Twas the Night Before Xmas.

[Lucien]

'Twas the night before Xmas, and all through the streets,
Stood merchants and pimps, peddling their meats...'

"Shit," mumbled Lucien as he ripped up a ragged piece of paper. "That sounds stupid." The stoop he sat on provided little in the way of creativity, although it did give the boy a brilliant idea for ass-splinter remover. As the ragged and wretched trudged through the frozen streets, homes lit with burning fuel became to extinguish their lamps. It grew late into the night, the sun was something of a pleasant memory recalled in a dream. Warmth had forsaken the bastard streets that some called home. Wrapped in bundles and blankets found in the trash of a tailor, the twerp was thankful his acting skills faked such a believable heart attack. The blond had never been much of a fighter, and taking on an army of chilled hobos was too much of a stretch.

"The sky's so clear here, I can see that star perfectly." When Lucien first arrived on Althanas, he did nothing but look up into the stars like a daydreaming boy. And as he did, he came to realize that one star grew brighter and brighter during the winter season. His foster family told him about it, 'Altha' they called it, although few others did. After months of curiosity, Lucien finally figured out that the star was brightest on Christmas eve. The boy made it something of a tradition to try something related to the fabled holiday whenever he saw the star glow like that. Though he'd never admit it, it gave him one last connection to Earth that had all but been severed.

He had found the stoop at dusk. Splintered by the weight of a portly baker who dwelt within the building, it offered some basic protection from the harrowing forces around. The village he stumbled upon was nameless, another refuge from a would-be adventurer. Though his pockets were near bare, he fished around them anyways, trying to find his last scrap of paper. Filthy black charcoal his only pen, Lucien knew he was no poet. But again he tried to scribble another small prose.

'Twas the Night Before Xmas, and with home so far.
Who else joins me, to see that star.'

"Hey, that's not that fucking bad."

[The Cinderella Man]

“Twas the night before Xmas, but who gives a fuck?
My pockets are empty, I’m shit out of luck...”


Victor was never a big fan of holidays. Even when he actually had a family and a place to be during these days of merriment and feast, there was a distinct desire for it to be over as fast as possible. Partially, it was because people were usually nothing more then two-faced pricks, pulling on the smiling masks during these few days and acting as if they’ve been the good Samaritans whole year long, when in reality they’ve been piling up skeletons in their closets. They made days like Christmas a joke, a play on the stage where everybody did their best to fit their role and give a part of their joy to the world. They would drink and eat and take random japes at each other, temporarily amnesic to what occurred during the remaining three-hundred and some change days.

Mostly, though, Victor Callahan wasn’t a big fan of holidays because he always faced them alone. During the days when togetherness was so prominent in the atmosphere that one could almost bite of it, when words like love and mirth were thrown around like free candy, the down-and-out boxer was cruelly presented everything that he lacks in his life. He was a bum, a homeless wanderer that dragged his sorry ass from one arena to the other, collecting scraps. Even if he had somebody on this day, he would have nothing to be happy about.

The streets of Radasanth were hauntingly vacant, the air of hollowness falling over them in sync the last gentle snowflakes. By now the white covering was up to his shins, wrapping the entire Corone capitol in a melancholic, becalming blanket. The sky was clearing gradually; the clouds performed their duty and stared to move on further south, leaving a moonless dome and a plethora of stars. One of them seemed to be shinning brightly then the rest, dimming all the other pieces of sky’s jewelry with its majestic glow, but Victor barely noticed it. He was cold, grumpy and had just enough money for a pint or two. Not that he could actually buy the mentioned pint anywhere. Most taverns had their doors closed, their windows shut, their owners opting to spend their time with their families instead of making even more profits on two-bit losers such as Padre. Everything seemed to be pointing to the fact that he’ll be spending another night trudging through the streets to keep himself warm, mulling on the meaning of life and other inane things.

However, amidst the half-slumbering houses and their shuttered windows, he came upon a place that seemed as lively as every other day. “Saddle Ablaze” was a sight for weary eyes, casting a crimson glow from its interior together with a merry tune. The owner claimed it to be a mere tavern with exotic dancers, but it was just a sugarcoated name for a whorehouse. Sure, there were drinks served. Sure, there were girls dancing on the stage. But just as sure that same girls took some of the ‘clientele’ to the rooms on the first and second floor. Not all of them, Kitty explained to him more then once, just the ones looking for some extra shinnies on the side. Victor wouldn’t usually buy that story, but Kitty had a disarming smile.

Kitty wasn’t there tonight though, the boxer acknowledged once he shook off the snow off his boots and entered the smoky warmth of the cathouse. Most of the girls were performing together, dressed up in red hats and skimpy green outfits as a big fat weirdo with white beard chased them from one end of the stage to the other and back again. The tables were rather vacant though; everybody either had a better place to be or lacking the fundings to be here. Victor also lacked fundings, but he didn’t mean to stay here overnight. Just to get himself warm, get some booze circulating in the system and then be gone.

“So, what is my favorite brawler doing here on a night like this?”

