And Thus He Came: A Christmas Fantasy

In a glittering ballroom filled with music, laughter, and swirling dancers, an inexplicable vision appears: a pale child in a white robe, haloed by a gentle light. Only one guest seems to truly see the apparition, and her fear quickly turns to a fierce resolve as she grapples with the fleeting glimpse. The mysterious figure vanishes as abruptly as it arrived, leaving the revelers to wonder whether they imagined it at all.

In a stark office nearby, a prosperous industrialist reviews his year‑end accounts, proud of the profits his expanding factories have generated. A proposal lies on his desk to increase production even further by employing more children, promising ever greater riches. As the holiday season approaches, the echo of the child's sudden appearance begins to stir doubts about the cost of his ambition.