"Goblins" - Person Talking

"Goblins" - Person Thinking

"Goblins" – Large Being/Creature Talking

"Goblins" - Large Being/Creature Thinking

"Holy Light!"- Spells/Skills

And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go.

Mulligan - Chapter 10

"I've got a terrible feeling about this place, there's only been a couple of goblins since we entered..."

The voice of Female Knight shattered the silence that had shrouded her group, and a sole goblin corpse, since their departure from Water Town, the four adventurers sticking close to the shadows of the hallway that they were currently trekking through. It had been a week since the party's last venture into the catacombs of the town, the four having recovered and rested enough to carry on, though the three women were concerned about their sole male companion's condition. Having taking a goblin champion's strike, shattering a pillar and stone casket then standing to terrify the creatures who had nearly wiped their party out; having only a week of rest wasn't enough time to recover one's strength, at least in the minds of the three.

"Goblin Slayer, are you sure that you're in fighting condition? I know it's been a week, but still, you got hit pretty hard." Asked Female Martial Artist as she shot the man a concerned look, Goblin Slayer nodding his head in the positive as he raised his hand to halt their progress.

"Yes, I'm fine. The path ahead has traps, follow my exact movements." The man stated as the tension in the bodies of his companions heightened, the three focusing their minds as Goblin Slayer slowly and carefully stepped across the trap laden floor.

"So, what's the deal with bringing the corpse of the lookout?" Asked Female Knight in a curious though disgusted tone, the blonde voicing the question that was dancing in the minds of the other two women.

"We may need it." Was all that he said as he shifted slightly to get a better hold of the corpse, the three grimacing slightly at the thought of covering themselves in gore if the stories shared by a select few women were to be believed.

Spending nearly half an hour navigating around the traps, the party of four finally found themselves in front of a large doorway which opened up into a large chamber. Instantly, Goblin Slayer halted the group's advance once more as he shook his head in the negative, moving to pull out the map that he had made during his last dive into the ruins. Unfolding it, he motioned for them to gather and proceeded to explain what he had witnessed the first time he had encountered the creature.

"There's a creature in that room, it's not a goblin like this." Started the man in a serious tone as it motioned towards the corpse at his feet, drawing sighs and wry looks from the others as he showed the map to them.

"It's able to use Disintegrate with the eyes on its tentacles and Dispel with its main eye, though it seems to be unable to utilize them together. With the smaller eyes, it has the ability to attack multiple enemies at once, those beams being able to melt through stone. From what I observed, it's guarding a... Mirror that's located near the back of the room and it won't pursue intruders out of the room. That's all of the information that I was able to obtain during the encounter it had with a group of goblins when I scouted a week ago." Reported the man as a set of serious looks crossed the faces of the three beside him, all of them turning to glance at the prone form of the creature resting in the center of the room.

"That creature is... Going to be quite... Tricky to combat..." Witch added as she narrowed her eyes and ran through her spell repertoire, grimacing slightly as the fact that the creature had a way to render her magic useless was an unsettling one.

"We've got two close range and two long range, we could draw its attention while you two belt it with magic and arrows." Suggested Female Marital Artist as Female Knight grew a tad anxious about drawing the creature's attention without a magic shield, as if it was able to melt stone, it would no doubt be able to pierce steel if it focused its fire on her.

"No. That's far too risky. I have two suggestions; one will take time to carry out but will succeed. The other will be quick and dangerous, should it succeed." Said the man as they exchanged glances, nodding their heads as they saw no alternative to their current plight.

Goblin Slayer explaining his plans to the party, all of them were staring at him with wide eyes before opting to go with the latter of the man's plans, seeing as if it failed they could fall back onto the second option which the man guaranteed would work. The group readying themselves, Goblin Slayer was discussing the finer details of the plan with Witch, the purple haired woman's eyes sharp and determined as she prepared her spells for the encounter. Female Martial Artist and Female Knight were securing the hallway that led into the cavern with traps that Goblin Slayer had brought along with them, following the instructions of the man as they carefully retraced the man's map and laid out marbles and caltrops on top of the pressure plates and safe areas of the hallway.

"Goblin Slayer sure is thorough, isn't he? Placing traps on areas that are safe so that anything that steps on them trip and activate the traps they were trying to avoid, I'd hate to have him as my enemy." Female Martial Artist quipped as she dropped another handful of caltrops, her blonde companion sharing her sentiments as she stared at her and her companion's handiwork.

"Yes, I refused to see it before, but he truly does possess the skills of a true Silver rank. His mind is as sharp as any blade and his ability to adapt to any situation on a moments notice is rather terrifying, it's almost a waste that he spends such skills solely on goblins." The blonde added as they finished trapping the rest of the hallway, returning to the other two as they were just finishing up preparations of their own.

Having listed the spells that she had for deception and defense, Witch had a set of spells that instantly drew the attention of Goblin Slayer, the man inquiring about the cast time, duration and other intricacies that the spells had. Seeing their other companions return, the armored man moved to check their traps while the two took a moment to catch their breaths and hydrate. Once he was satisfied with their work, Goblin Slayer returned and started removing the heavier and more restrictive armor covering his person. The sight startling the women, they adverted their gazes with pink coloring their cheeks when they saw him beginning to strip down, though a few curious looks were sneakily shot towards the man.

Before long, though he felt heavily vulnerable without most of the usual shell of metal covering him, Goblin Slayer fitted the rest of his equipment as he stood in front of the doorway. Gone was his chest and back piece, pauldrons, greaves and shield. While it seemed counterproductive, the man opted to keep his helmet on in the event of a possible piece of rubble striking him, the man taking a moment to test his range of motion. Nodding, he turned towards Witch as she smiled and moved to place her hand on his chest.

"Caecus... Conspicio... Furtim... Invisibility..." Spoke Witch as a faint glow soon shrouded Goblin Slayer, the man stiffening slightly before relaxing as his person began to fade from view.

"There that should help... You avoid getting struck... While you are... In there... You can still be... Heard and the effect... Will fade... Once I begin to cast... Another spell so be... Careful..." Witch said in a soft tone, her touch lingering a bit longer then she had hoped as she pulled away from the man.

"Thank you. Be ready when I return, we will not have a second chance." The man said as he turned to face the door, stretching slightly while taking a moment to focus his mind.

Silent as a shadow, Goblin Slayer stalked into the room with the parcel that he had received from Spearman. Seeing as the creature hadn't moved since the man's entrance, he assumed that it was in a resting state of sorts, Goblin Slayer ensuring that his footsteps were as muffled as possible. Then, opening the parcel, he skulked towards the resting creature with tension heightening with each step he took. Standing a few feet away from his target, Goblin Slayer took a silent breath before loosening the tie holding the parcel together, the armored man then throwing and spreading the powder that filled the pouch.

As soon as the powder began to fill the room, the Giant Eyeball woke with a start, its eyes darting around the room to see who or what had disturbed its slumber. In the midst of the powder filling the room, it watched in confusion as it saw nothing in the cloud of white. Slowly and carefully, it floated around the room, its many eyes scanning for even the most minute of movements. Though, it kept a tentacled eye on the group of three that were peering into its chamber, intently watching them for any sudden movement. Its eyes did widen slightly when a slight shimmer drew its attention near the doorway, the creature instantly turning and readied to fire a rain of Disintegrate, only to glare as Goblin Slayer made it out of the room unscathed. Seeing that the man was out of its domain, the Giant Eyeball made an ugly sound of anger before floating to rest back in the middle of the room, though it kept an eye on the party now discussing their next move.

