The Tyrant's Pet

Half a year was not a short time for Aries. During those months, not only she was busy acting as the empress and mother of the nation. She never failed to study and practice her power with Isaiah. Initially, they had no idea what Maleficent could do; no one knew.

Over time, Aries slowly figured it out after going back and forth between that vision and that man, who called him her soulmate. With the help of that strange man and the witches from the night council, Aries got a good grasp of her power.

Soul. 

What made Maleficent dangerous of all was that she had the power to trap people in a world she could create. It didn\'t matter if they were humans, vampires, werewolves, or whatever creature. For as long as a person or anything had a soul, she could take them and leave their bodies in the real world.

Maleficent could play god if that was what she wanted to do. Hence, she was purged and her dangerous power was sealed.

The only reason Maleficent\'s power still existed was that the first Maleficent had people. They were people who she helped and followed her. That power was passed from generation to generation, until many years ago, it was stolen. And by that, the poor girl who was carrying this sealed power was abducted, never to hear again, only for that power to appear now — inside Aries.

Still, Aries couldn\'t control Maleficent completely. To do this large-scale spell that span across the empire, she needed the night council, Isaiah, and the Grimsbanne\'s help.

As the guests of tonight\'s royal banquet chanted continuously, lending them their powers so Aries could keep the world she created, Aries slowly sat down in her seat. She glanced at Suzanne, the only person she didn\'t take in Maleficent\'s world.

"Your Majesty." Suzanne\'s eyes were filled with worry while staring at Aries\'s pale complexion. Aries only smiled at her subtly and reassuringly.

Aries wanted to say she was fine, and there was no need for Suzanne to worry. But alas, deep in her heart, she knew she was getting weak. Despite the help of the night council, this spell was taking a lot of her energy.

\'Not…\' she whispered, blinking, only to go back to Maleficent\'s world. There was a shadow towering over her, making her lift her eyes. \'... yet.\'

There, standing opposite her, was a very familiar man. Those thin eyes, refined face, and a mild demure as he stood across from her was someone she had seen a couple of times.

"Why are you here?" she asked, glancing behind him, only to see the guests unconscious on the ground. Suzanne was also not in this world. Therefore, she knew this wasn\'t the reality.

"This is my world as well," said the man quietly, smiling with his lips closed, but still reaching his squinting eyes. "I don\'t think I can approach you with these people on the back."

The side of her lips curled up weakly. "That\'s right."

"You are cruel," he humored, reaching for her upper lip. "You\'re bleeding so much."

The man gently wiped the blood on her upper lip with his thumb while she didn\'t move. When he retrieved his hand, his squinting eyes cracked open slightly.

"You really have the sharpest eyes," she pointed out under her breath. "Is that why you always smile?"

"I smile because I can. No deeper meaning."

"Is that so?"

He didn\'t respond anymore, staring at her silently. She also held his gaze, breathing calmly, reserving every bit of her energy.

"I haven\'t said this before, but you have my gratitude." Her soft voice pierced the prolonged silence between them. "Because of you, my brother is alive."

"Thank her, not me." The man showed her the ring on his index.

"It can\'t do anything if you didn\'t want to."

"Maleficent is my lover," he humored. "Of course, I\'ll grant her wishes. Not all wishes, though."

Another wave of silence dawned on them before Aries asked. "Did you come to finally end me?"

"I\'m still brooding about it." His answer was quick and certain. "But it seemed you had been wanting to make me see you personally."

"I do, and I think you already know the reason for that."

"I do." He rocked his head, licking the blood on his thumb. "Sounds like I\'m taking a marriage vow."

"You\'re hilarious."

"That\'s the first that someone told me I was, although I know I am." He slowly moved his hand to his side, stretching his palm open. Dark shrouds circled around his hand, coming from his skull ring, forming into something long and huge, until it appeared as a dark and sharp spear.

"So, that\'s Maleficent," she whispered, watching how that skull ring turned into a dark spear that could slay anyone. "It looks stunning."

"She is stunning."

Aries slowly lifted her eyes back to him, only to catch him staring at her while saying those words. "You have a way with your words."

"Don\'t tell me that\'s the first compliment you received."

"No, though I have to admit it felt… strange hearing it from you."

"And why is that?" his smile was playful as if he already know the answer, but still wanted to hear it from her. His intention for that question was obvious, making her laugh dryly.

"You are wielding her in front of me," she pointed out, ignoring his previous inquiry. "I don\'t think you are the type to wield her just to exhibit her beauty."

The corner of his lips curled up into a short smirk. "That is correct."

"You\'ll kill me… with her."

"She will kill you, anyway." His eyelids drooped until they were partially closed, but that wasn\'t enough to hide the malice in them. "I might as well just do it for you and me."

There was a moment of silence between the two, holding each other\'s gazes. The man slowly clasped the handle of his dark spear, making his hand tremble with the unspeakable excitement coming from his spear.

"You don\'t like it, huh?" she murmured. "You loathed earning feelings and desires you knew weren\'t yours. Perhaps that is the only thing we have in common, aside from wielding Maleficent."

Aries was calm despite knowing this man was here to end her for the sake of their peace of mind. "However, if there is a wielder of Maleficent that has to die so the other can wield it… that is definitely not me."

She watched the man raise his dark spear to her and as time slowed down; she added under her breath. "Abel."

SLASH!