See the Warrior. He is chasing a bowl of gruel with a drink of sour mead in an unmarked tavern in an unmarked forest. Around him, the whores, merchants, and drinkers went about their business. Some played cards in the far corner of the tavern, shrouded in torchlight and cussing.

He had long dark hair down to his shoulders that settled like an open fan. He had stubble on his face that was slowly turning into a full, short beard. He'd donned a linen shirt, worn boots, and baggy breeches, the only armor covering him a broken set of chainmail worn by age.

It was a strange sight indeed to see him sitting there, silent, with a thin face and heavy bags under his eyes. Around him, the tavern-goers hooted and hollered with stories of exciting tales of justice and courage.

In the corner, a bard played songs on a lute, his colorful dress and manner a strange boon in this otherwise gray and black area of the world.

A middle-aged man tended the counter, studying the warrior like some strange entity, especially because of his lack of a coin purse.

"So..." the bartender said, wiping a glass with a shoddy rag behind the oak table in front of the Warrior. He was a large, bearded man who looked at the Warrior through glued-together spectacles. "How're you gonna come by the coin for that?"

The Warrior looked up at him. The man's hair had begun to gray on the sides. "I can sweep the floors if you'd like."

"I don't need a worker."

"In a place like this?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"This place is dirty."

"Takes one to know one you little smart ass."

He shrugged and kept eating the poor excuse for food. Eventually, he finished and slid his bowl away, then glanced back up at the tavern keeper. The man was staring at him with a strange intrigue.

"That a sword on you?" he pointed to a strapped hilt with a bastard sword sheathed inside.

"No."

"Enough of the lip, son. I was gonna go and give you an opportunity to pay yer damned bill. You an adventurer?"

The Warrior's eyes raised, "Yes sir."

"Got yer attention, did I?" he smirked slightly. "I've got something you can do. If yer willing."

"Go on," Warrior said as he placed his hands on the counter.

He pointed out the middle of the room where a trio of three large men dressed in red cloaks like some symbol of brotherhood or kinship. The men were the loudest and most brutish of the tavern-goers, multiple people seemed unsettled to sit nearby them. One of the men had a whore with them that he kept a harsh grasp on. The girl smiled, but it appeared forced.

"Get em outta my property, and your tab is poof," the tavernkeeper said, making a popping motion with his hand.

He glassed the men; they didn't appear to be carrying weapons, but three on one was still three on one. All were about his build, though he was probably a tad bigger, but not by much. Turning back, Warrior said, "I want a room for the night as well."

"Huh?"

"A room for the night. I want one when they're out of here. They ain't gonna leave peaceably, and I'll need somewhere to rest if I take a few hits."

The tavernkeeper watched him strangely, "Thought you adventurers did what you did for honor and justice and all that."

"Do you want them gone or not?"

"Ah..." he sighed, "dammit. Fine, you got yerself a room, you bastard. After you take care of them fools, that is. Oh and uh...they calls themselves redbrands."

"How does that relate to anything?"

"Just thought you should know."

"Fine by me." He then saw the tavernkeeper stand from his leaning position and would soon find out why.

A weight pressed upon him, and a loud voice proclaimed, "Oi! another round of drinks for me and me mates!" it was one of them. He smelt of alcohol, and he was leaning on Warrior's back like he was just a part of the furniture.

There was an audible silence. All had heard his proclamation and stayed interested when they saw the man acting in a bullying manner toward the dirty man with a sword.

The tavernkeeper said nothing. He looked from the Redbrand to Warrior, who had a strange look about him.

"You got gunk in your ears, old timer?" said the Redbrand with the hold on the woman. "Get us our damned drinks."

"Yeah," the other plainly agreed.

Warrior said, "Alright then."

"Huh-" but the Redbrand said no more as the empty glass bottle shattered off his face. He reeled back with a sharp cry.

