Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team Year 2. The team is now going back to the drawing board...let's see what they come up with...
Review Response: That scenario isn't likely, but the Cambion isn't stupid, as if I need to say that...
Interesting? I haven't seen a single case where Fighter's father is given that kind of screentime. Besides...Ranger got some closure on his failure, and Fighter had probably the best dream she ever had...how is that not interesting?
Ranger was driving the cart back to the frontier for the rest of their training, and whatever else they could cook up. Meanwhile, Dwarf Rifleman just couldn't stop glancing at H.E. Druid. She may have been pretty damn skinny before, but she was still pretty. Now...after becoming a Druid...she was probably the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and that addition body mass was not just fat that was put in the right places either; she was probably a woman you would hate to be punched by...or kicked by for that matter.
"I can't wait to see everyone's face when they see our new armors." Cow Girl said.
"They'll probably slobber over you, and brown their pants when they see Goblin Slayer." Warrior said dryly.
"He's not that scary." Cow Girl said.
"His armor is dark grey, looks like a demon made it, and probably has as much going for it as Ranger's armor does. It's pretty hard not to get intimidated by it. Although...I'm curious how the goblins would react..." Wizard said.
"Oh boy...they'd probably drop dead from a heart attack." Fighter said as she held her daughter.
"Why can't it ever be that easy...?" H.E. Druid said with a smile...then noticed D.R. "Are you ever going to stop staring at me?"
"Hey, it's not my fault you look even more regal than normal!" D.R. said as H.E. Druid tapped his knee.
"Stop that..." She said playfully.
"He's right Long Ears. You look like a new woman..." Dwarf Shaman said impressed.
"And now you can stop making fun of my damn chest already..." H.E. Druid said dryly.
"Well...you keep poking at my size, so it's only fair." Dwarf Shaman said as Wizard groaned.
"Don't start again please..." She said.
"The change is is not an unwelcome one Lady Archer, or should I say...Lady Druid." Lizard Priest said and H.E. Druid.
"Wait...isn't there a Rhea girl who's a druid herself?" Wizard's brother asked.
"We Rheas have different kinds of druids; the elvish Druids are on a whole other level entirely." Rhea Fighter said seriously.
"We're almost there." Ranger said as they looked ahead and spotted the frontier.
"Welcome back te-" Guild Girl shut up the moment she saw Cow Girl and GS and stammered.
"Like the new suits?" Cow Girl as she stroke a pose with a smile while GS just stood there as usual.
"Well..." Guild Girl said as she stood there in awe.
"You look great, and Goblin Slayer? You look even more intimidating than normal before nudging Guild Girl while the rest of the team just watched.
"And that's not the only surprise we have..." Warrior said as he stood aside to reveal their new and approved companion and both the ladies' jaws dropped.
"Is that you Archer?" Guild Girl asked.
"Yep, I'm a Druid now, and I love it." H.E. Druid said with a smile.
"So do I..." Dwarf Rifleman whispered before revealing himself. "I'm new. How's it going ladies?"
"Welcome to the frontier." Guild Girl said warmly before seeing his tags. "You're Ruby Ranked! Nice."
"Yes I am. So...did you happen to see a Gold Ranked Summoner come through here? He's my boss- well, he used to be." D.R. asked and Guild Girl looked away. "Something wrong?"
"She went out with him." Inspector said simply.
"That was a secret! Oh nevermind..." Guild Girl groaned.
"Well...lucky you, I guess..." Wizard said.
"You guess?" Fighter asked.
"Summoner did say demon hunters aren't known for being cuddly. Not in those words but still." Inspector said.
"Anything new happen since we left?" Ranger asked.
"Nothing too major, other than your father being a pain in the neck for the recruits." Inspector said.
"Yep, nothing major there..." Ranger said with a smirk and a head shake.
"Where's Summoner now?" Priestess asked.
"Hunting demons, what else?" Inspector asked.
"Maybe I can give him a hand..." Priestess said.
"Well, if you think you can, by all means do so, but...good luck finding him. He could be literally anywhere in town." Guild Girl said.
"I'll manage." Priestess said with a smile before leaving.
"Tell us everything!" Fighter said as she leaned on the desk and making Guild Girl recoil.
"Uhhhh..." She trailed off.
"Fighter, don't pressure the poor girl..." Warrior said as Fighter huffed and backed up.
"I'll tell you when things aren't as...public." Guild Girl said as he looked at the place half-full of adventurers...some of whom were probably undressing Cow Girl with their eyes...and wetting themselves over GS' new suit.
"It seems you two have some fans..." D.R. teased.
"Very funny." Cow Girl said.
"Did you all get anything worth while on your trip?" Guild Girl asked hopefully.
"Other than we encountered an elder dragon that taught me a new trick, we took out a goblin nest, treated the bodies...and the minds of their captives, and we got our asses kicked by the Sword Maiden's killer? Not much happened..." Wizard said as the two women in front of her stared at her.
"You...fought her killer...and lost?" Inspector asked with both disbelief and fear in her voice.
"Please don't rub it in..." Wizard said.
"The good news is that he's weakened now, but...we need to get stronger ourselves to be able to put him six feet under." Warrior said.
"But that shouldn't be a problem; we got some tricks up our sleeves." Fighter said with pride as Guild Girl chuckled.
"I'm sure you do..." Guild Girl said as Heavy Warrior came down the stairs.
"Well, if it isn't the unstoppable Ranger and his crew...we're going to kick ass now!" H.W. said with a smirk.
"Nice to see you again too..." Ranger said dryly.
"Hey, where's your friend?" Wizard asked.
"Here I am." Female Knight said from behind the team making Wizard recoil and scream, making the armored lady giggle.
"You bitch, don't scare me like that!" Wizard exclaimed.
"Don't call me that again..." F.K. snapped then looked at Warrior's hammer. "Hey! Let me see that hammer!" Warrior then handed over his hammer as F.K. looked it over. "Just as I thought...this thing has a blessing from the gods on it."
"How do you know that?" H.W. asked and F.K. showed her Gold Rank tags. "You're a Paladin now?"
"Yep, the Pope himself christened me." Female Paladin said.
"Well, nice going." Cow Girl said s F.P. looked her over.
