Chapter 4

Chapter 4 EXCUSE ME, FELLOW MINECRAFT PLAYERS, WE DON'T WANT TO ALARM YOU, BUT FIRE!!! As he watched the flames spread through the forest biome, Theo froze with inaction. Fire was dangerous and destructive. No one would blame Theo for being afraid. But Theo wasn't afraid. He was too busy feeling annoyed. "Everyone, get clear," said Morgan. "And don't panic! We can retreat to the taiga biome. WE'LL COME BACK WHEN IT'S SAFE." "No!" said Theo. "It might be too late by then." "Too late?" said Ash. "What do you mean?" "THOSE BEES," said Theo. "THEY WERE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH US. They were trying to tell us something. And now…Oh no!"

Theo's heart sank as he saw it happen. Fire had spread to a nearby oak tree…destroying one of the bees' nests in a matter of seconds. "We have to do something," said Theo. "WE HAVE TO GIVE THE BEES ANOTHER CHANCE TO DELIVER THEIR MESSAGE." "I see what Theo means," said Harper. "If the bees are destroyed, we might lose our chance to fix the Evoker King." "It would also be bad for the bees," said Jodi. "I'm sure they would love to not be destroyed today." "Okay," said Ash. "New plan. STOP THE FIRE! SAVE THE BEES!" They scattered, each doing their best to stop flames from spreading.

Morgan and Ash ran to a nearby stream and filled their buckets with water. "DO YOU THINK THIS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE?" asked Ash. "It will if we use this water to set up a whole new water source," said Morgan. "We could actually create a river in the heart of the forest." "Sounds like a plan," said Ash. "I'LL DIG SOME CANALS," offered Harper, and she pulled out her shovel. "Even if we don't fill them with water, the gaps should stop the fire from spreading across the grass." As Harper started carving lines through the landscape, Theo finally sprang into action. He followed

close behind Harper, grabbing the dirt blocks that she left in her wake. "I can use these to make walls of dirt. THEY'LL BE LIKE BARRIERS AGAINST THE FLAMES." "DON'T TRAP THE ANIMALS!" said Jodi. She ran ahead of Harper and Theo, moving toward the heart of the forest with a sheaf of wheat in her hand. "If they get stuck behind your canals or your walls of dirt, they'll be in a lot of danger!" "I'd better get the trident we left behind," said Po. "The last thing we need is a second lightning strike." Theo stopped. "TRIDENT?" he echoed. "Po, did you cause this fire?" "Busy now," said Po as he rushed past them. "Talk later!" Jodi emerged from between the trees, leading a sheep to safety. "IT'S MY FAULT," she said. "I put the trident down and then forgot about it. I'm really sorry."

"Tell that to the bees," Theo said. As he watched, another nest fell into the flames. "WE HAVE TO GET THOSE NESTS OUT OF HERE," said Theo. "We're losing too many of them." "There's a nest right over there." Harper pointed at a nearby tree with her shovel. "Should I cut it out of the tree?" she asked. "Wait!" said Morgan. "If you use that, you'll just destroy it." "We need a pickaxe with a Silk Touch enchantment," said Ash, and she ran to Harper's side. "I HAVE SOME LAPIS. Do you have an enchanting table?" Harper nodded, placing the workstation down beside the tree. On either side of the enchanting table, she set down bookcases. "I'm going to need a minute," she said. "Someone keep an eye on the fire, please." "I've got your back," said Theo, and he placed a dirt barrier all around the tree—and around Harper, who was now free to work without fear of the flames reaching her. The pickaxe she was working on glowed purple with magic, but Harper shook her head. "That didn't work right," she said. "It's a Fortune enchantment."

"KEEP TRYING," said Theo, and he handed her a spare pickaxe. "You'll get the right enchantment eventually." He just hoped it happened before they ran out of materials in their inventory. "THAT DID IT!" Harper said after the third try. She lifted the glowing tool from the enchanting table and tossed it to Ash, who was closest to the nest. Ash smiled, and her new pickaxe seemed to glow more brightly as it swung through the air, cutting the bees' nest loose from the tree. Harper caught the nest and carried it to safety. Theo hoped that would be enough. He hoped the bee being wasn't lost to them forever.