Goblin Slayer: The Lost Tales

by GreyH

While Goblin Slayer and his party have dealt with threats such as the Lich Queen, Beast Master and Necromancer and there are records of the the heroic feats of the various adventurers involved, what of the adventures that have not been told? A series of stories of Goblin Slayer and his colleagues involved with monsters and legends beyond what are found in the monster manual.

2. Am I Beautiful?

"You're not gonna call it quits are ya?"

"Man cannot survive on beer a…alone. I intend…to find me some company…for the night." The man clearly drunk smiled as he slurred his words.

"Watch out you don't pick up Scorned Lover!" A fellow adventurer chuckled as he raised his mug of beer.

With a final wave of his hand he exited the tavern as his colleagues laughed and waved him off. He chuckled as he continued to stumble about, placing his hand upon a nearby wall to keep himself from falling over. His quest earlier had gone quite well, his pockets were filled with coin which he happily used to indulge his love of alcohol. He continued to make his way down the road, doing his best to avoid falling over before making it back to the inn.

"Just…a little bit further…hopefully I can find…one of the ladies free for…"

He hit something, cursing before falling to the ground, he growled in frustration as he got back to his hands and knees before slowly and carefully getting back to his feet.

"Damn stupid…what the hell did I…" He suddenly stopped at the sight before him and a smile crossed his face. "Well hello…what do we have here?"

He had accidently bumped into a what he believed to be a young woman wearing an elegant black gown, with her exposed shoulders that seemed pale in the moon light, around her neck was chocker with thin, glittering, silk-like robe that draped over her arms which almost resembled a cape, though he paid particular attention to her well-proportioned frame, a thin waist, large bust and wide hips. He could see her long, black, silky hair though the front of her face was hidden by a thin veil as she cautiously held her hands back.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to cause you to fall, are you alright?" Her voice was sweet sounding yet had a hint of fear in it.

"How cute, she's like a tiny rabbit, heh afraid of this big, bad wolf as it were. Fear not little rabbit, I shall be gentle." The drunken adventurer chuckled as he placed his elbow along the nearby wall of the building and leaned in. "No need to be concerned, nothing I can't handle, I'm an adventurer after all."

"An…an adventurer?" The veiled woman sounded rather afraid as she took a couple steps back into a nearby alley.

"Hey, no need to be afraid of me." The drunken adventurer smirked as he followed the young woman into the alleyway. "Oh I see, luring me away from prying eyes…what a naughty little one you are."

She continued to back away until she bumped into something, a quick turn and she discovered she had hit a wall, there was nowhere else for her to go as she looked back toward the adventurer in front of her.

"Quite the mischievous one aren't you, making me follow you into the alley where no one will see us." The adventurer smirked as he patted his coins where the sounds of his coins hitting one another could be heard. "I've got plenty of money with me. More than enough to spend on a beautiful woman like you."

"Beautiful?" The young woman's tone seemed to change from frightened to slightly angry. "You think I'm beautiful?"

"Well of course, look at the figure, who wouldn't find you beautiful?" The adventurer smiled as he believed her could see her bright blue eyes behind the thin veil she was wearing. "Now, why don't you show me that beautiful face of yours and we can truly enjoy ourselves this night. I'll be more than happy to keep you warm."

"Is that so?" Her tone was cold, she began to chuckle as she reached for her veil to pull it away. "Tell me…how do I look now?"

The drunken adventurer was slightly taken aback by the change in tone of her voice but found himself smiling as she saw her lift her veil up over her face. The smile slowly faded as he saw her face and suddenly there was a look of shock and horror as he stumbled back before falling onto his butt looking up at this woman. She was indeed a beautiful woman with icy blue eyes and fair skin, so long as you ignored the jagged cut that ran across the left side of her face towards her right, almost resembling a hideous smile.

"What's wrong brave adventurer?" The scarred woman spoke and as she opened her mouth the cuts along her face also opened showing the cut flesh. "You seemed so confident before when my face was covered. You said I was beautiful before so…am I still beautiful?"

"You…you're the Scorned Lover. No, get away from me!"

"How pitiful. You adventurers show your true colors when your back is against a wall." The Scorned Lover held out her right hand and black vapors swirled in her hands until it took the form of a long black knife. "Since you found me beautiful at first, I'll shall give you a wonderful gift…I'll allow you to look just like me."

The adventurer screamed as she approached him, his cries echoed in the night of the town and several people rushed out of their houses and the inn with lanterns in hand to check for the source and upon investigation of the alley way they found him. The adventurer lay dead, his throat slashed, and his mouth carved into a horrid smile from one side of his face to the other.

"Gods no, another one."

The villagers and adventurers carefully looked around the area but there was no sign of the Scorned Lover who targeted the male adventurers, like the phantom she was perceived to be, she had vanished into the night without a trace.

xxxx

"As mayor of this town, I demand that you send out any and all adventurers to hunt down this murderer!"

Within the guild hall of the seaside town, the rather well-built mayor and his two guards met with the Guild Manager while the adventurers listened carefully.

"Your Mayor sir, I have asked for volunteers in tracking down this ghost or…"

"I will hear no more of this ghost or apparition nonsense!" The mayor angrily slammed his fist down upon the front table which made the two guild receptionists jump. "You and other simpletons have bought into this foolishness! What we have is a murderer who is targeting drunken idiots and you want to scream ghost. I've had enough of this!"

The mayor turned to face the adventurers in the guild, they could see a man in his forties or fifties, with short brown hair and blue eyes glaring at them before calmly exhaling to address them all.