"Someone got an upgrade herself." F.P said before looking at GS and H.E. Druid. "And not just one of you either..."
"Yeah, get it out of your systems..." H.E. Druid said.
"You people are eye-openers, so...get used to it." Dwarf Rifleman said.
"Easier said than done." Cow Girl said.
"So...anything about hell rifts, or goblins?" GS asked.
"Did...you ask about the rifts before the goblins on purpose Orcbolg?" H.E. Druid asked.
"Yeah. What of it?" GS asked.
"Nothing...it's just odd..." H.E. Druid said.
"To answer you: we haven't heard anything as of yet, but we'll keep you posted." Guild Girl said.
"Thank you very much. Well, what should we do...boss?" Cow girl asked.
"Technically, you're part of Goblin Slayer's team, not mine, so ask him." Ranger said as she turned to GS.
"Come with me..." GS said as he walked out.
"Oh this should be fun..." D.R. said as the rest of his team walked out, than Fighter handed Guild Girl her daughter as Ranger's team went to have a meal together, consisting of various veggies, meats, and bread, most of which was eaten in total silence; they just wanted to fill their stomachs, everything else could wait.
"Welcome back all-powerful Platinum Rank." Spearman said casually as they finished their meal.
"Nice to be back." Ranger said simply.
"Have you seen Goblin Slayer and company? Who'd have thought they'd change so much...?" Spearman asked thoughtfully.
"Probably no one, but...that's life." Ranger said.
"Indeed it is. Life...a blessing to some, but clutter to others." Witch said as she sat down herself and inhaled her pipe.
"Like those goblins we shred so often." Fighter said before looking at her baby so who being handled quite sweetly by the two ladies at the front desk.
"Just like them, and the Sword Maiden...quite a sordid affair, but I'm sure the Supreme God will see her through. It would be blasphemous otherwise." Witch said.
"The Sword Maiden is fine..." Ranger said tensely as Priestess got up.
"Excuse me...I would like to go to the temple." She said.
"By all means." Ranger said as Priestess bowed and left.
"What's her deal?" Spearman asked.
"Her "deal" is that the Sword Maiden is about as sore a subject as it can get with her. If you're smart you'll keep that in mind." Ranger said tensely; Spearman always was too casual for comfort, even with serious topics.
"Sheesh, no need to get all huffed up over it..." Spearman said.
"That's what you get for not taking this seriously enough; the Sword Maiden's death is a sore subject by default, for a lady of faith, even if she didn't think of the Sword Maiden as a surrogate mother...it's worse." Warrior said.
"Well shit...I guess I should apologize when she gets back." Spearman said.
"There's a good fellow." Witch teased.
"But for now...care to fill us in?" Spearman asked.
"Other than some training, and the fact we got our asses kicked by the Cambion before Summoner lost half his people in a siege that cost the Evil Sect one of their top henchmen, there's not much to tell." Wizard's brother said.
"That is much to tell!" Spearman exclaimed then it hit him. "Wait...you all fought him and lost?"
"Some of us, like myself weren't there..." Ranger said tensely.
"Oh...well, wait until he faces the vampire queen's killer; he'll be so screwed then." Spearman said with a smirk.
"On that, we agree..." Ranger growled.
"If I recall correctly, you destroyed Her Late Majesty's castle with the War God's power, yes?" Witch asked.
"According to the Hero's Sage friend, the Army of One miracle lets the person who uses it take on the Demon Lord with a decent chance of winning, so...make of that what you will." Ranger said.
"Yikes...and the Demon Lord is pretty much the authority on challenging monsters to face down, not to mention those three girls took him down. Talk about having solid confirmation..." Spearman said.
"Perceptive." Fighter said.
"Now you're getting in on poking at me?" Spearman asked with made Witch giggle.
"Only because it's so easy." Fighter said smugly.
"Why I outta..." Spearman said.
"Careful...she once clobbered a pair of ass-clowns for hitting on her." Warrior said casually.
"Don't remind me..." Fighter said with disgust.
"Hey, you should be proud." Wizard said.
"Yeah. Just having a woman like that around is enough to discourage other cases." Rhea Fighter said.
"I guess...I mean, I once slammed a boulder into he ground to stop some men from blowing kisses at me..." Fighter said.
"O.k...that's just beast..." Spearman said and Fighter giggled. She was clearly proud of herself afterall.
Meanwhile, outside, things were a bit ridiculous. Cow Girl was chopping down one rock dummy after another that Dwarf Shaman made, and GS? Well...he punched one to pieces without much trouble, without even feeling the impact or spending much energy. His armor even morphed a small gun out of his shoulder which he could launch his bombs with more force than throwing them. He also morphed a small blade attached to his right arm that worked as well as his sword did, but the shield on his left arm could be morphed into a gauntlet over the "real" gauntlet. He eventually settled on using his short sword and shield as usual, but kept he idea of making each one larger if needed in the back of his mind.
Cow Girl herself got better with using her larger sword and her collapsible shield, especially by watching and copying GS as much as possible. It was alittle amazing she never got slowed down by her armor and sword's mass; imagine what would happen if Wizard gave it even further enhancements. Her ice axe was a good back-up/surprise weapon, especially since it could thrown with decent efficiency, but unless she gets a bow, crossbow, or even a gun, her long-ranger game leaves something to be desired.
H.E. Druid's case was the most explosive by far. Not only could she shoot more arrows with greater ease, but also on-the-move, or even in mid-air; she actually ran up the side of a building, flipped off of it in a way that rivaled Fighter herself. She even tested her speed and strength by punching some of the dummies to bits. Granted it hurt her hands, but they recovered with relative ease, and she didn't even have any special armor...for now.
"Well...that was entertaining." Dwarf Rifleman said as the elf princess finished up and smirked.
"One would hope so; I not only look like a new woman, but feel like one." She said.
"That was quite an impressive display on all of your parts, especially you Lady Druid." Lizard Priest said before turning to GS and CG. "The two of you as well of course."
"I can't say I think that much of this armor, but it does surpass my old one." GS said as he looked it over then Ranger's team showed up.
"Hey...where's Ranger?" Cow Girl asked.
"Still inside; he told us how he trained you...didn't think he'd go that far..." Fighter said as she held her daughter and let her play with one of her mother's hands.
