King of Beasts Productions Presents:
Fist of Iron Will: A Goblin Slayer Fanfiction
Chapter 3: Imagination
"It should be almost time."
"Yeah." Fighter nodded as she and Wizard stood at the entrance of a small cavern. She stared at the cavern's mouth as she mentally recapped the plan; Goblin Slayer would shoot flaming arrows into the great tree that grew right out of the goblin camp and set it on fire. Priestess will then use her Protection spell to block the main entrance, denying the goblins an escape route while Goblin Slayer dealt with any stragglers that get through.
Their job was to deal with any goblin that escaped through this back door by any means necessary.
"I'm just glad we don't have to paint ourselves with goblin guts this time." Wizard breathed a sigh of relief. "I understand the necessity, but it takes a long time to remove and I'm not a fan of how it sticks to your hair."
"You aren't wrong." Fighter chuckled in agreement. "Just one of things you have to get used to when hunting goblins, I guess."
"Still, I can't say it was a displeasure learning from that man." Wizard nodded with approval. "And it's good to see that I'm not the only one being the eager student."
Fighter can't help but affirm her statement, as her current gear was a reflection; She still wore the same purple robes, but she was wise to wear some chainmail underneath like Goblin Slayer suggested to Priestess for protection against goblin weapons. She wore fingerless leather gloves as well as steel-toed boots to add weight to her punches and kicks. Tied to her waist were vials of various liquids of concocted by Wizard herself. And lastly, strapped to her back was a weapon she picked up upon Goblin Slayer's suggestion, should she find herself facing multiple goblins or a hobgoblin in an open space.
"It's started."
They both looked up and, as certain as the setting sun, a flaming arrow nailed one of the goblin sentry on the head and right into tree, which immediately set it on fire. What followed was a pillar of smoke from the resulting fire and goblins screaming as they were being incinerated.
"If things are going as planned, then they should be showing up right about now." Wizard readjusted her glasses. "You ready?"
"As I'll ever be." Fighter nodded as she brandished her new spear, which had a curved blade and a navy blue shaft, with a flourish. As her father made it a point to train her in many kinds of weaponry, she didn't feel strange wielding her new polearm. As for how she acquired such a weapon, that is a story for another day.
"Very good." Wizard smiled as she raised her hand to cast a spell. "Enchant Weapon."
With a gesture of her hand, Fighter's spear glowed with a radiant light, a sign that it had been enhanced to do more damage.
"There you go." Wizard grinned as braced themselves for the ongoing stragglers. "Let's give 'em hell."
Fighter nodded as she turned her eyes towards the tunnel. Even now, she could hear their shrieks and garbles. Hearing them brought her back to that fateful day; the horrid stench of blood, rotting flesh, and bodily fluids. The bodies of the women they took captive haphazardly strewn about in the cave, some alive and other not as fortunate.
The hacked apart remains of the Warrior she had come to love.
Her narrowed eyes, her gaze steeled, were a sign that she was in the mindset needed to kill those goblins. Not a moment too soon, as the stumpy green creatures emerged from the tunnel, running for their lives. As most of them were either dead or still burning alive inside the trap Goblin Slayer set, there weren't much left to deal with. About seven stragglers, which shouldn't be a problem for both her and Wizard.
While she wouldn't be using this spear inside a goblin cave, it was the perfect weapon to make sure none of them escaped, as the first one to step outside was rewarded with a cleave that cut through the neck, spilling blood that splashed all over her face.
"That's one." Fighter coldly stated as she got back into a stance, as if daring the goblins to go across at their own peril. Three of them were dumb enough to try, while the remain half were smart enough to bring out their bows and were about to take aim while the others distracted her.
"Magic Missile!"
That was nipped in the bud when they were met with three arcane bolts through the head or heart courtesy of the Wizard, who had a grin on her face as she watched them drop to the floor like a sack of potatoes.
"Not on my watch!" She declared confidently.
"Thanks!" Fighter smiled as she swung her spear in a wide arc to keep the goblins at bay. One took this chance and got in close, it's rusted sword at the ready to strike. It was rewarded with a boot to it's face for it's efforts, breaking it's nose before it got cut diagonally. One tried to run back into the cave, only for Fighter to throw her spear to impale through the chest. Thinking she was easy pickings without her weapon, the last goblin grinned maliciously as it charged at her, believing her to be defenseless.
A swift punch to the face that dazed it proved it wrong. She gave a swift combination of punches and palms before swinging with a roundhouse kick aimed at it's head, her leg colliding with enough force to break it's neck and send it spinning into the air before dropping with a thud.
