When Gob entered the encampment, the only person awake was Peter. He waved at Gob, morning sun creeping behind his smiling face. Gob raised his hand unsure what to do. He didn’t pay enough attention to human greetings. Goblins would just say “Keruek” and call it a day.

Peter was sitting down on a wooden log. His crossbow, loaded as always, was laying beside him. Not too far from him the giant chubby man known as Piper was sleeping silently. Next to him Fritz was leaning on his shoulder. How could he sleep in such an uncomfortable position? Gob couldn’t tell.

“Oh… are we back?”

Evie flew off his head and then with a silent squeak hid behind Gob’s back. She spoke before he could ask.

“I don’t like him!”

Gob looked at the man she probably referred to. Peter was still smiling as he pointed the knife encased in the tree. Swordbreaker. Gob walked towards it. He liked this dagger. Could he remove it from the wood?

As he grabbed it with his hand and started to pull it out he had already known that the dagger was doomed. Still, he tried to slowly tug it out, but the iron which was made to receive the incoming attacks not stab things didn’t keep up.

With a small ding the dagger broke in the part where the blade was already weakened. Gob furiously threw the now useless hilt on the ground. As he heard some rustling he looked back to face panicked Fritz who seemed to pale the moment their eyes crossed.

Gob raised his hand to greet him, but the human suddenly stood up and tried to pull out his sword. Gob watched him fail as the terrible sleeping condition said hello to Fritz’s back. He made quite the commotion while swearing random curses. It woke up Piper.

As the giant looked around and saw Gob he smiled with genuine joy and approached the goblin so fast that he almost pulled out his new dagger. Piper didn’t seem to mind this sign of distress as he rushed to handshake Gob and as he didn’t raise his hand, he just bear hugged the goblin lifting him from the ground in an instant.

“Welcome to the team little green!”

Gob was so caught off guard that he didn’t even protest. Later he just couldn’t as Piper squeezed out all the air out of him in a single swoop. Evie seemed amused.

“Ohh. It’s like in the Abook!”

Gob wasn’t sure what part of the book did the fairy referred to. She surely didn’t help his current situation. Peter was the one to stop Piper’s madness. He put his hand on the giant’s arm making him lower Gob with “Sorry” and “I didn’t mean anything wrong” sprinkled here and there.

“It’s… all... right?”

Gob really didn’t know If he wanted to understand this human custom. He breathed trying to regain his composure. Meanwhile Fritz couldn’t tell if he should hide his sword or draw it ready. Peter barely explained anything. Talking with the mute was incredibly frustrating.

Fritz looked at Gob. Gob focused at the human. He seemed ready to attack at any moment, so Gob figuring out that Curan had told the team everything he said to him readied his dagger.

“Who do I fight first?”

Sudden silence made him realize that Curan had either lied or set him up. Maybe both. Piper looked at Fritz. Fritz looked at Peter. Peter sat down on his log smiling. He was pointing at Fritz.

“No no no! I beat you the last time. Also why do we even do this?”

Piper crossed his hands.

“He is going to be in the team.”

“So what? He doesn’t need a rank!”

The moment the words left Fritz’s mouth he regretted saying anything. Gob smiled at him.

“So this is what this is about!”

He suddenly felt delighted. He would fight to prove his strength! It made his blood boil. Excitement made him tightly grab the knife, but Piper clucked his lips and carefully pulled Gob’s dagger away.

“We do this differently.”

As he explained Peter started to draw a circle on the ground. It was quite big. Gob realized that it was setting up a space to fight in.

“Seriously why do we do this! He’s a goblin for crying out!”

Piper helped Peter finish the circle and once again said:

“He is a part of a team now.”

“Then you have to fight first! You are the last in ranks. Go and fight first!”

Piper shook his shoulders.

“Of course I will!”

As he turned to Gob he said.

“I forfeit.”

“Oh no you don’t!”

Fritz rushed towards his giant friend still vary of Gob he looked at goblin with caution before he scolded Piper.

“You have to fight! I'm the second after Curan and I do say so!”

“I don’t wanna.”

Fritz was a proud cheater and more than anything he was a proud coward. He wouldn’t face Gob if he didn’t need to.

“I like how they quarrel it's so lively!”

Evie was flying around them her dress swirling in the air. They obviously couldn’t see her. Peter was just sitting there clearly amused by the scene. Gob approached him and asked.

“What’s the rank order?”

Peter pointed Piper than himself then at Fritz. Lastly he pointed at Curan’s tent.

It was weird. Gob couldn’t tell how Fritz could beat Peter. Despite his short posture he felt stronger than anyone else there. How Piper lost to Fritz seemed obvious. They probably never really fought. All right.

Gob looked at the two and asked the obvious question.

“What are the rules?”