Act III

While the Voyage Team (as SG2 had taken to calling them) was having their dungeon adventure, the Recon Team had gotten into a fair bit of their own trouble offscreen. Azaran was quickly caught up on the situation with Santa Claus - though he was rather doubtful hearing such outrageous claims from people he already didn't trust, SG2 still had the invoices she'd stuff in her pocket from earlier. Azaran had no choice but to accept that it was true…though he didn't exactly have any personal reasons to want to get caught up in their fight against Santa, either.

However, whether he liked it or not, Azaran had already been recognized as 'one of them' after last year's incident, and was likely already marked down on Santa's Naughty List by association. If he were to head back to IGNO City now, one of the prime locations Santa's troops would have been searched for them…it was doubtful he'd be able to simply brush it off by saying he wasn't interested. He couldn't let that happen - not when there were people who depended on him. He had to think about the people at the Sanctuary, about Ten, and now, this young boy who had no one else to turn to. Azaran was stuck with the others until this situation blew over…

And though Azaran hadn't wanted to talk about it, the situation with The Collector wasn't something they could ignore, either. After being told about the Santa situation, it was Azaran's turn to spill everything about his past, and the situation this boy - who had given his name as Rasha - had found himself in. Rasha had worried that someone might have been following him ever since he'd fled from his village, which is why he hadn't stopped running for three days. So now, on top of being pursued by Santa, they had to be on guard for another potential attacker in these already-dangerous Ice Plains…

And so, the IGNOites had been on the run all afternoon without stopping, running only on the little rest they'd gotten back where they'd first bumped into Azaran. Everyone was exhausted - especially Atlas and Fluffyfang. Karma suggested they head into one of the more heavily-forested areas to decrease their chances of being spotted, but Atlas refused to go anywhere near that many trees, and they didn't want to split too far apart and lose each other…so they'd stuck to traveling along the mountains. It was their hope that taking a more dangerous path would at least slow down their would-be captors…but it was just as rough on them. As the winter sun began to sink behind the horizon, everyone was reminded of just how long they'd gone without rest, or food…and decided they had no choice. They needed to stop, if only for a short while - at the very least, Fluffyfang and Atlas needed to refuel.

And so, they had stopped in a secluded mountain grove with a small pond. It had of course frozen over, but that was no problem with fire users in the group. They managed to catch a few fish and fry them over SG2 and Reese's flames, filling their bellies and recovering a small bit of strength…and Karma still had those hideous scorpion things to keep Fluffyfang going, as well. It had given Rasha a bit of a scare, but he had taken a liking to Fluffyfang and was happy to feed him a few blood-engorged ticks as thanks for carrying him all this way.

Though it was only a short reprieve, it had been nice to relax a bit…but that's not to say they had been careless. Azaran had remained on alert as their eye in the sky, since he had already eaten and gotten plenty of rest before making his journey earlier this morning. From the briefing he got earlier, he learned that Atlas had set fire to everything wooden at the North Pole workshop - including Santa's sleigh. Chances were high, then, that they'd be pursued from the ground, and this was the vantage point Azaran had chosen to focus on.

They had never expected the possibility of an aerial attack.

A metallic sound rang through the air…and before Azaran could spin around to the source of the noise, it was too late. A sharp spear had pierced through his wing as he'd circled the grove, and he was sent plummeting straight through the ice below.

"W-what just–!!"

Without a second's pause, another spear flew down and pierced Fluffyfang's folded wing. Though the warbat was covered from head to toe in thick armor, his wing membranes were of course unprotected…but damage them, and the bat would have some difficulty flying. Since Karma had originally bred these bats to use as cavalry for her Blood Knights, she knew this weakness all too well and had taken measures to hide Fluffyfang in a blind spot in the event that they might be spotted - and even so, whoever shot that spear had nailed that weak point precisely!! Within seconds Karma understood that this could mean only one thing!!

"AMBUSH!!"

A third spear pierced the air at the instant of her cry - but Fluffyfang was not the only one who had been bred for war!! Bradios' innate reflexes kicked in as soon as he heard Karma's shout - the word 'ambush' was, naturally, one of the most basic concepts his cyborg brain was designed to respond to immediately!! With a lightning-fast roll, he knocked SG2 out of the path of the incoming javelin in the nick of time. Something was in the air above them…but where?! Though he couldn't see a thing, he was able to calculate the exact trajectory of the spear and find its origin point. Bradios fired his plasma pistol directly at that spot - and he had done all of this within a split second's time!! The ball of energy made a searing sound as it ripped through…something. He had been right - it was definitely right there!!

No one understood what exactly what going on, but it was clear that someone had found them and was shooting to kill!! Atlas' guns blazed with cleansing fire, joining Brad in shooting at their unseen foe. He took note of where the cyborg was aiming to guide his own wild shots - surely, at least some of them ought to hit!! Karma and Reese were busy tending to Fluffyfang's wound, and couldn't help…and Azaran was…Azaran?! It finally occurred to SG2 what it was that what had been shot down from the sky a moment ago must have been been Azaran himself!!

"Dammit…that idiot…!!"

Though she hated the cold more than anything else, SG2 dove through the ice into the pond below. Thankfully, as a fire user, she was able to elevate her body temperature enough to avoid imminent death in the sub-zero waters…and as an ice user himself, though wounded, Azaran should survive as well. That didn't mean she could afford to sit back and enjoy a refreshing swim, though - element users were still mortals, and their abilities had limits. Water was also a fire user's greatest weakness, and despite her kind's usual affinity for the stuff, SG2 wasn't much of a swimmer. She would have to find Azaran, and fast!! Fortunately it was a small pond, and though the water was dark and murky she spotted him quickly. Now it was just a matter of bringing him back up…

