Disclaimer: Goblin Slayer and Warhammer Fantasy are properties of Kumo Kagyu and Games Workshop respectively. I own nothing here except for the few OCs I created.

Short Intro: Before we begin, I just like to say sorry for taking so long to post this, and sorry how this chapter turned out so pathetically short. The reason for this can be found on the A/N down below.

A Foe Realized

17th of Erntezeit, 2500 IC. The day after the Greenskin attack on Essental.

Markus travelled down the road as fast as his horse could carry him, fear and worry marring his young but weather-worn face. His body ached all over due to hours of ceaseless riding, his shirt now damp with sweat. His mount was beginning to tire after being forced to gallop throughout the night before and well into the early morning. The horse that carried him was only a simple farm breed, meant to be used as a pack animal. It was strong, but ill suited for long and hard travel. And he still had many more miles to go.

If he would not stop to let it rest soon and gave it some water and feed, the poor beast might very well collapse due to exhaustion. That is, if he did not fall first. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. He only had a few sips from his waterskin. And had just a couple hours of sleep at the most. To say that he was very tired himself would be understating things.

But he cared not for any of this. The rider only had one thought in mind and one desire in his heart. The salvation of his family, of his beloved wife and child. Who at this very moment, could very well be at the mercy of savage Greenskins. If they had not killed them already. The mere thought of those monsters laying their filthy hands upon his loved ones filled his body with renewed strength, one born from sheer desperation. No, he would not stop riding forward. He would continue his journey even when his horse finally died of exhaustion. Even when his feet bled and his muscles burned he still would not stop.

His main destination was the town of Hefengen, where he knew a large contingent of State Troops were garrisoned. He would reach that town and ask the soldiers their for help. Beg them to come and save his village from those Greenskins. They had to. Everything he ever held dear hinged upon their assistance.

The road he had chosen to take was little more than a beaten path, one that had been cleared of rocks and grass to provide a modicum of ease for passing travelers. It was flanked on one side by woods, the tall trees looming over it rather ominously. And on the other side was the river, snaking through the land like a huge serpent, it's considerable expanse and depth preventing most from crossing it.

Fresh tendrils of apprehension began to worm their way up his spine as his eyes darted to and fro between the road in front him and the woods to his right. Ostermark was not the safest of provinces within the Empire of Man, far from it. Life here can be hard, and it is made even harder by the dangers that prowled the countryside and stalked the woods. He dearly hoped he would not run into any one of them today. Especially since it was nearly nighttime.

Markus began to chant a silent prayer to Sigmar. Beseeching the great patron god of the Empire for protection. To keep him far away from harm. But most of all, to safeguard his wife and child from all evil. That he may be reunited with them once more.

But just as he was halfway finished with his prayer, Markus soon spotted something in the distance. His prayer interrupted, he brought his horse suddenly to a halt, causing the beast to neigh in surprise. He squinted his eyes as he tried to get a better look. It was already dusk so the lands all around him were dark. Made even darker by the cloudy skies above that served to further lessen the dying glow of the setting sun. But Markus could still see the dark shape of some unknown rider and his mount in the distance. The distinct sound of another set of hooves served to confirm this assessment.

His muscles tensed and he swallowed nervously, as his heart and mind soon became at war with each other over the proper course of action to take. The more reasonable part of himself urged caution. Telling him to simply turn back and find another way forward, and to avoid that mysterious rider at any cost. The other more desperate part of himself begged him to continue forward, to not waste time trying to find another route when that rider he sees might very well be just another traveler like he was.

He was just about to turn his horse around and go back the way he came, to find another path to Hefengen. But then a vivid image suddenly came to his mind. Of his beloved wife hiding within the cellars beneath the temple of Shallya, tears streaming down her face as she cradled their infant son protectively within her arms, while the horde of Greenskins continued to batter down the entrance of the temple, seeking to kill them. Or worse.

That finally forced him to act. What he just saw might very well be a terrible portent of things to come, of what would soon befall his family should he not return with help. That he would not allow.

Steeling his courage, Markus pressed forward as he urged his mount at a steady trot towards the direction of that unknown figure. All the while keeping a firm hand upon the grip of his pistol. His eyes were wide and alert, as he strained all his senses to spot any hints of danger or hostility from this unknown. The moment he would see something inhuman, something with one too many eyes or too many limbs, he would put a round into it's face. Or any part of it that would hurt the most should it lack one.

But as he drew nearer to the approaching figure and saw it more clearly, he felt himself sigh in relief. All the apprehension and fear leaving him.

Sitting on top of a jet black courser was a rather tall and slender looking man of middle years. He was clothed in a clean linen tunic dyed a dark red and wore trousers of the same color as midnight. A dark-brown leather vest with many pockets was worn on top his tunic and properly fastened by few small belt straps. Riding boots made of rich and soft leather were strapped on to his feet while studded, hardened leather gauntlets adorned his hands. And his entire ensemble was completed by a long leather coat also the color of midnight and with the collar fastened together by a single brass chain.

Hair of the same color as tree bark hung in short, messy curls around his head, framing an aristocratic face with a tall and narrow nose and high cheekbones and sporting a short and well trimmed beard. Eyes as dark as coal stared back at his own, piercing and hard.

"A Roadwarden perhaps?" Markus thought, his hopes slowly rising. If he was, then he could certainly use his help.

"Where are you heading to boy?" the rider suddenly spoke to him as he halted his horse right next to his. His voice smooth and rich yet full of strength.

