Page 16 of Merry Cris Moose

“As in Jack Frost?”

“He used to be one of us,” Cris explained, nodding. “He created a company called Vanguard Holdings…”

“Vanguard? That’s who bought Schultz Toys.”

“I know. He’s been buying out innovative toy companies, tying up the best designers so that they either worked for him or were bound by non-competition agreements. Then he turned the companies he bought into profit-driven machines. He’s taking the magic out of toys, turning them into something cold and empty. And if he succeeds... Christmas as we know it will disappear.”

Keely’s mouth dropped open in shock, but then her eyes narrowed. “So that’s why you brought me here. You think my designs can help.”

Cris nodded. “I do. Your toys, the way they spark imagination—they’re what we need to fight back. If we can reignite the magic in children’s hearts, we can stop Frost.”

For a moment, Keely was silent, clearly processing everything. Then, slowly, a grin spread across her face. “Well, if that’s what we need to do, I have a few ideas.”

Cris chuckled, feeling his tension ease as he watched her excitement. Despite everything, Keely’s mind was already spinning with ideas, and for the first time in days, he felt a glimmer of hope. He was beginning to believe they might just be able to stop Frost.

But just as the warmth between them began to settle, a sharp, sudden tremor rocked the room, followed by a loud crack that echoed through the walls. Cris shot to his feet.

“What the hell was that?” asked Keely. “Oh wait, can I say hell?”

Criss nodded. “It’s the magical barrier around the North Pole—it sounds like it’s weakening. It has to be Frost.”

Before he could say more, Holly burst into the room, her face pale with fear. “Cris, it’s Frost! He’s here. He’s attacking the North Pole, and he’s not alone.”

Cris could feel his blood turn to ice as the gravity of the situation slammed into him. Frost was making his move. He was making a direct attack. He was here to steal the remaining magic, and he wouldn’t stop until he’d drained every last bit of Christmas spirit from the North Pole.

Cris turned to Keely, his eyes full of urgency. “Stay here. You’ll be safe.”

But Keely shook her head as she tossed the bedding aside. “No way. I’m not sitting this out. I’m coming with you.”

Cris opened his mouth to argue, but there was no time. The sound of another explosion ripped through the air, and he knew they had to move fast. He grabbed Keely’s hand, his heart pounding with the knowledge that everything—Christmas, their world, and whatever was blossoming between them—was hanging by a thread.

Chapter

Eight

KEELY

Keely stood in the middle of the snow-covered field, her breath coming in ragged bursts as she stared at the chaos unfolding around her. The once peaceful North Pole had turned into a battleground. Her heart raced as she watched in awe and horror, her mind barely able to process what was happening. Magical beings she had never imagined were really true now stood before her, defending the very essence of Christmas from an unimaginable enemy.

Cris, in his massive moose form, charged through the snow, his antlers gleaming as he plowed into Frost’s minions—hulking creatures that looked like twisted, evil versions of the abominable snowman she remembered from an old holiday special. Except these monsters weren’t cartoonish. They were terrifying. Their fur was matted and dark, their eyes glowing with an eerie blue light, and when they opened their mouths, they revealed jagged, razor-sharp teeth that seemed to sparkle with the promise of violence. Even worse, they wielded bows, shooting arrows made of ice that exploded into dangerous shards as they neared their targets.

Every time one of those arrows landed, it shattered with a loud crack, sending jagged pieces of ice in every direction. Crisdodged them with impressive agility for his size, but Keely could feel the strain as he fought and the toll it was taking on him. She had never felt more helpless—or more out of place—in her life.

There was no time for hesitation or second-guessing. She had chosen to stay, and now, standing among elves and reindeer shifters, she needed to find a way to contribute. Cris had told her to stay safe, but Keely was committed to helping in whatever way she could. She refused to be a bystander.

Holly appeared by her side, her usually bright eyes now sharp with focus on the job at hand. The small elf moved with surprising speed and grace, clutching a glowing staff in her hand. "Keely! We have to protect the workshop—the letters to Santa!" Holly shouted over the noise of the battle, pointing toward the large workshop behind them. "If Frost gets his hands on the children’s letters, it could weaken everything past the point we can save it."

Keely's heart skipped a beat. The letters. She had seen how important they were—how they helped fuel the spirit that made everything possible here. If they were destroyed, the damage could be irreversible.

"I’m with you!" Keely replied, her voice strong despite the fear twisting in her gut. She darted after Holly, her boots slipping slightly on the ice as they ran toward the workshop. Arrows of ice whizzed past them, and one exploded just a few feet away, sending shards scattering. Keely ducked, narrowly avoiding the sharp pieces, her pulse racing.

As they reached the workshop, they were met by Tinker, who was frantically working on reinforcing the building’s magical defenses. The usually jovial elf was all business now, his hands moving with precise efficiency as he tinkered with a glowing mechanism by the front door. "This isn’t going to hold for long," Tinker warned, his voice tight with worry. "Frost’s magic is too strong. We need to secure those letters, fast."

Keely’s mind raced. She wasn’t magical like the others, but she was inventive. If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was think outside the box.

An idea began to form. "Wait," she said, her voice hurried. "The toy designs we’ve been working on—some of the prototypes. We could use them! They’re interactive, right? Designed to inspire creativity. What if we modified them to create distractions? Or defenses?"

Tinker’s eyes lit up. "That might just work," he said nodding.

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