After last week's plot crisis, I've since re-read the updated parts a few times. As expected, I had to tighten up some things and polish the narrative a bit more; but it all seems to work and flow with the rest of the narrative.

The thing that I am most proud of in this whole "Mountain Magic" episode is that it adds depth to the story without actually getting in the way. You see, there was a real danger of giving too much unduly emphasis to the mountain and its loss of potency, which would then change the tone of the story into some sort of Tolkienesque epic about the ages of Middle Earth the Ice Cube Caverns.

That may be a fine and interesting story, but it is not this story, and it has no place in it; just like the history of Middle Earth has no real part in The Hobbit, yet it's there in the background serving as scaffolding to the narrative.

As it stands now, the "Mountain Magic" feels like it belongs, but it does not steal the stage from Carol's mission, which is still the main focus of "Christmas Carol vs. The Ghost Of Christmas Presents." It is all presents from Carol's view, so even the consequences of the damage to the magical snowflakes is purely how badly Carol feels about inflicting it.

I hope my friendly helper elves agree.

That's today's update. I didn't work on advancing the story since I was preoccupied with this particular problem during the week-end.

I hope to have additional progress soon, so ... see ya'!

-dZ.