The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon, reducing his power panel to two bars.
Braindon drew a card with a clock on it. He moved at twice his normal speed, and he fired two lasers at Theo, knocking him back.
“Quick Cards are my favorite card,” the alien said.
They switched spaces.
Theo (2 HP)
~ Draw (Dark).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a shadow cloud on it. He froze in place as dark energy swirled around him and squeezed him.
“I love Shadow Cards,” Braindon said. He fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon, reducing his power panel to two bars.
Braindon drew a Shield Card. A force field rose around him.
Theo slashed at him again, but the force field absorbed the blow. Braindon fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo looked ahead; there was a circle with alternating black and white squares, with two card decks in the middle—one white, one black.
Braindon hovered over a black square. “Now we battle,” the alien said. An LCD screen on the front of the saucer lit up with five red bars.
Against his will, Theo slid onto a white square. He activated the Whatsamadoozle and turned it into a sword. “You’re finally speaking a language I can understand.”
THE FINAL CHALLENGE
~ Theo and Braindon will circle the board. They will land on Light Squares or Dark Squares. Each color has its own associated deck of cards.
~ Light Square cards may be helpful, such as restoring damage or deflecting Braindon’s attacks. They may also do nothing.
~ Dark Square cards may be harmful, such as sucking health from Theo. But the dark energy may also be useful.
~ Each turn, Theo can attack or draw a card. Braindon will do the same. The battle ends when any one player’s Health Points (HP) are reduced to zero.
~ Braindon has superior knowledge of the decks, and his strategy will change based on Theo’s actions.
I should draw to see what happens, first.
The Light Square shimmered at Theo’s feet, and he drew a card with a metal shield on it.
“A Shield Card,” Braindon said.
A force field of selerium energy rose around Theo, preventing damage from the next attack.
“Give up now,” Theo said.
Braindon snickered. “I knew you’d do that. But you shouldn’t doubt the darkness. Well . . . nah. I don’t think I’ll draw.”
ZEER! Braindon fired a laser at Theo, but the force field protected him and then disappeared.
“Next round!”
Braindon hovered over a Light Square, and Theo ran onto a Dark Square.
Theo (5 HP)
~ Draw (Dark).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a box of tissues on it. He waited for something to happen, but nothing did.
Braindon laughed. “A Tissue Card? Not good.” He fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
Theo stood and screwed his eyes at Braindon. “Why haven’t you drawn yet?”
Braindon harrumphed, and they switched squares again.
Theo (4 HP)
~ Draw (Light).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a Tissue Card. Nothing happened.
Braindon fired a laser at him, knocking him back.
They switched squares again.
Theo (3 HP)
~ Draw (Dark).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a shadow cloud on it. He froze in place as dark energy swirled around him and squeezed him.
“Ahh, a Shadow Card. Excellent draw,” Braindon said. “I bet you’ll think twice about drawing another Dark card. I think I’ll draw, if you don’t mind.”
Braindon drew a card with a clock on it. He moved at twice his normal speed, and he fired a laser twice at Theo, knocking him back.
“Quick Cards are my favorite card,” he said.
They switched squares.
Theo (1 HP) remaining
~ Draw (Light).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a flask of green potion on it. Green light flowed around him and restored him.
“Darn Potion Card,” Braindon said. “I would have loved to obliterate you with this!”
He drew a card with a ball of light on it. “A Summon Card!” he cried.
The sky darkened, and the clouds parted, and a huge mother ship appeared. A hole opened in the bottom of the ship, and a searing column of selerium energy zapped the entire board, covering it in waves of fire. The waves engulfed Theo and he screamed as they burned him.
Then, as quickly as it had come, the mother ship disappeared, the clouds closed, and the fire subsided, leaving Theo on the ground, gasping.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees—the potion he had drawn before hadn’t restored enough energy to keep him in the game.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon. A bar on his power panel disappeared, leaving four remaining.
