By: M Monroe Casey
Part 1
Cal the Cobra slithered on through the kitchen towards the guest bedroom in all of his golden and brown glory. Noticing the empty Mt. Couch while he was home alone, he took his chance to claim a corner for not-quite-lunch-but-after-the-breakfast nap. Gracefully gliding past, a small part of his hood nicked the remote and turned on the Windowsill. Used to the noise from his mothers watching all the time, “their little snakey bae baby,” promptly began his nap as ghostly voices overtook the gaps of silence all around the empty hut. Voices from a timeline yet to pass.
“Dad… can you tell me the story again?” The 12-year-old Santiago the II asked.
“Of course I can but then after, you need to sleep. Okay?” replied the older but eerily identical Santiago the I.
“Okay. I promise.”
A lot of people said that if Santiago himself wasn’t older, they could be twin brothers. They were even born with the same scar on each of their faces, left side and all. It was truly an eerie sight for those unaccustomed to it but neither of them questioned it too much. It’s hard to question those things when you recently witnessed the “The Black Armored Being” prevent the collapse of an entire palace, fortress and cathedral in just as many minutes. With Santiago the II in his modest bed under his comfortable blankets and pillows, his father began narrating. His 1982 style of speech was in full use while he did so.
“For your own security, you were with me at work that day. I had to protect our King Udo from the attack and coup of his younger brother, Hagro Tadala. It was three Tadala brothers versus one as the family fought for the Pyroclastian throne in the all-out war and collection of battles. The second to youngest, Marche, was given the orders to level the fortress, palace and cathedral and aiming for his own anger and vengeance to finally be fulfilled, he happily did it. As he threw a pillar through the front gate like a small rock, it was pretty clear that all the guards of the Blue Army couldn’t stop what was coming.”
“Oh nooo…” muttered the scared child.
“Marche was laying waste to the foundation of the palace that we were guarding. But lucky for us all, we didn’t underestimate him. We waited behind closed doors with our Queen Hia and our young Prince Augustin. Protecting the most important part from his ramage. The people. Plenty of closed doors and plenty of defensive fortifications stood between us and him. We did grow more nervous though as we could hear in the distance the sound of what seemed like a thunderstorm, hurricane and tornado having a very big bad baby with a massive temper tantrum. And it was growing closer… ”
“Wow…” muttered the less scared child.
“We could hear it coming down the hallway now and with each burst of noise, the framework surrounding the barricaded door itself began to crack. Then, in the midst of the loudest burst of noise yet, it suddenly stopped.”
“Why…?” asked the now more curious than scared child.
“At first we weren’t sure so I peaked my head through the barricade and the door then saw a singular black chain gripped upon Marche’s ankle. Dragging him backwards and away from us. Into the darkness from where he just came from. We had a guardian angel and it saved us. I never learned their name or anything. All I saw was a quick peek at their midnight-shaded black armor… Eerily similar to Marche’s own.”
“Woah…” said the relieved child.
“Yeah. So, maybe it was magic or destiny that sent them to us or maybe it was something else, I don’t know. But either way, we owe them everything.”
“That’s so cool… I want to be just like that. Do what they did for me… Save and inspire more people……”
“Maybe you can be that person Santi. But for now, you should focus on getting some rest. Good night.”
With a hug good night, his father left while Santiago the II lay his head down but there was no way he could try that now. He could never sleep after hearing his favorite story.
Tossing and turning for hours to come, he was still basically awake at 7:30 Pyroclastia City Standard Time when his mind could finally calm itself down enough to conclude the “full steam ahead” brainstorming session.
“Seriously. What a story… I can’t believe it’s all true. They saved a whole palace of people and I’m just a kid who likes math. Incredible… but like Dad said… maybe some destiny or magic will help me do that…”
While he concluded his exhausted thought and an unintentional wish, the clock ticked itself to exactly 7:33.
“… after all, sometimes you just need a little magic…”
Closing his blue eyes, his blonde hair on the pillow, it was finally time to sleep as he was whisked away into a deep dreaming state. Heavily asleep quickly, he failed to see, notice or feel the small portal that enveloped him like a cocoon. Rapidly removing him from the surface of Pyroclastia entirely.
A few hours later, the tired Santi woke up on a green and grassy hill. Next to him, three white trees stood tall and all around him were hills similar to his newest sleeping spot. With a deep and confused panic as his first reaction, it was then replaced with a quizzical question as a young woman of his own age walked up from the left.
“Ummm… Hi. Who are you?”
The 12-year-old girl with amber hair and eyes responded promptly.
“Hi. I’m Bubbles. This is my favorite play spot. Who are you?”
Part 2
“I’m Santiago… The second. But I’m confused… I went to bed in my house in Pyroclastia City. Where am I?” Questioned the young traveler as he stood up.
“Ha… you’re from the Main Ring. Makes sense. This is Surnor… or at least it was.”
“Surnor. Wow. I think I’ve heard of this place… wait… what do you mean it was?” Santi stood up and greeted the girl at his own eye level.
“We aren’t having the best few years here. Sure, Surnor has always had its problems but it used to be a much more happy place. Until they took over…”
“Who’s they?” Replied Santi as they looked across the seemingly endless rolling hills of green grass with the occasional patch of white trees in the distance. Small botches of huts nestled together signaled the collections of villages. Above them, a blue sky with a few drifting clouds. An overall landscape very similar to his own Southern Hills of Pyroclastia.
“I can tell you but you can’t tell nobody. My daddy said that anyone who finds out the truth goes away… And they never come back…”
“Woah…”
“Okay… Surnor was once a peaceful and quiet world but then… He came. The Champion on High. No one knows from which planet or where in the Far Reaches but he emerged with one goal and he brought two robotic drones to help him do it. #1 and #2. They started using a game called Six Point Stars to take over pop culture. All the news, stories and gossip was about them and how amazing they were for bringing us this new game and how good they were. Their egos soared and the three of them took over completely. Sure, we have a King and Queen but nobody has any doubt. Doubtanian and his two robots rule this world…”
“Through a game?”