"I'm going to Hefengen sir. To call for reinforcements from the garrison there" young Markus answered truthfully.

"What for? Has there been any trouble?" the man asked once more, appearing more curious than concerned.

"Yes sir! Greenskins came and attacked my village yesterday. I was sent out to call for aid. Please you have to help me stop them before they destroy everything!" he all but cried out to him, becoming frantic.

"Where's your village? And what's the name?" the mysterious rider said. Still eerily calm despite all that he had heard, though he chose to ignore this.

"It's Essental sir. And it's just south from here, couple days march at least" he pointed towards the aforementioned direction, and then he continued. More pleadingly this time. "Please, can you help us? My only home is being destroyed by those monsters! My wife and child is still trapped there! Please, help me save them!"

The tall rider simply glanced towards the direction of his village and regarded it for a good long moment, before he finally nodded understandingly and then said. "Very well. I shall head their and see what I can do to help. I might even be able to rope in a few others to lend a hand"

Markus was visibly happy to hear this. Sigmar be praised, he thought with much elation. At least now his family might still have a chance. And so he bowed his head towards the older man respectfully and said . "Thank you very much Roadwarden sir. I'll be sure to repay you in anyway I can!"

"Your welcome" the man stated amicably and nodded to him. But just as Markus was about to leave, the man spoke once more. And with one hand quietly slipping into the confines of his coat. "Oh, and one more thing"

"Yes? What is it?" Markus turned his attention back towards him, rather curious. And he was most surprised when he suddenly found himself looking at the twin muzzles of a sixteen inch long, double-barreled, flintlock pistol. Already loaded and cocked.

The man in the long leather coat was now wearing a wide and sadistic grin upon his face. And his eyes flashed a deep and unnatural green for the briefest of moments.

"I'm not a Roadwarden" was his matter of fact reply, before he squeezed the trigger.

BANG!

The loud report echoed throughout the surrounding land as Markus was knocked off of his horse and sent crashing to the hard ground. His horse neighed loudly and quickly fled, scared by the thunderous noise. The young man remained where he was, unmoving. His face a permanent mask of fear and regret, now sporting a hole the size of a penny upon his forehead, and with the back of his skull adorned with an exit wound nearly three times larger.

The dark clad rider merely smirked at Markus' lifeless form before he blew away the smoke rising out of his pistol's muzzle, still hot from the discharge. He then placed his weapon back inside it's holster beneath his coat, before he casually got down his horse and went over to the body.

He rummaged through Markus' person, looking to find anything of value. And his fine features soured when his search only yielded a half-empty waterskin, a pistol and several cartridges. No money on him. Not even a single penny.

"A piss-poor haul" he thought bitterly with a scowl.

Not very surprising, considering this young lad was probably nothing more than a dirt farmer. At least the cartridges he found would replenish his personal stock. He was kind of running low after his little run in with that stubborn bitch and her weak-minded deputies. And the pistol he could either keep for himself as a spare, or sell it somewhere for a mark or two.

He was just about to rise up and leave when something rather shiny finally caught his eyes. And they gleamed with avarice upon seeing the ring fitted snugly upon Markus' finger. Reaching onto the sheath strapped around his waist, he pulled out a long and slightly curved dagger with a single, wickedly sharp edge. He then brought that edge to the young man's finger, and sliced it cleanly off. He wiped the slightly bloodied edge of his dagger upon Markus' shirt before he returned it to it's sheath. After pulling off the ring, he tossed away the severed appendage like yesterdays garbage and spent a moment to study the ring.

It was made of pure silver, smooth to the touch and with barely any blemish upon it. And there were small intricate letters engraved upon it's surface, which formed two simple words.

'My Light'

He could not resist a frown upon reading it. It appeared to be a wedding ring. And based on the quality, it must have cost more than the average peasant's wage within a whole year. He let out a snort as he cast Markus' lifeless form with a condescending smirk.

"The poor bastard must have spent a long time tucking away a portion of his pitiful earnings just to purchase a pair these silver rings. So that he and his little bitch could finally tie the knot at whichever Imperial god's gilded whorehouse. What a waste" he mused with no small amount of contempt.

He rose to his feet and tucked the ring into one of the many pockets hidden within his long-coat. He then gave Markus one last look, and spat on his still warm corpse. Before he finally turned around and walked back to his horse. After climbing up the saddle and sat comfortably on his mount once more, he urged his beast forward and proceeded down the narrow dirt road at a leisurely pace.

Not in the least worried about disposing the body of his latest victim. Wolves and other hungry beasts tend to prowl the woods at night in search of food. One or two of them would eventually happen upon that body and they will clean up all the evidence for him. And if not them, then one of the adorable little 'Children of Chaos' will perform the deed. Such were the conveniences of life outside the law within the Old World.

He thought briefly back to the words that young rider said to him, about his village in particular. And an ugly scowl soon made it's way to the man's face, serving to twist his otherwise handsome visage into a terrifying mask of murderous hate.

"Essental" the dark clad rider said to aloud to no one in particular. "A beschissen little village sitting on a tiny spit of land, at the arse end of Sigmar's ficken Empire. I haven't been there in a while"

Once he had called that village home, serving as one of the militiamen. Until Friedrich Stahlhart, his former captain in the army, drove him out and forbid him from returning, under pain of death. All because he simply wanted to have taste of hiswife's naughty bits. Which was quite unfair, as that cunt of a Priestess was practically begging him for it, what with the way she kept tempting him with her tight little arse.