The other two were quick to their feet, as was Warrior. The glassed man had shards sticking out of his face, but none in his eyes, luckily for him. He looked deranged almost at Warrior, "W-W...you son of a bitch!" he grabbed a nearby bottle and threw it at him. Warrior batted it away and shook his hand.

"Gods!" the tavernkeeper exclaimed, "you didn't say you were gonna do that!"

The tavern was in an uproar. Some ran out, and some stayed to watch the fight that was about to break out. The three rushed him down, each fumbling for a limb. Warrior tried to get his sword, but they were too close. The men tackled and kicked at him, each wanting an equal share. They did not find their target going quietly, however.

A couple of broken noses, gouged eyeballs, and bitten ears later, and the Redbrands were shambling out of the door with injuries. Warrior himself lay in a heap; the broken remnants of a shattered stool were what finally did the job of taking him down. Along with that was a bunch of kicks to his gut and head for good measure.

Some men helped him stand; he thanked them and then went back to the tavernkeeper, who seemed rather beside himself with his half-destroyed establishment. "What the hell was that?!" he yelled over the shattered tables and glasses scattered amongst the floors.

"Didn't you say you wanted them out?"

He looked wildly at Warrior, red on his face. "How in the hells are you standing?! n-nevermind, just get out, just get!"

"You said I-"

"I know what I said, and I'm takin your room away; you just cost me more than those idiots ever could!"

"But-"

"Get!"

Warrior opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it once more. He then studied the damage done to the tavern, looked back at the tavernkeeper, adjusted his armor, and walked outside into the night. His whole body now visible, one could see a peg where his left leg should've been.

The tavernkeeper watched him go, and as he roped in a few fellows to help with the cleanup, he felt oddly lighter. He glanced down and saw his coin purse pinched off him.

In the first few weeks, she'd trained relentlessly and without pause. Punching and kicking at the trees and rocks in the forest to toughen her bones. Each time her knuckles would be less and less bloody.

The head priestess and the others did their best to stop her from the self-destruction. But Fighter wouldn't listen. She would train for hours and hours, the tears falling from her face and the exhaustion like a pit of acid being poured on her muscles. She barely ate, and barely drank, all of her training would go towards a newfound goal.

It was one finally revealed nearly five months into her stay, she'd been at it again in the forest. Punching the trees, kicking the stones. Close onto six hours as the hot summer heat cooked her inside the robes like an oven. Her face and body were shot red and her breaths were ragged as she repeatedly used combination attacks on a massive oak tree.

"My child you must stop this!" the high priestess would always speak with a gentleness and softness in her voice. So when it was raised Fighter almost stopped punching, almost.

"Please, cease this! you are dehydrated!"

"Can't...tell me...what to do..." Fighter growled like some wounded animal back at her as she switched to kicking the oak. Her shins hurt, her fists hurt, her body hurt, her soul...

A few steps forward from behind, Fighter paid it no mind. The high priestess said, "Young one you must listen to me, you'll kill yourself if you keep this kind of thing up for too long!"

Fighter murmured something and kept kicking.

"I said stop!" an invisible rope suddenly wrapped around her and Fighter stopped mid-kick.

"What...is...this?"

"Hold person," the head priestess said, "it won't hurt you, but it'll make sure you cannot keep harming yourself."

"Let me...down..."

"No," the old woman finally stepped in front of her. She had a waterskin in her hand, "you must have food and water. Staying out here for hours at a time under the blazing sun does nothing for your strength, don't you see that?"

"I'm getting stronger," she said through gritted teeth.

"If it is strength you seek, you are going about it the wrong way. I know you are in pain my child, but I will not allow you to destroy your body for some unreachable goal."

"It's not unreachable!" Fighter tried to move but to no avail.

"Yes, they are. The methods you are using allow no rest, and no time for food or drink. This leaves no time for your muscles to grow, for your bones to harden, if you train like this you will only be worse off than you were as an adventurer."

