"I'VE SEEN AND done some fucked up shit in my life." Igz explains. "What I just saw that's a new kind of fucked up."
"How many women did you see?" Ryo asked.
"Just the one."
"Let me handle it. If the rest of the missing women are in there, I can try to heal them."
"Alright Angel, but take Igz and Emmy with you. Do what you can for them. If you can stand guard until we return, do so. If not, do what you have to to survive."
"I don't think it's wise to send Igz. Considering these women were taken by his kin." Remarks Izumi.
"If they're more women who're carrying goblin babies they'll be too weak to protest."
"Why do you say that?"
"They're like parasites, leaching off its host's life force. In this case the women's life force. Once they're born, they'll eat the ones that birthed them to help them grow. Eventually those goblins will grow up; abduct more women, rape them, use them as playthings, repeating the cycle that brought them into existence."
"I see. Thank you for sharing." Replied Izumi.
"Igz, are you fine showing Angel and Emmy the way?"
"It's fine by me Ryo."
"Get going you three."
"Igz, please lead the way." Angel asked.
"Follow me."
****
"GBBRG GAUUU!!"
"GOOBBG GGBG GBRBG!!!"
"GRUUUB!"
Three goblin sentries bicker back and forth with one another. As to what they're bickering about, one could only guess. King watches for a while before silently slipping away back to Ryo and Izumi.
"I see three goblins standing watch. Each one armed with shabby looking spears."
"Can you kill them without being seen?" Inquired Ryo.
"Nope."
"Leave it to me."
"Do you have an invisibility spell, or something, Izumi?"
"Not at all, Ryo. I do, however, have something they want."
"What's that?"
"A female body." Replied Izumi with a devilish grin.
Izumi can hear the goblins as she makes her way towards them. When she steps into view the goblins stop talking. A sick menacing grin spreads across their lips.
They charge her, each one wanting to be the first to have her. The first goblin that gets within range, throws its spear at Izumi.
"Air Magic: Air Wall."
The spear hits the spell and drops to the ground. Confused by this, the other two goblins throw their spear as well. Both collide with the air wall, and drop to the ground as well.
"Air Magic: Suffocate."
The goblins grab at their throats Their yellow eyes practically bulge out of their heads as they struggle to breathe. Izumi holds the spell for five minutes.
"I think they're dead, Izumi." Said King, walking up beside her.
"Alright I was trying not to ask because of your condition."
"It's fine Ryo. It's a skill King found for me on a grey scroll called Echolocation."
"Echolocation? How does it work?"
"It uses reflected sound to determine the location of friends, enemies, and objects. This allows me to judge distance, size, and whatnot." Explained Izumi.
"So you're constantly using that skill to live your life."
"Not always. Remember, King found the scroll that gave me this skill. I had to rely on my other senses for quite a while before then."
"Doesn't being in caves throw you off at all?"
"It did at first, but with King's help, I got used to it."
"You put in the work Izumi. I merely tagged along to keep you safe."
"Hey guys." Ryo calls out. "I hate to interrupt your touching moment, but more goblins just showed up."
"Let me handle them. Izumi, try and figure out how many we have to kill."
King races towards the first goblin. In a one swift powerful motion, King swipes at the goblins neck with his clawed gauntlet, taking the head clean off. The goblin doesn't have time to process what just happened to it, nor do the next four goblins as King decapitates them all.
"How disappointing. That didn't even get me warmed up."
"Oh, is kitty pouting?" Teases Izumi.
"Shut it."
"I figure there's about forty goblins left inside. But there's a problem."
"What's that?"
"I noticed several paths branching off. We'll have to clear out this first cavern before I attempt echolocation again."
"Only forty? This should be fun." Said King.
****
"N-n-n-o s-sta-y. 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ, 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑧𝑒."
The woman lying closest to the entrance can barely muster up the energy to speak before she's overcome with coughing fits, and struggles to breathe.
"I think she saw your ugly mug Igz and freaked out."
"Can't help it Angel. I was born this way." Igz just chuckles at the dig from Angel. "Tell you what, I'll back track into the shadows, and scout the area with my summon."
"Sounds good. Emmy with me."
"Sure thing." Responds Emmy.
Angel and Emmy begin making their way through the area. So far only one baby goblin was born. Earlier Igz had sent a mental command to his summon to kill it, which it did, then it proceeded to eat its prey.
"Shit. There's way more than twenty women here, it's closer to fifty." Comments Angel.
"Let's head back to Igz. We can ask his opinion on which ones he thinks we can save."
"Agreed."
The pair begin walking back towards Igz. They make it half-way when it happens. The moaning from the women turns to blood curdling screams, popping sounds echo throughout, the ground starts to get slick with a mixture of blood and a stringy, jelly-like substance.