The voice was familiar enough, and once the slim lass made her way from behind him and sat at the chair next to him, it got a familiar face as well. Kitty wasn’t in her usually scant clothing, attired in a simple dark-blue dress, but it hindered her charm not at all. The girl with light-brown hair, a rather plain face and a body missing a few curves maybe was rather far from being the main star of “Saddle Ablaze”, but she was the only one that attracted Victor’s eyes. There was a strange kind of benevolence in her, the indirect, hidden kind that hid behind the teasing exterior, seeping out through her glances, through her smiles. Like the one she offered right now.

“Your favorite brawler? How many brawlers do you know?” he asked, a bit surprised by the fact that she wasn’t carrying a platter and asking for his order.

“Enough to make you my favorite. We get quite a lot of your mischievous kind around here. They all come here half dead, drinking and shouting and groping. Unlike you.” The girl was a tease, perpetually engaged in the flirting mode. She brought your hopes up with a smirk and a wink only to shoot them down when she walked away moments afterwards. Victor knew that, he experienced it more then a handful of times. He didn’t blame her; it was her job to make men covet her just enough to pay big money for a quickie in a cramped room upstairs.

“Well, I’m here to do some drinking. Just a pint before I hit the road.”

“A road to where?” It seemed like an innocent, playful question, but it really wasn’t. She wanted something from him; he could read it in her azure eyes.

“Somewhere. Nowhere. I don’t know. Just get me a pint of ale.”

“Would if I could. But I’m off duty as of few minutes ago. I thought you might need some company, walking in all frowning and grouchy as you always do. This is the season to turn those frowns upside down, you know?” she chirped, making the prizefighter ponder on what she wanted. Was she trying to score some extra cash on him, or was he just so pathetic that she was offering him a handout? He decided it was better if he didn’t know, allowing a silence to set in. Kitty wasn’t big on silence though. “So, you wanna get out of here and do something?”

“Something?” Victor asked, suspicious.

“Yes, something. Anything. Geez, don’t be such a killjoy all the time,” she said, edging closer towards him, leaning on the edge of her chair. “Nobody should be alone on this night.”

“What are you doing?” he stopped her before she got too close. She didn’t recoil though, didn’t move back, but rather just smirked.

“We’re sitting under mistletoe, twit. What do you think I’m doing?”

Victor looked up, and true enough, there was a branch of mistletoe hanging from the beam. He spared a swift survey over the common room before he spoke, “There’s a branch above every table.” And then, when she still didn’t move away from him, he blurted out, “I don’t have money to pay you, Kitty.”

The roll of her eyes and a weak punch on his shoulder made it clear he screwed something up again. “God, Padre, you’re such an idiot sometimes.” the girl said, getting up and storming out the door. Victor had half a mind to remain right then and there, ordering his pint and doing what he did best; wallow. The other half of the mind prevailed though.

He caught her out in the streets, pacing through the snow with determination. He called her twice, but she didn’t seem to hear him, braving the snow-covered street as if she had to be somewhere fifteen minutes ago. The third time he called her name, his hand grabbed a hold of her elbow and turned her around. She struggled to wipe her face with the other hand, but her eyes revealed the truth with their wetness. “Kitty, I’m... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Bull. You meant it alright. ‘She’s a whore’, right? ‘All she wants is money.’ Well, I don’t want your goddamn money.” She snatched her elbow from his grasp, her smiling face sporting a thick frown. “You thick-skulled, slow-witted, gods-damned...”

Victor silenced her with a kiss. It was a strong, surprising, out-of-nowhere kiss that nearly crushed her lips, but once his hands’ grasp turned into an embrace, they both relaxed enough to change it into an enjoyable intimate contact. He wanted to do that for so long, ever since he first saw her in “Saddle Ablaze”, prancing around in her catgirl outfit and reminding him of his ever-coveted, forever-lost Delilah. She wasn’t Delilah though. Sometimes she seemed so different so much less, but right now she was so much more. Right now, this lissome harlot was everything he needed.

“Alright,” he finally said as their kiss broke and her frown was gone. “Let’s go do something. You said it yourself; nobody should be alone on this night.”


“Twas the night before Xmas, in her velvety chambers
Where a pair of lonely souls burned solitude to embers...”

[Krugor]

'Twas the night before Xmas, and my bones are dusty,
But remember dear, my pots and pans will never get rusty’


It was way past midnight in the city of Eluriand and no soul wanted to venture out on the streets on this cold, winter night. Most of the doors and windows were closed, with the exception of the occasional tavern or pub, still a home to those without anything to do on such a beautiful night. Krugor, however, was still hopping about through the many alleys that formed the infrastructure of the mighty city. The skeleton couldn’t sleep, nor did he really need it, so he had decided it would be wise to get some fresh air. The dark nights were the best times for him to go outside anyway, for even though he had the rights to show his face in this –mostly elven populated- city, most people didn’t respond well to an undead moving freely on their turf. The Master Chef paid little attention to that right now, for it was a night to remember. The stars shined ever more brightly and the overall feeling of joy couldn’t be ignored. There was some mysterious feeling hanging in the air, the kind of which Krugor knew nothing about it.

“Watch your step, creep!” a child screamed suddenly, as the skeleton tripped over her. He hadn’t noticed the young girl sitting on the street and was now falling over because of it. It was an elven child, dressed in nothing but rags, playing with a worn-out doll. It was obvious that this child had no home to go to this night and that she probably lived her the remainder of the year too. She looked underfed, her cheekbones protruding her pale skin and her long hair was one sticky mess.

