One would not expect a man whose Creator was going through an edgy phase when he was made to have even the slightest bit holiday cheer. You could even expect him to be a Grinch or Scrooge beyond compare. However, there were two days of the year that stood out from the rest. In the tail end of the last month of the year, something very special happened to our favorite Abominable King’s image in the lands that were supposed to hate him. On the first day, children were as nice as humanly possible. This was because this was the night when the Abominable King would be secretly sending spirits to monitor them and, if they were bad, they would be stolen away in the night to be turned into undead!

The next day was to be one of celebration, where the children were given gifts by their parents for being good. Of course, this was spun in a different way by the adults and clergy. The children were told that those who had been naughty were now trapped in the service of the evil Abominable King, but with the guilt they felt at their wickedness they were able to have one day per year to try and work off their evilness by making and sending gifts to the good little boys and girls to try and earn their mercy. After all, only the pure hearts of a good child can save a naughty child from being an eternal slave in the service of the Abominable King.

In actuality, his image didn’t change much on those two days but it did change, so that counted for something. The hype that was built up before then was usually enough to make the more naïve children change their ways, but more educated children would ignore their parents’ warnings. Little did anyone know that that year would be different and unlike any that had ever occurred for those in the Luminas Confederacy.

With the undead having made pushes into what once was Albion, everyone was on edge. The adults made extra sure to hammer home that the Abominable King was going to steal away the children who were naughty, and those who believed it did and those who did not did not. No one knew the surprise that Kain had in store for them that night.

As the last of the sun’s rays dipped beneath the horizon, an eerie glow filled the night’s sky. What was thought to be an aurora turned out to be something far more terrifying as the lights descended and the ghosts of those long since dead floated gently down to the ground. Fathers and mothers tried to hide their children, but to everyone’s surprise the ghosts did not attack. Instead they left behind letters and boxes of treats and after a short while faded away from the living world.

The next day, only a few souls were brave enough to try and check the letters that were on their doorsteps. The letters were from friends and relatives that had long passed and were written not by enslaved souls but by those who were given a last chance to communicate their well wishes to their kin. It was on that day that people were given the smallest bit of doubt in the evilness of the Abominable King, even if that doubt lasted only a brief moment.

Fin~

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Author’s Note: Hey there everyone! I hope you liked the obligatory holiday special! Today is a day of celebration and happiness for so many people, some of my family included. If I could ask just one thing of you, please go spend time with your family/ those you care for. We only have one life, and once it is over it is very hard to let others know how you really felt (unless you are into Ouija boards or get turned into an undead). In all seriousness, try to heal wounds and mend bridges and if others don’t want to then it is their loss.

This day should be one when people are together, either celebrating with presents around a tree or with others at a Chinese restaurant. I hope each and every one of you readers and commenters know that I would not have kept writing this novel without your support. You mean a lot to me and it really makes me happy to see a comment, even a simple ‘Thanks for writing’. Remember, every live has value, even if they don’t realize it. So, have a safe and happy day, no matter who, where and/ or what you are. Have an amazing day, everyone! See you next time!