Nocte Yin

Chapter Eleven

Christmas - her favourite holiday.

“I love it,” Nocte told Savvy, sidling up to the window.

It was snowing again, a light dust against the backdrop of a clear and blue sky, and it was absolutely breathtaking. Smiling, Nocte settled down by the window and took a nice, long whiff of the hot cocoa in her hands.

Euphoria always seemed to settle over her whenever winter arrived.

Savvy smiled, glad that Nocte was normal again. Ever since Nocte’s cold, she hadn’t been waking up in the middle of the night anymore, and that relieved Savvy more than words could describe. The only drawback was that-

“Achoo!” Savvy squeaked.

“Bless you,” Nocte said, hiding a smile. “I’m really sorry about giving you my cold.”

“It’s all right,” Savvy comforted.

Nocte smiled, taking a sip of her cocoa and let her eyes drift back to the window. It frightened her — the colour of the sky. It was so bright and white that it resembled Shikyo’s eyes, but she chose to meet it straight on. Everyone had fears, even her… even a Yin.

“W-Witley called earlier,” Savvy said, blowing her nose. “Sh-She wanted to know if you were going to the Ball.”

“Nope,” Nocte replied. “I’m staying with you tonight.”

Savvy beamed, all wrapped up in her covers with tissues scattered all over the floor — a miniature paper city.

“Actually,” Nocte perked. “We can make it a party! Kinda like a slumber party! We’ll order pizza and cake and ice cream and stuff! Doesn’t stuff sound nice?”

Savvy giggled and held back a cough. “Yes.” She swallowed. “‘Stuff’ sounds nice.”

Nocte grinned, taking a seat on her bed. “Excited for the Winter Holidays?”

“Yes,” Savvy replied with a nod. “We’ll be spending Christmas at my grandmother’s.”

“We’ll be celebrating at Gash’s this year,” Nocte said. “Last year we were at my Aunt Kirra’s and it was a disaster. She tried to kill us by releasing poisonous snakes in our beds.”

Savvy paled.

“But we all survived,” Nocte hastened to assure. “Anyway, very excited!”

Savvy beamed. “What are you doing for New Years?”

Nocte faltered.

New Years.

Right.

#

Xon was the largest of the seven continents on Erisire. It was, therefore, only natural that villains and heroes hoarded over the particular piece of land. Because of the different types of inhabitants, the country had a distinct, although “unofficial,” line right down the middle of the country. The heroes were to the east, and the villains to the west.

So… leave it to Gash to build his large, black and portentous castle in the middle of eastern Xon.

“To spite them,” he had said with a shark-like grin.

The carriage halted to a stop at the entrance of the castle. It stood on a cliff, towering over the barracks underneath. On levelled ground, a stone wall was built, dividing Gash’s castle from the town that paid taxes and provided food for his terrifying legion.

Gash, bedecked in black armour and billowing cape, met her at his doorstep with a smile. She returned his smile, glad to see him.

“You’re early,” he said upon greeting, and guided her through his heavily constructed doors. “Where’s Occult?”