“What the..! Watch out, you foo-” Krugor replied, immediately feeling guilty for his tone when he noticed who it was that tripped him. “Why are you sitting here? Shouldn’t you be in bed by now, child?”

“I have no bed, creeper. And I’m not sleepy, anyway” she said, sticking out her tongue as he finished speaking. It was very clear to Krugor that this infant tried to aggravate him into a deadly battle, but he wouldn’t give her the pleasure of one. She was all alone on this cold night and he needed to take care of her, not slay her on the spot. After a quick inspection of the female child, he suddenly realised what she needed and what could do.

“It looks like you haven’t had a decent meal in days!” he said.

“I don’t need food. And I’m not hungry, anyway!” she replied, sticking out her tongue the same way she did before. Her insults were not quite original, but still got to the old skeleton.

“You should eat, you know. Let me prepare something for you!”

In an instant he had his miniature kitchen all set up. The iron pot from his backpack was peacefully hanging over the makeshift fire, boiling water for the meal to be prepared in. It seemed this got the girl’s attention for she looked at the unfolding scene with eyes wide opened. Krugor wasn’t surprised, though, as he was used to people being impressed by his ‘skills’.

“I’ll make you a nice soup, young lady” the chef said, grabbing a couple of mushrooms and throwing them into the hot water. The contents of the pot immediately started making all kinds of crazy sounds and when the skeleton added another, a bit larger, mushroom the water turned icy blue. Krugor opened his recipe book and quickly flipped forward to the page with recipe for soups on it. There was a small section written in handwriting not of his own and he started chanting the words it contained. It was an uncommon spell used to prepare delicious meals and perfect for situations like this.

“Wow!” the child screamed in excitement as the soup started boiling heavily while shaking wildly. The water turned from icy blue, to deep blue, to blood red to snowy white. All kinds of colors passed by and the girl looked at it with a smile only children can make.

“Done!” Krugor said and gave her a cup filled with the mixture, while also filling one for himself. He could feel his inner being warming up with emotions of happiness as he watched the girl taking careful sips of the liquid. She enjoyed it, apparently, and it made everything worth while.

“I’m glad you like it” he said as he rubbed over her head.

“Yeah, thanks for the free meal, sucker!” she said with a much lower voice than before.

“What the…?!” Krugor yelled as the girl suddenly into a hairy dwarf, licking the cup clean of the remainders of the sup. The short male figure was clad in full plate armor and had scars all over his face, with two ponytails on the back of his head.

“Ahahaha, I got you there, bones!” it said as it ran away, all the while laughing like a young girl.


'Twas the night before Xmas, and dwarves will play you like a fool,
But it’s no problem, ‘cause skeletons will always be more cool!’

[Djakara]

‘Twas the night before Xmas, and near to the end,
No one opened their doors, not even a friend,

Djakara shivered. The night was not all that cold, but it wasn’t particularly well suited for a boy dressed in little more than a tunic and britches. The young alien didn’t like it all that much, but he knew he was going to have to get used to the change in temperature. After all, with every other advantage Corone offered over the Republic, the cold weather was hardly an issue.

However, gratitude did little to ease the goosebumps pickling up on the young boy’s flesh. It was a particularly sad day to be so alone, especially with the star Altha shining brighter than any of the other stars in the sky. Though Djakara didn’t remember the exact significance of the holiday, he knew that the Feraiaerans had celebrated it in both the Republic and the Aristocracy, right up to the point where they had destroyed themselves and each other. The boy shuddered. It wasn’t a pleasant day to spend alone.

To a casual observer, it wouldn’t have seemed so dire. Djakara was fairly well dressed, and his figure didn’t look for want of nourishment. His wounds were more psychological, the boy had entered into a world he had never known, and he lacked a single tie to anyone around him. It was more than a bit unsettling.

Djakara sighed. The town square had not been active for at least an hour now. The streetlights still flickered, but it looked as though the night’s supply of animal oil was about to run out. A few of them had already begun to dim, and soon enough Djakara would be left alone in the darkness. On the night that Altha burned brightest, even the whores and vampires had somewhere better to be. Djakara knew it would be best he didn’t linger around much longer either. Althanas was safe enough to sleep outside in, especially if he could find a warm place near a bakery or some other kind of building with a fire place.

Knowing that there would be time enough for self pity later, Djakara said goodbye to the abandoned town square and meandered down a well lit street until he found himself in one of the more luxurious parts of the town. Eventually, Djakara found himself a small little nook underneath an awning of a large town house. There were no lights on around the wing, but there were enough bushes to keep the wind away.

With that the young boy went to sleep. He yawned and mumbled a bit of a poem.

’Twas the night before Xmas, and the depths of despair,
But I’m still here, just nobody cares.

[AsukaStrikes]

'Twas the Night before Xmas, all alone saved for my mind...
With nowhere to call Home and no one left behind...

