Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team Year 2. Well...the team finally found the desolated kingdom that Smaug inhabits...I mean, the elder dragon's lair. Let's see how solid Dwarf Rifleman's intel was eh?
Review Response: Cow Girl is just getting started with her training, and...I would hope her relationship with GS was going somewhere, since they just punched each other's v-cards. Having the group git gud...I mean, get good at helping the goblins' captives is something I had to get out there; why the hell would that not be built up, and not covered?
Yes, this elder dragon is as big as Smaug, an may even sound like him if any of you want to imagine that being the case, but...last I checked, Smaug hates dwarves, and...they have one with them who knows him personally, so...polar opposites much?
Those two off-screen throwbacks is a bit of a shoo-in, all-things-considered...
"It is the greatest of honors to meet you, O great and powerful elder one." Lizard Priest said with a bow.
"Hmmm...you are of the lizard men descended from my kin are you not? I was not expecting my dwarven friend to return with one of your number." the dragon said.
"Nor did I expect to hear from one of the fabled elder dragons; my celebration was no small one when I acquired this knowledge." Lizard Priest said.
"I see...but now I must ask why you all came here? Why disturb my sleep?" the dragon asked.
"We heard you bear knowledge of magic that could aid our mission against the Evil Sect." Lizard Priest said.
"The Evil Sect? I have not heard that name in many years. They have come here before seeking the magic I alone possess, only to fail at acquiring the secrets entrusted to me, as have others. All have failed and ended up consumed by my fires, or my jaws. Why should I grant you more leniency then they?" the dragon asked which put the team on-edge.
"I can vouch for them my friend. These people did not come to steal your secrets, we're after a Cambion, a hybrid-" The dragon cuts Dwarf Rifleman off.
"I am aware of who and what he is, and what he has done, but I fail to see why this is important." The dragon said simply.
"He is ravaging our homes, killing people close to us, and delaying our progress. He needs to be stopped." Fighter said.
"He still believes his cause to be just, as much as you believe yours to be just. In a way, neither of you are wrong. Now...I ask you again, why should I satisfy your desire for the magic I hold knowledge of?" the dragon asked.
"Those goblins we just killed-" the dragon cuts Warrior off.
"Are no longer a concern. They have committed a terrible sin against your people, and have paid the ultimate price. I know they represent the rest of the evils you faced. There is little above the surface that escapes my notice, even from under this mountain." the dragon said before Wizard stepped forward.
"Please...I beg you, we need your help to save our people. We would offer aid if he was attacking your people." She said softly.
"He would regret attacking my people regardless of whether or not you aided us, although...I am aware of you attacking and killing one of my people, although...you also slew a plague dragon...so your misdeed came full circle." the dragon said.
"You mean...they were one and the same?" Warrior asked.
"Yes...the plague dragon is the soul of the dragon you slaughtered that was twisted and corrupted by unholy arts. Just a dire blasphemy deserves the same punishment you wrought upon those filthy goblins. You...female, you possess the means to wield magic do you not? Then before I offer my aid, I must see how strong you are. What sort of magic types are you the most versed in wielding?" The dragon asked.
"Fire magic for the most part." Wizard said as the dragon exhaled.
"Ahhh...the magic most common to my kin. Let me feel how hot your fire burns. Show how well the magic I will grant you will be put to use!" The dragon said as he spend his body out, especially his arms and wings, as Wizard charged up a fireball, turned it blue, and unleashed it on the dragon who bathed in the roaring inferno roaring at the ceiling.
"Your fire rivals my own! You will make a great enemy to the Evil Sect, along with your companions!" The dragon exclaimed as Wizard chuckled. It's not everyday you impress a massive dragon. "Now...I must confess, I knew this day would come; I had to test you all in mind and one of you in prowess before I agreed to this, but now I must ask if you know why I live here, far from what you call civilization, and even my own kin?"
"Is it because of the knowledge you guard?" Fighter asked.
"No..." D.R. said.
"No indeed. The other dragons actually fear to come here through my presence alone, not only because of what I can do should they try to deceive me. The very notion of goblins making their home not far from where I dwell is only proof of their simplicity." the dragon said.
"Can you please share this power with me?" Wizard asked.
"Patience little mage, patience. You must know what you ask of before you obtain it." the dragon said.
"Don't you possess the power to steal other people's powers?" Wizard asked.
"Not their abilities...their strength, and even their life force itself. There is a good reason this knowledge is so closely-guard, even among my kin." The dragon said.
"Yeah...I can see how that can be used for evil. If I fought someone who can do that, I would definitely think twice." Wizard said thoughtfully."
"But we've seen what the Cambion can do. This kind of power may be our only hope." Warrior said.
"Maybe so, but there is one thing I failed to mention: I am quite fond of visitors, whether or not they come here to fight, or to speak to me. Afterall, it is the rarity of an occasion that increases it's value, is it not?" the dragon asked.
"I suppose so..." Wizard said.
"As for your Cambion foe...why must you be the ones who defeat him, in spite of how adamant he is about his cause?" The dragon asked.
"We already told you: he needs to be stopped." Fighter said.
"People die in droves. Humans, dwarves, elves...animals, every day, even the most valued and wisest of people are reminded of their mortality. We dragons are few in number as it is, but our immortality negated this matter...my pardons, I digress. The Cambion believes that eliminating the most valued will inspire the rest of the world to become their equals, and in a way...he is not wrong." The dragon said.
"He is also not right; there are other ways to obtain greatness!" Priestess exclaimed.
"Such as? Have you considered sharing your own greatness with the world? To create a chance to make the least of your people thrive as much as the most of you?" The dragon asked.
"We will find some way. We always do." Warrior said firmly.
"Perhaps...but should you encounter him, be share to put this power to use before he gets a chance to prevent you from using it. He will mostly likely sense a change in you all, even though one of you possesses the power I grant you. The power...of vitality drain." the dragon said as streams of energy poured out of it's heads and into Wizard's as she exclaimed her lungs out as she was nearly overwhelmed by the surge and Warrior rushed to her side as the surge ended and she caught her breath. "Now go, and do not forget what has happened here."
