《Nephentian winter nights》


 a Wintertime miracle (prologue part 1)

    Everyone knows the story of santa claus and his sled. how as the sun turns to get closer to the world he will be there with presents and a message of hope. To reward those that are good. But did you know that with the knowledge of hope that winter spirits appears to help children out? to give a second chance and make things better?


    Winter spirits appears as the stories of santa claus is being told of hope for a better time. They seek out those in need of help and try doing so by fullfilling a single wish. it''s usally simple things because for most children the wishes may be important but it''s simple and selfish in their desire to be a better child. So what happens when a child''s simple wish ends up involving things far outside those of winter? what if the wish forces a winter spirit to go on a journey and deal with the world itself? after all contracts are sacred to those that lives in magic. they are not good nor evil. They just exist. But then again what is morality seen by a spirit?


    It was a winter night snow was falling onto the little town. A young boy was building a snow man. The town seemed so peacefull, but the boy wasn¡¯t happy he had finished building the snowman.


    It was the best snowman the boy had ever built. a bucket for a hat. a Broom for a left hand and a branch for it''s right arm. small black stones for buttons and a big carrot for a nose. it was a clear night the calm of christmas has fallen onto the ground. and in the stars so brightly you could see the stars themselves blinking down at the snowman and the boy. It''s said that in nights like these a winter time miracle could happen. And as it happened a winter sprit seeing the snowman and the rather sad boy. moved into the snowman and it started to move. The boy was shivering but seemed to just standing there admiring his work but as the snowman gently prodded the boy with his broom hand.


    The spirit had been watching the kid as the snowman was being built it sensed that the kid had some sort of sorrow it''s what attracted the spirit to it. And when the snowman was finished it decided to assume the snowman as it''s form, and maybe assist the boy because that was it''s purpose.


    The snowman was serviceble, true it didn''t have any legs but it could just float along the ground so that works well enough. Haven taken stock of it''s form the spisirt look down at the boy and asked him.


    "hey kid everything allright?


    The kid fell on his ass when the snowman spoke, looking up at the snowman in awe. He had heard stories spirits aren''t that unknown magic is a thing after all but to see a real snowman posessed by one like this? .


    The kid get''s slowly up and wipes some snow off him before answering "No i am afraid to be all alone and that my mother will leave me because i am not a good boy. i want to be a good boy so she won''t leave me."


    The kid then looks down trying his best to not cry again. The snowman knowing the kid needs comfort hugs him tightly.


    the snowman is not cold but rather warm like his mother embrace and so for a time the two stay close like this.


    Before the kid breaks it off and takes a step back "so what are you exactly? why now and here?


    the kid wipes some of his tears while waiting for the snowman to reply


    the snowman takes off his bucket and sorta rolls it awkwardly in his hands "I will try explain but first willing to share what is this bad thing you did? i understand you need help with something to turn the despair inside you into hope. It''s what attractmed me to this place. You said you are not a good boy but what did bring this about? you seem like a good kid.


    The kid shakes his head "It''s that i told her i had many friends, where good at sports and had good grades. It''s just "the kid pauses looking into the distance not able to face the snowman as he continues "They are all lies i''ve been hiding my school book lately, i never managed to get any friends and no one wants to pick me when they are to decide teams.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The snowman puts the bucket back onto his head thinking for a bit "so if you where to express this into a simple desire in all of this? what would it be kid? Think carefully on it now


    The kid pauses he opens his mouth to speak then pauses seeming in thought "It would have to be that i desire for the lies to be turned into truth and my mother staying with me. "


    The snowman makes a visible nod letting the words wash over him. the boys desire for his mother and for lies to be turned to truth, and from what the kid says it doesn''t sound that unworkeble


    "Well kid better you share your name you can call me jack. And i will help you turn your lies to truth. The winter is still early so we will have plenty of time. And as you white is a color of winter a color so pure it can wash away even lies.


