"We are the flame!" - Chapter [1]
In a large formation of sprawling trees and deserted villages, A large foundation of a Mansion stands near a cliff. A small village below it. The hamlet was buzzing with life, groups of adventures talking with each other for the final push into the mansion.
While others have nicknamed it as hell on earth. A young noble looked on and called it "The Darkest Dungeon." His elegant clothing match of hazel blue and white strips, pins of copper. It strongly shows his superior leadership, but tricks of sending small groups to fight his battles, slaying the abominations, and looting any supplies or valuables left.
As the sun slowly burns away, he wonders of one particular group of adventurers who showed high expectations for slaying the evil. No matter, what happens now with this madness of his ancestors must end. But as the large force charge up the hill. Four figures descend further into the hallways of the estate.
One of them holding a torch, leading the others with the sound of his steel armor and footsteps. "By the gods, we must be going in circles?" He said gruffly. His appearance of a zealous crusader, born with a family but followed a more extreme faith. His close companions being a mixture of wonder.
One closes to him being a Highwayman, his blade cutting deep and flintlock accurate. His past shrouded with deep regret and remorse, redemption he wants dearly. The last two are a plague doctor and a vestal, the doctor being there more for the sight of blood and experiments for her elixirs and the Vestal to keep one life in check, her beliefs of God to grant strength and protection to her fellow members.
The push of a door and the drop of bags on the floor. Crackling start of a fire in the bleak dark room. "Finally we can stop in our place for once without being ambushed."
The rogue collapse on the floor exhausted from the last encounter with undead soldiers, he pulled out his pistol and slowly begin inspecting it. "Are you cleaning your pistol again?" An annoyed voice questions his activated.
The doctor crawled near him and made herself comfortable and watch as he rubs a handkerchief on the pistol. He ignored her and started humming a tone. "Hmm, well it seems like someone doesn't want any wine?" she spat out hoping to gain his attention but he still wouldn't budge.
The footstep of the Vestal gaze on the two, "Alright Lucy, you made your point. Now can you help me ration our food?" She gestures a hand towards her. "Ok fine!" She huff from her failed flirting and follow her towards there bags.
The crusader was focusing on a dirty map. His mind trying to keep track of their position. "Ok we passed through the left side and then approach two skeleton patrols, Dismas and lamb inspected a crate while lucy fiddle with her small dagger and bird mask."
His head felt heavy with frustration, "that's when Dismas spoke of a sparkling bright green light following us!" anger quenched his words. "For heaven's sake, we almost died until Lamb finally bashes that damn collector skull into pieces." He sighs and looks at his party, who were all kept to themselves.
The group has been stuck in the ruins for some time, He got up and looked through his bag."A few bottles of holy water, one anti-venom, and a few bandages. He rose up and join his party near the fire pit.
"So what our new plan?" Zennia spoke, breaking the silence. "Well, we could just backtrack like always right." Dismas respond he spun his pistol around his thumb."We can't since those damn bandits blasted it to rubble with boxes full of gunpowder." Lucy responded.
Morale has been dwindling down, with only 3 torches left. They all huddled near each other. "I guess we finally met our end friends," Reynauld said, he snatches a piece of bread from and bites into it. "Dying together while sober isn't pleasant at all." Lucy coldly announces to Reynauld comment. she sips from the bottle.
While Vestal tried to calm down the situation with bible verses. Dismas was astonished by something near his eyesight. A sparkling green light opposite outside there room only door. "I'm sorry to intervene into your bickering but I think an ambush is close by our feet!." Dismas shout out, everyone immediately stood up and grabs their weapons.
Staring at the door, the door glowed as the group watched, listening closely until Reynauld lighting a torch, he pointed at his comrades to and towards there bags, they nod. Quickly grabbing their things. He quietly marches towards the door, gripping the handle. His anxiety growing with stress.
Finally, with his guild bunching up behind him, he opens the door and marches forward preparing for the end. Pushing forward it felt darker and colder, that's when the sound of a door slamming behind them. Zennia tried to quickly run back but was held back by Lucy, her brown gloves pulling her back.
"What are you doing idiot?" Lucy whispered, "you do know it will alert anyone that can end us in the darkness." She places one finger up between where her mouth would be from her mask.
Dismas glance around, "I thought this was a hallway before?" He grips his dagger and pistol close near his chest. Reynauld snaps his fingers to signal the group to follow him. "We can find out later of where we are, now it's time to move." Reynauld moves forward, the group having no choice to push on.
After sometime Lucy then begins question there surroundings. The round as cold rigged stone, there was a disgusting smell in the air and noted of how Dismas stepped on a pool of saliva. Until they heard cries and the vibration of running.
The distant sounds of growls and laughter, "By the gods, someone else is trapped down here?" Zennia was shocked by this discovery."No more like someone got caught by something!" Dismas joking her concern but was slapped on the back by Lucy. "Alright everyone now is the time of action," Lucy announced.
