Festive Frights

by CW Publishing House

  The time was coming to do what he had been raised to do. War was inevitable, and despite his reservations about the event, it would do Astor no good to show any hesitation. He stroked his hand along the loose gravel and picked up the blue dirt, rolling it through his fingers. He understood the consequences of leaving Frictous on Earth, yet taking one of the few things that made humans happy would be devastating. Frictous would not come willingly, and Astor feared for the innocent lives that would be lost.

  Astor wished he could experience just one of Frictous’ Christmases and relish in the feeling of being human, but since Frictous left Koptas, the doors to Earth had been closed. Astor could do no more than watch over him from afar as one of the appointed assessors preparing for the great day.

  ***

  The day Frictous left, the skies surrounding Koptas turned a pale shade of red, and the land slowly decayed, becoming a dark blue. It didn’t take long before their crops began to die and life expectancy dramatically decreased. They adapted as best they could, setting up greenhouses to grow food and scavenging the universe for things that would help sustain them. But it was evident they needed Frictous to return. He was the only immortal who harbored Kopta’s life-force. When he departed, the day his beloved Magenta died, his grief didn’t allow him to look back. In his mind, his responsibility was vanquished when the gods refused to make Magenta immortal to rule by his side. Watching her body decay destroyed the remains of Frictous’ heart, and he no longer cared for the fate of his home.

  It was often questioned why no one went after Frictous as soon as they noticed the devastation left in his wake. But as stories tell it, one can’t simply go after the immortal one. If they had any hope of saving Koptas, it would take time.

  It had now been two hundred years since Frictous departed, and the terrible time was near. The planet had been estimated to survive for only fifty years more without a heart, so now it was time to reveal their hand and bring Frictous back.

  When Frictous lay Magenta down and returned her body to the earth from whence she came, he buried her alone with a vial of his own blood. He placed it between her entwined fingers and promised her he would love her for all eternity. His tears splashed over her crimson dress, and his hair turned white as grief overtook him. He left nothing to signify her grave and fled in the night, using the one gift only he held in his power.

  His interplanetary portal was one of only nine in their universe. When arriving on a planet, he was bound by the rules of its gods and had been encouraged to abide for the sake of peace. When Frictous first landed on Koptas, he knew it would be home; its energy field sang to him, and he wandered through life untainted—until he found love. Magenta’s laugh had been infectious, and she could fill a room with her magnetism. She hadn’t seemed intimidated by the great Frictous, he who brought power to the planet after Hermauos had left. Their union had been as equals; they were destined to be together.

  Despite many nights of long, lustrous passion, they’d been unable to produce a child. This led the gods to their decision not to make Magenta immortal, which resulted in the death of Frictous’s only love.

  When Frictous landed on Earth, it was the only planet exempt from the Law of the Nine. Unlike the other planets, Earth was self-sustaining and didn’t need his life-force—something he was no longer willing to give at his own expense. The race had already established itself and was thriving—if one could call it that. He secretly hoped that, by staying on earth, his life-force would somehow dwindle and die. He had no desire to exist anymore and cared little if that also meant his own demise. As he wandered around his new surroundings, the darkness he saw astonished him—something that reflected his own soul.

  The sky was marbled and the streets were bare. The little life he saw existed in humans scurrying around, terrified of something. Frictous stood out. He wore a full robe of gold and red, and his grief-stricken hair contrasted starkly against the dull sky. Frictous held his staff and tapped it firmly to the ground, resulting in a quick replay of the last twenty years. With two more taps, the vision stopped, and Frictous was stunned at what he had seen.

  An unimaginable evil had consumed the planet. How had no one known about this? he wondered. Earth was under the protection of the universe and its nine life-forces, dripping help and guidance when needed. It seemed strange that Earth had been neglected, and Frictous did not remember the last time he himself checked in on the planet. It was now a stark, miserable shell of its former glory.

  Frictous scoffed at the irony, wondering if this sad comparison was what had drawn him here in the first place. Full of rage, he bent down on one knee and summoned the strength of his fathers. His staff doubled in size and sent out a beacon of light, calling for the evil to answer to him.

  Nothing.

  Months of searching led Frictous north through uninhabitable terrain. Though he could protect himself from the harsh, bitter weather, he chose to endure the wrath of winter and relished in feeling the misery on his body like he felt in his heart. His journey led him to vast, underground tunnels, unlike anything he could have imagined. The lack of air and foul smells offended his every breath. Decay and death lay everywhere, and people scurried, scavenging for food or sanity—Frictous wasn’t sure which. Deadly screams rose from deep within the structure, but Frictous pressed on, having turned his robe into a suitable swath of dirty cloth to make him blend in as he made his way deeper. After endless bribery, Frictous finally found him.

  Radick didn’t like to be disturbed by anyone. He was not accustomed to seeing new faces, and when he looked up from his feast, he shot daggers at the intruder before his eyes grew wide with recognition. He dropped the femur bone, now half-eaten, leaving streaks of blood across his face. The leg had been ripped from the body of a child, who lay on the table before him.

  The young boy’s vacant stare buried into Frictous’ mind, and he managed to hold his stomach as he took in the horrifying scene.