"Well then...are you here to show me a thing or two? I'd like to get to Silver Rank someday myself." Cow Girl said which made the team smile; she was about as ambitious as Ranger was.
"Alright...let's get to it." Fighter said as she gave her baby to Rhea Fighter and they got to work. Starting with Fighter giving her another crash course in unarmed combat, then she sparred with Warrior and Wizard who of course, didn't use any magic outside of morphing her armor, and later picking Cow Girl's armor apart later to figure out how to upgrade it. H.E. Druid had a similar, yet more elvish-looking version of Cow Girl's black and sapphire blue armor, H.E. Druid's however was emerald green, dark silver, and her original clothing was worked into the design. The training ended with Wizard's brother summoned his familiars to give Cow Girl some more advanced training after his sister was done upgrading the armor.
Meanwhile, Ranger was watching from a distance with pride in Cow Girl; she came a long way since they started, and in a pretty shot time. His team wasn't much worse, and when H.E. Druid got her new armor...he couldn't help but notice Dwarf Rifleman's reaction; he was looking at the elf like he himself probably looked at Fighter. Could he be in love with her? Sure, she was absolutely gorgeous now, and was...well, she was pretty cute beforehand, sometimes, but it wasn't common for dwarves and elves to be romantically involved. But whatever...to each their own.
"Surprise." Summoner said as he showed up and Ranger slowly looked at the demon hunter.
"Very funny...anything new?" Ranger asked.
"In Limbo? Luckily no." Summoner said.
"Well...if you need help, let me know; the last time I saw your brother, we fought demons in Limbo together." Ranger said and Summoner sighed.
"Unbelievable. He fought beside not one, but two Platinum Ranks...does his greed have any limits?" Summoner said tensely.
"What was I supposed to say no?" Ranger asked.
"I'm not mad at him, or you but...first he got to sleep with the Sword Maiden, who knows how many times for that matter...now this? This is hardly fair." Summoner said.
"What is fair is that he won her heart, and did not just want her body, difficult as that may seem." Ranger said.
"True...he did kill a heap of goblins for her, and...anyone who knows the goblins would be thrilled to have someone do that for them." Summoner said seriously and the two men stood there watching the training.
"So...you enjoy your date?" Ranger asked casually which alarmed Summoner who sighed later.
"Very much so..." Summoner whispered.
"She's a good woman you know, quite pretty too." Ranger said seriously.
"I noticed...there's a reason so many men desired her, and still do." Summoner said softly.
"You're talking about her like I once talked about my wife." Ranger said.
"Well...even if we do care about each even half as much as the two of you do, it's far too early to even consider marriage." Summoner said.
"No one said marriage until you did..." Ranger said.
"Look, I was in a bad mood, and she gave me a pick-me-up alright?" Summoner said.
"That's how me and Fighter's relationship started." Ranger said and Summoner buried his face in his hands while sighing. "Just give her a chance; she obviously cares about you, and is quite compassionate on the whole."
"Bless her heart...I'll never forget when I heard she proposed one gold coin per dead goblin at the farm a year ago." Summoner said.
"She gave us a pretty big hand by doing that too. Even though she doesn't want to be an adventurer...she's done quite a bit for the frontier." Ranger said and Summoner sighed in exasperation.
"I bought her a silver brooch and a small wreath to wear in her spare time you know..." Summoner said.
"You did? Lucky her..." Ranger said.
"They're anti-demon items actually." Summoner said.
"But that's not the only reason you did that is it?" Ranger asked.
"No...she later asked me about my past, and...she hugged me when I mentioned my mother being...well, eaten." Summoner said with difficulty.
"I told her she's compassionate." Ranger said seriously and Summoner actually smiled.
"Yeah...she's a rose..." He whispered before heading to the tavern.
"Going for a second date are we?" Ranger teased.
"Maybe, but now...I need a drink." Summoner said before heading inside...and got a warm welcome.
"Summoner! How was your patrol?" Guild Girl asked while lighting up when he came in.
"I'm glad to report there weren't any demons around; I'll keep my eyes peeled though." Summoner said.
"In that case...well, since the sun's about to go down, and I'm almost done here-" Summoner cuts her off.
"I'd like to spend another hour or two with you." He said softly and Guild Girl smiled.
"Alright. I'll be right back. Wait...can you dress up yourself?"She asked before he looked himself over.
"This is the only outfit I have, plus I might need it." Summoner said.
"You're going on a date; relax a bit will you?" Inspector said and Summoner sighed.
"I just told you this is my-" Guild girl cuts him off.
"Then we'll just have to get you a new one then, now wait there mister." Guild Girl said before heading out the door.
"Hungry?" Inspector asked.
"Like a shrew..." Summoner said as Inspector went to him a smaller platter of steak, break, and melon which he devoured in less than five minutes.
"You were hungry were you?" Inspector asked with amusement.
"Yes I was. I took rations with me but...I needed to be as nourished as possible; demons aren't known for fighting fair, and they could be anywhere, at anytime in-" Summoner shuts up right away.
"Limbo?" Inspector asked and Summoner cringed. "I know you have secrets, and trust me, I can keep them like a pro."
"I hope so...there's a reason I don't talk about my trade with just anybody." Summoner said.
"Well, as a priestess of the Supreme God, I do know at least some things about Hell's activities." Inspector said.
"Why'd you become a priestess anyway?" Summoner asked.
"I've been one as long as I can remember; I'm not much different from the priestess that works with Ranger and Goblin Slayer actually." Inspector said before softening her voice. "Also...Guild Girl told me about your date yesterday...I'm sorry about your mother." Summoner sighed at this.
"Well...what's done is done; at least she has my brother with her now. Wait...why would she tell you about our date?" Summoner asked and Inspector giggled.
"She and I don't have alot of secrets, even in our love lives." She said.
"Lives? Well-" Summoner shut up before looking around and saw they were alone. "I have reason to think that my brother wasn't just the Sword Maiden's guardian, but her lover as well."
"Really? But...I thought..." Inspector said in disbelief.
"He had a...pretty shady past, but she obviously saw something in him; she probably even slept with him once or twice." Summoner said.
"But...she's the archbishop of the Supreme God! Surely-" Summoner cuts her off.
