*Based just after Asher began training his elite team and before Shade and Aurora's heart to heart (The demon blood revelation)*

I have added some fitting Christmas music above😁 (piano version so nobody gets distracted by the lyrics 😂)

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"AURORA"

I quickly awoke from a distant dream to the characteristically loud, cheerful voice of Chase.

"It's CHRISTMAS!" he bellowed, probably waking up half of the building.

I sat up groggily and wiped my tired eyes, a smile slowly spreading across my fatigued face. Only Verity and I had decided to stay at the Academy over Christmas, all of the other girls in our room had gone home for the holidays.

I looked around our empty room and realised that Verity must have already left. Ignoring the fact that Chase had now broken into song as he ascended the stairs to our dorm room, I quickly changed into some comfortable clothing and approached the door.

Before I had the chance to open it, it swung open to reveal an ecstatic Chase. Slightly stunned, it took me a couple of seconds to take in his ridiculous but delighted appearance. He was decked out in a bright red knitted Christmas jumper and wore an oversized Santa hat along with a cheerful grin.

"Merry Christmas!" he exclaimed gleefully, grabbing me into an embrace to spin me around before placing me back on the floor.

"Merry Christmas to you too" I giggled as I regained my balance.

"Come on, everyone is downstairs!" he laughed, grabbing my hand to pull me along.

Not really having a choice, I ran quickly behind him until we reached the bottom of the stairs. I opened the door and moved into the larger room to see a scene that warmed my heart.

Max, Zack, Orpheus, Verity and Adelia were all gathered around the rustic wooden table that lay in front of the roaring fireplace. Tinsel and festive wreaths decorated the whole room, illuminated with floating balls of all sorts of reds, greens and gold colours that moved freely around the room.

"Merry Christmas!" they all cheered upon seeing me and Chase.

I allowed a wide smile to spread across my thrilled face and raced forward by Chases side to join the others who were creating small bursts of fire to roast the chestnuts and snowman shaped marshmallows that they had gathered.

"It's wonderful isn't it?" proclaimed Adelia, looking up at the humungous Christmas tree.

"Yeah" I gasped as I looked around in mesmerisation.

It was then that my eyes rested on a lonely figure, sitting alone on one of the sofas. Taking another look around at everyones happy faces, I left our cheery circle and made my way over to the boy who sat alone.

"Shade?" I greeted, sitting down lightly next to him.

"Oh, hey" he replied, looking over to me gloomily.

"Why don't you come and spend Christmas with us?" I questioned carefully.

He looked over at the others and fought off a small smile as he watched them throw around mini fireballs and marshmallows.

"Are you sure that you want me to?" he asked, returning his attention to me "I haven't exactly been nice to you" he continued in a hard tone.

"I know, but nobody should be alone at Christmas" I replied, "besides, this is your chance to show us all that you're not just an emotionless ass that lives to make me miserable" I finished with a laugh.

"What if that's exactly what I am?" he asked, displaying his signature smirk on his lips.

"Then you get to play the Grinch in Chases Christmas show" I laughed, getting to my feet.

"He has a Christmas show?" asked Shade, shaking his head in amusement.

"Let's just hope that he has forgotten about it" I replied, making my way back to the others with Shade following behind me.

"Now that everyone's here, time to go to the dragon den!" shouted Chase to gain everyone's attention. "I have a surprise for all of you" he finished, giving us an over exaggerated wink.

Chase opened the large doors and leapt through them to face us, excitement glittering in his warm brown eyes.

"Last one there has to clean out Cobalt's stall for a week!" he announced to hurry us up.

He took off swiftly down the hallway, dragging Max, who had been standing on the side quietly minding his own business, along with him.

I looked around at the remaining bunch in surprise before locking eyes with Orpheus, I smiled widely at him before we both took off in a synchronised manner after Chase and Max, causing everyone to snap out of their surprise and follow after us.

We ran down the winding corridors laughing gleefully as each of us tried to sabotage the other. Our cheerful racket caused some other students to stop and stare at us as they tried to work out what all of the fuss was about, we even picked up a few more people as we ran, filling the echoing halls with even more joy and exhilaration.

Once we reached the dragon den, we regrouped before streaming through its large doors. Not expecting so many people to walk through the doors, Kai gasped loudly and dropped the water buckets that he was carrying, causing its contents to splatter everywhere.

He looked around at us all in curious disbelief as he used his elemental powers to make the water move back into the bucket.

"You're early," he said, raising one of his eyebrows at Chase.

"Sorry," he replied with a sheepish grin.

I looked around at the tinsel that Kai had begun to stick around the exit wall of the room.

"What is going on?" asked Verity.

"We're all going to our very own winter wonderland" announced Max, exchanging a knowing glance with Kai.

"Yes, We have found a perfect spot up in the mountains" Added Kai.

"So everyone, prepare your dragons," began Chase in excitement "You're about to have the best Christmas ever!" he screamed, earning a loud cheer from us in response.

I called Obsidian who was currently around the size of a large horse, he ran obediently to my side and greeted me with joy as all of the other dragons ran to their riders.

"Cobalt!" called Chase encouragingly when his dragon didn't appear with the others.

The blue dragon stumbled around the corner and scurried towards Chase, slipping clumsily into the leftover decorations as he ran. He immediately became tangled in tinsel and thrashed around in panic.

"Someones optimistic" laughed Kai as the dragon began to puff small flames in an effort to singe his festive prison.

Chase sighed and began to move towards the dragon but stopped in his tracks when Cobalt started trying to bight through the built-up layers of tinsel.

"STOP...Don't eat that!" Exclaimed Chase, causing a panicked Cobalt to stop thrashing about to stare at him, tilting his head to the side slightly, "You might get... Tinselitus" he said, barely finishing his sentence before bursting into laughter.

Cobalt narrowed his eyes at Chase and huffed loudly which only caused Chase's laughter to grow. We all laughed at Chase's stupid joke and his gleeful laughter as he untangled Cobalt merrily, leaving a ring of decorative silver tinsel loosely around his neck

We all vaulted onto our dragons, some of us doubling up to carry the non-dragon riders.

"Let's go" shouted Chase, edging Cobalt on to lep over the edge and soar up to the clouds.

Obsidian and I followed alongside everyone else and glided steadily through the fluffy clouds and crisp morning air.

The sound of Christmas bells, overjoyed singing and delightful laughter filled my ears as we flew, reminding me of how lucky I was to have found all of these people who were no longer just my friends, but my family.

😁🎉💜

💕😊