by J. S. Skye
“Maybe there’s a chance to make this right! If only I can reach this Santa person Flurry mentioned. Then, we could catch up with Jack before he reaches Ursidea,” Lotora thought out loud. “Come on, Sweetie! We have a trip to make. I don’t know where he is, but Flurry said that he would be in the north, so we go north.”
Lotora pulled Honja from her bag and looked down at her daughter. “Can you hold on to him and keep him safe?”
“Yes, Mommy!” answered the little raccoon cub.
“Good. Now be careful with him.” Lotora handed Honja to her daughter. Honja hated to be held, but at a time like this, he was in great need of comfort. Honja took refuge in the raccoon cub’s arms. Lotora then led her daughter and Honja north.
Meanwhile, back near Ebongreene Forest, Flurry was on the move again. He rode on his reeyu while Nikolas and Katie traveled by horseback. Drift rode with one of the red pandas, and the other two red pandas went another direction to continue their task of recruiting more help.
Nikolas led the way. They were on a mission to find the elves and enlist them, also. Time was of the essence, and they rode hard and fast across the landscape.
It took them two full days to reach the land of the elves. The elves were spread out and quite diverse. Their people could be found in many different regions. These elves were the nearest to Ebongreene Forest. The trip there was full of hazards and dangers, but Flurry was with good company. Nikolas and Katie were very capable warriors, with Nick being a swordsman and Katie being an archer. As for Drift, he was the one and only teddy bear warrior to exist. Flurry had never seen nor heard of there ever being a teddy bear with such an occupation. Needless to say, Flurry was very impressed with Drift.
Their company spent a good deal of time talking with the elves and negotiating. As Flurry looked on, he realized that he did not have what it took to be a diplomat. Flurry sat around bored and watched Nikolas, Katie, the red panda warrior, named Kadan, and the elves meet together. It must have ended well, since Flurry saw them all either shake hands or bow to one another.
Kringle came out of the meeting hall and approached Flurry. “Well, that’s taken care of. Now we head north. I may still have some friends that way.”
The elves had already taken care of saddling the horses and Flurry’s reeyu. Flurry rushed up and petted her. “You know, I’m going to have to come up with a name for you. You’ve been so faithful. What should I call you?” Flurry rhetorically asked.
“Let’s go!” shouted Nikolas.
“No! That’s a terrible name!” answered Flurry. Nikolas looked confused by Flurry’s response. At that moment Flurry realized that Nikolas was not answering his question, but was giving an order. Flurry giggled and said, “Oops! Hee hee hee hee hee!”
They rode north for a day and a half before they came across some fellow travelers. Nikolas raised his hand and signaled everyone to stop. There, in their path, was a familiar face.
“Lotora!” Flurry shouted. He hopped down from his ride and ran up to give her a hug.
“You’re alive!” Lotora was ecstatic. “I thought you had died!”
“Nah, I’m fine.”
“How? How did you survive?”
Flurry replied. “That’s a long story. Oh! I want you to meet someone special!” Flurry grabbed her by the paw and led her to Nikolas. “Do you know who this is?”
“No, but I really need to tell you something …” Lotora attempted to answer.
“It’s Santa!” shouted Flurry.
“Oh! Are you Nikolas Kringle?” Lotora asked the man.
“Indeed I am, and you might be?” Nikolas inquired.
“Lotora! Her name is Lotora!” Flurry chimed in with a grin on his face.
“I have grave news and a confession. Tomodachi’s daughter has been frozen in ice by Jack Frost. Tomodachi, himself, has been captured. He’s going to be executed when they reach Ursidea. Jack wants to send a message to anyone who would dare defy him. And the worst news is that it’s all my fault.” Lotora collapsed to her knees and cried.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. These things happen,” Nikolas replied.
“No, you don’t understand. It’s really my fault. I was secretly working for Jack. I communicated with him and told him our every move. I didn’t want to. He made me do it. He told me that if I didn’t, he would do something horrible to my daughter. To prove his resolve, he murdered my husband right in front of me. He then promised to return my daughter to me, unharmed, if I did what he said. But now, all hope is lost. Tomodachi’s spirit is broken. He feels defeated, and Jack had his sword destroyed.” Lotora gave quite the exposition about recent events, despite her shame.
