Author's Note

Last chapter was received super well, I'm so happy! I'm glad that it didn't disappoint, and I'm happy to keep writing.

Uploaded

01/03/2024

LEGEND BELOW

"That's two down..." = Normal speech.

Chapter 7

A Goblin Slayer's journey is never finished

Rated-M

M rating for mature themes, nudity, romance, violence, blood, adult themes, and of course, sex.

Music of the day

Skyrim - Combat theme #4

"Welcome to the Riverwood Trader! Everything's for sale, my friend! If I still had my mother I'd sell her too, heheh, sorry, that's a joke my friend in Whiterun tells visitors."

…

…

…

"It's not that funny, I know…"

Upon entering the store, they were both greeted by a man, short cropped hair, dressed in red. Goblin Slayer stepped forward, placing his hand on the table that separated them.

"Food for the road, non perishables." He muttered, pulling out some gold. "Salted meats if you have, bread and water as well"

"O-Oh, right to the point I see. Sure, let me see what I've got." The man said, a bit caught off guard by the armored man's straight to the point attitude. Usually his quips got customers talking.

Serena giggled in the background, by this point already used to Goblin Slayer's mannerisms. She stepped up beside him, wrapping her arms around one of his own. He glanced down to her, but she didn't say anything; Instead offering him a reassuring smile.

While the trader was busy looking for the items requested of him, another made their presence known. "E-Excuse me, you two wouldn't happen to be adventurers, would you?" A softer, feminine voice spoke up from upstairs. "C-Could I take a moment of your time?"

Goblin Slayer glanced to the stairwell to find a young woman standing on it, hands clasped behind her back as she stared at him. She was fair skinned, her complexion and physique easily separating her from the Nords that called Skyrim home.

Goblin Slayer thought against it for a moment, but relented. He supposed that he was indeed an adventurer. "Yeah." He muttered lowly, still staring at her.

The woman's eyes widened, quickly shuffling to his side.

"Damnit Camilla, stop harassing the customers. We can't go begging every adventurer we see to get it back for us…" The man snapped, before sighing. "I'm sorry about my sister, it's just… We had something stolen from us a little while back, so we've been desperate to get in back into our possession."

"Lucan please, just ask them…" Camilla sighed, sending a pleading gaze to her brother.

Serena frowned curiously. "Stolen? What did they take?" She asked lightly, approaching the counter. Her hood was down again, just enough to keep her eyes out of sight unless they looked closely enough.

The man sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Err, an ornament. It's a golden dragon's claw with three symbols on the bottom. It's been in our family for years now, and I'd just hate to say goodbye to it forever." He explained, holding his hands up to show the rough shape of it.

Goblin Slayer blinked, before reaching into his back pouch to procure said missing golden claw. "Like this?" He asked, setting the missing item down on the counter in front of him.

...

...

...

Both siblings gasped in surprise, staring in awe at the claw. "Y-You found it!? Hahahah! I can't believe it, there it is!" Lucan laughed, completely surprised. "Strange, I-It looks somehow smaller then I remember. Heh, funny thing, huh?" He laughed, trailing off.

"W-Where did you find this?" Camilla asked softly, approaching the armored adventurer.

"Dark elf in a cave, stole it from you I assume." Goblin Slayer said simply.

"How'd you manage to get it back? Was he the thief?" Lucan asked curiously.

"Killed him." Goblin Slayer stated simply.

The siblings blinked in surprise, turning to his more vocal companion. Serena sighed, crossing her arms underneath her more than sizable bust. "He was a disgusting creature of a man, a thief, a murderer, a defiler." She shivered, holding her biceps. "He got what he deserved." She muttered decidedly.

"I-It sure sounds like it." Lucan replied lowly, scratching the back of his head.

"Thank you, thank you so much for getting the claw back." Camilla said, hands clasped behind her back. "Please, if there's anything we can do to help you two out, let us know." She offered genuinely.

Goblin Slayer blinked. "Well…"

"Did you really have to take their offer so seriously?" She asked, sighing.

"They said anything." He responded simply, boots treading the roads of Skyrim.

They were on their way back to Whiterun now to deliver the stone tablet and inform the Jarl of a successful goblin slaying mission.

Before leaving, however, he convinced the traders to give him a weapon for his efforts. Money wasn't really an issue with him, but he could always use a new goblin slaying device.

Inspecting in now in his hands as he walked, he made note that it was of considerable craft. It was made with Nordic steal, sharpened to a point, a broadsword worthy of goblin slaying.

