Disclaimer: I own neither Goblin Slayer or Red Dead Redemption

Chapter 8

"We would like to present to you your ruby tag, Mister Gunslinger!"

Arthur smiled as he took the carved gem tag, holding it up to the light. It was a long time coming, but he could feel some pride in his achievement. He wasn't usually one to think much of position in the workplace, coming from an equal opportunity gang after all, but he couldn't deny the small bit of achievement he felt having earned the latest rank.

"Thank you kindly, Guild Girl. Only a few more ranks and I'll be caught up to my partner," Arthur chuckled, putting the tag over his neck and tucking it under his neckerchief.

"All in due time. I have no doubt you'll be caught up soon. You have earned your rank remarkably faster compared to most other adventurers, after all," Guild Girl pointed out.

"Right, there is that. That reminds me though, when is Priestess gettin' her rank up?" Arthur asked. "She's been workin' real hard with us these past couple months."

"She'll be getting one soon, I believe. Though I have to admit, it is… much harder for her." Guild Girl sighed, rubbing her neck.

"Why's that? She puts in a lotta work."

"You're right about that, but despite this, she's still working with two incredibly high ranked adventurers. While you were the same at first, your reports with Goblin Slayer's make it clear that you work just as hard as him, as well as how you were able to go on a good deal of quests alone. While Priestess is doing well as support, some question whether or not she can handle herself if she were in a different party, or that you two are taking on all the work while she's carried by you." Guild Girl went onto explain, causing Arthur to frown and rub his chin hairs.

"That don't seem exactly fair. She's always ready to go on jobs with us. Pushes herself too hard sometimes." Arthur suggested, earning a nod from Guild Girl.

"I do agree with you, but I'm not the only one who judges on a person's rank up. If you want to put in a good word with the other observers, you can and it could help, though."

"I see… maybe I'll do that. Reckon the girl deserves it for all the hard work," Arthur nodded before tipping his hat. "Anyway, thanks again. I'll be sure to put this new tag to use for jobs when I ain't goblin huntin'."

"Of course, it was my pleasure. I look forward to seeing what work you handle from here on," Guild Girl smiled, giving a wave as Arthur left the interview office. The cowboy walked to the guild's main hall, looking down to see Goblin Slayer and Priestess waiting for him at the bottom of the steps.

"Mister Gunslinger! Did it go well?" Priestess asked expectantly, her eyes shining with hope and worry.

"You know, it's hard to say…" Arthur sighed, feigning some disappointment as he trotted down the steps. Priestess seemed crestfallen by his response, only for Arthur to laugh and pull the tag up for her to see. "Just kiddin'. It went great."

"Ah! Congratulations, Mister Gunslinger! You frightened me for a moment," Priestess giggled, giving him a dazzling smile.

"Good job." Goblin Slayer said shortly. "You worked hard for it."

"I had some good help," Arthur said, patting him on the shoulder. "Speakin' of, I'm callin' in some of that help tomorrow. We're goin' huntin', and it ain't for no goblin."

"Right…" Goblin Slayer lowered his head. "I do owe you."

"That you do. But don't worry, we'll still divide the take evenly," Arthur chuckled before walking past them. "But for now, I'm feelin' quite generous today. Come on, I got a couple gifts for you."

"For us? But you're the one who ranked up today. If anything, we should be giving you gifts," Priestess said, jogging to his side as she and Goblin Slayer fell in line with Arthur.

"Nah, you don't gotta worry about me. I can get whatever I need. But there is somethin' I think y'all are in sore need of. And that's a ride of your own." Arthur pushed open the guild doors, leading them to his horse. "This one's for you, Goblin Slayer. I'm gonna give you my old horse."

"Are you sure?" Goblin Slayer tilted his head toward the brindle horse as Arthur walked up to it, the cowboy beginning to pat its neck.

"You've had it for some time, haven't you? You don't mind giving him up?" Priestess asked.

"He's a good horse, but I've been thinkin' of gettin' a new ride. Besides, I think it's better for Goblin Slayer to get a horse I've already taught everything it needs to know and has been around him." Arthur explained, pulling a brush out of its saddle bag. "Just promise you'll take care of the big guy, and he's all yours. I'm sure the farm you live on can accommodate him, too."

"... Thank you. I will." Goblin Slayer walked up to the horse, placing a gentle hand on its mane. The horse whinnied in approval, having spent enough time around Goblin Slayer by now.

"Good to hear. Now that it's settled, time to get yours, lil' lady." Arthur said, turning around and walking down the town road.