Fighter was shaking, "Y-You..."

"Listen to me," she held up the water, "I will give you this water, but only if you tell me why you are doing this to yourself and agree upon the stopping of your so-called training for today."

"I..." Fighter looked away, she wanted to cry, but she managed to hold back for the moment. "Why can't you just leave me alone?!"

The high priestess just stared at her, awaiting her answer. Fighter struggled some more, trying to tear and rip away at the imaginary binds keeping her in place. "Let me down!"

"What is your answer?"

"I..."

"Please, I implore you."

"I..." her lip quivered, "alright..."

She fell to the ground with a small yelp, and when Fighter looked up she saw the head priestess outstretching her hand. Taking the drink, she downed the entire thing within three long gulps.

"You want strength?" the head priestess said.

"Y-Yes..." Fighter looked from her, seemingly very interested in the fabric of her sandals.

The head priestess without looking punched a hole in the tree, no blood or injury apparent as she withdrew her hand. "Will you listen to me?"

"W-What?"

"I can help you in your venture, but you must do it my way and my way only."

Fighter looked enamored, for a moment she thought she'd truly gone insane.

"Y-You're serious?" Fighter stood up quickly. "But...you're an old woman."

The high priestess gave her a look.

"Y-Yes, I mean, I will follow you...sensei!" she bowed several times before the head priestess stopped her.

Smiling, the old woman said, "Very well, my child."

Years went by, the head priestess was deadset through all of them to destroy her weaknesses. It was so odd, like a switch. The old woman would be a happy little doting lady, doing her best to help the girls that found themselves in the temple, even with Fighter herself when out of training.

But when training, she was like a jackal or a hawk. Always watching, always showing her ways to improve, and when she tested Fighter, every battle was the fight of the young woman's life. Eventually, the head priestess began to go more hands-off, by the third year she'd even allowed her student to be alone when training.

The Fighter smashed her foot to the dirt below and palm-struck the board in front of her. It snapped like paper and crashed to the ground below. She took a breath and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

There were sand and hay-filled dummies shredded into bits all around her as she elbowed, and roundhouse kicked another into pieces. The courtyard she practiced in had served her well enough these past three years.

"Rule one..." she murmured and readied a hook, "the power originates in the ground," Fighter spun her lifted right heel and turned her hips with it, the punch following closely behind as her hook smashed another dummy. "The power goes from the legs and into the hips, then the arm, and finally the fist."

They were basic teachings to the rules of martial arts. But she'd always repeat them to herself when out here, she had to remember all of Papa's teachings, had to.

"Inhale when loading, and exhale when moving," she kicked and the sandbag for a head was sent flying. Fighter then stopped and surveyed the area around her. All the dummies destroyed yet again, she swore that sometimes she spent more time setting them back up then she did practice.

She had her smooth hair down to her back and wore brown robes and sandals. Removing the hood, she wiped the sweat away from her brow and began walking around and picking up the destroyed remnants of her targets.

When she was done, she sat on the stone path and looked out at the setting sun. The temple itself had been built right into a mountain, so on clear days the skies would always turn into this pinkish hue when the sun set. It brought a strange calmness in her, it made her wish to travel and see the beautiful things of the entire world.

"Beautiful, is it not?"

Fighter turned her head and saw the old woman standing in dark robes at the edge of the courtyard. The elder walked with a cane and her face was sallow and saggy as if she were a hag or a witch. But those two accusations could not be further from the truth.

Smiling softly, Fighter answered, "Indeed high priestess. Come and sit with me, you look like you've walked a thousand miles."

"I wish I could, but there's a bit of urgency tonight."

"Oh?"

"Come, I shall inform you on the way for they are already here."

Fighter joined her. They walked to the inside, the carved-out mountain rock serving as the temple whole. It was always cool, even in the summer for this reason. Statues to gods were almost ten feet in height made out of marble and slate. Torches lit the caverns as the two walked, greeting sisters along the way and staying silent for those bowing and praying to some of the statues.

