Disclaimer: I own neither Red Dead Redemption or Goblin Slayer.
Chapter 11
"You're gonna join them?" Arthur raised an incredulous brow, eliciting a laugh from Lenny, the two having a talk at the guild bar.
"Sure, why not? I might be a good fighter, but I'm still new to all this adventurin' stuff." Lenny shrugged, sparing a look back at Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric who stood by the dining hall walkway. The two were prepping for their next adventure, and waiting for Lenny to finish his talk. "Besides. Someone's gotta watch out for those kids. Who knows what kinda trouble they'll get in on their own."
"Yeah, true. No one better than you to look out for 'em, to be sure." Arthur smirked, nodding in acceptance. "Well, don't be a stranger. If you and the greenhorns wanna do somethin' a little more serious, let me know. I'll be around."
"I'll be sure to do that. For now, I'll take things slow and learn the ropes. But once I've got my feet wet, I'll start gettin' these kids to tackle some tougher stuff with you."
"Sounds good to me. Take care out there. And don't let those kids trip on any traps." Arthur and Lenny embraced before Lenny took off, Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric joining him as they headed out of the guild. Arthur watched them go, lighting a match on his boot and lighting up a cigarette.
"Hey, Ae Feradir!" Arthur vaguely recalled the supposed title, but was quicker to recognize the voice as High Elf Archer. To his surprise, her and her companions had stuck around after their quest in the ruins. Though, moving at the pace they did, he and Goblin Slayer had been out and about and hadn't seen much of them around since then.
"Just call me Gunslinger, goddamn it…" Arthur muttered under his breath. "What'chu want?"
"Yeesh. Is that anyway to greet someone?" High Elf Archer scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I just wanted to see if you were up for a quest."
"Me? Color me surprised, missy," Arthur let out a small bark. "I didn't think I was your favorite person."
"You're still a jerk, but… I have to admit, you know how to fight." HEA's ears twitched, crossing her arms. "I figured we could at least do some quests together. How about it?"
"You certainly do have a funny way of askin' for help." Arthur chuckled, the elf groaning in irritation. "Now, don't get your ears all twisted up. I'm up for a quest if you are. But I'm waitin' for Goblin Slayer first. See if we can take up a goblin quest for today. Feels like it's been a little bit too long since I killed one."
"I know you don't like them, but I didn't think you were bloodthirsty for killing goblins like he is." HEA raised a brow, mildly surprised by the look on her face.
"I wouldn't say I'm bloodthirsty. But I guess I'd say that if there's anythin' out there I think deserves killin' more than anything else it'd be those vermin." Arthur shrugged, fixing her with a firm glance. "You've seen what they do to people. To women, especially."
"Right…" A shadow passed over her face as she became momentarily disturbed. She shook it off though, fixing her posture. "Still, you could use some lightening up, you know? The both of you. Why not go on a more fun quest! Something with a lot less brutality involved."
"I go on different quests!" Arthur defended, taking a moment to think. "I mean… most of it's huntin' and killin' things. But what quests don't?"
"There's likely going to be killing in quests, of course. But I'm talking about stuff where it's not the focus!" HEA argued, placing her hands on her hips. "Stuff like following a treasure map, or escorting some royals around. Scouring the unknown! Stuff like that where it's just a fun quest for people to enjoy!"
Arthur laughed at the idea, though not entirely trying to insult her. "Those do sound like pretty tales that people might enjoy. Still, that's not really what me and Goblin Slayer are around for."
HEA briefly remembered their conversation by the campfire. "Right. You do it because it's all you're good at, or something, and he does it because goblins, obviously."
"Right. Hard for him to take the time to enjoy anythin' but killin' goblins." Arthur shrugged, blowing a smoke ring. "As for me, well… I guess I just… think it's the best I can offer. Still… I guess a regular adventure wouldn't be so bad."
It's not like Arthur didn't take time off now and again. He liked to go for rides across the Frontier or just take a modest fishing trip at one of the lakes nearby. But even he had to acknowledge that he sometimes got caught up in doing job after job. Old habits die hard, he supposed. But High Elf Archer's little talk with Priestess had certainly got Arthur thinking.
If not for me, I should at least consider it for Priestess. That girl gets too caught up in our work.
HEA blinked in surprise but gave a hopeful smile. "Well, at least you're not beyond convincing. Now we'll have to see if we can get Goblin Slayer on board."
"That requires a couple things sadly." Arthur smirked, putting out his cigarette on his boot. "First would be that there's no goblin missions on the board. Second would be that he needs the money."
"Ugh. Of course. I guess there's no way to convince him if there's goblins to deal with, otherwise." HEA sighed, looking away.
"Not really. And lately there's been plenty of 'em to go around." Arthur clenched his jaw, looking at the board. A few rookies had taken some smaller goblin quests, but he didn't fail to notice just how many there were. "We likely won't be goin' on any 'fun' adventures 'til this whole Demon Lord thing is over."
"Well, let's hope that rising gold rank lives up to her reputation and takes him out soon." HEA pushed some hair out of her face. "Have you heard of her?"
