Goblin Slayer: Maiden's Quest
No guards near the entrance and no totems. Good. No spellcasters. Hobgoblin leader? Possibly. Can't rule out a possible trap. Must be cautious. According to the villagers, it's been two weeks since their attack. If the women aren't dead yet then they may be pregnant. Still early on their gestation period… will save if possible. They counted seven goblins so expect twelve to twenty in that cave. I must kill them all quickly before they multiply.
Goblin Slayer thought to himself as he began to move with the wind favoring him an inch at a time. Just because there were no guards outside the cave, that didn't mean there were none just past the umbral veil of the cave's entrance. Reaching the entrance and making sure there were no goblins nearby, he stood up after a few moments. He then began inspecting its surroundings, trying to find any would-be trap or emergency exit. He found two exit holes and quickly marked them and boobytrapped them for later inspection before returning to the entrance of the cave.
Taking his short, blunt, handy torch, he lit it before heading into the depths of the goblin-infested cave. After a few minutes of not encountering anything, Goblin Slayer began to suspect something was amiss.
No markings. No side tunnels. No scouts. Something is not right. He thought to himself as he advanced and then encountered the tattered remains of what had once been an adventurer. He searched through the rags and the bones leftover after the goblins finished feasting on his flesh and found a porcelain tag. Sighing, he stored it alongside a small dagger and an intact potion of healing. Expensive clothes, a cheap dagger, and a potion. Perhaps the destitute son of a wealthy merchant or similar. Doesn't matter. Died by blunt head trauma, strong. Most likely a hobgoblin. Must be careful.
He advanced deeper and deeper into the cave until he spotted the faint glint of a dying fireplace and could barely make out the wretched noises of goblins laughing and arguing while women cried. Deciding to retreat as his target was spotted, he moved back several meters and prepared an ambush with a tripping rope and some feet-stubbers a few steps behind it. When it was finished, he moved further back. Draw his sword, and hit his shield with it.
Almost instantly, he heard the skittering of several goblins rushing towards him from deeper within the tunnel. Six, no, seven goblins. He thought before dropping his sword to throw one of his daggers at a point in the darkness. A pained, gurgled cry was heard and he picked up his sword. "One," he said as he awaited the arrival of the other goblins. He heard then two and finally three trip on his trap. The three remaining goblins ran forward but suddenly cried in pain before falling to the ground.
Goblin Slayer ran forward to close the distance quickly and saw three goblins bleeding from their feet while another three goblins further in the back struggled to get up and one of them had a broken nose. He quickly stabbed the throat of one of the bleeding goblins at the same time he stepped on the skull of another, spilling its brains all over the cavern floor. With another quick movement, he stabbed the other goblin right in the heart, making it cry out in even more pain before looking at the three remaining goblins.
One turned back and ran, but he threw his sword and hit it in the back of its head; blood gushing out of the killing blow instantly after. Picking up the rusted ax one was carrying, he rushed towards the two remaining goblins and with contemptuous ease, plunged the ax on the skull of one while hitting the other across its face with his torch, burning him in the act before picking up a dagger to end the miserable life of the seventh and final goblin. "Seven."
Before he could assess the situation, he heard a second wave of goblins coming for him, this time followed by a much bigger one. Picking up a makeshift spear that had been carried by a goblin he took aim and threw it into the darkness with all his might. A cry of pain followed a few seconds later and he decided to retreat in the hopes that some would be lured out into the sunlight.
After a few small pitched battles and feints, Goblin Slayer finally managed to take the hobgoblin out, plunging his sword into its throat and up the windpipe until the hilt hit its green, disgusting flesh. Leaving his sword where it stood, he prepared to cleanse the remaining infestation. "Fifteen," he muttered under his breath. His breath was slightly worked up and the strain on his muscles made it clear he had to finish this up quickly or else rely on a stamina potion.
Clearing the rest of the cave proved to be an easy feat. He killed another three goblins that had decided to stay behind in order to ambush him. They failed miserably and now their bloody remains coated the floor of the cave. He also slaughtered four young goblins and a newborn, probably a day or two old, racking up his count to twenty-three. Of the captured women he found a dwarf, two elves, and two humans. Thankfully, none showed signs of pregnancy but they had been defiled, tortured, and made the playthings of goblins for who knows how long. He also found the remains of other adventurers and looted what was useful, mainly the coins. He also took the tags he could find and the weapons worthy of salvage.
Leaving the rest behind, he rushed out of the cave to inspect the two exit holes he had boobytrapped and found a single goblin in one of them, fairly larger than a regular goblin but nowhere near to that of a hobgoblin. Clearly, it had some experience. He was about to stab it but topped when he saw two blue eyes dangling from its neck as a sort of trophy. He felt a cold shiver run up his spine and his heart, always filled with nothing but hatred and contempt for goblins beat harder for a moment. Taking out a bottle of oil, he poured it over the now panicking goblin and then set it on fire. He watched the goblin be consumed by the flames, waiting until it couldn't cry in pain any longer and made sure it was dead for good. "Twenty-four," he muttered before crossing his arms.
"Would be useful to have Lizard Priest's summon to deliver a message. I can't carry the survivors on my own… Will have to do with what I have," he said to himself before returning to the cave and thinking about what he could use to make a makeshift wagon of sorts.
Eventually, after a few hours of trial and error, he managed to create the working wagon to carry the survivors back to the village. Hours later and on the cusp of the sunset, he arrived at the village where he was received by the thankful villagers, its chief, and offered to spend the night on a comfy bed and a warm meal. He, of course, declined. Preferring instead to return as quickly as possible.
He traveled through the night and only stopped when he found the ruins of an old camp in order to get some rest. He ate his poultry meal, just enough to calm his growling stomach, and relaxed as he stared into the fire. "It seems… I have gotten used to fighting alongside my party. Holy Light and Protection would've been useful. Dwarf Shaman's Stone Bullet and Stupor could've killed many goblins in that tight corridor. High Elf Archer and her eyes would have ensured a faster investigation and spotting. Hmmm, yes, it is good to have a party, makes killing goblins easier."
He reasoned to himself, his voice losing strength as he went on until he fell asleep, exhaustion finally taking the best out of him.
Once he woke up as the rays of the sun began to appear on the horizon, he stood up, put out the cinders of his fire, and continued on his way back home. It took him another three days of travel to reach the border town but he finally made it and went straight for the Adventurer's Guild to give his report. Upon entering the building, he noticed how all eyes landed on him. He didn't mind that, he was used to it. But the gazes this time were not of support, camaraderie, or poorly hidden disgust, but rather admiration and bewilderment. He pushed those useless thoughts aside and walked up to the counter where Guild Girl stood doing her work. He was about to reach the desk when she noticed him and jumped back a little.
"Ah, Goblin Slayer, uhmm, I-I see that you're back."
"I am. I killed all the goblins and destroyed their nest."
