The truth of Madeleine

*This story is underneath my folder titled “Madeleine the Christmas demon!”. This character is from a tale in my story “25 charming Christmas tales”. Gacha Club character designs are under my forum titled “My character designs<33”. I meant to post this yesterday, but I lost connection. So here it is now! Enjoy!*

Introduction

It was just a regular day of December. Madeleine’s parents were downstairs, decorating the house. Madeleine was in her room, looking out at the snowy Earth beyond. She pressed her hand against the window and found that she made shapes just by doing it.

Her hand was a black claw tainted with rainbow glitter. Dad had come upstairs and told her that they were Christmas demons.

Madeleine didn’t understand, so he decided to show her.

This is where our story begins.

Chapter One

“Christmas seems like a holiday where there is only cheeriness and joy, but this isn’t true at all.” Dad said.

“There is always a dark side. A tainted side. An evil side, and we are it.” Dad said, taking Madeleine’s claw in his.

“Come with me, I’ll show you.” He said.

Off they went to find the truth.

Chapter Two

It all happened instantaneously. As soon as Madeleine took hold of her father’s claw, her room disappeared and was replaced with Christmas colors.

Red, green, blue, white, everything was like dazzling string lights.

She tried to speak, but what only came out was loud sound, words unintelligible.

The colors kept flashing on.

Chapter Three

When the colors began to dissipate, they found themselves in a snowy village of the 1600s, picturesque like a fairytale.

In the distance was a flickering light, just like fire, except that it was blue.

“This is the ice light. It started this all.” Dad said.

Oh, is that so? Madeleine thought as she followed him towards the light.

Chapter Four

Once they were close to the ice-light, she could see a form dancing in it. A being that looked like a faerie, a ghostly and petite silhouette.

“The very first Christmas demon. Her name was Hester Ashborne.” Dad said.

“She’s not a demon, she’s a faerie.” Madeleine said.

Hester clearly had wings, why would she be a demon?

“Wait. It will happen soon.” Dad said.

Wait for what?

Chapter Five

A snowball was being thrown towards Hester, but it was blazing like a meteorite, blue flames burning vividly.

Hester continued to dance, unaware of the snowball-meteorite, but then, it crashed into her, leaving behind a snow explosion.

It still didn’t make sense to Madeleine.

Chapter Six

From the snow rose Hester, a befuddled expression on her face. Her hands had turned into the very claws that Madeleine and Dad had.

She looked behind her, then briefly turned back around. Madeleine could see tainted vengeance boiling in her eyes.

That was when the colors took them away.

Chapter Seven

All around her was a swirl of Christmas colors, the sound being an abrupt woosh and swish.

Madeleine’s heart pumped rapidly within as everything seemed to be speeding up, accelerating, almost spine-breaking.

But they both survived.

Chapter Eight

“She tried so hard to find the one who cursed her, but to no avail. For retaliation, Hester took the lives of all in the village.” Dad said.

They were back in Madeleine’s room after having been whisked away into the past.

“Really? How do you know all of this?” Madeleine asked.

“It’s been taught to me by my parents.” Dad shrugged.

He got up from her bed and walked out the door, but still, Madeleine had unanswered questions.

And a growing appetite…

Chapter Nine

Madeleine looked out the window, where the snow fell gently on the ground. Something was calling to her. An urge to sink her teeth into fresh, bleeding, screaming meat.

She pounced to the wall of the window and pulled it open, jumping into the white void outside.

Chapter Ten

A voice became clear to Madeleine’s ears. A child’s voice, a child’s excitement.

The cold meant nothing to her who was only in a nightgown. The only thing that she felt was the heat of hunger, the pain of emptiness.

Chapter Eleven

Faster and faster, Madeleine ran. Closer and closer was the scent.

A playground was taking shape, covered by snow, but still standing, still alive with the light of children.

Chapter Twelve

A little girl laughed as she slid down the slide, her pink coat bright as a bubblegum. So lost in her own world was the child that she didn’t notice Madeleine gaining on her, her own heart pumping with adrenaline-

A force pulled Madeleine back, a force that familiar, like family.

Chapter Thirteen

I know that it’s hard, but you have to fight it. A voice said in her head. It was faded and tinkling, like that of a faerie.

It was Hester, the long-gone faerie, lingering in the corners of Madeleine’s mind.

Chapter Fourteen

Fight it? FIGHT IT? It’s everywhere, it’s clinging to me…it IS me! Madeleine said to Hester, trying so hard to get her to understand.

No, it’s not you. Listen, I let it consume me and killed everyone. I have lived an eternity trying to find the one who cursed me and found nothing. You cannot live in the past. Stay in the present. Hester said.

Though her voice left Madeleine’s mind, she still felt that Hester hadn’t left.

Chapter Fifteen

The little girl and her mother had left the playground. There was only snow, not a soul in sight.

Madeleine heard screams that had already happened, saw Hester zoom in through houses, draining the life force from all that was in the humans. She saw it from the corners of her eye, a fading image of the past.

She hungered still.

Chapter Sixteen

A pulsating red orb glowed in front of her, like a heart. It grew bigger and bigger…

Madeleine reached out and touched it, for everyone fiber of her being was telling her that it must be done…

Chapter Seventeen

The orb broke away and revealed a pale, gaunt fairy, blond hair reaching down to her feet, her white eyes alight with scattering insanity.

“Tis’ I who cursed Hester and your family tree! I! I!” The fairy screeched, cackling as she circled Madeleine.

Madeleine tried desperately to grab her, but the fairy was too fast for her claws.

Chapter Eighteen

“For years I watched Hester show off her powers, gift the village with treats a’plenty, whilst I rotted in the shadows!” The fairy shrieked, her pink dress swaying like mist.

If only Madeleine could just snatch her, then she would be no more. Then she’d leave them all alone.

“I, I only wanted to teach her a lesson! I wanted her to see…” The fairy trailed off briefly before cackling again.

Chapter Nineteen

FLASHBACK

The fairy’s name was Sapphire. Sapphire who could only watch as Hester blessed the village. Sapphire’s powers were all wrong, she only turned doves into crows, flowers into weeds, and life into death.

Yet Hester had the gifts. The kindness.

If only Sapphire could make her understand…

Chapter Twenty

Madeleine pieced it all together. Sapphire had cursed Hester because of jealousy. Sapphire was the one responsible for it all.

As Sapphire danced around Madeleine’s face, going on about what could have been, Madeleine brought out her claw and crushed the fairy, watching in satisfaction as Sapphire’s iridescent wings crumbled under her clutch.

Epilogue

After that day, Hester could rest. Madeleine didn’t always have it easy, for sometimes, her demon side would overcome her and she would attack someone. She and her parents would cover it up, though.

She didn’t want to end up like Hester, who killed a whole village trying to find the one who made her a demon of the season, someone whose demon side came out only on Christmas. She didn’t want to end up like Sapphire, who cursed Hester in the first place out of petty jealousy.

Madeleine only wanted to exist in the world, without hurting a soul.

She followed the words of her Dad every Christmas season…