It had been nearly ten years since that time, and yet he had never forgotten how his so-called brothers-in-arms drove him out from his only home, like he was nothing more than a mangy hound. And for that, he had vowed vengeance upon Friedrich and his ilk, swore that he would make him pay for all the pain and humiliation he had been forced to endure all these years.

A cold, predatory smile soon made it's way to his lips, making him look like some hungry beast. Perhaps it was time to finally exact his revenge. He would go back to his former home and pay his old commander a visit. And he would put a round or two right into his skull.

But that was only after making him watch helplessly as he destroyed and defiled all that he held dear. Especially if he were to plow that whore of his from behind like the worthless cow that she was. The look upon Friedrich's face would be priceless. Just the thought of it was enough to set his manhood on fire.

And then there was his two daughters. They must be all grown up by now, he thought. Becoming such fine and delectable beauties. He would definitely have so much fun with them. Especially with little Anna. That girl had always been his favorite. And now that he thought about it, it had been more than a month since he had a bit of cunny. Even longer since he had one that was both young and fresh, let alone two.

All these thoughts were enough to drive the rider mad with hunger. He wanted to go on a full gallop right this instant and make all haste towards Essental, so that he may finally claim his rightful prize. But he immediately reigned in his desires. There was no need to rush. He had plenty of time, and that time was best spent planning and preparing. He had not lasted this long into his illustrious career by being careless or stupid after all.

And then there was still the problem of his ever relentless pursuer. He would need to lose that annoying bitch of a Roadwarden first before he could go and have some fun again. One careful step at a time.

He let out a rather exasperated sigh before a wistful smile made it's way to his lips. Oh how he wished those Greenskins had not yet burned that whole village to the ground and slaughtered everyone there. That would be most disappointing.

20th of Erntezeit. Present day.

Wulfrik could feel his displeasure rise with each passing minute. And if it were allowed to continue, he feared he might just finally snap, and thus march quickly towards the source of his displeasure. So that he may drag his pasty arse out and dispense his wrath upon him. Lady Tanya's condemnation be damned.

"That Northman boy sure is taking his sweet time in getting here…" the old sergeant rumbled out. His grizzled visage frowning in obvious distaste. He had been standing outside the village entrance for the past hour now, waiting for the newest, and temporary, addition to the militia's ranks to arrive. And that red eyed mutant has yet to reveal himself.

If there was one thing that Wulfik disliked the most about someone, is them being late for work. Tardiness and laziness were a sign of weakness and poor character. And neither of which had any place within the Empire. Being late for one's assigned duties stifled productivity. Which in turn harms a unit or company's morale and cohesion. Which would then inspire others to do the same. And on and on it goes, until finally, Chaos would reign.

And that Northman was becoming a source of Chaos for this village, albeit, a mostly benign one.

To his back, work on the village walls continued. The sounds of saws cutting into wood and hammers pounding upon nails filled the air. Dozens of men from among the villager had been hired to repair the damages and finally close up the breaches. Several of Wulfrik's own militiamen had also been volunteered to help with the task. All of them under the direct command of the village carpenter who was put in charge of the whole operation.

And as for Wulfrik, his task of maintaining security in and around the village continued as always. He and a couple others are going to patrol the surrounding lands, make sure that there would be no more nasty surprises waiting outside for any of the residents here. At least, that had been the plan for today. But plans don't always work the way one wanted them to. And it was all because one particular individual had chosen to be late for work, despite their clear agreement the day prior.

Wulfrik idly clenched his right fist and gritted his teeth. Had circumstances been different, the old sergeant would not have even bothered with that Northman. But recent events had ensured that the Essental militia would be running at less than half strength for the foreseeable future, due to all the casualties they had suffered. Casualties that were not so easily replaced.

"Well, considering who the man is living with, I can't much fault him for being late" came the rather blithe response from one particular member of the militia. One whom Wulfrik knew to have a penchant for running his mouth, much to the old State Trooper sergeant's annoyance.

Wulfrik scoffed at this. His frown deepening. "Sounds to me like you envy him"

He cast a brief glance towards the person in question. Erik was currently sitting on a small stack of logs just to the side, quietly tinkering with his rifle; using a long cleaning rod with a small oil-soaked cotton swab on the end to thoroughly clean the insides of his weapon's barrel.

The roguish young hunter from Hochland made an amused smirk as he continued his little task. "As a matter of fact, I do. Who wouldn't want to share the same roof with two lovely young ladies? I would certainly want to be the one enjoying Tanya's cooking right now"

Wulfrik merely grunted at that as he quietly shook his head. A smirk soon formed upon his lips. Had he been ten years younger and his situation was any different, he might have agreed with his younger colleague. But now, his only concern was the safety of his two young mistresses and the security of their holdings. Though he will admit, Lady Tanya's cooking is quite good.

But in all seriousness, Wulfrik hoped that was all that Northman boy was having during his stay over at the Stahlhart household. For there was also the possibility of that pasty mutant enjoying far more than just Tanya's cooking.

It was not his place to pry into his Lady's affairs. She was a grown woman now, hardly someone that needed to be coddled. But part of his job was to keep her safe, and Wulfrik still saw that red-eyed abomination as a threat. Something to be locked up in a sturdy cell with over a dozen loaded handguns pointed at him at all times, instead of being allowed to live under the same roof and sharing the same meal with two defenseless young girls.

