Chapter 15: War On Humanity, Part 1

Santa had never been angrier with himself in his life. How could he have allowed King Frost to win that battle! Had he only been more watchful, La Llorona would not have been able to get the jump on him. Even now, his wound from the battle still ached despite having been healed.

The bright green magic force-field around Santa's sleigh shielded him and his twelve reindeer from the torrent of rain as the gift-giver-turned-battlefield-commander soared through the stormy pitch-black sky. With him were four of his most trusted Elf Archers, armed with bows and arrows that were augmented by the strongest enchantments in Santa's workshop. Their red and silver armor glistened with righteous ferocity as they fired their arrows at any Night Mares or Giant Bats that dared to encroach on the sleigh.

Santa could only keep his eyes straight ahead as he guided the sleigh through what was sure to become known as the most terrifying storm in humanity's history. With King Frost's declaration of war on humanity had come the greatest surge of dark magic Santa had only over seen once. Unless he and the Guardians allied with him managed to defeat King Frost and his hordes, the storm would engulf the entire globe and wipe out all of humanity in a matter of hours.

Initiis Novis...new beginnings. Born out of the blood of billions.

Tooth Fairy, Beowulf, Easter Bunny, and Sandman had most likely reached their stations by now. Upon their defeat at the North Pole, the six Guardians had agreed that one of them should go to each part of the world. Seven continents, six Guardians. The other five had been assigned to cover North and South America, Europe, and Africa.

As for Santa...

"Santa!" one of the elves cried out. "How are we going to find King Frost in all of this! We have no idea where he chose to go!"

"We don't need to search for him!" Santa shouted in reply. "I know exactly where he's going!"

"I'll wipe humanity off the face of this earth with my power," King Frost had announced during the battle. "Starting with those two humans who started all this in the first place!"

There were only two people who King Frost could have been referring to.

And Santa had to find them before all was lost.

........................................

Nishikata scarcely had time to evade La Llorona's attack as she dashed forward and swung both of her clawed hands at his throat. Rolling to the left, Nishikata braced and kicked the ghoulish woman behind her left knee, sending her crumpling to the ground. The advantage only lasted for a moment, for La Llorona spun on her heels and kicked Nishikata square in the chin, sending him crashing against the wooden fence. She then darted back into the darkness, leaving Nishikata to look around in terror as he assumed a defensive stance. The only thing offering him visibility right now was the front porch light and two street lights outside his home. Beyond that, Nishikata could see nothing.

Suddenly, the front door began to open, and Nishikata's eyes grew wide.

"Son?" his mother shouted, poking her head out the door. "Was that you knocking on the door just now?"

"Mom, get back inside!" Nishikata screamed.

Too late.

La Llorona once again dashed forward into the dim light, cackling in a sadistic tone as she put Nishikata's mother in a chokehold and held her in front of herself as a hostage. Nishikata felt his heart fill with fear and rage as La Llorona put a knife to his mother's throat.

"Ah, tu familia," the devilish witch laughed. "Shall I tell your mother whose fault it is that she is in this position right now, oh mighty Agent Nishikata?"

"Let go of me this instant!" Nishikata's mother yelled, trying to break free of La Llorona's hold.

Nishikata was just about to say something in reply, when a frying pan suddenly flew into view from the right and bashed La Llorona's head. The momentary stun was all Nishikata's mother needed to pry the demon's arm from around her throat and run back into the house, where her husband stood with a baseball bat in his hands.

That was all the veteran agent needed. Nishikata wasted no time and leapt forward with all his might, clamping down on La Llorona's knife hand with his left hand while gouging out her eyes with his right. With one sharp twist, he forced the demon to relinquish her weapon and it clattered to the ground. La Llorona screamed as she broke free of Nishikata's wristlock, only to have him move behind her in one swift motion and wrap his belt around her neck. Pulling tighter than he ever had before, Nishikata kicked La Llorona to the ground and planted his foot in her back, his strangle on her unrelenting as she writhed and kicked underneath him.

And in just four minutes, Nishikata had killed another Guardian.

Once back inside the house, Nishikata caught his breath and cried tears of relief as he hugged his parents with the strength of a thousand men.

"Son, are you alright?" his mother cried. "What in the hell was that thing?"

"Another monster," Nishikata answered. "This must have to do with my killing of Krampus somehow."

"But how?" his father asked.

"I don't know dad," Nishikata replied. "All I know is we need to stay in here for now."