He kept his short sword for backup, but he realized that with the other monsters that were about, a longer weapon would do him well in the future.

"I just feel like we're taking advantage of their kindness… I don't know…" She muttered, watching her master as he carefully eyed his shiny new murder device.

"I could have asked them for their gold." He pointed out, not taking his eyes off the road. He slipped the sword into its scabbard on his back, his right hand falling to rest by his side.

"Hmmm… true…" She muttered, shaking her head. She supposed that it didn't matter in the end, and they'd been rewarded for a good dead done.

They continued on for a while in a comfortable silence, nothing but the wildlife of the land to keep them company as they walked. The sounds of rushing waterfalls echoed around them, fish of all kinds swimming downstream to the rivers that passed by Whiterun.

The sun was high in the skies above the land, bathing it in its warmth. So, as for Serena, she'd once again taken to hiding beneath his enchanted red cloak to stave off the most of the negative effects from exposure.

"H-How was… How was last night?" The vampire suddenly asked, breaking the silence of their journey.

Goblin Slayer cast her a side glance at the question, recalling the night he'd spent with her prior. She asked him how it was?

"It was… nice." He decided on saying, hoping that would get his feelings across properly. Conveying his emotions always had and continued to be a point of contention for the man, and it always served to make minor conversation difficult.

Thankfully, however, his dear vampire seemed to have unlocked the secrets of his mannerisms, for she smiled in understanding at his response. "I see. That… that makes me glad." She said, offering him a genuine loving smile.

She brushed a few stray bangs out of her face, hooking them behind her ear as she continued to speak her mind. "Would you… would you like it if I did so again sometime?" She asked, quietly awaiting his response.

"Yeah." He said simply, turning back to the road. "Yeah."

She beamed at his response, feeling her heart swell in glee. She moved to catch up to him, joining him in his trek along the road.

Eventually, however, they breached the forest line and could make out Whiterun in the distance.

They were in for a relatively relaxing walk to the city…

Or so they thought.

Goblin Slayer's eyes narrowed, off in the distance he spotted a battle going down. Two giants were stomping their way towards the city, trampling cattle and anyone that dared to get in their way.

Guards were seen running out to face the monsters, but they were no match for its immense power and strength, tossed to the side like playthings.

"Come on, they're going to die out there." He said, drawing his new steal broadsword as she charged in to render assistance.

"O-Oh geez! Master Goblin Slayer, wait for me!" Serena exclaimed, holding onto her hood tightly as she took off after him.

She had no idea what had set them off, the creatures usually kept to themselves, staying away from any man made settlement.

So long as you didn't interfere with them, they didn't interfere with you. That was how it had been for the longest time.

Then something changed, and they began harming livestock, chasing farmers that lived on the outskirts of the city. The guild had been the ones responsible for tracking them down and putting an end to them, but they were crafty, slipping away every time.

Then two appeared on the horizon, and tore a war path through the fields, charging straight for the city gates. Anyone that got in their ways were brutally assaulted.

This time, both the Companions guild and the city guards were sent to stop the madness before it could really get out of hand.

"Hold them back, get the civilians to safety! Whatever you do, do not let them near the walls! The citizens of Whiterun are dependent on us, do not let them down!" A strong woman shouted, leading a group of Nord men and women into battle.

Her face was beautiful, much the same as her body, as elegant as she was dangerous. Muddy green war paint adorned her face in the design of three long claw marks, bringing out the vibrance of her dull yet vibrant emerald orbs.

Dressed in hard leather that left very little to the imagination, cupping her supple bosom, her powerful thighs left on full display, she drew her twin steal maces as she charged into battle.

"Lady Aela! They're destroying our forces! W-Were not ready for giants!" A younger Nord woman exclaimed, retreating from the battlefield with grievous wounds. "My battalion is wounded!"

"Do not falter! It matters little what has enraged these beasts! They threaten us and our families, our children! They will not take another step forward!" The barbarian of a woman roared, baring her fangs as she charged into the fray.

"Archers! Ready your arrows! Stop those two from nearing the gates!" The guard captain shouted out his orders, taking up a bow of his own as he began firing upon the two rampaging giants.

The giant twins roared as they stomped towards the city gates, violently tossing aside any and all who dared to step in their way.

In a flashy show of gore, a guard was crushed beneath a mighty giant bone hammer, the ground shaking underneath the force of the blow.