"Good! Good. That's good, yes, very good!" She cleared her throat before presenting a letter to him. "Goblin Slayer, there are knights from the capital here to see you. They arrived yesterday and are waiting in the rooms above. While I take care of your reward, could you please go and speak with them?"
"Knights from the capital? Is it about goblins?" He asked in his usual emotionless tone.
"They wouldn't tell me so I don't know…," she leaned forth to avoid being overheard. "All I know it has to do with Sword Maiden."
"Sword Maiden," Goblin Slayer muttered and he could feel something odd within him. It was somewhat similar to what he felt when he saw the goblin wearing the necklace of eyes a few days ago, only this time it was a warm, pleasant sensation. Handing her his mission scroll and proof of having completed it, he turned to the side. "I see. I'll go meet these knights."
Guild Girl watched as Goblin Slayer left for the upstairs room before yelling. "Second door to the right!" She didn't know if he acknowledged her indication but kept on watching him go. "He accepted surprisingly easily."
"Right? It usually takes more evidence that he's going to deal with something regarding goblins for him to accept anything," Receptionist Girl said.
Goblin Slayer followed the instructions of Guild Girl and easily found the round where the capital knights, three of them, were resting as they examined their armors and sharpened their weapons. "I heard you wanted to speak with me."
"Ah, you must be Goblin Slayer then. Yes, you fit the description perfectly. Please, take a seat," the leader of the trio of knights, a woman with light-brown hair, spoke as they put aside what they were doing in order to face their objective. "You must be wondering why we are here, don't you?"
"I do not. It is not my place to concern myself with the dealings of the army. What do you want?" Goblin Slayer asked dryly and to the point.
"Wow, she wasn't kidding about him being brutally honest and straightforward," another knight said but that only got him a scolding glare from his superior.
The leader cleared her throat. "If that's the case, then I won't entertain much of your time with pointless busy talk. Goblin Slayer, we have a dire situation on our hands and we require your help."
"Is it about goblins?"
"Yes," the leader replied before letting out a heavy sigh. "Our mission is to escort you back to the capital at once. There, further details of the mission will be given to you," reaching inside her armor for a moment, she pulled out a letter and handed it to Goblin Slayer. "This is a letter from Sword Maiden herself. She asked us to give it to you."
"She also was the one who recommended the King to seek you out for this mission," the third knight explained.
Goblin Slayer wasted no time in opening the letter and reading it.
'Greetings, Goblin Slayer.
I hope this letter finds you in good time and good health. However, sadly, I'm afraid the situation we are facing is hardly a good one. As much as I wish to read your response to my previous letter, this one is not one to update you of my well being or to seek out a chance to see each other again. Alas, a great threat has made itself manifest and, in my most humble opinion, I could only think of you as a possible solution. Forgive me, my love, for putting yourself in danger for my selfish desire to eradicate this goblin menace.
I implore you to accept the request of the Knights to whom I confided this letter to. Go to the capital and see the King and you will understand why only you can solve this terrible problem heading towards us.
Yours truly, Sword Maiden~'
"I see," Goblin Slayer said after finishing reading the letter. Putting in one of his pouches for safekeeping, he turned to the knights. "If it is about goblins I will go with you, for I shall kill all the goblins. They can't be allowed to achieve whatever they're trying to do," he then hummed for a moment, seemingly lost deep in his thoughts. "The rest of my party is away, however. We may need to wait for them to come back."
"That won't be necessary, Goblin Slayer. The King only requires your presence," the leading knight explained.
Goblin Slayer nodded. "Is that so? Then let's get going."
"Huh?" The second knight muttered, confused. "Don't you want to take a shower, relax a bit, or something after just returning from a mission?"
"I can do those things once we arrive at the capital. The more I delay the more time the goblins have to organize, attack, and do harm to innocents," he explained, coldly and logically before standing up and heading towards the door.
The knights exchanged silent, confused looks but didn't question him further. They took their equipment and put it on in order to follow him. A minute later they were at the front desk of the Guild Hall and Goblin Slayer stepped forth in front of Guild Girl. "I'll be gone for quite some time. Please inform the rest of my party that the King has summoned me to deal with goblins and I'll be back once after I kill them all."
Guild Girl nearly fainted right there and there. "First a request from Sword Maiden herself and now the King!?" Sighing, she nodded and smiled sweetly at him. "Alright, I'll inform your party and Cow Girl where you are once they arrive here. Be careful, okay?"
Goblin Slayer nodded. "I'm always careful when dealing with goblins." With that said, he turned to face the trio of knights and followed them outside.
"Whoa, they're really taking him with them?"
"I wonder what Royal Knights could want with Goblin Slayer…"
"You think there might be goblins at the capital like in Water Town?"
"It's so strange to bring him along. Man, being silver-ranked must be amazing!"
The murmuring kept going until they left the Guild Hall. Goblin Slayer waited alongside the leading knight while the two others went to retrieve their horses and small carriage. As Goblin Slayer was boarding the carriage, High Elf Archer spotted him. She watched the three knights and the carriage leave almost immediately after, giving her no chance to catch up to her party-member and de facto leader. "I wonder where they're taking that simple-minded brute?" Heading inside the Guild Hall, she marched up to Guild Girl and asked. "Hey, do you know what's going on? Who were those knights and what do they want with Orcbolg?"
"I do not know much myself, I'm afraid. Goblin Slayer told me the knights were sent by the King himself in order to bring him for an audience," Guild Girl replied.
High Elf Archer raised an eyebrow. "Goblins?"
"Goblins."
Both girls sighed defeatedly.
After five long days of travel, they arrived at their destination at the capital city, Kingstown, and both sides were happy that was the case. The knights could finalize their mission and leave the adventurer they had found to be incredibly creepy. For Goblin Slayer, however, it meant that maybe now he could have more answers as despite his repeated questions about the location, numbers, sightings, and attacks of the goblins the three knights had no information to give him.
A need to know only structure of information delivery when it comes to goblins is foolish, he thought as he stepped down the carriage and was escorted by the three knights. He would've frowned at their lack of understanding were it not for that fact and because they were part of the military of the Kingdom, not regular adventurers or villagers. As usual, the way they spoke during their short conversations when they stopped for camp told him enough.
"But they're goblins. Even if the King deems them as a threat, surely they can't do that much harm, can they? During the battle against the resurrected Demon Lord's army, I fought against two hobgoblins and won easily! Now a drow or an orc? That's the kind of enemy I would be worried about!"
The fact that the other two knights, including the leader of the trio, nodded and laughed at the notion of taking goblins as a serious threat was enough to tell him that they were either incompetent or just foolish. He hoped it was the former as being foolish against a goblin was a death sentence. The ride up to the castle was uneventful and, upon arrival, they discharged him to a bunch of servants that then guided him to a room for his use.
