Goblin Slayer: Bloody Debt
Volume 1: The Swordsman and the Flaming Witch
Author's note: I really enjoyed the first season of the anime Goblin Slayer and its spin off Year One. This fanfiction takes place five years after the origin story "An Ordinary Massacre" and it will mix our two orphans with the usual protagonists.
I chose to give names to some characters of the manga. I attribute their absence of names to the fact that Goblin Slayer doesn't take the trouble to remember people's names and that the story takes place mostly through his point of view in the different media (light novel, manga, anime). Thus, the Rookie warrior will be named Glenn and the Apprentice Cleric will be named Adeline. I hope that this bias won't bother you in your reading. I will list the names on my profile page as I go along.
Rating: T
Summary: Five years have passed since their parents died. Alaric and Hilda have grown up and become seasoned adventurers. The young man feels it is time to fulfill the promise he made to their savior. Even if they didn't find the Goblin Slayer, it turns out that there is no shortage of quests to exterminate these vile creatures in the border town...
Disclaimer: Goblin Slayer and its characters do not belong to me and are the property of Kumo Kagyu and Square Enix in Japan. I also borrow some elements to Ubel Blatt, which is the property of Etorōji Shiono and Square Enix Publishing in Japan.
Except for the above copyrights, this story belongs to me in its entirety under the intellectual property and copyright laws. It is strictly forbidden to reproduce, use and/or distribute this story without the express permission of its author.
Chapter 1: A quest in his image
Guild Girl would have gladly taken a break, but as usual, there was no shortage of work at the Adventurer's Guild where she worked. The most glorious and well-paid quests had sold out like hotcakes, while the pile of goblin-killing quests on her desk was growing by the minute. Goblin Slayer went away for two days and this was the result!
Oh, there were a few groups that showed interest in these quests, but most were of porcelain rank. Inexperienced adventurers were overly confident in their martial or magical abilities, neglecting to properly equip themselves with potions and refusing to seek help from more experienced adventurers. In their defense, the more experienced adventurers simply disdained such poorly paid quests, especially when the meager reward had to be shared.
For all their talk of honor and the common good, few adventurers proved to be examples of altruism in their everyday behavior. The exception to this rule in the eyes of Guild Girl was Goblin Slayer. No matter how miserable the reward, he would take out the goblins by any means necessary and he always came back. Until recently, he had done this tedious work alone. That changed first when he teamed up with a young Priestess of porcelain rank whom he had taken under his wing, and then when he found himself with a high elf archer, a dwarf shaman, and a Lizardman priest. The five of them formed an eclectic group, to say the least, but one in which there was clearly a good understanding.
- Hello, is this the Guild's front office? asked a female voice.
When she looked up from her sheets, the receptionist noticed that two people had come to her desk. The first was obviously the young woman who had approached her. No more than fifteen years old, she wore a dark red dress and a large pointed hat that partially covered her long brown hair. In her right hand she held a long ebony magic wand with runes engraved along its length and a multi-faceted crystal at the top. Her pleasant face showed a quiet smile that was not contradicted by her hazel eyes.
The second person was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old man. Dressed in well-made boiled leather armor over chain mail, he wore two swords on his belt, the first of medium size on his left and a shorter one on his right, not to mention the knife attached to his right boot. A pointed shield was strapped behind his back and an iron chapel hung from his belt.
Assuming they might have come to register as adventurers, Guild Girl changed her mind when she saw the Steel rank identification plates hanging from their respective necks. They must have come from another guild.
- Hello and welcome! You are indeed at the front office, what can I do for you? Asked the receptionist in a friendly tone.
- We're looking for Goblin Slayer, replied the man without animosity. Is he still working at the guild in this town?
- Yes, he is still registered amongst our adventurers. Unfortunately, your timing is a little off. He's gone quite far away on a quest that may last several days. I don't know when they'll be back, she explained honestly.
The newcomers exchanged a knowing look, obviously reassured to learn that Goblin-Slayer was still based in this village, but also a little disappointed to have missed him. The receptionist was aware that curiosity killed the cat, but since it was related to Goblin Slayer, she couldn't help but give in to the temptation to know more about them.
- May I ask why you are looking for him? I could give him a message when he comes back if you want, she continued, trying to cheer them up a bit.
