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Realizing that there was nothing left to discover in the laundry room, Santa and Mya decided to venture deeper into the tower. They had two objectives in mind: to unearth additional clues about the enigmatic robe and, more importantly, to solve the tower's mystery once and for all. Their hope rested on finding someone who could shed light on the bewildering events within.

"Come on, Mya," Santa whispered urgently, guiding her into a narrow side corridor just as a Nutcracker soldier marched past. In addition to their quest for answers, they also needed to devise a plan for self-defence, especially now that Santa's trusty hammer was out of the equation.

[Nutcracker Guard, Level 16]

As Santa and Mya stealthily navigated the labyrinthine network of hallways, they remained vigilant. The layout and the rooms they had glimpsed hinted at a purpose beyond their initial assumptions.

"This place gives off an academy vibe," Mya remarked in hushed tones, her eyes scanning the signs and door labels that hinted at classrooms and lecture halls. "But it's strangely deserted. A place of this size should be bustling with students... Where could they all be?"

Santa nodded, his gaze sweeping their surroundings. "You're right, Mya. It certainly looks like school of some sort. Maybe the students are on vacation?"

"And they left behind all their clothes during winter?" Mya quipped.

Santa stroked his beard thoughtfully. "But if that were the case, where are they now, and where are the teachers? It's as if both the students and the instructors have vanished into thin air."

Their conversation was interrupted intermittently as they sought refuge in alcoves or pressed themselves against walls to avoid the patrolling soldiers. The narrow confines of the corridors heightened their vulnerability, particularly for Santa, with his rather round figure. The looming threat of being spotted on the forefront of their minds, especially since the soldiers long-reaching halberds would pose a significant challenge.

They maintained their caution, despite the challenge of concealing a round man clad in his unmistakable red suit that screamed look at me. Hiding in plain sight seemed nearly impossible, but they were determined to stay undetected.

As they cautiously navigated the spiral hallways, Santa and Mya remained vigilant for any patrolling soldiers. They passed various signs labelling the different rooms and halls as the advanced higher into the tower. They saw markers for 'Classroom B', 'Theatre Hall 6', and 'Library for the Basics', each name adding to their growing curiosity about the tower's true purpose.

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

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

They soon stumbled upon a sight that brought relief and an unexpected hope—a sign that read 'Armoury.' Its appearance was intriguing, bearing subtle signs of having been placed over another, suggesting that someone had repurposed an old room. Santa and Mya both felt an instinctual pull toward it, and it was only a few doors down the hallway.

Excitement and anticipation lit up their faces as they exchanged a glance. They knew they had to enter, for within might lie the tools they needed. However, just as they began to move towards the armoury, a nearby door burst open. A Nutcracker soldier emerged, decked out in festive red and white, and began to march in their direction.

[Nutcracker Guard, Level 10]

Their sole stroke of luck was that the door swung open toward them, concealing them from view.

Thinking on his feet, Santa decisively seized Mya's tunic and swiftly pulled open a random nearby door, guiding her into the dimly lit room beyond. He shut the door with haste, immersing them in almost complete darkness. They remained utterly still, scarcely daring to breathe, as the rhythmic sound of the Nutcracker soldier's footsteps reverberated in the corridor just outside their hiding place.

Luckily, they were unnoticed.

After the sound of the soldier's footsteps faded into the distance, Santa's eyes gradually adjusted to the dim light of the room, revealing that seemed to be surrounded by countless shadowy figures.

"Uh-oh..." Mya's voice rang out.

Santa scanned the room, but his eyes struggled to adapt to the darkness as swiftly as Mya's eyes.

"We're surrounded..." Mya whispered, her voice barely rising above a murmur in the hushed room.

Santa took a cautious step forward, squinting to make out the details of the motionless figures. "They're soldiers," he confirmed in a hushed tone, "but they're not moving. It’s like… They’re different..." his voice trailed off as he fought to understand.

In the faint glow of the dimly lit room, Santa and Mya gradually realized that they were indeed in another classroom, albeit an unusual one. It was packed with Nutcracker soldiers who stood completely still, devoid of weapons and armour. These figures remained frozen in place, showing no reaction whatsoever to Santa and Mya's presence.

The duo breathed a sigh of relief.

Santa turned to Mya, his expression serious. "We're safe for now, but our safety won't last. We need to find a way to fight these things. Are you ready to check the armoury?"

Mya nodded, but then hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on the motionless figures. She leaned in, her curiosity piqued as she examined the craftsmanship of the soldiers.

