It didn't take long for the sounds of the screams to spread. The thunderous roar became seemingly endless as the monstrosity began its rampage. Deep in the forest a figure smiled as it looked at 5 goblins. "You seem to have been distraught. You must have faced something truly fierce. That blasted god must have finally awoken the heroes. However my god was wiser and had already prepared for such an occasion."
The figure reached out to the goblins with a wicked grin. His power surged and suddenly the first fell to the ground writhing in pain as its body began to contort and expand growing one, no 2, no 3, no 10 times its original size. The process seemed to reach its end and suddenly a loud roar escaped its maw. Acidic bile dripped from the slack jaw of this monstrous beast. Its first step rocked the ground for miles as if it weighed as much as a modern tank.
The lumbering mountain looked at the figure its eyes fixed upon its position. The figures lips curled in delight as it nodded to its creation. "Go forth my beast. Kill all with the ability to be a hero. Eliminate the false gods chosen champions. Show them the might of the true god of this world."
With that order the monstrosity began its slow march. The other 3 goblins looking on with desire. They often are thought to be mindless, weak and low challenge in truth they were rather smart in comparison to other beasts and weaker humanoids. They could craft, plan, establish compounds and most importantly hold a grudge. This monstrosity had only one desire. To avenge its home destroyed by that human. It didn't understand the common language of humans, but it could sense the lack of care towards its kind. The way that human treated its kin like common vermin. The way it killed its lord. That human had to die and any in its way were going to be its prey.
The group of adventurers began their journey only to witness the product of the figures art. Their entire party barely making it into the forest before they watched the trees fall one by one with every step made by the beast. A thick acidic fog following as the bile hit the ground. The fighter was the first to react as she screamed seeing the monstrosity before her. The ranger was quick to follow. The quietest member of the group, a male clad in armor covered in his holy symbol, was oddly the loudest scream heard.
The cleric was the only one to hold his wits about himself. He shouted at the top of his lungs "WE NEED TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW!!!! FIGHTER BY ALL YOUR MIGHT GET THAT FISHERMAN OUT OF HERE TOO!!!!"
No one had to be told twice. The entire party only being a few weeks into their roles and unaware of any sort of special demarcation in their ability had no ability to understand how to fight this beast. They only knew it was beyond their ability to do so.
Charging out of the forest the party was far faster than the beast at hand. The fighter gaining her composure took a different route from the rest. She bolted towards Michael and began to shout "we must leave the area immediately a monster of monsters has wiped out the goblins and is now heading this way!"
Michael smiled seeing the party leaving the forest as he had just finished plating the perfectly cooked fillets. He was hoping they had found a simple side to accompany the fillets and then have a wonderful lunch. However once he heard the words spoken he only had a single thought enter his mind. 'Didn't they handle the monsters easily?'
"Maybe I can try and lend a hand. I may be just a fisherman, but I can do my best to help you."
"No way it is massive and has an acidic discharge! You'd just get hurt and Cleric would kill me if I let that happen!" She was going to pick him up to escape, but hearing the sentence wrong she just got to witness one of the most terrifying sights of her life.
Michael instantly darkened. His jaw clenched shut as he gripped the knife older than 5 of their ages combined. He turned to where they had come from just as the beast began to topple the trees at the edge of the lake. How had it gotten such tremendous speed? It had charged. The trees fell one by one until it burst through sending entire trees into the lake. The crystal blue water now white as the waves began to explode in all directions. The beast soon followed unable to stop itself.
The water erupted as the lake expanded its border with the creatures hulking mass sinking into the water. Unfortunately it did not die of its own action. The water darkened as the acidic bile mixed with the water. One by one fish after fish rose to the surface partially eaten by the bile and ultimately killed off in mass. the stream that fed this lake luckily was flowing into the lake and kept its wrath contained.
Michael looked at it, Fighter looked absolutely terrified at the scene, the rest of the party ran to them in terror. The moment seemed to stand still. Ultimately the beast was rising from the water. Gaining its bearings it looked for the one in which it sought to be its first victim. The one who would accept its wrath before having to know it had ended the lives of all in its wake.
