It was comforting fighting in the dark. Most goblins were taken out on night walks from when they were little, and it built a sort of appreciation for hidden places. The sun was fine, it kept you warm, but there was nothing quite like the dark to keep you safe. It’s probably why they found rogues so terrifying, using their safe space against them.

Ratface’s mum had often talked with fondness about nighttime raids. It’s how she’d met Ratface’s father although it had been a one raid thing. She’d settle down after than and it had been just her and Ratface growing up.

All this to say. Ratface felt a lot more comfortable fighting in the dark. The alligators fought well but without the warning of the light, they couldn’t set up an ambush. On even footing Ratface cut into them. Sometimes she even caught them off guard and there was a lot of satisfaction in ambushing the ambusher.

It got even better when Tiffany and Ratface realised that they wouldn’t register Halmir as an enemy until he helped them. They ended up sending him through as a scout and then Tiffany would cast her vines around the creatures tying them up for Ratface to quickly disperse. It had the benefit of being both quiet and quick and they were zooming through the tunnels.

They had yet to run into any of the kids with them which was concerning but they’d also seen no sign of them being dead. Ratface was beginning to suspect the tunnel they took was known for being disconnected from the rest. It’s probably why it was left until last.

Ironically that’d been what had made surviving possible. If they were so disconnected, then they were getting the smaller groups, and the bigger ones would be concentrated around the others. There had to be a word for that kind of luck.

They kept walking and they saw something in the distance. They’d found a light in the tunnel though they were still far on the edges of it. Ratface reflected again on how terrible those lanterns were for stealth as she edged ever closer. She peaked her head around the corner and nearly groaned with that she saw.

Franklin and his lot were fighting desperately against the alligators and rats. They’d managed to find a lip to stand on that was luckily stuck between a few trees that Tiffany had told her were called mangroves. The mangroves worked as a natural funnels and Franklin and Spear Boy were able to hold the creatures at bay while Archer Girl did the actual damage. It was a pretty good system, but Ratface could see where it could go wrong.

It was the rats, not the alligators, that’d be their downfall. They kept swarming through the branches at the boys and while they manged to keep them at bay, each swarm pushed them a little further back. A couple more steps and the alligators would be able to make a foothold on their little safe spot and then it would be a series of worse and worse choices until they were overrun.

The numbers were stacked against them and Ratface and Tiffany charging in wasn’t going to make a big enough difference. Ratface watched and considered that she could also use this opportunity to sneak passed. That was the fear talking though. There’d be more blocking off the tunnel. Besides, it was time she reminded these alligators which green species was the top of the food chain.

She turned to Tiffany.

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“Can you tie all of those gators up in your vines?” she asked. Tiffany worried at her lip.

“Yes, but it’ll take time. I’ll need to give it full concentration as well, so you’ll need to guard me.” The implication in that was clear. They wouldn’t be able to help until the spell was done.

Well, it was their best option. She’d have to hope it was fast enough. She nodded for the other girl to start, and Tiffany bent down until she was touching some of the vines in the water. A little gross but Ratface figured with all the fighting they were pretty much covered anyway. Ratface resolved herself to keep watch.

The boys were doing their best, but the rats kept swarming them. She had to give credit where it was due, she may not like this group, but they were holding out better than she would have expected. Spear was mostly using his namesake to keep the alligators at bay, but it was when the rats swarmed that he excelled. The boy was quick and brutal with his knife. The swarms would eventually push him back but not before he made them bleed for it

Archer was shooting faster than Ratface had thought possible, and she saw the difference between a crossbow and a bow. Yeah, a crossbow was easier to learn, but this girl was showing the speed difference handily. Accurate too, even when the alligators tried to dive, she managed to hit them and there was enough bodies floating belly-up with an arrow through their eye to attest to her kill count.

It was Franklin that stood out the most though. Ratface had hoped with all his pretty armour and terrible attitude he’d actually be terrible in combat but annoyingly that was far from true. The boy wielded his sword and shield like he’d been born with it. A brutal combination of offence and defence that put every creature that ran into him on the back foot. Ratface watched more than one poor beast get shield-bashed into oblivion. He made Ratface look like a novice, which to be fair she was.

He was strong too. Showing his size wasn’t just for show. He caught entire bodies on his shield and shoved them back and he just keep going. At one point Spear got pulled to the water and she thought it was the end.

Franklin charged into the group, sending them tumbling back. They tried to pull him down, but not only did he not get pulled but he reached into the water and pulled out a half drowned Spear then shoved him back into line. Then he just made his way back.

It was impressive but it cost them. The next swarm hit, and they broke. The alligators pushed through with the help of the rats. Ratface watched knowing she couldn’t do anything.

Next to her, Tiffany burned green and every creature that could feel mana flinched.

Vines tore out of the water and wrapped around the alligators. Some were pulled back so hard that Ratface heard a snap and knew she wouldn’t have to do anything about it.

It was good but it hadn’t stopped the rats and Ratface wasn’t sure it’d be enough.

That’s when the mangroves grew sharp branches that thrust out all around them and caught the rats in a deadly spiked trap. It was so bad that Ratface went to cover Halmir’s eyes until she remembered that’s what Tiffany was using to see.

The battle turned immediately and Ratface stood with her mouth open.

“Your terrifying,” she said to Tiffany.

“Hurry,” Tiffany said, her voice in pain, “I can’t hold this forever.”

Ratface made her way out quickly, forgoing her shield to have her knife and sword out instead. She was quick about her business. Aiming for throats and eyes and giving each creature she saw a couple of shanks just to make sure. When the other group got over their surprise and saw what she was doing they came and joined her, and they managed to get through the monsters before Tiffany gave out.

Tiffany slumped to the ground and Ratface caught her before she caught a mouthful of something foul.

Halmir moved from Tiffany’s shoulder to Ratface’s and Ratface half carried, half dragged Tiffany over to the lip the others had found. She dumped her on a relatively dry spot and left her to catch her breath.

Ratface watched Tiffany. Here would be the moment she’d tell her secret. She knew what she’d promised but it was a promise to a goblin and how much were they worth?

Tiffany met her eyes and gave her a tired smile. She shook her head and Ratface knew her secret was safe.

That just left dealing with Franklin and his group. She wouldn’t even gloat to them. Well, maybe a little.