BILLY STEELE: KID RANGER, CHAPTER THREE

Quickly, a keen eyed and nimble Billy scooped up the arrowhead from the ground and held the tiny object for dear life itself while The Dark Skull aimed another deadly barrage directly at Col. Tim.

It seemed the magical black arrowhead had a life of its own when it journeyed from The Dark Skull’s evil to Billy’s good. Or was it fate or the work of a higher intervention that saw Billy possess the amazing power once again. "RAMSFEW," Billy cried to the arrowhead as he hoped he would become The Lightning Warrior. But Billy remained a boy while The Dark Skull remained a super terror. Was the magic failing Billy? Was this his punishment for letting the arrowhead fall into the wrong hands, or was this a test? Are the great spirits testing Billy to see if he alone has the power to triumph over the evilest of magic. The plucky youth Billy had to face his fears, alone. Billy remained in a frightful awe when he saw the rampaging giant destroy everything in his path. He had to conquer his worst nightmare, alone, and on his own, when he realized he was the only one who could save his legendary friends and ranger family from the demonic Dark Skull.

Remembering a story from the Good Book that the wise scout Salvation had told him, Billy fashioned his neckerchief like a slingshot, and placed the magical black arrowhead in its center. If Billy could hurl the black arrowhead directly between the eyes of The Dark Skull, perhaps its force would topple the giant to his knees.

"Hey, Lester, you dropped something, creep," Billy screamed to The Dark Skull. The monster turned from the Col. to focus his venom on the tiny boy. Billy prayed to the powers above, as he hoped they would intervene in his fight for right. While The Dark Skull continued to howl in his wicked glory, Billy swung his slingshot around and around until he used all his strength to let the black arrowhead fly.

Billy’s aim was true and powerful. The magical black arrowhead was whipped directly and deeply into The Dark Skull’s forehead. Someone was listening to Billy’s prayers, for the arrowhead’s powerful force for good overpowered The Dark Skull’s evil. Blood gushed from the monster’s head like a crimson-torrent. As Billy, Holt’s Rangers and the Western legends watched, the tiny arrowhead’s magic sucked the evil from The Dark Skull’s huge body.

Lightning bolts and thunder exploded around the monster’s head. The creature’s eyes grew hazy and bloodshot as it wobbled aimlessly until the giant crashed to the cave’s floor. Boom! The fall of the demon caused a rumble of immeasurable tremors. The monster then shrank in size. Where the horror to end all horrors stood, there now was sprawled the misshapen body of Lester, burned and engulfed by the flames of his own wickedness.

Billy sighed in a gush of welcoming relief, for he had proven that the faith and courage of a small, plucky boy was no match for the most overwhelming of evils.

Billy hugged his family and friends in grateful reunion. Holt’s Rangers thanked the Western legends before the West’s greatest heroes saddled up for new adventures. Billy knew he could count on his new friends of legendary Western heroes whenever he or his family needed their help. And all of the great heroes would be proud to ride alongside the majestic and mysterious Lightning Warrior in future exploits.