Chapter Eighteen
Even from a distance, Ingo could tell the Weihnachtsmann's house was under siege by Dark Magik. The lights that usually protected the castle had disappeared. A towering wall of ice surrounded the dark structure.
"What the hell is that, Ingo?" Oskar's voice sounded strained. He parked the sleigh at the edge of the property.
"Can we get through it?"
Ingo cleared his throat. "Let me get closer to investigate.
Wiebe is dabbling in things far beyond his abilities. That means the Dark Magik will start to take on a life of its own."
He hesitated, looking at Oskar's worried expression. "It is very, very dangerous. I would prefer you leave this business to me."
Oskar shook his head. "No way, Bandiger. You're not getting rid of me that easily. I'm not letting you deal with Wiebe by yourself." He hopped from the sleigh. "Come on, let's check this baby out."
Ingo sighed. Stubborn boy! He could not allow anything to happen to Santa's youngest. He would have to watch him like a hawk, protect him as best he could.
Ingo and Oskar walked closer to the ice wall. Ingo reached out his hand and closed his eyes. The opaque ice blocks shimmered for a moment, then turned transparent. He and Oskar could see the castle. Every window on the ground floor was filled with horrified faces. The Council members, the 251
Klaus family, the healers and other elves gazed at the impenetrable wall outside. He could not find Lys anywhere.
"Can they hear us?" Oskar asked. "Dad! Mom! We're here!"
"I'm sorry, Oskar. They can't see or hear us. Wiebe has enclosed the castle like a tomb. It will take me awhile to figure out this spell before I can reverse it."
"I don't see Kiana. Or Gabi." Oskar smacked the wall in frustration. An icicle shot from one brick and sliced his hand.
He jumped back in surprise.
"Don't touch it!" Ingo warned. He grabbed Oskar's bloody hand and scowled. "Do not touch anything Wiebe has fashioned using Dark Magik. You don't know what it's capable of." He pressed his hand against Oskar's wound, but was only rewarded with a flash of frost bite for his trouble.
"Damnit, Oskar. The Magik wants to play. Everything's a puzzle that has to be teased apart. I don't have time for this right now. I don't see Lys inside the castle either. Nor Wiebe.
Everyone inside seems well enough, just trapped for now."
Ingo's head snapped up at the sound of crunching snow.
"Take care," he whispered. Stunned, he watched as an animated snowman slid across the ice and stopped in front of them.
"Holy hellfire. What are you doing here, Mr. Frosty?"
"You know this....this...snowman?" Ingo asked incredulously.
Oskar nodded. "Yeah, Gabi made him." The snowman broke off a piece of twig from his arm, bent over and began to scribble in the snow.
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" Kiana, Lys and Gabi are Wiebe's prisoners. On the top of the hill. In an ice house. Gabi's hurt. "
After Oskar read the message, he straightened up, his face pale. He ran a trembling hand through his hair and turned to Ingo. "God, I hope they're okay," His voice cracked and he gently patted the snowman on his back. "You did good, man.
Thank you."
Ingo was astonished to see tears roll down the snowman's face. His rocky mouth trembled.
"Don't worry, Oskar. I can take care of Wiebe," Ingo said, attempting to reassure the young man.
Oskar nodded and turned hard, glittering eyes to the hilltop. He balled his hands into tight fists at his side. "Ingo, time to make our move. Now. I don't know what Wiebe is planning, but I have a very bad feeling about this." He took a deep, ragged breath. "What should we do? How can we circumvent his powers?"
Ingo looked at the snowman. "Mr. Frosty, would you be willing to help us?"
The snowman nodded eagerly.
"All right, then. I have an idea. Mr. Frosty and I will provide a distraction so that you can reach the girls. I know Wiebe. He is dying to match wits with me, challenge me with his magik. As soon as I engage him, he'll become preoccupied with that. It will give you a chance to escape with the girls."