    The boy looks wide eyed as he listens to the snowmans offer to help him. then cautiosly he takes a step back brushing some snow away from him


    "My name is simon "and he holds out his hand "and your name is Jack?


    The snowman can feel the name resonate with something within him. then smiles at the boy as he reaches to shake his hand again


    "pleasure to meet you i am jack and i am looking forward to helping you out."


    (edit)


    so there they was a snowman and a boy. Smiling at each other feeling the magic of a promise. the promise of the snowman to turn lies into truth for the sake of this . The boys heartfull wish since he didn''t want to lose his mother


    So the boy Simon and the snowman Jack agreed that Simon would return next day as it was getting late. His mother would worry if he was out too late.


    And as night falls Jack is alone with his thoughts. How is he to help this young boy get friends?


    He thinks and he thinks and realises that young boys and girls like to play. What sort of game though? He thinks it over some more. As white he is thinking the night passes and morning arrives.


    Jack looks at the sun thinking it is as beautiful as ever, jack wishes he could smile but he was never given a proper mouth to smile with being just a snowman. He looks at the town and in the distance, he hears the school bell. Thinking the young boy is heading for class that maybe he should get there too. He isn¡¯t sure about the grades part but maybe he could help the young boy with some friends. Friends help one another after all. The school seems like to be a compound with a wall around it. Peering through the gate he sees a large two floor building and a large playground for students to play at during recess. Seeing no one there at present sensing that the faculty and the students are in class. Jack wedges himself through the gate and places himself in the middle of the playground. He can see a few other snowmen there as well but none of them are alive like. Of course he is the only winter spirit around and jack has a mission to get the boy some friends.


    Recess arrives and the students are rushing out to play in the snow, jump paradise or try the jungle gym. They seem to full of life but as jack looks around from where he stands ignored by the students he can¡¯t spot the boy. Then wait in the distance is that? Yes it is the boy it is definitively the boy.


    The poor boy looks so uncertain, a girl rushing past him brushes agains¡¯t him in her eagerness to join with her friends. Sending a small gust of snow her way jack creates an illusion of snow that blocks her sight making her lose her distance in her rush and falling on her ass on the frosty ground.


    The boy is surprised over what is happening with the girl he seems uncertain what to do. Then hesitantly the boy walks towards the girl offering her a hand. They stare at each other awkwardly before he girl accepts the boys hand and get¡¯s up. Brushing herself off she gives the boy a smile before rushing towards her friends, she pauses in mid run to look back at the boy and waves to him. The boy waves back at her and then she is with her friends. Jack thinks that was a good thing. Sadly doing that over and over again wouldn¡¯t help


    Jack would spend the rest of the recess just watching the people. The boy simon has noticed him but clearly isn''t ready to talk with all these other people here, then as the recess is about to end. the girl from earlier walks up to simon offering her hand "Hello, my name is sarah sorry i didn''t tell you earlier. But i think we are in the same class as yours and i hope we can be friends.


    Simon and sarah would be spending alot of time in the recess together and by end of school. Sarah managed to get a little group of friends around Simon. making jack hopefull all the boy needed was clearly just a push. now if he could just help the boy become better at sports they would be almost there.

 a Wintertime miracle (prologue part 2)

    School was over and sarah and the other new friends of simon where heading home. Simon waved goodbye before he walked up to the snowman and said "thank you jack, i got my friends and sarah promised to help explain the things i didn''t understand so well. So i just need to get better at sports and i am almost there aren''t i?


    Jack didn''t say anything just watching simon explain how gratefull he was to simon. then simon would clap jack before heading home to his mother. Jack decides to move and at first he wanted to follow simon but then he catches something a couple of children that wasn''t among sarah''s friends. There was something about them so jack follows them instead. soon through the maze that is the city he finds a playground that has seen better days. the two meets a couple of others among them is one of those that was the friend of sarah .