Nikolas was upset, but had no idea what to say. Kadan, the red panda, was very angry and wanted to apprehend her for justice, but Flurry changed the mood when he said, “It’s okay. I forgive you.” The cub ran over and hugged her. As he hugged her, he caught a glimpse of her daughter holding Honja.
“Honja!” Flurry shouted. He was so happy to see his friend. The teddy bear cub ran over, picked Honja up, and swung him around in the air before he gave him a hug. The rabbit covered his eyes. He feared getting sick from Flurry spinning him around. Honja hated every moment of what Flurry considered to be their adventure. The rabbit wanted their adventure to be over. It seemed like forever since they last saw their mother back in Middleasia.
Nikolas still did not know what to do about Lotora’s betrayal, but he knew it was a matter better left for after they dealt with Jack. So he dropped the subject, for the time being, and brought her into the fold. Kadan voiced his vehement objections. Nikolas took the red panda’s comments under advisement before he and his companions continued north. Kadan glared at Lotora the entire trip.
“Is there any valuable information you can give me about Jack, the number of soldiers with him, or his whereabouts?” Nikolas asked Lotora.
Lotora felt uneasy when she saw Kadan put a paw on his sword, but she tried to pretend that he was not there and focused on Nikolas. “He had what seemed like six thousand troops with him. I don’t know why so many of them were with him. He must’ve been out conquering before he met up with us. Nero had about a dozen or so with him. However, what I think would be the most valuable information is that they’re on foot, heading to Ursidea. They left me a little more than four days ago. They’re also going the long way back. You can get there faster if you go north and come down around the other side of the lake.”
Nikolas brought their group to a stop, got down from his horse, and unrolled a map. As he studied the terrain, he agreed that Lotora’s route would get them to Ursidea before Jack. “Then we continue north!” Nikolas answered.
They made camp for the night. Kadan went hunting and brought back a deer for their meal. After dinner, it was time for bed. Honja already snored away, and Flurry was quickly nodding off when a paw came over his mouth. “Shhhhh! It’s just me.” Lotora whispered.
“Don’t talk, just listen,” Lotora continued. Flurry sat up and rubbed his eyes. “I’m giving this book to you.” She pulled out The Book of Snow from her backpack. “I believe this should be yours. I want you to have it as a gift for the good you’ve done for us. Whatever happens, I feel that you deserve to have it.”
Lotora walked back to her sleeping spot. She laid down and pulled her blanket up. Flurry was in awe, but he did not know what to think. It looked remarkably similar to the book he already had back home. Then Flurry had an idea. He grabbed a stone from the ground and carved his initials into the back cover of the book. “There,” Flurry whispered to himself. “Now I’ll be able to tell them apart when I bring this one home, too.” Just then, the crystal glowed. “Stop it,” Flurry ordered the crystal. “I said, stop it! Stop that. I mean it!” The gemstone continued to glow brightly. Flurry decided to pry the crystal from the book cover, and to his surprise, it came out with ease. He wrapped the crystal up and stuck it in the pouch that was given to him during his visit with the elves. Flurry stashed it a
way, fluffed his pillow, and drifted off to sleep.
Little did Flurry know that Nikolas was still awake and had observed the entire interaction. He believed everything was happening for a reason, and that Flurry was the key to it all. Only time would tell.
CHAPTER 7
URSIDEA
Orange flame ascended into the azure expanse. As if nature was not without a sense of irony, lustrous rays shot out across the lush terrain like flaming arrows. With the dawn came the hope of something new. However, the crimson rays were as though a harbinger of impending doom.
Typically the land was very beautiful: filled with flowers, gardens, and rivers. However, Jack’s presence had turned the region cold and dreary. Snow now covered the ground as far as the eye could see.
Ursidea was a magnificent city. Before the days of Jack’s rule, it was the hub for all of the different bear tribes and nations. It was a center for beauty and education. The neighboring nations viewed Ursidea as a beacon of hope and peace. The builders of the city did very little to ensure its protection. It was without walls or any other evident form of defense, for all were welcome to come or go as they pleased. Those days ended long ago.
