"Huff... huff... Huh... no one's here?" Sufian muttered between heavy breaths, eyes darting around the fog-filled clearing.

  "Where are you, Ali..."

  Suddenly—

  "Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

  "That voice... it's definitely Ali! But where the heck is he?!"

  (Something’s got him... but where?!)

  Ali’s voice echoed in terror.

  "Noooo, stay away! Why'd it have to be that thing again?!"

  "Again...? Hey! Ali, answer me!" Sufian called out, scanning the area.

  Snagglix spun into view, pointing frantically.

  "SUFIAN!! Tiny doom-friend in the shadows! Tonberry doin’ the slow-sneak..."

  "That lizard thing from before?!"

  Snagglix’s finger jabbed toward the mist.

  "Uuhhh… o-over THERE-THERE!"

  "That’s near the shrine! Okay. Let's hurry over there, Loudboots."

  "WAITY-WAITY, SUFIAN!! Not just one greeny-knife-friend—A WHOLE STABBY-HERD THIS TIME!!"

  "What?! Dammit... Even so, we can’t leave Ali to fend for himself! Let’s go!"

  "Boblin hear you clear-clear!" Snagglix snapped into motion beside him.

  —

  Not far away…

  Ali was curled tightly on the ground, arms wrapped around his knees, face hidden—shaking as he tried to disappear into himself.

  "Shoo! Back off, dang it!" he cried, voice cracking.

  "Look... over there!" Sufian gasped. "Ali's being attacked by the Tonberries!"

  Snagglix spun in place, panic rising.

  "What do we DO-DO, Sufian?!"

  "We save him."

  "WEAH?! WEAAAH!! That’s too many Tonberries!"

  Snagglix’s voice trembled, but his gaze locked sharp on the advancing monsters.

  "Okay-okay, we wait for good-time to—AAAHHH SQUISH-SMOKE!! ANOTHER STABBY-SPAWN JUST POPPED UP!! We need a PLAN-B-B-C real FASTY-FAST!!"

  Snagglix dropped his pack and scrambled through it, yanking out a small dagger and a bomb.

  Just then—

  "Hiyaaah!" a shout rang out, followed by a blur of movement.

  Ali peeked up from his curled form, eyes wide.

  "Ah, you're...!"

  The bearded newcomer stood between him and the Tonberries, hammer in hand.

  "Are you okay, Ali?!"

  (Saved...? Who is that guy?)

  "Not a Tonberry, no-no!" Snagglix chirped. "That’s a rock-belly, a deep-digger! Likes boom-boom tools, not stabby-lanterns!"

  "Now do you believe me? I told you I wasn't your foe," the dwarf said calmly, never taking his eyes off the threat.

  Ali slowly pushed himself up.

  "Nnngh... all right, all right, I’m sorry for doubting you! Just help me out, please!"

  The dwarf drew the massive hammer from his back, taking a battle stance.

  "Understood! If you want my help, then my help is what you shall have!"

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  (That one... definitely looks like he’s on our side.) Sufian watched from the clearing’s edge.

  "BOBLIN SAID-SAYED IT!! Dwarfy-friend’s a good-guy—" Snagglix cheered, eyes gleaming.

  lanterns glowing dim yellow in the murk. Their stubby green arms gripped rusty knives, robes dragging across the forest floor. With every slow, deliberate step, their olive-shaped heads tilted in eerie silence.

  Ali stood frozen, knees knocking, barely upright. He stumbled backward, breath ragged.

  The dwarf stepped in front of him, gripping his massive hammer with both hands.

  “Stay behind me,” he said calmly, steel in his voice. “Let’s send these creeps back to whatever swamp they crawled out of.”

  The Tonberries lunged.

  The dwarf swung wide, the hammer’s weight creating a gust of air as it cracked into one of the creatures. A Tonberry flew sideways and crumpled into the dirt with a wet thud. The others shuffled in faster now, knives glinting.

  Ali let out a panicked yelp and threw a handful of loose dirt at one.

  “I don’t wanna die! I’m too funny to die!”

  A Tonberry slashed at the dwarf’s leg, grazing his boot. He grunted, twisting mid-swing to send another flying.

  Two down.

  From the tree line—

  “Ali!” Sufian shouted, barreling forward.

  (Thank God, we’re not too late!)

  He didn’t think, didn’t wait. He grabbed a fist-sized rock off the ground and charged.

