Happy Easter Week everyone, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team Year 2. Bravo to Rhea Fighter and Wizard's bro for stepping up to the plate eh? Well, there's still plenty of goblins that need their asses kicked, so...here's hoping they can keep it up.
Review Response: Warrior getting revenge just like Ranger seems to be a theme here; he avenged Storm Mage getting his ribcage smashed at the farm, he avenged Storm Mage getting his legs sliced off...sort of, and got revenge on the two giants after the first one threw him across the city...and who knows what else.
The high priest and goblin lord sure got a handful didn't they? Sword Maiden gave her fears an even bigger "fuck you" by empowering Warrior and Wizard to boot. As for the kidnapped people? Well, see for yourself...
GS staying with Cow Girl should be fairly self-explanatory; not only does it show his character development, but it's pretty obvious he cares about her, even in the official version of Goblin Slayer. Besides, he might get to kill two birds with one stone by killing goblins...to protect her. Not to mention...GS is by no means by himself; there's at least 12 others: Ranger and his team, that's 5, GS' own team plus himself makes 9, Rhea Fighter and Wizard's bro make 11, and Sword Maiden make 12. Soon to be 13 when Storm Mage recovers...and boy is he going to get an eyefull; Cow Girl..in my opinion the single sexiest GS character, is sleeping next to him, buck-ass naked. Yes Storm Mage regularly touches Sword Maiden's body, which is on-par with CG's, but...still.
I wasn't serious about Diamond Rank, but I am curious as to why that's not an official thing. As for the 1st Platinum Rank...you mean the Supreme's Champion? Well...if he were to receive a Diamond Rank, he died well before he could get it.
"Ranger..." Priestess said softly as he got off the Goblin Lord's corpse.
"Is this the goblin lord you took out with Goblin Slayer?" Ranger asked.
"Yes. I never thought I'd see him again." Priestess said.
"Well, he got his dues didn't he?" Fighter quipped before looking at the dead goblins. "Who's going to clean up this mess?"
"Let me try something..." Ranger said before spawning chains out of his armored torso and they latched onto the dead bodies, and their demonic essence flowed along the chains and into the armor.
"Are you sure that's safe sir?" Priestess asked with concern as Ranger's chains retracted.
"It may be demonic essence, but not anymore. My armor actually changes whatever essence it absorbs into a new material completely safe for use." Ranger said.
"That cherub did you a great service good Ranger." Sword Maiden said before Priestess looked her over. "Yes my dear?"
"Your dress...you look so different." Priestess said as Sword Maiden put her hand on the young girl's shoulder.
"I assure you, I am the same as I was when you first saw me, except..." Sword Maiden trailed off.
"Free?" Ranger asked knowingly, and Sword Maiden gave him a small smile.
"Yes..." She whispered before walking towards him, and Fighter respectfully stepped aside as the archbishop embraced the new Platinum Rank. Ranger's loyalty to Fighter was bottomless, but be that as it may, it was clear to everyone that he and Sword Maiden had a place in each other's hearts. The way they held each other so close, and without any force was proof enough. Ranger even de-morphed his outer armor to make it more comfortable for Her Grace.
"Storm Mage treats you well doesn't he?" Ranger asked.
"Yes...he's every bit as good a man as you are, especially since he wants nothing more than to atone for his misdeeds." Sword Maiden said as softly as ever before Ranger pulled away and stroked her face.
"He's also a lucky man. He has the heart of the one and only Sword Maiden, and everything that goes with it." Ranger said seriously, then as a tease, which got a giggle out of her.
"Ranger!" Priestess exclaimed.
"Relax, I actually find it amusing. Besides...his touch is one of the reasons I am free now, and...as distasteful as it may be, if the goblins hadn't captured me, I never would know what it would be like to be set free from my own mind." Sword Maiden said as Fighter touched her shoulder.
"You still shouldn't have had to go through that. You, or anyone for that matter." She said firmly.
"Good thing we are here to prevent more tragedies from happening." Priestess said.
"Right...as for you, my love...would you like an upgrade?" Ranger asked.
"What did you have in mind?" Fighter asked with a faint tease in her voice.
"Both a different color...and more material to use." Ranger said seriously.
"Hit me..." Fighter said before taking his hand, and liquid material poured out of his suit, into hers...and her armor was turned the same shade of purple as her dress, and was made a bit bulkier. "Wow...I do like the color. Wait...you weren't just trying to give me something sexier were you?"
"First off, no one but me touches you like that, now or ever. Secondly, even if I did, you could take a page out of that Assassin lady's book and use your looks to distract your foe-" Fighter cuts him off.
"You read too much of the War God's bible..." Fighter said.
"...and lastly...I did nothing but do you a service, like I always do my damnedest to do." Ranger said seriously.
"Well, I do feel lovelier, and I'll bet you made this suit more useful." Fighter said before smiling brightly...then she and Sword Maiden snapped to attention.
"I'll stay with her, you two take out those goblins!" Ranger said as Fighter and Priestess rushed out the throne room's entrance and once they did...a large hell rift opened in the middle of the room. "Your Grace...hide behind the throne..." She did what he said before he re-morphed his bulkier armor, a greatsword, and stood there with the greatsword on his shoulder, waiting for whatever was coming through the portal...which was a Wrather twice as big as a regular one, and Ranger morphed his greatsword into a spear as big as Spearman's, then hurled it into the Wrather's chest... only for the demon to yank the spear out and charge at Ranger, who morphed his gauntlets, dash to the side, which distracted it, then he pulled one of it's legs out from under it, pinned it down, and ripped off it's head as it roared in pain and rage...then he threw the head through the portal and took a handful of goblins with it as they poured through the rift.
"Holy Light!" Sword Maiden yelled as the Wrather was disintegrated and the goblins were burned and blighted by the light. Ranger morphed his mask to be able to see her...but even his mask didn't help much.