…but try as she might, the small tiger could barely support the zedkiel's weight with her own. The buoyancy helped her get him to the surface, but pulling herself out with a waterlogged body on her shoulders was another matter entirely…and she just couldn't summon the strength. It had already been nearly 24 hours since they'd been summoned to Bones' castle, and they'd been on the move practically non-stop ever since. She'd exhausted her energy transforming into her human form, using her flames as a light and heat source during the journey, and now she was giving her all just to keep her own temperature up and try not to drown below the ice…not to mention having the shit kicked out of her at the North Pole. And now, she was running out of breath, besides…even someone as strong as SG2 had limits!! Already so weary, and surrounded by this much of her elemental weakness, the tiger simply could not muster the strength to climb up through the ice. She had just enough energy left for one person…

Hoisting Azaran over her small shoulders, she focused the last of her power into her palms…and with a final good shove, managed to push Azaran up through the crevice. She heard him cough violently, spitting the water from his lungs…he would be fine. But what of the others? Had Santa already found them? Fluffyfang was hurt, too…would they be able to get away? Everyone was so tired…so very, very tired. If only they could just crawl into bed and wait for Christmas to come…when was the last time they got to do such a thing? Every year was another stupid, pointless fight like this…and SG2 was tired. As she felt the last of the breath leave her body, the small tiger sunk back down into the frigid depths below…

"SG2!!!"

Karma screamed - Atlas and Brad were still shooting down whatever it was that continued to launch spears down at them. Fluffyfang was hurt, but he'd live - warbats were tough. She gave him one final command to get back to Blood Country and tend to his wounds, and stepped away. Instead Karma and Reese had switched their focus towards Azaran, who had just been tossed back up onto the ice…they hadn't even known he had fallen, or noticed SG2 go in after him. It was Rasha who had seen the Tiger's rescue attempt and told them…but when Azaran surfaced and she did not, they began to panic. Everyone knew SG2 was a terrible swimmer…why had she done such a stupid thing?! No…it was no surprise. She was always impulsive like that. But now, of all times?!

"We…we need to go in after her!!"

"Are you crazy?! We'll be no better off!"

"But SG2–"

Reese held Karma back and shook his head. She knew as well as he did that another person diving in after her would just end with more casualties. If they wanted to help her, they'd need an actual plan…but what?! There was no time!! Reese clenched his fists and did his best not to let his emotions show…certainly he, too, was terrified that even SG2 might not be able to pull a miracle off this time.

And just as they were thinking about what to do next…a miracle was pulled. The water rose from the pond with a tremendous splash…and froze in mid-air. In the center, atop a tall spire of ice…lay an unconscious, but alive, SG2.

Reese spun around to search for Azaran…but he was still on his knees at the edge of the pond, coughing and trying to regain his strength. He stared at the ice column with just as much confusion as the rest - after all, wasn't he the only ice user in the group?! Brad and Atlas were still on the other side of the grove, having turned to look at the source of all the commotion. Reese and Karma had been arguing about what to do next. There was nobody else…except…

There, by the edge of the lake, with his hands raised high in the air…stood Rasha. He was incredibly pale, and his breathing was heavy, as though he was exerting a huge amount of effort just holding up his own body. Even now, he was focusing on keeping the entire pond's worth of water from crashing back down on the small tiger…that's right!! This was no time to be amazed by the boy's incredible elemental prowess - he would only be able to hold that ice for so long!! Stumbling to his feet, Azaran beat his wings in the cold air a few times…he could fly, if only a short distance. It would be enough to get him to the central platform and grab SG2. After all…for as much as he couldn't stand that annoying tiger, always making inappropriate comments about him and Ten…and those rumors about hidden cameras and whatnot…she had just risked her own life to save him. He had to return the favor.

"Come on, you stupid tiger…you'll…be…fine…!!"

Azaran hoisted SG2 over his shoulders - she looked so much like a walking plush toy, he hadn't counted on her weighing as much as…well, an actual living creature her size would. It was a bit shaky, but he had managed to carry her back over to the shore of the pond, smacking her on the back a few times to help her spit up all the water she'd swallowed. When Rasha saw that she was safe, he let out a sigh of relief…all the ice suspended in mid-air immediately melted and fell back down into the gaping crater below with a gigantic splash. And then…Rasha collapsed. This was just not a good day for conscious people…

At least Brad and Atlas seemed to have made some progress while all of that was going on, as they were now cheering and exchanging high-fives on the other end of the grove. It looked as though their shots had finally brought down their foe…the invisibility cloaking it finally faded and its shape came into view as it crashed through the air and into the snow below.

"You guys, we got it!!"

Karma and Reese were a bit preoccupied with their two unconscious companions, but Azaran told them to join Atlas and Bradios - he was fine, now, and had it under control. They nodded in agreement and ran over to join the other two, who now stood over…

"…Santa's sleigh? No, that's weird…it's different…"

Though it had the same rough shape as Santa's, it was considerably larger…and while Santa's sleigh was done in a classic wooden design, this appeared to be made of metal. It wasn't pulled by reindeer, but powered by rocket boosters or some kind of techno mumbo-jumbo, according to Brad's examination. It wasn't important. What was important, however, was who was inside…and how they had found them. They had been very careful to cover Atlas' tracks, and the others had flown through the sky and left no visible trail. The sleigh made it seem like they were affiliated with Santa, but…never before had any of the IGNOites seen such a strange techno-sleigh in all the years they'd been helping the fat bastard.

It seemed like the other mystery was about to be solved, though - suddenly, four small humanoids leapt from the cockpit. Though short, they were larger than Santa's elves…just a little larger than SG2. All four were bundled up tight in thick, white parkas and face masks, no doubt for camouflage in the snow as much as protection from the cold…the only parts of their bodies left exposed were their long, ratlike tails. Or were they lizard-like? It was hard to tell…but there wasn't much time to dwell on that, for they quickly vanished in a blitz of blinding speed. Before the four IGNOites could react, they each found themselves with a blade pressed against their throats.

"Where is the zedkiel?" The voice was thick and muffled beneath the face mask. "You will hand him over if you want to live."

"Not that they'll live long once we hand 'em over to the boss man, heh!!"

"Shut up, you idiot!! You're not supposed to tell them that!!"

"Why not? It's the truth!!"

