It was a long, hard night in the small tent they had set up for him. Dragonborn spent the night bundled up in a thick blanket. What was worse, he couldn’t sleep. The unfamiliar, uncomfortable surroundings weren’t to blame. Something plagued his mind and he couldn’t shake it.
His phone stayed on and he was using it all night. When the first sunlight hit the tent, he realized the night was over and he hadn’t rested. This wouldn’t be the first time he was up all night, but most of the time it was at a party, not like this.
“Christmas eve. Guess mom and dad will be happy that I’ll be home for Christmas this year. I wonder if they’ll even be there.” He went for his phone and it went dark. “Crap, battery’s dead. Wonder if I can find a charger around here?”
Unwinding all the thick blankets and sheet, he sat up on the edge of the cot. The illusion around him flickered and faded in places. Santa’s power was waning. “Great, I’m going to surprise these people when they see me.”
Yelling and screaming alerted him to something outside. He shoved his way up from the cot and ripped open the zipper.
“What’s going on?” He asked aloud.
People were running in a panic around him. The heavy beat of helicopter blades roared in the distance. Barbara dashed over to him. “A giant mutant snow monster is attacking the town. It just came down from the mountains and is heading this way. We have the rescue helicopters in the parking area. We need to evacuate.”
“Evac? But what about the town?”
“The town’s lost. We can’t get ahold of the rangers. Come on!” She looked up and rushed over to open a tent and alerted someone else.
Dragonborn quickly left his tent and looked back to see a gathering of random helicopters prepared to lift people out of here. These were the same helicopters that helped rescue people after the hurricane.
A powerful roar followed by an icy wind caught his attention. Dragonborn looked back to see a strange monster that looked like a giant man, but solid white and with claws for hands.
“That can’t be.” He knew this. It was a snow monster that Krampus once used. BADGE initiates studied that battle in their history class. “Krampus is dead. Just great, one of his monstrosities came to life again.”
The little girl who had followed him around last night came running over and grabbed his leg. “Mister! Mister! Help! I can’t find daddy!”
The sound of her pitiful crying at the loss of her house still ached in his heart. “I’ll call for help.” He tapped his phone, ready to contact his BADGE instructor and get them down here. “Damn, phones dead.”
“SAM!” Her parents rushed over and grabbed her up. “We have to get out of here!”
Dragonborn watched her leave as she buried her face in her father’s shoulder. The world slowed down. He saw the panic-stricken, tired people who have gone through so much. They had fought for months, only to lose it all right now.
“They have so little. Why does this have to happen? THIS IS NOT FAIR!” Righteous fury burned in him and he made a choice that he would never have made just two days ago.
The monster was nearly in the city, Dragonborn hunched slightly and ran hard toward it. He leapt over people, did a flip through the air, and landed right in front of the monster. With a powerful breath taken in, he unleashed an intense ball of fire that blasted clear through the belly of the beast.
With a cocky smile he said, “I may want to leave BADGE, they I still trained with them.”
The monster reeled back, a gaping hole in the snow of its gut. Then it lurched forward and swung a clawed arm down at Dragonborn. He jumped and tried to avoid the snatch, but the monster’s fist got him. As it squeeze, the surrounding illusion evaporated, and he was completely himself.
Struggling against the grip, he took in air through pained lungs. Screaming, he let out a stream of blue flames that cut the arm of the monster off. Dragonborn crashed to the ground among the snowy remains of the hand that had clutched him.
The monster seemed to feel pain at that, screeching and roaring as it reached for the destroyed appendage. With its remaining arm, it went to smash through the medical aid tent. Dragonborn grabbed a broken telephone pole and swung hard. He nailed the monster in the face and stopped it from destroying the tent.
“DO NOT HURT THESE PEOPLE!” He felt the depth of his own power and bellowed an earth shattering scream that came out as a huge, blue fire that split the snow monster in two and melted its remains across the ground.
Breathing coming and going in great heaves, Dragonborn stood before the soaked earth, making sure the monster was truly gone.
Turning around, the town stood behind him, cautious joy in their eyes. Steve and Barbara were the first to say something.
Steve asked, “Young man, are you a Ranger?”
Dragonborn looked at his arms, knowing they saw the real person finally. “No. I’m not with the Rangers or any League. I am not even a hero, actually.”