"Did you use holy water?" Ranger asked with his mask giving his voice an echo like GS' helmet.
"I don't need to." Sword Maiden said simply and Ranger recoiled a bit. If this kind of power is normal for her...no wonder she helped take out the Demon Lord. He then watched the goblins that once petrified her turn to charred, wrinkled husks, then the light died down and Ranger removed his mask.
"Sword Maiden..." Ranger said as they smiled at each other, then they turned back to the portal. "I'm probably going to need an empowerment later on."
"I'll keep one miracle in case you need it." Sword Maiden said.
"Well, hopefully I won't need it, but I'd rather do this with you helping me, than alone." Ranger said as he looked over his suit and got an idea. He morphed a form-fitting suit made of leather-metal hybrid, with a loose apron around the waist. He then tried throwing some punches and kicks with it, some while jumping, spinning, flipping, or all three to twist it out. "Yeah...this will do."
An armored hob then came through the portal with two dozen goblins behind him, and thanks to his aura-sense that his chakra-opening skill comes with, he knew these were goblins he fought when he had his team save their first batch of girls before destroying that fort before they met GS' current team. He then morphed a pair of twin shortswords, craved up the hob's armor in it's weakest points, stabbed the openings, all while stabbing it all over it's body, then jumping up, and plunging both swords into it's head...then stabbing two goblins that tried ambushing him from the sides and flicking them back into the crowd, which floored a handful of goblins and startled the rest, then Ranger morphed his gauntlets, and picked up the hob, much to Sword Maiden's amazement.
He then jammed a morphed spike into it's gut, and as a strange energy flooded it's body, he threw it into the hell rift, and it became unstable and some goblins that were about to come through were shredded before they came through, and covered their brethren in their blood and pulped flesh, which horrified them to the point where they were shaking, exclaiming, and even weeping as Ranger stood there with his now-heated swords at the ready.
"My blades are much smaller than normal, but they're hot enough to burn through solid stone, and they have done so before, so you all better hope I kill you in one hit, or you'll wish I had..." Ranger said with vague schadenfreude in his voice.
Wizard and Warrior meanwhile were following a guard to where the king was, and when they got to his saferoom, they knocked on the door.
"Your Majesty? Are you in there?" Wizard called.
"Yes, what's happening?" High King said.
"There really is another wave coming, but we're here in case anything nasty comes this way." Warrior said.
"Good on you both. I'm loathed to hide while my people suffer, but this kingdom does need a living king." High King said.
"Don't beat yourself up too badly Your Majesty; if you can't fight as well as you should, then leave it to us." Wizard said.
"Yeah. We're more than willing to give a hand." Warrior said.
"Please do so. Without you, my kingdom is doomed." High King said as the two new Gold Ranks moved away to keep a lookout.
"You sounded a bit like the boss." Warrior said and his fiance who smirked at him.
"Stop me if I start fighting like him; that's your thing." Wizard said before a small horde of goblins rushed down a hall and overwhelmed a trio of guards, who were torn apart while screaming while the rest of the goblins rushed towards the pair...only to run into an earth golem summoned by Wizard, and they got crushed by it. Then Warrior tried the clone spell to make a single duplicate to test it, and the pair looked each other over, then at the goblins who were circling the golem and came after them. The two clones then formed auto-crossbows and shot down goblins by the dozen as Wizard waited to get a chance to cut down the goblins with her glaive...but never got a chance. Besides, fire was out since it could obviously set the whole palace on fire.
She then summoned an ice elemental to deal with another horde coming from the other corridor, and took some of it's power to aid it's fight by spewing ice spikes out of her hand, and forming an ice wall...and giving the goblins in the way a nasty case of frostbite. The ice elemental was free to do it's thing while Wizard watched the two massacres, and she saw Fighter on the floor below...and almost felt sorry for her victims. Fighter was dancing all over the place and made her goblin opponents look like snails. Just as some were about to charge her...Bam! They were instantly slaughtered by the she-devil they were trapped with, while the rest got to watch their brethern get pulled apart, have their necks and/or limbs snapped, their chests kicked in, their faces punched off, organs removed, or were thrown into the others, across the room into a wall, or slammed into the ground.
Fighter once even grabbed two, slammed their heads into each other, threw one into a group of them, tore the other in half, threw both halves at the goblins who dodged the whole one, then she popped her blades and rapidly stabbed them with her arm blades, swept with her legs to clear a score of goblins in one move, then rapidly kicked a group away one by one without putting down her leg. What Wizard was most blown away by was how different Fighter looked; she recognized the way she moved, but her new purple armor and mask threw her off; Fighter wore her hair down nowadays, which helped her recognize the taijutsu specialist, but- Ranger! He must've even his wife a new suit. Fighter then stood there, removed her mask as she looked over the carnage and a single goblin stood there doing the same as he looked over the woman who showed no interest in the little monster's fear as she side-glanced at it with an icy look on her angelic face.
"What's wrong? Don't you want to tear my armor off and make me pay for tearing your brothers to pieces?" Fighter asked with a voice as cold as her gaze as the goblin tensed up. "I'll bet you can think of all kinds of nasty things to use my body for right? Just like you and the rest of those worthless parasites you call brothers did before. Although I can see why you do it: seeing your foes laying there, some fighting back, some broken and bloody, and hearing them cry as you reduce them to little wet pieces...wouldn't trade it for anything..." The goblin had enough; it yelled, charged her, and it jumped at her when it got close enough...only to have it's spear deflected, torn out of it's grip and pinned to he ground as Fighter jammed it's spear into it's lower back, heard it scream in pain, then weep at it's defeat, then jammed the spear into it's brain, finally putting it out of it's misery. "Stupid rat..." She then kicked it into the stone wall with apathy.
