The Accidental Minecraft Family: Book 14 Page 3

  Dad shook his head. “Any pets that are tamed and can follow are welcome to come. But the chickens and sheep? I’m sorry, but we just can’t bring them. We can’t have anything that will slow us down.”

  Marigold and Layla both looked like they were about to cry. Kate did her best to comfort them. “It’s okay, we can let them go and the pillagers will probably leave them alone. Although... how well trained are the wolves?”

  Marigold shrugged and Layla squinted in confusion. “How come?”

  “Well, wolves make great fighters. Maybe they could help fight the army.”

  Layla and Marigold both looked unhappy at the idea. “We could try, I remember how hard the wolves fought for you last time.”

  Kate nodded. “And we might need them to buy us time. Here's what we do. First you and Layla tame as many wolves as you can while they make the portal. Then we wait until the last minute before we go into the portal, and if there is an enemy nearby, we shoot at them with crossbows. That will make all the wolves attack.”

  Layle and Marigold both frowned, but nodded. Layla sighed. “I love my animals, but if we have to leave them behind so we can live, we’ll do it.” Marigold nodded in agreement and they each pulled out a bone and started taming wolves.

  ***

  Mom and Charlotte headed off to harvest the food. “I am really impressed with how big your garden has gotten, Charlotte. You really have a green thumb!”

  “What’s a thumb?”

  Mom laughed. “It’s just an expression. I mean you are a great gardener. And all this food will be so helpful.”

  Charlotte grinned, proud. “Thank you, Mrs. Smith. You helped me learn a lot and I get so much joy from the garden. I love spending time here; it’s so peaceful. Well, it was peaceful, until an army showed up.”

  “There always seems to be some kind of crisis.” Mom sighed. “We are going to figure out how to make you safe, though. I promise you that.”

  Charlotte nodded. “I believe you. Thank you.”

  “Speaking of BEE-lieving, you should hear about the mutant bees we found! They can make any food grow enormously!” Mom held out her hands as wide as they could go.

  Charlotte’s eyes got big. “What did you do with them?”

  “Oh, we left them BEE-hind in another village we were helping.”

  Charlotte chuckled. “I would love to see that someday.”

  Mom’s eyes went big as she thought of an idea. “I think we might BEE able to arrange that.”

  ***

  Jack placed the blocks for the portal, humming to himself. Dad watched him nervously. They had sent Fred to keep an eye out for the oncoming army and he shouted down. “They’re almost here!”

  “Come on, Jack,” Dad said. “We’re out of time!”

  “Aaand... done!” Jack said, placing the final block. He pulled out a flint and steel and lit it on the portal. Instantly the area inside the obsidian blocks turned purple and showed a space-like scene. Purple light glowed from the center, and swirls jiggled like jello. “Whoa!”

  “Okay, I’ll go through and see if we can break it from the other side,” Dad said.

  “Hold on!” Jack handed him the rest of the obsidian blocks. “Take these just in case. If you get trapped over there, build another portal and light it on fire like I did, it should pop you out here.” He gave him the diamond pick as well.

  Dad nodded, took a deep breath, and jumped into the portal.

  Chapter 11

  The world went all squiggly wiggly for Dad. He appeared on the other side of the portal and instantly felt like he’d walked into an oven. A dark, red oven. “Yeesh! They weren’t kidding about the heat.” He shook his head to take away the dizziness of the portal.

  Everywhere he looked he saw the world was made of a strange reddish block. He was standing in a wide-open area with some cliffs in the distance, and a large sea of lava off to the side. There was the occasional fire burning on the ground, and blobs of yellow, glowing stones dotted the ceiling. Dad could see some mobs in the area, but not too many, and they were a good bit away.

  He pulled out the diamond pickaxe and hacked away at one of the obsidian blocks of the portal. It popped and the purple shimmering doorway disappeared. Through the now empty obsidian frame, Dad could see behind the portal into an area with lots of green fungus and vines growing. He was curious about it, but time was of the essence, and he didn’t go explore. He waited a few moments, put back the obsidian block, and lit the portal on fire with a flint and steel, turning it back into an active portal.

