Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team Year 2. For the 1st time, we have a chapter with a 4th part...wowie. But at least there's good reason for it, what with all the nasty shenanigans going down..and we're still not done with them yet, so let's light this candle...then put it out.
Review response: You, my good Engineer...could not be more right about those three things.
Yeah...Rhea Scout went from shitting his pants over Goblin Slayer's mere presence, to nearly blowing Ranger's brains out with a shotgun...stepping up your game much? Also...what sort of implications do you mean in regards to Sword Maiden and the relic?
"What would this country do without me?" Hero asked as she dusted her hands off, then put them on her hips as she looked at the entrance to the Astral Plane...and the corpses of several eldritch abominations.
"You mean without us?" Sage asked seriously.
"If it wasn't for us, you wouldn't even have survived the Demon Lord, let alone beat him." Sword Saint said.
"Not now ladies..." Hero deadpanned.
"Hey, you started it sis." Sword Saint said.
"Look...can we please just move on to the next place that has lives that need saving, and butts that need kicking?" Hero asked.
"Alright..." Sage said before Sword Saint sighed.
"Lead on boss lady..." She said.
"Alright!" Hero said running off.
"It's too quiet...I don't like this." Rhea Fighter said as the group surveyed a swamp after going down a lift.
"Animals grow silent when they sense predators are near." Lizard Warrior said.
"That explains alot..." Wizard's brother said.
"Look, let's just go find that Hell Nexus, check back with Ranger, then get out of this crazy place...no offense." Fighter said.
"No offense taken Lady Fighter." Lizard Priest said as Fighter led them through the swamp...then she launched some blades at some outcast riflemen, as Rhea Fighter did the same to some on the other side.
"Ambush!" H.E. Druid said before Lizard Warrior and Priest engaged some outcasts that swam out of the deeper part of the swamp. Priestess then used an Empower miracle on them to keep them from being overwhelmed, since the group's shooters had to deal with more riflemen before they landed any lucky hits. Fighter even charged to the side, climbed up the hill the riflemen were on, then tore them apart with her arm and leg blades. Wizard's brother had some new crocodile familiars join the fight with Lizard Warrior and Priest.
"They're new." Rhea Fighter said before spinning to the side and bisecting an outcast.
"The terrain calls for it." Wizard's brother said before blocking, and deflecting an outcast's strike with his mace, then bashing his skull in, then Rhea Fighter beheads an outcast who snuck up on him, then he bashes another in the gut, stunning him long enough for Rhea Fighter to stab him in the heart, through his back, then jumps off his back and bisects two more outcasts, and Dwarf Rifleman shot the last outcast in the face.
"Outcast filth..." Lizard Warrior spat out, as he and Lizard Priest chopped down the last outcast.
"Is it me, or are these outcasts more like brawlers, than actual warriors?" Rhea Fighter asked.
"It makes sense though. Hell's influence tends to wear down people's ability or will to cooperate." Priestess said.
"No wonder they get a foot jammed up their assholes all the time." D.R. said as Fighter rejoined them.
"Speaking of which, do you sense that Nexus Priestess?" She asked.
"It's down that way." Priestess said as she pointed down a narrow passage.
"As can be expected, I'm pretty sure it won't be easy to get to." H.E. Druid said.
"Unlikely. Like cowards, their leaders possibly seek as much strength in numbers as possible." Lizard Warrior said.
"Is it really cowardice if they know a storm's coming their way?" D.R. asked.
"It is if they flock together without regard for their people." Lizard Warrior snapped.
"The man's got a point there." Wizard's brother said.
"Then let us forge ahead." Lizard Priest said as he and Lizard Warrior led the team through the pass, with Fighter keeping Priestess close-by.
"Are you alright?" Fighter whispered.
"I will be..." Priestess said nervously before Fighter put a hand on her shoulder.
"We've fought through Hell itself before, and we're stronger now. What do we have to fear?" She asked and Priestess calmed down.
"Right..." She said before Fighter hugged her, and she returned it. "I love you."
"I love you too..." Fighter said before kissing her forehead and they caught up with the others.
Warrior and Wizard meanwhile were using their boat to get to the island in the middle of the lake the giant croc was guarding, with Warrior rowing, and Wizard keeping a lookout. Nothing attacked them the entire time it took them to get to the island. Yes, she saw some decent-sized fish and even smaller crocs at a range, but nothing attacked them...then they noticed something alarming shortly after getting off the boat.
"Oh no...looks like the outcasts dug in deep here..." Wizard said as she eyeballed a fortress in the middle of a large pit lined with rocks...and the fortress even had cannons. "Sword Maiden? If you're listening, is it o.k. if we just level the place?" No response came.
"Maybe she wants us to get to cover? She does make a pretty less-than-subtle flash when she appears." Warrior said.
"Good point..." Wizard said as they looked around for cover, and found a small cave. "Sword Maiden? Hello?" A flash interrupted her.
"Your assumption was correct." Sword Maiden said.
"So...can we level the place?" Warrior asked.
"I...can barely sense the relic's position, but there's no telling if it's inside the fort, or if it will survive the blaze you're planning." Sword Maiden said.
"Then we'll just use precise booms instead of big ones." Wizard said.
"Clever girl." Sword Maiden said with a smile.
"I try..." Wizard said with pride before Warrior led her out. When they got to where they were, they saw a group of terrorists whom Warrior shot down with his auto-crossbow.
"What the hell are terrorists doing here?" Warrior asked.
"Now we know the Evil Sect is up to something..." Wizard said before summoning a pair of fire elementals. "Get down there, blow up those guns, and cause as much chaos as you can. But be careful what you hit; we're trying to clear it out, not destroy it."
"And if someone isn't carrying a weapon or wearing any armor, and they're not attacking you...they're probably a captive or something." Warrior said.
"Just make sure they are before attacking them alright?" Wizard said as the elementals nodded and flew off to carry out their orders...and they carried them out alright. The cannons were destroyed in seconds thanks to their gunpowder being ignited, and the screams of fear and pain echoed throughout the fortress as the elementals did their thing...then blew up in the middle of the fortress.
"Well...apparently someone got lucky." Warrior said dryly.
"Or unlucky; they blow up after death afterall." Wizard said.
"Let's just get in there before the place burns down!" Warrior said as the two charged in...and noticed the dozens of burnt corpses of the outcasts and terrorists. "Poor bastards..."