"So, what now? All that powder is on the ground." Asked Female Martial Artist as she watched the last specks of white harmlessly float onto the floor, Witch smiling as she moved to a blind spot far from the entrance of the chamber and raised a finger.

"Gust..." Spoke the woman as a harmless breeze soon flowed from her finger, the wind moving and kicking up the powder in the room as it began obscure the view of the creature.

Without a target in sight to cast Dispel, the creature had to deal with the sudden plume of white that clouded its vision once more. Narrowing its eyes to avoid having them irritated by the airborne particles, the next phase of the plan was set in motion as Goblin Slayer and Female Martial Artist grabbed the corpse of the goblin that the man had brought along. Moving quickly, they drew their arms back before hurling the corpse into the room as Witch quickly began to cast her next spell.

"Cover your ears, open your mouth and get down towards the side!" Ordered the man as he saw the creature turn to face the doorway, its large eye glimmering with dark intent as it readied itself to attack.

"Parietis... Silex ... Salus... Valeo... Empower: Wall of Stone..." Witch chanted as a light shake started to affect the area, the trio beside her watching as the corpse sailed deep into the chamber before a stone wall suddenly closed the entrance.

At the sight of a shadow of something speeding towards it, the Giant Eyeball let loose its powerful rays as a subsequent explosion rocked the entirety of the room. The roar of fire, flame, wind, stone and rubble causing the area to shake and rumble, Witch nearly broke her concentration from sheer shock had Goblin Slayer not warned her prior to the encounter. Female Knight and Female Marital Artist, however, weren't as ready as they both screamed as it seemed as though the ruins they were in were about to collapse. Even the stone wall the purple haired woman had erected was not spared as it had a visible number of cracks begin to spiderweb on its center, Witch letting a mental sigh leave as empowering the spell wasn't a waste of sacrificing a higher tier spell for their protection.

After what seemed like an eternity, which was a mere minute, the rumble and roar of the explosion passed. Standing at the ready for another minute, Witch turned towards Goblin Slayer as the man nodded his head once he re-equipped his armor, the purple haired woman reluctantly lowering the defensive wall as he moved to survey the damage. Warily, Goblin Slayer drew his blade and entered the room, scanning through the thick cloud of debris and smoke for the creature. He didn't need to look for too long as a wet and heavy object sounded further ahead of himself, the man moving and seeing the remains of the creature laying in a bloody and smoking heap.

Seeing him approach it, the creature's bloody eye focused on him with a great deal of difficulty, its tentacles twitching as they feebly tried to rise and strike the man. Without hesitation, he drove his sword into the half-lidded main eye of the creature, a horrid sound emanating from it as its frayed tentacles wriggled weakly before falling and stilling. Twisting and turning the blade, the man made a point to completely ensure that it wasn't given a chance to catch a second wind by splitting its eye open, sheathing his sword roughly wiping away the gore that coated it.

"W-What the hell was that?!" Roared Female Martial Artist as she ran up to and grabbed Goblin Slayer by the collar, shaking him as Female Knight and Witch joined the pair.

"Y-Yeah, that was the single most frightening thing I've experienced in a while, and that's saying something." Female Knight threw in as she patted the plate that covered her chest, letting a shaky sigh leave her as she scanned the room for any stragglers.

"Mmm... An explosion was not... Quite what I had... Expected from you..." Witch added as she wore a wry and shaken expression on her face, moving a tad closer to the man as the woman found the creature extremely unnerving.

"Something I learned from a miner, that if a spark is lit in a room full of powder, it will quickly spread and cause an explosion. Though, it is surprisingly difficult to prepare let alone control as the risk of the fire spreading is immense. It's dangerous, unwieldy and unpredictable. It won't be of any use against goblins." Explained the man while staring at the spare pouch of flour as the baffled and irritated expression on the face of the brunette only grew at his words, Female Martial Artist resisting the urge to shake the man even more as she reluctantly let him go.

"So that was plan two? I think plan one would have been more preferable now that I've experienced it." Quipped Female Knight in a tired tone as she rubbed her temples, the other ladies agreeing with her as they moved to scope the rest of the room out.

"I knew that he said that it'd be quick and dangerous, but still... I was expecting something less... Explosive..." Muttered Female Martial Artist as she knelt by a pile of equipment, sifting through the rusted and broken pieces of armor and weapons.

"Well, should we finally address what exactly that is?" Asked the blonde of the party as they regrouped at the foot of the stairway leading up to a large mirror, Witch having a deep frown cross her face as they moved towards it.

"A mirror linked with... A Gate spell..." Spoke the purple haired woman in a serious and cautious tone, Goblin Slayer giving the surface of the mirror a precautionary tap with a spear he had secured.

Upon contact, the face of the mirror rippled as if it were a pool of water, the image chaotic until finally settling onto an image of a barren wasteland. The group tense and at the ready, they soon found the source of all the goblin activity in the sewer and ruins, as a multitude of goblin bodies could be seen moving about in the image. Bringing her shield up, Female Knight turned towards Witch as the woman nodded her head, the blonde mimicking Goblin Slayer's action of tapping the surface of the mirror with her blade.

Like before, the face of the mirror trembled as if a stone was thrown into a lake, the scene changing to that of the ruins that they had ventured through before. At that realization, a cold sweat broke out of the bodies of the four, all of them feeling as though they were suddenly being watched. Drawing their formation in a tad tighter, Goblin Slayer scanned the adjacent area before pausing and stepping down to grab a fallen piece of fabric. Bringing it up to view, the man began to calculate any and all tactics that would prove beneficial to the oncoming encounter, his companions dropping down to give a glance at the fabric.

"Is that a..."

"Don't tell me..."

"Quite unfortunate..."

"Get ready."

Three entrances, a gate connecting to a plane of goblins, four mildly winded adventurers and those in the ruins alerted to their presence with the explosion that sounded. With the echoes of the explosion having reached the ears of the creatures that were connected to the gate, the party of four began to set up their defenses for the invaders. Female Martial Artist had her strength boosting items equipped, doing her best to set up a barricade with the help of Female Knight, who was lent one of the brunette's strength enhancing rings. The two were barricading the doorways as quickly as they could, opting to only block half the height of the doors to avoid wearing themselves out. Once they were satisfied with their work, they rushed to meet back with the pair at the foot of the mirror.

"Hmm... It appears that I... Cannot close the Gate... While it is attached to... This altar..." Witch muttered with a clearly displeased expression on her face, lowering her staff after trying to disconnect the Gate to rid the goblins of any possible reinforcements.

"How many spells do you have left?" Asked Goblin Slayer as he latched spears, swords and anything remotely sharp or dangerous to the makeshift barriers he had set up on the altar's sides.

"I have used four... Spells so far... But I empowered my... Wall of Stone earlier... So I have twelve spells left..." Witch reported to the man as he nodded, glancing around the room as he recalled the woman's spells.

"Hmm... Are you able to enhance multiple people at once?"

"Yes, I am able... To... But doing so will... Consume higher level spell... Slots..."

"That's fine. Enhance myself with agility and the others with strength and endurance. I'll-"

"We're finished, Goblin Slayer!"

"Yeah, only got halfway before we started feeling a bit tired."

