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School hero
🎓

It takes you just an instant to decide.

Whipping out your wand you cry "Fiel fresa fusila fuego!" and flames shoot out, bathing the dungeon in flickering light. No way are you going to let these disgusting insects take over - you are going to fight back and destroy them, starting with Azog!

Azog is too nimble to be caught so easily though and leaps out of the way.

"You will regret your choice Arthur," screams the spider king in outrage. "Insects, attack!"

From out of cracks in the walls, ceiling and floor crawl millions upon millions of arthropods: beetles, woodlice, ants, millipedes, earwigs, spiders in a great stream heading straight for you.

This time you don't hesitate. If you stay you will be surrounded and overwhelmed. You turn and run.

Your heart pounding, you run back out of the dungeon up towards the school. You have a plan.

When you reach the enchanted door that leads down into the dungeon you dash through and slam it shut. You can hear the enchanted locking mechanism clicking shut.

There's only one way for the insects to get past the door now - through the keyhole. You turn and wait, your wand at the ready.

As soon as you see the first hairy little leg poking out of the keyhole you use your wand as a flamethrower shouting "fiel fresa fusila fuego" again and again until your voice is hoarse.

The air is full of the harsh high pitched cries of dying arthropods and the sizzle of roasting chitin. But still the insects come, propelled onwards by the Great Azog's iron will.

You are getting tired now, your arm is sore from being held up so long and you can feel your reserves of magical energy running out. You cannot hold out much longer.

For a moment the magical fire from your wand flickers and dies.

Then three things happen simultaneously:

One: Azog, sensing his chance, launches himself through the keyhole aiming straight for your face.

Two: Snako and Slumblebore run round the corner to see you battling the numberless insect foe on your own.

Three: your faltering spell was a trick. You have enough magical power for one last spell...

"Fiel fresa fusila fuego!" you scream pointing your wand at Azog as he flies through the air towards you.

Then...

Azog, leaping through the air fangs at the ready, is unable to change direction. Just as your wand arm comes up he reaches the tip of the wand, only to be blasted backwards by a concentrated jet of magical fire. Even the great Azog cannot withstand an attack at such close range. He hits the wall next to the dungeon door, his legs still on fire and body a smoking ruin.

The last words of Azog the Great are "Arthur... you have roasted me...". Then a final puff and Azog is no more.

With Azog a gonner the rest of the arthropod hordes lose all cohesion. When Slumblebore cautiously opens the door to the dungeon they are fleeing in all directions, and will trouble the school no more. Slumblebore lets off a few more blasts of fire to encourage them on their way.

"You did it Arthur!" cries Snako. "You saved the school - the evil has gone!"

You stand still and listen carefully. Snako is right. You cannot sense the insects any longer. The dungeons have been cleansed.

"Well done indeed Arthur," and Slumblebore, turning back to you. "I had a feeling that you were the special one. Without you I fear we would have been overrun by insects by now."

"It was Eric Knid," you say to Slumblebore. "It was Professor Knid who summoned the insect army, with Azog the spider king. He is down in the dungeon now unconscious. Azog bit him."

"Eric did you say? Well I'm not surprised. He always struck me as a bit of an odd fish. Nevermind we will pick him up in the morning and I shall give him an official reprimand. And if he does it again I will have no choice but to put him on a performance improvement plan."

"But you Arthur, what else can I give you but my most heartfelt thanks." You can't suppress a broad grin. You did it! You defeated Azog and his insect army single handed!

Slumbelbore continues: "You truly are a hero Arthur, a hero of Hogsnorts School."