"Holy shit..." Wizard said with a mix of amazement and horror; goblins were as vile as they come, and it was quite satisfying seeing them get the shit kicked out of them, but...the Fighter she knew wasn't this...ruthless.
Outside, Wizard's brother used Levitation to float up to the roof of a building, as Rhea Fighter grappled up with a hook and they saw yet another giant...this time with stronger armor and a reinforced club, that it used to smash a tower full of archers shootings at it. Wizard's brother then took out a belt full of summon stones.
"Let's hope this works..." He said before he held them out in front of him. "Child of the earth, sun, sky, and seas. One who requires your aid calls you forth to face his enemies." With that, the stones start spinning like a wheel and a portal opens up and gets larger.
"It's working..." Rhea Fighter whispered in awe as a World Spawn shows up, and Wizard's brother laughs and cheers.
"I did it! I made a World Spawn!" He yelled before laughing and rapidly throwing punches. "I'm the best! I'm the boss! I'm..." Rhea Fighter smiling at him stopped his celebration. "Right...no celebrating until it's over. World Spawn! See that giant there? Put it down." the World Spawn walked around the houses, prepared to charge, and Wizard's brother drew power from it which he exclaimed at because of how intense it was, then the summoned giant charged at the giant, smashed through the gate and tackled the giant to the ground, then started punching it in the face over and over, only for the giant to slam it's frozen fist into the W.S.' face hard enough to stagger it. The giant then got up, and bashed the W.S. over and over with it's club.
"Oh no..." Rhea fighter said nervously before the W.S. spewed fire out of it's eyes, making the giant thrash around screaming in pain before expelling frost out of it's body to put the flames out, then the W.S. stomped it's foot in under to make an earth spike pop out of the ground and hit the giant in the gut, which damaged it's armor and staggered it, only only made the giant mad, as it bashed the W.S. across the face, broke one of it's legs and beat it's chest in over and over, until the W.S. pounded the ground, making a spike pop out of the ground from underneath the giant, making it roar and fall down as the spike penetrated half way into it's gut. The W.S. then grabbed its club, and smashed it's head in...before falling apart itself.
"Well...at least it did some good." Wizard's brother said somberly.
"Hey, at least we got to watch a giant fight." Rhea Fighter and Wizard's brother smiled a bit.
"True, and I still have this power I took from it." He said as he looked over the damaged city. "We have alot of work to do..."
"We? how am I supposed to help you?" Rhea Fighter asked.
"I use earth magic, you work on everything that's not earth. Capiche?" Wizard's brother asked and Rhea Fighter sighed.
"Alright..." She said.
"On top of that, there might be more hell rifts to close, and...you're the only one who can do that." Wizard's brother said.
"Of course." Rhea Fighter said.
"Hey, you want to be Platinum Rank yourself? Then we have to get cracking." Wizard's brother said.
Storm Mage finally woke up slowly and looked around. He was in a room that looked like the castle he died in, and couldn't feel anything...until he moved and felt the softness of the bed, blankets and pillow of the bed he was laying on, and he was naked for some reason. He then moved the other side of his body...and felt the warmth, smoothness, and softness of a woman's flesh pressing into him. He turned to see the farm girl GS knew laying down next to him, with her soft, and massive breasts pressing into his arm and part of his chest, with an arm and a leg draped over him.
He didn't dare move out of fear of her waking up and finding out she was being lusted over by a man she barely knew. He may have tried to stay still, but his manhood was having none of it; the woman was impossibly attractive, and old habits die hard. It also didn't help that her body was on-par with Sword Maiden's, even though Cow Girl was more muscular and had a more cheerful disposition, she had the same calm look in the face as she slept like a baby; even her breathing was adorable. He used his free hand to rub her thigh, then one of her breasts...strictly out of curiosity, and he was right: her flesh had the same smoothness and thickness that Sword Maiden had. Goblin Slayer was a lucky man indeed.
He yanked his hand off of her right away as she stirred and groaned a bit as she rolled over and stretched a bit a few seconds later and he pretended to be asleep as he kept one eye barely open to get an idea of what happened. She then flexed and shifted around and looked him over...then he put all-hands-on-deck to keep still when she checked his pulse and sighed in relief.
"Good...the Resurrection worked. Hang in there Storm Mage, you'll see the Sword Maiden real soon." Cow Girl said with a voice Storm Mage could listen to for hours and he couldn't help but inhale deeply at the sound. "Did...did you hear me?"
"Yes..." Storm Mage said as he pretended to wake up and look at her. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're voice is like ice cream for the ears?"
"No...they did not..." Cow Girl said.
"Well...it is, and...if I may be so bold, you have a body to match." Storm Mage said as Cow Girl looked herself over. "You have nothing I haven't seen before, and I've been with women with similar figures. Goblin Slayer is probably the luckiest bastard I know, except maybe Ranger."
"You...have a pretty interesting way of looking at relationships..." Cow Girl said.
"Lady...I'm an advocate for both the War and Love gods; if I tell you that you're on the way to becoming a seriously strong adventurer, or you're lucky to be involved with someone attractive, I do have authority." Storm Mage said.
"Point taken, although...I have to get dressed now." Cow Girl said.
"Don't really, I won't ogle you..." Storm Mage said and she stayed put for a while.
"Alright I trust you." Cow Girl said before he turned away, she got out of bed and grabbed her clothes and put them on.
"By the way...I probably know the Sword Maiden better than anyone else." Storm Mage said seriously and Cow Girl stopped dressing.
"I was told she was ensnared by goblins, tell me it's not true." She said.
"I wish I could, but that's all the more reason for me to stay with her." Storm Mage said as Cow Girl looked right at him.
"Does that mean you two...you know...?" Cow Girl asked cautiously.
