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Santa and Mya exchanged a wary glance as they observed the golden halberds, each weapon a masterful blend of art and danger. The halberds shone under the Northern Lights, their shafts polished to a brilliant sheen that mirrored the celestial dance above. The intricate engravings along the poles – delicate snowflakes and winter scenes – added a touch of elegance to their otherwise ominous presence.

Their blades, ethereal in their golden radiance, were crafted with deadly precision. The sharp, angular edges, accompanied by equally lethal hooked undersides, were unmistakably designed for combat. These halberds were not just for show; they were tools of war, honed to perfection.

As the Nutcracker soldiers advanced, their movements were methodical and deliberate, each step taken with the assurance of skilled warriors. The halberds were poised, signalling their readiness to engage in battle. Santa and Mya understood instantly – these were no ordinary ceremonial guards. They were formidable opponents, trained and unwavering, fully prepared to defend their ground without hesitation.

Santa turned quickly. "Get back, Mya!" he instructed. "Keep your distance!"

Mya yipped and quickly scrambled away, giving Santa the space he needed.

As the two Nutcracker soldiers advanced, a subtle change came over their wooden faces. Leaving him to wonder if it was the effect of his Merriment Aura beginning to take hold or something else. Either way, Santa hoped it was a good sign.

Yet as soon as his optimism rose, it fell in the face of the unwavering determination. Their resolve seemed immune to the aura's effects.

“These are no ordinary nutcrackers…” Santa murmured.

No sooner hid Santa’s Hammer rose was it used to block the first strike. The air suddenly echoed with the sounds of metal and wood knocking back and forth as Santa fended off the swift attacks.

Each time Santa swung his hammer, aiming to land a solid blow, the Nutcracker soldiers skilfully countered with their longer reach. Their movements were synchronized and precise, showing off their rigorous training. The soldiers easily maintained a firm control over the space between them, expertly using the length of their weapons to their advantage.

“Get em, Santa!” called Mya.

“I’m trying…” Santa said through ragged gasps. The Nutcrackers weren’t making it easy.

A halberd whistled perilously close, shearing a few hairs from his beard. Santa, with a swift reaction, parried just in time, narrowly avoiding the weapon's hooked underside. He grunted, exerting himself, as beads of sweat formed on his brow. It dawned on him that sheer strength wouldn't suffice against these foes.

Santa knew he couldn’t keep this up. He needed to use his magic. So, he threw up one arm and began to chant, “Mistletoe….” but the soldiers were too quick. A Halberd tip lunged forward, forcing Santa to react swiftly. Dropping his incantation mid-way, Santa grabbed his hammer with both hands, using it to block the incoming attack just in time.

The sound of wooden against metal filled the air as Santa's hammer, though large and formidable, groaned under the pressure of repeated attacks. The wood creaked, splinters appearing along its surface as it bore the weight of the soldiers' relentless assault. Santa pushed back with all his might, his muscles straining.

Santa gritted his teeth, feeling the hammer's integrity waning under the repeated blows.

Determined not to be outdone, Santa began to incorporate more feints and dodges into his strategy, attempting to create openings in the soldiers' defences. He moved with surprising agility for one so large, his increase of stats coming to his aid once more.

Yet, despite his efforts, the Nutcracker soldiers remained steadfast, their disciplined formations and tactics making it challenging for Santa to gain the upper hand. The battle was proving to be a true test of Santa's skills and ingenuity, pushing him to adapt and think on his feet against these unexpectedly skilled adversaries.

“You can do this Santa!” Mya Cheered. “Blast ‘em up good!”

Santa grimaced. He needed a plan, these soldiers seemed to be used to fighting in armed civil combat, but how would they fare against a little Christmas mischief?

Santa, gripping his massive hammer with one hand, swung it in wide arcs, attempting to keep the soldiers at bay. However, the reach of their halberds made it difficult for him to gain some distance which was needed. Each swing of his hammer was met with deft parries and counters from the soldiers' long weapons followed by menacing steps forward.

Realizing he needed to change tactics, Santa decided to jump back. As he extended his hand to channel the spell once more, “Mistle….”

With a swift and precise lunge, a halberd sliced Santa's hand, disrupting his spellcasting once more. “Chimney bars!” The pain shot through Santa's hand, but he didn't falter. He tightened his grip on the hammer as his mind raced.

In a daring, last-ditch effort, Santa decided to employ an unconventional tactic. With a swift motion, he threw his hammer directly at the Nutcracker soldiers. This unexpected move caught the soldier’s completely off guard. Their rigid training had not prepared them for an adversary who would willingly part with their weapon in the midst of battle. Instead of countering the attack, the soldiers instinctively dodged the flying hammer, exchanging looks of confusion.

Seizing this moment of surprise, Santa raised his injured hand and shouted with all his might, "Mistletoe Missile!" A burst of Christmas energy surged forth, striking one of the Nutcracker soldiers squarely in its open mouth.