"What are you looking at?" Santa inquired, his curiosity matching hers.

Mya looked up, her brow furrowing. "These appear to be elven made... but that can't be right, can it?"

Santa examined the nutcracker soldiers more closely. "How can you tell?"

Mya shrugged. "Call it elf instincts, but even if these were crafted by elves, they weren't made in our workshop. Nor by any of our elves."

Santa's brow furrowed in concern. "Are you certain?"

Mya nodded, pointing to the soldiers. "These are undoubtedly authentic, but there's something missing."

"Missing?"

Mya nodded again. "There's no love, no joy, or cheer... can't you feel it? These giant toys weren't created to spread joy; there's something darker at play here."

Santa, visibly shaken at the notion of elf-made toys devoid of Christmas magic, agreed, "We should leave."

But Mya held him back. "Hold on a sec. I'm wondering if there's a mechanism to control them, something like an off switch," she mused.

"I suspect it's more magical than mechanical. These creatures feel imbued with some sort of old magic, the kind from the time before I became Santa, when I was known simply as Old Saint Nick." He let out a chuckle, the memories of those ancient times briefly surfacing. "It's been a long while," he added before returning his attention to the soldiers.

Together, they examined the soldiers, looking for any clue that might reveal a weakness or a method to control them.

Mya leaned in closer, her eyes sharp and curious. "Look at this, Santa," she said, pointing to a hidden compartment nestled behind one of the stationary Nutcracker soldiers. The small cavity, cleverly concealed at the base of the figure's neck hiding a compartment in their head.

"This could be some sort of power source holder," she mused, her fingers tracing the edges of the compartment. "See? It's the perfect size for a battery or something that keeps them ticking. But there’s no wires just some strange crumbly stuff."

Santa peered over her shoulder. “Who knew Christmas decorations could be so complicated?"

"The two you defeated must have had something hidden in here," Mya suggested, pointing at the hollow. "And when you destroyed their heads, it must have been close enough to damage whatever powered them. Then boom?"

"Then boom,” Santa agreed. “Well, if that’s the case we need something that can hit these compartments accurately.”

"To the armoury?" Mya asked.

“Indeed…” Santa's response trailed off as his eyes caught sight of a book lying discarded on the floor. He bent down, picking it up and straining his eyes in the dim light to make out the words on the cover.

"What's that?" Mya leaned in closer.

Santa examined the book, "Looks like it's some sort of textbook. Here," he squinted at the title, "‘Basic History of Spells.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Mya's eyebrows arched in surprise. "Is this place a...?"

"It appears so," Santa confirmed, equally intrigued.

"A real magic school," Mya concluded, as her eyes sparkled in wonder.

Santa pondered for a moment. "Then, maybe the armoury might have some magical weapons?"

"Let's find out!" she said, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet with anticipation.

"Slowly now," Santa cautioned with a smile, aware of the potential danger still lurking in the hallways. "We don’t want to get caught just yet."

Acknowledging his advice, Mya grinned sheepishly and playfully tip-toed towards the door, her exaggerated stealth drawing a chuckle from Santa.

They cautiously peeked out of the classroom, scanning the corridor for any patrolling soldiers. Seeing their path clear, they quickly and quietly made their way towards the armoury, hopeful to find a treasure trove.

Santa and Mya stepped into the armoury, immediately noticing the difference in its decor. The walls were lined with massive metal plates, giving the room a fortified, almost impenetrable appearance. Their eyes scanned the interior, landing on rows upon rows of weapon racks that lined the walls. However, to their dismay, the racks were barren, with not a single weapon in sight.

Mya let out a sigh of disappointment, her hopes of finding a suitable weapon momentarily dashed. But then, her gaze sharpened as she noticed something peculiar about the empty racks. They seemed to be designed specifically to hold a one particular type of weapon. The spacing of the holders at the top and the stabilizers on the racks were telltale signs – they were meant for halberds.

"Uh oh," Mya said, her voice tinged with worry. "These racks were all made for halberds, just like the ones the soldiers outside had. And there's so many of them..."

Her voice trailed off as she pondered the implications. Santa, too, caught on to her line of thought. He looked around the room, his mind piecing together the clues.

"I’m afraid I think you're right, Mya. An armoury like this... it not for a handful of guards. This was meant for an army," Santa concluded, the weight of the revelation settling in. "An army of Nutcracker soldiers, all armed, but for what purpose?"