Wizard whistled in approval as Fighter went to pick up her spear.
"Nice job, though please don't touch me. You got goblin guts all over you."
"Yeah, yeah." Fighter chuckled as she pulled her spear out of the goblin she impaled. "You'd think you'd be used to that by now."
"I am, but not by choice." Wizard stated as a matter of fact. "And I'd like to get less of it on myself as possible."
"Fair enough." Fighter nodded as she kept her spear, then looked up at the smoldering tree as a pillar of smoke rose from the camp. "Goblin Slayer and Priestess should be done by now. Let's head to the rendezvous point before-"
"Hang on." Wizard stopped her, her eyes wide open as they both became more alert of their surroundings. "You hear that?"
"Yeah." Fighter nodded as they both turned back into the cave. "And it's getting louder."
They quickly found out what it was; a bigger group of goblins heading their way in a mad dash to escape the inferno.
"This is more than we can handle!" Fighter grit her teeth as she was reaching for her spear before Wizard stopped her.
"Don't worry, we're ready for this." The red-head smiled. "Remember what we practiced."
"Right." Fighter nodded with understanding before pulling out one of the vials, making a mental note to apologize to Priestess later. "On three?"
"Three!"
Fighter threw the vial above the heads of the stragglers, giving the Wizard her target for her next spell.
"Firebolt!"
The maneuver they executed required perfect timing, lest they either miss their mark or become part of the embers themselves. Thankfully, luck was on their side this time as the flame hit the vial precisely where and when it meant to, the resulting conflagration setting them all on fire. The pair could only watch as they all screamed and flailed in agony.
"Goblin Slayer was right." Wizard smiled, satisfied with the results. "Imagination is one's greatest weapon. Though I probably should adjust the mixture to increase it's potency..."
Fighter could only nod at that. Hearing those words seemed to spark a flame in the mage, making her ponder how to best combat goblins. What combinations she can make with the spells she had on hand? What applications can she use to make them more potent? How can she use her magic creatively to find the best solution?
A lot of this flew over Fighter's head, but she understood the concept to some degree.
"At any rate, we really should get going." Wizard interjected. "Barring that little surprise, our job is done. Not a moment too soon, as I've used up my spells for the day."
Fighter nodded as they quickly made themselves scarce, disappearing into the night to meet up with the rest of their group as the rain fell.
At the Guild Hall/Tavern, a day later...
"To another job well done!"
The small party Goblin Slayer was surrounded with these days got themselves a table to celebrate their latest success. Goblin Slayer himself would normally skip these gatherings, but came at the insistence of both Fighter and Wizard, who was the one raising the toast they all shared.
"It's good that we took care of those goblins," Priestess began before turning to Wizard with a pout and puffed cheeks. "But I thought we agreed not to use those explosives again!"
"First, it only applies to Goblin Slayer. I made no such promises." Wizard raised her index finger while stating plainly. "Secondly, considering the circumstances, it was the only way me and Fighter would've survived the situation with that horde. If we add the fact that I fine-tuned the formula enough to not the damage the cave's structure to cause a collapse, I say the reward was worth the risk."
"She isn't wrong." Goblin Slayer concurred, causing Priestess to cross her arms with a grumpy pout.
"Honestly, you guys..."
"There, there." Fighter giggled while patting Priestess' head softly. "Let's just celebrate a job well done, alright?"
"I guess." Priestess' response made Fighter smile fondly. She thought of the blonde as the little sister she never had, so she enjoyed doting on her whenever she could. Which would make Goblin Slayer the stern father figure and Wizard the studious middle child of their group.
"May I have your attention, please?" She was interrupted from her musings when Guild Girl's voice was heard from the far end of the hall. "How about some live entertainment tonight?" Hearing the hall erupt in cheers, she continued. "In that case, please welcome this Padfoot Bard who came from afar!"
All eyes were on the bard as she stepped on the stage to the applause of the crowd. Many, particularly most of the men present, agreed that she was quite a looker; She had long, flowing red-brown hair, bright green eyes, and a bewitching smile that captivated any who would look upon her. Gray bunny ears stuck out from her head, a feature that told others that she was a padfoot. Her attire was a white blouse under a black leather jacket that had enough unbutton so that you can see her generous cleavage, and tight fitting leggings that left little to the imagination as far as her curves go. She was a tall lass too, so there a lot to take in as far as those beholding her were concerned.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for having me this evening!" She spoke in a voice that carried a sultry tone. Whether it was intentional or not was up to debate. "For my first song, let me sing of all the taverns I've been to across the land. Not to say that this one doesn't have it's charm of course!" She gave the crowd a cheeky wink as they erupt in laughter. With a quick tune of her lute and a cough to clear her throat, she began:
Welcome, welcome one and all
This place is so filthy why stay here at all?