  “Well, what’s this? Could it really be one of the nine gracing me with their presence?”

  Frictous was frustrated that this thing seemed to know who he was, yet this vile person was not familiar to him. “And whose presence do I now stand before?” Frictous asked. He dared not use his staff to enlighten him; he wanted to stand reserved and not reveal any of his strength to this cretin.

  “Oh, now you offend me, Frictous. You come into my house unannounced and claim to not know the mighty Radick?”

  Frictous instantly recognized the name but gave no clue as to the shock it registered. “This is not your home. This is Earth, the untouched planet in our universe. I demand to know why you are here, destroying the land and feeding on humans.”

  “Why, Frictous, brother, I could very well ask you the same. If Earth is so sacred, enlighten me as to why you stepped foot on it.”

  Frictous knew the answer to that question, but Radick never would. He called the creature’s bluff, hoping to rid the planet of this dark evil without needing to draw on the strength of the nine.

  “Your presence here has been registered. It is only a matter of time until you are removed. I suggest you depart now.”

  “Is that so, my friend? Yet you seemed so surprised to see me.” Radick let out a high-pitched squeal, delighting in the fun of catching Frictous in a lie. “Care to join me for dinner?” Radick reached down and plunged his spiny fingers into the young boy’s flesh, plucking out an eyeball and offering it to Frictous in the palm of his ashen hands.

  “You are breaking every law of our universe. You can’t expect me to turn a blind eye to this.”

  “The way I see it, we can share.” Radick jumped on his chair in a playful bounce, resting on his long, scrawny limbs and delighting in the realization that Frictous was either deviant or outcast. “You could have the south, I could have the north. No one need know we ever crossed paths. How does that sound?”

  Frictous jerked his head in kind consideration of this generous offer before lifting his staff and plunging it in
to the floor in the center of the room.

  The staff pierced the ground with ease, and a swell of light emanated up to the bulbous handle. Frictous waited for the pure energy of the nine to radiate out, but the light diminished and Frictous stood wondering what had happened.

  Raddick found his confusion very entertaining, laughing and squealing, making him even more annoying. Frictous had had enough of this cretin and decided to test if his own capabilities were intact. He sent a bolt of power aimed at Raddick’s chest. It hit the being hard, knocking him to the ground. Still laughing, Raddick rolled over and made a strange squealing sound. Out of nowhere swarmed over a dozen new, nasty creatures, snarling at him from all corners of the room.

  It had been a long time since Frictous had had to fight, but he had grief and sadness running through him. He knew he was strong, though he had little patience for conflict. He decided to try negotiating with Raddick one more time.

  “You know you are no match for me. Why don’t you just leave, so I don’t have to kill you?”

  “I may be no match for the power of the nine, but the way I see it, there is just one lonely old fool standing before me. I think I like the odds.” Raddick nodded, sending the other cretins scurrying towards the newcomer.

  Frictous blocked each blow, sending the creatures flying through the air as he picked them off one by one. Frictous was three times the size of these things, but they were quick. He felt the sting as a claw pierced his skin. One bit his thigh and another pulled hard on his hair. Sucking up another breath, he used his inner strength to propel the things off him, giving him a moment’s respite to re-focus.

  “Want to consider my proposal now?” Raddick squealed.

  “Sure. Come over here and we can hash out the details.”

  “I sense you’re not being entirely sincere in your dealings, Frictous.”

  With another nod of Raddick’s head, the assault resumed, but this time Frictous did not hold back. He tore apart the first goblin like it was nothing more than a stick of celery. Its guts exploded, sending blood and veins flying everywhere. His next attacker met the same fate, then the others backed away.

  “I will tell you one more time, Raddick. Be gone and leave these humans in peace.”

  Raddick simply hissed from the corner of the cave in which he cowered. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

  Relief flooded through Frictous, followed by an intense sadness at the sight of the broken young boy, dead and disregarded on the table. He took the boy’s remains out of the cave and chose a final resting place for the poor soul. His heart ached for all the misery Raddick had brought to Earth.

  Over the coming weeks, Frictous traveled the land, observing the fear and darkness instilled in the planet’s people. Raddick and his goons had done a good job of infecting this beautiful planet, and there was so much Frictous needed to do to help bring joy and peace back to Earth.

  He no longer had the support of the nine. As Raddick had pointed out, he was now an out-cast; his brothers would not aid him on his chosen path. He felt no remorse for leaving Koptas. Their gods had been cruel to him, and he felt he owed them nothing. He wasn’t the first of the nine to abandon a planet, and he knew he was not obliged to return. His actions were certainly questionable, but he decided to focus on his work here, instead.

  On his journey, Frictous found he enjoyed the bitter cold more than he expected. Koptas had always been a warm planet, and while he loved the feel of the sun on his skin, he found comfort in wrapping up and feeling the bite of the cold air against only his cheeks. He used the minimal power he had in his staff to observe humans around to world.

