A different turn of fate
Chapter I
Goblins.
They are viewed as one of the weakest of the agents of chaos in the world. Often ridiculed as soldier fodder and slaves for stronger and more intelligent creatures to be used and commanded.
So most, if not all, goblin quests are treated as waste of time and energy. As they are seen by most adventurers as not worth the time and does not give much experience for growth as an adventurer. Though the major part to be blamed for such dismissive perspective of quests pertaining the said creatures are the rewards that are abysmal in amount compared to other quests. Since most goblin requests are brought in by villagers, they can't afford to hand out a decent amount of rewards for anyone taking the quest.
Thus, most goblin quests are ignored and the ones whom suffers the most due to this are the villagers. This is a reason why some villagers don't have that much of a favorable view of adventurers. Even if they are of higher ranks.
They view such adventurers as arrogant and greedy whose focus are exclusive to their fame and greed.
However, there is an exception.
There is one adventurer that takes goblin quests regardless of the insignificant amount of rewards or lack of fame that could be gain. This adventurer couldn't care less about materialistic commodity save for objects which can be used to effectively kill goblins in a myriad of manners. It matters not to this adventurer if the goblins to be slain were few in numbers residing in caves or if they are great in numbers creating nests within ruins or deep stretches of caves.
This adventurer's acts has helped countless of villages and villagers from the unforeseen wrath of goblins. Countless kidnapped people had been rescued and brought back to their respective villages in order to be healed. People had been content to have their revenge for the fallen loved ones acted upon via this adventurer's merciless purge of the vile creatures.
Due to all of this and their willingness to take little to no rewards for their endeavor, this adventurer has earned the title of 'The Frontier's Kindest'.
A folk hero of the masses.
With minstrels and bards performing songs written and dedicated to this adventurer. While embellished to a degree, these songs holds truth in them.
Helper of the poor.
Villagers' savior.
The slayer of goblins.
Yes.
This adventurer is known as 'Goblin Slayer.'
Was it because of their arrogance that they were in such a dire situation?
Or ignorance?
No.
It has to be both.
They were all new adventurers.
Young, energetic and filled with motivation and aspiration to become something greater than their current self. Planning to take on quests after quests to gain fame and better themselves. Whether it was personal desire or desire to help others, it matters not. As a party, they should be one and united tackling each challenge with the help of each other.
Yet.
How did they end up breaking?
How could they have fallen so low and in such quickness?
They already know the answer.
A mix of ignorance, arrogance, unpreparedness, and a bad turn of luck.
Thinking about it now, they should've listened to the guild girl before they left. She was saying about a more experienced adventurer willing to help them out with their quests in slaying goblins should they need it and all they had to do was ask this said adventurer.
They should've taken the guild girl's advice.
She tried to convince her new party members to listen to Guild Girl's recommendation about being careful and waiting for the said experienced adventurer to arrive and help them in their quest to kill goblins.
However in the end, she was the one whom was convinced by her party members that they were more than capable enough to deal with a few goblins.
And so they went on their way.
They made a wrong decision. That coupled with their unpreparedness costs them dearly.
She was a priestess.
Young and new she might be, she still could do something to help.
She must!
However, she sat there on the cold and dirty ground watching from the corner of her eyes her fellow party member, Wizard, was pinned to the ground by several goblins being violated as she continued to scream and beg for them to stop. Just moments earlier she could hear the grunts of Warrior, another party member, as he continued to fight against the group of goblins that had ambushed them. But now, she couldn't hear anything for said party member.
She started to cry in fear thinking about their upcoming fates. She shivered in terror as she remembered the last image she saw of Fighter, her last party member. Said party member was caught by the biggest goblin she has ever seen and was quickly pinned to the ground as numerous goblins began to violate her in front of their very eyes.
That will soon be her fate.
She clenched her teeth in fear as from within her vision she could see three goblins walk up to her. They were slow in their approach. Seemingly enjoying the amount of fear present on her face as they stalked towards her direction ever so slowly.
