Advent Letters: Year Nine, Letter One
My Dearest Mellema Cousins,
Merriest greetings this first Sunday of Advent! Even though this is nearly my six hundredth Advent, I am continually amazed by how swiftly the time has flown.
I especially wish to congratulate you on the success of the Denver Broncos! We at the North Pole knew almost nothing about American football until you dad and uncles introduced us. Now every North Pole resident is a loyal Broncos fan. On game days, every shop and street light is festooned in Bronco orange. Avvu especially wants you to know that he is a dedicated Bo-liever, and he feels this team is destined for greatness. But take that with a grain of salt: Avvu also had confidence in Joe Flacco.
But we should really get back to the story. When we last left your dad and uncles, they were making their final approach to Castle Krampus.
Brian and his brothers walked along the deep ravine. Only a cloudy smudge of light made it through the high rock walls on either side. At one point, Jer tried putting his red lens over his helmet visor. It didn’t work. Likewise, Brian’s hovering platform had folded back into a cube.
”Maybe they only work when we really need them?” Brian suggested.
Whatever the reason, he and his brothers trudged forward in the near-dark. About the only things Brian could see were the deep gouges which earlier trolls had ripped in the rocks. And the rude graffiti which goblins had scratched.
But the ravine could not conceal the distant rumble. The pounding of many troll feet. The clatter of many goblin spears against many goblin shields. And it went on and on as the boys trudged in the opposite direction.
”Must be an entire army,” Jer remarked.
”Wonder where they’re going,” Matt replied. But even as Matt spoke, he winced. It was obvious where that army was going—the North Pole. The brothers kept walking.
A seriousness overtook them as they walked. Their bickering calmed to a minimum. Even their talking slowly faded. By the time the sun set behind the smoke and clouds, the only sounds were the shuffling of the boys’ boots, and the hum of the red arrow on Brian’s enchanted map.
In the dying light, their ravine ended on a hill overlooking Castle Krampus. This was the Brian’s first proper view of the castle. And he did not like it. It was a perplexing expanse of dark spiry towers connected by dark spiry bridges. The center tower rose so high that it disappeared into the swirling clouds. The whole thing was surrounded by walls made of dark stone as smooth and cold as glass. The only obvious way in were the many-spiked gates on the far side. But these were only open because Krampus’ army was still pouring out of them. The hordes of goblins heaved forward like a single seething entity. Their rows were only broken by the towering trolls and the blood red banners of Krampus
If the boys wanted to get into Castle Krampus, they’d have to scramble down a hill of loose rocks to get down to the walls. Then figure out some way to sneak inside past an entire goblin army.
“How are we going to—“ Matt began…
”We can’t. Not tonight,” Brian replied.
Matt sputtered in response. “But that army is heading for the North Pole. Erno and Kanute and Avvu and everybody are in danger. Shouldn’t we go now?”
”We can’t,” Brian repeated.
Jer frowned. He spoke slowly, like the words pained him: ”Brian’s right. We’re hungry and exhausted, and it’s already too dark to see. Our only hope of helping the North Pole is going in tomorrow with all our strength.”
The brothers sat down for dinner. Throughout their journey, the food from Santa’s bag had been rich and elaborate. Tonight, it was simple bread and water. The brothers all sensed this was proper. Tonight was about preparation. The feasting could come later. After a silent meal, the boys silently laid out their cots. Despite the hard rocks beneath them and the goblin army beside them, the brothers soon fell fast asleep.
When the weak morning sun finally emerged over the crags of Krampus Island, it took every ounce of Brian’s willpower to force himself out of his cot. The goblin army was finally gone. After a breakfast of bread and water, the brothers carefully assembled their armor and weapons. Once everything was in place, Matt slung Santa’s bag over his back. The brothers exchanged a final nod, and started down the rocky hill toward the castle.
On his way down the hill, Matt worried about finding a way over the walls. But this worry soon evaporated. Maybe it was the change of viewpoint. Maybe it was just the effects of sleep. Regardless, they had barely reached the bottom when they spotted a gap in the castle walls. Some ancient damage from a boulder or projectile that had never been repaired. This gap was far too small for a polar bear or even a grown man to fit. But the three boys squirmed through easily.
The courtyard of Castle Krampus was all dirt and pavement. There wasn’t a trace of grass or trees or any other living thing. Only crisscrossing stone pathways surrounded by high stone walls topped with grotesque stone statues.
Matt wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting inside the main courtyard of Castle Krampus. But one thing he didn’t expect was for it to be so quiet.
”Where is everybody?” Matt whispered. He eyed the guard towers along the outer wall. But even those seemed empty.
“Gone with the army,” Jer replied.
”But wouldn’t they leave at least a few troops to guard the castle?” Matt asked.
The brothers tiptoed along the base of the outer walls. Jer and Brian followed the arrow on their map. Matt kept scanning for goblins.
They crept beneath an archway, which led into a smaller courtyard. At the far end was a door. The map’s arrow pointed directly toward it.
“This way,” Brian whispered.
They started across the courtyard. Matt couldn’t take his eyes off the giant stone statue in the center. It was roughly in the shape of a man, except two stories tall, and with the proportions of a gorilla or a troll. Matt couldn’t shake the suspicion that this statue was actually a stone gollum, and it was about to come alive and crush them.
But it never did. The brothers reached the door without incident. And when Jer turned the door’s handle, it opened. The door’s creaks echoed off the walls. But once Jer shut the door behind him, the silence was total and oppressive.
They were in a hall of high walls and a vaulted ceiling. Everything was made of black stone, and everything was covered in layers of dust. It looked like it hadn’t been used in years—maybe decades. Brian opened the map. The shining arrow pointed to their right. At that far end of the hall was another door.
The brothers’ steps echoed against the smooth walls of the hallway, muffled only by the dusty tapestries and the crumbling statues. With each step, Jer could feel his anxiety sharpen. They were just walking ito the heart of Castle Krampus. Nobody was there. The doors were unlocked. It was all too…
”This is too easy,” Matt whispered. “I don’t like it.”
The brothers reached the next door. Jer reached for the handle and found—to his annoyance—that it was also unlocked. What was going on? But before he could pull it open, Brian grabbed his arm. He pointed to something glowing inside Santa’s bag. Matt opened the bag and, after rummaging around, pulled out his gift from Santa. It glowed an amethyst blue.
”Here we go,” Matt said. “It’s about to start for real.”
***
Meanwhile, deep in the shadows of his inner throne room, Krampus watched the Mellemas approach. He had so many spies and magical devices around his castle that it would have been impossible for the Mellemas to approach unnoticed. Krampus could monitor each sweaty pore on their human faces.
So of course Krampus knew that only one hallway separated the Mellemas from his own throne room. If Krampus had wanted, he could have stationed a whole battalion of trolls and dragons outside. Or placed an unlockable spell on all his doors. But that would have taken effort. And to make an effort, Krampus would have to be concerned about what the Mellemas might do.
Krampus was not concerned. His driving emotion was anticipation.
You see, the hallway which separated the Mellemas from his throne room contained three traps. Krampus designed these traps himself, and he was eager to see them finally put to use. He had calibrated each one to give the brothers an illusion of hope: a fleeting delusion that they might just be able to survive. It was only then that the traps would leap into action: turning the brothers in on themselves and against each other.
It would all be delicious to watch. And once Krampus had savored the defeat of Santa’s absurd little human champions, he would join his army in the conquest of the North Pole.
But first things first: the demise of the Mellema brothers.
