The Fused Monster cornered King Benjamin. He noticed Thebes behind it, and he headed straight for the ambulance. "John!" Ben shouted. He gestured at the centaur.
Hearing him, the Red-Crowned Crane nodded. He soared in front of Thebes and flapped his enormous wings. They picked up a blanket of dirt that flew into Thebes's face, blinding him.
He collapsed onto his side and yelled.
Ben's gryphon growled at the Fused Monster. He spread his legs and nodded at the young king.
Understanding his message, Ben slid off his back. He patted his gryphon's shoulder. "Be careful, my friend." With those words, he hustled by the Fused Monster and headed for the other end of the vast meadow. Behind him, his ride and the Fused Monster started to fight.
They clawed at each other's bodies and snapped their powerful jaws.
While Ben ran, two more gryphons appeared on either side of him. They carried Evie's friends. Each child had one of John's tranquilizer guns. To them, it was amusing to tranquilize the undead army. Then again, that was all part of Evie and Sam's plan.
"Ben, go!" Ashlynn said. "We'll cover for you. Just make sure that the undead army doesn't touch the tree."
"We'll also protect your gryphon," Tate promised.
Emrys saluted like a solider, as well as Amanda. "Trust us."
"Mateo's dad will help you," said Amanda.
The second she said that, Ben's feet shot out from under him. A ghostly presence pushed him towards the ambulance.
Evie's friends soared around the battlefield. They attempted to tranquilize every undead man they saw. Before long, they noticed Evie, Sam, Notmuth, and Fororli sprinting down the hill where Evie tackled Fororli.
Notmuth had his brother by his hand. He protected him by shooting his own tranquilizer gun.
Evie and Sam worked together to conjure vines that tripped up their enemies' horses.
Eyes on the meadow's edge, Evie said, "We're almost there! Just a little more!"
Notmuth patted Fororli's shoulder. "Keep remembering our childhood, brother."
Fororli did as he was told. He kept replaying childhood memories of him and Notmuth in his head. He could feel the hunter's spell finally lifting.
***
With Faelyn's help, Ben broke through the undead army's border and reached the circular area where the Guardian's Tree was. Except, the army was close behind him.
Bittersweet's platoon readied themselves. "This is it, boys!" yelled the leader. "Hold them off long enough until Evie gets here!"
"Right on, captain!" the soldiers said at the same time.
The nature dragon also reached the Guardian's Tree. It released two enormous, leafy tornados from its body. They sucked the enemy up like a vacuum, but quite a few soldiers remained standing.
Ben clashed swords with the ones who did not face the dragon's rage. Everything was going according to plan, but then one of the gryphons protecting the ambulance took an arrow to the heart.
Screeching, it fell into another one. That gryphon knocked down a third one. One by one, the creatures fell on top of each other via the domino effect. The path to the ambulance cleared, and the undead army did not hesitate.
A group of skeletons leaped onto the vehicle's hood and windshield, and another surrounded it.
Krysta yelled when a few skeletons crawled all over the windshield like spiders. To get rid of them, she turned on the windshield wipers.
Ben kicked down the soldier he was fighting. Sweating, he turned in the direction of the ambulance. "Leave him alone!" he shouted.
John and Edger jumped into the fray. They plucked skeletons off the ambulance and tossed them to the side, but they kept on coming.
An undead man ripped the wipers right off the windshield. He kicked it with his bony foot. A huge crack stretched across the whole windshield. With one more kick, it broke all together.
Krysta avoided the falling glass the best she could. The ambulance was brand-new, too. She turned on the sirens, but they didn't even faze the skeleton who broke the windshield.
The gryphons scattered like frightened children.
The undead man started to crawl through the broken window. He reached his bony hand out to Krysta and prepared to scratch her.
She thought about opening the driver's door and making a run for it, but then she remembered her mission. A true ranger did not abandon his/her co-workers in times of peril. A ranger relied on nature to save nature. She grabbed the skeleton's wrist and ordered a vine to grab him from behind. The plant burst out of the ground and wrapped its leaves around his ankle. It pulled the skeleton away from Krysta.
Ben ran his sword through the increasing number of undead fairies. "Please," he begged. "Just leave him alone."
The sudden surge of skeletons overwhelmed John and Edger. "I can't keep this up for much longer," John said. "My wing."
