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Jack chewed a piece of grass, looking at the sky. He closed his eyes, smiling.
Then something dropped on his face.
He yelped and sat up. “What the?”
“Come on, Jack. You gotta get ready.” Bunny said.
“Ready for what?”
Bunny sighed, rolling his eyes. Not in an annoyed sort of fashion, but as if he were a child being forced to go to an event he hated. “It’s the Ceremony of Spirits.”
“Let’s pretend I don’t know what that means and you pretend to explain it to me.”
He sat beside Jack, resting his chin on his paw. “It’s this big celebration we all go to. A day of peace. Kind of like a stalemate. We all just gather around, eat, drink, talk, and have fun. It sucks.”
“Well you do hate fun.”
“We gotta dress up in our ‘traditional clothes.’ Something about how it shows we’re all just people at our core. And we can’t fight anyone!” He threw his hands up. “It’s the worst! Even worse than Christmas!”
Jack laughed, standing up, looking at the clothes Bunny had thrown on his face. “So I have to wear my old clothes. Okay...wait do you wear clothes?”
“You’ll see it. Just get changed. I opened you a tunnel that’ll lead to the Hall. See you there.”
He jumped down a tunnel, leaving Jack with more questions than answers.
After looking at himself in his change of clothes, he started feeling very aware that he didn’t have shoes. He took a breath and jumped down the hole.
The hole ended in front of a large castle. A very pink castle. Jack squinted his eyes and stepped back to get a better look and slipped, nearly falling backwards.
He looked down and his head spun.
The castle was in the air, a very good distance from the ground.
Where the heck was he?
A very rough pat on the back nearly caused him to fall forward, but he caught himself.
“Jack! I was wondering if you’d gotten invitation.” North laughed. “I kid. Attendance is mandatory.”
“Hey...so I have a few questions. Where are we, what’s going on, why are we in the sky, and why is that castle pink?”
Before North could answer, Jack jerked his head, seeing Pitch approaching. He reached for his staff, but North stopped him. “Jack, this is time of peace. Pitch is welcome here.”
“This doesn’t make sense. He literally tried to kill us!”
“Oh boohoo, Frost. You’re already dead.” Pitch said.
Jack scowled and stomped up to him. “I can send you back under the bed you crawled out from.”
A gust of wind filled the air and a tall woman appeared out of a whirlwind of flowers, approaching Jack. “Jack, maybe you weren’t told, but this is a time of peace and weapons nor magic will be allowed.” She took his staff.
“Who are you?”
“Mother Nature. Sweet, darling Mother Nature.” Pitch answered in mock praise. “She’s the reason I’m here. Emily, darling, so lovely to see you. I’m sure your father misses you very much.”
She quirked an eyebrow at him, saying nothing. “Jack, I’m sure you have questions.”
“Uh, yeah.” Jack said.
“This is the Ceremony of Spirits. Once a year all Spirits, good, bad, neutral, gather in a day of peace. To show that in any time of need, no matter the consequence, if we need each other, we will help one another.”
“That sounds dumb. Why are we in the air and why is the castle pink?”
“We’re in the air because Heartstrings doesn’t like company. And it’s pink because he likes pink.”
“Who’s Heartstrings?...Wait, like Cupid?”
As if waiting for a dramatic entrance, a young man swooped down, sporting large wings, pink messy hair, and a smug attitude. “Hello, loves. You must be Jack Frost. My name’s Apollo C. Heartstrings, but most people call me Heartstrings.”
“I thought Cupid was a chubby little baby with a diaper?”
He groaned, rolling his eyes. “I hate that depiction. Why would I be a baby in a diaper? Babies don’t even know how to use a bow and arrow!”
Jack pursed his lips and backed away. A firecracker whizzed past his ear and he spun around as another one barely missed his nose. “Whoa!”
“Oh great…” Bunny groaned, walking up. “THEY’RE here.”
“Who?”
“The twins.”
“What twins?”
“The Foolery twins.”
“Foolery-?”
A colorful puff of smoke filled the area and two very colorful teenagers in very colorful jesters’ outfits appeared.
The April Fools.
“Pleasure to meet you, I’m April and this is my brother Tom.” The girl grinned.
“That is awesome.” Jack said.
“Jack Frost. Oh we heard about you. That snowstorm to get kids out of school? Classic!” Tom said, shaking his hand furiously.
Jack pulled his hand away and stuffed it in his pocket. “Um...thanks.”
“It’s time to head inside.” Mother Nature said as the rest of the guests arrived. “Leave your weapons at the door.” She side-eyed the twins and walked inside as a magical forcefield went up.
