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The characters depicted in this story are fictitious, and any similarities to actual events, locations or people, living or dead, are entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the author, except for brief quotations in reviews. For information regarding permissions please email the author, BennyAlano@yahoo.com ISBN 10 – 1460973518 ISBN 13 – 978-1460973516 Copyright © 2011 by Lyle Perez-Tinics All rights reserved Original Illustrations done by Cinsearae S. Reillustrations and cover design done by Jessica Geis Jgeis01@gmail.com Christmas lights on cover done by Obsidian dawn www.obsidiandawn.com

Other works by Benny Alano

Attack of the Vampire Snowmen

Zombie Slime From Another Time

Hand Puppet Horror

Blaine’s Brains$ A Zombie Birthday

The Haunted Doll House

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Chapter 1 North Pole ElvesNorth Pole ElvesNorth Pole ElvesNorth Pole Elves

(SaSaSaSannnntatatata’s s s s WWWWororororkshkshkshkshopopopop)

The North Pole was a magical place. The radiance of green and red Christmas lights shone brightly throughout the year. Some amusement parks claim to be the happiest place on earth, but that simply is not true. The North Pole is far superior to those places in various ways. For starters, theme parks rely on money to keep the rides going while the North Pole relies on light magic. Not pretend magic like the fairy characters in movies, but real magic. Elf Enchantment is something that can be seen and felt. There are two classes of Elf Enchantment at the North Pole, light and dark. Most elves use light magic to make toys and to help bring happiness to the toy factory. Then there is dark magic. Not many elves know about its existence, but dark magic is used to protect from enemies. So with the amusement park at the North Pole being fueled with light magic and protected by dark magic, nothing could go wrong.

It was three days before Christmas, and all the little elves were in the theme park. They cheered, hooted, and hollered as they enjoyed the rides, the

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Ferris wheel being the favorite among them. The glittering glow of Elf Enchantment filled the air. The sight seemed more like a fireworks display than an Elvin amusement park.

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The entire elf staff had been granted a night of

freedom before they were to continue making toys. Their quota was almost completed so the Big Guy thought they deserved a night off before Christmas. Throughout the year, the elves received credits for their toy productivity that could be exchanged for park rides and prizes. Most of the elves seemed to collect hundreds of these credits, but one elf, Laidenn, hadn’t collected any in his fifty-year career at the North Pole Workshop. Since his first day, as a very young elf, to the present day, Laidenn had not made a single toy.

This dark and mysterious elf was not liked by anyone. Some even said that the Big Guy himself didn’t like him. No one knew why Laidenn was still allowed in the workshop, but they let him be. Instead of helping out, he would just wander through the factory constantly looking over his shoulder like a patrol elf.

As soon as the elves heard the whistles blow and Santa’s voice cheered, “Enjoy the park!” they ran out of the workshop without a care while poor Laidenn stayed behind doing who knew what.

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l l l

“They’re coming,” Laidenn said, breathing hard in

his little dorm room. “This is the year; I know they will attack. I can feel them coming closer. I must prepare.”

The latent dark elf ran around his room collecting bags of salt. He stashed the clear cloth bags inside a box and continued collecting more. When Laidenn was finished, he had twenty-five bags of salt ready for battle.

“The roof,” he decided. “I can make it to the roof and-and from there, I-I-I can make my l-l-last stand,” Laidenn continued, his stutter getting worse with each word uttered. “Should I warn Santa?” he asked the bags of salt and then nodded, “Y-y-you’re right. There is no-o-o time.”

The elf picked up the box and hustled out the door. He looked both ways through the hall and saw nothing. The ladder in the main toy factory was the only way to the roof. As sweat trickled into his eyes, Laidenn continued on his route, looking behind him every so often.

Laidenn rushed through the double doors and saw the ladder. Without hesitation, he headed toward it and began climbing. Midway up the ladder, he realized the box of salt was still on the ground. Laidenn used a little bit of the light magic raging inside of him, and the box poofed before his eyes.

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A second later, the elf’s green and red uniform darkened slightly. The jingle bell on the end of his pointy hat shrunk, no longer chiming when he moved. Laidenn was nearing the final stages of becoming a true dark elf; but he still had a small amount of light magic inside of him. He only had to cast a few more dark magic spells using light magic and he would be free of the light Elf Enchantment. He opened the roof hatch and climbed up; when he reached the top, the box of salt was there waiting for him.

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Chapter 2 MMMMararararch of ch of ch of ch of the Cthe Cthe Cthe Crrrreateateateaturesuresuresures

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Once on the roof, Laidenn looked around him. The golden glow of burning Elf Enchantment sparkled to his right. Laidenn glanced toward the merry light show and walked to the edge of the rooftop. Flurries of red snow, only visible to dark elves, began to flutter down from the heavens.