Why Lady Tanya saw it wise to allow that boy to live with them was still beyond him. It would have been better had she simply stuck the lad in a cabin outside the village somewhere. Yes, that Goblin Slayer has proven himself most useful to them thus far, and Wulfrik could even say that he alone was worth at least ten of his militiamen, maybe more. But that hardly changes anything. The sooner they could be rid of him the better.

"Sergeant?"

A voice soon called out to the old sergeant, one that was both soft and feminine in quality, and one that was familiar to him. Wulfrik resisted the urge to sigh tiredly before he turned about to address the one who spoke.

It was a young woman of about twenty or so summers in age. Her roundish face was framed by soft blonde hair that she wore in a loose ponytail. Her woolen dress was all clean and of fine make though they stood in contrast to her shoes which were rather old and worn. Her bright blue eyes stared back at the Sergeant expectantly, all the while carrying a small bundle within her delicate looking arms most protectively. She was bare of any adornments or accessories, save perhaps a lone silver ring that she wore on her left ring finger.

Good day Ingrid. How are you?" he greeted the young woman, already trying to come up with an appropriate response with which to placate her.

"Good day to you as well sergeant" the young woman returned his greeting, managing a smile upon her face, though one that did not quite reach her eyes. "I wish to know, has Markus returned?"

He could see the hopeful look within her eyes, almost pleading. And it pained him that he would have to shatter that hope once more with the simple truth. "No, I'm afraid not"

And with that, her smile quickly faded and fresh tears soon threatened to spill forth from her eyes. How he wished Lady Tanya was here. She was far better at handling these delicate matters. Immediately Wulfrik sought to salvage this situation.

"Now, now. I'm sure Markus is well. He is just running late is all. The lad is probably on his way back right now, with a whole regiment of State Troops in tow. So just wait a bit more. You and Markus will be back in each others arms again" Wulfrik explained to her, doing his best to sound convincing. And if he were to try hard enough, maybe he will succeed in convincing even himself.

But it would appear that his attempts have succeeded, as Ingrid nodded in agreement and managed to hold back her tears. "I hope you are right. It's just that, I can't stop worrying about him. It's already been four days since he left. He should have been back by now"

A smiled formed upon her pretty face, though Wulfrik noted that it did not quite reach her eyes. She continued to speak and in a more joking manner in order to mask her distress. "But then again, maybe he probably just got lost along the way. Sigmar knows he can be such a careless fool sometimes"

"Aye, probably" Wulfrik spoke in agreement, not wanting to further upset her.

As if sensing her distress however, faint cries soon emanated from the small bundle within her arms, and Ingrid was quick to offer comfort to her infant son, cooing at him and rocking him gently. She began to make her way back into the village, but not before addressing the old sergeant once more. "Please, as soon as Markus returns, do inform me"

Wulfrik only nodded in understanding, not knowing what else he should say to comfort the young woman. War and battle were his fields of expertise, not words and speeches.

As Markus' wife finally left, Erik cast a sympathetic look towards her way, before turning his attention to the old sergeant. "You know, I'm probably a right royal arse in saying this, but I think you should just go and tell her the truth"

"About?"

"That Markus ain't never coming back. That the poor sod is dead"

Wulfrik finally sighed tiredly before turning around looking into the distance once more. "We don't know that yet:"

The young hunter just made a face as he began putting away his cleaning kit, finally done with his rifle's maintenance. He soon took a cartridge out of his pocket, and began loading his weapon with fresh powder and shot.

"But you know I'm right" he continued. "You and I both know that if Markus really had managed to reach the nearest army garrison like he was suppose to, then he should have been back by yesterday morning. And yet he's still not here. He's still missing. And we all know that a person turning up missing in the Empire is someone who is good as dead"

Wulfrik did not say anything to that, and Erik chose not to say more. Already knowing that he made his point clear.

Sometimes he found Erik's penchant for mouthing off to be a real bother. But he also knew that the young man always spoke the truth. And what he said just now was true. Wulfrik just didn't have it in him yet to publicly acknowledge it. Because if he did, then he would be adding Ingrid Weberin to the long list of widows this village already had. And her boy would be added to the equally long list of children left fatherless by those Greenskins. Similar to the countless others throughout the Empire. And to the countless more that will surely follow.

"Just another day in Sigmar's Glorious Empire" he thought, with no small amount of sadness.

"We got company" he heard Erik say aloud, and he quickly turned his full attention towards the road once again.

In the distance, he saw the familiar wagon that belonged to the Stahlhart sisters, being pulled gently down the road by their horse. But this time around, the one sitting on the front and holding onto the reins was the younger of the two Stahlharts. It would seem that it was Lady Anna's turn to make deliveries today, Wulfrik idly noted. That brought a feint smile to the old sergeant's face, feeling his chest swell with pride.

As far as being a humble militiaman went, Wulfrik could safely say that he was more fortunate than most, for he had the honor of serving under nobles who were far better than the typical blue blood.

The Stahlharts were only a minor noble house, barely higher than burghers in terms of both power and social standing by the lofty standards of the Imperial aristocracy. But in the eyes of all those who live in this village, they had more honor and more nobility than all the other dukes and counts within the whole province combined. Better than even the current Elector-Count in Wulfrik's most honest opinion, though he wisely chose to keep that particular notion to himself, due to obvious reasons. And it was all due to the simple fact that the Stahlharts treated all those under their care with fairness and respect, never seeking to abuse them or treat them like cattle.