"Please, most esteemed guest, make use of these facilities as you see fit. If you need anything, please, do not hesitate to ask for it. Rest well and enjoy your stay, for the King shall arrive tomorrow morning and see you then," one of the maids said before leaving the room, leaving him alone.
Goblin Slayer took off his helmet and looked around the ample, well-equipped room. "Too wide and angular. Goblins could mount several ambush spots here… but too high for their usual tastes. Should be safe," he muttered with a final hum. "I should take a bath."
The rest of the day went without issue and soon nightfall came once more. He was finishing setting his armor for the morrow when someone knocked at his door. "Come in," he said, quickly turning around and putting a hand on his sword's handle. The door creaked open to reveal none other than Sword Maiden herself. His posture softened and his hand let go of his sword, now turning completely to greet her. The first thing he noticed about her, other than her warm smile, was the strange bundle she was carrying. Giving it no further importance, he greeted her. "I did not expect to see you here, Sword Maiden."
Taking the silent invitation in his phrase, she stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her. "I recommended you for this mission, Goblin Slayer. It would be unbecoming of me to not come to see you at the very least," her smile widened just a little bit more and she blushed. "It also gives me a perfect excuse to be with you, even if for a short amount of time."
"It is… pleasant to see you again and in good health, Sword Maiden," he said as softly and tenderly as he could. And that wasn't a lie, he felt his heart jump a little and his ever-present tension abating somewhat just by her presence.
"I'll be brief," sitting on the bed, she invited him to do the same. "This mission has to do with goblins as my letter stated. However, not even I knew the severity of the situation until yesterday night."
"How bad is the situation? How many goblins are there? What kinds of goblins have been spotted? Shamans? Hobs? Champions? Where are they located? What kind of equipment do they possess?" He asked calmly but seriously, noting the tremble in her voice he knew the threat was even greater than that he faced during his mission on Water Town, the assault of the Goblin Lord, and the mission against the Goblin Paladin.
"It is a rather worrisome foe I am asking you to face. Up in the kingdom's north, close to the mountain ranges, a Goblin Lord has risen and has amassed a huge army of goblins. Normally, this would be troublesome in itself but still manageable. However, several members of other dark races had been spotted serving alongside and under the command of the Goblin Lord," she revealed.
Goblin Slayer hummed and put a hand on his chin. "For other dark races to be willing to serve even under the command of a Goblin Lord is unlike them. Dark races use goblins as slaves, expendable soldiers, and fodder. What else?"
"As if that wasn't suspicious enough, the army of the Goblin Lord is highly organized like that of a professional army. Several villages and a few small towns have already fallen and the full extent of the problem has finally reached the attention of the King. When he told me about the Goblin Lord, I recommended him to you. However, after he told me everything there was to know about this issue yesterday… I'm not so sure anymore you should go, my love."
"Don't worry about me, Sword Maiden," Goblin Slayer said, placing a hand on top of her left one and squeezed it tightly. "I will slay all the goblins."
Sword Maiden smiled and let out a throaty noise, a mis of a sigh, a moan, and a whimper. Then, she grabbed his cheeks and looked into his eyes despite her blindfold. "I know. You are courageous, dutiful, resourceful, and unflinching. More so than your knowledge of goblins, that is why I thought of you to deal with this threat," taking her chance, she closed the distance to press her lips gently against his in a gentle, soft chaste kiss. The contact lasted for no more than five seconds, but it was enough for both of them. Pulling back, she continued. "I cannot accompany on this mission, my love, but I can at least equip you for it," undoing the bundle she had left resting on her lap, she revealed an assortment of items to Goblin Slayer.
"First, I gift you with this sword, Puncture," she presented him a short sword similar to his own but more refined and elegant.
Taking it, he judged it for a few seconds before replying. " It is light, like a feather. It doesn't smell either. The sharpness is incredible, too. But why give me this? It will become useless after five or six goblins are slain or I throw it. I appreciate it nonetheless," he replied.
Sword Maiden giggled. "Of course you would say that. Puncture is a special sword, you see. There are few in the world like it as it was forged by the best dwarven and elven weaponsmiths working together. It is made out of mithril so not even a dragon will be able to destroy it or melt it. It is also enchanted to never lose its edge, be smeared by blood or fat. So, if you please, don't throw it away," she said with a playful, knowing chime in her voice. Then, she presented the second item. "This ring is a Dispel Ring. As the name suggests, it contains within it the spell Dispel and has three charges of it. Use them wisely," then she finally presented the last items. "Lastly, these three magic scrolls. This one is a Communication Scroll. The second is a Trapping Scroll. And the last is a Mapping Scroll. You will be able to use them accordingly, so make good use of them," she explained as she presented the three scrolls held together by a yellow, red, and green ribbon respectively.
Goblin Slayer took them all but only set aside the scrolls, returning the sword and the ring to Sword Maiden. "I cannot accept them. If I die then they will go to the hands of the goblins. It is an unacceptable outcome."
"Accept them, please. They will make your journey safer and will likely save your life, if nothing else," setting her staff aside and pushing back her gifts to him with one hand, she reached behind her head with her now free hand. A second later, her blindfold came off, revealing her eyes.
"Ah…," Goblin Slayer rasped, his throat closing upon witnessing the distraught, fear, sadness, and worry reflected deeply on her once bright, blue eyes. "...If it is… for you, then I will accept them."
"Thank you, my love," she said, offering him a tender smile before he got up to set his new equipment with the rest of it. Before he could turn around, he felt the breasts of Sword Maiden pressing against his back, now only protected by a flimsy shirt, while her arms hugged him across his chest. "You have allowed me to delve in my selfishness once again. Why are you so kind to me, a vile, cowardly woman?"
"I told you already, did I not? Our experiences are different, yet our hatred for goblins is the same. You survived. I survived. You cower from them. I seek them out," grabbing her hands, he caressed her soft, delicate skin with his coarse, hard fingers. "They make you cry. I will exterminate them. I will not stop until every goblin is dead."
"Do you pity me?"
"No. I do not know what pity is. Maybe I pitied myself, once. You were hurt. The goblins hurt you. They are vile and need to be exterminated so that adventurers don't die pointless deaths, so that villages no one knows stay safe, and so that young women have one less thing to fear in this world. I will kill all the goblins, including the ones in your dreams. I'll kill them for you."
"Then," she pulled back enough to invite him to turn around, which he did. "Will you allow me to be selfish once more tonight?"
"What is it that you want?" He asked.
"To be with you tonight," she confessed. "To have your warmth press against mine, your fingers touching my skin, to share your bed, if only for this night," she pleaded.
"...I may not survive this mission," he said before reaching for her face, his strong hands grabbing her cheeks in a similar gesture she had previously used. Closing the distance between them again, their lips met in a far more passionate kiss. After half a minute, he broke it. "Yes… you may stay this night. Forgive me, for my experience is lacking."