"Because if they know we're just gonna kill 'em anyway they have no reason to tell us where the kid is!!"

"Oh yeah…"

The foursome glanced at each other as though to say, 'bruh, really?'. While their would-be captors were busy bickering, they'd left themselves wide open…dealing with a weak threat like this was nothing for these battle-hardened adventurers!! The daggers were effortlessly knocked out of their hands, and the four were dropped to the ground and at their mercy at no time at all. Atlas and Bradios smiled as they pointed their guns at three of them, while Karma held her left-handed knife against the fourth's throat.

"Alright, gang, let's see who these goofballs really are!!" said Reese, as though he was about to unmask a cartoon villain as he pulled the thick woolen hat from his captive's head. "Hoh…now there's something you don't see every day."

The face beneath the hood was vaguely reptilian, yet also strangely canine in appearance. The crocodile-like snout grimaced, showing off rows of razor-sharp teeth, while its ears hung low like a dog about to be punished. Its face was covered in short fur, and atop its head were two small horns.

"Looks like a kobold to me…don't see these guys very often in IGNOLand." Reese explained. "Guessing by the similar builds and tails on the others, his buddies are probably kobolds, too. They mostly live underground, like the gnomes…though they're usually a lot dumber."

"Hey!! I resemble that remark!!" the kobold growled, though it changed its tune the moment it felt Karma's cold black blade press harder against its neck. "Eeee!!"

"Dumb or not, they're definitely plenty skilled." Brad kept his gun trained on the kobold beneath his foot. "Their aim with those spears was top notch, and they knew how to maneuver this thing well enough to put up a solid defense against our guns. Knew enough to throw up an invisible cloak to keep it hidden from us, too. These guys are definitely pros."

"You said you were after the zedkiel…does that mean you're what Azaran had been talking about? Those–"

"Collectors." Azaran came over to join them, having apparently overheard some of the conversation. It seemed that SG2 had recovered already and was watching over Rasha now. "Professional poachers. We kept our tracks hidden well, but they still managed to sniff us out…with those noses of theirs. They're notorious for never letting their prey escape, and are experts at stealth and ambushes…my people have lived in fear for years because of them. Well, I didn't know there was more than one, though…"

"There are more of us than you know, kiddo. We've got a whole underground network stretching across IGNOLand. You think the Ice Plains is our only hunting ground? Try paying a visit to the jungle sometime…that is, if you survive!!"

As though it was never in any danger at all, the kobold swatted the knife free from Karma's hand and leapt on Azaran with blinding speed. The other three took advantage of the distraction to do the same, kicking their captors down and turning the tables once more. They were skilled, alright - but just because they were so dumb, the IGNOites had underestimated them!! The hoodless kobold grabbed Azaran by the scarf and pulled it tight, choking the boy into submission before pulling a rope from his pack and skillfully tying him up tight.

The other four hadn't fared much better - Karma and Reese had been caught inside a net, which seemed to be made of the same fireproof material that Santa had used on them earlier. Bradios was wrestled to the ground, his sleep mode switch flipped off to make him an easy catch. Atlas, as one of the more difficult types to catch, was shot with a tranquilizer dart, his legs then bound with weighted ropes to keep him from running off…

"Aaagh!! Let me go!!" Azaran screamed, struggling in vain against the ropes.

"Not on your life, kiddo…your friends have quite the bounty on their heads, and our employer is anxious for us to deliver."

"You don't…mean…"

"Hehe…that's right, Santy Claus himself!! As for you…hmm…" the kobold ran his fingers down Azaran's wings, taking note of the hole from when he'd been shot with the spear earlier. "A bit damaged, but mostly intact. Your feathers should still fetch a fine price. You and your little friend will be coming with us…Santa has no use for you."

Azaran remembered that Rasha was still with SG2…the Collectors had their hands full over here, and shouldn't have found them yet!! Surely, as long as SG2 was still free, she'd find a way to come to their rescue!! But Azaran's face quickly went pale as his kobold captor glanced behind him…

"Oh, good. Looks like they didn't give you any trouble."

"These two? Hah. Worthless prey. Both of 'em already looked half-dead before I even got there. Barely had to lift a finger…how disappointing."

SG2 and Rasha, both in nets, were kicked over by a big ugly snow boot. There had been…a fifth…kobold…

"How's the sleigh?"

"Systems are slightly damaged…but she'll fly. Cloaking device is dead, but we won't be needing that anymore. Hahaha!!"

"Come on, we'd better get moving. It's already getting dark, and the big man still has plans for the evening."

"Oh yeah, that Christmas flight thing where he delivers toys to all the kids, or something, right? I don't get why a guy like that would bother, though…"

"Ain't our place to question. We're just supposed to drop off the bounty, alive, and we get paid. Now let's get moving."

The seven captives were loaded into the back of the strange metal sleigh, which sped off into the night…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Krampus sat atop a lonely throne in his isolated ice tower. It was the evening of December 24th…his muscles swelled as his power rapidly reached its peak, thanks to the energy provided by Santa's artifact. And yet, he simply sat, his head in his hands, staring out the window at the falling snow…neither speaking, nor moving, nor even thinking much of anything.

Linda had upheld her end of the deal with Bones to 'keep an eye' on Krampus, and had been sitting with him in his tower all day. But she hadn't needed to lift a finger. After all, Krampus was not scheming this year. He simply sat there, motionless, barely paying her presence any heed at all. He was still dejected after last year's failure - finally, after countless years of struggle, he had come so close to ridding the world of Kristof's legacy and his final descendant. But despite their best efforts, even that plan ended with defeat. It was understandable, then, that Krampus simply wasn't up to trying to top that plan…only for it to once again end in failure.

But Linda had hope. If only Bones could succeed in finding Kristof's fabled artifact…they would be able to dethrone Santa Claus once and for all. Krampus' long struggle would finally end…and he could move on, and live his life without his quest for revenge hanging over his head. She knew that he wouldn't have wanted her to go behind his back this way…but she hated seeing him suffer like this. After reading that journal of his, more than anything else…Linda wanted Krampus to find peace.

