Special Episode: New Year's Eve

The twenty-second chapter of the Crusaders of the Constellations Novel, it is after the Christmas Bazaar and is about how the heroes spend their New Year.

## Story

31st December 2014

After the last dimensional rescue mission, Ranald was well-regarded in the eyes of the AWCU students. On the Awards Day King Athos held in the Main Hall this morning (They had a break on the 30th of December to mark the success of all 12 end-of-month dimensional missions), Ranald, along with some of the students, received the 'Student of the Year' trophy. He made a speech about how whether you have powers or not doesn't define if you are a hero, but whether you are loving, brave, and kindly does define one. It made the students give him a standing ovation, though they still wondered if he can fight the Devourer of Worlds and win. "We're all in this together when it comes to defeating monsters that eat dimensions," Ranald said. "That's right. I will handle the logistics alongside a new employee," Husdent said, as Cerynitis appeared along with Samson. "That's right. Glad to know that you are getting along very well," Cerynitis said, as she allowed some students to pet her. Bai Tu slowly walked to the reindeer and stroked her head. "Awww..." Phrixus and Chrysomallos watched from afar as Husdent went off to find some meat to eat.

"Today is a half-day. Tomorrow, you can go visit your home dimensions, or stay here and have your leisure time. I hope to share a very important message regarding the year ahead after the New Year. Until then, don't worry too much, and have a well-deserved rest," King Athos said. He was wearing a sky blue robe trimmed with fur, was his Christmas present. "Maybe Santa is real, or maybe not, but it doesn't matter, as long as we're with our friends," Delmare said, as Bai Tu placed a whoopie cushion on Kibahime and Geri's seats.

Ranald and Phrixus chatted a bit about the plans for battling the Devourer of Worlds and his minions. While Kibahime and Geri were chasing Bai Tu around the Academy Building's hallways, they talked about the times in school with their friends and the rest of Ranald's guides. "Baby Little likes to see the fireworks. Are you free today?" Ranald asked. "Well, yes. Chysomallos is a bit skittish when it comes to loud noises. Let's have dinner first." They went to the Dining Hall of Aether World Cosmic University to have their dinner. Roka in his dragon form is gorging himself on grasshoppers, snails, and beetles. Ranald chose some adobo chicken and sat with his friends. They ate and shared their plans for the 1st of January with each other. Phrixus, Delmare, and Bai Tu plan to go back to their home dimensions. Kibahime preferred staying in the Hall of the Moon to write letters to her parents back in the dimension Geri comes from, which is based on horror films from East and West. Ranald decided to go back to Earth to visit his parents.

He talked with King Athos about his worries. "Ranald, we all had gone through suffering in life. I too, as you will soon learn about. Be prepared, but do not worry too much, for we will prepare for the final assault against the evil threatening all dimensions," he said. Ranald told Athos about the Christmas Bazaar he and his friends held to raise money for his Earth Parent's church. He also told him of his backstory: That Golden Heart and Hydara had to let their child Ra go to the human world when they saw that he died in his mother's womb, for they did not want their Earth Dimensional Mates to remain broken-hearted that their son has died. King Athos then told him to be grateful for what he has, and that he must remember to be positive even when facing trials and tribulations. Ranald thanked the king and went to join his friends to watch the fireworks display that Samson set up. As the fireworks lit up the night sky, Ranald met Mayari and Cerynitis. "Mayari wants to go back to Earth tomorrow with you. Would you like to let her?" Ranald nodded. They lit some lanterns that they wrote their wishes on, and let them float to Aether World's sky. They stayed up until 11 pm when Ranald decided to go to the Hall of the Sun to sleep. His friends begged him to stay for a while, but he told them that he has to rescue the spirits of children in Dreamland. They understood. At the Hall of the Sun, he washed up, changed into his pyjamas, and slept. As the Golden Griffin Warrior, Ra, he visited Dreamland to do his nightly duties of leading and protecting the good spirits of the children there. Bai Tu once asked him if spirits of children of Earth visit Dreamland. Ranald told him that children from all dimensions visit Dreamland when they sleep and that teenagers and adults have their own 'dreamscapes' that connect to Dreamland sometimes.

1st January 2015

Ranald packed up his stuff to visit Earth, and Mayari, who has prepared her belongings the night before, followed him into the Dimensional Shuttle. Some students like Anbesa and Arye were there. "Mom and Dad are glad that I am braver now. I'll be helping them do some pest control for the New Year Festival!" the lion said. "I hope that you would remain brave when we fight against the Devourer of Worlds together," Ranald said. As they sat down, Samson wished then a happy New Year from the driver's seat, and the Dimensional Shuttle took off. Along the way there, Ranald and Mayari chatted together about their time in AWCU. Mayari revealed that she lives in Manila and that she was tired of her boring life, and somehow, her foster mother arrived to give her the silver pendant. She admitted that she never disliked her Silver Deer Warrior form, but was afraid that it would be uncontrollable, so she barely transformed into it. It struck a chord with Ranald. Malvor claimed that he would one day harm his friends for having superpowers unlike his human form, but as it passed, he realized that it was a lie the sorcerer told to demoralize him. Malvor may as well be implying that his Golden Griffin Warrior form will one day be barely controllable because of his negative thoughts. But they brushed aside these thoughts and chatted some more. Then Samson teleported the Dimensional Shuttle to Earth.

