Chapter 17
Meinrad and the dwarfs trekked through the forest, with Gerlach fighting in the sack and muttering something. One of the dwarfs jump on the sack and raises his weapon. "Don't!" Meinrad roars at the dwarf.
"Stop kicking me boy!" the chief shouts, "And let me out!" he adds.
Meinrad stops and puts the sack down, then opens it, revealing his captives. The chief was about to jump out, but Meinrad takes him by the neck and hoists him out. "Why are you doing this to me?!" Chief Randulf chokes out.
"Don't play stupid," one of the dwarfs said, "You were planning on..." he stops and lets Meinrad speak.
"You were planning on taking Ishild away from me," the creature snarls at the chief and his long tongue slithers out.
"Ishild?" the chief asks, but then adds, "I wanted to protect her."
"From what? From her family? Or from me?" Meinrad asks, angrily.
The chief was silent for a minute and then answers, "From all the evil in this world. Ishild's father was neglecting her and he let his son abuse her!" Meinrad had listened to every word the chief had said and the chief adds more, "I didn't want to cage her, I would give her freedom, as I do with my daughters. I am sorry."
Meinrad lets him go and the chief breathes heavily. The creature stares at Chief Randulf with his blood-red eyes and as if controlled by another force, Meinrad pulls out something from his coat.
It was a bauble and Meinrad sees the inscription ' Gruss Vom Krampus'. Then, the ground begins to shake and fire spews out from a hole and Lucifer appears. "My God, there is a devil," Chief Randulf said in horror.
Suddenly, the chief screams as something beneath him grabs him and pulls him under and he was gone. Meinrad looks at Lucifer, who chuckles, "Don't worry, he'll wake up back in his bed."
Meinrad then turns to face his other two captives and the dwarfs pull them out of the sack. They look at them, Gerhard appeared to be out of sorts and one of the dwarfs remove the gags from his and Gerlach's mouth.
"Let me go!" Gerlach demands, struggling to break free.
"And why should we?" a dwarf asks and then Meinrad hoists the boy by the scuff of his coat.
"You have time to apologize, boy," Lucifer said to Gerlach. The boy just sniffs and looks at Meinrad.
"Apologize for what? I didn't do anything wrong," he replies and Meinrad's blood boiled inside.
"Nothing wrong?! You killed Ishild!" Meinrad roars at Gerlach. He wanted to kill the boy, but sending him to Hell would satisfy him even more.
"You were in love with her?!" Gerlach asks and spits in Meinrad's face. "You and my sister?! You two would've made a couple! An idiot girl with an ugly beast!" he shouts.
Meinrad had heard enough and he takes Gerlach over the burning pit and the boy begins to panic. Meinrad pulls him close to his face and snarls, "This will be the last thing you see, my face! And the one emotion you will feel is of pain, the pain of the village, the pain of the forest animals you tortured, and the pain in my heart!"
The dwarfs begin to laugh and cheer as Meinrad hovers the boy over the pit. The boy tried to kick at Meinrad, but then, the creature throws the boy into the pit and Gerlach disappears into the fire.
Meinrad points to Gerhard and the dwarfs hoist him up and throw him in the pit. Both the boy and his father were gone, having been consumed by the fires of Hell, and the pit is covered over.
Meinrad's eyes return to its moonlight yellow and he looks at Lucifer. "Well done," he said.
"I feel relieved, I can finally rest in peace," Meinrad replies, but then, Lucifer begins to laugh grimly.
"Rest in peace?! Who said anything about that?!" the devil asks and Meinrad looks at him confused.
"I sent Gerlach and his father to Hell, as you said so. I did it for Ishild and now she-" Lucifer silences Meinrad with another grim laugh.
"You did it for love?! Now you never said anything about that!" Lucifer shouts at the creature and then reveals the contract. "You sold your soul to me for revenge and it has been achieved. Here is the deal, your soul belongs to me and you work for me!"