Linda flitted about the room and came to rest atop Krampus' head. He did not react…but that was alright. Neither had spoken a word for hours, but they didn't need to. As long as he knew she was there, supporting him, Linda was satisfied. Just being by his side was enough. After all, she was the only one who could truly understand the Krampus' complicated heart…

And then, the silence was broken. Just outside, there arose such a clatter that Linda sprang from her perch to see what was the matter. It looked as though a large sleigh, loaded to the brim with…something Linda couldn't quite see from this distance in the darkness, had pulled up at the foot of Krampus' mountain. A loaded sleigh…one would immediately assume this meant a visit from Santa Claus, however, there was something different about this one. As it came to a stop, five small men hopped out - one went around to the back to check on the cargo, while the other four waited up front. They seemed to be checking their watches as though they were waiting for someone…but who on earth would have scheduled a meeting here, of all places…?

"…"

Linda glanced at Krampus and opened her mouth to let him know about these strange visitors…but stopped herself. He hadn't even reacted to the noise or made any attempt to see what was going on. He was beyond the point of caring about anything…to inform him of something so pointless would have been a waste of time. And so, Linda watched silently on her own, more out of boredom and curiosity than anything else…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where is he? You'd think a guy like that would have a better sense of pun…punk…puncture…of bein' on time for things."

"Why do you think he wanted to meet us all the way out here, anyways? Isn't the North Pole on the opposite end of the Ice Plains? This seems pretty out of the way…"

"Who knows why rich people do anything. All we can do is wait for him to show."

"Yeah, well, if he's not here in the next 20 minutes, I say we ditch him and take these guys for ourselves. They must be worth something if he's willing to pay that much…besides, it's too damn cold out here."

"You know, I ain't never seen anythin' like that strange tiger thing. Bet you could get a lot for it at the zoo, or maybe a fur trader might be interested…"

SG2's ears twitched as she listened to these bounty hunters discuss skinning her so casually. She'd regained consciousness during the journey to find herself inside a large metal cage with a sheet covering it, in the back of this high-tech sleigh…of course, the rest of her friends were there, too. Though all seven of them were together crammed uncomfortably, it was large enough to hold them - even Atlas - with little trouble. Naturally - Azaran had already said it. These guys were professional poachers…it would only stand to reason that they'd be equipped enough to transport their 'prey'.

"Dammit…isn't there any way to escape?" SG2 said, clicking her tongue.

"We tried various things while you were knocked out…" said Karma. "Shadow, fire…I can't even Ruin them. It must be enchanted against basic elemental attacks, just like Santa's was. They've thought of everything."

"Brad's a metal user, what about him? I bet he could break these bars somehow."

"Out cold. They must have flipped his sleep switch." said Reese, still in his anthropomorphized form, though he seemed a bit more fox-like than before…no doubt his energy was fading fast. "We tried finding it to turn him back on, but it's so cramped in here and hard to move…"

"Metal…metal…??? Wait…isn't metal weak against ice…?"

SG2 turned to look at Azaran, but he was still unconscious. Between being shot through the wing, which were apparently vital enough that clipping them could kill a zedkiel…and on top of that, he'd almost drowned. Of course, so had SG2, but…

"Wait…Rasha!!"

As she lay there half-dead, everything that happened had been a blur…but she vaguely remembered someone lifting the water out of the pond and freezing it in mid-air. There's no way it could have been Azaran, who was still on the verge of death himself at the time…and none of her other friends were ice users. But it's said that elemental affinity is strongly tied to the environment one is born in…wasn't the zedkiel boy only other person who could have done it?

"Rasha…it was you, wasn't it? The one who saved me?" SG2 turned to look at Rasha, who was curled up and resting against Atlas' flank.

"I-I don't…know…I can't remember…" Rasha looked confused and frightened…understandably, since they'd just fallen into the clutches of the guys who'd probably killed his parents. But what was important right now was that they get out of here and back to safety…and it was possible that this young boy held the key to their freedom.

"It's true…I saw the whole thing." Karma said. "Me and Reese were trying to figure out what we could do to save you, and then suddenly all the water rose out of the pond and froze. When we looked around, Rasha was standing at the shore, with his hands raised up high…"

"T-There's no way I can do something like that!!"

"Rasha…" Reese put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "If it's something you can do to get us all out of here, you need to try."

"He's right." said Atlas. "Your dead parents gave their lives to make sure you got away safely. If you let it all end here, that sacrifice would be for nothing."

"Atlas!!"

"What? I'm trying to motivate him!!"

"Y-you don't understand…I really can't do that!! My power…it only comes out like that when I'm really angry, or afraid, or if my life is in danger…"

"Look around you, Rasha!! Your life is in danger - all of our lives are in danger!! If we don't get out of this cage before Santa comes, we'll–"

"HEY!! WHAT'S WITH ALL THE NOISE BACK HERE?!" SG2's shouting drew the attention of one of their captors, who had come around back to check up on them. His teeth glistened in the moonlight that shone in as he lifted the sheet with a venomous smirk on his face. "Y'all ain't plannin' some kind of escape plans, is ya? Can't be havin' that, now, can we?"

The dastardly dog-face grabbed hold of the cage bars and rattled them menacingly. He shook so hard that SG2 and the others had to grab hold of the bars and hold tight so they wouldn't all slam against the back of the cage, possibly being crushed under a very large, very heavy centaur…

"Y'all just hold on a little while longer until Santy Claus gets here…he'll take care of ya reeeeeal good. An' as fer you…" He pointed a clawed finger at Rasha, grinning sadistically. "Once these guys are gone, you an' me are gonna have a little fun, one-on-one…as I pluck each and every last one of those pretty li'l feathers from your wings while you howl in pain, just like your mommy and daddy!!! AAAAAhya-hya-hya-hya-hya!!!"

"Y-you…killed my…"

"Ehhh? What's that? You're gonna have to speak up!! Can't hear ya over all this rattling!!" He shook the cage even harder now. "Heee, ya scared yet? Lemme hear some o' them screams like your parents did while I plucked 'em clean!!"

