Chapter 20

Pride

This prideful woman was the teacher who tried to train the princess for years. Yet the golden girl’s pride was always bucking back. But Ada wasn’t innocent either. The expert magician had high self-worth that was leagues even above the princess of Nora.  Goldie and Ada could never see eye to eye, and those resentments welled up in the golden witch.

“Calm down, Goldie.”

Madalyn, noticing her partner's tense feelings, whispered to her love. This snapped Goldie out of her irritation as she took a deep breath as her lover asked. With a group of mages in training behind her, they all approached them, blocking the witches from proceeding.

“What the hell is this, Goldie Kingsman?! Why are you attacking the soldiers who swore to protect you?!”

Ada was surprised to see her student that failed in every way… floating using a magical staff. But Goldie and Madalyn were looking past her flesh and blood. There was a great demon that latched onto her pride and arrogance.

“Ada, you must listen! Father has been corrupted; everyone is being controlled and-!”

The demon behind the great magician whispered in her ear, causing Ada to shake her head.

"You cannot be the princess we love! You must be a demon controlling her! The Goldie I know cannot do such things!"

Magical swords appeared under her as they aimed towards Maddy and Goldie.

“You, the woman with the dark complexion and white hair, what have you done to my princess?!”

Madalyn glared at the prideful magician.

“Your pride is what drives you, magician Ada. Instead of assuming that your princess is warning you, you decide that she must be incorrect. My name means nothing to you because you won’t listen to my words… you’ll only let the demons feed you more lies.”

Madalyn expertly hit Ada where her pride was. The expert magician and teacher hated to be belittled. Goldie's heart swooned because she was never able to do that herself. Ada would shut her down, cutting the princess down before Goldie could cleverly come up with a comeback. But her love, Madalyn… was everything the golden witch wanted to be.

"Ada, I'm not a child anymore! I might not be as skilled as you in magic…."

Goldie turned to Maddy, floating beside her. With a brush of her bangs, she met eyes with her previous mentor.

“But I was taught by someone far stronger than you. Madalyn connected with me in ways you dared not to! If you don't believe me, I'll break the demon behind you and denounce that prideful sin of yours!”

Ada clicked her tongue.

“Magicians, incapacitate the princess! Try and capture the woman behind her! The princess is likely being mind controlled, don’t hurt her!”

Demons swirled around the castle hallway, playing the soldiers and magicians like puppets in a musical. Their misguided will to save their princess was fueling their assault.

“Madalyn…”

Goldie whispered to Maddy. Attacking the demons was one thing… but her teacher, whom she didn't much care for but was an authority figure, caused her to hesitate. Goldie still cared about the people of this kingdom and didn't know how to face them.

"Focus on the demons. If you must, incapacitate these fools, but our main goal is to break through and find your father, my love!"

With direction, Goldie turned back to the expert magicians. Sleep spells were cast at her in the form of sonic waves.

“Don’t get hit by those spells, Goldie!”

“Right, Madalyn!”

Spells whipped past, breaking the walls of the magnificent kingdom. Magicians tried to overwhelm Madalyn, but her barrier was too strong for them. There was no measure; Madalyn was the strongest in the room by far.

“Tsk, this woman! Who is she?!”

The magicians shot sleep spells the witches way, attempting to incapacitate the two. Madalyn used an absorption spell and gathered all of their mana at once.

“Ah, she’s not human?!”

A mage, likely realizing their fatal mistake, gasped.

“I am Madalyn Manansala, former Kingsman and great witch for the gods of Sian!”

“Madalyn Manasala?! But you’re supposed to be dead!”

Ada, surprised, shook with fear. The demon behind her trembled as well, knowing the power of the great witch. With all the spells channeled inside her, Madalyn shot back with a massive sleep spell. The mages tried to use anti-magic shields, but Maddy broke through, putting them all to sleep.

“Madalyn…. Manasala?”

Ada asked in disbelief as she fell to the ground in a daze. The demon general controlling her attempted to wake its victim, but Goldie channeled fire into her staff.

“Haaa!”

Goldie fired her spell and a ray of heat shot from her staff and aimed to destroy the demonic spirit that captured her teacher. But Goldie’s spell was stopped as a great sword reflected the attack. Rays of fire blasted around the hallway. The world tinted a harsh, cold purple and dread came over the golden witch.

Goldie saw the man who stood in the way of the demon's demise.

“Dad!”