Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative

Chapter 1: The Fated Day

When one said that 'a dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work', they might have forgot to include tears, bloods, and nightmares.

On that fated day when she walked out the guild with a porcelain tag hanging around her neck, talking about becoming a hero that would slay the dragons and save the city with her friend, the Swordsman, she still believed that she would achieve her dream one day. But the very same day, it was gone along with her comrades, along with her pride, along with her dignity as a woman…

Her head was hung low along with the other victims she should've saved that day. She was looking but at the same time not looking anything, just waiting until the cart stopped in front of a temple. She felt like her hand was being pulled and she just followed without resistance, following the person to anywhere they brought her to without really listening to what they said. She was led into one a room with six beds inside it and sat on the one near the window.

The sun was finally set, so did her life as an adventurer.

"…Hey." The Fighter didn't respond. Her eyes still remained on the sunset. The brown-haired man scratched his head and finally moved before her, blocking her sight from the sunset. He waited for her to respond him but got none because getting an 'are you okay' question was the last thing she needed; she was clearly not okay. However, the sentence he blurted the next moment was something she never expected.

"Did anyone ever told you that you have the beautiful pair of eyes?"

She finally looked up to see an Alchemist grinning at her. If she was still her old self that morning, she might've kicked the man's ass for trying to flirt with her. What was he thinking to blurt such a comment when she was on her current state?

"Well… I'm uh… telling the truth?" he coyly said as he scratched the back of his head. That was the moment she noticed him carrying a bowl with green concoction in it. "I didn't lie when I said your eyes are beautiful. They're really looks like my mother's. You know, she's always a hard-headed woman with strong determination and that gene is actually running down in our—"

Suddenly the door was banged open. The Fighter jumped in her position due to her recent occurrence while the man's eyes widened in horror as he avoided a swing of axe that actually settled right beside his head. A woman she assumed a High Priestess cornered the man by placing her boot on his chest. The man raised his hands above his head to protect his concoction from spilling.

"T-that's my axe," he stuttered.

"Indeed, it is," replied the High Priestess as she brushed her blonde hair away from her face. Her navy blue dress had high slits on both sides, revealing a bit of her thigh and the thigh high white boots that somewhat accentuated the purity effect to her clothes.

"How could you lift that? You shouldn't be able lift it! Let alone using it," he said.

"With the power granted by the Earth's Mother—I can lift anything. Swords, axes, and that including mountains, little brother of mine," the High Priestess sarcastically said as she made a cross sign.

The Alchemist gulped. "Then w-why are you attacking me?"

"I told you to never do anything funny to her… Not under my watch," she dangerously muttered.

"Sister," the Alchemist sighed, "I didn't do anything funny to her."

"Then what are you doing? I told you to give the concoction then go back to your post immediately yet I heard something like 'beautiful eyes' when I walked past this room! I've told you numerous times that flirting—" she grabbed his collar while the poor man held his concoction higher, "is forbidden in this holy temple!"

"Why is it every time I'm telling something true to women you always said I'm flirting?" He sighed. "I'm just being spontaneous!"

"There's only a small difference between spontaneous and flirty! You're scaring the girls if you keep behaving like this!" she shouted while her fingers showing the measuring gesture.

"I know! I know! I'm sorry! Please let go or you're going to make me spill the concoction!" he pleaded.

"Oh." High Priestess looked up and released her hands from him without looking guilty. She then knelt before Female Fighter with a gentle smile. "I'm sorry if my brother happened to scare you. I can assure you that he doesn't have any bad intention. He's just a pure air-head."

"Hey…" The Alchemist disapprovingly glared at his sister.

Female Fighter stared at her for a moment before giving a small nod. Even though she didn't laugh, some part of her thoroughly amused by the banter between the siblings. The scene slightly envied her because she was an only child and none of her family was alive.

"Here," Alchemist said as he handed her the bowl he had been protected from his sister's wrath. "This is the potion I specially developed to… you know—the aftermath. Just to prevent the goblins from ruining your life any further."

Female Fighter noticed his intention to not bringing up her incident and she knew exactly what the potion would do to her so she took the bowl and drank it up in a go. Her tasting bud still numb due to crying and shouting back in the cave, but she still cringed at the bitter taste and the herbal smells that slowly spread through her nose. She nodded a thank you when Alchemist took the bowl from her.

"Great. You've finished all of it!" Alchemist cheerfully said. "I'll take my leave for now then. I'll be back with your dinner."

"Then let's clean you up," High Priestess said as she rolled her sleeves up. "A good warm bath would help you relax."

High Priestess helped her up and Female Fighter followed into the bathroom located just across the room. She could faintly smell something fragrant as soon as she entered the bathroom, but her nose was still numb so she couldn't put her finger on it. The moment she let herself soaked in the hot water, she felt soothe and relax for a moment.

"Do you want me to help you scrub your back?" the blonde haired woman asked but Female Fighter shook her head in response.

The last thing she needed at that moment was physical contacts with anyone. Raising her arm, she massaged herself with White Birch branches. But as she paid attention to her skin, she could see the bruises from the goblins' grip on her, the scars their nails left on her ivory skin. It churned the content of her stomach, sending an ice wave all over her body and covered her ears as she started to hear their evil laughter.

But she could still hear it.

And she could feel the moment they pinned her to the ground.

She scrubbed her arms to get rid of the feeling, and the pain… but it was still there, lingering under her skin to the point she clawed her hand, scratching it in attempt to get rid of the feeling. Scorching heat was building behind her eyes and she couldn't stop her tears from flowing. She couldn't even hear her own screaming when the sickening sensation was too much.

"Ssh… hey, easy there…" the High Priestess said as she pulled Female Fighter into her embrace, stroking her black hair. "You're safe now. They can't harm you here," she assured.

She shook her head in response. It wasn't the matter of where they were now because they were always there, lingering inside her. And she couldn't get them out from her.

"I know that it is not my place to say this because I never been through what you went through but," High Priestess said as she released her embrace and stroke Female Fighter's hair from her face, "no matter how impossible it is, it will get better. Don't blame yourself for what had happened."

The Fighter wanted to respond her, but her words only came out like a random murmur. How could she not when she convinced everyone about her power? That goblins were nothing but pests she could send flying. Everything happened because they embarked without proper preparation and took the monsters lightly.

Her comrades were gone.

And she wasn't better alive herself because she had to continued living with the memory that would haunt her forever.

AN: Honestly, I feel really bad for the Female Fighter. She's suffering the worst thing that could ever happen to a woman in what supposed her first step to achieve her dream. Which is why I want to write something so I can imagine her having a better life after despite her 'never to be heard from again'. This will be a short fic that might end below 10 chapters though. XD

The concoction I mentioned above is something similar to contraceptive pills to keep the victims from pregnancy. We all know that the goblins are all-males race and multiplied by mating with female from any races that will always resulting goblins.

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