Chapter 10

Chapter 10 INTRODUCING... BLOCK PARTY! THEY'LL KNOCK YOUR BLOCK OFF! "We're in agreement, then?" Ash asked her friends. Their expressions were as thoughtful and serious as their block faces could be. "Our strategy got us this far," said Morgan. "It just has to work one more time." "They turned us away before," said Harper. "BUT THIS TIME, WE'RE READY." "Yeah," said Po. "This time, when I see the dragon beast, I'll only scream a little."

Jodi elbowed him. "We're all in agreement, Ash," she said.

Obsidian didn't break easily. It took time to remove their barrier. As Harper chipped away at

it with a diamond pickaxe, Ash felt a flash of nervousness. We are ready, she told herself. We can't have come this far only to fail. Once the barrier was down, the glow of the bridge shone bright. Ash had to shield her eyes from the glare as she stepped from darkness into light. When her vision adjusted, she saw those same figures standing on the bridge, just a short distance ahead. "Right where we left them," Po whispered. "LIKE THEY'RE WAITING FOR US…" This time, Ash got a good look at them. Standing there beside the dark knight and her dragon mount was the strangest group of mobs she had ever seen. There was a fierce-looking zombie wielding an ax. There was a scruffy-looking sailor with a crossbow. And, finally, there was a robed, hooded figure with a bow. "What are they?" Morgan asked under his breath. "Are they…are they people, like us?" "ARE YOU FELLOW GAMERS? MAYBE WE COULD BE FRIENDS?" tried Jodi.

The sailor opened his mouth to respond. But his voice came out as a honk. The mobs all started honking then. They sounded just like mindless villagers. "I don't think they're people…," said Harper. "AND I DON'T THINK THEY'RE FRIENDLY!" Po cried out as the strange quartet went on the attack. "Jodi!" said Ash. "Go invisible. Try to get behind them." "You've got it," said Jodi. She downed a potion of invisibility in a single gulp, and Ash watched as she faded from view.

"Everyone else, stay behind me," said Morgan. He planted his feet firmly on the bridge and held up his sword. Ash drew her bow. She nodded at Harper, who was preparing to throw a potion. But before the girls could attack, the dark knight barreled forward. She ignored Morgan completely, steering her dragon around him, keeping just out of reach of his sword. "NO FAIR!" said Morgan, swinging his sword and hitting only empty air. "I'm the tank! Fight me!" While Morgan's attention was on the knight,