Krampus savored the bitter tang of victory, his grotesque features twisted into a sadistic sneer as he surveyed the carnage that surrounded him. The lifeless vessel that had once housed his brother's essence lay crumpled not far away, a grim reminder of the power he wielded.
Although he was well aware that truly killing an entity like his brother was nearly impossible, Krampus was certain that he could imprison him once more, just as his brother had done to him eons ago. The thought of exacting such poetic vengeance sent a thrill of twisted delight coursing through his veins.
His gaze shifted to the dreamwalker, the foolish mortal who had unwittingly facilitated his escape from the realm of his imprisonment. Even now, as the dreamwalker's feeble attempt at resistance manifested in the form of a towering wall of bones, Krampus could feel the frailty of his life force, the ember of his existence threatening to extinguish with each labored breath.
Krampus extended a gnarled, clawed hand towards the barrier, his fingertips tracing the intricate patterns etched into the osseous surface. He could sense the dreamwalker's essence, a flickering candle in the darkness, its light growing dimmer with each passing moment.
"You fought valiantly, little dreamwalker," Krampus rasped, his voice a guttural rumble that seemed to reverberate through the feeble barrier. "But in the end, your resistance was as futile as my brother's."
"It's over," Krampus growled, his words dripping with contempt. "I have won. I am free."
Amidst the sea of grotesque beasts, a sudden ripple of unease spread through their ranks. One creature, its hide glistening with viscous ichor, began to retreat, its footfalls heavy and uncertain. Then another followed suit, and another, until a steady trickle of the monstrosities turned and fled, their instincts overriding their blind obedience.
A low, gurgling cry pierced the air, and one of the beasts collapsed, its body convulsing violently as fresh blood erupted from a gaping wound in its throat. Before the creature's lifeblood could even soak into the parched earth, more fell, their forms crumpling to the ground in rapid succession, painting the battlefield a vivid crimson.
Krampus's malevolent gaze narrowed, his senses attuned to the slightest disturbance in the chaos that surrounded him. A blur of motion caught his eye, a shadow that danced between the beasts with preternatural speed, leaving a trail of carnage in its wake.
As the shadow coalesced into a distinct form, Krampus's lips peeled back in a feral snarl, revealing a maw lined with jagged, obsidian fangs. A sleek, feline body, its musculature rippling beneath a coat of midnight fur, stalked through the throng of beasts, crimson eyes blazing with an unholy hunger.
Each strike of the creature's razor-sharp claws was a blur of motion, slicing through flesh and bone with surgical precision, felling even the most formidable of Krampus's minions with an almost casual indifference.
Although the newcomer's prowess was undeniable, Krampus felt no trepidation, no tremor of fear. Instead, a cruel smile twisted his grotesque features as he sensed the link that bound this deadly interloper to the dying dreamwalker, a tether that pulsed with the faintest remnants of the mortal's rapidly dwindling life force.
"Demon," Krampus growled, the word a guttural rumble that seemed to reverberate through the very fabric of reality itself.
Without hesitation, the monstrous entity surged forward, his massive form cleaving through the ranks of his own beasts as he charged towards the feline creature, his claws extended and his maw agape in a feral roar of challenge.
Krampus's massive form collided with the demon in a thunderous clash, his claws raking through the air with lethal intent. Yet, for all his monstrous strength and unholy power, the demon seemed to dance just out of reach, its lithe form weaving and dodging with an almost casual grace.
A bestial roar tore from Krampus's throat as his strike met only empty air, his frustration mounting with each futile swipe. The demon's movements were a blur, its sleek body twisting and contorting in a mesmerizing display of agility, always just a hairsbreadth beyond Krampus's reach.
The surrounding beasts, sensing the overwhelming might of the two combatants, instinctively cleared a wide berth, their primitive minds recognizing the folly of encroaching upon such a cataclysmic clash of titans. They cowered and scattered, their bestial forms pressed low to the ground as they sought refuge from the maelstrom of violence that had erupted in their midst.
Krampus's laughter rumbled forth, a deep, guttural sound that broght nothing but despair. With each passing moment, his voice distorted further, taking on an almost otherworldly quality that sent tremors of primal dread rippling through the ranks of his minions.
Then, without warning, Krampus unleashed a furious onslaught, his claws scything through the air in a relentless barrage of strikes. The demon, for all its agility, was forced onto the defensive, its lithe form twisting and contorting as it narrowly evaded each lethal swipe.