"Wash away the pain with your touch, my cherished Goblin Slayer. Make me feel something that is not fear as I lay bare, for I wish not to recoil at your touch nor push you away. Embrace me as I embrace you, my love."
"I will try my best," that was the best he could provide, both of them knew it, and they accepted it.
Their lips met, the fleshy bumps colliding against each other with a soft, clear intent. His hands traversed against her curvaceous figure, carefully caressing every inch of her sides, waist, and back. She pressed forth, her luscious, ample breasts, what she knew were the envy and desire of uncounted many now freely presented and given to the only man that could protect her. The man she cherished above all. The man she had fallen in love with.
Her hands trembled, her body felt as if it was on fire, and for a moment her fear returned, the images of what happened so long ago fresh in her mind once more.
"Don't be afraid," he said, breaking their liplock. "I'm here. I shall protect you from the goblins."
"I know," her eyes filled with tears and soon her cheeks were wet with hot trials of gratitude. "I know."
The kiss was resumed and the caresses escalated. She took the first step, her fear pushed back as the light of hope and love grew inside her alongside new feelings she never thought possible for her to feel. Longing. Desire. Lust.
His shirt was promptly removed and her hands explored his exemplary physique. "So hot… so strong… so fragile. Your body is covered in scars, beloved of my heart."
He reached for her dress and he was able to easily undo its clasp, freeing her from the only clothing she carried and leaving her bare before him. His hands explored her body in return, never too hard, never too prodding. He remained respectful yet curious. He had never laid with a woman before, the thought as far away from his mind as that of sparing the life of a goblin. On this battlefield, he was ignorant. But it didn't matter. The goblins living in her memories needed slaying and he was Goblin Slayer. He would slay the goblins dead.
They moved to the bed slowly, cautiously. Reached the edge, she sat and then laid on it. She watched with her blurry vision as he removed his pants, leaving him as bare as she was. Fear returned to her heart as a hand reached towards her face, but only warmth, care, and comfort were offered to her instead of pain, laughter, and cold cruelty.
"It's alright, I'm here with you," he treasured once more.
"You are," she wanted to cry out, feeling happier than she had in years. "Am I beautiful? Am I pleasing to your eyes?"
"I am told I am not a good judge when it comes to seeing the beauty of women. But… I can say that I find you beautiful. I've never felt this way before… it is a frightening thing, to feel this burning desire inside me," he touched her body more, his fingertips caressing her barely noticeable scars. "Yes. You are beautiful to my eyes, Sword Maiden."
"I'm glad, for I ask for nothing more," she said, extending her arms in order to hug the man on top of her. "Come, let us be joined, my love, my cherished heart."
"..." Goblin Slayer said nothing but tried to remember what little he knew about the subject, mostly thanks to the talks he held with Cow Girl's Uncle. Judging by how wet she was, it would be mostly painless for her. He took aim and rubbed the tip of his member against her slit. The wave of new sensation struck him like a thunderclap, the moist sensation, her incredible hotness, the waves of pleasure that traveled up his spine. For a moment, he was lost, not able to comprehend what was going on or what to do next.
"L-Lower, my love," she said with a timid, fearful voice that was, perplexedly, also laced with excitement.
"Forgive me, for I do not know what must be done next," he apologized in earnest.
"Ha ha ha! You truly do not cease to amaze me, Goblin Slayer," she couldn't help laugh a little, the merriment destroying the fear she had been feeling. "So pure, so innocent," she muttered as she reached down in between them and took a hold of his rigid manhood. She froze for a moment, but a look upwards allowed her to see the blurry but visible face of her savior. Her doubt was gone for she was safe in his embrace. "You're so handsome," she said before guiding his member to her opening. Then, when they lined up, they jolted as a third of his manhood slipped inside her vagina thanks to their mutual surprise.
For her, the dreaded pain and suffering never came. The terror still tugged against her mind but it was not on the forefront. It felt… good, it was pleasurable, and most importantly, it felt right. It was an entirely different experience and one that she welcomed wholeheartedly.
For him, it was a completely new one. He never suspected sex could feel so good, so fulfilling, so right. While he didn't necessarily see it as an evil, despicable act only because goblins did it, he never had any interest in it either. No. What the goblins did was a terrible, monstrous act that reflected their horrid nature and why they needed to be purged.
He looked down upon the body of his Maiden: she was pure, pristine, soft, and smelled of perfume and fragrances, but more than that he could see her frail, white skin, her beautiful frame, her rosy, soft lips, and her near pale eyes. She had been defiled viciously, tortured, and nearly killed like his sister, but she managed to survive. The scars told of the brutality the goblins had inflicted upon her, but now, her body had healed and all he could do to aid her was to end the menace plaguing her, if only for a night. He knew this could be the last time they saw each other and he planned to make the most out of it with the woman that had caught his eye.
They were similar but different, their hatred united them and the fear made them bond even more.
He began to thrust, buried and half-forgotten age-old instincts coming back to him as their nethers conjoined and their pelvises met in a wet, hot slap of flesh.
"Nnnghh! G-Goblin S-Slaaayer!" She cried out in pleasure with tears of joy falling from her eyes as each strike felt as if the taint of the goblins was being cleansed away from her body.
Goblin Slayer groaned and let out the occasional moan as time went on. He leaned down, spurred by his Maiden's arms in order to kiss once more. This time, in the fervor of their lovemaking, their tongues came out to sloppily and dumbly play with each other, but that didn't matter to them in the slightest.
Guided by her increasingly raging desire forming at the bottom of her belly, Sword Maiden managed to turn both of them around, so now she rested on top of him. Taking control of the situation, she moved his hands to her swaying breasts and began to move her hips on her own volition; urged by lust and a desire to be one with the man she loved.
Time itself lost meaning for both of them whilst their intimate moment continued until, with a cry from her throat and groan from his, they experienced their first willing sexual experience with someone else. It had been clumsy, spontaneous, amateurish, and simple.
It was perfect.
Satisfied after achieving a most satisfying orgasm, the two lovers moved under the fine sheets of the bed and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
That night, Sword Maiden didn't see a single goblin in her dreams. She wasn't in a damp, dark, smelly, horrible cave. She was next to her cherished beloved and they stood side by side.
And Goblin Slayer experienced the first true restful night in his life since he before the goblins came to take away everything he once loved away from him.
Morning came as always and Goblin Woke up slightly later than his usual schedule. To his surprise, he didn't find Sword Maiden with him but her scent was everywhere impregnated in his room, bed, and body. "Hmmm," he hummed before deciding to take a quick bath. When it was done, he geared up and went outside of his room in search of breakfast. Shortly after finishing his meal, he was approached by two knights that the King was ready to speak with him.
Upon entering the throne room, he saw various knights, nobles, politicians, members of the court, high-ranking officers, Sword Maiden standing next to the sitting King, and four gold-plate adventurers also standing nearby.
