“OKAY,” SAID WILLY. “The odds have changed. Slightly. But, hey—I still think we have a shot at winning this thing.”
“Um, not to sound pessimistic,” said Joe, “but when was the last time five teenagers beat a million evil minions led by a Godzilla-sized exoskeletal creep with a scorpion tail and lobster-claw hands?”
“The last time doesn’t matter,” I said. “All that counts is this time. We don’t back down.”
“No retreat,” said Willy.
“No surrender,” added Joe.
We all charged up our weapons.
“Aim for the brain,” I said.
“Roger that,” said Willy,
“Wait, you guys,” said Emma, pointing at something behind us. “It looks like the cavalry just arrived.”
We all spun around. There was a golden line on the opposite horizon.
A million and more warriors—many riding horses, elephants, and camels; all bathed in the warm glow of a massive sunbeam that followed their every move—came charging across the prairie. Trumpets and bugles blared.
Suddenly we had legions, too!
In the lead was a brilliant white steed ridden by a helmetless warrior in shimmering golden armor. Her wildly curled, dazzling hair swirled in the breeze as she galloped across the open fields like Joan of Arc with two glowing swords crossed above her head.
“It’s Xanthos!” shouted Mel.
“And Mikaela!” I added.
“Who’s she?”
“A friend of my father’s.”
Could this be the backup my dad had urged me to find? I wondered.
It sure looked and felt like it. Just like that, we were evenly matched. The Legions of the Light galloping past us were as numerous as the forces of darkness swarming across the open plains to do battle for Evil.
As Xanthos and Mikaela led the cavalry charge, my spiritual advisor’s jolly voice reached out to my mind once more: Remember, Daniel: You cannot fight hate with hate. You cannot eliminate darkness with something darker still. You can only destroy the evil with goodness and light.
Millions of golden warriors, all armed with shining swords, streamed past us to do just that.
In an instant, they collided with Zeboul’s massive army of disgustingly scuzzy creatures.
The battle was joined.
At stake was the future of Earth.
Maybe the entire universe.