Reynauld unsheathes his sword and rushes forward up. The party race towards the disturbance until an arrow past them. "I guess our friends aren't happy that were ruining there fun!" Dismas shouted until the flames glow upon small green creatures of three, one of them holding a bow. Looking towards his right was a girl in white, her blond long hair and staff show she was a priestess of a holy church.
He quickly leveled his pistol towards the creature and fired. The steel ball passing through its head instantly, it drops dead on the floor as the other two screech with anger. "Take this you disgusting vermin!" Dismas lunging his dagger into one, the smell of blood spilled as he dodges the other and followed with a stab to its neck. As Dismas was going into a rampage Lucy slowly crouch near the girl who was clutching her shoulder. The screams finally diminished as the Reynauld finish off one of the creatures crawling away from Dismas. "Hey, that was my kill you stole it!" Dismas sarcastically said, grinning as the crusader push him away towards the priestess. The four triumphantly stand together near each other.
"Um, who are you guys?" The priestess said, her voice quiet from there encounter. Her question was answered by the one in steel armor. His only stood tall as he spoke out. "We are the flame and the darkness fears us!" "Now is there anyone else here with you?" Reynauld spoke.
"Yes but she right over there." The priestess pointed to a body, her reddish hair and ripped apart attire show revulsion over all of them. "Let my friend over here help you with that arrow inside your shoulder." Lucy crouch beside her and carefully pull it out.
It took some time as both Dismas and Zennia carried the priestess friend near where she was, "Your group must've had a bad beating." Reynauld said, dropping his bag and taken out a large glass bottle filled with green liquid. He pours the liquid on her wound, she winces from the reaction. The bubbling scorching sound made her uneasy.
"Ok, now the bandages." After some time he passes the bottle to Lucy who pours it in the large cut into wizard stomach."She glad this stuff is very affected." Dismas remarked
Zennia only walked up towards them with a book, "Oh holy light, in which our grievous time. Give this soul the light force of fighting off thy pain and flourish!" A bright light sparked from the ground, covering the girl body. Her wound slowly stitching itself back. She only stared back, mumbling under her breath. She brought out one of her extra clothes, covering the girl. "She stable but if we didn't rush in like that she would have died."
Dismas look on towards their right rear, "So what's our new plan guys?" He looked on into the darkness, "nothing going to keep us from hunting them down right?" Reynauld nod as he grabs the torch, "Lucy can you carry the wizard on your back?" He rises up and motion for the priestess to follow him and his group. "Don't worry, nothing I can do then letting my toxic bombs from killing ourselves in this closed space." She lifted the girl on her shoulder and follow behind Zennia who taken her third spot. After priestess was asked of her group's original plan, they decided to continue where it started.
The group of now six continue forward, Dismas kept humming a tone until Reynaud told him to quiet up and keep up as there scout. The priestess was unnerved by his dark humor, he kept looking at her with distress until she notices it. "H..ey Dismas, what with your little tool right there?" He chuckled from her question."Oh, this thing here is a flintlock." He showed it to her before putting it back. But he decided to tell her something he wants to know.
"Hey, priestess?" Dismas said as she looked at him with anxiety. "Can you answer me this?" he locked on eyes onto hers. "How does a girl like you not know what a gun is?"
She was confused by his question. "Um what's a gun?" she said confused, "I mean like for real where are we, you and anyone else don't know what it is." Dismas was now serious. "Ok now, this is getting more weirder." He turns back to face the front.
Reynauld caution for the group to hold up. "Brace yourselves for a fight!" he shouted as two goblins, one with a club and the other a blade. The two blindly charge into the group but were quickly overcome by Reynauld blade thrusting into there chests. "Ok, I think that's all of them for now." He said exhausted but was interrupted by giant footsteps. "Oh boy another one, my guess it's something more challenging!" Dismas said vigorous with anticipation for a fight.
A large figure of a green skin lumber towards them, quickly eyeing the priestess. The disgusting creature licks its tongue inattention. "Oh ok now that's a big one!" Dismas shouted as he fires his pistol at the creature skull. Blood sprouted out as it slowly stumbled from the shot. "Ok now!" Reynauld shouted rushing in and stabbing the large creature at its chest, pushing it off he quickly put it down with a swift blunt force from his sword handle.
"Well, at least we have taken out their muscle." Dismas smiled and begins patting through the dead green skin pockets. The priestess was disgusted, she wanted to question his motives but the air was interrupted by a moan from the ground.
It was the fighter near them. Naked and nonmoving she ran up to her and begins speaking to her closely. Zennia notices this and takes out her bag to search another spare of cover. She walked towards the two and begins saying a prayer.
Lucy walk towards Reynaud, laying down the wizard on the floor, "Reynaud I don't think we can continue with two of us caring them." she was anxious."As of now you and Dismas take priestess, I and Zennia take these two up back out of this cave we're in." she pointed to the priestess. "You said she knows healing magic so you two are fine without us." Reynauld only nods as he nudged Dismas to follow his lead while lucy quickly pick mage up. The group separated.