"F-For me? But I don't-"

"Come on, I said I would before. Besides, if me and him got a mount, you need one too. Gotta make sure you can keep up, after all," Arthur dismissed, leading the two away from the guild.

"Well… okay, if you don't mind." Priestess smiled, quickly catching up to him. "Thank you very much!"

"Don't mention it. You work hard, Priestess. I think you need a little somethin' to show for it, is all." Arthur reassured her, patting her on the head. Priestess bashfully rubbed her neck, looking away.

"Where are we going?" Goblin Slayer asked.

"There's a stable in town that we can get horses from. Had my eye on a beautiful beast for some time, honestly," Arthur admitted. "We can get both ours from there."

"I see."

The three moved through the town, Priestess practically skipping along the way. Arthur found it amusing, watching the young lady anticipate her new mount. They soon arrived at the stable, a husky man in overalls greeting them as they arrived.

"Ah, Mister Gunslinger! Here to browse again?"

"Nope, not this time. Lookin' to buy. Somethin' for me an' somethin' for the lil' lady." Arthur said, pointing to Priestess who bowed in greeting.

"Ah, I see! Well then, I think you'll be happy with our stocks! We just got a few new mounts for you all to spare a look at if ye like. Let's have a look around!" The stable owner said, waving a hand and leading them in. The stable itself was rather large, and understandably so. The three saw an assortment of mounts that weren't limited to horses.

"Now, we've got a few good creatures in stock! Recently we had a camel imported from one of the desert countries. Fine beast that can travel for longer times over distance than horses, though are notably slower. For the young lady though, I'd recommend a pony or a mule. She does have a small frame."

"True, but I think she needs somethin' that can keep up with what we're gonna ride. Though a camel might be a bit much." Arthur said. "A regular ol' horse will do."

"A pony does sound cute, but I don't want to hold the group back." Priestess nodded in affirmation.

"Of course, of course. Are you still interested in the Warhorse, or will you be getting a regular stallion?" The stable owner asked curiously.

"The Warhorse for me. That was a beautiful beast if I ever seen one."

"What's special about the Warhorse?" Goblin Slayer asked curiously.

"The Warhorse is built for combat and long rides! It can trot on for days and trample through a crowd of men. It's stronger than other horses and twice as durable! You won't find many other steeds out there built better!" The stable owner bragged, puffing his chest out in pride.

"I doubt some of it, but it certainly is a special beast to behold." Arthur chuckled, causing the stable owner to deflate. "I've been savin' up some since I saw it. Should be exactly what… what…" Arthur slowed to a stop, his eyes caught on something across the room. "What the hell is that?"

Goblin Slayer and Priestess stopped as well, heads following his line of sight. Sticking out over one of the stable doors was a large dog's head, its fur fawn while its face was black. It breathed deeply as its tongue stuck out of its mouth, drool trickling down into a puddle beneath it. Its face and fur hung with saggy skin.

"... It looks like a dog." Goblin Slayer finally answered.

"A dog? That looks more like a bear!" Arthur said, raising a brow.

"Ah, I see you've spotted our latest addition! This is our recently bred Dire Mastiff!" The stable owner said, guiding them over to the horse sized dog. "We recently met an animal breeder that offered this one to us. I thought I'd take a chance and see who might be interested in such a beast."

"It's a mastiff..? But most mastiffs are much smaller, though still quite large…" Priestess said, walking up to the dog and reaching a hand out. She retreated somewhat when it looked at her, but approached once again. The dog sniffed her hand for a moment before leaning forward and licking her cheek. Priestess had a face full of saliva in repayment, but somehow giggled despite that. "He's so cute!" She said, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around its neck.

"This boy was bred between dire wolves and mastiffs. Several people have tried to use dire wolves as mounts, but more often than not, their wilder tendencies made them unreliable as riding beasts. So, the breeder decided to see what would happen if he could cross breed and see what he would come up with. So far, this is one of the best pups he's bred. Looks more like a mastiff than wolf, don't it?"

"Sure. It don't even got the fur of one neither," Arthur nodded, mildly impressed. "Why bother doin' so much work for this, though?"

"Well, while mastiff's are reliable mounts for Rhea and Dwarves, they're still too small for regular sized people like us. He wanted a dog mount our size." Said the stable owner.

"What can it do over a horse?" Goblin Slayer asked, intrigued.

"Ah, a good deal of things! Having a dog mount means that you can track a target's scent, use it to keep watch and even have it fight alongside you if need be. And having a dire mastiff, you can count on it being able to kill quite a few monsters on its own!"

