A Holiday Adventure - 6. Saiblene's First Blow

"Why have you summoned me?"

"I haven't the strength to make it to my castle, my Lord."

A gnarled claw-like finger extended from the sleeve of the black cloak, and a faceless, raspy, deep voice spoke.

"Your castle does not exist. Now, let me return to my slumber. Because of your unforgivable failure in killing Claus and the Sparkle Fairies, my dominion over the magical beings of the North Pole and humanity has been greatly diminished."

"My Liege, I failed to rid the world of Claus, but I did extinguish the Sparkle Fairies. They are no more."

Saiblene shrieked and howled in pain when a lightning bolt thrown from the dark one's extended finger struck her as the cloaked figure's growling, rage-filled voice made her ears bleed.

"Do you take me for a fool? My power may be severely compromised, but I can still turn you to dust and will do so should one more lie escape your vile mouth."

"I never lied, Master. To my kin, there are no Sparkle Fairies left in existence. My Sabertooth Mammoth Hounds saw to that."

"Those mangy mongrels failed in their task. I can feel the presence of one, and it is here in the North Pole."

"Oh, merciful Spirit, you must allow me to make things right and restore your dark reign once more."

"Even if I could, I would not restore you to your full strength because of your disgraceful defeat. As it stands, I am only able to give you enough vitality to sustain life for one day at most. You shall have no powers over the ice and snow, just your natural abilities to control what devious sprites and beings of evil mischief still exist and your kin of potions, powders, and spoken magic."

"I am grateful for anything you can bestow upon me, Sire."

"As well you should be. Heed this warning, no matter how successful you are in your endeavor as the moon rises on tomorrow’s eve, you shall become dust and ashes and float away with the blowing winter wind."

Without another word, smoke and fire surrounded Saiblene, and her tortured cries echoed through the cavern as the wrinkled flesh melted into the ground and fresh skin covered the once brittle bones. Not wasting any time, the Sorceress unearthed the bones of her most fearsome and deadly hound. She chanted in an ancient evil language, and a massive, sharp-fanged, black-fur-covered, blazing red-eyed creature of hell and destruction was reconstituted. It reared up on its hind paws, raised its head with saliva dripping from its teeth, and released a howl so powerful it quaked the cavern walls.

"Go, find the last Sparkle Fairy, tear its limbs off, and feast upon its dead carcass."

The glowing-eyed beast sniffed the air and bounded up the icy steps.

"Sprites and Gremlins of the darkness, let yourselves revel and savor in all the pain, suffering, and devious mischief you can bring forth upon the Claus and Frost clans."

Saiblene cackled as she climbed the steps she created and began gathering ingredients for a special pie she'd bake, specifically for Santa Claus' consumption.

*****

Halfway between the house and the workshop, Reilly's eyes sparkled with playfulness as he made a snowball and hurled it at Kris.

When the cold ball splattered against the elf's back, he turned to face the doubled-over, laughing human, licked his lips, and grinned. "Oh, it's on," the elder playfully growled.

Reilly yelped when he was bombarded with snowballs. He hurriedly formed balls and returned fire.

"You're gonna hafta do better than that, elf guy."

The almost mid morning air filled with the pair's giggles, squeals, and hollered threats of retaliation.

"Ok, time for you to go down, little man."

Reilly gasped while turning to run, but the elf was faster than he anticipated. In seconds, he was tackled and pinned face down in the snow. His arms and legs flailed in the snow, and he squealed when Kris's ice-cold hands slid under the layers of clothing and pressed against his bare skin.

"Let's see if this has the same effect on you that it does on Nicky."

Kris chuckled. His fingers wiggled and kneaded between and along the trapped human's rib cage. Instantly, screeching laughter poured from Reilly as his fists and boot-covered feet pounded and kicked the ground.

"Hey, Kiddo, guess you're just as ticklish as your mate, aren't ya?"

The wild laughter kept words from being uttered.

"What about here?"

The playful elf's hands traveled up, and his fingers danced along the damp, hairy hollows of his victim's armpits. He was happy to discover another tickle spot on his newly acquired boy, and Kris loved hearing the boyish giggles caused by his tickling.

"Give up?"

Reilly giggled while nodding. He sighed happily when the taller being's muscular arms wrapped around him, pulling his body onto his lap and cradling him in a loving embrace.

"You, my young human, have a playful and loving spirit. I am grateful and overjoyed that you and Nicky found each other."