Pausing in the midst of speaking, Goblin Slayer nodded as he handed the two a stamina potion, Female Martial Artist and Female Knight thanking him as they downed the tonic.

"They'll be here soon, five minutes at most. She'll be enhancing us with magic; myself with agility and the two of you with strength and endurance." Goblin Slayer began as he pointed towards the brunette and blonde, the two nodding as they readied their equipment.

"I'll whittle down their numbers, with the enhancement to agility it should prove easier then normal. I'll stick close to the base of the altar, no more then two should be able to pass me there. You'll defend her, we found a number of shields that are larger then yours that we set up as barriers, they should prove useful if their arrows prove too prevalent. Finally, the task of ripping the mirror off is yours, Witch is unable to disconnect the Gate while its attached. Place it face down if you manage to take it off, so we're not ambushed by any goblins if they are able to pass through the mirror." Explained the man as Witch and Female Knight nodded, though Female Martial Artist seemed a bit miffed at her task.

But seeing as they were short on time, the brunette relented as she placed on her strengthening equipment once more, her size increasing to her embarrassment. Seeing as everyone was either ready or preparing, Witch closed her eyes as she let her mana flow freely.

"Venia... Decorus... Lapsus... Cat's Grace..."

"Tolero... Obduro... Victus... Bear's Endurance..."

"Bos... Fortitudo... Corroboro... Bull's Strength..."

Gently placing the tips of her fingers against the chests of her party members, Witch granted them a meaningful and potent increase to their abilities that they instantly felt. The purple haired woman kept her eyes closed as she maintained the enchantment, placing three simultaneous instances of Enhance Ability pushing her to concentrate intently on maintaining the spells. Seeing that the woman was defenseless, Female Knight brought up her shield with her trusted blade in hand, her eyes focused entirely on defending their mage. Female Martial Artist let loose a bellow as she grabbed the edges of the mirror, a fierce grin crossing her face at the rush of power that she felt, being much greater then anything she had experienced before. With all of her strength the woman tried to rip the mirror from its stand, though a sound of surprise left her as she stumbled slightly, having expected to easily tear it free with her newfound strength. A slightly embarrassed expression flashed across her face at her immature prediction, grumbling under her breath as she tried once more.

"Here they come. If they start pushing through, forget about the mirror and defend. We're leaving here together." Stated the man in a tone that held no room for rebuttal, his statement drawing surprised expressions from the ladies before equally determined looks took hold.

"Right! They won't be able to reach her with me here!"

"Haha, just give me a second! I'll have this thing on the ground in no time!"

"Yes..."

Grins on the faces of Female Knight and Female Martial Artist, they returned to their positions with much more vigor then earlier, the brunette in particular grunting and snarling as her muscles bulged with her increased effort. Witch was only able to utter a soft response to the man's words, a tiny and slightly strained smile on her faces as she nearly broke her concentration trying to reply to her party. As his statement sounded, so did a roar of challenge as a deluge of goblins rushed through the main doorway. Within a second, Goblin Slayer had already descended down upon the horde, his enhanced agility benefiting him greatly as he seemed to swim towards the creatures as if he were entering a lake of filthy green. Giving a quick scan of the room, he mentally nodded when he saw that the goblins trying to enter from the semi-sealed doorways were getting stuck, falling and trampled as they fumbled to pass through the debris clogging them.

Those who entered first were met with stones to the face as Goblin Slayer slung loose rocks with reckless abandon, the man being able to quickly load and fire the rubble with greater ease due to Witch's aid. Standing his ground, he was flinging stones while keeping his senses trained on the slowly closing distance between him and the horde. After having slung tens of stones, he finally drew his blade as the first goblin reached him, Goblin Slayer easily cleaving through his face as a croak left its throat. As he fully entered the fray, Female Knight was seemingly bouncing with energy as she easily defended against the few archers that were firing at Witch and herself, the blonde blocking another arrow as a tiny frown crossed her face at her lack of ability to retaliate.

"If only I had someway to help Goblin Slayer. I'd be slinging rocks too if I had a free hand and a moment to aim, but if I look away Witch will get hit. Tch, I wish I had a miracle for defense right about now..." Thought the blonde in a troubled manner, lightly cursing herself for her lack of faith and powerlessness.

"[Child, êow sê âlætan [been] [lost] [has] miltan duguð mearcpæð [anew]. ðætte [is] tîma [gift] mid [finding] sê sîðfat stund gîet, [path] êow [stray] nân twêgen nu [longer]."

Jumping slightly at the sudden voice that echoed through her mind, Female Knight darted her eyes across the battlefield, scanning for any traces of an enemy mage or shaman. But her concerns were shattered and replaced with shock, excitement and happiness as a soft and warm glow shrouded her body, her mind being filled with the knowledge of a miracle from her patron god. Hastily wiping away her tears to avoid them impeding her vision, the blonde took a moment to collect herself before reciting the needed words for her newfound power.

"By the Supreme God, who presides fair and just, by your power grant me the strength to protect those who are in need! Shield of Faith!" Chanted Female Knight in a barely controlled tone of excitement, focusing her mind of the image of defending Witch and Female Martial Artist while her armored companion carried out his task.

A soft pulse echoing off her body, that light glow soon became a radiant beacon as it centered on the blonde's shield. Bringing the glowing shield in front of her, the paladin had a grin cross her face as the holy light expanded and spilled off the edges of her shield, granting her a literal wall of holy energy that she could wield as she saw fit. Shifting her body, she angled the empowered shield as it easily covered the bodies of Witch and herself, the woman keeping a careful eye on Female Martial Artist as the brunette's eyes were wide with shock and awe.

"Ten minutes! I can hold this miracle for ten minutes! So until I tell you to, don't worry about being hit, I'll definitely protect you so get that mirror off that wall!" Shouted Female Knight as the brunette snapped from her stupor, shooting her a smirk as she turned to tear at the mirror once more.

With her newfound miracle, the defenses of the party were easily being held by Female Knight, the blonde only having to take a step in either direction to compensate for any archers trying to hit her blind spot. As for their offense, Goblin Slayer was dancing through the swarm of goblins, ripping and tearing through them as if they were made of wet parchment. Weaving to the side, he drove his blade into the throat of a goblin in front of him, twisting it as the neck of the goblin snapped as if it was a twig.

Yanking the body towards him, he used the corpse to absorb a set of swords from a pair of surprised goblins, the two finding their vision turning red as his shield hacked through their eyes. A pair of screeches leaving them at the horrid pain, the fell to the ground clutching at their ruined eyes, being trampled upon by their brethren as they were relegated to being lower then dirt with the loss of their combat ability. Another goblin letting a war cry leave as it dropped on the man with a spear, all it struck was stone as the man seemed to have vanished, the creature growing confused before a hand gripped the back of its head.

Like a man possessed, Goblin Slayer drove the head of the goblin against the sharp edge of the large piece of rubble it was standing on, caving in and shattering the face of the goblin as a garbled sound left its ruined mouth. Moving to the side, an axe descended down and hacked into the back of the grappled goblin, a dumbfounded on its face with its throat was torn open with a pilfered axe. Before long, Goblin Slayer was standing tall with the opposing goblins having ceased all attacks, fear and confusion on their faces as the man seemed like he was a demon or revenant hellbent on destroying them.

"Just watching him makes my head spin with how fast he's moving..."

"Y-Yeah, it's like he was born to hunt those things, just look at how many he's cut down."