"Bah, they're all sadists and murderers. They can burn like this for all ti- o.k. let me take that back, they can burn all day for all I care." Wizard said before a Hell Rift opens, and they got to cover...before an old friend appeared.
"Unbelievable...these pieces of reptilian shit get the Demon Lord's power, and they still get demolished. Oh well...off to get what I came for..." Rhea Scout said before running off.
"Holy shit...it's that little bastard who tried to murder Guild Girl." Warrior whispered as they watched him leave.
"He must be after that relic too." Wizard said as they got out of cover and she looked around.
"See anyone?" Warrior asked.
"Nope. No captives..." Wizard said.
"Then let's follow that little asshole." Warrior said as they chased Rhea Scout into the woods at a distance...before he jumped into a Hell Rift. "Think he heard us?"
"Don't know, don't want to know." Wizard said before they spotted a clearing, went to check it out...and saw a shipwreck on a beach surrounded by large boulders. "Think the relic's in there?"
"Maybe, or at least some treasure, or at the very least some answers." Warrior said as they looked into the shipwreck...then got speared hurled at them, and he snapped around, got in front of Wizard with his unfolded shield.
"Great...some strays." Wizard said as she used firestorm on the outcasts, hit a few, but missed most since they dodged the shots. Warrior threw his hammer at one, knocked it into a boulder, called his hammer back, bashed another one's brains in, then Wizard impaled one that snuck up on Warrior, who impaled the outcast himself before spinning around Wizard, deflecting a spear with the sword, then jammed his sword into the outcast's gut and ripped out through his shoulder, then kicked the corpse into another outcast as Wizard bisected another one, and Warrior finished the stunned outcast off with a stab through the face. They then looked around and saw they got them all, and went to the shipwreck.
"Hey...looks like a chest." Warrior said as Wizard got to work on the lock with her magic, opened it...and saw a thin bar with symbols on it that Warrior picked up. "What is this?"
"Looks like...electrum." Wizard said.
"What's electrum?" Warrior asked.
"An alloy between gold and silver, and keep the rank jokes to yourself..." Wizard deadpanned which made Warrior chuckle.
"You know that's too easy..." He teased.
"Anyways...the question is why is this is in the safe?" Wizard said seriously as Sword Maiden appeared.
"This is the relic..." She whispered which made the pair look at the item over.
"But...what is it?" Warrior asked.
"And what do those symbols mean?" Wizard asked.
"Maybe Priestess can find out what it is, for those symbols...are actually words written in the angel's tongue." Sword Maiden said.
"The angels'-? Wow..." Wizard said in awe.
"Double wow..." Warrior whispered.
"How did it get here?" Wizard asked.
"It was actually being transported by some priests, then a storm hit their ship, and brought it here." Sword Maiden said.
"But...there's no bones, or bodies, or...any evidence for that matter." Warrior said while looking around.
"I'm not so sure that's a bad thing." Wizard said as Sword Maiden snapped her head up and vanished which made the two look at where she looked.
"Thank you for saving me the trouble of trying to open that myself...now hand it over." Rhea Scout said...before Warrior threw it back in the locker and Wizard closed the door as he crossed his arms and she put her hands on her hips while smirking at the rhea who was baring his teeth and tensing his fists before pulling a pistol and firing at them...only for the bullets to bounce off of Wizard's Reflect spell and hit a boulder, while Warrior took cover. Rhea Scout then jumped into a Hell Rift and plunged a knife right into Warrior's gut...before he vanished in a poof of smoke. "What the-?" Warrior was heard clearing his throat at R.S.' side.
"What? You seeing double? Or am I just fast enough to be in two places?" Warrior asked as the rhea looked back at where he stabbed and then back at Warrior. "Well...let's hear it for the man who learned how to be in multiple places at once." Warrior then started clapping...then a bunch of clapping was heard in different places as six clones of Warrior appeared as R.S. freaked out.
"What are you going to do now?" Wizard asked before R.S. chuckled.
"The same thing I did to your Ranger friend." R.S. said.
"What?!" Warrior asked in horror, then R.S. grinned.
"That's right...your great and honorable leader got his brains splattered all over the floor when we last met." R.S. said.
"You're a fucking liar!" Wizard yelled before casting a Paralyze spell on him...but he opened a Hell Rift before it hit. "Stay in Hell and rot there..."
"There's no way he killed the boss...there's just no way..." Warrior said in disbelief.
"Let's just go back and ask Goblin Slayer what happened..." Wizard said seriously as they got the bar out of the safe again and rushed past the fortress, rowed back to the mainland, and when they got back to the tree village they used as a base...and GS, Ranger...and Rogue were there. "Boss! We knew you were alive!"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Ranger asked.
"Someone jumped us, and told us they killed you. And you are?" Warrior asked while looking at Rogue.
"Someone that's waiting for your Priestess friend to bring me home with her portal gem." Rogue said.
"You told her?!" Wizard exclaimed.
"I had to, she deserved to know a way to leave this place quickly." Ranger said.
"I won't tell anyone about it. Honest." Rogue said.
"O...k...now who are you?" Warrior asked.
"A former adventurer who was abducted from my home and nearly sacrificed to the damn Demon Lord!" Rogue said.
"Yikes..." Warrior said.
"What are you doing here then?" Wizard asked.
"I told you, I got abducted." Rogue deadpanned.
"I meant how." Wizard said.
"They...some men showed up out of some sort of vortex, broke into people's homes, and threw them into the vortex. They eventually came for me and...I tried to fight them, but there were just too many... I don't know where the rest are; they were going to sacrifice me because and I quote the head priest, I have a strong soul." Rogue said.
"Probably because you fought back when the rest gave up." Ranger said.
"Probably..." Rogue said.
"So...we blew up an outcast fort, I take it you did the same, and-" Warrior shut up the moment some lizard people came out of the huts. "You saved some people..."
"More than just some too." Ranger said with pride.
"I also killed a over a hundred goblins." GS said simply.
"And they were being bred...with cloned women." Ranger said seriously.
"Great...so the Sword Maiden's case would be rinsed and repeated who knows how often..." Wizard said disgusted.
"Not anymore. The goblins and the clones are all dead." GS said.
"What?!" Ranger asked.
"I wasn't restraining my efforts, and...as much as I hate to say it, some clones actually killed themselves, even when I tried to free them." GS said.