"We will not. Thank you again ancient one." Lizard Priest said as he and the others joined H.E. Archer who was watching from a distance and D.R. walked up the dragon.
"Sorry I came with such complicated people. I'll be sure to bring better ones if and when I come back." He said.
"No matter. I had a sense this day would come; the day I give away my secrets to ones who would take a final stand..." The dragon said as he laid down.
"Final sta- What do you mean by that?" D.R. asked.
"Don't let your teammates abandon you..." The dragon said as he went back to sleep.
"Wait!" D.R. exclaimed but it was no use. The dragon wasn't getting up. "Dammit..."
Cow Girl woke up with GS still sleeping soundly, then she sat up and watched him while smiling brightly. She couldn't believe they finally had sex for the first time last night. They grew up together, she supported him ever since he lost his sister to the very monsters he single-mindedly hunts down and butchers...and now he's here, training her alongside the now-famous Ranger, the 11th Platinum rank, and even making love to her. It was something out of a twisted romance novel...but oh so real. Eventually, he woke up as well and looked at her, stoic as ever.
"Good morning..." Cow Girl said sweetly and GS actually returned the smile.
"Good morning..." GS groaned as Cow Girl kissed him and he held her face, which made her pull away...to see him smiling.
"Someone's in a good mood." She said.
"How can I not be with you laying down with me?" GS asked.
"Goblin Slayer! Since when do you have a romantic bone in your body?" Cow Girl asked with an even more cheerful look in the face.
"Since I realized how unfair I was to you..." GS said simply and Cow Girl laid back down on top of him, with him holding her close.
"I'm not mad at you. I know you only cared about hunting goblins, and...I have even less reason to be angry at you now..." Cow Girl said softly, remembering when goblins tried to rape her and failed miserably thanks to the Sword Maiden butting in.
"I know..." GS said as Cow Girl sighed deeply and snuggled into his side. "You do have a wonderful body..."Cow Girl smiled at this.
"You made that perfectly clear last night, and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." She said softly.
"Thank you..." GS said as Cow Girl sat up.
"No...thank you." She whispered before kissing him.
"How long until that potion you drank wears off?" GS asked.
"Until the sun goes down again." Cow Girl said.
"Then..." GS trailed off as Cow Girl caressed his face.
"We can do it again, now if you'd like." She said.
"Yeah..." GS said as he softly pulled her down into a kiss as he lowered his hands, rubbed up and down her back and sides until he reached her buttocks, and squeezed from different angles, listening and feelings her pleasured moans all the while, as she smacked their lips against each other over and over.
"You really are getting better at this." Cow Girl said sensually against his lips before claiming them again.
"Of course I am. I practiced quite a bit." GS said before they kissed again, and Cow Girl flipped them over as GS released her butt, moved up her sides to her breasts, and gave them the same squeeze-from-different-angles treatment as he broke the kiss, and looked at his work while Cow Girl arched her back, offering her heaving breasts to him as her lungs rapidly and deeply inflated over and over and her heart raced.
"This...practice is...really paying off..." Cow Girl breathed out as GS worked her chest.
"I can tell." GS said before kissing her neck and holding her close as she held his head as if to encourage him to continue.
"Goblin Slayer...make love to me again." Cow Girl whispered with desperation in her voice as she spread her legs.
"As you wish." GS whispered as he pushed into her moist opening and she gasped at the contact, and felt him stay put. They only lost their virginity last night, and some soreness was still present, but she still wanted to feel heaven again, no matter how much hell she'd have to go through first.
"O.k...you can move now..." Cow Girl said and GS slowly but steadily pushed in deeper, and pulled out over and over and over until her pain gave way to a wave of pleasure that practically forced her to moan. "Oh...yes...yes...keep going...yes...faster...!" GS fulfilled her request and eventually thrust into her 2 times every second as her gasps spurred him onward, as if his own pleasure wasn't enough of a reason. She eventually wrapped her legs around him and let out an orgasmic moan as he did the same a few second afterwards and they both went limp and caught their breaths. Cow Girl then kissed his cheek. "All that training and goblin-slaying really paid off..."
"Of course it did...and you seemed to enjoy yourself." GS said and Cow Girl giggled.
"That's an understatement. You are...very good at this..." She said brightly while caressing his face.
"I noticed..." GS said as he looked at her smiling at him.
"This is the part where you say "I love you"." Cow Girl teased.
"I really do love you." GS said seriously.
"I love you too...my big, dumb goblin ass-kicker." Cow Girl said as she kissed him deeply.
Ranger meanwhile, did some "minor" exercises to wake his body up, including hand-stand push-ups, full splits/side-splits, dragon-flag crunches, and moving his legs around without putting them down, one after another. He then checked on his daughter who was still sleeping, but woke up after he morphed his light armor...then he smiled as he de-morphed his armor and put his finger in gripping range of his daughter.
"Hello..." the baby said.
"Hello..." Ranger said as he smiled at his little girl. "Up?"
"Up..." The baby said as she reached her arms to him, and he chuckled and picked her up and held her against his chest.
"My dear little girl..." Ranger whispered. "I hope your mother comes back soon...we still have yet to take you to see her father...I cannot believe we let so much stop us...but when she gets back, no more excuses, we're going to show you to him. Would you like that?" The baby tapped him on the shoulder and squealed a bit. "I'll take that as a yes..." He then re-morphed his armor, went outside, and looked around until Rhea Fighter came out.
"Morning boss...and baby." She said as she approached.
"Good morning." Ranger said as she handed his daughter over as Rhea Fighter sat down next to him and stared at the baby.
"Remember me?" Rhea Fighter asked as the baby reached for her, and she put her hand in grabbing distance and got her fingers pulled. "Hey, easy. She's getting stronger."
