Chapter 424: Chapter 424

Aliya finally entered her room on the other side of the estate with a huge, satisfied smile.

’Who was the one that doubted that I could pull this off?’

Her smile spread wider as she walked up to a mirror. She caressed her reflection as the face staring at her twisted into a heinous form, similar to what Currey had seen in those ancient texts.

She turned around and admired it, nodding in satisfaction. ’It won’t be long....’

"Glad that you like what you see," A sweet voice sounded behind her.

Aliya dropped her hand in annoyance and turned to see a hooded figure behind her.

She was not surprised at all, just irked at the interruption.

"What are you doing her-"

"Wait... did you make another deal? Why do you look even younger than the last time we talked?"

"Hehehehe..... Why are you acting surprised at this? Isn’t this what I do for a living? How would I have lived for centuries if I did not do that?"

Despite her best efforts, Aliya sucked in the air sharply, irritation prickling beneath her skin. But as her eyes lingered upon the cloaked figure standing before her, irritation curdled into something darker ... something venomous. This was especially true when Aliya looked at her reflection, which was her true form.

Jealousy clawed its way up her throat.

’How dare she? How dare this girl remain untouched by time, unburdened by the weight of years because of her stupid ability, while she, Aliya herself, felt every cruel second pressing down on her bones? A bitter taste filled her mouth, her hands trembling with the urge to rip that impossible youth from the girl’s very skin.

The young witch chuckled, unperturbed by the disgusting image in the mirror and fearless as if she had seen this true form many times. Sensing the murderous intent radiating from Aliya like heat from a dying fire, she shook her head, her voice laced with teasing and unsettling amusement,

"Tsk, tsk... someone wants to play a game beyond their league." Her smirk widened under the cloak, as she reached for its clasp,

"But tell me .... do you truly believe you stand a chance?"

With a single motion, she cast the cloak aside, as the light reflected the tree-shaped tattoo on the back of her hand. Simultaneously, a rush of energy pulsed outward, thick and suffocating. The air in the room shimmered unnaturally, bending in protest against the sheer force of her presence.

And there she stood ... unveiled, seemingly timeless, a thing of both beauty and terror. A child on the outside but an ancient creature on the inside. Aliya’s breath caught in her throat. She had forgotten the sheer power that this thing possessed and nearly overstepped her bounds! It wasn’t just youth that the Timeless Witch possessed.

It was something more... something eternal. Something she could never steal... and this was precisely why Aliya had sought her help sometime back.

"I apologise!" Aliya gritted her teeth and bowed slightly, but not all the way. She was too proud to do that.

"I believe that our cooperation has come to an end?"

"Wh- WHAT do you mean by that?"

The Timeless witch walked over to the bed and jumped onto it,

"Well, I fulfilled my end of that bargain, so we’re done."

She never raised her voice, but everything she said had a certain finality to it that stomped Aliya.

Aliya couldn’t help but think back to when they had started working together. That was some years back. She had visited the Timeless Witch in her abode with a request:

"I want to be the most beautiful!"

"Hehehheeee.... Isn’t that what everyone wants?"

"I am different! I know you can do that. I can make a deal with you!"

"I don’t want to make a deal with a disgusting creature like you! You’ll contaminate my essence!"

"Suit yourself, if you don’t want that!"

"Why is a siren looking to be more beautiful than you already are?"

"That’s one of your business! Are you going to help me or not? It’s not my fault that you don’t want my years! I’ll give you anything for you to help me!"

The timeless Witch looked at the disgusting creature in front of her and thought of the repercussions that her actions would bring, but she could not turn her down,

"I’ll tell you what I want in due time, but for now, I’ll take the only uncorrupted part of yourself,"

"... and what is that?"

"The teardrop in that vial."

"Suit yourself. You know how to go out right?"

The Timeless Witch turned away from Aliya, who had come to seek help. That teardrop was the only thing that Aliya had of her past self. It was like a few of her outer looks from before she had been corrupted, and that was the only thing that could help her if she decided that she wanted to go back to her ’normal self’. The thing was that after tasting the essence, it was hard for any siren to go back to their innocence, and Aliya was no exception.