"You…killed them…you…you killed…my…!!"

SG2 began to notice - the more the kobold riled him up, the colder and more brittle the cage bars beneath his clenched fists got. It was just like he'd said…his power was fueled by his emotions. In that case…while it may have been a bit cruel, they needed to make him even angrier.

"There's no way Rasha's parents would cry…they must have been happy just knowing they'd helped their son get away!!"

"SG2, what are you doing?!" Karma whispered loudly.

"Just watch!!"

"Eeehh? And how would you know that? Was you there? No, you wasn't!! Only I know about how they begged us not to go after their precious little baby, and said they'd do anything we wanted!! Too bad for them what we wanted was their feathers!! Oh, but don't worry, I sliced 'em off, nice and careful-like…couldn't let 'em get damaged or soaked in blood, after all, they'd lose their value!! So we tied 'em down and spread their wings out big and wide, just like this", he said, stretching his arms out, "and worked on 'em nice and slow…musta taken 3 or 4 hours before we was finished, but by then they'd already gone into shock from the pain!! I wonder how long a little guy like you'd last under me knife…last kid I plucked was gone in less than an hour, but he was younger than you…kept screamin' for his brother to come save him, hyeeeeh-hyeh-hyeh!!!"

By now, the ice had spread from Rasha's fists throughout the cage…it hadn't engulfed all the bars yet, but it should have been enough. The sub-zero cold soaked into the metal, making it brittle - at this temperature, it should be easily fractured, enchanted or no!! But just as SG2 was about to punch through bars herself…Rasha's rage exploded.

"YOU KILLED MY PARENTS!!!"

The bars Rasha gripped snapped beneath his fists. Without their support, the cage's barrier loosened - the bolts holding it in place must have begun to fracture, as well!! There were more nuts popping loose than Testicle Tuesdays at the Gas Station Next Door!!

"W-whoa!! Backup, backu–!!"

The Collector that had been taunting him so confidently a moment ago was sent flying through the air as Rasha caused a pillar of ice to rise up from the ground beneath him. The other kobolds heard his cries and ran over to see what was the matter, but by then it was already too late - the cage had been shattered to pieces, and the IGNOites were free!!

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?!"

"I HAPPENED!!!"

Rasha backflipped behind one of the bounty hunters and slammed an ice-encased fist into his spine, causing the kobold to double over in pain!!

"ICE!!! IT BURNS, IT BURNS!!!"

"Ice burns? That makes no sense!!" SG2 shouted, leaping free from the sleigh.

"Kobolds usually live underground in mines filled with ores and precious metals…they're probably metal users!! For a little kid's punch to hurt that much, it must have been super effective!!" Atlas slung the deactivated Bradios over his shoulder as he toppled the sleigh over with a mighty Centaur Kick. "Let's see, power switch, power switch…there it is, cuh-lick!!"

Bradios' eyes lit up instantly and he sprang from Atlas' grasp back to his feet. He didn't even have to question what their current situation was - before his eyes and within his targeting system were three outlined shapes labeled 'ENEMY'. That was all he needed to know as his shoulder plates popped open to reveal his built-in plasma cannons!!

The remaining kobolds were wise to the fact that the odds were no longer in their favor as they began to run around dodging the energy bolts. Their instincts told them to flee, but their integrity as professionals wouldn't allow it - a Collector never let their prey escape!! But it was no use, they were too far outnumbered!!

"W-we need to get out of here and regroup, and, and!!"

"You idiot, if we let them get away now, we won't get another chance!! Do you know what Santa does to those that fail him?!"

"Guh…guess there's no choice, then!!"

"Oh, so you're sticking around after all? Good!!"

"…?!"

The two kobolds looked up to find themselves surrounded by a towering wall of flame. SG2 stood on one side, Reese on the other - not that their encircled foes could see that.

"Why…you cowards!! Too afraid to face us one-on-one, huh?! What's wrong, know you'll lose?!"

"Oh, I'm not afraid."

There was a strange shuffling sound from outside the barrier, though the kobolds couldn't see it to understand what it was. At least, not until SG2 popped up through the snow underneath them, grabbing each of their ankles in both of her hands.

"Sup, guys? This close enough for ya?" With a tug of her arms, SG2 sent the two poachers toppling to the cold ground. "Go for it, Reese!!"

On her signal, Reese bent the ring of fire into a dome, sealing the two Collectors beneath. And then, the dome began to shrink…as the two kobolds screamed, engulfed in flames, Reese thought it may have been a tad too graphic for the heroes of a comedy story and decided to dial back on the temperature…just enough to cripple them.

There was just one Collector left!! Karma already had him in her sights, having mounted Atlas (and endured his groan-inducing innuendos) and begun charging directly at him!! The kobold tried to flee, but the snow was thick beneath his feet - as he continued to trip and lose his balance, he was no match for Atlas' speed. Karma gripped her left-handed knife tightly in her hand, but such a short-ranged weapon would never be enough for a proper joust…so she had coated it in a layer of shadow magic, lengthening the blade into a proper sword!! As the knightly duo gained on their fleeing foe, Karma slashed upward with her shadowy slicer, knocking the kobold clear off his feet and sending him crashing into the snow.

"There…that takes care of them all." Karma dispelled her magic and sheathed the blade, climbing down off her impromptu steed.

"We should probably tie them up or something…there should still be ropes and nets and stuff in their sleigh." said Atlas.

And so, the IGNOites worked together to round up their defeated enemies and get them bound in front of their broken-down sleigh. One, two, three, four…there was one missing.

"Oh right, the guy Rasha sent flying away in the beginning…we should probably go find him." SG2 said, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Speaking of, where did that kid get off to, anyway?"

"Lookin' fer someone?"

How many times had the tables already turned between them? It was starting to get old…but there stood both of the people they'd been looking for. The final kobold, the one who had taunted them from their cage…and Rasha, who he held close with a sharp blade pressed against his neck.