“Yeah. You said you come from Pyroclastia City? Out here, Six Point is now the law of the land. Good thing I’m pretty good.” She shrugged it off like it was no big deal as he further questioned his new reality.
“So, why don’t you try and free your people if everyone apparently lives by this game that you’re good at?” They began walking down the hill towards the closest collection of huts in the distance.
This question hit home while she replied with hesitation, “… Because I’m not the right person for it. No one wants a Champion on High like me…”
“Why?”
“I just can’t. Ok? I’m not one of them. But you honestly look like one a lot. It’s weird how much you look like it. Maybe… Yeah! Do you want to learn the game?”
“ME?!” Santi, the shyest boy in just about every room, responded with an extreme level of caution to this idea as they reached her hut, a whole structure about a meter smaller than Santi’s room.
“Yeah! I can teach you. Basically, you just have six places you can place a card in your deck. Thirty-two cards in your deck. You draw until you have six cards every turn. If you don’t play any, you don’t draw any. You have Locations, Main Antagonists, Side Antagonists, Main Protagonists, Side Protagonists and an extra slot for anything but a Location. Then, you play cards with effects and try to get the highest number possible. With that, you launch what’s called a Bombardment. If your number is bigger, you deliver one hit. Get three hits or pass six turns after your draw all your cards and you lose.”
“Okay…”
“And when a Bombardment is declared, all of your people put their whole energy into it and they are all immediately destroyed after to the discard. So, you need to calculate your attacks well. I have an extra deck with Knights. Want to try?!?!”
“I guess…”
“Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU! I’ll teach you the best, I promise.”
“Okay…”
With that, they stepped into her rounded out hut. It was an empty building with two small beds and a table but not much else. Sitting by the table, she began to teach him the game which he proved to be a quick student of. As time progressed in there much different than his native Pyroclastia, Santiago the I still slept late peacefully on his day off as Santi was multiple weeks into his intensive training and preparation for the upcoming tournament of Six Point Stars.
“I declare bombardment!” yelled the much better and now three-week trained Santiago but she clearly was still a level above as Bubbles easily took the hit and delivered a massive bombardment fueled by her “God of Bombardments,” finishing him off.
With that last training session outside, the two of them entered the brown wooden tournament stadium. Santi led the charge while Bubbles followed closely behind. Fulfilling her end of the deal, quelling the fears and entering the tournament if he does, they began to place their decks into the circular metal ball that is the Power Amplifier and delivered the bombardments down upon their opponents with each and every call of the words. Sweeping with ease, no hits were even taken yet as Santiago’s eyes twitched as he saw who was his next opponent. It was going to be him versus #1. Bubbles successfully took down #2 only minutes before and if he wins this match, they would face off for the championship and the right to face The Champion on High for their title.
Putting his deck into the Amplifier, Santiago delivered the first hit while #1 delivered one back in the following turn. Back and forth they went and when Santi thought it was all over and he was going to win the next round, #1 followed through on their programming. Tie before death. They activated a Fist ability. With the Time and Space Fist both currently on the field, they were able to deliver a hit to them both, resulting in a bombardment blast in each of their faces. Sad at his own tie with the “Sir David the Dopetastic” waiting in his hand to deliver the final blow, he accepted it quickly and moved on. Looking up at the point chart on the wall, he saw it and then looked over at Bubbles who saw it too.
Bubbles had thirty points and he had twenty-eight. She was the winner and it was her battle ahead alone. Meeting with him near the left side of the stadium field, they hugged it out as the fast best friends who were there for each other through the thick and thin. Their friendship was one of only the last few weeks but it still felt like an eternity longer. As Bubbles grabbed all of her equipment, with a hug to Santi, the title match was set to get underway. No matter what she believed to be true. No matter if she believed she was good enough to beat him. Only a few people in those stands actually believed it. It was time to prove just how much she belonged. Then, as she stepped onto the short cut green grass field, she placed her deck into the Power Amplifier and stared him down. Doubtanian then did the same motions to prepare for their match and his newest beatdown target.
With a cocky smirk from him and a determined gaze from her, they began.
“It’s on!”
Part 3
Doubtanian began with “The Biggest Fist Ever” followed up by “The Glass Fist” as he was beginning to set up the beatdown. Bubbles began her turn with “The God’s Great Golden Dragon” and “The God’s 24 Hour Diner.” She was setting up her field too when a comment from him resounded in the stadium.
“Why are you even here?”
“I’m here because a friend made me realize that I belonged here in this field. Just as much as you do.”
“Yeah…. Okay…. Sure. Ha.”
“What’s so funny?”
“The idea that a person like you could beat me… Like I said… you don’t belong here. You belong in your own league…” Cynical judgement on his red haired, blue eyed face.
“Says the one literally from another planet… I’ll show you.”
As her thick skin at his clear and utter disrespect grew, the turns passed. Cards were played and bombardments were declared. Hits were avoided by both as different effects protected them both from the damage attempted. It was an even match as they both gave it their all. What started off as jeers towards Bubbles with every disrespectful comment made, began to turn into cheers as she was slowly winning them over. Meanwhile, in the front row section of the other competitors, a nervous Santi watched on. A few rows back from him, Fer Fearsome sat in the stands. Virtually invisible as they took their notes. The Bubbles section grew next to the already robust and finished Santiago the II section on their pad.
With news stations one by one tuning into the match, Bubbles was fighting for all the ignored ones. All the ones who looked different than Doubtanian’s vision of success. His powerful ideals couldn’t stop what she believed to be true. Surnor was going to change.
“You are from another place and did you find hate or disrespect here on Surnor? No, I befriended you! I knew nothing about you but I trusted you! But how did you repay me? You gave me this game, learned from me and stole cards from me. You used me and then turned my world into your worshipping masses. You chose their fleeting love over our friendship…”
“Woah…” commented a flabbergasted Santi. It seems Bubbles had a track record with inter-portal travelers. But he wasn’t going to do that to her. When he was scared and missed his home, she was there for him. He wasn’t going to abandon her.
