Category: aliens

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WHAT DOES CASEY CARDADE KNOW ABOUT THE ALIENS?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

No one knows exactly where the aliens came from. They claim to have a supreme, vast empire across the universe with great kingdoms and cities on numerous planets they’ve conquered. Once in a speech to the citizens of Cashes Dade they displayed a massive picture of the spiral galaxy of stars showing bright, intense white clusters showing where their empires were established. One of the students sitting in the audience during this speech was Casey Cardade, and through his bored gaze he noticed something mysterious…

It’s time for the next mystery challenge. The aliens’ intense fountain lights are making students really sick across Cashes Dade. Todd Mardade and six other citizens are developing a plan to destroy it. The rest of the people are building up weapons and supplies in their massive underground network in the mountains to prepare for war. Meanwhile Cade, Blake, and Drew are getting ready to return from their mission to attempt to destroy the crystal crown located in an alien school in Marcaydas. The crown lights are giving students a deadly illness. The kids are trying to figure out how to destroy it, but the problem is the crown is set on top of a giant statue that’s floating high in mid-air. How can they reach it? Find out what happens in the first book of the series called:

MYSTERY OF THE ALIENS’ DAYLUSTAR STATUE

In this mystery challenge, see if you can find the key word in the prophecy at the end of the post that offers another clue about what’s really going on with the aliens’ intense, destructive fountain lights. Can you figure it out? Leave a comment below if you think you know. The words in the previous three mystery challenges, along with this one, and the next two will form the sentence that reveals the answer for the mystery of the alien lights. The key clue for this mystery challenge is to figure out what the aliens are looking for…

Casey Cardade is a sixth grader with short, kind of choppy dark hair that slants slightly and falls low over his dark, deep set eyes. He’s a quiet, intense, mysterious kid who doesn’t say much, but when he does you better listen, because he does not like to repeat himself. He is great at making furniture and carving in intriguing designs. No one ever knows what the designs are supposed to be, yet they always look just right for whatever the furniture piece is. He sat back in his chair, gazing with an icy stare at the distant stage as the alien messenger continued the aliens’ message to Cashes Dade:

“You cannot even begin to imagine the vast knowledge we hold. Your students should follow our One Way because we know the way to succeed, and it’s not by exploring new ideas, trying to be creative, trying to find new ways. Every planet we conquered has a different light in a different colour. This light will shine through everything; all the towers, structures, landforms, forests, and ships glow with this light. The dark powers of this land will defeat you because you all try to go your own ways instead of being united in our One Way. We bring in ships from every planet we conquered to this land, bringing in every power we have to help your countries. There is a cancer still among you, but soon our lights will burn it out completely…”

One day Casey was working on a black marble table in his parents’ shop. He carved in a spiral design, showing numerous stars in various shapes and sizes. In fact each one was slightly different. Later that afternoon, two aliens entered the shop to inspect the business and collect their share in the profits. They walked slowly around the shop while Casey worked hard and fast to put the finish on it, making the surface smooth and shimmering. Casey didn’t notice them because he was too focused on his work. Legend has it that a cow once entered the shop and Casey still didn’t look up. No one really knows whether this really happened. When they saw his table, they stopped and stared. Casey watched as their crescent moon eyes went really dim, almost dark. Then they looked away. That night, the fountain lights mysteriously shined directly into his room and he came down with the illness. Within the spiral design on his table, he had also carved various clusters that were all the same exact shape. The stars glowed various colours in different lights, but the clusters all shined with the same white light, all moving in the same direction, as if searching, searching in the direction of earth…

Intense, neon green lights will fill the sky

Our greatest enemy will appear so high

But dark secrets in the shadows lie

Wait for the table to turn in the night

We are determined to stand and fight

Their reflecting lights will try to see

But they don’t know what we are, we’re free

Alien eyes are shaped like the moon

That’s because their light will die soon

They try to gaze through a window at us below

But mirrors only show what you already know

They will struggle to figure out our true name

They will try to inspire us to want great fame

But the silent student has discovered the key

The aliens are not what they claim to be…

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CHARACTER FUN FACTS: IS JONATHAN CAYSON THE SPY?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Several ghosts whispered in the gloomy dark. They were answered by another whisper, sounding human. Cade, Blake, and Drew jogged fast down the wide, dim underground tunnel lit by dingy dark orange lanterns swinging slowly back and forth. Several lights flickered in slow bouncing rhythm around the corner.

“Hurry, hurry,” Cade whispered. They pushed into the chilling air. Whispers echoed ahead of them.

“I can’t hear them,” said Drew. “Did you hear anything they said?”

“I think they’re asking how long you should wait to swim after you eat,” Cade answered as they moved around the corner.

“Ghosts can’t swim,” said Blake.

“Yeah they can,” said Drew, “they just…you know…” Blake and Cade glanced back at Drew curiously trying to interpret his awkward stretching moves. The tunnel came to an end, splitting out left and right. The kids stopped and gazed down both halls barely lit by a single row of dark orange lanterns. Deadly whispers played out from both directions.

“Which way?” asked Blake with his arms out wide.

