EMMA'S POV
"What's a Melting Maiden?!" I screamed, honestly scared for my life.
"A fire creature. They're about the same size as a Horkotroll, and they're made totally out of molten metal, lava, and fire. Even though they might be boys, the name is still more convenient. But putting that aside, we need to start defending. How many of them are there?" Az said, taking the initiative.
"About 20 Nightmares that are branching off to the left of the house. There's about the same number of Clattering Cadavers that are trying to flank us to the right and come around the barn. The Melting Maiden is coming right up the middle. Lord Malice and Sir Slaughter are just standing back watching," Tessa said.
"Alright, we need to move fast. Mr. Tholos, you and I will head for the Maiden. My metal and your plates can protect us...for the most part. Tessa and Jacob, go around to the left side and fend off those Nightmares. Emma and Azrael, get to the barn and take out those Cadavers," Solomon said.
Solomon raised his hand and tapped his screw-eye. A sheet of metal expanded outwards from the eye, clanking into plates and sheets of steel all over his body. Solomon went down on all fours. His snout started to grow longer and his fingers extended and grew thicker. Before we knew it, Solomon had turned into a big robotic dog the size of a mastiff or a Doberman.
"Emma, let's move. When we run, keep close to me and stay under my cloak," Az said, putting a hand lightly on my shoulder.
I nodded. Az kicked open the front door, and instantly a hail of medieval arrows flew at us from the direction of the Cadavers. Az swung his cloak, and the arrows bounced off of the piece of clothing. Az drew his sword and steped out of the door. I ran right behind him, trying as best as I could to stay behind or under his cloak.
Az and I rushed across the lawn to the barn. Arrows whistled through the air at us, but most missed or were deflected by Az's cloak. Suddenly, a huge fireball flew through the air at us from the direction of the Metal Maiden. Az ducked low and I followed his lead. The fireball flew through the air over our heads, singing a few of my hairs and sending a wave of heat rippling over us. I turned and looked at the Melting Maiden.
The creature looked like a massive woman about 10 feet tall, but with a slug or a snake's tail instead of feet. She was dripping with lava, pieces of rock, and melting metal like steel, copper, and bronze. Underneath the melting metal was a solid sheet of black metal, so it was basically a massive metal skeleton of a woman (with a long tail in place of legs) covered in lava, molten metal, and rock. She was ripping pieces of herself off and hurling them at the house. I saw Mr. Tholos and a big robotic dog that must have been Solomon darting across the lawn, dodging the Maiden's attacks.
Az and I reached the barn relatively unharmed except for really heavy breathing. Az ripped the door open and we jumped inside. I looked out a window and saw about 20 of the Clattering Cadavers form into 4 lines of five. The front two lines clashed their shields together to make a shield wall and they put their spears in between the gaps of the shields. I knew from history class that this was an Ancient Greek formation called the phalanx.
"How are we going to get through that?" I asked him.
"Alright...the phalanx is slow and hard to maneuver. And remember what Mr. Wegman said about it? The warrior in the left back of the phalanx is always weakest. So...if you can make a distraction, I might be able to get around there, take that warrior out, and start dismantling the phalanx. They won't have their bows ready, so as long as you stay out of range of the spears, you'll be alright. Hurry now!" Az said.
I ran to the door of the barn and tore it open, rushing across the front of the barn to stand about 50 yards away from the advancing Cadavers. I started to wave my arms wildly and scream taunts. Even though they were dead, they could probably still get angry...right?
"Hey! You guys! I bet that you can't even touch me! You're all bones, so you probably couldn't even make it up here!" I screamed.
The skeletons started to clack their jaws together and some let out unintelligible grumbles. They started to speed up the pace, and their phalanx started to fall apart. As it did, I saw a black flash at the back left of the line. Az had appeared, and he had beheaded the Cadaver at that side of the line with one quick strike. Some of the skeletons turned around to face him, and with that, the whole formation fell apart.
"Emma, now! Use your magic!" Az cried.
I remembered one rune that Emma had taught me for use against large numbers of enemies: the rune she called the R-Bomb. It looked like an upside-down U with a dot right in the middle. I envisioned it in my head, then I clapped my hands and the rune appeared on the ground right in the middle of the confused skeletons. It glowed green, and as the skeletons walked over it, it exploded. Az managed to back out of the explosion, breaking off from his fight.