Winter crawled from over the northern horizon along with the winds sweeping down the empty streets of Radasanth, sending crippling chills running through the veins of a lone wandering girl, clad in nothing saved for her usual travel-worn outfit. Crystalline flakes drifted aimlessly from the sky ever so gently yet biting her exposed skin so soft it made the maiden cringe.

"Ahhh... Achoo!"

Ohhh... Great.

Asuka muttered wordlessly and wiped a grimy hand under her nose, grumpily trying to get rid of the sticky goo from her face while trying to clear her nasal passages at the same time. The task demanded a great deal of concentration, but with the slippery streets underfoot and the gnawing chills all around, it was proving to be too much of a challenge.

Spasms from the sneeze shook her once more and she nearly ended up on her back in the process, the sheer force of the wind causing her to lose her footing on an especially smooth and ice-coated stone. Her hand was the quicker of all her limbs and grabbed onto the post of a street lamp, saving her from a concussion and an all-too-frigid death bed.

"Ohh... Just my luck. I knew I should've stopped by the Bazaar for a jacket..." Asuka grumbled, hailing herself back on her feet before another fit of sneeze rocked her forward into the icy wooden pole. "Ugh... One with actual sleeves, at the least."

After gaining her footing once more, the Akashiman maiden resumed her pointless stroll down the Radasanthian streets, fervently rubbing her frozen bare arms whilst looking for a tavern to get herself some nice soothing ale. Three watering holes and counting, yet she could not find that one place where they served the infamously bitter Lavinian Ale.

If it was anything that could keep her warm, that would be it. And evidently, the last place she left mentioned that the Saddle Ablaze had a keg of the lovely stuff in the cellar. Oh, how sweetly bitter it would feel to have it touch her lips again.

A loud, familiar voice rang through the streets as she made her way close to what would be her destination, realizing now that the name hinted something more "intimate" than it originally appeared. Asuka paused just before the crossroad and spotted two figures down the road, one was a rather skinny lady in an equally skinny outfit. The other, far larger and muscular, was not at all an unfamiliar sight.

Well, what's going on here?

Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, the flame-hair maiden tip-toed across the icy street and flattened herself against the relatively warmer wooden walls, eavesdropping on the conversation from just around the corner. Or was it a good ways down the road? She could not tell, but the voices were far away enough to know that she won't be hearing everything exchanged between the two.

Her eyes drifted from the wall next to her head to the snow-covered ground, almost every words thrown about meeting her stiff frozen ears.

"She's a whore, right? All she wants is money. Well, I don't want your goddamned money."

Asuka kept silent as the young girl's voice pierced her inside, the irritation starting to boil in her gut and fighting its way through her throat. She had never thought Victor would be so shallow, especially not since they last saw each other in Underwood. Not since their last little "liberation front" tore a hole in the meat-peddling industry within the borders of Corone.

The string of curses halted abruptly, followed by the familiar, soothing voice of the boxer Asuka knew. It was then she tore her emerald orbs from the frozen ground and finally found the courage to peep around the bend, leaning against the tavern's outer wall with only an eye appearing from the corner.

The boxer and the harlot was hugging, so close and so deeply the maiden felt jealous. In fact, she deeply wished someone would give her a hug right then and there, at least to not make her feel so empty inside.

But, no. It would not be here. Not now. Not in a while. Not in the near future. Not ever.

Well... At least someone isn't alone this winter... The maiden mused to herself, noticing the two heading towards where they would spend the rest of their lonely night together. Asuka, however, merely snorted a wisp of mist with a smirk and walked away, heading aimlessly down a different road away from the Saddle Ablaze. She knew the establishment had a keg of Lavinian Ale with her name on it, but it did not feel quite right to barge in.

I guess I'll stop by some weeks later, Padre. Don't disappoint her.

Trudging through the empty streets once more, Asuka felt strange to actually be walking away from her destination. Why was she doing such a stupid thing? Her target was right there, only meters away from her nose. It was pointless. Thoughtless. Mindless.

Feh. Why should I care? She silenced her doubts with a mental sledgehammer and continued her pointless walk, the cobblestone paths shrouded in snowy blankets leading to everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It would be a long time before she would come across another tavern, but somehow...

It just felt right not to jump straight in. Why? She could not tell.

A harsh, frigid gust swept down the streets once more, freezing the lass to the spot as she forced her legs to stand her ground. Moments later, it died down to a gentle breeze yet the biting chills did its job perfectly.

"Ach-Choo!"

Flip flap flip flop-

An odd shadow jumped out of nowhere and washed over her vision, followed by a strange sensation of warmth landing on top of her head.

"Hey, what the-" Asuka jumped in surprise, her right hand snatching the "thing" off her head as soon as she recovered from the shock. The black-and-white striped piece of cloth came free and draped across her palm, one end just touching the ice-covered cobblestones while the other remained on her shoulder.

Now... What in the name of Kazen is this?

It was a wool scarf, as far as she could tell from what little light shining from the lamp post behind her. Glancing around to find the cuddly garment's origins, the Akashiman maiden found that there was not even a soul nearby nor any place it could have come from. An odd occurance indeed.

"Well, I can't let you go to waste, can I?" She muttered at the piece of cloth with an amused grin, throwing the wooly thing around her neck and shoulders. "You might as well come along, for all I care."