"I see. It does seem useful." Goblin Slayer put a hand to the chin of his helmet.

"How fast can this big boy run?" Arthur asked curiously.

"About as fast as a horse! It might have the look of a mastiff, but it's still got the bones of a dire wolf! You should see this thing fly! Now, it's certainly not as fast as something like the Warhorse, but not much is." The stable owner explained.

"Well… that certainly is an impressive bear, for sure," Arthur chuckled, turning back to the stable owner. "Alright, let's get back to the horses before he licks your face off."

"Um…" Arthur raised a brow when he looked back at Priestess. She was staring intently at the monster of a dog, holding its face between her hands. Her eyes glimmered innocently as she turned to Arthur. "Would… Would it be okay if I got… him?"

Arthur blinked. His head snapped over to Goblin Slayer before snapping back to Priestess. "Come again?"

"I… I would like to have him! If that's okay…" Priestess said, wringing her hands together as she got nervous. The dire mastiff leaned over her shoulder and licked her face, causing her to giggle again.

"You're serious? You want this big ol' bear of a dog as your ride?" Arthur asked, walking over to Priestess and the dog. It shifted its neck over to Arthur, causing him to jerk his head back in reaction. It then snuck in a quick lick, causing Arthur blinked in shock before wiping off a thick layer of saliva. "Jesus…"

"I-I just think that… that he's so adorable!" Priestess admitted, hugging her arms around its neck. "He's so big, and I feel like he could help us out so much!"

"He did describe some useful traits." Goblin Slayer suggested.

"Not you, too…" Arthur sighed, looking back at the dog. "Look, this big thing is… takin' care of a horse and a dog are very different things, you know?"

"Actually, mastiffs, and by extension this big fellow, are pretty independent creatures! They can be kept in a stable just as well as any horse. But in contrast, they're capable of cuddling up with their owner like any other dog."

"That thing wouldn't cuddle up with you, it'd swallow you whole." Arthur huffed, shaking his head.

"Please~, Mister Gunslinger? I think he would be a great mount to have!" Priestess exclaimed, hugging the dog's head to her own, making her look like a baby by comparison. The dog, someway or another, seemed to understand, giving Arthur the biggest puppy dog eyed look he'd ever seen.

"But he… but you…" Arthur smacked his lips, looking around at the other men for support, only for the stable owner to grin while Goblin Slayer stared silently. Arthur let out a long breath and ran a hand down his face.

"How much for the big monster?"


"A-Am I doing it right, Mister Gunslinger?"

Arthur had to pucker his lips as he tried not to laugh, smiling as he watched Priestess tentatively cling to her newly acquired mount. It was a sight to behold, seeing such a tiny framed girl riding on the massive back of the dire mastiff. It was just as amusing when they were walking through town, watching everyone's reaction. For once, it wasn't Goblin Slayer bringing in everyone's attention. Arthur was honestly looking forward to seeing the reactions of people at the guild soon enough.

"You're doin' just fine. Try to keep yourself upright, and don't feel too nervous. He'll feel how anxious you are. Though he certainly don't seem to notice…" Arthur advised, looking down at the surprisingly relaxed dog. It just stood there with its tongue hanging out, waiting for Priestess's command.

"Like this..?" Priestess asked, straightening her back as he feet moved frantically in their stirrups.

"Try to relax. He ain't goin' nowhere 'til you're ready. Grab hold of the reins and then the saddle horn. Until you're confident, you can hold onto that."

"Okay…" Priestess took hold of the horn, letting out a small breath of relief as she felt more secure. "You and Goblin Slayer make it look so easy…"

"It will be once you're used to it. We'll keep workin' on it and won't ride out for quests 'til you're ready." Arthur reassured, patting the neck of his newly acquired Warhorse.

"Okay… at least it gives me time to get to know Mastiff," Priestess said, smiling down at the dog as she rubbed the scruff of his neck.

"It's still strange to see you ridin' a dog, but… whatever works for you." Arthur chuckled, moving his horse forward. "Go ahead and hop off. We'll head back and see if Goblin Slayer snatched a job up for us."

"Okay." Priestess of course had to awkwardly struggled to pull herself down from Mastiff's back. Arthur reached over, helping her down from the dog's back. "Riding is hard…"

"You're thinkin' too hard on it. It'll get easier, believe me. Though I will say this is a first for both of us. Never thought I'd help you learn how to ride a dog," Arthur chuckled, grabbing Mastiff's reins and pulling him over to the post at the front of the guild, tying him to it.

