“The solstice is the time when an old hunt ends and a new one begins.”

- A memory of the Old Ones.

***Carinthia***

***Annia***

I follow Angelika through the town. She is my first friend who is close to my own age. At first, she needed time to warm up to the fact that I am an Old One, but it got better. Up to the point that she invited me to her club.

It helps that she is also a supernatural. Angelika is a neophyte, a baby vampire without powers. To come into her powers, she would have to die and resurrect as a vampire. Right now she isn't much different from a human. Maybe she is just a little faster and stronger than the average person, but it's by no means outside of what would be considered human potential.

We arrive at the huge library building. She walks up to the gate and opens it. “Today we've only supernats at the club, so you don't have to hide your identity.”

I enter and wait for her to close the huge, wooden door. The town's library is huge and old. I am actually surprised that a publicly available institution like a library still exists in this town. From my studies on human society I got the impression that having a public library is really antiquated. “Shouldn't I hide the fact that I am an Old One? I could say that I am an elemental?”

Angelika tilts her head and studies me as if I am a bad child. “I don't think that hiding something like that will get you anywhere in the long run. And Alex would try to hit on you. I guess you wouldn't like that.”

Probably. At one point or the other the secret will get out. I scratch my head and try to anticipate the impact it would have on my relationship with the others. “You are probably right. I'll simply show myself from my shiniest side.”

Angelika laughs and guides me through the administration area. A grumpy old man who is doing something at a computer looks up to glare at us, but he says nothing as we pass into the area with the books. The library turns out to be a maze with several floors, though I see almost no staff. “Aren't there too few employees for such a large building? What happens if someone messes up the books?”

My friend shrugs. “Not necessary. Every book is chipped. The staff only needs to run a little hand-scanner across the shelves to check whether everything is okay or not. They do it once the library closes down.”

My forehead furrows in frustration. “Isn't that too much effort for a lot of paper in this day and age? Who pays for that?”

“I don't know. The library is funded by the city, so guess that it's tax money. There are a lot of really old texts in the upper floors, so the whole thing is seen as preserving a national treasure.” Angelika guides me to the second floor and along a long corridor. There are several small rooms with tables and chairs inside. I suppose that once the customers chose their books, they can read them here without being disturbed. The whole institution strikes me as odd. Maybe my knowledge on human society is flawed? I had no problems to blend in while I was with my sister.

At last, we enter a study with a large desk in the centre and several chairs around it. Four people of various ages are sitting at the table, two girls and two boys. One of the girls is a blonde with freckles. She seems to be the closest to my age. The other is a brunette with a luscious figure that's almost but not quite chubby. The boys look older than Angelika, maybe nineteen. But that's always difficult to guess with supernats of various races. One has brown hair and a skinny figure. The other is an athlete with a swimmer's body. He obviously spilled a few bottles of paint on his blonde, black and orange mane. I am no fan of dreadlocks. Is that what people call being a hippie?

The hippie raises his head from his book and gets to his feet. “Angelika! So nice that you've made it this time. And you brought a friend? Is she the reason why you skipped the last two meetings?” He laughs and approaches to hug Angelika. Then he returns his attention to me. “You might become the youngest member of the club! It's good to have a new addition.”

I force myself to smile as he starts patting my head as if I am some kind of pet.

Angelika clears her throat. “Annia, meet everyone.” She points at the blonde. “That's Rosetta, she is a dryad.” Her finger wanders to the other girl. “Then we have Maria, hedgewitch.” She continues the introduction. “The skinny guy is Alex, a fire elemental. And the one who is messing up your hair is Richard, one of the people of the lake. That's our local version of kappas or mermaids.”

“Everyone, meet my new friend Annia. She is an Old One.”

The room falls silent and Richard stops petting me, tensing up. He slowly removes his hand from my head and backs away ever so slightly. Yeah, just as I expected. I keep the smile plastered to my face and bow. “It's nice to meet all of you. I hope we can become good friends.”

“Don't give her the cold shoulder. Annia is a really nice girl.” Angelika takes my hand and guides me to one of the chairs. “She and her sister moved to our territory. They are under the lord's protection.”