"Heaven is sweetest when you've tasted Hell first, right? Well...giving her a taste of Heaven after she spent roughly a decade in Hell and seeing her jump for joy a thousand times a minute is worth just about anything." Storm Mage said seriously despite the humor in the statement itself.
"I'll bet..." Cow Girl said as she finished dressing. "You didn't tell me how you felt."
"Other than some minor numbness, I feel fine." Storm Mage said.
"She thought you died...when you stopped moving, she broke down crying like a baby, and honestly...I know what she feels more than I have a right to." Cow Girl said.
"Because of your uncle?" Storm Mage asked and Cow Girl nodded fiercely. "Damn...and I was there with my brother to kill the goblins who did it."
"You were there? Why didn't you help him!?" Cow Girl asked.
"We were too late; by the time we heard about it, the damage was done." Storm Mage said as he looked at the angry girl. "Look...I wish I could bring him back, but at least you have Goblin Slayer, and he has a small army with him."
"I want to join it..." Cow Girl said firmly and Storm Mage starred at her.
"Don't take this the wrong way but...are you nuts?" He asked in awe.
"I want to be at his side. I can't keep staying away while he keeps endangering himself, especially with all the new threats popping up." Cow Girl said with some tears going down her cheeks and Storm Mage sighed.
"Well...I suppose if you were trained well enough, it could work out, but other than being with Goblin Slayer, why-" She cuts him off.
"Look at what's happening to the country! If I can help stop it, I want a chance." Cow Girl said.
"Fine, but I'm in no condition to even think about it; Goblin Slayer or especially Ranger and his team, could be more qualified than me." Storm Mage said honestly.
"Alright..." Cow Girl whispered before hearing ruckus outside and her heart sank. "Goblins..." The snarls and scratching outside turned into screams and slashing sounds.
"Goblin Slayer..." Storm Mage said before there was a knock, and Cow Girl crept up to the door as GS showed up.
"They're gone." He said simply as Cow Girl smiled brightly.
"Thank you..." She whispered.
Ranger was slashing, kicking, and shoving the goblins around as he weaved in and out of the crowd like GS would for a good minute. True to his threat, he killed a good chunk of them in one hit...but left a few alive to terrify the rest, and it worked. Some goblins wanted nothing to do with him, but some were enraged and charged him, only to be literally stabbed to pieces by Ranger moving so fast his arms were a blur of motion, and their essence was fed to his armor.
He used his swords in just about every way they could be used, from using them both with a normal grip and using them one after the other to attack at one angle with one sword, and another angle with the other to keep his foes guessing, to using one sword being used in a reverse grip and uppercutting a goblin vertically in half then backstabbing another to the side, to using both swords in a reverse grip and slashing them all in very close quarters.
He then flipped and rolled out of the crowd, morphed his guns and shot down half of them, before he was out of ammo, and bashed and kicked the ones who were left. He even pistol-whipped one of them twice, then blew it's brains out at point-blank range, before shooting down several more in different directions. One leaped at him and he just spun out of the way and shot it dead.
"Whoa! Close one..." Ranger taunted before getting back to the shooting after his pistols reloaded themselves. The rift stabilized and more goblins poured out. Sword Maiden watched the whole thing from behind the throne and noticed that Ranger's attitude towards them went from a blazing hatred that she sensed a few days ago, to a more refined, detached, and even logical coldness towards them. Every pull of the trigger or swing of his sword was driven by a desire to cause fear and pain, rather than destroy as brutally as possible like Goblin Slayer. To the goblins, Ranger wasn't just a monster...he was a devil.
"Careful jackass, you might cut yourself." His playful taunt to a goblin that swung a longsword at him snapped Sword Maiden out of her thoughts, before he blocked the longsword with his gauntlet, grabbed it, picked the goblin up by the face, took it's longsword and started squeezing it's face as it's pained scream was muffled by the hand smothering it. "So...anyone feeling brave? Want to save your friend and brother from certain doom?" A few seconds passed and the goblins looked at each other, steeled themselves and several lunged at him only to be cut down. Unfortunately for them, the longsword was pretty dull, so the force of the swing was what killed or maimed them.
The few that were left watched the futile effort, then watched the devil before them impale the goblin he held in the gut without even looking at it, then throwing the dying goblin at the others like it was trash, held out his arms as if to challenge the rest. "Anyone else feeling brave?" The goblins at his sides then backed up until their backs hit the wall, then Ranger morphed his guns and shot them all dead one by one, sometimes crossing his arms in doing so. He then slowly aimed his guns at the goblins in front of him, and they screamed in terror before rushing to the rift only to get shot down.
"Why...? Why were you toying with them?" Sword Maiden asked harshly.
"Don't tell me you feel sorry for them." Ranger said in disbelief.
"No...not at all, but...the way you handled them; just the idea that a pure and honorable man like yourself would be so... sadistic. It chills my bones." Sword Maiden said.
"I follow the War God; sadism towards the wicked is nothing more than poetry. Goblin Slayer himself said that goblin-killing can be fun." Ranger said.
"I feel your humanity returning...and quickly." Sword Maiden said in disbelief.
"I am well-aware of the darkness in my heart, but I've dealt with it more than often enough to know that giving into it completely is a bad idea." Ranger said, and Sword Maiden smiled.
"You truly are Platinum Ranked, in more than just title. It's a shame Goblin Slayer hasn't learned more from you, or has he?" Sword Maiden asked.
"I do not know, but I learned a great deal from him." Ranger said as he kept an eye on the rift.
"Like the Abbot told you, you all may become even greater than the Hero...and you yourself have certainly done so. You not only became stronger and have more diverse power, but a larger team of people, each of whom could probably outclass her themselves. But what impresses the most...is your devotion; you've put your teammates lives and even their training before your own, and ironically, secured your own power in the process." Sword Maiden said with reverence.