- We met him a long time ago, during one of his quests, the young man began in a darker voice. At that time... Let's just say he inspired us to embrace his calling.
- What my brother is trying to say is that we would like to join his group, if he is willing, the young woman replied in a quiet tone.
With the help of the few pieces of the puzzle they had just given her, Guild Girl could now appreciate the situation a little more clearly. Goblin Slayer only accepted quests to exterminate the creatures that had earned him his nickname. Therefore, these brother and sister must have been victims of the goblins in the more or less distant past and the adventurer had helped them.
An image appeared in her mind, taking her back maybe four or five years earlier. She could see Goblin Slayer coming back from a quest with two children. She remembered making them cups of hot chocolate and getting some information out of the adventurer. The two children were orphans and Goblin Slayer had agreed to take them with him to the Guild's building where a relative, an uncle perhaps, was supposed to pick them up. Could it be that these two adventurers were the orphans of that time? She didn't dare ask them, but their ages should roughly be a match... Few victims of monsters ever became adventurers, but by his example alone, perhaps Goblin Slayer had inspired them to fight rather than resign themselves?
Her gaze returned to the ever-growing pile of goblin-killing quests and she surprised herself with her own audacity when she spoke again a moment later with an embarrassed smile.
- Tell me, by any chance, are you also specialized in the extermination of goblins? Several villages have asked for our help, but in the absence of Goblin Slayer, few adventurers have agreed to take care of them...
To her surprise, the two siblings didn't seem offended in the least. On the contrary, they shared a knowing look before the witch nodded her head.
- Hunting goblins is our specialty, the swordsman replied with a somewhat predatory smile. Why don't you show us those quests?
- I'm very grateful for your help! Ah, there would also be another small detail...
If she could kill two birds with one stone, she wouldn't miss the opportunity. After all, Priestess was not the only adventurer of porcelain rank who could benefit from accompanying experienced goblin exterminators on a quest...
For the umpteenth time since they left the border town, Rookie Warrior wondered if they had been right to accept Guild Girl's proposal. Apprentice Clerc didn't seem to share his doubts. His teammate had argued that it was safer to go after a goblin nest with two Steel-ranked adventurers rather than by themselves. She also pointed out that they were in desperate need of money to upgrade their equipment and buy some potions, but they wouldn't be able to do either by turning down quests.
When he had chosen the vocation of adventurer, the young man had not imagined that things would be so difficult. Trying to look on the bright side, he decided to do his best to get to know better the temporary members of their group. After all, it was for the best if they trusted each other a little bit before going into the goblins' lair.
- I don't think we've introduced ourselves at the Guild so... well, my name is Glenn but I'm better known as Rookie warrior! This is Adeline, she is an Apprentice Clerc who has studied the religion of the supreme god.
- Pleased to meet you, replied the young woman with a smile that made the teenager go as red as a beet. My name is Hilda, I'm a witch who graduated from the academy. The great clumsy oaf holding a sword to my right is my brother Alaric.
- You always have such tender words, little sister... commented Alaric in a falsely angry tone. I am a swordsman. I studied at the Mansion of Swords located in the Eastern regions.
So far, their backgrounds seemed rather conventional to the Rookie warrior, but both seemed to have completed their apprenticeships in their respective fields of expertise, while being more experienced adventurers than Apprentice Cleric and he were. Was there more of an age difference between them than he thought?
He didn't have time to ask them because Apprentice Clerc was already moving on to another topic.
- Why did you come here? Guild Girl told us it had something to do with Goblin Slayer, but she wouldn't tell us more, her friend said curiously.
The brother and sister exchanged darker glances before Alaric nodded his head in agreement. Hilda readjusted her witch's hat on her head before speaking in a detached voice.
- When we were children, our village was attacked by goblins. Our parents and all the other inhabitants were slaughtered. The only reason we survived was because Goblin Slayer accepted the quest submitted by our village chief with a meager reward.
- We owe him our lives, confirmed Alaric, but even more so we owe him that we were not broken. I don't know if it's about revenge or justice, but the goblins are clearly a threat that neither the nobles nor the army take seriously. We can understand them since the attacks of these creatures occur far away from the capital and the damage caused is considered minimal... However, these are people who die frequently, by the dozens, in the general indifference... With Hilda, we decided to follow the example of Goblin Slayer by hunting these despicable creatures.