Aela rushed forward, pushing past her fellow warriors to have a chance at slaying the giants. She felt her blood singing a battlecry in her heart, lips parting in a fanged grin at the challenge.

The giant nearest to her noticed her charge and roared in challenge, raising its mighty weapon high above, only for it to come crashing down.

She fell into a slide, slipping between its legs as she took a swing at its thighs, taking a chunk out of its ugly white meat.

The whoosh of air from the impact of its weapon fluttered her hair, kicking up dust and debris in its wake.

She kicked up to her feet, spinning around as she prepared herself for a real unadulterated, unfiltered, bloody fight!

"My heart is pumping in song beneath my breasts! Can you say the same, giant!?" She roared, pointing a mace up at the creature. "The time has finally come to bring you down! Your rein of terror ends here, giant!" She declared proudly, thrusting her chest out.

It snarled at her in response, turning around to face her. Its eyes glowed a dangerous vile black, radiating a strange evil. It moved to charge her, raising its weapon to strike her down again.

Yet this time, it threw it before it could reach her.

The Huntress's eyes widened in surprise as the weighty bone hammer came flying her way, ready to split her in two, her crush her bones. Whichever came first.

Reacting on instinct, she leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding the attack. She took her eyes off the monster for just a moment, following the giant hammer as it soared an inch underneath her, crashing into a pile of rocks behind her.

That moment was all the beast needed to get a hit in, backhanding her with tremendous force. Its arm collided with her stomach, bending her over it like a wet noodle as it sent her flying into a crumpled heap.

She hit the ground rolling, coughing up blood as she tried to assess the damage she'd taken.

It certainly wasn't good…

"Aela!" Her kinsmen shouted, more warriors painted similar to her rushing to her aid. But they were stopped, the second giant blocking their paths forward.

She was on her own.

"I-I'm… fine!" The barbarian hissed out, blood leaking from her lips in copious amounts as she struggled to her feet.

The ground shook before her as her foe charged her again, this time planning to flatten her with its bare hands. Snarling in defiance, she thrust herself backwards, narrowly avoiding its attack as she cracked it across the face with her mace.

Teeth and blood shot from its mouth as it took her attack full force, unable to block it. She struggled to her feet, ready to end it all with a two mace attack.

It dropped dead, earth shaking underneath its own weight.

She laughed, spitting on its corpse as she stood victoriously above it.

"Aela!! Behind you!" Someone had shouted her name, screaming something important. But she couldn't quite make it out, instead more focused on the feeling of a fist that had connected with the back of her skull, sending her flying.

She saw stars, head spinning as she hit the ground, rolling to a stop.

This time, she didn't get back up, darkness meeting her vision.

"Aela! Nooo! Damn you vile beasts! I'll kill you!" Her fellow warriors roared at seeing her fall in battle.

"Men! Do not falter! Surround that monster and take it down! Divide and conquer!" The Nord captain exclaimed, taking up a great sword as he rushed into the battle in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, he could help save the guild's strongest member from a gruesome death.

Aela spit up blood, her lungs begging for oxygen. She couldn't see straight, vision blurred. She rolled onto her back, crying out in pain at the little motion. Her eyes widened as the giant approached her, slowly stomping closer, as if mocking her.

She needed to move, to grab her weapons…

But she couldn't manage anything, her body simply refusing to respond.

One of her eyes didn't open anymore, covered with her own blood, while her other watched as the beast approached her menacingly.

It had come out of nowhere, a third giant that had been waiting in secret, only jump out when one of its allies fell in battle. She was cocky, letting her guard down the moment she thought she'd been victorious.

And now…

She had no way of stopping it.

She stared defiantly up at the monster as it loomed over her, as if trying to taunt her in her last moments.

She wouldn't give it the attention it wanted, instead spitting up in its face as a last act of defiance.

It snarled as it wiped its face, reaching up to charge a fist that would surely end her when it connected…

And then it did, the ground shaking below her…

Only, it didn't even touch her.

Her eye slowly widened when she took in the visage of the armored stranger standing over her protectively, his shield raised as he stopped the attack entirely.

In that moment, when she was sure her dice had been rolled in favor of her foe, the gods above turning their backs on her in her moment of need, someone else stepped into the fray and tossed the gods to the side.

The gods said she was to die here, bleeding out in the fields of Skyrim, crushed by a giant. They said that this was the end of Aela the Huntress, her story, her life, her journey.

He, on the other hand, couldn't care less about what the gods said.

It made her heart skip a beat beneath her breasts...

Chapter

7

End