"I have heard that you were born of the people rather be prophesied as a savior, it seems we are alike in a few ways. I doubt too many people knew my legend before it came true." Ranger said.
"You speak of the stained glass window at the monastery. No...that piece of evidence is too flimsy; if that's all there is to your legend, then like me...you made your own legend." Sword Maiden said before they shared another smile, then the rift acted up. "I sense something stronger coming. Much stronger..." Ranger then morphed his heavy armor and a greatsword, then a goblin champion showed up...and he recognized it as the one who reflected Wizard's fireball back at him, and he had a flashback to when he caught fire and cringed a bit. He got a grip just in time to see it's minions come through the rift behind him.
What came next was the clash and clanging of the champion's club, and Ranger's greatsword as they banged against each other over and over. For the better part of a minute, the memories of their first fight flooded back to Ranger's mind: him, Fighter, Warrior, H.E. Archer, even Dwarf Shaman all launched one storm of projectiles after another into the mass of goblins, then Goblin Slayer charged into the mob...only to get bashed by the champion's club, and Wizard launched a fireball at it...only for it to be reflected back at him, and Ranger...fueled by an overwhelming desire to spare her from being killed by her own spell, shoved her aside, only to be torched himself. He refused to succumb to the mind-shattering pain, even when the champion tried to make a meal out of him. Then Goblin Slayer saved him, and next thing he knew...Fighter was with him. She was there for him when he was in unbearable pain, like she always is.
Now, here they were again...Ranger fighting back, by himself, with the Sword Maiden behind him. She saved his life, now he's saving hers. The force of the blows between the two titans exchanging blows was so intense that goblins didn't dare get close, so they snarled and raised their weapons to encourage their master to avenge their fallen. Despite the pressure of battle, the trauma he suffered at this monster's hand, how much of a threat it posed to the kingdom, how much Sword Maiden...and Fighter, saved him from the pain of Wizard's fire, how much he wanted to silence the goblins' chatter...Ranger thought of nothing except swinging his blade, and how he'll defend himself and damage the champion's club, which he saw was giving way. His arms were aching, his heart was racing, he was sweating harshly, and his lungs were burning, but it could be dealt with later, so his body's concerns might nothing to him.
With one final swing, filled with all his strength, his drive to destroy the threat to his home, and the Sword Maiden praying for him, he brought down his greatsword yelling at the top of his lungs...and shattered the champion's club, much to the surprise of every goblin in the room. The champion eyed his destroyed weapon, and Ranger caught his breath as the goblins looked on in disbelief. Ranger then stood up again.
"What I just did to that club...is the same thing that's going to happen, to all of you!" Ranger yelled as chains with spikes on the ends spewed out of his entire suit, impaled each goblin as the survivors screamed and looked on in horror as their brothers were drained of their blood and their bodies were slammed into them. The champions roared and tried to punch Ranger only for him to turn his greatsword into a gauntlet and deflect the champion's punch, with his own, and the champion roared in pain as a sickening crack was heard at the clash of fists. Ranger then re-morphed his greatsword, harpooned up to the champion, stabbed it in the back, climbed up to it's shoulders.
It then used it's good hand to try and grab Ranger, only to get it's fingers sliced off by a shortsword which added to it's pain and fear, then Ranger stabbed it in the top of the head, then grabbed the greatsword, and rode down it's back, craving it open in the process, before yanking it out, hold it in the air as a display of power, and plunging it into the ground to make a point to the survivors.
"Ranger! Help me!" Sword Maiden screamed as some goblins jumped on her from a portal behind her, and he shot down the ones dragging her into it, then, she frantically crawled away from it, then a shaman came out, used a paralyze curse on her, then Ranger harpooned it in the gut.
"Get over here!" Ranger yelled as he yanked the shaman towards it, wrapped the chain around it's neck and hung it from the chain like a noose as it gagged and struggled to get free...but it's efforts were in vain as Ranger tightened the chain with his grip then released it as it was about to pass out then gave it a moment to compose itself...before he wrapped his whole gauntlet around it and squeezed it to death with one crack or pop sound after another. Sword Maiden's curse wore off the moment it died and she thrashed around in fear before seeing that she and Ranger were the only ones left. "It's done."
"I...I sense no other goblins in this castle. The battle is won..." Sword Maiden said with relief as Ranger laid down on the staircase and de-morphed his heavy armor, then Sword Maiden removed his helmet and laid his head down on her lap. "Are you injured?"
"Not badly..." Ranger whispered as he caught his breath, then Sword Maiden caressed his face. "I remember the pain of being burned alive. Compared to that...this is nothing."
"You know that champion don't you?" She asked.
"It's the one that set me on fire, with Wizard's spell." Ranger said tensely.
"Shhh...you got your revenge." Sword Maiden said softly.
"This wasn't for revenge, well...it was alittle bit, but the threat it posed is a greater concern to me. As for my body? I remembered the pain of the blaze you saved me from; I have half a mind to kiss you over it." Ranger said seriously.
"If you weren't married to a great...not good, but great woman, and I did not have such a great protector, I would kiss you right now." Sword Maiden said seriously and Ranger smiled.
"How does a dire threat turn into a laughing moment?" Ranger asked.
"I do not know..." Sword Maiden said.
"What do we do about those rifts?" Ranger asked then Cherub poofed in, blasted each one with a burst of holy energy and they closed.
"There you go, two sealed rifts." He said dryly.
"You couldn't have done that before?" Ranger asked.
"And miss all that fun? I don't think so...and don't get on me about "it's not fun if lives are on the line". Don't even start that; I knew you could handle it, and I know you kept me in mind, even though you kept your thick trap shut." Cherub said and Sword Maiden giggled at his antics. "Ah, the fair maiden goes from scared out of her skull, to giggling like a little kid. Classic yet justified coping mechanism. Anyway, Storm Mage is up and about, and he's eyeballing that lovely farm girl, o.k? O.k. smell you later." He then poofed away.