  Dad stepped through, the world going squiggly wiggly again, and blinked. “Did it work?” he asked Jack.

  Jack shook his head. “The portal stayed active the whole time.”

  Dad frowned. “Rats and phooey.”

  “THEY’RE HERE!” Fred shouted from on top of the wall. His shout was followed by a loud BOOM, and Fred was knocked down to the ground, flashing red.

  “We don’t have any time!” Dad shouted. “Everyone! Come on! Now!” They all did as they were told and ran to the portal. Everyone huddled around it, fear plastered on their faces. “I hope you got everything you wanted, because we have to go now now now!”

  “Little VILLAGERS!” Ortho shouted from behind the wall. “Your time is up! It seems you have chosen poorly and now we will turn your village into dust!” BOOOM went the wall again, and one of the stone blocks exploded, showing the absurdly huge ravager on the other side of it.

  The villagers and family stared nervously at the portal. They had never been through one and had no idea what to expect. Though it couldn’t be worse than what awaited them if they stayed, right? At least they hoped not.

  “Kate, take them through,” Dad said, his tone serious. “It’s pretty safe on the other side. Just stay close to the portal until we’re all there.”

  Kate nodded and mounted Lady, walking into the portal.

  ...And right out the other side into the village.

  “What the what?” Kate asked, confused. “It didn’t work!” She tried again with the same result. “I’m not leaving her behind!” Kate said, close to tears.

  “Maybe you can’t go through the portal while riding?”

  She jumped off Lady and stroked her neck. “Please go through the portal?” she begged her horse. “I know it’s scary, but we’ll protect you.” Lady knickered and tossed her head, but because she loved and trusted Kate, she walked through, disappearing as soon as she touched it.

  “Marigold? Layla? You guys go next so you can help calm down the mounts. I’m going to have to stay here and help them through. Stay right by the portal.” The two girls nodded, taking the task very seriously, and with deep breaths, they both jumped into the portal.

  Kate walked to each of the horses and Dirtymud in turn, talking to them soothingly to convince them to go through, smiling as the last tail disappeared into the purple nothingness.

  Dad turned to Mom. “Dear,” he said, “we have a problem.”

  Chapter 12

  “What is it?” Mom asked Dad, looking beyond worried. Now was not the time for extra problems.

  Jack had an idea of what Dad was going to tell her and snuck off to Mom's shulker box, still lying on the ground, and opened it. He took a few items that were inside, and closed it, then took out his shulker box and set it next to hers. He took some items out of it as well, added a few more back in, and left it.

  He whipped up a crafting table to the sounds of the walls crashing apart and crafted a diamond pickaxe with his spare diamonds. “Bruce, buddy, we are going to do something that is going to make Mom mad. SO MAD. But I’m going to need your help, okay? You want to fight some pillagers?”

  “Meow,” Bruce flexed his claws. “Hiss hiss, meow!” he said toward the crumbling wall.

  Jack nodded at him. “That’s right, boy. Alright, here you go.” He dropped the full set of diamond armor from his shulker box on the ground, then the diamond sword. “Eat up.” Jack’s head lifted when he heard Mom shouting at Dad.

  “Absolutely not!” she said. “I will not let you do that!”

  Jack hurried his preparations and snuck back to his arguing parents. “Guys!” he shouted. “We have to hurry! Kate already has almost everyone through. Mom, don't forget your shulker box, and can you grab mine too?”

  Mom gave Dad the stink eye and ran over to collect the two boxes. “Jack,” Dad said, “I’m going to stay here and destroy the portal from this side.”

  Jack nodded, but he felt his heart racing in his chest. He had guessed that's what Dad was going to do. “Shouldn’t I do that? You have that curse, but my spawn point is still the treehouse. I could hold them off, destroy the portal, and meet you somewhere.”

  Dad shook his head. “You’re a good kid, Jack. Brave and responsible. But no, this is my responsibility. I am your dad, and my job is to keep you safe. At all costs. Besides, Mom might need you at Birgitta’s village. She had an idea to go there next and save the villagers.”