"I am offering a bounty, 100 gold coins to the adventurer or adventurers who bring me this crazed woman. If you bring her to me alive, I'll make it 200 gold coins!"

The promise of the large reward was very enticing to many of the adventurers, though they were initially afraid of taking on this specter, the mayor's bold remarks seemed to have removed any hesitation as several groups began to talk amongst themselves while the mayor filled out the paperwork for the quest. Among the adventurers within the guild were three young individuals, a young spell caster with red hair and glasses, a female rhea armed with sword and shield and a young member of the Harefolk tribe with cross bow nearby. Wizard Boy and his party sat at one of the nearby listening carefully to the discussion on the Scorned Lover, though Wizard boy seemed to be focused on something else.

"A 100 gold coins does sound pretty good, although if we are to catch her alive, we could easily earn that reward of 200 coins." Harefolk Bowman had a smile on his face as he looked toward Rhea Fighter and Wizard Boy.

"I'm not sure about it, this woman or specter whatever they call her has been responsible for the death of more than 10 adventurers." Rhea Fighter had a slight frown on her face as she thought about this quest they would undertake.

"True I don't expect it to be the easiest of tasks, but with the three of us working together I'm sure we'll be able to handle it." Harefolk Bowman took hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as he smiled.

"It is always hard for me to say no to you, but it should be a unanimous decision." Rhea Fighter smiled as she returned the squeeze and then turned her gaze toward Wizard Boy. "What say you oh fearless leader?"

Harefolk Bowman also looked toward Wizard Boy but the smile on his face changed toward a slight frown as he could see the young boy seemed to be focused on something other than their discussion. Both party members could see he had his chin upon his left thumb while resting his index finger on his lips as he stared at the table.

"Fearless leader huh? It's been two months already since our dealing with the vampire, and I still feel regret over my actions. My stupidity put the others in danger and she is now with him…but I can't be mad at either of them. He helped her through that quest while I was off complaining about my sister, and I attacked that other girl and almost bit her, what kind of leader acts that…"

"Hey."

Wizard Boy suddenly snapped his head up, Rhea Fighter had placed her hand on his to help bring him out of his daze. Both she and Harefolk Bowman looked at him with a concerned expression on their face as they looked at him.

"Sorry, lost in thought." Wizard Boy quickly nodded towards his comrades. "What were you saying?"

"The quest to find this murderer, the Scorned Lover. We were thinking of taking on the task and wanted to get your opinion." Rhea Fighter calmly removed her hand from his but was still worried.

"Oh the Scorned Lover huh? Yeah, I think between the three of us we can undertake such a quest." Wizard Boy was calm in his delivery as he looked at his comrades.

"It won't just be us. Looks like other adventurers are going to jump on this quest so it comes down to whichever group claims the prize first." Harefolk Bowman had a small smirk as he said this but that soon switched back to a slight frown. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I'll be fine." Wizard Boy had a weak smile on his face but his mind when back to what he had been thinking earlier. "Excuse me for a bit, I need to clear my head so I can focus on our quest for later."

"Wait, where are you going?" Rhea Fighter was concerned as she saw her comrade rise from the table.

"Outside for a brief walk. Not to worry, I just need to walk around for a bit. Can't have any distractions when we move around tonight."

"You sure you're okay? We can go with you if you'd like." Harefolk Bowman was also worried about what his friend might be thinking.

"I'll be fine really but thank you for the offer. I shall return shortly."

Wizard Boy had a small smile on his face as he exited the guild with staff in hand while Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman watched. They themselves were not entirely sure what might be bothering him, they even thought their relationship might have made him jealous but were not entirely sure if that alone was the cause.

"Let's give him a bit of breathing room and see how he is when he returns." Harefolk Bowman smiled as he looked at the worried Rhea Fighter who reluctantly nodded.

Wizard Boy walked down the busy streets, his thought about his capabilities still flooding his mind, yet with so many people around, it would be hard to really focus on what was bothering him. He soon found a small wooden bench secluded away from everyone, within the shade and overlooking the sea, there he be able to organize his thoughts. He sat down leaning his staff nearby the side of the bench as he looked out toward the water, the fishing boats far out, and he was now away from the busy market, he found the silence quite comforting. Unknown to him was a figure looking out from the shadows of a nearby alley, behind her veil her icy blue eyes caught sight of his guild tags which brought a small smile to her face.

"Now then, I can voice my thoughts out loud…and reflect on my stupidity." Wizard Boy took in a deep breathed before exhaling when he finally noticed the figure sitting beside him. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

He could see the figure of a woman dressed in an elegant, black gown, her long black silky hair, and a thin black veil covering her face.

"Oh, you are fine. I'm just waiting here patiently."

"Waiting for a friend of yours to arrive?"

"You could say that." She turned her head to look at him before looking back toward the sea. "I see your guild tags, I take it you are an adventurer?"

"Yes I am, though I've been recently think about this occupation I've chose for myself."

"Oh, are you thinking of past exploits or ways to rise in fame?" The woman's tone slowly switched from pleasant to more serious as she slowly turned her head towards him, a wicked smile forming on her face.

"A couple months ago, I would have been filled with over confidence, but now…I'm thinking about the mistakes I've made and those I've hurt."

The veiled woman turned her head towards him to look at the young man, the smile on her face gone as her mouth slightly opened in amazement.

"What do you mean?"

