Lay the Dragon v2 (18+ NSFW)

Leera rode hard until she reached a small town about halfway between Gelala and the border crossing. She stopped at the guild hall and hopped off her horse, handing the reins over to the stable hand.

Inside, she found a few other adventurers milling about. She walked over to the counter and the receptionist turned.

"You're a new face. What can I help you with?"

Leera pulled her guild card out and flashed it to the woman, "I need a room for the evening. Also, have any S-rank quests been taken recently?"

The woman nodded as she slid a key across the counter, "Indeed. We just received word this morning that an S-rank quest to slay a dragon was taken. The objective is in the north."

Leera took the key, nodded her thanks, and headed up to her room.

She quickly removed her armor before grabbing a spare set of clothes from her pack and headed down to the public bathhouse. She paid the fee and slipped inside. As the doors closed behind her, she was relieved to find the baths empty. She took her clothes off and entered the public bath.

She washed off the sweat and dust of a day on the road before she slipped into the hot water to let her sore muscles soak in the warmth. As she soaked, she sighed as her muscles loosened and she was finally able to relax.

As the water began to cool, she climbed out and dressed, drying her hair as she walked back to her room.

Inside, she flopped back onto her bed. As she stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts wandered to Arland. She smiled as she thought of the young man.

She rolled over and fell asleep.

The following morning, Leera packed up, mounted her horse, and set off northward.

As she rode, she pulled out her map and checked. "Erith is the largest village to the north. I should head there to look around for some information," She said to herself. Her horse tossed its head as it cantered along the path.

***

As Leera neared Erith, she spotted a group of people in armor standing in the middle of the road.

She got within shouting distance, "What's this? A raid? Do you plan to steal my valuables or my body?"

One of them stepped forward, "Neither. We're on watch. There's a dragon about."

Leera moved closer, "This is Erith? I'm looking for an adventurer who took an S-rank quest to clear a dragon."

The leader nodded, "A younger man? Swordmaster, student of-" He stopped as he recognized her face, "Wait, Leera?!"

She looked closer at the face of the man speaking. She urged her horse closer before dismounting and moving closer, "Alryc? Hey kid! How've you been? It's been ages!"

The other guards looked between the pair, unsure of what was happening. Leera ran up and tossed her arms around the man who responded in kind. "I've been good, Alryc! And yourself?"

The man pulled back and shrugged, "I've been fair. The dragon that lives nearby has been causing concern amongst some of the townsfolk and surrounding civilians, but I've met her. She's a kind soul, so it sucks that she's to be slain."

Leera nodded, "Sadly, that's how it is."

"You've gotten considerably more beautiful since I trained under you. You've got a glow to your skin that you didn't have back then."

Leera blushed, "Well, I've met someone. My newest trainee, actually. He recently graduated, and now that he's my equal I can openly admit it."

Alryc looked her over as he connected the dots, "Wait... The adventurer that came through her to handle the S-rank quest is your trainee? I saw him. He's handsome. Good for you."

"Well, his heart belongs to another. But as I'll outlive him, I'm content just having known him and spending time with him."

Alryc nods and steps aside, gesturing to a small shack that had been hidden from her sight in a small group of trees, "Care to step inside? You looked to be in a bit of a rush, so don't feel bad about declining."

Leera considered his offer for a moment, "How long ago did Arland pass by?"

"Just two days ago."

"And how far is the dragon's nest?"

"About a day's ride away to the west. It's in a mountain range that Cheecia from Devilwood."

Leera pulled out her map and ran the numbers in her head, "I suppose I caught up fairly quickly. I can spare the time to chat. I'll just wait in Erith until he returns."

Alryc led her over to the shack. Leera tied her horse to a post outside before following him into the small cabin.

Inside, it was simple - a small kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom.

Leera took a seat on one of the chairs around a small table in the main room, "You've done well for yourself, Alryc."

Alryc shrugged, "It's not much, but it's honest work. Not having been born noble, I'm ineligible for knighthood unless I perform a great feat, as you know."

"Aye, and you refused to solo a dungeon, so you weren't able to become a swordmaster," Leera said, thinking back to why Alryc had left her tutelage in the first place. "But what have you been up to in the meantime?"

"I joined the guard here in Erith. I've managed to work my way up to the head of the guard. But the village head fired me for allowing the dragon to escape and not sounding the alarm. It's effective the moment the dragon is gone."

"So, you're soon to be out of work?"

"That's correct," Alryc said.

"So what's your plan afterward?"

"No clue. Those two out there handed in their resignations. There has been talk about taking up banditry, but that's a bit of a stretch for me."

"You could rejoin the guild," Leera offered.

"Nah. I want to settle down somewhere. I was hoping Erith would be my death, but it looks like that won't be happening. I'll likely go take a guard position in Gelala. Or perhaps I'll head east, to the Free Stretches or Grantia."

Leera took a sip of the ale he'd poured before replying, "The passing has gotten expensive. Twenty gold coins these days. Per person."

Alryc winced, "So a total of sixty, huh...? Maybe being a bandit wouldn't be so bad..."

Leera laughed, "Well If you go that route, I look forward to seeing your name on a bounty one day. So, anything else going on? Any small fry that I could help take out within a day or so?"

Alryc tapped his chin, "Well, there's a nearby goblin nest. I haven't bothered with it, and there's no guild request as they haven't caused any issues yet. But if it grows much larger, it'll be an issue for passage on the road here."

