Though she was still trying to adjust to the harshness of the world that existed beyond the limits of abbey life, Priestess could honestly say that she would probably never feel as terrified and intrigued as she was at this very moment.

Yes her first day as an adventurer had almost resulted in her sharing the fate of her first comrades, though she was uncertain if her suffering would have been as short as Wizard's or prolonged like Fighter's, but her rescuer, unorthodox he might be, had nevertheless reminded her that the forces of good were alive and active in a world threatened by darkness.

But standing near a being whose aura all but announced his alliance with the darker powers of the world, was enough to remind her that the gods of darkness were just as interested in plunging the world into chaos as the gods of light were interested in maintaining order.

Thus Priestess remained frozen to spot, much in the way a mouse froze when trying to avoid the attention of a predator, and listened with understandable nervousness as this black armored being answered the questions that were being asked of him by Guild Girl.

But while the deep voice was far blunter than even the man who had saved her life, the young girl couldn't help but question her earlier judgement as the armored man revealed the details of his quest.

For to take on 31 Goblins, on their own turf no less, required a great deal of courage. But the man had managed to not only successfully do so, but had also done it without the aid of others.

A task that was more impressive not only because he managed to wipe out the entire nest, but also because of the presence of a Goblin Shaman and a Hobgoblin.

It was after hearing of that extraordinary deed that Priestess allowed herself to peer at the imposing man's aura, and upon seeing it, she was uncertain if the gasp that almost passed her lips was because of shock, or wonder.

She was unsurprised, and a slightly disappointed to see that it was dark in color. But to have it resemble a star lit night sky, not to mention the way it seemed to disappear into whiteness when it drew past his knees and elbows, that had been something that she hadn't expected.

Nor did she expect the 'stars' to dim as he spoke of the fate of those who had been unfortunate enough to find themselves at the non existent mercy of the Goblins.

"There was one. Unfortunately, she was past saving by the time I arrived".

Frowning as she heard this answer, for to her ears it sounded like the black armored adventurer was trying to avoid the question, Priestess felt her nervousness increase as she saw the man's aura darken as Guild Girl pressed for more information.

"Can you be more specific with your answer please? I know that the topic might be…difficult, but for the sake of our records, I need to know precisely what happened".

For a moment, the young girl felt like she was standing on the edge of a frigid abyss. A feeling that only got worse as the armored behemoth described, in detail, what he had discovered in the Goblin tunnels.

"The girl was being used a…incubator for those creatures. It was apparent that the abomination growing inside her, while not the first, was certainty going to be the last thing she accomplished in this world. So I agreed to fulfil her last request".

Gripping her staff tighter, for the fate that had just been described could have very well been hers if Goblin Slayer hadn't arrived when he did, Priestess was thankfully prevented from continuing her recollections due to the man's sudden bust of impatience.

"If you are quite finished with your interrogation, I wish to enquire if there are any further quests of that particular…nature".

…..

Allowing an amused smirk to spread across his features as he took in the girl's expression, though he was slightly confused as to why there was a slight feeling of amusement coming from the collected members of the guild, Vader found himself surprised when the receptionist was interrupted by one who had previously been too frightened to utter a sound.

"But your han…I mean, your injured. You can't possibly go out on another quest until your healed".

Slowly turning his head to take in the appearance of the girl, the former Jedi found some of his earlier irritation returning as the receptionist decided to intervene.

"Not to mention the fact that you had previously stated that you suffered no injuries. Lying on official reports is something that isn't exactly good for a professional relationship you know".

Doing his best to remember that these females were far different from the numerous Imperial officers that had provoked his ire, Vader held up his gloved hand towards the older woman to show her his so called 'wound'.

"While I admit to having one of my…opponents get close enough to ensure a successful strike, I assure you that they caused me no har…".

"Did you immediately take an antidote"?

Allowing a bit of his anger to flare outward at this interruption, which resulted in the young girl cowering in a way that could put even a Neimoidian to shame, the former Jedi answered the question in his usual blunt tone.