"Well fuck. The 'bloody show' has begun, and now I'm stuck walking through this mess.
"I got you."
Emmy reaches down, picks Angel up, and puts her on his shoulders.
"Do you have a thing for carrying little girls on your shoulders?"
"Keep talking like that, and I'll tell Misty where to find you."
A chill runs down Angel's back.
"Tell me what you see." Emmy asked.
Angel turns her head left then right. "Looks like all of them are giving birth."
"Hey! You guys alright?" Shouts Igz.
"Yeah, but we're too late to save them!" Angel shouts back.
"Can you do anything for them?"
"Unfortunately I cannot. The best we can do for them is to end their suffering as swiftly as possible."
"Heed my call and come forth: Roaming Blades Ebony and Ivory!"
Igz's short swords fly from their scabbards and float beside their master. Igz raises his hands like a conductor ready to begin the performance.
"Go!"
Ebony and Ivory take off, cutting through the newborn goblins like a hot knife through butter.
"Let's pick up the pace shall we." Angel raises her sounding staff. "Haste!"
Igz's movements get even faster and in turn so do Ebony and Ivory.
"I'm not letting you have all the fun." Says Emmy, as he punts one of the baby goblins across the cavern.
The trio finish off the remaining baby goblins. They then methodically checked over each woman; making sure they had passed on, and that no one was still pregnant.
"We should help the villagers remove the bodies once we're done clearing this place out." Said Emmy. "Having a proper funeral will put their spirits at ease. Otherwise we run the risk of them turning into the undead."
****
"Ryo, ten on your right." Warns Izumi.
"One Sword Technique: Howling Blade."
Ryo begins cutting down goblin after goblin at such a rapid pace his sword cannot be seen, its rapid movement sounds like its howling.
"King, three goblins are making a run for it down the far left tunnel."
"On it!" King shouts back, as he disappears from sight.
Ryo sinks his blade into the eye sock of the last goblin piercing its brain. "Anymore?"
"Just the ones King's chasing down."
Izumi walks over to the tunnel King disappeared into. After a bit of waiting she smiles to herself. "He found something."
"Like what?" Ryo asked, joining her at the tunnel entrance.
"You'll see."
Eventually King emerged from the tunnel carrying a big chest.
"Check this shit out."
"Anything good inside?" Asked Ryo.
"Don't know, chained up with a lock on, and of course another lock on the chest itself. Hauled it back without breaking them. Wanted all of us to open it together."
"That's mighty considerate of you." Said Angel. As she, Igz, and Emmy join the others.
"How did it go?" Asked King, setting the chest down.
"We were too late." Replied Igz. "We checked everyone there, but none of them survived."
"We should help recover the bodies so the villagers can lay them to rest. Does that sound good to you Ryo?" Asked Emmy.
"Yeah. Let's do it. But first let's see what's in this chest. King bust it open."
"You got it."
As soon as King breaks the first lock and removes the chains. The chest opens up revealing teeth that bite down on King's hand. King lets out a yelp of pain, as he punches it with his other hand.
Emmy charges forward and brings his tower shield down on it, killing the monster.
"Was that a mimic? Ryo asked.
"It was." Replied Izumi. "Hey King, that was payback for all the laughs you had at my expense."
"You do know I'll get you back for this."
"Bring it on kitty."
"Izumi, is there anything or anyone still left in those tunnels?"
"No Ryo there is not."
"Then let's get outta here."
As everyone starts to leave Igz stops them with a simple remark. "This doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't make sense?" Ryo asked.
"It's this whole thing. All thoses goblins but no one leading them."
"Does there have to be a leader?"
"This was too well organized for them not to have one. Did any of the goblins you guys fought seem different to you in any way?"
"Not really."
"Nope."
"Sorry, can't help." Said Izumi.
"Let's head back. We can talk it over some more then."
"Ryo, do you mind if I search this place some more?"
"Not at all. Just be careful."
"I'll join you."
"Same with me."
"Emmy, Angel, Thank you."
****
Night has fallen as the trio arrives in the square. Where Saitou should be but isn't. King calls his name but gets no reply.
"Odd. Maybe he's having dinner. Should we check the head woman's house?"
"I don't think so, Ryo. Izumi, can you check around us, go as far as you can." King asked, pulling his kukris out.
"Talk to me King. Said Ryo, as he draws his weapon.
"There's a faint smell of blood in the air."
"Are you sure you're not confusing the smell with the goblin blood we're covered in?"
"Yes."
"We're surrounded." Reports Izumi. "Every house has not just the residents, but goblins as well. We're out heavily outnumbered"
"Fuck. Igz was right. The goblins did have someone leading them, the entire village is behind it." King is livid.