The three of them hurried to the bottom of the hill and gazed at the peak. Through a light shower of snowflakes they could make out a dome. Ingo cocked his head. "I've got an 253
idea." He turned to the snowman. "Can you throw snowballs with those twigs?"
Mr. Frosty nodded and fashioned a perfect sphere with his twiggy hands, then tossed it into the air.
"Excellent," Ingo said. "I want you to station yourself to the left of the dome, on the castle side. Start pummeling the dome, taunt Wiebe a bit. He'll get angry soon enough. I'll be right behind you, ready to challenge him. In the meantime, Oskar can approach the ice house from the other side, try to get the girls into the woods. That's a good place to hide, behind the pine trees." Ingo's voice shook with emotion. "I'm going to teach that damned elf a lesson he won't forget. He has no idea how powerful Light Magik can be, but he's about to find out today."
Oskar reached over and squeezed Ingo's shoulder. "I'm going to start up the hill, keep to the woods. I'll wait for your distraction before I try for the girls, okay?"
"Good luck, youngest Klaus. Please be careful. The Weihnachtsmann will have my head on a platter if anything happens to you."
O smiled at him. "I got it covered, Bandiger. You do your job, I'll do mine."
Ingo and Mr. Frosty quickly traversed the hill on the opposite side. As they neared the peak, Ingo could hear voices inside the dome. He turned to the snowman. "All right.
Let's manufacture some ammo." Between the two of them, they had a large mound of snowballs piled up within a matter of minutes. Ingo stayed hunkered down behind the pile. Mr.
Frosty packed one tightly in his twigs and nodded at Ingo.
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"Let's do it!" Ingo was shocked by the snowman's arm. The snowball cracked against the side of the dome like a shot.
Then another one, then another.
Ingo smiled. "That's it," he whispered. "Time to come out and play, Wiebe."
Wiebe stormed out the front door of the dome, his eyes narrowing as he gazed around the hill. "Who's there!?" he shouted. "A snowman?" He shook his head in confusion. Mr.
Frosty whipped a snowball right at Wiebe's head. It smashed against his forehead, dribbling slush into his eyes.
"Why, you...." Wiebe's expression turned thunderous. He lifted a hand and shot a plume of shadow toward the little snowman. Just as the darkness was about to touch Mr.
Frosty, Ingo released a shimmering shield to intercept it.
Wiebe's zinger bounced harmlessly off the shield and fizzled in the snow.
"What?" Infuriated, Wiebe stomped closer to the snowman.
"Who the hell are you?"
Mr. Frosty spun around and did a few dance moves. Ingo smiled to himself. He's doing a most excellent job of distracting Wiebe. He noticed Oskar sneak into the dome through the front door.
"So you think you're a comedian, do you?" Wiebe cupped his hands together and blew a gust of air toward the snowman. Ingo felt the hot, humid air instantly. It encompassed Mr. Frosty within a muggy balloon and the poor snowman started to melt. His woodchip eyes drooped as streams of water began to pour down his face.
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Ingo shook his head. That's an easy trick, Wiebe. Gotta do better than that. Ingo cupped his hands and an icy blue ball appeared. It floated over the snowman and created a mini blizzard just over his head. The temperature dropped to below freezing and silvery snowflakes popped the balloon, swirling around the snowman's body, repacking it with ice.
Wiebe's eyes narrowed. "There's no way a snowman is versed in Light Magik. Who else is there?"
From behind the mound of snowballs, Ingo watched as Oskar ushered Kiana out of the dome. She was clutching Gabi's unconscious body in her arms. He stepped out from his hiding place and cleared his throat loudly.
"That would be me, Wiebe. Looks like you've gotten yourself into a world of trouble. It's only a matter of time before the Dark Magik turns on you. Didn't you know that?"
