Brenda's Boardgame Vol 3 (Complete)

After the game had been played twice a very curious thing happened to it. It disappeared. That in itself wasn't unusual, it was a magical board game after all. What was unusual is that due to a slight miscalculation it missed it's intended target and sailed off through time and space.

A magical boardgame without players isn't very special at all. It had no sentience, not in a conventional way at least, but it did have a desire. Over the eons that desire to be played slowly manifested itself as magical energy which built up, and up, and up until finally. Pop. It reappeared back on earth.

Unfortunately it missed the era when college students might find it and think it's a fun way to spend an evening, landing instead in a brothel in France, 1642.

The story of how the game made it from France to become locked in a secret room within a library at Princeton without ever being played is an interesting one, but not the story told here.

This is the story of the the third time Brenda's boardgame was played, and how it changed the lives of everyone involved.

The year is 2024. The boardgame has been sealed away for so long but finally the day has come. A burst of magic erupts from the box and strikes a wall. At first nothing happens, but slowly, on the other side of the wall, a book falls.

"What was that noise?" Alice asks, jumping out of her seat. She'd just heard a noise, but she had been sure they were the only ones left in the library. Alice had always found this library creepy, and wouldn't have been caught dead here at night except...well...this is where her group had chosen to work on their project. Alice was a little too timid to speak up and suggest someone where else.

"Who cares?" Said Garth, "Let's just finish this." Unlike Alice, Garth loved the library at night. It had been his idea to come here. The campus held lots of other places to study and work, all much nicer than this old run down place. Garth loved the solitude this place afforded, his only complaint was actually sharing it with the other three people in his group. He would have been happy to work on their individual parts separately.

"No, she's right. Someone better go check that out." Said Sophia looking pointedly at Liam. She knew Alice wouldn't let it go until someone investigated the noise. Alice was key to getting this project done, or at least done well. Sophia also knew Garth wouldn't go no matter what she said. As for investigating herself? Ya right.

Liam laughed, "Sure. Why not?" He winked at Alice and got up and walked over towards where the noise had come from. Liam always found it funny all the ghost stories these Americans had. They insisted that since Yale was so old it had to have ghost or other supernatural entities. Like a few hundred years was old. They were always shocked when he told them Eton had been founded in the 1400s.

He saw the book lying on the ground and picked it up, "It was just a book falling over." He called back to the others. He went to put it back but noticed something strange about the empty spot on the shelf. "What is that..."

Liam's curiosity got the better of him and he started to push the entire shelf aside. He never stopped to consider how light it felt, how easy it was to move. He just had to satisfy his curiosity. Once the shelf was aside he was able to confirm his suspicious, "Hey everyone come here. There's a door." When he couldn't hear anyone coming he called again, "I'm serious. Get over here."

The shuffling of chairs sounded and eventually his three classmates joined him. "Whoa, I wonder what's in there." Said Sophia coming up and putting her hand on the worn wooden door.

Alice took a step back, "It was probably blocked for a reason...let's just finish our project." She looked over at Garth, looking for an ally.

Unfortunately for her Garth was suddenly very, very curious, "That looks like...no...it couldn't be."

"What?" Alice said, suddenly interested.

"It's a rune, on the door. It looks familiar, but I'm not sure..."

Liam beamed at them, "It's decided then. We're going in!" He turned the handle, but of course it was locked.

"Too bad," said Alice, "I guess we just..."

BANG!

Liam had, in his great wisdom, decided to lower his shoulder and ram the door. If the universe was kind to Alice he would have ended up on the floor, clutching his shoulder in agony. Instead Liam's effort caused the door to fly open in a shower of dust. "Whoo! Let's check it out." He said, running inside.

Garth followed him immediately. Sophia was halfway through the threshold when she turned back to Alice, "Come on. It'll be fine." She said holding out a hand.

Dumbly Alice took her hand and followed.

On the other side of the door was a short curving staircase which ended in a small room brightly lit by moonlight streaming in through large windows. The walls were lined with books, and in the center of the room was a table with four chairs. There was a large box sitting on the table. It, like everything else in the room, was covered in a fine layer of dust.

"Interesting box..." Said Liam stepping closer to it.

Alice was more interested in the books, "Look at these...none of them are English...Latin maybe?"

Garth was beside her, he shook his head, "No. I don't think so. It doesn't look right...it doesn't look like any language I've ever seen before..."

"This box is in English," Sophia said suddenly, "Maybe...it says Transformicon - Ultimate Edition"

Alice and Garth turned to look at the others. Sophia had brushed dust from the box and now it seemed somehow more real than anything else in the room. The colors flowed and moved around and they all involuntarily took a step towards it.

Liam was the one to open it up. He couldn't resist. As soon as he did it's function became clear, "Guys...it's a board game. We totally have to play!"

"No...we should just leave. Go back. Finish our project. Forget about this room." said Alice.

But Liam wasn't listening. He was pulling pieces out of the box and setting up the same. In a moment, Sophia was helping him. Alice looked at Garth, but he too was enthralled by it. Moments later the other three were seated at the table, ready to play. Liam looked at her, "Come on Alice. Let's just try it? What do you have to lose?"