Yet, even as Krampus pressed his advantage, the demon remained ever elusive, its movements a blur of nimble grace. Every time Krampus's claws seemed poised to find their mark, the demon would slip through his grasp, countering with lightning-fast strikes of its own, each blow deflected or parried with contemptuous ease.
Krampus roared in triumph as his claws finally found purchase, tearing through the demon's flesh with sickening ease. But his momentary elation was short-lived, for instead of the warm gush of blood and the satisfying resistance of rending flesh, his claws met only an insubstantial wisp of smoke.
The demon's corporeal form dissipated into a roiling cloud of shadowy vapor, swirling and reforming mere heartbeats later, hovering above Krampus's towering frame. Before the monstrous entity could react, the demon struck with blinding speed, its claws raking across Krampus's twisted visage in a single, fluid motion.
Four jagged furrows opened across Krampus's face, crimson ichor spilling forth in viscous rivulets as the demon's strike tore through both of the monster's eyes with surgical precision. A guttural roar of agony erupted from Krampus's throat, the sound echoing across the blighted landscape like the anguished wail of a damned soul.
Yet, even as his vision was stolen from him, Krampus's fury only intensified, his blind onslaught growing more frenzied and erratic. His massive form thrashed and convulsed, claws slashing wildly in a vain attempt to strike the elusive demon. But the creature danced just beyond his reach, its movements a blur of preternatural grace, effortlessly evading each thunderous blow.
The demon's onslaught continued with ruthless precision, each strike calculated to whittle away at Krampus's defenses. A well-timed swipe of its razor-sharp claws severed the tendons in Krampus's right leg, causing the monstrous entity to stumble and sway precariously.
Seizing the opportunity, the demon launched itself at Krampus's exposed back, its claws piercing through his thick hide with ease, eliciting a guttural roar of agony from the blinded behemoth.
Krampus thrashed and convulsed, his movements growing increasingly erratic as the demon's relentless assault continued. One by one, the demon targeted Krampus's arms, its claws slicing through muscle and tendon with surgical precision, robbing the once-formidable entity of even the ability to retaliate.
Finally, the demon struck a devastating blow to Krampus's throat, its claws tearing through flesh and cartilage alike, effectively silencing the monster's anguished cries. As Krampus's towering form crumpled to the ground, the demon stood victorious, its obsidian fur glistening with the ichor of its fallen foe.
A wild, triumphant laugh came crashing down from above, echoing across the desolate battlefield. From high in the crimson-tinged sky, a bolt of searing lightning descended, its blinding radiance illuminating the scene in stark relief as it struck Krampus' fallen form with unerring precision.
The instant the crackling tendrils of energy made contact with Krampus' motionless body, his grotesque features contorted in a rictus of agony, his maw agape in a silent scream as the lightning coursed through his veins like liquid fire. For a brief, searing moment, the monstrous entity's hulking frame was wreathed in a corona of blinding light, every inch of his twisted flesh seemingly ablaze.
Then, as swiftly as the onslaught began, it ceased, the lightning dissipating into nothingness, leaving only the faint scent of ozone and charred flesh in its wake. Krampus' form lay motionless, his body a smoldering ruin, scorched and blackened by the ferocity of the celestial onslaught.
Yet, even as the demon looked on with what could only be described as grim satisfaction, the first stirrings of movement rippled across Krampus' ruined form. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, the scorched flesh began to knit itself back together, raw muscle and sinew coalescing from the charred remains.
Within moments, Krampus rose once more, his towering frame restored to its former glory, every wound healed as if they had never existed in the first place. As he regained his footing, his malevolent gaze settled upon the demon, his eyes burning with an unholy fury that seemed to pierce the very fabric of reality itself.
"In this domain, I am immortal," Krampus rumbled, his voice a guttural snarl that sent tremors of primal dread rippling through the ranks of his minions.
The demon's response was little more than a mocking smile, its feline features twisting into an expression of contemptuous amusement as it regarded the monstrous entity before it. "Pathetic," it spat, the single word dripping with disdain.
In that moment, the two titans collided once more, their forms blurring into a maelstrom of violence and fury as they clashed with cataclysmic force.
…
The demon's feline form remained untouched, its obsidian fur pristine and sleek, not a single hair out of place. In stark contrast, Krampus lay in a trembling heap upon the scorched earth, his monstrous frame a ruined mass of charred flesh and shattered bone.
