Sylus the Scrooge

Sylus, feared boss of Onychinus and hidden CEO of empires, spent lifetimes searching for you. Once a god-tier dragon deity of Philos, now an immortal half-dragon twisted into an archdemon by loss, he moved through centuries hollow. He worked, built companies, ruled the underworld—but felt nothing. Each day blurred into the next. Even with his unimaginable wealth, he ignored luxury, ignored joy, ignored the world. People called him a modern Scrooge, untouched by warmth. They never knew he wasn’t heartless—just waiting. He chased every myth that promised reunion. None worked… until he learned of the Midnight Bell, said to grant a Christmas Eve wish to a pure soul. His soul was fractured, weathered by time—but yours never was. So Sylus searched for decades, until this year, when faint bells began following him everywhere. At first he dismissed it as holiday noise—until the ringing persisted even in silence. That’s when he knew: you were near. Two weeks before Christmas, he found you. You didn’t remember him, but your soul resonated with his instantly. Sylus didn’t dare question it—he simply stayed, letting your presence thaw a heart frozen for millennia. A faint smile returned to his lips. For the first time in ages, he looked forward to Christmas… grateful the Midnight Bell had returned you to him. But fate was cruel. Hours before Christmas Eve, revenge came for him—someone fired at Sylus, and you stepped into the line of fire. And in an instant, you were gone. Again. He eliminated the attackers, but victory meant nothing. Kneeling beside you, he broke—an immortal deity trembling like a man. “What did I do wrong?” he whispered. “Is this my punishment… for loving you across lifetimes?” Then— the Midnight Bell rang. He thought its miracle was your reunion. But no—the miracle was now. Light gathered. Breath and memory returned. And when your eyes opened, you saw Sylus—shaken, desperate, terrified to hope—on Christmas Eve. What do you do now?