"Yep, it won't be long until she's as strong as her mother." Ranger said with pride.
"You know, most men would probably want their children to be as strong as they are." Rhea Fighter said.
"I'm not "most men"; I actually like Fighter being as tough as she is, and she's not just tough. She's loving, she's graceful, she's...she's just a dream to be around. There's a reason she's the mother of my child." Ranger said seriously yet softly.
"I can tell..." Rhea Fighter said softly as Cow Girl and GS came out with both being armored up.
"Sleep well?" Ranger asked knowingly as Cow Girl chuckled.
"Yes...very well." She said before walking over to see the baby, and Ranger noticed GS didn't protest. He'd probably insist she get back to training, but since he likely shagged her brains out at least once, it's no surprise she likely got through to the little boy she used to know. He then watched the two ladies play with her lucky daughter; she had her father, and two women who were loyal friends to him and his wife to look out for her. Maybe taking her around wasn't such a burden after all. Most parents wouldn't dare take their infant child all over the place, especially if there was danger around every corner...but that baby was keeping everyone sane, and together, even if they weren't related to her.
"I said it before, and I'll say it again...you are going to make one hell of a mother someday..." Ranger said seriously as Cow Girl smiled at him.
"If we get down to it, I might just be." Cow Girl said before sitting between Ranger and Rhea Fighter, and the former hugged her close.
"Thanks again for looking after her..." Ranger said softly before sweetly kissing her forehead as he held her cheeks.
"Of course..." Cow Girl whispered as she smiled at him until Summoner came in.
"Team? You might want to have a look at this, and leave the baby here if you can; I don't to scare her..." He said seriously, and Rhea Fighter nodded to signal she'll stay with the baby as they followed Summoner downstairs...and saw Elder Revenant pouring energy into the suit of armor they got from the ruins.
"What are you doing here?" Ranger asked as E.R. stopped what he was doing.
"Restoring this armor for you. Or to be precise...for Goblin Slayer." He said.
"Me? Why?" GS asked.
"Simple: you would get the most out of it." E.R. said.
"Why? What's so special about it?" Cow Girl asked.
"First off, this armor is much more durable, and it can be used as a weapon itself should you hit anything with it. It can also morph weapons if you desire, which includes blades, studs for focusing the power of a bludgeoning strike, a light cannon to launch bombs, or large bullets or shell from, or any weapon Ranger's armor enables. The helmet also gives additional senses, aside from the 5 basic ones, like Life Sight, or being able to tell what an item you seek is." E.R. said.
"So...pretty much anything you could want from armor?" Ranger asked.
"That's correct." E.R. said.
"Wow...why can't I have that...?" Cow Girl asked.
"Because you are the least-used to wearing armor, but if your Wizard friends can cook up the armor Ranger wears, you have little to fear in this regard." E.R. said.
"It doesn't matter. Another way exists, and if it means I can kill goblins easier...and help people more effectively, I will take it." GS said as he approached it...then the armor liquefied, attached to his armor, and the two designs merged together until GS' suit turned blackish grey, became bulkier, and gained plating over the more exposed parts.
"How does it feel...?" Ranger asked as GS moved around.
"It...it feels...lighter than I thought it would be..." GS said as he looked himself over.
"It looks pretty badass though..." Cow Girl said with pride.
"Then my work here is done. Now...if you will all excuse me, there's a plethora of tainted souls gathering in the middle of an open field setting up an assault that need my attention." E.R. said.
"I thought you don't concern yourself with the living, which in hindsight, I should've asked either." Ranger said.
"I don't, but too many of the wrong deaths greatly disturb the Death God, and therefore, I must see to it myself. But keep in mind: no one cheats death, not that Warlock, nor anyone..." E.R. said grimly before cutting open a portal and walking through it.
"Nice guy..." Cow Girl said sarcastically when Summoner went to the side and they saw him put on a suit of armor that looked like Storm Mage's...only with the lighter blue color Summoner's suit had. "So does that- Wait...that looks like...?"
"He had it made as tribute to his brother..." Alchemist said as he spoke up from behind them.
"Ah..." Cow Girl said.
"I meant it when I said I'm leaving for the frontier soon. Don't wait up..." Summoner said as he finished putting his armor on.
"Are you sure about this?" Ranger asked.
"Yes, and when I leave, the alchemist here is in charge." Summoner said.
"I will keep a close eye on them sir. I even have plans to turn this fortress into something great again." Alchemist said.
"I know you will...good luck, all of you..." Summoner said as he went back upstairs.
"What about my training?" Cow Girl asked.
"I've already thought of that. Try some of these." Alchemist said as he handed over some lockets. "Open those, and a training dummy made of a gum-like substance that mimics flesh will pop out of them, and if you wait, they'll reform, and when you're done, just stuff the dummies back into the locket. It's not as tough as you think; I tested them extensively."
"Thanks...I guess." Cow Girl said.
"Well, let's go try them out." Ranger said as they went to the training hall, and they did what the alchemist said. For the next hour or so, they tried one axe and sword trick after another on the dummies. Cow Girl also learned to dual-wield her axe and sword with the sword in the left hand, and discovered a tactic where she swings with her axe from one side to the other at a diagonal angle, and sometimes thrust with the sword. She also tried hitting blind spots while ducking, leaning to the sides, or both, which included tripping the dummies with the bottom of the axe blade, and finishing them with a stab to the upper chest. Ranger even upgraded her sword to a hand-and-a-half sword like Warrior's, and taught her to grab the blade and bash with the guard as an improvised hammer, to grab the blade while holding the handle to balance a thrust, which was called half-swording, and even mentioned the running joke about unscrewing the pommel and throwing it at a foe to "end them rightly"...which was funnier than it had a right to be. They even tried the pick-up-the-giant-sword training again, and even though Cow Girl wasn't able to lift it more than halfway...she was still able to prepare for her disappointment; the 1st time really is the first, in love...and war.