The stalemate was broken when an errant spear launched by one of the goblins flew towards the armored man, Goblin Slayer merely taking a step to the side as he threw a rusted sword in turn. The blade burying itself in the goblin's eye socket, it toppled over as a trio of others rushed the man down. All of them screaming in an attempt to either intimidate or stun the man, he parried the blade of the first goblin before hacking the arm off at the shoulder. Grabbing the sword of the severed arm, he turned and drove it into the mouth of the second goblin, its scream being mixed with a gurgle as it exited through the back of its head. The final goblin was hit in the face with the severed arm of the first, flinching at the sudden burst of pain until Goblin Slayer hacked its face open with a hatchet.

Up, down, left, right, below and from the sides; Goblin Slayer was a blur with his frenzied and almost animistic movement, cutting through the horde as many of them began to still and back away as he seemed to have a visible haze of rage and bloodlust shrouding him, a lone crimson eye burning through his helmet as he snapped to find a new target once his current prey was silenced. An unfortunate goblin was bashed in the face with the spiked helmet of its deceased companion, the original owner laying on the ground with a broken spear lodged in its skull. Whipping around, the armored man hurled the piece of metal at a goblin making a break for trio standing at the top of the staircase.

A hollow crunch sounding when the helmet connected with the back of the goblin's head, it fell face first into the dirt and laid prone, Female Knight scanning the area and nodded approvingly as Goblin Slayer had been sticking close to the foot of their barricade. Picking off any goblins that strayed too close to the barrier, he was ensuring that the concentration of the blonde and her companions weren't broken by a surprise attack. Seeing that they weren't going to break through the gatekeeper that was Goblin Slayer, a few goblins charged the man while another moved to sneak around the man. Watching with increasing horror as he simply cleaved through the skull of the first goblin before hacking through the others, the goblin made a break for the top of the stairs, a wicked expression crossing its face at the scent of the females above. Its expression soon fell and was replaced with pain and terror as it ran facefirst into a golden wall of energy, falling onto its back as it clutched at its bloodied nose.

"Finally!" Shouted Female Knight as she shot forward and impaled the head of the goblin with her blade, tearing it free before she hopped back to shield Witch once more.

"Rrrgh! Almost! There!" Snarled Female Martial Artist through grit teeth, the mirror making a horrid sound as it was slowly being torn from its anchor.

Her muscles bugling even more with the strain she was placing on them, the brunette winced as she felt her shoulder start to throb. Gritting through the pain, she let a fierce roar leave her as she tugged, another horrible sound coming from the mirror as it was nearly free from the wall. Panting, the woman took a second to catch her breath, shooting a glance towards Goblin Slayer as the man pushed back another pair of goblins, burying a spear through the throat of the first before spearing the second in the neck. Tightening his hold on the shaft of the spear, Goblin Slayer grunted as he wrenched it as a sickening crack sounded from the necks of the two. Snapping the spear's shaft, he turned and drove the serrated end of it into the eye socket of another goblin jumping towards his back. The tide of the battle seemed to be favoring the four adventurers as the goblins weren't able to sneak by Goblin Slayer without suffering deeply, those that were able to finding themselves hacked into by Female Knight.

Falling into a deeper trance of bloodlust, Goblin Slayer seemed to become a streak of grey and crimson as he ripped and tore his way through the defensive line of the goblins as they stalled their advance on the party. Panic and confusion coloring the faces of the creatures, they soon took a collective step back as the man cutting through their ranks began to resemble more and more of a demon then a human. Just as they were on the edges of retreating, their savior came in the form of a deep and angered roar that echoed through the chamber. Instantly, the party of four were broken from their respective duties as they snapped towards the source of the roar. Stomping into the room was the goblin champion from their prior encounter in the ruins, the bandages that covered the eye that Goblin Slayer had ripped out being a telling sign.

"Uwah!" Female Martial Artist yelped as Witch's enchantment had faded with her loss of concentration, the brunette grunting as she found herself having lost nearly half of the strength she had been gifted.

"I'm sorry... That startled me... The enchantment has worn... Off..." Witch apologized as she shot a guilty look towards the other woman, Female Martial Artist shaking her head in the negative as she had nearly pulled the mirror free.

"Well, guess now you can focus on the offensive. I'll hang back and defend the two of you." Female Knight added as she shot a glance towards her shield, mentally noting that she had under four minutes remaining of her miracle.

"You're back." Stated Goblin Slayer in a offhand tone, settling into a loose stance in front of the champion as a vein of anger quickly appeared on its face.

"Kill! Kill! Kill! You! Kill you! Eye!" A heavy roar leaving the champion, it charged the man without restraint, completely apathetic of its underlings that were trampled underfoot during its rush.

The champion reaching Goblin Slayer with a few set of steps, the armored man watched as it swung in a wide arc towards him. Almost lazily, the man stepped back and crouched slightly, watching as the club of the creature passed harmlessly overhead. Without waiting for the champion to recover, the man moved back as the creature turned and crushed the spot he was standing just prior. Dodging and weaving through the crowd of goblins, the armored man watched as the champion crushed, pummeled and pulverized its underlings, each swing of its club sending rubble flying that either killed, maimed or damaged those nearby.

"Only a fool trusts solely in strength." Muttered Goblin Slayer as he continued to evade the champion's strikes, shooting a glance back towards the trio at the top of the stairway as Female Martial Artist finally seemed to be finishing with her task.

"Got it!" Grunted the brunette with sweat and grime covering her body, panting as she stood on wobbly legs while supporting the weight of the mirror.

"Drop it... I'll disconnect the Gate... Now..." Stated Witch as she hurriedly moved towards the other woman, Female Marital Artist nodding as she dropped the mirror with a heavy sound echoing through the chamber.

Sighing as her arms dropped to her sides, the martial artist watched as Witch closed her eyes as she pointed her staff towards the face of the mirror while downing a stamina potion. Speaking in an archaic language, the purple haired woman cut off the connection of the Gate's points of contact. Smiling as she had finally cut off any possible reinforcements, the woman turned and nodded towards her two companions, the two grinning as they moved to aid Goblin Slayer with eliminating the rest of the goblins in the chamber. Seeing as he was keeping the main threat busy, the two women rushed to cut down those that were trying to get the jump on the man, getting the initiative as they surprised the creatures.

"Haha! This is much better then pulling out that piece of junk!" Roared Female Martial Artist as she drove her heel into the face of a goblin, shattering its face before she rounded and whipped her leg and punched a hole in the temple of another goblin with her steel plated boots.

"Don't get too careless, remember what Goblin Slayer said!" Warned Female Knight as she easily guarded a strike from a pair of goblins, knocking away their blades before she cutting across their eyes with her sword.

With the addition of the two, the momentum picked up for the party of four once more, Witch easily staying out of danger of the few archers remaining with her use of Deflect Missile. Her eyes scanning the grounds, she noticed that goblins weren't pouring out of the doorways any longer. Nodding her head, she locked onto a crowd of goblins hanging near the rear of the horde. Quickly running through a rough estimate of the cluster of goblins, their distance from her party and rubble, she let her eyes close.

"Adustum... Cometes... Volo... Minute Meteors...!" Chanted Witch as she raised her staff towards the area she had locked onto, drawing a circle in the air as a trail of fire began to emanate from the tip of the staff.

