The screaming of the townsfolk didn’t interrupt the Red Fairy Show.
The Red Fairy was relentless, blasting both settlements with gleeful abandon. Each bolt that struck sent ripples of panic through the crowd, and each explosion of lightning echoed her delight.
“Come on, people! Where’s your spirit?” she taunted, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You wanted to be in a leading town, right?”
Atlas watched the scene unfold from the war room, his brows furrowing with concern. ‘This isn’t good,’ he thought, feeling a hint of Schadenfreude. ‘She’s going to drive them all crazy.‘
“Maybe a little punishment will spark some competition,” the Red Fairy mused, her tone turning serious. “After all, the Wasteland needs a little shake-up. Let’s see if you can rise to the occasion, or if you’ll just sit back and let Atlas do all the work.”
BOOM!
Another lightning strike charred a citizen of the Celestial Empire. The Red Fairy, winked at the camera.
There was no place to hide from the Fairy’s wrath. Everyone in the wasteland watched as lightning rained down on two settlements.
While this was going on, the 1950s-esque Red Fairy show song played, the lightning and screaming adding a macabre twist to the lyrics.
***
‘‘The Red Fairy Show‘‘
‘(Verse 1)‘
The Red Fairy is the best,
You're here to watch her show,
With sparkles and surprises,
She steals the spotlight glow.
‘(Chorus)‘
Oh, the Red Fairy is the best,
Your eyes will always glow,
When you're watching the Red Fairy show,
Feel the magic start to flow!
‘(Verse 2)‘
The Red Fairy is delicate,
Her charm will make you swoon,
With a wink and a giggle,
She lights up every room.
‘(Chorus)‘
Oh, the Red Fairy is the best,
Your eyes will always glow,
When you're watching the Red Fairy show,
Feel the magic start to flow!
‘(Bridge)‘
The Red Fairy is smart,
She knows just how to play,
With laughter and with mischief,
She’ll brighten up your day!
‘(Chorus)‘
Oh, the Red Fairy is the best,
Your eyes will always glow,
When you're watching the Red Fairy show,
Feel the magic start to flow!
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‘(Outro)‘
So gather 'round and cheer,
Let your worries drift away,
With the Red Fairy in sight,
It’s a perfect, joyful day!
Oh, it's the Red Fairy show!
Yes, it's the Red Fairy show!
https://suno.com/song/7c1b1a81-cde3-4356-9ed6-985510a0f2ee
‘‘‘
“Enjoy those T-shirts, Portal Crushers!” she yelled one last time before vanishing into a puff of sparkles, leaving behind a stunned silence.
‘‘‘
The surviving citizens of the two battered settlements looked around, their fear morphing into a mix of relief and uncertainty. They dared not voice their protests, knowing the Red Fairy’s whims could return at any moment. Jed Lawson’s jaw dropped. “What just happened?” he asked, bewildered.
‘‘‘
The Celestial Emperor far away in his settlement sighed heavily, shaking his head in disbelief. “I suppose we’d better step up our game, or this will be the new normal.”
As they began to assess the damage, Atlas turned to his team. “Let’s keep a closer eye on things. We never want to be on the end of surprises like that.”
With the Red Fairy’s maniacal performance behind them, a newfound determination began to stir among the various settlement leaders. The Wasteland may have been a place of uncertainty, but this was the kick they needed to push their empires forward—if only so that they could survive the fairy's next whim.
Before the people of the Wasteland could fully react to the aftermath of the Red Fairy Show, the air shimmered with tension as the familiar, ominous sound of BZORP echoed through the settlements.
***
POV : EARTH
“Oh my god, Becky, did you see that new documentary?”
Her friend, Becky, tilted her sunglasses, giving her an exaggerated look, “Duh. There’s no one alive who hasn’t seen it.”
“I know, right? I wasn’t paying attention to Atlas and the Portal Crushers back when they first won the SFB Championship.”