"Just fight them off as long as you can," Edger ordered. His eyes caught two figures that just leaped into the battle: a horse and a woman. Joey, Ben's noble steed, had returned with Ms. Brook, who was now awake. The thanks went to Evergreen the witch doctor. Abigail was the secret weapon Crystal had mentioned.
She hopped off Joey and said, "Don't worry, Evergreen. I'm not going to put your healing powers to waste." Ms. Brook recalled the first thing she said when she woke up the day before: "Where is my son? I need to go to him." She had been waiting for this moment.
The woman rattled the chains of her chainmail armor and flipped her cape to grab the undead army's attention. "Hey, Hop Scotches!" she yelled. "Don't you know that the dryads don't like their territories invaded?" She stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled.
For a second, nothing happened, but then the dryads from before ambushed the undead army. They leaped out of the forest and extended their long, tree-like limbs. The limbs tripped the skeletons and smacked them right off the ambulance. Vines impaled their eye sockets, rib cages, and noses.
The nature dragon planted its feet and roared one more time. It launched a stream of powerful leaves and flowers out of its mouth. They ripped limbs off the undead army and rendered them useless.
Joey also wanted to help. He kicked a few of the skeletons with his back feet.
The beings kept trying to get back up, but the dragon and dryads did not let them. Then… It happened. Out of the blue, the skeletons froze in place. They looked like statues.
Ben, John, Edger, and Bittersweet's platoon stopped attacking. They were confused as to why the skeletons gave up. They became nothing more than lifeless piles of bones that the wind blew away. Not only that, but a final group of figures stepped into the area from the battlefield.
Standing in a straight line, with serious looks on their faces, were Evie, Sam, Embrose, Crystal, and Notmuth. Notmuth hugged Fororli close to him.
Evie's staff flickered. She summoned the dragon to her. It wasn't long until it hovered over her.
Her friends and parents were close behind her, as well as a good chunk of Bittersweet's army.
Fororli, now no longer under the effects of the hunter's curse, looked beyond guilty. He buried his face in his brother's shoulder. Love and past memories really were the most powerful weapons in the world. The being left his head and vanished into nothingness. Fororli did it.
"Evie!" Ms. Brook yelled. Hurrying to her niece, she instantly made sure she was all right. "Are you okay? Any cuts, scratches, or burns?"
"Aunt Brook! You're safe!" Evie threw her arms around her aunt. The older woman picked her up from the ground and twirled her in a circle.
"I'm fine, Aunt Brook," chuckled the little girl. "But what happened to you?"
"Evergreen's magic is some of the most powerful in the whole kingdom," she explained, ruffling Evie's hair. "She has the power to heal non-life-threatening injuries."
Sam, Keegan, Charlotte, Embrose, and Maria appeared on either side of them. They also embraced the woman.
Keegan sniffed and said, "All this time, we refused to listen to what Sam told us." He smiled at the little boy. "We can't defeat evil with violence, but with teamwork and love. We broke our family because of our selfishness."
"Hey, it's all part of being human," Ms. Brook chuckled. She next ruffled Keegan's hair. "You know, you're not a bad man, Keegan."
"I'll try to do better," he whimpered.
Ms. Brook bopped his nose. "You already have." She jumped a little when she felt somebody tug her leg.
"Hey, I'm sorry about everything," Fororli said. He held his hands in front of him. "I should have never trusted Anecka in the first place. I should have known she was the hunter in disguise."
It wasn't long until Ben joined the group. He stabbed his sword into the ground and leaned on its handle. "You and me both, dude. We both screwed up. But, now thinking about it, I'm glad she possessed me." He pushed off his sword. "It means that I still have a lot to learn about being a king."
Charlotte smiled at Fororli. "At the end of the day, Fororli, your love for your brother saved us and the forest."
Embrose piped up. "Hey, can we quit the small talk? What about Mateo?"
"Oh, right!" Evie, her family, and Ben said.
***
Krysta and her partners gently pulled Mateo out of the back of the ambulance. Before they turned him over to the air medics, they performed the ritual. They escorted him over to the Guardian's Tree and met up with the spirit.
The dragon sat like a dog. It gave Keegan a quick nod, indicating that it was ready. Mateo rested in front of it, in a Snow White-like sleeping pose, with his hands just under his sternum. He did not move. Maria, Ms. Brook, and Krysta were there with him.
