Alright here's the chapter sorry had a little bit of a writers block but hopefully it's over. Enjoy!
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The next morning Goblin Slayer drove the carriage quietly while glancing down at his hand, after a bit of debate he was eventually allowed to keep the ring until they opened the other chests. He noticed a bit of tattered ruins inside and recognized the sight of an abandoned carriage near the entrance.
"Hmm."
He stopped his carriage and the others noticed.
"We there?" High Dark Elf asked as she hopped out and saw the entrance as well as the extra carriage. "Damn, looks like we might not be the only ones here." She said getting her gauntlets properly on as the others came out to follow suit.
Going over to the cart Dwarf Mercenary noticed the inside was devoid of supplies. "Empty back here, not even empty bags."
"Bandits then." Goblin Slayer theorized as he lit a torch and went to the entrance. "They could also be in here too."
"If it's not adventurer's it's bandits, always think there's some sort of treasure here." The female dark elf commented as she noticed two dead goblin bodies at the front. "Ugh disgusting." She said until she noticed Goblin Slayer taking one and stabbing its chest with a knife. "Uhhh what are you doing?"
"Masking our scent." He went over to Priestess who let out a sigh and cutely held her breath as he put the bloody cloth against her clothes. Staining them with blood and fat, he then turned to her. "Your turn."
"W-What!? Hell NO!" She backed up glaring at him. "If you think I'm letting you wipe that shit against me you got another thing com-"
-later-
"Hmmm I think you may have broken the elf beardcutter, impressive if I say so myself." Mercenary Dwarf said laughing a bit as he stroked his beard. Their sorcerer let out a soft laugh as they followed Goblin Slayer, with High Dark Elf in the back shaking as she had blood and fat all over her body and cloak.
"I think you dabbed too much in my hair…" She said groaning as she squeezed her front bang, cringing as the blood dripped out.
"Had to, it smelled like Vanilla." He said with a small very small smirk under his helmet.
"I know you said Goblins were sensitive to smell, but so are Dark elves you asshole!" She said still infuriated until he stopped, making the others pause behind him. "What's wrong?" She asked suddenly as she looked around the hallway cautiously.
"A trap." He said crouching down to see small engravings in a slab. "Goblins."
"Goblins? Making a trap?" The Lizardman said a bit puzzled.
"I-it tends to happen. You'd be surprised how tricky they can be." Priestess said, recalling how she and her partner ran into a few beforehand.
"But there aren't any totems, which means there aren't any Shamans."
"Then it must be the Ogre's doing, must've taught these cave rats." The lizard said as he cupped his chin as they began to walk around the trap. They came across a fork in the hallway and stopped.
"I say we go left." High Dark Elf suggested as she looked onwards wanting to get this quest done and over with.
"No." Goblin Slayer took note of the walls and floor on the right, there were scratch marks and dried blood left along the way, he noted that it could be goblin blood, or their recent meal. Leaning down he saw what was a broken fingernail which confirmed his suspicions. "This way." He then began walking in the direction with the High Dark Elf sighing as she and the others followed.
Priestess noted that the path was rather messy and unkept. That and judging from how Lizard Sorcerer began to cover his snout meant the awful smell was getting close. They soon got to a door as she saw Goblin Slayer suddenly kick the door down, making the others behind him cringe at the horrible smell.
"Dear fucking god agh! What is that smell!?" High Dark Elf said as she covered her nose and felt like vomiting.
"The Goblin's waste room." He said as he and the others noticed the strung-up figure against the wall. A blonde elven woman who was clinging to life. "And it seems there's still some left alive." He noticed a few other things around and recognized the sight of a few bodies and used broken gear. "And it seems we found the bandits too."
"Uuugh… let's just leave, she's probably an elf from the forest sanctuary." The High Dark Elf held no compassion for the poor woman.
"K-Kill.. Kill." The elf spoke.
After hearing that she turned to Lizard Sorcerer. "Can't you just eat her to put her out of her misery?"