"Two months ago, my foolishness and brash behavior got me and my comrades into serious trouble. I pushed away my friend and lashed out at others who had nothing to do with what I was going through; in spite of my actions they came to save." Wizard Boy used his left hand to rub the spot on his neck where he had been bitten by the vampire, the marks no longer present. "And because of my actions, my friend who I had feelings for is with another."

"So now you're jealous of them and their happiness?" The veiled woman clenched her fists as she hoped this would get the response she was looking for.

"I was at first, but I can't be mad at either of them. He helped her while I was off feeling sorry for myself, so I don't blame her for having feelings for him." Wizard Boy let out a sigh as he continued to look out at the sea. "They still treat me as the leader of our party, but I don't feel much like the leader of the group. I at first thought maybe they're patronizing me, but realized that they genuinely seek my approval before we take on a quest. So now, with everything that's happened, I'm doubting myself and wondering if I'll ever be able to truly fix my mistakes."

Both sat there in silence, Wizard Boy looking out at the ocean while the veiled woman looked at him curiously before turning her attention to the sea as well.

"The fact that you realize that mistakes were made and you're trying to fix them shows growth."

Now it was Wizard Boy's turn to look toward her with a surprised expression on his face.

"Most adventurers I have seen are boisterous or arrogant, blaming others for everything that goes wrong, never taking responsibility. From what you told me, it sounds as though you were like that as well, but the experiences you underwent have humbled you and now you want to try to be better not only for yourself but for those who put their trust in you." Though he could not see it, there was a gentle smile on her face as she said this. "I am happy to know that there are adventurers like you out there."

"Thank you." Wizard Boy bowed his head towards her, a small smile on his face. "I guess I just needed to air out all those feelings. I appreciate you listening to me. I hope I didn't keep you from meeting your companion."

"Oh no, I was waiting for you."

"…"

Wizard Boy paused for a moment as he registered what she had just said, he looked toward the young woman beside him who continued to calmly stare out at the ocean.

"I'm sorry, what?"

The veiled woman turned her head toward Wizard Boy with the same gentle smile on her face hidden behind her veil as he icy blue eyes seemed to glow.

"You see, I was expecting you to gloat about how great an adventurer you were and then I would have dealt with you, however…I was not expecting such a mature individual." The veiled woman reached for the bottom of her veil and gently pulled away. "I didn't even get a chance to ask you the question I normally ask other adventurers."

The veil was removed and Wizard Boy slightly gasped, not at the sight of the scar on the woman's face but the fact he had been speaking with the Scorned Lover.

"I can see that you are a good person a heart, and a rather handsome fellow as well." The Scorned Lover smiled as she reached out and gently caressed the side of the young adventurer's face. "I warn you, I'd rather not harm someone who wishes to better themselves so leave this town."

The Scorned Lover stood and prepared to leave when Wizard Boy snapped out of his daze and reached out, taking hold of her right hand. The Scorned Lover paused as she looked back toward the young adventurer seeing not fear on his face but confusion, she could feel the warmth in his hand as compared to the cold sensation in hers.

"Wait, why are you killing adventurers? Would you stop if I asked?"

"I am seeking to punish those who turned their back on me and made me what I am. Until my vengeance is sated, no amount of blood will be enough to make me stop." The Scorned Lover pulled her hand free and moved back towards the shadows of the nearby alley. "Leave. Take your party and leave."

The Scorned Lover vanished into the darkness, Wizard Boy stood and rushed forward determined to try and talk to her once more but found she had completely disappeared. Wizard Boy stood there for a few minutes as he tried to look around the area for the Scorned Lover, once he realized she would not reveal herself again he rushed back to the guild. The mayor and his two guards were walking down the street having finished their business with the Guild manager when they noticed the young boy with glasses rushing toward the guild.

"I wonder why he's in such a hurry." The Mayor eyed the boy suspiciously before motioning for to his guards. "Follow him, see what he knows."

xxxx

"You saw her?"

Harefolk Bowman and Rhea Fighter were still at the table waiting for Wizard Boy when he came rushing in with news of his encounter with the Scorned Lover.

"Are you alright? Did she attack you?" Rhea Fighter was immediately concerned that he had been fleeing from her.

"No. She only spoke with me then vanished." Wizard Boy thought about what had just transpired before looking towards his party. "She does intend to kill again, and we need to stop her."

"So how do we kill an evil ghost?" Harefolk Bowman pondered as he glanced toward his crossbow wonder how effective his bolts would be against the Scorned Lover.

"I need to do some research and I don't want to kill her but save her or at least find a way to convince her to stop all of this."

Harefolk Bowman and Rhea Fighter were shocked by his statement, fortunately none of the other adventurers heard him otherwise they'd have turned on him.

"What do you mean you want to save her? She'd kill you if the opportunity had not been right." Harefolk Bowman angrily whispered as he looked back toward his comrade.

"The opportunity had been right. I was isolated away from others, she could have easily cut my throat yet she spoke with me and warned me to leave along with you all." Wizard Boy frowned as he thought his last interaction with her before she vanished. "There was something about her face that said even as she talked about killing, she was still mournful of the action."

"Her face? What exactly does she look like?" Rhea Fighter was curious what type of monster he had seen.

"Her face…hmm…" Wizard Boy placed his hand upon his chin as he thought carefully. "She's has pale skin, icy blue eyes that seem to glow, and long silky black hair. To be honest she really is quite beautiful."

"All the rumors we heard said she was horribly scarred." Harefolk Bowman was surprised to hear from Wizard Boy that this ghost was beautiful.