“I’m not sure,” Cade answered. He gazed down the left tunnel where the ghostly whispers echoed out in a slow bouncing rhythm. Then he turned down the right tunnel where the ghostly whispers shot back and forth between the walls. They listened close in the chilling silence and began to hear the whispers more clearly:

“The signs are almost complete…”

Its time to check out the next suspect. We’re on number five of seven. If you haven’t already, take a look at the previous four Character Fun Facts Features. You can go to the page LIST OF POSTS and scroll down to see every feature discussing the suspects. It’s important to remember there is no significance to the order of the suspects in these posts because they are being presented in alphabetical order by first name. Jonathan Cayson is one of the seven Cashes Dade Army Leads. One of them has to be the spy, because someone was seen talking to the dark spirits in the tunnels, getting ready to give away Cashes Dade’s key secrets. They couldn’t be seen or heard clearly enough to be identified, but a dark orange star patch was seen on their shoulder marking them as one of the seven leads. We will have seen five of the suspects after this post, with two more to be revealed. Have we seen the spy already? Or is the spy yet to be revealed? Leave a comment below what you think so far. Tell us if you think one of the five suspects we’ve seen is the spy and why. Let’s check out his profile and an intriguing story about him to find out a key question; was the person the kids heard whispering in the tunnels Jonathan Cayson?

Jonathan Cayson is tall, thin, and strong with short, dark smooth hair. His face his completely smooth shaven.

He’s calm, quiet, smooth, and kind of secretive.

He likes mountain climbing, and loves to point to a distant peak and declare he will go there, and see everything for miles.

He talks calmly and quietly, but has a bright intensity.

He takes the fifth position in the formation for the army leads.

He’s good at scouting, seeing what the enemy is doing and reacting.

Jonathan owned the library in Cashes Dade. He dreamed about collecting the best and rarest books of the world, and loves to read and discover new ideas.

One night, well before the first alien attack on Cashes Dade, Cade and Blake went to a special game night at the library run by Jonathan. They gathered with the other kids in the grand castle reading room where shelves of books rose up high up terraced walls. The shelves stood on numerous levels like giant steps moving out further and further in wide circles. The massive room was dimly lit by a few single blue candle lights.

Jonathan stood on a high balcony under heavy shadow as the kids played the game trying to find a new book Jonathan claimed he had discovered. Three clusters of blue glowing candles cast a single glow over the balcony where Jonathan stood. They followed various clues hidden in the books. The clues were hints at various book titles to look for in the stacks. After awhile, Cade and Blake looked over the clues they had found to that point:

“The colours blend into one.”

“The citizens marched together for peace.”

“A recipe for cake.”

“Mary ran, John ran, Katie ran, they all ran.”

The kids looked them over for several long moments. Then Blake’s eyes lit up. “I got it!”

“Already?”

“It’s talking about the balcony where Jonathan is. The three lights are blending together making one light, see? All these clues are talking about coming together as one. Let’s go.”

“Race to the top.” The kids scrambled up the shelves. Blake bit his lower lip as Cade moved fast ahead, staring intensely.

“You know, we could have just taken the stairs.” Cade flashed him a puzzled look. “Yeah, you’re right. This makes much more sense.” Cade nodded and smiled. When they reached the top, they looked around in the still, bright glow and found a single book titled:

“Signs in the Dark”

The final clues are Jonathan’s three best known quotes:

“Listen for the distance”

“Be still and wait”

“Reach high for the great opportunity”

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WHY DID THE ALIENS
GO AFTER DAMIAN CASHDADE?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

More clusters of bright gold lights were lit up across the stadium as Damian worked his way up the field. The bright lights reflected across his short dark hair falling low almost hiding his intense eyes. His team was down 2-1 late in the game against their rival. There wasn’t much time left which meant only one thing: It was Damian Magic time. He passed to a teammate breaking open on the left, then he shot ahead, flying past the defenders, breaking wide open. His teammate passed him the ball. He worked his way toward the goal. He slowed down as three defenders closed in on him, then he gave a wink to someone in the far, dark corner of the stadium…

It’s time for the next mystery challenge leading into the next book in the mystery series called:
MYSTERY OF THE BLOODY FRIDAY SPY
Can you figure out what’s happening to the BlackStar Ranked Students of Cashes Dade? The aliens placed a mysterious fountain with intense, bright flashing lights that make a lot of students sick. This is what will lead to the event known as Bloody Friday. This is what will lead to the war. But there’s a key secret that will be revealed in the prophecy written near the end of this post. There is a word in the prophecy that offers another clue about what secret may be behind the aliens’ fountain lights. Can you figure it out? Leave a comment below if you think you know. The answer will be revealed in the next Character Fun Facts Feature. The key clue will be to watch Damian’s celebration and find out what the celebration is…