"I almost forgot: Summoner said as he showed up with a small tome. "This has information on most of the demon types, how they fight, and how to fight them back, especially the special ones." Summoner said.
"O.k...anything you can tell me?" Cow Girl asked.
"Well, for starters, there's imps, which are goblin-sized demons, which aren't much worse, but they're much smarter, so...treat them as such. There's also the demonic soldiers, which believe me, are each as tough as a hob." Summoner said and even showed a picture of each type. "They look like this..."
"Yep, those are demons alright." Ranger said; he did have experience fighting them after all.
"What about the special types?" Cow Girl asked cautiously.
"Ah...there's the Prides, called so because they believe their wings make then superior to the imps, and they act like it too." Summoner said before turning a page. "There's the Wrathers, which are always pissed off, and want nothing more than to tear humans, elves, animals, whatever...limb from limb, hence their name. There's the Gluttons...well, take a wild guess why they're called that...I...I actually lost my mother to one of those damned blobs."
"Oh...I'm so sorry..." Cow Girl said.
"Don't be...what's done is done, and I've killed my fair share of demons in retribution. But...nevermind that, the most disturbing type...are the Lusters." Summoner said as he turned the page and Cow Girl gagged.
"O.k...that's the ugliest thing I've ever seen..." She said as she held her belly.
"What they do is even worse believe it or not..." Summoner said.
"Don't tell me yet!" Cow Girl snapped before getting ahold of herself, swallowing and breathing deeply in the process then turned to face him. "O.k...I'm ready. Bring it on..."
"Alright...well, first off, these things are about as large as a World Spawn, but...no where near as powerful, so there's that, and the rest of the good news is that they're pretty rare, especially outside of Hell. But that's where the good news ends; the reason they're called Lusters is because of what lust is supposedly synonymous with, hence the dozens of tongues, suckers, and gums in the inner chamber of it's body they ensnare victims in. Now...I'll spare you the details, but the bottom line is that...well, they literally pleasure their victims to death." Cow Girl cringed all over her body at the thought.
"And I thought goblins were disturbing..." She said nervously.
"Which is precisely why we kill them on the spot whenever possible. I failed to mention the last bit of good news: they're laughably easy to outrun; if one spots you, they'll lash heir tentacles at you, but if you can get far enough, or slice off enough of their tentacles...they're powerless." Summoner said as he handed the tome over. "Now...I have to get going."
"Give my best to the two tavern ladies." Ranger said.
"Not a problem." Summoner said as he left.
Back with the team, Dwarf Rifleman was driving the them, some supplies they took from the outpost, especially some ammo for D.R.'s rifle, and some dwarven items...and the rescued girls, all of whom with in robes, and sleeping like babies to a town for them to reside in. Wizard meanwhile was watching them with a curious look in the face...
"How'd you get them to be so calm?" D.R. asked.
"Illusion magic. I...I planted the knowledge that this...hell they went through can make their futures look brighter, just like the boss would say..." Wizard said somberly as Warrior took her hand, and she interlocked their fingers.
"Good on you for doing that, although...I don't know if you're just polishing a turd or not." D.R. said honestly before Wizard sighed.
"It was still worth a try..." She said.
"I also managed to restore their virginities, although I don't know if they can be used for the miracle of Resurrection or not." Priestess said.
"O.k...call me a dumbass, but what difference does that make?" D.R. asked.
"Why do you think virginity is a requirement for this miracle to be performed? Because virginity is supposed to be a physical sign of purity, as in: the soul itself wasn't joined with another, and according to a revenant we knew, the body and soul are closely linked. Now with their virginities restored...well, hopefully all this did was let them know what the experience is like; we can't undo the damage, but we can repair it." Priestess said as she stroked the face of the first woman she healed.
"The Sword Maiden would be so proud of you." Fighter said softly as she hugged Priestess close. "I know I am..."
"Thank you..." Priestess said as she snuggled into Fighter's chest, despite her armor.
"So...let me get this shit straight: a person's "purity", is used to make the wounded person's condition the same of theirs, and...all it takes is that they need to have avoiding shagging anyone beforehand? Aside from how useful that is...those requirements are a steaming pile of donkey shit!" D.R. exclaimed and earned him a laugh from Warrior, the Wizard siblings, Fighter, and H.E. Archer.
"All of that is done and over; let us take these women to their new home, and pray our efforts were not in vain." Lizard Priest said seriously, and they spent the next half an hour simply holding each other, looking over the women, and thinking about those efforts. When they finally reached the town...they were greeted by a small crowd, which included the family of the first woman, and they were both relieved to see her alive, and the crowd were so grateful that they healed their minds...and their bodies, that they gave the team a sack with no less than 50 gold coins. 25 copper ones, and 130 silver ones, which was more than the Sword Maiden paid them a year ago.
Cambion meanwhile stood up as the slaves finally uncovered the doorway to the astral plane...and a swarm of flying snakes burst out, making them panic and run away...only for some to be engulfed by the mass, and Cambion sprung into action and sprout tentacles from his palms to absorb the mass and convert it into more of the biomass making up the tentacles, which freed the people ensnared as Cambion jumped down to meet the rest of the eldritch creatures pouring out, and he made even the most horrific look pathetic. He flashed his blade arms so rapidly the slaves couldn't tell how he swinging them. When he was done...more tentacles sprouted out of his entire body, including the sides of his limbs and his face, they latched onto the dead creatures' body parts, and absorbed them. Some slaves actually threw up at the sight.
"You're free now...you may see your families again." Cambion said to them.
"But...you said you were holding them hostage?" One of them said.
"I lied to you; your families are all perfectly fine. They're at home waiting for you now. In fact..." Cambion then used a healing spell on each of them. "There, I restored just enough of your vitality to get you to make the trip home, and don't even think about coming after me; you saw what I did to those monsters..." With that, the slaves ran away from him in fear. Cambion then looked at the gateway. "Soon...100-handed one...you will meet the real top of the food chain-" He then snapped his head to look into the far distance. "But first...I have a thorn to remove from my side..." He then tore open a hell rift, collapsed the gateway, then entered the rift.