    Jack thinks ot himself what was the name of this kid he seems clearly to be the leader of this group.Carl? no, marl? no ah Jack thinks to himself it was gary. Yeah the name is gary


    Gary makes sure everyone keeps their attention centered around him


    "So you all heard that the boy got himself some friends. Think he suddenly is something"


    Gary waits a moment making sure he keeps having their attention the other kids nodding to his words eagerly


    "Well i think we should show him a lesson he far to low grade to be something that Sarah should be around. I hear he wants to practice to become better at sports some sort of promise to a snowman or something. We should teach him to keep his weirdness to himself. we really don''t need that sort around these parts


    The snowman is shocked he always had memories of the good side of children especially at winters time a time of closeness. a time of family and friends , and here . He studies gary again and notice there is something about the kid like for a moment jack thought he see something like a crown on top of the boys head it''s not exactly there but?


    So what should he do? something isn''t right here but at the same timme could he stop them? he never had to stop someone. He looks around for a bit as the conversation seems to be over and the group of children with Gary in front move out of the playground heading down the streets in. They are clearly heading in the direction of Where simon lives.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Jack feels so unsure he is, afraid yes that is the word he is afraid but seeing the kids have noticed him yet. He reaches out to freeze the ground making the children lose their grip on the ground and falling and as they try to get up as other falls it''s quite a mess. But as this is happening jack quikly hurrries to Simon''s side to warn him. Then pauses again for a moment and changes gear he knows where Simon Wants to train so he should make sure that Sarah is there too. If Sarah sees what gary is about to do then. Jack is certain that this will resolve the situation best and maybe speed up his quest, mortals are complicated things indeed.


    So while jack is less sure of where sarah is. he nevertheless hurries along to find sarah and hopefully a resolution to this drama among mortals. But as Jack hurries along he still can''t be entirely sure of where the girl is, what if he is too late?


    What if? he stops for a moment to think on it. then closes his eyes and let his mind follow the snow


    Something? yes the girl snow, another snowman or snow angel?


    If jak really he could grin he would but while he has the indication of a mouth he don''t really have a mouth just a line in the snow. Even so there is more of sprint if ever as he moves towards the girl he has to be fast about this now. He has to get there in time.


    Soon he is at an area of town that seems a bit more affulent them simon''s house or at least jack it must be better. Sarah is apparntly building a little snow man, jack not able to do anything to hide in his hurry that he is a animated snowman just appears before her. The girl takes a step back at this strange thing then pauses.


    Jack speaks up "Sarah? you''re name is sarah friend of simon correct? Well if he is your friend you gotta help because he is in trouble some other boys plans to beat him up.


    Sarah looks back and forth clearly this before again focusing on the snow man


    "Who? Who or what are you?


    Jack presses his broom hand onto his chest


    "I am Jack the snowman i am here to assist simon into becoming a better person. It was going great but now he is in trouble and i hope the friendship between you two would mean you would help him or it is all for nought.


    Sarah looks at what she was doing then back to jack, just nodding to jack as the two hurries towards the spot gary mentioned. If they get there in time they may still stop it before it goes reall bad for simon.


    At least Jack hopes so two souls in a rush to save their friend

 a Wintertime miracle (prologue part 3)

    Sarah and jack runs down the streets and through a an alleyway at the end of the alleyway they finaly find the playground where jack is trying to learn how ot be better at soccer. Noone is here other then Simon alone practicing with a soccer ball. he runs to it and smashes the ball into goal. Simon studies the ball apparantly he is pleased getting the ball to go that hard into the goal. Simon clearly hadn''t spotted jack and sarah as they just watch him. Waiting for the other shoe to drop then the sound of agroup of bosy can be heard, it gets louder and there he is. Gary and his little gang of croonies. Simon not aware kicks the ball but misses the goal and the ball goes flying landing close to gary and his group of friends. Gary picks up the ball and has this twisted little grin on his face as he looks over to simon


    "well well , you think you are some sort of soccer star now? well you are nothing. "


    Simon is looking afraid as he group surrounds him but he tries to speak up


    "please can you give me my ball back? it''s the only one i got and "


    Gary just grins at that dropping the ball and giving it a proper kick slamming the ball into simon''s face.