- We already have some experience with goblins, even if we have hunted other monsters to earn some money to equip ourselves. However, we would like to learn the specific skills of Goblin Slayer, who is recognized as the best and perhaps the only expert in goblin extermination, Hilda finished.
Rookie Warrior had never thought of it that way. However, the guild's receptionist often said that killing goblins was useful to society, even if the corresponding quests were poorly paid. From a certain point of view, Glenn could admit that there was something noble in this fight, but the young adventurer found it difficult to reconcile this principle with the appearance of Goblin Slayer, which was more that of a wandering mercenary than a proud adventurer.
- Hold out your lamps and torches, I'll light them, Hilda said.
She and Alaric each carried an oil lamp hanging from their belts. Adeline carried in one hand a lamp containing the purple candle that Witch had agreed to lend them a little longer. Glenn was the only one holding a simple torch in his left hand, his right hand always ready to draw his sword.
To Rookie Warrior's surprise, the red-robed witch didn't use a spell but two flints to make a spark. Glenn blushed as he thought it would have been futile to waste a spell like that, but he had probably gotten too used to seeing Witch light her pipe that way at the Guild.
Entering the cave, Alaric took the lead, followed by Apprentice Clerc and the red-robed witch, while Glenn brought up the rear. They must have gone about fifty meters when they came upon a sort of totem pole, topped with a human skull.
- Hilda, can you check our back? I thought I saw at least one passage.
- There were two, the witch corrected him, but they looked shallow, so there can't be many. That said, from the intensity of the enchanted lantern's flame, no doubt the goblins are close. Do you want to take care of them?
- Yes, I'll take care of them. You might as well not waste your miracles on small fry. Glenn, could you protect them for a moment? the Swordsman asked after silently drawing his short sword.
Rookie Warrior didn't know what they were talking about until the little figures appeared under the light of the lamps and his torch. There were three, no, four goblins! The creatures sprang up from behind them as if coming out of nowhere.
Showing no particular surprise, Alaric lunged at them, his shield raised with one hand while he pointed his sword at them with the other. The first goblin didn't have time to finish his battle cry before he was promptly decapitated. The second goblin let out a cry of rage that died when the sharp end of the shield hit him squarely between the eyes. The Swordsman's movements were too fast for Glenn to discern exactly what he did to the last two goblins, but the creatures collapsed an instant later like two disjointed dolls, staining the ground red with their blood.
Letting out a slight sigh, Alaric approached the remains and grabbed one of their poorly crafted knives before cutting them open from the neck down.
- Hilda, can you use this to mask our smell? Alaric asked, busily cleaning the blade of his sword.
Glenn winced as the witch collected the dark liquid in her cup and sprinkled it on their clothes in turn. Intellectually, he understood the reason for this gesture, because of the particularly sensitive sense of smell of the little creatures... but the smell was just abominable. It was decided, he would never hunt goblins again!
Rookie Warrior came out of his thoughts when the Swordsman handed him two of the goblins' knives, having kept the other two for himself.
- Why should we take their weapons? he asked, holding out his hand.
- Be careful! Be very careful when you handle them, their blades can be poisoned, Alaric lectured him before handing them to him. To answer your question, their weapons aren't worth much, but they'll keep you from wearing out your own sword too quickly. Since you only have one blade and not much money to replace it, try to take good care of it.
- Do you always hunt them like this? Asked Apprentice Clerc, who winced a little at the smell but looked more comfortable than Glenn.
- No, not always, Hilda replied. When there are no hostages, we would have simply found a way to lock them in or smoke them out to make it easier to pick them up at the cave entrance.
- Unfortunately, this method does not apply here, the Swordsman continued. According to the villager who submitted this quest to the Guild, half a dozen women were abducted yesterday so there is a good chance they are still alive.
Rookie Warrior shuddered as he thought of the women who had been kidnapped. There were many stories circulating in the Adventurers' Guild about the fate of women kidnapped by goblins and each one was more horrible than the last. It may have been a horrible thing to say, but he would have preferred that they didn't find them, at least it would have left him with the illusion that they may have escaped.
Alas, he sensed that they would not be so lucky.