That had been true with Friedrich and his wife Priestess Hannah. And it was certainly true now with their two daughters, Tanya and Anna.

For instance, Lady Anna could have chosen to simply live in idle comfort and luxury through taxes collected from the villagers instead of having to go through all the trouble of making these deliveries. And none would be able to question her on it since it was her special privilege as part of the nobility. Lady Tanya herself could have chosen to take a third of all the harvests made by the farmers instead of having to toil away in their family's farm and none of them would have any right to disagree, for it was well within her authority as Lady of House Stahlhart and Mistress of Essental.

And yet they have done none of that.

His two young mistresses have instead chosen to make their living by doing good and honest work, and whatever sums they did took from the residents were all spent on projects that were deemed vital for the security and well-being of the people living here. Keeping none of it for themselves, even if it was their Sigmar given right to do so.

One would be hard pressed to find a similar example in the whole Empire of Man.

This of course had the unintended consequence of making them look like commoners in the eyes of their peers, and they had suffered for it. But Wulfrik could say with confidence that every man and woman in this village would be ready to fight for those two girls, and if needed, even die for them. Wulfrik certainly would.

Wulfrik's attention was soon drawn to the other passenger sitting at the front of the wagon, and immediately his mood soured.

The man whom they have been waiting for has finally arrived. And from the looks of it, he seems to be enjoying a conversation with the younger Stahlhart. So that was the reason why he was so late. Probably decided to make his move on one of the sisters no doubt, Wulfrik thought with much contempt. And based on the way Lady Anna kept blushing like an innocent maid as she smiled at him, she seemed to be enjoying his company.

The old sergeant shook his head at that. What was it about that Northman that many of the women here in the village found so damn appealing? Not only was he a foreigner, which already made him inferior to any proper man of the Empire, he was also a mutant. Yes, he did not have any extra pairs of eyes or limbs on him, but he still looked plenty strange enough. And strange was a bad thing to have around these parts.

And to top it all off, the lad didn't even have a proper beard on him. Even those weakling Reiklanders sported acceptable enough facial hairs upon their girlish faces. But this Northman boy doesn't even have so much as a stubble on his chin, making his face look as smooth as a baby's bottom. If it weren't for the scars, Wulfrik would have started calling him 'princess' for being so damn pretty.

But it would seem his dubious qualities were all to Lady Anna's liking. Wulfrik did not approve. He believed there were plenty of other men out there who were much more suitable for her than this Chaos spawn with a woman's face. But it was not his place to tell his young mistress what she could or could not do, or whom she could give her affections to. Only to watch over her and keep her safe.

As the wagon continued to draw closer at a steady pace, Wulfrik continued to watch Anna and that mutant carefully. And all of a sudden, the younger Stahlhart rose out of her seat, and kissed the Goblin Slayer full on the lips.

"Did she just…?" Erik pointed out. A look of honest surprise and amusement upon his face.

"Yes, boy. I saw" Wulfrik frowned in distaste. The sight made him want to turn around and retch.

"Ah ha ha!" the young hunter laughed as he slowly rose to his feet, his weapon now freshly reloaded. "Well, it would seem little Anna has truly grown up now. Good for her"

"I hardly think this is something to be pleased about" the sergeant rumbled out, feeling his frown deepen. He firmly believed Lady Anna's affections for that mutant to be misplaced, and dangerously so. But soldiers like him were not paid to think or give voice to their opinions, so he shall remain silent about the matter. So long as that Northman does not do anything to harm his young charge, his gun shall remain lowered.

"I suppose it doesn't matter to me" the younger man shrugged his shoulders and said. Before a confident smirk formed on his lips. And his voice grew a more biting edge. "So long as he keeps his paws away from Tanya, I won't plant my boot to his neck"

Wulfrik cast the young Hochlander a sideways glance but otherwise chose not to say anything. Though he made a silent note to keep an eye on Erik as well. For his sake.

When the wagon finally reached their spot, Anna waved towards the two militiamen, giving them both a bright and cheery smile. "Good morning!"

"Good morning meine dame" Wulfrik returned her greeting with genuine smile of his own.

"Good day to you Anna. And I say, you look rather beautiful today" Erik greeted her as well while taking the time to admire Friedrich's younger daughter.

"My, thank you! Your too kind" she blush at that, pleased with the compliment. She then turned her attention back to Wulfrik.

"I apologize if you had to wait for so long sergeant, but I had Slayer accompany me on my way today. Can't be too careful after all" Anna explained to him rather kindly, smiling sweetly all the while. " But not to worry! He's all yours now"

"Hmm." Wulfrik grunted as he watched the man in question quietly get off of the wagon. "I suppose it's alright"

Again, it was not Wulfrik's place to question his young mistress's actions so he will not do so. So long as the mutant had not done anything untoward to Anna or her sister while he played bodyguard for them, he will hold his peace.

"Anna?"

The younger Stahlhart turned her attention towards the one who spoke. "Yes Erik, what is it?"

The hunter from Hochland calmly pointed towards Anna and said. "I believe you're a little bit exposed there"

"Huh?" the younger Stahlhart looked at him in surprise, before she turned her eyes towards paid closer attention to her as well and that's when he noticed the current state of her wardrobe. Of how the front of her dress was left open with all the laces left untied, allowing both men a rather compromising view of her budding womanly treasures.