"What is the issue?" Fighter finally asked, looking down at the old woman.

The head priestess looked up grimly at her, then back to the front. "There are..." she drummed her finger against the cane, "some new arrivals. I've already called a few others to help settle them, but I thought of you first."

"So you came to me last?"

"It's a long climb up to the courtyard y'know."

"Right...how many?"

"Three, the poor things were all taken by goblins for several days."

"gods..."

The old woman placed her hand on Fighters wrist, "Do not despair my child. We will all help them come to terms with what happened."

"I know, but..." she sighed, "does it...ever get easier?"

The high priestess didn't say anything for a moment but then said, "No. It never quite will. But we must try."

"Now, students," the Wizard said, writing with chalk on the board in front of the young class of future wizards and sorcerers she was teaching. "The spell of the week is prestidigitation." Behind her, the students watched from their desks and chairs in the colorful classroom devoid of interest.

She turned with a tired smile on her face. She boasted a slender and tall frame with green and black robes and a large wizard hat to fully decorate the look. There was a strangeness about her; sometimes, she'd stare at the students blankly, although they were rare enough not to be excused.

"If you turn to page ninety-eight of your textbooks, there will be a summary for all of you." Some of them turned the pages, and others seemed more interested in back chatter.

"Is someone interested in reading the summary aloud?" she asked hopefully. Wizard watched for a hand to raise and listened for a voice to proclaim they would. The silence was deafening, as all eyes simply stared at her. Nothing.

After a few moments of this painful silence, her shoulders lowered slightly as she continued, "That's fine. Prestidigitation, while a cantrip, is still a very useful spell for practice and in practition. It allows its user to cast many different kinds of effects, such as-"

As she went on, the back chatter continued. A boy and a girl in particular laughed and giggled together all the way in the back of the room like prairie dogs. Wizard at first tried to speak over them, but that didn't work, so she did the next best thing.

"and it even allows you to summon a small trinket, you two," she said, looking directly at them. The callout was one of the better strategies.

The boy was stopped mid-sentence by her. Another wave of silence passed, and she went back to teaching, but as soon as she did, the girl tapped the boy's shoulder and began whispering to him.

Wizard could hear her, and in a small, mousey voice, she whispered, "Said she would slay a dragon...almost died from some goblins...had to get saved..."

This went on for a while, and the boy started to laugh.

When the bell tower rang, she sat at her desk, watching all of the students leave. Upon the last one's exit, she sat thinking in her chair, a large stack of homework to grade on her desk.

A knock at the shut door finally stopped her. Wizard glanced up, three raps in a musical tone. She knew exactly who it was and sighed and said, "Come in."

A little old man entered the room, draped in dark blue and black robes. His face and body were round, and he sported a hearty grin upon his face as he spoke in a pleasant voice, "Good day!" He tipped his hat to her, and it almost dwarfed him when he was close to her making it appear as if a hat were speaking rather than an old man.

"Good day, Archmage," Wizard murmured.

He hopped up on a seat next to her desk, and when he fully looked at her, "My my, it doesn't appear to be a good day for you. Is there something the matter madam? students being difficult?"

She waved her hand and looked away, "I'm fine."

"Well..." he looked down, then brought up a small leather bag decorated with the sigil of the watchful order of magists and protectors. A maroon sphere with a hand inside to represent the name. "Perhaps some mail might cheer you up."

Wizard glanced back at him and narrowed her eyes, "From who?"

"No clue, I don't partake in reading somebodies mail. Though if I were a guessing man, I'd say it's your brother," he smiled softly and reached into the bag. He fumbled for a moment, "Oof, getting a little...full," a sudden screech of an alien creature sounded from inside, shocking them both, "Oh, be not afraid. It does that every couple of days."

"The bag?"