Cruel and sadistic.
The goblins were enjoying every second of their suffering.
She wanted to fight back. To at least do whatever she could. But even lifting her staff was no easy task with her left shoulder pierced through by an arrow shot by one of the goblins.
Sooner than she would've desired, the goblins were now right in front of her. Looking up, she saw the sick and disgusting smug smiles of the creatures and it made her wet herself which just made the goblins all the more aroused.
The goblins grabbed her and pinned her down. She kicked and punched, trying everything she could. One of the goblins pulled her hands away and pinned it over her head. Struggle all that she could, she couldn't not break free from the goblins' strength.
"Please... no..." She whimpered. "Please... stop!"
All her pleas did was excite the goblins even more as they began to tear through her attire with such eagerness and aggresiveness that she could fell her skin tear from their nails.
"NO! NO! NO!" She screamed in terror. But it did nothing. Her legs now being held in place by another goblin. "SOMEBODY! HELP! STOP! STOP! PLEASE STOP!"
A goblin leaned further down to her face and extended its tongue out of its mouth and began licking all over her face. She tried to turn her face away and clenched her eyes shut. Wishing for anything to happen.
Anything.
As she feared for the worse to happen, she suddenly heard a sound akin to something flying fast in the air. Something sharp? What followed was the sound of something wet and crunching all the while she felt her face get doused by a liquid that smelled so foul she almost puked right there and then. She squeaked as she felt the goblin drop down on her.
Bracing herself, she turned her head and opened her eyes to see what was happening and was in quite of a shock to see the goblin from before now lay on top of her motionless with a sharp throwing knife embedded deep within its head. Hearing the other goblins screech in agitation, she looked at them and saw they were all looking at the direction pass her head. She tried to angle her head to see what it was that got the goblins so angry and saw within the darkness of the cave, barely lit by the remaining active torches, was a figure was walking towards their direction almost mechanically.
The goblins screeched and one of them rushed towards the figure which now she could see wore a leather armor underneath a black cloak with a metallic helmet that covered the entirety of the figure's face.
The goblin leapt into the air with its dirty dagger aimed right down at the figure attempting to stab them. However, the goblin's attack failed as the figure stepped to the side making the dagger swing miss. In a swift manner, the figure grabbed the goblin by its right leg as it fell from its leaping attack and swung the goblin to the coarse and sharp edges of the cave's wall making the goblin's head split and bleed. As the goblin slid against the wall, the figure confirmed its death by kicking its head making it completely explode in a messy cloud of flesh, bone, and brain matter.
Seeing the demise of their kin, the goblins present all screeched and rushed towards the figure in a complete angered frenzy. The figure turned towards the upcoming goblins and reached under their cloak pulling out multiple throwing knives where were held by their handles in the gaps between their fingers. Two goblins immediately fell as the figure threw two knives at the same time making her arms cross. Unperturbed by the events due to their rage, the goblins continued their frenzied rush. With a swing of the figure's right hand, another goblin fell as a knife pierced through its head with ease. With a swing of the figure's other hand, another goblin fell.
Despite her grim status, the priestess couldn't help but be at awe at the proficiency of the figure in killing the goblins one after the other with their throwing knives. Seeing the remaining goblins reach where the figure was, she was scared that they might be able to overcome the figure with their numbers.
But her fear was unfounded.
The figure merely weaved side to side, front to back, back to front again, evading each and every one of the attacks the goblins tried to unleash against their lone enemy.
The figure then lowered themselves to the ground, twirled around, and swept one of the goblins off their feet and before it could even fall to the ground, they plunged the knife held in their left hand directly into the goblin's neck almost nailing it to the ground with it. The figure then kicked one of the goblins by their knee making fall forward and she seized the opportunity by shifting their right hand making the goblin fell down towards the knife head first. A following goblin lunged at the figure with its crudely made stone ax swinging down towards the figure whom flipped themselves backwards avoiding the attack. As soon as their feet landed on the ground, the figure leapt towards the goblin, grasping its face firmly, pushed it down on the ground head first, and finished it off with three stabs to its throat with the third twisting and digging into the flesh deepest.
