“Well, then I’m going to shoot up the health crystals and Ender Dragon with arrows,” Alex decided, looking pleased with herself. “I’ll show her.”
“And you will do a magnificent job, I’m sure,” Steve Alexander said. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Stevie and I need to talk privately.”
CHAPTER 13
I went with steve alexander down to the bottom room of the ship. Ossie was there, having made the empty shulker shell into a cat bed. She was purring and looking comfortable. Wolf had also joined us, sitting on the floor and watching what we were up to.
I felt so nervous. What did Steve Alexander want? Why did we have to talk privately?
The elytra I found were right there in front of us, resting on one of the chests. Even though the wings looked as if they couldn’t weigh much, I thought the pressure of taking them on would make my shoulders sink.
“Alex is a way better fighter than me,” I started out. I would still be fine handing the wings over to her and letting her take care of that part of the fight.
“I told you, this is more about your connection to Jean,” he said. “And your connection to Maison.”
My stomach plummeted.
“My dad is a better fighter than me,” I said.
“Likewise, your dad has no connection to Jean and no real connection to Maison,” he said. “And unlike you, it seems to me as if he doesn’t like to try new things. He has his way of doing things, but that won’t work against a dragon.”
“Maison’s mom has a bigger connection to Maison than I do,” I argued. “It’s her mom! That’s more important than a best friend, isn’t it?”
“Maison’s mom is not trained in combat, or in any battle skills from what I can see,” Steve Alexander said. “The Earth people have clearly grown weak since Maya’s time. Maya knew how to fight, forage, and protect herself. Do they not train their children in these ways anymore? I see some fighting skills in Maison, Yancy, and Destiny, just not in the mother.”
“They learned from Minecraft, I guess,” I said. Maison had told me her mom was an architect, which meant she worked in a building all day and drew drawings for buildings. Back in Maya’s time, people didn’t work in buildings and had a lot more dangers to protect themselves from.
“But like you said, Yancy and Destiny know how to fight,” I went on, even though I knew I was losing ground here. “I know Destiny’s kind of quiet, and Yancy is kind of loud, but that’s just how they are. Destiny is really good with computers and she likes to read. And Yancy … well, I think he’s saying all those stupid pirate things to try to lighten the mood, because we’ve been so tense …”
Steve Alexander was staring at me in a way that made me go silent. He looked so serious.
“You went straight for those wings after we got in the ship,” he said. “Didn’t you get them because you wanted to fly?”
“I … I …”
“I will teach you how to glide,” Steve Alexander said. “I can tell you the techniques I learned.”
“But … but …” I glanced at his back. “Your wings are broken!”
“I will talk you through it.”
“I … I can’t!” I finally wailed.
“And why not? You’ve done so many things.”
I finally got to the worst of it: “What if I fail?”
What if I couldn’t glide right? What if Maison stayed the Ender Dragon’s hostage forever? There were so many things to possibly go wrong!
“Fear should never stop you,” he said. “Fear stops too many people. Fear is what lets people follow Jean, even though deep inside themselves they must know what they’re doing is harmful. So many people would rather be safe than stand up for themselves. We have to stand up for everyone in the Overworld, because you heard from those villagers what’s being done to all the people. And we can’t just stand up mindlessly, expecting change—we have to make a bold strategy, where we can see how to get the results we want.”
“How do you do it?” I asked. “How do you stay brave, even when she betrayed you? Even when she captured you?”
“Because either I had to live with her destroying my world, or I had to do something about it.”
I thought about the people who’d bowed to the Ender Dragon. The ones who’d given up right away. Even the ones who’d insisted she was a good leader. I had seen all that and more in Steve Alexander’s enchanted book, when he’d let me see into the past.
“I chose you to do this part of the mission because you’d already chosen yourself for it, without even knowing,” he said. “I once thought that Jean was my best friend, and I let myself be blinded to the clues about her. I didn’t want to believe she could be bad. Maison is your best friend, and if the tables were turned and you were stuck with Jean, I bet she would be flying out onto that island to save you.”
