Alfie's heart pounded like a drum as the Dino LEGO Robot King stomped closer, its metal jaws snapping and sparks of space fire crackling between its teeth.
"Run!" Dad shouted, grabbing Alfie's hand.
"This way, this way!" Zigbot barked, his little robot legs whirring as he zoomed ahead. "I know a shortcut! Follow the riddle-solver!"
They sprinted across the strange alien landscape, leaping over glowing purple rocks and ducking under twisted metal trees that hummed with electricity. Behind them, the Dino Robot King roared—a sound like thunder mixed with a thousand breaking LEGO pieces.
"My legs are getting tired!" Alfie panted.
"Just a little further!" Zigbot called back. "There's a cave ahead! Too small for big scary dinosaur robots!"
And sure enough, there it was—a narrow opening in the side of a shimmering crystal mountain, just big enough for a robot dog, a dad, and a brave seven-year-old boy.
They dove inside just as a blast of space fire scorched the ground behind them. The Dino Robot King's angry roar echoed outside, but it couldn't squeeze through.
"We made it," Dad breathed, leaning against the cool crystal wall. "Good thinking, Zigbot."
Zigbot's tail wagged proudly, making a little ting-ting-ting sound against the floor.
But Alfie didn't feel like celebrating. He slumped down and hugged his knees to his chest, his lip wobbling just a little bit.
"Hey, buddy," Dad said softly, sitting beside him. "What's wrong? We got away!"
Alfie sniffed. "I thought... I thought I was supposed to be the Guardian of the Infinite Brick. I thought I'd be really brave and fight the Dino Robot King and save everyone. But I just... ran away. I didn't do anything special."
His voice got very small. "Maybe the Infinite Brick made a mistake choosing me."
Dad was quiet for a moment. Then he put his arm around Alfie's shoulders.
"You know what I think?" Dad said. "Running away from a giant fire-breathing robot dinosaur is actually super smart. Even the bravest heroes know when to find a better plan."
Zigbot tilted his head, his eyes glowing warmly. "Ooh, ooh! I have a riddle! What gets stronger the more it gets knocked down?"
Alfie thought about it, still feeling a bit sad. "I don't know... a bouncy ball?"
Zigbot giggled—a funny mechanical sound like bells jingling. "Close! The answer is: a person who keeps trying! Every time you fall and get back up, you become braver than before. That's what my inventor used to say."
Alfie looked up at Zigbot. "Really?"
"Really really! Being disappointed doesn't mean you failed. It means you cared enough to try something hard."
Dad nodded. "And hey, this is only our first adventure. The Infinite Brick didn't choose you because you'd be perfect right away. It chose you because you've got a heart that keeps going, even when things feel tough."
Alfie took a deep breath. The sad, heavy feeling in his chest started to get a little lighter—not gone completely, but softer, like a balloon slowly deflating.
"Okay," he said, standing up and brushing crystal dust off his clothes. "Let's find the next portal and keep going."
"That's my brave boy," Dad grinned.
The cave wound deeper into the mountain, and the walls began to sparkle with thousands of tiny coloured lights—like LEGO pieces frozen in the crystal. Alfie reached out and touched one, and it glowed brighter under his fingers.
Then, up ahead, they saw it.
A swirling portal, shimmering with oranges and pinks and electric blues. But what Alfie saw through it made his eyes go wide with wonder.
It was a LEGO skatepark.
Not just any skatepark—the most incredible skatepark he'd ever imagined! There were ramps made of bright yellow and red bricks, half-pipes spiralling up toward the sky, and grinding rails that twisted like rainbow roller coasters. Tiny LEGO figures zoomed around on brick skateboards, doing flips and tricks.
"Whoa," Alfie whispered. "I've been learning to skateboard at home! It's so hard—I keep falling off."
"Looks like the Infinite Brick heard you," Dad said, squeezing his shoulder. "Maybe this world has something to teach you."
Zigbot's ears perked up. "A new dimension! Will you come back and visit me someday?"
Alfie knelt down and hugged the little robot dog. "I promise. Thank you for helping me feel better."
Zigbot's tail wagged happily. "Good luck, Guardian! Remember—getting back up is the real trick!"
Hand in hand, Alfie and Dad stepped toward the glowing portal.
But just as they reached the edge, a voice boomed from inside the skatepark dimension—deep, challenging, and maybe just a little bit scary.
"WELCOME, NEWCOMERS! Think you've got what it takes to ride the LEGENDARY MEGA-RAMP?"