"Merry hearts warming to all an dark night." Those words will forever hunt her and those of her subjects. Heartswarming is no longer welcomed in the hearts and minds of mares and stallions of all ages. But instead its feared and shunned all because of what happened last year, Krampus ruined it all and made it an holiday of vengeance. However in an few more nights it will be his night it will soon be Krampus night, Celestia will soon to deliver a tribute, or risk a riot. She will offer up a tribute, but it will not be what Krampus excepts. No, she will look right into the eyes of the holiday devil and set things right. Hopefully then Ponyville will go back to the way it was, before Krampus came and ruined it all for everypony
She could hear knocking at the door, celestia sighs and heads over to her door and answers it.Upon opening it she could see it is her royal guard. She gives an forced smile and speaks."May I help you?" the guard goes to attention and gives her a salute then replies.
"Princess I am here to inform you that you only have an few more weeks to deliver an criminal before Krampus night arrives" Celestia sighs and looks at the guard then nods in response.The guard then leaves as Celestia closes the door,She hated doing this and to an criminal that needed to be rehabilitated but that was the only way for the random purges to stop. However she'll only have to suffer through this once more then all of it will go back to the way it was before. She looked out her window and watches the sun go down; Officially the countdown to Krampus night had begun she will have 8 days plus one whole week to come up with an prisoner for Krampus to take or so he will think. Celestia had gotten into bed and pulled the covers over her body and slowly feel asleep, meanwhile in the Underworld Krampus was gearing up for one of his nights. He gives an cruel cackle when he looks into his snow globe he then gives an sinister grin then speaks.
"Celestia may think she can get back Heartswarming and put me into my place. That is rich! hahaha" he gives an cruel cackle which echos through the underworld. He then turns his gaze back to the snow globe he places his skinny hand on it, his fingers make an sickening scratch on the surface of the glass he then picks it up and gives the snow globe a little shake and speaks again.
"I may not be able to leave the underworld my little princess but i will be seeing you real soon." Celestia awoke with an chill across her cheek she got out of bed and went over to her window to close it however when she looked outside she found that cannterlot had been snowed over from an massive blizzard. she hanged her head in sadness she knew this somehow was Krampus doing however she could hear rapid pounding on her door; She sighs and slams her window shut and walks over to her door to answer it, however she found an frantic guard waiting for her.
He wasted no time to speak."Princess.. tonight is Krampus night wheres the tribute?" She raised an eyebrow this couldn't be Krampus night that fast could it? she walks over to her calendar and sees that all the days in November had been all marked off and only four of days in December had come and gone. Her eyes had widen she had no idea krampus had this kinda of power, Celestia looked at her guard and spoke.
"Go to dungeons and bring out the prisoner to the town square however let me escort him, I need to see this one through." The guard nodded and rushed off to grab the prisoner.deep inside his cell the prisoner was from downtown Baltimare. He had murdered his ex for leaving him or so he stood accused of; He hadn't been processed like most of the prisoners before him and the fact was they where all guilty of some kind of wrong doing it didn't matter what. The guard walked over to the jail cell and began to open it, he nor the prisoner didn't say anything to each other as the guard began to unchain him, As soon as he was unchained he bound the prisoner with rope and began to lead him out of the dungeons. Celestia was waiting in the thorn room for the prisoner while pacing back and forth,she had no idea what time it was as every time that was slipping away meant that somepony could vanish with Krampus. The guard walks through the door leading the seldom prisoner to her,like always Celestia didn't bother to look at him nor did she care to know anything about him however if she does this right and tonight and only tonight she'll never have to do this again in her lifetime. She takes the reigns into her mouth and begins to lead the prisoner outside the castle,however off into the distance towards the square she could see smoke and hear laughing . Her subjects where all inside there houses asleep like always well except an few who would collaborate with the holiday Devil and his minions,but they to will be dealt with when she sorts all of this out and restore peace and love to her broken Kingdom. Krampus and those who fallowed him awaited in the square for the tribute,however unbeknownst to them except Krampus Celestia was going to stand him down and foolishly try to save her Kingdom; The audacity was that she thought she could actually win. Celestia had made her way to the center as Krampus held out his hand to accept the rope he then gives Celestia an evil grin. She puts the pony behind her and cast an ward around him and then drops the robe, She looked Krampus into the with an rebellious flare then speaks.
"No more Krampus, leave Equestria and take your lackeys back with you. I am no longer frighten of you and I will no longer tolerate your presence here in my kingdom!" Krampus was silent for awhile still keeping his hand out however then draws it back in slowly. Those around him except his helpers began to angrily glare at Celestia and some even dared to try and get near to him only to be blasted backwards with angrily bolt of magic,Krampus began to study Celestia never taking his eyes off of her for an moment. Krampus then gave an loud and maniacal chuckle and so did his elves however after an moment of laughing Krampus held up his hand and all was deathly silent around him again.