Those words really hit home. I could picture Maison leaping off a building, wings spread, coming to help me. Not because she had to. Because she wanted to. Because we were best friends. Because if we didn’t have each other, who did we have?
“You’re right,” I said. “Tell me everything you know about flying.”
And I put on the elytra.
CHAPTER 14
After docking on the first island, i quickly climbed the purple skyscraper on it, watching the land below me get farther and farther away. The End ship looked small now. If I fell … no, don’t think about it.
I pulled myself to the very top of the skyscraper and slid across it on my belly. On the island in front of me I could see the Ender Dragon sprawled out, her purple eyes glowing. A number of Endermen were on the island with her, as if they were standing guard.
That wasn’t all I saw. Just like Steve Alexander said, there was a circle of obsidian columns looped around the island, and on top of each one was a health Ender crystal. These were bigger than the crystal shards we’d been finding, and they were all shaped like cubes. Two squares that looked like glass windows were over them, and the crystals were gently bopping up and down on top of the columns, as if they were in a soft breeze.
And there, in front of the Ender Dragon, was Maison.
Maison looked tiny from where I was kneeling, overshadowed by the massive dragon. She appeared grim and frustrated, but not scared or defeated.
Something glinted under the Ender Dragon’s paw. It was the missing crystal shard! She was holding it under one huge foot as protection.
I looked to the side. After dropping me off on the first island, the ship was making its way to the Ender Dragon’s island. I was told to wait until they were almost there, then attack. This distraction would allow them to get on the island and go after the health crystals.
The Ender Dragon was lounging like a happy cat after a special fish dinner, gloating. “It’s taking them awhile, don’t you think?” she asked Maison, as if wanting to rub it in.
“They’re coming,” Maison said, confident.
“Oh, I know they are,” the Ender Dragon said. “It’s amazing how well you can manipulate people over someone they care about. Right now I suppose they might be looking at all the destruction I’ve already caused.”
“But we’ve been here this whole time,” Maison argued.
“You think I can’t rule from a distance?” the Ender Dragon demanded. “I have my Endermen and mobs to take care of the dirty work. Even as we speak, they are turning all the people in the Overworld into my servants. And once everyone follows me, there will be no one to try to stop me. We’re just waiting for your little friends to show up, so I can get the rest of the crystals. Then things will really get interesting.”
“That’s so like you,” Maison said darkly. “To make others do your dirty work.”
The Ender Dragon’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Watch your mouth,” she said.
“Look at all these health crystals you have,” Maison went on. “I don’t think you’re as strong as you act.”
“You little—!” The Ender Dragon started to rise, then thought
better of it. Forcing her voice low, she said, “You won’t feel that way when I turn you into an Enderman.”
“Stevie turned into an Enderman, and he never became your servant!” Maison said. “I won’t, either! We’re stronger than that! We can see through your lies!”
“Silence!” the Ender Dragon hissed.
“No!” Maison said. “You thought you’d bring me here and I’d be some scared little hostage who’d do whatever you want? Think again! Steve Alexander left us with the enchanted book and the guide to the crystal shards because he knew there would always be a way to defeat you!”
“Don’t mention him!” The Ender Dragon responded to his name as if she’d been burned: she jumped back and seethed. Even as she moved, I saw she kept the Ender crystal shard with her.
I watched as the ship made its way around and almost reached the island with the Ender Dragon. It was now or never.
I slowly rose to my feet, the winds whipping all around me. They almost knocked me over. It reminded me of the dizzy feeling I had on the ship earlier, when I’d looked down into the void. Then I’d pulled back and stayed away from it. Now I had to jump right down there.
I took a deep breath and plunged off the skyscraper.
CHAPTER 15
At first it felt like i was falling. Then the wings jerked open and I felt myself get lifted up on wind currents. I was gliding rapidly through the air, heading right toward the Ender Dragon!
