2

A crest of golden warmth on his eyelids awoke Kid Vid from the relatively deep slumber that had come upon him when the colorful array overtook him. As he opened his eyes, he saw the world above him spinning uncontrollably, yet he could make out a shadowy figure looming above him.

"He has awakened!" exclaimed the figure. "The warrior has awakened!"

As a crowd began to gather around Kid Vid, he managed to ask, "Where am I?"

One of the onlookers approached him and said, "Don't try to move. You need your rest. My name is J7, and you are in the land of Vid Bit."

"But why? I . . ."

"It was prophesied long ago by our ancestors," was her reply, "that there would be a great disaster and a lone warrior from another dimension would come to our aid wearing the glove of Xargon."

"What disaster? And what is this glove?"

"The disaster occurred when we were invaded by the evil Freeze. We attempted to overthrow him, but he captured our sorceress. If we are to have any hope of restoring Vid Bit, we must rescue our sorceress."

"And this glove?" Kid Vid demanded.

"The glove of Xargon was prophesied as the only way to defeat Freeze. It works by aiming it at the enemy, saying what you wish to fire, and pushing the button. You wear the glove on your left arm even as we speak."

Kid Vid looked down at his left arm. There, was a glove containing the escape button from his game system.

"You expect me to battle some monster?" he asked.

"With the aid of the glove, but we'll discuss all of that after you eat something."

With the help of J7 and the other rebels, Kid Vid got to the small, wooden table where numerous steaming platters of freshly prepared food awaited. although the food looked different from what he was used to, Kid Vid was pleasantly surprised to find that every bite was delicious. There, they dined and made merry for nearly half an hour when J7 decided it was time to move.

"There is just one more thing you must know before you attempt to battle Freeze. I told you that you must say what you wish to fire from the glove. Well, as our sorceress was being dragged away, she gave us a partial clue. She said, 'Hate is the ice that freezes our hearts. Melt it with . . .' Think about that while we transport you."

J7 then led him to a small room where a gun-like device was pointed at one corner. He was instructed to stand in the corner while someone aimed the gun at him.

"This will transport you directly inside the castle wall," the gunman told him.

Then, the gun gave off a loud blast, and a vivid array of colors was upon him once more . . .

Only moments later, Kid Vid found himself within the gates of a secluded castle of ice. He began to sneak around the perimeter in search of an unattended entrance when he was surprised by a voice behind him.

"Stop!" said a guard. "Intruder, you must go before Emperor Freeze."

The guards dragged Kid Vid to the icy throne room where the evil Freeze sat. Kid Vid immediately pointed the glove at Freeze, shouted Fire," and pushed the escape button. Two fireballs instantly shot out of the end toward Freeze. Sensing the danger, Freeze lifted his hand and froze the fireballs dead in their tracks.

"So, you have come to kill the Almighty." Freeze pointed at the sorceress, who was imprisoned by a force field. "Well, you won't be getting her, boy. You shall perish for your insolence!"

Freeze lifted his hand, but he was late, for Kid Vid had solved the clue in the nick of time.

"Not so fast, Freeze!" he yelled. "I will melt your hatred with compassion!" And with that, he pushed the escape button.

Pulses of red warmth began flooding the icy throne room, and all the ice--including Freeze--melted away. When the ice force field around the sorceress dissolved, she stepped out, thanked Kid Vid and reopened the colorful array which served as the doorway between dimensions. Kid Vid smiled and walked through the portal.

On the other side, Kid Vid raced to the phone to call Ice Tray and tell her all about it. When he picked up the receiver, he heard Freeze's voice on the other side.

"Prepare for total immersion!" Freeze said.

"Bring it on, Freeze!" Kid Vid shouted. "Let the games begin!"

When the colors cleared, Kid Vid found himself once again in the icy palace. He looked down at his left arm, only to find that he lacked both the glove of Xargon and the escape button. Without them, he could not win. Unfortunately, his wish had come true.