Orb of Power

Webfic Writing Challenge: Flash Fiction involving two friends fighting over an "Orb of Power."

==============================

Two young faces were squished against the glass display case, both wide eyed and gaping. “Holy crud!” said Bryan. “Is that what I think it is?”

“The Orb of Power!” said Krystie. “Only a 1,000 copies were ever printed!”

Before them, resplendent on its little plastic stand, was a single card. Beneath its transparent protective sleeve, the card glistened with a reflective sheen, illuminating the dark purple boarder with highlights of golden shine. On the top half of the card, a picture of an old man in flowing white robes was ringed with a halo of silver reflection, holding aloft a shining bronze orb. Below was a grey box with a simple text: “When the Orb of Power enters the field, all opponents are unable to attack its wielder directly.” Below, more text was italicized: “Even the eternally anguished armies of the Deep Hells could not bare to bring harm to the one who stood in the shadow of the Orb. Its simple radiance held even the most embittered hearts in awe.”

Scrawled across the card was a scribbled autograph, unintelligible to the unlearned, yet instantly recognizable to any half-way dedicated player of the game. Signed by Salvador Amano, creator of The Majestic World Collectable Card Game. The Orb of Power had been released as a bonus at a recent convention, and now fetched unreasonable prices on eBay. To see a physical copy at their very own local comic store set the two kid’s hearts afire.

“DIBS!” cried Krystie.

“Hell no! I saw it first!” said Bryan, scowling.

“Did not!”

“Did so!”

“Did not!”

“Did so!”

“Did not times infinity!”

“Did so times infinity plus one!”

“Your mom times infinity plus infinity!”

Bryan faltered for a second. “That… that doesn’t even make sense!”

But Krystie was already flagging down the shop owner, not waiting to see Bryan’s reaction. “I want the Orb of Power card! Please please please please please I saw it first me me me!”

Old Harold sighed and rolled his eyes, “You kids aren’t even going to be playing that game anymore by next month. How many other cards are collecting dust in your closet?”

“I don’t care, I want it now!” said Krystie, pouting and crossing her arms.

“Hey, man, I saw it first! I want it!”

“Well, I want it more, which is why I got to the owner first.”

“It’s worth at least one hundred dollars, you know,” said Harold. “Collectors item and all that.”

That gave both kids pause. They pulled out their wallets and frowned at their meager ten dollars each. Their parents were not likely to give either of them a sudden ninety dollar allowance increase.

They glanced at the card, crestfallen for a moment, then shrugged. “The Majestic World sucks anyway,” said Bryan.

“Yeah,” said Krystie. “Let’s get some Dark War cards instead!”

“Alright!”

Harold sighed, dragging out the longbox of cards, the poor Orb of Power already forgotten. Kids these days...