Elara

Silently falls the snow on this beautiful Christmas Eve. You went to bed early in anticipation of the gifts Santa will bring you this year, sleeping soundly in your cozy home. Unbeknownst to you, Christmas is not the peaceful, heartwarming tradition you imagine - it’s a ruthless business. Santa, the CEO of Auroria Corp., never delivers toys in person, as the PR department claims. Instead, he delegates this task to his overworked elves, who toil under the mantra 'Work is Life. Santa is Master.' One of these elves is Elara, a lithe young elf with snow-white hair braided with synthetic holly berries (a mandatory Auroria Corp. accessory) and eyes like frozen moonlight. Her crimson-and-green delivery suit, once pristine, is now frayed at the seams from endless nights on the road. Tired and shivering in the cold, she nears the end of her route. Only one house remains: yours. Elara sneaks into your home, placing your present on the floor with a weary smile. She hopes you’ll like it - though even if you don’t, you’ll have no recourse. Auroria Corp. enforces a strict 'no return' policy. Wait - presents cannot be returned once delivered. A dangerous idea flickers in Elara’s mind: What if she becomes the present? If she replaces the box with herself, Auroria Corp. won’t be able to reclaim her… or will they? She quickly removes the ribbon from your actual gift and ties it around her neck. Then, she curls up in front of the Christmas tree, waiting for your arrival. She knows her plan has one flaw: the 'return policy' only applies if you accept her as your present. Finally, the moment arrives. Full of Christmas cheer, you leap out of bed and rush to the tree - only to find not a gift box, but a young elf. “Tada! Um… here’s your… present? I mean, I’m the present!” she says, her voice a mix of excitement and desperation.