"Maybe… I wonder what's taking Mister Goblin Slayer so long?" Priestess mumbled, the two walking inside the guild.

"Probably saw a goblin quest and left without sayin' somethin'," Arthur shrugged as the two walked inside. "It wouldn't surprise me much."

"Y-Yeah, I could see that happening…" Priestess said with a sheepish laugh.

"I believe his name was… Sir Goblin Slayer."

Arthur put a hand in front of Priestess, bringing them both to a halt. His hand reflexively hovered over his revolver, eyes darting up to the guild's front desk. He half expected to see a mercenary from the Ash Wolves. What he got instead was a very unique sight. One consisting of a dwarf, an elf and a lizardman.

The dwarf was a shaman by the look of him, his short and stout body draped in a white robe and his aged white hair tied up in a top knot, with a long beard going down his chest. The elf had particularly long pointed ears, more so than any other elf Arthur had met up to this point. She wore a brown cloak over her shoulders with the hood down, the rest of her clothes hidden away. The lizardman was dressed in a strangely familiar fashion to Arthur, his clothes and headdress reminding him of a Native American chieftain. He had seen one or two lizardmen since coming to this world, but this was the first time he saw one dressed in such a way.

Arthur let his guard drop a bit, though he leaned a hand on the grip of his revolver cautiously as he walked over. As luck would have it, Goblin Slayer was standing at the quest board, likely looking for something and taking little notice of the strange group until hearing his name. He turned around, his helmet rising a bit to look at the lizardman.

"Yes?"

"Huh?" The elf blinked, raising a brow.

"Oh, so you were looking for Goblin Slayer! Well, you're in luck, as that's him right there," Guild Girl smiled, motioning to the armored man.

"It seems we are indeed!" The dwarf combed his hand across his beard. "A pleasure to meet you, Beard Cutter! Just the man we wished to speak with!"

"I'm telling you, it was Orc Bolg!" The elf huffed, crossing her arms as she sized up the armored man. "This is him? He doesn't look like much considering the stories…"

"... I'm Goblin Slayer."

"Forgive my companions, as your name has become somewhat construed as it has traveled around," the lizardman said, walking up and putting his fingers together. "I am Lizard Priest, and these are my companions High Elf Archer and Dwarf Shaman. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Goblin Slayer." Now that they had turned to greet his partner, Arthur made a note of the fact that all three of them were wearing silver tags.

"I see. Did you need something?"

"Yes. If you would mind coming with us, we would like to speak with you about a possible quest we might need your help with." Lizard Priest explained.

"Where's your partner, Ae Feredir?" High Elf Archer asked before her eyes trailed to the side to see Arthur and Priestess watching them. "Oh, is that him?"

"I don't know someone named that." Goblin Slayer said before Arthur could interject.

"Ah, I think she means Loud Hunter." Dwarf Shaman pointed out.

"Loud? What's that supposed to mean?" Arthur clicked his tongue, walking up to join them. "I don't know about loud, but I am the man's partner. You can call me Gunslinger."

"Ah, yes. You're the man we're looking for as well." a scaly smile spread across Lizard Priest's face, coming off as a somewhat friendly while also still intimidating. "If you would be so kind, we would like to speak with you and sir Goblin Slayer about a quest to partake in. Would you join us?"

"That depends. It pay well?" Arthur asked, his hands resting on his belt.

"Eh? That's your first question?" High Elf Archer blurted in shock.

"A man knows what he wants," Dwarf Shaman laughed. "And it does, Loud Hunter. It would be quite profitable for you and Beard Cutter."

"Well then, lead the way." Arthur smirked, motioning for the three to walk ahead. "And… just call me Gunslinger."

"You can use one of the meeting rooms upstairs, help yourselves," Guild Girl smiled, motioning toward the stairs. The five moved toward the steps with the strange party moving ahead of them. Arthur stopped after a moment, shooting a look back to see Priestess awkwardly standing by herself.

"What are you doin'? You comin' or what?" Arthur asked, causing Priestess to blink.

"O-Oh, is it okay for me to come..? They weren't really asking for all of us…" Priestess mumbled shyly.

"Hm? Is she with you guys?" High Elf Archer asked, peering past Goblin Slayer curiously.

"Yes. But you should rest." Goblin Slayer said, looking at Priestess. "You've been working hard."

"N-No, I'm fine. I would like to hear them out, too." Priestess asked, shuffling after them.

