The mountain of Egomania is a pile of broken glass. It is jagged and sharp. It reflects the purple sky in a thousand different ways. At the very top, a dark cloud swirls. This is the Lair. This is where the Dragon hides.
Everett, Audacia, Clara, and Robbie stand at the bottom of the mountain. They look up. The mountain is very steep.
"The mountain is made of Ego," Clara says. She holds the Code of Chivalria. "It wants us to be selfish. It wants us to climb alone."
As they start to climb, the mountain whispers. The glass rocks show reflections of the kids, but the reflections are different.
Everett sees a reflection where he wears a crown of gold. He is sitting on a throne, and his friends are serving him juice boxes. "You are the King," the mountain whispers. "You do not need the others. You are the strongest."
Everett stops. He looks at his red crystal sword. He feels a pull in his heart to run ahead and be the hero all by himself.
Beside him, Audacia looks at a reflection where she is fighting a hundred monsters alone. "You are the captain," the reflection says. "The others just slow you down. Run to the top! Be the first!"
Audacia's feet move faster. She starts to leave Robbie and Clara behind.
"Wait!" Robbie cries. He is at the back. He holds the bag with the Blue Ball. "The mountain is tricking us! Remember the rule!"
Clara opens the notebook. She reads as loud as she can.
"Rule Number Five! A Knight never stands alone!"
The words hit Everett like a bucket of cold water. He shakes his head. He looks at his friends. He sees them struggling on the sharp glass.
"Stop!" Everett shouts. He reaches out and grabs Audacia's cloak. "We do not climb for ourselves. We climb for Chivalria!"
They grab hands. They form a line. The moment they touch, the reflections in the mountain shatter. The glass turns into normal rock. The whispers stop.
They reach the top. The Dragon Egomania waits for them. He is a tower of mirrors. He breathes a cold mist that smells like pride.
"You bring the gifts to my front door," the Dragon roars. "How kind of you. Now, give me the marble, and I will make you the masters of your own worlds. You can each have your own kingdom! You never have to share again!"
"We like sharing!" Robbie yells.
He pulls the Blue Ball out. He holds it high.
Everett steps forward. He raises the Sword of Daring. Clara raises the Mirror of Truth. Audacia raises the Oak Shield.
"We make a new rule!" Everett shouts.
Clara writes in the book as Everett speaks.
"Rule Number Thirteen: The Power belongs to the Team!"
The Blue Ball explodes with light. But the light does not stay in the ball. It travels through Robbie's arms. It travels to Everett, Audacia, and Clara.
They all start to glow with the same iridescent light. They are not four children and a marble anymore. They are a single force of friendship.
Everett swings his sword. A wave of rainbow fire hits the Dragon.
Egomania screams. His mirror-scales crack and fall off. He cannot look at the light because he only wants to see himself. The light of the four friends is too bright for him.
"No! I am the greatest!" the Dragon cries.
"You are just lonely!" Audacia shouts.
The light pushes the Dragon back into his dark cave. The cave collapses. The mountain shakes.
With a final flash of blue light, the dark clouds disappear. The purple sky turns into a beautiful, starry night.
The kids stand on the peak of the mountain. They are tired. Their armor is dusty. But they are smiling.
"Is he gone?" Robbie asks.
"For now," Clara says. She looks at the notebook. The gold letters are glowing brightly. "But we have three more kingdoms to save. This is only the end of the first adventure."
Everett looks at the Blue Ball. It sits quietly in Robbie's hands. It is full of light.
"Then we keep going," Everett says. He looks at his friends—his fellow knights. "Tomorrow, we march to Honoria."
The four Knights of Chivalria sit together on the mountain. Below them, the world of Blue Ball is safe for one more night.