"Sheesh, he's a chatterbox- Wait, Storm Mage!" Ranger exclaimed before getting up...forgetting that he was exhausted and fell backward with Sword Maiden breaking his fall.
"I will go see Storm Mage, you stay here. I will call your team back to you in a while, alright?" Sword Maiden asked.
"Alright...give him my regards..." Ranger said as she laid him down gently as she walked off to see to Storm Mage.
Meanwhile, Wizard and Warrior were dancing around each other hacking down goblins from both side. They even set one or more up so the other could knock them down by blocking an attack, then opening their guard so the other could land a hit. The two elementals were still smashing, freezing, and piercing goblins by the dozen. Wizard put her glaive's range to use, chopping and stabbing goblins before they could even pounce at her, and didn't even have to wind up a swing, not that there was enough space to do so. It was also pretty funny that she just flicked her glaive from one side to the other, or even turn the blade in another direction, and slice in that direction to ruin a goblin's day.
Warrior was having the same luck with his sword and shield. He bashed one with the edge of his shield after stabbing another, then sent several falling towards Fighter so she could finish them off, if the fall didn't already. He also used the same trick with his sword as Wizard did with her glaive; even though his sword was shorter, it didn't matter; it did no less damage. He even raised the shield up to stop a pouncing goblin, slammed it into the ground, while intentionally leaving himself open...then tapped his hammer with the pommel to zap every goblin that got too close.
"Are you two having fun up there?" Fighter asked before some goblins jumped down to have at her, then she popped her arm and leg blades, then shredded them the moment they got close, or more likely...she got close to them.
"Just hush up and kill these assholes!" Wizard yelled as she kept swiping goblins with her glaive while Fighter was busy tearing open a goblin's back, and ripping out it's spine, then bashing another goblin with it. The entire massacre dragged on for about ten minutes before the rifts closed up. "What the hell..."
"There we go..." Priestess said as she came out with her staff glowing, and GS' team behind her.
"What did you do?" Warrior asked.
"I was going around the castle sealing every hell rift I came across, then I bumped into them." Priestess said as Fighter jumped up to the upper floor.
"We might as well have since I was going into the thick of it, and she's the only one of us who can use holy arts." Fighter said as she held Priestess close.
"That makes sense; it probably funneled them into this spot as well, somehow. Also...love the new suit." Wizard said and Fighter smiled.
"A gift from my loving husband." She said with pride.
"Wait, where's Orcbolg?" H.E. Archer asked.
"My guess, watching over that farm girl he's into." Warrior said.
Sword Maiden came to Storm Mage's room, and Cow girl and GS stepped back to let her through...and she saw Storm Mage sleeping.
"Storm Mage? Can you hear me?" Sword Maiden asked softly and he stirred when he heard her.
"Yes...my lady..." Storm Mage said before looking up at her, then she took his hand, which he tightened.
"We've won...again." Sword Maiden said, barely keeping herself together.
"I knew we wo-" She cuts him off.
"You gave us the window we needed for our help to arrive, and weakened their foes." Sword Maiden said.
"Your Gr-" She cuts him off again.
"Ranger used the power you introduced him to in a fight to protect me; even when you're not there...you're there." She said.
"Of cour-" She cuts him off yet again.
"He even stopped me from getting sent to Hell...he also told me to send his regards." She said while shaking.
"I wouldn't be surprise if he used my sword-whips in the fu-" She cuts him off yet again.
"You're the reason he's Platinum Ranked...you should be proud...!" She said.
"I am, now may-" She cuts him off yet again before he slams his hand over her mouth. "Enough! I thought I was dead myself, but you saved me, I knew you could, but I wasn't certain you could literally revive a dead person." He then removed his hand from her mouth when he got a grip. "Sorry..."
"No...I'm the one who needs forgiveness...I'm doing everything I can to not think about this miracle not working; I don't dare think of a time where I'm in danger of being...ensnared again, and you're not there to save me...!" Sword Maiden said.
"Come here..." Storm Mage whispered as he opened his arms, she laid down on top of him, and he embraced her as tightly as he could.
"Sing to me..." Sword Maiden whispered before he sang their song and she actually joined in at the main verses.
Ranger was about to go to sleep himself when he heard rapid footsteps and when he saw who it was...his eyes focused on the black hair, purple armor, and lively face.
"My love and life..." Ranger whispered as Fighter touched his face after removing her gauntlet, and he de-morphed his own and held her hand on his face.
"Her Grace told us what you did...how far you've come is absolutely staggering." Fighter said with reverence.
"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have come half as far as I did." Ranger said with a smile.
"If it wasn't for you...we would probably be dead." Priestess said firmly which got Ranger's attention.
"Possibly..." Ranger said.
"We really are a family aren't we?" Wizard said as he and Warrior came forward.
"Apparently." He said.
"Oh, I collected some essence after the fight for you." Wizard said.
"Keep it; I've had my fill." Ranger said.
"Alright...you're the boss." Wizard said and Priestess sighed.
"Ranger...you were my first teammate, remember?" Priestess asked.
"Oh...that...before everyone else got their hooks into us." Ranger said quipped.
"Hey, if we hadn't done that, where would we be?" Warrior asked.
"Who knows...?" Ranger said.
"And who cares? We're all Gold Ranks, the father of my daughter is the 11th Platinum Rank, and we're not far behind either." Fighter said.
"There's still the kidnapped people to save though..." Priestess said somberly.
"I'm in no condition to fight the forces of Hell itself, on top of all this." Ranger said.
"And I'm almost out of potions and spells." Wizard said.
"And I'm almost out of miracles." Priestess said.
"Great...so those people are completely fucked?" Warrior asked then Cherub poofed in.