Standing in the deserted night street, she glanced up at the crystalline sky and spotted a bright star in the east. She had not paid it any attention since the night, but it seemed to be especially bright now than before. With the striped scarf around her neck, Asuka shuffled away silently under the bright light's vigilance in her usual stroll. The Lavinian Ale momentarily leaving her mind, she closed her eyes and hummed a simple tune in between short puffs of wispy breaths.

'Twas the Night before Xmas, alone as ever will...
Though no matter where I be, the Star shall guide me still...

[AdventWings]

'Twas the Night before Xmas, in a land away from home...
And amidst the icy wonderland, forever shall I roam...

"Mreow?"

Daylight had faded quicker now than it had been several days before since my involuntary arrival on this piece of rock. Several days indeed, yet somehow the woods have yet released me from under its boughs.

Well, make that the trees had yet to release us from the greenish boughs laden with fine, powdery flakes that turned to water the moment it landed on my clothes.

The air was also definitely colder than the first day I woke up after the Crash, remembering quite well how eerily warm it was in Katena Eight's malfunctioned cockpit. Every now and then, when the breeze whipped through the foliage just the right way, rustling noises could be heard above and instincts made my legs hop around to the side here and there.

Of course, sometimes the "bombs" were larger than I would know.

"Gya-Choo!"

I lurched forward as the sneeze erupted from my throat, followed by a misty spray of saliva that literally froze as soon as it came into contact with the powdery white stuff. I wonder what it was called?

Groaning audibly as I took a sniff and getting the freezing gook off my nose with a hand, I glanced over to my 'guide" walking a little ways ahead of me. Kalse-n had been very generous with her knowledge and tried teaching me a lot of words - some remained stuck in my mind longer than others. Some words sounded familiar to the words I use on a daily basis back on the "Pride of Felasia" though I learned later on that they generally did not mean the same thing.

And we were making so much progress... I mused as the two of us trudged knee-deep through the white stuff.

Brr! Freezing!

"Kalse-n?" I uttered, hopping through the fluffy cold substance with the best of my agility until I caught up with my pointy-ear friend. Scooping up a handful of the freezing stuff that started to melt almost immediately, I poked my finger at it as I looked at her with my curious beady eyes. "Wat?"

"Wat" was a word I had learned quite early during our first few days together. In my language, it was the name of a cooking utensil, used to mix together flour, eggs and milk. In her language, or so I assumed, it meant that I was asking the name of the thing I was curious about.

But whatever "it" was, I had to let it fall down onto the rest of its kind as my fingers were starting to go numb. Freezing like that one time I was helping Master Chef Kirala organizing the ration storage back on board the battlecruiser that was my home.

Oh, how I long to return to the "Pride of Felasia" once again. I wondered where the battlecruiser would be now or if it would ever come for me. I could only hope for the help I could find and consider myself lucky.

Lucky to have a wonderful guide and teacher help me through this time of trial.

'Twas the Night before Xmas, stranded on this lonely world...
But with Kalse-n here to guide me, I shall be thankful and be bold...

[Khalxaen]

’Twas the night before Xmas, yet she was sulking in the cold,
It was a season to be happy, or so she was told.’

Khalxaen had always hated the snow, and now, forcing her way through knee-deep ice, the demon was not in anyway amused. She barely acknowledged the presence of Raven who was following behind her. The demon tightened her worn-down scarf around her, at the same time trying to warm her cold hands in the cloth.

’It’s so darn cold… She cursed in her mind. Ever since she was a kid, she had detested the cold substance, avoiding going outside to play with other kids her age. She had always preferred staying indoors and looking for an excuse to climb under the blankets of her guardian, happy that she was even given permission. But now, she was out in the cold with not even a blanket. It was all her fault, making that foolish decision a few months ago to leave her guardian, only for her own selfish intentions.

She wanted nothing more at the moment than to charge into a cozy inn and grab the nearest warm drink. Most people found snow amusing, yet the demon only found it a reason to be bitter.

Her bitter feelings faded away for a while as she looked up at the sky and saw a bright star. It stood out amongst the others, and she knew it was significant, she just forgot why. Her guardian had explained it to her a long time ago, but she had refused to listen, saying it was boring. It was explained to her that this was a time to be happy, but she never believed in those things. Right now, thinking about all these just made her lonelier.

A sneeze from behind her snapped her out of her reverie. She looked back at her companion curiously. As if on cue, she realized that he had a question for her. He was trying to figure out what the white material was as he held what he could in his hands.

The demon stared at him for a while in awe. He seemed so innocent and out of place, and he was so curious about the most common things. Also, he didn’t seem disturbed by the snow at all and how uncomfortable it was, or maybe she just couldn’t see that. It made her grin without her consent, seeing such a simple person in front of her. Khalxaen then realized that she shouldn’t be upset about things she couldn’t do anything about at the moment, and maybe she should just delve on less trivial matters like her companion.

“Snow.” Khalxaen said simply with a cheerful laugh. Her previous bitterness was gone now, as she was always guilty of having rabid mood swings. “What, don’t you have snow back in your place? Man, you amuse me.”