    Simon falls onto his ass, clearly bleeding from his nose and starts to cry in pain. But instead of giving Simon a momemnt to recover gary would proceed tofuriosly kick simon while he is down, gary''s friends surroundg the poor boy not letting him get up. Sarah not able to hold back rushes into the playground with jack following closely behind.


    "Stop gary why are you doing this "sarah would cry out, as she feebly starts pushing gary off simon


    Gary would just glare at Sarah effortlessy push her aside "don''t you know? this snot face of kid shouldn''t be with someoenf of your standard. he is a nobody a loser and i am making sure he doesn''t get near you ever again


    Jack notices the crown what ever it is more visible and it has a sickly purplelish color where it sits on Gary''s head.


    Not bothering with staying hidden he focuses forming a barrier of ice that seperates gary from sarah and simon


    "You two get away from here i''ll deal with these children. after all " he looks over to simon "i think you are now able to put truth to the lies you once told after all.


    Simon just nods, his nose bleeding and he got quite a shiner to his left eye. But nevertheless manages to grab sarah''s right hand and together hand in hand the two runs away. Gary who tries to run after them get''s blocked by jack once again.


    Gary furios with a snowman getting in his head tries to hit jack on the head "You monster out of my way or i''ll turn you into a puddle


    Jack if he could would have sighed at that as he calls upon the power of winter forming a snow storm that covers the playground. and in that storm jack and gary would be fighting it out. While jack can run fast he isn''t very agile so he would repeatdly having to reinforce his own body by packing more snow into him. Even so gary seems to be wearing him down after all jack is in the end just a snowman. a magic snowman but just a snowman


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.As it seemed like gary would hit the final blow gary would just collapse with a blueish tinge on his lips. Jack unsure what to do stops the storm seeing the garys friends are also rather cold in all of this. Turning around Jack moves away from the area when a woman in black with a black veil like she is a widow, she is there just for a moment then disapears. "Jack ain''t sure what that was about but he feels he needs to get back to simon who seems to be with his mother.


    It takes a bit to maneuver himself through the streets but ifnaly he finds the hose of simon it''s compared to sarah a much simpler house and outside he sees simon and sarah together with simons mother. As jack gets closer he hears their conversation between simon and his mother


    "so you see i got friends , this is sarah and she will help me become better at sports and school so please mother. don''t you leave me" His mother responds by just hugging her close "of course i will not leave you at all.


    Jack pauses since the last lie he just heard was white as snow. His task is over the kid will.


    Jack thinks for a moment as he thinks over the last lie he heard and moves away. heading back to where simon first made him when he spots the black widow lady again


    the widow approaches jack speaking up "so you are aware? she won''t have long unless how much does it man for you to keep that kid happy?


    Jack looks over at the widow she just put words to what he had in his mind "indeed i thought it was over but you are correct i can''t leave it at that i was here to turn lies into truth to wash them away. but how do i deal with something like that? she didn''t seem sick or anything


    The widow shakes her head "indeed, she is cursed been that for a long time she been struggeling with it but is finally losing in to it. I got a gift from my lover "the widow produces two slices of a golden apple, and before jack can react pushes one slice into jack''s mouth. as it enters his head it dissolves transofrming him into a young man with a white tophat, a white tuxedo and a cane with a white handle on it. He feels more alive suddenly. having still the somewhat look of a boyish young man


    "What ? what did you do to me? " The widow just smiles secretivly under her veil "Oh that is was one of the last slices of the apple of life i was given to my lover. She is in hell traded her soul for me to return among the living. I will make sure this last slice goes to the kids mother. That will give you a year to track down the source of the curse. Sadly i belive only my lover would know it so you need to get to hell, for that you will need a guide. Not far from here is the city of cinder inside the castle you may find information of where such a guide can be found. Bear in mind that this journey will defentively change your nature if you take it. it''s still not too late to give this up