His head exploded like a massive firework, sending wooden fragments flying in all directions.

[+800 EXP]

The force of the explosion blew the other soldier away, his halberd ripped from his hands as he landed and fought to put out the flames that were spreading across his wooden body.

But before he could recover, Santa was already on the move. He dashed towards his hammer, scooping it up in one fluid motion. Without a moment's hesitation, Santa swung the hammer with all his strength, landing a crushing blow on the second soldier. The force of the impact shattered the soldier's head into countless wooden shards.

Crack! Santa’s Hammer shattered in his hands.

[+800 EXP]

[Level up! Mya is now level 2]

Santa, his breaths coming in heavy gasps, stood amid the aftermath of the battle, a mix of triumph and regret in his eyes. The clash had been fierce, and while victory was theirs, the cost weighed on him. He had hoped for a resolution without violence, yet the fierce Nutcracker soldiers had left no other choice.

The scene around them was subdued – the once mighty hammer now lay in splinters, its durability ruined in a single, intense battle. The Nutcrackers, motionless on the snowy ground, were not the jovial protectors of yuletide tales of old but rather tools of a darker purpose, guarding secrets, no doubt, hidden deep within the tower.

Mya, her inquisitive nature undimmed, knelt amongst the fragments of the fallen soldiers. She carefully examined the wooden pieces, her fingers tracing the unique magic that lingered in them. "This magic is... unusual. It's not the warm, joyful kind we see in Christmas toys. It's colder, almost like it's the antithesis of the holiday spirit.”

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Santa nodded as he listened, his gaze lingering on the remnants of his trusted hammer. He sighed, then looked at the fragments of the once formidable foes. "We'll need to stay on our guard. There might be more of them inside," he said cautiously.

"Yeah, and it looks like magic works better against them. Your hammer didn't do much."

A spark of inspiration suddenly lit up her face. "Hey, if these nutcrackers are made with magic, then this must be enchanted wood, right?" she exclaimed, picking up a shard. "Maybe I can use it to craft a wand!"

Excitedly, she flicked the shard of wood, and for a brief moment, it sparkled with magical energy. However, the magic quickly faded, dissipating into the air. The enchantment that had bound the magic within the Nutcracker soldiers was quickly dissipating.

Santa contemplated Mya's thought process and added, "Someone skilled enough to craft those nutcrackers surely has a trove of artifacts hidden in there,” he said pointing to the doorway of the tower.

Mya's mood brightened at the thought of discovering secret magical treasures. Spotting the discarded halberds of the Nutcracker soldiers, she pointed to them and asked, "What about those? Think one could replace your hammer?"

Santa considered her suggestion and approached one of the fallen weapons. "Well, it’s not a bad idea," he agreed. However, as soon as he touched one of the halberds, some unseen metal began to fizzle and pop at an alarming rate. Abruptly, the once solid and intimidating weapon disintegrated into crumbled slag. Santa quickly retreated, letting out a surprised yelp.

Mya's face fell in disappointment. "So, there's no loot then?"

Santa looked equally disheartened as he watched the last bits of the weapon dissolve away. "I guess so," he replied, sharing her sense of letdown. The two exchanged a glance, realizing that the tower might hold mysteries, but not the kind of loot they were initially hoping for.

With a heavy heart, Santa gathered the remnants of his beloved hammer, painstakingly collecting each splinter and fragment. As Mya helped, they placed them carefully into his Sack then turned their attention to the tower.

Santa, leading the way, they stepped through the entrance of the mysterious tower.

🎄Santa’s party has left: Cotton Candy Island (Sugar Valley)

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🎄Santa’s party has entered: Cotton Candy Island (Mysterious Tower - Ground floor)

The interior of the tower was completely different to its outside. Instead of the dense, fruitcake construction they had anticipated, they were greeted by shiny wooden floors and ceilings, with walls of solid stone illuminated by soft, glowing lamps. The ambiance was warm and inviting, a complete divergence from the tower's misleading name.

"Why would someone coat the outside with fruitcake if the inside is all wood and stone?" Mya wondered aloud, intrigued by the architectural inconsistency.

Santa could only shrug in response. "Perhaps it's a disguise, or maybe there's a whimsical reason we've yet to understand."

Before Mya could reply, a text box flashed into existence capturing their attention.

❄ New Quest? ❄

Advancement Quest: The Mysterious Tower (Part 1)

Description:

You have entered a strange tower filled with mystery and intrigue. There’s something odd about this place but you can’t quite place you thumb on it.

Objective:

Find someone willing to talk to learn more about the tower.

Rewards:

Experience Points

Advancement to Part 2

Accept? Yes/No

“There we go, we got another quest!” Mya said with a grin.

Santa chuckled, “Sounds mysterious. Well, the reward’s experience points so…” Santa pressed his mitten against the box.