"I ain't even care about you fools no more. Santy Claus can find his own bounty. But this one…no way I'm lettin' such a prize slip away when I'm this close!!"

"Rasha!!"

"Not so fast, tiger-thing!! One step closer and I slit his throat!! I don't need him alive to take his feathers - 's just more fun that way!! Hyeeeh-hyeh-hyeh-hyeh!!"

"L…let me go…!!"

"Shut up!!" The kobold shouted as he tightened his choke hold. "You ain't the first brat I've killed, and you ain't gonna be the last!!"

"You're half-right."

There was a swift whooshing sound, and the next thing the Collector knew…a frozen arrow was embedded in his neck. He slumped and toppled over like a puppet whose strings had been cut, staring up at the sky as a shadow came to loom over his head. It was Azaran, still a bit weary-looking, who now stood staring down at the hapless kobold.

"I may have been a bit out of it, but I heard what you said before. About the little boy you killed."

"Oh yeah…? What of it…? GHACK!!"

Azaran stomped on his chest more than hard enough to crack a few ribs.

"So even if, by some coincidence, I've got the wrong guy…" Azaran rose his palm, gathering the cold energy from the air and chilling the kobold's body from the inside out. "I'm still a big brother, and I won't let you get away with robbing an innocent child of his life."

The Collector flailed his arms about wildly. He began clutching his throat and desperately, gasping for breath as the ice traveled up his body and constricting his windpipe. His eyes began to tear up as he mouthed the words 'forgive me', but Azaran's eyes were merciless…and within seconds, even those tears had frozen solid. He was now nothing more than a kobold-shaped ice cube resting silently beneath Azaran's boot. And then…

CRRRRRR…UNCH.

Rasha sat on his butt on the cold snow, staring up at Azaran in shock. The other IGNOites quickly ran over to see if he was okay…and their stomachs immediately turned at the sight.

"Azaran…you…"

"He had it coming." Azaran spat on the shattered remains beneath his foot. "What did you think this was, anyway? Some kind of comedy story? This is what it's like in the real world...not that Bones' friends would know anything about that."

There were many things the IGNOites wanted to say to Azaran…but they had far more pressing concerns right now, and decided to let it be. Atlas helped the dumbfounded Rasha up onto his back. Since Fluffyfang had been left behind when they were captured, he was their only transport now. They'd decided that Rasha and SG2 would ride Atlas while everyone else - including Azaran, whose wings were in no condition to fly - would have to continue on foot.

However…it seemed that would no longer be necessary.

"What in the silent night has happened here…?"

Santa Claus, more than 20 minutes behind schedule…had finally arrived.

He trodded through the crisp snow, stopping in front of the broken down metal sleigh. There were four of the bounty hunters he was supposed to meet with - bound, gagged, and beaten unconscious. A few feet up ahead from there lay the broken remains of the fifth…and standing over him, staring back with fearful faces, were the very prizes he had come to collect. Santa's face clouded over with a quiet fury.

"I was running a bit later than intended. Trying to deal with the aftermath of the inferno that overtook my workshop, you see - the workshop I had just gotten rebuilt after the fiasco that left it destroyed last year…and what do I come to find but a gang of incompetents who couldn't even manage to capture a bunch of kids…?"

"Mmhhmmph!! Hmm mmhmm hf hmm mmhmph!!"

The intertwined kobolds tried to explain the situation, of course the gags made that impossible. Not that it would have mattered even if they could speak - Santa was already well beyond the point of forgiving such failures. Without taking his eyes from the IGNOites up ahead, Santa thrust out his arm and gathered a ball of red-green energy in his open palm…

"MMHPHHPH!!! MMPH--------------------"

There was a bright flash of light accompanied by a sharp, sizzling sound. All that remained of the four Collectors was a slightly singed pile of white parkas inside a coil of loose rope. Their bodies had been completely vaporized without a trace…and yet Santa's face was as calm as ever, his eyes never straying as he stepped closer to his adversaries. Rasha hid behind Atlas' leg as the IGNOites took fighting stances…

"You did this…alone, it would seem? Where is your employer, hmm? Still not willing to get his own hands dirty?"

"Employer…? Does he mean Bones?" Azaran looked at the others in confusion - understandable, since he had arrived late and only heard a summary of the story second-hand.

"No…he thinks we're working with Krampus." SG2 answered.

"With Krampus? That's ridiculous, why would–"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!!!" Santa's sudden shout shook the air so hard that even the snow falling around them dissipated. "The time for tricks and deception is over. I chose this place specifically as the meeting location so I could make him watch as I executed you all one by one, and know that once again his pathetic little plan had failed. But thanks to those worthless fools, it seems that execution has been slightly delayed. Looks like if you want a murder done right, you have to do it yourself after all!!"

"Wait…'this place'? What are you talking about?"

"Oh come now, little tiger, don't tell me you haven't noticed yet!! Or is that terrible memory of yours acting up again?"

SG2 was still confused…but one by one, it seemed that the others had realized it. They'd been locked in a cage and covered by a sheet when they first arrived, and since then they'd been too busy fighting to have much reason to look at their surroundings. Though it was getting steadily darker, now that they'd bothered to look, they could faintly make out a very familiar landmark…

"Krampus'…Tower…?" Karma was the one who said it aloud, but they'd all been thinking it. They were now standing just below the mountain atop which Krampus had built his signature ice tower.

"That's right…what better place to end your miserable lives, and finish my business with that pathetic excuse for a rival of mine once and for all? This is the end of the line!! Now call him out here!! I went through the trouble of coming all the way to this Rainbow-forsaken corner of the Ice Plains on my busiest night of the year, and I'm not about to let that go to waste!!"

"…"

"So even now, you refuse to confess your allegiance to him…very well, I'll call him down myself!! A little knock on that flimsy tower of his ought to be enough of a wake-up call!!" Santa aimed his palm up the mountain towards the tower, once again gathering a ball of red-green energy - he was planning to blast the building to pieces!!

"There's no need for that. I'm already here."

