He turned the Whatsamadoozle into a sword and crept down the hallway toward an iron door. He heard distant screams that wrenched his gut. They were children.
The door was ajar; Theo peeked inside. Dozens of children, all tied to the wall with their eyes closed, screamed constantly, as if nightmares were playing on their eyelids.
So this is what Stratus does to them.
The children’s screams were deafening. Using the sword, he cut them from the wall. They began to snore as they hit the ground.
I wonder what they were seeing.
But he didn’t pursue the thought, understanding that he’d be better off if he never knew. Another iron door at the end of the room opened. Theo readied his sword and ran through it, into the throne room. Grant lay sleeping on the floor.
“Grant!”
He rushed to Grant’s side. “I’m going to get you out of here, buddy.”
He pushed Grant’s shoulders, but nothing happened. The boy wouldn’t wake up.
He must still be under a spell.
Theo heard a noise and turned just in time to see a torch flying at him. He held up his shield and the torch bounced off.
“I cannot believe you made it this far,” said a familiar voice. “Very impressive.”
Theo squinted into the shadows. “That voice . . .”
Topperson, Grant’s top, spun out of the shadows. “Hello, Theo.”
Grant’s body shimmered with white light, and he disappeared.
“Topperson!”
“You didn’t listen to me when I told you that this place was dangerous. Now you can see why I gave you that advice.”
“But I don’t understand—”
“You are foolish, that’s why. An entire charade played before your eyes, and you still don’t understand.”
Theo fell silent and listened.
“Stratus planted me in your house so that I could procure Grant when the time was right.”
“But why did you give in to the dark side?”
“I betrayed Stratus once, and I learned my lesson. He showed me my foolishness. Here, in the Stratusphere, we toys live forever. We want for nothing. And the only person we must ever please is Stratus, who will never grow old or abandon us. It’s a grand way of life when you ignore the many evils of this place, Theo.”
He betrayed Stratus?
“I orchestrated your little adventure in the basement,” Topperson said. “When Shawn was here many years ago, Stratus planted subconscious instructions for him: during Grant’s ninth year, Shawn was to throw you into the basement on the shortest night of the year. That way, there would be no chance of rescue.”
“And when I was down there, you summoned Stratus.”
“Indeed. Not even His Grace planned for you to make it here before sunrise. Optimistic toys like you are such an impediment.” Topperson spun around the room as he talked. “Don’t misunderstand me, Theo. I’m not evil. All I’ve ever wanted for Grant was the best. I want him to grow up, forget all about us, and live a successful, toyless life.”
“So why did you do it?”
“Look at me. I’m old. I deserve to spend my final days in a place where I am valued. You do, too.”
“So you would betray your owner to do it? Grant loves you.”
“Until the day he doesn’t. One day, he would have woken up and abandoned us. All children do. You and I would have been hauled off to the junkyard—or worse, a daycare. When will you learn that Stratus can offer us a life in this world that no child can? Give up your petty factory settings and listen to me, Theo. You’re fighting for a hopeless cause. Shawn has already moved on and forgotten us—Stratus’s efforts with him were successful.” Fire lit behind his gears, giving him a sinister glow.
“Wait,” Theo said. “You didn’t come to the house until after Shawn was kidnapped . . . You couldn’t have known about him, unless—” His eyes widened. “You’re not Topperson.”
The top laughed. “Finally, you are beginning to understand this strange world around you. No, I am not Topperson. My name is Mazeltop.”
“No,” Theo said, taken aback. “You were good. Jiskyl said so many nice things about you. He risked his life so that we could have a festival in your honor. A hundred toys just gathered and celebrated in your name!”
“And I am touched,” Mazeltop said. “But they should have been praising His Grace.”
“There is still time to undo what you’ve done,” Theo said. “Surrender Grant to me.”
Mazeltop spun faster. “I can’t do that.”
“Then it pains me to end it this way,” Theo said, unsheathing his sword.
Mazeltop struck the wall. A torch fell down on the carpet and flames bloomed in a circle around them, preventing either of them from escaping.