Maison’s face broke into a huge smile when she saw me. The Ender Dragon caught sight of me at the same time. “You!” she growled. “Have you brought me my crystal shards?”
“You’ll never have them!” I shouted, swooping down. I felt like I almost couldn’t control my speed, and I had to hold on. Almost before I knew it I was right by the Ender Dragon, and I slashed out with my sword, hitting her directly in the face!
She emitted a roar of anger, turning red momentarily. That meant it was a perfect strike!
I turned my body and zinged out of her way, barely missing her large jaws as they crunched down, trying to bite me. Then I swung back around, dizzying her, and struck her on the back of the head. Another perfect hit! I was starting to get the hang of this gliding, even if I were still a little rough around the edges.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the ship docking at the island and everyone but Steve Alexander jumped off. Endermen went at them, ready for the attack, and were knocked back by Alex’s arrows.
The Ender Dragon leapt to bite me again and I barely dodged her. Some of the feathers from my elytra caught in her mouth and she spat them out. I zipped off to the side, plummeting down to the island.
No, no, no! I tried pulling myself up at a forty degree angle, like Yancy said, and I felt myself start to lift back up in the air. Then I felt the full weight of the Ender Dragon strike me with her paw, sending me flying back to the skyscraper.
I hit against the wall, shaken from the blow. My free hand scrambled, grabbed onto a jagged edge on the skyscraper and held myself in place.
“Oh, so you want a fight?” the Ender Dragon taunted. “I’ll give you a fight.”
Beating her wings, she flew up into the air. As she did, I saw light from one of the health crystals blast out and wash over her. Just like that, she was healed up as if she’d never been attacked to begin with.
Two could play that game. Gasping, I reached into my toolkit and pulled out some milk. After a quick drink, I felt my health quickly return. The empty milk bottle fell all the way to the ground below and shattered.
Then I threw myself back off the building and was gliding again, rushing toward the dragon.
Meanwhile, the Ender Dragon had spotted Alex shooting her arrows at a health crystal, almost breaking it. The dragon shot a fireball toward Alex, only for Alex to throw herself into a roll and get out of the way. Back on her feet, my cousin ripped more arrows out, shooting them straight for the Ender Dragon.
The arrows hit in the shoulder. Furious, the Ender Dragon dropped back to the ground. “You’re the excellent archer,” she said. “I think it’s time to put you out of commission.” Closer to Alex now, she shot another fireball at her.
But the dragon was so caught up in attacking Alex that she didn’t notice something else important. During this time Maison had run to Dad, gotten a weapon from him, and returned. Holding Dad’s giant pickaxe above her head, she struck the Ender Dragon’s foot with all her might.
The Ender Dragon yelped out and let go of the last crystal shard.
Yes! Before anything else could happen, I swooped down in low, striking the Ender Dragon again with my sword. She snarled and drew back.
“I told you I wouldn’t be a scared little hostage!” Maison shouted, seizing the shard.
“Maison, give me the crystal!” I called.
Maison threw the crystal up into the air, using her best baseball pitcher’s throw. The crystal landed right into my hand!
“No,” the Ender Dragon seethed. She was standing on the ground, a little shaken, but mostly furious. She did not expect us to all come in like this. Now that she knew what we were doing, the fury in her looked as if it could blow like TNT.
I was flying away from her, heading back to the ship where I knew Steve Alexander was. I needed to get him the crystal!
Even as I was hurrying, the Ender Dragon was gathering her strength back together and rising to the skies. Another health crystal blasted light at her, healing all the wounds she’d just gotten. No wonder Steve Alexander said we couldn’t defeat her unless we took out all the health crystals first!
I peeked back over my shoulder and saw she was beating her wings again, rising into the sky and going straight for me. A fireball came shooting out of her mouth and I dove down. The fireball struck the skyscraper and set it on fire. And I was headed right toward it!
