Heroes Without A Plan
Chapter Twelve: Fiercely Contested

The metal dragon was on the move as a hideous growl emanated from its mechanical mouth. Wings spread as the beast turned on the four intruders. Staring at the robot, she noticed a small compartment. Inside was another goblin she couldn’t quite see. The rogue jumped at the sound of Eliot calling her name. Realizing that she had been far too deep in her thoughts, she quickly dodged the corn coming straight at her.

The dragon hurleda mighty fireball at the rogue and mage, who barely managed to dodge it in time. The group gathered, shaken and afraid. They had no hope of survival in this battle, but they had perseverance. Pire was in tears as he hid behind Mike, petrified of the demonic machine.

“There’s a goblincontrolling the dragon up there!” She said, pointing up to where the compartment was. Both men, focused on the fight, looked up at the small booth.

It unleashed awave of fire upon the heroes, killing many goblins in gruesome fashion. Eliot jumped slightly as he cast a spell to block the flames. The dragon let out a roar as it swung its tail, knocking over a beam. It lunged at Alyssa and she unsuccessfully shot at it. The arrow ricocheted off its metal structure.

Backed into acorner, the four searched for a way out as both goblins and dragon tried to attack them. A whirlwind of events raced past the heroes. Eliot stumbled back as corn hit his stomach, and Pire shot another giant glacier from his mouth.

Once they approachedthe wall compartment, the heroes saw a small lift leading up. With no other choice, they ran frantically toward it. Though the elevator appeared to be broken by the dragon’s fury, a rope still connected the two.

As Pire triedto keep up with Mike’s intense speed, a goblin lunged at him, slicing deep into his throat, sending dark blood spilling violently to the ground.

“PIRE!” Mike yelledas Alyssa shot the beast. Pire whimpered and made his way to the warrior. The heroes were on their last legs as they continued to fight, battered and bleeding, but still holding out hope.

“What about Pire!”Mike wept.

“I don’t know...C’mon, we gotta go!” Alyssa called out through the chaos.

Mike was onthe verge of tears. Knowing they had little time, and hugged Pire.

“I’m-I’m sorry,” hemurmured before putting the baby down and did the inconceivable by following his two allies.

As he rantoward the elevator, tears streamed down the warrior’s face.

“THEY’R GONA CLIMDA WOPE! GET DEM!” One of the goblins screamed as many followed in its wake.

Alyssa went upfirst. Like so many times before, she climbed with ease. Eliot went second, but not before giving Mike a sad glance. All he said before going up was, “I’m sorry.” Mike was the last one up, with a slight smile on his face at his friend’s condolences. Although his hands still shook, he climbed as if by muscle memory.

Mike and Alyssaclimbed easily. But Eliot had trouble pulling himself up. Within moments, his arms and legs were exhausted. “C’mon!” Mike yelled, “We HAVE to get up!” As the warrior tried to get him to continue climbing, the goblins reached the rope and began climbing and firing at it. Though the corn wasn’t as effective as they would have liked, instead of breaking, the rope began to sway back and forth, much to the heroes’ dismay.

Alyssa had almostreached the top before she saw the two boys down below.‘Ugh! What am I gonna do? Why aren’t they climbin’?!′With thoughts racing through her mind, Alyssa reached the ledge and pulled herself into the room. The goblin inside instantly tried to push her back off. She grabbed an arrow and attacked the goblin with the little space she had, slashing through its eye.

There was acry of pain as the goblin struck the girl in the face. Alyssa grabbed its head and began slamming it into the side of the wall several times before throwing it off the ledge.

Panting, Alyssa wipedthe blood from her face. She looked down and saw that the dragon had stopped moving. And they were still swinging from the rope as Eliot set fire to the goblins below. She rolled her eyes that they weren’t up yet and decided to try to get the metal dragon back on its feet. All the goblins seemed oblivious to the third hero in their desperate attempts to kill the two on the rope.

Desperately trying tocast a spell, Eliot lost his grip and fell toward the horde of goblins below. The mage fell face-first into a goblin, knocking it to the ground as the horde closed in on him. Mike lept from the rope and cut through the unending chaos.

Eliot’s head wasslammed into the cold concrete as a corncob flew at him. His vision was blurred and his head spun as he tried to get up. Mike swung his sword hopelessly as he fought off the goblins trying to kill his friend with corn.

The dragon’s eyeslit up.‘Ah! I think I got it...’A loud, bloodcurdling scream came from the warrior’s mouth. Looking down, Alyssa saw Mike holding onto Eliot as he fought off the goblins.‘I’ve gotta hurry! They can’t fight much longer!’She tried her best, fiddling with the switches and levers.

Finally, after alifetime, Alyssa saw the dragon move its leg. Lever after lever, the metal beast slowly approached her two friends.

Realizing Alyssa’s plan,the goblins quickly climbed the rope. Barely making room for each other, they climbed in one mindless clump, pushing and pulling to reach the top. Mike’s eyes were on Alyssa as she tried to speed up the beast’s movement. He got to his feet and held the unconscious wizard in his arms. Then, from a great distance, he yelled at her to cut the rope.

Alyssa glanced downat the group of goblins on their way to her. Without a second’s hesitation, she leapt from the chair and made her way to the rope. She grabbed an arrow and began to cut the thick rope. They had killed many goblins, but now only twenty remained.

Swiftly chewing awayat the rope, it soon gave way and fell to the ground, along with the goblins. It thudded loudly and Alyssa quickly sat back down.

Before the beastsreached Mike, the hero lowered the dragon’s head and invited him to climb on. Just like that, the tables were turned, and Mike and Eliot were high above, beyond the corn’s reach.

Alyssa started movingit around. All twenty of the goblins were now backed into a corner as she swirled a firestorm around them. The dragon stomped and leapt at its victims. Mike clung to the head and the unconscious Eliot for dear life as they thrashed about.

“Take it easy,will you?” Mike yelled at the rogue. He was worried about dropping Eliot because of her chaotic side bursting out.

“Shut up!” sheyelled back.

Most of thegoblins were dead, but Alyssa continued to fight the few that remained. They were covered in wounds and blood ran down their faces.

But as thehead bounced again, Mike soon lost Eliot’s grip....