Whipping her staff before swinging it upwards, the fire trail rose into the air before it solidified into six miniature fireballs that hovered around Witch. Pointing a delicate finger towards the group, two of the fireballs raced towards the group of goblins, impacting and exploding as the creatures screamed and scrambled to escape the explosive blaze. As the creatures scrambled to get away from the burning and screaming bodies of their brethren, the purple haired woman simply let loose another fireball to cut off their escape.

Snarling as the cries of its underlings echoed through the chamber, the champion grew more and more angered as it watched the humans before it slowly wipe out its horde. Weren't they supposed to have swarmed the chamber in time? To have captured and tortured the iron demon before butchering it? To have the females currently slaying its useless rabble screaming and begging for mercy as they were violated before being made their next meal? In the midst of its anger, it dropped a heavy swing that rocked the area, causing a light tremor to shake the chamber.

Distracted by its anger, the champion was too slow to evade the mace that suddenly crashed into its knee. A howl of agony leaving its throat, the champion dropped to a knee as the mace that struck its knee returned with twice the force as Goblin Slayer completely shattered its kneecap. Using its club as a crutch, the champion swiped at the armored man with its free hand, hitting empty air as the man ducked beneath the arm before racing towards it. Instantly, it tried to crush the man as it threw its body at Goblin Slayer, trying to body slam him.

"Yrden." Muttered Goblin Slayer as he partially flexed the fingers of his free hand, placing it on the ground as he cast the sign onto the floor.

A purple circle emanating from the place the sign was placed, the champions movements slowly instantly, moving with only half of the speed that it had before. Ignoring the pain that suddenly surged through his body, Goblin Slayer stepped towards the champion before driving his sword into the other eye of the goblin. Watching with wide eyes filled with horror and confusion, a slow scream left the mouth of the champion as the armored man buried his blade. Blood erupting from the horrid wound, the man twisted his sword as a croak left the throat of the goblin, blood soon oozing from its nose and mouth as death slowly embraced it.

"Clear the rest of them out. Not one leaves alive." Shouted the man as his party members smirked at the sight of the champion falling by his hands, the three retaliating with twice the vigor then before.

"Aer... Procella... Amplector... Storm Sphere...!"

The sight of their champion falling filling them with complete and utter dread, the remaining goblins tried to flee only to have Witch seal off their means of escape. With three adventurers pressing them from the front and a sphere of bludgeoning wind and rubble to the back, the horde was slowly reduced to nothing as the cleanup of the goblins was carried out without issue. Female Martial Artist delivered a heavy roundhouse kick that sent a goblin flying into the sphere, Female Knight used her shield to force a trio of goblins into the flying rubble, and Goblin Slayer killed them outright. After a minute, the spell faded as Witch saw the state of the remaining goblins, most of them crying pitifully on the ground with their bodies and limbs bent, broken and bloodied.

Crouching, Goblin Slayer grabbed a spear before he went about and speared the each of the creatures laying on the ground. Following his example, Female Martial Artist and Female Knight executed the remaining goblins in the chamber, taking their time to ensure that every single creature was indeed slain. Once they finished, next came moving the mirror as Witch was rather adamant about returning with it, she had a brief scuffle with Goblin Slayer as the man intended to get rid of it. In the end, the armored man won as a sulking Witch was following behind the party carrying it out of the chamber. Without being attached to the altar, it was much easier to move, Goblin Slayer and Female Marital Artist able to carry it with the assistance of the brunette's strength enhancing items.

As they exited the main hallway, the group saw the results of rigging the traps leading to the main chamber, the corpses of goblins pinned to the floor, wall and ceiling. Nearing the exit of the hallway, Goblin Slayer turned and gazed back into the chamber, scanning the corpses of the goblins strewn about before facing forward once more.

"I didn't know that you could use magic, Goblin Slayer." Female Knight said as she kept guard at the front of the party, turning to look at the man as the other two grew curious as well.

"That's right, it wasn't like any magic I've seen before. It was a Slow spell, wasn't it?" Added Female Martial Artist as she looked at the man, the armored man debating on whether or not to divulge the origin of his 'magic'.

"...Was that not a... Cantrip...?" Asked Witch as her curiosity overshadowed her anger at the man, having never seen the kind of magic he had utilized in her time as a sorceress.

"No. It's something left behind by my teacher. It's... Rather difficult to explain." The man stated as the ladies grew a bit indignant at his answer, though they opted to shelve their curiosity as exhaustion and returning to sleep were more important in their minds.

(Time Skip - Two Hours Later)

(Scene Change - Water Town: Inn)

"Ha... This is heaven..."

"Mhmm, nothing beats a hot bath..."

"Goblin Slayer is far... Too unfair..."

Enjoying the open air bath of their inn, the three females of the party were melting their anger, stress and fatigue away with a platter of fruit and drinks. As they were returning from the ruins and entered the sewers, Goblin Slayer encased the mirror in concrete before kicking it into the sewer where it sank to the bottom. Watching with tearful and mourning eyes was Witch, the purple haired woman feeling deeply aggrieved by the man's actions. Though petty and a waste of a spell, she conjured up a ball of sewer water before dumping it on top of the man, smiling innocently when he turned to look at her.

The trek back after the exchange was a silent and awkward one, Female Knight and Female Martial Artist having wry and nervous expressions on their faces as Witch and Goblin Slayer seemed rather irritable. Once they returned however, they split up as their resident weirdo broke off and told the party to get a good night's rest and that he would report to the quest giver the next morning. Seeing as he had been the one who was contacted, they obliged and opted to simply relax, though they were a tad curious and slightly worried about the armored man, Witch in particular as she was acted out of spite and pettiness.

With Goblin Slayer, the man was back in the ruins they had just returned from, sticking to the shadows of the ruins as he entered the hallway. Staring at the corpses of the goblins in the hallway, he strolled towards the main chamber, the armored man stopping and staring at the scene in front of him. While they had been thorough, they were rushing to return and rest after the encounter, the result of rushing being seen by the man.

A few goblins who were feigning death or on the precipice of it, were trying to drag themselves out of the room and to safety. But the most alarming sight was that of the champion, blinded in both eyes as it moaning pitifully for its underlings to carry it to safety. Seeing so many of them alive after their rushed clean-up, the man was glad that he trusted his intuition and returned. Pulling out a number of vials, he splashed and spread the liquid inside about the room, ensuring to covering every inch of the chamber in the rather foul smelling liquid. Once he was finished, he stepped to the entrance of the hallway and pulled out a piece of flint and steel.

Striking the steel without a hint of hesitation, a number of sparks showered onto the trail of liquid below him, quickly igniting as the flames snaked towards the center of the chamber. In a matter of seconds, the chamber was engulfed in fire, the cries of the goblins still alive sounding out as they were burned alive. Watching and hearing their screams, Goblin Slayer waited until the flames burned themselves out before entering the chamber once more. Scanning the area, he grabbed a nearby mace and made his rounds, the armored man crushing and splattering the skulls of each and every goblin. Taking his time, Goblin Slayer spent nearly an hour bludgeoning the heads of the corpses, the man finally finding himself beside the prone body of the champion.

Raising the mace, he brought it down once, twice, thrice; repeatedly swinging the spiked club as bits and pieces of bone and gore splattered onto the man's form, Goblin Slayer only stopping once the head of the champion was reduced to a puddle of blackened red and burnt white. Finished with executing the remaining goblins in the chamber, Goblin Slayer scouted out the rest of the ruins, cleaning up any remnants of the creatures left in the vicinity. Spending another two hours skulking through the ruins, he returned only after being satisfied with the lack of goblin life.