Armed with newfound inspiration, she stifled laughter and looked back at the star she was previously staring at. It wasn’t like her to be upset, and she knew that. She just needed someone to remind her of how simple things should be. Of course, she didn’t know just how complicated it really was.

’Twas the night before Xmas, and nostalgia made her sad,
But with this cat boy by her side, it wasn’t all that bad.’

[Cyrus the virus]

'Twas the night before Xmas, here he stands all alone,
too much he can make, but too little he owns.'

Never had he felt so alone in a room full of people. The tavern was as loud as a roaring tornado, but instead of wooshing winds and dirt, music and laughter filled his ears.

Every so often someone would come up to him, hold out their hand, and he would deliver into it whatever treat popped into his head. An ice cream here, a piece of pie there, all summoned from nothingness so that he could give it away. Normally he would have gotten annoyed at the demand, but he was in a docile mood, happy to be someplace warm while a storm of white raged outside.

The spell was one he'd learned in his spare time. It had taken some getting used to, for he needed to drag the food or drink he wanted from an alternate reality in order to bring it to his hand, therefore he needed his mind to be in two existences at once. It was a testament to how much free time the lonely mage had, and he was more than aware of it.

A bottle of wine appeared in his hands and he uncorked it with a thought, taking a deep sip and swirling it around in his mouth. A young woman came to him, her yellow hair dancing about her face, her grin betraying her love for drink.

"Hey, you can make that stuff too? Give me some!"

Luc waved her away and pushed himself off the bar, which he'd been leaning on for some time. He tried to walk away but she intercepted him, ducking in front of him. "Come on, why the heck not?"

He looked her over quickly, taking a good two swallows of his wine before he bothered to speak again. "And what do I get?"

Her lips scrunched together and moved to one side of her face, the same side that her eyes seemed to tilt away from. Of course, even drunk, she knew what he wanted. She looked back to him and playfully smiled. In a swirl of green energy, another bottle spawned in his free hand.

'Twas the night before Xmas, let the drunkards sing,
tonight she's a princess, and he is a king.'

[Ürei]

“Twas the Night before Xmas, but he has no heart,
Born from fire and death to dust, his life torn apart.”

Cold.

Salvar definitely had a knack for managing to bring upon the world the coldest and most bone-freezing nights ever seen. The rain that fell froze everything it fell upon, turning the ground into an ugly sheen of ice. A snowdrop here and there covered up the frosty coating of the world, but didn’t hide the silent bloody remains. Icy gusts caught his wings, pushing him in vain as he stood sentinel, a gargoyle upon the battlements. All through the village, not a soul stirred, everything was quiet, and everything was…dead. Strewn through the streets like a happy carnival, the villager’s bodies lay. Blood coated the walls, freezing to them and giving a merry red shine. Very seasonal, it was, to see the glow of the fir trees and the crimson soaked walls. A river of the dark liquid would have run through the streets, but instead, a skating rink had formed instead.

Dropping down from his perch and viewing his handiwork, the demon could do nothing but sign. In the past, joy and exuberation would have filled his soul to look upon such a worth slaughter, but now it was an empty gesture. Thousands of slaughters, millions of killings, but without love to stand next to him, it was pointless. Virae was lost, her ashes spread across the sea, and Lorenor might as well be dead, for all this creature knew. Weary eyes swept across the frozen homes, hearths broken and heaths dying. Home was where the heart is, as someone had once told him, but his heart was lost and dead. So where would he go? There was no place for him, not in this world, or the next.

Releasing a heavy sigh, he turned and moved to leave when he heard a gasping sob. Some child had survived the terror and finally broke, as he could no longer hold the misery within. Somewhere, deep inside the demon, an unknown mind wished the boy had just stayed quiet long enough. Only a few more moments, and he would have been too far to hear. It was too late now, what was done was done, and only a fool left behind survivors. Leir was not a fool.

Pretending as if he did not hear it, he climbed the wall once more, not bothering to shove open the gate. Spreading his wings into the northern wind, he stared up at the sky and noticed one bright star. It was a warm star, that almost touched his heart, for never before had he noticed such a brilliant constellation. With a full wind in his dark wing’s hide, he lifted off the ground, flying backwards over the town, not away from it. Before the boy could so much as scream in fright, he dove down into the street and lifted him with ease. Pulling him close, the demon soared as high as the wind could take him, circling the village that was beginning to burn. Softly, but loud enough to be heard over the wind, Leir began to whisper.

“Twas the Night before Xmas, and though he may be dead,
He will not be alone, for on this night he will be fed.”

[Vamrsh Skylare]

"Twas the night before Xmas, a traitor is he,
The comfort of family he shall never see.


It was getting chilly now, and there was nothing to warm him. Vamrsh had lost his flint, now he didn't have anyway of lighting a fire. Though he bring together some firewood and kindling... it would be of no use. He just lay back and keep himself from sleeping, because of this cold he may never awaken again. He tried to remember happy thoughts, things in his past that could bring him some warmth to his thoughts at least, if not his body. He tried to remember his old village, yet because the location of his home country was wiped from his memory he couldn't think of much. He could remember parts of his home, with empty windows. He could remember the times he shared with his family when he was young. His father being a commanding officer of the High Council of... damn!, the name of the council was even erased. Oh well... he could remember his mother being a high ranking medical personel of the military healers division. Also his older brother, following in the footsteps of their father and becoming a soldier. Those were the good times, they were the best times.