"That's the specialist? He looks like a run-of-the-mill rookie to me."
"Preposterous! That is the man Sword Maiden recommended? He doesn't look like a silver-plate adventurer at all."
"This must be some kind of joke. That ragged-looking ruffian is the expert on goblins!?"
"I dare say it is fitting. Just look at his gear and the way he carries himself. Commoner filth, just like the goblins he hunts, apparently."
"I must admit I was expecting something far more impressive than just… that, especially from a silver-plate adventurer. I guess Adventurer Guild lets anyone be above bronze these days."
Goblin Slayer didn't mind the comments for they held no value to him. Looking at Sword Maiden, however, it was clear the comments angered her even if she did a good job at hiding her feelings. Stopping a good distance away in front of the King, he bowed his head slightly in respect, trying to keep in mind the lessons Sword Maiden had taught him when dealing with powerful political and royal figures.
"Greetings, Goblin Slayer. I'm sure you're wondering why I have summoned you before me. It is as the knights I dispatched told you, a Goblin Lord has arisen and one of considerable power," the King raised his hand to stop the increasing murmuring of the court. "Nevertheless, it is to my great shame to discover there are no nobles or officers experienced in the ways of the goblins. Sword Maiden, my old teammate, has been gracious enough to give forth your name and has commended your abilities and knowledge when dealing with the little monsters."
"Indeed, your track record and spotless reporting have led me to be more than reassured that you are the best and only real choice to face this Goblin Lord and its army of foul beasts. I would like to ask of you, in the service of the Kingdom and Humanity to-"
"Cut the crap. I'm not here to hear you dance around the subject. I came here for the goblins. I need every bit of information regarding their movements, numbers, activity. Anything and everything," Goblin Slayer cut the King without a second thought and several gasps of shock and horror were heard followed shortly by curses and demands to apologize to the King.
"Enough!" The King demanded angrily and his throne room was silent the moment after. "I see you were not joking about him being quite… abrasive and direct, Sword Maiden," the woman in question merely patted his shoulder. "Right… while I am not pleased with your choice of language and tone, Goblin Slayer, I do understand that it was I who summoned you here. In light of that and of the dire situation I will overlook your insolence, as it is only fair," with a heavy sigh, his tone turned more serious.
The King then proceeded to tell him everything Sword Maiden had told him the night before up until coming to the most important question he needed answered.
"If this Goblin Lord is a threat worthy of your attention, why haven't you dispatched the army yet?" Goblin Slayer asked, coldly and dryly.
"Were that to be an option at my disposal I would've taken it already. Sadly, that is not the case. We were just starting to recover from the war against the Demon Lord ten years ago and his sudden resurrection left our forces prohibitively thin. If I were to rally the few troops currently available, I do not know if that would be enough to stop the Goblin Lord and his army. Which would, in turn, leave us wide open for his advancement or that of any other enemy."
"I see," Goblin Slayer replied, unphased by the revelation. "Do you need me to kill the Goblin Lord?"
"On your own? There's no chance for you to succeed and I will not send anyone on a suicide mission. If the enemy army was composed entirely of goblins, then maybe there would be a chance, but as I have told you already, there are other dark races in that army," the King crossed his arms. "Your actual mission is two-fold. Your main objective is to cause as much mayhem, destruction, chaos, and disruption to the Goblin Lord's army as possible. That way, your efforts will buy us enough time to raise a larger, proper army to face the, hopefully, weakened and disorganized Goblin Lord's army head-on and destroy it before it gains more traction."
"And the second?" Goblin Slayer pressed, undisturbed.
"This is a special case. If you are able to, I want you to scout and get as much information on the army as possible. Numbers, location, plans, their base of operations, structure, organization, the forces in it, and, most important of all, if it is truly the Goblin Lord, this so-called Goblin King, the one leading the army or if there is a darker force behind it," the King ordered.
"Don't be stupid. Goblins are not smart but they aren't complete morons either. A Goblin Lord… or King would never bow to another power that is not its own. Goblins are scavengers by nature, they don't have the drive or skills to build anything themselves, but if they see it being done or it taught to them, then they can do it. Things such as organization and logistics are as foreign to a normal goblin as colors would be to a blind person. I cannot say for sure, but if members of other races are following this Goblin Lord, then things are much worse than you imagine," taking a defiant step forward, unbothered by the knights lowering their weapons at his approach, he looked directly at the King's eyes.
"Tell me, since when have you known of this Goblin Lord?"
"You dare interrogate me, Goblin Slayer?" The King asked, rising from his throne. "Are you calling me a liar? What, are you saying that depending on my answer you will decide if you're willing to aid us or not?"
"You being a liar or not is not of my concern. And I will help regardless of your answer, for I shall slay the goblins. Now, answer the question."
The impudence of giving an order to the King didn't go unnoticed by anyone, but before the court could devolve into a tirade of insults and demands for retribution, the King raised his hand and let out a loud laugh. "HA! It's been years since I last met a man such as yourself, Goblin Slayer," he said whilst gazing coldly at the armored man in front of him. Looking at Sword Maiden, the blonde woman gave him a nod. "...I personally have known about this Goblin Lord for a little over three weeks. My generals and other commanders have known about it for over a year. They thought it was just a minor incident, something insignificant."
"Typical," he sighed. That sigh was heard across the entire room and even the King himself felt a cold shiver run up his spine at the level of disdain, contempt, and loathing fury carried behind it. "When can I leave?"
"There's one more thing to be discussed, Goblin Slayer. Given the nature and risk of this mission, I'm assigning you a team to work with you," the King said, turning his head to the four adventurers and giving them a nod. "They will be your party for the duration of this mission and you will be in command, given your expertise."
Goblin Slayer analyzed the four adventurers and quickly deduced they were capable, professional, and strong. There were two men and two women. One was a dwarf berserk, basically a solid wall of muscles. The other man was a halfling mage. The first woman was human and a priestess of the Supreme God and the other woman was a half-drow paladin, as her silvery hair exposed her lineage.
"If I may, my King? I would like to request your permission to join this mission," a firm but feminine voice called out from within the ranks of the present knights.
Goblin Slayer watched in silence and his memory provided him with the knowledge of who she was. She was the same light-brown haired human woman wearing high-quality armor that covered most of her body properly and colored in silver and aquamarine, three bulky belts rested on her waist and hips, a cape in the same colors as her armor swayed behind her, and a rapier fencing sword rested on her hip. Her most distinctive feature were her scarlet red eyes.
She was the same leading knight that had brought him to meet the King.
"Oh? Why is that Lady Knight?" The King inquired, curious to hear her response.
"I must admit I have to do this to see for myself the threat goblins truly possess. I, like many among us, have seen them as nothing but an annoyance. I did not know the extent of this catastrophe, my King. Please, if anything, allow me to go and assist them as your eyes and arm, for I cannot bear the shame of letting adventurers do the work of protecting our kingdom while we knights languish behind," she pleaded, kneeling and speaking firmly and passionately.