Rosetta gasps. “You've met the demon lord and are still alive?”

My forehead furrows. They call Magnus a demon lord? I guess it fits. “He is a nice person if he isn't busy killing people or having one of his raging fits.” Or humping my sister… I better not mention that. What else can I say? It's the truth.

Alex closes the book he was reading. “Don't take this the wrong way, but you are strange for an Old One. Not that I’ve met many… any…”

“I am still young. I am not plagued by uncontrollable instincts like my elders. The issues will start once my ageing process stops completely around the age of fifty,” I answer.

Maria makes a helpless gesture. “I am sorry, but we don't exactly know a lot about Old Ones. Except to be somewhere else when they throw a tantrum. And that they are old. I didn't even know that they can have children.”

The following silence stretches out and I realize that the secrecy around my race is a problem when it comes to making friends. They don't know how to deal with me, which isn't exactly their fault. Maybe my wish to make quick friends was asking for a little too much. I pout and consider solutions to the problem. Maybe a little lesson on biology is in order?

“My people don't have a lot of children. A woman is considered very fertile if she has one child every hundred years, given that she tries regularly. That's why I was the only child at the compound where I grew up. It gave me a lot of time to learn about computers.” I announce my hobby proudly. Most of the other Old Ones have a hard time in dealing with new technology.

“A child starts its ageing process at a normal human speed. That speed gradually slows down until it stops completely. We can use magic, but we obviously lack the experience of our elders. My ageing process is about to slow down rapidly from now on. I may look like fifteen, but I am about to become seventeen next week. When I am twenty I'll look like sixteen and so forth. From thirty onwards I won't change much. I'll continue to age very slowly until my body completely stops ageing at the age of fifty. I'll look somewhere around thirty by then. With luck a little younger. It's different from person to person. Some of us look younger, some look older.

“Once the ageing process locks down, I'll start getting the same impulses as the adults do. It's easiest to explain if you think of it as being overpowered by pure bestial instincts. I can only guess at how powerful they are. The only instinct I have as a child is to hide when my elders start snarling and their eyes flash red. It's more of a defensive mechanism. My sister is a very controlled person, but even she loses to her beast if there is enough provocation. She told me that my control will get better with age.”

I finish my explanation and smile at them. “So right now I am more like Angelika. I am much closer to a normal human than to an Old One.”

Rosetta touches her chin, thinking. “Why did you move to our territory? You said you lived in a compound.”

I wince. “My clan attempted to marry me off and I didn't like it, so we ran away.”

Richard snorts in disgust. “Who does that in this day and age? It's barbaric! And aren't you considered as a child by your people’s standards?”

I shrug and try to rationalize it as I always do. “I told you how rare children are among my race. It's expected of women to try as soon as they are able to. My sister and I caused an uproar by running away. We ended up in this territory by pure circumstance. Now I am hoping that the lord lets us stay. I like it here. But enough of me. What are you doing in here all day long? Just reading books?”

Angelika laughs. “We also talk about the books. We help each other in our studies. Sometimes we go out, mostly when the human club-members are present.”

I furrow my forehead. “That's something that confuses me. Why are there humans in your club?” I didn't intend to, but my voice sounded a little disgusted. I quickly make sure that my expression is neutral. “I am sorry. That didn't sound as I intended it. It's just that I was always told to-”

Angelika raises her hand. “No need to. We know how the elementals and some other supernatural races were created. It's understandable that you don't want to get involved with humans.”

I blush. It's an unspoken law of the Old Ones not to mix with others. Our genetic code does some strange things in interaction with the genetics of other races. The result is often neither of both, nor a mixture. That's how the elementals came to be. They are the offspring of a group of Old Ones who mingled with humans, hoping that the result would create more fertile offspring. Their children couldn't use magic the same way we do. They had their elements though. Complete control in a single field of magic. Many of them can even turn themselves into their element. When it comes to their field of magic they are savants, geniuses and at the same time crippled idiots.