"Dammit..." Ranger whispered harshly.
"Uh, probably a dumb question, but why save clones? They had to have known something was wrong with them." Wizard asked.
"Well...maybe so, but it's still in bad taste to do it on purpose-" Warrior cuts Ranger off.
"Let's just stop right there." He said as Ranger sighed.
"Right..." He whispered.
"Dare I ask?" Rogue asked.
"Long story..." Wizard said.
"Where are the rest?" Ranger asked.
"Probably still on their mission...should we go help them?" Warrior asked.
"No...they should be fine." Ranger said.
Lizard Priest and Warrior led the group through swamps and crude roads, over hills, and around small forests, with Priestess pointing the way to the Nexus...and they found it with some unexpected bonuses.
"O.k...this isn't a fortress, this is a damn citadel!" Wizard's brother exclaimed as they surveyed a massive pit filled with buildings so large each of them could be their own fort...with the Hell Nexus in the middle.
"There it is..." Priestess said.
"Are you sure about that?" Rhea Fighter asked.
"I'm certain of it." Priestess said.
"There was one at the elven fortress as well." Cow Girl said.
"Then blast it." Wizard's brother said as Priestess downed a vial of holy water, and Fighter held her spare hand.
"Holy Smite!" Priestess yelled and the Nexus went crazy, and even empowered and weakened the outcasts and terrorists back and forth, which stunned them thanks to the radical contrast, and left them vulnerable to the rest of the team to tear them all apart in less than a minute. Priestess then prepared a second miracle...then an outcast grabbed her from behind, and her scream got the team's attention.
"Priestess!" Fighter yelled as they watched he struggle to get free until more outcasts surrounded the pit, and a lizard shaman appeared who had demonic features who snarled at the team.
"Even the Ancestors can't save you now warrior. The Demon Lord has made our clan, far superior. You both have one chance to join us, or you will die with the rest of your clan!" The shaman said.
"Well...on behalf of my friends here, let me apologize for interrupting your evil plot to conquer the world. So we'll just take our Priestess friend back and get out of your way." Dwarf Rifleman said dryly.
"Never. You have killed dozens of our brethren, and this Priestess will be a sacrifice as recompense." The shaman said as the outcast was signaled to leave...only for Cow girl to shoot the outcast in the back of the head as the two Lizards engaged the outcasts, and Fighter took out the riflemen with Cow Girl, H..E Druid and D.R supporting her...after Priestess blinded the outcasts, burned the shaman, and distorted the Nexus with Holy Light. Wizard's brother summoned more familiars to engage the outcasts as well as Rhea Fighter used his holy sword to sever the Nexus' energy channels.
Lizard Warrior engaged the shaman who was tackled out of the group of outcasts, then the two slugged it out until the shaman landed a lucky hit on Lizard Warrior's jaw, which broke several of his teeth, then Priestess pulled her sword and impaled the shaman in the spine as Lizard Warrior got up and broke the shaman's neck. The two watched the rest of the outcasts fall, and the group left the pit as Priestess finished the Nexus off with Holy Smite, and the fort complex was leveled in the explosion, with the fragmentation being blocked by Protection.
"Vengeance has been done..." Lizard Warrior said as Priestess came back to him, used Heal on him and he stood up normally. "I am forever in your debts. Now...let us return to your leaders so my people can rebuild."
"Priestess?" Fighter asked as Priestess opened a portal back to the tree village...and met up with GS, Ranger, Warrior, and Wizard.
"Boss...do we have news for you." D.R. said as Ranger got off his chair and went to see them...and got a hug from Fighter first. "And she has some tension to get rid of." H.E. Druid tapped his shoulder after he said that as Lizard Priest took Lizard Warrior into a hut.
"We can discuss everything later, but we should head back to the frontier." Ranger said.
"After we check in with my sister." H.E. Druid said firmly.
"And send me home." Rogue said as the team looked at her.
"This is a girl the Evil Sect was about to sacrifice to the Demon Lord, she helped me against the Rhea Scout who now serves the Evil Sect, and she and a few others were captured out of their homes, blah blah blah blah blah." Ranger said.
"O...k. then." D.R. said as Priestess gave her the portal gem.
"Think about your home, and the gem will do the rest." She said as Rogue opened a portal to her home.
"Wait...I know that terrain anywhere. You live in the north don't you?" Ranger asked.
"Yes I do...here's hoping my neighbors were freed." Rogue said.
"I can feel alot of people in that area...maybe the Hero freed them from..wherever they were." Fighter said.
"Possibly...I guess we Platinum Ranks really do have a knack for hitting our tasks hard." Ranger said.
"We?" Rogue asked.
"Yes...she and I are both Platinum Ranked, and quite possibly the only two in the country." Ranger said seriously as Rogue gawked at him.
"That explains...quite a bit." Rogue said.
"Well, could you please go now? That portal gem has a limited power and we need to use it ourselves." Wizard's brother said.
"Alright alright...thanks again." Rogue said before entering the portal.
"O.k...now we can go home and rest." Warrior said.
"Right, we also have to get my baby..." Fighter said as Priestess took her hand.
"I'm sure she's fine." Priestess said as the two smiled at each other as Lizard Priest came out. "How is he?"
"His wounds have healed fully thanks to you Lady Priestess, but he still needs rest." Lizard Priest said.
"Don't we all..." Warrior said.
"After we check in with the queen, we can rest as much as we want." Wizard said.
"I regret to say I must remain here. With the threats defeated, and my people freed, there is a great deal of rebuilding for us to do. But I am certain they will always have a place for you in their hearts, just as I do." Lizard Priest said.
"So long Scaly. It's been quite a bit of fun." H.E. Druid said as she shook the lizardman's hand.
"It has indeed Lady Archer. It has been a great honor to be a member of this group, especially with you Sir Goblin Slayer. As for you Sir Ranger...I have no doubt there is much more glory ahead for your team." Lizard Priest said.
"A team you will always have a place in good priest." Ranger said as he took his portal gem back from Priestess and opened a portal to the elf queen's place.
"Sister? You saved the lizardmen's homeland?" The elf queen asked.
"Of course. Who do you think you're talking to?" H.E. Druid asked proudly.
"I never doubted you but...I assumed it would take days, not hours." The elf queen said.
"Well...it took hours." H.E. Druid said.
"That's what happens when you have a team of professionals on the job." D.R. said.