Santa and Mya continued their exploration of the armoury, moving towards a second room accessed through a narrow door. With a bit of effort, Santa squeezed through the opening, pulling his capacious sack along with him. The room was cluttered with stacks of open crates, seemingly abandoned in haste, with a few crowbars scattered around.

Mya, ever the enthusiastic explorer, leaped onto the edge of one of the crates and peered inside. "Empty," she reported with a hint of disappointment. Meanwhile, Santa's attention was drawn to a piece of paper on the floor. He picked it up and read aloud, "Invoice for three hundred complete armour sets, one million US dollars, to be paid to Dark Elf Co."

"What's that?" Mya asked. To her knowledge, the only elves in existence were those who worked with Santa.

Santa furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "I have my suspicions about who might be behind this Dark Elf company," he mused. "But it seems they supplied this tower with its armaments, but they're likely not the mastermind behind this whole operation."

"We need more information," Santa decided. "Let's keep looking."

At that moment, Mya's face lit up with an idea. "Can we check the library?" she suggested excitedly.

Santa raised an eyebrow. "For?"

"Well, if this is a magic school, maybe there are magic books there. You know, spell books, grimoires, that sort of thing."

Santa's eyes twinkled with anticipation at the thought of discovering new spells. His current class as a magic-specializing status meant that any additional spells they could find in the library would be invaluable, especially ones that could help them navigate the tower without causing extensive arson. The idea of enhancing his magical arsenal was indeed an appealing one.

"Wait," Santa said, his gaze lingering on the room for another moment. His eyes fell upon the several crowbars scattered haphazardly on the floor, and quickly made a decision. Gathering all four of them, he tucked the crowbars away in his sack for potential later use.

[Santa has looted: Common Crowbar]

[Santa has looted: Common Crowbar]

[Santa has looted: Common Crowbar]

[Santa has looted: Common Crowbar]

While he hadn't acquired a traditional weapon, he hoped that these tools might prove useful.

“Okay then. Lead the way,” Santa said, and followed Mya out of the metallic room, their footsteps quiet against the stone floor. As they stealthily navigated the hallways, they moved with more confidence and speed. The layout of the tower was becoming familiar, and they had started to predict the patrolling patterns of the Nutcracker soldiers, which made avoiding them a tad bit easier.

Silently, Santa and Mya made their way into the library, enveloped by the comforting, musty scent of aged books. The low, warm glow from the fireplace cast elongated shadows between the rows of towering bookshelves, creating a cozy yet somewhat eerie ambiance. The dual-story library was expansive, its shelves lined with countless volumes and its centre adorned with inviting leather couches.

As they delved deeper into the room, a tiny mouse let out a high-pitched squeak upon spotting them and quickly darted away. However, instead of vanishing behind a cluster of books, the mouse did something unexpected—it bounded higher up the shelves, clearly determined to get a better look. Santa couldn't help but chuckle at the sight and was about to strike up a conversation with the curious critter when a familiar noise emanated from one of the alcoves nearby.

The mouse, sensing potential danger, promptly disappeared from view, leaving Santa and Mya to exchange a quick glance before cautiously peering around the bookshelves.

[Nutcracker Guard, Level 12]

Yet another Nutcracker soldier was patrolling the inner section of the library. Fortunately, he hadn't noticed them yet. Santa signalled to Mya, motioning for her to follow as they tiptoed around the bookshelves, staying out of the guard's line of sight.

Santa carefully pulled out one of the crowbars, trying to make as little noise as possible. He knew that if he could get close enough to the soldier, he might be able to exploit the weak spot in the back of the Nutcracker's neck and crack it open.

The plan was simple yet risky: sneak up behind the guard and strike the Nutcracker in its vulnerable spot, disabling it before it could raise an alarm.

With bated breath and crowbar in hand, Santa inched closer to the unsuspecting Nutcracker.

Santa's heart raced, its pounding deafening in his ears as he cautiously advanced. The Nutcracker soldier shifted, nearly catching him in the act. But fortune smiled upon him; a timely distraction unfolded as a cascade of books tumbled from a nearby shelf, diverting the soldier's attention at the critical moment. With the Nutcracker's focus momentarily averted, Santa seized the opportunity.

Holding his breath and steeling his nerves, Santa raised the crowbar high. Then, with a swift and precise motion, he brought it down with a resounding thwack onto the back of the soldier's neck, targeting the mysterious compartment. The impact reverberated through the silent library, a thunderous sound in the hushed environment.

Without missing a beat, Santa pressed forward, driving the crowbar's tip into the wooden structure and bending the bar until a distinctive crack rang out.