“But… I promise you this, Doubtanian. No Fist you have can punch your way into someone’s real affection. You’re buying a lie…”
“You stupid little girl… You said their fleeting love. All love is fleeting! I DECLARE BOMBARDMENT!” The much bigger Doubtanian towered over them both but luckily for them both, your height and physical power means nothing in the world of Six Point Stars. Only the way you can deliver the hits. The “Bigger Fist” was placed but no attacks rained down from above. He was toying with her. She could be only down to one if he did but he wasn’t attacking. He wasn’t even taking her seriously or he knew her strategy. Either way, he assumed she had nothing to do so he wanted to bully her more.
“You should have attacked me…” She just needed the right draw. One God could save her now and as she only played one card last turn, she only drew one. One draw and one smile.
Bringing out the power of her next God, her combo brought all the necessary hits to him as he fell down to his knees defeated. One of them lost to her and in the stunned stadium, a slow clap began to slowly grow for their young heroine. Looking around, her gaze met Santi’s and they smiled. Sharing that special moment, it was cut short when a yell from her defeated opponent viciously cut through the celebration.
“HOW DARE YOU? I… CAN’T… LOSE… NO… NO… NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! ” In his comment and tantrum, his orange hair changed to a golden and sandy blonde and in his sweating face, his make-up washed off. With this, Santi could finally see a scar on the left side of his face. The same as his own. A sharp pain shot through Santi’s stomach and then was gone.
“I changed everything… My name… My appearance… I left… I wanted a different life and you… you… SILLY GIRL! YOU RUINED IT! WHY?!”
“It can still change… This doesn’t have to be the end of your story, Doubtanian. You can join us. Santi and I.”
“No. I can’t change and… and… you’ll never understand. This is who I am. Goodbye…,” then within a few seconds, the sad and defeated one was gone, as quickly and randomly that he came into her life. Into a portal of his own creation and as the whole stadium began to return to their cheers, she collected her prize. Enough money to buy one passage to the Main Ring or two passages to another planet. With a smile and a strong gut feeling, she knew exactly what she was going to do. With an eye-brow raise and air high five to her best friend, it was then made official.
Part 4
Literally landing on the beach in a face-first arrival into the small patch of land where the golden sands met clear blue water, they looked upon white clay buildings in every direction as they raised their heads up. Buildings and a whole host of people who only recently saw them fall from the sky greeted them. With a screaming panic in every direction, Santi and Bubbles were quickly alone on Julie Beach, southern outskirts of Atala City by the Catalina Sea. With a world similar to Monica and CJ’s, it was a world of all oceans and one island. Atala City sat on that island.
“Well… good thing, we ended up on the island…”
“Yeah… Seriously,” responded Bubbles as they stood up and began walking.
Stepping into the main square, a rising pit filled both of their stomachs as each and every screen of that square had their faces on it. Words ranging in the labels with “invaders,” “aliens,” and “conquerors,” plastered each and every label. Surprised at himself for being able to read their text, it was clear that their arrival brought chaos and not everyone would appreciate it on this dark and sad planet. Grabbing Bubbles’ hand, they took down the alleyway to the left to avoid the surrounding masses as some sort of enforcement group seemed to be mobilizing to their previous right. Down the white clay alleyway, they proceeded down until at the end of it, another city square and in it, a sign labeled, “Portals. Random. Cheap,” with an arrow.
While they continued on through their new world with a much less friendly welcome than Santi had on Surnor, the Windowsill’s new function began to blink to the empty room, void all life who would actually click on it. Cal didn’t care though so he kept sleeping as the otherworldly frame began to draw upon its reference function. Starting with a history only a few days prior back on Pyroclastia, it showed just into the diversity and danger of the Doenca as Smart Doenca was talking to another member of his Tree of dissemination in a frosty cave near the gate to the Frozen Tundra of the North.
“You are rejecting the Hive Mind? Why? You can’t reject the good for us all…”
“You say it’s for the good of us all. The Original One and the other two are different so why can’t I be?”
Smart Doenca responded with his usual clarity and reason, “But… they didn’t have a choice. The Original One made Hopeful Doenca and Jealous Doenca. From them, we all formed. First, came me and the other. Then, you. You were part of my Tree… we were going to bring us all together… change our bloody history. Peaceful Doenca, what changed?
Stepping back from him and away from the fire, he began walking towards the exit.
“The Original One changed everything. He stopped the Rise of a Lord and rewrote it all. Now, I don’t have to be who I once was either…”
“What do you mean?”
“I found the realest peace, finally. We don’t need to think the same to be saved. We just need no more desires first… No desires and one Doenca to rule them all.” He was reaching the end of the cave and in his hand was a large hammer. One that he only used for the constructions of Doenca habitations. Supporting his fellow diseased brotherein. One used only for that, until now.
“COME BACK HERE!! PEACEFUL DOENCA, THAT’S AN ORDER!!!”
He put the silver mask on his face.
“No. And my name isn’t ‘Peaceful Doenca,’ I am Sixth.”
With a smirk, he swung his hammer into the beautiful yet fragile icy support beam of the cave. Crashing it down upon Smart Doenca and the other four who took refuge in there while the others warred outside, a literal wave of golden glitter rained down upon him. Peaceful, Smart, Cunning, Patient, Scared and Vengeful now coursed through him as he looked upon the world ahead. Accessing all their traits and memories.
“Ah… so, that’s where God Like’s Tree is hiding.”
Part 5
Santi and Bubbles ran ahead. The makeshift and small operation Portal Station was the only hope as they neared it now. If they got to it, they could either go back to Surnor or try somewhere in the Main Ring. Get out of the madness and the hysteria that surrounded their reality now. Within mere moments, they were once on the high of defeating Doubtanian and winning the tournament to become fugitives in a new place. Behind them, a few new figures have now begun to take the lead in the chase. Fer Fearsome in their tall and muscular form and behind them, two metallic suited individuals. It seems the trailing of all three has come to a close and they mean to finally collect. All of them didn’t look too particularly inviting though as they continued on through the square. Only mere meters until they reached their destination as an explosive bombardment rattled off behind them. Looking back with dread, they knew that those two metallic suit baddies weren’t quite planning on playing by the rules anymore as the danger was getting all too real now.