"No doubt. Now...I must thank you all again for helping my people, and them as well." The elf queen said.
"That's what we're here for Your Majesty." Warrior said.
"Are there other tasks for us like this?" Fighter asked.
"None that I am aware of." The elf queen said.
"In that case, we really can return home." Wizard's brother said.
"Actually...I'm going to stay here, for the same reason Lizard Priest is staying with his people." H.E. Druid said.
"And I'm staying too." D.R. said.
"You don't have to-" H.E. Druid cuts her sister off.
"Yes I do. Our subjects have had it up to their foreheads, and you've wanted me to stay in these woods for centuries, well now I have the best reason I can possibly receive. So I'm staying here...and I want my dwarf friend with me." She said while holding his hand.
"Very well...I am happy to be with you longer than I believed I would. As for the rest of you...I really cannot thank you enough for helping me, and my people. You all have a place here that cannot be filled by anyone else." The elf queen said.
"The honor is ours Your Majesty." Ranger said before opening a portal to the frontier...and met an old friend.
"Father Superior?" Priestess said in astonishment before hugging the formerly-old man.
"Hello my child...you look just like the Sword Maiden did when she was your age, you even have a blade like she had." Abbot said warmly as he looked her dress, ponytail, and the sword on her back.
"I had to dress like this, and my sword was made from a dagger that Fighter gave me a year ago." Priestess said.
"How fitting." Abbot said as he ran his hand through Priestess' hair.
"Not to toot my own horn, but her ponytail is bound by the hairband I used to wear where we first met." Fighter said.
"Is it now?" Abbot asked.
"Yep. We've all grown quite close in this past year, but me and Priestess? Well...take a guess." Fighter said as she hugged Priestess from behind.
"Also quite fitting." Abbot said.
"Father? I hate to interrupt, but why exactly are you here?" Warrior asked.
"I am simply visiting my son. How was your mission?" Abbot asked.
"In a word: successful." Rhea Fighter said.
"We also came across this." Wizard said as she gave him the relic, which he took and examined.
"What is this?" Abbot asked.
"We were hoping you could tell us Father." Wizard's brother said.
"This will require some work back at the monastery...I will inform you as soon as I learn something important." Abbot said.
"Thanks Father." Ranger said as Abbot left, and the team went inside.
"Welcome back team! Wait...where are the rest of you?" Guild Girl asked as the team looked at each other and Ranger stepped up.
"Lizard Priest stayed with his people to help them rebuild, same goes for our elf friend with her people. The Evil Sect made a mess of things in both their homelands. Dwarf Rifleman stayed with her since...well...take a guess why he's staying with her. As for Dwarf Shaman...he didn't make it." Ranger said and Guild Girl deflated.
"I'm sorry...he was a good man." She said somberly.
"Yes he was, and he saved us." Priestess said.
"So let's make sure he didn't die for nothing." GS said seriously yet softly as Cow Girl took his hand, proud that he was being more tactful.
"I say we have a feast to celebrate our victory, and to honor his memory." Warrior said.
"Not a bad idea..." Fighter said.
"May I ask about your mission?" Guild Girl asked.
"Like I said, the Evil Sect made a mess of things; they kidnapped the elf queen, caused an uprising in the swamplands the lizardmen live in, they even had a pair of Hell Nexus' there, which are direct ties between the Demon Lord's domain, and this world. We destroyed both, got rid of who-knows-how-many of his lackeys, saved the queen, some additional hostages, interrupted a sacrifice to the Demon Lord, found a holy relic which the good Abbot is working on now, you name it, we've done it." Ranger said as Guild Girl stood there in awe.
"I also killed a heap of goblins that were actually being bred from cloned women." GS said which stunned half the people in the area, then Guild Girl went to the back and returned with two head-sized bags of coin.
"200 silver, and 100 gold, and that feast is on the house." Guild Girl said seriously as the team high-fived, hugged, and in Ranger and Fighter's case, kissed. The team then sat down as they watched, smelled, and listened to their grand meal being prepared. "Would you like to take your promotion exam now, or later?"
"Hmmm...might as well do it now." Cow Girl said.
"Goblin Slay-" GS cuts Guild Girl off by getting up.
"I'm on it." He said as he went upstairs.
"Well he didn't waste any time..." Warrior said as the two ladies followed him, he then noticed Priestess deflate. "Is something wrong sis?"
"No...I just...we haven't done anything like this this whole time." Priestess said somberly.
"What are you talking about? We do things like this all the time." Wizard said.
"No, I meant..." Priestess trailed off.
"Should...we give you all some space?" Rhea Fighter asked.
"That would probably be best." Ranger said as she and Wizard's brother went to another table. "You were saying?"
"I remember when you got your Steel Rank, and we got our Obsidian Ranks, and we had our first celebration. It was just us; the rest of the guild...the rest of the world didn't matter at that moment." Priestess said before Fighter took her hand.
"And now that we're all Gold and Platinum Ranked...you're concerned that we can't have any more times like that?" Fighter asked as Priestess nodded, then Fighter side-hugged her. "Priestess...we're never going to stop being your family, nor will you stop beings ours. Besides, we can have other moments like this even if it's not real, as stupid as that may sound."
"It doesn't sound stupid, but...it's not the same. I get that the moment was special, but letting go of it is easier said than done." Priestess said.
"You have a point there, but at least we can have other moments." Warrior said seriously.
"Right..." Priestess said softly before returning Fighter's embrace...then Ranger got up and went to see his parents who had his daughter.
"My girl..." Fighter whispered as she got up and went to get her baby.
"She's perfectly fine." Ranger's mom said as she handed the baby back to her mother.
"Hello..." the baby said.
"Hello." Fighter said softly before kissing the baby's forehead and letting her hold her finger. "My dear daughter..."
"I'll bet you kicked all kinds of ass while you were gone, eh son?" Ranger's dad said.
"Yes we did...and you inspired us." Ranger said to his dad, then his daughter before taking her from Fighter and holding her close. Wizard then deflated.
"Sweetheart?" Warrior asked.
"That's going to be us someday..." Wizard said thoughtfully as Warrior held her hand.
"Yes it will...the moment we're ready for it." He said seriously as Wizard squeezed his hand.
"Right..." She whispered before kissing him sweetly and deeply. "I love you...so much."
"I love you too..." Warrior said softly before kissing her again for half as long before Fighter came back with the baby and handed her to Priestess who smiled at her warmly.