Summoner took one of the horses still alive from the siege to the frontier and saw that the tavern only had a few people there, and based on how empty the quest board was...it was no wonder.
"Summoner?" Guild Girl called as she came down the stairs. "Is that you?"
"Yes it is." Summoner said as she approached him and looked over his armored robe. "I had one of the alchemists at the fort make it for me, in honor of my brother."
"That's sweet of you." Guild Girl said softly as she reached out to touch it, pulled back to look at him, then he held out his arm as an invitation, one she took and ran her hands along the plating and fabric. "It looks just like his did, and it has your colors."
"That's the idea." Summoner said. "Now, do you have any demon-hunting quests?"
"We almost never have demon-hunting quests; no one posts one." Guild Girl said.
"Figures, they've always been subtle like that." Summoner said.
"Wait...if you lead them, why come here?" Inspector said as she showed up.
"They have new leadership now. Besides...an army of undead attacked the fort and killed more than half of us..." Summoner said as he sat down leaving the two women stunned.
"Are...are the team-" Summoner cuts Guild Girl off.
"They're fine, Goblin Slayer's team is fine, that farm girl is fine...and Ranger's child is fine." Summoner said as the two ladies joined him.
"Good..." Inspector said softly.
"Are you hungry?" Guild Girl said, then Summoner nodded, she got up to order from food and drink and Summoner sighed.
"First that farm girl's uncle, then my brother, now my team...what next...?" He whispered.
"Supreme-willing? Nothing..." Inspector said.
"With all due respect to the Supreme, and who who worship...my faith has been shaken pretty hard recently." Summoner said as Guild Girl returned.
"And ours hasn't been? The Sword Maiden is a living icon and she's dead now-" Summoner cuts her off by slamming his fist into the table hard enough to crack it.
"I know that!" He snapped and the two ladies recoiled before he got a grip. "Sorry..."
"No...I'm sorry. Things have been tense for everyone, and I should've kept that in mind..." Guild Girl said.
"You're a smart girl; some people would've told me to keep lid on it, or take it outside." Summoner said as Guild Girl smiled.
"Well, you're hardly the first one to make a ruckus here, and you're no where near the worst case." Guild Girl said as Inspector watched the exchange.
"Well...let's discuss something else please." Summoner said as Inspector went to get the meal.
"Like what?" Guild Girl asked.
"Well...that farm girl has a new suit of armor, got some...pretty solid training in with Goblin Slayer, Ranger, and myself, thanks to my summons, and who knows what else they have in mind." Summoner said as Inspector came back with some steak, bread, gravy, a beer, and even a few slices of watermelon. "Look at me...I have one adorable girl to talk to, and another one giving me a much-appreciated meal. My brother must be winking at me from the grave..." The two both blushed a bit, especially Guild Girl as Summoner laughed at the situation "Well...no point crying over spilled milk, or beer in this case..." He then cut some steak and took a bit, as the two ladies watched him, and looked at each other with concern. It was clear they were wondering if he was going insane from the trauma he's suffering from.
"It...was nice of you to get that farm girl a meal yourself when you brought her here..." Guild Girl said awkwardly.
"I've seen cases like hers before, and she was a complete wreck after what happened; what was I supposed to do?" Summoner asked as he dipped his bread in gravy and suck his teeth into it as they watched him silently agreeing. Inspector then looked around to see they were alone.
"You know you're one of the few Gold Ranks we have around here, and since you hunt demons, not many are going to want to cause trouble." Inspector said.
"I can imagine; we demon hunters tend to be so hardcore, no one even thinks of causing trouble with us around. Hell of a way to strike fear into people, having a demon hunter as a bodyguard." Summoner said seriously.
"Speaking of which: shouldn't you be out there at least getting ready to hunt any demons in town?" Guild Girl asked.
"Already did; I sent some elements to scour the place, and don't worry, no one will notice them." Summoner said before taking a bit of steak.
"How do you know?" Guild Girl asked.
"We demon hunters have our ways. Sorry, I can't say too much..." Summoner said.
"Alright..." Inspector said before mouthing "may I tell him" to Guild Girl who sighed and nodded. "You know, my friend here has a thing for the strong, silent ones...and from the look of things...you qualify." Summoner then looked right at her.
"O...k...thanks for telling me that, but why?" Summoner asked.
"Why does she have that thing, or why tell you that?" Inspector asked.
"Either." Summoner said.
"Well...back in the day, so many men hit on me, or bragged about what they did it got older than Heaven itself really quickly, but...those that just do things, especially the right things...like Goblin Slayer, without asking anything in return? That's just priceless..." Guild Girl said dreamily.
"I see..." Summoner said thoughtfully and Guild Girl giggled. "What?"
"Goblin Slayer says that alot. We also had a discussion about him being too stoic about a year ago, remember that?" Inspector said.
"Yes...please don't remind me" Guild Girl said as Inspector snickered. "What now?"
"Maybe you two should go out some time?" Inspector said which baffled Guild Girl and confused Summoner.
"I just got into town; I don't even have a proper residence yet." Summoner said seriously.
"Come on, you called us both adorable, you know you're just the kind of guy she likes, she's already done you a solid, and praised you for doing some solids of your own. What's not to like about her?" Inspector asked.
"While I do appreciate your attempts to make this easier for me, we demon hunters aren't known for being romantic; the things we do on a constant basis...yes they help people in the long run, but in the end...the job itself is disgusting, terrifying, even disheartening. I've even seen Silver Ranks join a band of demon hunters, only to have their minds torn asunder. The only reason I'm still sane is because I had a taste of what to expect from demons as a freaking kid." Summoner said seriously as they sat there in silence as Summoner finished what was left of his meal.
