"Come back to us, child. It is not your time yet." He turned to Sebastian beside him. "I want you to take her hand in yours. Tell her she is protected and will be safe. Her soul is at a crossroads, and she will be able to sense if you have doubts."
"But she's not moving or breathing."
"Soon you will believe, child. For now you must trust me."
Sebastian forced himself to ignore the burning sensation in his neck from the Kylo's mark. He clasped both of Sara's hands between his and bowed his head. He tried with all his strength to block out the muffled thumping and flashes from above. He stood patiently pouring his love through his hands and into Sara, but nothing happened. Sara's face whitened until it matched the ice-covered walls.
Father Christmas placed his hand on top of Sebastian's. Finally Sebastian spoke through his sobs. "Sara, you have to come back to me. You are my best friend and always look out for me."
"Now is the time to reveal yourself, Lord," Father Christmas whispered.
Slowly the thumping from above faded, and the cold room warmed ever so slightly. The pain in Sebastian's body faded, and he felt movement between his hands. He opened his eyes to find Sara staring back up at him.
"I'll always look after you," she whispered.
They embraced, their tears mixed on their cheeks. The flashes of battle still came from above, but the sound seemed distant. Sebastian looked over to see Father Christmas kneeling next to one of the wolves. His gaze was turned toward the heavens again. He saw Father Christmas whisper the words, "Thank you."
"Where's Capri?" Sara whispered, her voice still weak.
"I don't know," Sebastian replied. "All I know is you're safe, and I'm not letting you run back up there. We've done all we can. Capri's friends arrived, and he has a chance now."
Father Christmas cut in. "Hope rose when Capri's tribe arrived, but they cannot defeat the Kylo."
Sara slowly sat up, holding her head. "There must be something we can do. Come on, Sebastian. Capri was wrong. There's a reason we all crossed paths. There's a reason you get A's all the time in school. That's your gift. Think."
"I'm so tired. I don't know what to think anymore," he said.
Father Christmas spoke. "I have prayed many years for a sign, young one. I tried to help in the past, but Capri asked me not to get involved. I cannot force someone to believe what I do. I ultimately realized it was my duty to protect anyone who came to me and asked for help."
"Such as the gnomes?" Sebastian asked.
"Yes, such as the gnomes," Father Christmas replied.
"You have to do something!" Sara shouted.
"I am," Father Christmas said. "I promised Capri I would care for you."
"No, Sara's right. There's a reason we're all here." Sebastian walked over to the sleeping polar bear, who seemed oblivious to the noise of battle. He stroked the hibernating creature's head. Sebastian spoke without looking up from the bear. "Father Christmas, what is it that separates you from the elves? How were you able to protect us from the Kylo with just a word, whereas Capri had magical weapons and a flying ship, but in the end he failed?"
Father Christmas nodded. "The elves do not remember a time, eons ago, where they were part of something else, something greater. Time and chance have since washed their memory. The elves and I respect one another but have different beliefs. They think all paths lead to the same place."
"I've heard that before," Sebastian said. "And you don't believe that."
"No, I do not." Father Christmas paused. "But I have to respect their right to choose their beliefs."
"Even if they’re wrong?"
Father Christmas walked over and knelt down beside the boy. "Go on, child."
"From what I've seen, all paths don't simply end in the same place with separate journeys, like Capri believes. Right now, this time and this place is where all paths cross."
"Cross?"
"They cross at your doorstep, Father Christmas. This is where you need to show them your way."
"I don't kn—"
"Father Christmas, I watched Capri fight with all his strength to no end. Then that Kylo grasped onto Sara's leg and you simply told it no, and it couldn't touch her again. The power you wield dwarfs anything I've ever seen." Sebastian stood up. "I agree with you that people have the right to believe what they want, but they are making decisions without seeing all the evidence. It's time you showed them."