"Oh right, she has a deep cut on each side of her face, almost looking like someone caved a smile on her face." Wizard Boy was rather somber as he spoke about this. "There has to be some reasoning behind why she's targeting the adventurers. It most likely has to do with her title."

"You're sure that saving her is the best option? Maybe she bewitched you and is trying to make you feel sympathy for her."

Rhea Fighter and Wizard Boy thought carefully of what Harefolk Bowman was suggesting both had to admit it was a distinct possibility though Wizard Boy felt she had not been using any form of enchantment on him as they spoke.

"It's a possibility…but I'd still like to try and help her. If nothing else, by studying her we will be better prepared." Wizard Boy had a stern look on his face as he turned toward his comrades. "She had such a sad expression on her face when she spoke with me. I'm trying to be better about what I'm doing and this is the best first step."

"Where do we begin though? Should we ask around about the legend or rumors?" Rhea Fighter was willing to here out this idea.

"While that might be helpful, we might waste too much time just asking around, let's go to the library. There must be records, scrolls, ancient text about here and from that we may find a way to deal with her."

Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman reluctantly agreed to the idea, unaware that the mayor's guards had been watching the from the side. With the adventurers having left to the library, they themselves exited the guild to inform the mayor of what had been said.

xxxx

"Let's see, records on the town and a ledger of the registered adventurers affiliated with the guild."

Wizard Boy, Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman sat at a large table, around them were nearly two dozen books filled with information on the town and those that lived in it. The trio had been there for nearly an hour looking through the text with Harefolk Bowman groaning as he rubbed his eyes, Rhea Fighter looked up from her book and smiled at him while Wizard Boy continued to look through the book.

"Sorry, I'm not the most patient individual when it comes to reading all these texts. My parents would even get after me for skipping out of my studies to go and play when I was much younger."

"Oh no need to apologize. I was the same way, even going to the same wizarding school as my sister, I would grow frustrated constantly reading that boring text." Wizard Boy looked up from his book with a light smile. "I was only ever interested in learning spells, which may be why I'm actually reading these tomes. I'm looking for something that I actually want to read about."

"Goodness, there is just so much to go through here. We could spend days here and we still might not be able to find what we're looking for." Rhea Fighter chuckled as she looked toward her comrades.

"Yeah, but I'm sure the information we're looking for is in here. I just wish I knew where." Wizard Boy returned his gaze to the books before him.

"Well look, since this studying is not my strong suite, why don't I go back to the guild and talk with the manager and other adventurers to see information I can get." Harefolk Bowman suggested as he looked toward Wizard Boy.

"That sounds like a pretty good idea, we can split up and gather information from two different sources." Rhea Fighter smiled as she nodded toward her comrade. "I'll stay here and…"

"Why don't you go with him, the two of you can talk with the guild and I'll continue to do my research here." Wizard Boy flipped to the next page as he spoke with his friends, his eyes still scanning the text.

"You're sure?" Harefolk Bowman was a bit surprised by the suggestion.

"You two are far more social than I am, you'd be able to talk with others a lot easier than I can." Wizard Boy smiled before flipping through the next page then paused as she looked toward them with a stern look on his face. "Don't go after her. Those adventurers are underestimating her and may lose their lives in the process. Wait until I meet up with you, hopefully I'll have some sort of solution to help us…and her."

xxxx

"So this young man met the woman and she sparred him? She's murdered so many already, why spare a pathetic boy?"

The mayor sat in the study of his house calmly drinking his wine as he listened to what his guards reported to him.

"From what we heard, the boy spoke with her and warned him to leave before she killed him. It seemed odd to hear of this murderous ghost simple speak with an adventurer, especially a male, when the tales talk speak of her killing male adventurers over the years." His guard was calm in his delivery as he stood before the mayor.

"For more than two hundred years she's been haunting this town. My father and his before him have had to deal with wretched creature, I'm hopeful these adventurers can deal with her." The mayor rolled his eyes as he continued to drink his wine. "The Scorned Lover, what a ridiculous name."

"The boy is the first person that I know of who has actually seen this woman up close and lived to tell the tale. He mentioned she had jagged cuts along each side of her face."

"Cuts along each side of her face?" The mayor suddenly paused as he heard this detail before setting his wine down. "It truly is a ghost from my past then…damn it all!"

"Sir?"

"No time to waste. I need to get to the Tempe of the Supreme God and gather items or weapons that will help us deal with this phantom once and for all."

xxxx

Night had fallen, and now Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman found themselves at the guild still waiting for Wizard Boy, when the other adventurers were getting ready to hunt down the Scorned Lover. Both adventurers were tense as they heard others eager to take the reward for dealing with the murderous woman, though there was still some discussion of her being a specter.

"He's still not here, what should we do?" Rhea Fighter turned toward Harefolk Bowman, a worried expression on her face.

"I know…and all we gathered was the same information from those who had seen here from afar. We still don't know how to deal with her properly, but I feel tense just waiting around." Harefolk Bowman found himself clenching his fists as she saw several young adventurers eager to take on the quest given to them by the mayor. "We can't just let these rookies go off on their own, the Scorned Lover will slay many of them."

"But we said we'd wait for him."

"I know but I don't want to just sit around and watch these people die when we can actually help them." Harefolk Bowman sighed as he stood with crossbow in hand looking toward Rhea Fighter. "We can still try to save her once he gets here, but for now we'll go and make sure these people stay safe as much as possible."

Rhea Fighter looked toward Harefolk Bowman with worried eyes but then sighed as she nodded her head and stood with him taking hold of his hand in hers.