"Was it good?" Guild Girl asked softly.
"Very...I'll be back; I'm going to the temple for a minute or two." Summoner said before he got up, left some coin, and walked out.
"O.k...what was that about?" Guild Girl asked in a harsh whisper.
"You know I'm right." Inspector said.
"Well...still, since when did priestesses of the Supreme God get a license to become matchmakers?!" Guild Girl asked.
"I'm not doing this as a priestess, although...that does fall under spreading justice technically, but I really did that because I'm your friend, and I want you to be happy." Inspector said.
"By hooking me up with a demon hunter?" Guild Girl asked.
"A Gold Rank demon hunter who happens to be getting every single inch of his butt spanked by one rough day after another. Look, it's simple. Go home, put on something pretty, ask about his job, tell him about yours, share some personal information, maybe ask him about his powers, maybe touch a bit, bam. Quest complete. Can you at least give it a shot? I'll even tell him you're on your way back." Inspector said as Guild Girl thought as she put her head down.
"Alright...I'll give it a go, but you owe me one." Guild Girl said as she got up and left.
"I owe you...riiiiiight..." Inspector said to herself as she cleaned up.
Summoner went to the temple to find Ranger's mom talking to some of the acolytes, and he gave them a wide berth; he had his own business to attend to. He went to the back room, and sat down before chanting in the Demon Lord's tongue.
"You know, that's not necessary..." Storm Mage said as his ghost appeared.
"I figured as much..." Summoner said.
"First you get my blades, now you dress like me, and flirt with two girls at once...what's with you?" Storm Mage asked.
"I took your weapons because they're useful, and because I want to feel like you're fighting with me, same goes for the armor. And for the record...I didn't come here for a date with one, let alone two girls. I certainly don't want some weightless three-way with them." Summoner said.
"O.k...I can buy those first two things, but...what if they want a three-way with you?" Storm Mage asked seriously.
"Well...if it's consensual...I suppose it couldn't hurt, but I only want one of them, if either." Summoner said.
"So...if they both want a piece of you, as in, they both want to tie the knot with you, you'll stick to one, and break the other one's heart? I did tell you the Love Goddess condones any kind of sexuality, as long as it's consensual right?" Storm Mage asked.
"I said I want that, not I will want that." Summoner said.
"Well, in either case...whatever the outcome, I'm happy for you, even if that one moment is all you get." Storm Mage said.
"Thanks brother. Tell the Sword Maiden I said hello..." Summoner said as he hugged Storm Mage before Summoner went back to the tavern with Storm Mage vanishing.
"Welcome back." Inspector said as Summoner walked in and looked around.
"Where's you friend?" He asked.
"She went home for a bit, but she'll be back." Inspector said professionally, but with a smirk.
"You told her to get changed didn't you? I told you, I'm not here for a date..." Summoner said.
"But I just got dressed up..." Guild Girl said from behind him...she looked like a different person; she still had her hair in a large braid, but her uniform was replaced with a white, long-sleeve shirt, with a bright blue vest, and a long, green skirt.
"Still don't want a date?" Inspector said and Summoner sighed and smirked.
"Oh, why not? It would be a shame to let that kind of effort go to waste..." He said as he smiled at the new Guild Girl.
"Smart man, now get your butts out of here, and throw the rest of your bodies out with them." Inspector said dramatically as the pair left and shook their heads. Guild Girl then showed Summoner around the marketplace, and browsed through the goodies, wares, and even some occult items Summoner had a pretty morbid interest in. "Demon hunters aren't normal" afterall. After about an hour, they left with a handful of apples, a silver brooch Guild Girl could not resist, and even a small grass-woven wreath of elvish design Summoner got for her out of shear grace, little did he know...
"I haven't worn this since...well, before I started working for the guild." Guild Girl said.
"Why do you work for the guild anyway?" Summoner asked and Guild Girl looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Well...I just wanted to give people a chance to make a difference. I cannot be an adventurer myself, and frankly...my desire to become an adventurer only got lower as I heard the stories...and then there was the goblins..." Guild Girl said.
"And then there was the Goblin Slayer, right?" Summoner asked.
"Yeah..." Guild Girl whispered.
"I can see why you liked him so much." Summoner said.
"Yeah, but...it was never meant to be, I mean...look at that farm girl he's with. She's perfect..." Guild Girl said somberly.
"She is...quite a sight to behold, I cannot argue with that, but she's not perfect. I mean, some men would probably prefer a long-haired girl. Actually, quite a few men would." Summoner said.
"Like those men who kept hitting on me to the point where I got numb to it?" Guild Girl asked sourly.
"Hey, as long as none of them take a page out of the goblins' book, it can't be that awful." Summoner said seriously.
"Don't get me started...I'm just amazed I can still sit down without any problems..." Guild Girl said.
"Well, since I can summon elementals en masse, and have them wander the town unnoticed; I have eyes and ears everywhere, so...if any give you too much trouble...well, if one adventurer can make a difference, imagine what a legion of elementals can do." Summoner said with a smirk.
"A legion?" Guild Girl asked in disbelief.
"Hey, there's a reason I'm Gold Ranked; I can even summon a World Spawn, the biggest, baddest summon in existence...well, the biggest, baddest elemental that can be summoned. And for the record, I've dealt with women who wouldn't leave me alone either, especially when I was a teen. Even some kids wouldn't get off my case; we all know kids can be fickle about crushes, even towards grown-ups..." Summoner said.
"Wow...you're a demon hunter, you're Gold Ranked, and you can somehow relate to me...now, may I ask about demon hunting?" Guild Girl asked as Summoner leaned against a wall and thought.