"She saw something in him, and she had an actual need for his affections...that's all I'm going to say." Summoner said seriously.
"Well...whatever the case, I hope they have as much happiness as they deserve at each other's side in Heaven." Inspector said softly.
"As do I...as do I..." Summoner said before Guild Girl showed up in the same casual outfit she had before and raised an eyebrow.
"You're supposed to be dating me, not her." She playfully snapped as Inspector smirked at her.
"Hey, I'm allowed to spend time with people too, and no I'm not trying to steal him; that's just sick in the head." Inspector said and Summoner looked at her funny.
"That's not funny..." He said seriously. He said that days ago because he nearly kissed Cow Girl, and wasn't proud of it.
"Sorry...just go enjoy yourselves." Inspector said as Guild Girl practically yanked Summoner out the door. Little did they know...Spearman and Witch were returning...with Spearman looking at Summoner in disbelief.
"What the fuck...?" He said dryly.
Priestess meanwhile was at the temple helping Ranger's mother with some items, and blessing some more holy water for herself, her team, and other people for the better part of an hour. She even saw some sick people being treated by the acolytes. One of them being one of the goblins' former captives treating a man who was suffering from a fever by wiping his sweat away with a wet cloth. Priestess heard of cases where a sick or injured man fell in love with the woman taking care of him. She secretly hoped that was the case here; Sword Maiden found love after over a decade, maybe they can as well...maybe she and Wizard could purify and heal their bodies and minds like they did before.
When she was done, she went to a back room, knelt and prayed until Sword Maiden materialized.
"You heard my prayer?" Priestess asked as she got up.
"Yes. I've seen what you've done; it's similar to what the Supreme did for me." Sword Maiden said with a smile; she was clearly proud of her surrogate daughter.
"Can the women we healed be used for Resurrection, if it really came down to it?" Priestess asked hopefully.
"Yes. They couldn't before for...obvious reasons, but they can now, and Wizard was correct: they all still remember what happened, what the memory is no where near as...all-consuming as it was for me. You...have done a great service in the Supreme God's name, and deserve the Restoration miracle a hundred times over, for that one random act of kindness alone." Sword Maiden said as she hugged Priestess who returned the hug with a bright smile.
"How is Storm Mage?" Priestess asked.
"He's fine, and believe it or not, no matter how many times he and I make love...I will always be usable for Resurrection, but that is simply due to my nature as a Nephilim. A normal human could never be that great of an exception." Sword Maiden said.
"So...your purity..." Priestess trailed off.
"My purity is not only restored, but infallible; whenever I lose my virginity now...it will simply restore itself in more ways than one." Sword Maiden said.
"I...don't know what to think of that, but...at least you took back what was taken from you." Priestess said somberly.
"I know you cried for me at the hot springs with Fighter...I love you so much." Sword Maiden said softly.
"I love you two..." Priestess said before tensing up. "The Cambion..."
"I know...he is a powerful threat." Sword Maiden whispered as Priestess bawled her eyes out.
"When he came for me...I've never been so scared!" Priestess exclaimed as her tears kept falling.
"Shhh...don't worry, you will be ready next time. All of you will be." Sword Maiden said as she kept holding her little girl.
"But...my miracles don't effect him. Even if I empower my team, he threatened to kill me before everyone..." Priestess said still shaking in terror.
"Do not worry. Just stick to what has been happening so far. Do not let your fears win child, and do not forget...your mother is with you." Sword Maiden said as she vanished.
"Thank you...mother..." Priestess whispered before finally getting a grip.
Guild Girl and Summoner then spent about half an hour looking for a good suit for him to wear, and got several for him: a few shirts that were blue, green, red, or brown, a few pairs of pants that were black and brown, and even a few coats, one with blue since that was apparently his favorite color, and one with black. They eventually settled on the blue coat, black pants, and white shirt.
"Sorry I had you get this many clothes, but...I just figured-" Summoner cuts Guild Girl off.
"I could afford the silver brooch and wreath, I can afford this. Although...I shouldn't do either too often without a break." He said seriously as they went to his apartment.
"Does the team mind you staying here?" Guild Girl asked.
"I won't be here long, at least I hope not; I'm still looking for a solid home that isn't too far away." Summoner said as he put his clothes in a cabinet, put the sword-whips away, and kept the summon stones, for obvious reasons. "And speaking of that brooch and wreath...they're supposed to keep demons off your back; they don't just look nice."
"That's...awfully sweet for a demon hunter..." Guild Girl said as they went back out.
"I told the same thing to Ranger before I showed up; if I didn't know better I'd say he was trying to play matchmaker." Summoner said.
"Well, he's alittle late for that...but he's about as sweet as a man can get; I'll never forget his and Fighter's wedding. I don't think I've ever cried that much over someone else's happiness..." Guild Girl said with the memory getting to her. "The Sword Maiden herself blessing them was just unfair; I can't imagine how they felt when they heard of her death..."
"They saw their corpses themselves...and my brother's sword-whips were left in their apartment as a taunt." Summoner said tensely as they got to a bridge and he leaned on the rail.
"Summoner..." Guild Girl whispered.
"According to Ranger...both of them had a stab wound in their torsos so massive that it went from the middle of their chests...to the bottom of their stomachs. They...they didn't stand a chance...! If Ranger fights him, and doesn't put that Cambion bastard down..." Summoner dared not finish that sentence; he just remembered his company. "Sorry...I shouldn't let my anger out on you."
"You have a right to be angry; if this happened to Inspector, I'd probably ask Ranger to avenge her as well." Guild Girl said seriously yet softly.
"Heaven forbid that happens to either of you; I said you were both adorable, and I meant it. Not only that but...me and Ranger talked about what you did to get those adventurers to help Goblin Slayer a year ago." Summoner said.
"I didn't do that much." Guild Girl said.
"Nonsense. My brother told me everything. He...told me...everything. Dozens of people helped Ranger and Goblin Slayer's teams kill hundreds upon hundreds of goblins, and you inspired them to do it." Summoner said seriously and with awe.
"I guess so..." Guild Girl said as she leaned on the rail herself and looked at the sunset...but Summoner glanced at it, then back at her before taking her hand, which got her attention, and eventually...made her blush.