Barbara said, “Yes you are. You’re our hero.”
The town erupted in applause and jubilation as they met him with hugs, handshakes, and great thanks.
Dragonborn walked out into the Mess Hall of the BADGE space station. It was Christmas afternoon. The heroes and agents who stayed here for the holidays played games, had hot chocolate, and chatted amiably.
“Nova!” Dragonborn realized who was approaching him directly.
Nova smiled and gestured for him to sit. He sat with him at the table. “Did the pilot make a mistake? Some of these pilots get their orders mixed up. I can have you home in an hour.”
“The pilot didn’t make a mistake. I asked to come back.”
“Oh?” Nova said this as though he knew something already.
“I don’t know if I’m really hero material, but I think I’m ready to give it an honest try this time.”
An all too familiar voice approached, saying, “Seems like you found something down there.”
Dragonborn looked up and saw Santa standing there. “When did you get here?”
“Just now. I was waiting for you.”
“Why? Last time we talked, I told you I was through, done, ready to go home.”
Santa joined them at the table. “I saw a spark in you that was growing into a fire. Not the fire you breathe, but the fire that fuels compassion. Son, a hero is nothing without compassion. That was why I brought you there. If you could not find compassion in you, then you would never make it as a hero.”
Dragonborn looked at both of them. “This was your plan all along.”
Nova said, “Not exactly. There are those who truly don’t have it in them. And I had my doubts about you. But I wouldn’t be a good leader unless I tried everything to reach you.”
“You saw a spark in me just because I felt sympathy for a crying child? That’s a small spark.”
“That was just the glimpse. What happened next, well, proved to me you had changed.”
“You mean the monster attack?”
Nova frowned, “Monster attack?”
Dragonborn said, “Yeah, a giant snow monster attacked the city. It looked just like the one in the lesson about the snow monster that Krampus once created.”
Nova slowly turned his eye to Santa. “Care to explain?”
Santa said, “There was no genuine danger. I just needed to see if he was ready to be a superhero.”
“YOU SENT IT!” Dragonborn yelled.
Santa said, “Yes. But only to test you. It would have hurt no one or anything. If you had fled with everyone, it would have fallen apart. But you stood up to it and did a fine job.”
“It tried to kill me.”
Santa said, “If I was going to kill you, you’d be dead.”
“So, the snow monster was my compassion test? That’s one hell of a test.”
Santa said, “The snow monster was your graduation test. All heroes must prove they can stand their ground against a foe. You passed the compassion test at 4 a.m.”
Dragonborn cleared his throat and looked around. “What… uh… do you mean?”
Santa let out a deep laugh. “Someone ordered a shipment of very nice toys, candy, and games for all the kids in that town. Quick, expensive shipping to get it there by this evening. And, that same someone just purchased fifty industrial grade outdoor heaters, a professional water purification system, and…” Santa was choked up at this as he put a hand on Dragonborn’s shoulder, “a new home for that family.”
Nova said, “What is all this?”
Dragonborn said, “I loved to sit back and imagine the luxurious vacation home I was going to buy myself. I loved just thinking about it. Last night, after I got into that tent, I laid back and wanted to get lost in that fantasy. But… I couldn’t. I kept thinking about how unfair it was to be longing for the extra expensive home I would have while these families had nothing.”
“How are you paying for all this?” Nova asked.
Dragonborn shrugged. “Dad gave me an extra million to buy a house on the beach. I just used that. You’d be surprised at what half a million dollars can do to buy a house in those mountains. Another half million for toys, clean water, and some food. I burned that little girl’s home...well, a bonfire with parts of it, but still enough. I owe her something. Besides, what do I need with a mansion of my own? I can find hot babes on a beach...when I’m not helping keep the world safe.”
Nova said, “Son, I wanted you to grow up and learn that other people matter. I never expected it to be this profound. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks. I feel like a new person,… and I like it.”
Santa smiled and said, “Keep working on it, keep focusing on what is right. Being a good person is a daily practice, but with wonderful rewards. Now, I have a lot to take care of. Merry Christmas.” He stood up and reached for his nose.
Dragonborn stood up as well and held out his hand. “Thank you, Santa. Whenever you need my help, just call. Merry Christmas.”
Santa shook his hand and then touched the side of his nose, vanishing in a flash of red sparkles.
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