CHAPTER 229: CHAPTER 229

December 25th

Christmas Day. On this cozy holiday that everyone associates with families gathering and couples stealing moments under the mistletoe, a massive piece of news exploded across Aeonia, grabbing headlines everywhere.

I’m holed up at Skyline Residences right now—I picked up a condo here in Monfort for myself, nothing fancy but it’s home. I glanced over at Macaron and Glacier, curled up together in a fluffy heap on the bed, fast asleep. My eyes drifted to the floor-to-ceiling window, where fat snowflakes were drifting down outside, blanketing the city in white. It’s the perfect winter scene, but today also marks the start of Angela, Cypher, and Edge’s closed-door training up at the Shadowfire Sect.

I slipped into some warmer clothes—a thick sweater, jeans, and my favorite coat to fend off the chill—then reached over to stroke Macaron’s feathers gently. "You stay here and keep an eye on things with Glacier, alright? I’ll be back soon."

He ruffled his wings with a soft hoot, tilting his head as he grumbled in that familiar, chatty voice of his, "Fine, but don’t forget treats. And watch out for the snow—it’s a mess out there."

Owls and their sass. With a chuckle, I headed out to the portal station.

I got there way ahead of everyone, the portal station humming with holiday chaos—families lugging suitcases, couples huddled under scarves, all braving the swirling snow outside. Since it was Christmas, I thought it’d be nice to surprise them with some gifts, you know? A little gesture to kick off their trip on a sweet note.

But honestly, I had no clue what to get, personalized stuff felt too risky without knowing their tastes that well. So I played it safe and ducked into a nearby bakery, picking out an assortment of pastries for the group. Tiramisu for Whitney, since she always seemed like the sophisticated type; an éclair for Angela, elegant and just a bit fancy; macarons for Cypher, colorful and precise like him; a cream puff for Christian, soft and unassuming; chocolate truffles for Rex, rich and indulgent; and simple donuts for Edge—I’m still annoyed by him. I had them boxed up individually, each tied with a different ribbon for that extra touch, and slipped in a little Merry Christmas note for everyone except Edge. Figured he’d just throw it away since I was the one who gave him.

By the time I got back to the station with my bags of goodies, the clock had ticked around, and the others started trickling in, shaking off the snow from their coats.

We exchanged Merry Christmases all around as I handed out the gifts, watching their faces light up when they peeked inside the boxes—Whitney cooed over the tiramisu, Angela’s eyes sparkled at the éclair, and so on.

But when it came to Edge, things were... well, typical. We just gave each other a quick nod—no big greetings or anything—and I thrust the box his way. "Here."

"What’s this?" he asked, one eyebrow shooting up like he was expecting a trap.

"A box," I deadpanned, but his glare made me roll my eyes. "It’s a gift, your highness."

"You didn’t slip poison in here, right?" He poked at it suspiciously, like it might explode.

I had half a mind to chuck it right at his smug face, but I wasn’t about to risk my neck over a donut. "Don’t worry—I forgot to add the poison this time." I flashed him my sweetest smile, all sugar and zero sincerity, before shoving it into his hands.

He snorted but took it anyway, tucking it under his arm.

"Now that we’re all here, why don’t we kill some time and have a little fun before sending the three of them off?" Christian suggested, clapping his hands together with that easy energy of his.

"Amusement park it is!" Rex jumped in, grinning wide like a kid who’d just spotted candy.

We slid into the sleek black limousine waiting curbside—courtesy of Edge’s family’s endless perks—and cruised toward the amusement park on the outskirts of Monfort, the snowflakes melting on the tinted windows as the city lights blurred by. Before we hopped out, everyone stashed their gift boxes in the limo to keep them safe—no sense getting them smashed up while we tore through the rides.

It was one of those timeless spots, all glittering lights and the warm scent of hot chocolate and churros cutting through the crisp air. Rex took charge right away, hauling us onto the roller coaster first, hollering the whole way down like he was invincible. Cypher had shot me this hopeful look, clearly wanting to pair up with me, but Angela tugged his sleeve with a grin and pulled him into the seat next to her instead. Whitney made a beeline for Edge, but Christian beat her to it, sliding in beside her with a cheeky wink. Me? I would’ve sat with anyone but Edge, but the only open spot left was next to Rex—and that got snatched up quick. So, no choice, I ended up buckled in beside Edge, arms crossed and glaring at the track ahead as the car clicked up the first hill.