Jack looked up in awe. “I’m guessing this is how you keep magic from being used inside.”
He followed them inside and sat in a chair.
Bunny and someone who appeared to be the Groundhog were arguing over a seat, ending with her pushing him to the ground and sitting calmly in her seat.
The castle was much larger on the inside than Jack imagined.
It was probably bigger than the North Pole.
But what surprised him the most was seeing Pitch casually enjoying a conversation with a spirit covered in flowers.
He smiled a little. Maybe there could be a chance for them all to get along.
Everyone was chatting and quieted down when Mother Nature stood at the front of the room. She cleared her throat and when she spoke, Jack realized how ethereal her voice sounded. Like it was everywhere at once. It was strong and harsh, but soft and comforting at the same time. He could tell he would not want to upset her.
“Welcome. Thank you all for coming. It’s good to see that we are continuing to see your faces after all these years. The same faces mean we have the same alliances. We do have a new face here. We welcome Jack Frost, newly-appointed Guardian. This is his first time at this event.”
The spirits looked at him. He sunk in his chair, unsure of what to say.
Thankfully, the room went quiet as the doors burst open. A wind so cold even Jack shuttered filled the room. There was a heavy stomping and with each step there was a jingle of bells.
“You aren’t having a party without me, are you?” A deep, growling voice that sent shivers down Jack’s spine asked.
He turned around, seeing a large figure approaching. Hooded in a dark red cloak, frayed and tattered.
Jack stared, confused, while everyone else had stood, readying to fight. “Oh, come now, you know there’s no violence allowed at these things.”
“Who are you?” Jack asked.
The figure turned its head, looking at Jack. The figure pulled its hood down and Jack’s stomach turned.
A beast. With large horns, both broken. A human eye, glowing red, an animal eye, a sickly yellow, with a horizontal pupil. Large, sharp teeth and a crooked jaw turned into a sneer. Covered in snow white fur. Even taller than North. Just staring at him made Jack feel a sense of dread.
“Who am I?” He laughed. “Never thought I’d have to introduce myself. Nowadays I just go by Krampus. And you must be Jack Frost. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He held out his large paw.
Pitch immediately stood defensively in front of Jack. “Don’t you have better things to do? Like eating garbage cans?”
He growled lowly. “Isn’t this a time of peace? Shouldn’t I be welcome?”
“No one wants you here.”
“Oh you wound me, Pitch.” Krampus looked at Jack. “I wasn’t always a monster, you know. I used to help children. I was the first Santa. Then Man in the Moon decided to replace me. Can you imagine? Me, a loving father, replaced by a man who spent his whole life robbing and killing!” He roared, motioning to North.
“You leave now or not even the grace of the Fates will save you.” Mother Nature said.
“Why were you replaced?” Jack asked.
“Because he wanted to eat children’s souls.” Pitch said
“I wanted to discipline children so they behave more, but one wrong spell and I turn into this. What did Manny do when he saw me like this? Did he look for a way to turn me back? Or did he turn his back on me? You know what that’s like, don’t you Jack? Manny seeing you in distress and then doing nothing to help?”
Pitch pulled Jack behind him. “You will leave or we’ll roast you and turn you into a stew!”
Krampus stepped back, not taking his eyes off of Jack. “I suppose there’s always next year. Pleasure to meet you, Jack.” He bowed and disappeared in a flurry of snow.
Something in Jack almost made him run after him. Seeing him felt...familiar somehow. As if he felt safe near him.
He shook his head and looked at the others. They were all on edge and looked at Jack.
“Why was I so important to him?” He asked, looking at Mother Nature.
She pursed her lips and glanced over at another spirit who nodded, standing. He quickly walked to another room.
“He’s just trying to get a rise out of us. It’s best to ignore him.” She looked to the others. “Carry on. I have to have a meeting with Time.” She turned on her heel and walked after the other spirit.
“Are you okay, Jack?” North asked.
“I’m fine...why is everyone so scared of him? He’s just another spirit.”
“Krampus is different...even bad spirits like Pitch...they still have souls. Krampus. He has none. His heart is...too consumed by dark to ever be good.”
“What happened with him?”
“I don’t know full story. I just know he tried to be stricter Santa and...did not end well.”
Jack looked at the door. Why did he want to go after him?
He stood up and flew out, ignoring everyone calling after him.
Something was calling to him and he needed to find out what and why.
Jack scanned the area, looking for some form of a sign as to where Krampus went.
A pull in his chest directed him towards a snowy mountain range.