"Some kid, right? Barely fifteen?" Arthur asked. He'd heard a few things going around about some rambunctious girl who was hastily charging headlong into danger. And coming out of it just fine, if the stories were true. "How'd a kid get all that strength?"
"Guess the gods just blessed her early. Sometimes, the dice roll is that good." HEA shrugged. Arthur didn't know why people put so much emphasis on the dice roll thing, but he had to remind himself that the world was, supposedly, decided by the gods rolling dice constantly.
Whatever the hell that means.
"Gunslinger." Arthur and HEA drew their attention up, none other the Goblin Slayer approaching them with a rolled up parchment in hand. Priestess trailed behind him, her own expression conveying some panic.
"Well, look who it is! We were just talkin' about you." Arthur pushed off the bar.
"What's wrong? You look really serious." HEA asked Priestess, her brow knitting in concern.
"I-It's the job… Mister Goblin Slayer said…"
"Goblins." Goblin Slayer held the parchment out to Arthur, the cowboy unfurling it to take a look at the quest. "And not much time."
"What? What do you mean?" the elf asked, looking between them in confusion.
"Shit…" Arthur cursed after reading the details, looking back up at Goblin Slayer. "We need to get goin', and quick. You got your supplies?"
"Yes, but we'll need to prepare for the worst."
"What is going on?" HEA asked, becoming annoyed at being ignored.
"I got some stuff, but… if this is right, we're gonna need more than that."
"Hey!" Arthur and Goblin Slayer snapped their heads to High Elf Archer as she grit her teeth. "What is going on?! What's got you both so worked up?!"
Arthur shared a glance with Goblin Slayer before sighing, handing him back the parchment.
"A village is about to get raided if the details are right. And hard. On top of all that, it'll be tonight."
The village was fortunate to not be too far from the guild. Goblin Slayer head received the quest early that morning, and it had only been a four hour ride for the adventurers. They hadn't asked, but High Elf Archer insisted on joining them, along with Lizard Priest and Dwarf Shaman. Arthur and Goblin Slayer made no bones about it though, as they suspected the additional firepower would be needed for what was to come that night.
"We're here." Arthur announced to the others, dismounting from his horse as he entered the edge of the modest village.
"Yeesh! We were barely able to keep up with you!" HEA huffed as she and the others drew in behind him, Priestess and Mastiff taking up the rear.
"Sir Gunslinger does possess quite the majestic mount." Lizard Priest noted, hopping off of his own ride.
The moment he laid eyes on it, he couldn't stop from cursing. It had no defensive walls. The houses were made of wood and hay roofing. The villagers were still scouring around like chickens with their heads cut off while the few guards around seemed to be stumbling around, shouting for people to stay in their homes.
"Ah, there you are!" An elderly man in somewhat fancier robes than the other villagers came running up to them. "You must be the adventurers we requested! I'm so glad to see you!"
"Where are the goblins?" Goblin Slayer asked immediately.
"Mister Goblin Slayer…" Priestess tried to scold him.
"No, he's right. We ain't got time to waste on chat." Arthur shook his head. "Tell us everythin' we need to know. You and your men got an exact number?"
"No, we don't unfortunately…" The village elder sighed, motioning for them to follow behind him. "We only saw the tracks that we reported, as well as our missing young women."
"How long have they been gone?" HEA asked, concern coloring her face.
"A day now. I can only imagine what they may be going through." The village elder wiped his forehead of sweat. "Their parents have been worried sick."
"If it's been a day, there's a chance they're alive." Goblin Slayer said, looking at Arthur. "Does this town have any defenses?"
"Just the few guards at our disposal. We have never had this kind of trouble before…" The village elder looked back at the townsfolk, swallowing a lump in his throat. "We're ill=prepared for this."
"No kiddin'. Those few men are pretty much useless at this point. Might as well be grave diggers." Arthur huffed, tapping the grip of his pistol impatiently.
"Mister Gunslinger!" Priestess gave him a scolding look.
"I'm bein' honest. We're gonna have to take this fight to them, and it ain't gonna be easy." Arthur explained, looking back at the village elder. "You can't take the villagers anywhere?"
"There's nowhere for us to go. We could try running but our entire livelihoods are placed in this village." The elder admitted, lowering his head.
"Well, stick around, and-" Arthur grunted when HEA gave him a quick elbow in the side.
"Don't worry, sir. We'll do everything we can!"
"Thank you, thank you. I'll tell the villagers to remain home and to wait for your return. One of our guards will show you where the tracks were found." The village elder bowed repeatedly before scurrying off to the others.
HEA quickly turned a scathing glare Arthur's way. "Why are you being so cold?!"
"I ain't tryin' to get his hopes up, for one." Arthur spat, walking past her. "We don't got an exact number on the goblins, and we don't even know if they're held up in a cave. They're likely camped out in the forest somewhere sharpenin' their spears."
"It does seem rather troubling if you and Sir Goblin Slayer are so concerned." Lizard Priest stroked his scaly chin. "How many are you expecting?"