"I would, but it seems as though the goblins have had their fun with her beforehand, and the residue may still reside in her." He said disgusted at the thought of consuming THAT.
"Kill… Kill."
Goblin Slayer took the hint. "Very well." He walked forward as Priestess gulped.
"Wait… she's still alive can't we-"
Then before they could respond a goblin came out from behind the woman and jumped at goblin slayer only to have a short sword cleave through its head to its neck and fall dead onto the ground.
"We can't waste much time. Unless you can't fight, you can take her to the entrance and stay there." He said to the blonde before undoing the chains as the elf thanked him softly. Taking out a cloak he covered her with it and picked her up. "We can leave her at the Crosspoint, I believe most of the goblins would be to the left side, and since they already used her, they'd probably walk pass her." They wouldn't notice her sullied scent and dull color.
Priestess didn't like the notion but nodded as he gently laid her on the ground.
"Well if that's it for her, then let's get going. Hopefully, we can make It before they noticed someone's missing." The High Dark elf said as they group went across the fork in the halls and went to the left side.
Once they made it to the exit, they came across a grand room with multiple goblins around sleeping with a few guards standing around. "My word, there are many of the vile creatures here." After scouting it out they went back to a hidden clearing to rest.
"How many spells can you use?" Goblin Slayer asked the extra two spell casters.
"Well I can use about five, while lizard here could use three. If you don't count his darker powers." Mercenary Dwarf said as he pulled his flask out to take a quick drink.
"And that is?"
"Revive undead, but it's a bit different from necromancy. For example, I cannot bring life back to corpses, but their bones are used to make up my early ancestors." He explained as the armored adventurer gave him blank stare. "It's a form of necromancy but only the bones are needed. The forms can vary from small to large. I can only do this twice though."
"Maybe we should've used the elf girl's bones then." The High Dark Elf said as she rested her back against the wall.
"Must you be so cruel? The poor lass has probably been through more than you have in a day." The Dwarf said as he looked at her. "With that kind of attitude, it would be easy to see you live the rest of your life as a bachelorette." He smirked as she glared at him.
"Oh, you would know wouldn't you short and fat?" She said as Goblin Slayer was thinking of a plan.
"What are you thinking goblin slayer?" Priestess asked as he looked at her then back down at his hand.
"I have a plan; you received another miracle along with protection correct?"
"Yeah why?"
-later-
"O Earth Mother Abounding In Mercy… Grant Us Peace… To Accept All Things Silence." Priestess said her miracle and as the Goblins who were awake noticed they couldn't say a think as one of them were suddenly cleaved in half by an invisible force and then another was pounced on by a dark figure who repeatedly smashed their heads in with her fists. After doing so she would pullout small blades after blades from her person to finish off the rest of the sleeping ones.
The others already awake were quickly taken care of by rocks tossed by a sling and another larger figure jumping down and using a sword made out of bone to finish them.
After about half an hour the three fighters finished off every goblin sleeping on the ground. High Dark Elf was currently shaking her fists as she let out a disgusted groan from how slick and warm the blood was. "Nnnngh gah its going to take all day to clean these."
"You have many knives on you." Goblin Slayer noted as she looked at him.
"Yeah, too bad I lost a few on these goblins, still the ogre will make up for them." She commented before looking around the area. "Speaking of which, where is the big brute?"
As she said this her ears perked up and her eyes widened before she suddenly ducked as a massive metallic club passed over her person. She quickly rolled away and threw two of her knives right at the massive figure only for them to stab into the chest made of pure muscle.
"My word. It seems you've called upon him." Lizard sorcerer said as he himself got ready for the coming fight.
"That's not a goblin."
"You dare compare me to those filthy vermin. I shall roast your body on a spit!" The deep voice from the ogre echoed through the area as they grouped up together. High Dark Elf noticed the large being raise his hand and began to chant. "Carbanculus Crescunt…"
"Crap he's a spellcaster too!?" She said as he continued chanting. Goblin Slayer noticed and then recalled how powerful the ring he wore was said to be. Before he could try anything, the spell was getting closer to being done.