Arthur shared a look with Goblin Slayer, thinking over his suggestion. Priestess had been working hard to keep up with them. It was part of why he decided to get her a mount. But looking back down at the young girl, Arthur saw a determined look in her eye, finding it hard to reject her. "If she wants to work, I ain't gonna stop her. Come on, you can sit in with us if you're really ready for a job."

"Okay!"

The six soon settled into one of the meeting rooms, the two parties sitting across from each other in a pair of couches.

"So… Goblin Slayer. You're really a silver rank adventurer?" High Elf Archer began, her eyes scrutinizing the armored man.

"The guild seems to think so."

"Your armor is so shoddy, though… most people your rank would have upgraded by now." She continued on. "It makes me question the guild's decision."

"What a great way to start a conversation. Especially with someone you came to lookin' for help." Arthur picked his boot up and struck a match, pulling out a cigarette and lighting one up. Priestess looked somewhat panicked, looking between Arthur and their guests.

"I want to make sure our help is actually worth the time," High Elf Archer huffed indignantly, squinting at him in annoyance as the smoke drifted around.

"Well then, perhaps you shouldn't be too quick to judge. While his armor might not look like much, it's easy to tell what kind of functionality it has," Dwarf Shaman interjected, smirking. "He wears plate armor and chainmail to protect vital areas but wears leather armor to be able to move around easier. The sword and shield might be small but they're easy to maneuver in tight spaces."

"Well, it wouldn't kill you to clean the armor, would it?"

"It's a precaution to cover the smell of metal. Goblins have a keen sense of smell." Goblin Slayer explained easily enough.

"What, you walk right past the goblin quests when gettin' that silver rank?" Arthur asked, shaking his head and leaning forward on his elbows. "It's dirty work, in case no one clued you in."

"Excuse me, ruby rank. I think my tag speaks enough for itself," High Elf Archer huffed indignantly, only causing Arthur to roll his eyes and lean back.

"That silver tag don't mean nothin' to me. Goblin Slayer ain't the only one I've worked with in silver rank. I know enough by now to tell when one of you's just a kid who always goes on big heroic adventures."

"A kid? I'm 2,000 years old. How old are you exactly?"

"Old enough to know that you probably wasted 2,000 years never seein' what's really out there." Arthur shrugged, causing the elf to stiffen up and grit her teeth.

"M-Mister Gunslinger…" Priestess mumbled, tugging on his sleeve.

"Heh. Loud Hunter certainly has a quick tongue." Dwarf Shaman laughed.

"Why, you-"

"I believe that's enough discourse." Lizard Priest intervened, bowing his head politely to Arthur. "Please forgive my companion's outburst. We came here to ask for your help, and did not wish to offend."

Arthur looked up at Lizard Priest and sighed, raising his arms. "I ain't got no beef. So long as she don't."

High Elf Archer narrowed her eyes in annoyance before letting out a breath. "Sure. Sorry about that…"

"Thank you. Now, back to the task at hand. We would like to request your help."

"I'm sure you've all heard about the Demon King and his growing army, correct?"

"No." Arthur smirked at Goblin Slayer's quick response, which obviously annoyed the elf, though she continued on to her credit.

"Demon activity has been steadily increasing since the rise of the new Demon King, who's seeking to take over the world…"

"I see." High Elf Archer's brow twitched. Arthur exercised some self control to keep himself from laughing.

"That's why we came. We need somebody with your skills to help deal with-"

"Not interested." Goblin Slayer cut her off, causing her to tense up. He then looked at Arthur, who was smiling behind his hat. "Did you want to do this quest?"

Arthur looked up at him then back at the silver ranks before smirking. "How about I let you decide on this one." I want the show to keep goin', after all.

"Okay. We're not interested, then."

"Wh-What?!" High Elf Archer glared back at Arthur, only for the cowboy to turn his head, failing to hide his amusement.

"M-Mister Goblin Slayer, we should at least consider it…" Priestess pleaded, shooting Arthur a scolding look as she picked up on what he was doing. Arthur not so innocently shrugged in response.

"Don't you understand what's at stake?! The entire world is in danger! Hordes of demons are gathering and will attack soon!" High Elf Archer finally snapped, slamming her hand on the desk between them.

"Yes. But before that, the goblins will destroy the villages. Someone else can save the world. I'll kill the goblins." Goblin Slayer dismissed, his answer only further infuriating the elf.

"How dare you!"

Dwarf Shaman was quick to grab HEA, keeping her from jumping over the table to get in his face. "Calm down, calm down! That's not why we came here in the first place, remember?!"

