly.497Please respect copyright.PENANA9uyzsUDapy
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The woman squeezed the ring. The point struck his chest and his body started to fall as she lowered her hood. Rose put her arms around his neck and met his face with hers. They locked lips and she closed her eyes, smiling into the kiss.497Please respect copyright.PENANAphnQ3Ej3Do
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Alura gad gotten closer and her face fell with her eyes widening. Tears began to come up to their brims as her chest heaved with pain striking it with each breath. Her steps had stopped and her hands curled into tight shaking fists. ‘You know I love you.’ His voice echoed in her mind. ‘I can’t imagine my life without you around so, I was wondering if we could continue to get to know each other more.’ Her jaw tightened and her eyes closed tightly, causing tears to fall and sparkle in the fireworks finale of a grand spectacle. ‘I can’t imagine my life without you around,’ those words echoed in her mind as she took a deep breath. “I hate you! You jerk!”497Please respect copyright.PENANAnK8R6uHknU
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Rose chuckled deep in her throat as she kept the kiss going even as Marenzo began to groan and start to come around slowly from the liquid. Alura? He thought as he opened his eyes and pushed away from Rose to look back and his face fell as Alura took off back into the city. “Alura!” he shouted loudly while he stumbled in his attempt to run after her.497Please respect copyright.PENANATEIUK7OZA6
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“Keep away from me you lying asshole!” she screamed back in a cracking voice as tears slid down her cheeks. He didn’t see them as she ran away from him but they were in her tone.497Please respect copyright.PENANAvVE3f0OTqw
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Rose had a victorious smirk on her painted lips as she came up and wrapped her arms around his waist. She traced her hands up along his toned middle and up to his chest as she pressed her face into his back. “Oh just leave the little common tramp alone, my magical dear.” She purred with a disgusting sweet and innocent tone.497Please respect copyright.PENANAY9ctJjXd5Y
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He growled and whipped around as he backhanded her off him with a strong swing of his arm. She stumbled over but caught herself before falling as she placed a hand on her hip, eyeing him over. “How the fuck dare you!? What the hell is wrong with you?!” he shouted in rage as he was regaining more use of his limbs from the stunning agent.497Please respect copyright.PENANAm21JnCck7L
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“How dare I what?” she questioned with a noble air as she touched her chest. “Save you from something like her by giving you me? Hah!” she shook her head to throw her hair back. “You should be thanking me for helping you not taint your handsome status.” Both hands moved and rested on her hips. “You should be bowing before me and thanking me for all I have done for you.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAsyWgy6kW9Y
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“All you’ve done for me?” he seethed as he took a step towards her. “Because of all you’ve done for me Alura hates me!” he reached a hand out and caught her throat as she tried to move out of the way. “She thinks I was playing her and I wasn’t. So you wanna know what?” he asked quietly with a deadly hint in his voice as he narrowed his sights on her. “I’m going to thank you for ruining someone’s life that had witnessed her parents dying in a fire after leaving her sibling behind.” He tightened his grip which caused her to try and breathe, though difficult while she tried to pull his hand off.497Please respect copyright.PENANAow9d8XCEkc
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“That’s enough!” water shot up and wrapped around Marenzo, pulling him off Rose and held him in the air. Ginsu appeared from his blue aura of water and did not look the least bit pleased. He glared at the struggling wizard then at the woman who was coughing and touching her neck with one hand gently.497Please respect copyright.PENANAiVHPBxGGAP
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“Ginsu?!” he questioned in shock looking at the Water God and began to struggle harder. “Let me go! She hurt Alura!”497Please respect copyright.PENANAcnMKx8oI3U
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“You hurt Alura you idiot!” the Water God barked furiously, ending Marenzo’s struggles. “I saw you act like a stupid child. You didn’t even bother to try using your magic to check on this-this-” he bit his tongue to resist calling her the name on his mind so continued. “Promiscuous woman to make sure she meant no harm.”497Please respect copyright.PENANANB6P2xGggR
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Rose’s jaw dropped hearing him call her that. She tightened her jaw in irritation and stomped her foot as she stood up straight. “I’ll have you know Rose Angela Leena is no slut!” she touched her chest with one hand. “I am the daughter of a Duke and I shall be treated with the highest of respects!” she demanded heatedly.497Please respect copyright.PENANAA1Z6cVhlvI