They kissed one another's cheeks, got to their feet, and continued walking to the workshop.

"Boss, I'm so glad you're here. It's been a crazy morning. Everything was working fine, then, for no understandable reason, the duplicator machine and computer screens started smoking and went kaboom. We've been trying to fix everything, but... Oh, hi, you must be Reilly. I'm Gabby. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we become fast friends because Nicky's one of my favorite people in the North Pole. He's kept me out of trouble when my mouth ran away from my brain's censorship."

Kris and a giggling Reilly looked at each other before the elf placed his hands on Gabby's shoulders and said, "Gabby, Calm down. Then, take a couple deep breaths, slow your speech down, and instead of speaking in Gabese, use English to tell us what happened."

Reilly laughed and shook his head when the animated green-haired elf blushed while doing as requested.

Gabby was about to start talking when an alarm sounded, and someone shouted, "We've been invaded by dark sprites and gremlins."

Kris jumped into action. He retrieved his suspended animation ray from his shoulder holster, powered it on, and pulled Reilly and Gabby, who brandished his ray gun, into his office. "Stay here, and don't open the door unless it's me. Gabby, keep Reilly safe."

The human and elf were glued to the window as they peered through the blinds at the devastating destruction happening in the main work area of the shop.

*****

At the theater, everyone rushed around, getting things in place for the dress rehearsal. Stella and Gregario Glacier, the elf cast as Augustus P. Tavish, were on stage running through the scene where Anna Claus finds the reindeer have been deer napped.

"But you'll be ruining Christmas," Stella cried in despair and concern.

Gregario sat on the sleigh's bench and squealed as he jumped back up, rubbing a newly formed wet spot on his rear end.

"Cut! Greg, what's wrong?"

"There's ice cubes on the bench, Max."

Suddenly, someone yelped as they straightened up and rubbed the spot on their ass where the reindeer known as Blitzen had just nipped them.

"What in the name of Christmas is going on around here," Max cried out as he tossed papers into the air.

"Ice Cone," Nicky firmly called out. "Come here, now."

The reindeer snorted and looked to his left and then to his right.

"Don't pull that crap with me, young buck. Get your tail over here, right now."

The deer hung his head as he slowly approached the elf. As soon as he was within reach, Nicky grabbed his antlers and pulled him over to a corner behind the curtain.

"What's going on with you, Icey? You've never been a cross deer."

Ice Cone bobbed his head and snorted.

"Well, I'm sorry they didn't choose Prancer as the annual show, but you can't act like a diva deer because they didn't." Nicky smiled as he stroked the reindeer's neck and kissed his snout before saying, "Now, I want you to be the sweet, loving young buck you've always been, and go apologize to everyone."

The reindeer snorted, nodded his head, and walked off.

Nicky jerked his head up as his ears twitched, and he jumped out of the way seconds before a line of spotlights came crashing to the stage. Not a moment later, Stella's shriek pierced his ears. He turned and saw a pointed piece of scenery dangling over her head. Then, right as it swayed and fell, he sent a gust of icy wind at it, sending it swirling into the brick wall before it impaled his mom.

“Mom, are you ok?"

Nicky's tears streamed down his cheeks as he hugged and kissed his trembling mother.

"Yes, thanks to you, Son."

Sheila and Gregario shouted, "Everyone, Gremlins!"

Those who had them pulled ray guns from their holsters and began shooting the devious creatures, trapping them in suspended animation until the authorities could come and deal with them. Stella and Nicky used their magic to freeze any gremlin that crossed their paths.

"There haven't been gremlins here since the days of Saiblene's dark reign," Stella exclaimed.

"You've never been more correct, Sis."

Sable ran up to her sister and nephew, hugging and kissing them.

"Gene and I just heard from the cavern elves of Ice Mountain. The quake yesterday freed her, and the dark spirit gave her enough life force to stay alive for one day. There is more. She's reconstituted her most bloodthirsty and dangerous mammoth hound, and it's been spotted close to Wonderland Mountain."

“Reilly!"

"Kris!"

"Go, use the transportation spell to get there fast. I'll stay and help here."

After sharing a family hug and kiss, mother and son joined hands. In unison, Stella and Nicky recited, "Sunlit day and moonlit night, to home we go at the speed of light." A blinding flash of light illuminated the stage, and when it dimmed, the Claus elves were gone.

This ticklish author's sooo in hiding. 
 
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