Wiebe smiled and folded his arms across his chest. "You look a bit rumpled, Ingo Hertz. Did you get to meet my Teufelchen at Dag's?" He laughed, harder and harder, and then coughed suddenly, a horrible rattling sound coming from his lungs. He gasped for air and shook his head.
"Already the Dark Magik is destroying you," Ingo answered. "You look like hell. Can't you feel it inside of you?
Eating away at your soul?"
"I'll tell you what I feel, you idiotic little woodworker! I feel power! You're just jealous. You spend all day following orders.
From the Klaus family. From the Council. I'll be making the orders soon...for all of Glasdorf. No one will be able to stop me!" Wiebe was panting by the time he finished his tirade.
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Ingo was relieved to see Oskar helping Lys out of the dome.
"I hope you won't be too upset, but I've decided to use Lys and her friends as guinea pigs today. To show everyone exactly what I can do with the Dark Magik." He turned toward the dome just as Oskar led Lys to a grove of pine trees in the woods. Wiebe's face turned red and he roared in anger. He extended his arms and a coil of black smoke shot out from his hands, one side throwing up a wall to trap Ingo and the snowman, the other turning into a lasso which wrapped around Oskar and Lys' feet. They both fell to the ground and were dragged back toward the dome.
"No!" Kiana screamed from her hiding place behind the tree and rushed after the two of them. Ingo battered his hands against the wall Wiebe had constructed, watching helplessly as another lasso wound itself around Kiana's waist, pulling her along the ground.
Wiebe glanced over his shoulder at Ingo. "Just who do you think you're playing with, Ingo? Trying to trick me? I'm going to torture all of them while you're forced to watch. Your precious, lovely Lys will suffer the most, I promise."
And that's when Ingo felt the rage swell inside of him.
Usually the Light Magik grew slowly, methodically, to do his bidding. Today it rushed through his body like adrenaline, pumping power through every cell, readying him for battle.
His body shook with the force of it, glowing golden.
Mr. Frosty took a step back.
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Streaks of light flew from Ingo's body and raced up the smoky wall Wiebe had erected. It wriggled its way inside and the structure began to crumble.
Wiebe cried out. "What are you doing?"
The strands of light raced through the wall, destroying its essence. Wiebe turned to his captives, huddled on the ground next to him. He shot a blast toward them.
Oskar shouted "No!" as the fire raced toward Kiana. The young Klaus son threw his body in front of the Suddie, then jerked as the flame seared his back. Oskar curled protectively around Kiana and Lys, who was crying softly.
The sound of her tears drove Ingo over the edge. He closed his eyes and began to chant, ignoring Wiebe, ignoring everything but the Light growing inside of him. He heard Oskar pleading with Wiebe.
"Just let them go, Wiebe. They've done nothing to you. If you have a beef with the Klaus family, then fine. I'm here.
The two of us can hash it out. But there's no reason to include the women in this conflict."
"You're not quite getting it, Oskar," Wiebe responded with a snide tone.
Ingo's eyes snapped open just as Wiebe directed another shot at the young man. Oskar's back arched as a fire-red streak sliced through his shirt, leaving a bloody gash. "Look, I'm adding onto your tattoo collection," Wiebe said tauntingly.
"Do you like it?"
Oskar panted with pain. Then his eyes caught Ingo's and he gasped. "Holy God. What...is happening?"
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Wiebe turned around, shocked to find the wall completely disintegrated, and Ingo standing a dozen feet away from him.
Ingo knew what he looked like. His entire body would be glowing by now, completely taken over by the Light Magik.
"Release them, Wiebe. And I will show you mercy," he said, his voice unlike his own. It came from the magik, and echoed threateningly.
Wiebe took a step back, shaking his head. Coils of dark smoke began to curl around him.