Alaric smelled their stench before he saw them, the scent of sweat, blood and feces wafting up to them. Silently signaling the others to stop, he checked that the strap of his iron chapel was tight and then took a knife in each hand. Ordinarily, Hilda would have used one of these miracles on this occasion, but there were the hostages to consider. First, they had to deal with the shaman who was probably lurking around.
Leaving the wall behind which he was hidden, the Swordsman immediately spotted the shaman and threw one of his knives with force, hitting the goblin in the chest. Preferring not to take any risks, he immediately threw the second one, hitting his forehead this time. His powers were what they had most to fear.
Unfortunately, the shaman slumped on the ground was not the only threat. Alongside the dozen or so goblins who were busy playing with the prisoners, some of whom were lying on the ground and some of whom were tied up on boards, were two hobgoblins. These mountains of muscle may have been just as stupid, if not stupider, than their little cousins, but they were still very strong.
His first advantage was that the cave they were currently in was wide and high enough for him to draw his medium-sized sword. His second advantage was that the goblins had not yet seen his companions. Believing him to be alone, they were obviously laughing at him and not taking him seriously, which was reflected in the fact that they were not particularly interested in hiding behind their hostages for the moment.
The Swordsman had counted on this reaction. Now he had to lure them away far enough so that his sister and the others could rescue the young women. He had hoped that they would be angrier about the death of their leader, but they were busy abusing their prisoners and didn't seem to notice their shaman had breathed his last.
He was going to have to make them angrier.
One of the hobgoblins, holding a large, crude axe in one hand, approached him. Alaric waited until he got close enough and tightened both hands on his sword before launching an attack. Performing the eight basic moves, he began by mowing down the creature's legs to knock it off its feet, and once it was on the ground, he planted his blade at the base of its skull, sending a stream of blood spurting over himself.
- Who wants to be next? he asked after catching his breath and turning to the others.
The goblins were no longer laughing. Leaving their victims almost motionless, they grabbed their rudimentary weapons and ran towards him. As agreed with his companions, Alaric started to run, hoping that the second hobgoblin would also follow him.
His plan succeeded a little too well. Not only had the hobgoblin followed him, but now the huge creature was blocking his path on one side while the goblins did the same behind him. Caught in a pincer movement, he chose to stand with his back to the wall, holding his sword firmly in both hands. He might be able to take some of the little ones with him, but the hobgoblin would smash him at the first moment of inattention. Conversely, if he focused on the giant goblin, the smaller creatures would immobilize him and stab him using their numbers against him.
- Torrentem flammae!
The cave lit up with a bright red and yellow light as the flames spread around the goblins before closing in on them like a trap closing in on its prey. The little creatures let out their last scream of rage and helplessness before being consumed. His sister had earned her nickname of the Flaming Witch, he had rarely seen a fire spell of such intensity.
The hobgoblin put up more resistance, trying to jump over the flames, but Alaric gave him no chance.
Crouching down, he severed one of the hobgoblin's Achilles' heels and the hobgoblin buckled in pain. Rookie Warrior lunged at the creature with a scream and struck at the base of its skull, just as he had seen Alaric do earlier. He slashed at him, but his blow was not powerful enough to kill the creature. The hobgoblin was just starting to stand up when a magical blue beam shot through the cave and hit him in the head. The creature collapsed with a loud rumble to the ground.
As a precaution, the swordsman separated his head from the rest of his body. In his experience, one could never be too careful with goblins.
- Make sure they're dead, Alaric told them, piercing the chest of every goblin except the ones that were too badly burned.
- We did it, I was starting to lose faith... Rookie Warrior admitted, mopping his forehead with his hand.
- It's not over yet, there may be more, Alaric replied, holding up his lamp in front of him. I'll take a look around while you look after the prisoners.
Alaric tucked his somewhat battered longsword into its scabbard and drew his short sword. He found what he was looking for, three small figures prostrate near each other. He didn't blink before bringing his blade down on the creatures who hadn't killed yet but who would do it without a second thought if he gave them the chance.
When he returned to the other members of their group, he exchanged a knowing glance with his sister, who had just finished administering potions to the young women.
- These four are alive and well enough to be moved.
She did not comment on the fate of the other two, the bones that littered the place spoke for themselves. The Swordsman didn't know who had been luckier between the dead and those who had survived. The survivors would probably never be the same as before, but perhaps with time they could regain some semblance of normalcy.
In any case, it was time to return to the border town.