From high above, another bolt of searing lightning struck Krampus' fallen form. The instant the crackling tendrils of energy made contact, Krampus' grotesque features contorted in a rictus of agony.
For a brief, searing moment, the monstrous entity's hulking frame was wreathed in a corona of blinding light, every inch of his twisted flesh seemingly ablaze. Then, as swiftly as the onslaught began, it ceased.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, the scorched flesh began to knit itself back together. Within moments, Krampus rose once more, his towering frame restored to its former glory, every wound healed as if they had never existed.
As he regained his footing, Krampus took a few steps back, his massive form leaving a scorching mark upon the earth where the lightning had struck. Looking around, twenty-seven other similar markings could be seen, each a grim testament to the futility of the onslaught he had endured.
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Instead of fear, Krampus seemed relieved. A twisted grin spread across his grotesque features as he surveyed the carnage that surrounded him.
"You lost!" he rasped, his voice a guttural roar.
From the perspective of any onlooker, the demon had emerged victorious, its sleek form untouched.
Yet, as the demon's feline gaze met Krampus's, it became abundantly clear that the monstrous entity was right. He had won, in a sense. For no matter the ferocity of the onslaught, no matter the devastation wrought upon his twisted form, Krampus endured.
Twenty-seven times the demon had unleashed the full fury of its power, each strike more devastating than the last. Twenty-seven times Krampus had fallen, his ruined body little more than a smoldering husk. And twenty-seven times, he had risen again, his flesh knitting itself back together, every wound healed as if it had never existed in the first place.
From the towering wall of bones that kept Henry and his friends safe, a crunching noise was heard. Then, the bones started turning to dust, being scattered by the wind.
…
Henry's lifeless body lay crumpled on the scorched earth, his eyes frozen in a vacant stare. Lisa clung to him desperately, her own form a twisted mass of broken limbs and grievous wounds, yet she refused to relinquish her embrace, her anguished sobs echoing across the desolate battlefield.
Nearby, Nick's vessel remained motionless, a silent guardian that had shielded Henry's tiny frame from the biting winds, even in its final moments. Lulu and Lala huddled together, their faces streaked with tears, their innocent eyes wide with horror at the grim scene unfolding before them.
Krampus's twisted features contorted into a cruel sneer as he surveyed the carnage, his malevolent gaze settling upon the demon with a sense of smug satisfaction. "Your contractor is no more," he rasped, his voice a guttural rumble that seemed to reverberate through the very fabric of reality itself.
Although the demon's feline form remained impassive, its obsidian fur sleek and pristine, the first signs of its unraveling began to manifest. Tendrils of inky black smoke started to wisp from its corporeal body, dissipating into the air like ethereal tendrils of mist.
The demon's feline form began to convulse and contort, its sleek obsidian fur rippling as if caught in an unseen gale. Its back arched violently, the vertebrae cracking and realigning in a sickening display of unnatural metamorphosis.
Its hind legs elongated, the bones cracking and reshaping themselves into a twisted mockery of human limbs. The demon's body continued to twist and writhe, its form shifting and contorting until it stood upright.
Where once a lithe, feline creature had stood, now loomed a grotesque amalgamation of man and beast. Its visage was a twisted fusion of human and animal features, a nightmarish melding of flesh and fur that defied all logic and reason.
Yet, even as the demon's new form solidified, its transformation was not complete. Tendrils of inky smoke began to coalesce around its hulking frame, swirling and coalescing into the unmistakable shape of a three-piece suit.
The fabric seemed to materialize from the ether itself, each thread woven from the shadowy miasma that clung to the demon's twisted form. Within moments, the demon stood clad in a impeccably tailored ensemble, the dark fabric a stark contrast against its bestial visage.
As if to complete the macabre ensemble, a long cane materialized in the demon's grasp, its surface etched with intricate designs that seemed to shift and writhe before the eye, as if caught in a perpetual state of flux.
"Well, this was fun," the demon said, his voice a peculiar blend of elegance and ferocity. His words carried a mocking lilt, dripping with condescension. "And let me correct you, my dear friend. You are the one who has lost!" the demon proclaimed with a sinister chuckle.
Krampus seemed less than amused by the demon's taunts, his grotesque features twisting into a snarl of contempt. He refused to even acknowledge the demon's words, instead raising his clawed hands towards the crimson-tinged sky, his head lolling back as he listened, waited.
Soon, the first stirrings of a storm unlike any other began to manifest on the horizon. Multicolored clouds, swirling with hues of crimson and violet, gathered and roiled, their ominous forms blotting out the very heavens themselves.