"Oh! Silly me, ha ha!" Anna laughed rather nervously as she quickly covered herself up with a shawl, wrapping the soft material around herself thus preserving more of her modesty. And the way she blushed as she looked at the Goblin Slayer with both excitement and no small amount of desire was not lost on Wulfrik. The old sergeant could only feel his disapproval rise even further as he gave the Slayer a particularly dirty look.

"I hope this mutant bastard hasn't done what I think he's done to her" Wulfrik thought rather venomously, regarding the man with a great deal of suspicion. The pale warrior on the other hand remained where he stood, silent, and seemingly oblivious to the way Wulfrik was glaring daggers at him. That, or he simply did not care. Already content with his successful tryst with the younger Stahlhart.

"Smug son of a whore" the sergeant thought quite unkindly.

"Anyways, I'll be off now. Stay safe out there, all of you" Anna spoke once more as she smiled and waved at all the men present, though her gaze lingered upon the Goblin Slayer the longest, filled with genuine affection and no small amount of concern, before she finally urged the horse forward and proceeded into the village.

Wulfrik watched his young charge depart for a moment before he turned his sights back to the Goblin Slayer.

"You've had your fun. Now it's time for a reckoning"

He took a couple of steps forward, closing some of the distance between him and the younger man before halting. Separated by a little over a hand's breadth, the old State Troop sergeant glared right into the other man's eyes. And he maintained his steely gaze for a good long moment, menacing and challenging. And for his part, the crimson-eyed Adventurer simply remained silent and still as he calmly held the sergeant's gaze.

Erik simply watched the two from the side, idly wondering if a fight would soon break out between them. And if so, then should he break it off, or just sit back and enjoy the show. But knowing how Tanya would probably nag him to the ends of the earth for letting such a thing happen, he was inclined to do the right thing.

Just when Erik was about to start leaning onto his rifle out of sheer boredom, Wulfrik finally ended the silence

"Had a pleasant morning, Northman?" was the sergeant's sudden query, spitting out the word 'Northman'as if it was something that came out of the sewers of Nuln.

The Slayer remained impassive as always, remaining silent a moment longer before he finally said "It was not unpleasant"

"I bet it wasn't" Wulfrik smirked at that, but one that was devoid of any sort of amusement. He then leaned in closer and glared straight into the younger man's eyes, before he spoke. Low and frigid.

"I'm watching you boy. Always. So it's best you keep it inside you're trousers, if you still wish to walk out of here and return to whatever pathetic little backwater that shat you out, in one piece. We clear on that?"

The Goblin Slayer simply nodded solemnly in response. Not offering the least bit of resistance to the sergeant's terms, much to his quiet approval. Wulfrik allowed his menacing gaze to linger upon him for longer, before he finally relented and stepped back.

"Now, let's go and get this patrol over with. We got plenty of ground to cover and not a lot of time to do it. And I would much prefer to be back before sundown"

Wulfrik shouldered the straps of his longrifle and took the time to check if his other weapons and equipment were in proper order. Erik did the same, making sure that he had enough spare powder and shot for both his longrifle and pistol. The Goblin Slayer simply remained still as he waited for them to finish with their checks. Wulfrik soon turned his attention back to him and eyed him up and down rather critically.

"You all good?" the old sergeant asked of him, to know if he had all he needed for the task ahead. Not out of concern for his well-being, but to know if whether or not this Goblin Slayer will be an asset, or a liability. If they run into trouble later and he proved much of the latter instead of the former, then Wulfrik will have no qualms in using him as a proper meat-shield.

"Yes" was the crimson-eyed man's simple response.

"Hmph" Wulfrik grunted, looking not entirely convince by his statement. But then again, the old sergeant had already seen him fight before, and he was pretty handy with blades, so there was that.

"You need a gun?" he asked once more. Mostly out of curiosity.

The Slayer set his eyes towards Wulfrik's firearms, silent for a good long moment as he seemingly contemplated his question, before he turned his stoic gaze back towards him and said "No. I believe I won't be needing one for now"

A fair and acceptable answer for the sergeant, and normally he would have left it at that. But unfortunately for him, Wulfrik was still in a rather foul mood this morning, and the Slayer happened to be a temping enough target.

"Good! You're better off asking Erik to lend you one then, because by Myrmidia's tight little cunt, I won't be handing over any of mine to your pasty Northman arse" came the sergeant's rather scathing remark, causing Erik to stifle the urge to laugh, but failing badly at it. And Wulfrik wasn't done just yet.

"But now that I think about it, a flachwichser like you probably doesn't know from which end of the barrel a round will come out, so it's best nobody ever gives you a gun, lest you end up blowing off your pretty face" Wulfrik grinned rather nastily at the Slayer as he said this, and all but daring the man to try correct him for his remarks, while Erik merely lost control of his composure and just out right laughed.

All satisfied for now, Wulfrik gently stepped to the side, and gestured towards the direction of the woods in a faux gentlemanly manner.

"After you, madame" Wulfrik said to him, purposely mocking.

If the Goblin Slayer was affected by any of this, the man did not show. He merely walked towards the direction of the woods, intent on carrying out his task for the day. Wulfrik and Erik followed him shortly after. The latter still chuckling in amusement at the Slayer's expense. But the former quietly regarding the Goblin Slayer, with growing approval.