The familiar voice mixed with the sound of jingling chains and crunching snow. Santa spun around behind him to see a muscular monster, his green fur flecked with white dust. Though it glowed only faintly in the darkness, a small ball of light seemed to be flitting around his shoulders. The deep black horns atop his head gleamed beneath the moonlight, and his long pink tongue hung lifelessly from his fanged muzzle. That visage was unmistakable - it was Krampus himself.

"So the guest of honor has finally arrived…"

"So now I'm a guest in my own home?"

"Hooo ho ho ho, of course not, my apologies. I suppose it is I who am the guest this time around."

"I don't like guests who come unannounced."

"Oh? And after I was so kind to welcome you into my home last year, and let you help yourself to my magic bag!! Hooo ho ho!!"

"Enough with the chatter, Claus!! Why have you come? I've no quarrel with you this year, so leave me to wallow in my misery in peace."

"No quarrel…?" Santa's expression, which had been tauntingly jovial a moment ago, now grew dim. "Well, of course, I should expect you to be a liar. But look, I'm not just an ordinary guest - I come bearing gifts for you!! I am Santa Claus, after all!!"

Santa gestured to the IGNOites, who hadn't moved an inch, still on guard with their weapons at the ready. Krampus grimaced in annoyance…even on the rare year he chose not to do anything, they still planned to harass him…?

"So you've brought your little minions to break down my tower once again, is that it? Do as you wish. I no longer care."

"MY minions…?" Santa's tone grew increasingly agitated. "They're working for you, not me. Did you not send them to burn my workshop to the ground?! I admit, your surprise alliance did catch me off guard, but it won't be enough to break my empire."

"Sent them…? But I haven't…done a thing."

The two long-lived rivals both shared the same look of confusion - and it was clear at this point that Krampus wasn't lying.

"We told you we weren't working for Krampus!!" SG2 shouted back, sticking her tongue out and flipping Santa the bird.

"But if it wasn't you, then…why else would they have come poking around my secret archives in the dead of the night?"

"So you did it after all, Bones…"

It was a small voice - so small, in fact, that Krampus was the only one who could hear it. That was because the voice belonged to Linda who had been there the whole time…and who immediately regretted letting those words leave her mouth so close to Krampus' ears.

"…Bones?! What did you do?!" Krampus' voice was low with fury as he seemingly whispered into his shoulder.

"I-I…I'm sorry!! But ever since I read your journal last year, I–"

"YOU READ MY PRIVATE JOURNAL?!" The vibrations of his shout knocked Linda clear off his shoulder and into the frosty air.

"I wanted to find more info about Bones and his friends so I could construct the perfect trap for them!! I hadn't meant to read more than what was necessary, but I got carried away, I…I'm sorry!!" Linda darted about frantically, trying to dodge the falling snow. "But it made me realize just how little I knew about you…and the more I learned, the more it hurt. I just…wanted to help you, in whatever way possible."

"So you enlisted the help of my sworn enemies to attack Claus directly?!"

"No, no!! That wasn't the plan I–"

"Who are you talking to?!"

By now, Krampus had been shouting loud enough that everyone else could hear his words - but without knowing what the other party was saying, it was like listening to one side of a telephone conversation. Santa had long lost his patience at what seemed like some kind of bizarre charade and stomped over to the grumpy grinch, leaning in close to his face. Linda quickly tried to hide herself beneath the denser mantle of fur around his neck, but it was too late - she'd been spotted.

"The pixie queen…I should have known!! You were behind the mess last year too, weren't you?!"

"I…I…Bones, hur–GURRRK–!?"

A thick gloved hand reached out and engulfed Linda's small body…Santa raised the pixie up to his face, his eyes smoldering with fury. With his other hand, he grabbed the tips of her delicate, translucent wings and made as though to pull them off.

"You know…I've been using the dust of your cousins, the piskis, to power my reindeer for centuries." A foul cloud of putrid breath seeped through the gaps in Santa's yellowed teeth - if she hadn't been gripped so tightly, it'd have been enough to knock Linda flat. "I wonder, just what effect might pixie dust have instead? Perhaps I ought to take you back with me and milk you dry so we can find out!!"

"Linda!!"

Krampus charged at his rotund rival, but stopped in his tracks. It wasn't by his own will…but some sort of invisible force keeping him held in place. Before he could try to make sense of what was going on, his head flew back and he screamed in horrified agony. His body began to shrivel and deflate as his cries ripped through the night air before finally, he went silent…as though the very breath had been sucked from his lungs. In an instant, Krampus crumpled over onto the cold ground - defeated.

"Lumbering oaf. I think you'll find I'm more than able to incapacitate you if I get serious."

"K-Krampus?! What did you do to him?!" Linda demanded, trying in vain to shake her body free of Santa's grasp.

"Ho ho ho ho…I've merely taken back what's mine. The power he's been borrowing from me for hundreds of years…with accumulated interest, of course!!"

Krampus could not kill Santa Claus, and vice-versa - this was one of the core rules behind the curse that bound them for all these years. However, this life link had a side benefit - the energy flowing from Kristof's artifact, which the current Santa Claus had found a way to siphon into himself, vicariously flowed into Krampus' body as well. As a result, Santa was never able to make use of the full extent of the artifact's power…but neither was Krampus. And since Krampus' plans always inevitably ended in failure, while Santa continued to be beloved the world over…this indirect energy spillover was never enough of a hindrance for Santa to care.

But things were different now. His workshop was in ruins, and the time for his flight was mere hours away. If he didn't deliver the toys to the children on time, their belief in him would fade…and with it, the power that kept him alive for so long. And to top it all off, the secrets upon which is corrupt empire was built had become known to some of the most powerful beings in IGNOLand…he could not let this stand. He could not let them live.

But Santa was no fool…he knew better than to underestimate the IGNOites. Though only a small fraction of them were here before him, they'd already made quick work of his only backup. If he were careless…he, too, could end up coming to regret it. Word could not get out about his seasonal scandals, or Santa Claus' free ride would be finished. He needed to put an end to this, right here and now…and for that, he needed power. More power than he'd ever had before!!