❄ Quest Accepted! ❄

Santa, gesturing towards the dimly lit hallway with an encouraging nod, asked, "Shall we?"

Mya's grin broadened. "Adventure time?" she chimed with a spark of excitement in her eyes.

"Indeed."

As they ventured down the first corridor, they noticed that each doorway and entryway was clearly labelled. The meticulous labelling struck them as peculiar yet helpful, guiding them through the curved labyrinthine interior of the tower.

"Looks like our host wanted to make sure visitors know exactly where they're going," Santa mused, his eyes scanning the labels as they passed by each door. The labels ranged from the mundane to the mysterious, sparking both their imaginations and caution as they delved deeper.

“Oh, look’s like they have a spa!” Mya said excitedly.

Santa’s eyebrow shot up. This place was not adding up.

As they continued down the corridor, Santa and Mya passed a variety of doors, each labelled with unexpected names like 'Counselling Room' and 'Lecture Hall.' The stone walls on either side were marred by inconsistent patches of dust, suggesting that paintings or decorations had once hung there, but had been since removed.

"This place seems more like a centre for learning, perhaps for training the Nutcracker soldiers?" Santa mused, trying to make sense of the odd combination of rooms.

Mya disagreed, "It's far too refined for just soldiers. It's more likely that it's been repurposed for their use." Her tone pointing to a more complex history behind the tower's current state.

Their conversation was abruptly cut short when they noticed a solitary soldier exiting a room further down the hall. The soldier turned and walked away from them, thankfully not noticing their presence. Santa instinctively raised his hand to cast a spell, then hesitated. The abundance of wood around them posed a significant risk. An explosive spell could easily ignite.

Opting for a stealthier approach, they quietly continued down the hallway. Suddenly, Mya's face lit up as they came upon a room marked 'Laundry.' She could barely contain her excitement, hoping to find another piece of her coveted robe.

Santa, however, was sceptical. "The pieces being so far apart doesn't add up," he said, voicing his doubts. "One on the shore and another here? It seems a bit too…. convenient."

Despite his reservations, they decided to check the laundry room. The tower had already proven to be full of surprises, and they couldn't afford to overlook any potential clue in their quest.

As they stepped into the laundry room, Santa and Mya were greeted by the sounds of sloshing, scrubbing and the cracking of a roaring fire. The room was filled with towering piles of laundry, every piece immaculately clean. An array of mechanisms and magically floating gloves were at work, systematically managing the laundry. The gloves plucked individual items from the piles, dunking them into soapy wooden tubs where they were scrubbed clean, then wrung out and finally pegged onto a long washing line. This line rotated slowly next to a giant, roaring fire.

The whole system was a marvel of magical automation, and Santa couldn't help but be impressed. He observed the setup keenly, already thinking of ways to implement similar magical efficiencies in his own workshop.

Mya, on the other hand, seemed overwhelmed by the sheer volume of laundry. "How will I ever find anything in here?" she lamented, scanning the endless rows of clean garments.

Santa chuckled at her exasperation but paused as he made an observation. "Notice anything about these clothes?" he asked.

Mya looked closer and realized that none of the garments seemed to belong to the Nutcracker soldiers. In fact, the clothes appeared to be going through a perpetual cycle of being washed, dried, and rewashed, as if their owners had long stopped coming to retrieve them, yet the magical process continued regardless.

"This place holds more mysteries than we thought," Santa mused, his curiosity piqued. "It's as if the tower's still functioning for inhabitants who are no longer present."

“Strange…” May added as she scanned the clothes. They ranged from larger sizes to smaller ones, maybe for children?

Mya dove into the laundry piles with the enthusiasm of a child in a playground, her nimble elfin senses aiding her rapid search. She weaved in and out of the mountains of clothes with a swimmer's grace. Santa watched her with a mix of amusement and envy, her childlike glee reminding him of the simple joys of play. Yet, as time passed and Mya's initial excitement gave way to fruitless searching, Santa’s scepticism about finding another piece of the robe in such chaos developed as time stretched on.

Just as Santa was about to suggest they move on, a set of floating gloves, enchanted to pick up any stray garment, swooped in and lifted Mya off her feet. "What?" she cried out in surprise, caught in the gloves' grasp. “Hey! Let go of me you… stupid glove!”

Santa stepped forward to assist her, but before he could reach her, Mya's frustration turned to delight. From her elevated position, she had spotted something. She wriggled free from the gloves, tumbling down one pile of laundry and vaulting over another in a whirlwind of motion. Finally, she clambered atop a pile in the corner and triumphantly ripped free a piece of dark fabric. "I found it!" she cheered, holding up the next piece of the robe.

[Mya has looted: Sleeves of Whispers]

Santa's doubt turned to astonishment as he realized Mya had indeed found exactly what she was looking for.

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