"I also said that you were a rose, but that's an understatement...you're a heroine..." Summoner said softly yet intensely as Guild Girl finally looked up at him, then they reflexively got closer until they finally kissed. The two stood there not moving an inch away as their fingers interlocked. For a good ten seconds, with the sun nearing the end of it's journey across the sky, the two stood like that inhaling the same air, and focusing on nothing but the feel of their lips pressing together, and their presence itself until they finally broke apart and looked at each other, with Guild Girl trembling a bit.
"Summoner..." Guild Girl whispered as Summoner touched her face.
"I know..." He said before hugging her. "You know...demons tend to thrive on feelings such as rage, greed, and fear. But here, and now...I see none of that."
"Me neither, thank the Supreme for it." Guild Girl said softly as she kept holding the demon hunter who lost so much.
"Ranger also told me that a moment like this is what started his relationship with Fighter. I don't expect...that much from you, but...if you need my help, you have an army of summons to call on, with myself as their general so to speak." Summoner said and Guild Girl chuckled.
"How lucky can a girl get to have a demon hunter leading an entire army to her rescue?" She asked seriously.
"As lucky as she needs to be..." Summoner said as he held her face some more, then kissed her again with the same softness as before. "Want to get some ice cream to make this really memorable?"
"Yes..." Guild Girl whispered as they walked to the ice cream stand together, went to a place they could be alone, and ate together in peace. She even got some off his chin and licked it herself which he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at as she giggled at him. Afterwards, they went the same way back home...and heard a voice.
"Surprise..." Rhea Scout said as he reared his head, and Guild Girl clutched Summoner tighter...which made his adrenaline spike. "Huh, got yourself a boyfriend didn't you?"
"Who the hell are you?" Summoner asked.
"Someone I kicked out of the guild for cheating his teammates." Guild Girl said tensely.
"And I got killed by Goblin Slayer who cheated me out of my revenge! I deserved a promotion, and you kicked me out over something petty." Rhea Scout said.
"How are you still alive if he killed you?" Summoner asked.
"Take a guess..." Rhea Scout snapped.
"Well, whatever's going on here, you've got some nerve walking up to us like this. You know who I am?" Summoner asked.
"I know exactly who you are; some Gold Rank hotshot who's drawn alot of attention in recent years, and my master wants to collect." Rhea Scout said.
"Well, tell your master that if he wants me dead, he should come here and do it himself!" Summoner snapped.
"He doesn't want you dead, nor do I want her dead. Yes I did before but...believe it or not, that's water under the bridge. I'm actually glad you kicked me out; I have more than I thought I could have, and it's thanks to my master. Someone who actually wants to make a deal." Rhea Scout said.
"Deal?" Summoner asked before laughing. "Dear Supreme, your master needs to get his head examined...!"
"You join us, and maybe you can share the spoils of this little campaign of ours." Rhea Scout said with the mockery he was exposed to sinking in.
"And why should I consider that?" Summoner asked before Rhea Scout raised his eyebrows.
"Look what he did to Ranger's team...and the Sword Maiden, and her pet." He said and Summoner started fuming.
"Now you listen you little stump, and you listen good...her "pet" was my brother, and from what I heard...their bodies were bloodied so much I don't dare go back to Water Town and risk seeing either of them. If that murdering bastard you serve wants to make a deal, I have a counter-proposal: cut your own throats and save me the trouble! Now get out of here before I make a mess of my own..." Summoner said as Rhea Scout stared him down then retreated into the shadows again.
"Summoner?" Guild Girl said softly.
"Just...let's just go home o.k...?" Summoner asked as she held his arm and walked him to her house and sat next to him on the couch. "You have a nice house..."
"Thanks..." Guild Girl said as she leaned into him as he held her back.
"Thank you for a good time..." Summoner whispered before she gave him their third kiss that was just as sweet as the first two.
"Thank you for being there to protect me; I felt as safe as I did before...and like I do now." Guild Girl said as she snuggled into his side.
"I would like to tell you some stories someday, and maybe a bit more about my summoning." Summoner said.
"Maybe...but can you tell a short one now?" Guild Girl asked.
"Alright...well, my summoning at first was...not all it's cracked up to be now. At first, the intelligence of my summons was absolutely embarrassing." Summoner said.
"Dare I ask?" Guild Girl asked and Summoner sighed.
"First off, on one hand you can count the amount of times where my summoned creatures were worth their salt. There were times where they got in front of me when I had a clear shot at a demon, took the ice spear I launched, then whined about it! They sometimes didn't even fight when they were getting the stuffing kicked out of them from multiple angles, but they never actually did anything serious other than be there as a distraction or a power source. Probably the worst case was when I was clearing out a small fort in the countryside. I had a small group of elementals with me...they literally walked three rooms ahead and up a floor, ignored every monster in the way, made me fight them all myself...and one of them had the nerve to ask me "where have you been?"...I was so mind-screwed by that I just killed them all; I figured that allies this stupid didn't belong on my team or anyone else's." Summoner said.
"Yikes..." Guild Girl said.
"I actually said out loud "note to self: fix that shit"...pardon my Dwarvish." Summoner said and Guild Girl huffed in amusement.
"Well...now you've come quite some way didn't you?" Guild Girl asked.
"Yes I did; my summons got me a Gold Rank...and now a place in a lovely woman's heart." Summoner said softly before kissing her yet again. "I'm...not good at saying "I love you"..."
"Will you pretend I said it? Because...I can pretend you did." Guild Girl said softly.
"Alright..." Summoner said as they kept holding each other. "I should probably get home soon."
"You could stay here, if you'd like?" Guild Girl said.
"But...my stuff is over there. Besides, where would I sleep, here?" Summoner asked and Guild Girl looked down.
"You...you could sleep next to me." Guild Girl said while blushing.
"What?" Summoner asked.
"We don't have to...do anything, but I do think it would be nice. I mean...people sleep together all the time right?" Guild Girl asked.
"Right, and I won't try anything funny, unless...well..." Summoner said before scoffing. "Oh wow, big bad demon hunter getting flustered over sleeping next to a girl. When did that become a thing?" Guild Girl's laughter cut the tension in half.