Ingo realized the rogue elf had no idea what was happening to him. The Dark Magik was responding to Ingo's threat, and Wiebe was just the vessel. The smoky snakes slithered to the captives, wrapping themselves insidiously around their bodies. Ingo watched as Oskar fought with them, pushing them off Kiana and Lys, struggling to protect the women. Ingo sent his own light strands to help, and they tore the dark plumes from the captives, dragging them back to the dome. He whispered a spell and a golden shield enclosed Oskar, Kiana and Lys.
Wiebe shot more Dark Magik at the shield, attempting to breakdown the barrier, but his shadowed plumes burst into flame at the contact and fell as dust to the ground.
Wiebe's eyes were practically bulging out of his head. He spun around to confront Ingo. "Fancy stuff you got there, little elf. But not quite fancy enough." Wiebe's eyes turned black, the smoke rushed through him, out of his nostrils, his ears, from his fingertips, now transformed into claws. His hair danced in the wind, shooting sparks into the air. An ancient curse began to chant from his lips, and the snowstorm turned 259
dark, whipping around his body, creating a funnel of shadows sparked with chips as black as biotite.
Ingo answered Wiebe's evil with his own enchantment. The snowflakes rushed to him, sparkling with light, spinning around his body until a cone of energy completely surrounded him. The growl of Wiebe's voice and the deep echo of Ingo's spell clashed against each other, both caught up in a vortex of wind and light and darkness. Ingo was aware that Oskar kept Kiana and Lys huddled within the protection of his arms.
The snowman stood to the side, next to the dome. This battle was between just him and Wiebe now, a matter of Dark and Light fighting for supremacy.
Ingo snapped his fingers and the light darts he'd thrown at Wiebe during their library scuffle came to life. They glowed on his body like stars in the night sky. Horrified, Wiebe gasped and stared down at the dots of light.
"What have you done, Ingo Hertz? Where did these come from?"
"They've been hibernating, waiting for the call from me.
And now it's time for their power to subdue the evil that is growing within you, Wiebe. It's too far gone now, I'm afraid."
Wiebe bellowed in frustration. He lifted a sword of shadow high over his head. "You should have never challenged me, Bandiger. I made a promise to you, and I plan to keep it."
Before Ingo had a chance to activate the darts, Wiebe hurled the dark sword at the shield protecting Oskar and the women. It sliced through the barrier and impaled Lys.
"Nooo!" Ingo yelled. His eyes widened, refusing to process the scene in front of him. Lys' body slumped lifeless against 260
the snow. His mind in turmoil, Ingo took in one shuddering breath and snapped his gaze to Wiebe.
Wiebe's answering smile was so tainted with darkness, Ingo knew there was only one thing left for him to do. He began to sing his chant, channeling all of his pain into the song, calling forth the Light Magik. His body was glowing like a beacon now, shining through the dark blizzard that swirled around them. The darts blazed on Wiebe's shadowed figure and began to rush around his body, buzzing and growing with energy.
The dark and light plumes clashed. Fingers of shadow plunged into Ingo's light funnel, but were repelled again and again. His Light Magik raged against the darkness, beating it back relentlessly. He knew the instant the Dark Magik realized it was beaten. It hesitated for a moment, then turned back to Wiebe. The darkness had a voracious appetite, and would not be denied this day. If it couldn't crush Ingo's magik, then it would take another as sacrifice.
The Darkness reared up as a cobra, hissing its disappointment at Wiebe. The fallen elf stared at the abomination, finally realizing the repercussions of his act. He screamed in terror as the shadows reached for him, coiling around him, whirling faster and faster until a tornado enclosed his body.
Soon he was just a blur, his corporeal self completely overcome by the magik. The sound of his howls echoed off the snowy hills. Ingo prayed for his soul as the funnel turned to dust. The dome collapsed, leaving a mound of snow in its 261
place. The blizzard halted. The ice wall in front of the Weihnachtsmann's castle disappeared.
An eerie silence descended over the valley. Ingo turned slowly toward Lys. His body trembled, his heart beat unevenly. Staggering to the trio, he dropped to the ground where Oskar held her bloody body in his arms. The sword had disappeared with Wiebe, but the wound was just as fatal, leaving her lifeless body behind.