The King smiled. "What say you, Goblin Slayer?"
"It is the same to me as long as I can kill goblins," he replied coldly.
Sitting on his throne, the King took a moment of silence as he watched Lady Knight join the ranks of the newly formed party. "One last thing, Goblin Slayer. While I put you in charge of this party, and I expect everyone to follow his orders without question," he said in a stern tone. "I will have you know my only command. Your mission is to delay the Goblin King's army through any means possible, inflict as much damage as you possibly can, and get as much information if you are able to. If you encounter survivors and you find yourselves in a position to save them, save them, but if the risk in doing so puts in danger your mission, then… sacrifices must be made for the safety of the kingdom. Collateral damage is of no concern. Do you understand?"
Goblin Slayer and his new party members nodded.
"Good. Now, be on your way. You will be taken as far north as we can safely go. May the Gods be with you," the King said, giving his blessing.
Goblin Slayer stared at Sword Maiden for a few long seconds before turning around, ready to fulfill his mission… and kill goblins.
As the King had said, carriages along with escorts had been secured for their safe transportation as far as they could take them. In just a couple of days, they reached the fortress city of North Point, a pivotal choke point and strategic location where they disembarked and were given horses to ride. Shortly after leaving the fortress, the dwarf approached their leader for the mission with a smile.
"You know, being under the orders of someone with a lower rank is pretty weird," he said.
"Is that so?" Goblin Slayer replied.
The dwarf laughed. "Man, I kinda forgot how blunt you were back at the King's Court! That takes some pretty hefty balls, you know? You're okay in my book, Goblin Slayer."
"Is that so?" Came the same reply.
"Leave him be. Can't you see he's the kind of guy who doesn't like to be disturbed?" Half-Drow Paladin said. "Please, excuse my companion, Goblin Slayer."
"It is of no bother to me," he went silent for a moment before asking. "Is there anything you'd like to know?"
"If it isn't too much trouble, we would like to know how much time it will take to reach our destination," she asked.
"I do not know," Goblin Slayer replied before turning to Lady Knight. "I have never been this far north before. Have you, Lady Knight?" He asked with all the politeness he could muster.
"About two days at our current pace. We're ahead of schedule, even. If I may?" she asked her leader before he gave her a slight nod. "We should make camp soon. The nights around here are pretty brutal and there could be wolves or worse lurking around. And once we reach the mountain ranges over there," she pointed at the distance to the barely visible collection of peaks. "We won't be able to find good ground for a camp."
"So let's enjoy one last night of comfort before the mission begins, eh?" The Halfling Mage sighed. "What say you, captain?"
"...I'd prefer to advance as much as possible before night sets in. However, if the goblins are nestled up on the mountains, approaching at night would be foolish. Let us rest before leaving the cover of the forest," Goblin Slayer ordered, his companions nodded in agreement, secretly relieved of his decision.
A few hours later they came to halt and set up camp in an open but well-covered location. With a series of small fires to provide them illumination, the group of six sat around the main bonfire as they prepared their dinner. Human Priestess began handing out a bowl of soup to everyone while the others began exchanging stories with Lady Knight.
"So you began your career because of a boar?" She asked, impressed.
Dwarf Berserker smacked his ample chest proudly. "Yup! Punched the little devil so hard I killed in one punch! That's when I knew I was stronger than the rest of my kin so I took to the surface and began adventuring! I've had a few close calls here and there and plenty of scars, but then I met these bunch of wimps and I stuck around in the party."
"Yeah, because you can't do squat yourself, you dimwit," the mage said in a playful manner whilst receiving a bowl from his friend. "Thanks. What about you, Goblin Slayer. Why did you become an adventurer?"
"I'm not an adventurer, though I'd like to be one day when there are no more goblins," he replied before taking a sip of his soup without retrieving his helmet.
"Odd, but everyone has their reasons," Half-Drow Paladin commented. "Have you ever killed anything that's not a goblin?"
"Yes, though I do not know the names of those creatures… I did kill one that looked like you but used magic," Goblin Slayer replied.
"You killed a Drow Mage? Good. You have my thanks, Goblin Slayer. My parents, a human male and female drow, were killed by Drow Assassins when I was little because my mother hated the Underdark and the rest of her wretched race," she then offered her captain a fair smile. "Do we have a plan as we move forward?"
"Yes. We will advance slowly. Since I don't know what the other races can do I'll leave that to you while I take care of any traps, signs, or disturbances the goblins laid," Goblin Slayer explained dryly.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Human Priestess said, finally sitting down with her bowl of food. "You may be quirky and stubbornly blunt, captain, but you sure know your craft. I've heard of your deeds and I'm impressed, to say the least."
"Hmmm."
"Oh yeah, there's even a ballad, right? 'Saint Goblin Slayer the Great' or something like that. Is it true you took down a Goblin Lord all by yourself when Border Town was attacked by it?" Halfling Mage asked.
"I killed the Goblin Lord, yes, but I didn't do it alone. The adventurers of the Guild and my party helped me," he replied without hesitation or shame.
"A silver-ranked adventurer who is humble? That's a first," Lady Knight commented. "What about you? I've never heard of your achievements before even though you're gold-rankers."
"That's because what we did to earn the promotion was very hush-hush," the halfling replied. "You can thank our leader here for that," he pointed at Half-Drow Paladin with his spoon. "We uncovered a large underground Drow slaving operation ravaging all across the kingdom. We came in, killed a lot of drow and I mean a lot of them, saved the slaves, earned the promotion."
"I even got this scar right here!" Dwarf Berserker shouted proudly as he presented the right side of his face and the deep scar on it. "Bloody drow, they may be fast and agile but their bones shatter so easily!"
"I see," Goblin Slayer said before finishing up his meal. After that, he got up drawing everyone's attention. "I'll take the first watch."
"Then I'll take the second," Lady Knight volunteered herself.
"Then we'll rotate as usual afterward," Half-Drow Paladin proposed with all her teammates agreeing.
"Hmmm."
That night went without issues nor did the following one. Before long, they had arrived at the base of the mountain range. Following Goblin Slayer's orders, they split into two groups searching for any signs of traps or signs of the Goblin King's army. It took them half a day to reach the remnants of a small village.
"Look at this place… ransacked to the bone," Human Priestess said as they explored the nearly destroyed town. Most of the buildings had been burned down while the few that remained standing featured some signs of fighting, bloodstains, and had been clearly picked clean.
"Some of these corpses belong to goblins, the rest are from humans or similar," Halfling Mage pointed out.
"It has been some time since the goblins attacked. Enough for carrion birds to have eaten the corpses completely," Goblin Slayer observed. Kneeling next to a goblin skeleton, he picked up the small dagger it was holding. "Hmmm, good quality…"
"Do you think there are some still here?" Lady Knight asked, the grim expression on her face reflected across the other adventurers while she gripped the handle of her sword.