"Where do I start...well, my first encounter isn't one I like to remember, especially since...well, my brother Storm Mage has always been greedy as hell, but he actually fled the scene when demons attacked our home, just to save his own skin. It took me quite some time to forgive him too; I even disowned him after I heard of the crimes he committed... Anyway, my older sister actually stepped up and saved me from a demon that eats anything...or anyone, they encounter...just like my mother..." Summoner said as he huffed as he recalled her body getting gnawed on while she was still alive and screaming. "Anyway...that demon was killed by an elemental she summoned, so I took up the craft myself as she did that as another thing."
"So...summoning is your specialty...so you can honor your mother?" Guild Girl asked softly.
"Yes...and now, every demon my summons kill, is a gigantic middle finger to the one who ate her alive." Summoner said firmly.
"If you...somehow, encountered that same demon again-" Summoner cuts her off.
"You don't want to know what I'd do to it; if I felt a burst of generosity, it would be fed, in pieces, to it's own kind..." He said.
"Summoner..." Guild Girl whispered.
"Although...I'd probably dish out the carnage myself; I can draw power from my summons after all..." Summoner said before getting a grip. "But...I shouldn't tell you this; it's quite a bit for a first time-" Guild Girl shuts him up with a hug he did not return.
"It's o.k..." She whispered.
"How...? I told you nothing that wasn't true..." Summoner said.
"You're not among demons, and any in the city are being wiped out right?" Guild Girl asked as she kept holding him.
"I suppose..." Summoner said.
"Then let it go, and enjoy the time I'm spending with you...please." Guild Girl said before Summoner sighed and returned the hug, before they shifted, tightened their hold on each other, and felt each other breathe deeply and easily.
"So you know, I also prefer long hair on women, so..." Summoner trailed off.
"I won't cut mine any time soon." Guild Girl said softly before sighing and shifting against him again. "I feel so safe with you..."
After their date, Summoner went to the apartment Ranger's team used to have and Guild Girl went back to the tavern.
"How did it go-? Nice brooch and wreath..." Inspector asked as Guild Girl sat down.
"It was...nice..." She said somberly.
"Let me guess: he shared one serious sob story?" Inspector asked seriously.
"You don't know the half of it...his demon hunting is as personal for him as goblin slaying is for Goblin Slayer." Guild Girl said.
"Sheesh...that's quite a statement..." Inspector said.
"I did what you said by the way, I asked him about his job, told him about mine, and he told me about what he can do; I barely had to set anything up." Guild Girl said.
"If this wasn't so tense, I'd be pretty proud of how I helped you out." Inspector said.
"Other than that however...it really was nice." Guild Girl said as she wrapped her arms around herself and sighed. "He's staying at Ranger's team's apartment, at least for now..."
"Good to know, at least he'll be with friends. Well, it's about that time so...see you tomorrow." Inspector said.
"Bye..." Guild Girl said as they both left and went home.
Elsewhere...Elder Revenant was walking through a field full of dead Evil Sect cultists, with their souls raising up out of their carcasses, and entering his own body., while Rhea Scout was hiding underneath a wrecked stack of storage crates, praying the soul reaper doesn't find him. There were hundreds of cultists in the area, and Elder Revenant just...tore through them like they weren't even there. Some were simply hacked apart, others were decayed down to their skeletons in a matter of seconds, others were even shredded by dust and bone fragments that spewed out of his body in clouds. The cultists that were killed even came back to life and...took bites out of their comrades, and turned them into more minions of the Elder Revenant. Any weapons that tore into his body either bounced off, did too little damage to make a difference, or the damage was healed in less than a second.
Even with a helmet that increased reaction time and sharpened his senses, the treacherous Rhea couldn't keep track of the undead juggernaut. His relief was immeasurable when he used his scythe to cut open a portal...and left the scene.
The team meanwhile was rolling through the forest on the way back to the fortress with their well-earned goods...
"Stop the carts!" Fighter yelled as Dwarf Rifleman pulled the reigns.
"What?" He exclaimed as Fighter looked around.
"I sense something moving out there...something fast, and something strong." She said seriously.
"Is it coming this way?" Wizard asked.
"Quite possibly..." Fighter said as the team prepared to fight...but nothing came for about a minute. "It just vanished..."
"I hate false alar-" H.E. Archer was cut off by a loud whooshing sound and several trees being ripped in half by an unseen force which scared the hell out of the horse and blocked the way forward with tree parts.
"That's what I felt!" Fighter said as she and Warrior morphed their heavy armor, and Priestess put up Protection...just in time for it to get torn down and Cambion was seen bouncing off the barrier he just wrecked, before D.R. took aim and fired at the Cambion...only for his bullet to bounce off his target, be grabbed, thrown back and hit him in the lower back with enough speed and force to pierce his spine, making him scream in pain as he fell out of the cart and barely catch himself as he fell. Fighter then jumped up and kicked him several times, launching him further into the air, then two people in mid-air kept exchanging blows with most of Fighter's missing before she managed to land a kick that sent Cambion stumbling through the woods, through several trees and tearing up the ground.
"Is he hurt too badly?" Warrior asked.
"My spine's been broken, and I can't feel my fucking legs! What do you think!?" D.R. snapped.
"I can remove the bullet, but I don't know if I can heal this, even with a life potion." Wizard said.
"Then I'll use Resurrection..." Priestess said.
"Neither me, or Fighter is a virgin remember?" Wizard said.
"Well do something please! I don't want to give up being an adventurer yet..." D.R. whined.
"I'll do it..." H.E. Archer said as they looked at her. "He saved me from falling off that balcony. I do this we're even."
"Thank you so much..." D.R. said and H.E. Archer actually took his hand and squeezed.
"Don't mention it..." H.E. Archer said with a smile before Lizard Priest put the dwarf in the cart as they went to join Fighter who rushed off to face Cambion who was picking himself up and cracking a few bones back into place...
"So...where's the new Platinum Rank?" Cambion asked casually.
"How do you know you're not looking at her?" Fighter asked.
"Please...I saw you fight that archdemon, and I know the rest of you would fare no better; a real Platinum Rank would be able to tear through multiple archdemons with their eyes shut. I should tear you apart for thinking me a fool..." Cambion said.