He could remember now that today was the day that his native holiday was celebrated. It was similar to the human Christmas and was around the same time also. The name had been erased because it was related to his country and all his connections had been severed. But on this holiday, all military fighting and negotiations had ceased and everyone was home with their families. This day he had been with the whole family, they sat around the fireplace and his father had told some war stories to he and his brother, their mother would make some delicious meals for them for the entire day. It was perfect. If only he could have that kind of thing now...

Just then he was awoken from his sleep by something warm on his chest... it was his wyrven friend Rygor. He looked at Rygor and smiled then looking over him he saw that a fire had been started and was burning nicely. He looked down at Rygor with surprise on his face and saw the small dragon give him almost a smile...

"Thank you friend, I believe you just saved my life."

If fact he did. If Vamrsh had been left there any longer in the cold he would have stayed asleep forever. Hugging Rygor and nudging himself closer to the fire he said,

"This isn't so bad after all, is it buddy?"

Rygor layed there in his lap and dozed off, with Vamrsh petting him and in that small time, everything was right with the world.

"Twas the night before Xmas, though a traitor is he,
He does have family, no matter how small it may be."

[Yamihara]

'Twas the Night before Xmas, with nothing left to do.
Here on the open road, a life or two must see things through.

Never had the wintertime been any colder to Asuka. Never had such a wonderful season, when everything the lass could see would be covered in fluffy white snow drifts and forming hilarious odd shapes on abandoned tree stumps and picketed fences. Never had the snowfall made her sad, lonely and mournful.

Of course, there was always room for those First Time events that could literally chew away at a person's emotions. And tonight, the snowfall was particularly full of sorrow.

"<I...>" A young man to her right spoke up as they trudged through the knee-high powder, heading for what they could only assume to be northwest in direction. "<I'm sorry...>"

The fire-hair lass kept silent in their travel through the woods, determination the only thing present in her solid footfall. The rugged-looking man behind her, however, heaved and labored in their walk through the woods and had stopped to rest against a skinny birch.

"<I'm sorry, Asuka. I'm very... Very sorry...>"

Asuka finally slowed down after a few more steps through the dirft and finally halted, a hand gripping at a young branch jutting out next to her head.

"<What are you sorry about, Tokita?>" She muttered, her voice a strange hollow tone. The maiden did not even as much turn to face her friend as he lumbered forward, stopping to rest again just a few feet behind her.

"<I'm sorry, Asuka...>" He gasp, taking in a lungful of the crisp cold air and emitting a jet of warm vapor through his mouth. "<I'm sorry I had to be the one to bring you news of your->"

"<It's OK.>"

An idle, biting wind swept through the trees as her reply faded into the night, Tikota still pausing at a tree behind her and the lass staring at her feet. Silence kept its haunt through the darkness, followed shortly by new snow drifting aimlessly from the darkened sky above.

"<N- No, really... Anyway, we've been traveling for a while now. Let's take a short break and->"

"<No.>" Was a clear answer from the Akashiman maiden before him, the lass beginning to move forward again through the snowfall. "<We keep walking. No time to rest.>"

No matter what the girl was telling him, Tokita knew she was a horrible liar as much as he was. He could tell she was tired by the rapid breathing, her exhaled breath in clear contrast to the inky night. She was also shivering as well, even if her footing had never been any more sure. He knew she was tired and ready to collapse.

"Asuka. Matta."

The burly man plowed through the snow, his body recovered most of its energy in the short series of breaks in their perpetual stroll. Catching the maiden he was supposed to look after by her wrist, he held back her stride as he approached the maiden from behind.

The woods fell silent once more, but this time he noticed something different. It was not the melancholic tune being played on the trees by the chilly winter breeze nor the soft crunching of snow dropping off a pine tree faraway onto the pile at the base. It was not the complete stillness of the maiden before him, who was spouting excited speeches and powerful demands only days before their leave of the Peaceful Promenade.

For the man knew she was not still.

"<By the name of Aozor, Asuka-!>" He muttered under his breath, hastily taking off his rough cotton jacket and throwing it across his young friend's bare shoulders. "<I knew this was a bad idea! You shouldn't have insisted on walking in this weather to Akashima! You'd die of hypothermia before you would even make it to the border!>"

"N- No... I have... Have to get there on... Time..."

Asuka felt her arms regain their warmth, sensation returning to the tips of her fingers and the palms of her hands. She did not even know how long her arms had gone numb and she frankly had not cared about it at all. All she wanted to do was get back to Akashima. Get back to her Estate and take it back from whoever had usurped her rightful title.

I... I have to...

"Oh, no you don't! Not in this condition." Tokita reprimanded her and gave the freezing girl a hug, lending her warmth from his slightly more cold-resilient body. "Get some rest, Asuka. I'll take you the rest of the way."

"N... No..." The lass shook her head even as she was being lifted from the snow, the crunching sound of leather boots on snow echoing softly through the woods. "I have to... Do this... On my own..."

"Not on my watch, Asuka. Not on my watch."