"Agreed. Let's help save as many people as we can."

xxxx

Wizard Boy growled in frustration as he knocked over several books that had piled up near him. The candles on the table had nearly burned down, he could see it was now dark outside and still he had not found anything to aid him.

"Yet here I remain, flipping through these pages as I continue to look for some sort of mythical answer. It's been hours and all I've gathered is the continued legends of a woman who preys on men. Succubus…sirens…ugh vampires and specters. The reason behind the title is those who have seen her and lived claim she would ask them the same question…am I beautiful…and then she would slay them. She's been active in this town for more than two hundred years…just what kind of hatred forces you to…" Wizard Boy's eyes were wide as he looked over the text on the page before him. "Here! It's here!"

Wizard Boy could not help but smile as he read the words, this was the first account of the Scorned Lover as written by the guild manager at the time.

"I write this information down because I know others will not. The adventurer has gone, sworn to never return to this town as he wishes to make a name for himself in the world, however I know he has moved on because he does not wish to be associated with the cruse he created. He had been with the guild here for more than five years, up until that moment he had been a fine adventurer, boastful to be sure but reliable. He had with him a fine woman, I'd dare say the most beautiful woman in the town, with her fair skin, blue eyes and shiny black hair. I was sure they would marry, he even proclaimed his love for her in the guild to the laughter of his colleagues, all that changed though after his most recent quest."

Wizard Boy frowned as turned the page to continue reading, his expression switching from shock to anger as he continued to read.

"The joyous times were not to last unfortunately as tragedy befell the young woman. A demon attacked her but rather than kill her, disfigured her, claiming she would have to live with the pain her lover caused by killing his brethren. The adventurer who told me this part of the tale came to the woman's defense; he slew the demon then rushed her towards the nearest doctor to begin the healing process. The doctor managed to stop the bleeding, but her face was now severely scarred from the attack.

Her lover was not the one to save her as he had been drinking the night away in celebration of his heroics, when he saw her the next day, he was angry at the attack but was far more disgusted by her appearance. I unfortunately was present to witness his reaction to her condition, and for my part would ensure he would not be promoted for such actions, he even suggested that she take her life as there would be no one who could love such a hideous creature. She left the guild in tears and was found dead the next day floating in the water near the harbor, the adventurer didn't so much as shed a tear over her death, by the next day he had left town. It was about a month later that the first body was discovered, a male adventurer with his throat slashed and a jagged smile carved into the sides of his face. At first just seen as a coincidence until another body arrived in the same state and then another after that. One who had seen the attacker from a distance described as a frightening figure with a horrid gash present on across her mouth and could be heard asking the phrase…am I beautiful before killing her prey. That damn coward left here, not wishing the face what he had created and we who remain must now be cautious of her. I pray that gods will curse that man and his descendants for the hell he has unleashed upon us."

Wizard Boy lingered on the final page before closing the book with a heavy sigh, gently he placed his fingers upon his left temple as he read the unfortunate details about the Scorned Lover.

"It's no wonder she's filled with rage, to have gone through that and then cast aside by a man who claimed he loved her. But now that I know all the details, or as much as was provided, how can I help her?" Wizard Boy then turned his attention towards the monster manual which he had also been researching as well. "I know what type of creature she is, a vengeful spirit, but ghosts must be dealt with using a holy relic or to have the figure exorcized…or allow them to find the target of their vengeance. Only this adventurer has died already some two hundred years, I can only hope he suffered for what he put her through."

A suddenly blood-curdling scream dragged him away from his thoughts as he looked out the window, he already knew what was causing such a horrid sound.

"She's on the prowl, those adventurers need to go back insi…wait!" Wizard Boy remembered that his friends had gone out to do their own research but had not returned yet. "Please don't harm them."

Wizard Boy reached for his staff and quickly rushed out the door, nearly knocking over the attendant on his way out. He charged down to the street not knowing exactly where he would be going, but just hoped that he would be lucky enough to run into his friends before the Scorned Lover did.

xxxx

The Scorned Lover had a cold expression on her face as she looked down at the corpse by her feet, a half-elf swordsman lay there with his eyes wide, throat slashed with his blood still spilling onto the street. He was the second target on her hunt, these adventurers continued to hunt her as if she were a vile monster, even with a large number of them roaming the streets would not be a problem for her.

"Damn you all…none of you are any different." The Scorned Lover turned her gaze towards this fallen adventurer's partner. "Now…what should I do with you?"

It was a young woman with red hair who had fallen on her bottom back away as her body trembled looking up at this hideous ghost.

"My, my…are we pretty." The Scorned Lover was mildly annoyed by the sight of their fair young girl.

"Get…get away from me you disgusting fiend!"

The Scorned Lover's face twisted with rage and she let out a shriek that seemed to shake the area around them, with her scream he mouth split apart wide as to expose much of her injured flesh. The young woman found herself paralyzed with fear as the ghost approached her, the blood of her comrade still dripping form the black blade.

"Tell me again foolish one…what did you say?" The Scorned Lover raised her blade high and prepared attack the cowering woman. "Tell me something…am I beautiful?"

Before she could attack she felt a suddenly discomfort in her right shoulder, a brief look down and she could see the tip of an arrow protruding through her flesh, a bit of dark red blood running from her wound. She calmly turned around to see a member of the Harefolk tribe with crossbow in hand looking at her, at his die was a female rhea warmed with sword and shield.

"How…how dare you?" The Scorned lover torn the bolt from her shoulder, within moments her wound had healed.

"Quickly get away from her!"