The experiment was ended when it became clear that they would wipe out their own clan by continuing the experiment. Each born elemental meant one less Old One, so the clan couldn’t keep up the numbers. If it's avoidable I wouldn't want to have such offspring. Especially since most elementals have limited life spans. It would be horrible to see someone who is dear to me grow old and die in a matter of decades.

I sigh. “Of course I understand that love and attraction can't be chosen at will. It still sounded as if I am some prejudicial prick. If I hesitate to interact with humans, then I would have to extend such prejudices to other supernaturals. I'll try my best to be nice.”

Richard chuckles. “I hope you won't extend your attempts at acceptance to fae.”

“Of course not!” I cry in outrage, remembering the time when I almost fell into the hands of fae. “I don't understand why nobody gifted their little pocket dimension with a decently sized nuke.”

Rosetta laughs. “She is an Old One. Only they get so riled up about the fae. Guys, what do you think? Should we go out and show Annia around the town? I am sure that Angelika only guided her to the boring places so far. Let's go to the Racers.”

“The Racers?” I ask.

Angelika shakes her head. “That's a bar for adults. No entry under eighteen. Annia is certainly too young and you, Rosetta, are too! Hell, even I am too young!”

“Not fair! I've tickets and identifications. If Annia casts a glamour, we could take a look without anyone ever knowing,” Rosetta complains. The others join her, making Angelika the only one who opposes the idea. In the end I can't help it. Angelika is my friend, but the power of four against two feels overwhelming. On top of it I am interested in what makes the bar so desirable. “Ahem, as long as it's just a look.”

Half an hour later we wait in a line with a lot of people. They are all waiting to be allowed into some kind of cellar. I turn around to Rosetta, who I glamoured to look three years older. I did the same to Angelika and me. “So what's so interesting about that bar?”

Rosetta pumps her fists. “You will see. The laser show is fantastic and the dance-floor rocks every night. There are also the cocktails and the pole dancers!”

Pole dancers? I turn around as the line moves forward, but suddenly Angelika pulls me away from the line of waiting people. “Damn! Cops!”

Rosetta squeals. “Run!”

A car with blue alarm lights turns around the corner and I pump my legs to follow the others. Someone calls for us to stop. Of course nobody listens. I can't help it. This is exciting! Even though I don't understand why we are running away. “Why are we running?”

“We broke the mundane law with supernatural means!” Angelika huffs, her human limitations are obvious. “They often screen the parties for supernatural children who try to cheat with glamour!”

I shoulder her and start running faster to keep up with the others. “Scarf! Can you do something to help?” I address the snake around my neck. He said I should just give him a name and so I named him Scarf, since he is a scarf.

The answer is sobering. “No. This is entirely your own fault. I won't help you to avoid righteous punishment.”

What a useless bodyguard. I wheeze, starting to feel Angelika's weight. So I channel some power through my body. The police car is right behind us, so I am delighted when Rosetta and the others take a side street which is too small for a car. I follow them and come to a skittering halt as I become aware of the three policemen blocking the street.

Alex and Richard try to charge past them, but one of the policemen roars and his uniform bursts apart as he grows, bones cracking and fingers elongating. Long fur sprouts all over his body and the face turns to a cruel grimace. Goat horns burst from his forehead and his feet turn to hooves. He grabs Richard like a child at the neck and lifts him.

Then the creature spanks him, laughing.

Alex tries to do something with his fire element, but the creature draws in a deep breath and a torrent of snowflakes fills the alley. I avert my face from the stinging cold. When I look back, all four of the idiots are being stuffed into huge gunnysacks! All of the policemen are now abhorrent creatures with various deformities. And they seem to have fun with their police-sticks, beating the living hell out of my friends.

In my shock I totally forgot about the police car which chased us. I turn just in time to notice the ugly, drooling thing which is towering above me. Its evil, beady eyes are hypnotizing, rooting me in place. Then it roars at me and I cry out in pure horror as the abomination slobbers it's ugly tongue at me. It laughs as it throws another huge gunnysack over Angelika and me. I squeal as I am swept off my feet. The last thing I can see is a street-light as the gunnysack is strung shut.