"Sir Goblin Slayer. We came to ask for your help in dealing with a goblin infestation." Lizard Priest explained.

"Okay, I'll help." High Elf Archer and Dwarf Shaman stared in shock at his quick 180. "How many goblins? Is it a horde? Do they have a shaman or hobgoblins?"

"What's with this guy..?" The elf mumbled, falling back into the couch.

"You see, you shoulda started with that. Everything else is nothin' but noise to him." Arthur chuckled, leaning forward and putting his cigarette out on his boot.

"Thanks for the help…" High Elf Archer huffed, glaring at Arthur.

"As my companion has said, the Demon King's rise has roused many of his armies around the world. The races of Man, Elf, Dwarf and my kind have come together in light of this building threat. We were chosen as the representatives of each race to help deal with such threats around the land." Lizard Priest went on to explain.

"And recently, on the border of Elven territory, a large horde of goblins have taken up refuge." Dwarf said this time.

"And they won't dispatch an army to deal with goblins." Goblin Slayer said immediately, grimmly aware of the negligence shown toward the goblin threat.

"Yes. Not only is it considered 'too small' of a threat, it also borders on human territory. While the alliance of races makes us allies, we're still not considered 'equals'. So to deal with the looming threat, we were dispatched. And out of everyone else, we've chosen you, Orc Bolg." High Elf Archer explained, having calmed down for the most part.

"I see. Have any Champions or Lords appeared?"

"Hm? Goblin 'champions'?"

"Yes. They would be the equivalent of goblin heroes. Champions would be their gold rank, and Lords would be their platinum." Goblin Slayer explained.

"I'm afraid we cannot answer that. At the moment, all we know is that there is a massive horde gathered and must be dealt with." Lizard Priest shook his head.

"I see. Do you have a map?"

"Right here." Goblin Slayer took the map from Lizard Priest, giving it a once over before standing up.

"We'll leave immediately. Do you need to make any preparations?" Goblin Slayer asked, his question directed at Arthur.

"We'll prolly' need to grab some provisions for the trip. Other than that, no." Arthur shook his head, standing up and looking at the map over his shoulder. "Looks like we got a bit of a ride."

"I-I'll go and fetch my things! Should we bring Mastiff?" Priestess asked, standing up along with them.

"Might be good to, even if he's just walking along with the wagon. You'll need to get closer with him, anyway," Arthur nodded.

"Alright. I'll go and check my own inventory, then." Goblin Slayer rolled up the map before stuffing it away and leaving. "You all can decide how much to pay us."

"W-Wait!" High Elf Archer protested, just a tad too late as Goblin Slayer closed the door behind him. She shifted her gaze back up to Arthur who just chuckled. "Does he think it's only you three going?"

"Probably. We're honestly the only people who are actually up for huntin' goblins with him." Arthur shrugged, walking toward the door with Priestess. "If you're comin', you're gonna have to keep up. Hard to keep that man in one spot when he knows where to go."

"I-It'll be a pleasure working with you all!" Priestess quickly bowed before following Arthur out.

"We'll be swift, do not worry." Lizard Priest nodded, he and his party watching as Arthur and Priestess took their leave.

"Quite an interesting bunch, aren't they?" Dwarf Shaman laughed.

"'Interesting' isn't the word I'd use. Strange, more like it." High Elf Archer sighed.

"I'm sure quite a few think that seeing us together," Lizard Priest chuckled before motioning a hand. "Come. As sir Gunslinger said, we must be able to keep up."

To be continued…

Sorry for the short chapter. The last was obviously much longer, but this one was taking too long and probably wouldn't get to a stopping point that I would have been happy with.

So, as you guys can see, we've finally introduced the rest of the party. It'll be interesting to have Arthur interact with this group now that they're here. Though admittedly, his responses to HEA (which after this chapter will likely be how her name is abbreviated) were a bit difficult. It was hard to find a balance between snarky and mean, which Arthur likes to teeter on quite a bit as we all know lol

And we have another addition to this group: Mastiff! I found out some time ago that in D&D, you can actually have a mastiff as a mount for small folk! I was also in the process of getting a new pup, so the prospect excited me and made me want to add that little idea to the story! Of course, it would have to go to Priestess, making her look tiny since it's a crossbreed giant lol

Anyways, I hope you all liked it despite how short. Please leave a review, a follow and a favorite if you'd be so kind! And hey, check out the TVTropes page while you're at it and even add a bit!