CHAPTER 22: XXI. PLEASE NOT ON CHRISTMAS EVE

Dec 24, 1999, Christmas Eve. The festive cool breeze can be felt everywhere.

Different light decorations can be spotted even to the simplest structure.

A red sports car pulled over in front of the Winterfrost Mansion. The young man on his early 20's

steered the steering wheel to its center and pulled the hand brake. John Eve turned off the headlight

but kept the car engine running. He released a deep sigh and shook his head.

"It's been a year now since we first met Lily. I was really hoping we could be more than friends..."

The girl on the passenger seat made no reply. She was looking away from him. She wanted to tell him

everything, but she decided not to. She shared the same feelings with him, they were young and in

love, but there is something that must be done before she could commit herself to John. It would be

totally unfair to receive all this love and never return it back.

"I'm sorry John, I never planned to end it this way, but there are other things that I need to do before

this."

"Why wouldn't you tell me, I know we can make this work Lily," John said with a broken voice.

"Trust me, this will never work, you are a good man John, you deserve someone better than me, this is

the last time that you will see me."

Lily reached and unlock the car door and left without looking back.

"Goodbye John... Merry Christmas."

John watched her as she walks away from the car, he knew he saw her paused at the foot of the last

flight of stairs for a while before entering the mansion.

John was left clueless, thinking what just happened.

-

John moved and parked his car a few meter away from the Winterfrost Mansion. He stepped out of his

car and decided to take a walk on this open park area nearby.

He sat on second riser of this three layered bench facing the field of grass and trees. It took him a few

seconds before realizing there was someone already sitting on the far opposite end of the bench. An

old man. But his face was a bit familiar to John.

"Of course, how could I forget, the old beggar I often see here whenever I visits the mansion. But it's

Christmas Eve, doesn't he have a family to go home and celebrate with?" owns all © content.

John moved next to the old man, he was a bit surprised when the old man spoke.

"i have seen it, many times, the end is near,few days from now, an entire nation will die, genocide..."

John tried to hand a bottle of water to the old man and replied, "If it is end of days you say, then why

spend it alone, why not go home, to your kids, to your family?"

"The time of human kind will yet to be tested twelve years from now, the shortly coming end of days is

destined to another civilization not of ours."

John wrinkled his forehead in confusion. "I'm sorry but I have it all mixed up... end of days but not

ours?"

"Another race, another civilization, sharing the same world, but on a different plane."

The confused John looks away on a different direction, almost forgetting the heartache he was having

a few while ago.

"And why do I even bother listening to him, me with a complete stranger on a Christmas Eve..."John

thought.

-

Inside the Winterfrost Mansion. Lily hurriedly packed up her things while having a conversation on the

phone.

"Rain, you know he is a high valued target, are you sure the infant is safe?"

"Yes sister, this baby named Sai is with his mother. They are already placed in a much secured hiding, I

have also received news of the where about of the grandmaster's son. His name is Sieg, 2 years of

age, he is being held by the demon Karasu. He is in this old warehouse at the north hill where this new

portal was beginning to open up. "

"Okay good, I'm leaving now Rain, I'll see you at the old warehouse at the north hill, be ready for

anything. Be very careful alright."

"OK Sis, I will, you too..."

Lily suit up her jacket, picked up her backpack and slung it on her back, she quickly ran down the stairs

and locked the door as she left the mansion riding an old Chinese bicycle.

John, who was already walking back to his car, saw Lily rushing with her bike on the opposite way. She

didn't notice him because he was on a shaded area on the other side of the street.

"You really are one mysterious girl Lily, I hope you are not heading to some trouble." John said as he

rushed to his car and planned to follow her.