(Time Skip - The Next Day)

(Scene Change - Water Town: Temple of the Supreme God - Courtyard)

In the midst of the morning sun, Sword Maiden stood alone in the beautiful courtyard of the temple she now called her home. Even with the veil that covered her damaged eyes, even she saw that the world was of a pure color, a space that was filled with light. The scent of morning dew, a gentle breeze, the sleepy songs of birds just waking, rusling leaves. It was all reinvigorating, pure, kind, warm, sparing no place for chaos to take a foothold. And even in her heart she felt it, a sense of calm and ease that had eluded her since that horrid encounter all those years ago.

Yes, Sword Maiden, the frightened and terrified girl inside, was at peace. Such a thing, a sense of peace and calm, surprised the blonde. The past few days, the nightmares seemed to lessen, the sleepless nights gradually became a bit more tolerable, and her fragile heart seemed to warm ever so. When had it happened? Just what was the catalyst for such a pleasant and desirable change to her life?

"Was because of him...?" Whispered the woman in a soft tone, her mind falling back to the memory she had shared with an injured man carried into her temple by his less injured party members.

Was simply sharing a bed with a random man enough to ward the nightmares that plagued her mind and heart? No, that couldn't be enough least she spend a night with any man to alleviate her of her hellish dreams. It was because it was him, that she was able to sleep with such peace, a man who was an average warrior with nothing special to mention. A man whose body spoke and told of his single minded devotion to training and improving. Maybe it was because of his body, a body that wasn't pristine like that of others that she had seen, littered with every kind of scar imaginable.

Sword Maiden saw the worth of each scar that he carried, many of them matching those that she carried on herself. That night while she laid pressed against him, she could remember tracing a few of his scars before moving to do the same to herself, finding comfort and solace that she had found someone who had experienced a tiny piece of what she had been subjected to. Pausing in the midst of her thoughts, the blonde lifted her head as a set of soft footsteps in the temple garden made their way to her ears.

There was something black and hazy amidst the pure white, the silhouette of a person. A small smile graced her face at the sight, the woman turning to face her companion as they stopped in front of her. How could she ever forget that figure? The figure of the one who had warded away her deepest and darkest demons and brought her peace.

"It's good to see that you are well." Sword Maiden said softly, her voice akin to the gentle jingle of bells.

Goblin Slayer merely nodded in turn, drawing a slightly larger smile from the blonde. Ever the emotionless one, thought the Archbishop of the Supreme God.

"I have received the report and I thank you, honored warrior." Continued the woman in a gracious tone, dipping her head slightly in gratitude for the man and his party's service.

Now that he was standing within arm's reach of her, she saw him as she had the first they had met. He was wearing leather armor with plates of steel where it was needed, a steel helmet and at his hip was a sword that was shorter then its width would suggest. But in her eyes he appeared as she had dreamed he was, a gallant warrior whose form was shrouded in darkness.

"I've come to ask you something." Goblin Slayer stated in his usual monotone, drawing a look from Sword Maiden as she found herself somewhat lost as to how to act.

The man who had warded her demons had a question for her, a request that she, herself, could aid him with. Should she remain aloof, or would an honest smile better suit the situation? Appearing as delighted as she felt inside would be far too shameful and childish, so the woman simply offered him a calm smile like she had when they had first met. She felt that it was a better representation of who she was, and she hoped that he thought the same as well.

"Yes? What is it? If it's within my power, I will certainly answer any question you have." Answered the Archbishop in an even and calm tone, though the corners of her mouth seemed to suggest that she was joyous.

"You knew everything, didn't you?" Asked the man in a tone that was a touch softer then usual, drawing a much greater reaction from Sword Maiden.

She felt her heart stop, or did it skip a beat? Her cheeks grew hot and she clutched her staff tighter and closer to herself. What could she say in response to the man's question? Had he known from the beginning? Had he found out during his tenure in the town? There were a number of possible situations that could explain his question and the blonde found herself trembling slightly as she answered him.

"What do you mean everything?"

"The cause and extent of the goblin nest in the sewers. And perhaps the one behind it."

"…Yes. Yes, I did."

"I see."

It was like she was a child being scolded by her parents for sneaking sweets before supper, or rather hiding that they had been raising an animal under their roof in secret. Though Goblin Slayer spoke in the same dispassionate tone from when they first met, there was a hint of something in his voice that didn't go unnoticed by the blonde. The woman found that a tad saddening, she had expected something to change between the two of them the night they shared a bed. In all of her life, never before had she felt such a strange ache throb and echo throughout her heart.

"But… How did you figure it out?"

"I didn't. I intended to ask everyone connected to the incident. You were merely the first that I asked."

"Everyone…? Heh, is that so? Perhaps I should have been a little more coy."

Strangely, the blonde found herself puffing her cheeks and pouting a bit in disappointment at the man's answer. Only after feeling her cheeks inflate did she snap herself out of her childish and disgraceful act, lightly chiding herself as she tried to reign in her emotions.

"May I ask why you suspected something?"

"A number of reasons."

Goblin Slayer shifted slightly, moving to stand beside the blonde in the shade of the tree. Seeing the dark shadow in front of her move, Sword Maiden followed him; his bold, unconcerned gait that somehow made no sound even though she had heard him earlier. She loved the way he walked, with such purpose and poise.

"That white… Thing, in the sewers."

"Alligator?"

"Yes. Is that what it's called? Something like that, I don't believe that was a random encounter."

"You believe it was a planned, then."

"At least to the extent that it tried to chase us away before it attacked the goblins. With a large body like that, though it wouldn't be difficult if it was completely submerged, hunting us down would have been slightly easier then attacking a boat of fifteen goblins."

"Aren't you being a tad paranoid?"

She tried to rid the tremor of panic that had started to ebb in her heart by teasing the man, hoping that it would be enough to throw him off. But she knew deep in her heart that no matter what she said, he would see through her. It was just another of the traits that she found enchanting about the man, his words were short and blunt, but they held traces of kindness and concern at times when it mattered.

"To have ruins like this and not have a single map, for there to be no rat or roach killing quests, for adventurers to avoid the place and with no patrols. It's impossible."

"Aren't you knowledgeable."

"…Yes, when it comes to adventurers, I am. It led me to the conclusion that there had to be something standing guard down there. That thing is a familiar."

Sword Maiden said nothing, simply staring at him with a small smile plastered onto her face. It would be shameful to deny the man's words, as they were the truth, though she hated to admit it. He was correct on all accounts. The alligator was a guardian of order in the service of the Supreme God, the protector of the city's underground, and an extension of her own senses.

The chill of the rain, the heat of battle, the rancid stench of goblins, the feeling of rusty blades piercing scale and hide. She frequently entered the bath to ease the sensations she shared with the alligator, horrible sensations that shook her to her core each and every time that she had to experience them.

"Ironic, isn't it? That a guardian of the Supreme God should protect the city and the city alone."

"Then you know. The ones who killed the woman, spilled her innards, and left her corpse, they weren't goblins."