  They had no idea Raddick and his taunting ways were gone. They just cowered in their homes, afraid of the uncertainty. Frictous decided he needed to bring some cheer back into their lives. He summoned up a workforce of elves, who were only too happy to help him with his plan. They set up a factory in the north, far from civilization, and in time were ready to produce the gifts and toys to be delivered at Christmas. Frictous had seen that humans placed value on this event, but it lacked the certain sparkle Frictous believed could uplift the humans. With only one month to go before the relevant date, they really had to pull together to get everything ready in time.

  One elf told Frictous he should deliver the gifts himself, so he could really connect with the planet’s people and feel the spirit of giving. He considered this a great idea and had the elf create him a suitable suit.

  “I hereby name you the new ‘Father of Christmas,” said Chief Elf Glock.

  With that, Frictous tapped his staff against the beautiful wooden sleigh, and it sprung to life, full of gifts for everyone and ready to navigate the globe.

  After twenty-four hours of thankless work, Frictous returned to the north to settle down for the winter. The elves wanted to watch the humans reactions, so Frictous set his staff down, projecting out hundreds of images of people waking up on Christmas morning. Frictous himself couldn’t help but watch in delight. People were excited but confused. Gradually, they emerged from their homes, looking to their neighbors for explanation. There was none to be found, but people started to talk to each other again, and it was a step in the right direction.

  Over the years Frictous’ Christmases grew better and better. Joy was restored, and he was proud to say Earth had returned to its former glory. All it took was goodwill and kindness to reunite a broken planet. With a whole year to plan for each successive Christmas, the pressure was off momentarily, and Frictous enjoyed his sedentary life amongst the humorous elves. He never stopped longing for his lost love, Magenta, but he was as content as he could be.

  ***

  Astor watched, year after year, masking the smile he wanted to show for Frictous’ work on Earth. With no one stepping in to fuel Koptas, the only hope they had was to bring Frictous back, even against his will, in order to give life to their dying planet.

  Frictous really should have been commended for his work on Earth; his holiday tradition of delivering gifts had united a broken population. Each year, the holiday grew more exuberant and fun, and people shared the joy they felt, forgetting how bleak life had been before. But their ways also became more selfish, and Frictous started to feel his gift of giving had started to bring the worst out in humans. His frustrations intensified with his loneliness. Even after two hundred years, he missed Magenta so much.

  Astor could see Frictous had fallen into a sullen state. His depression caused the elders to decide it was time to strike. They wanted to catch Frictous at his weakest, and when Astor reported this to the council, it was with a heavy heart. Astor knew what was coming.

  Teegan rolled in the sand, stretching out his heavy limbs while twisting his body to rest his head next to Astor. Although Teegan was a big, strong creature, he was a softie and sometimes acted like a puppy to amuse Astor.

  “Are you ready for this? I heard the journey to Earth is not fun. You think you can handle the transition?”

  Teegan curled his body, pushing into an upright seated position. He stretched his neck long and proud, showing Astor his valor.

  “Well, tomorrow is the big day. We meet at the ravine at noon. Apparently, I’ll be briefed on the proceedings. I heard whispers of a secret weapon, too. I hope they go easy on him.”

  Teegan grunted. That was all the comfort Astor needed.

  The ravine was a large, vast space, acting as the portal when opened up by one of the nine. Diactus had instigated this plan as the son of Hermauos, who had failed Koptas once before. Once he knew he could assist in bringing life back to Koptas, he was only too willing to help. He was aware of Frictous’ great impact on Earth, as were all the nine, but Frictous had broken many rules to do what he did. While no one was against him, they also knew bringing him back was the right thing to do. Hermaous himself had approached the elders with his plan. It was obvious Frictous had laid down his bargaining chips, but he probably hadn’t bet on it taking this long for others to realize.

  Astor w
as surprised to see no one but Diactus at the ravine when he arrived, who greeted him warmly.

  “Where are my brothers in battle?” he asked the great Diactus.

  “This war is not a war for many, but a battle for one. I understand your life has been directed towards this very day, and a battle was planned many years ago until the elders made a discovery. Frictous buried a vile of his blood with Magenta. He knew his blood could give life back to her, provided their love was pure. There was always a chance it wouldn’t work. Frictous knew this, and also knows that true love’s bond cannot be identified after two hundred years. We found Magenta just in time, and the council contacted me in the hopes the nine would do their part.”

  Astor was dumbfounded by what he heard. He pieced the information together before reluctantly asking, “Is Magenta alive?”

  “I most certainly am, young Astor.”

  He turned to see Magenta standing before him. She was exactly what he had imagined from the stories, only she seemed more alive than even he felt himself. Her skin glowed with a radiant vibrancy. Her smile was genuine and could ease an army of men ready to wage war. Astor could see how Magenta had easily captivated Frictous, and his compassion for Frictous’ loss only intensified.

  “Is it really you?” he asked.

  “It’s hard for me to believe myself, but yes. I am here. My darling Frictous told me of the Nine’s ability to bring me back, but I never dared believe him. I was dying and had to respect the fact that my life was coming to an end. I think it was harder on him than it ever was on me. I accepted my fate but struggled with the pain it caused my love. Standing here now is so surreal. I only want to be held by Frictous again and feel his outpouring of love. Maybe then will I accept this is real.”