14

GOOD-BYE AND GOOD LUCK

The sun had just come up and already a crowd had gathered in front of Mr. Anarchy’s lab. Everyone couldn’t wait to leave the server. Michael checked with Mr. Anarchy and asked if he should pick the first name.

“Yes,” Mr. Anarchy called out from his lab. “I will summon the first lightning bolt.”

The assembled villagers were chatting and everyone could feel the excitement emanating from the incredibly energetic crowd.

Michael announced, “We are picking the first person now.” He leaned down and picked up a slip of paper.

“Cassie,” he called out.

A woman with red hair in ponytails squealed with happiness. “That’s me! I’m here!”

The sky grew cloudy as a lightning bolt flashed through the sky and Cassie disappeared.

“It worked!” Michael exclaimed.

“Pick another name,” people shouted from the crowd.

Juan, Emily, and Fred rushed over to watch each villager get zapped back to the real world. Juan said, “I can’t believe this day is finally here. I’m so happy for all of you. I hope you come back on this server as a player.”

Everyone promised they’d return. Michael picked another name from the ground and read it aloud: “Paul.”

A man in a black suit stepped out from the crowd and shouted, “I’m ready!”

The second lightning bolt struck Paul, transporting him back to the real world.

Michael picked up another piece of paper and read it out loud, “Robin.”

Robin was conflicted. She didn’t want to leave her friends behind and felt it was her responsibility to see all the townspeople escape from the server. “Maybe I should put my name back on the ground,” she suggested.

“Nonsense,” Michael stated. He assured his friend she should seize this opportunity and leave the server.

Robin was about to decide when she heard a deafening roar and looked up at the sky.

“The Ender Dragon!” she cried.

“Get the snowballs!” Michael grabbed a couple from his inventory and pounded them against the dragon’s side.

Simon and Robin aimed their snowballs at the powerful dragon. The townspeople helped battle the dragon. Everyone wanted this beast to be annihilated so they could leave the server fast.

Robin threw a snowball at the Ender Dragon. The icy ball hit the dragon’s face, infuriating the lethal beast. Its red eyes stared intently at Robin as its muscular body flew toward her. Robin tried to duck, but she couldn’t hide from the dragon. With no potions in her inventory and grasping just a snowball, she was powerless. The beast sped up as it lunged at her. She lost a heart. Robin tried to escape and dodge away from the dragon, but she was trapped. There was no escape. The dragon repeatedly swung at her until she was destroyed. Robin respawned in the cottage, and left her house ready to battle this tricky troublemaker. Snowballs shot through the air, but the dragon wasn’t weakening.

Robin charged straight at the dragon because she wanted to be the one who annihilated the beast. She grabbed a snowball, but as she aimed at the Ender Dragon, it locked eyes with her and flew at her. She fell back and was destroyed again, and respawned in her bed.

Simon and Michael called out to Robin, as they continued to deplete their inventories of snowballs in the battle against this incredibly strong dragon.

“I’ve never encountered a dragon quite this powerful before,” Michael stated breathlessly.

“Me neither,” Simon agreed.

Mr. Anarchy used his last snowball. “I can’t believe I’ve gone through my entire inventory.”

“I only have a couple of snowballs left,” Michael said. He was worried.

Robin hurried to rejoin her friends and threw a snowball at the dragon. Again, the cold ball hit the dragon’s face and it roared in anger.

“It looks like that snowball actually made a dent in the dragon’s health bar,” Simon said. “We just need to hit it a few more times and we should be able to destroy it.”

Robin quickly grabbed an armload of snowballs and heaved them at the dragon. She held one in each fist and aimed carefully.

Light emanated from the dragon’s belly as the beast dropped an egg. Just as Robin reached over to grab the egg, Michael screamed, “Watch out!”

Robin had fallen into the portal to the End and disappeared.