  “Stay away from my friend!” he yelled, slamming the stone down on the nearest Tonberry’s lantern hand.

  The glass shattered. The Tonberry shrieked—if that sound could even be called that—and dropped its knife. Sufian kicked it back into the trees.

  “WAH-HAA!! STABBY-GANG NEEDS A BOOM-BOOM KISS!” Snagglix screeched from behind.

  With a wild grin, he dashed into the fray, dagger twirling in one hand, a bomb clutched in the other.

  He lobbed the bomb high, where it landed near two of the Tonberries closing in.

  “BOBBIE GOT YOUR BACK—BYE-BYE GREENIES!”

  BOOM!

  The blast knocked the robes off one, sending the Tonberry rolling like a bowling pin. The other shrieked and vanished into the mist, smoke trailing behind.

  Now only two Tonberries remained.

  The dwarf roared and leapt forward, hammer raised overhead. One final slam crushed a Tonberry into the earth.

  The last one faced Sufian, eyes glowing.

  (Here it comes—!)

  Sufian raised his rock. The Tonberry darted forward.

  But Snagglix dove in from the side, dagger-first.

  “TAG-TAG, STABBY-BOY!” he shouted, plunging the blade into the creature’s side.

  The Tonberry collapsed.

  Silence.

  The fog swirled. All seven creatures lay scattered, unmoving. Sufian’s chest heaved. His hands trembled, still holding the bloodied rock.

  “Oh, man, you really saved my bacon, Sufian…” Ali huffed, finally uncurling from behind a tree.

  “This guy just showed up, so I freaked out and booked it, then that mini-lizard showed up…”

  The dwarf crossed his arms, brow furrowed.

  “I tried to warn you about the Tonberries, but you ran from me instead!”

  "Come on, man, I already said it was my bad!" Ali groaned.

  Sufian glanced at him, almost amused. "Wow, Ali's already getting along so well with him..."

  (Guess we’re pretending there’s no blood around us then...) Sufian thought, glancing down at the aftermath.

  "Besty-buds in a blink-blink, we did! Fast-friends like clicky-cogs too!!" Snagglix chirped, wagging his dagger hand enthusiastically.

  "I wouldn’t call it 'fast friends'..." Sufian muttered.

  Ali took a breath, trying to steady himself. Even though the danger had passed, he was still visibly shaken—though doing a poor job of hiding it.

  "...Okay, real talk, Sufian. What the heck are these things?!"

  "That’s what I want to know!" Sufian replied. "They’re on our side though, that much’s for sure."

  "Yeah, on your side!" Snagglix chimed in again, proudly puffing his chest.

  "You saw it for yourself, didn’t you? How they protected us."

  Sufian looked at Snagglix closely.

  (This little one is dangerous.)

  "Well yeah, I sure did!" Ali nodded.

  The dwarf crossed his arms. "I believe I spoke to that several times already..."

  Ali closed his eyes, as if trying to process everything. His shoulders dropped slightly.

  "All I know," Sufian said, glancing around, "is that we’re being attacked by strange creatures in this weird forest. Heck, I’m just relieved to find anyone else! Come on, let’s look for Malak and the others."

  Ali paused, his eyes widening slightly in realization.

  "Yeah..."

  Sufian noticed the change. "Hmm? Is something wrong, Ali?"

  Ali hesitated. "Uh... well, it’s just..."

  He looked down in shame, then forced himself to meet Sufian’s gaze.

  "I was with Malak before... but then Mr. Dwarf spooked me and I just... I..."

  Ali covered his face with his hands. "I took off at full speed... and left Malak behind..."

  "WHAT?! You left her behind?!" Sufian’s voice jumped an octave, stunned.

  "I just freaked out, man! I’m sorry!" Ali said, nearly panicking again.

  "This is bad. Which way is she? There must be other monsters out there besides the Tonberries."

  "Not many," the dwarf said, serious now. "But we should go and help."

  "We have to look for her, and now!" Sufian insisted. "She isn’t around here—we should go check somewhere else."

  "YEAH-YEAH!! Let’s GO-GO—!" Snagglix shouted, already ready to run.

  Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed through the trees.

  "...Sufiaaan! Aliiiiiiiii!"

  Sufian's eyes lit up. "Oh! That voice!"

  (It’s coming closer... from the direction of the shrine. Could it be...?)

  ?????