Read Elliot and the Last Underworld War for Free Online Page B

against Kovol.”
    “We’re good at light,” Fidget said, fluttering to the front of the crowd. “But nobody knows where Kovol will go next. We can’t build a light dome over the whole Underworld.”
    A Dwarf stepped forward. “The Shadow Men could grab us before our short arms will ever reach them. But we can build defenses for others to use in their fights.”
    The Troll with the finger up his nose ambled forward as if he wanted to say something. But then he blinked as if his finger had pushed into his brain, and he stepped back into place.
    Don’t worry about his brain, Dear Reader. He’ll barely notice a difference.
    “Anyone else?” Elliot asked.
    A large bird that had been in the air landed on the ground, spun around, and turned into a human boy Elliot recognized. This was his friend Harold, a Shapeshifter who had helped save Elliot on the night he woke up Kovol.
    “You know my strengths,” Harold said. “Just tell me what you want, and I’ll do it.”
    “And me,” said a Centaur in the back of the crowd.
    “And me,” added a Mermaid from the river.
    “Okay.” Elliot looked around. His mind raced as he looked the crowd over. He started with the Fairies. “We need everyone we can get on our side. Will you gather as many creatures as you can? Tell them we must fight together, or we’ll each face the collapse of the Underworld alone.”
    The Fairies nodded, then vanished. Elliot next turned to Fudd. “You’ve worked with the Goblins once before. If anyone can convince them to help us, it’s you.”
    “The Goblins only promised not to hurt us,” Fudd said. “But they won’t help us unless their leader, Grissel, agrees. And he’s still in our Brownie prison, having to eat that horrible chocolate cake.” He shivered just thinking of it.
    “No more chocolate cake,” Elliot said. “Bring him the biggest jar of pickles you can find, and tell him I want his help. He still has to promise not to hurt the Brownies, but there’s nobody as good at blowing things up as Grissel.”
    Fudd dipped his head at his king. “Yes, Your Highness.” Then he poofed away.
    Harold stepped forward. “And what about me? Can I help?”
    Elliot took a deep breath, then nodded at the Shapeshifter. “I need you for one of the biggest jobs of all. I need you to turn into me again and let Kovol see you down here. When he does, he’ll chase you. If he gets too close, change into a butterfly, or a bumblebee, or something he won’t suspect and can’t catch. Keep him confused but busy and distracted. And whatever you do, keep him far, far away from Demon Territory. Can you do that?”
    Harold paled a little, as if he were already shapeshifting into a white snowman. Then slowly he returned to his normal color. He swallowed hard, then nodded. With a squeak, he said, “I thought you’d ask me to bring chips and dip for the battle, or do something simple. But I said I would help, and I will.”
    He closed his eyes and shapeshifted into a bird again. Before he flew off, he tweeted back to Elliot, “If I don’t come back, make sure to tell the love of my life, the beautiful Cami Wortson, that I was a hero.”
    “Of course you’ll come back,” Elliot said. “And for the last time, she’s not the love of your life!”
    When Harold had flown away, Mr. Willimaker stepped forward from the crowd and asked, “What good will it do to send Kovol away from Demon Territory? None of us are there, so neither is he. We have to defend our homes out here instead.”
    Elliot smiled. “We’re not going to defend ourselves from Kovol. We’re going to attack.”

Dear Reader, at one time or another, you have probably played a sport such as tennis or basketball, or Limburger soccer. (It’s pretty much the same as regular soccer, except that you kick around a chunk of stinky Limburger cheese instead of a ball. The only downside is that it smells so bad, nobody really wants to get anywhere near it.) If you have, then you know it’s