All around them, space itself began to tear and rupture, the fabric of reality fraying at the seams. Large fissures, gaping maws that led into the unknown, materialized from thin air, their edges flickering and distorting as if caught in a perpetual state of flux.
The demon's gaze swept across the desolate landscape, his bestial features twisting into a contemptuous sneer as he took in the devastation wrought by their cataclysmic clash. "Killing the vessel of a dreamwalker..." he began, his words dripping with disdain. "His soul has been forcefully returned to his original body."
He paused, his grotesque visage shifting as he analyzed the countless cracks that now marred the fabric of reality itself. In that moment, the demon's corporeal form seemed to waver, growing almost transparent, as if he too would soon dissipate into the ether.
Across the blighted field, Krampus lay unmoving, his monstrous frame motionless amidst the carnage. Yet, even as the demon observed him, a subtle change began to manifest. Tendrils of ethereal energy, wisps of pure power, coalesced around Krampus's bestial form, flowing through the fissures that now scarred the landscape, swirling and eddying before being absorbed into his twisted flesh.
"But I guess this was your plan from the beginning," the demon mused, his voice a low rumble that seemed to reverberate through the air itself. "First, destroy your brother's vessel to hinder his recovery."
He paused, his feline gaze sweeping across the ruined forms of Henry and Lisa, their bodies twisted and broken. "Then kill the dreamwalker and absorb the power of the fear imprinted on your legend from your brother's world."
As if in response to the demon's words, Krampus's body began to swell and distort, his form twisting and contorting as the ethereal energy continued to pour into him. His claws elongated, their razor-sharp edges glinting in the crimson light that now bathed the blighted realm. His fur bristled and grew, each strand hardening into needle-like barbs that seemed to pulse with an unholy radiance.
The air itself grew heavy and oppressive, the very atmosphere saturated with the raw power that now coursed through Krampus's veins. His body continued to swell, his monstrous frame growing larger and more grotesque with each passing moment, until he towered over even the demon's seemingly tiny form.
"There are legends... About your brother that is," the demon said, his voice a low, mocking purr. "Nicholas Clauss is feared through the whole of creation." He paused, his bestial features twisting into a contemptuous sneer. "It is said that for one day in the year, even the Rulers of the Heavens and the King of Hell have no choice but to give him face."
Krampus' towering form remained motionless for a moment, his grotesque visage impassive, betraying no hint of the fury that simmered beneath the surface. Then, with a suddenness that belied his immense size, his head snapped back down, his malevolent gaze fixing upon the demon's tiny frame. The raw malice that burned in his eyes was palpable, a primal fury that radiated from his very being like a suffocating miasma.
More than anything, the desire to trample his foe, to erase the very traces of fear that had emerged in his heart during their last confrontation, consumed him. His claws flexed, the razor-sharp talons gouging deep furrows in the scorched earth beneath his feet as he prepared to unleash his wrath upon the insolent demon.
Yet, before Krampus could act, the demon spoke once more, his words cutting through the oppressive silence like a knife. "You, on the other hand..." he began, his tone dripping with contempt as his feline gaze swept over Krampus' towering monstrosity. "Are nothing more than a footnote, a legend used to scare children in a couple of remote villages around the world."
Krampus's laughter boomed across the desolate battlefield, the sound reverberating through the fractured realm with the force of rolling thunder. "Christmass is far away," he rumbled, his guttural voice forcing the crying Lulu and Lala to clap their tiny hands over their ears in a futile attempt to block out the overwhelming noise. "By next year, my brother's world will fear me far more than they love him."
Another cruel chuckle escaped Krampus's twisted maw, the mocking sound sending a chill down the spines of those who bore witness to his malevolent gloating. The demon, however, seemed utterly unfazed by the monstrous entity's bravado, joining in with a laugh of his own – a sharp, mocking trill that cut through the oppressive silence like a knife.
"My friend," the demon began, his words laced with a condescending amusement that caused Krampus's laughter to falter. "Do you know what we call people like you back where we come from?"
Krampus's twisted features contorted into a snarl of pure malice, his claws flexing as he fixed the demon with a withering glare. Yet, before he could unleash the furious tirade that burned within him, the demon spoke once more, his voice dripping with contempt.
"Simpletons."
The demon's words hung in the air like a suffocating miasma, each syllable dripping with condescension. Krampus knew he should not allow such taunts to rattle him, yet he could not shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss, a sense of unease that gnawed at the edges of his consciousness.