"I'm not sure. But a large number at the least." Goblin Slayer said, looking at the guard as he approached. "We'll know more once we see the tracks."
The guard did as said, leading them to the edge of the village where the small print of goblin feet were found. Dozens of them. All in a single spot. Arthur clenched his jaw, looking at the others with a grave expression. "There's a lot of 'em, alright. Hope you're all ready for a long night."
"S-Should we expect any special goblins?" Priestess asked, looking to Goblin Slayer.
"Maybe. I expect at least several hobgoblins." Goblin Slayer declared, looking up at Arthur. "Can you track it?"
"Sure… just keep your guard up. If we're lucky, we can get 'em while they're in a cave. If not, then… we'll have to think of somethin' else." Arthur sighed, drawing his revolver. He leaned down to examine the tracks closer, eyes following the small trail left behind. "Easy enough to follow for now. Stick close and stay quiet."
"Try not to make too much ruckus, dwarf." HEA took a shot at the shaman, earning huff in return.
"Not all of us can be twig thin, elf."
"Why you-"
"Didn't I just say be quiet?" Arthur barked, forcing HEA to grit her teeth and follow his instruction.
"Priestess, keep a hand on Mastiff. He knows not to bark while you got a hand on him."
"Okay!" Priestess stayed close to the giant canine, the group moving forward after Arthur. They slowly maneuvered through the dense forest, following close behind him as he followed the tracks. High Elf Archer kept an eye out around them and her ears open, making sure they wouldn't be ambushed. The trees had thin trunks, but the brush was thick. Arthur didn't like the amount of cover that was provided on the ground. Sure, it was something they could use to their advantage. But considering how small goblins were, they were likely to have even greater use for it.
"Wait!" HEA called out in a hushed whisper. "I hear someone or… something coming… from the northwest."
*GRRRR…* Mastiff seemed to confirm her words with a low growl, though managing to keep from barking as he stalked low.
"Take cover and get ready for an ambush!" Arthur ordered, quickly kneeling behind the foliage the best he could. The others spread out to get better positioning, Priestess taking Mastiff with her and making him stoop low to the ground. Goblin Slayer drew an arrow in his quiver with HEA doing the same, Lizard Priest and Dwarf Shaman armed a bent blade and a sling respectively.
"Come on… This way…" Arthur's brow furrowed. That was a man's voice. Someone controllin' 'em?
"Should we really be doing this cap? It's not like-"
"Quiet. We made this mess, we're dealing with it. No arguments."
The voice was vaguely familiar but Arthur couldn't place from where. He could hear the light footfall close by and knew they were trying to sneak through the forest. When a branch cracked just a few meters ahead of him, he gave Goblin Slayer a signal to move.
"Hold it right there." Arthur ordered, popping out of cover with his revolver aimed. The rest of the party was quick to follow suit, arrows and weapons at the ready. Mastiff stuck close to Priestess but began to foam at the mouth, ready to pounce as he growled.
Who goes there?!" The strangers answered, Arthur counting at least ten men as they all put hands on their swords.
"Wait!" The familiar voice from before ordered, the man taking the lead. Arthur soon recognized the man and the patch on his cloak. It was Merc Captain of the Ash Wolves and several of the same men they met before, with a few new additions. "You…"
"Yes, us. What a coincidence this is." Arthur didn't lower his gun for obvious reasons, he and their party coming out of hiding to surround the mercenaries. "Mind tellin' me what y'all are doin' here?"
"We're not here to fight you and your party, if that's what you're thinking." Merc Captain raised his hands in surrender, walking ahead of his men. "We came here about a goblin problem."
"A goblin problem. Another interestin' coincidence." Arthur scoffed, keeping his gun trained as he walked a pace forward. "We just so happen to be here for the same thing. Except we ain't cagin' any here. We're killin' em. And if you think you're gonna be takin' any of 'em, you're dead wrong."
"You know these guys?" HEA asked, eyes trailing to Arthur.
"They were a mercenary band that captures goblins for a benefactor." Goblin Slayer explained, a furious red eye leaking out of his helmet. "We're not letting that happen."
"We're not here to capture any of the goblins, I promise you." Merc Captain tried to convince them, face stoney as he met Arthur's gaze. "We're here to slaughter them, same as you."
"And why would you wanna do that?" Arthur asked, hiding none of his suspicion in his voice. "Somethin' tells me that a group of mercenaries ain't exactly the charitable types. What's in it for you?"
"We don't owe you any explanation!" one of the grunts scoffed. "So take your little party and-"
"Shut your mouth!" Merc Captain immediately made his man clam up. "You're already in enough trouble as is." Merc Captain sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he turned back to Arthur. "I'll tell you, but only if you'll lower your weapons."
Arthur spared a look back at the others, still suspicious, but nodded in approval. Arthur lowered his revolver but kept it in hand. "Guess we don't need to worry too much. One false move and I'm sure Mastiff will handle it fine on his own."
