Adam lit each of the candles in turn working clockwise. Placing the glass globe filled with snow at the back of the altar, he placed the vial of moonlight-like water at the center of the altar. If this were a ritual in the Physical World, he would have needed a human heart, but since he was anchoring to Juhend’s Realm, the anchor was different.

  Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and extended his spiritual presence towards the altar, forcing it into the glass to shatter it in a controlled pattern, causing the snow inside to fall on top of the dark tree branch. In doing so, his body began to recite words in a language he didn’t know. His eyes reflected symbols of this mysterious language.

  “I beseech thee, oh sacrifice. Please, do not be in vain. You have given unto the world what you may, and you are requested to do the final task. Serve as my Anchor to this Realm, so that I may not be led astray by the machinations of Devils or spirits. I offer unto this sacrifice the contained snow of a light filled land. I offer unto this sacrifice the branch of a tree of deadwood. Take my ingredients and open up the path through the cosmos so that I may arrive at my destination unharmed.”

  Soon, the materials on the altar began to melt and blend together. Adam’s head buzzed as he felt as if he was breaking through a dam. However, he felt no rush of blood to his head this time, no sound of water or indeed any other unusual circumstances.

  Opening his eyes, Adam beheld a light fluttering of snow as it descended down to the ground underneath him. He was standing on cobblestone, and before him was a moderately sized village constructed out of dark oak wood, spruce and cobblestone. To his left, Juhend phased into reality swiftly, and to his right, he sensed Hellig and the others.

  It actually worked like usual this time! I wonder if it’s because I’m getting better?

  Adam almost dared not hope. Ever since he used the charm when killing Marc, and especially once he entered Juhend’s Realm, he hadn’t felt any adverse effects from the strange Shift he performed not that long ago. However, he wasn’t an idiot. He was still wary of potential consequences that had yet to manifest, and he knew that his condition had a low likelihood of being treated by these actions.

  Juhend turned to look at the group.

  “We will split up. Adam, Jezebel, you two shall take the north side of the village. Gusto, you and Hannah will check the south side. Hellig, you will take the east, and I will take the west.”

  As he made to leave, Adam raised his hand and cleared his throat.

  “Uh, Mr. Sureb, what exactly are we looking for?”

  Juhend didn’t turn around as he simply stated.

  “Anomalies.”

  Adam glanced at Jezebel, who shrugged. The two of them set off for the north of the village.

  …

  Adam kept his eyes peeled for quite some time as he and Jezebel walked. The houses were decorated with wreaths and strange motes of light, and many had trees with ornaments on them. It was as if the village was celebrating yuletide- except that yuletide followed the calendar of the Physical World and wasn’t for another couple of months.

  Eventually, Adam lowered his guard a bit and made casual conversation with Jezebel.

  “So, Gusto and you… Still not a thing?”

  Jezebel’s face turned beet red. Despite the cold and the fact that they hadn't even changed clothes, the pair weren’t cold. If anything, it was like they were at a comfortable temperature.

  “N-no. Still not a thing. I keep seeing him eyeing rings and gifts, but he never actually asks me…”

  She somewhat pouted, the frustration evident in her voice.

  “He will soon enough, he’s just gotta work himself up for it. You know it took me over five years to ask Hannah out, after all.”

  Jezebel sighed.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “I don’t want to wait another three years. I want him to ask me now so I can finally say yes, and we can all stop pretending it isn’t there. It's just... It's frustrating, you know?”

  Jezebel kicked a ball of ice on the side of the cobbled road.

  “I know he likes me; I like him, he knows I like him, you and Hannah know. Hell, Hellig knows at this point, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Sureb and Mr. Flos do too, but he still hasn’t asked me…”

  Adam sighed.

  “Before Marc died, he thought that Gusto was going to ask you during the festival. Gusto actually uh, don’t tell him I said this, but he actually was looking for rings there when you weren’t looking. I uh, I think he doesn’t think its the right time. What with… You know…”

  It was Jezebel’s turn to sigh.

  “If he waits for the right time, he won’t ever ask me.”

  Adam was about to retort but suddenly picked up on something with his spiritual senses. He glanced ahead and saw a strangely large house. It was four stories tall, much taller than any of the buildings in the rest of the village. In a window on the top floor, Adam could barely make out the figure of a woman in a white dress looking down at him. It gave him the shivers. As soon as he saw it, the figure disappeared, as if she had been a spirit.

  “I think that house has something inside. Care to take a look?”

  Adam gestured to the big four-story house, but Jezebel shook her head.

  “You can, but I don’t want to just head into danger like that. I’ll wait outside and see if anything weird happens out here while you’re inside.”

  Adam nodded and steeled himself, preparing to go in.

  …

  On the other side of the village, Hannah and Gusto were walking across the snow-covered cobblestone road.

  “So, Gusto, are you going to ask her out yet?”

  Hannah was more direct than Adam ever could be with her questions of the pair. It would not be unfair to say that the main reason why they even got to this stage was because of her constant meddling.

  “Oh, uh. Heheh.”

  Gusto scratched the back of his head nervously.

  “If I find a good ring, yeah… But with Marc, and now this new job with Mr. Sureb. I just don’t know if I’ll ever have a good chance.”

  Hannah sighed and stopped walking. After a few paces, Gusto noticed and stopped to turn around and look at her.

  “Find a ring. Give it to her. Ask her out.”

  Her voice was as hard as steel.

  “We don’t know what this job will bring us. Hell, we don’t even know if we will make it back to them as is. For all we know, a monster will be hiding somewhere here and come out to kill us all, and then you’ll never ask her. So, ask. Her. Out.”

  Having said her thoughts, Hannah continued to walk forward, ignoring the flustered look of disbelief on Gusto’s face as she passed him.

  …

  Adam entered into the large house and was immediately inundated with the warmth of a fireplace. He was in a large foyer, with a massive pine tree covered in ornaments and twinkling motes of light. To his left side stretched an open kitchen, with a significant amount of empty counter space and many empty chairs at an empty dining table. The entire floorplan was very open, separated only by the very wide spruce staircase. It looked solid.

  “Excuse me, is anyone home?”

  Adam’s voice nearly echoed in the house, as if it were entirely hollow. Suddenly, he noticed a woman in a white dress come out of the kitchen.

  Was she there before? I don’t remember…

  The woman in the white dress smiled warmly at Adam. She was very pale, with light blonde hair and light blue eyes. She was pretty, but in an almost unearthly way. Adam was slightly uncomfortable under her gaze.

  “Come in, come in! Happy Yuletide!”

  Adam smiled back at her; the warmth of the fireplace, smell of the food on the counters and welcoming nature of the host made him feel the spirit of the season!

  “Happy Yuletide!”

  He brought out the present he had prepared in advance. A red wrapped box. The young lady accepted it gracefully and put it underneath the tree. There were no other gifts underneath. She led him into the dining room and started to introduce him to the other guests sitting down in the chairs. Mistletoe was hung from the ceiling, eggnog and ham and potatoes were gathered at the table and on the counters, and laughter and mirth rang out in the kitchen- almost echoing as if the house was secretly hollow.

  Outside, Jezebel saw the door to the large house close behind Adam, not a light could be seen emitting from the windows. She heard a baby cry somewhere nearby. Soon, the snow obscured her vision for a brief moment. As it dissipated, she frowned.

  The house was gone, and so was Adam!

  The crying of a baby continued for some time, as if a child was somewhere out in the snow.

  ...