“There it is… Santi, I can see it!”
“Yeah!”
Then, before they could reach it, a singular portal opened up in front of them before their heels could meet the white ground. Stepping into it, Santi’s skin began to glow golden again as they were officially kidnapped into yet another new world. Furthering the madness as all three of their assailants caught up to them with ease, joining them there.
Part 6
With a total of 128 seconds spent in this new world, Santi and Bubbles were officially with a whole new issue now as Santi’s entire glowing body then began to develop glossed over eyes. In a sort of trance, his body became limp and useless as Bubbles needed to carry him across that seemingly empty golden stadium.
“Santi! Santi! WAKE UP!” Trying to get her friend back from his newest state of being, she looked over in panic and saw the massively tall Fer Fearsome, slowly walking in the distance. An all-black suit with black sunglasses was worn by their tracking intimidant. Not seeing the other two around, she felt a little better since Fer seemed to follow their rules more but they were still not quite truly safe. The Card Collector stopped though in their walking up as to her right was Camila Diego. The jade green haired, eyed and suited Head of Security for the Inter-Portal Alliance and one seriously vengeful and powerful soul.
With a challenge to Santi as bombardments from LC and Mizzou towards her guards could be heard in the distance, Camila put her deck into the Power Amplifier as Santi’s body went through the motions. His mind stuck somewhere else offworld entirely. With the reference notification still not being clicked on the Windowsill, that unclicked video showed the inner recesses of his mind. An activity on Pyroclastia a few weeks from now.
A face nearly identical to his fathers, like his but older, was staring into the mirror. Blue eyes and blonde hair with that scar on the left side. Able to tap into their consciousness, like a dream but unable not control anything, he was merely along for the ride while they commented about a master plan.
“God-King thinks he can defeat me. The Original One thinks that the rewrite changes anything. He is merely handing this world back to the hands of Hagro and Bnonoa. The Two Tadala brothers will always ruin things and destroy us Doencas. All of us. So… we must cripple them all first. Ruin their hope… Ah… wait… there is another soul here. Hello Santi… or should I say… The Runner Doenca…”
Able to finally respond as his body was quickly defeated in Six Point Stars back on Sololi, he began to talk out loud to Bubbles but also, Doenca the God-Like.
“Doenca…?”
“A Doenca. You are one of us and we are Doenca. The Egotistical Disease never meant to happen. The Original One made us when he went through such grief that it literally manifested into the first few of us then we began to spread and grow. Only a small group of us know the real truth. But since you are here and tapping into the Hive Mind, you were going to find out anyway.”
“Woah… wait… no… you mean… that’s why my Dad and I look so much alike?”
“Both parts of my dissemination Tree, the Honorable Doenca and the much younger Runner Doenca.”
“So… I’m a clone? Is that why I have stomach pains, golden skin and keep seeing people who look like me?”
“Yes but each of us is different. We each contain a trait of the Original One, split up. Do you remember that story that Honorable Doenca told you? That was him… he stopped Marche Tadala that day. He saved you when he went back in time to change his own story. He also gave you a second chance too, he gave all of life from that day onward a second chance by doing what he did.”
“Woah… And Runner Doenca?”
“Yes. You run away a lot. It’s what you do.”
“Ouch…”
Doenca the God-Like began to walk out of the room and towards his massive machine. In the shape of a giant shawarma cone, it rotated the same as one. “Yes it’s good, you survive then. But by doing this rewrite, he gave all the Trees of Doenca branches a second chance to war and change history too. Not all of us like to preserve our own Trees like me. I only want to hurt the others who hurt us, some want to hurt us because they believe we shouldn’t exist or they try to change us entirely. Ones like Sixth.”
So focused on the whole thing and ignoring the part where he mentioned hurting the others, he responded at the end of his long comment, “Ummm… that’s not good.”
“Yes. Sixth is one of our enemies.”
“One of? How will I know him?”
“You’ll know. You have a portion of my memories since you are a part of the Hive Mind now.”
“Okay…”
“Yes but don’t worry, my child, I’ll protect you. I’ll protect all within my Tree. What you need to know is that we aren’t like other life. We don’t need sunshine or things like that to survive. We only need our purpose. What we are. But as you know, not all life is like this.”
“Yes?”
Walking over and softly stroking the keypad of his machine with his fingertips, Doenca the God-Like or originally known as Jealous Doenca replied.
“Well… for years, they have found love under their stars. They have dreamed under their stars. They have been able to be more than just one thing and basically kiss the faces of the Heavens themselves under them. Those stars in the night sky helped them do that but they’ll help no longer… for now… all they can do for their stars is weep…”
Entering the command code into the machine, Santi began to realize just how dark and diabolical the origin of his Doenca Tree really was. Up four, up eleven, down ten and down four.
Then, as the machine began to turn on, the percentage number of zero was read across the screen. All the while, the reference notification brought two more unclicked new series of videos up for a mention. Both of them contain two contextually massive people in Pyroclastian history. Two brothers given a second chance to change everything. One Amor-armor-clad brother transferring his reacquired “Smile of Fate” and one undead brother defeating the “Curses of the Collossi.”
Without anyone to click on them too, they all remained unviewed by Cal and the empty hut as Santi remained within his locked mental state, defeated and laid waste to by a bombardment on the main Windowsill screen. Unable to access the combos in his deck, clearly pointed by his attacker. With a challenge to Bubbles now, Camila continued to scream at them, releasing the rage with every line.
Part 7
“The news spread so fast and we couldn’t contain the hysteria. The panic. I lost so much that day AND IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!” Camila yelled across at the stunned and frozen Santi. His quick and utter loss to her was inevitable though as everything was slowly crashing down for him. Defending her friend like always, Bubbles responded.
“It’s not our fault… we’re sorry, okay!”
Studying her enemy with the proper due diligence that she should, a reasonable comment was made as Bubbles went quiet in an instant.
