Charges of the Ratskeller Brigade

  George quickly looted the pendants and they moved out. Stopping a few blocks away, George said, “Hey. Ratskeller? We aren’t sure your humans are at the VA. Maybe we should check out some of the smaller gatherings along the way.”

  That sounded like a good plan to Ratskeller, but she didn’t know. She wanted to find her humans and make sure they were okay, so she didn’t waste time going places they might not be. However, the only reason they were headed to the VA was because Jeri had said the humans were gathering there. They now knew the humans were gathering in several places.

  “Are they on the way?’ Ratskeller asked.

  “Two of them are.” Gorge said. “I think we should check them on our way.”

  “My humans might be there too.” Pumpkin said, looking a little concerned herself. Was Ratskeller being a bad girl by focusing on finding her humans instead of Pumpkins. She wasn’t sure because Pumpkin had always bragged about acting like she liked her humans when she wanted something. She had once told Ratskeller that humans had dogs for pets and cats had humans for pets.

  “Okay. We’ll check.” Ratskeller said right before they were distracted by a large flash of light off to the side. Taking cover under a porch they watched a group of goblins herding green eyes down the road.

  “They are driving them towards one of the human sites.” George said as he pointed in the direction the green eyes were heading. A few blocks away, they could see a large gathering of the slow moving stinkers being watched by more goblins who would flash their pendants whenever the green eyes would turn towards them.

  “They are trapping the humans.” Yuki said. “They’ll never escape if the goblins keep bringing more stinky green eyes.”

  “Should we?” Honey asked.

  “Yeah. I think we should. It will make getting out with your humans or moving on easier if your humans aren’t there. Probably worth the time.” George shrugged. Honey and Ratskeller both growled and began moving out from under the porch towards the back of the goblins that had just passed them. The other three followed.

  When they got close enough for Honey to charge, Yuki shot rays of flame from her PLASMA GLOBE taking out goblins on the edges of their little formation. Honey tackled two and Ratskeller swam underneath another and took it out with a chomp before unleashing her multi-chomp on the stunned goblins. Pumpkin moved in and finished off all the downed goblins. George rushed in to gather more pendants before they quickly moved away.

  When they stopped in a backyard a couple blocks away, those that had received loot switched out for upgraded gear. Ratskeller had previously finished her landshark armor with the LEG HARNESS of the LANDSHARK. The complete set bonus currently gave her Def +50, +20 Strength, +10 vitality, +20 agility, and a full set bonus of +20 Strength, +20 Agility, +20 viltality, and +2 to all Landshark skills. However, she had just got her first superior Landshark chest piece giving +20 to Def and increased stamina recovery by two per second.

  The others had also picked up upgrades, but before Ratskeller could ask about their new gear, George spoke up. “I think I have a plan.” He opened his map and drew a route that went around the closest human defensive position then came back in closer to circle back in the opposite direction. “I think we should clean the goblin teams out in these areas and begin working on the goblins keeping the stinkers pinning the humans down.”

  George looked at everybody and they all shrugged. No one else had any other suggestions. “Okay. We’ll do that then.” He somehow made lines appear on the ground leading the team to their next checkpoint, but he stopped Honey when he started to move out. “We should be good to eat another treasure each. Ratskeller?’ He looked at the dachshund who produced the treasure box. When he opened it, he saw it was nearly full again. Not wanting to waste time thinking about “How’, he quickly retrieved five treats and handed them out while Ratskeller stored the box again.

  Ratskeller felt the usual rush of power as she leveled, but it didn’t seem as potent as before. The others seemed to notice also. George explained it as, “+2 to all stats isn’t as impressive as it used to be.”

  They quickly moved out and began rapidly cutting their way through the teams of goblins. Shortly after making their way back on their second circuit they huddled behind a white van similar to Braxton’s. The group they were observing was three times the size of the ones they had been attacking and they also stayed closer to the green eyes they were herding.

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  They quickly decided to attack anyway and were preparing when Honey pointed across the road. A bush was walking from house to house. The green eyes and goblins completely ignored it until a loud beeping came from the bush. The stinkers all turned and started walking towards it while the goblins pulled out metal tubes that made loud noises and shot something at the bush. Well, at the general area of the bush. Their aim was terrible.

  Arms came out of the bush and with a loud pop, something small and silver flew out and hit a goblin in the head killing it. The bush continued firing into the goblins as he calmly walked behind a porch and hid for a couple seconds.

  The group watched in confusion as the bush then stood up and walked out and continued on its way to the next house as the goblins followed the stinkers around the house he had hidden behind for a few seconds. They stopped and looked around, apparently unable to locate the bushman.

  “I can take the stinkers. Pumpkin back me up.” Yuki said. “Honey and Ratskeller, take out the goblins.” She then began quickly moving to the back of the stinkers as the goblins gave up their search and began using their pendants to turn the green eyes. Honey and Ratskeller took advantage of their short stature to move unnoticed along the curb towards the goblins.