“Same,” Becky shrugged. “But that documentary? Killer. Atlas looks so handsome. I’m obsessed.”
“Yeah, drool,” her friend echoed. “But do you think it’s all true? Like, really?”
“Well, it’s gotta be! Look at the way they poofed—gone! Just like Atlas hinted at the whole time. And now no one knows what’s happening in the wasteland.”
“True that,” Becky nodded, letting her sunglasses fall back into place.
Their conversation naturally drifted to other topics, including their latest K-pop boy band crushes and the SFB league. The SFB had rolled into the new season, but this one had an asterisk stamped all over it. With Atlas and the Portal Crushers vanishing, there was no reigning champion. Hell, many of the top fighters had been sucked into portals as well. It was like when Major League Baseball went on strike and half the players disappeared. Even Mohammed, who had led the second-place team, had been sucked into a portal.
Meanwhile, the president of SFB wasn’t crying over spilled milk—he was celebrating. That new documentary about Atlas and the Portal Crushers’ preparation for the wasteland wasn’t just entertainment; it was a warning. SFB training was now a hot survival ticket. Gyms like the Society of Creative Battles had skyrocketed in memberships. People didn’t just want to work out—they wanted to learn how to wield a sword. How to survive. Just in case.
SFB had always been on the rise, even as the world’s number two sport. Number one depended on where you lived: hockey in Canada, soccer in South America, and football in the U.S. But the SFB president couldn’t shake the growing thought: ‘How do we squeeze more money out of this?‘
He’d been quietly training himself with SFB fighters. He wasn’t going to win any championships, but every hour of training gave him a sliver of hope. He wanted to be ready if the portals came for him. He chuckled remembering various leaders getting sucked out of the hospitals last time. No place was safe anymore.
‘‘‘
In the basement of their mom’s house, two boys were glued to the screen, controllers in hand, immersed in a new video game. It was based on sword fighting, and Atlas and the Portal Crushers were unlockable characters. SFB’s president had licensed the game so fast it made people’s heads spin. It played like Mortal Kombat, only way cooler, at least in their opinion. Everything connected to Atlas was pure financial gold. Magazines had even crowned him Man of the Year, and those sold out instantly.
“Johnny, how’re you dealing with the fact that everyone’s just… gone?” Brendan asked, mashing buttons on the controller.
Johnny sighed, pausing the game. “It’s weird, man. My dad’s the only one left from the original Portal Crushers, and he’s been swamped with interviews. Feels like he’s on a talk show every other night. What about you? “
“I’m doing ok, “said his friend, “You were at the live event. Was it as nuts as the documentary made it look?”
“It was crazier,” Johnny admitted, leaning back in his chair. “Nobody believed it at first. You should’ve seen people’s faces when the portals started opening, and—BOOM—they were gone.”
Brendan shuddered, “Are you, uh… glad your dad’s still here?”
“Yeah,” Johnny said softly, staring at the screen. “I mean, my parents are divorced, but I’m glad he didn’t get sucked into the wasteland. I don’t even wanna think about those demon dogs. You see the sketches from the documentary?”
“Ugly mutts,” Jimmy agreed. “Sketches were enough to give me nightmares.”
“Are you worried you’ll get pulled into a portal tomorrow?”
Johnny shrugged, but his voice trembled a bit, “I don’t know, man. I’m turning 18 at midnight, and… birthday parties feel more like a death flag than a celebration now.”
“Yeah, but think about it. If we do get sucked in, we’d go in as warriors,” Brendan grinned, brightening up. “My dad got me full armor, sword, and shield—just like his.”
“Dude, same!” Johnny perked up. “That’s what I asked my parents for. My mom nearly cried. Like, how bad is the world when your kid asks for armor for his birthday?”
“It’s scary out there, man.”
“I know, bro.”
They fell into silence for a moment, the weight of the world pressing in on their small basement refuge. Then, with a quick glance at each other, they unpaused the game. Because in that basement, with their controllers in hand, they were still in control—at least for a little while longer.
***