The three defenders closed in on Damian. He faked left, faked right, then sped off to the left, spun around, dribbled the ball between his feet, then slid back. The defenders went after the ball, but it wasn’t there. That’s when Damian flew past them up the field. He was like a blue streak. The goalie could barely react before Damian kicked the ball into the far right corner of the goal. Then he did his usual celebration, running in a spiral pattern first over to the sideline, picking up the Cashes Dade flag, then around the end of the field before circling in front of the goal and planting the flag on the field. He would finish with a salute to the crowd. A short time later, with only a few minutes left in the game, he stole the ball and flew down the field, passing back and forth with four other teammates. The goalie thought the player on the far left had the ball, but Damian did on the opposite side. The ball whizzed right past the stunned goalie. Damian did his usual celebration again, with his teammates flying around the field as well, lighting up the field, with his team winning 3-2. Then the alien fountain lights shot up high, appearing just behind the stadium. Damian gazed up at them in wonder before falling to the ground. He struggled to get home. He had the mysterious sickness…

Earlier that day, Damian met with a younger student who had already come down with the illness. What’s bizarre is that he met with the student in secret. Only after Damian fell ill did his family and friends find out when the student told them about the visit, but he asked that his name not be revealed. Damian visited him to see how he was doing, give him a cake from the bakery, and talk about soccer plays. The young student was really into soccer and ships. He would focus really intensely on a few subjects like that, things he was interested in, but struggled to focus on the subjects the aliens considered important. That’s why they called him lazy and distracted. But he would spend hours and hours watching the ships, figuring out their schedules, where they had come from, where they were going, and how they worked. He liked watching them dock and make their deliveries. He even wrote up a complicated, new schedule for them to make their deliveries and figured out better routes for them by studying the waves and weather patterns. Many Cashes Dade businesses have actually followed his plans, finding them to be much more efficient. But he also had an idea for a soccer play, where they would pass the ball back and forth so many times, so fast, that they would confuse the other team, and lead to a score. But there was something else the young student told Damian that was particularly mysterious…

Dazzling ripples will spread wider and wider out
Yet the flying student will discover a reason for doubt
Fast currents will split the waters of murky blue
where blazing ships try to find their way through
Glittering gold lights will reflect throughout the sea
in a spiral design revealing all that we can be
They’ll fly around so fast the ships will be lost
Chilling, dark mist will fall forming a brilliant frost
Watch the students who are seen as disruptive and loud
They are the glittering gold lights blazing through the dark cloud
He will see something no one else has yet seen
Being a blazing light will lead him to understand what they mean
The truth will be revealed when the spiraling lights conquer the sky
The aliens’ claim of great superiority is actually a lie…

Just as Damian was about to leave the young student, he started talking about the ships, how they came in from all kinds of directions. But then he began saying something that Damian couldn’t quite figure out, something mysterious. He just kept repeating the same phrase over and over again:
“They’re all glowing the same.”
“They’re all glowing the same.”
“They’re all glowing the same…”

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DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE:
WHAT DO GHOSTS LIKE TO READ?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

“I’m almost there.”
“I’ll catch up.”
“Three more shelves.”
“MMMMhhhuuurrrrrggghhhhh,” said Cade trying to go into ultra-sonic mode up the towering black marble bookshelves.
“Made it, made it,” said Blake, peering over the top shelf.
“Okay, okay, but next time…” Blake put his hand up, motioning for him to be quiet. Then he pointed down into the lower rows of bookshelves moving away down the slanted glossy blue marble floor under high dark orange chandelier lights hanging from the massive rounded ceiling.
Dead whispers shot back and forth between the aisles. The kids stared down then saw a dark spirit glide up one of the aisles and grab a book. He tilted his head up, gazing up at the kids with his dark, empty face with only two deep set black eyes. Then, instead of chasing the kids, he turned and hurried away down the aisle…

One time, before the aliens first attacked Cashes Dade, Cade and Blake decided to hang out at the library overnight to prove they weren’t afraid of the stories of dark spirits haunting the library at night. The aliens would end up destroying the library in the first attack. What Cade and Blake saw that night might explain why…