Father Christmas sat in silence, contemplating Sebastian's words. After a minute, he slowly rose and looked toward the ceiling. He paced around the room and chuckled to himself, which turned into a deep laughter. "Sebastian, my prayers are always answered, but each time the response is different. Sometimes I receive answers from angels who appear in my dreams, but tonight I received my solution from the lips of a child."
He turned to Sara. "You have done your part and now must rest. The snow wolves will stay and keep you safe. Come, Sebastian, we will check on Capri. It is time to help the elves."
Father Christmas grabbed a walking staff from the side of his throne and strode hand-in-hand with Sebastian back up the steps toward the surface. Time seemed to slow as the noise and explosions grew louder. The image of the Kylo feeding on Sara's life energy affected Sebastian's pace. He remembered the Kylo's words to him—You will be next—and started to pull away.
Father Christmas turned and knelt down beside the young boy. "Sebastian, I cannot guarantee your safety, but I cannot do this alone. I know that now."
Sebastian calmed himself, trying to separate the fear from the moment. "Let's do this," he said, trying to sound as brave as he could.
They continued climbing and came out from the hidden exit. In front of them, the massive battle continued. The sky was lit by multi-colored flares. Waves of blue green water lapped up onto the path. Three narwhals broke the surface of the water only a few feet away. They seemed to be chased by something from within the ocean depths. Three ships floated around the base of the glacier, while several others drifted half-sunken in the bay. Their hulls were riddled with small holes surrounded by black burn marks.
Thousands of Kylo dotted the horizon as blazes of arrows shot skyward from varying points along cliffs, caves, and any piece of ice that offered protection. Father Christmas walked past a group of six battle-weary elves. They were all men with either long blond or brown hair and were dressed in dark, earth-colored cloaks similar to Capri's. If Sebastian had not spent so much time with Capri, he would have thought all the elves looked alike with their big eyes and sharp features.
The elves saw the two of them and acknowledged Father Christmas with a nod. The tallest one, who appeared to be the group leader, spoke. "All Father, I am regretful our battle has taken place over your fair house."
"Nonsense, Caspar. I know you had no choice in this."
"It does not look well for us. We are outnumbered. The Kylo disease has spread and infected more creatures than we had anticipated. I am sorry to say that if we fall, they may move on to your beloved humans next."
"Yes, the hatred has grown strong in them," Father Christmas said. "There is little consciousness left. But have faith, Caspar—they have no authority over my flock. I will pray for you during this dark hour. Come, Sebastian, we have work to do."
Father Christmas walked upright, while the elves scrambled to find cover. He led Sebastian around a bend and behind an enormous outcropping of ice. Sebastian crouched down as low as he could behind Father Christmas's long blue robe. They were in a small alleyway with high, jagged walls of ice on three sides. It was a perfect place for an ambush from above or behind.
Father Christmas tapped his staff against the wall in front of them. Nothing happened for long moments, but finally Sebastian heard scratching, like hundreds of sheets of paper being torn at once. The wall parted in front of them to reveal a perfectly carved ice stairwell.
"Come, young one. The moment for your wisdom is at hand. We must try to end this madness."
"What are you going to do?"
he asked.
"I do not know, child. I am only a tool, a conduit. Something will be done, and I know you still must play a role in this. Take my hand and let us finish this."
The steep climb winded Sebastian, who barely kept up with his guide. They reached the top of a cliff, and Sebastian witnessed a chaotic scene from his darkest nightmares. The elves fought with glowing colorful spears, swords, bows, and crossbows from the decks of their ships and on the ground. Each time an arrow flew, Sebastian felt a brief moment of warmth, but each time a Kylo flew near them, he felt a gust of cold wind whip through his cloak and chill his heart.
Father Christmas spoke in a cold, sad tone. "What do you see when you look upon this destruction?"
"I've never witnessed anything like this before." Sebastian gasped. "I've seen pictures and footage of old wars on TV, but this is so different."
"Nay, child. All wars are the same because their formula is the same. They are all caused by varying levels of hatred, ignorance, and fear." With that, Father Christmas raised his staff and shouted, "This ends now!"
