The Barons of Christmas

Team 1 crept through the woods. Logan and Andres were able to tell something was off. Neither could sense anything.

Andres positioned two gingerbread men in a bush that flanked the entrance to the base. He swiftly led the rest of team 1 for a perfect run into the gate.

Two nutcracker guards were standing. Their muscles were big and firm like that of an orc. They stood tall with proper posture. Their red coats glimmered despite the frosty sky. Andres and Logan eyed one another one last time for their attack.

The two gingerbread men at the flank shot out a barrage of lightning and fire spells at the two guards. Andres ran his team through the gates.

Logan bombed a hoard of oncoming nutcrackers and signaled Jeff.

A hail of bullets came towards Team 1. Luckily the two boys sensed it quick enough to duck. They watched their sweet minions get caught in the gunfire and proceeded to crawl into a tent.

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A squad of nutcrackers ran out towards team 2. Jeff returned fire, calling Dani to flank them.

The nutcrackers had high defenses that allowed them to push through team 2's attacks.

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Team 3 was swarmed by nutcrackers. Dani did her best to hold them off while still firing at the base.

Many got close. Luckily Vanessa managed to kill them off quickly.

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Jeff ordered his team to break away to escape the assault. However, the nutcracker began firing machine guns to keep Jeff down.

The sound of enemy mortars caused Jeff to cry for help.

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Fighting their way through the base, Logan, and Andres noticed a big nutcracker-elf hybrid that was bigger than the rest. It was R'bi from the castle painting. He was decorated with medals across his chest and a scar going down his eye. He wielded a bayonet-tipped rifle on his leg and a giant sword on his back.

They attempted to get close when a mortar dropped on them. Andres barely managed to defend Logan.

Pinned under Andres' arms, Logan was left with no choice except to activate his ability again. Terror scourged through his scrawny body, causing him to flinch in the dirt.

Andres fireman carried Logan away. He felt the bullets piercing through his back and legs. Yet didn't stop. He ran zigs through the tent as Logan spazzed out in his shoulders.

The nutcrackers chased after the two leaving Andres minimal choices. Remembering the medicine in Logan's pocket, Andres reached in and injected Logan with a syringe.

Logan gasped up for air, spitting all over Andres.

Andres shielded himself and Logan from a team of nutcrackers.

"Hold tight," coughed Logan.

Air got heavy as hail stormed down. Andres looked up seeing Kuraokami fly across. The dragon was flying free in the air as a zombie under Logan's control. It roared out causing massive icicles that pierced their enemies.

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R'bi swung his sword abruptly to deflect icicles.

Kuraokami didn't focus on the general. Instead, he set his efforts to kill off all clustered nutcracker forces.

After noticing this, R'bi positioned himself for a single attack. Holding his sword back with one hand, he charged it to a dark red color to fire a magical blast at the dragon's neck.

That one shot was both accurate and powerful enough to slice off the dragon's head right where it was decapitated before.

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Dani had taken advantage of Kuraokami's ruckus and destroyed most of her assailants with fully charged blasts. It was the second time Vanessa got to see Dani's fully charged attack in this magical theme which amazed her more than any other ability.

Once Jeff realized Dani had gain control of her position, he outran the remaining nutcrackers attacking him to join her. A trip landed him at Vanessa's feet.

"Where's Mina and Jaivva?" she asked.

"They're dead," he said.

Vanessa defended him to Dani's side. She, however, was pushing her team through the base.

Despite Jeff calling her to pull back, Dani pushed her gingies through the forest and soon the base.

Leira was admiring Dani's strong leadership when she heard Logan calling them, "Dani, they're over there"!

Dani ordered her team to take cover while two gingerbread men ran out to grab Logan and Andres. It took two to carry Andres whereas Logan was able to limp his way over. Vanessa watched as her two boys were nearly dead.

"Well thank you Logan for keeping that a secret," sighed Jeff.

"Logan, are you okay?" asked Dani as she ran up to Andres.

"Andres took the bulk of the damage. I will be fine shortly," he replied.

The gingerbread men let down Andres' bottom to the ground easy while holding his head up. Dani pulled out an elixir she looted earlier and poured it into his mouth.

He gasped, "Thank you Lord".

"Mina and Jaivva are dead. And we still have to finish the game," said Dani.

Logan added, "There's still a general for us to beat... He's pretty strong".

Dani wanted no time in pushing her gingerbread on to defeat the remaining nutcrackers.