"Let the Hero and her party save the people; all of you saved the city, let them do the rest. Besides, the goblins didn't even kidnap a tenth of the population here, and...they'll have me with them, like I was with you." He said.
"Thank you so much." Priestess said with a small bow.
"Girl, please, you're going to make me blush. I'm a handmaid of the Supreme God; this is what I do." Cherub said before poofing away.
"Well...that's one way to get a problem solved." Wizard said dryly.
"He has a good point; we just saved a kingdom's capital, we deserve some rest." Fighter said as the High King and Court Mage showed up.
"You deserve everything this kingdom has to offer, and more. I saw your last two companions summon...a World Spawn I think it was-" Wizard cuts High King off.
"Excuse me Your Majesty...but I think I heard you wrong..." She said.
"I said a World Spawn was summoned, and it was used to defeat a giant chief." High King said.
"My brother summoned a World Spawn? That's the reason Summoner became Gold Ranked!" Wizard exclaimed.
"Well, then I will have to think over what he's earned." High King said.
"Our rhea friend also took down a giant herself, and I saw her seal some hell rifts with that blessed sword of hers." Fighter said.
"All the better. They have both earned themselves at least a Ruby Rank, and I do mean at least." High King said as Sword Maiden came back with Storm Mage leaning on her, and GS' team behind her. "What happened?"
"I will explain everything later Your Majesty, but I must discuss something with these adventurers." Sword Maiden said.
"Very well then. Good night to you all..." High King said as he and court mage left.
"Are you alright?" Wizard asked.
"Thanks to you and Her Grace, yes." Storm Mage said as he sat down with Sword Maiden.
"So, how will we retrieve those kidnapped people?" H.E. Archer asked.
"We're not; Cherub stopped by a while ago, and he's going to help the Hero's team save the people." Ranger said.
"And we...are getting some sleep; I really want to see my baby first though..." Fighter said.
"Open a portal to your homes; like I said to His Majesty, I will explain everything he wants to know, and look after my protector in the process." Sword Maiden said.
"That is most generous of you Lady Archbishop, but where will we reside?" Lizard Priest said.
"My brother's fortress is a worthy base of operations, even for goblin hunters, it's also a good training ground." Storm Mage said.
"Wait, what?" Fighter asked.
"She wants to join us..." H.E. Archer said dryly.
"What?" Ranger, Warrior, Wizard and Fighter all said at once...which they were used to.
"I have nowhere to go, and I'm tired of being left out of this...war." Cow Girl said seriously.
"You do know goblin fighting isn't child's play; you're going to see things that will test your sanity." Ranger warned.
"I know exactly how bad they can be, and I'm not afraid." Cow Girl said while shaking.
"In that case...if I can, I'll give you whatever training I can give as well, if you want." Ranger said.
"Yes please..." Cow Girl said.
"The rest of us as well." Wizard said and Priestess, Warrior, and Fighter all nodded.
"With a whole team training you, you might become a female Beard-Cutter." Dwarf Shaman said.
"She's a woman; she doesn't have a beard." H.E. Archer said dryly.
"I think he means that she'll be a female version of Goblin Slayer as a person, although...hopefully not a perfect copy." Warrior said.
"No, I'm still going to be the same as I was...hopefully." Cow Girl said and Ranger stood up slowly which amazed the team; after what he just went through, he shouldn't be able to move, let along get up.
"If I know you as well as you should know yourself...that pure and innocent girl that lives in you, is unkillable." Ranger said firmly and watched her suck in a breath.
"I hope you're right..." Cow Girl said
"I know I'm right, and Goblin Slayer needs that girl as much as ever." Ranger said as they all looked at him.
"What?" GS asked simply.
"It's not a secret you care about her." Wizard said.
"Right." GS said.
"Which means you keep yourself from going off the deep end because of her." Fighter said.
"Right. GS said.
"Some would see that as the power of love." Warrior said.
"Right." GS said and H.E. Archer growled.
"Will you say something other than "right" please?" She snapped.
"Like what?" GS asked.
"Sir Goblin Slayer, are you even interested in having her as a mate?" Lizard Priest asked.
"I guess." GS said as simply as ever.
"Will you at least give her a chance Goblin Slayer? She clearly wants to be with you." Priestess said.
"Alright." GS said and Cow Girl finally walked forward and hugged him.
"Wow...throw in a few more elements and we might as well call this a wedding..." Warrior said.
"Speaking of which..." Wizard said, which made Sword Maiden giggle.
"We'll deal with that later." She said.
"For now..." Ranger said as he opened a portal to Summoner's fortress and GS' team, and Priestess went through, then he changed it to lead to his and Fighter's manor; Warrior and Wizard still had a gateway scroll to go home with, and Sword Maiden was staying here for now.
"Good night you two." Warrior said as the rest waved at him and Rhea Fighter and Wizard's brother came back.
"What did we miss?" The former asked and Wizard facepalmed.
"Home sweet home..." Ranger said as he practically tore off his armor and laid down as Fighter removed her armor, and pants, only to hear her baby crying, then went to see her.
"Hey my child, your mother is back..." She said softly as she picked up her daughter, who recognized her mother's voice and stopped crying. Fighter then unhooked her bra and breastfed her daughter until she was content. "How about we go see your father?" She then re-hooked her bra and went to their room where Ranger was already asleep. "Ranger...Ranger...look." Ranger woke up and his breath became shaky as he saw the baby and reached out to her.
"My girl...my beautiful little girl..." Ranger whispered as the baby grabbed his finger as his eyes watered. "It feels like I haven't seen her in years..." Fighter just stood there and watched her husband play with their daughter with a smile on his face and tears rolling down his face. "Fighter...this is absolutely worth fighting a legion of goblins. To see our child again."