Jack had ruled for so long, and was so powerful, that his pride led him to believe he had no need for the strong walls of his fortress, Ursadoom. He now lived in a palace, unmoved by any worry of threat. This very pride would be Jack’s downfall, for he had no idea that his enemies planned to ambush him.
Jack’s convoy approached the marvelous city with its marble structures and blue roofs. Thousands of polar bears were pleased to be back in a land where it was cold, as they were accustomed to. Nero was also glad to be done with the traveling. He looked forward to some much-needed rest and relaxation. As he pondered what he would do after Tomodachi’s execution, the company came to a halt. Jack had raised his paw to indicate his command for the sudden stop.
Nero rode up next to him. “What is it, My Master?”
“Something’s not right,” the red panda answered. Jack shifted his gaze from side-to-side. He turned around and focused his attention on his prisoner. “You! Before your capture, how many did you successfully gather to your cause?” Tomodachi kept silent. The prisoner would not even acknowledge that he had been addressed.
“It’s no use. With pride like that, he won’t tell us anything,” answered Nero. “Let me beat it out of him.”
Jack was about to answer his general when something caught his attention. Jack spun around and looked out toward Ursidea again. “Something’s wrong,” Jack informed Nero. The red panda looked over at his warriors. “Everyone, have your weapons at the ready. We may be walking into a trap,” he instructed them.
Jack gave the command to press forward. They continued cautiously down into the once lush but now snow-covered valley. When they came to the floor of the lowland, a man stood in their path. Jack knew this man well. Jack lowered himself from his mount and walked out to meet him.
“What are you doing here, Kringle?” Jack exclaimed with a hint of astonishment in his tone. Jack seemed impressed that Nikolas would even attempt such a brave move.
“I’m here to stop you. I’m putting an end to this, once and for all,” Nikolas answered.
Jack was amused. He looked back at his army and then at Nikolas. “Fool! You’re helplessly outnumbered, and my polar bears are ruthless. They’ll rip anyone to shreds at my command. I suggest you step aside!” Jack ordered.
Nikolas pulled his sword from its scabbard. “I won’t! I said it ends here, and I’m a man of my word.” Nikolas whistled loudly, and the sound of horns bellowed in the distance. Without delay, riders on horseback surrounded the entire valley. From the ridge above, they held the tactical advantage.
Jack scoffed. “Ha! Elves? You really think I’m afraid of elves? If it’s a fight you want, a fight you shall have!” Jack glanced at Nero and shouted, “Attack!”
Jack considered Nikolas to be inferior. He turned to walk away, but Nikolas grabbed him by the coat and threw him to the ground. “Oh, no you don’t!” Nikolas pointed his sword at Jack. “Don’t you dare turn your back on me! I said I came to finish this! Now, get up!” The red panda jumped back to his feet and armed himself.
The elves had been hiding in the city as well as surrounding the valley. Everyone rushed out for battle. Growling and roaring came from the polar bear army. The galloping of horses and clashing of swords echoed all around the valley of Ursidea. The battle was fierce, and the number of casualties had swiftly climbed in mere minutes.
Jack and Nikolas were locked in combat. They swung their swords at each other as they traded words. “Give up now! Your forces are already being defeated,” Jack exclaimed.
“Never! I gave you the ability to live, and I can take it away!” Nikolas shouted back.
“No, you can’t, actually. If you could, you would’ve done so long ago. I’m no fool!”
While in the midst of their fight, some polar bears decided to help their ruler and ran up to attack Nikolas. Katie quickly raised her bow and shot both of them with her arrows. “I’ve got your back,” she shouted to Nikolas and winked.
“Awww, how cute. I’ll be sure to make her suffer, too!” Jack threatened.
Jack’s taunt enraged Nikolas. “You leave her alone!” He swung his sword wildly at the red panda. His unbridled emotion now gave Jack the advantage. The red panda slashed at Nikolas. The man had numerous wounds in a matter of minutes. Instead of being quick about it, however, Jack wanted to take his time in the man’s execution. Jack enjoyed the suffering of others. The villain’s pride gave him no reason for concern or urgency. Their conflict raged on. Katie took down any enemy who tried to interfere in the duel. Across the battlefield, Lotora, Flurry, and Honja had arrived. They rushed to Tomodachi’s side.