Leera nodded and stood, "I'll handle it."

Alryc watched her stand, "I'll send one of my men to join you."

Leera raised her hand to stop him, "I'm S-rank. It'll be fine. But, thanks for the drink. I'll be heading out. I'll see you when Arland returns."

Leera left, untying her horse before mounting and riding off south-east, towards the goblin nest.

As she arrived at the entrance to the nest, she pulled out a canteen and sipped it, before replacing it and pulling out a small satchel. Inside was a powerful incense of Shicrine wood and various herbs. It was one of the few things that could block the stench of a goblin nest.

She sighed and placed it around her neck, before dismounting and tying the horse to a tree, hiding the beast from general view.

Leera stepped up to the entrance of the cave and drew her blade, before wading into the darkness. She stopped and gave her eyes a moment to adjust - goblins didn't require light, but they weren't capable of seeing in total darkness, so the cave was drenched in a faint, dull glow.

She walked further into the cave, looking around. Soon enough, she found the first of the goblins. It was a scout - a young adult, with a dagger and a rusted sword. It was alone.

Leera walked forward without a hint of concern. The goblin spotted her and started chittering before the sounds evolved into cries of alarm. Leera quickly dispatched it with a strike across the throat.

She grumbled about the thick, sticky mess coating her blade. She continued walking deeper, slashing and thrusting with each new encounter.

Eventually, she found the breeding ground. Unlike most humanoids which saw relative equality between males and females, goblin culture had the females in a near-constant state of pregnancy while the males handled most other matters. The highest rank was usually a female that was beyond her breeding age. Most males didn't live long enough to reach that age.

As she walked by the breeding ground, planning a different death for them, she went over what she had learned of goblin culture from other adventurers. On the rare occasions that a goblin lived long enough, the males became Hobgoblins and the females became Goblinas. These rare creatures were capable of the same level of speech as humans and elves, though their mentality was generally more akin to a teen or early twenties, even at old ages.

As she rounded a corner, she heard it. In the distance, a deeper, thrumming voice. A Hobgoblin.

Leera immediately went into a defensive stance, dropping low with her blade crossed in front of her. She quickly hid her incense, wrinkling her nose as the nearly overwhelming stench of the nest invaded her personal space.

She stalked forward, quickly and silently taking out a few more goblins as she paid close attention to the thrumming voice of the hobgoblin.

As she entered the throne room, she found the hobgoblin staring right at her and easily thirty goblins surrounding the room.

"You invade! Hoblin kill you now!" The hobgoblin spoke. Leera stood, debating on sighing but deciding against it for the stench. She took a few steps forward before a goblin moved.

"Attack!" The hobgoblin, named Hoblin, called out.

And just like that, all hell broke loose.

Leera rushed forward, dodging an axe as it flew harmlessly behind her. She rolled and came up to her feet, cutting the goblin's throat. Another goblin came in from her side, its blade stabbing into her shoulder before she quickly removed its hand and sliced its throat.

She felt her blade slide easily through the cartilage in its wrist before she ducked, dodging a thrown spear from her left.

Her sword lashed out, left and right seemingly simultaneously. As she struggled to keep up with the onslaught, she drew a dagger, easing the burden of defense from just her sword.

Leera parried a few thrusts and blocked a few more, before cutting a throat and slashing another across the face.

She stabbed another in the chest and was about to do the same with a third when a thrown rock hit her in the temple. She stumbled back, disoriented as she tried to process the attack. She felt a pain in her calf and looked down, to see a dagger embedded there. She looked up and saw the hobgoblin running at her. She dove to the side, narrowly dodging the rush. She sprung up and lashed out twice, both strikes finding flesh on the hobgoblin.

Leera turned and started to run away, hoping to retreat and regroup. She quickly cut down two more goblins in her wake, but one of the other goblins caught up to her.

She tripped, her foot having caught on the leg of a dead goblin. As she fell, the goblin lunged. She twisted and thrust upward, impaling the goblin through the throat as it fell atop her. She crawled back before finding her feet and putting a little distance between her and them.

She hid and caught her breath, thinking over events. "What the actual fuck?! How the hell did he organize that?! Hobgoblins are supposed to be a little more intelligent, but..." her thoughts trailed off as she recognized the signs. He'd set a trap. Everything had been geared towards luring adventurers in. The easy targets leading her in, the chanting he'd been doing. Even the thirty goblins in the room.

She closed her eyes and focused on her memory. There had been tapestries hung. More goblins had likely been hiding to overwhelm her. She cursed her luck and decided to retreat and report her findings.

She picked her way carefully back outside. Leera moved over to where she had hidden her horse to find that it was missing. Some traces of blood and goblins' ravenous appetites told her exactly what had happened to the horse. She grunted and started running as fast as she could with her injuries back towards where she had met up with Alryc.

As she came into view, Alryc started running forward. He caught Leera as she collapsed from her wounds, and carried her into the shack.

When she opened her eyes, she groaned, her strength beginning to fail, "Alryc... Hobgoblin... He set a trap... They're... Intelligent..."

With that, she exhaled as her body went limp. Alryc watched, helpless for a moment. Eventually, he pulled a sheet over her body and stepped outside.

He'd sent the first to town to fetch a doctor. As the second saw him, he shook his head, "She's dead. Head to town and fetch the guild Branchmaster. If you see Bull, tell him to forget the doctor. We need a priest and a corpse carriage."

The guard nodded and turned towards the town.