"Hello." She said while stroking the baby's face with her finger.
"Hello..." the baby said before Rhea Fighter and Wizard's brother came back as Ranger stayed with his parents.
"Is "hello" the only word she knows?" Wizard's brother asked.
"As far as I know..." Fighter said.
"Well...she'll be a toddler before too long." Rhea Fighter said.
"That's true...then I can actually teach her." Fighter said.
"You're not going to have her adventure as that age are you?" Rhea Fighter asked seriously.
"Of course not! But the chance of her becoming an adventurer is too much to ignore, especially if...she encounters-" Fighter dared not finish that sentence.
"Let's just wait for our food to be done, and compare stories later." Warrior said.
"Right..." Fighter said before sitting down as Ranger came back and she leaned into his side.
"My parents actually kept her at the temple, to inspire the other girls to get their own children, if they want any." Ranger said.
"I hope they went through the purification." Priestess said.
"They did, but still...they either want children, or they don't." Ranger said.
"To each their own..." Wizard said.
"So boss? Should we compare stories with the event callers?" Warrior asked.
"Later." Ranger said as rapid footsteps came from upstairs.
"Hey guys! I-" Cow Girl shut up the moment she saw the baby. "Oh, I didn't notice the baby...anyway, look at this!" She held up her Sapphire tag.
"Oh, look at that." Fighter said.
"My new gear, my training with Ranger and Goblin Slayer, my assistance in helping free the elf queen, and lizard people really got me some brownie points, and don't get me started on protecting your daughter. Although...since you can count the number of quests I did with the fingers on one hand, Sapphire's the best I got." Cow Girl said as GS joined them.
"Still, Sapphire rank after two, maybe three quests. Not bad." Warrior said.
"Now to be fair, they quests that were not for the faint of heart, but yes. not bad at all." Fighter said as GS and Cow Girl sat down next to each other and Ranger's parents sat down at their own table as the food was delivered, and everyone dug in for the better part of ten minutes in near-total silence. While they were eating, it started raining outside, and Summoner showed up before lightning was heard...and the baby started crying as Priestess cast a Silence miracle and rocked her to sleep.
"I swear I did not cause this storm..." Summoner said honestly.
"No one said you did." Guild Girl said.
"They could've been thinking it." Summoner said seriously.
"Anyway, how was your hunt?" Guild Girl asked.
"Nothing so far...which gives me good, and bad feelings..." Summoner said.
"You expecting company?" Inspector asked as she showed up.
"Maybe, maybe not, but at least we've got the team back in town." Summoner said as he looked at the team who was busy looking at their event recallers. "O.k...this I've got to see..."
"Damn boss, who knew you could be so ruthless?" Warrior said.
"I'll say. Goblins are one thing, but other people?" Rhea Fighter said.
"Like I said, they're sadists and murderers, just like the goblins." Wizard said.
"Still...it's not easy seeing you like that." Priestess said while still rocking the baby.
"Look...I don't serve the War God because I go around picking and selling daisies; I do what Goblin Slayer does, but I don't just go after goblins." Ranger said.
"Right..." Priestess whispered.
"Are you still concerned over my rage from a week ago? I'm past that." Ranger said honestly.
"Good." Priestess said as she gave Fighter back her baby.
"Nevermind the Evil Sect, what about the freed captives and...that damn rhea? No offense." Wizard said.
"None taken. He always struck me as an asshole." Rhea Fighter said.
"You don't know the half of it..." Guild Girl said under her breathe.
"Hey, if he shows his face around here, they'll be waiting for him." Inspector said.
"Right..." Guild Girl said.
"Which goes double for your Summoner boyfriend." Inspector teased.
"Right..." Guild Girl said.
"You know...we spent quite a bit of time together ourselves." Inspector said seriously.
"I noticed." Guild Girl said.
"I still can't believe he called us both adorable right to our faces, on our first date, if you can call it that." Inspector said.
"O.k...where are you going with this?" Guild Girl asked.
"I'm just saying, that was pretty bold. Then again, he is Gold Ranked, and a demon hunter...those guys tend to be either messed up in the head, seriously hard to mess up in the head, or both...somehow." Inspector said.
"So you're saying I unironically struck gold?" Guild Girl asked and Inspector laughed at the pun.
"You could say that...although...we could share that gold." Inspector said and Guild Girl looked right at her.
"What?" She asked.
"Come on, we're hardly strangers, and he obviously cares about us both...why not go all the way? That is, if it's even a smart move." Inspector said as Guild Girl sighed.
"If he's o.k. with it...I guess it could work." She said.
"Alright...now, I know you didn't go all the way but...how is he?" Inspector asked as Guild Girl sucked in a breath.
"Good...really good..." She whispered.
"Good to know." Inspector said before chuckling and getting on with her work in full.
After the feast, the team spent the night in their own rooms in the barracks Ranger's dad ran, and it was just like the one he used to have at Ranger's old home.
"Hey boss, should you get back to Water Town?" Wizard asked.
"I don't know if I can..." Ranger said somberly.
"Oh...right...well, I'm sure she wouldn't want you to stay away forever." Priestess said as she hugged Ranger.
"Right..." He whispered before returning the hug. "I love you."
"And I love you...brother." Priestess said as they tightened the embrace before finally letting go and going to bed after taking the baby from Fighter...who just finished breastfeeding her.
"Well, I think we should get home now." Warrior said.
"You just want to get me in bed don't you?" Wizard teased.
"Like you don't want to get in bed with me..." Warrior teased back.
"Touche..." Wizard said.
"Just get the fuck out of here..." Fighter said with amusement as she dragged her husband into their room, stripped each other nude, and got in bed while shifting and snuggling into each other. "This is so much better..."
"You're telling me. Is anything better than us, sleeping next to each other after saving the day for not one, but two peoples?" Ranger asked.
"Not likely, but hey, we're heroes, just like the old man predicted a year ago." Fighter said.
"Better than the Hero herself?" Ranger asked as Fighter chuckled into his shoulder.
"That would be an accomplishment. Also...will it ever get easier seeing our daughter after what feels like too long?" Fighter asked.
"Fighter...we've talked about this; we don't leave her alone by choice, and we spend a fair amount of time with her, and we don't half-ass our work just to get back to her faster. If I found out my father, or my mother for that matter let people die just to feel like they're spending enough time with me, my opinion of them would take a pretty serious hit." Ranger said seriously before Fighter sat up and he looked at her night-black hair framing her angelic face as she caressed his own.