"Quite the beast you have, too." Merc Captain eyed the dog warily, sighing. "Well, if you must know...The goblins were… were originally in our captivity."
"Excuse me..?" Arthur's eyes bulged, sparing a look at Goblin Slayer before rage took over. "You tellin' me your men let 'em out?!"
"We didn't set them loose! They… escaped our captivity." Merc Captain grit his teeth, having the decency to cast his gaze away in shame. "My men were bringing them to our usual rendezvous but the cages broke loose while on the road. They had too few numbers at the time, so we're here now to correct that."
"So you didn't do it on purpose, and that's supposed to make it all better, huh?" Arthur huffed, shaking his head.
"Of course not. That's why we're here to clean up our mistake."
"That's treating it lightly!" Arthur spared a look back to see a fully enraged High Elf Archer glaring as she stomped up to them. "Your 'mistake' has gotten several girls kidnapped from one of the local villages yesterday! Who knows what they've been going through since then!"
"What?" Merc Captain looked genuinely taken back, though it did little to temper the party's anger.
"That is why we kill goblins. Not capture them." Goblin Slayer rarely showed emotion, but his voice conveyed enough to show he was equally upset. "Your men's actions have put an entire village in jeopardy."
"S-Shut up! We didn't have to-" Merc Captain fixed his man with a seething glare, the grunt taking a step back and lowering his head.
"... As you might be able to tell, he was among the men in charge of the caravan taking the goblins away." Merc Captain turned back to Arthur and the others with a guilt riddled expression. "And I'm… sorry to hear about the women. But that's why we're here. To deal with this issue ourselves."
"We'll be handlin' the goblins. We ain't leavin' any alive, in case we didn't make that clear enough." Arthur tightened his grip around his revolver.
"And neither are we. As I said, we're here to fix our mistake." Merc Captain argued, gritting his teeth. "And even though it was just a few of my men's fault, they were still my men, so I will take responsibility and make sure they are handled. I'm sorry to hear about the village, we had no idea. But we can take things from here."
"Excuse us if we don't have too much faith in the people who let 'em out in the first place." Arthur scoffed, tapping his index finger on his gun. While he wanted to make sure they were there to kill the problem, it wasn't a lie to say that they couldn't use the help. "But… if you really wanna fix things, you'll follow our lead as we deal with 'em."
"You want to let these guys help?!" HEA argued, glaring.
"Normally I wouldn't. But we still don't know just how many there are. Just that there's a lotta 'em." Arthur sighed, stuffing his revolver away.
"We at least know their numbers." Merc Captain offered, leaning a hand on his sword hilt. "About seventy goblins. Add four hobgoblins to that as well as two champions. So around a total of 76."
"You've gotta be shittin' me. Two champions?" Arthur snarled, biting his bottom lip. "You and your men really screwed up!"
"I know! And we're trying to fix it!" Merc Captain snapped before huffing. "We'll do as you say. We'll follow your lead and we'll help. But you know better than anyone that you'll need the numbers. We can provide support. I have two spellcasters with me and able bodied warriors. Even if they're not the brightest bunch."
"Sir-"
"Shut your mouth!" Merc Captain snarled at his men. "Either shut it or I'll cut out your tongue! We're doing this for your foolishness."
The mercenary grunt remained quiet, looking like a kicked dog. Arthur scoffed, looking around at the others. "Fine. But you better keep your men in line or they're gonna end up among the corpses. You hear me?" Arthur sent a seething glare across the men, each of them remaining quiet.
"That's fair. But we'll do our part, I promise you that." Merc Captain turned back to his men. "Do you all understand? We're following their lead. Any of you complain or moan, we'll use you as feed for the goblins!"
"Yes sir!" They answered, even the most reluctant of his men. Merc Captain nodded, turning back to Arthur.
"Alright. So what are we doing?"
Arthur stroked the stubble on his chin, looking around at his party. "Well… first let's scout out where they're stayin'. We gotta come up with somethin' quick though because they'll attack come nightfall."
"Right. We were on their trail and they can't be too far now." Merc Captain supplied.
"Well, stick close and don't fall behind. Don't want you alertin' them and makin' the goblins go crazy." Arthur huffed, sparing a look at his men. Some of them were obviously disgruntled, but were silenced by a quick glance from Captain.
"We've wasted enough time. We need to go." Goblin Slayer reminded Arthur, deciding to move ahead.
"Right. Let's go." Arthur took the lead again, following the tracks that had been previously made.
"Hey, Gunslinger!" High Elf Archer quickly moved to his side, whispering. "Are you really sure about this? We can't trust a bunch of mercenaries!"
"I ain't trustin' 'em. But I'd rather keep 'em where I can see 'em. Besides, I wasn't lyin' when I said we could use the help." Arthur explained, clenching his jaw. "If the goblin's ain't in a cave, it means we're dealin' with an open battle. We'll need better numbers for it. Just keep an eye on 'em for now."
"If you say so…" HEA spared a look back at Merc Captain, who was keeping a reasonable distance back with his men.
