The Wizard Imperial Ball 2023

Location: Wizard Imperial Ball 2023, Undisclosed Forest, Siberia, Russia
Date: 12/21/2023, 11:30pm
The ice golem guided the sleigh through the night sky, Connar clutched the blue stone looking over the edge he could see the glowing orange shard of ice in the distance, where the Christmas cryptids had gathered. John, manifested next to Connar and looked out in awe, “Is this the North Pole, Daddy?”, he asked with a smile, “No lad” Connar replied, “This is just slightly south of the north pole, we are in Siberia” he said fixing his bow tie, “But he is here, and he is going to help you get home.” As the sleigh glided to a halt, Connar took out his phone and passed it over the golem’s top hat, tipping it in the process, he then turned to Yuuko and passed the stone to her, causing John to vanish for a few seconds before rematerializing. As she stepped out of the sleigh, she held out her gloved hand for the little ghost and said, “Hold my hand please,” John responded by clinging to her hand and she then started leading him over to the bar. Another sleigh pulled up behind them and out stepped Hiro and Mihoko, Hiro held Mihoko’s hand as he helped her out of the sleigh, he then turned to Connar “Try not to turn this into a battle royale like last year” he said scowling. Connar shook his head before answering, “I already explained to you that I had nothing to do with anything that happened last year it was completely unrelated.” “And your evidence was largely speculative,” he shot back, Connar rubbed his eyes, “Just mingle for a while, I have a personal matter to attend too.” Before Hiro could answer Connar disappeared into the crowd of cryptids.
As he made his way through crowds of elves and agents discussing politics, while the various Christmas cryptids gossiped among themselves. He wandered pass the buffet, a lounge made of snow, and the stage on which the Christkindl stood strumming a harp while singing a classical version of a Cardi B song, until he finally found who he was looking for, “Santa!” he shouted. Sanat looked up from his conversation with Mrs. Claus and waved him over, “Connar, just in time! Anwyn and I were discussing an article about that fusion breakthrough in America, and we were curious if you had any thoughts about it.” Connar made his way over to Santa and Mrs. Claus, “I will be happy to discuss the replicated results from the ignition facility with you but first I need your help in a personal matter.” The smile drained from Santas face, “What happened?” he asked. “It’s a long story, but the short version is some unseen dark force separated the Yule fiddler and his golden girl, so he turned to the Krampus for help, and the Krampus roped him into gathering the souls of children and then he summoned my sons soul back from the dead, but he got lost and ended up at my home. Then the anima cats, Vlad and Tuk, managed to find the golden girl, reunite her with the Yule fiddler and defeated the Krampus and now I need your help to send my son back to the afterlife.”
Santa looked perplexed but unsurprised, “Well that’s certainly a Connar problem if I ever herd one. Where is he now?” Connar led Santa over to the bar, where Yuuko and Mihoko were talking with the little ghost and to his horror Hiro. After seeing Santa across the room, the ghost eyes went wide with astonishment as he began running forward, “SANTA!” he yelled as he ran toward Santa dematerializing as he ran outside of the stones influence, Yuuko awkwardly ran over behind him in high heels causing John to rematerialize in time to leap into Santas arms, “Hoho, what are you doing here John” Santa asked as he set the ghost down. “I got lost, but I was able to find my way back to Daddys new house, then I came here and I was talking with Ms. Yuuko, Sobo and Sofu and telling them about the Christmas stories I saw on the TV screen and asked them if they had ever seen the Hobbit and if they knew the dwarf songs and…” Santa chuckled and “You have certainly had quite the adventure” he said. The ghosts gaze then turned to Connar, “Is it time to go Daddy?” Connar took a deep breath before answering “Aye lad, you’re going back to Mommy”, the little ghost then ran back causing Yuuko to awkwardly run back with him, as he attempted to throw his arms around Mihoko before running over and trying to do this same to Hiro only to pass through both before saying “Bye, Sobo! Bye Sofu!”and ran back towards Santa with Yuuko following close behind. As Santa led them away Connar pointed at Hiro and mouthed “We’ll talk later”.
They then arrived at one of the glaciers pulsing with anima, Santa cracked his knuckles before taking a deep breath, “All right we are looking for Lilly Green of Dublin Ireland from 1845” he then placed both hands on the glacier and the swirling orange lights within began to take the form of a woman in a white dress, the figure then emerged from the ice and descended in a white mist.  She then extended her arms, “John love, it’s time to come home.” The little ghost, tears welling up in his eyes almost ran straight for her, before remembering where he was, he then ran back to Yuuko and threw his arms around her the anima in the glacier allowing him to touch any one for the first time in centuries, “Bye Ms. Yuuko, thank you for everything” he said trying not to burst into tears, Yuuko put her hand on his head, “your most welcome, I am only sorry that you couldn’t stay longer.” He ran to Santa and threw his arms around him “Thank you Santa! Thank you, a million times!” Santa straining to mateine the anima needed to summon the spirit, still managed to chuckle, “You’re welcome, John, Merry Christmas!” Then finally he turned to Connar tears already running down his face, he ran over and threw his arms around him, “I don’t want to leave you Daddy!” Connar swallowed his own sob, before saying “I know lad, but you have too, Mommy is waiting.” The little ghost squeezed tighter, as Connar said “I will always love you John, and your mother and no amount of time will change that. Now go, don’t keep her waiting.” The little ghost ran to the woman in the mist and threw his arms around her, she smiled her thanks and began rising again the mist evaporating, the two-ghost turning orange, and their forms evaporating as they turned back into anima and were reabsorbed by the glacier. Santa then took his hands off the glacier causing the anima to retreat into the ice, he exhaled before exclaiming “Now that is a workout” he then turned to Connar who was holding his eyes with one hand, “Do you need minute a Connar?” He asked. Connar managed to nod his head and then choak out a “thank you”, as Santa returned to the ball. Yuuko put her arms around Conna rubbing his back as he held her close to his chest, “Thank you for everything, I am so sorry I had to do that in public” Connar said, “Never apologize for loving anyone that much” Yuuko said, tears welling up in her own eyes. “Now I am going to fix my makeup and then we’ll stay as long as you are comfortable,” Connar nodded, “I don’t imagine I am in much of a partying spirit, but I think a few drinks will do me some good. I’ll catch up with you babe” he said as he kissed her on the cheek. As Connar took a handkerchief out of his coat pocket and began cleaning off his face, he then heard a high piping voice from behind him, “Hey Green?” Connar turned around and saw Zeeker the elf standing there, he then threw snow in his own face and then offered some to Connar who quickly threw some in his own face, “Anyone asks we got into an argument right?” “Right, thank you lad, I appreciate that” he then fist-bumped the elf before returning to the ball.
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