I veered to the side, missing the fiery skyscraper. I’d pushed too hard, though, and I felt myself start to plummet again. When I’d had that levitation curse on me, all I wanted was to get back to ground, and now I knew if I landed, I’d lose all advantage I had.
I tried to push myself forty degrees upward, and it wasn’t easy. I caught sight of Alex destroying a health crystal, and Yancy taking down another one. But I wouldn’t be able to stay away from the Ender Dragon in the time it’d take to destroy all her health crystals!
The Ender Dragon was closing in on me like an evil shadow and her paw swiped out again. Her attack knocked me upward, so that I went spinning straight up and would be ready to fall back down again. She probably did it so I’d have the farthest distance to fall, but I could use this. I pushed myself against the wind, getting myself angled differently. I was still going to fall, though this time I had control over my fall.
And so when I plunged back down, I didn’t hit the island or lose control over my wings. I fell directly on the back of the Ender Dragon, the way Steve Alexander used to ride her into battle. One second I was in the air, and the next I felt an enormous scaly body under me.
I could see the ship from here. Not giving the Ender Dragon a chance to return to her senses, I lunged off her, using her body as a new starting point to get my wings back in order. Below me, I saw Dad and Destiny take out two health crystals.
“You can’t fly for long!” the Ender Dragon roared. “Those aren’t real wings, like mine! Eventually they will give out on you!”
I was speeding for the ship, the ground rushing all around me, the Ender Dragon back at my heels.
As soon as I got over the ship, I threw the crystal shard down into the cabin, where Steve Alexander was waiting. Then I turned back around, almost face-to-face with the Ender Dragon. Her purple eyes were the size of a shield I’d use. Her mouth was open, the fangs set to grab me.
I pulled up at forty degrees, just zinging over her face, feeling her breath against me but dodging her bite. When I was on top of her head, I struck again with my sword. In the distance, I saw Maison’s mom take out another health crystal. In fact, all the health crystals h
ad been taken out except for one, and Alex was going at it with her arrows.
“I’ll help you, Alex!” I called, rushing toward the last health crystal. I landed on the tall obsidian column, barely balancing myself there because there was so little room. Then I lifted my sword and struck the health crystal, breaking it to pieces.
CHAPTER 16
“This is still far from over,” the ender Dragon growled. “Even without my health crystals I’m as strong as ever!”
She was right. She didn’t have the same healing ability like before, though she was in perfect health from her latest healing, and the rest of us were looking pretty tattered.
“Get her!” Maison shouted, raising the diamond pickaxe. The others went rushing for the Ender Dragon, but she leapt into the air, out of the reach of swords and pickaxes. Arrows could still get her, and I watched Alex take the lead, striking her with fistfuls of quickly launched arrows.
I jumped off the pillar, going back into the fray of battle. As it was, the Ender Dragon was trying to shoot Alex with purple fireballs and head for the ship, where she’d seen me throw the crystal shard. I couldn’t let her get there before Steve Alexander was done!
“Come and get me!” I shouted at the Ender Dragon as I jumped and flew back at her. I remembered those were the words Steve Alexander had mocked her with before their epic battle so long ago.
And the Ender Dragon remembered it too. A crazed look came over her eyes. “You!” she growled. “You only say that because he did!”
“Say his name!” I hollered. “Steve Alexander! I know all about your past, and you can’t turn me against him anymore! Even if he isn’t perfect, he isn’t a coward like you! He doesn’t seek our power through greed! He’s everything that you’re not!”
I came at her with my sword, but she was too fast, knocking me clear back so that I almost hit the burning skyscraper again.
“He’s done for, that’s what you mean!” she said. “Hero, genius, whatever you want to call him, when we first met all I saw was a lost soul desperate for some positive attention. And when I last saw him, he was behind bars. In the cell I put him in.”
Return of the Ender Dragon Page 5