“I was right,” he said, peering down toward the amusement park. “They are coming and this red snow confirms my su-su-su-suspicion.”

The radiance from the Elf Enchantment almost blinded the latent dark elf. It had been a long time since he'd seen that much light magic. The Ferris wheel was in the middle of the park. Swings and slides were scattered throughout the large square-shaped area. Hundreds of elves were having fun and dancing while Christmas music played in the background.

Laidenn turned away and walked across the roof to the other side. Far out in the distance, he saw them—just as he had feared. Hundreds of them slid in unison toward the amusement park, their bald

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snow heads almost falling off their bodies as they pushed through the snow. Laidenn was too far away to see their faces, but he knew their sharp teeth were exposed. Those creatures always seemed to grin.

“Holy geese-a-laying!” the elf cursed. “I better warn the others.”

Laidenn rushed back to the radiance. With all of his might, he stared into the heart of the amusement park, the Ferris wheel specifically. He had a lot of dark magic in him and as soon as he uttered the command, “Lights out,” the glow sparked into darkness and Laidenn’s clothes darkened a little more with it.

All of the rides instantly stopped along with the music.

“What happened?” the elves began to question. “Someone is using dark magic!” another elf cried. Before Laidenn could speak, all of the elves yelled

in unison, “Lights on!” The park exploded back to life, sending golden

rays of Elf Enchantment into the air. Laidenn felt the initial surge of magic, but it wasn’t until a stray beam slammed into his chest that he felt the true power of light magic. He flew back into the air toward the other end of the roof. Rays of Elf Enchantment still blasted into the air and exploded in a brilliant light show. Each explosion created a huge smiley face in the sky.

The elves cheered. Laidenn landed on a soft patch of snow, his arms

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spread out as if he was readying to make a snow angel. The latent dark elf looked down toward his clothes, only to see them get significantly brighter. If it weren’t for all the dark magic he had been storing, a surge of Elf Enchantment like that would have surely turned him into a light elf.

“Holy geese-a-laying,” Laidenn cursed again as steam from his warm body rose into the air.

Before he could compose himself, a horn erupted from the icy mountains. He shook his head and with great vigor rose to his feet. The creatures were slowly approaching, and if he didn’t warn the other elves soon, they would all meet a horrible end.

Laidenn ran back toward the Elf Enchantment glow. Without hesitating this time, he yelled, “Lights out!” And, once again, the park darkened. Laidenn continued to shout, “Everyone, please listen to me! They’re coming!”

“Who said that?” an elf yelled. “Up here,” Laidenn answered. “I’m on the roof of

the workshop.” “I can’t see,” another elf said. “Use your headlights,” Laidenn suggested. After a bit of confusion, one of the elves yelled,

“Headlights!” A dim light shone from the elf’s heads like a

spotlight. The rest of the elves noticed this and in unison they yelled, “Headlights!” The lights from their heads pierced the night sky.

“Look up here,” Laidenn said.

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The headlights searched the area and finally one of the elves caught sight of the latent dark elf.

“In the middle of the roof,” the elf said. All together, the headlights shone in Laidenn’s

direction. “Who is that?” the elves questioned. “It’s Laidenn,” he answered, squinting his eyes. “Who?” “Oh, it’s just Laidenn. What happened? You didn’t

get any credits again this year so you decided to bring us all down with you, aye?” Wallie-Ollie, the snobby elf, called out in his British accent.

“Ugh, never mind,” Laidenn spat back. “Listen, they are coming.”

“Who’s coming?” Wallie-Ollie asked. “Are you being silly again? Why don’t you just come down here and we can have a ride together. You can have some of my light magic.”

The sudden act of kindness made Laidenn’s heart smile, and his uniform brightened faintly. A grin crossed Laidenn’s face and he found himself truly considering Wallie-Ollie’s offer. Then, as Laidenn glanced around at the elves, he heard the familiar jingle of the jingle bell on the end of his hat.

“No!” Laidenn yelled as he saw the dark elf progress that he had made dwindle away. He had no choice; only dark magic would be able to fight off the creatures, and he was the darkest elf there.

Another horn blasted through the cool air behind him. They were closing in on the elves.

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“Everyone run!” Laidenn yelled again. He picked up a bag of salt and hurled it toward Wallie-Ollie. The cloth bag made impact with his nose and exploded, showering the elf and everyone around him with salt.

“Oi, I was trying to be nice to you,” Wallie-Ollie cried.

An elf sitting next to Wallie-Ollie dusted himself off and yelled, “Who is coming?”

“The vampires!”

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