Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

Outside, the last traces of the party had been erased by the growing darkness. The whiskey bottle stood empty on the counter, witnessing the unravelling of one kind of love and the potential rebirth of another.

As Jaegar turned to leave, Diana called out softly, "Where will you go?"

He paused at the kitchen door, his silhouette outlined by the hallway light. "Back to the Empire. There are things I need to finish."

He glanced back at her, a sad smile touching his lips. "But I'll always come home, Mom. Just... maybe in a different way now."

As he walked away, Diana sank into a kitchen chair, her mind spinning with memories: the crying baby showing up on her doorstep, eventually accepted into the maical academy; the gradual shift from maternal love to something more complex; the years of hiding their true relationship from everyone, including Thomas, who had been her suitor before Jaegar entered her life.

She thought of Thomas, waiting patiently all these years, never fully understanding why she had chosen a much younger man over him. Would he understand any better if he knew the truth?

That she was not just Jaegar's aunt, but his woman, drawn into a world of magic and danger by her love for a boy who had needed her?

As the sound of Jaegar's footsteps faded away upstairs, Diana remained in the kitchen, surrounded by the remnants of the party and the echoes of a love that had been as magical as it was impossible.

Tomorrow, she would have to decide what to do about Thomas, about her life, about everything.

But for tonight, she sat in the darkness, remembering the boy she had taken in and the man who had just walked away, knowing that sometimes the greatest magic of all was knowing when to let go.

The moment Jaegar's boots touched the footpath outside the house, he disappeared with a sharp crack that echoed through the quiet street.

Diana, who had rushed out after a while. She stood there, barefoot on the frozen ground, tears rolling silently down her cheeks as the reality of his departure hit her anew.

Megan, who had been walking back toward her own house, saw Diana's distress and immediately rushed to her side. Without a word, she enveloped the woman in a tight embrace, offering what comfort she could. She didn't need to ask what had happened - the absence of Jaegar and Diana's tears told her everything she needed to know.

***

Miles away, as the sun dipped below the horizon and painted the sky in deep oranges and purples, a vast farm field stretched as far as the eye could see.

At its heart stood a weathered farmhouse, its wooden walls telling stories of generations past.

The pathway leading to the house had been meticulously cleared of snow, creating a stark line through the white expanse.

The air suddenly shimmered and crackled with magical energy, and Jaegar materialized out of thin air. His face was drawn, his eyes red-rimmed as he walked the path to the farmhouse door.

He didn't need to knock - the door swung open of its own accord, recognizing his magical signature.

Inside, the farmhouse was warm and inviting, with a fire crackling merrily in the chimney.

Angelina sat in an oversized armchair near the hearth, her long, dark hair gleaming in the firelight. The poison had taken a toll on her as she was starting to show her age. Her face showed a little wrinkle on her forehead and cheek.

Without a word, Jaegar crossed the room and knelt before her, laying his head on her thighs as the sobs he had been holding back finally broke free.

Startled by this uncharacteristic display of emotion, Angelina's hand automatically went to his hair, her fingers gentle as she asked, "What happened, Jaegar? Did anything happen to Diana?"

He felt like crying; a sorrow hidden deep inside him, made him want to choke his tears out. As soon as he saw Diana smiling at another man, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as the realization that his absence hadn't seemed to affect her hit him.

When he didn't respond, continuing to cry with the abandon of someone who had finally found a safe place to break, Angelina fell silent. She understood that sometimes, comfort didn't require words. She simply sat there, one hand stroking his hair while the other rested warm and steady on his shoulder, letting him expel his grief into the fabric of her skirt.

Finally, as his sobs subsided into quiet hiccups, Angelina asked again, her voice soft with concern. This time, Jaegar spoke, his voice rough from crying.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

He told her everything - the complicated nature of his relationship with Diana, how she had been both mother and lover, protector and protected. He spoke of the guilt he felt for the troubles she had faced because of him, the pain of seeing her with Thomas, and the impossible choice he had made to step away.

"She took me in when I was just a baby," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "She protected me, loved me, and risked everything for me. And how did I repay her? By going away from her, leaving her to face everything alone. By being jealous when she found comfort with someone else, even though I..." he trailed off, but Angelina could fill in the blanks.

Angelina listened without judgement, her hand never stilling in its comforting motion through his hair. She could see the depth of his pain, the conflict between his love for Diana and his recognition that perhaps the best thing he could do for her now was to let her go - at least in the romantic sense.

"You made your choice," she said finally, her voice gentle but firm. "It wasn't an easy one, but it was probably the right one. For both of you."

Jaegar nodded against her lap, knowing she was right but still feeling the acute pain of loss. In choosing to return to being Diana's son rather than her lover, he was attempting to simplify a relationship that had become impossibly complex. Yet the simplification itself was heartbreaking, a recognition that sometimes love alone wasn't enough to bridge the gaps between worlds, between ages, between the magical and the mundane.