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Ginsu turned and looked to Rose, not intimidated by her tone or body language. “Oh? So humans think their rank title can order around a God?” he questioned dryly. “You are funny if you think that to be true, little promiscuous woman. I also never called you a slut but I did think it.” He slightly leaned forwards with a closed fist on his hip. “Do you have mind reading abilities too?” he questioned with a mocking sound to his tone.497Please respect copyright.PENANA2q7MfpA5hb
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She puffed her cheeks out slightly and charged him, pressing on the sides of the ring and slammed it into his chest above his heart. She felt confident until he frowned and moved a hand up, pushing her off. “But-but-but how?!”497Please respect copyright.PENANAIBP7fK8xmI
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He took the ring and crushed it. “You do know something that weak would not affect a God, right?” he raised an eyebrow, curious to how idiotic she might turn out to be. He took a breath and released it sharply. “You know, I was going to take you to tell Alura what happened but, since you did this, that won’t be enough.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3iRkJEED6
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“Wh-what do yo-you mean?” she stammered nervously while taking a step back.497Please respect copyright.PENANAOc5TUqCJh3
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Ginsu lifted the hand as he dropped the shards of the ring. It glowed his blue aura as water shot up from around them and surrounded Rose. He showed no sympathy as she screamed for him to stop while trying to shove away the water. He watched her stumble back as his magic went to work. “You’re going to learn a lesson my brother has yet to appear on the surface to learn.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAcvB6YrX02p
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When the water finally departed, Rose collapsed and Marenzo was released. He rushed over and started lifting her some only to recoil and drop her roughly. Rose sat up with her shoulders shaking with her uneven breathing. Her eyes as they opened were now mismatched colors, scale patterned scars passed over one eye with a dim mossy green coloring. A scar passed over as well as above and below her once lovely painted lips. Her ears were now dropped and were canine in origin. On her arms and legs were the same mossy green scales. Her finely done nails were chipped and almost jagged looking. Even her hair had gray and neon blue in it to add to her unattractive appearance.497Please respect copyright.PENANAnZwK6EbJXi
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Rose moved and looked at her reflection and screamed, curling up in fright of herself. This showed several bumps spread along her back under the dress and cloak. “What the hell did you do to me?!” she screeched with angered fear as she glared at Ginsu, tears slipping down her cheeks.497Please respect copyright.PENANAoMLaBTp909
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“I made your beautiful façade match your inner self and how you see others. You base everything on looks and little to nothing else aside from wealth.” He folded his arms but kept his stern sights on her. “This spell will remain to give you a taste of what you give to others. It is but an illusion and will end once you can understand what caring for others is truly like.” She snarled at him as she stood. “This is something you now must learn if you want anyone to see the painted and fancied up dolls skin you step into each morning.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAiprILQUpGI
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“You’ll pay for this! No one humiliates me!” she stomped her foot. “Just wait until I tell daddy, you’ll be sorry you laid one finger in this!” she shouted while pointing a finger at him before taking off running to meet up with her two friends.497Please respect copyright.PENANAfIJWRlu8xj
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Ginsu sighed closing his eyes as Marenzo got up and dusted himself off. “Wasn’t that a bit harsh?”497Please respect copyright.PENANAA68xcVMXp2
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“No, it wasn’t.” Ginsu opened his eyes. “She made my daughter cry, she hurt her in the heart due to your mortal stupidity.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAhjslzbjFME
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Marenzo frowned at this fact. “Look, it wasn’t my fault. I wasn’t going to make myself pass out just to use up more stamina to hear a stranger’s quiet thoughts.” And since when in the hell was Alura ever your daughter, adopted or otherwise?497Please respect copyright.PENANA9hmn7KFCNO
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“That didn’t stop you from using a lot of stamina to try hearing the thoughts of two women because they looked familiar.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAqEttgQH5wE
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“That was different!” the wizard blushed embarrassed to yet again have facts betray him. “…They looked like that one woman’s friends so I wanted to check.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAVkqSPeOMAJ
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“And?” he asked with a twisting move of one hand at the wrist in the air, gesturing for the young man to continue.497Please respect copyright.PENANAg6ecgv3zOf
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Marenzo turned his silver haired head down. “…I couldn’t get a read on them…” he muttered quietly. The Water God nodded in agreement. “Um…can I go to Alura or will you do that to me?”497Please respect copyright.PENANAysXUn2R6R2
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“You may, but after tonight I want you to stay away from her for two months. After that time you may speak with her again and let her decide the state of your relationship.” He unfolded his arms. “Understand?” Marenzo nodded and took off to find Alura as Ginsu vanished into thin air.497Please respect copyright.PENANAFoNkw8vgMj
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Rose ran and paid little mind when Marenzo ran past her in his search. She searched and sighed happy when she saw her friends. “I’m so glad to find you both!” she said happily as she was sure they would help her undo the spell.497Please respect copyright.PENANA9QN3SxvbCk
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The duo looked to their friend and grimaced at the sight before their eyes. “Um what happened to your face and the rest of you?” Tina asked while taking a step back and folding her arms.497Please respect copyright.PENANAbHYLEcX5hH
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Gilia also was looking Rose over curiously and with a twisted look of disgust. “Are we also sure we even know you?”497Please respect copyright.PENANAXL9fzLnzqe
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“I’m Rose, remember?” she asked as she took a step forwards. She felt saddened as they took another step back.497Please respect copyright.PENANAOBsdCw1YZx
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“I’m not sure if you’ve ever been to Meldano but Rose isn’t someone who’d ever allow herself to look atrocious.”497Please respect copyright.PENANASbN8Z0SrEs
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“No one in the nobility or upper crust would.” Gilia chimed in.497Please respect copyright.PENANAybmtSSbiXl
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“I’m not lying!”497Please respect copyright.PENANA47RBpTwyPV
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“Sure you aren’t. Just keep telling yourself that and leave us alone, freak.” Tina turned walking away with Gilia at her side. “Can you believe that weird demon?”497Please respect copyright.PENANAKQooOxLcwJ
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“I know, right? I’ve seen mixed demons before but nothing like that thing.” 497Please respect copyright.PENANAic4l1ixHit
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The pair spoke quietly as they left Rose standing alone and in shock. “But…” she felt tears entering her eyes as she watched them making their way towards a hotel. She hung her head and fell to her knees, sobbing into her hands. People walked by and didn’t step near Rose, not even the Halfling demons seemed they would dare go near something that smelt human yet looked like a mixed creature.497Please respect copyright.PENANAo1Mqr2LVta
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With Marenzo, he had searched and sighed with relief once he came across Alura sitting alone on the steps of a bakery. “Alura!” he shouted as he ran up to her. “I’m so glad I found you. Listen, I need to explain what happened so you can stop hating me.” She refused to look at him as he came to a stop at her side. She turned some so more of her back was towards him, her arms folded in close around her as her head was lowered in a sulking manner. He took a breath and sighed. “I didn’t kiss Rose, she kissed me after making my body go numb for a brief moment.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAZValCNK6kP
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“I don’t believe you.” Alura growled under her breath with her jaw stiff.497Please respect copyright.PENANAEUCtBWU0Vc
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“Why? What reasons would I have for lying to you?”497Please respect copyright.PENANAZyxAh0kmLW
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She shifted her gaze over and it was a glare to kill. “Why you ask?” she hissed and turned more to face him. “Why?” she asked louder with fresh tears slipping into her angered eyes. “Because you enjoy having two women instead of committing to just one!” roughly she got up off the steps and stormed off.497Please respect copyright.PENANAKEo0h4uIEx
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Marenzo followed quickly after and reached out to grab her arm. “Wait! Please just hear me out.” He pleaded but she yanked her arm out of his grip.497Please respect copyright.PENANAGOmJ8CfOrU
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“No! Go away!” she snapped and broke into a run, heading outside of the city.497Please respect copyright.PENANAufitIoHwJK
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Marenzo gave a frustrated yell as he ran after her, trying to keep up and not lose sight of her. Damn it! This is all his fault and he’s meeting my fist later. He thought as he neared the gate leading out of the west side of the city.497Please respect copyright.PENANA4isT8KDMCD