"There was no need. While the blade did pierce the glove, it failed to pierce the metal of my…armor".

Pleased to see that his answer had been accepted by the receptionist, though he was still somewhat annoyed by how the younger female seemed to be staring at his leather covered prosthetic, Vader allowed some of his anger to dissipate as he repeated his earlier question.

"Now that that has been settled, I will ask again. Do you have any more quests that involve the extermination of those…creatures"?

Earning a nod from the admirably professional woman, who wisely provided him with the available contracts, written in words that he could not read, the former Jedi reached deep into the Force in order to determine which of them deserved his immediate attention.

Sadly however, the Force was of little help at this moment.

For while it did provide a brief glimpse of what these Goblins could achieve if left alone, he could sense that not only it would be some time before they felt secure enough to move beyond simple thievery, but also that they lacked the means and urgency, though not the desire, to begin increasing their numbers.

Deciding that he would have to select one at random, since it would not be wise to reveal his inability to decipher this planet's written language, Vader prepared to point at one of the pieces of paper when the voice of the younger girl once again rose above his breathing.

"D…do you mean to do this by yourself"?

Slowly turning his heavily armored body so he didn't have to keep turning his head, the fallen Chosen One almost felt amused as he allowed the girl to stammer her excuse for once again interfering in his business.

"It…its just that Gob…Goblin quests are very dangerous. An…and since your only a ob…obsidian rank, yo…you shouldn't being doing it by yourself".

Unsure if he should be amused at the girl's concern, or annoyed at having his abilities questioned by someone who looked like they were about to wet themselves with fear, Vader's already limited patience was tested again with a voice that was almost as blunt as his own.

"She's right. When going after Goblins for the first time, it is wiser to do so in a group rather than as an individual. Especially if you don't know what your doing".

…..

Ignoring the embarrassed expression that had come over Priestess's face at the unintended reminder, as well as the nervous expression that was currently adorning Guild Girl's face, Goblin Slayer stood his ground as the reflective lenses of the black armored adventurer turned to regard him.

"And what makes you think that I do not know what I am doing"?

Unperturbed by the man's hostile response, though he was somewhat concerned by the light, almost unnotiable pressure that was currently pressed across his throat, the Goblin slaying specialist answered the question in his typical fashion.

"I never said you were. However, considering the volume of your breathing, I suspect that you'll have some difficulty in taking them by surprise".

Not that the stealth approach was a guaranteed way to successfully survive a Goblin quest, let alone complete it. But considering one had a greater chance of success if the Goblins were unaware of an intruder, there was something to be said about the use of stealth.

Something that was acknowledged, albeit grudgingly, by the towering monolith.

"Yours words…have some truth to them. However, stealth was not necessary for the 2 nests I…extinguished. A credible threat to those who are unprepared, or lack proper training, but in the end…they are no match for the power I possess".

Although his helmet prevented anyone from seeing his face, Goblin Slayer was currently wearing an expression that could easily tell people that he was impressed by not only this statement, but also by the one who made it.

For while he too was capable of wiping out one nest after the other, Goblin Slayer knew that to do so required heavy preperation, and a degree of stealth. For until recently, he had undergone thesse missions alone, and thus had to do all that he could to ensure that he wasn't overwhelmed by the Goblins superior numbers.

But this man, while confident to the point or arrogance, nevertheless appeared to have the skill set to back it up.

Although his equipment could have been better designed if he was to devote himself to the extermination of the Goblin race.

The helmet was a good idea, especially with how it protected the neck. But the design of its eye piecesm, not to mention the way it seemed to amplify its user's breathing, was something that would limit its usefulness in the darkened passageways of a Goblin nest.

The shoulder armor looked heavy enough to easily deflect a Goblin blade, with the cape being used either as a means to hide its wearer's movements, or as a potential means to either blind or choke an opponent. But they would probably get in the way when speed and agility was required.

The blinking lights around his torso and belt would attract the attention of the creatures who had perfect night vision.

The weapon that hung at his side, while easily concealed, was probably too fragile/high maintenance to be used in constant close quartered fighting.