Priestess couldn't do anything but grasp her staff closer to her being as she watched the lone figure continue to slay goblins one after the other with the speed and flow of river water flowing between stones gracefully.
Yes.
It was as if the figure was performing a dance.
A dance of death and blood. Of violence and gore. Of viscera and flesh.
A dance whose purpose was exclusive for the slaying of goblins.
Priestess was tenderly caressing her left shoulder. The figure from before approached her after killing every single goblin within the area and pulled out the arrow lodge in her shoulder with just a single word of warning. The pain was excruciating for her but it she understood that it had to be done. She was given a potion which would help alleviate some of the pain. Initially she declined the potion and offered for it to be given to her party member, wizard, but the figure declined and said that she had spares and will use it if necessary.
She grew anxious and petrified as she heard Wizard asking the figure to kill her and ease her suffering. Hearing the figure said that they are willing to do so if she was certain, priestess was about to stop them before seeing the figure lean closer to Wizard and whisper something in her ear.
Wizard's eyes widened for a few seconds before closing and started to uncontrollably shed tears. She clenched her teeth as well as her hands as much as she could.
"...L-let me.." Wizard whimpered. "...l-let me...l-live..."
Hearing her response, the figure nodded and carefully assisted Wizard in drinking a potion. Then gently laying her on top of a cloak against the cave walls.
"I'll head on further inside." The figure stated. Their voice was muffled due to the helmet they were wearing making it a bit difficult to fully recognize their voice.
"...D-don't...please..." Wizard softly pleaded. "...Don't l-leave..."
"Don't worry." The figure's voice replied in a cold and confident tone. "No more goblins will be leaving this way."
Perhaps from feeling a bit relieved, Wizard finally fell unconscious.
As the figure began to walk further inside the cave in careful and silent steps, the priestess followed very closely behind after being convinced that it was safe to leave Wizard for now.
"How many are your party members?" The figure asked.
"H-huh?" Due to her nervousness, the priestess felt a bit confused by the sudden question. Her mind working in slight overdrive due to what happened just moments ago.
"How many are your party members still inside?"
"O-oh!" Priestess responded. "T-there's still two of them inside."
"Both women?"
"Um no." Priestess shook her head. "One female and one male."
The figure was silent for a few seconds before responding. "There's a good chance your female party member is still alive. But your male party member, he has a lower chance of being alive."
"W-why is that?"
"Goblins tend to keep women alive for increasing their numbers and their sick pleasure." They explained. "But they have little to no use for men. Besides torturing them for their amusement."
Priestess grew uncomfortably silent after. She prayed with all her might that her remaining party members were still alive. That even in such dire situations, they could still encounter small mercies from the gods.
She looked at the figure walking in front of her with both curiosity and caution. It was quite obvious that they were an adventurer which was futher confirmed by the sight of an adventurer tag hanging from their neck.
Silver.
All of a sudden she could remember the words Guild Girl said to them before they decided to leave and go about their quest.
"Um... can I ask who you are?" Priestess asked in an uneasy tone.
"Goblin slayer." Was all the response she received from the figure.
The slayer of goblins.
"W-what are we going to do next?"
"What else?" The figure asked in a tone that seemed to imply that they thought that the priestess' question was weird. "Slay goblins."
Priestess let out a rare sigh of relief as she continued to follow Goblin slayer a bit deeper into the cave. Along the way they met a few more goblins which were all easily killed by the silver-ranked adventurer. They discovered Warrior laying on the ground in a puddle of his own blood. He was barely breathing and he was missing his right arm. Priestess wrapped the stump as carefully as she could before casting [Minor Heal] and hoped for the best.
Along the way Goblin Slayer asked her if they saw a bigger goblin and she answered in positive. Goblin Slayer then explained that that big goblin was probably a hob which was probably brought in by the goblin shaman to be used as a body guard. Goblin Slayer then explained the danger of goblins. They weren't smart, but they weren't exactly foolish either.