He just smirked at me the whole climb. "Scared, witch? Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall." I elbowed him hard enough to make him grunt, but then the drop hit, and we were both screaming—me laughing through it, him cursing the wind in his face.

From there, it was a whirlwind: Angela cracked up so hard on the next drop that tears streamed down her face, still clinging to Cypher’s arm; Whitney and Christian claimed the Ferris wheel, snapping selfies from the top with the snowy skyline stretching out forever.

I hung back on the tamer rides mostly—ran into Edge again on the carousel, of all things, and we spent the spin trading glares, him grumbling it was "too damn girly" while I fired back that at least I wasn’t faking bravery on the big drops.

Christian racked up a mountain of plush toys at the ring toss, passing them around like party favors, and Rex demolished half the cotton candy supply before Whitney reined him in with a laugh. It was all messy fun, the kind of lighthearted chaos that chased away the winter bite for a while.

Three hours zipped past in a blur of adrenaline, giggles, and sugar highs, and soon we were piling back into the limo, the mood turning a shade more mellow as it carried us to the portal station.

The limo pulled up smoothly to the portal station. We piled out one by one, the cold hitting us like a slap after the warmth inside—coats zipped tight, scarves pulled up against the wind. Travelers bustled around us, some hauling luggage that floated on its own, others waving goodbye to loved ones before stepping through.

We gathered in a loose huddle near the portal marked for Cedarbrook—the city where Brimstone Mountain is located. Angela, Cypher, and Edge stood a little apart, their bags slung over shoulders, looking equal parts excited and nervous. The rest of us—Whitney, Christian, Rex, and me—formed a semi-circle around them, the gift boxes retrieved from the limo and handed back over with a few last laughs.

"...Today was fun," Edge said, breaking the quiet with a rare, genuine note in his voice.

"Alright, you three—don’t go turning into mountain hermits up there," Rex said, clapping Edge on the back a bit too hard. Edge glared at him but cracked a smile anyway.

Whitney pulled Angela into a quick hug, whispering something that made her nod and smile. "We’ll catch up when you’re back—stories and all."

Christian fist-bumped Cypher. "Try not to freeze your mana off."

I hung back a second, watching them, my chest tightening a little. It was just a few weeks, but with everything swirling in my head—the mark on Raphael, the Nightjars, this whole twisted plot—it felt heavier.

Angela caught my eye and stepped over, her expression softening. "Thanks for today. And... protect my brother for me, okay? Don’t do any of your witch crafts and seduce him."

I rolled my eyes but pulled her into a hug anyway. "I’m not a witch. Just focus on not passing out from the altitude."

I let go as I looked at Cypher. "Bye Cyph—"

I didn’t finish my sentence as he pulled me into a hug, surprising me with the warmth of it. "I heard from Angela that you’ll be visiting her brother frequently."

"Yes, why?" I asked, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes.

"Please don’t marry him," he said, dead serious.

I laughed at his remark, the tension easing a bit. "We’re just joking with each other."

He said nothing before letting me go. "I’ll see you later."

I smiled. "Stay safe."

With those last words, he walked next to Angela.

Next was Edge, and we just nodded at each other—our usual no-frills goodbye—before he slung his bag higher on his shoulder.

The attendant called their group forward, the portal shimmering brighter as it locked onto the coordinates. They turned one last time, waving as a unit, and then stepped through—gone in a ripple of light, off to the harsh peaks and endless training ahead.

The station felt quieter after that, the holiday buzz fading into the background like a distant echo. The four of us left—Whitney, Christian, Rex, and me—exchanged quick goodbyes, a few half-hearted jokes about not getting into too much trouble over the break. Whitney pulled me into one last hug, promising we’d grab coffee when everyone was back, and Rex ruffled my hair like I was his kid sister before they all piled into the limo and headed off.

I waved them away, then made my way back to the condo on foot at first, the snow crunching under my boots. The walk gave me time to think, but mostly I just enjoyed the crisp air and the way the city lights reflected off the fresh powder. By the time I got home, my arms were loaded: a fresh box of pastries I’d grabbed from the station’s café for Macaron and a dozen savory skewers of barbecue for Glacier.

I pushed open the door to Skyline Residences, shaking off the snow, and called out, "Hey, I’m back—brought you guys something good."