The sound of his voice was drowned out by ice cliffs collapsing in the distance, a flying galleon crashing into the ocean, and screams from Kylo being destroyed.
Father Christmas smiled at the boy and spoke again in a whisper. "This ends now."
This time his voice was like thunder, and the vibration, or pure emotion of it, permeated every living and non-living thing in the Arctic. Waves crashed, the glacier shook and the sky flashed with a blinding white light.
For brief moments, the colorless radiance acted like an x-ray, and Sebastian could see through everything. He peered down into the ice beneath his feet where Sara lay on the table with the snow wolves pacing around her in a protective circle. The wolves and Sara then changed into pure light. Sara's was bright white, while the wolves transformed into shades of yellow. Sebastian turned his gaze back up to the smoke and destruction of the battle, but instead saw what appeared to be torchlights in the distance, scattered over the cliffs and water. Patches of dark sky seemed to fade away. An instant later, the flash of light collapsed in upon itself and disappeared. The smoke and destruction all came back into focus along with the sound of piercing screeches.
It was the Kylo.
Father Christmas and Sebastian stood alone on top of the cliff, surrounded by light that emanated power, energy, and sustenance. Within seconds, the thousands of attacking Kylo merged together into an enormous ball of darkness. The wailing croaking voices of the Kylo fused into one low, guttural sound that kept repeating the same word over and over, each time getting louder and louder.
"Ragnarok."
"Ragnarok."
"Ragnarok."
"Ragnarok."
The mass of Kylo rose into the sky, casting a shadow over the already darkened bay. They slithered across the heavens and transformed into a dragon, a gigantic black dragon with wings that spanned at least a mile across. The dragon's eyeless sockets burned with fire as red as blood. This same fire poured from its mouth like acid and down upon the glacier. Steam lifted as ice peaks melted away in seconds. The dragon beat its wings, and elves were thrown into the sea. The wind sent the two remaining flying ships crashing into the side of a glacier. Shining elven arrows and spears continued to rain upon the beast, but they seemed to dim and fade away like a dream. There was nothing in the world at that moment except the dragon and the two figures that stood upon the mountaintop, defying the beast.
The dragon spoke with a sound made up of a thousand croaking voices. "We must feed." The creature circled the harbor, flying just above the water. It picked up speed and raced toward the mountaintop. Toward Father Christmas and Sebastian.
Sebastian's neck exploded with pain. He felt like ice flowed through his veins, and when he looked at his hands, he could see they were darkening.
Father Christmas held his staff above his head with both hands. "You are nothing but a shadow of what you once were."
The dragon reached the base of the cliff and started its ascent straight up. Sebastian could feel the wind and the cold fire approaching. In front of him was a creature large enough to swallow a house with one bite, but Father Christmas's words held up—have faith. Sebastian repeated the words to himself over and over.
Father Christmas held the staff horizontal to the ground. He handed the staff over to Sebastian and said, "It's time for them to see the light."
Sebastian grabbed the staff and raised it up. Suddenly the pain in his neck flared beyond anything imaginable. He'd never known pain like this existed. He realized the pain was connected to, and intensified by, the staff.
The dragon was now four wing-beats away from them. A steely, cold voice screamed, "Submit, and the pain will stop."
Sebastian turned and faced the dragon.
Three beats.
"Give in!" the dragon howled.
Two beats.
"No!" Sebastian screamed.
And with that, Sebastian shattered the staff on the mountaintop. The antique wood crumbled into powder in his hands. Fine particles seemed to fall down harmlessly on the ground, but then rose up and swirled around them like water circling a drain. The dust glittered and turned into a whirlwind.
Sebastian shut his eyes and grasped at Father Christmas' cloak. The next instant the dragon struck and swallowed them whole.
Chapter Thirteen
Resolution
The pain in Sebastian's neck disappeared. In fact, he felt nothing. He could neither hear nor smell anything. It has to be a dream, he thought. If he opened his eyes, would he wake up in bed, or was he dead?
