-Hey everybody! Rubix here and this is my first story that I'm publishing on the site. I saw Krampus a few weeks ago and I absolutely loved it, so I came up with an AU kind of idea. Anyway, enjoy~!-

Max let out a shaky breath as he trudged forward toward the massive, horned creature that was standing in front of the massive, endless pit of fire and pain. He flinched, hearing Stevie scream and cry, struggling against the grip of the two…'Elves' that held her hostage. The demon silently watched the child approach, seeming to dare him, he who had forgotten what mattered most, to come closer and see if he could try to escape his punishment. "P-Please…" The brown eyed boy stuttered as he finally reached monster he had unleashed upon his family, looking up into the sagging fleshy mask it wore.

"Let them go...This isn't what I wanted…"

Krampus inclined his head, as if to ask a sarcastic kind of 'Oh? But this is what you asked for' before he let out a low, raspy laugh. The sound was horrible to Max's ears and his determination began to falter.

"I just wanted Christmas to be like it used to be."

That earned him the dark, sadistic laughing from not only Krampus himself this time, but from his short, demonic mask wearing minions. That...horrible clown thing in the sleigh was even giggling, clapping it's gloved hands together at the boy's words. The large Yule Goats that lead the sleigh began to butt their heads together, showing their own form of amusement. Max's lower lip began to tremble, and against his will, a few tears began to stream down his face. The monsters continued to laugh...Except for one. The clown had gone silent and now regarded Max curiously as he began to cry, cocking it's head and blinking it's beady black eyes.

"I-I-I know t-this is my fault...P-Please...It's me you want!"

The Christmas Demon's laughed began to slowly die down.

"Please!" Max continued to beg. "I'll do anything!"

That shut Krampus up, and in one swift moment, his skeletal hand caught Max by the chin and forced his head up roughly. Teary brown eyes met sunken in, orange goat eyes. Then, to Max's surprise...The demon spoke.

"Anything?" He rasped in a low, inhuman voice with the noticeable hint of a German accent.

Unable to speak, Max nodded slowly.

"Then I shall make a deal with you, child…" He hissed. "I will release your family on one condition...You become my assistant."

"A-Assistant?" The child repeated, his eyes widened.

"You will come with me to my...home...and do whatever I say and help me whenever I need assistance."

"N-No!" The boy suddenly spat, ripping himself away from Krampus' grip. "I-I'm not going to help you hurt more pe-eople!"

Krampus let out a small growl and turned away from Max. "I see." He raised a clawed hand up to the sky, signaling the Elves to push Stevie into the pit to the Underworld. The creatures cackled and pushed the girl forward, causing her to scream out in fear. Max flinched at the sound of his cousin's scream. She was going to die...They were all going to die...If they weren't dead already. Mom...Dad...Beth…...Omi…..

The child whirled around and ran over to Krampus, grabbing onto his raised arm. "W-WAIT!"

Slowly, the demon turned to look at the child.

"I...I accept…"

~End Chapter 1~