Tokita gave her a simple smile and proceeded his trudge through the night, making casual glances at the stars floating about in the deep infinite sky. One particular star caught his eyes, floating far away to the west. It was particularly bright that night, though for reasons unknown to him. Still, it was a soothing sight and he silently nodded at the bright beacon, praying to the star in his heart while the man continued his tireless trudge through the snow-covered woods.

'Twas the Night before Xmas, under Altha, ny soul is soothe.
To Akashima, we head home... Where a fate waits the truth.

[Witchblade]

This is not a typical judging request and as such it would be pointless to judge it as a typical quest. Not only is there no continued flow of storyline between all the characters in here, but each post in itself is a separate story being quickly wrapped up. Therefore I’ll forgo using the judging rubric and instead give everyone a small paragraph and a score out of 10 with some experience of course. By the way, I really enjoyed reading it and it would be interesting to see this done again.


Lucien – Though essentially every post was an introduction, a story and a conclusion all on their own, yours was the first and therefore set the pacing and the mood for all those that followed. You did a good job describing the setting in which your character found himself in and also of what was running through Lucien’s mind at the moment. It was well written and made the reader want to jump into the scene, wrap Lucien up in a few blankets and take him home for the night.

Score – 8.5/10

Experience – 160

The Cinderella Man – As a previous reader of some quests involving Victor, I know a little bit about the odd relationship between Kitty and the old boxer. It was a classic Victor move to screw things up with her in the beginning, I had a feeling he’d do something foolish like that. But for a change, instead of letting sleeping dogs lye as he normally does, he goes after her instead. Nice to see him on the receiving end of something good for a change. There were a few mistakes in your post, mostly missed words here and there, basically the norm for you. But it was a nice look into Victor’s life on what is supposed to be one of the happiest days of the year.

Score – 9/10

Experience – 175

Krugor – Just like your character your post was a little out there, but fun none the less. To think that a Dwarf would turn into a street kid just to get something to eat is a little on the odd side, but the post was written well and brought a smile to the face of the reader. There were a few words missing from sentences but nothing huge overall that subtracted from the flow of the story. Next time I’m out in the cold I’ll be expecting some nice, hot soup from Krugor myself.

Score – 8.5/10

Experience – 160

Djakara – There was technically nothing wrong with your post, but I found it a little lacking compared to the others in the thread. There just didn’t seem to be enough personality from your character there or even enough information from his inner thoughts. Beautifully written and described but not as emotionally captivating as some of the other quick stories.

Score – 8/10

Experience – 150

AsukaStrikes – I was a little on the worried side when I first noticed that your post was interacting with Victor and Kitty, but you played it only as a spectator, someone who knew the brawler. In the end it added more to your own post than took anything away. It was cute, though left the reader wondering just where that floating scarf came from exactly. I suppose that is the mystery of the season and the gifts it bestows on others.

Score – 8/10

Experience – 150

AdventWings – You must be one of the few first person writers on the entire forum as I have yet to judge anyone else who writes in first person. Your post was cute but it didn’t really give me the feel of an alien really. Raven actually seemed at ease and comfort with his surroundings more so than I thought a stranded alien would be, but he has been there for a few days now. The flow to your writing needs a little bit of work, but that’s something you’ll get better at with more practice.

Score – 7/10

Experience – 125

Khalxaen – You and Adventwings were the only characters to post that interacted with one another. Your posts were written in enough of a difference to allow the characters to express themselves and their story in the short bit of time without just allowing the interaction to take over. Your character is cute with almost a slight case of ADD as she goes through her emotions rather quickly. Plus her amusement with Raven is well founded.

Score – 8/10

Experience – 150

Cyrus the virus – Luc’s Christmas Eve celebration was interesting to say the least. His personality didn’t come through in the one post unfortunately, but at least the drunken wench seemed to like him enough to sleep with him. Either that or she was too drunk to know better. I swear the world of Althanas has the most one-night stands I’ve ever heard of. It was still a well-written post, even if Luc didn’t really come out in it.

Score – 8/10

Experience – 150

Urei – Well, this was definitely a typical Urei post. Blood and death but unfortunately no kind of mayhem. It would have been nice if some of the killing actually took place in the post or if you started it right in the middle of slaughtering the village. Even so, it was well written and enjoyable and it’s always fun to see Leir out killing random people, even if they are poor, defenceless children. Plus the emotion was evident throughout it.

Score – 8.5/10

Experience – 160

Vamrsh Skylare – Your post in particular had a lot more back-story thrown into it than many of the others. This didn’t really work to your advantage though as it was too much for the reader to take in from a single post. It was well written and there were a few grammatical mistakes but the information was too much. If it had been gradually released it would have been better, but your post was too short to do something like that. Still, a good read and a cute, life saving wyrven, what more can a person ask for?

Score – 7.5/10

Experience – 140

Yamihara – Interesting post but not much information is given to the readers to really understand what is going on. The urgency of her making it to Akashiman is lost in the fact that the reader has no idea what is happening. There was mention of someone having taken her rightful title from her but that leaves the reader even more confused, especially since they know nothing of Asuka and her rightful title. This has the making of an actual quest in it, not a quick story.

Score – 7.5/10

Experience – 140

[Cyrus the virus]

EXP added!