Under the dim, dark orange lights the dark spirit quickly glided away down the aisle away from them. Cade and Blake exchanged confused looks.
“He’s running away from us?” asked Cade.
“Well you do tend to look kind of scary in the middle of the night…”
“HEY!”
“Let’s track him down,” said Blake. The kids watched as the ghost disappeared between the rows.
“Maybe we can figure out where he’s headed,” said Cade.
“He’s probably just going to leave,” said Blake. A dead whistle played out from where he was. A two-note ghost whistle echoed out with a short note, followed by a long, drawn out note. “He’s signaling to someone else,” Blake whispered.
“Sounds like he’s in the grand reading room. Let’s go.” The kids scrambled down the bookshelves. They hurried down the aisle entering the massive entry hall made of glossy blue glass floors and walls. Dingy gold lights from gigantic chandeliers hanging far down from the triangular high roof reflected in the glass forming various pictures of citizens talking and debating. Some of them looked ghostly. The kids hurried over to the grand blue glowing winding staircase. They sprinted up, higher and higher toward the distant grand reading room at the top of the library.
“Slow down, slow down,” Blake whispered. More whistles echoed out back and forth high above them. The kids crept slowly up the final steps. They gazed around the corner. A group of dark spirits waited across the final steps to the green glowing grand reading room.
“How we getting past them?” asked Blake. Cade gazed at the dark spirits standing among the flickering shadows reaching out from the sides under the dark golden cluster lights along both sides of the wide staircase. The lights were set on wide ledges running along both sides of the staircase. Strong winds beat against the massive dark blue stained glass window right behind the staircase.
Cade turned to Blake with a wry smile.
“I’m afraid to ask,” Blake answered.
“I think it’s too warm in here, don’t you?” Blake shot him a confused look. Cade then whispered his plan. Blake hesitantly nodded. The kids crept over to the window. Cade counted silently to three, then they pulled the large window open. The heavy winds knocked them back on the steps. The high, fast chilling winds knocked out all the lights. The kids got up and crept along the ledge to the door, then crept inside the massive, green glittering grand reading room.
Neon green candle clusters set within the walls and high rounded ceiling lit up the massive dark blue marble room with numerous soft black chairs spread across the floor. Dark blue pools with soft green lights floating deep underneath spread across the floor in a diamond pattern. The ceiling was painted with a mural of a maze of mountains with various dark orange lights appearing in blazing trails running through then disappearing, before reappearing in another location. The kids crept along the wall toward a small group of dark spirits sitting in a circle of chairs around a gloomy pool, reading several books. The kids hid down as more ghosts entered the room. Then they heard whispers.
“This book of poems might be the key.”
“They must be gone.”
“Make sure they can’t hear us.”
“The lights will expose them.”
“The lights will destroy most of them.”
“The rest will run and hide.”
“We almost have it mapped out.”
“When the time comes, we will find the ones who challenge us.”
“There will be no escape, no way out…”

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CHARACTER FUN FACTS:
IS CARLIE MADSHER THE SPY?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Cade has always been like a ghost, well before he became a ghost striker. He, Blake, and Drew got parts in a school play led by Cashes Dade Army Lead Carlie Madsher. Now, having to run a play with these three kids will drive anyone crazy and you’ll soon see why, but could it drive someone to become a spy against their own country? One night Cade hung around after the play was over. He heard whispering in the dark school hall late that night so he crept down the hall and saw Carlie in a dark corner, meeting with someone he couldn’t see…

Its time to check out the next suspect. It’s important to remember there is no significance to the order of the suspects in these posts because they are being presented in alphabetical order by first name. Carlie Madsher is one of the seven Cashes Dade Army Leads. One of them has to be the spy, because someone was seen talking to the dark spirits in the tunnels, getting ready to give away key secrets. They couldn’t be seen or heard clearly enough to be identified, but a dark orange star patch was seen on their shoulder marking them as one of the seven leads. We will have seen three of the suspects after this post, with four more to be revealed. Have we seen the spy already? Or is the spy yet to be revealed? Leave a comment below what you think so far. But before we check out her profile and an intriguing story about her, it’s time to reveal the answer for the last mystery challenge. If you haven’t read the previous post called WHY DO THE ALIENS HATE CHASE’S GAME? check it out to see if you can solve the mystery for the post and perhaps even figure out the greater mystery of the alien fountain lights in Cashes Dade.
Here is the answer: The key word in the prophecy was: hate
Carlie Madsher met someone in the shadows. What were they meeting about? Why were they being so secretive?

Carlie Madsher is short with dark, intense eyes and short, smooth, blonde hair that falls low over her eyes.

She is anxious and often nervous, as well as impatient, always rushing.

She always wears the same worn out brown shoes.

She is always moving, always pacing around, and gets right to the point in conversations, but she’s quiet and shy.

She takes the seventh position in the formation for the army leads.
She is great at scouting and visualizing. She can organize things and people really well.
Carlie has always dreamed about writing and producing great plays. She also wants to be a great actor, shining on stage in the biggest shows. Her greatest dream is to have an iconic moment on stage that becomes legendary forever.

Blake stood ready for the fight scene, holding his sword, staring down his enemy intensely.
“Okay, scene two, start,” said Carlie from the high point at the back of the stage.
“It’s time to face your death, for I will strike you with the sword of fire, and conquer your castle in the night,” Blake said with strong intensity.” He and Devi started striking swords when Carlie shouted out, “BLAKE! STOP CHANGING THE LINES! THE LINE WAS, ‘IT’S TIME TO FIGHT.’ START AGAIN.”
While they started the scene again, Carlie turned her attention to a strange movement in the upper flowing blue curtains along the side of the stage, lit up in dark orange lantern lights. She stared with a perplexed look, then gazed up to see Cade climbing up the various scaffolds on the side of the stage. “CADE! NOT AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS!”
She hurried over to fix the curtains. On the way she re-positioned several students practicing another scene.
“Remember, be your character, become them. Tonight, I want you all to write five things your character thinks about a lot.”
After a long night of rehearsing, correcting Blake’s lines, trying to tone down Drew’s way over-acting, and making sure Cade didn’t destroy the whole set, she sent all the students home. Cade was wandering the school halls late at night, when he heard whispering. He crept up the winding staircase. He worked his way in the deep shadows of the dark hall where only a single neon green light spilled into the hallway. He crept close and got down low, straining to hear Carlie whispering with one of the alien school leaders.
What was she talking to him about?
Why were they whispering?
What were they hiding?
All he heard was one line:
“I agree, the best way is to expose them for what they are.”