“You didn’t have to leave Surnor. You could have just sold the tickets. Your travel is unnatural and you know it… Portals are fine in moderation but Santi there is using the Cosmos as his own playground, leaving nothing but chaos in his wake. I’ve seen what happened to the others. Now… IT’S TIME TO PAY! IT’S ON!”
As Camila Diego’s vengeance and anger resounded in each and every move that she made, powerful characters based upon her strong boot deck entered the field. Stomping out the opposing Gods over and over again. She was on a warpath and not even the consolation of her new lover, Fer who was watching on from a safe distance, could calm her now. She was going to finish this before her hired guns even had a chance.
Sure, she knew that LC Mav and Mizzou Cuse had been bought out by someone else. Sololi was hers to guard. She knew everything here but that didn’t matter. They wouldn’t even have the chance to do it before she was done. With aggression clouding her mind, she failed to notice the signs. Bubbles hit her twice but stopped attacking. Her weak Gods fell before her as she waited. Patiently defending with effects but no attacks back. Unable to see this trap, the last bombardment left Camila empty in her hand and that’s when Bubbles knew it was time to finally and abruptly strike back. Bringing down the strength of “The God of Chili Cheese Dogs,” she ended the match only minutes into it being played.
With first knees then hands touching the cold metal floor, Camila’s tears began to build up. She couldn’t get the complete revenge. She lost. Bubbles then put her greatest skill to work as she began to rationalize with them both as Fer joined Camila on the field.
“Why… I had the perfect deck. The perfect strategy. The perfect justification…”
“Why do you just assume you were justified? He was saved not too long ago by someone and he wanted to do the same. So, he made that wish that brought him to Surnor. Somehow, some way. Then, Santi helped me save my world because that’s just who he is. So, we left it so we could help inspire people to do the same. Keep the train going…”
“Oh…” her head sank as Camila was beginning to fully understand just why they did what they did. They weren’t casually traversing the Cosmos. They had their reason. Then, before another comment could be made in the apology, an explosion blasted through the door to the golden stadium they battled in. With a quick look at each other, Bubbles knew one thing. She had to get Santi out of here. Grabbing his hand, they both turned away as Camila chased after them. Fer right behind her. Turning around as they ran, Camila Diego saw the two silver metallic suited individuals in close pursuit.
Knowing this could be ugly, she felt it in her gut, she had to be the one who defended him now. With a yell to her attackers, another bombardment was gearing up as an all-too-convenient portal began to open up behind them. Assessing that it absolutely had to be a trap, a shared look between Camila and Bubbles discussed it all as they agreed and took their team of four into its silver shaded interspace design.
Part 8
They stepped into the new world as a singular bombardment met the ground from which they just left. With the newest attack from the bounty hunters, LC Mav and Mizzou Cuse, it was evident that they weren’t accepting the cancellation of the bounty and they weren’t playing by the rules of the game anymore. These bombardments were real aggressive and real dangerous as they followed them to Tirado. All the while, Bubbles assumed the lead of the group as Santi was still in his frozen state. Virtually useless to the team and everyone around him. Trapped in his own mind with glazed over eyes, the three of them guided him through the nearly perfectly clean streets of this silver clad utopia. Left turn, then right, then left again. They searched through the residential neighborhood for a way out. Another portal to bring them to safety.
Painful feelings shot through Santi’s gut as his body glowed a deeper and stronger shade of gold now. Whenever they reached a certain dead end, his body glowed less. More with others. They followed the increasing golden skin tone because with each movement in those directions, he was slowly coming back. Offering a sense of direction in their time of turmoil and stress.
With them literally jumping away from the last blast, Camila looked back in confusion when she heard yelling to see five silver-mask-toting individuals forming a line between them and their assailants. Hearing only a comment of this being “their world now” and “no one shall disturb the peace of Sixth,” the five on two fight began as they looked across at a singular being now. Above them all, a full moon painted the night sky with an eerie dread. Standing at the end of the cul-de-sac, he held a small dark red crystal case in his silver gloved hands. Eyes as blue as their own Santi’s staring them down behind his silver mask. An aura of immense power radiated from him and responding to it, Santi fully recovered. Almost on cue to this new threat. A threat that played the countermelody, guiding them here to this very spot.
Standing up with a friendly pat to the top of Bubbles’ head, he stood up and began to face the music of his destiny as a comment of his own started off the exchange.
“You…”
“Hello Santi… Running away again, are we?”
Part 9
“How are you here?” Unkempt blonde hair rustled in the building breeze.
“Ahhh… you remember now. Fitting you remember just in time for you to forget it all…”
“STOP!”
“Never…”
Sixth opened up the small dark red crystal case and finally unleashed the contents inside. The lead up and payoff has finally come. All the holes and craters left just to acquire this crystal proved to him how worth it this goal really was. It was time.
As the entirety of Tirado watched on in anticipation and fear, it has now begun as the ancient magical cloak of fog began to spread out in each and every direction in the small cul-de-sac they warred upon. Covering their mouths and noses, Santi, Bubbles, Fer and Camila were fine for the time being. LC Mav’s and Mizzou Cuse’s metallic suits protected them too as they unconsciously lay victorious on the ground in the finishing of their two on five match with The First Five. Sixth was the only one left but the seemingly invincible opponent stared down the four of them behind his silver mask. No fear in his eyes. The shattered remnants of the portal creation machines they were rushing towards lay broken all around them. It was clear they weren’t leaving here unless Sixth lost or said so.
“But to think… This magic manifested as some Count on Earth and was wasting its great power on having roommates. The magic of memories. The creation and loss of them. Now… it’s all mine. Welcome to your newest life, Santi. Without those silly old things, you’ll forget all your pain. All your suffering. All your failures. You’ll find the realest peace…”
With a stronger painful feeling in his gut than ever before, Santi replied, “End this now…”
“The answer is the same now as it was then… no…”
The two of them began setting up their Power Amplifiers and decks to settle this as the Far Reaches does. It seemed weird to the other three though as Santi and Sixth shared a connection, a seemingly long-standing vendetta. Repeatedly mentioning times past and previous conflicts. With a concern for her friend but a belief he could handle it, Bubbles held the other two back. As the two of them only finished the set up and said the phrase to start, Sixth continued.