Instantly, the Nutcracker soldier stiffened, its movements ceasing as if invisible strings had been cut. Then, it toppled forward, collapsing onto the ground with a wooden clatter, reminiscent of a toy soldier knocked over in a child's playroom.

[+ 900 EXP]

[Level up! Mya is now level 3]

[Level Up! You are now Level 13]

[Santa has gained the spell: Ghoulish Command]

Santa sighed with relief, his tense muscles relaxing slightly. The plan had worked; they had successfully taken down one of the guards without raising an alarm. He looked over at Mya, who was wide-eyed but unharmed, and gave her a reassuring nod.

“I levelled up again?” May asked. “But why did you get a spell I didn’t?”

Santa scratched his chin as he wondered at that, Maybe you haven’t chosen a class or something?”

“Aw man…”

“What’s this… Ghoulish Command?”

Santa moved his mitten hand I the familiar gestures and eyed the textbox that floating up.

🪄 Ghoulish Command

Description:

Using the dark magic of the realm of death, Santa casts the Ghoulish Command spell, making his risen allies and nearby corpses into frenzied zombies who obey his orders for a certain duration. While the spell is active, these undead allies are counted at player-controlled pets and get stronger by drawing on some of Santa's power.

Effect: Temporarily turns nearby risen allies and corpses into frenzied zombies under Santa's command as pets.

Stat Bonus: Pets gain 45% of Santa's stats as bonuses.

Duration: 30 seconds.

Cooldown: 2 hours.

Spell incantation:

“By yuletide's shadow and commanding breath, Ghouls, Gremlins and Ghosts, unleash Christmas death!"

Additional Effects:

Allies under the effect of Ghoulish Command exhibit increased aggression and resilience, making them formidable in melee combat. Reduces allies’ intelligence while gaining immense combat power and an unsatiable hunger for brains.

Limitations:

This ability can only be activated in the presence of risen allies or corpses.

Allies revert to their normal state after the spell's duration ends.

Corpses revert to their normal state after the spell's duration ends.

"Um, what…" Santa mumbled as he read, his brows furrowing. This power was considerably darker than what he expected.

"Zombies?" Mya exclaimed, her expression contorting into one of disgust. "I don't want to become a stinking zombie."

Santa offered a reassuring smile and replied, "I would never willingly transform my beloved Elves into mindless, brain-eating zombies." However, as he voiced his assurance, a wave of uncertainty washed over him. He understood circumstances could evolve rapidly. Santa released a regretful sigh and shifted his gaze toward the fallen soldier. Kneeling, he opened the compartment behind its neck, only to discover that whatever had been inside had fizzled out and disintegrated upon the Nutcracker’s death.

With the immediate threat neutralized, they could now explore the library freely, searching for the magical books that might hold the key to enhancing both Santa's and Mya’s powers or at least reveal more about the tower's mysterious purpose. Santa motioned for Mya to follow as they cautiously navigated around the fallen Nutcracker, delving deeper into the labyrinth of books and secrets that the library held.

As Mya weaved through the towering shelves of the library, her movements were light and agile, filled with an eagerness that seemed to brighten the dimly lit room. Each book she touched seemed to whisper tales of long-forgotten lore and secrets, adding to the enchantment of the place. The shelves, heavy with the weight of dusty tomes and ancient manuscripts, towered above her, creating a labyrinth of literary treasures.

Santa watched her with a mix of amusement and admiration. The library, though neglected and coated with a layer of dust, was a haven for any seeker of knowledge. It was clear that Mya, with her boundless curiosity and childlike wonder, was in her element. She hopped from one section to another, her fingers tracing the spines of books, her face lighting up at every intriguing title she discovered.

While Mya delved deeper into the library's depths, Santa's gaze drifted to the floor, noting the tiny footprints that patterned the dust. The footprints, clearly belonging to mice, wove a complex network across the library floor, indicating the rodents had free reign in a place where humans, or in this case, Nutcracker soldiers, seldom ventured.

Lost in his thoughts about the library's peculiar guardians, Santa barely noticed the movement in the corner of his eye. It was subtle, but unmistakable—a small, whiskered face peeking out from behind a row of books. The mouse, with bright, observant eyes, seemed almost as curious about Santa as he was about it.

"Oh, hello, little mouse," Santa greeted, his voice echoing softly in the grand library. The tiny creature hesitated for a moment before scampering out into the open, its gaze fixed on the large, red-suited figure.

"Hello, sir." The mouse replied with a clear, articulate voice.

❄ Quest completed! ❄

[+300 EXP]

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