Krampus looked at Celestia and replied."No.. I will not simply vanish like the night wind, I am every fear that you ever had and I am every nightmare that you have failed to awake from. You are very much right my dear tonight will be very different indeed but not in my defeat but of yours and every single pony will pay for some reason or another." Celestia's eyes never left Krampus or those around her as she tried to protect the prisoner inside the ward from the hostiles all around them,Krampus walked towards celestia along with his helpers. Celestia cast an few bolts of magic at them while some of them took hits Krampus however simply smacked the bolts back with his hand. Celestia began to back away slowly from Krampus who was trying to close in the distance between the two.
Krampus chuckled and spoke."Where's your defiance now my little princess?" His cruel gaze never left her as his chains gave an an low but distinctive rattle with each step he took the snow gave an crunching sound. Celestia could have cut the prisoners bindings and have him run for it while she fought of Krampus and his helpers, but she knew what happens when you tried to run or hide. No Krampus will be denied this one even if it meant her very life,Celestia will defend her subjects to the very end.
Celestia charged at Krampus, he prepared himself as he caught celestia. their hooves dug fast into the snow as both began to shove each other back, however no matter how strong Celestia was Krampus was simply stronger he lifted her up into the air then thrown her. She opened her wings and took flight then got between Krampus and his prize."You aren't taking this one Krampus not tonight,not ever!" her voice echoed with an royal boom her horn began to glow brightly nearly melting the snow under her to reveal an patch of green under her. Krampus's tongue lolled out as he covered his eyes from the intensity, the ground began to shake as celestia began to step forward while Krampus stepped backwards trying to get away from the radiant light. All around her his lackeys began to cover there eyes, her own build up with tears of saddness for she knew she never ever see them again.
She then spoke again in her authoritarian and royal voice."Krampus! I hereby sentence you and your lackeys to an eternity out of Equestria, you will never again threaten my kingdom and my subjects." Krampus roared as the ground shaked he then blindly charged at Celestia. She fired at Krampus as light completely enveloped them. She could feel herself being shaken as she could hear herself moaning, she then jerks upwards to see her guard at her bedside, had it all been just an dream?
The guard speaks."princess are you alright?" her heart was pounding and cold sweat was dripping from her forehead, she takes an moment to collect herself then replies with an forced smile as she breaths an bit heavily.
"Yes my dear guardstallion, i am alright what day is it?" The guard looks at her strangely then replies in an rather weary voice as he was thinking about going to get her personal nurse to see if she was alright in the head.
"um princess.. its hearts warming.. are you sure your alright or should i get the nurse?" Celestia levitates her calendar over to her and looks at it,it was heartswarming of last year after the fillies had gone missing but how could that be? could she had simply dreamed it all or did Krampus set it all right and left with those who fallowed him.
She replies in a shaky voice."Yes.. I am alright it was all just an nightmare.." The guard nods and walks out the door leaving the princess alone inside her room unsure what to make of the situation.After the guard had left Celestia began to scan the room with her eyes,in the corner of the room on her night stand where she kept all of Twilights letters was an single letter. She got out of bed and went over to her nightstand and upon closer look of the envolpe was nothing that Twilight would ever send, The Envelope was jet black and on the sender was the letter K. She opens it and almost immediately her heart skips an beat as her blood runs very cold, the letter read.
"You want your heartswarming back? well you got it my little princess, just remember you didn't banish me nor did you defeat me. I will let you have this day but make no mistake i will be watching you and your subjects. See you next Heartswarming day sincerely yours Krampus"
Celestia dropped the note and went over to her window, she had underestimated her adversary and truly this creature will be back sooner or latter however she will be better prepared then last time and she will like last time stand him down until there is only one clear and ultimate winner left standing at the end of the night. However the dark cloud that seemed to have plagued her kingdom as lifted and everything is how it should be there are no longer tributes in the name of Krampus but in its place are happy families spending heartswarming day with those who they love or it seems like it, Celestia does not know if she can truly recover from the nightmare she had suffered at the hands of some demented Devil that takes great joy from causing others pain and suffering. Celestia sighs and looks out her window taking an moment to take in the joyous music that came from the streets she then opens her wings and flies off to join her subjects in this one year advent. In the streets was an rather old pony wearing an rather bulky robe when ever he past by others in the streets they swear they can hear something chime underneath his robes. The old pony walks into an nearby street alley and vanishes into the mist however one foal picked up an bell that read."Gruss von Krampus."
This was the last time sense any pony heard or seen the old stallion,however as the old stories go legends never die nor do they vanish they wait in the shadows for the right time to comeback,even if it means learning an old lesson over again but some legends and stories are best not to be forgotten unless you wish to Krampus next victim next time he visits.