"We can handle a few mercs if need be." Arthur added, causing her to raise a brow. "But let's hope it don't come to that."
"Right."
It wasn't long before they approached the end of the trail, Arthur quickly signaling for them to get down. A short distance away, they could hear the disturbing babble of goblins, the beasts speaking in their cursed native tongue.
"Alright. Rest of you stay back. Me and Goblin Slayer will scout out from here." Arthur suggested, unslinging his sniper rifle from his back.
"I'll go along as well. I can best direct my men if I have an idea of what we're dealing with." Merc Captain volunteered.
Arthur sent him a doubtful glance before sharing a look with Goblin Slayer. His partner gave a small nod of approval, causing Arthur to sigh. "Fine. Priestess. If the mercs give you any problems, have Mastiff eat 'em."
*Grrrrr…* Clearly the dog seemed to have an idea of what he said, letting out a low growl as it looked in the mercenary group's direction. They took several cautious steps back, not wanting to test the large dog's bite.
"Let's move," said Goblin Slayer, the trio moving through the brush quietly and carefully. Arthur unslung his rolling block rifle, the three positioning themselves in what would be the best position possible in this relatively flat area. He peered through the scope, immediately swearing as he looked around.
"What do you see?"
"Nothin' good." Arthur sighed, scanning across the massive number of goblins. "Two champions and four hobs, like he said… And a whole lotta goblins."
"What's the positioning like?" Merc Captain asked this time.
"The Champions are at the center, movin' around and givin' order to the grunts. The goblins ain't restin', that's for sure. They're pretty rarin' for this raid." Arthur grit his teeth as his eyes landed on several human girls, all three alive but obviously in poor shape. "And there are the girls… poor things." He lowered the scope and spared a scathing glance at Merc Captain. "Well, you wanna make up for your people's mistake. You better be ready."
"They will be, don't worry." Merc Captain stroked his chin. "So how should we approach this? A head on attack would be difficult, but I'd say our numbers could handle this many goblins in a straight fight."
"Don't underestimate the goblins. Especially when they're being led by Champions." Goblin Slayer dismissed, looking at Merc Captain. "They aren't exactly smart, but they're not completely foolish either. They would use their numbers to spread out and force us into a corner if we made one mistake."
"Fair enough…" Merc Captain groaned, tapping the hilt of his sword. "So we try to thin the herd."
"Problem is, with them already spread out like this, we can't funnel them like if they were in a cave." Arthur pointed out, looking back through the scope of his rifle. "We need a diversion to pull some of 'em away."
"Let me take a look." Goblin Slayer stretched out his hand toward the rifle.
"Just try not to get too trigger happy lookin' at 'em." Arhtur handed it over, allowing him to peer through the scope. He scanned across the makeshift camp, looking for what weaknesses he could spy. He found his way to the edge of the camp, where some old leathers and weapons rested, only watched by several lone goblins. Goblin Slayer grunted, seemingly interested in something.
"What is it?"
".. .I have a plan."
Goblin Champions weren't nearly as cunning as Goblin Shamans, but they did possess a decent mind for battle. While the fodder fought on instinct and were capable of adapting over time, Champions could direct the others in more well thought out tactics. They were capable of adapting on the fly and could quickly understand the strength of their opponents through short clashes.
But this higher level of intelligence made them no less malevolent.
The two Goblin Champions kept the few women they captured for themselves. They roughly harassed their bodies and did unspeakable things to them for pleasure. They planned to make the girls their own personal playthings, waving them in front of their grunts like rare pieces of meat. They used it as a motivator for the upcoming raid as well. The fodder would be allowed to enjoy themselves to their heart's content once they had laid waste to the village just beyond the forests' edge.
The two Champions lazed around as their grunts sharpened their weapons and prepared for the night's raid. One kept a village girl in his clutches, taking a sick joy in making her squeal with the smallest scratch of his claws against her soft skin. The other had finished his fun with one of the other girls, locking her back up with the last one they caught and electing to chew on a chuck roast.
It's almost time. Was the closest translation that could be given as the second Champion raised his gaze to the sun. It was beginning to set over the edge of the trees, the orange hue dimming slowly around them. The goblins began to get anxious with anticipation, small groups of the grunts snarling and slamming their meagerly crafted weapons against the dirt.
It's not too soon to start. What could the village do to stop them, anyway? Nothing but cower in their homes. Homes they would burn to the ground and stain with blood. The Champion stood from its seat, preparing to let out a bloodcurdling roar.
*FWIP*
The Champion hesitated, drawing its gaze up when it heard the familiar sound of arrow piercing flesh. A goblin grunt had its head pierced clean through by an arrow. An elven arrow to be specific.
"You monsters are done for!" A feminine voice echoed from the treeline, and a figure made itself visible for all to see. The Champion felt a throbbing in his loins when he saw the fair skin of an elf make its presence known. A young woman with beautiful features and green hair.
He immediately lusted for her.
"Capture her! But save her for me!" The Champion ordered in their black language, motioning forward. At least twenty of the goblins rushed forward, likely feeling a thirst equal to their Champion's own. "Soil her and I'll slaughter you all!"
