Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

As the night wore on in the farmhouse, Jaegar's thoughts turned from grief to anger. The face of Lorcan floated in his mind - the man responsible for so much of his recent suffering. The man who had forced him to leave Diana vulnerable and alone for a year.

Jaegar's hands clenched into fists as he thought about how merciful he had been, leaving Lorcan alive when they'd last met. It was a mistake he intended to rectify.

"Grandmother, thank you," Jaeger said, his voice sombre as he rose to his feet, wiping away the last traces of tears.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

As he moved to leave, Angelina's voice stopped him. "You need rest, child." Her tone brooked no argument, reminding him why even the most powerful wizards in the Empire heeded her words.

"Whatever vengeance you're planning can wait."

Jaegar hesitated, then nodded. She was right, of course. He was exhausted, emotionally and physically drained.

Making decisions in this state would only lead to more mistakes.

At night, Angelina stayed with him, by his side, holding him while he slept. Jaegar, just let go of all his problems and had a good rest.

The next day, as dusk approached, Angelina and Jaegar sat on the farmhouse porch.

The wooden boards creaked beneath their rocking chairs as they looked out over the snow-covered fields. The air was crisp and clear, holding the promise of another cold night.

"What will you do now?" Angelina asked, her dark eyes studying his profile.

In the fading light, she could see the boy he had been and the man he had become, both warring on his features.

Jaegar was quiet for a moment before responding. "I need to see Pierre and Jennifer."

In the heat of the moment, he said he would kill Lorcan yesterday night, but he needed to plan his way; a proper punishment was needed. After a day's rest, he gathered his thoughts and decided about it.

Angelina nodded, "Take some time off; meet them. You can kill that boy, but you can't escape the aftermath. You will be labelled as a murderer and will have to live a life as a criminal. So don't make decisions while you are angry."

Jaegar nodded as he understood what she was trying to say.

Jaegar's thoughts turned inward, painfully examining the complexities of his relationship with Diana.

He had always known their relationship was complicated - taboo, even. Society, both magical and mundane, would never understand or accept such a union. They had lived in their own bubble, pretending the outside world's judgement couldn't touch them and that love would be enough to overcome all obstacles.

But standing there on Angelina's porch, watching the crimson clouds roil overhead, Jaegar was forced to confront an uncomfortable truth: he had never really considered Diana's feelings in all of this. He had been young and selfish, caught up in the intoxicating mix of maternal and romantic love she offered. He had taken her protection, her devotion, and her willingness to enter his dangerous magical world - all while never truly thinking about the cost to her.

"I was so caught up in my own world," he said quietly, more to himself than to Angelina. "My magic, my enemies, my desires. I never stopped to think about what it was doing to her."

Angelina remained silent, allowing him this moment of self-reflection.

The truth that cut deep was his infidelity during his year away.

"I never thought she would be so alone," he admitted, his voice thick with regret. "I thought... I don't know what I thought. That she would just be there, waiting, while I was out there, sleeping around."

Angelina finally spoke, her voice gentle but firm. "Diana, she is different from Augusta. But I knew she would do a great job raising you, and she did. You turned out to be a great man with a few flaws. Everybody has them; don't worry about them. I am sure, she still loves you."

Angelina didn't judge their relationship, as they were both adults and it was what they wanted. If anything, his father's side also married in the family in the past generations. It wasn't something new to her. She didn't come in between them, so she just listened to him, offering her grandson the comfort he needed right now.

He had wanted it all - Diana's unconditional maternal love, her romantic devotion, her understanding of his absences, her acceptance of his dangerous lifestyle. All while giving her what? A life of secrecy, danger, and loneliness.

"The worst part," he said, "is that I still love her. Both as the woman who took me in when I had nowhere else to go and as... something more. But I've hurt her so much already."

Angelina moved closer, placing a weathered hand on his arm. "Love isn't always enough, child. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do for those we love is to let them go."

"Give her some time; maybe she will get back to you."

Jaegar nodded, feeling the truth of her words settle heavily in his chest.

He was living his life as he wanted, without giving much thought to anyone. He had realized that now and how it had affected his state of mind. He really loved his aunt, so he decided to give her some space. He will go back to her one day, hoping that they could get together.

As they sat in contemplative silence, something changed.

The quality of the light shifted, taking on an unnatural hue.

Jaegar noticed it first, sitting up straight in his chair as the sky began to transform. Within moments, the blue evening sky had been replaced by a deep, unsettling crimson.

It was as if the heavens themselves were bleeding, casting an eerie red glow over the snow-covered landscape.

The farm animals grew restless, horses whinnying in their stables and chickens clucking anxiously as they sought shelter.

The crimson light made Angelina's farmhouse look as if it were awash in blood. As they watched, dark clouds began to form, roiling and churning in the unnatural sky. The air grew heavy with magical energy, making the hair on the back of Jaegar's neck stand up.

A bolt of crimson lightning split the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder that seemed to shake the very foundation of the earth.