Read Festival of Shadows Online
Authors: Michael La Ronn
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
SORRY!
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Theo slashed Braindon, and the saucer powered down. The alien groaned as he crashed to the ground.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
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. The alien groaned as he crashed to the ground.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
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. The alien groaned as he crashed to the ground.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
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 one remaining.
Braindon 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.
Theo (1 HP)
SORRY!
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Theo drew a card with a ball of light on it.
“A Summon Card!” Braindon cried. “You weren’t supposed to draw that.”
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.
“That light—” Braindon said, shielding his eyes.
Theo pointed the Whatsamadoozle at Braindon, and the light surged into the saucer. There was an explosion that knocked Braindon out of the air. Then the light disappeared.
Theo slashed Braindon, and the saucer powered down. The alien groaned as the board game powered down, too.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
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. The alien groaned as he crashed to the ground.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon, but he didn’t cause any damage.
“You better get ready, because apocalypse is imminent,” Braindon said, grinning. He fired a laser at Theo, knocking him back.
What did he mean by apocalypse? He’s up to something.
They switched squares.
Theo (3 HP)
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Theo drew a Shield Card. A force field rose around him.
“You idiot bear!” Braindon yelled. “You were supposed to die!”
Braindon 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 force field protected Theo and the fire couldn’t touch him.
Then, as quickly as it had come, the mother ship disappeared, the clouds closed, and the fire subsided.
“Now that you have witnessed my true power,” Braindon said. “You must die.”
Theo (3 HP)
SORRY!
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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.
“That light—” Braindon said, shielding his eyes.
Theo pointed the Whatsamadoozle at Braindon, and the light surged into the saucer. There was an explosion that knocked Braindon out of the air. Then the light disappeared.
Theo slashed Braindon, and the saucer powered down. The alien groaned as the board game powered down, too.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
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 one remaining.
Braindon drew a Tissue Card.
“It’s time to end this,” Theo said. He slashed Braindon, and the saucer powered down. The alien groaned as he crashed to the ground.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
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 one remaining.
Braindon 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.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
SORRY!
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Theo slashed Braindon. A bar on his power panel disappeared, leaving three bars.
“I prefer not to draw,” Braindon said. He fired a laser at Theo.
They switched squares.
Theo (4 HP)
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Theo drew a card with a shadow cloud on it. He froze in place as dark energy swirled around him and squeezed him.
“How did you like that Shadow Card?” Braindon said, laughing. He fired a laser at Theo.
They switched spaces.
Theo (2 HP)
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Theo drew a Tissue Card.
Crap.
Braindon fired a laser at Theo again. “Nice knowing you.”
They switched spaces.
Theo (1 HP)
SORRY!
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Theo drew a card with a ball of light on it.
“A Summon Card!” Braindon cried. “You weren’t supposed to draw that.”
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.
“That light—” Braindon said, shielding his eyes.
Theo pointed the Whatsamadoozle at Braindon, and the light surged into the saucer. There was an explosion that knocked Braindon out of the air. Then the light disappeared.
Theo slashed Braindon, and the saucer powered down. The alien groaned as the board game powered down, too.
“Now let me out of here,” Theo said.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo slashed Braindon, reducing the power panel to two bars.
Braindon drew a card with a flask of green potion on it. “Ahh, the restorative powers of a Potion Card . . .” White light flowed around him, restoring him.
You have to be kidding me.
Braindon fired a laser at Theo. The board game powered down, and Theo fell to his knees.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
SORRY!
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Theo slashed Braindon, reducing his power panel to two bars.
Braindon 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.
“You lose,” Braindon said.
SORRY!
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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)
SORRY!
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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.
SORRY!
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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.
SORRY!
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The area lit up and Braindon shook his fists. “It cannot be,” he said. “It was supposed to be the perfect game. You shouldn’t have won.”
Theo felt the invisible hold on his legs disappear. He turned the Whatsamadoozle into a giant claw and grabbed the spaceship, slamming it several times until it broke into many pieces. Braindon tumbled out and lay on the ground, clutching dirt.
“I am a failure,” he said, hanging his head. His voice was singular and thin now that his spaceship was broken. “I have allowed myself to believe lies. I was discarded by a child, and when I came here, I told myself that I could return to my place of origin. But it was never real. I am just a mere toy.”
“I don’t have time for a therapy session,” Theo said, rolling his eyes. He started to walk away, but Braindon cried out to him.
“What will
you
do when it happens?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The moment you are jettisoned.”
“I’ll never be jettisoned.”
“You are a smart toy—almost as smart as me,” Braindon said. “But regardless of your potential, you will face the same fate.”
Theo balled his fists. “Be quiet.”