The frightened young woman registered the words from Rhea Fighter and nodded her head before getting to her feet and fleeing from the battle.

"Well we got her attention, so now what?" Harefolk Bowman quickly went about readying another bolt for his crossbow.

"Now…you die!"

Th Scorned Lover once again screamed, the bottom half of her mouth dropping down as once again the dark red blood ran from her wounds. Both adventurers quickly turned and ran as the specter flew toward them, a quick turn from Rhea Fighter and she could see the rage filled face slicing at the air as she drew closer and closer.

"Don't stop! Keep running!" Harefolk Bowman was quick to convince her to keep moving in hopes they be able to run into other adventurers.

Rhea Fighter nodded her head as they continued to run, but a quick glance backward revealed something shock…the Scorned Lover was gone.

"Wait! Where did she go?"

Harefolk Bowman also stopped and like his comrade looked around for any sign of the specter, but she had mysteriously vanished. Harefolk Bowman took a couple steps forward while he continued to look for the Scorned Lover when a black blade suddenly sliced the air before him, he stumbled and fell backwards with Rhea Fighter quickly at his side. She could see a cut across his chest from the attack, thankfully he moved at the right time to with the cut only being superficial. They looked forward and from out of the darkness she stepped forward brandishing her blade at them as she calmly walked toward them.

"Before you die tell me…am I beautiful?" Her tone radiated rage as she moved closer.

"Wait, we apologize for attacking you, but it was the only way to get you to stop from killing any others." Rhea Fighter crouched near her comrade, scared of this ghost but still had her sword ready.

"You spoke with our comrade earlier, you spared him and warned him to leave." Harefolk Bowman hissed as he slowly reached for his crossbow.

"Oh…so you're the comrades he spoke of." She stopped just a few feet away from them her expression cold as she looked down at them. "You know, he admitted that he was jealous of you both being together in front of him, I shall do him a favor and kill you now!"

She prepared to attack but as she brought her blade in to strike, Wizard Boy lunged forward and used his staff to block her.

"And I told you that I could not be mad at them since I had been acting foolish at the time!" Wizard boy grunted as he pushed her away with his staff.

The Scorned Lover stood there look at him and him at her with his staff in hand; Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman still on the ground shocked by his quick appearance.

"I warned you already to leave this town. You and your comrades did not heed my warning, instead here you are hunting me down for the reward."

"That's not true, we here to try and save you. This whole day I've been reading to find a way to help you or at the very least keep you from murdering anyone else."

"Liar! You adventurers are all the same! You only think of yourself…you push aside anything or anyone that would become a hindrance to you." The Scorned Lover struck at him once again, he used his staff to block but was forced to take a couple steps back from her blow. "Not a single one of you can understand how I feel! All you can do is serve as a means for me to release my rage!"

She struck at him again, this time cutting into his left arm but still he stood before his comrades.

"What happened to you…it was indeed horrible. You were wronged all those years ago by one who did not value you properly."

The Scorned Lover stopped herself in mid strike and looked at him with wide eyes as she calmly lowered her arms.

"What…what did you say?"

"I know about your history. The adventurer you loved…the demon who scarred you…and his callous reaction to your wounds. It's been more than two hundred years and still you have not found peace. I'm not about to say that I can make it all go away, but I am here to listen just as you were kind enough to listen to me earlier."

Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman were at a loss for what had been said but a quick glance back at the Scorned Lover shocked them as they saw tears running down her face.

"A few kind words…will not be enough to quell my bloodlust." Her hands trembled all the while her tone remained cold.

"I know. I don't want to exorcise you as that would not bring your spirit any peace so please…can we just speak until you feel even a little more at ease?" Wizard Boy had a small smile on his face as he extended his hand towards her.

The Scorned Lover looked at him with a confused look, the blade in her hand vanished as she slowly extended her hand to reach for his. Suddenly a glass vial flew forward and shattered against her body, a clear liquid covered her and she screamed as she clutched at her arms. Wizard Boy and his comrades were at a loss for what was happening when three large men rushed in employed a bear hug to keep them from moving about while a fourth man could be heard chuckling as he walked to the now downed Scorned Lover.

"So you are the Scorned Lover huh? Here I was expecting some kind of frightening ghost and instead find this pathetic monster before me." He continued to chuckle as he walked around her. "That is holy water blessed by the priest at the Temple of the Supreme God, most effective against an unholy creature such as yourself."

"Who…who the hell are…wait, you're the mayor!" Harefolk Bowman continued to struggle but was indeed surprised by his appearance. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Taking care of this creature who has plagued my town for so long. If I deal with her then I don't have to pay any of you adventurers, not that you'll be around after this to tell others what you witnessed."

"Get away from her. It's not her fault, she's been treated as a demonic being meant to be slain!" Wizard Boy growled in frustration as he too struggled to break free.

"That's exactly what she is. A hideous, disgusting creature who has plagued my family long enough! My ancestor was right to discard a worthless creature like you."

His venom laced words sent a chill through the spines of the three adventurers and even the Scorned Lover's eyes were wide as she heard this.

"You…you're responsible for what happened to her?" Rhea Fighter was in shock of hearing him say such things to her.

"No…not him but his ancestor. You bastard, your ancestor was the adventurer who rejected her because of the injury!" Wizard Boy could feel his body shake with rage.

"I see, you're quite the bright one, that's surprising given your appearance, but yes, I am the descendant of the man she loved." The mayor sneered toward the adventurers then looked back toward the weakened specter and scowled as he drew out a dagger that had water dripping from it. "It's my duty to do what he could not and kill this hideous monster. This blade is also coated in holy water, so prepare yourself for a painful trip as you venture towards hell."