As he got closer, the weather dropped, winds picked up, and snow spun in the air around him in the form of a snow storm. Both the unease and the bite of the snow were enough to make Jack lose feeling in his body. It was the first time he had ever remembered feeling cold.
He shivered, flying through the storm. There was definitely no doubt that Krampus was here.
A strong wind knocked him out of the sky, hitting the side of a mountain. He groaned in pain, gripping the cliff face.
This was probably a bad idea, but he had gone too far to give up.
He took a breath and launched himself off the mountain and shielded his face with his arms.
There it was again.
A pull in his chest.
He looked around and saw a cave opening in the bottom of a mountainside.
That’s where it wants me to go.
He flew down and landed in the opening.
It appeared empty. And since he didn’t see anywhere else, Jack figured it’d be a good enough place to warm himself up.
He made his way toward the back of the cave in an attempt to get away from the storm brewing outside.
Jack took a breath and sighed, closing his eyes. “What am I doing here?”
His head jerked up, hearing the crackle of fire deeper in the cave. He stood up and walked toward the sound.
Smoke filled the air and Jack sighed with relief as it got warmer.
As predicted, there was a campfire going. A rather big one. He quickly jumped, getting into a battle position when he realized Krampus was sitting a bit away, preparing some form of meat to be cooked. It was then, of course, that Jack realized that he had forgotten his staff.
“I wouldn’t try that if I were you, son. Ice doesn’t work on me.” He simply said, not looking Jack’s way. “Sit. I’m just getting dinner ready.”
Jack, too stunned to say anything in response, simply sat down. Krampus slowly walked over, setting a large slab of meat onto a skillet and sitting across from Jack.
It was silent except for the sound of the fire and the sizzle of the food cooking.
“So what brings you here?” Krampus finally asked.
Jack opened his mouth, but found no words.
He didn’t know.
He simply closed his mouth and sighed.
That seemed to be an acceptable answer for Krampus. He grunted in acknowledgement.
“I see. The fancy Guardian party bore you?”
“No. I mean, I don’t know. I left after you did. I...just needed to...I don’t know, talk? To you. I don’t know why I’m here. Something just told me to come find you.”
Krampus nodded. “This is what they feared, I assume.”
“Feared? Why?”
“Haven’t you heard? I’m a monster. You’re in danger around me.”
“Then how come I don’t feel in danger?”
“Because you’re young and stupid.”
Jack pursed his lips, unsure of how to respond to that. He had been pretty foolish in the past.
“Why are you...like this?” Jack finally asked.
Krampus laughed, making the hairs on Jack’s neck stand. “Why? Writing a biography about me?”
“I...was just curious.”
Krampus took a handful of some vegetables, tossing them into the skillet with the meat and took a bite out of a carrot. “Well that’s a loaded question, I suppose. I was like you before. Human.”
“You were?”
He nodded. “Very. Had a wife. Kids. I was a hunter. Provided food for my people. Then I saved the wrong person and got stuck as Santa.”
“You were the first Santa. What happened?”
“You already know. I eat children’s souls, remember?”
“Maybe I want to hear your side of the story.”
Krampus laughed again. “Oh, there’s always only one side of the story that’s correct.”
“So it’s true then?”
“Do you think it is?”
“I don’t know what to think.”
“I’m not a good person, son. I’m the stuff of nightmares. Even Pitch is afraid of me. Centuries of loneliness turned me into this. I took bad children’s souls. Replaced them with good children so their parents could have the good child they wanted. Turned the bad ones into an army of underlings for me. Word spread around, Man in the Moon was furious and exiled me to this cave. Where the cold is too intense for anyone but me to survive.”
Jack said nothing. He was horrified at what he had heard.
Stealing children’s souls to use them for his own selfish needs.
His stomach turned a little.
After a few more minutes of silence, Jack finally spoke. “Was that why you were turned into a…?” He was lost at what to describe him as.
“Monster?” Krampus asked.
He nodded.
Krampus nodded. “Unfortunately, doing bad things will get you turned into a hideous beast. This is the result of the spell I created. When you create something designed to take souls, you start to lose yours slowly.”
“Why did you take the kids’ souls?”
“Well I couldn’t very well destroy their souls. That’d be cruel.”
Jack made a face, unsure if he was joking or not.
“It started out as a way to find the best lost soul to replace my lost children.”
Jack smirked a little. “What? Couldn’t find yourself a Mrs. Claus?”
Krampus cracked a smile, but forced it back into his default scowl. “I only have room in my soul for my Mariana...Died so young...I was able to find her soul and take it before Death could. And my daughter’s...I was never able to get my son’s.”
“Why not?”