"No, the dragon I have trapped in it, here," he pulled a half-folded envelope out and handed it to her. Wizard took it and stared down at the thing with both hands tightly grasped.

Wizard sighed, "Thank you, sir."

He studied her for a moment, "And how is he these days? I've heard...good things."

"You don't have to sugarcoat things with me. Bag carrying for stronger adventurers isn't dragon slaying," Wizard said as she tore the envelope open and pulled the letter from inside. She was surprised by a few coins falling out with it.

"What the-"

"Money."

"I know that," she leaned down and picked up the coins and studied them. There were five pieces of gold in total when she counted them up. Her eyes widened.

"I'll leave you now. have a good afternoon!" he said as he waddled out with a wave, "oh!" he stopped, "are you ready for the field trip to frontier town next week?"

She half-waved back in response, her eyes still set upon the coins, "Yes..."

"Ah, I was worried you'd forgotten."

"I never do-did."

"Good to hear! now I'll leave you." He closed the door behind him. Wizard sighed.

Opening the letter, she read. 'Hey sis, it's me, the best brother ever. This is part of the money I made this month. The others and I got lucky with an easy rat job. Master seemed pleased with how me and Rhea did which is super cool!'

She read on and on, her eyes with bags under them.

'-I know you were mad, but I'm really getting stronger. Maybe one day I'll even be strong enough to take down a dragon...'

Wizard read the rest on autopilot, something about a job in the big city. When done, she lay it on her desk and thought about those words, 'take down a dragon'

They were three days on the road to the frontier town, Wizard remembered it thoroughly because Warrior wouldn't shut up about how boring it was. They'd stood in the adventurers guild's reception desk like fish out of water.

There was a priestess Warrior was recruiting, yes, she was like all of them. So young, so unknowing to the world of adventuring. Then again, who was Wizard to judge her?

Warrior was laying out the quest to her, leaning against the Guild Girl's counter as he spoke, "Buncha goblins stole some livestock and girls, we gotta go save em," He was so determined, so optimistic, but also so overestimating of his abilities. They all were.

"Just make up your mind already," Wizard said bluntly to the priestess. The girl was shrunk back like some unripe vegetable. Fighter secretly flicked her and Wizard said nothing more. Often Fighter would stop her this way whenever Wizard was like that, at the time there was a respect for the martial artist that'd been slowly forming over the past few quests. Wizard understood why Warrior chased her so.

The Priestess was quick to accept, a determination in her eyes that at the time Wizard never expected out of a cleric. Fighter and Warrior both cheered happily and were quick to hasten the new party member out of the guild.

As Wizard moved after them, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. The Guild Girl was watching them go with a clear worry on her face.

"You've got a strange look," Wizard said suddenly.

Guild Girl's eyes shot up in surprise as she said that. Wizard watched her. She was dressed and personable neatly, her long light hair braided and her face devoid of any markings or tan. Both women stared at the other for a moment before the one behind the desk finally replied, "M-My apologies," she brushed her braid behind her head, "i-it's just..."

"It's what?" Wizard demanded leaning on her staff at the woman. She was keen to spotting mockery and thought Guild Girl might've been doing so silently.

"I don't believe your friend there is taking these goblins as much of a threat as he should," Guild Girl said raising her hands. She then put them down, and looked away then back.

Wizard raised a brow, "So they kidnapped a few village girls, it's not like these things are bugbears. They'll die easy," Wizard waved her staff. "We've fought rats before."

"I'm just saying as a porcelain rank you need to be aware around those things, like flanks in their caves or bring antidotes because the little things will poison their weapons. I didn't mean to insult you if that's what you think."

Wizard went quiet for a moment, then simply said, "I see, good day," she turned and fast-walked away.

"Oh!" Guild Girl watched with a bit of surprise on her face, "um, good day to you as well!" she said waving, but Wizard was already out of the building.