"Probably at the same time that girl got flustered herself over a big bad demon hunter sleeping next to her; you sir are quite possibly the only demon hunter who can be considered normal...but hey, I once had a thing for Goblin Slayer of all people." Guild Girl said.
"Let me guess: I'm not much worse?" Summoner asked which earned him a weird look. "Hey, I'm allowed to make fun of myself."
"Let's just go to bed before this gets too weird..." Guild Girl said as she walked him upstairs and they laid down on their sides, facing each other.
Cow Girl and GS went with their team to their own apartment with their team, while Ranger's team went to theirs as Priestess returned. Everyone went straight to their rooms with Ranger and Fighter taking a bucket of water to their old room; both of them were overdue for a bath. They then stripped each other, and just when Ranger was about to grope her...she stopped him cold.
"Are...you feeling alright?" Ranger asked and Fighter gave him an incredibly soft look.
"I need to talk to you...and I need you to listen as carefully as you can..." She said with a tone to match her statement.
"Alright..." Ranger whispered as Fighter hugged him, not caring about his manhood digging into her belly.
"Last night...I had the best best dream I ever had, and...you, me, the Sword Maiden, we were all in it." Fighter said.
"What happened in your dream my love?" Ranger asked.
"I...I was in multiple different places, some of which turned into others, like my old house turning into our manor in Water Town, or...the cave we had our first quest in having dozens of goblins pouring out screaming in fear, and going through my body like I wasn't even real...only to find out they were running from the Sword Maiden, who took me to the Temple of Law where I saw...a child version of you, then a child version of myself hugging and kissing. Then...I woke up in a meadow, with you giving me flowers for saving you from the goblins, then I became the kid and you grew up. It then ended with my kid self giving me that wedding ring and the amethyst pendant...then I woke up looking at you." Fighter said as Ranger took it all in. He was clearly in awe.
"That is...quite a dream..." Ranger said.
"And it felt so real, then I thought about the timing; you coming to terms with those girls, me showing my father our child...the timing is unreal!" Fighter said harshly.
"Yes...it's almost like a sign from Heaven itself." Ranger said thoughtfully then Fighter put his hand on her left breast.
"Touch me...touch me and clean me..." Fighter whispered as Ranger squeezed her breasts that never failed to fill his entire hands as her breathing and heart rate spiked. She then pulled him down to their knees, then they wet their hands, and used a pairs of towels to wash and scrub each other's torsos, limbs and even their faces a bit. Fighter then gave her husband a kiss that was sweeter and softer than either could remember for a good ten seconds before she pulled back and her eyes watered. "I cannot remember the last time we kissed like that..."
"We haven't...each one is unique." Ranger whispered and watched his dear wife smile at him while he caressed her cheeks.
"I love you so much..." Fighter said softly before kissing him again and they just sat there holding each other and taking each other's kiss. Neither kept track of the time, for it didn't matter, and when the kiss finally broke, their embrace became as close as it could with the pair caressing and shifting against each other, consumed by the love that consumed the rest of their feelings. They established that lust and love mixed together quite often, but now...lust had no place here. Only the love that drove them through the hellish encounters they both threw themselves into, or were thrown into by fate, had a place in that place and time.
"Do you remember when we escaped from Hell, and you said you wanted a family?" Ranger asked.
"How can I forget...?" Fighter whispered against his shoulder as they kept hugging tightly.
"You also said I was your favorite man, and I said you were my favorite woman...and will always be my favorite woman." Ranger whispered in her ear before she looks up at him smiling at her, and kissed him again while running her hands through his bangs.
"And you will always be my favorite man..." Fighter whispered against his lips. "Do you think your parents mind looking after our daughter?"
"I'm sure they're thrilled; they see her half as often as we do, and that's saying something." Ranger said as Fighter lowered her head.
"I feel so guilty that we spend so little time with her. We're her parents; we should be around her all the time but..." She trailed off.
"That's not entirely our fault; others need us as much as we do, plus she inspires hope and joy in plenty of people, and it's the first major thing she's done. She takes after us without even noticing." Ranger said as Fighter's mood brightens.
"How do you know what to say so often?" Fighter asked.
"The evidence is right in front of me the whole time. Besides...pulling you out of the shadows is the least I can do..." Ranger said.
"Because I did the same to you." Fighter said with a smile.
"Talk about a serious thing to build a marriage on huh?" Ranger said as he caressed her face as she looked him in the face. "You are so beautiful..."
"Put me on that bed and show me how beautiful I am." Fighter whispered before Ranger picked her up bridal style, slowly laid her on the bed, with her head on the pillow, drank a shot of the sterility potion, then kissed her with the same passion as before. They spent the next five minutes doing nothing but taking their time showing their bottomless love through action alone.
Ranger squeezed and licked her breasts as he heard her pleasured gasps and watched her blissful smile. She wrapped one leg around his waist as he gripped the opposite butt cheek she graciously softened while she kissed and licked the neck he faithfully shaves. They each massaged each other's solid muscles they use to both crush goblins, and entwine their bodies together. Their skin rubbed together all the while, only adding to the passionate atmosphere, as if their tangled limbs, soft, skilled movements, and passionate vocalizations didn't do that well enough.
"Do you see how beautiful you are now?" Ranger whispered in her ear while she interlocked their hands.
"No less than you see how handsome you are..." Fighter said softly and sweetly as he looked down at her as they both smiled brightly. "Make love to me...remind me how you were when we lost our virginities together."
"As my dear, sweet Love Goddess wishes..." Ranger whispered tensely as she spread her legs, and he joined their bodies together. She simply laid there and focused on the fact her husband's flesh and hers were connected in the best possible way, and that he was moving in and out of her for the sole purpose of showing his love, and he showed it alright. The pleasure was so intense and his motives were so sweet that she couldn't keep herself from gasping in pleasure, but even then...the enthralling sounds coming from her mouth did nothing to sway his focus on their passions rather than their hunger.
"Ranger...my...love and life...please...go faster...!" Fighter whispered harshly, and Ranger wasted no time and doubled the frequency of his thrusts making her gasp even more. "Yes...yes...ohhh...yes...yes!" The next ten seconds were spent with Ranger listening to his wife drown in euphoria he caused while he shoved his own bliss aside and focused on hers before he couldn't contain it anymore and groaned with an orgasm as she did the same. He then collapsed on top of her, pressing his pecs into her perfectly fleshy breasts as she stroked his freshly-washed yet dried hair as he inhaled her scent.