The final clues are Carlie’s three best known quotes:
“Let’s put it all together.”
“Oh, this has turned into such a mud twister”
“Let the show begin.”

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WHY DO THE ALIENS
HATE CHASE’S GAME?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Chase Casdade is a quiet, mysterious kid with a hidden energy that only comes out when he’s working on or playing the game he invented. He’s a struggling, BlackStar Student who has the awful sickness caused by the alien’s DadeLuce Fountain Lights. The aliens claim the lights aren’t really making students sick, but helping those who are struggling to find their way if they’re willing to work hard. The sickness is mysterious, but what’s even more mysterious is what happened right before Chase came down with the sickness…

It’s time for the next mystery challenge introducing various students from Cashes Dade who have come down with a terrible illness caused by the mysterious alien lights. This is why Cashes Dade citizens protested and since they were murdered, war has been declared. See if you can figure out how to help these students heal by solving the mystery of what’s really behind these alien lights. This mystery challenge will be to find the key word in the prophecy at the end, the one word that is the key clue of the prophecy. Keep track of all the key words and it will form a phrase that will solve the mystery. Can you figure out which word it is? Leave a comment below what word you think it is. The answer will be revealed in the next Character Fun Facts Feature. The key clue is that you must dig deep to find the word.

Chase Casdade has never seen the movie Office Space, nor does he know what a movie is, but when it comes to school and grades he says the same thing the main character says, “It’s not that I’m lazy, I just don’t care.” But the aliens claim he is lazy and perhaps just stupid because he doesn’t finish his assignments. He barely puts any effort into his projects and he doesn’t study for tests. What he does care about is his game called “War of the Worlds.” Do you like playing certain card games or video games? Are they complicated or difficult to explain, especially to adults? Do you ever get in trouble trying to play any of those games at school like Chase has? Leave a comment below. The aliens claim he must be either too lazy or too stupid to understand complicated concepts, but his game is just about the most complicated game ever invented, and he’s the only one who understands the entire game.

In this game, there is a large paper showing seven countries with a bunch of cities and key places marked on the map. They’re drawn on the map in bright colours. Each city, place, and country is worth a certain number of points. The point of the game of course is to capture the entire world, placing your kingdom marker on every city and place in every country. They all have made up names that are kind of hard to pronounce. Each player begins with the same amount of citizen and resource cards, and money. In other words, they each start with a group of people, some key resources like food, water, supplies, medicines, etc. and the same amount of money. Then they start the game. They also divide up playing cards and go head to head. These are initial battles. It’s like the card game “War” except they choose the card to play and decide how many cards to put at stake. Whoever wins gets those cards. Then they use those cards to turn their people into soldiers of various ranks, and get weapons. They can also trade in other resources for this purpose. It’s basically a game that’s half monopoly, half risk. Are you starting to get confused? Well, guess what? We’re only just getting started…

There are all kinds of things that can happen during these card battles depending on what cards you play. It isn’t just about having the higher card, it’s about the right combination. Certain combinations you have vs. certain combinations they have can earn certain soldiers, weapons, resources, and even places on the map. Each card can mean different things depending on what the other card is. See? I told you it’s complicated. One of Chase’s favorite things is to actually play this game during school with the other students, but they have to be pretty stealthy to pull it off.

One day Chase was playing his game at a table on the side of the channel in the city with a few other kids. Dark gray clouds streamed across the sky through the calm, warm day. Pale shafts of gray light blended with the massive green shimmering alien towers looking down over the city. As they played, the game got more and more intense. Then other kids started joining in, and the game got really intense as they all got really into it, all wanting to take over Chase’s made-up world. That’s when the DadeLuce Fountain lights of the aliens suddenly burst out and struck Chase directly, knocking him back. He’s been sick ever since…

They have a dark secret, whispers in the night
It’s what they try to hide, far out of sight
The key is in the alien lights shining strong
They shine so brilliant you can’t stare for long
But there’s a reason they don’t want you to look
They are afraid of what you might read in the book
Cade discovered a clue yet to be revealed
There is a twist regarding how to be healed
The lights hide a secret buried right under the glare
But it’s not at the flashing lights you should stare
The glare of the alien lights are not for what’s there
They hate what they can’t see behind the stage
You see, their lights are looking for the hidden page…

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DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE:
THE MYSTERY OF GALAXY PEAK

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Cade and Blake have climbed many mountains around Cashes Dade, but one of their favorites is Galaxy Peak. It’s rough, steep, and kind of dangerous, which is why they like it. But the aliens didn’t want students climbing that mountain anymore. No one knows why, but Cade believed there must be a secret hidden that the aliens didn’t want them to find. Check out the prophecy at the end to see if you can figure out what the secret of the mountain is. Leave a comment below if you think you know. This post also gives a clue that can reveal who the spy is. Can you figure it out? The aliens watch the mountain during the day, so the kids only climb it at night, following the glowing lights, while the aliens watch other places, yet it seems to be at night when the secret of the mountain is revealed…

Galaxy Peak was the most iconic part of the City of Dayces Cameron, but what was really special was at the top, the Galaxy Peak Shop. This is what the kids really climbed the mountain for, until it was destroyed in the first alien attack. What’s bizarre is that no one was there when the aliens shot it down, exploding in a brilliant flash. Galaxy Peak is a tall, slick mountain made of black stone, with three sides. There are hidden pools within the forest of really tall Aysos Evergreens with their three cone shaped points. Glittering waterfalls can be heard but never seen somewhere hidden behind the Aysos Evergreens.