Potions, potions, potions how could she have forgotten to get them? she was mentally kicking herself in the leg as she rushed to the outside. The dirty trail smelled of dust and mud as she stepped out. She checked her potion belt and saw one measly healing potion. 'You stupid idiot'

Adventurers galore surrounded her, their boasting and loud cheers filling the halls of the guild and its exterior. The small wooden frontier buildings surrounding the place were specifically made to accommodate the adventurer's needs, so getting potions wouldn't exactly be hard. But first to find the others-

"Man, that guild lady was stacked!"

There they were.

"Don't talk about girls like that you little perv!" Fighter clapped back. She was smacking him lightly and he was trying to cover himself as the cleric watched like a third wheel.

Wasting no time, Wizard caught her breath and got their attention, "Did...do we have antidotes? all I have is a healing potion."

Each of them stared at her for a brief moment, then they went through their equipment just as quickly.

"Alright!" Warrior said next to the cave, his voice reverbing off some of the walls inside, "let's do it!" he was already drawing his sword and leading the Priestess and Fighter in before Wizard could get a word in.

"Hold on, hold on!" Wizard protested. As she checked the two antidotes she had on herself and added, "Shouldn't there be a marching order?"

"Duh," Warrior droned at her, "me and fighter first, you and the new girl in the back."

"What about flanks smart guy?"

"Since when did you have such a stick up your ass?"

"What'd you say?!"

"That's enough," Fighter glared at each of them, "stop acting like children. Warrior, she's right, remember that bunch of rats back in Thundertree?" the boy cringed at that almost immediately, all save priestess knowing that was the reason for them only having one health potion left.

"Well," Warrior rubbed his head, "sorry, but what should the plan be then?"

Priestess, who'd remained quiet for nearly the entire journey spoke up, "Maybe we should remember to stick together." She lowered her head when everyone stared at her, "i-it's just Wizard and I had to run to keep up with you two!"

"Okay, okay," Warrior said taking his sword out of its hilt. "Seriously, you magic types need to lighten up a bit."

"Just listen to her," Fighter said placing her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, nodded, and smiled.

"Nothing to say to her for ordering you around?" Wizard said crossing her arms.

"Fighter is the exception."

"Right..."

The cave mouth itself had a narrow dry path leading in, the four walked close to each other and watched the light from behind themselves slowly vanish as they went on. They were a while walking down the path, passing strange bone totems. No sight of any goblins yet. Priestess was praying.

As they were walking, Wizard felt a tug at her Robe. Priestess again. "What?" she said.

"Shouldn't we have planned a bit more?..."

Wizard tugged her cape away, "The plan...is for casters to stay in the back," she looked up ahead and saw Warrior and Fighter some distance away, "and for them to be in front. Come on, quickly."

"That's it?" Priestess rushed along with her.

"It's the basic strategy, yes."

Priestess again gave a scared face as the light from Warriors torch came back into view, "What now?..." Wizard huffed.

"Did you hear something?"

"No?"

"It was behind us."

"Dark places can play tricks when you first start adventuring, hurry up. These things may be the size of children and as dumb but'll overwhelm quick. How do you think we ran out of heals in our last encounter with them?"

"O-Okay..." she glanced back behind herself one more time before the two jogged a few more yards and caught up with the two martials.

"Wait up!" Wizard demanded. The two turned to the casters.

"Well, hurry along, there's goblins to slay y'know..." his eyes widened into plates as he fully turned to meet them. "Look out!"

From the darkness, several little disgusting green faces popped into the light like a legion of horribles. Without warning they lunged at the four of them.

"Where the fuck did these come from?!" Wizard squeaked as her staff's top began glowing orange.

"They must have another cavern somewhere, get them!" Fighter yelled taking a stance. Priestess jumped back next to her, only able to watch.

"Firbolt!" Wizard shrieked and thrust her staff at one. A burst of flames shot out and smashed into the closest jumper like a cannonball, the goblins screech echoed through the cave like some wounded panther as its body was burnt to a crisp and fell smoking to the ground.