  “Mom’s always trying to save everyone,” Jack smiled.

  Kate and the rest of the animals and villagers had all made it through and the wall to the village was well and truly broken open now, pillagers pouring in. Mom and Dad stood next to the portal, staring at each other with their arms crossed. “I have to do it honey,” Dad said. “I love you.”

  Mom's face softened, and a tear formed in her eye. She hugged Dad fiercely. “As soon as we get these villagers safe, we are coming for you!”

  Dad nodded and gave her a kiss. “I’ll be fine. Now get through that portal!”

  Mom sighed, smiled a sad smile, and stepped up to the portal. “Come on, Jack. Time to go,” she said and stepped through.

  “Dad?” Jack asked.

  “Can’t this wait?” D
ad replied, eyeing the illagers that were rapidly approaching. “I need you to get going.” He pulled out one of his tower shields.

  “It can’t wait, sorry,” Jack said, equipping a diamond pickaxe. There were dozens of pillagers in the village now. Maybe even more.

  “I’ll meet you at Birgitta’s village, I remember the way,” Jack said.

  Dad looked at Jack with his face scrunched up. “Huh? What are-”

  Jack pointed at the portal. “OH NO!” he yelled.

  Dad whirled his head around to see what was happening, and when he did, Jack shoved him as hard as he could, sending him through the portal. “I love you Dad! I’ll be fine!” he shouted as his dad disappeared. As fast as he could he destroyed a block of obsidian, the portal fading from view. “Please don’t be too mad at me,” he whispered to himself.

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here? Another respawner?” Ortho's voice boomed from on top of his giant ravager, right beside Jack.

  Chapter 13

  Dad fell through the portal, landing on his butt on the other side. “What? Honey?” Mom asked. “Where’s Jack?” Mom had a look on her face that terrified Dad.

  “That darn boy pushed me through the portal!” he shouted. “He was holding a diamond pickaxe, and-” Dad’s face fell. “And I think he was going to destroy the portal from the outside.”

  Mom charged right up to the portal, but Dad held out an arm to stop her. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to save him!”

  “If you go through there, they’ll catch you,” Dad said. “They were already at the portal!”

  “You are NOT going to tell me I can’t save my son.” Mom shoved and fought against him, but he held her gently. She shoved away from him and crossed her arms, glaring at him.

  Dad stood in front of the portal, his own arms crossed. “OUR son,” he said. “And I am not letting you through here. If anyone can escape them, it’s Jack. Remember how he helped us in the mansion?”

  “We can’t just leave him there!” Mom’s anger was melting, and tears pooled in the corner of her eyes.

  “Honey, remember his luck powers? He said he would meet us at Birgitta’s village. We’ll ruin everything if we open the portal again.” Dad embraced her. She was crying now, her whole body shaking as she sobbed, the tears staining Dad’s shoulder.

  “What’s this about going to my old village?” Birgitta asked.

  Mom lifted her head up, sniffing. “We thought we should go there first. Save the villagers that are there and maybe find that book about the legendary heroes.” She looked around, squinting in confusion. “Why are there so many wolves here?”

  Marigold and Layla were sitting on the ground, surrounded by wolves. A dozen wolves in collars were yipping and sniffing and playing. “The wolves we tamed appeared here with us when we went through the portal!” Layla said with a smile. Mom blew out a breath, acknowledging the good about the situation.

  “Well, it looks like we’re going to need them,” Dad said, pointing. Everyone turned to see a small horde of four half-pig, half-zombie looking creatures with golden swords that were approaching quickly.

  Chapter 14

  “You got me,” Jack said, his hands in the air.

  “Meow, growl,” Bruce said, jumping onto Jack's shoulders, glaring at the monstrosity of a creature in front of them. He was bright blue, the color of diamond, and shiny since he had eaten the diamond armor.

  “Where did the other respawner go?” Ortho growled. “I cannot sense him. But I can tell my curse is still active.”

  Jack pointed at the broken portal and shrugged. “Sorry, you just missed him! He went on a little trip to the nether, along with the villagers.”