Goblin Slayer then build a rope trap just at the entrance to the sole passageway which lead into the main area where the goblins' nest resided.
"Don't forget about this." Goblin Slayer warned her.
It could be your death if you do so, Goblin Slayer explained.
"Just pass here is the main hall." Goblin Slayer stated. "Stand here and cast Holy light then head back to the entrance."
Mustering up any remaining resolve she had left in her, Priestess began to chant.
"O Earth Mother, abounding in mercy, grant your sacred light to we who are lost in darkness." Priestess chanted in a clear voice. "[Holy Light]!"
With the miracles bright light, the interior of the main hall was revealed while blinding the unsuspecting goblins within.
"Five women." Goblin Slayer counted immediately. "Six goblins. One shaman. One hob."
Overcoming its shock from the bright light of Priestess' miracle, the goblin shaman raised its crude staff, aiming at Goblin Slayer's direction, and began to chant.
However, Goblin Slayer was prepared for this.
Pulling out the strange weapon slung across their back with the use of leather belt, Goblin Slayer straightened out their arm holding the weapon pointing right at the goblin shaman's direction and with a move of their finger, a loud bang erupted. What followed was the sudden explosion of the goblin shaman's head which splattered blood and flesh all over the interior of the cave.
As her ears were still ringing due to the sudden loud sound, Priestess couldn't hear Goblin Slayer telling her to run back to the entrance. Seeing this, Goblin Slayer pulled Priestess by her wrist and ran towards the entrance. As soon as Priestess recoverd, Goblin Slayer released her wrist as they continued to run.
It was until she saw Goblin Slayer jump just before they reached the entrance had Priestess realised that she forgot about the trap from earlier. Just a few inches before the trap, Priestess jumped at the last second in a desperate attempt to avoid the said trap which worked yes, but ended with her falling down to the ground.
Hearing the hobgoblin from before rushed towards them, priestess grew scared as she thought of the big goblin seeing the trap and thus it being rendered useless at the end. Perhaps if she had a remaining miracle she could've blinded the hobgoblin with [Holy Light], but she had casted [Minor Heal] earlier on Warrior. Thus her previous [Holy Light] was the last miracle she could cast at the present day.
Her worries was soon proven to be unfounded as before the hobgoblin could reach the trap Goblin Slayer threw a carefully aimed throwing knife at the hobgoblin's eyes which hurt it and in its suffering failed to avoid the trap which resulted in it tripping and falling hard to the ground. With quick movements, Goblin Slayer withdrew their sword which was in a sheath attached to their hip and immediately stabbed the hobgoblin at the back of its neck twisting it to break its bone to make certain its death.
"The other goblins are coming!"
"I know." Goblin Slayer replied in their usual cold tone before dousing the hobgoblin's corpse with some sort of liquid with strange smell then kicking further into the passageway to the main hall making it collide with the upcoming goblins. Goblin Slayer then threw a torch towards the goblins now covered in that strange liquid setting them all ablaze.
"W-what was that?"
"Medea's oil." Goblin Slayer replied. "Gasoline. An expensive material for such a simple effect, but it does have its uses."
"And that weapon from before?" Priestess asked as she eyed the weapon now slung again across Goblin Slayer's back.
"Blunderbuss." Goblin Slayer answered before picking up a stone axe that was laying on the ground. "A firearm crafted by a group of dwarves I've met before. It was given to me as part of reward."
Priestess nodded at the explanation.
"Are you heading back in?"
"No need." Goblin Slayer answered before pulling out a few more throwing knives. "They are experts in ambush, yet they are stupid enough to believe that no one will be planning to ambush them."
What transpired next was the scene priestess had seen just earlier. Goblin Slayer killing goblins one after the other which made the action look easier than it actually was. Goblin Slayer used weapon after weapon. Throwing away a weapon they deemed no longer useful before replacing with the weapons the now deceased goblins wielded moments earlier.
