Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Computer's Ill? You Need a Chill? Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Snow! New blazes had already spawned between them and the spawner: now there were six floating around, waiting to fling their fireballs at anyone who got their attention. Ash didn't have time to think—she rushed forward and slashed at the closest one. The first three blazes all turned toward her, their rods orbiting rapidly. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Several fireballs came straight for her!

Jodi jumped in front of her, shield raised. "Ash! I've got you. Just keep—" Kzschh. Static. Jodi's voice cut out. Ash swung her sword again at the first blaze—it poofed into a cloud of smoke. "Jodi! Are you okay?" Her avatar wasn't moving; it was standing there with its shield up, staring blankly. "Jodi?!" Ash yelled as the remaining blazes started to fling

their fireballs again. They couldn't lose another player now! "Jodi's game crashed!" Po said. "We need to protect her!" He stepped forward from the doorway and fired a volley of arrows at the second blaze. The arrows hit the blaze—maybe—but then his computer was clearly lagging. Ash watched as Po's arrows fired on a delay, hitting where the blaze had been. The two blazes lobbed more fireballs. Ash hid behind Jodi's frozen avatar, moving around her so the fire would hit her shield,

but she was pinned down and couldn't do anything while they were both looking at her! "You're behind, Po! Shoot where it's moving to, not where it looks like it is!" "Got it!" Po aimed in front of the second blaze —and his arrow sailed through the air, hitting it perfectly and sending it tumbling to the ground in a poof. "Just four more!" Harper said. "You can do it!" With only one attacker, Ash could help in the gaps between its shots. She pulled out her bow

and joined Po, who adjusted for his lag. With a few more shots, the third one was tumbling, too. Together, they'd be okay. "Nice one, Ash!" Po said. "Now we can—" Kzschh. His avatar froze in the middle of the floor. Oh no! There were still three blazes left, and more would spawn soon if they didn't hurry. But Ash couldn't step forward without getting all their attention, and she was alone! "Can anyone still hear me?" she asked.

"I can!" Harper said. "Principal Ferris is getting impatient, but you're almost there!" "I don't know if I can do this." Ash peeked over Jodi's head. One of the blazes was turning to float in her direction—it would notice her at any second! "If I step out there, it will shoot fireballs. But we can't just leave Po and Jodi here!"