PIP/Krampus/The Trials of Krampus

As they entered through the oversized door, James was taken aback by the shear size of the place. It was completely open with pillars placed regularly to keep the ceiling up. There was no sign of individual rooms at all. Each pillar had four torch-like staves with glowing lights on the end set to the four cardinal directions . . . that would actually all be south based on where they were. The place was absolutely packed with elves scouring the place with every manner of cleaning instrument. One could tell that the elves had made great strides, but the place was still stained from what looked like centuries of god-knows-what. In the distance was a large depressed area in the center of the building. A circle of tall stairs lead down to the massive depression. The area was easily fifty feet in diameter. It lay bear currently, but the stains on the granite left hints as to the furnishings that may have one been there.

"What happened here?" James found himself asking.

Santa shook his head with a melancholy look spread across his usually jovial visage. "Perhaps it is best if I show you." Santa's left eye flashed a brilliant blue, and James felt himself falling. Suddenly it was as if he were looking through another person's eyes . . . or maybe eye. There was no sense of depth perception. It was immediately obvious that he was experiencing something that happened in the past from Santa's perspective. James was awestruck.

"I think I should check on Krampus now; don't you?" asked Santa of a pretty elf.

The color drained from her face as she looked up at him. "You mean . . . in his workshop?"

"Yes," he said slowly, "I know I haven't been there in a while . . . but I'm a bit more hands on than . . . well, than I was a bit ago."

"As you wish, Santa," she said with a gulp. She timidly lead the way toward Krampus' workshop.

They made their way to Krampus' workshop, and Santa opened the door without knocking. The smell hit him first, a putrid stench of decay and mold, then he heard the sounds of the soft crying of children. The darkness of the workshop was oppressive, punctuated only at long intervals by dim torches. Santa walked carefully through the workshop as the little elf clung to his leg. He continued walking, and almost slipped in something slimy. Looking down and letting his eyes adjust further, he was greeted with the sight of a rather large pool of blood. As he recoiled in disgust, he noticed the severed hand of a child half rotten by the aged blood. Looking closer at the dimly lighted walls, he could see the bloodstains now . . . bloodstains on top of bloodstains. It was horrid. He walked further in, getting angrier as he did. The crying of the children got louder as he approached a large depressed area in the center of the workshop. A circle of tall stairs lead down to the massive depression. The area was easily fifty feet in diameter. It was filled with posts, pillories, and all other manner of restraint and torture device; many of which were occupied with children . . . but some simply with the corpses of children. Roughly fucking the corpse of a boy of no more than ten was none other than Krampus. He was truly massive, easily seven and a half feet tall, and massively muscled. White hair flowed over his entire body but for his face and palms. His eyes glowed a wicked red as he rammed his cock into the boy's corpse over and over again.

"Krampus!" bellowed Santa. The huge beast stopped what he was doing, and turned to Father Christmas; blood still dripping from his flared and barbed cock.

"Kris," he said casually, "I wasn't expecting you." A smirk played across his face as he tore the last rags from a tortured little girl, and used them to clean off his cock. "I'd have straightened up a bit."

"What is all this!" said Santa angrily.

"This is what I do, Kringle," growled Krampus. "I punish naughty children!"

"Some of these children are dead!"

Krampus shrugged. "Some of the children don't survive the process that turns them into elves. It's not my fault if they are too weak."

"It stops now," said Santa firmly as he shoved a finger into Krampus' chest. He glared up at the monster, daring him to act. "No more killing!"

"I do my job however I see fit, Claus!" raged Krampus as he grabbed Santa's hand from his chest and began to twist. Santa's eye socket flashed a brilliant blue, obliterating the glass eye within. He spun in a circle, pulling his hand from Krampus' grip then instantly grabbing the monster's wrist in return. As he turned he grabbed Krampus' goat-like leg; and lifted him, first onto his back, then into the air. He held the beast's massive weight in the air for a brief moment, then brought it surging down on his knee as he knelt. A sound like glass breaking rang through the workshop as Krampus fell apart into an assortment of spiders, beetles, slugs, and serpents. The beasts slithered off as Santa composed himself.

"Penny," he said as calmly as he could manage.

"Yes Santa?" asked the pretty elf as she peeked out from behind a pillar at the top of the stairs.

"Get some elves to help these children. I would also like some of them to clean the place of every spot of blood. While you're at it, get some better lighting in here. I have to find a new Krampus."

"Of course, Santa," said Penny, "right away!"

As the vision faded from his perception, James was surprised to find himself on his knees. He couldn't keep the tears from his eyes as he sobbed like a child.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked, looking up at Santa. "I should be furious, but instead I'm - I mean I am angry but . . ."

"Yes," said Santa, "I see." He looked deep into James' eyes nodding. "Interesting. The rage is there, but the pain you feel for the children is pushing it to the background." He then reached down a hand and helped James up. "One last thing . . . how would you have handled Krampus?"

"No offense," said James, "but I would have inflicted some of the pain he inflicted on those children onto him before I broke him in half!"

"Ho ho ho," laughed Santa, "I am not offended. Santa reacts to things very differently than Krampus . . . that is, if you still want the job?"

James wiped his eyes, and looked up at Santa. "Yes. Yes, I do."

"Steel yourself James," said Santa. "This will be unpleasant."

James braced himself for what might be coming. Santa's left eye flashed blue, and all manner for insects, arachnids, bats, and serpents erupted from the cracks in the stone floor ceiling and pillars. They swarmed toward James and soon engulfed him. He tried to steady himself, but could not help but scream as they pushed their way behind his eyes, into his nose, and in every other orifice in his body. The open mouth just gave them better access and soon James' body was full of every manner of foul creature. It was hell for several minutes . . . then it was over.

James . . . no . . . Krampus opened his eyes. He found himself on one knee, bracing himself with a hand on the floor. He steadied himself and rose to his feet. He was still a bit shaky from the transformation . . . and the new knowledge that was swimming through his head . . . but he was becoming more steady by the second. He looked down at Santa, a surreal feeling in itself, and smiled through his razor-sharp teeth. "Thank you, Santa."

"Just keep in mind what happened to the last Krampus, and we'll get along fine," said Santa with a smile.

"Don't worry, Santa," said Krampus, "I'll set those naughty children on the straight and narrow!" Krampus looked about him. "But first I need to make some changes to the decor . . . with your permission, Santa."

"By all means," said Santa lightly. "It's your workshop." He turned to leave, then paused a moment. "Oh, by the way . . . I thought you might want this." Santa pulled a crystal globe from his pocket. For a moment Krampus thought it might be a snowglobe, but old memories that weren't his . . . but now were . . . told him better. It was a soul orb. Taking it from Santa with his long-fingered, clawed hand he felt the soul inside . . . the former Krampus. Now whatever would he do with this?

As Santa left the workshop, Krampus started to decide what to do next.

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