As the number goblins have ceased, both she and Goblin Slayer finally went back into the main hall. There she saw Fighter on the ground motionless covered in all kinds of disgusting liquids. She didn't move but she cried endlessly. After confirming the death of the goblin shaman, Goblin Slayer destroyed the disturbing throne made of human skeletons and revealed a hidden wooden door at the end of the main hall. Inside were a number of young goblins. Seeing Goblin Slayer raised their weapon, she asked if they were going kill even the goblin children which was answered yes.
Her attempt to persuade Goblin Slayer in doing otherwise failed and the goblin children were killed mercilessly. Priestess teared up as she began to pray.
"There is no such thing as a good goblin." Goblin Slayer declared. "All of them are disgusting and despicable."
"There is no exception."
Cow Girl had just returned home from her travels to the town. She had delivered their farm's produce to the guild and other stores in the said town and it took her longer than she had expected. She was about to head inside their house when she had the feeling of wanting to check the shed separated from their house that housed her precious childhood friend.
Known as Goblin Slayer in the frontier.
Opening the door to the shed she looked inside and true enough her childhood friend was there sitting on the floor in front of a table as they seemed to inspect their equipment. It appears that they had just returned from a quest. She slowly walked up to her friend and embraced them from behind.
"Don't." Goblin Slayer warned.
"Hmm?" Cow girl merely smiled.
"I smell bad."
"Don't care." Cow girl grinned as she shook her head.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence between the two of them, Cow Girl placed her hands on each side of Goblin Slayer's helmet and proceeded to try and take it off of her friend.
Goblin Slayer raised their hands and grasped Cow Girl's hands in a firm yet gentle manner.
"Stop that."
"We talked about this didn't we?" Cow Girl reprimanded though her tone was light.
"It protects me from a sudden attack."
"It is safe here."
"We don't know that for certain."
"Oh? Don't you always check every place here, no matter how small, for any source of danger?"
"Yes."
"Then doesn't that mean that it's currently safe right now?" Cow Girl explained trying to keep her smiled from getting wider. "Since you didn't say anything to me or uncle to suggest otherwise."
"...I-..." Goblin Slayer was a lost for words.
"Come now." Cow Girl narrowed her eyes as her friend's hands had yet to release her own hands. "I'll get angry."
After a few seconds of silence, Goblin Slayer finally relented.
Cow Girl smiled in her small victory which she viewed as actually a big one as sometimes her words don't work on her friend. She unclasped the belt under her friend's chin then slowly and carefully lifted the helmet off of her friend's head.
As the helmet was taken off, Goblin Slayer's face was now open for Cow Girl to see.
Messy from being held inside a helmet, yet beautiful gray-colored hair which reached just pass her shoulders. Sharp eyes in the color of wine red with long eyelashes. A number of thin lines, which were scars, were on her face yet it did little to diminish the exotic beauty of Goblin Slayer.
"There we go." Cow girl smiled sweetly, a little red. "It is such a shame to hide such beautiful face underneath that cold and heavy helmet."
To be continued.
Notes
I would be changing the canon in order to have the story go through a different path than the original. I didn't want to just copy and paste with just the added alteration of Goblin Slayer's gender.
I wanted to changed it up a bit. I've begun with Goblin Slayer herself. In this story I've made her focus on agility and flexibility. Speed and such. With a different set of weapons and equipment. Perhaps even magic.
Afterword
This idea had been inside my head for a long while now. I wanted to write it a long time ago, but life just had the tendency to kick me while I'm down. I want to continue writing. To pick up the stories I've left unfinished. The motivation just couldn't come and I just kept on falling further down.
But now, I've decided that enough is enough. I need to act. I need to better myself. I want to write more. So I decided to do this as a warm up.
Please tell me what you think of the story in a review. If you have any tips and recommendations please don't hesitate to tell me all about them in a review.
If you spot any mistakes, and I know there will be, please tell me and I'll try to fix them as soon as possible.
See you in the next chapter!
Laters~