“… but what? Are your friends there not going to save you and join our little match?”
“I can finish this all by myself.”
“Okay. But I can assure you. You aren’t ready for me.”
With his skin beginning to glow a bright golden color amongst his own gut wrenching feelings, Santi replied through the ailments, “Yeah… whatever… just bring it.”
Taking the first turn, Sixth moved first and placed a Location down. One with the effect of destroying any three cards on the field then he played three balls of mud. The Biggest Mud, Bigger Mud and Big Mud in his Main, Side and Extra slots of his Antagonist spots. With a light chuckle, he ended his turn. Santi played his “Sir Trenton the Brave” and support character “Bow and Arrow Holder” using their effect to increase the other, just for safety. With this, a bombardment was declared on the weaker mud balls, going for the first hit.
In a surprising response, Sixth used the ability of his Location on his own characters. Still taking the hit. With the rebound, it cleared them out too as Santi lost his own characters in the bombardment. With a questioning huh from Santi, the next Location answered all his questions as Sixth played the “Rain Pit,” which brought his mud balls back from the discard but this time, they could deliver two hits in one bombardment.
With a bombardment declared, Santi quickly fell behind as the direct attack smacked into him. He was going to lose the already quick game of Six Point Stars in an even quicker fashion. With the golden effect on his skin growing brighter and brighter, he knew that this short but sweet match needed to come to a close. Drawing two cards to replenish his hand of six, he played “Sir Emerson the Irreplaceable,” in the Main Protagonist. His sixteen power was enough to surpass the Mud Balls which only totaled nine together but if he just attacked like normal, it was only going to be one hit but that combo of rebirth and destruction was enough to end him in one bombardment. He had to end it here. The vapor was almost to the houses on the street. He couldn’t let them be affected by Sixth’s insanity.
“… I play the ‘Portal of Rewritten Endings,’ and it’s time to show you exactly why you can’t forget your pain. Our pain, our stories, our suffering. They make us who we are. So… maybe you might want to try and learn a thing or two about you before you just forget. Like I did when I went through a painful loss to a now very good friend.”
Looking back at Camila Diego with a smile, he activated its effect. One that lets him exchange his hits with any other player. Now, he was with two and they only had one left. With this new situation, he ended it with one last bombardment as more and more curious eyes peaked through the windows of the petrified houses that surrounded them. A bombardment that arrived just in time, dropping down upon him and with it, he was gone. The fog with him. In the settling dust now was only a small plume of golden glitter which slowly moved towards Santi. Absorbing into his own skin.
With a shutter and the strange feeling in his gut and skin fading, he looked over at his friends and smiled. With a circle around their hero of the moment, they then looked around as the citizens of Tirado applauded their team effort saving them all. With LC and Mizzou joining them, apologies were given and now, they stood together and saw it once more. The broken portal machines signaled that they just might be nearing the end of their journey though and when the hope of it all seemed lost, a portal barely wider than the letter itself opened and dropped it on the street in front of them. Walking over, Bubbles picked it up and began to read.
Part 10
Between the combined efforts of Santi, Bubbles, Fer Fearsome, Camila Diego, LC Mav and Mizzou Cuse, they stood victorious over Sixth and The First Five. Assessing there was already too much violence between the six of them, the two of them decided to finally abandon it all. The days of collecting bounties were finally done. With this promise amongst them all, it was over. Watching the previously hired Bombardments of Camila walk off into the distance in their matching metallic armored suits, LC Mav and Mizzou Cuse were going to return to where they came from but a singular letter on the ground provided the bait for the four of them to search more. With the hand-written letter laying upon the only intact piece of pavement on the small cul-de-sac street they finished the fight on, Chuck of Nuevas Amigas’ “Office of Inter-Portal Affairs” seemed to have the answers they searched for. With this promise alone, they accepted his invitation and checked the box, “yes.”
Within seconds of the invite being responded too, a portal opened up in front of them and they proceeded on. Santi leading the charge. With the much older and taller, blue-haired and blue eyed Fer on the left end, Bubbles stood next to them. Next to Bubbles was her best friend forged in the fires of traversing worlds, Santi. Then, on his other side walked the age-and height-equal-to-Fer, green haired and green eyed, Camila. Stepping onto a much bigger and much less-tattered street than the one they left, they surveyed with their eyes before stepping forward. In Bubbles’ she could see a sign labeled for a Portal Station with an arrow pointing down the street. Barely a soul could be seen on the massive streets of this seemingly endless city. With a quizzical question she asked them all as they proceeded ahead to the giant green tower in front of them.
“An Office dedicated to portals and signs advertising Portal Stations. Clearly, people like us aren’t too weird to this place…”
Fer replied in their signature deep and gruff voice, “Yeah. I’m not sure why but I don’t trust it.”
Camila grabbed upon her beloved shoulder and smiled as the much less serious half of the couple added, “You don’t trust anything. C’mon, it’s us four together. Who can seriously stand up to us?”
The being of few words replied, “Yeah. I guess.”
Looking across the group, Santi held the door to the tallest building around as they walked into the Office of Inter-Portal Affairs. Walking in, a single man stood in the lobby. Empty otherwise. In a white lab coat with his yellow glasses and matching yellow hair and eyes, Chuck greeted them as they began towards the elevator.
“Welcome! My name is Dr. Chuck Smith. I was so happy you accepted my invite here. When I was studying the Cosmos, I was able to pick up a distress signal from Tirado and I saw the work you did. The way that you all stopped Sixth and his insane goal, truly impressive. I mainly wanted to call you here because as you can see, most of our streets are empty. People are scared and in hiding. I need some help…”
Santi replied, “Thanks but what kind of help? And… what’s the Cosmos?”
“I mainly need help with an experiment about portals and travel. Ahhhh yes. The Cosmos. Our collection of planets. Main Ring and Far Reaches alike. Earth, Pyroclastia, Surnor, Atala City on the Catalina Sea, Sololi, Tirado, Nuevas Amigas, Scania, etc. It’s known as the Cosmos by those of us who study it. Different planets, separated by ancient magical walls, but still connected in history and culture. Ah, here we are. Let me show you.”