By now, alarm sirens were beginning to blare and the hairs on the back of Nishikata's neck rose. The former tranquility of the plain suburbs was, quite literally, washed away as the heavy rain cascaded from the sky and onto the streets, backyards, and front yards of the residents who had zero idea why this was happening.

But Nishikata knew.

It was because of him.

His quest for revenge.

His hunger for power.

His obsession with killing Krampus that had led him to push his friend and family away, even those who had gone on to serve with him in the CEA. Even Agent Oliver, who had trained, ate, and fought with him from day one.

His hatred, bitterness, and resentment had caused him to beat his former teacher into submission.

Now, the bullets he'd fired had gone through Krampus and into the rest of humanity. The shots that would be heard...and felt...around the world.

Just then, a familiar sound reached Nishikata's ears. The sound of sleigh bells and the clatter of hooves on top the roof.

"Mom, dad, get behind me!" he ordered, stepping between them and the fireplace.

Sure enough, a bright green magical glow lit up the fireplace, and Santa appeared in a flash, clothed in his signature red and white uniform. Only this time, there were armor plates on his chest, legs, and arms.

"What? He's real?" Nishikata's mother screamed.

"Do you have any idea what you've unleashed?" Santa hollered, his gloved finger pointed straight at Nishikata.

"Save your breath old man!" Nishikata spat back, raising his fists. "If you're here to kill me, just get it over with."

"Why would they want that, Nishikata?" his father shouted.

"Enough, all of you!" Santa bellowed, silencing the room.

"Nishikata, your killing of Krampus disrupted the Sacred Balance between the Guardians of Light and Darkness," Santa revealed. "When you discovered his lair and killed him, you aroused anger in our King, King Jack Frost, that has never been seen. If you do not come with me now, an entire detail of his soldiers will destroy you and your family once they arrive!"

"That bad, huh?" Nishikata said matter-of-factly, his fists now lowered.

"Yes, Agent Nishikata," Santa confirmed.

"Don't call me agent," Nishikata corrected him. "I lost my job with that agency days ago."

"Look, regardless of whatever title you hold, we can't stay here," his father chimed in. "Santa, where will you be taking us? It feels weird for me to address you like that, but I don't know what else to say."

"No matter, good sir," Santa smiled. "There are mountains nearby with caves in which I can conceal your presence from King Frost's hordes with my magic. But you must not depart that cave. King Frost and the Guardians of Darkness with him will stop at nothing to wipe out humanity."

"Then how will everyone else survive?" Nishikata's mother asked.

"The Guardians of Light and I will handle that," Santa said. "But right now, we must make haste!"

The guttural screams of more arriving monsters outside drove his point home.

"Alright, we'll go," Nishikata said. "Come on mom and dad, I don't want you guys to get hurt."

Santa's teleportation magic, though somewhat disorienting for Nishikata's parents, accomplished its goal of getting them up to the roof in the quickest time. The four elves hurried the civilians into the now-expanded back of the sleigh as they fired their arrows at the Giant Bats and Night Mares.

"Is there anyone else among my friends that King Frost is hunting for?" Nishikata asked as he sat next to Santa in the front seat.

"Yes. The girl you wished away, Takagi," Santa told him, whipping the reigns and ordering the reindeer to take flight. His bubble of green magic protected them from the fierce rain as it pummeled the streets below. "He blames both of you for the events that led to Krampus's death."

"Let me help you," Nishikata said.

Santa was perplexed. "What do you mean?"

"Let me help you rescue Takagi," Nishikata said through gritted teeth, clenching his fists. "After we drop my parents off. If I'm going to die, I'm not going to do it sitting in a cave."

Santa considered making a remark about how Cupid would be proud of Nishikata's desire to protect the one he loved, but refrained from doing so. Given the look in Nishikata's eyes, he was more doing it out of a spirit of guilty atonement to try and appease Takagi's anger. Any sensible person would be livid upon hearing their friend wished death on them after all.

"It will be as you say," Santa nodded. "But you must stay with my elves and I at all times. And keep your wits about you. King Frost and his hordes are not to be trifled with."

.........................

"Where is she?" King Frost roared as he swung his enormous, frigid Ice Sword in another wild arc. The agonizing screams of doctors, nurses, and patients did nothing to deter the livid King as he cut them down. The halls of the hospital were bathed in pools of blood, much of which stained his boots and robes already. But King Frost cared nothing for that. He could use magic to clean it off later.

He was only here for one person.

Mika Takagi.

By killing her, he would draw Nishikata out. And after slaughtering them both, he would be one step closer to completing his vengeance upon the meddlesome mortals.