Most of the Clattering Cadavers were killed then and there, flying up into the air and crashing down again, shattering. Some were blown up themselves, and others were just totally lost in the green explosion. A few (three or so) stumbled out of the blast, but Az intercepted them. He swung his sword and cut the legs out from under one. One of the other two slashed with a scimitar at his head, but Az ducked down and popped up, ramming his sword through the skeleton's breatplate.
The last Cadaver came at Az with spear and shield, but Az flung his cloak out in front of him, blinding the skeleton for a second. As the skeleton was blinded, Az came in with a deadly downwards slash at the Clattering Cadaver's head, slicing the entire skeleton in two.
I looked around. Jacob and Tessa were tearing apart the Nightmares, but Mr. Tholos and Solomon were having a bit of trouble with the Melting Maiden. Solomon was running around the Maiden's feet, barking and trying to bite the creature's feet. The creature swiped at him, but missed. As Solomon ran circles around the Maiden, Mr. Tholos jumped (which I didn't think was possible for a creature of his size) onto the Maiden's tail and started to dash up to its back.
The Maiden whirled around and shot a jet of fire right off of its back from under the spot where Mr. Tholos was, sending our teacher flying backwards into the ground. I decided to help, but I was too weak from the R-Bomb to do anything. Az put a hand on my shoulder.
"Get back to the barn and rest. I don't want you getting hurt further. I'll help with the Maiden," Az said.
And then he leaned in and kissed me. This was probably one of the best moments of my life.
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MR. THOLOS' POV
"Solomon, get away from the feet!" I yelled, struggling to my feet. The fire had knocked me back, but my plates didn't burn, and it barely hurt.
Too late. The Melting Maiden bent down and grabbed Solomon. As soon as it touched him, Solomon gave a howl of pain and his metal armor started to char and melt. The Maiden grabbed him with its other hand and It started to slowly pull, ripping him apart.
"Let him go!" I screamed, cannoning into the Maiden's side.
The Maiden gave a screech of pain, dropping Solomon. I swung a bladed fist, and my attack cleaved through the lava and molten rock, slashing open part of the Maiden's steel skeleton. I ignored the pain of touching the lava and continued to slash, tearing open the Maiden. The Melting Maiden raised one of its fists up and smashed it down on my head. I gave a cry and collapsed to my knees.
"Kill this one slowly, Maiden!" I heard Lord Malice call from nearby.
Just then, Azrael came in, slicing with his sword through the Maiden's arm. The creature gave a cry of pain and backhanded Az with its working hand. Azrael smashed into the ground, his cloak burning. The Melting Maiden put a hand to the arm that Az had sliced. The appendage had been cut right at the elbow joint, and the Maiden realized that the arm wasn't working. With its intact hand, it chopped its own arm off. The arm crashed to the ground, pinning Azrael down right beneath it.
"Solomon, if you can hear me, get that arm off of Az. I'll handle this!" I yelled, turning back to the Maiden.
I summoned up all of my strength and dashed around to the Maiden's de-armed side. The Maiden tried to turn to face me, but it was slow and I easily maneuvered to its weak side. I made another jump, this time landing on the creature's shoulder. I raised both of my hands up and drove them down, stabbing both of my blades right into the Maiden's neck. I then started to rotate my blades.
My blades spun around three times, and then I lifted my hands up, ripping the Maiden's head off in a spray of sparks, lava, and molten rock. The Melting Maiden gave a groan of pain and started to fall. I leaped off of it, landing right beside it, just as it crashed to the ground, sending chunks of molten metal flying everywhere.
"Retreat!" I heard Sir Slaughter call.
The five or so remaining Nightmares and two Clattering Cadavers rushed by me, and I looked over the Maiden's corpse to see Lord Malice, Sir Slaughter, and the meager remnants of their army disappearing into a shadow portal.
I then looked down to Solomon. He was still breathing, but he needed to be treated immediately. He had gotten over to Az and managed to lift the arm off of him. Az was running over to Tessa and asking her to help heal him.
"We'll take him to the farm!" I called to Az. Azrael and Tessa both nodded.
I picked up Solomon in my arms and started to walk over to the farm, not risking a dash and hurting Solomon more. It was going to be a long night.