Author's Notes: So yeah, that happened. You all got introduced to a brand new character for this story, and based on what we saw of him so far, he ain't exactly nice. And he has some not so nice things in planned for some of our main cast. Will he succeed? Who knows. And we also get to see some tensions between GS and some of the members of our main cast. Would that be resolved? And if so, in what way I wonder? All shall be answered in the next chapter :D

There had been one more scene that I wanted to add to this chapter, but in the end I decided to post this now since I've already made a lot of you wait for so long.

Now, as for my really long delay, you can all point the finger at the Corona for this. Yeah, just days after I finally got back home, I came down with a really nasty flu. Didn't know what it was at the time, but after getting tested, I found out it was COVID 19. Been really sick for the past month since then, and so I haven't been able to write anything. I've only just recently recovered though I am still quarantined here inside my apartment. I guess Nurgle got me good huh? LoL! But not good enough it seems, since I am still kicking :D

And now that I am strong enough to walk about, I can finally get back to writing, so expect some more frequent updates from me from now on.

Reviews Replies:

Angel Arcano: The God-Emperor provides, especially to those whom he feels most in need. Though I am not exactly sure yet if he would provide GS with a specific kind of Elf waifu. I'm still debating on that one myself.

Evowizard25: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. It was meant to be a way to further flesh out the main cast, specifically Anna and GS. As well as to explore some of their interactions. And yes, you and the others guessed it right. This is a older Goblin Slayer you are all reading about. More developed on the social interactions department though not really by much. And yeah, he is Gold ranked at he and one certain girl managed to finally reform the Adventurer's Guild. Which I definitely see as something GS would do years down the line. Because it's not just about killing Goblins with him, it's also about preventing innocent people from falling victim to them.

And good observations regarding the state of Adventurer's on the GS world and as to why Goblins are so prevalent of a threat in his world. Isolated villages who can't afford to hire good defenders or train their own would be the ones to fall easy prey to Goblins, and reinforcements would naturally take days or even weeks before they arrive. If they even arrive that is. Thank god for Goblin Slayer then.

Oh and as for your take on the Earth Mother. Since this is a crossover between GS and Warhammer Fantasy, I supposed I could just make the Earth Mothers for both stories be one and the same? I mean, Isha is called the Earth Mother after all. Makes sense don't you think? And on that note, I suppose the Elf Goddess of life and nature would favor Goblin Slayer in some way, but mainly due to how he was so kind and protective of Priestess as you aptly pointed out. But as for Goblin Slayer potentially having sexual relations with an actual Goddess and making demi-god children. I will have to say no on that, at least for now. That is something that might just complicate this story so much more. Not to mention GS spawning overpowered demi-god babies would just be too… convenient? LoL XD

Anyway, thanks for the reviews buddy. Hope you like this one as well.

samuelalpha86: If you're referring to how the three girls seem to be fighting each other over GS, then I assure that's not a contradiction. It's just part of the kind of dynamic these three have in their relationship. Which shall be explored further as the story continues. Although, I admit I have used some rather poor word choices in the previous chapter which might make it a bit confusing for some readers. I'll be going back to edit those. Thanks for the review, and please keep pointing out any mistakes I might have overlooked.

Guest: You will have to keep on reading to find the the answer to that. Though it isn't something so hard to guess, on how GS ended up in this world. But I'll just let you figure that one out for yourself :D Oh and, as for the Warboss enslaving mutated goblins with genitals, you pretty much guessed it right. I mean, Greenskins are not known for having morals or standards. They are just there to fight and kill and destroy. So what's one more Goblin for them, even if it looks a bit strange? ;)

Fortitude501: Give the man a prize! Or lady? Anyhow, good guess and thanks for reading my work.

Guest: There is also such a thing as mutations? It happens, even to plants or mushrooms. Plus, I actually read some of the earliest editions of Warhammer Fantasy, I think it was 2e. And it in there, I found out that there used to be Female Orcs and Female Goblins in this whole story. And the other thing is, Games Workshop never actually retconned it, only that they simply ignored it or never mentioned in later editions. So I used that as another basis for introducing Goblins with genitals in this story. Plus, it fits don't you think? :D

macario1214: I shall neither confirm nor deny that I am or am not a champion of Slaanesh XD. Though if I did manage to evoke some feels from your kokoro, then I have succeeded in my goals as an author :D

OutLoud: Thanks for enjoying my story. If you want to know, this story takes place roughly twenty years before the start of the End Times. Hope that clears things up. If you got anymore questions, I'm all ears.

Paradox009: Here it is bud. Not as big or as lengthy, but I hope you'll still like it.

PasiveNox: Thank you very much for you're great reviews my friend lol! :D

Yannicolas: I understand. And so far, GS has yet to actually respond or reciprocate any romantic advance towards him, and will stay that way for a good long while. But of course, that's not saying the women around him won't try anything. It adds drama and a bit of comedy to the story, which I believe will keep you entertained, aside from all the action and killing that is.