"I'm sorry...it's just harder to wrap my head around than I thought it would be." She said softly as he pulled her down into a brief but deep kiss.
"It's alright, I love our little girl as much as you do, and believe it or not...I thought the same thing you are more than once, but like we established...we aren't neglecting her. So please...let's put that behind us." Ranger said as Fighter sighed.
"O.k..." She whispered before kissing him again.
"Did that enchantment on your pendant help you?" Ranger asked.
"Very much so..." Fighter whispered before letting her husband get another look at it before he ran his finger and thumb over it as she held his hand. "Feel it?"
"Yes..." Ranger whispered tensely before lightly groping her left breast as she held his hand there with a smile on her face.
"My heart has never been stronger thanks to this pendant either...how fitting." She said softly.
"Yes it is." Ranger said before he flipped them over, and buried his face in her neck, and put his hand on the other side of her neck as she held his hand there.
"Feel my pulse?" Fighter asked.
"Yes...it's as enticing as ever..." Ranger whispered while sucking on her neck as she gasped blissfully. Eventually, Ranger stopped pleasing her neck, and looked up at her face...which had a bright smile on it, and her eyes were shining as brightly as ever. He then kissed her as deeply and sweetly as ever before laying down next to her as she moaned softly while they snuggled into each other.
"I'm Sapphire Ranked now..." Cow Girl said as GS came in while she looked over her tag and stripped naked.
"I know..." GS said as he removed his own armor.
"Are you genuinely interested in my promotion?" Cow Girl asked.
"Of course I am...just like I'm interested in you." GS said as he hugged her, and she returned it.
"Considering how long we've known each other...and they fact that you and I had sex, I would hope so." Cow Girl said warmly.
"Right." GS said before kissing her and pressing his chest into her soft, heavy breasts while they held each other while kissing. "I love you."
"I know..." Cow Girl said while smiling, which he returned before she kissed him, then giggled and shifted against him while he gripped, squeezed and even shook her butt. "Good thing I still have some potion."
"Take some." GS said harshly before she let go, down a swig, then threw him onto the bed.
"Now...first things first. Are you sore anywhere?" Cow Girl asked?
"Not particularly." GS said honestly.
"In that case..." Cow Girl trailed off before massaging and caressing his body from his legs, to his abs and chest, to his arms, and back down his torso. She then held her breasts from underneath and put them near his face, silently asking him to suck them...and he did. He sat on the edge of the bed, gripped both her breasts from the sides, and alternated between the nipples, which earned him pleasured gasps and chuckles from the adorable and full-figured farm girl. She then let go of her breasts and held his head in place. "Goblin Slayer..." He then backed up, looked into her half-closed, lust-filled eyes with her lips parted and a few strands of hair in front of her face then she kissed him again deeply, softly, and sweetly before her pulled her back on top of him, caressed her lovely muscles, stroked her silky hair, and felt her do the same to him.
"You...really are a lovely woman." GS said softly as Cow Girl smiled at him.
"And I'm all yours...my fierce Goblin Slayer." She said before flipping over, and spreading her legs as he pushed into her and groaned softly as he slowly yet forcefully moved in and out of her moist and narrow womanhood. "Yes...yes...keep going...oh...ohhhh...faster, please..." GS needed no more encouragement as he doubled his speed and her moans got deeper and more frequent as her enormous breasts shook from the force. Eventually, they both snapped with euphoria and went limp as she laid their feeling his lungs inflate and deflate, and feeling his warm breath go down her neck, before he latched onto it with his lips as she let off a horny chuckle and held his head in place, shifted against him, and rubbed his hips with her smooth, fleshy thighs. "You really are getting better at this..."
"And I'm all yours..." GS groaned as she chuckled.
"We should get some rest now." Cow Girl said before kissing him briefly but sweetly as they laid down next to each other and snuggled into each other.
In the morning, they all continued Cow Girls' training, with her lifting Ranger's greatsword again...much to some of the trainees' amazement. She even managed to swing it a few times...before Ranger stopped her cold with his gauntlet before he could hit someone. Ranger even tried out his swords' whip function just to get more used to it; just because he didn't get use out of it now, doesn't mean he won't. Fighter then cut in and tried out some more flexibility training, like a half-split. Of course Fighter could a full-split, and even a standing split where she raised her foot 180 degrees into the air but...that was kind of expected.
After a minor rehash of how taijutsu was supposed to go, the two ladies got back to stretching, and Cow Girl was able to go down lower the second time. "Tendons stretched best while healing" afterall." Cow Girl even sparred with Fighter, and all she had to do...was land three hits. It was pretty simple...simple but impossible! Fighter was dancing circles around her, and any punches or kicks that did land were blocked or deflected. Cow Girl even took a few moments to calm down; she knew Fighter was no slouch, but her movements were inhuman!
Wizard then came back with Cow Girl's emerald necklace, with the same life-boosting enchantment as Fighter and Priestess' necklaces, and once Cow Girl put it on...the effect was instant. She wasn't able to face Fighter evenly, but at least it wasn't as draining. Eventually, Cow Girl remembered Ranger saying that attacking an opponent you can't overpower directly is suicide, so you'll have to try something unexpected, and if you keep trying something and failing, not only does that drain you, but it can also mislead your foe.
Cow Girl proved Ranger right by faking a punch to Fighter's left, then kicking her right side. The second hit came when she tried punching Fighter, got her hand grabbed, yanked downward, then upwards, and as her wrist was being lightly twisted...then jammed her elbow into Fighter's other side while spinning. The final hit came with Fighter actually attacking back...and Cow Girl was hit no less than a dozen times,and that's including Cow Girl managing to defend her several times. She eventually ducked under a spin-kick...and pulled Fighter's leg out from under her, and stomped her gut.
"Finally..." Cow Girl groaned as she sat down and fell back and caught her breath as Fighter got up as Ranger knelt next to Cow Girl.
"That was quite impressive." He said.
"It damn well better be...that's one tough wife you have." Cow Girl said.
"You don't get it do you? You did something you shouldn't have been able to do, yet you did so regardless, even with help from a necklace. You also had no weapons allowed, and out in the field...you don't have that problem. All-in-all...you should feel proud." Ranger said and saw her smile.