  Yuki’s arms rose in the air as the first stinker noticed her and her plasma globe appeared. FLAME CYCLONE. Raging flames rose around Yuki and she fearlessly charged into the stinkers as Pumpkin finished off the burning creatures that were still moving after Yuki passed.

  Honey and Ratskeller attacked the Goblins quickly finished them off with their usual tactics. As Yuki let her flames die out a loud roar came from down the street. A large group of stinkers and goblins came flying around the corner and towards them. The group prepared to defend themselves, but another large white van flew around the corner running over the stinkers and goblins it was apparently chasing before spinning and sliding to a stop with its back end a few feet from the back of the van they had hidden behind earlier.

  “The cavalry has arrived.” The bush that was now standing next to them said as a large man dressed in blue stepped out of the van and casually punched the surviving stinkers and goblins. Golden fists flew out with each swing of his fists.

  The man looked over at the bush, “Jenkins! Did you get the message from Stone?”

  “Yeah. Damn near got me caught by the group these guys took out. He says Braxton is bringing us what he couldn’t get done.” The bush replied as Ratskeller realized there was a human face hidden inside it. The bush’s eyes went wide, “Are you Ratskeller?” he asked.

  Ratskeller nodded yes and the bushman smiled, “You are a good girl. Jeri is trying to get a list of people at each of the defensive positions, but I haven’t seen it yet. Just ask every mail carrier you see and we’ll help you find your humans.”

  A third van pulled up and Braxton hopped out of the side door saying, “I’ve been running my butt off trying to finish, but I’ve still got quite a bit left.” Ratskeller looked inside and noticed that the hammock was nowhere to be seen.

  Bushface rolled his eyes and turned to the puncher, “Come on, Harden. Let’s get this stuff split and finish as quick as we can.” The two mail carriers floated mail and packages out of Braxton’s van and into theirs before hopping in and taking off.

  Ratskeller turned to Braxton and asked hopefully, “Do you have the list of what humans are where?”

  Braxton shook his head. “They’re still working on it. But I’m going to the position just a few blocks away if you want a ride.” The team loaded into the back of the van and got comfortable. George sat up front with Braxton.

  A couple minutes later, they stopped a block from where a fence surrounded a large building. The entire block was packed with stinkers surrounded by goblins. Braxton turned on his flashers and said, “Hang on. This will get a little bumpy.” That was an understatement as the vehicle flew forward bouncing over the bodies it was plowing over.

  Braxton slammed on the brake. “Dammit. They can’t open the gate. There are too many green eyes.”

  George appeared and opened the side door flashing one of his pendants before swinging up to the roof of the van. “Go!” He shouted and bright light lit up the area around the gate.

  Ratskeller followed Honey out the door. LANDSHARKNADO. She tore into the back of the fleeing stinkers. FLAME CYCLONE. Yuki followed before moving to the opposite side of the vehicle. SCHWING Pumpkin tore into the stinkers between the van and the gate.

  Stinkers fell in mass until Braxton started honking the horn and George yelled, “Gates open. Back in the van.” The group returned even quicker then they left and Braxton drove through the gate that swung shut behind them and humans quickly secured it.

  Braxton parked next to the building and got out. A young man and a younger girl ran up. “Dad. You made it.”

  “Thanks to these guys. Let me introduce you to the mighty Ratskeller and her team.” Braxton said as he opened the side door and froze. The entire team was sound asleep in one pile. Honey had drool dripping from the corner of his mouth as he snored. “It’s been a long couple days for them. I’ll introduce you in the morning.”

  A large man in heavy armor walked up and handed Braxton a list of names. He pulled out his phone and began sending it to Jeri.

  The next morning as the sun was starting to rise, the amount of flashing lights around the gate area began decreasing and Braxton positioned his van in front of the gate and waved goodbye to his children. When the last of the lights went out from the goblins positions, George leaned out the window and lit up the area in front of the gates with flashes.

  Honey, Ratskeller, and Yuki were poised ready to jump out the side door as the gate swung open and Braxton began the van’s bumpy charge out to the goblins position. Once there, he stopped and the team flew out of the side door charging into the goblin positions. Braxton sped off as Pumpkin stepped out of the shadows to join the team and they rapidly worked their way around the goblin positions.

  As the last of the goblin lights went out, the humans that had been firing ranged attacks into the horde, began flashing their newly acquired enchantments as a group of extremely large black dogs led the charge out into the horde hastening its retreat.

  After a few minutes, the Cani Corsi pulled back to the gate and formed a perimeter around the group of humans that moved out following the path of body parts left behind by the mighty Ratskeller and her team. They also each had yellow lines to follow to the downtown position, just in case the body parts ran out.