The Scorned Lover looked up at the man referred to as the mayor and could indeed see her former lover in this man, there was the same cruelty he had when he first saw her scarred face, in her anger and despair she began to weep. Wizard Boy would not sit idly by and watch this wretched man get away with such a cowardly act, but what to do.

"If I cast fireball, it might kill him and her and that's assuming these brutes will allow me to speak the enchantment. No, I have to try something else, but what can I do, something to incapacitate…yes!" Wizard Boy continued to struggle until the pointed tip of his staff was directly over the guard's right foot. "When I tell you cover your ears!"

His sudden outburst caught them all by surprise when enabled him to slam the staff down upon the guard's foot, the guard cried out in pain and quickly released Wizard Boy. Wizard Boy would not waste anytime and swung the top of his staff into the guard's face, knocking him back a couple steps. He then rushed forward and struck once again at the guard by Harefolk Bowman. Harefolk Bowman was quick to follow his leader's lead and punched the guard holding Rhea Fighter!

"Now!"

Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman covered their ears as they were told, but were not sure how this would help them as the guards had already recovered from the earlier attacks.

"Crescunt…crescunt…crescunt…RRRRRAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

It was a childish cry, but the sound sounded like that of a thunderclap right beside them. All those in the town could hear it, many who were nearby were knocked out by the blast while others were forced to collapse to their knees. Had they not covered their ears, Harefolk Bowman and Rhea Fighter would also have collapsed as the guards who had been holding them did, the mayor, for what it was worth was a bit stronger, he screamed as he collapsed to the ground, cover his ears, but having to drop the blade to do so. Wizard Boy rushed to the side of the Scorned Lover, the effects of the holy water were wearing off and she could feel her strength slowly returning. She looked up at him with a surprised look on her face as he once again extended his hand toward her.

"Come on, I'll get you out of here!"

She continued to stay in that position for a few moments before a small smile crossed her face and she took his hand. He helped her back to her feet and he prepared to run off, but she did not follow with him.

"I am truly blessed to have met you. If I were to run away, I'd still be nothing more than a vengeful specter but now…" Her smile faded as she looked to the still incapacitated mayor with a cold gaze. "now I have the opportunity to get the revenge I sought for so long."

She slowly moved her hand out of his and formed the black blade once again as she calmly walked toward the mayor. Wizard Boy was hesitant to let this happen but finally nodded and back away to check on his comrades.

"We should leave."

"But, I thought we were going to save her?" Rhea Fighter was confused by this sudden change in Wizard Boy.

"We are. In my studies to deal with a vengeful sprit, you must either exorcize the being from existence…or allow the spirit to find the target if its wrath." Wizard Boy scowled as he looked at the mayor.

Both Harefolk Bowman and Rhea Fighter were shocked by what he was suggesting, and part of them knew this was not right, but he would have had them killed to silence what they had seen. With a final nod, the trio quickly left the area before they were discovered while the Scorned Lover loomed over the mayor who was finally overcoming the effects of the spell. He looked around only to see the Scorned Lover standing over him with blade in hand, he looked around but before he could reach for his own knife, she had kicked it away.

"Wait…. wait, please spare me! I'm not my ancestor!" he nervously held up his hands to show he was unarmed as he pleaded for his life.

"You are right…you are not him, not directly, but you share his same hatred and cowardice." The Scorned Lover looked rather mournful as she gazed down at him. "I loved him…faults and all. I had expected that he would do the same for me, but I was wrong. I took my life because of his rejection. I have suffered for so long because of his rejection. You would wish to repeat the same mistake he made and for that you shall share in his punishment."

The Scorned Lover raised her black blade and prepared to strike, he finally noticed the tears in her eyes, but used this as an excuse to plead once more but she would not listen. His screams echoed throughout the town as others were slowly beginning to regain consciousness, the cause of the sound that incapacitated so many was never discovered, but aftermath of the Scorned Lover's rage was clear for everyone to see. His three guards lay dead in the streets, their throats cut, but it was the sight of the mayor that filled many with dread. There he lay slumped in a sitting position near a wall, his throat slashed and a horrid cut made across his face like the others, but what was different was the hole in his chest for within in his right hand was the remains of his heart, those who had seen it would claim it appeared to have been crushed.

xxxx

"I'm not sure running away from there was the best choice." Rhea Fighter was nervous as she looked toward Wizard Boy and Harefolk Bowman.

The trio had run towards the harbor where he had first seen her and sat on the same bench as they waited to see what would happen.

"It may not have been the best solution, but I'm hopeful that she will finally be able to find some sort of piece." Wizard Boy stood from the bench and walked toward the edge to look at the water.

"You really think she will?" Harefolk Bowman was skeptical of that happening.

"I believe she will."

The feminine voice drew their attention and from the darkened ally she emerged with a small smile on her face. Though Harefolk Bowman and Rhea Fighter were a bit hesitant to greet her, Wizard Boy rushed towards her.

"I am glad to see you recovered. Did…did you finish what you set out to do?"

"I did…and I wish to apologize to all of you." The Scorned Lover bowed her head towards them. "I am deeply sorry for having attacked the two of you. It is just as he told me, you are both fine adventurers."

Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman were shocked by her response but were quick to smile and bow their heads toward her as well.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Rhea fighter smiled as she did her best to be friendly.

"Besides this little cut won't slow me down." Harefolk Bowman had a smirk as he patted his chest.