The three pair now begins walking down for one final push into the cave, they pass some bodies of other "green-skins" which Reynauld nicknamed but priestess corrected him as they are called goblins.
Dismas was quiet for a while until the group passes upon young man body, he was covered with large cuts and have left a large pool of blood. Priestess stop herself from throwing up and Reynaud only made said a prayer to the boy.
"Alright we gotta do what we can, priestess you use your healing spells if I or Dismas is badly wounded." She nodded, with only two left she has to be careful. Dismas halted in his steps and motion for him and her to crouch and walk slowly.
They slowly crept forward as the goblins begin huddling together, Dismas pointed his pistol at the one beside them and fired. This alerted all of them but when they got up a bright light blinded there eyes. They begin screaming as if there own flesh was burning off until all of them turn into ash piles. There weapons left behind. Reynauld pushes back a scroll into his belt.
He moved forward into a group, Dismas spotting one that reminded him of a shaman knew it was bad news for them, so he lep ahead towards it. The goblin tried to use a spell but was hit by another shot. "Another hit, damn missed its eye!" Dismas commented he smiled as he dodges another goblin, he kicked and grab it in a choke hold, forcing it as some meatshield.
He moves forward, it taking the hits for him to get closer. "come on and...Now!" He pushes the corpse away and fired again hitting his target, taking it down. As Reynaud clean out the last remaining goblins, he spotted one which tried to attack priestess. He uses a murder stroke on its skull, bashing its head onto the floor.
It was over, the carnage has finished and the area secured, they can finally get out of there. "Alright priestess, so with all the goblins dead, a wagon will come here and scout out and pick up the kidnapped villagers?" Reynauld was exhausted from all the fighting and was glad none of them were hurt. While he and Priestess talked with each other.
Dismas looked around for anything out of place until pushing a chair off it's side. He spotted a covered hole behind it. "Well what's this?" he slowly taken out a small lighter and lighten it, as he crawled under he heard small whimpers. Shining the light towards the sounds. About four tiny goblins were trembling. He stared at them, he crawled back out and shouted. "Reynauld we got a problem!" He turns around and saw Reynauld walking towards him. "What's wrong?" he said with a worried voice.
Dismas pointed towards the hole, "check it out yourself". Reynauld did as Dismas said. A few moments later he came out, "So...dismas." he felted disgusted of what he's about to do.
He shouldn't feel bad at all since he been doing the same thing since crusading. "We have to kill them." Reynaud finally let his words. Priestess only stared speechlessly.
Dismas looked at him and just nodded in understanding. After Reynold crawl back inside the hidden spot, there came out deep cries that ended quickly.
Priestess drop to her knees and begins crying, she couldn't even understand why he was doing it. Dismas looked at her until spotting Reynauld exiting the hole. He was breathing heavily, still recovering to his holy personality. "let's go." as the three begin walking back up the steep cave towards the entrance.
The ride back was quiet, Zennia and Lucy wonder why the three of them were tired from just fighting goblins but he only raises his hand to leave him alone. As the cart moves through the plains of grass, the group only wish for the ride to end. Tailing behind them is a wagon filled with the kidnapped woman and one of priestess compatriot.
The wizard lay beside them slowly gaining some strength, lucy stay by her side checking her condition and looking through her diary of diseases and antidotes. Dismas only watched in silence while Zennia was reading her bible, her words keeping them company until finally getting to the city. Reynauld was quiet. Not only that they were stuck in another world somewhere. None of them knew the culture or rules.
These thoughts of concerned were broken by Dismas who took out a pair of cards he stashes under his coat, "would any of you like to play cards to pass the time faster?" Zennia and Lucy decline but Reynauld smiled, "I guess one game won't hurt anyone."
he sets up one of the bags as a temporary table. Lucy than butt in "Maybe some wine would help too...well a little bit to remove the edge off." she laughs under her mask as the four begin talking like nothing bad happened.
Priestess sat beside them listening to there banter and smiled, she felt a tug on her sleeve as the wizard finally waked up, "What happened to me?" her voice was raspy from the effects of the antidote in her body.
She tried to get up was stopped by priestess, "you need to rest, your wound still needs to heal." she said. The wizard looked at the group. "So who are they?" she grudgingly said. "Oh them, it's a long complicated story!" priestess responded. As the wagon slowly inches towards the city entrance."
Author notes"| Hey welcome to the end of this chapter, as of now this is my first fanfiction, and I do believe I need all the help from not only your reviews but also an inspiration of continuing this story. I love darkest dungeon atmosphere and goblin slayer world of it maybe being a DnD game. And since a lot of Goblin slayer fanfictions are made yet. So hey I guess I make one. This taken about 8 hours to even make at all so I hope you enjoy this story. Thank you for your time and also give me criticism to improve.