"Got one!"

But the other goblins weren't so impressed. They charged at her, and she tried throwing her hands up and the goblins would've grabbed her. If it'd not been for Warrior jumping in and slicing the two down in one fell swoop. "Fighter help me out!" he yelled as the two creatures guts spilt out. The two looked down, one tried poking them back in but they just slid back out. They made funny noises and fell back.

"Your sword is in the way!"

Wizard jumped back as Warrior kept swinging. "As I was saying..." her free hand began glowing. "Warrior get back! I'm using burning hands!"

But he didn't listen, and instead swang wildly at the remaining two in the back with an overhead slash. The sword felled the two, but not before he felt something hot and painful on his thigh. They'd cut him, they'd cut him with one of their knives. It was strange, he couldn't quite feel the pain that strongly. He placed his sword down at his side, letting it drag lazily along the ground.

"Next time..." Wizard breathed, "don't run in without our help!" Warrior flipped her off without looking then turned and showed off his leg. She glanced over to priestess who was still shaking, "hey!" the girl looked at her, "go on and use your miracle on him!"

Nobody got a chance to say anything besides Fighter who plainly yelped as more goblins from their front popped up. Not wanting a repeat of what just happened, Wizard and she engaged while priestess got next to Warrior behind them.

"Be quick," he whispered as Wizard casted her burning hands at several of them. They were burnt to a crisp and fell. Fighter funneled them, beating each one with a simple punch or kick.

"T-They're really doing it," Priestess whispered as she prayed and touched his wound. It began sealing slowly.

"More and more of these damned things!" Fighter said as she stepped back and delivered duo elbows to one's skull.

"Yeah, must be a big nest-" Wizards blinked and stopped talking. She casted another firebolt then looked back at priestess, "the antidote! he needs-" and with that singular mistake, a goblin arrow flew out and struck true into her stomach. Wizard fell back, her staff next to her and her hands trying and failing to grab at the arrow.

"No!" Fighter yelled. She fought harder, kicking and punching at any goblin she saw.

"Help Wizard!" Warrior said handing over one of his healing potions to priestess. He stood up and ran in.

"But wait, what about the anti-" but he was already fighting. Priestess shook her head, stood up, and ran to Wizards side. The girl was coughing up an awful concoction of dark red and green. Priestess grasped her head and tilted it upward. Wizard coughed and her chest began moving again.

"Drowning in her own..." Priestess didn't finish. She took out one of the healing potions and one of the antidotes. "Just hold on..."

Fighter and Warrior fought as well as they could. His sword flew around the place, cutting into goblins, and she did her best, but again his sword kept preventing her from being fully mobile.

"Warrior move!" Fighter yelled as more goblins came into the torchlight. There were near five of them now.

"Don't worry I got this!" and as soon as he said that he went for another overhead on several goblins. However, what he failed to take into account was the length of his bastard sword. It whizzed and made a hard clang against the sedimentary rock. That sound would be one he'd keep in his very self.

They were so fast, piling on him like locusts. Fighter's eyes went wide, and in a flash, she was there, but they had already stabbed him several times in the already injured leg as if dissecting an insect. They were swept off with a hard kick and scattered back into the darkness with vengeful shrieks like the spawns of demons.

"Warrior!" Fighter cried looking down at him. There was blood pouring out like a geyser. Warrior strangely looked at his leg, seeing the exposed muscle and bone underneath all the blood, blinked, and toppled back. More goblins were coming from the front, she put up her hands, angry tears in her eyes.

A bright flash sent the goblins flying, Fighter turned and saw priestess, staff in hand, breathing exhaustedly. "G-Get him to me!" she squeaked. Fighter looked down, seeing the blood from Warrior's leg accumulating on the nearby rock. His face had turned pale, and he was blinking rapidly.