Cade and Blake climbed the mountain many times at night. Now, it is usually not a good idea to climb a mountain at night, unless you’re starting a climb early in the morning before sunrise and you have good, strong lights and are on a trail, not trying to do any major climbing yet. The author knows the problem of getting stuck in the mountains at night all too well. But this particular mountain kind of glows in the night just enough that the kids could see the slopes well enough to climb safely at night. Of course, with Cade and Blake, they always can find a way to make an experience not so safe.

Cade and Blake always raced to the top, and they would challenge eachother to crazy moves up the mountain like who could jump the farthest, who could jump over the largest rock, who could jump across the widest creek flowing down the mountain. They wanted to be the first ones to find a waterfall. They would try by following the creek through the many twists and turns. Sometimes they could see the lady of the mountain’s lantern light reflecting in the water as she sang. She would always sing the same song with no words, with a haunting, yet hopeful melody hidden deep within as she stood at the top. Her voice would carry down the mountain, sometimes sounding distant and sometimes sounding closer. Cade discovered a secret, that if you stopped and listened to the song, you could hear which direction her song was coming from. You see, the top could never be seen and was confusing to find. But Cade realized that if he could follow the music, he could find the way to the top, but he never told Blake why he always found the way to the top first.
The best feature of the mountain shop at the top was the high rounded ceiling showing all these glittering stars in the galaxy with these white lights spread throughout, some in clusters, in random points among the spiral haze of glowing gold stars. The lady would sing with her song echoing throughout blending in mysterious ways. Cade would do the same thing every time, literally every time, he would go to the window overlooking the city below. Cade would lean out the window and pretend to fall, but with terrible acting. A large painting of a glittering waterfall hung next to it hidden behind blue mist that looked haunting, yet with a hopeful bright look deep within where the water glowed.

The darkness will a long time hide the dawn
You will feel the glory days are long gone
You will see no strong foundation to stand on
Yet what you see looking back is an illusion
The picture you see is blurry with limited vision
One day you will wake up in the night
Into darkness will go your last light
Yet you will not have lost your key sight
The lady of the mountain will someday reveal all
It’s what the kids found in the Caymisdorm Hall
But there is a secret that you cannot see
Keep climbing higher, higher, and higher, free
Then the deepest dark will reveal the key
The aliens will look for the sign to show the way
Galaxy Peak reveals how this happen that day
Look for what appears on the mountain at night
Yet remember that you will not find it by sight
Galaxy Peak reveals this secret in the mark
Some lights only shine in the deepest dark…

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CHARACTER FUN FACTS:
IS BENNIE MAYSHER THE SPY?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Gold and red lit triangular crafts flooded the sky with brilliant flashing lights. Alien ships moved ahead in a cluster, blazing through the sky, with a sonic thundering pushing down on the Cashes Dade Army lined up in the hills. Then the alien ships suddenly spread out wide at an incredible speed. A crowd of citizens hurried across the wide field toward them. Several ships dropped down. That’s when Bennie Maysher led the charge to defend them and something mysterious happened that’s hard to explain…
Its time to check out the next suspect. It’s important to remember there is no significance to the order of the suspects in these posts because they are being presented in alphabetical order by first name. Bennie Maysher is one of the seven Cashes Dade Army Leads. One of them has to be the spy, because someone was seen talking to the dark spirits in the tunnels, getting ready to give away key secrets. They couldn’t be seen or heard clearly enough to be identified, but a dark orange star patch was seen on their shoulder marking them as one of the seven leads. Do you think you can figure it out? Leave a comment below if you think you know whether Bennie Maysher is the spy. But before we check out his profile and an intriguing story about him, it’s time to reveal the answer for the last mystery challenge. If you haven’t read the previous post called WHAT’S HIDDEN IN BRENNAN’S PAINTING? check it out to see if you can solve the mystery for the post and perhaps even figure out the greater mystery of the alien fountain lights in Cashes Dade. Here is the answer:
The key word in the prophecy was: aliens