Why rest in a place so painful and small?
There is nothing to dazzle no spark of enthrall
Who let this tavern become such a bore
Rarely does an inn have so little in store
But what if I told you there is so much more
Let me show you a place I simply adore
What followed was the song picking up in tempo as Padfoot Bard jumped off the stage and began to frolic around the tavern to the cheers of the crowd, singing of the taverns she had been to in far off lands as she danced and hopped from table to table, many times quite literally. Fighter closed her eyes with a smile as she listened to the padfoot bard's joyful ballad. It sparked one's sense of wonder and adventure, the same spark that inspired her and Warrior to pick up this profession.
She turned to her companions to see gauge their reactions; Goblin Slayer was the picture of stoicism; his arms crossed and his expression impossible to tell from behind that helm of his. The Priestess shared her reaction to the song, even humming a little to follow along. It was Wizard's reaction that drew an amused smile from the Fighter; the studious, cold and logical mage was enamored by the song, a light blush on her face was she was mesmerized by both the bard's voice and beauty.
This only got worse when she saw that they locked gazes for a moment, which was followed by the bard giving a playful wink before breaking the gaze make her way back to the stage, and eventually the end of her song.
Welcome, welcome, one and all
Come visit these taverns, come and have a ball
Why settle for less, And why settle for small
It's your game to play, why not come try 'em all?
Padfoot Bard, breathing deeply to catch her breath from dancing and singing around the hall, smiled widely as the hall erupted from the cheers of the adventurers present. Fighter was among the applauding as she found her quite talented.
"Thank you, thank you!" Padfoot Bard bowed with a flourish. "If you liked that one, you'll enjoy this next song! Shall we get to it?"
The performance had ended, causing the tavern to be abuzz once more. Fighter glanced at Padfoot Bard, who was chatting up a storm with many of the regulars, then back at her friend Wizard, who was fidgeting in her seat like a shy village girl, which contrasted heavily from the calm, rational exterior she often displayed up to this point.
"So," Fighter grinned teasingly at her friend. "What are you waiting for?
"Eh?
"Aren't you going to talk to her?"
"M-Me?! With her?! D-Don't be absurd!" Wizard's blush became redder and her cheeks grew unbearably warm. "H-How can someone as busy as her g-give me the time of day?! That would be presumptuous of me!"
"Fortune favors the bold, as they say." Fighter turned to her two other compatriots. "Don't you agree?"
"U-Uhm, I-I wouldn't know anything about that!" Priestess stammered, the blush on her face more from being easily flustered about these things and not from a growing fondness of a certain silver-ranked adventurer. Goblin Slayer simply shrugged and continued working on his drink, leading Fighter to conclude that since this wasn't a goblin related matter, he wasn't very interested.
"You've got a long road ahead of you, Priestess." She mused mentally.
"Oho~! You must be the infamous Goblin Slayer~!"
The entire table turned to see that they didn't have to wait long, as the Padfoot Bard chose to take the initiative and come to them first.
"I am." Goblin Slayer answered in his usual blunt manner.
"Nice to finally be able to put a face to the name! Well, almost." Padfoot Bard giggled, subtly pointing out how his helmet hid his face, before turning towards his other party members. "I heard you worked alone, so I'm a little surprised that you have company."
"We've only just partied with him recently." Priestess spoke up. "He helped us out the first time we met him, so we've been travelling with him to learn how to fight them!"
"Now aren't you just the cutest lil' thing~!" Padfoot Bard got up close to Priestess and started pinching the blonde's round cheek.
"Ow! Please stop!" She pulled back when the other girl started flailing.
"Sorry, darlin'! I just couldn't help myself~!" She giggled before turning to the other two. "So how was my performance tonight?"
"You were amazing." Fighter nodded with a wry grin, subtly nudging Wizard with an elbow. "My friend here couldn't stop staring. If her mouth were any wider, a fly would've flown right in!"
"H-Hey!"
"I noticed~!" Wizard's blush grew as red as her hair at that comment. It certainly didn't help that she got up close and personal. "Aww, no need to be shy! We're all friends here, right?"