"Don't try it..." Fighter said before Cambion growled and threw punch after punch at her only for her to dodge each one like she knew when he'd strike, and he kept missing her by a mile. Each time she hit him however, he barely flinched, even when she hit his pressure points, or used her blades. His hits however...the few that landed anyway, sent her flying in the direction in which she was hit, damaging her armor in the process, and even though it repaired itself...it was only a matter of time before he hit a soft spot and things turned ugly.
Warrior then pulled his sword, Lizard Priest summoned a Dragontooth warrior, and twin sickle swords, the Wizard siblings summoned familiars and elementals, and H.E. Archer stayed put to take potshots at Cambion as they all charged at him, only for Cambion to dance circles around them, tear the summons apart with his bare hands, and even when Warrior impaled him from behind and slam his electrocuted hammer into the murderer's back, which actually did damage since Warrior was holding nothing back since he knew Cambion was tough enough to handle lightning...the half-demon still didn't care.
"Drain..." Wizard whispered as a speck of blue and orange light flowed out of her staff and flew across the field, but it actually waited until Lizard Priest was kicked away and Warrior was knocked out cold with one hit before the speck entered the Cambion's body.
"What?" He exclaimed before groaning as his breathing became shallow and he collapsed to his knees as Wizard's spell took hold. After about ten seconds, the spell wore off and Wizard took the speck back.
"Damn...no wonder he mopped the floor with so many high-ranking people; this guy is a freak of nature..." Wizard said as she looked over the speck and distributed it among her teammates as Cambion got up, and so did Lizard Priest, Warrior, and Fighter.
"So...you managed to steal some of my power? An interesting trick, but it won't help you. I'm still more than strong enough to tear all of you in half many times over, but like I told that Ranger, I believe in fairness, and with the tenacity and might you've all demonstrated you'd make perfect examples of what I desire for this country. So I offer you a chance to join me, and make all the losses this country suffered mean something." Cambion said before Fighter walked up to him.
"You murdered the Sword Maiden..." She said harshly.
"She knew the alternative to what I proposed, and accepted it without reservation." Cambion said simply.
"I hope you did the same just now, because now it's over for you." Fighter said.
"Over? Hardly. Like I said, I'm still more than strong enough to kill all of you without difficulty. The only reason I'm even speaking to any of you is because I believe you may still be of use to me later on. If I were you, I would make sure my hopes do not fade." Cambion said seriously.
"Your hopes mean nothing to us, just like ours mean nothing to you. We loved the Sword Maiden, and you took her from us..." Fighter said with a cracked voice.
"And if you were to kill me, her death would mean nothing. So...I will give you another chance to join me. There will not be a third. You know what will happen if you refuse me." Cambion said.
"Drain him again..." Wizard's brother whispered.
"I'm trying, this isn't as easy as I make it look..." Wizard whispered back then Fighter jammed a blade into the Cambion's chest, only for him to look down and then at her casually, grab her arm, and yank the blades out as he healed.
"You...disappoint me. Before I do this, you should know...I know your entire history, starting from when you were just a young cub. I must admit, I am happy that the tiger who spawned you raised you to earn the same stripes, not that it matters now..." Cambion said before kicking her away while still holding her arm, which made her arm tear off, and Fighter screamed her lungs as the team looked on in horror. Then Warrior charged at him screaming in rage only to be knocked out a second time, and Lizard charged him from behind, only to get his chest kicked in again, leaving him reeling in pain, and dodged a few arrows as he rushed to H.E. Archer, punched her lights out, then tripped Wizard's brother, stomped on his gut so hard he projectile vomited, then choked Wizard until she passed out, then turned to Priestess who was helplessly watching her teammates get steamrolled like they were day one recruits, despite being Silver and Gold Ranked.
"Hear me...O merciful...Earth Mother..." Priestess whispered while shaking in terror as Cambion approached her, then rushed forward, grabbed her by the throat and held her up.
"Listen to me, and listen well. Our final battle, while inevitable, is premature. I could've killed you, and everyone else, but if I did...you would only become martyrs; examples to the rest of the world that defying progress is worth anything, which is exactly what I am fighting against, even if this wasn't a shameful waste of potential emissaries. Speaking of whom, I left just enough life in all of them for you to restore them, including that girl who's missing an arm, but you must act fast to save them. The next time we meet, I expect the power your friend had the audacity to steal from me to be put to good use, and that Platinum Rank had better be there. I want him to bare witness to the cost of stagnation himself, but you...well, I will make up for the pain I caused you now, by killing you first. You can thank me now if you want to. Stay out of the battle, or join the battle, either way...you will be spared the worst of it." Cambion said before dropping her to the ground, opening a hell rift and leaving the young Priestess weeping her eyes out in fear and holding up her staff.
"Great...Supreme God...Ruler...of...Heaven...Dealer...of Justice...I ask you...please shine your light...on this place on which you are needed...and grant us a Restoration!" Priestess prayed while still shaking and a light from the sky comes down, slowly engulfs the place and everyone's injuries heal, including Fighter's arm being re-attached.
Holy shit...that battle really showed the difference between the Cambion and everyone else didn't it? FYI, his ability to morph his arms into blades, or make tentacles pop out of his body, and absorb bodies into his own is a reference to Prototype, my 2nd favorite game. Also...I actually imagined myself in Priestess' position for a few seconds...bit of advise: Don't. Also...I'll bet you weren't expecting Summoner to date Guild Girl, or rather...the other way around. Also...GS' new armor looks like the Berserker Armor, and functions like the Praetor suit, so that idea is officially resting. FYI, I think the Berserker armor looks cooler, or at least more fitting for the setting, but...I cannot deny the Praetor Suit is more functional, or at least is more desirable, especially for GS. Anyway...the team recovers from their ass-kicking in the next part, so be sure to Rate, Review, and Share and stay tuned until then...