A Return to Elvish Magic

Max bounded off the wall, whacking his head on the roof of the cave in his excitement. He howled like a baby.

“Max, stop whining, we’ve got work to do.”

He rubbed his head and bent lower. I waved to the others. “Gather ‘round, I have an idea.”

They listened as I explained my plan.

“Will it work?” the old Elf asked.

“It will if we believe it can. But we have to face Iris.” I looked at all the Elves and reindeer. Some looked hopeful, others unsure. To pull this off, I had to make them all believe.

I whispered in Max’s ear. “I need light. Any ideas?”

Max glanced around, then a big smile crossed his face. He waddled through the crowd to a large boulder in the middle of the cave floor, swishing his tail to move the group back. Satisfied they were at a safe distance he reared up and shot a flame at the rock.

The heat turned the rock red hot. The glow illuminating the room. Max smiled, proud of himself and his fire. I climbed onto his back and looked at the group. The eerie red glow lit their anxious faces.

I wasn’t sure what to say, but I knew it mattered. Then, I heard my Pa’s voice echoing in my mind. “If you believe, you can achieve.” I took a deep breath and let the words come from my heart.

“Christmas is not about things you get or stuff you have. Christmas is about making others happy. The spirit of Christmas doesn’t come in a box or wrapped in shiny paper. Christmas is being loved and being with the ones you love.

“Christmas is not just one day, it is the days leading up to it, the days after it, and the days all year long until it comes again. Christmas isn’t a time or place. It is every time and place if we keep it in our hearts.”

I had their attention now.

“The Ice Queen thinks by keeping us away, by holding us here, she can stop Christmas. She’s wrong. As long as we have Christmas in our hearts, she can’t win. Santa flies around each year to remind us of this, but he wants us to feel the spirit of Christmas all the year.

“All of you do more than just play a part in Christmas. You are Christmas. Iris can never take that away.

“When my grandfather gave me Max, it wasn’t just because he knew this day would come. It was because he knew he was giving me the spirit of Christmas to hold in my heart always.”

Many of those looking at me nodded. The dull grey of the cave brightened a bit.

“To remember Pa and Nana and everyone who has been before us. To share those memories and hopes to all of those to follow. That is the spirit of Christmas.

“Max reminds me of who made me what I am. It’s not the power of the dragon that will rescue Christmas, all we need do is remember to believe. Never let the spirit fade no matter what others do.

“I, for one, will always believe.” I stood on Max’s back turning around in a circle to make sure they were all with me.

“Are you ready to believe? To keep the spirit of Christmas alive?”

Heads nodded. Reindeer pawed the icy ground. One Elf started to sing. Others joined in. With each passing moment, the cave grew brighter. Icicles melted. The red and green of the Elves clothes showed once again.

cave crack wall A shudder, like an earthquake, shook the cave. A loud crack echoed off the walls as a vast crevice opened. Iris and the wolf stormed into the cave.

“Thought it would be that easy, didn’t you?” Her hissing cold voice thundered off the walls. “We’ll see how long they believe after I finish with you.”

A blinding flash of light flew from her hands, surrounding me. I was lifted off Max’s back and into the air. I tried to struggle, but the magic was too strong. In a blink of an eye, Iris flew back through the crevice, dragging me along. The wall slammed shut behind me.

I was alone with the Ice Queen.

TO BE CONTINUED

Mount Doubt

The journey to Mount Doubt was long and hard. We crossed frozen rivers, deep valleys, and steep mountains. As we drew closer to Mount Doubt, the colors faded from the land. The snow, once sparkling and shiny, lay dull and grey. Majestic evergreen Christmas trees turned brown and lost their needles.

trees The land was frigid and barren.

Then, rising in front of us into the clouds like a giant beast, loomed Mount Doom.

Frank signaled for us to stop. As he climbed off the polar bear, it ran away. Whimpering and crying.

“What’s wrong with him?” I asked.

“No living creatures come here. The place is filled with nothing but doubt and gloom.”

I glanced at the others, then swallowed hard. El, Cornelius, and Bumbles all tried to pretend they weren’t scared, but I could tell they were.

“You’re sure the reindeer are here?” I asked Frank.

“As sure as I can be.”

“What does that mean?” El said, moving to stand in front of Frank.

“Yeah,” Cornelius added. “What does that mean? You said you found the reindeer.”

Frank pointed to the ground. “Look for yourself.”

We all looked and saw the hoof prints of reindeer, lots of them, all heading toward Mount Doom.

“Why would the reindeer walk here on their own?” I asked.

“I am guessing here, but it had to be powerful magic. The only one I know of with such magic is Iris the Ice Queen and she lives here.”

“Now what?” I asked. “Do we climb Mount Doom?”

Frank shook his head. “Not we, Joe, you. From here on it’s just you and Max.

At the sound of his name, Max sprung to his feet, pawing at the ground and stretching his wings.

“Well, at least one of us is excited,” I said.

El stepped in front of me. “No way, Frank. Wherever Joe goes, I go.”

“I am afraid that won’t be possible, El.” Wolf In the flash of an eye, Frank turned into a snarling wolf. All the dead trees began to close in around us. We scrambled for a way out. Even Bumbles wasn’t strong enough against all the trees.

A voice, screeching and cackling, rose out of the snowy mist. “There’ll be no saving Christmas now. Come along nicely and join your reindeer and Elf friends.”

The branches of the trees wrapped around us. I saw El manage to snap off a limb, but five more replaced the broken one. None of us could move.

I felt myself being lifted from the ground.

“No, stop. Put me down.” I screamed. I tried to break free. Max was lifted into the air as well. I could just see his face; the rest was covered in branches. He managed to wink and smile. I could hear his voice in my head.

“Don’t worry, Joe, I’m here with you. Just believe in what we have to do.”

As we started to move, a dark cave appeared before us. The trees carried us into the darkness, just before we headed further in, I turned to see my friends struggling to get free.

I wondered if I’d ever see them again.