It was true, he could not kill the demon outright, at least not in this realm. But he had won, his plan had unfolded flawlessly, every step meticulously orchestrated to lead them to this very moment. The power he had absorbed from the fear instilled in his legend was coursing through his veins, a torrent of raw energy that threatened to overwhelm his monstrous form.
Yet, even as he reveled in his triumph, the demon's mocking laughter echoed through the fractured realm, a sharp, derisive trill that cut through the oppressive silence like a knife.
"I told you, didn't I?" the demon purred, his words laced with a contemptuous amusement that caused Krampus's twisted features to contort into a snarl of pure malice. "There is one day in the year when no one in the whole of creation can defeat your brother."
As the demon spoke, he began to circle around Krampus's towering form, his movements languid and deliberate, as if he were toying with the monstrous entity. In his grasp, the ornate cane twirled idly, the intricate designs that adorned its surface seeming to writhe and undulate before the eye.
"As for the dreamwalker..." the demon continued, his voice a low, mocking purr that sent a chill down Krampus's spine. "The moment his vessel died, his soul returned to his world with enough momentum to ravage the barriers between dimensions."
Krampus frowned, his grotesque features twisting into an expression of confusion and frustration. He knew this, of course – it had been a calculated risk, one that he had deemed necessary to achieve his goals. Yet, as the demon continued to taunt him, a gnawing sense of unease began to take root within his twisted psyche.
What was the demon's plan? Was this merely a desperate attempt to stall for time, to buy a few precious moments before his corporeal form dissipated into the ether? Or was there something more, a deeper machination that Krampus could not yet comprehend?
As they spoke, Krampus could feel the raw power that coursed through his veins growing stronger with each passing second, his monstrous form swelling and distorting as the ethereal energy continued to pour into him. In contrast, the demon's corporeal body grew fainter and fainter, his bestial visage becoming increasingly transparent, as if he too would soon be consumed by the fractured realm they now inhabited.
"Those cracks..." the demon added, pointing at the biggest one, a massive tear the size of a truck. "Lead to your brother's world and..." He paused mockingly. "To the dreamwalker's world as well!"
Krampus remained poised, his towering frame utterly still, betraying no hint of the maelstrom that raged within his twisted psyche.
"Stop beating around the bush," Krampus ordered, his guttural voice reverberating across the desolate battlefield like rolling thunder.
The demon, however, seemed utterly unfazed by Krampus's gruff demand, responding with a derisive laugh that cut through the oppressive silence. "I gave you all the clues, but you still don't get it," he mocked, his bestial features twisting into a contemptuous sneer. "This is why the word 'simpleton' describes you so well."
The demon's mocking words seemed to hang in the air like a suffocating miasma, each syllable dripping with condescension as he taunted the towering monstrosity before him. "Although boring, let me give you the last clue to solve this puzzle," he added. "While away, a dreamwalker's worlds slows down to a crawl."
For the first time, Krampus felt a flicker of understanding, a glimmer of comprehension that danced tantalizingly at the edges of his twisted psyche. Yet, even as he grasped for the elusive revelation, it slipped through his claws like smoke, leaving him mired in a fog of confusion and frustration once more.
"Days, weeks, months, years..." the demon continued, his voice a low. "I've even seen dreamwalkers living whole lives before returning and only a single night would have passed."
In that moment, the realization crashed over Krampus like a tidal wave, a truth so profound and unsettling that his monstrous form twitched and convulsed, his grotesque features contorting into a mask of pure, primal fury.
"No!" Krampus bellowed, his guttural roar reverberating across the desolate battlefield like rolling thunder. With a violent sweep of his massive claws, he slapped the demon's smoky form into the ground, dissipating it completely.
Even so, the disembodied voice of the demon carried on, echoing through the fractured realm with a mocking lilt. "Which means that in the dreamwalker's world today is Christmas."
Krampus whirled around, his twisted frame lumbering forward at a surprising speed as he sprinted towards Nick's crumbled form. Yet, before he could reach the fallen entity, a pillar of blinding light erupted from Nick's vessel, the raw, untamed power throwing Krampus's monstrous body over a thousand meters away.
His hulking frame crashed through trees and debris, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake before finally skidding to a halt, his claws gouging deep furrows in the scorched earth.
As the dust settled, a chorus of mocking voices whispered in Krampus's ear, the word "simpleton" reverberating through his twisted psyche like a damning mantra.