"You smell so good..." Ranger whisper as Fighter chuckled before kissing his cheek. "Should we go again?"
"No...let's just sleep together, o.k?" Fighter asked.
"O.k...good night." Ranger said before kissing her one last time before they slept together enveloped in their personal bubble of contentment.
Summoner woke up to find Guild Girl still sleeping on her front and him on top of her. Her face was facing him and...he dared not try to wake her. She was lovely when awake, but asleep? She looked like the embodiment of peace itself, how fitting since he put his heart at peace just last afternoon. Her figure wasn't half-bad either, but...it would probably be some time before he got to see her naked...as least on her terms. She eventually stirred, groaned and he moved over so she could stretch.
"Good morning baby." Summoner said softly as Guild Girl smiled brightly.
"Good morning...baby." She said before he gave her a kiss as she stroked his cheek. "You know how to wake a girl up..."
"I almost feel like our date was a dream, but this...this is too real to be a dream..." Summoner said softly.
"You are mostly certainly not dreaming, nor were you last afternoon. I should know; I dreamt that I was back in Water Town, no one else was there, a handful of goblins were around...and when one was out in the open...you showed up and kicked it into the canal." Guild Girl said as Summoner burst out laughing, which got her laughing as well.
"I would absolutely do that if I could..." He said while still laughing, then screamed as he fell off the bed.
"Are you alright?" Guild Girl asked as Summoner got back up.
"It was worth it...!" He said as he brushed himself off then held out his hand, she took it and got out of bed before being hugged. "Thank you for last afternoon. I really hope we can do it again this afternoon."
"Yes...me too." Guild Girl said softly.
"I love you..." Summoner whispered which got her attention before she smiled a bit and tightened her hold, silently returning his sentiment.
"I'll see you at the tavern." Guild Girl whispered before kissing his cheek.
"O.k..." Summoner whispered before kissing her cheek...then they kissed each other's lips for a few seconds straight before reluctantly letting go and Summoner went home to get his armored robe...then noticed she wasn't on her way to the tavern, so he looked through her window...and there she was in her underwear, and he couldn't stop staring at her enchanting figure. Even though she was pretty slender...her breasts could easily fill his hands and were apparently quite bouncy given how much she moved them around as she got dressed. When she turned around, he noticed her legs and buttocks were quite plump in their own right, her skin looked as creamy as it felt, and it was a miracle he could move away from the window before she could spot him. He then went straight to the tavern and stopped just outside to think about something important...then he remembered that rhea. Well...if he caused her any trouble, he'd deal with Summoner himself.
"Good morning!" Inspector exclaimed as she walked up to Summoner.
"Good morning." He said.
"Someone's in a better mood." Inspector said.
"Of course I am...although, we ran into an old friend." Summoner said.
"Let me guess, that rhea before a year ago?" Inspector asked which got his attention.
"Best guess I ever heard. How'd you know?" Summoner asked.
"Little bastard tried to blackmail me by saying that he'd kill Guild Girl if I try to aid Ranger's team in any serious way." Inspector said seriously.
"Well...if he does try anything, I'm going to come after him. Me and a hundred angry rockheads." Summoner said.
"I'll bet...a big old demon hunter's on the case." Inspector teased and Summoner smirked.
"Hey! What's going on here?" Guild Girl asked as she showed up in her uniform.
"I was kidding with him. Lighten up-" Summoner cuts in.
"That rhea we met blackmailed her by saying he'd kill you if she helps Ranger and company in any serious manner." He said seriously and Guild Girl went pale.
"Please tell me you have a way to protect us...!" She said while trembling, then Summoner snapped his finger and an ice elemental appeared on the other side of their group, startling the ladies.
"Does that answer your question?" Summoner asked.
"Where did he...she...it come from?" Inspector asked.
"First, elementals are genderless; call it a he or she and you're right either way. Secondly, it was always there; I pulled it from...well, Limbo, the world between the worlds." Summoner said.
"You can do that?" Guild Girl asked.
"I have to actually make elementals, but sending them to Limbo and back is much easier than just summoning them. Faster too." Summoner said.
"Great...I feel safer already." Guild Girl said with a smile before going inside.
"And I thought you were in a better mood. What's her deal? Wait...you two kissed didn't you?" Inspector teased.
"Multiple times..." Summoner whispered.
"Multiple? Nice...nice...it's about time she got some." Inspector said with a voice and a smirk that were...kind of sexy.
"If I didn't know better I'd say you wanted in on this..." Summoner said curiously.
"If I didn't know better...I'd say you wanted both of us in bed with you..." Inspector said and Summoner raised an eyebrow. "Oh relax, I've been poking at her for ages, and I'm not just a priestess of the Supreme God, I'm also the sister she never had...and vice versa."
"Well...even the Sword Maiden had a whimsy side. Don't know how strong it was, but I've heard she could be childish herself at times." Summoner said.
"I have something in common with the Sword Maiden...yay me...!" Inspector said with a giggle as they went inside.
"Now, I forgot what you answered...did you say there weren't many demon-hunting quests?" Summoner asked.
"Nope, like you said, they're subtle like that." Guild Girl said with her professional attitude back on.
"Oh...of course, how'd I forget...?" Summoner asked, then noticed Spearman and Witch sitting there, with the former nursing a bear...then glaring at him. "What's his problem?"
"Oh him? He's been advancing on me for ages, but...I never got it through that I'm not interested..." Guild Girl said as Summoner groaned.
"I see...my brother got on him about money as a prime motive at the farm once. Well, I'm going to grab a meal before I head off. Please don't wait up." Summoner said before getting himself some pork and potato stew with a small ale to wash it down.
"So...how'd it go yesterday?" Inspector asked.
"Not now..." Guild Girl whispered harshly.
"Yo, Summoner! How's it going?" Spearman asked.
"Pretty well so far...all things considered." Summoner said before blowing on some stew.
"I heard rumors that a troublemaker's up and about, but that shouldn't be an issue with a demon hunter on the prowl." Spearman said as Summoner ate some more stew.