Bennie Maysher is relatively short with rough, blonde hair.
He’s always active, always moving, and quite impatient.
He has a half-trimmed beard.
He’s kind of odd, and always seems to be somewhat agitated, talking fast in short sentences.
Bennie takes the second position in the formation for the army leads.
He is a tough fighter who loves to charge out in battle. He is really good at overwhelming the enemy with power and speed.
Bennie has always dreamed of being a great war hero, leading a great, legendary charge against all odds in battle. He is a master at riding horses and loves to challenge people to races. For him, the rougher the path, the better. He is really ambitious, always wanting to prove to others what a great rider and fighter he is.
After seven protestors were shot dead by the aliens on what will be forever known in Cashes Dade as “Bloody Friday,” they declared war on the aliens. Brilliant lights of all colours shot out across the night sky in blazing streaks. The soldiers huddled down in their trench. The dark green grass and soggy soil lit up almost like during a bright sunny day in the spectacular lights. Bennie stared at the slowly approaching cluster of seven alien ships with a mixed look of awe and excitement. Their red and gold lights flashed in fast, rhythmic waves from the center ship out left and right through the other ships. The ground hummed in a low tone sounding close yet far away. In the distance an alien ship shot out a blue laser light striking the mountains with a brilliant flash.
“They’re going to see them,” said a soldier to his left.
“They’re getting ready to drop,” Bennie said in a low voice.
At this time further back in the mountains, Cade, Blake, and Drew were traveling up the massively wide river with David and Callie on a small, dark boat. They could see the brilliant alien lights flashing across the dark water waves striking their boat hard from both sides. Dark spirits gathered at the far right bank. Cade pretended to try to take the oar away from Blake which was followed by fake crying. The kids spotted the dark spirits. Cade smiled, knowing they would never fall for their trap. Blake quietly drove the boat toward the left bank. From the shadows Cade waved goodbye to the ghosts waiting on the far side. Dark shadows stretched across the glittering waves. Whispers flew in the chilling dark as the dark spirits on the left coast waited for them to dock…
After the ships dropped, Bennie in a sudden flash, grabbed a small flame shooter full of powder and jumped on his horse. He charged across the field. The seven hovering aliens ships glowed like burning red fires. The ground underneath hummed. They shot out a bright blue laser light from the center directly at him. He ducked out of the way slightly before it hit the ground. He charged ahead, watching the ships. At a rapid pace, from close and far away, the lasers shot out one after another in rapid succession. He shifted back right, before the next two lasers struck. He kept riding ahead as two more shot out at his left and right, followed by two more further to the left and right. Another one shot directly at him but he moved to the left just before it hit. Two more shot out as he moved back right. He kept dodging them, one after another, moving right before they hit or charging right between them. Then he held up his flame shooter, set the fire, and shot out the blazing dark orange light at the center ship where the fires exploded out, driving the ships back. Then he turned sharply and led the people across the field while the dark orange haze kept the ships back until the people were able to reach the underground. The soldiers couldn’t believe what they had seen. Was Bennie just lucky, or did he somehow know exactly how the aliens would fire on him? But how did he know?

The final clues are Bennie’s three best known quotes:

“I can’t stand the birds that never stop chirping.”
“The battle belongs to the one willing to lead the final charge.”
“Shoot first, and the rest will fall into place.”

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WHAT’S HIDDEN IN BRENNAN’S PAINTING?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

The school hall was completely dark as fourth grader Brennan Cairdade followed the alien messenger toward the dim green light barely spilling out into the hall. The messenger’s shoes tapped loudly across the dark marble. The door to the School Leader’s Office was just cracked open. Brennan gazed around with his strong wide eyes. His short sandy hair slanted to one side caught the glint of the fiery green light as the messenger opened the door and waved him in. The office was dimly lit by low hanging green-lit chandeliers lighting up the dark blue marble floor, walls, and ceiling. Brennan was directed to sit down on a small black chair in front of the glossy multi-crystal desk set before the massive white crystal glass window. Then the messenger began speaking in an elevated, solemn voice:
“We found your drawings, and we have a message for you, that you best follow.” The large chair behind the desk spun around as the alien turned to face him…

The next six mystery challenges will each feature a student in Cashes Dade who has come down with the terrible sickness caused by the intense alien lights from the DadeLuce Fountain in Cashes Dade. This is what leads to the war that the next book will feature. Get ready for MYSTERY OF THE BLOODY FRIDAY SPY. The aliens claim that if a student gets sick from the fountain it’s actually good for them because they claim the lights reveal those students who are failing. They say getting sick from this shows these students that they need to improve and learn how to successfully follow their standard to do well in school. They say the lights even help show the way. Each mystery challenge will tell the story of what has happened to each student and show a prophecy that offers clues as to what might be the answer for them. The mystery challenge will be to figure out what is the key word in the prophecy that appears after the story. The answer will be revealed in the next Character Fun Facts. Can you figure it out? When you have all six key words they will reveal a message, a message that will reveal a key secret about the aliens…

“Your drawing is a waste of energy and time,” the alien messenger continued, as the alien’s eyes stared down at Brennan. He shifted in his chair nervously. “From now on, you must learn the concepts by writing out all notes and show what you understand by writing out your answers.” Then the alien reached out with his long arm and grabbed his pack. He took out Brennan’s paintings, placed them on a silver platter, and burned them.