Meinrad's heart stops beating for a moment and stares at Lucifer. "Now, here is what I want you to do, I want you to gather every child and bring them to me," the devil said, his tongue lashing out, "And give their families these baubles," he adds and he reveals a bauble with the inscription 'Gruss Vom Krampus'.
"That is your new name, Krampus, you are my slave for all eternity," Lucifer said, coldly. Meinrad collapses to the ground and the dwarfs begin to screech, more out of fear.
Lucifer laughs grimly and Meinrad cries out in despair. "Ishild, I'm sorry!" he shouts at the night sky and tears flow down his cheeks.
"Meinrad, what have you done?!" Runa cries out and the other dwarfs cry out in misery.
"I am so sorry," Meinrad replies and more tears fall, "I wanted to avenge Ishild, but I...I'm so selfish! I did it for my own gain!" Meinrad cries out even more and stares up at the sky.
Just then, the darkness was illuminated with light and Lucifer begins to shriek. "What is this?!" he shouts and the light dims to reveal a figure in white and red robes. He had a snow-white beard and his blue eyes were full of warmth.
"Saint Nicholas! What are you doing here?!" Lucifer shouts angrily at the holy being.
"Lucifer, you were always a cruel trickster," the saint said and points to the devil. The contract floats toward Saint Nicholas and he takes it into his hand.
"What are you doing?! He's mine!" Lucifer shouts, but Saint Nicholas scoffs at him.
"Be gone demon!" Saint Nicholas orders and points a finger at Lucifer. The Devil transforms into a snake and slithers into the night.
Meinrad shuts his eyes and holds out his claws, "Holy Saint Nicholas, I don't deserve to be bathed in this light," he said to him. The dwarfs scurry away, taking cover in the darkness.
"Meinrad, do not be ashamed of the deed you have done," the saint replies and walks over to the creature. "What you have done to Gerlach was justifiable, he was too wicked to even exist," he adds and Meinrad looks at him.
"And I know what lies in your heart. Your love for Ishild is much stronger than your hatred towards man and her love for you was powerful enough to protect you," Saint Nicholas continues to say. "You see, Ishild sent me to offer you a way out of this curse," he adds.
"What?" Meinrad asks and looks into the saint's eyes.
"You know that I reward good children, but there are wicked children in this world, too. Like Gerlach, they must be punished, but I can't bring myself to do that. Which is why I have been searching for someone who would carry out punishments to the naughty children, and if necessary, their parents as well," Saint Nicholas explains.
"But my soul belongs to Hell, is there a way to break the contract?" Meinrad asks, but Saint Nicholas shakes his head.
"Lucifer's powers are too strong for me to break, but I can alter the contract," the saint replies and Meinrad listens. Then, the scroll is illuminated and Saint Nicholas speaks, "Meinrad, your soul may be bound to Hell, but there is a light of hope for you. You will not serve Lucifer for eternity; instead, you will serve me for two thousand years.
"During the festivities of the twelfth month, you and your minions will carry out punishments to the naughty children of this world. As a reminder of their wicked deeds, you will leave them a bauble, so they will remember you and to always honor the festivities of this month.
"As for your name, as the Devil has made one for you, you will be forever known as Krampus, the Shadow of Saint Nicholas," the holy being said and the scroll disappears before them.
Meinrad, now known as Krampus looks at Saint Nicholas and fresh tears flow down his cheeks. "Um, I have a question," a dwarf asks, "What happens when the two thousand years are up?"
"Meinrad will regain his soul and reunite with Ishild in Heaven and all of you will be free. However, I must warn you, things will change dramatically through the years, some good, some bad, but you will carry out the deed until the end of the two thousand years," Saint Nicholas replies and Krampus bows to him.
"Thank you, I will not disappoint you or Ishild," the creature said and he looks up at the sky once more before he and his minions disappear into the night.
From the author: How's this for the beginning of a new holiday? Meinrad (aka Krampus) has found a new purpose and he will be doing it for love. There will be plenty more chapters coming! See you soon!
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