Some of the grunts let out hisses in complaint but didn't argue. How could they argue against him, either way? They were just foot soldiers for his disposal.
"I want a piece of her too!"
Of course, the issue of having two Champions around with no Shaman to keep them on a leash came with its own issues. The first Champion spun on the other with a low growl, challenging him with his chest puffed out.
:"I saw her first! She's mine!" It growled in retaliation, pushing against the other's chest with his own. Some of the other goblins got riled up by the action, hopping in place as the fight broke out.
"Now!"
But their little duel for domination came to a screeching halt when they heard the roar of human men charging their ranks.
Of course I had to be the bait!
High Elf Archer clicked her tongue as she weaved between the trees, keeping a steady pace ahead of the goblins that she had on her tail. Running through the forest nothing to her, as she was nimble and light on her feet.
Which, combined with the fact that she was an elf, made her the perfect lure for the goblins. Something she begrudged Gunslinger for pointing out to her.
She spared a short look behind her, trying to count the number of goblins in pursuit. She doubted that they would send their entire horde after them, but that wasn't their intention in the first place.
I see about twenty. Looks pretty close to what they accounted for. HEA thought as she slid across the ground and under a fallen log. She was getting close to the others, ready to spring their trap. They better be ready!
As if in answer to her wishes, the sound of a chanting staff chimed.
"Hear me, O merciful Earth Mother, grant us the peace to accept all things…"
A wave washed over the the forest, and all noise surrounding HEA ceased. The goblins too notice too little too late, coming to a slow stop several meters behind her and looking around like fools.
HEA spun around and drew her bow, piercing the head of the first goblin in her sights. As the goblins attempted to regain their composure, another had its head explode into a bloody spire of blood. She could appreciate the use of Silence now more than ever, as she didn't have to hear the extremely loud weapons of Gunslinger fire off.
Goblin Slayer was already upon the crowd with Lizard Priest, both swinging short blades and hacking the goblins apart. It was only a short number of twenty, and the two were capable of finishing them off themselves. But the plan was to divide and conquer. So HEA drew her another arrow back and killed a goblin standing closest to the pair. The one next to it had its head soon blown off as well, and HEA half felt that Gunslinger might have been trying to compete with her.
She didn't take joy in killing most things, but she had learned to take a little bit of pleasure in the competition to kill them.
Silence soon ended with the goblins slaughtered in a small circle around Goblin Slayer and Lizard Priest. The adventurers met at the center, stepping over the corpses.
"Well done, elf! You certainly made for good bait!" HEA knew he wouldn't wait long to get a laugh at her expense. "Funny considering you've got so little meat on you."
"Well, we couldn't use you for bait considering your stubby legs!" HEA retaliated, crossing her arms.
"Don't worry, Dwarf. Next time we need somethin' plump for bait, we know who to look to!" HEA was surprised to hear Gunslinger toss some shade the dwarf's way before tapping her shoulder kindly. "Good work. Went just as planned."
HEA felt a little proud to receive praise from him, for once. Guess he's not always so bad.
"I count twenty two." Goblin Slayer said, looking around at the corpses.
"I killed a goblin to get their attention, so that leaves fifty three." HEA pointed out.
"The mercs should already be fightin'. Let's get in that fight before they bite off more than they can chew." Gunslinger let the chambers of his so-called 'revolvers' spin, something he called a reload action. She never quite got it, but guessed it was some form of magic.
"Yes. Let's go." Goblin Slayer didn't have much patience to wait, quietly dashing ahead.
"I hope the mercenaries are doing well." Priestess was kinder than HEA thought she needed to be.
"I wouldn't worry too much." Gunslinger reassured them from ahead. "Mastiff is probably doin' all the work!"
Mercenary Captain was never one to consider having any sort of animal companion as a member of his group. Often he believed in the hard fought grit of he and his men, as well as his commander, Black Wolf. So when Gusnlinger offered to let them use Mastiff to help them in their ambush, he had half a mind to reject the idea, only accepting as a way of showing his cooperation.
But seeing the armored Dire Mastiff tear into the goblins with savage ferocity, he did take a moment to consider whether or not Gunslinger would be willing to sell the canine to him.
*GRAAAGH~*Mastiff ripped the throat out of a hobgoblin like it was tearing into its dinner. The goblins around it cowered in fear, unable to get a handle on the beast while also having to deal with the mercenaries.
Their strategy had worked. They had divided and conquered. He still believed a straight on fight with the goblins would have been favorable, but Goblin Slayer's plan did make things easier to handle. The Goblins lost their flanking force and engaged the mercenaries in a straight on fight. He kept his eyes up and was sure that none had slipped around them. And soon, Gunslinger's group would be joining them.
"Keep pushing forward!" Merc Captain ordered, slashing a goblin clean in half from the head down. "But be weary of the Champions!"
"Don't worry, cap! They're nothin'!" Merc Rookie was trying to take the lead among the group. He could understand why, as it had been his fault that the goblins had got out.