"Goblins rarely stay for more than a few days after assaulting a village with enough numbers. They are cowards and unable to strategize on their own. But these are led by a Goblin Lord. This village was ransacked quickly. Look," he pointed at a very distinctive trail that led all the way to the outskirts of the village. "Let's split into groups of two and search for clues."
Everyone obeyed and began to scour the entire village. As they had suspected, there was very little left intact as everything of remote value had been taken. They also found that most of the skeletons belonged to males.
"Typical of goblins. They captured every woman able to produce children," Goblin Slayer said in his usual cold, apathetic tone.
"What about children?" Human Priestess asked with barely contained anger.
"Usually eaten on the spot or used as entertainment. Goblins have no use for females that can't breed," he replied. "They only take those mature enough to increase their numbers and also for fun or fun."
"And I'm willing to bet not always in that order," Dwarf Berserk gritted his teeth and let his ax clang against the ground. "Damn monsters."
"Indeed. It is the way goblins survive, reproduce, and live. Come, we must continue on our journey," Goblin Slayer commanded.
"Captain, I would like to gather the remains of the villagers and bury them. It is only fair and proper," Human Priestess said, her companions agreeing with her instantly as well as Lady Knight.
"That would cost us too much time. The dead are already dead, what does it matter?" Goblin Slayer admonished.
"But they are still people! They deserve at least that much!" Human Priestess countered.
"I wouldn't know of that. No one came or did that when my village was razed," he replied, unphased.
The ambient turned even more cold, macabre, and down putting than it already was. Luckily for all, Lady Knight cleared her throat to cut through the awkward silence. " agree with Goblin Slayer. We have our orders and burying each and every single person here would take too much of our time. However, I also do not wish to leave them like this. I propose we gather the remains and burn them all in a funeral pyre."
"That is… acceptable," Human Priestess said and her teammates agreed with a nod.
"Very well then," Goblin Slayer said, bending down to gather the bones of what had been a child.
After that incident, their luck seemed to only get dimmer the further they advanced. Over the course of another two days of travel, they encountered three more villages, all of them in a similar state as the first one they had encountered, and agreed to also burn the, in one case, still rotting corpses. They were all slack-jawed when they encountered the ruins of a small town. That time they couldn't spend the time to even burn the bodies and just moved on, all of them growing increasingly repulsed by the results of the actions the goblins left behind.
All of them, except for Goblin Slayer who remained stoic and emotionless as always.
But their luck took a turn for the better when they spotted the first sign of the army they had come to disturb and scout on ever since their arrival.
"Something's not right," Goblin Slayer mumbled while he and the rest of his party spied from a secure location the enemy fortress resting at the bottom of a passage leading deeper into the mountain range proper.
"Oh no…" Lady Knight muttered. "I know where that passage leads to. It leads straight into Mountain Valley! I-If they conquered Mountain Valley already, then things are far worse than we thought!"
"What is Mountain Valley, Lady Knight?" Half-Drow Paladin asked, intrigued.
"It's a large town set in the middle of this mountain range. It is rich, isolated, and prosperous where many rheas, halflings, amazons, humans, dwarves, and wood elves lived!" Lady Knight stated in a panic. "This is bad. Really bad."
"Shit, that would explain why they struck at every nearby town and village. They were preparing to take Mountain Valley down!" Dwarf Berserker cursed. "Goblin Slayer, what shall we do?"
"Hmmm," Goblin Slayer hummed in response. "The fortress looks well made. Sturdy. Would be difficult to bring down, destroy, or burn. Look at them," he pointed at the goblins guarding the parapets and on the lookout towers. Then, he pointed at a couple of hobgoblins and several dozens of goblins making weapons and armor, the groups of goblins doing marches and fighting against dummies, the orderly and well-kept tents, and the scattered few drow walking around, keeping the order, but clearly not in charge. Quickly demonstrated as even the drow received orders from a bulky goblin shaman flanked by three smaller shamans. "There is organization, order. This is not something a mere goblin would ever do."
"Goblins, drow, wolves, is that a troll!? What in the name of the Gods is going on here?" Halfling Mage stammered, both confused and scared at the same time.
"A frontal assault wouldn't be sufficient. We would all die. Hmmm," he turned to his companions. "May I use fire, water, bombs, and poison?"
"You're the one in charge here, Goblin Slayer. Whatever you order, we will obey when dealing with those damn monsters," Half-Drow Paladin said.
"Besides that, the King gave you permission to use every means at our disposal," Lady Knight reminded.
"Good."
The four adventurers and Lady Knight felt queasy after hearing their leader utter that single word and could almost hear the gears running inside his head.
"Let's suppose they took down Mountain Valley, what would they do next?" Halfling Mage asked.
"I… don't know. But if they take or have taken Mountain Valley for themselves already, then they will need this passage to move the thick of their army back out. But even an army large enough to overwhelm Mountain Valley would take significant casualties. Would they have the numbers left to cause more damage?"
"Babies," all eyes turned to Goblin Slayer once more. "It doesn't matter how many they lost. How many people were living in Mountain Valley?"
"Around ten thousand, though most of them would be civilians. Why do you ask?" Lady Knight inquired.
"How many of those are women?" Goblin Slayer asked.
"...No… No, it can't be… you can't possibly mean-" Human Priestess began as the realization hit her and the rest of her companions.
"Goblins gestate quickly. They are born quickly. Grow quickly. Learn quickly. They can replenish their numbers in under half a year and double that with an abundance of fertile wombs at their disposal. That's how they multiply so fast. How their wretched, stinking species survive," he explained coldly, every word spoken with tangible hatred.
"Then what can we do? You just said a frontal attack won't work. They're too organized to be surprised by a fire or a sneak assault," Dwarf Berserk questioned.
"...Does anyone know earth magic?" Goblin Slayer asked.
"Me, though the only earth spell I know is Giant's Wrath," Halfling Mage said.
"Blessings?" Goblin Slayer continued, undeterred.
"I can cast Blessing of Strength, Blessing of Magic, and Blessing of Speed," Human Priestess said.
"I have a plan," he stated bluntly. The next five minutes were spent with him explaining his plan to his party as easily as possible. When everything was said and done, Human priestess and Halfling Mage move further up the secluded range, closer to the fortress but approaching on an angle.
Meanwhile, he and the rest of the party moved closer to the front of the fortress, but not close enough to be detected. Then, Goblin Slayer fired a flaming arrow at the fortress and it quickly erupted into activity.
With the signal given, Human Priestess cast her three blessings upon Halfling Mage before he cast Giant's Wrath. Following his leader's plan, he threw the pebbles in his hands at the slopes opening at each side high above the fortress. Thanks to the blessings, his own spell was vastly enhanced and the pebbles that quickly turned into boulders flew at an astonishing speed toward their targets. They impacted against the mountainside with more strength than even a heavy trebuchet, the sound of the impact alone was comparable to that of an ear-piercing explosion.