An impressed Camila looked at Bubbles and replied, “That’s a lot of places to study…”
Stepping off the elevator on the top floor, they emerged into a small metallic walled lab. Screens with rising and lowering bars on each and in middle, a monitor with a single percentage ticked up. Ushering them away from that though, Fer took a gaze at it with distrusting eyes.
“So, here we are,” muttered Chuck as they looked it over. Pyroclastia had the bridge to Earth but it was crossed off after the events of Tom, Brad and Timmy in the 1800’s. With a note pointing this out. They could see the Main Ring in a circle while the Far Reaches were scattered out around the Ring. While they looked it over and studied his work so far, Chuck let out a quiet giggle as he began to fiddle on his small computer in the corner. Breaking the silence, Santi offered the next question to the mysterious host who seemed to know so much.
“In your letter, you mentioned knowing the truth behind Tirado and who Sixth is. What do you mean? What truth is there?”
“Ah, yes. Tirado. That planet,” as another giggle was let out.
“Yes?”
All stepping forward while Chuck fiddled more on the keys, the percentage on the main monitor began to creep up even more, reaching 80%. Another giggle was released from his vocal cords.
“Well… yes. What you found in Sololi was 100% correct, Santiago the II.”
With a rising pit in his stomach, he weakly replied, “…what… do… you… mean…?”
With his next reply, Chuck’s demeanor began to change as his smile was replaced with a devious smirk and intense, insanity driven, eyes.
“Oh, you know the line… ‘For now, all they can do for their stars is weep…’”
With Santiago’s face going blank, he was beginning to freeze up again. Immediately, Bubbles stepped up to defend him as Fer and Camila looked at each other then slowly reached for their decks.
“Stop it, Chuck. This isn’t funny.”
“Chuck…? Who’s CHUCK?! OH… Chuck… Chuck isn’t here anymore… HAHAHAHA, he went home for the day. My name is… Aqui No Mas. HAHAHAHA, and I have all the answers you intellectually pathetic peons desire. You just have to win it from me. That is, before the last 19% is completed. But speaking of the 81% that is completed… how about, let’s first start off this party with a little SHAKING FUN!”
Hitting the red button on his keypad connected to the small computer, a shockwave with the same shade as his own glasses rapidly erupted from his centralized machine, in all directions after violently shaking the building they stood in. Shattering the walls of his small laboratory, it revealed the giant red bricked coliseum that they now stood in the center of.
With Bubbles waking up Santi from his daydream state, the two of them grabbed their decks while Aqui No Mas set up his. Camila replied, “What happens then?”
“No. More. Walls.”
“No more walls?”
“Yes. My ingenious case study on the evolution of life itself. So, let’s play a game and defend my Thesis today. Let’s see if traversing portals truly made you stronger or if you would have been better off in one place, like me. Travel or training and prepping like I have. So, without further ado, let the final experiment begin…”
All in unison, they began the match with the custom of each drawing their six cards and the common phrase used by every Six Point player from every reach of the Cosmos, “It’s on!”
With Fer beginning the first turn, she placed a Main Protagonist and Main Antagonist down and ended the turn. Aqui smiled his growingly evil smile.
“I first play the Main Protagonist, Alloy of Deceptive Strength. And its ability is truly a fun one. Now, we can only draw one card a turn, at the max, instead of our usual six.”
“What?!” Reacted Camila and with that and a smile, he continued on.
“Now, I think I’ll use these two equally fun Antagonist cards, Alloy of Mining and Alloy of Shields. Each player here now has to send from their deck to the discard enough cards so that our decks only equal the number of players in our current match. Then, each and every last one of those cards can’t be revived for the rest of the game…”
As the four of them quickly lost the four on one advantage, Aqui No Mas played his final Main Antagonist of his opening hand as he giggled more.
“Finally, meet my Infinite. The Alloy of Undefeated Willpower. With him on my field, I instantly take two hits and then I can’t declare Bombardment. But who needs to declare Bombardment when now, I can never be hurt. So, now… you only have five cards left and six turns after you run out of cards. Leaving you a total of 44 turns between you all to surpass my VASTLY superior brain. Time’s ticking. You’re up, Camila…”
Part 11
The dust was beginning to settle after Fer’s last bombardment while the walls that once separated the planets of the Cosmos began to slowly crack even more.
Within the coliseum atop Nuevas Amigas’ tallest building, they waged their card game war. But this time for stakes higher than any before. Much like they have been doing for many fights prior, they placed their deck slowly but surely into the Main Protagonist, Location or Extra slot alike. But the four of them were finally in cahoots with a common enemy. In this last turn of the four versus one match, Fer Fearsome’s Infinite attempted to finally sever his defense and deliver a hit to him.
This attack fell upon his own Infinite and the perfectly situated defense though with no more damage being done. He only had one of his three hits remaining while they had now exhausted nearly all of their Main, Side and Extra characters. Protagonists, Locations and Antagonists alike. Each and every last one being whipped out after their unsuccessful bombardments rained down from above. None of their power numbers seemed to be high enough though. Inside of his protective dome, he labored away in the name of scientific advancement and while Camila’s turn began, a card was drawn from a deck once more then began to situate into the field of powerful Boots to try and bring the stomp down upon Aqui No Mas, finally. With a gleeful laugh, he looked up from his small computer through his honey mustard yellow glasses and giggled. Spilling out his maniacal vision for anyone available to listen.
“Camila Diego… Fer Fearsome… Santiago the II… and Bubbles. Two people, one boy and one girl. Four beings, oh so different, who had to traverse countless portals, regimes and threats to meet each and gather here at this moment. I could have saved you so much heartbreak… When young Santiago there came to your world, Bubbles, it was a wreck. Yes… I have been observing you all for a very long time… Doubtanian had an iron tight grip upon your world until our little upstart rebel came to ‘save the day.’ Through our beloved game, Six Point Stars, he gave you hope and an eternal friendship but more importantly, that was the day I knew what I must do too. Then, as fate would have it, Camila and Fer here attempted to get revenge upon our young portal traveler for causing what they believed to be chaos but what I see as the natural progression of all life. Furthering my theory that I had an answer. So, if you please just look at life itself through the four of you, you can see it too. It’s evolving to breach the gaps and bring itself closer together. You are the perfect case study! CAN’T YOU FEEL IT? We belong to it. Nature longs for it… No. More. Walls.”