The man in front of her was right once more. Goblins are cowardly, vile, vicious, brutal, and unintelligent beings. It would never cross their minds to hide away in human controlled lands only to pounce upon, rip open then devour their prey. No, they were far crueler and more vile then one could imagine. Those unfortunate souls would be taken back to their nests to be stripped of their dignity and virtue before meeting their end as sustenance for the beasts to repeat the cycle. Though if there were an excess of captives, death would only be a fleeting dream as they would become simple toys that would be pressed to their absolute breaking point. And Sword Maiden knew that truth, far too intimately.

"…No, they weren't."

The scene was burned into her memory, figuratively and literally. A young girl of fifteen, shut up in a dark chamber, riddled with the filth of her captors, crying for anyone to save her. They had burned both of her eyes with a torch as a twisted game of sorts, their wicked cackling still echoing through her mind when her nightmares plagued her.

"I hear that you brought back a Gate Mirror found in the ruins. The Demon King loyalists behind everything were planning something with it. But I got word from a messenger bird that they had already been defeated."

She slumped against the tree they were taking shade under, turning her damaged eyes towards the landscape beyond. A world of white was spread before her, a soft sigh leaving her lips as she stared at that endless expanse. Though, her lips and her hands were trembling as she tried to explain herself to the man beside her.

"Around the town, there were traces of... Terrible rituals of living sacrifice which gave away who they were and what they wanted. Revenge against me most likely. And as far as that goes, they were thwarted. But.. Beneath the town, under my feet, goblins were hiding... How could I, one of those who had bested the Demon Lord, say what I wished to say? How could I beg you to protect me from the goblins...? If those goblins attacked... I'm sure I would have just… Just broken down weeping..."

Her feet trembled as she tried to stand without the support of the tree. Clutching her staff, she finally stood on shaky legs, glad that her eyes were hidden by the veil. If not for that veil he would have seen her weakness, her tears, her shame.

"Who would believe me? Who would believe that someone who had fought against the Demon Lord would be afraid of mere goblins?"

As she spoke, Sword Maiden gracelessly but gently brushed back the cloth of her vestments, rubbing her own shoulders in an effort to calm herself though it brought about no effect. While doing so, she turned towards the man, her lips curling up into a tiny smirk.

"What do you plan to do with me?"

"Nothing. Because you're not a goblin."

"That's why you don't ask me why, isn't it?"

"If you want to talk, I will listen."

After a long moment of silence, the blonde finally spoke, a long gust of wind rustling the branches, leaves and grass around the pair. Fear, sorrow, pain, terror, helplessness; such things are in the world, and in the world are people and beings who inspire and embody those horrid emotions.

"...I wanted to be understood... I just wanted someone to understand..."

Goblins lived under the town. They emerged from the sewers at night to attack people in the streets. Adventurers who were sent down after them didn't return; there was no knowing who would become their victim and when they would strike. Goblins could be hiding under the bed, in the shadow of the door, in the alley next door. If you fell asleep, they would attack you.

"But in the end, nobody understood..."

She prayed and hoped that everyone would feel that fear, just as she did. But alas, no one, not a single soul, felt what she did. No one lived in fear that goblins would kill them as it was always someone else who would die. Never them, and thus, what reason would they have to fear if it wasn't their life but that of someone else.

"…I can give you that Gate Mirror! Yes, to you! I'm sure that you, you would understand!"

"I got rid of it."

"What? But it's an invaluable treasure from an ancient ruin, worth thousands of gold."

"Other goblins might learn how to connect with it once more, so I encased it in concrete and sank it. It will suffice as a bed for that white... Whatever it's called. Though, my party member was rather upset."

Since their conversation, her calm mask slipped and was replaced with shock and a tinge of confusion. Wasn't he in the pursuit of wealth like the other adventurers she had seen? But just as that thought crossed her mind, it faded. The man before her, he wasn't like those adventurers who sought glory and gold. He never wavered, in body and voice, speaking as if sinking a relic worth thousands were the natural thing to do. His voice, which was mundane as ever, made her feel all the stranger. She felt like she was floating, like there was an unknown and comforting ease of her heart.

"Heh. You truly are a most interesting person. There can't be many like you."

"It's possible."

"May... May I ask you something?"

"I can't promise I'll know the answer, but I'll listen."

"Now that you've slain the goblins... Has anything changed?"

She spread her arms as she asked, like an innocent girl sharing a secret she held close to her heart. There were many types of people who could affect their surroundings; some affected only themselves, others their families and more their towns. But heroes were different. When a hero put an end to the Evil Sect; justice, the world, peace and prosperity were all saved. But what of someone who simply helped a pitiful girl who was afraid of goblins?

People would go on quietly living their lives; the rivers would keep flowing, the birds would continue to sing. Nothing would change. Nothing. That was why no one had helped her. Even when a nameless priestess carelessly got herself captured by goblins and lived through what could only be called hell, no one lifted a hand. Even when the fifteen year old girl inside the woman acclaimed as Sword Maiden cried out for salvation, no one answered her pleas. Who would kneel down to notice such things when greater rewards lay above?

"Does anything change...?"

"...You were met with a terrible fate."

"..."

Sword Maiden nodded in the positive, not trusting her voice in the face of the man who seemed to tighten his hold on her heart.

"I have seen that fate. From start to finish. That's why I don't understand your feelings..."

Silence permeated the garden, the wind seemed to have stopped blowing, the birds seemed to have fallen silent, and the rustle of the leaves and grass stilled. Sword Maiden herself stood stiff with a vacant expression on her face; slowly, gently and beseechingly reached her hand to the hazy shadow that floated in her white world.

"…So, you will not save me?"

"..."

Goblin Slayer said nothing as Sword Maiden's hand grasped empty air, the blonde having a broken smile slowly cross her face at his lack of a response. He did not take her hand as her head hung as if she had been cast into the depths of hell, the woman laughing mirthlessly. There was an element of resignation in it, a feeling she was all too familiar with.

"This is how it always goes..."

Her soul, once that of a maiden, had been wounded and defiled in every possible way. Even now, that awful scene, her last sight in the world, was burned into her eyes. At night, it would come to torment her., haunt her like a vengeful wraith that refused to pass on. The horde of goblins torturing her, raping her, violating her, taking everything from her, all while she begged them to stop, pleaded for anyone to save her. And in the end no one could save her from it. It would go on and on, a never ending nightmare that she would be cursed to suffer through until she took her last breath and perhaps even beyond. No one would help her. No one.

"I don't understand your feelings. But I have promised someone to protect those who need it."

Goblin Slayer's voice caused Sword Maiden to snap her head up in surprise, the woman having thought that the man had left her after her plea. His words rang inside of her mind, slowly echoing to her heart as he reached for his neck. The soft sound of something breaking caught her attention, her eyes seeing a hazy image of the man holding something in his hand. Gently, he reached out and grabbed the hand that had previously reached out towards him, turning it over as he placed a warm object into it.

"If goblins appear again, call me and I'll kill them all. As long as you have that, know that I'll come and protect you."

"Ohh..."

That simple decree, that simple proclamation, scattered and vanquished the tendrils of darkness that had so firmly latched onto her soul. Her mouth agape, her eyes wide and tears beginning to leak from the veil that covered them; Sword Maiden felt her knees grow weak as she collapsed, weakly and timidly looking up at the man who promised to protect her. Her beautiful face scrunched up as a sob escaped her throat, the woman unable to restrain the tears that freely fell from her face any longer. How long had it been since she had cried harder then after waking from her nightmares?

"Even… Even in my… My dreams...?"

"Yes."