"Rookie, keep your eyes up!" Captain warned as a hobgoblin charged him with a club. Rookie was fast on his feet though, dodging the swing and impaling his sword through its chest. Merc Captain felt some relief, making sure to finish off the goblins in front of him before looking back at him.
"See? Nothin'!" Rookie smiled at Merc Captain. Captain smirked before trailing his eyes forward. And only soon realizing his error.
"Rookie, look-"
But it was too late. The Champion took the moment of levity to toss a heavy trunked spear forward, and it lodged right into his neck. Merc Captain felt his throat dry as Merc Rookie flew backward, hitting the ground with a vicious thud as blood spewed from his neck. "Rookie!"
That damn kid! Merc Captain made a mad dash forward, heading for the Goblin Champion. The sickening smile on the monster's face only stoked the fire in his stomach.
He was always so damn cocky, trying to show off!
He clashed blades with the Champion, and felt for himself that its size and muscle weren't just for show.
How many damn kids have to die like that?!
Even as his muscles tore, Merc Captain pushed back against the Goblin Champion, releasing an agonized roar. The Goblin Champion merely cackled in his face.
Need to get my head on straight.
Merc Captain beat back his rage as his experience came into play, finally allowing the brutal club to slide past him, repositioning himself. He charged for the Goblin Champion's exposed side, seeking to take advantage of its size.
But the Champion was faster than he gave it credit for.
It swung the club back around, and Merc Captain cursed as he was forced to roll across the ground and avoid the swing. He brought his blade up to stab it through the gut, but the Champion was adorning heavy armor, armor likely stolen from their wares when the caravan fell.
His blade scraped against the front, but ultimately couldn't pierce it from the position that Merc Captain struck it from. The Goblin Champion brought its arm around and backhanded him across the face, sending him tumbling back several feet. Merc Captain was rattled by the blow and couldn't see straight for a moment. But he knew a single moment of vulnerability meant death.
He staggered to his feet, blade raised to defend.
I have to cut into its arms or neck. The armor is too sturdy!
Merc Captain grit his teeth as the Champion raised its club high above its head, looking to bring it down on him. He waited until the last moment, dodging just in time to avoid what would have easily crushed him before bringing his sword forward and slashing into its arm.
He felt the dense bone fight against his blade. But with a final grunt of strength, Merc Captain lobbed the arm off the Goblin Champion. It let out a sickening howl of pain, gripping at the stub left behind by his work.
My chance!
Merc Captain raised his blade, looking to deal the final blow as the Champion nursed its stub. But before he could, the other Champion pushed it aside and brought its iron wrought club around. Merc Captain felt his ribs crack when the iron struck his side, sending him hurdling across the ground. Blood spilled from his mouth, and it was painful to even try and move.
"Captain!" He heard his men cry, but he guessed that they were engaged in their own fights. The Goblin Champion stalked toward his prone form, club dragging behind it.
Shit. I… I can barely move. Merc Captain stared up at the Goblin Champion, spitting out a clot of blood again. It merely grinned down at him, raising its iron club once more with intent to kill.
So this is how it ends, huh? I guess… I had it coming eventually.
Merc Captain promised himself long ago that he would face death like a man. He didn't beg the Champion for his life. He merely stared into its eyes in defiance.
But fortunately, it wasn't his time. And the Goblin Champion found a new hole plugged through its head.
Arthur had expected the mercenaries to be holding their own well enough. But it seems they underestimated the Goblin Champions. Seeing Merc Captain on the ground and one of his men dead, Arthur felt they couldn't have made it to the fight fast enough. As soon as he saw the Goblin Champion raise its club, he took aim with the Calloway revolver and blew a new eye socket in the side of its head.
Goblin Slayer and Lizard Priest were quick to join in as well, jumping on the Champion that seemed to be missing an arm. It swung the club hopelessly at them to keep them back, but Goblin Slayer evaded under it, quickly bringing his short sword up and stabbing it between the plating that covered its chest. To make sure that it wouldn't try to fight much further, Lizard Priest hacked into its collarbone with his sickle blade, causing the Goblin Champion to fall to its knees in agony.
"Don't let any get away!" Arthur told the others, raising his gun and blasting a hole through a goblin's gut. HEA let an arrow fly, nailing another through the head. Looking around, few goblins were left, the rest hoping to escape to the forest.
"Mastiff!" Arthur whistled, the blood covered dog snapping its head up to look at him. "Sick 'em!" Mastiff didn't need to be told twice, giving hot pursuit to the last of the goblins. Arthur really liked having that dog around for clean up. Even if Goblin Slayer would still pursue to make sure it was finished.
Arthur then turned his attention to Merc Captain, who weakly tried to crane himself up to a sitting position. "You alright?"
"Not… the word I'd use…" He coughed out a wad of blood, wiping his lips. "Ribs are broken…"
"Here. Might help a bit." Arthur offered a potion, tossing it to his side as he kept his gaze up. The other mercenaries were rushing to his side as the fighting came to an end.