Mazeltop dashed toward Theo; Theo slashed, and Mazeltop recoiled.
Theo slashed again, but Mazeltop spun away quickly, digging into the floor. Sparks shot at Theo, shocking the Whatsamadoozle out of his hand.
Mazeltop dashed at him again but Theo hid behind his shield, knocking Mazeltop back. Theo swiped the Whatsamadoozle off the ground and turned it into a pogo stick. He hopped into the air, turned the Whatsamadoozle into a hundred-pound weight, and landed on Mazeltop, sending plastic parts everywhere.
Mazeltop tried to keep spinning, but he couldn’t. Theo turned the Whatsamadoozle into a fire extinguisher, put out the flames, and stood over the fallen top.
“Finish me,” Mazeltop said, gasping. “I am broken beyond repair now.”
Theo nodded and turned the Whatsamadoozle into a sword. He raised it to stab, but shadows engulfed the room and something struck him in the back, knocking him out.
~ Continue.
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CHAPTER 14
Shatter the Darkness
Theo lay unconscious on the ground. The room filled with shadows and fog, and Stratus appeared, grinning. He floated over Theo and streamed dark energy into his head. Theo tossed and turned in the grip of night terrors.
Mazeltop cheered Stratus on. “Finish him, My Lord!”
Stratus filled the room with his booming laughter. He reached for Theo’s neck, but a blue blast struck his hands.
“Leave him alone.”
Stratus whipped around and shook with rage when he saw Lucinda, Heinrich, Bethany, Gasket, and Jiskyl standing in the throne room.
Jiskyl stepped forward. “Mazeltop . . .”
Mazeltop sparked. “Old friend, you mustn’t blame me for my actions. Everything I did, I did for all toykind.”
“I risked my life to honor your memory. You betrayed me. You betrayed everyone. You got what you deserve.”
Mazeltop glanced up at Stratus. “Your Grace, please honor me for my sacrifice.”
Stratus dissipated and then gathered behind Mazeltop, dark energy surging into his hands.
“Yes, Your Grace! Embrace me with your power. Make me live forever . . . What are you—no, Your Grace! Please! Aaaah . . .”
Stratus covered Mazeltop with shadows. There was a crushing sound, then Stratus tossed Mazeltop’s crumpled remains at Lucinda’s feet, and the top was no more.
Shadows spiraled under Stratus as he floated toward the toys. He pointed at them in a command to bow.
“We’ve lived in fear of you for too long,” Lucinda said. “No more.”
Stratus gave them an evil glare. He demanded them to bow again, but they readied themselves. His hands turned into shadowy scythes and his eyes flashed red.
On the floor, Theo twitched and cried out.
“Wake up, Theo,” Lucinda whispered, worried. “Please. I don’t know how long we’ll be able to hold him off.”
Theo opened his eyes. He was flying headfirst through darkness. He heard his voice in the depths, reflecting back at him.
I’m useless. I can’t protect anyone.
His eyes widened at the sound of his voi
ce and the words that he hadn’t said. “But I tried.”
His own voice responded. It was cold, defeated. Trying wasn’t good enough.
“I was so close. Stratus was within my reach.”
And for the second time, I lost.
“But it wasn’t like the last time—I was stronger.”
He picked up speed.
Strength doesn’t matter. I still lost.
“But I have so much more to live for.”
Like what?
“I can’t let Grant down. I can’t give up on my new friends.”
An Ursabrand cannot focus on friends.
“No—you’re wrong.”
I’m violating the oath. I’ve lost sight of my goals so much. I deserve to die.
He stopped floating. The darkness peeled away into a screen that showed Shawn’s bedroom. It was nighttime, and Theo saw himself sleeping in young Shawn’s arms.
They looked so happy. Shawn snored, and Theo nestled into Shawn’s shoulder, a smile on his face even in sleep. A portal opened under the bed and Stratus snatched Shawn in an instant, and Theo slid down onto the bed. Instead of waking up, he snuggled with the pillow.