"One legion, or every legion, it won't keep us apart forever." Fighter said as the baby had enough and went back to sleep eventually, then she put their daughter back in her crib as Bard was there waiting for her.
"Welcome back." He said dryly.
"I can't predict when we come back." Fighter whispered not wanting to wake her baby.
"Was it serious?" Bard whispered.
"We saved a kingdom's capitol from a Hell invasion so...yes." Fighter whispered.
"Oh...well, good night then." Bard said with the seriousness setting in as he left, and Fighter put her daughter back in her crib and went back to bed.
"She's alright now..." Fighter said as she removed her underwear, and Ranger struggled to remove his own as he got under the covers with her, as she snuggled into his side.
"I'm going to be so sore in the morning..." Ranger said as Fighter giggled.
"I'll be sure to massage you as thoroughly as possible. Do you miss the times when things weren't so dire? Those times we could just put everything aside and just live?" She asked softly yet seriously.
"Of course I do, but moments like that invasion we fought off make those moments we live possible, and each one makes the next one easier." Ranger said.
"You're the only one I know who could pull off the stunts you did." Fighter said with humor and reverence in her voice.
"Don't sell yourself and the others too short." Ranger said before he stroked her hair. "To be honest, I rarely think of the time we met, especially the fact that Priestess was my first teammate; I cannot imagine what she'd say to that..."
"I'm sure she'd forgive you; you have alot to think about afterall." Fighter said with her voice soft and breathy.
"I will certainly never forget the day we all met, especially how beautiful I thought you were, and still are." Ranger said as Fighter sat up, touched his face and gave him the softest look she could muster.
"You were also quite handsome then, and had strength and heart to match as well. Talk about a complete package." She said.
"And that strength is now miles ahead of where it was, in all our cases...and the people know it too, which is why they probably expect nothing less than greatness from us, especially since we're now Gold Ranked." Ranger said seriously.
"And a certain man I married is the 11th Platinum Rank." Fighter said.
"I'm the 11th Platinum Rank because of you. Look...even without the pond incident, which I will never stop thanking you for, no matter how much I beat it into your mind...you were there at most, if not all of my worst times...and you pulled me through all of them. The pond, the time I was stabbed near my heart, the fire...all of it. I flatout said I wanted you in my life right to the Sword Maiden's face, and if I could have one wish granted with no restrictions, it would be to have you with me for decades longer." Ranger said and saw Fighter's eyes water.
"Ranger..." She whispered as Ranger hugged her close.
"I failed to mention something...you asked if I love you more than I hate the man who cursed you...the two are connected. My love for you is why I'm so angry; if you were the one that was set on fire instead of me...I would've been burning with rage, same as you did. Yes, I knew you were enraged at the time; I heard your yelling, and I know how much you love me in return. I still want to tear the man who cursed you apart, or at least I hope to see him get torn apart, but...there are in fact others things that don't deserve to be swept under the rug as a result of my wrath blinding me, which will not happen again. I promised you the man you married would not fade away didn't I?" Ranger asked.
"Yes...you did..." Fighter whispered.
"I even remember our promise when I'm engrossed in battle, and like I said to the other War God followers, it's one thing to know how to get the job done, it's another to devote your very reason for living to certain action or mindset and cling onto it with everything you have, and everything you are, and then move on to something else that's important. Heaven forbid you fight a whole team who mastered that art." Ranger said.
"Like ours?" Fighter asked.
"Exactly like ours." Ranger said before kissing her sweetly. "Now...Goblin Slayer himself hinted that enjoying goblin killing is inevitable, and...well, I do enjoy it, to the point where seeing them scared of me makes me feel powerful, but if someone wants me to just leave it at that and completely disregard the rest of what life has to offer, they can fuck right off."
"Ranger...you said the man I married wouldn't change, but you did...you're an even better man than I thought you were before." Fighter said as she kissed him passionately for about ten seconds. "And guess what? Everyone might expect greatness from you, but I always did, and you never once disappointed me, nor do I think you could."
"Thank you. I'm sorry for bringing up such a heavy topic, but...I feel you had to know what was happening with me...in detail. Like I told Her Grace...I know I have a great deal of darkness in me, but I'm keenly aware of how much of a horrible idea it is to let that darkness control me, rather than the other way around. Even with nothing or no one to protect, I want to be remembered for what I did to help save the world, not destroy it." Ranger said.
"My love and life...I could listen to you talk about things like this for hours." Fighter said as she kept staring at him, even when he yawned.
"I would, but-" Fighter shut him up with a brief but passionate kiss.
"Good night..." She whispered against his lips before he kissed her back.
"Good night..." He whispered himself before she kissed him again and they lashed tongues for a while, moaning a bit in the process and disconnected before finally going to sleep.
Hoo boy, what a rough day for the team wasn't it? Also lol to GS continuing to say "Right" to the team as they talked about him and Cow Girl. Speaking of whom...bravo to her for helping revive Storm Mage and getting the stones to help the team...somehow. Also...I'll bet you didn't expect to see Ranger fight the same champion that set him on fire in the 1st act, and Wizard's bro summoning a fucking World Spawn did you? And...Ranger pulled one of two Mortal Kombat references out of his ass, what with the "Get over here" moment, and with the 2nd one being Fighter ripping out a spine like Sub-Zero.
Ironic since Scorpion and Sub-Zero are archrivals, and Ranger and Fighter are freaking married. FYI, I was going to have another trip to Hell in order after this part, but...let Hero have her fun. Now...to all of you not reviewing, am I correct in assuming that you're just letting Engineer say his piece and leaving it at that? I'm not offended if you are, I'm just wondering. Plus...Ranger taking pages out of Scarecrow's book by having his foes shit their pants before he busts a cap in their asses, then again he's fighting goblins...who gives a damn? Anyway, please keeping showing the love Ranger and Fighter are being giving a Rate, Review, and share, and stay tuned.