    Jack turns into the direction of simon, the time with the boy was short but even so in some way he was made to make the boy happy and. "He looks at the widow again "you point me towards cinder and i will go

 A interlude on the way to the city of charming

    Jack found the fact he now looks like a human a strange experience. He got feet a mouth, hands and still that connection to winter. He needed to find a guide and maybe a map. So he''s been walking towards the city of charming. Ruled by Prince charming that took over from his father in a coup. The stories from the city where grim or so it would seem. But the strange woman in black had explained that within the castle he should be able to learn where the guide can be found.


    He still needs to get a grip on this whole being human though but he strangely isn''t getting tired as he walks through night and day. it all seemed to glide into one at one point.


    One day with the city of charming in the distance he encountered two people trying to push a wagon off the road. Only now though he starts noticing that it''s alot more forest unlike the land he traveled so far that seemed to be planes and farm land mostly. these trees though still wears the gown of winter but here and there he can see some greenery.


    Beaming he approaches the people finaly a chance to try this human interaction


    "Hello my good people. Do you need assistance?


    The two men seemingly to look like peasants stops their efforts at trying to push the wagon aside "Yes yes, we could use some assistance. We been trying to get this off the road so we can repair it. the horses ran off but another of our companions went to find them, apparantly they got spooked when the wheel fell off." He points at the slightly skewed wheel motioning for jack to get closer. Jack kneels down by the wheel running his hand over it. The wood feels a bit rough to the touch. but he thinks it also doesn''t look that difiqult to push it to the side. But when he turns to try explain that he can help. He stares into two short swords pointed at him


    "Sorry about this with you trying to help and all. but that outfit of yours look rather expensive and we need the coin. so How about you surrender your valubles and we will spare your life.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Jack''s mind is bewildered about this, he doesn''t have any valubles. True his clothes looks good his tophat and tuxedo both white as snow, But beyond that he got nothing. His eyes looking around for something anything he can defend himself with. His eyes land on a branch that seems to have a rather funny knob at the end. "I am sorry but while i do look stylish i am not a wealthy person. And i don''t even think i can take off this outfit even if i so desired. "He tries to inch a bit closer to the branch "So perhaps we can come to some other solution? I really need to get to the castle of charming


    At the mention of charming the two goes still ,they look briefly at one another before the two looks back at Jack


    "so you need to go to the castle says ya? you to join a fancy party ?


    Jack shakes his head "No i made a promise to a boy that i turn lies into truth. only one lies needs to be turned truth i need to save his mother. So please let me go " Jack is now just besides the branch apparantly the two isn''t aware that he managed to get close to the branch and could snap it up quickly.


    The two pauses for a moment studying Jack then sighs as they put aside their swords


    "well you must be quite wrong in the head but we won''t stop you. You probaly telling the truth about you not having any riches either. So get going and i hope we won''t see one again "


    Jack smiles at that showing off his teeth then snaps up the branch using it as a strange cane as he resumes his journey. It was a strange encounter. it would been a unsure situation if he could won a battle. True he doesn''t get tired and maybe a bit stronger. But he never been in a fight before not like this. Holding out his hand he tries to call upon winter and is somewhat puzzeled as he forms a globe of ice which he sends flying at a nearby tree. It shatters gouging into the tree. But for some reason doing things like this is tireing, moving around does not. He isn''t entirely sure what to make off this. in some ways he is stronger but in some other ways he is weaker or maybe things is different now that he has a human form


    As he gets closer to the city he seems more farms again and less forest. but people doesn''t seem to look that healthy in fact they look fearfull. The gates of the city looks rather imposing with two people in full suit armor guarding it and a rather long line of people wanting to enter and leave the city. Jack joins his cue letting his mind wander as it will take hours before its his turn to enter