Look at me. I didn’t even know what was happening. Everything was perfect then.
“I don’t want to watch this.”
But the screen kept playing, and Theo kept watching himself sleeping, kept watching that happy curve of a smile on his face. The longer it was on the screen, the worse he felt.
Then the screen melted and the darkness returned. Self-doubt stung him as he journeyed farther into the darkness.
Stratus moved with supernatural speed, and the toys narrowly dodged his slices. He was nowhere and everywhere at once. It was impossible to hit him.
Heinrich tried to headbutt Stratus’s arm, but Stratus smacked him against the wall.
Lucinda fired a dream blast; Stratus lashed at her, but Bethany pulled her out of the way just in time.
“I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to fight,” Bethany said. “He’s darn near invincible.”
Stratus laughed at Bethany’s compliment and lunged for her. Gasket blew fire at him, but Stratus dissipated and swung at Jiskyl instead, who waved his cane and shot lightning bolts at him.
Theo convulsed on the floor, and Lucinda glanced back at him. “I believe in you.”
Stratus laughed and flowed toward her as she fired another dream blast, engulfing the room in blue light.
Theo touched down on Shawn’s bed. Time sped up, and Theo saw Shawn zip out of the portal under the bed. He moved in and out of the room as the years passed. He blinked, flickered out of sight, and then appeared on the bed sitting next to Theo. The sun slid into the sky, and dawn light washed over the room.
Shawn looked at Theo and played with his hands, as if he didn’t know what to say.
“What happened between us, old pal?” Theo asked.
“I grew up.”
“I guess it happened faster than I thought it would.”
“Yeah.”
Silence grew between them, and it was some time before Theo spoke. “I want you to know that I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you.”
Shawn sighed. “I went through hell because of you. You can’t even imagine the nightmares I saw. They changed me. But maybe it was meant to happen.”
Theo hopped down from the bed and climbed up on the windowsill. He gazed at the cars passing by. “Maybe some things do happen for a reason. The longer I’m in the Stratusphere, the more I realize that.” He gestured around the room. “I tried to hold on to all of this. I wanted it to last forever. Same with Grant. But the more I try to hold on, the more everything turns to smoke that slips between my fingers.”
“You and me both.”
“Yeah.”
Shawn brightened a little. “Don’t blame yourself. All of this, it wasn’t going to last anyway. You were better off with Grant.”
“Yeah, I was. You never liked teddy bears, anyway.”
Shawn laughed. The room dissolved, and Theo watched himself on a screen again. Grant was holding him, and he brought him up to his face, smiling. There was none of Shawn’s heaviness; Grant was pure kid, full of happiness and laughter.
I remember this. This was after Shawn gave me to Grant.
“I made you something,” Grant said. He handed Theo a wooden sword and shield. “Since you’re an Ursabrand, your duty is to protect me and the toys from the boogie man. With these, you can protect us all.”
Theo remained stiff, but he wanted to smile.
“Now repeat after me,” Grant said. “I, Theodorus Ursabrand, promise to protect Grant and the toys, no matter what happens, even if it means sacrificing my life!”
Theo was silent.
“There,” Grant said. “Now you’re under oath.”
He made Theo slash his sword and bring his shield up. “And don’t forget to practice. You’ll need your skills. And when things get rough, just think of home, and me, your best buddy!”
Mom called from the kitchen. “Dinner time!”
“Be back, buddy.”
Grant shut the door and Theo gripped the sword and shield, feeling them for the first time again. It was odd, revisiting this memory.
He jumped down to the floor. He tried to slash the sword, but it was so heavy he fell down. He struggled to get up; the shield was heavy, too.
He slashed again and lost his balance. For two hours, he practiced fighting with the sword until it was comfortable in his hands and its weight was no longer a burden. All the while, he kept repeating the oath.
Then everything faded to darkness. He flew headfirst again, and his voice resounded from beyond.
Now I remember the oath. Now I remember why I am doing all of this. Because I was a failure.