Ranald brought Mayari to meet his parents Tithe and Belem. She noticed that their church was undergoing a repaint and that a new sports hall was being built in the school that Belem teaches in. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that we had a Christmas bazaar before the last Dimensional Mission. My friends did it to help raise money for my parents," Ranald said. Belem told Mayari (called Maya on Earth by her parents) that they managed to sell some of the things left behind from the bazaar to some of the people in the neighbourhood. "How are the children?" she inquired. "One was adopted yesterday by a widow. We do not have many people adopting from St Griffward's orphanage nowadays, except the widows and widowers, as well as those who come here from overseas to work." Buaya, as Carlos Matthew Santiago, was also there, since he works as a construction worker in his day job. It was break time, and he decided to join the chat. He asked Mayari about her parents. "They are quite busy with their work to take care of me and my adopted brother," she replied. Ranald was surprised, "Oh my Golden Stars! That means your mom knows us here!" "Yes, she would tell me the story of how she adopted him when I was seven years old," Maya said. "It's a small world after all..." Tithe jokingly sang. "And it will grow smaller even still," Belem chuckled.

After they talked for a while, Ranald brought Mayari to St Griffward Parish's orphanage to meet the children, who called him "Big Brother Ranald" and "Poppa Ranald." They were glad to see Mayari too, and they played games like tag, basketball, and hide and seek. Carlos Matthew revealed to Ranald's parents the stuff happening in the city near their town. He too attended church in the city, and it was in competition with a megachurch that many of St Griffward Parish's congregation now go to. "The pastors there wear skinny jeans. And the worship is similar to a rock concert! Too loud! I mean, my buddy once asked me if I want to go to the nightclub, I said, 'No please'. But he insisted, and I went so that I wouldn't disappoint him. We went to some modern building with neon lights, and everyone in there was dancing wildly. We joined in, and when the lights went off, turns out, we're in the megachurch!" he said. They were stunned. Mayari and her friend arrived and asked them when will the sports hall be completed. "In about two years, if I'm not mistaken," Carlos said.

In the evening, after being served some ice cream by Belem, they bade them goodbye as the Dimension Shuttle appeared again. "We'll see you again soon!" After they left, Matthew told Ranald's parents to be alert for any of the locals who want to lynch them and advised them to call him and Lobong Ligaw if trouble happens.

At Aether World Cosmic University, Ranald and Mayari updated their friends about the St. Griffward Parish. "A sports hall? Cool, I can run there all I want!" Bai Tu shouted. "Nice to know that they are using their funds to improve the school," Delmare said. "Wait, what about the orphanage you told me about?" Phrixus asked. Ranald was about to answer when Samson and Kanya arrived. "I saw the renovations for St Griffward Parish, and methinks that the orphanage needs some sprucing up!" he said. "True. I'll see what we can do when we talk to King Athos and the rest of the architecture students. It may turn out great," Kanya said. Ranald's face lit up, and he asked the students if they are looking forward to 2019. 'Yes, of course. Time to work hard to save the universe!' Baby Little said telepathically to Ranald. "I'm as ready as ready would ever be!" Delmare exclaimed, leaping into the air like a dolphin would do from the waters when happy. "We're gonna race forward to the future, and nothing can stop us," Bai Tu said. "Come rain or shine, we'll stay together!" Phrixus said while hugging Chrysomallos. The winged golden ram bleated. "We ain't giving up, but we're going to press on to it," Kibahime said as she twirled around, her blonde hair brushing against Delmare. "It will be bright as the sun and moon, wouldn't you say, Ranald?" Mayari asked him. "That's Golden!" he replied. "At least you are aware now that we're all in this together," Kanya said, as Samson told them that it's a good thing that they enjoyed the holidays. They went to the café to eat their dinner and tell Cassiopeia about what happened.

As they went off to their Halls for bed, Ranald figured out that whatever King Athos planned to say tomorrow would be serious and important, and thus, he told Baby Little that he would not be afraid of what is to come. He went to the Hall of the Sun to wash up and have a goodnight's sleep, and while his human body rests, to go to as the Golden Griffin Warrior to guard and guide the children's spirits in Dreamland with his Dreamland parents.