Santa pulled a small bottle from his sack, sealing the pixie queen inside. She banged on the glass desperately, but it was enchanted so that it could only be broken from the outside - ironically, the exact opposite enchantment as the snowglobe she'd sealed the IGNOites in a year prior. With a disinterested grimace, Santa tossed the bottle haphazardly onto the snow…and then, he bent his body forward, clenched his fists…and began to power up.

"What's…happening…?"

It was Rasha who broke the long silence, confused about the situation going on in front of them. Why was Santa Claus trying to kill them? How had he so easily beaten the dreaded Krampus, who the children of the Ice Plains were often warned of by their parents? And why…was the ground below their feet suddenly shaking so violently?!

"Ho ho ho ho…HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

Santa's body radiated with red and green strands of energy. The sleeves of his signature red suit burst as his muscles bulged free - no longer was he the jolly fat man so iconic and beloved. His long white beard began to fray and shrink into little more than an evil goatee, and his mustache disappeared into nothingness. His signature hat seemed to meld and become one with the hair beneath it, which grew into unnatural, rigid spikes…

"No…it's not enough…this still isn't enough!!!"

Santa Claus reached into the bag that was slung around his back and pulled out…a small, tree-shaped object of silver and gold…

"Wait, I recognize that thing!!" Reese shouted. "It's the artifact that Cross had stolen!!"

"Was that really in his bag the whole time? Krampus would be kicking himself at how obvious that was…" SG2 muttered.

"Is he planning to absorb the energy directly from the artifact into himself like Cross did?!" Karma asked, raising her arm to her face and shielding herself from the outburst of energy. "We've got to stop him!!"

"How? We can't even…get close…!!" Azaran said, trying in vain to fly against the current blowing them. "The whole direction of the wind has changed!!"

"Shit…let me guess, he's gonna suck in all that power and grow to gigantic size…and we're gonna have to fight him while trying not to get stepped on…!!"

SG2 may have had a knack for forgetting the Krampus, but even she was wise to this typical pattern after dealing with it so many times before. However, contrary to her expectations, Santa didn't seem to be growing at all. His muscles bulged with the stolen energy, but he'd remained perfectly human-sized…

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HO HO HO!!! I feel it coursing through me…the power!! THE UNBRIDLED POWER OF BELIEF IN SANTA CLAUS!!!"

Electric sparks crackled around Santa, along with a fiery aura flashing red and green. His snow-white hair and beard began to take on the properties of that aura…and became dyed in green. The way it was offset by the red of his suit, and the hat that seemed to have fused with his head, painted the perfect picture of a darker side of Christmas…

With a final flourish, Santa dialed back on the energy flowing forth from him - in other words, he was done 'powering up' now.

"Yes…this is it." He opened and closed his fists a few times, sensing his new power pulsate through his fingertips. "The true extent of the Power of Belief…without that simpering oaf pilfering the rest away from me. I have been reborn…as a Super Santa!!"

"Did he just call himself a 'Super Santan'?" Atlas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Super…Santan? The heck is a 'Santan'? What would that even mean?" asked SG2.

"I'm pretty sure he just said 'Super Santa'." said Karma, ever the voice of reason.

"I kinda thought I heard him say 'Santan', too…" Azaran wasn't quite sure what it meant, either, but he could have sworn he'd heard the term, or something similar, used in those action cartoons Ten always loved to watch.

"You guys are being ridiculous. He obviously said–"

"I SAID SUPER SANTA!! I'M SANTA CLAUS, AND I'VE POWERED UP TO A SUPER DEGREE!! SUPER. SANTA. GET IT? OKAY?!"

The IGNOites nodded - it certainly made the most sense. But that wasn't the problem right now - just as he'd said, Santa had indeed powered up considerably. Though he'd finished gathering energy, the flaming aura continued to dance around his body, and the air became a shimmering heat haze. The heavy snow beneath his feet melted like an ice cube dropped into a hot bowl of soup as he walked closer to his opponents. They could all sense it…though his body size hadn't really changed, the strength emanating from it was far greater than anything Krampus, or even Cross, had harnessed before.

But that didn't mean they could give up. The twisted being before their eyes could barely be called 'Santa' anymore. Everything he stood for was a perversion against the sanctity of Christmas…the Christmas they'd fought so hard to protect for all these years. By now, it felt as though they'd been mislead the entire time into fighting the wrong enemy - merely tools used to keep Krampus out of his hair so he could continue running his crooked empire from behind the scenes. And they'd fallen for it completely…because Santa Claus was a beloved icon, and no one would have expected to be betrayed by him. They had actually helped increase his power…by believing in him.

"He's not the only one…who can power up."

SG2 closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Flames gathered in her fists, spreading their heat throughout her body and encircling her with an aura of her own. The fire burned hotter and hotter, enough that anyone else would surely have been boiled alive within seconds…but this was nothing for a fire user!! Finally, the blaze began to burn so hot that the flames shifted in hue…from red, to orange, all the way through the glorious shades of The Rainbow…until finally stopping on blue.

"Blue…fire…?" An ice user like Azaran was shocked - he didn't know fire could be any color but red-orange.

"Supposedly one of the hottest kinds…" said Atlas. "It's not impossible for a fire user to make blue flames, but I've never seen it done before…"

Santa had already reached their location, and stopped…grinning confidently as he let the tiger finish powering up. Without taking her eyes off the seasonal scoundrel, SG2 thrust her hand out to her side…and within her fist took shape a familiar weapon made of blue flame. It was…a chainsaw.

"Hoh…even now, you'll stick to tradition, will you?" Santa said with a smirk.

SG2's eyes smoldered as brightly as the fire that surrounded her. She grasped the ethereal chainsaw with both hands and adopted a charging stance…

"I won't forgive you."

"Nor will I, for what you did to my workshop…you worthless tiger."

The two leapt at each other as their clashing energies flooded the world in a blinding white…