As it touched the land again barely getting its tree like legs onto the shore all the party could see was its arms go flying into the air. No one had seen what happened not even the monstrosity.
However, in that moment shorter than the blink of an eye Michael had only heard one thing going through his mind.
Cleric was killed by this beast with acidic bile leaking from its maw.
He had found such rage in the moment he had unknowingly unleashed the wrath only a fisherman could. He had dashed to the beast and removed its arms with the keen eye of a fisherman preparing his catch. removing the arms like fins with a single graceful motion.
While it hadn't taken the beast down it did bring it a mighty shock. Even armless it didn't stop attempting to rampage against him. With a motion out of a horror movie like an armless harmer it drove its head at Michael. Or so it thought. He had move from the place he was at even faster than he had arrived to the beast. Its drive towards the ground never ceased. In fact it couldn't stop itself.
As its head drove into the ground a spurt of blood flew and something flew into the sky. Fighter watched in awe. "Is that its spine?" She screamed as the party came closer before halting and turning to the fight they had no right to join.
The party watched on as Michael left no room for error and the monstrosity was a walking error. He removed the spine and rib cage like the monster was a fish being prepared for cooking. The monster wasn't however granted a merciful death. Michael went on to cut its legs off like he planned to remove the tailfin taking them off in a pair with the hips. Its lumbering frame completely falling to the ground.
From there Michael felt the work was done. He instantly went back to his gear and smiled as he looked at the party. What most would assume was confidence had vanished. He had never made a friend before, but he tried to imitate his grandmothers warmth as he picked up the plates and offered them to the party.
"I'm so sorry I haven't prepared a side, but I hope this lunch would be something we could share... as friend."
The party look onward awestruck. Cleric the first to speak as he just shook off the shock and grabbed a plate. "I would love to share a meal with you."
Michael in turn showed his own shock. "You're alive? I thought she said you were killed by that stupid pest?"
"No I'm happily alive. In a bit of shock still, but alive. Let us feast upon this meal you clearly took time and effort to make for us!"
His tone became sheepish and nervous as he asked "would it be as friends?"
Cleric smiled as he pulled out his backpack and pulled some bread rations and sacramental wine. "Of course we will!! May our friendship be ever fruitful for us and many good ventures for you in the future!"
Fighter needed no other words once the wine was out. She happily pulled her own bottle from her pack along with her own bread rations and happily spread the bread amongst the plates. Her own gluttony showing as she happily began to eat away.
"Oh my god its delicious! Can we keep you?" She exclaimed barely a bite into the fish
"Now now Fighter please don't be like that. Unlike the culture of your tribe we don't say we wish to keep people." He took a bite of the fish and instantly changed his mind. "Wait we should keep him!"
Ranger sighed alongside Paladin and took their plates eating with delighted smiles as they couldn't hide how great the fish tasted. It was truly cooked to a perfect mark. While most make the claim of food melting in their mouths Michael had made it so it truly did melt. With the fried veggies alongside the aroma it was a divine feast.
"So Michael why are you fishing with strength like that?" Cleric asked with a touch of confusion
"What are you talking about?" He asked in return
"You took out that monstrosity with the ease of a veteran knight. Even more than that in fact." Cleric said
"I just killed a pest. it wasn't that impressive. Didn't think those suckers got that big, but it'll give some great bait. Too bad I got my needs for the day covered already." He said with some disappointment looking at the discarded carcass.
"That wasn't... nevermind I am just happy you're alright. Perhaps you'd like company from now on however. We could offer you a safe passage to other places to practice your craft if you so desire. It would be a bunch of friends working together you see."
"I would love that. So long as I'm not a bother, but if you'd help bring back my catches I could grab more while you and your party are handling your guild business. I don't tend to catch the greatest so it isn't too heavy."
The talks continued on, but the fishing was over for the day. However they went on to make a wonderful agreement.