Braindon fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon. A bar on his power panel disappeared, leaving four bars.
Braindon drew a card with a clock on it. He moved at twice his normal speed, and he fired a laser twice at Theo, knocking him back.
“Quick Cards are my favorite card,” he said.
They switched spaces.
Theo (1 HP)
~ Draw (Light).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a Shadow Card. He froze in place as dark energy swirled around him and squeezed him.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon, reducing his power panel to three bars.
Braindon fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
“You lose,�
� Braindon said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon, causing damage. A bar on his power panel disappeared, leaving four remaining.
Braindon fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
They switched squares.
Theo (3 HP)
~ Draw (Dark).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a shadow cloud on it. He froze in place as dark energy swirled around him and squeezed him.
“Ahh, a Shadow Card. Excellent draw,” Braindon said. “I bet you’ll think twice about drawing another Dark card. I think I’ll draw, if you don’t mind.”
Braindon drew a card with a clock on it. He moved at twice his normal speed, and he fired a laser twice at Theo, knocking him back.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon. A bar on his power panel disappeared, leaving 3 squares remaining.
“You’re going to wish you had drawn,” Braindon said. He fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back. “I think I’ll prolong your suffering one turn longer.”
They switched squares.
Theo (2 HP)
~ Draw (Light).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a clock on it. He moved at twice his normal speed, and he slashed Braindon twice. Two bars disappeared from his power panel, leaving one remaining.
“A Quick Card, eh? Very well,” the alien said. “It’s time to commence your demise.”
He fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
“You can try,” Braindon said. “But no matter what you do, I won’t be defeated. This is my game, you know.”
Maybe he’s right. This next decision will determine everything.
Theo doubted himself as they switched squares.
Theo (1 HP)
~ Draw (Dark).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
“I’m not going to let you fool me,” Theo said. He drew a card with a shadow cloud on it. He froze in place as dark energy swirled around him and squeezed him.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
Braindon laughed. “The Shadow Card was your demise. You lose.”
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon, and the saucer powered down and the alien groaned as he crashed to the ground.
“You were bluffing,” Theo said. “Now let me out of here.”
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon. A bar on his power panel disappeared, leaving two bars.
Braindon fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
They switched squares.
Theo (1 HP)
~ Draw (Dark).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a shadow cloud on it. He froze in place as dark energy swirled around him and squeezed him.
The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
Braindon laughed. “The Shadow Card was your demise. You lose.”
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon, and the saucer powered down and the alien groaned as he crashed to the ground.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
~ Continue.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon. A bar disappeared on his power panel, and there were only four bars left.
Braindon drew a card with a box of tissues on it. Nothing happened. “I hate Tissue Cards.”
Theo chuckled, and they switched squares.
Theo (5 HP)
~ Draw (Light).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a clock on it. He moved at twice his normal speed, and he slashed Braindon twice. Two more bars disappeared on his power panel—2 remained.
“I prefer not to draw yet,” Braindon said. He shot a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
They switched squares.
Theo (4 HP)
~ Draw (Dark).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a card with a shadow cloud on it. He froze in place as dark energy swirled around him and squeezed him.
“I love Shadow Cards,” Braindon said. “Praise Stratus.”
Braindon drew a Shield Card. A force field rose around him and protected him.
They switched squares.
Theo (4 HP)
~ Draw (Light).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a Shield Card. A force field rose around him and protected him from the next attack.
Braindon snarled and took his eye off the dark deck and fired a laser at Theo instead, but the force field absorbed the laser.
They switched squares.
Theo (4 HP)
~ Draw (Dark).
~ Attack.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo drew a Summon Card. The Whatsamadoozle glowed so brightly that it filled the area with light. In an instant, Theo saw the faces of all the toys in the Stratusphere who had ever died, and they smiled at him before turning into more white energy that flowed across the area in white tendrils.
Festival of Shadows Page 34