"Y-Yes. Of course." Wizard was trying to regain her composure, taking a breath to calm her nerves before turning back to Padfoot Bard. "Your performance was certainly enchanting. It was as if I was in each tavern you've talked about, taking in the atmosphere as you took us all on a journey to each one. It takes talent to entrance a crowd to that level. One you have in spades."
"Well, aren't you a flatterer?" Padfoot Bard's bunny ears wiggled in delight, now prompting her to get into Wizard's personal space. "Thank you, though. Maybe I can give you a private performance some time, as a show of appreciation?"
"Wh-Wha...?" Fighter was holding in her laughter as the composure Wizard had built back up melted in an instant. She could've sworn she saw steam rise out of the red-head's ears as it happened.
"That's quite enough, Padfoot Bard. Let's not scare the poor girl." The bunny eared bard felt a steel glove pull on her cuff and away from her new friend. "Please do forgive her. She can be a little too forward, but she means well."
"You're no fun." Padfoot Bard pouted and crossed her arms. Fighter and the rest turned their attention towards the newcomer; The blonde young woman in plate armor that seemed to be a friend of the bard reminded them of the Female Knight, albeit with some key differences. For starters, she was much younger. Roughly around her age group, Fighter noted. She also had her tied in a neat ponytail with a blue bow, as well as evergreen eyes as opposed to the knight's blues. Lastly, she wielded a two handed longsword as opposed to the elder woman's sword and shield.
"I-It's fine." Wizard stammered. As she was still trying to regain her bearings yet again, Fighter took over.
"And who do we have the pleasure of meeting?"
"Forgive me, I believe introductions are in order." The woman smiled and let go of Padfoot Bard's cuff before taking a light bow. "I am Young Paladin, an adventurer like yourselves and my bard friend's bodyguard whenever she is out performing."
"You make it sound like I can't take care of myself!" Padfoot Bard protested.
"You can. As a Paladin and your friend, however, someone has to be able to deal with the consequences of your drinking and excessive flirting." Young Paladin shot back.
"...You know what? That's fair." Padfoot Bard shrugged.
"By the way, we have an early start tomorrow, so I suggest we wrap this up and call it a night." Young Paladin politely yet firmly reminded her friend.
"Oh okay." Padfoot Bard sighed before turning back to the group. "Looks like it's time I close the curtains for now. But before I go, I gotta say one thing;" She made sure that even Goblin Slayer was listening. "No matter what people think, I think you're all doing a good thing here." She still had a smile on her face, but it leaned towards sincerity than her earlier whimsy. "People don't understand how dangerous goblins can be if they're left unchecked. Honestly? We need more people like you"
After giving a last wave goodbye, and one last bow from the paladin, the two turned around and left the group to ponder on the bard's words.
"People like us, huh?" Fighter mused with a smile, her already good mood bettered even as she made her way home.
End Chapter 3
A/N: Ladies and Gentlemen, I have returned!
As for why I've haven't been able to write for so long, I was in a REALLY bad case of writer's block to the point that I was burned out. I needed to take a step back and refresh. But don't worry, I haven't quit writing just yet!
Funnily enough, I thank Baldur's Gate 3 for being the catalyst for this third chapter and my return to writing in general. It helped me understand the D&D mechanics this world runs on better, so I have a better understanding for how this all goes! Look forward to more chapters!
Okay, now for a few things I should point out:
- Padfoot Bard is an OC, but she isn't mine. I owe EvoWizard once again for letting me use his D&D character for this fic, though I've had to change her from a tiefling to a padfoot since tieflings don't seem to exist in Goblin Slayer land. And yes, she left quite an impression on our Wizard. Will anything come out of this encounter? We'll have to wait and see!
- Young Paladin, however, is my OC. Specifically the one I made for Baldur's Gate 3. And yes, she is TOTALLY not Artoria/Seiba from Fate.
- On the subject of relationships, Fighter isn't looking for one as of now. She's still trying to get over Warrior dying, and much of her character arc will be helping her move on from it. As for where she got that spear from, I'll reveal it in due time, so stay tuned!
- Lastly, the song I used is called "Tavern Crawl" by the Youtube Artist Annapantsu! Be sure to give it a listen as Padfoot Bard performs it this chapter!
That should just about cover all the points I wanted to discuss for this chapter! If you've read up to this point, thanks for reading! Be sure to give a review and let me know what you think!
Okay, about time I wrap this up! This was the King of Beasts, and I'll see you all next chapter!
Next Time on Fist of Iron Will: Meeting of the Minds.