Ch 3.
Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric walked over to the cave's entrance, passing by the goblin guard that RW had downed with a crossbow bolt.
They peaked cautiously inside and when they saw that there was no more guards near , they started preparing to fulfill their quest.
They brought the wagon, which from farther away from the cave, to its entrance. This was a special wagon designed by Wizard and Warrior for goblin slaying.
The two positioned it at the entrance of the cave, blocked the wheels, lit the pilot, opened the valves, unlatched the visors and got ready.
When they were both satisfied with their work they gave each other a nod, and Rookie Warrior blew on a great horn.
The noise of the instrument carried inside the cave and the two could even hear the horn's echo coming from within.
Silence remained for a few seconds, and then the noise came.
The gnarling, screeching, and screaming footsteps of goblins was heard coming from inside.
Eyes filled with hate, teeth that promised pain, and claws ready to tear flesh apart, they charged forward to the entrance of the cave, where the noise was heard.
But all they were faced with was a great wall of wood that covered the entrance to the cave.
They looked at it in confusion and then at each other, not knowing what to do.
Then a crossbow bolt struck them, Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric each shot trough the opened visor at the horde, downing goblins with each of their arrows.
The goblins charged after the first few volleys. But once they reached the wagon, they realized that they could not climb it, it was made so that the top vas angled outwards, making it impossible to climb over.
But it was an ideal spot for Rookie Warrior to stand behind and use a short spear to impale the goblins bellow.
It was the only instances were a spear was useful in cave fighting.
The goblins backed away from the wagon, only to be cut down by more arrows from Apprentice Cleric.
But as more and more goblins came, they now had enough numbers to charge the wagon, which was blocking the cane entrance once more.
They were now so many goblins that you could not see the cave's floor. And when they got close enough to the wagon Apprentice Cleric started the pump, which was connected to the valve that she opened and going through the pilot light, it spewed out a mixture of lanoline, pig grease and sunflower oil that burned the not clustered goblin hoard.
They ran out of fuel and arrows eventually, but not out of Goblins, who were now using the burned bodies of their kin as a ladder to the top of the wagon.
Rookie Warrior abandoned his spear and went for his club and buckler and Apprentice Cleric joined him with her spells and a dagger.
And the wagon was designed for a situation like this.
It had spikes, coming out of its top, making it impossible to the goblins to latch to climb over the wagon's wall.
All that was left now to 'Kill All Goblins'
It was blood but brief, after they finished with the horde they went inside the cave, killing the stragglers, searching the main lair, they found dead cows part, thankfully this horde despite being rather big about 30 goblins did not take any women, and then they found the chair of bones.
This was always the hardest part of slaying.
They tore it aside and found the goblin children.
And killed them.
It was hard, but they knew the stories that the others told about goblins.
And they were adventurers!
Also, if they did not complete the quest they would be forced out of Slayer Keep, so that too was a factor.
Morality becomes very simple when your survival depended on it.
They gathered the war wagon up and made for Slayer Keep.
It was a useful tool, not just because of how it help them kill the horde, but also because it helped them carrying food, equipment and could double as shelter when it rained.
A few hours passed and they managed to return to the keep, it was nighttime and they were now part of the last few ones that returned from goblin slaying quests.
Even then it was bustling with rookie and experienced adventurers.
The keep was now bigger than it was a few weeks ago, the huge amount of people that came to join when they heard of free rent free board and even free food had made it expanding the keep a necessity.
There was not an outer wall around the midpoint of the small hill where the old elf fort that been built and wood cabins and stables were inside it.
There was also a ditch around the base of the hill, with a spiked wall encompassing it, acting both as the first line of defense and no doubt the foundation for new expansion if things continued to balloon this way.
"Look at that! That's wagon 36 returning from its seventh quest that makes about 200 sorties that are successful! You hear that Noble Fighter! 200 SUCCESSFUL QUESTS BECAUSE OF MY WAGONS!" Warrior bellowed out to NB as Rookie and Apprentice passed him to return the wagon to the storage area.
"Wonderful! It's great to know that your design SERVES MY FORTRESS SO WELL!" Noble Warrior shot back and the two started glaring each other once more.
The others that saw this sight only smiled slightly and didn't react at all.
The Captain of the Warrior squad and the Captain of the Fighter squad had a big rivalry going on.
The former was the first party leader to publicly follow Goblin Slayer and praise him, while the latter was the one who helped create their organization.
And they both knew that and both fought like…well. Like goblins over who was their leader's champion.
"Everyone, it's getting late, we should all retire, have dinner and get some rest for tomorrow." Priestess said and Warrior and Noble Fighter scoffed at each other but obeyed their organization's second in command.
Priestess was Goblin Slayer's no 1 partner, who went on the most quests with him and was the voice of authority when he was not present.
Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric gave her a nod of appreciation for defusing the situation before going to the main hall for supper.
It was nothing fancy, just dear meat soup with salt that had been caught this morning.
Every member had the duty of going once a week hunting or fishing and bringing back something for the big pot.
There were a few tables with extra food on them, but those were pieces that the adventurers bought out of their own pockets.
It was a thing soup, but it was free and it meant that they would not spend money today on food, which meant extra funds for potions, weapons and armor.
Which made this the best meal they had in a long, long time.