"Not likely no." Summoner said before drinking some beer.
"Stew and beer...could a better combination exist? Other than a good woman and some hard-earned gold to blow." Spearman said casually.
"O.k cut the bullshit! Why are you talking to me about all this, and why do you think I'm in the mood for it?" Summoner snapped.
"Simple: I saw you with that adorable girl at the desk, and I've had my own heart set on her for some time now." Spearman said.
"I've heard...over a year now it seems. If something doesn't go anywhere for that long...especially when your Witch friend here is enchanting in more ways than one...it's time to rethink things." Summoner said dryly as Witch giggled.
"People who cast spells tend to have more effects than they realize. Like a summoner, summoning a woman's heart, for instance?" Witch said while crossing her thick legs.
"Ah whatever...I'm still the greatest spearman on the frontier." Spearman boasted.
"Quite likely; no one else uses a spear..." Summoner said dryly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Spearman snapped.
"What does it sound like? I don't recall seeing anyone else use a spear like that." Summoner said.
"Well...the rest of us do our own fighting instead of having other things fight for us." Spearman said.
"I can draw power from my summons, and some can actually heal or even stop people from dying; I've actually done that for the Abbot once. Something I'm quite proud of." Summoner said before going back to his stew then getting a second bowl and some bread.
"When you're done with that stew I want to see just how good you are outside!" Spearman exclaimed before Summoner sat his stew down, snapped his fingers and three stone elementals appeared, frightening everyone in the area.
"Hey! Take this outside, all of you!" The manager exclaimed.
"Relax, this was nothing but a display of power." Summoner said before snapping his fingers, making the elementals vanish. "There are hundreds of elementals to my name, and my strongest ones could give the vampire queen a hard time, and once let me defeat a demon general with nothing and no one else helping me. Still want to take me on?"
"No...you made your point..." Spearman said as he sat back down as Summoner showed his Gold Tags.
"These tags aren't given away for a song and dance; anyone could become Silver Ranked...but Gold and Platinum are for the elites among the elite. Remember that next time you find me in a mood that demands to be handled with care..." Summoner said firmly before going back to his stew.
The next few days were spent with the team training their asses off for their rematch with the Cambion. From Fighter, Ranger, and Warrior giving Cow Girl more instruction/practice on how to use her skills effectively, to the Wizard siblings upgrading her and H.E. Druid's armors by making them more flexible, self-maintaining, able to be morphed like the rest of the armors, magic resistant, and even gave them miscellaneous abilities, such as H.E. Druid's gauntlets and boots popping 3ft blades and her bow being able to be split in half into a pair of improvised nunchuks, sometimes with blades on them...or even as a grappling hook. Summoner even skipped a date with Guild Girl to help H.E. Druid with her bow's new features. He made up for it in he next one of course by giving her some holy water from Priestess, and explained to her how demons hated holy water, so drinking it cancelled out their influence, or discouraged them from attacking you.
Dwarf Rifleman got some improvements to his rifle as well, from getting a silencing enchantment...which he could turn off since the noise could be helpful, and Ranger and GS' guns got the same feature; GS had his shotgun silenced so it could be used without damaging his allies' ears as well as the goblins. No one gave a damn if goblins had their eardrums blown out for obvious reasons. Cow Girl even tested the rifle herself, then had an idea: what if she got a rifle...that fired shells instead of bullets, then the two dwarves put their heads together and made her a shotgun of her own, and made it so it could fire bullets or shells. The Wizard siblings even made it so it could make it's own ammo just like the others. The new gun wasn't perfect though; it only held six rounds tops, could only be fired so quickly, and above all...was almost useless at melee range, so against massive crowds of goblins that got too close...her sword was the way to go.
Speaking of her sword, everyone got the effect of Cherub's blood infused with all their weapons, so any of them could seal Hell Rifts, but couldn't rival the Hero's sword except for the ones who already could. Ranger's own armor was infused with the effect as a test-run. Fighter also opened a portal to the field they fought Cambion in...and Ranger morphed a gauntlet on his left hand, heated it as much as he could, then shouted in fury as he punched the ground, upturned the entire area in front of him, and turning a good chunk of it into lava! He also drank some holy water, treated his Immolation miracle on himself, which made his armor burst into flames and he tested his new power on some pillars Dwarf Shaman made...and he turned them into partially-melted rock as well by punching them with his gauntlets, and even burned through them with his greatsword...even if he didn't physically hit them. He even heated his guns...and large bursts of heat spewed from them. Granted the heat had a pitiful range, and couldn't be spammed, but nothing could hide; cover wouldn't save anyone in the area. His Pestilence and Implosion miracles were off-the-table since using them around allies wasn't a good idea.
When they returned, Rhea Fighter's new armor was put to the test, and it was just as useful as Cow Girl's, but with a different color scheme of course. Hers was mostly indigo with black for the chainmail and cloth parts. It was every bit as advanced as the rest of the team's. Even Priestess got her dress upgraded. The appearance wasn't altered in the least; she wanted to honor the Sword Maiden in every way she could, but...the dress badly needed an upgrade, and it got it. Dwarf Shaman gave it the same reinforcement he gave to Fighter's robe a year ago, with stone and steel woven into the fabric itself so it couldn't be torn so easily. Priestess even remembered the dwarven dagger Fighter gave her at the farm a year ago and it was altered to be an actual sword. Now she could really honor the Sword Maiden! The fact her surrogate elder sister gave it to her was just overkill. Granted, Priestess did use the dagger every now and then while the team was apart, but those times were so rare that it was more of an heirloom than a weapon, but that changed now.
A letter arrived for H.E. Druid...from her sister, the Elf Queen. She was captured by the Evil Sect!
Well fuck...at least the team gets to test their new arsenal for real, especially Cow Girl; she's still a Porcelain Rank afterall...although, that may be an advantage; people might not take her seriously, or question why she's only a beginner when her gear is so advanced, and drop their guard. Here's hoping she has the heart to handle it eh? Also...Summoner and Spearman went at it over Guild Girl, if you saw that coming...raise your hand. Anyway...wait until H.E. Archer's elder sister gets to see the new and improved H.E. Druid eh? So be sure to Rate, Review, and Share, and stay tuned for the upcoming slugfest.