They unbound the samurai, but Tomodachi refused to get up. He had lost the will to fight. He felt that he had lost his honor and deserved to die. Flurry tried to persuade him otherwise. “Come on! You have to try! Doggy told me that you’re the one that defeats Jack.” Flurry persuasively attempted to rouse the warrior.
“Yujin … gone. Sword … gone. Honor … gone.” Tomodachi gazed despondently at the snow-covered ground he sat upon.
Lotora held out an object wrapped in cloth. “This is from Nikolas Kringle. He said the Great King told him to give it to you.”
Tomodachi looked over at it. Lotora removed the cloth to reveal a beautiful sword. It was unlike any sword Tomodachi had used before. It was clearly not a samurai’s weapon, but it was an elegant, double-edged beauty.
Tomodachi reached out and gripped the sword. To his surprise, it was much lighter than he expected it to be. “It’s made from a blue star or by a blue star. I’m not really sure. Something like that, if I remember right,” Flurry attempted to explain.
“No. Not work,” Tomodachi replied and tossed the sword to the ground.
“You have to try!” Flurry insisted. “You haven’t lost your honor yet. The battle isn’t over. It isn’t over until it’s over. If not for yourself, do it for Yujin!” Flurry’s words had an impact. Tomodachi’s eyes glimmered. He took in a deep breath. Flurry sensed the spark revive in the warrior’s spirit.
Tomodachi’s facial expression firmed up, and his paw gripped his new blade. “Kawaii! You right! Honor, or die! For Yujin!” Tomodachi stood up, took another deep breath, and looked over at Jack and Nikolas in their heated skirmish. “Stop, Jack!” Tomodachi shouted. He pointed at the evil red panda who slashed away at the wounded Kringle.
Tomodachi let out a war cry and ran into the battle. The samurai cut down every enemy in his path.
As he dueled Nikolas, Jack noticed Tomodachi headed straight toward them. In fact, the villain could see that the samurai had his fire back. Jack decided it was high time to retreat to his palace and let his army do the rest of the work for him. “Until next time,” Jack addressed his human opponent, turned, and ran for his palace.
Flurry saw Jack’s retreat
and acted quickly. “Let’s go! He’s getting away! We have to stop him!”
“But how?” Lotora asked.
“I don’t know yet. I’m making this up as I go. Come on!” Flurry shouted. He picked up his book and ran after Jack.
Being small, Flurry had a slight advantage of either going unnoticed or running under the legs of the horses and polar bears. As Flurry dashed across the battlefield, dark shadows covered the ground. Flurry looked up and saw the sky filled with reeyu. The red pandas from Ronin had arrived.
A horn sounded, and there were suddenly other warriors present at the battle. Flurry looked out across the land and saw a cat army, a squirrel army, wolves, bears, a massive army of lion-like creatures with horns, and many other types of beings he had never seen before. The lion-like animals reminded him of the Gargarins. The nations had arrived to unite against their common enemy.
The battlefield grew more intense. Flaming arrows flew through the air, and the clanging of swords resounded everywhere. Growls, howls, grunts, screams, and war cries were heard all over the place. Friend and foe alike dropped all around Flurry. It was chaos as he tried to navigate the battlefield to reach the palace. Lotora and Honja ran close behind him. Unfortunately, Nero saw them and decided to do something about it.
Flurry ran as fast as he could. He dodged flames, arrows, and falling creatures. He ran under legs, slid behind obstacles for cover, and managed to zigzag his way toward his destination.
The battle was currently out in the valley, but it drew closer to the city with each passing minute. Before long, the battle would be in the streets. Flurry ran as hard as he could, but it was not easy to also carry the book with him. He held it tightly to his chest with his arms crossed over it. Flurry, followed closely by Lotora and Honja, rushed through the city streets and cut across alleys to try and catch up with Jack.
“I have an idea,” Lotora said. “You two go on, and I’ll rejoin you later.” Lotora ran off. Honja jumped on top of Flurry’s head and held tightly to the cub’s fur. Flurry edged up the side of a building, with his back to the wall. Polar bear guards patrolled the area. One guard was unaware that he had his back to Flurry, who stood only a few feet behind him.