"Get behind me!" Priestess said suddenly as she held her sounding staff in front of her. "O Earth Mother Abunding In Mercy… By The Power Of The Land Grant Safety To We Who Are Weak!" She said as the Ogre's spell was finishing. "Protection!"
"Iacta!" He yelled as he launched the fireball at Priestess's protection miracle. The group saw the cracks starting to form amongst the invisible barrier, Mercenary Dwarf noticed and held his hand out.
"As the fox is crafty and the cat with such dexterity!" He noticed the cracks getting larger as Priestess was straining to keep it going. "With the bull so strong, may you all benefit from this song... Heighten!"
As it seemed the fireball was going to break through the shield then suddenly brightened up and the fireball dissipated as it glowed brightly.
"Impossible! That should've broken through that puny miracle!" The ogre said as he raised his club up.
"That may have blocked the fireball. But it won't last long against that!" The mercenary dwarf said as the massive weapon slammed down onto the barrier, causing a large crack to spread around it.
"Well scatter when it's about to break." Goblin Slayer said noticing that the Ogre didn't care much for the small knives imbedded in his chest. "Keep throwing knives at his body, lace them with this." He handed High Dark Elf a vial of stored poison. Seeing that the Ogre wouldn't care for menial wounds it made sense. He then turned to Lizard Sorcerer "Can you use your revive undead on the goblins?" He asked as another powerful hit came upon the protection.
"Unfortunately, the goblins must have no meat or scraps on the bones in order to use them." The Lizardman saw the Ogre slam his club down once more and the cracks became larger as Priestess grunted and held her ground.
"Very well, you and I will try and slow the Ogre's movements." The armored adventurer said before turning to the Dwarf. "Keep the girl safe, she might not be able to use another miracle after this one breaks." He said as Priestess heard and looked at him.
"I-I can still-"
CRASH!
The barrier was broken and shattered as Goblin Slayer dove and pushed the blonde out of the way of the club while the others jumped back to avoid the strike. High Dark Elf began to pull out small knives from her sides as she began to lace them with the poison, quickly jumping onto a pillar she threw multiple ones which stabbed the Ogre's arm and back.
"Grah! Filthy Dark Elf!" He yelled as he swung his club over towards her, she jumped off the pillar as it was destroyed by the hit. He then felt a few pains at his ankles and saw that Goblin Slayer and the Lizard Sorcerer had sliced at his ankles only for them to heal. "Damn bugs!" He swung his club down only for Goblin Slayer to roll out of the way as it smashed into the ground.
The armored man then grabbed on before climbing the weapon, holding on before he started to climb up the Ogre's arm, using his armored claws to stab into the flesh and hold on. The Ogre shook his arm, trying to get him off only for the slayer to dig his fingers in more, keeping his grip as the High Dark Elf threw multiple knives laced with poison. The lizard sorcerer noticed that the massive monster was too busy with Goblin Slayer he managed to jump and use a bone claw to slice his thumb and two large fingers off.
"GRAHH!" Now unable to use his other hand to grab the man he swung it like a club at the Sorcerer only for him to quickly duck, letting the limb pull his cloak off. Revealing his body under it, covered in ragged clothing and minimal leather armor he hissed and quickly sliced another finger off the Ogre's hand leaving only the index left on his stump of a hand.
Meanwhile as the Dwarf mercenary took Priestess to a safer area she was starting to come to and groaned softly. "G-Goblin Slayer? Is he?"
"He's hanging in there." The mercenary said as both of them looked to see Goblin Slayer coming up to the Ogre's shoulder. Getting sick of the annoyance he dropped his club and quickly hit him down with his other arm and grabbed him by his torso making him grunt as the Ogre's grip was firm around him.
"I'm going to crush you!" He said squeezing his fingers around the armored adventurer making him groan out loud before he held out his fist at the Ogre's face and a ball of intense heat and brightness generated in front of his fist and suddenly shot forward into the Ogre's face.