And his height, while slightly imposing, or more than slightly considering Priestess's less than calm demeanor, would probably become detrimental considering the locations in which Goblins were more likely to inhabit.

But despite these limitations, and with no one to provide support, the black armored being had wiped out 2 nests without concealing his presence, or using anything that he did not have on his person.

Which is why Goblin Slayer was completely sincere when he responded to the man's boasting.

" I see".

…..

Holding her head in her hand as she heard the typical response of her partner, for she suspected that Goblin Slayer's answer would further irritate the more intimidating adventurer, Priestess had to fight the urge to sigh in relief as Guild Girl decided to take the lead in preventing the two men from coming to blows.

"Now that we've managed to fully clear up the misunderstanding of your report, have you decided which Goblin slyaing quest you wish to undertake"?

Fighting the sudden urge to giggle as both men turned their heads at the same time to stare at the blond haired woman, the young cleric let out a sigh as her partner lived up to his reputation of being slightly single minded.

"I have. The 3 adventurers you had me meet were able to convince me to join them. So they will be accompanying me on my quest to destroy the nest".

Puffing out her cheeks in irritation, since this was not the first time he had made decisions without consulting her opinion, Priestess found her earlier apprehension returning as the more intimidating adventurer showed a noticeable amount of interest in Goblin Slayer's words.

"You…are undertaking a quest to exterminate a more….troublesome nest of these creatures"?

Fighting the urge to stare in wonder at the man's aura, for never before had she witnessed the dark and light aspects of a person's spirit intensify in near perfect harmony, Priestess was uncertain if she should sigh in frustration or resignation as her silver ranked partner answered the question.

"That is correct. These Goblins are not only large in number, but have also established themselves relatively close to a populated settlement. Therefore it needs to be taken care of immediately".

Resigning herself to another disgustingly terrifying quest, albeit one whose completion would hopefully please the Earth Mother, the blond haired cleric found her self experiencing yet another mini panic attack as the deep voice of the imposing adventurer dragged her away from the thought of once again being covered in Goblin blood.

"I see. Then you will not object if I…accompany you on this mission"?

Rendered speechless by such an offer, though she derived some comfort from the fact that both Guild Girl, and many of the eavesdropping adventurers were currently sharing her shocked expression, Priestess barely caught the slight motion of Goblin Slayer's helmet as he considered this offer.

"Hmmm. I suppose it would be useful to have another person with fighting experience. But I'm not sure that we'll be able to keep our presence quiet if we allow you tag along".

Shivering as the air momentarily became as cold as a winters night, Priestess gripped her staff tighter as the black armored adventurer raised his hand to point at her not so mildly obsessed partner.

"Do not presume to have any say over my actions adventurer. The abilities that I possess are far beyond your ability to comprehend. Which means that any attempt to exert power over me is futile. However, in this instance, since our goals appear to be similar, I suppose that I can tolerate a more….equal relationship between us. I trust that this…. arrangement is suitable to you"?

Expecting her partner to give one of his infamous short responses, at least if he didn't walk away and act like the conversation had never happened, Priestess was more than surprised when Goblin Slayer was interrupted by a voice that was both youthful, and yet possessed a quality that one would have expected from one who had seen countless years.

"Hey Orcbolg! We heading out or…WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING"?

….

And I think that's enough for now XD.

FINALLY got to the point where our favorite Goblin obsessed warrior meets the most badass Force use in history. And I am reasonably pleased with how this turned out.

Next chapter of course will cover the groups interactions with Vader, picturing a very amusing/volatile reaction from High Elf Archer XD.

Also…considering incorporating SOME elements from the Abridged series. Nothing too major since I find it very hard to have a funny Vader (except perhaps in the father son/daughter comics…and artwork with Aphra), but the Dwarfs drinking….and Goblin Slayer mistaking the Ogre for a Goblin…THAT MIGHT be incorporated.

Cause right now, I can easily picture "What about you Lord Vader. Have a sip of the Duergar's Grundle".

Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this. Plz Review, no flames

Til next time.