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A shout echoed in the room, and a crack sounded.

“Not today, troll,” Dewey shouted, tugging his arms back to ready for another strike against the little green man.

Paige snapped her eyes open and scrambled to her feet as the troll stumbled backward, shaking his head from the blow. Dewey swung again, but the troll darted away, escaping the hit.

Paige hefted her sword up and thrust it toward the short assailant. The troll danced back awkwardly as Dewey exposed the blade hidden in his walking stick.

He lunged forward, jabbing the blade at the troll. It caught the creature’s cheek, and a stream of green blood flowed down its face.

“Quick, Paige! Run for it,” Dewey shouted.

“No way,” Paige said, a grimace on her lips. “I’m not leaving you until he’s not a threat.”

She swiveled the sword in her hand, raising it high in the air. As she attempted to bash the troll in the head and render it unconscious, it lunged forward, teeth bared.

Dewey flew behind him and slid the walking stick under the troll’s chin.

With an arm on either side of his head, Dewey tugged him backward, his wings beating hard. “Now, Paige!”

Paige lifted the sword again and swung it down, cracking the troll against his mossy head. The creature’s eyes rolled back in their sockets before he slid to the ground, smacking into it with his legs bouncing up before falling back onto the dirt.

“He’s out,” Paige said between pants. “Let’s go.”

Dewey slid his blade back into the stick and sailed to the ladder, flying upward as Paige mounted the rungs, the sword still clutched in one hand.

“Paige,” Dewey shouted a moment later, his eyes wide. “Hurry!”

Paige glanced over her shoulder. Trolls flocked into the room like ants. Two ran toward their fallen compatriot as the others stormed the ladder and climbed up the rungs at lightning speed.

Paige winced and continued her climb, hoping to escape in time.

A chubby hand wrapped around her ankle and yanked.

“Get off,” she growled, shaking her leg.

Dewey descended past her, smacking the troll with his stick. The green creature released his grip on Paige, falling into the sea of trolls below. Another replaced him just as quickly.

“Go, Dewey. You can’t keep fighting them off.”

“I’ve got it, Paige. Keep climbing,” Dewey told her as he beat off another troll.

Paige scrambled up several more rungs, staring up at the gray sky above her. A cry from Dewey forced her to cease her climb and glance over her shoulder.

A troll held one of his wings, teeth showing and mouth open, preparing to bite him.

“Dewey,” Paige shouted.

She hurried down the rungs and kicked at the troll who held him. Dewey fluttered around wildly as he tried to escape.

Paige kicked the troll again. “Grab my leg, Dewey, and hang on.”

Dewey fought against the troll’s grip to grab hold of the fabric of Paige’s pants. He dug his claws in, tugging himself closer to her and wrapping his arms around her thigh.

“Hold on,” Paige said.

She wrinkled her nose and kicked hard, sending the troll flying across the room.

Another scrambled into its place. Paige stepped on its fingers until it cried out and lost its grip. Paige scrambled up a few more rungs as Dewey climbed up her back and onto her shoulder.