“His soul still wanders.”
“Like a ghost?”
“Of sorts.”
Jack sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “This is all a lot to understand…”
“Why did you come searching for me?”
“I don’t know...I just...felt like I needed to know about you. Something is calling to me here and I don’t know what.”
Krampus stood, moving the food off the fire. “Come with me.”
“Why?”
“I know what is calling to you.”
He started off.
Jack was unsure of if this was a bad idea, but followed nonetheless.
“Following a soul stealer into his dark and scary cave. Real smart idea.” Jack said to himself.
“I trust your gut.” Krampus said.
The cave opened up into a damp, humid cavern that was significantly warmer than expected. Stalagmites formed into shapes that resembled furniture. Torches lined every wall, lighting the space up, along with the hole in the top of the cave that allowed the moon to shine down on every surface inside. There were multiple tunnels that led to somewhere.
Krampus ducked down, walking into one. Jack quickly flew after him. “Where are we going?”
“A place that not a lot of people have come out of.”
“Comforting.”
The tunnel ended and they stepped out into another room that looked similar to the main area of the cavern. Except the cave walls had been formed into shelves that held orbs filled with different colored smoke.
“Whoa...what is this place?”
“This is where the souls I collect go.”
“These are souls?”
He nodded. “They’re not hurt, I promise. They don’t even know where they are. As far as they know, they’re living their normal lives.”
“They’re calling to me?”
“One of them.” He walked over to a stand where two orbs, one with brown smoke, another with bright pink, sat comfortably.
Jack walked over. “Why would they be calling to me?”
“Because something wanted your family together again.”
“My family?” He picked up the pink one, looking at it.
Jack, come on! I wanna go play!
His little sister was in the orb. Laughing as she played with someone who looked like him.
Someone who was him.
He dropped it in shock.
Krampus quickly dove to catch it and held it close. “Be careful! If you drop these, their souls are gone forever!”
“That’s my sister. Why do you have her!? Who are you!?”
He carefully set it back on the pedestal and looked back at Jack. Jack jumped, kicking him in the chest, pushing him back.
Krampus grunted, catching himself. He stood, growling quietly. “Jack-”
“Let her go!”
Wind picked up inside, rattling all the orbs. Snow spun around furiously and Jack shot a stream of ice out of his hands at Krampus, who knocked it away and roared. “If you keep up your tantrum, you’ll destroy every last soul in here and they’ll be gone forever!”
His voice echoed throughout the cave and Jack stopped, cowering a little. The wind and snow stopped and Jack stared quietly. He panted, looking around. “I told you. I had my wife and daughter’s souls saved. So I would never be without them.”
“You...they…”
“My son’s soul was never able to be captured because...it’s still around.”
“No...you’re lying.”
“I’m many things. A liar is not one of them. You, Jack…”
“Don’t say it.”
“You are my child.”
“I said SHUT UP!” A burst of cold shot through the room, freezing everything.
Jack panted, clenching his fists.
“Jack-”
He flew out of the cave, landing back at the Ceremony of Spirits, catching his breath.
The others ran up to him, crowding around him.
“Jack!” Bunny called.
“Are you hurt?” Tooth asked.
“Jack, you look terrible.” North said, holding his face, checking for any injuries.
Jack pushed them away. “Is he telling the truth?”
“What are you talking about?” Tooth asked.
“Krampus!”
They all quieted down, looking at him solemnly.
“Is he telling the truth? He’s my dad?”
They said nothing, unsure of what to say.
“How long...how long have you guys known?”
“Since you were chosen.” Bunny sighed.
“So you all knew and were just going to hide it from me!? Why? You think I’m going to be as bad as him?”
“Of course not, Jack.” Tooth said, resting a hand on his shoulder.
He moved her hand away, glaring. “Do not touch me.”
“We’re sorry. We didn’t want you to freak out.”
“So you were just going to keep it a secret from me for the rest of eternity!? No wonder Bunny didn’t want me to be a Guardian...look at who my dad is.”
“Now that’s not true-” Bunny tried to defend.
Mother Nature moved to the front of the group. “I know this is a lot to process. I know what it’s like to have a bad spirit as a father.”
“Don’t! Don’t try to sympathize with me! All of you need to stay away from me!” Jack snatched up his staff and turned away.
“Where are you going?” Tooth asked.
“Away from all of you.” He flew off, wiping tears from his face.
He landed, sitting inside a hole in a tree, curled up to fit inside.
Alone.
Maybe loneliness ran in his family.
Jack chewed on a piece of grass, staring up at the moon. He closed his eyes, crying.