"Thanks…"
"Captain!" The rest of the mercenaries scrambled to his side, quickly kneeling by him. "Are you alright?"
"Better than dead…" Merc Captain slung his arm around the shoulders of one of his men. "What about Rookie? Is he dead?"
"Yes sir… he didn't last long after taking the spear to the throat."
"Hm…" Arthur saw a brief glimpse of pain cross the captain's face. "Bring me to him." His men did as ordered, carrying him over to his fallen comrade's side. Arthur watched from a short distance, soon joined silently by HEA and Priestess.
"The girls are alive. Lizard Priest is having his bone warriors take them back to the village." HEA informed him, her eyes trailing to the mercenaries.
"Dear Earth Mother…" Priestess muttered a prayer next to him.
"Put me down." Merc Captain was set down beside the Rookie's side, his features softening as the frown on his lips stiffened. He pulled the spear out from Rookie's throat, cradling the young man's limp head in his hand. "You damn fool…"
Arthur looked down, feeling he should at least say something. "I'm… sorry about the kid."
"... It was his fault, you know." Arthur recalled that he was the kid who had tried to speak up. "He was in charge of the caravan. But he had also been behind this horde's original capture. He was… a bright kid. Had a big heart, but… was too eager to prove himself."
"Bad business…" Arthur sighed, lowering his head out of decency.
"He was against you all helping because he wanted to make up for his mistake. More than anything." Merc Captain released a tired breath, turning to Arthur with a face drained of color. "But I wanted the fool to see that it was better to be smart than to try so hard. I suppose I still failed him in that way."
"Captain…" Arthur saw a deep sorrow in the faces of each man among his group. He quickly understood that Merc Captain was more than just their leader to them. And his pain was their pain.
Arthur sighed, taking his hat off. "You need help buryin' him?" That was the best he could offer in sympathy.
"No. We burn the bodies of our men. We're bred in ash, we end in ash. That's the Ash Wolves way." Merc Captain gently placed Rookie's head back on the ground, forcing himself to stand on his own despite the pain in his face. "We'll handle clean up here as well. Go and reassure that village that everything's fine now."
"Shouldn't you all rest at the village before that?" Priestess offered, worry showing in her voice.
"I appreciate the offer, young lady, but I doubt they'd welcome us warmly." Merc Captain leaned on one of his men's shoulders, eyes still staring down at Rookie's body. "You lot… get a pyre going. Let's burn what's left."
"Yes sir." The mercenaries dispersed, leaving Merc Captain alone after he dismissed the grunt he was leaning on. Arthur slowly walked up to his side, looking down at the young man's body.
"A special pyre will be made for him. I wouldn't dream of putting his body with the goblins." Merc Captain spoke without being asked, but Arthur nodded regardless.
"I see." Arthur stroked the stubble on his chin and sighed. "Maybe from now on… you and your men should rethink this whole 'capture goblins' thing you got goin' on. Lotta trouble came from one mistake."
Merc Captain was silent, and Arthur thought for a moment he might not speak up. He turned to leave him be, but finally he spoke:
"I've been against the idea for some time now."
Arthur turned back, brow raised. "Then why you still doin' it?"
Merc Captain clenched his jaw, slowly trailing his gaze over to Arthur. "Our leader is too invested in all this. Too much money, I suppose. Though I get the feeling there's something else to it."
"And… that is?" Arthur furrowed his brow, turning fully to the mercenary.
"I don't know. I just know that however I feel about it, I'll keep doing it so long as he tells me to." Merc Captain nursed his side, gritting his teeth as he slowly turned around.
"If you really don't want to, then just stop!" HEA spoke up after having been silent for so long. Arthur half forgot she was there.
"That's not how things work, elf." Merc Captain didn't look at her, half limping away from the three. "If he asks me to do something, I do it."
"That's…" High Elf Archer wanted to argue more, but Merc Captain continued to limp, ending the conversation. "What's up with that guy?"
"Easy." Arthur understood immediately sparing HEA a sideways glance. "He's loyal. Ain't nothin' more to it."
"But that's…"
"Come on. Leave 'em be. They've lost enough today." Arthur told them, touching Priestess' shoulder as he passed her by. They soon left the mercenaries to their own work, allowing the work they did that night to be engulfed in flame and smoke.
To be continued…
That was an interesting chapter to write. I had been kind of stuck on my plans for the fight itself for a few days, but finally buckled down and wrote all of it out today!
As you can see, the Ash Wolves make their appearance once again. Their storyline is something I'm kind of working in now and again, as I plan for their arc to be the endgame of the story. Hopefully it goes as well as I want it, but I feel pretty good about the direction I've taken it so far. Hope you all feel the same!
Anyways, thanks again for reading, the next two arcs will be business as usual with stuff I'm sure you're all familiar with but perhaps with some original twists of their own? We'll have to see. You all have a good night and I hope you stay healthy in these tough times. Be sure to leave a review, a follow and a favorite if you'd be so kind! And perhaps add to the TVTropes page if you have the time. Thanks!