Quickly, Fighter dragged him carefully minding the leg and placed Warrior beside Wizard who's breathing had steadied although she was far from fighting.

"How'd you do that?" Fighter said as she took one of the healing potions to Warrior's leg.

"I-It's called guidance or guiding bolt, but it takes two of my miracles."

"Alright! you help Wizard, and I'll carry..." the sound of massive footsteps encroaching behind them cut her plan away like a knife through butter. There was a massive, brown, creature leading a squad of goblins like a Knight leading men onto a battlefield, though this endeavor was not noble or honorable in any sort of fashion.

Its face was like a goblin, albeit broader, and its height was so great it nearly reached the caves roof. Priestess screamed, Fighter drew in her breath, both were shaking.

"Run," Fighter said.

"What?" Priestess said.

"Go, now!" she charged the creature. Scared, and wondering if her death would at the very least be fast. Please.

What Wizard remembered through her hazed vision as she was being dragged away, was the sound of Fighters screams. Pain, and...something else. As if her soul was being stripped away and violated beyond any recognition. Warrior was sobbing next to her; he was trying to stand but was too weak to resist even Priestess grasp.

Then she heard something else, the laughter of the things. That evil, evil laughter. Then their screams, and a deep voice. Fading in and out of consciousness, Wizard still saw someone standing over her.

"-Gave her an antidote?" the voice said.

"Yes," Priestess answered meekly.

"What about him?"

"O-Oh no! I-I didn't-he was stabbed in the leg."

"...that's not good."

"Is he going to die?"

"Not if we cut off his leg."

"What!?"

"It's the only way, you're a cleric right? how many miracles do you have?"

"Just a couple..."

"Good...hold this, it's a tourniquet..." was all she heard before darkness took her.

When she next woke, Wizard felt something on her. They were blankets. Dark wool. Her head was foggy as she sat up and felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, and...bandages? she clutched where she felt the pain and glassed the area around her.

Multiple beds aligning with each other on her sides, and some people bandaged up in them. The room itself was familiar, wood and brick. She was in the adventurer's guild. Sitting up, she saw robed individuals walking around the area and performing miracles on patients that needed them. Clerics.

"E-Excuse..." she drew in a breath, even speaking hurt like hell. But that was enough to get one's attention. An older man, his white beard the only thing visible in the light from the few windows to the sunny day outside.

"Ah you're finally awake! might I get you something? you were out for quite some time young one."

"Y-Yes, where are my...did you take in others?" she tried to stand, nearly falling in the process but luckily getting caught by the man.

All of them were gone barring Priestess. According to the cleric their savior had been a man by the title of "Goblin Slayer."

She had to leave, her staff gone, the whispers of her and the others failure, it was too much. But when she saw Priestess face as the girl lay in that hospital bed unable to even look Wizard in the face, that was it.

The silent split was something that came as no surprise to anybody who knew them. Warrior striking out on his own, Fighter to the shelter of the temple that might've healed her non-physical wounds, and then there was Wizard, who simply took up a job of teaching at her academy. She'd heard nothing from either, and she wasn't even sure if she wanted to.

But then there was Priestess, over these past...what...five years? Wizard had heard many things involving defeated monsters and heroics. To think, the small nervous green as grass cleric would be the most famous of them all.

As she sat in her chair in the present day, without anyone around, Wizard placed her hands upon her head.

Wizard wept.

Notes: I've seen many stories where Wizard and Warrior survive, and the concept always interested me as to what would happen after so I thought I'd try my hand at writing it. Ngl it was not easy doing research for this because I only had the manga and wiki to go by (it's why there's such a long time-skip) but luckily there doesn't appear to be any plot points that go past one arc so I should be clean slated to not fuck up the plot as bad as normal fanfic writers do. Anyways, thanks for reading and if y'all got any advice feel free to put it in a review or dm me.

Extra notes: This is now on a03 under the username Rakkakka.