They ate and chatted with Scout Boy and Druid Girl, who were not with Half-Elf Fighter, who was on a quest.
They saw a couple of times new blood coming into the dining hall. First timer that were now about to take their first quests.
And of course since they heard that free food and board was given here if you took a goblin quest, they all flocked here.
Slayer Keep was starting to become a big deal in their town.
This was evident by the fact that tomorrow it was the duo's turn to make the rounds to town.
The Guild made a deal were daily a group would go to town and bring back goblin quests front he Guild to the Keep, this saved up on travel time between the two.
It was about 3 in the morning when Rookie Adventurer couldn't sleep and decided to head to the top walls to view the night's sky.
He passed Fighter, who was on sentry duty, and gave her a hello.
From the top he could see that a figure was approaching the keep.
Rookie Warrior was about to sound the alarm when he heard a huff of exasperation coming from Fighter.
The Second in command Lieutenant of the Fighter squads stared at the approaching shape in the darkness and rested her head on her hands in a lazy, fed up manner.
"Back so soon fearless leader?"
"Yes." It replied and RW and AC both realized that this was their commander Goblin Slayer himself!
"What took you so long? Your usually never this late."
"The Guild held me up a bit, they had to discuss plans for a ceremony tomorrow."
"About what?" Fighter asked, her voiced laden with a tone that said: 'I already know what kind for answer he'll give'.
"They want to give make me a Gold Rank, and apparently they do it with a big ceremony and party with guests for some reason."
Goblin Slayer said as a matter a fact.
This shocked Rookie Warrior, not just the news, but the tone that GS used to deliver it.
It almost sounded like, like….LIKE
"And since it's not related to goblins you listened to their instructions halfheartedly and can barely wait for it to be over, so you can go back to Goblin Slaying."
"Yes." Goblin Slayer said and went through the gates, leaving behind a shocked rookie duo and a 'seen it all before' Fighter.
Just another night at Slayer Keep.
Morning came and Apprentice Cleric got up and really, when dawn was coming. She overslept a bit and was running to reach the top of the walls, so she could view the sunrise.
It was one of her favorite pastimes.
As she reached the top, she leaned on the wall, gasping from the exertion.
It was still nighttime, but there was enough coming light that she could make out two figures in the distance.
It was walking away from Slayer Keep and there was enough brightness that she realized that it was their boss Goblin Slayer and the no 2, Priestess!
A few hours later at breakfast she told the tail to Rookie Warrior Scout Boy, Druid Girl and Half-Elf Fighter who had come earlier this morning to the keep.
Half- Elf Fighter brought the news that there was to be a promotional ceremony for GS this evening and combined with the story of Rookie Warrior made a new tail spun from this.
Goblin Slayer.
The first to go to slaying and the last one to return.
And how even on days of great honor, like a promotion to Gold Rank, he would take a quest to slay the Goblins and keep the common folk safe!
The Legend of Goblin Slayer was growing!
"To Goblin Slayer! And our Keep! We are STEEL! We are DOOM! We are the death of all goblins! We march for Goblyn Slater, who knows no fear! And with him, we shall know no fear! Goblins; We have come for you all!" Warrior said and raised a mug of meat in a toast.
"For Goblin Slayer!" Noble Fighter was the first to reply.
The two captains may but heads, but this was the one thing they agreed.
"FOR GOBLIN SLAYER!"
That was the first time the Slayer Oath had been taken.
Elsewhere
Thus the king's repugnant plan came to an end.
And the princess reaches out to her rescuer.
Her friend.
But he Goblin Slayer, he has no time to abide.
Sworn to battle, and have to love but slaying at his side.
He bid the princess a farewell, and on his way.
He went, the mighty warrior so bold!
Far over the Misty Mountains cold,
To dungeons deep and caverns old,
He musts away, ere break of day,
To seek out goblins to slay.
In hollow halls beneath the fells.
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
But not anymore.
So maydens, shed not tears
For here comes the one.
That all the monsters fears!
On mountain's peak.
Lies Slayer Keep!
Were hunters gather
And hear him speak.
On the Mountain dark and tall,
The Master Slayer has come unto his hall!
His foe is dead, the Goblin King of Dread,
And ever so all goblins shall fall!
The sword is sharp, the spear is long,
The arrow swift, the shield is strong.
The heart is bold, which cares not for gold;
The people no more shall suffer wrong.
„And that is as far as the story goes for today! Come back tomorrow for the rest of the tail of Goblin Slayer!" The bard said to the gathered crowd.
"People sure love to hear the tail of the an unconquerable hero and how he gather's his army. And for this much money so do I!" The bard thought as he looked at his earnings for the day.
"The hero you sang about. Is he real?" A cloaked figure asked him.
"Why of course miss! Slayer Keep is a few miles of a town that's two three days from here. They have a big guild in that town, you should ask there."
"So Slayer Keep is real? Well, that's convenient for us. Looks like we now can find Orcbolg, Master of the Goblin Slayers." High–Elf Archer said.
From this several things happened.
The first was that High–Elf Archer, Dwarf Shaman and Lizard Priest now had a destination. The bard now had inspiration for tomorrow's lyrics and a spy for the New Demon Lord that was in this town in disguised had heard the song as well.
And took an interest in Goblin Slayer.