Keegan took a deep breath, but knowing that his friends and family were close by gave him confidence. He came within reach of the comatose man and pulled the bittersweet out of his pocket. The rays from the late afternoon sun scanned both him and Mateo. "Mateo, I've made terrible mistakes, and I'm sorry," he said. "I'm hoping and praying that you will forgive me for being such a troll. To make up for my behavior, I want to give you this." He set the flower down on Mateo's tummy. "Anthony Mateo Brook, I accept you. I give you my blessing."
Like before, the bittersweet shimmered. Strings of light circled Mateo's abdomen, and it glowed a bright blue.
Evie, her friends, family, and Bittersweet's people watch amazed. The familiar cloud of sickness that struck Euphorbia so many years ago leaped out of Mateo's tummy. It swirled in a circle above him. Not only that, but a bright light surrounded Sam. Evie's staff left her hand and returned to its original form. Euphorbia's pebble floated into the time traveler's hand, instead.
"I think it's telling me that it's time to go home," he said.
"No, not the pebble, but Mateo," Krysta corrected. "As the newborn Green Guardian, it is his duty to return you to your own time. He may be unconscious, but there are a lot of things going on in his mind."
"Wait, Uncle Sam!" Evie broke free from her parents. She grabbed Sam's wrist.
"It's okay, Evie," said the little boy. "My mission is complete, and so is yours. You and Mateo regained lost trust and reversed the past, just like the prophecy foretold. I'm sure that we'll see each other again someday."
"But I love you," Evie argued. "You're the only one who helped me through this past week."
"No, you did it yourself–with your bravery and confidence," Sam said. "I'm proud of you, Evie, and I know your parents are, too."
Charlotte and Keegan approached their daughter and grasped each of her shoulders.
"We are," Charlotte admitted. She gave Evie a huge kiss on her cheek.
"She is truly a Pebble Master and a Gifted Human," Keegan said.
Evie's friends started to miss their own parents. They lowered their heads and hugged their tranquilizer guns close to them. After such a hectic week, they just wanted to go home.
Sam floated out of Evie's grasp. The pebble took him over to Mateo. Maria and Krysta stepped off to the side to give him space.
Ms. Brook grabbed hold of her son's left hand and said, "It's time for my son to complete his mission. Have a safe trip home, Sam." She set Mateo's hand down on Sam's. The one it touched was the one that held Euphorbia's pebble. The light surrounding the little boy changed from white to green.
The Guardian's spirit leaned into the still swirling cloud of poison above Mateo. It breathed on it. At its command, the poison changed to fairy dust. It was the magic needed to return Sam to the past. Mateo had it all along. Nevertheless, while he may have been freed from the forest sickness, he still had to deal with the tuberculosis. That was his next mission.
Sam floated up towards the Guardian Tree's canopy. With tears in his eyes, he waved goodbye to his family and friends. "Bye! Thank you for everything! I'll see y'all again."
Evie, her parents, Embrose, Maria, and Ms. Brook waved, too. "Bye, Uncle Sam! Be safe!" Evie called.
"Bye!" Just like that, Euphorbia's pebble flashed, and the little boy disappeared.
Evie lowered her hand. Her group members joined her and her parents. Evie smiled at them. "Well, I think it's safe to say that we were real rangers this week," she laughed.
"We sure were," Ashlynn said. She wrapped her arm around Evie's shoulder and twirled her gun in her hand. "Thanks, Evie. I wish you and your family luck with Mateo." As she said that, Ranger Krysta turned Mateo over to the air medics.
Maria and Ms. Brook followed them to the helicopter. "See you at the hospital!" Ms. Brook called to her family members. She gave them a small flick of her wrist. She then bowed to the dryads who helped her. "Thank you for understanding my plea."
"With pleasure, Abigail Brook," they said. "We thank you, your family, and friends for saving our home."
Dr. Anderson loaded Mateo into the helicopter. He let Maria and Ms. Brook in and then climbed in himself.
The nature dragon returned to the Guardian's Tree. Its body broke apart and rejoined the flower-filled canopy.
Under the rays of the setting sun, Evie, her friends, and her family witnessed the helicopter's takeoff.