"I guess so..." Cow Girl said before standing up and joining the other ladies as Ranger gave a whole team of rookies his father was training some advanced training by having all of them fight him at once...with his using a pair of normal longswords given to him by his father, and he just stood there holding both swords in a reverse-grip while the rookies tried to hit him...for all the good it did. Even with a five-to-one advantage, the rookies didn't land a single hit for the better part of ten minutes, but that was mostly their fault; they only attacked one at a time, wound up their swings too much, even made too much noise when they intentionally tried sneak attacks. The fact they were fighting a Platinum Rank was also pretty daunting; they don't give Platinum Ranks to pushovers...and it showed.
"Nice to see them working their way up." Female Knight said as she appeared and leaned against the wall.
"You're telling us..." Fighter said as they kept watching the rookies get nowhere, and eventually F.K. sighed, grabbed her shield and entered the arena.
"I'm sorry, I can't watch this anymore. Hey, great and mighty Platinum Rank! Try facing down someone who can fight back." She said as Ranger looked at her, and the rookies cleared out to catch their breath as the two high-tier adventurers stared each other down.
"May I ask where that giant you call a partner is?" Ranger asked.
"Inside doing his own thing, and for your information, we're married now." F.K. said and got a few gasps and raised eyebrows as she smirked.
"Can't say I'm surprised, is that why you've been so scarce as of late?" Ranger asked.
"Actually...as a paladin, I've been charged with hunting down demons, and closing those Hell Rifts that keep spitting out goblins, and what's the cause of that anyway?" F.K. asked.
"I wish I knew, but it's only a matter of time before it's over." Ranger said.
"Alright, well, before we get started...you might want to get rid of those swords and use your armor itself; I've gotten...alot stronger since we last met." F.K. said.
"If you insist." Ranger said before throwing the swords to the sides and morphing his own longswords...then lashed at her with them after breaking them into whips, and F.K. stood there blocking one lash after another with her shield before charging at Ranger, who actually ran up her shield, then jumped over her before lashing at her from behind, then his whip-sword got deflected, and he fought her head-to-head, with them simply standing there going back and forth, and neither getting an edge.
She wasn't kidding either; whatever upgrades she got made her armor nearly as useful as his own in terms of raw power-enhancing, and her sword burned into his blades with dim, but intense holy light, and if he hadn't even blessed by the War God, or have enough material to repair the damage as quickly as it was dealt, she probably would've killed him several times over in the first minute alone. The fight concluded with him kicking her shield, which staggered her, but she recovered by spinning and bashing him to the side. He deflected her sword, dodged a shield bash, and even a spin-kick, and him putting a sword at her throat...then finding out her sword is in his gut.
"Ho...ly...shit..." Heavy Warrior said as he came out genuinely floored as F.K. put her sword away and Ranger did the same.
"Hey honey..." F.K. said before approaching him and kissing him deeply.
"You have fun?" H.W. asked as F.K. smirked.
"Did I look like I had fun?" She asked.
"Very much so." H.W. said.
"Your eyes do not lie." F.K. said.
"Anyways...we dealt with our own fair share of Hell Rifts, and I'll bet the rest of the demon hunters did as well." Wizard said.
"You'd think we'd be the ones they'd call if there's this kind of trouble with goblins." Warrior said.
"To be fair, we can only be in so many places at once." Fighter said.
"Right..." Warrior said before Summoner showed up.
"I've actually seen Hell Rifts popping up in town every now and then...it's a good thing so many of us are here-" Summoner shut up the moment a pulse of unholy energy swept through the place. "It's starting...Hell Rifts are appearing!" With that, the team got their stuff together and formed up in the middle.
"Where are they?" Fighter asked.
"All over town..." Summoner said harshly and some rookies got panicky.
"Please tell me you have a plan..." Wizard said.
"Yes, I have elementals positioned all over town, but they can only do so much, and they can't seal the rifts. That's our job." Summoner said.
"Then it's what we'll do." Rhea Fighter said as a pair of Hell Rifts opened behind them, and Rhea fighter threw her sword to seal them both before it returned to her hand.
"You should split up! Cover as many angles as we can!" H.W. yelled.
"Could not agree more..." Ranger said as the team split into groups: Warrior and Wizard, Fighter and Priestess, Wizard's brother and Rhea Fighter, and Ranger stayed with Summoner. GS and Cow Girl went with Warrior and Wizard to the center of town where the most Hell Rift opened, Fighter and Priestess went to the temple, Rhea Fighter and Wizard's brother went around the town's perimeter, and Ranger and Summoner stayed at the training hall/tavern as H.W. and F.K. led the rookies to deal with any stray goblins until the rifts could be sealed.
The next hour was complete chaos: dozens of rifts poured out hundreds of goblins that were kidnapping people left and right and pulling them into the rifts. All the more reason for the team of high ranks to tear through the goblins, and especially the rifts like wet paper, starting with Rhea Fighter who was leading a pack of ethereal wolves through town and sealing the rifts, as the wolves mauled the goblins, and their pack leader smashed any goblin heads with his mace. The rifts were everywhere; the two had to burst into houses, climb up buildings to get to the roofs, peak into alleyways, and even look down a well or two. The duo must've saved hundreds of people before they could get dragged to Hell itself.
Meanwhile, the temple was a prime target for the Hell Rifts, hence why Fighter had to tear through hundreds of goblins in that one area alone. Priestess downed some holy water and gave her and herself an Empower miracle just to be safe, and she sliced through dozens more by herself. Granted her training was limited but...she felt the Sword Maiden guiding her body from the tips of her fingers, to her toes, and everything in-between. What did she have to fear? Fighter was jumped by a goblin champion at once point, but she caught his axe with one hand, yanked it out of his hands, sliced off his legs, and plunged the axe into his heart. Priestess then shined Holy Light on the rifts, and goblins, which sealed the rifts and incinerated the goblins. The two ladies then went inside...and their hearts sank.
"35...42...49...53...59...64..." GS counted as he charged through a horde of goblins filling the streets as GS threw bombs, fired his shotgun, bashed them to a paste with his fists and shield, chopped them apart with his sword as he extended and shortened it, all while the goblins either tried to keep track of him, were stunned by pieces of another goblin's body hitting them in the face or knocking them to the ground...or did get a bead on GS, only to get slaughtered.