"You… Will… You will come…? You'll come if... If I call... Right...?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Her voice was shaking so badly she couldn't say the word; it fell out of her mouth before she was able to properly speak. Was she dreaming? Had she finally found salvation? Would he truly keep to his word? Would he... Save her? Her fears and doubts began to bubble up once more as she slowly hung her head, but his answer rid her of all her doubts. An answer that was as simple as the man they belonged to.

"Because I am Goblin Slayer."

With those words, Goblin Slayer gently closed the hand that he had placed the object in, standing before turning and heading to the inn where his party was staying. Goblin Slayer, the one who kills those devils. His shadow slowly vanished from Sword Maiden's sight, gone to rid the world of the vile creatures that plagued it.

"Ohh..."

Bringing her hands up to wipe away the pearl-like tears that were falling from her face, Sword Maiden tried to reign in her sobbing as it felt as though an immense weight had been lifted from her shoulders. A tearfully clumsy smile of happiness, joy, relief and a multitude of other emotions blossomed on the face of the woman, only adding to her enchanting beauty. It was not pure or becoming of someone who served as the Archbishop, but the woman clutched at her chest as she burned the memory of the man's declaration into her heart, mind and soul. She had never imagined a day like this would come, that she would once again be able to feel these feelings. She had thought them forever beyond her grasp, ripped from her by the devils who haunted her dreams but now she clung to them.

A broken woman had talked to a broken man. It was nothing more than that, but now she knew the truth of the warmth that blossomed in her chest. It was a weak smoldering ember, unexpectedly fanned into a passionate blaze. Perhaps it could be compared to a fire shared with another person; all things were fine, no cares or worries and a peaceful slumber. There would be no anxiousness nor fear. No quivering and weeping. No waking up from a nightmare screaming and crying. How long had she waited for such a night. It was only when she had managed to calm her sobs to sniffles and hiccups that she finally took notice of the object held in her hands, running her fingers along the smooth and partially scratched surface of silver as more tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Y-Y-You... Are the object of my adoration...!"

Sword maiden raised her voice, through her sniffling and sobbing as she called out towards the man who had long vanished from her world of white. With her hands, she wiped clumsily yet happily at the tears that fell from her veiled eyes. And as if she were a barrel filled to bursting, she shouted the words with a expression that bore no semblance to the mature woman they belonged to, being more akin to a fifteen year old girl confessing to her most beloved person.

"I cherish you…!"

As to whether or not the words of the woman reached him, only the gods would know the answer to that.

(Time Skip - A Few Hours Later)

"Ahh, good to be going home!" Purred Female Knight as she lazily laid across the seat of the carriage her and her party were in, her sentiments being shared by the others as they glanced out the back.

"Tell me about it, was getting real tired of being around all that water. Not going swimming for at least a week!" Groaned Female Martial Artist as she recalled how pruny her hands were after their trek through the sewers, laughter sounding from the ladies beside her they agreed with the thought.

"Though I am still... Upset about having lost... The Gate Mirror..." Witch sulk as she shot a glare towards their sole male companion, Goblin Slayer having remained silent through their trip though the canary beside him continued to sing.

Slowly, the purple haired woman lost her glare as a hint of worry crossed her face, mirrored by the others as they shifted over to check on the man. Currently, Goblin Slayer had the armor of his left arm removed, seemingly tending to the limb as if it were injured. When they reached him, the eyes of the three widened as shock and concerned flooded their faces, having to restrain themselves from grabbing the limb and examining it.

"What happened?!"

"Why didn't you tell us you were injured?!"

"Do you need us... To stop and get... A healer...!?"

The source of the ladies' panic was the left arm of Goblin Slayer, the limb currently having deep red veins running along it. It was unlike anything that they had seen as far as afflictions went, as the three tried to find a hint of what it was in their memories. But their concerns were only heightened when nothing came to mind, grimacing slightly as they looked back at the man.

"It's nothing. It's connected to me using 'magic'. My teacher left before my training was completed, and this is the result of that." Explained the man as the reason as to why they had never seen the man use his spells finally made itself known, the eyes of the three widening as they offered him looks filled with slight pity.

"I'm sorry for... Adding to your worries..." Witch whispered as she gained a guilty look to her eyes, her pettiness probably doing little to alleviate the man's pain.

"I just need to rest for a few days. The veins will fade after three to four days and I'll be able to move my arm normally and without pain after a week."

"All that for just using a single spell?"

"I've heard and seen drawbacks to spells, but that much self-harm for a simple slowing effect?"

"I've never seen or... Heard of magic... That has such a... Price for so little... Return..."

As the trio continued to fret and question Goblin Slayer, the man's mind fell back to the teachings of his teacher, finding that even now that he was older, utilizing signs without drawing them was still as detrimental as they were when he was younger. A simple effect for a week or recovery was a far cry from its worth, though it may have saved him this time had the champion not slowed during its fall. Lost in his thoughts, the man tuned out the words of the three ladies as they returned to their home. He was finally broken from them when an irate Witch knocked him gently on the head with her staff, a tad upset he was ignoring them when they were so worried about him. It was strange really, that a party as dysfunctional as them would have become as close as they did over the course of a single quest.

Female Knight who had previously kept a cold distance from Goblin Slayer was now fretting over him like a mother or older sister, looking through her pack for anything to help with the pain that she knew he was feeling. Female Marital Artist who was cordial and friendly with him was now unafraid and unabashedly shaking him and demanding why he didn't speak up when they were still at the Temple of the Supreme God, angry that he passed on healing to get home faster. And Witch, there was something strange with how the woman looked at the man, a look that was a mix of longing and guilt. The purple haired woman as holding onto the arm of the man and applying a simple cooling spell to help with the unusual amount of heat that was emanating from the limb.

"Here! Apply this herb to your arm! Ah, wait, let me do it since you're hurt! Don't move or else I'll really make it hurt, alright?"

"All of this could have been avoided if you had said something earlier you dolt! Gods, you really are an airhead you know that!"

"Calm down, everyone... Goblin Slayer didn't mean... Any harm... He was just worried... About getting back home..."

In a small carriage heading towards Frontier Town, a man could be seen in an enviable position, surrounded by three beauties while being fretted upon. Any man would turn green with envy should they lay their eyes on the sight, only to turn pale at the rough treatment Female Knight and Female Martial Artist were subjecting Goblin Slayer to. In the midst of that chaotic scene, smiles and grins could be seen on the faces of the women, radiant expression that would put the brightest star to shame. And beneath the metal that covered his face, even the man at the center of it had the tiniest of smirks on his own. The canary beside him seemed to sense the warm mood in the carriage as its eyes fluttered open, having not been awaken by the clamor earlier, and began chirping brightly. But the mood did sour slightly when Goblin Slayer turned towards Female Martial Artist, the brunette freezing in the midst of grappling the man as a tiny bead of sweat formed on her face.

"...I didn't have a chance to try that ice treat..."

Silence prevailing at his words, it was shattered by a snort from Female Knight before she started laughing even harder then before. Soon, she was joined by her fellow women as they recalled that Goblin Slayer had indeed been denied the promise of an ice treat after their encounter with Spearman and Heavy Warrior. Placating the man, they promised him once again that they would attempt to make the treat, coercing him into supplying the needed milk for its creation. Discussing the details of the frozen treat, the four were unaware that through the sun had already begun to set, the warm and radiance of their camaraderie never waned.

And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.