Evie pulled Embrose, her new big brother, close to her. The sound of the helicopter's rotating blades filled her head. At least Mateo was safe now.
Ms. Julie and Allister approached Evie's friends and said, "Well, Amanda, Tate, Ashlynn, and Emrys, I think it's time that I get y'all home to your parents."
"We're ready," Emrys mumbled. "While I wanted the week to be a little more than learning lessons, do you think that I may have asked for too much?"
"Well, hypothetically speaking, Emrys," Amanda said, "if you're going to be a Pinta Park Ranger, then you have to get used to stuff like this."
Emrys chuckled. "You got me there, Amanda."
"But hey!" John the Red-Crowned Crane said. "You got to meet little old me… the most notorious Red Crowned Crane in all of Pinta Country–John Golden! Not to mention that y'all now have a souvenir from camp this week." He gestured at the tranquilizer guns.
King Benjamin, who stood next to Joey, chuckled. "You never change, do you, John? Once a showoff, always a showoff." He ran his hand down the length of Joey's nose. "Speaking of which, I think it's time that you go home and tell your wonderful children about your newest adventure."
"Ooh, yes! I'll do that!" John excitedly spoke. He danced a little bit. "Don't worry, Infinity, Raider, and Lucy! Papa's coming home!" He leaped into the sky and soared towards the sun. "Boy, do I have a story to share with you guys!"
Down below, Ben picked up Fororli and Notmuth. He set them down on Joey's saddle. "I think I should get y'all home, too."
Edger soared to him. "I'll lead the way, Your Majesty. I need to go home, too. I can't wait to see my little girl again."
"Thank you, Ben and Edger, for forgiving me," Fororli said with a small smile.
"Hey, it's all part of our culture," said Edger. "It does not matter how flawed you are. We will accept you."
"Aw, that's so sweet," said Fororli. He nudged Notmuth. "Hey, Notmuth, when we get home, do you want to return to that river and float downstream again?"
"Oh, I'd love to!" Notmuth admitted, slapping his brother's back. "Today is the start of a new chapter in our lives, brother. We might as well celebrate."
"Then let's do this!" Without thinking, Fororli kicked Joey's sides.
Whinnying, the horse took off at a full gallop. He knocked Ben to the ground.
"Hey, wait for me!" yelled the young king. He rose to his feet and chased after his party.
Evie, her friends, and her parents laughed behind him. A day would come for Mateo to once again live life to the fullest.
Evie released Embrose, the boy who used to be a basilisk. She approached the Guardian's Tree and put her hands together. The little girl bowed to it. "Thank you, Euphorbia, for giving me such an amazing adventure this week. And thank you for choosing such a wonderful man to succeed you." She now had some time to admire the tree's never-ending leaves and flowers. It was seriously the most beautiful tree she had ever seen. She loved the Paperblank Forest, and she could not wait to return next year for the camp again… hopefully with a fully recovered Mateo.
Ranger Krysta kicked up dirt and a few fallen flowers with the toe of her boot. She released her walkie-talkie-like device from her pocket and approached Keegan. She smiled at him, and he returned it. Krysta grasped his shoulder and said, "Welcome back to the tribe, Keegan. You deserve it." She took the crown off Embrose's head and put it over Keegan's.
"Thank you," he said with another sniff. "This means a lot, Krysta." His smile grew when the Bittersweet clapped and cheered for him.
"All hail our old friend Keegan!" they announced.
Keegan, Charlotte, Evie, and Embrose waved at them to show their gratitude.
Charlotte pulled Keegan close and kissed him. She let go and said, "I'm just as proud of you, dear, as I am of Evie and Embrose." She hugged her children close. Charlotte patted Embrose's head. "Welcome to our family, Embrose. You are now Embrose Madison."
"Thank you, Mo-Mom," Embrose stuttered. After one thousand years, he finally had a mom again. It was time for him to relive his childhood as a newborn man.
Ranger Krysta leaned up against the ambulance to get out of the family's way. She pressed the Call button of her device and brought it to her ear. While she waited for the Union to pick up, she admired the orange tint that now covered the whole of the Guardian Tree's sacred ground. Despite how much they hated each other in the beginning, it was nice to see that the Brook family finally accepted one other.
Krysta placed her hand on her hip. "Headquarters?" she asked into her device. "This is Ranger Krysta. Mission complete."