"AAAAGHHAAAAGH!" He yelled out in loud anguish as he dropped Goblin Slayer, the man fell and landed roughly, quickly getting away as the Ogre fell onto his back.
The sound of bubbling and sizzling could be heard from his head as Goblin Slayer sighed and looked around, noticing Lizard Sorcerer picking his cloak up and draping it over his body. High Dark Elf jumped down from a pillar as she cleaned the poison on her knives off her cloak. She walked over to the Ogre's head and cringed a bit. "Yep, you got him Slayer." She whistled a bit at his charred, black, and red face, blood dripping down from the cracked skin. "Damn that rings powerful."
"Yeah." He got up and shook his hand, the effect of using the ring had successfully burnt his finger. He took his armored glove off and took the ring out, looking at it for a little he noticed it glowed brightly, yet the gem looked like it was half as bright as before.
"Shall we call you Ogre Slayer then?" Dwarf Mercenary said walking over with a still shaken Priestess coming as well.
"So, uh… is he… dead?" She asked not wanting to come close to the massive body.
Goblin Slayer pocketed the ring and went over to the corpse. He kicked the side of his head a bit and noticed no movement. He nodded back over at the others who looked visibly relieved.
"I thought these large beings had a regenerative ability?" Lizard Sorcerer said as he cupped his chin in a bit of confusion as he took his bone claw and began to cut off the ears off the dead Ogre.
"Yeah, he was surprisingly easy to take out… wait." High Dark Elf looked at Goblin Slayer who was conversing with Priestess.
"Are you sure you don't need to rest?"
"N-No I'm fine, the strain from protection just gave me a bit of a headache is all." She said trying to brush off his concerns.
"Is that so?"
"Oi Slayer! I thought you didn't know how to fight these damn things, just goblins." The Dark Elf said as she crossed her arms. "Are you holding out on us?"
"No, I never have fought an Ogre before, nor have I fought anything with its abilities asides from the spells and strength."
"Then how did you know the poison would keep his regeneration busy from a real attack?"
"I didn't, I usually throw small knives laced with poison at large targets to slow down their movements." He was a bit concerned as to why the Ogre hadn't slowed down but now knew why.
"So… you didn't know how to actually take him down? You just got lucky?"
"Yes." He said as he took the ring out. "If it weren't for this, maybe I would've been crushed." He walked past the Flabbergasted elf as she shook her head.
"Unbelievable."
"Ai, someone who takes more risks than you, who knew such a man existed." Dwarf Shaman quipped as he followed the man.
-outside-
Once they were out of the ruins Goblin Slayer was carrying the female Elf out and laid her down in the carriage.
"So what? we're going to take this sack of pathetic flash back with us?"
"Yes."
"Ugh… why can't we just say she passed when we fought the Ogre."
"Because, she has no stab wounds, puncture marks and I ran out of poison." He bluntly said surprising her as he sat at the front to drive the horses. "That, and there was a reward for any survivors brought back."
"Did you say reward?" She said suddenly perking up.
"Oh, you did it now Beard Cutter, she'll be on about this for hours."
"Shut it fattie! And take care of her. Oooh I wonder what this reward will be." She rubbed her hands together as the others got in the back. Priestess now sitting next to Dwarf Mercenary in front of Lizard Sorcerer as High Dark Elf was next to Goblin Slayer. "What do you think? 20 maybe even 30 gold? She's an elf and they are priced at a high cost!"
Priestess blinked at that and looked at the other two. "So, wait you guys sold people?"
"Ai, but it was either that or kill them. Got to get them off our backs somehow." Dwarf Mercenary said as he drank from his flask a bit.
"Oh, so only people who come after you?" She said, trying to see little reason to their methods.
"Yes, we may appear to have rather questionable methods and motives. But we won't just go in and sell innocents." He took a longer swing of his drink. "Would attract to much attention from the higher ups." He finished while Priestess was still not reassured.
"R-Right…" She said as she held her staff closer to herself. She was still a bit disappointed that she didn't do much in the way of attacking. 'At least we all made it out okay.' She thought as they made their way to the frontier town.
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