Chapter 187: Midnight Meeting
The group had just retired to their respective rooms, the villa sinking into a hush as the night deepened, when Nero quietly sought Lux out.
Lux raised a brow the moment he saw him.
"Nero, you must have something on your mind, right? Just say it."
"I’m planning a little airborne activity with Khione," Nero said bluntly, not one to waste time with pretense. "And I was hoping you’d grant us free use of the sky."
Lux tilted his head, curiosity sparking instantly. Airborne activity? With Khione? He could more or less guess what Nero was aiming for, but chose not to pry further. In Angel’s City, such things weren’t simple. This city was under the Leclair family’s dominion. By rule, no one was allowed to fly freely — not with magic, not with devices — without explicit authorization. Any unauthorized flight risked being shot down on sight. Nero knew that, which was precisely why he had come.
Lux’s lips curved into a knowing smile. "Alright. I understand."
From his spatial ring, he pulled out a small golden token engraved with the Leclair family’s emblem. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward Nero, who caught it with practiced ease.
"Thank you," Nero said with a rare smile, genuine gratitude in his crimson eyes.
"Have fun," Lux replied, his tone teasing yet sincere. Whatever it is, he’s probably just trying to score points with her, he thought, chuckling to himself as he turned away.
Lux returned to his room, leaving Nero behind with the token glinting faintly in his hand.
A moment later, Nero pulled out his device and sent Khione a message, informing her that he had secured authorization. Her reply was short but telling — a simple acknowledgment followed by their agreement to meet at midnight.
Satisfied, Nero took a long, steady bath, then seated himself cross-legged in meditation. His breathing slowed, deepened, until the world seemed to fade. Each inhalation drew prana into his second core, storing it carefully like coals banked for a fire yet to be lit. He remained like this for two full hours, body calm, mind sharpened, quietly awaiting the appointed hour.
°°°
Midnight came draped in velvet shadows, the villa behind them resting in silence while the cicadas sang softly in the distance. The moon, full and luminous, spilled its silver light across the courtyard where two figures stood waiting for one another.
Nero arrived first, his frame sharp against the night. He wore fitted black denim jeans and a long-sleeve top of the same shade, the simplicity of his attire enhancing the quiet confidence he carried in every step. His crimson eyes glowed faintly under the moonlight, giving him an edge of mystery as if he himself were born of the night.
Moments later, Khione emerged. The Ice Queen’s usual aura of untouchable grace softened under the moon’s embrace. She wore a delicate floral dress, its light fabric catching the night breeze and swaying gently around her slender form. The colors of the dress blended perfectly with the pale sheen of her white hair, tied neatly into a bun that revealed the elegance of her neck and shoulders. Her ice-blue eyes gleamed faintly, like frozen lakes reflecting starlight—cold yet enchanting, drawing the gaze in without release.
For a moment, Nero simply looked at her, taking in the sight, and for once he didn’t bother to conceal his thoughts. His voice came low, steady, honest.
"You are very beautiful in this dress."
The words carried no embellishment, no teasing lilt—just truth.
Khione paused, the moonlight brushing against her features. Then, something rare happened. A genuine smile bloomed across her lips, softening the sharp edges of her presence.
"Thank you," she replied, her tone lighter than usual.
Normally, compliments brushed off her like wind over ice, leaving no trace. But tonight was different. Lately, her heart had been betraying her in ways she didn’t fully understand, emotions swelling where none should exist. The Ice Queen, usually impenetrable, found herself strangely... generous, almost tender, in the face of Nero’s unfiltered honesty.
The night air shimmered between them, filled with a silence that was far from empty—it was alive, charged, as if the world itself was waiting to see what these two would do next.
"Shall we begin, my lady?" Nero asked, dropping into an exaggerated bow, one arm swept theatrically across his chest.
The gesture, so unlike his usual composure, startled a chuckle out of Khione. The Ice Queen—who rarely allowed such warmth to slip past her lips—nodded, amused despite herself. Then, her expression shifted. Calm, focused. She exhaled softly, and her prana stirred.
From her back, crystalline wings of pure ice bloomed into existence with a resonant shhhhhh like frost racing across glass. They unfolded slowly, each feather-like shard refracting moonlight into dazzling splinters of blue and silver. The air around her chilled instantly, a soft mist curling along the ground as the temperature dipped, a veil of winter summoned by her very presence.
Nero’s crimson eyes gleamed as he watched. He had witnessed this countless times before, yet the sight never lost its power over him. It was more than beauty—it was majesty, a display of strength woven seamlessly with grace. For a fleeting heartbeat, he forgot everything else, caught in the vision of the Ice Queen made divine.
Then, with a faint grin, he summoned his own power. Prana surged through him, and flames roared to life. From his back, wings of fire erupted, spreading wide in a blaze of scarlet and gold. Each flicker danced with heat and vitality, illuminating the night in sharp contrast to Khione’s icy radiance. Her frost and his flame—two forces opposed, yet somehow, perfectly matched.
Nero reached into his pocket and pulled free one of the golden tokens Lux had entrusted to him. He flicked it lightly through the air, and Khione caught it without effort. Her delicate fingers closed around it, and as she channeled her prana within, the token awakened. A golden aura shimmered outward, wrapping around her form and embracing her ice wings. The glow merged with her natural power, making the crystalline feathers shine brighter, as though gilded in starlight.
Nero watched carefully, nodding once as the aura stabilized. "Good," he murmured, more to himself than to her. The token’s protection had taken hold—it would ensure their flight remained unrestricted in Angel’s City skies.
The contrast of her golden-tinted frost and his blazing fire painted the night like a living canvas—winter and summer standing side by side, ready to take to the heavens.