Yelling back to him, Camila attempted to deliver a hit that intended to bypass his Infinite defender. “You’ve lost it… I DECLARE BOMBARDMENT!”
Able to defend himself with a location effect, Aqui No Mas survived but had to destroy his “Alloy Fusing Factory,” as he smirked. “Well… Clearly you just lack the logic to see what the potential of this is… There would be a chaotic adjustment of course but that is normal. That is life. That is merely evolution and science. Yes. Science. Yes, only Science. You just need to think of the benefits! Like your dearly beloved, Fer. You two world-crossed lovers could have spent so much more time together if only you just allowed me to do this sooner. In the name of a love like yours. No. More. Walls.”
Drawing another card from his deck, the foundations that separated entire worlds of oceans, living bones and cities of innocent people began to further compromise. Placing a new location in the star point spot, he then continued on as the strongest Six Point player alive, Bubbles, began her turn, searching for a God card that could maybe save them.
“… I can save you. You just have to want it. You just have to want to accept the truth. As long as you all oppose me, you can’t win. It’s simple logic. Fer goes, I go, Camila goes, I go, Bubbles goes, I go, Santiago goes, I go, and Fer again. My alloy defensive cards are too strong and you are running out of time. So… which of you will stay and which of you will surrender? Whoever is staying… say it with me… No. More. Walls.”
Declaring a bombardment that fell upon his defense, her “God of Bombardments” was swiftly removed after he fulfilled his namesake. Her amber eyes and hair still held the fire and intensity to win this though, no matter his defenses. In his quick turn, Aqui No Mas fiddled upon the keyboard while passing on his turn. All spots on his field were currently full, while Santi’s blue eyes and blonde hair sitting on his nervous form drew from his deck, searching for a way out.
“Is it Bubbles, our great heroine of Surnor? Or is it Santiago of the mighty Pyroclastia? How about Fer or Ms. Diego? Surely, I can’t be the only one with any vision. Look deeper then. Walls are unnatural creations, spitting in the face of nature. One universe it once was. One universe it shall be again. Just like a portal itself, progress is a circle. No. More. Walls.”
Drawing another Knight from his deck, Santiago replied to the crazed scientist as he could see the foundations reaching their critical point.
“You are right about threading through the walls that separate us. If I never made that wish, I would have never begun my journey that brought me to Bubbles, Mizzou, Fer, LC, Camila and so many more. But what you are saying isn’t progress or scientific equality, it’s a battle royale of lifeforms. A free-for-all massacre for those who can’t defend themselves…. Simple people against creatures the size of mountains. Stop this, please… this madness has to end now…”
Placing down three characters at once, he declared a tri-fueled bombardment. Three powers added together but none of it proved to be strong enough as his Infinite defended it all. Then, like all the unsuccessful attacks that came before, his field was whipped clean once more. His location that powered them up too. With a smirk of his own, knowing he had seven out of seven locations needed to automatically end the game now in his discard, Santiago ended his turn. He just needed the last two cards.
“You are right, young Santiago. It ends here. But it is not madness… I assure you… it is merely the new age of life itself. NOW… WITHOUT FURTHER ADO… SAY IT WITH ME… NO! MORE! WALLS!”
Then with an audible and deafening crack, the walls that once separated each world from each other world began to completely and utterly fall and shatter.
With a gut wrenching feeling amongst the four of them and a joy with Aquí No Más, they could only look around and see the fruits of his insane labor coming to ripen. As it was all crashing down in a catastrophic beginning to the Cosmos’ largest and most dramatic evolutionary shift, it suddenly and abruptly stopped. The shattering that was hyped and led up to then was thrown into reverse. The walls began repairing with only a little damage being done. Looking up in disarray and hope, they only saw a single black armored being carrying a fresh snowfall white colored sword darting across the sky riding on the back of a red and black crow the size of a mountain.
Looking up in joy, Santiago knew who it was but before another word could be uttered or screamed to their savior, he was instantly gone in a poof of golden glitter. Standing in the wake of it all, still confused, Bubbles reacted.
Carrying on the honor of her best friend, she drew one of the few remaining cards from her deck and smiled. Bringing the “God of Waffles” into the Main Protagonist spot, she called upon all of his syrupy power. An effect that turns any Infinite into the same power of one of hers but then it is dropped down by one more point. With this in place, it was time to finally end it with a dramatic fashion and one last soft spoken but powerful command.
“I declare bombardment.”
As Aquí No Mas’ perfect defense finally fell, she won the fight for the now three of them. With him disappearing from the cloud of smoke after being launched far into the distance, it was unclear if he survived or not but it was clear to any and all that Nuevas Amigas, and the rest of the Cosmos, was going to be fine that day.
With still a little shock at the whole exchange, she couldn’t quite fathom what happened. He was there and the Cosmos was ending. Then, he wasn’t and they were safe. It was all so sudden and just as quickly as her friend entered her life, he was gone. Trying to decide what she wanted to do, she looked over at Camila and Fer. They hugged it out on the torn and tattered battlefield and as they did, she was hit with it in her gut. She knew what she must do yet again. Greeting Fer and Camila first, those two then returned to their own world’s with the ability to still see each other on the weekends now. Watching them meander off, she couldn’t let them know what she was going to do now. She couldn’t let them come with. They had their happy ending but her journey was just beginning. With a smile, Bubbles then grabbed her deck, her equipment and her bag and headed for the elevator. Down to the street level.
Leaving the tattered glass front doors into the slowly repopulating sidewalk, she quickly walked back to the Portal Station once more. Carrying with her as she stepped up when it was her time in the line, the money for a new passage in one pocket and a photo of her friend in the other.
The End
Castle Johnson Publishings 