And to you're other point, Goblin Slayer is pretty much aware of what everyone thinks or feels about him. It says so in the light novels. The guy just doesn't know the best way to respond to it is all. He's so damn socially awkward and broken after all. This older GS has recovered somewhat from all that, but there is still a lot of work to be done. And there is all the enemies and threats he will come to face later on, which will not leave him with much time to pursue any romance actually. So you're concerns will stay unfounded my good sir ;) For now at least

SomePervyGuy: Oh come on, it wasn't really that much and for that long lol! It was only a short ride away to the village so it was probably only like, twenty minutes of rain drops :D Not enough to cause world ending flood. X-D

Thehappyvampire: Oh hey!It's my very first reviewer ever! :D Good to hear from you again buddy. Thanks for reading this story. Hope you'll continue to enjoy it. Now as for your take on the kinds of Gods getting interested on Goblin Slayer. Yeah, now that you mentioned it, I do see someone like Solkan, one of the Gods of Law, taking an interest on GS. He is pretty vengeful, so he might be able to get that one god to help him out in some way. But as to how he would manage such a feet, I anyone's guess. Though I also agree that GS would not necessarily be his follower should he be able to attain Solkan's aid, or with any other god for that matter. I actually see GS as someone who is not much of a fan of higher beings, given his past. But that won't stop them from trying to exert their control over him though.

khornesberserker: You could be right. And I know for a fact one does not have to be an actual follower of the Chaos gods to end up serving them in the end. We will see if Goblin Slayer will remain incorruptible just like how he is in the main story, or will he too fall prey to the corrupting influences of Chaos, and in Khorne in particular.

Regres: Thanks for reading my story and for liking it so far. And I'm glad you enjoyed all the spiciness I've sprinkled through out the my story, though keep in mind these sexy interactions might very well not lead to anything solid. I'm not trying to build a romance novel after all. But yeah, I agree that Goblin Slayer could really use some actual loving. After everything he had to go through, I'm surprised the man hasn't simply broken down already. Anymore than he already is, I mean. And if a lucky girl does manage to convince GS to sleep with her, and their union does result in children, expect some goblin slaying babies in the future. 'Cause that is definitely what's gonna happen if GS ever has kids. Teaching his children how to kill Goblins. How's that for good parenting? :D

Yeah, about the age of consent. I am aware that in the main story of Goblins Slayer, the general age of consent is considered 15. And knowing about how medieval societies worked, the age of consent can be even lower than that. But that is mostly due to the fact that mortality rates during those times were much, much higher. And that the average human rarely reached past thirty. And it is the same thing here in Warhammer Fantasy actually. Worse even since people here have to contend with Beastmen, Mutants and Chaos worshipers in an almost daily basis, just to name a few. But my point is, that the reason why GS said it was now 17 here in my story, with regards to becoming an Adventurer that is, is because him and one certain girl finally reformed the Adventurer's Guild. More on that later on.

But as for Anna and Tanya and Giselle wanting to have a piece of GS meat… well, that's all on them. Healthy young women have needs after all, and as far they're concerned, their old enough for that XD. Anyhow, hope you enjoy this chapter my friend. Even though it's so small.

nofirekiller123: Does he seem too emote? Maybe. But then again, Goblin Slayer is hardly a cold and emotionless machine to begin with. He is a deeply broken man with some very serious trauma, but not an unfeeling robot. Just take a look at his scene with Guild Girl in Volume 3 of the Light Novels and you will see. But I suppose the main reason why you can say he is too emotional here is because of how I write his facial expressions. He's not wearing his armor during the current events of this story after all, so you and everyone else will naturally get to 'see' GS's face during his interactions with the main cast and will 'see' some of the emotions playing on his face.

All of which will change once he's back inside his iconic suit ;)

bwoodlord: Thank you for your praise good sir. Here is the latest chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.

L.C. genesmith: I totally agree with you on that assessment. I also see GS's habit of simply discarding weapons as soon as he deems them useless or unfit for general use to be something that would really tick off the Dwarfs, no matter if said weapon happens to be something made of gromril and enchanted with Dawi runes. And that's where I see one of Goblin Slayer's biggest failings. His over reliance on cheap equipment. He is basically handicapping himself in his attempt to deny Goblins the chance of looting high quality gear from his corpse. That has worked for him so far in the main story, but here in the Old World, he is gonna have to start rethinking some of his old strategies if he is ever going to survive, much less succeed. And I believe his eventual Dawi partner will be able to help him on that. ;)

But when it comes to guns and ammo though, oh boy. I don't see Goblin Slayer having much of a problem on that end, 'cause both things are in abundance in the Empire of Man :D

Abysssouls: Hi there. Yeah, Goblin Slayer will eventually realize the differences between his Goblins and Warhammer Goblins. The main reason why he hasn't yet because his natural reaction to anything green and ugly and rapey is to kill it instead of taking the time to study it. But yeah, sorry for having to showcase the nastiness of GS Goblins in this story, but it had to be done so this crossover would be complete. Be reminded though that even if I had not done that, there are still plenty of other rapey people in the world of Warhammer. Dark Elves for one. Norscans and Kurgans in the other. And so much more.

Dasneaky: Hello again. Once more, thanks a lot for reading and enjoying my story. I don't know if my work is the only good Goblin Slayer crossover out there but I'm glad you think so. So here's the latest chapter and I hope you'll enjoy it as well. Oh and on a side note, I went and thought about your proposed ideas for this story more, and I believe I can make it work. It has so much potential after all so it would be a waste if I did not. I would be making a few tweaks on it though, but for the most part, I'll be crediting you on it once I finally showcase it on this story. :D So look forward to that particular scene.

I hope you all enjoyed this tiny chapter, despite how it turned out. And thank you for those who reviewed the last chapter, all your input had bee greatly appreciated and gave me lot's of ideas on how to continue.

Until next time. Stay safe and stay healthy people. John out.