Brennan was at Caysher Park when it happened. He was doing what he always did there, painting, that is, after stopping at Marshar Coffee Shop. He always did the same thing. He’d walk in slowly and quietly as if he was trying to sneak in, kind of looking around anxiously at the people sitting at the tables, before pacing up and down the front display case showing the various breads, desserts, and small candies. The shop owner would always smile and shake his head knowing he would pick something, then change his mind, then pick something else, then change his mind, then finally pick three things, usually from the small candies. Then he would get his coffee. He would explain all the details even though it was always the same and by the time he was done explaining, they’d hand it to him. Brennan was always quiet and mysterious, but also really friendly.

It took him awhile to settle into his usual place on a bench next to a small pool with shooting fountains on both sides. Through the waterfall ahead he could see the city towers and he began to paint. His hands flew across the canvas so fast, so smoothly as all these colours splashed across. He smiled as it appeared to be a mess until all the sudden the picture appeared. Then all of the sudden the bright green flashing lights of the alien fountain hit him, knocking him back. They appeared like a massive green star blurring everything else around into murky darkness. He’s been sick ever since, always alternating between chills and fevers, always shaking, feeling sick and dizzy. His parents saved his painting of the inside of the museum of Cashes Dade under eerie green light. But it’s more than that. If you look closely, you see what is hiding in the dark…

When you dream about what is new
They will be hovering far above you
When you look for new, great places
They stare down at you with grim faces
When you must see in order to learn
They will only look to what you can earn
The key will be turning your ideas into revealing fire
The aliens will strike three times from a place higher
What you think about must become a picture that’s clear
Then you will know that they are the ones burning for fear
The painting will reveal what Cade will see
The aliens are not what they seem to be…

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DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE:
WHAT SECRET DID CADE DISCOVER
IN CAYSHER PARK?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

One of Cade’s favorite places to go was Caysher Park in his home city of Dayces Cameron. He and his friends played “Music Tag.” In Caysher Park music would be playing, but then suddenly disappear, and then come back again. If you were standing in a place where the music played, you were safe and couldn’t get tagged. But if the music faded away, then you better run. Cade had a strange way of always knowing where to go to be in the music. But that wasn’t the only mysterious thing about Caysher Park. While the adults at the park would get annoyed by the kids constant running and splashing in the pools and waterfalls, distant eyes watched them from high in the towers that overlooked the city, white half-moon shaped eyes of the aliens…

These next six DarkCorner Land Features will go to an intriguing place in Cashes Dade that was destroyed by the aliens in the first attack. There is something mysterious about these places, but what’s really mysterious is why the aliens destroyed them. Music sounding like a brilliant, energetic symphony played through the silent waterfalls of smooth, blue water falling in sheets. But no one could figure out where the music was coming from. Who was playing it? Can you figure it out? Cade figured out the secret of the music, do you think you know? After you read this, leave a comment below if you think you discovered the same secret Cade did, or perhaps a different one. One moment the music would sound really close, the next, it would be gone. As you stare at the bright reflections of the city towers blending with the flashing green lights of the alien towers you wonder, “Where did the music go?”

Caysher Park was located in the center of the stadium shaped City of Dayces Cameron in Cashes Dade. This is one place where Cade maintained his perfect record of never getting tagged in tag. He didn’t care how he had to get away; running through one waterfall after another, charging through a cold pool, crawling through and somehow disappearing in one of the green gardens of colourful flowers and small evergreens close together with sharp pointed leaves. He would always get away, and just when you thought you had him cornered, the brilliant symphony music would play in strong, fast rhythms through the colourful reflections blending within the sheets of waters falling. They’d wait for the music to fade away, but when Cade found it, it didn’t, at least not right away. Cade would just stand there and smile, driving the kid, who was it, crazy.

Bizarre, twisted images reflect through the sheets of pure blue water. At first you just see the dazzling blue city towers rising up in rows as well as the shimmering green alien towers further in the distance looking down over the city. That’s where the aliens keep watch over the citizens, sometimes blaring white lights roam through the city to check on their activities. They also watch the kids playing in the park, just standing on one of their balconies, staring down at the kids with burning, intense eyes. They seem especially interested in the games of tag, but no one knows why…

It isn’t just towers that you see in the waters. People report seeing murky shapes like crowds moving, ghostly citizens in bright dazzling lights moving around in strong, fast rhythmic circles. The ghosts were silent. This is when the dazzling colours of the towers blended together with the moving ghosts. The new colours would travel in one direction or another through the sheets of falling water. The kid who was it would stand ready to tag Cade, ready to be the first one, but would start to get impatient, because Cade would start to walk along the waterfall as the music moved, but he would stay in the music. No one else knew where the music would go, but Cade somehow knew.

Cade would keep moving with the music until stopping again. The one who was it would think he finally had him, until Cade turned to him and smiled. Then he would give him a wink. The music kept playing and playing and playing. Cade would wait for just the right moment. One moment he’s completely still, the next, he flies past you at a moment when you get slightly distracted. Something always happens in the waterfalls that gets them distracted and Cade knows exactly what it is, and exactly when to fly past them. Then, after Cade is well past them, the music fades away. How did Cade know?