Nothing but blackness. Which, between his own poor vision and the fact that he was looking for brown and black bats in the dark, meant very little. Wind buffeted Jig’s body as a bat flew up to land on the edge of the bridge. The smell of guano was so strong he could practically taste it.

There was a crunch, and a huge, senseless body plunged past Jig’s left side. That would be Darnak, teaching the bats the futility of a ground-based attack.

He wondered if the others would be able to pull him back. Would they even bother? With so many bats to fend off, why lower their guard long enough to rescue one goblin?

Darnak’s head poked through the illusionary tile. To Jig, it looked as if the marble had sprouted a small, hairy face. Darnak’s braided tangles hung upside down, like black moss. His mouth moved silently, and he grinned at the goblin.

Jig grinned back. He was too deaf to hear what had been said, but what did it matter? Probably boasting about the bat he had just slain.

The rope jerked up a foot, costing Jig another strip of skin. Or maybe he was telling me to hold on. Jig’s fingers tightened on the rope as he lurched closer toward the bridge. Another bat came at him from behind, and Jig kicked again. He missed, but it was enough to make the thing change course. Then thick fingers grabbed his wrist and yanked him onto the bridge.

Darnak nodded sharply, said something Jig couldn’t hear, and then he was off to whack another bat. Riana stood close behind Barius. The bats had apparently learned to avoid the human’s flashing sword. Ryslind waited a little way beyond, arms folded. One bat flew down behind him, only to bounce off an invisible wall. It landed on the bridge, took a few stunned steps, then teetered over the edge.

Another bat gone, but it made little difference. Jig spotted his sword sitting close to the side of the bridge. He grabbed it and turned to join the others, for all the good he could do. Bats were everywhere. The adventurers were doing a good job defending themselves, but the bats could wear them out with sheer numbers. Eventually they would all be knocked into the bottomless pit.

Jig grimaced as he recalled Darnak’s assurances. The pit wasn’t truly bottomless. So maybe if they killed enough bats, the bodies would pile up at the bottom and provide a softer landing. Not that being trapped at the bottom of a pit up to his neck in giant bat bodies was much of an improvement.