A moment later the slopes began to collapse and an avalanche of rocks was produced from either side. Those below in the fortress had no time to escape and soon it was destroyed, buried under tons of rock that also blocked the passage that would, if nothing else, delay the army of the Goblin King by at least a few days.
Unfortunately, not every enemy died. The goblins standing watch on the parapets jumped for safety and a few of them survived both the fall and avoided being crushed under the falling rocks. A shaman also, somehow, made it out just in time as well as a couple of drows. Aside from them, everyone else was now dead or buried under the rubble and the fortress thoroughly destroyed.
Goblin Slayer fired another arrow at the shaman, quickly taking him out before Half-Drow Paladin and Dwarf Berserker charged at the surviving drow. Lady Knight ran across the field at blinding speed.
"Grace of winter, bond of water and cold. Come forth to impale my enemies and bring forth purification! ICE SHARD!" She chanted before thrusting her sword forward. Several floating ice shards formed in front and around her blade before they shot forward, catching the goblins by surprise and impaling four of them. When they reacted to her attack it was too late as she was now amidst them. With a flurry of fast, elegant attacks she made short work of the rest of the goblins near her.
Another two died by two arrows impaling them by the side of their heads. Discarding his bow, he charged forth to take down the last five remaining goblins, all of them confused by the ongoing carnage happening around them. He bashed the head of the first one using his shield and impaled another using his normal sword, not wanting to use the sword his Maiden had given him just yet. Using his momentum, he kicked a goblin on its stomach so hard it pucked instantly before chopping the head of another with a swing of his sword. Then, he punched the face of the fifth goblin, breaking its nose before stabbing it through the head only to return to the fallen goblin and stomp on its wretched head, shattering its skull instantly.
"That makes eight," he muttered to himself before the rest of his party regrouped with the exception of the mage and priestess who were making their way down the hidden path.
"Hey, look at what we captured!" Dwarf Berserker announced with a boisterous laugh as he dragged a beaten drow by his hair.
"How!? How did you lousy surface-dwellers manage to do this!?" The drow angrily asked.
"Concern yourself with giving us the information we want, scum, and you may yet live for longer," Half-Drow Paladin spat.
"And why would I do that?" He asked cockily before Dwarf Berserker took a firm hold of one of his fingers. He blinked, confused, before figuring out what he was going to do.
*Crrrraaack*
"AAAARGGGGHHH! My finger! You broke my finger! You fucking meat-slave!" He shouted as loudly as he possibly could while staring at his oddly bent right pinkie finger.
"Unless you want another finger broken, you better tell us everything you know," Half-Drow Paladin threatened.
"Never!"
"We might run outta fingers before he caves in, lass," Dwarf Berserker joked. "Let's beat him to a pulp first!"
While they were busy with their prisoner, Goblin Slayer and Lady Knight inspected the rubble in search of any unsuspecting survivors but found no one. By the time they returned, the captured drow was reduced to a sobbing, bloody mess that could hardly maintain consciousness.
"It takes a madman to even consider mixing spells like that!" Halfling Mage yelled, though no one was sure if he was praising or reprimanding Goblin Slayer.
"But it worked and we can advance in our mission more safely," Human Priestess said, sounding a bit exhausted after using so many of her spells so quickly. Rejoining the rest of the party, the six of them encircled the captured drow. "Now, tell us what we want or I'll use Holy Light to burn your eyes out!"
Now that was the last push the drow needed to begin talking. "T-The army of the Goblin King was around five thousand strong when they marched to attack the large town in the depths of these mountains! By now, I'm sure they must number that again or more."
"How long has this Goblin King been active? How was he able to lure drow like you under his case? What's in it for you?" Lady Knight asked.
The drow smiled wickedly. "He may be a goblin but he is cunning and strong! When we heard about his exploits we tried to make him our thrall, but he defeated us and let us join his army instead as allies! Many more came to fight under his banner. He has attacked village after village, town after town, always increasing the number of goblins at his disposal and plundering everything! And once he is ready, he will march into your pathetic weakened kingdom and create a new realm for Chaos! You and the rest of your pathetic species will be our slaves soon enough!"
"What forces are under his disposal?" Human Priestess asked and the drow went silent again. Presenting her staff, the drow began talking again.
"Contingents of my brethren. Trolls, ogres, orcs, cultists, kobolds, exiled duergar, and many beasts! There are spellcasters of every type: battle, support, healing, enchanting. Alchemists, blacksmiths, engineers, skirmishers, light infantry, heavy infantry, shock infantry, archers, scouts, cavalry," his smile widened. "Paladins, champions, knights, rangers, clerics, berserkers. You have no chance!"
Everyone stood there for a moment, frozen in shock, disbelief, and sheer terror. What the drow had just described was something that would drive a bloody wedge deep into the kingdom's territory if allowed to continue. They all knew that. With that kind of force and in those numbers, there was no way the Kingdom's Army could mobilize in time to stop the Goblin King's army before North Point fell to their advance and countless villages, towns, and maybe even cities were put to the torch and hundreds of thousands died..
But to Goblin Slayer all of that was irrelevant as he grabbed the drow by his hair and forced him to look at his helmet-obscured-face.
"How many goblins are there?" He asked in his usual emotionless tone yet his fury was like a physical force that struck fear within the drow's heart.
"I-I don't know. The bulk of the Goblin King's army is made out of goblins! Three and a half maybe four thousand. Probably more!"
"Then you will guide us," Goblin Slayer stated, releasing the drow.
"Huh?" Everyone muttered.
"Guide us to the goblins," turning around, he continued. "If I can't stop them then I will kill as many goblins as I can before retreating."
"...You're a damn lunatic. I like you even more now!" Dwarf Berserker ended with a loud chuckle. "Hey, let's gag this freak and make sure he can't use his hands! Now, listen here you sick bastard, you're going to guide us down the passage or we will make your death a slow, painful one as payback for all the innocent people you've tortured, understood?"
The now gagged prisoner nodded before Half-Drow Paladin forced him to his feet and took lead alongside Goblin Slayer.
They traveled through the passage for nearly a full day when the drow suddenly stopped and nudged Goblin Slayer forth. The group minus Half-Drow Paladin, opting to retain their prisoner away from any potential escape or trying to alert his allies to their presence, approached a ledge slowly and stealthily only to see the burning remains of a yet distant small city. On the ample fields below, they witnessed a large patch of tents… with thousands of goblins and other creatures enjoying the spoils of their victory from days, possibly weeks prior.
The heart of everyone froze, collectively forgetting how to beat for a split second. Goblin Slayer's heart, instead, began beating faster in anticipation.
Chapter 1 End.