Aliya struggled with herself for a while and then handed over the vial.

’I have no use for it anyway!’ She thought,

"I’ll have what you want ready for you in a month. Come back then."

Aliya looked long and hard at the Witch and then left. The witch was one for her word, so she had no qualms about that.

But Aliya never expected that something else would happen after she returned a month later!

She had been furious that day!

"What do you mean that you do not have it?" Aliya had demanded,

"It’s as you said. The ’beauty refinement pill’ has fallen into the intended hands,"

It was more of her nonchalant attitude that drove Aliya nuts that day! She even missed the implications of the words, But it was as the witch had said, but she had never told Aliya who had benefited from that pill till Aliya saw Shelby years later.

Aliya knew without being told that Shelby was the one who took it. She was not interested in how Shelby had gotten it because Aliya never saw past her resentments and other negative sentiments. This was also part of the reason that Aliya detested Shelby. Aliya saw in Shelby all the potential that could have been hers. One could say that even Clara felt the same.

"To make up for my mistake, I will help you with three tasks with no questions asked."

That was enough to stop Aliya in her tracks. It still hurt her deep inside to have her only chance taken away. However, she could not help but ask, "If I get another tear...."

The Timeless Witch had not let Aliya even complete her statement,

"I have seen the effects of his pill, and only one of its kind is enough for this world." Her tone booked no room for argument, and Aliya relented, especially knowing that the Timeless Witch never aided anyone, and she never admitted any mistakes. The fact that she could get three tasks out of the witch was enough for Aliya to swallow the sentiments of what could have been!

Even to this day, Aliya’s heart ached for what she had lost. It was a dull, persistent pain, like an old wound that never quite healed .... one that throbbed in quiet moments and bled in the silence of her thoughts. No matter how much time passed, the emptiness remained, a cruel reminder of what could have been... and the witch came to end their agreement?

The Timeless Witch smiled, "I believe the three tasks are done? I helped you in the Park, sent my beloved Helper to the orphanage, and still one of my hidden talents to help you at the Winery....."

"You can’t just end the agreement unilaterally! The task was never done! I need evidence that she is no more! Till I get that, we are NOT done!"

The mere laughter that escaped the Timeless Witch was enough to creep Aliya out. Aliya was powerful, but even she knew that she was no match for this ancient creature!

"I did tell you to stop him at the Park years ago before the bond was created. That was the only time you had to nip this in the bud. After the bond was created, you may have had a slim chance, but they consummated .... So, your chance is gone!" The Timeless Witch shrugged.

"That is not true! I still have Ian!"

"That, you do ..... I never understood why you blew all three chances on the same task, but that was your own prerogative." Her childish but mature voice echoed in the room while Aliya was turning livid.

"My assistance stop from her onwards.... I give it to you... After all these years, was this all you could do? Heheheeee... Anyway, playtime is over. I have fulfilled my end.... Now it’s time for you to do the same." Her voice turned frigid, and all playfulness left her. She was a couple of heads shorter than Aliya, but Aliya could still feel the threat emanating from the girl.

"My time was used, and the pill was refined. It was your request, so whether you used it or not, you still must pay the agreed price..."

"I fulfilled the three tasks, so the deal still holds."

She never raised her voice, but Aliya could feel the authority from it. Her face started getting pale. Aliya did not like where the conversation was going,

"We never agreed on the price as you did not want to take my years!" Aliya remembered as her heart calmed down, replaced by a smug look,

"That we did. But I also told you that I would let you know what you could pay with....."

A foreboding feeling lingered on Aliya, settling deep in her bones like a shadow that refused to lift. Her voice was steady, but a whisper of unease curled around each word as she asked,

"W-hat do you w-ant as payment?"

The air around them seemed to tighten, thick with something unseen. The small figure before she smiled ... slow, deliberate, knowing. It was not the kind of smile that offered comfort. It was a promise, a trap waiting to be sprung. Aliya’s guard went up because The Timeless Witch took her payment by any means...

After a thoughtful pause, The Timeless Witch added,

"No, all three of the kids."

Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^

Support the author by reading only on NovelHub :) ~Uploaded only on NovelHub by Loctovia ~