Finally, Father Christmas spoke. "Sebastian, do not be afraid. Look."
Sebastian opened one eye and then the other. He let go of Father Christmas's robe but held onto his aged hand as tight as he could. They had been swallowed by the dragon and were inside its belly. Pure darkness surrounded them. He choked, feeling as if something was trying to suck the air out from his lungs. His heart raced and tears flowed from his eyes, but finally he regained a steady breath.
The dust whistled around them and glowed like a white-hot flame. The cliff top was gone, and in its place was a small platform of ice barely enough for the two of them to stand upon. They floated in the air and slowly moved down a murky tunnel. Out of the shadows, even darker faces appeared. It looked as if they were trapped behind plastic walls. One creature's bald head and pointed ears stretched against the pitched barrier, trying to break through. The voices were not the croaking sounds of the Kylo shouting for their destruction, but calls for their help.
"Help us," they hissed. "We need freedom from this prison."
"What is that thing?" Sebastian shouted.
"These poor creatures," Father Christmas said. "This is their true nature. They need a path to redemption."
The ice platform stopped. They floated in the darkness of the beast's belly like a jellyfish on the ocean's surface. "It is time to bring them back to the world, don't you agree, young one?"
"How?"
"With the most powerful weapons ever created—love and forgiveness." Father Christmas raised his hands in the air and spoke with a voice that sounded as if it were filtered through a harp. "Release your pain. Accept the hand stretching out to you."
With a clap of his hands, the dragon exploded into scarlet flames. An instant later, Sebastian found himself back on the cliff top standing next to Father Christmas. He heard animal screams as shadows flew in every direction.
The dragon had been slain and its collection of prisoners scattered. The elves had regrouped at the base of the cliff to make their last stand. None of them fired weapons but instead watched the transformation unfold. Some of the Kylo fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Their bodies started to take different shapes and regain a grayish color. Others flew in the air, attacking and devouring each other in a wild, rabid frenzy.
"What's happening?" Sebastian shouted.
"They were offered something other than pain and suffering.
"
"What?"
"Forgiveness." Father Christmas turned to Sebastian. "It will be difficult, but each has a choice in front of them. If they choose the path of love, it will lead them back to the light." He pointed to a grayish creature rolling around on the ice. "Like this one, they have made a choice for life."
"Then why is it in so much pain?"
"The darkness will not release them freely. The pain is a byproduct of this. If they make it through the night, then they may yet survive."
"What about those two?" Sebastian asked, pointing toward two Kylo attacking each other in the sky.
"They feed on each other because their inner struggle drives them to madness. They are lost. Come, there is nothing else we can do for them. There are wounded to attend to, and we need to check on Sara."
"What about Capri?"
"I pray he is safe. In time, we may learn." Father Christmas turned his gaze toward the hundreds of elves far below them. They were all kneeling in reverence. He shouted from the cliff top. "Bring the injured and come with us!"
Clouds parted as Father Christmas shone with an aura about him like a star transplanted on earth. Sebastian and the elves followed him back down the stairwell and into the great hall, where Sara waited for them. The two wolves rushed over to Father Christmas' side, sniffing as if to make sure he was not hurt.
Gnomes rushed into the hall, carrying bandages, potions, and bags of herbs. They brought thick carpets covered with intricate designs, which they spread out on the cold floor for the wounded. Hundreds of elves rushed in from the stairwell. They all seemed to know who the children were, and those not injured bowed to them as they passed. The gnomes, speaking in their own quiet language, managed to point and direct the injured to different areas depending on their injuries.
Father Christmas watched as the last of the elves entered the hall. "Lay them down, and let us see how we can help," he said.
The elves did as they were instructed while the gnomes carried in a small stone cauldron. Different gnomes approached the cauldron and poured flasks of deep red wine into it.
The Grotto Under the Tree Page 9