"I am glad you are all so resilient." The Scorned Lover turned her attention toward Wizard Boy and smiled warmly. "I am truly grateful to have met you today. Perhaps it was the gods finally showing me a small bit of favor…or pity."

The Scorned Lover had a small frown on her face as she walked toward the edge of the harbor, she looked out at the sea, looking at the spot where she had thrown herself into the water before.

"My business is concluded here. I don't believe I'll be able to linger here much longer so…I wanted to say goodbye in person as it were." She chuckled slightly while she nervously held her hands. "It's funny…only now am I afraid of what awaits me in the next world. I am sure that someone as evil as me will end up in hell."

"No." Wizard Boy was stern in his response as he stood beside her. "You were wronged and had no one to help you or even try to understand your sorrows. I am certain that your soul will find the rest it deserves."

The Scorned Lover turned to face the young adventurer, this experience and his prior mistakes had made him fare wiser than his age would suggest; a smile crossed her face as she raised her left hand to gently stroke his right cheek.

"My only regret now…was that I had to wait so long to finally meet someone like you, if only you had been there all those years ago."

The four of them stood there for a few moments until the young adventurers noticed a faint glow surrounding the Scorned Lover. She looked down at her hands and could see her body was began to fade away though she was not scared and smiled.

"I guess this is goodbye then. Thank you again for your understanding and aid." She waited patiently as her body continued to fade when a sudden foolish thought crossed her mind. "Before I go, I wish to ask this question one last time, but this time I am genuinely curious. Tell me…am I beautiful?"

Wizard Boy was shocked by the question as a pinkish hue crossed his face but smiled as he told her his truthful response.

"You are indeed very beautiful."

The Scorned Lover smiled brilliantly as tears ran down her face, and in that moment, the scars on her face faded away allowing everyone to see her one last time. The three adventurers stood there for a few moments even after she vanished before Harefolk Bowman and Rhea Fighter moved to check on Wizard Boy.

"I am greatly impressed with how you handled this situation and came to save us. I knew there was a reason you were the leader of this party." Harefolk Bowman smiled as he clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"Are you going to be okay?" Rhea Fighter was worried about the slight frown on his face.

"I'll be fine. Come on, it's late we should return to the Inn."

The trio calmly walked back toward the Inn when Wizard Boy had a sad smile on his face while her chuckled.

"Something funny?" Harefolk Bowman turned towards his friend with a curious expression on his face.

"It's funny. I would be the one to fall in love with a ghost." Wizard Boy sighed before giving his head a slight shake. "Oh well, can't dwell on the past. All we can do is move forward."

xxxx

The next morning, the guild was in an uproar over the death of the mayor and two adventurers, though Wizard Boy and the others were not about to say anything that might cast suspicion on them.

"Okay. I'm thinking we should move on, I think I've had enough of this town." Wizard Boy had a slight frown on his face as he breathed out a heavy sigh.

"I would agree with that." Harefolk Bowman smirked as he stood only to grunt a bit from the cut on his chest. "Still hurts a bit, thankfully the bandage is still in place."

"I have a healing potion if you're in need of it." Rhea Fighter was quick to reach for one in her pouch.

"I think we can hold off on the healing potion, it's not as if it is life-threatening." Harefolk Bowman chuckled as he held up his hands for her to stop.

"That does bring up a good point. We've been lucky to avoid any major injuries, but we can't rely on potions alone. It might be a good idea for us to look for a fellow adventurer to join us." Wizard Boy rubbed the back on his neck as he thought about this.

No sooner had they said this when a young voice called out to them, they all turned to see a young girl near table. She stood there dressed in a blue robe with gold trimming, had long silky black hair and from what they could see was icy blue eyes yet she seemed to keep the left side of her face turned away from them.

"Ex, excuse me. I overheard you looking for an adventurer. I'm just a rookie, but I do specialize in healing spells." The young girl was timid in her speak as she seemed to be looking more toward the door, every now and then sparing a quick side glance at them. "The guild has classified me as a druid."

"Which spells can you use?" Wizard Boy was curious about the young girl and her slightly odd behavior.

"I can use Heal, Purify and Detox, but I am limited to two uses a day." The young druid replied.

"Three spells and two uses huh?" Wizard Boy had a frown on his face at first but that soon became a smile. "That's much better than me when I first started. I only had one spell and could use it only once a day. I'm more than happy to have you with us but let me just check with the others."

A quick glance to his friends was all that was need as both smiled and nodded their heads.

"Then it's settled. Welcome to our party." Wizard Boy smiled as he extended his hand towards her.

The young druid turned to face them and smiled brilliantly and took his hand in hers, as she did this, they could see a large healed scar present on her left cheek. The young druid immediately realized they had seen and was quick to cover it with her left hand and once again turned her head.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I'm always trying to hide my scar." The young druid sighed as she clutched her right hand tightly. "I know, looking at it I'm sure I'm hideous. Others have looked at it and immediately turned away."

"No." Wizard Boy had a firm smile on his face as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I assure you; you are quite beautiful."

The young girl gasped as she slowly moved her left hand away and turned to face the young Wizard Boy, the blush on her face impossible to hide. Rhea Fighter and Harefolk Bowman couldn't hide their smiles as they saw him so friendly with the new member of their party.

"Th, thank you. No one has ever said that about me before."

"I won't tolerate anyone speaking ill of my party members." Wizard Boy stood with a confident smile as he looked toward the trio in his party. "Come on, there's a new adventure out there waiting for us."