  Ortho's face went pale, along with many of the pillagers. Jack heard whispers coming from the group about how horrible the nether was. He hoped they were just going off exaggerated stories they had heard and hadn’t actually been. “The respawner still lives,” Ortho said, “otherwise I could curse you! Regardless, you are coming with us. Don’t even think about giving us any trouble! What is your name, prisoner?”

  “I’m NINJACK, greatest ninja alive!”

  “Meow hiss,” Bruce said from his shoulders.

  “Second greatest ninja alive, I mean.” Jack cleared his throat.

  Ortho rolled his eyes. “You are the greatest fool alive! Now you belong to me. And... what in the nether is that diamond creature next to you?

  “You mean him?” Jack asked, pointing at Bruce. “That’s Bruce Lee the Scar-Faced Ninja Attack Kitty from Japan. The actual greatest ninja ever.”

  Ortho looked confused. “What’s a ninja?”

  “You know what? Never mind. You’ll find out soon enough.” Jack pointed over to a furnace that was lit up. It was right next to where the shulker boxes had been. “Can I at least eat something, first? I’m starving and haven't eaten all day.”

  “NO! You are my prisoner!” Ortho shouted. “You’ll eat when I say you can eat!”

  “Hey!” a pillager who had gone to inspect the furnace shouted. “This smells good. Really, really good. What is it?”

  “It’s called Barbecue,” Jack said. “It’s respawner food, I’m not surprised you commoners haven’t heard of it. We need it to keep up our powers.”

  Ortho’s eyes went big and the pillager near the furnace looked shocked. “There's a full stack in here!” the pillager said.

  “Leave it alone!” Jack yelled, trying his best to sound desperate. “I need that!”

  Ortho sneered at Jack. “You won't need anything when I’m done with you,” he growled. He pointed at the pillager near the furnace. “You! Bring me some of that magical bar-beee-cue and give the rest out to the men!”

  “Noooo!” Jack shouted.

  “Bwahahaha!” Ortho laughed as the pillager brought him a cooked chicken with a slight green tint.

  “Why is it this color?” Ortho sniffed it. “It smells good.” Jack stood there sullenly, staring at the ground. “Answer me, fool!” Ortho shouted.

  Jack acted scared, flinching. “Sorry sir... it’s the, uh... magic. The magic turns it that color.”

  The pillagers chowed down and Jack had to work hard to hide a smirk. Ortho gobbled it up, licking his fingers after. “Delicious!” He turned his head to one side, then the other. “I think I can feel the magic working! Soon we will be as powerful as respawners!”

  Ortho shoved Jack forward towards the broken wall. “If I can’t have the other respawners, you’ll do for our first experiment. Now MOVE! I’m taking you back to our camp.”

  Jack started walking, petting Bruce on the head. The cat was hissing and growling under his breath. “Hold on, buddy,” he whispered to the cat. “Be patient. We gotta wait for the right time.”

  The army left the village with their single prize; a young respawner and a strange, blue cat. One pillager spoke as they walked outside, holding his stomach. “Boss! I can feel the magic! It’s all bubbly and... it... kinda hurts...”

  Jack grinned.

  Chapter 15

  Dad pulled out his two shields, setting them up in front of him to form a wall. “Everyone behind me! Kate, get your bow out. Mom, have some food ready to go.”

  “Oooh, pumpkin pie,” the double-Es said at the same time.

  “Alex and anyone else with a weapon, have it out and ready to protect your fellow villagers!” Dad yelled. The zombified piglins came closer. Dad held his shields out, ready for the attack.

  They moved even closer. “Get ready!” Dad yelled. They were right in front of them now.

  They all braced for the attack, and the zombified piglins walked right on by without even a wave.

  “Uhm... what?” Dad said.

  “That was weird,” Kate said.

  Marigold waved at the zombified piglins. “Bye piggy people!”

  Dad picked up his shields, putting one away but leaving the other out. “Okay. I have no idea what just happened there. But I’m not going to worry about it, let’s go go go!” He pointed forward and the whole caravan of villagers and horses and donkey and wolves walked ahead.