Cow Girl unloaded her shotgun into the crowd herself, then switched to her own heavy sword and chopped down her own fair share of the goblins while Wizard burned, stabbed, and sliced her own fair share. She even paralyzed a group of hobs that showed their faces only for Cow Girl to blow their brains out wit h her shotgun. Warrior just went straight for the rifts to keep the battle even briefer.
"You're going to become Emerald Ranked for this mission alone at this rate." Wizard said.
"Here's hoping." Cow Girl said as she got grabbed by a hob, then shot it in the shoulder, reloaded then shot it in the face, before reloading more.
"213...224...246...253..." GS said as he looked over the dead.
"There's no way this is all of them." Warrior said.
"No, look ahead." GS said as more hell rifts opened and the goblins kept grabbing people as GS charged into the crowd and kept killing.
"I can feel it...my elementals are killing hundreds upon hundreds of goblins, without help...and before they come through the rifts nonetheless." Summoner said as an ice elemental stood next to him as he looked through the window at Ranger who was looking around with his pistols out, .
"Good to know..." Inspector said from behind the desk.
"Wait...how many goblins are there?" Guild Girl asked as she held Ranger's baby close.
"I don't know...but they're not pulling any punches; my summons watched the rest of the team kill hundreds, maybe even thousands more." Summoner said.
"Dear Supreme..." Inspector whispered in fear.
"Relax, we have a Platinum Rank, a team of Gold Ranks...Goblin Slayer himself, and who-knows-how-many-others on the case." Guild Girl said.
"Right..." Inspector said before gunfire was heard outside, then they watched Ranger unloaded one barrage of bullets after another into a Hell Rift, and tearing dozens of goblins to shreds before they were eventually able to reach him...only to get their skulls bashed in by Ranger pistol-whipping them. He then jumped into the area, morphing his sword-whips, heated them, and spun around, shredded and searing through the goblins as they pounced at him.
"That...those were my brother's weapons!" Summoner said in awe.
"What?" Guild Girl asked.
"Those sword-whips. Storm Mage used the exactly same ones, only...he used lightning instead of extreme heat." Summoner said.
"And now some goblins are biting the dust because of them-" Inspector shuts up as soon as Ranger continued lashing at the goblins. He eventually learned to move them around like snakes; they wound up and lunged forward to impale them one by one, they whipped around like tentacles, either by themselves, or with Ranger forcing around with his own strength, and so on and so forth. He eventually turned his whips back into swords when the rest got too close...and they fared no better. Ranger used the reversed grip on one sword, and normal with the other, used one grip for both swords, or normal for both swords while weaving, and dashing through the little monsters. The ladies and demon hunter inside watched the goblins get reduced to flying pieces of twisted flesh by the dozens.
"No wonder why he was Platinum Ranked; to think he reduced the vampire queen's fortress to ruins as well." Summoner said as Ranger morphed his guns and shot down the rest...which included a goblin that tried to pounce on Guild Girl who screamed in terror as the ice elemental shielded her from the goblin, then the blood splatter as Ranger's bullet tore through it's body. He then looked up at the roof of a building...and he had an audience: the Sword Maiden herself.
"Thanks for that..." Guild Girl said as Ranger nodded at her then turned to the rift...and a paladin came through, which called for Ranger's greatsword and heavy armor as the two juggernauts clashed blades over a over, causing shockwaves from the impact of their blades hitting each other that fractured the ground, if not make it shake, and the buildings were filled with rattling as items were knocked over, or even thrown aside. The clash ended with Ranger deflecting a sword blow into the ground, the paladin backfists him across the face, Ranger pushes himself off the ground into the paladin's breastplate feet-first, then he pushes off of it, rolls across the ground, then the paladin charges up it's blade as Ranger flips over it, rolls under the blade again, gets kicked into a building as goblins poured out of the rift, only to be splattered across the floor as Ranger swings his greatsword as them with a yell.
He then heats his greatsword as much as he could...then sliced the paladin's sword in half, before yanking the severed blade into the goblin' leg with a chain. Ranger then morphed his gauntlets, punched the paladin in the gut so hard he threw up and fell down despite his breastplate. Ranger then removed the helmet eventually and punched him in the face over and over until his head shattered. Sword Maiden then sealed the Hell Rift herself before nodding at Ranger; her mental signal was that she knew he wanted her to know he was keeping her in mind as he crushed the goblins...and she was grateful of course.
"Ranger! They captured the girls, at the temple...and your parents were with them." Fighter said as Ranger's eye went wide, and his body tensed up as Summoner came outside.
"What...?" Ranger whispered harshly.
"I'm sorry, we did all we could; we were too busy with the ones outside." Fighter said keeping her distance; she knew Ranger would never lash out at her, but better safe than sorry.
"What do we do now?" Inspector asked.
"Summoner...open a Hell Rift..." Ranger growled.
"What? You can-" Ranger cuts Summoner off.
"Do it now!" He yelled before Summoner started chanting in the Demon Lord's tongue.
"War God...hear my plea. I have been deceived by the servants of the God of Wisdom and the Demon Lord. Send down your power. Let me have vengeance! Let me carry your will and champion your cause! Let me be...an Army of One!" Ranger prayed then yelled to the sky as the earth shook, his body caught the same vermilion fire as it did at the vampire queen's fortress the first time, and the whites of his eyes turned red. "Demon Lord...you just made the biggest mistake of your life."
Holy shit the goblins kidnapped Ranger's parents...I'm pretty sure I don't need to say how stupid that was; you all saw what he did to the vampire queen with the War God's power right? Anyways...the lizard people and elves are safe, the team lost three members since...well, they had to stay behind, willingly too, but at least in my case, that makes it easier to handle multiple characters. Also, it seems Inspector wants a piece of Summoner as well, and...no I'm not making a harem with him; I didn't do it with GS, I'm not doing it with an OC. I get why GS' ships go all over the place, but I for one do not agree with it...duh. Besides...polyamory is a legitimate thing in real life, it's not simple, but it has weight, and...Storm Mage's case was FAR worse, and Sword Maiden apparently didn't care in the least. For the record, I DO like Goblin Slayer as a series for what it is, but...I could not agree less with how it was handled, hence why I'm writing this in the first place, which is by extension why I ask so many people to Rate, Review, and Share so often, like I am now. I want as many people as I can to see my vision so please people, throw me a bone; it's not hard! Anyway...before I start ranting too much, please...do stay tuned.