Devil's Peak

Chapter 5

Christopher blinked in the dim light, finding himself clad in military gear with Joe and Tracyn at his side. They were crouched behind a pile of rubble, peering out at what appeared to be an enemy base. It was surreal-like they were in one of Tracyn's favorite video games, Ghost Recon.

"Okay, team," whispered the Recon commander, who had seemingly materialized from thin air. "Our mission is to infiltrate that enemy base, but it's heavily guarded. We'd lose too many men if we attempted a direct assault."

Tracyn glanced around at their surroundings before looking back at the commander. "It's not a problem, really. This is just a dream."

"Excuse me?" The commander raised an eyebrow skeptically. "How can you possibly know this is a dream?"

"Two reasons," Tracyn said, ticking them off on his fingers. "First, there are three fifth-graders on your elite Ghost Recon team. Second... well, look at the guards." He gestured toward the base, where iconic cartoon characters from the 80s patrolled the perimeter.

"Good point," conceded the commander. "Alright, team. Let's move out."

As they crept toward the base, Christopher couldn't help but marvel at the bizarre situation. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of adrenaline and excitement coursing through him. Even though it was just a dream, the danger felt real.

"Are you guys ready for this?" he whispered to Joe and Tracyn.

"Definitely," Joe replied, grinning despite the circumstances. "This is like one of those dreams you never want to wake up from!"

"Speak for yourself," Tracyn muttered, rolling his eyes. "I've had enough of these cartoon nightmares to last a lifetime."

"Right," Christopher agreed, trying to suppress a laugh. "Let's just focus on completing the mission and getting out of here."

"Copy that," Joe said, nodding determinedly.

Together, they made their way toward the enemy base, ready to face whatever bizarre challenges awaited them inside. Little did they know that their adventure was only just beginning.

With hearts pounding, the three boys stealthily entered the base, staying close to the shadows. The air was thick with tension and the scent of ozone, likely from some kind of magical barrier. They rounded a corner and came face-to-face with their first enemy: Glitter Pony, complete with fire-breathing capabilities and wind blades shooting from her wings.

"Seriously?" Joe muttered, rolling his eyes. "This is just too weird."

"Focus," Tracyn whispered urgently. "I've faced her before. She's tougher than she looks."

"Alright," Christopher agreed, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Let's do this."

As if on cue, Glitter Pony unleashed a torrent of flames in their direction. The boys dove for cover, narrowly avoiding being roasted alive. Christopher's heart raced as he peeked out from behind a stack of crates, watching the winged pony prepare another attack.

"Okay, so how do we defeat her?" Joe asked, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Glitter glue," Tracyn said. "Trust me, it works."

"Glitter...glue?" Christopher repeated incredulously.

"Yep," Tracyn confirmed with a nod. "Just throw it at her, and she'll be stuck."

Christopher shook his head in disbelief but reached into his pocket and pulled out a small tube of glitter glue. With Glitter Pony momentarily distracted, he hurled the tube at her, holding his breath as it soared through the air.