"I'm surprised only three of you made it back." Gram said, stepping out into the open. "I was hoping that nest of goblins we created would've killed you all off."
"Where's Saitou?"
"Dead. I really wanted to have someone drawn and quartered. Can't have any witnesses reporting on us now can we."
"So they were just blowing smoke up our asses this whole time." Izumi said quietly. "Ryo, can I kill him?"
"Not yet. Wait tell the others are nearby. Right now we need to buy time and also figure out who else is involved."
"Ryo, I don't think I can wait much longer."
"Think of it as waiting for your prey to get as close as it can before you pounce. Can you do that King?"
"Just so you know, comparing me to a wild cat only pisses me off even more."
"Good. I need you to be angry." Ryo turns his attention back to Gram. "Why are you people doing this?"
"Sorry, can't say."
"Can't or won't?"
"Does it matter? Dead men tell no tales after all." Gram raises his hand. Goblins begin appearing from everywhere, carrying decent weapons and sporting decent looking armor.
"Ryo, it's time."
"Start us off Izumi." Ryo said, sabre at the ready.
"How about a little fire? Fire Magic: Fire Spikes!"
True to their name, spikes made of fire erupt from the ground, impaling quite a few goblins.
"ROOAAR!!"
King's roar intimidates many of the goblins, allowing him to attack. "Double Slash!"
"Izumi, this technique I'm about to use will take a toll on my body and I'll collapse from fatigue when this is over, but the trade off is all my abilities will be boosted ten fold. So keep me safe."
"How long will it last?"
"Three minutes."
"Go fuck em up Ryo."
"One Sword Technique: Requiem For The Fallen.
Ryo's entire body begins glowing red, exuding power.
"Killing goblins is one thing, but can you kill your fellow man?" A man wielding a pitch fork asked, as he charged Ryo.
In a blink Ryo is behind the man having decapitated him without hesitation. One by one Ryo cuts down both man and goblin that cross his path.
Not wanting to be left out, Izumi casts spell after spell. "Earth Magic: Quicksand!, now Lighting Magic: Lighting Javelin!, followed by Water Magic: Water Blast!, and then Ice Magic: Ice Breath!."
One after another goblins and humans succumbed to her attacks.
"Gram, I think it's time to summon it."
"I agree. Heed my call and come forth: Earth Dragon."
When the light fades, standing there is in fact a dragon except for one big difference, it has no wings.
"Now tremble in fear of this mighty dragon." Gloats Gram.
"Um, you're technically not wrong, but that's actually a drake. They're not that mighty."
"You're alive?!"
Gram stares in disbelief as Angel, Emmy, and Igz arrive in the square.
"A dragon is still a dragon. Go devour that bitch whole." Gram orders.
The drake charges Angel.
"You don't know shit about us dragons."
As the drake draws closer, Angel raises a hand. "Stop. Sit. Stay."
The drake does as it's told. "Good boy."
"What are you doing?" Gram demands. "I gave you an order. As your master I command you, kill that fucking bitch right now!"
"Like I said, you don't know shit about us. So allow me to educate you. In the dragon hierarchy drakes are near the bottom. It may be your summon, but it knows its place when compared to me."
"You're a dragon? I honestly thought you were a lizard-woman." Remarks Gram.
"Go drake, kill your master."
The drake does as Angel asked of it. Gram turns to run, but the drake is on him in no time, ripping Gram apart. While that's going on everyone else has finished off the goblins and the humans controlling them.
"Hey Igz, do you want a new summon?"
"I'm always looking for new summons Angel, but I don't think I'm a high enough rank to handle a drake."
"Have you ever preformed a Blood Contract?"
"No."
"I'll teach you."
"Is Ryo going to be ok?"
"Yeah Emmy, he just needs to sleep it off." Replied Izumi.
"I found Saitou." King said somberly. "I want to bury him and his family."
"Emmy suggested that we help remove the women from that cave. However, given all that transpired here, we should seek further help."
"Igz is right we need help. But first we need to rest and recover. Let's make our way over to the head woman's house."
Agreeing with Izumi's suggestion, everyone heads for the house. Emmy carrying Ryo on his back.
****
Unknown Location
"Hey Two, I need to tell you something."
"It better be good, Four. You know I dislike having my target practice interrupted."
Two steadies its breathing, bow already drawn, takes aim, and just as Two is about to release Four blurts out.
"Someone is going around impersonating you."
Two never wavers as it releases; the arrow flies true, heading towards a small bird that's flying towards them six hundred yards up in the air. The arrow passes by the bird, just close enough that the shaft of the arrow ever so slightly grazes the bird. The bird continues on like nothing happened.
"Interesting." Remarks Two.