The squadrons of Ice Soldiers were relentless in their pillaging and ravaging of the hospital, only two of them accompanying their King as he strode through the wrecked halls. It was ironic, really. The place these mortals considered a safe haven was about to become their tomb.

King Frost was not about to be stopped. He continued on, his massive boots making giant thuds on the linoleum floor with every step. He'd checked the first floor with meticulous precision already. Perhaps his target was on the next floor.

His suspicions were correct. On the second floor, at this very moment, Yukari and Mina were doing their best to hurry all the patients to a safe back room before the threat arrived. Security guards and other doctors were assisting in the effort, pushing the patients in wheelchairs to safety and keeping the hallways unobstructed.

"Please stay calm!" Yukari reminded the terrified crowd, not sure if she herself was entirely collected. "We will be at the lab shortly!"

Takagi and Sinai, who were in the middle of the group, did their best to aid one another as the other patients pushed and shoved their way to the lab. Takagi felt an odd, chilling sensation crawling through her skin. Not just any kind of cold, but an otherworldly, inexplicable cold that threatened to stop her heart. This threat, this attacker, whoever they were, hadn't come for her, had they?

At long last, Takagi and Sinai saw the heavy, open doors to the lab in sight and the two friends exchanged a glance of relief. If all went well, they and the other patients plus hospital staff would be safe soon.

Or so they thought.

"Takagi!"

The tyrant King Jack Frost shot his hands forward, creating a powerful wind that pushed the other patients against the walls on either side and left Takagi dead in the center, with no protection. Takagi felt her ankles go numb with cold, and when she looked down she saw that this strange foe had frozen her in place. When she turned her head to face her attacker, a scream escaped her throat as she gazed upon the hulking, armored form of King Jack Frost. As if his bloodstained armor wasn't enough, his dark black eyes full of evil rage and hate said it all. He had indeed come here for her. But for what reason, Takagi didn't know why.

"Mika Takagi," King Frost growled. "Former prisoner of my late Guardian Krampus and former lover of Agent Nishikata. I'll try to make your death as painless as possible. As for Nishikata, I can't guarantee the same for him."

That was when a small, certain nurse with light brown hair and determination to protect her friends stepped between King Frost and Takagi.

"You're not laying a finger on her, monster!" Mina yelled.

"Mina, no!" Yukari cried.

A cruel smile spread across King Frost's pale white face. "I admire your nobility, mortal. Unfortunately, it won't do you any good." He raised his sword.

Just when all seemed lost, Takagi heard a loud crash! and saw Nishikata sail through the window and into the hallway right between Mina and King Frost. He was followed by a squad of odd humanoid beings, some with pointed ears and others with fairy wings. The elves wore red and white armor and carried bows and arrows, whilst the fairies had sparkling purple and blue armor to match their green shields and spears. The other patients screamed in fright. It wasn't every day that the forces of light and darkness fought in their hallways.

Nishikata brought up his shotgun before King Frost could react, and fired two rounds into the tyrant's chest. King Frost bellowed in rage as the powerful force sent him reeling back, his two soldiers having to catch him. That was when Santa teleported into the hallway behind King Frost, following up Nishikata's blow with a powerful blast of green fire. King Frost and his guards staggered from the combined blows.

"My King, we must retreat!" one of his guards implored. "We are outnumbered!"

King Frost wanted nothing more than to stab the loathsome Nishikata through the liver, but he also knew his guard was right. They'd been caught by surprise.

"Your luck will run out, mortal," he hissed before teleporting himself and his guards out of the hospital.

"Elves, fairies, make your way down to the first floor!" Santa hollered. "Find any survivors and clear out the remaining Ice Soldiers!"

"Right away sir!" the magical soldiers replied, rushing to the stairs.

Takagi had no words as Nishikata came over, knelt down, and broke the ice around her ankles with two swings from his fist. The other patients had much panicked talk among themselves, but Takagi's ears drowned all of that out as Nishikata, after ten years, took her hand in his to catch her before she fell.

"Your muscles are still numb from the cold," he said matter-of-factly. "You'll need to warm them up before you start walking."

"Thank you so much Nishikata," Mina said as she and Yukari came over to steady Takagi.

"I guess what your job taught you really stuck with you huh?" Sinai asked.

"Nishikata, what the hell is going on?" Yukari said. "Why did that man with the sword want to kill Takagi?"

Takagi would never forget the look in Nishikata's eyes as he answered the question.

"He blames Takagi and I for the death of Krampus. He will stop at nothing to kill both of us."