“I don’t need to keep hearing that.”
I’m not fighting because I love Grant. I’m fighting to mask my own failure to protect Shawn.
“I said I didn’t want to hear it!”
Theo punched the air, but his voice continued.
I should offer my services to Stratus. I can save Grant this way.
“No.”
Then I should offer him my head. I can die with a shred of dignity. I said I’d never want to make this choice, but here I am. The darkness is so inviting. What am I waiting for? Turn or die!
Theo slanted his eyes. “That’s not me talking. I refuse to believe that! Who are you?”
The darkness in front of Theo condensed into a red eye, and he heard Stratus’s laughter.
“No. This is an illusion. Why didn’t I realize it sooner?”
Stratus’s laughter grew louder. Theo felt the Whatsamadoozle glowing in his hand—it had been at his side all along. “I know why I’m fighting. I’m not just fighting for Grant. I’m not even fighting for myself anymore.” He stared at Stratus’s eye. “I’m fighting for everyone you’ve hurt. I won’t let you win.”
He heard Lucinda’s voice and the sound of fighting. The darkness shattered around him, and he was lying on his back in the throne room. The toys huddled in a corner, out of breath and zapped of their energy. Stratus rose over them and turned his hand into a hammer. He raised it and brought it down toward them. The toys closed their eyes.
Theo clutched his golden shield, and in an instant, he was in front of the toys with the shield in front of his face.
Stratus struck the shield. It glowed, flooding the area with light, and the impact knocked him backward.
The shield blinked rapidly and a golden sword pulsed in Theo’s hand.
“Thanks for believing in me,” Theo said to Lucinda.
Lucinda staggered up and stood next to him. The other toys did the same, even though they could barely walk.
“Welcome back, sleepyhead,” Jiskyl said.
Stratus pounded the floor and the castle shook; the walls disconnected, the floor dissolved, and the ceiling crumbled into an ethereal skyscape full of nebulae. The ground turned into craggy rock, lea
ving the toys standing on a cliff that overlooked nothingness.
Stratus rose higher and higher. He transformed into a shadow dragon with glowing red eyes, smoky breath, and a ferocious roar. He hovered over the cliff, breathing shadow fire.
The toys readied themselves again, and Theo pointed his sword at Stratus.
“It ends now.”
“How the heck are we gonna defeat him?” Bethany said, slapping her lasso.
“Never lose hope,” Theo said. “Remember?”
Bethany nodded and climbed onto Gasket, who flapped his wings and blew fire angrily.
Heinrich ran to Theo’s side. “I am lucky to have met a friend like you. Up you go, my little cub!” He picked Theo up and launched him toward the dragon’s mouth, shouting, “When this is over, I want my Whatsamadoozle back!”
Theo slashed the dragon. It roared with pain, but grew taller. Theo couldn’t reach the dragon’s head anymore, and he fell backward toward the nothingness.
He landed on Gasket, who flew upward as Bethany yee-hawed.
“No matter what happens,” Bethany said, “we’ll have your back. Let’s make this place a world worth living in.”
Gasket blew fire at the dragon’s torso. It roared and tried to swipe them out of the sky, but Bethany flung her lasso and wrapped it around one of the beast’s claws. She yanked with all her might and pulled it toward Gasket.
“You have to keep going. I won’t be able to hold him for long.”
Theo leaped onto the dragon’s arm and ran up. The dragon blew fire at him and he hid behind his shield, waiting for the burning to begin.
But the fire never touched Theo. There was a blue flash, and the fire turned to a giant ice crystal that hung suspended in the air, spiraling up to the dragon’s mouth.
Jiskyl waved at Theo from below. “Are you still sleepwalking?” the old fish said. “Keep climbing!”
Theo climbed the ice quickly, avoiding the dragon’s claws as they broke the ice behind him. When he was level with the dragon’s head he jumped into the air, ready to drive his sword deep into its skull, but the dragon grabbed him with its claws and squeezed him.
Festival of Shadows Page 45