Oskar's face was blank with shock. "Ingo, I'm...so sorry. I tried to protect them, I swear..." Kiana was crying softly next to him.
Ingo laid a comforting hand on the young man's arm. "I know you did. Your bravery did the Klaus family proud today, Oskar. This is not your fault." Ingo gently removed Lys' body from Oskar's arms and placed her on his lap. He brushed a soft strand of her hair from her forehead.
"My dear Lys." His voice broke on a sob. Am I being punished? Why would this happen to her? She is such sweetness and light. So undeserving of this fate. He buried his face in her neck and moaned.
"Oskar?" Gabi's voice broke through his desolation. He looked up to see her stumbling out of the woods.
"Gabi!" Kiana jumped up and flew to the girl, embracing her. "Thank God you're all right."
"Now that Wiebe is gone, all of the spells he kast are over, too. Gabi should be fine," Ingo murmured hoarsely. He continued to stroke Lys' hair.
Gabi walked to Ingo, her eyes fastened onto Lys' still figure. "Where is Wiebe?"
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"Gone," Ingo whispered. "Forever. He will never hurt you again, child."
Gabi knelt next to Lys. "But he did this? He hurt Lys?"
Oskar nodded. "His final despicable act."
Ingo was vaguely aware of voices from the base of the hill.
The prisoners in Santa's home were rushing to the top of the mountain.
Gabi stood, lifting her arms to the sky. "No," she said quietly. "This will not be his final act."
And then Ingo saw something he'd never witnessed in his life. The child levitated into the air. Her body hummed with music—the sound of strings, gathering in strength and momentum. Threads of silver and gold wove themselves across her skin and through her hair. Her pale blue eyes glowed like opals in her tiny face. She twirled and spun through the air, attracting sternschnuppen from all over Glasdorf. The dazzling lights sang with happiness, rejoicing in her power, her goodness and innocence. They fluttered around her soaring body, enveloping her in a dazzling cocoon.
A crowd from the castle stopped at the top of the mountain, struck speechless by the spectacle. Santa and his wife, Master Eugen, the Klaus brothers, the Council—they all watched as the tiny Bandiger flew higher and higher into the sky.
Kiana gasped. "Oskar, what is happening to Gabi?"
Oskar shook his head. "I have no idea."
Master Eugen's face broke into an enormous grin. "Well, look at that. She is filled with Light."
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The girl floated down to Lys. She looked directly into Ingo's eyes. "She isn't gone, Mr. Hertz. Not yet. And I'm not letting her go." Gabi hovered over Lys like a hummingbird and placed her hands just above her heart. The Light spread throughout Lys' body and her eyes flickered open. Eyes like silver stars, the most beautiful eyes that Ingo had ever seen.
Is this miracle real? Please come back to me, Lys. I need you, now and forever.
Gabi smiled at Lys and Ingo, then floated back to Kiana and Oskar. The light in her body gently faded, leaving just an ordinary girl behind. But not so ordinary, after all. Oskar and Kiana pulled her into their arms, the three of them linked together. Strong, unbreakable bonds, Ingo thought to himself. Mr. Frosty rushed over and patted the top of Gabi's head with his twiggy hands.
Master Eugen shook his head. "Well, what do you know? I do believe this girl may be the most powerful Bandiger I have ever seen."
"Ingo? Is that you?" Lys asked.
Tears poured down Ingo's cheeks and rained upon Lys'
face. "Yah. It's me. I thought I lost you, my sweet."
Lys reached up and touched his beard. "I can't leave you now, Ingo. I want to spend a lifetime having tea and honey together. Don't you know that?"
Ingo smiled. "And knitting me more scarves?"
Lys nodded. "Of course. A whole collection."
Ingo pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead gently. "Welcome back, my love."
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