Something impacts my ass and I cry out. These guys don’t use their sticks half-heartedly. Angelika joins me and the others as we howl from the painful treatment.

A deep voice rumbles from outside. “Hahaharharhar! Günter, I didn't have so much fun in a while. Did you see her face? It's as if she never saw a Krampus. Must be a tourist. Those huge, pleading eyes. I actually can't wait until solstice to frighten a few more naughty kids.”

“Right you are! But they were good training for the actual event. Let's bring them in.”

I feel the gunnysack being lifted and rudely thrown onto a soft surface. Everything hurts. Then something is slammed shut. “Did they just throw us into a car's boot?”

Angelika groans under me. “I managed to avoid this my whole life. And in the end I still got caught by those motherfuckers! Grandma will talk about it for weeks!”

I try to free myself, but the gunnysack is magically enhanced. In the end I have no other option but to wait. “What are those things!?”

“Krampus! They are a local tribe of shapeshifters. Their kind is endemic to the Alps. All policemen in this town are Krampus. They are responsible for all the stories about how naughty children are being punished by the Krampus at Christmas. Nowadays they are working as the local police-force to punish crime. Don't ask me why. They get some kind of sick kick from punishing evildoers.”

After a short drive in the police car's boot, we were unloaded and transported somewhere else. Upon arrival at our final destination the gunnysack is unceremoniously shaken, spilling the contents, us, on the floor of a small cell. Our captors retreat, laughing, and slam the door shut, locking it.

My new friends try to make some room for themselves and sit down on the little bench that comes with the cell. The soreness is slowly going away. Were I human, I would be bruised black and blue by now. I watch the others, befuddled. They behave as if this is normal. “Shouldn't we try to flee?”

Alex shrugs. “Nah. Too much effort. Let's just wait for our parents to get us back. You will get used to the Krampus. They always find a reason to grab some kids.”

Well, we actually gave them a reason to grab us. Waiting for my parents... just great! I lie down on the floor, spread-eagled. My magic is enough to keep me warm.

Two hours later the door opens and I sit up. Eva minces into the room in a skimpy dress that doesn't allow for much movement. She crosses her arms in front of her chest and studies us, blowing up a big bubble of chewing gum until it pops. Then she sucks the gum back in and smiles. “I am proud of you! Though it would have been better if you had succeeded. Whatever. The attempt counts.”

My sister enters the room, followed by Magnus. He looks at us with raised eyebrows. Sely grants me an especially sour glare. “You are under house arrest! At least until you refrain from partaking in illegal activities!” I roll my eyes. We broke the law plenty of times. Why is it different now?

One of the ugly creatures enters the room in a crouched position. The ceiling is too low for the thing, so it has to stand with its head tilted sideways. Otherwise the horns would scrape the ceiling. It points at me. “Is that the one you were looking for, Lord?”

Magnus smiles at the furry creature and nods. “Yeah, how is it going in the city? Is a problematic supernatural on the prowl? Something you need help with?”

The creature shakes it's head. “No problems, sir. There is just this little issue with the trolls. Someone nailed their chief to the wall of his office and spilled his guts all over the scene. And their cave system is uninhabitable because it was suddenly flooded with a toxic gas. Most got out alive, but strangely the chief's closest assistants didn't manage it. They were caught inside because of a sudden cave in. Now the trolls are petitioning everyone to get shelter until the gas is out of their caves. It's annoying.”

Magnus waves his hand, dismissing the issue. “Don't waste your time on the matter. The trolls were naughty, so they got punished. How is it going with the preparations for solstice?”

The creature scratches its chest. “I understand. We will not investigate further. And the preparations are almost complete. Everyone is preparing for the big day. My people are eager to go a little wild. It's the only day on which we don't have to bother to hide our nature. Quite funny that the humans think that we are actors in costumes.”

“That's good. Have some fun and go wild. Must be troublesome to be the captain of the police force. I gave your people the job and you guys never disappointed me.” Magnus gives the thing a thumbs up.

It roars and a few moments pass before I realize that it is laughing. “Best job ever since the supernatural community forbade us from stealing naughty children at Christmas.”