I thought about it coming over to me. It came running out of the tree towards me but stopped dead as a dagger protruded from it's back.
I looked around startled, only to see Nex grinning. Dammit, there goes my scout.
I picked up the rodent and removed the dagger. I gave both to Nex and she devoured it hungerly, bones and all. Well, I guess it wasn't a total loss. She must have thought I was hunting.
As I looked around I didn't see anything else I could use. It looks like we're going to have to go in blind.
I started going over our basic strategy. I was going to order the two oni out into the open with their makeshift shields raised. Then I was going to have Liz and Nex flank them from the right while I flanked them from the left rear.
"My Lord." The red oni spoke in a chilling voice interrupting my train of thought. "We may be able to do more. If we plant our shields into the ground once we're close, the goblins will still have a defended position and we will be able to move out into the open as shock troops penetrating their lines and getting behind them. Doing it this way will give you and Liz, I believe you call her, a better chance to flank, while the goblins can take the time they need to take better aim."
I had forgotten that he had military strategy at such a high level. I would need to consult him more often.
"Dont forget about your fog and Life sense abilities. The fog should cover me and Liz as we get into positions." I said to remind everybody.
As we were speaking I heard a loud crackling noise. I turned around to see a massive glacier hovering in the air. Before I could say anything it shot off towards the far away road hitting with the force of an explosion. Chunks of ice and dirt rained down on us as a cold winds blew past.
I looked at Liz who had a deranged smile on her face that was distorting her ladylike features as she cackled like a maniac.
I must have failed to realize just how much resentment she must still have. I looked back to the cropping of trees by the road. They were gone, as well as a good portion of the road itself.
"Charge!" I yelled.
We needed to take advantage of this situation. If there were any survivors I have no doubt they would be stunned and confused.
As we approached the road all we found was an icy crater. There were no enemies here. This seems to backup my fears from earlier. Thads had probably came this way and had taken his archers to another location.
Liz trotted up next to me admiring her work. Her face turned sour as she realized that there were no victims from her attack.
"How badly did that deplete your mana?" I asked as I was worried that she may be defenseless in the battles to come.
"With all the regen and capacity I have now, I should be able to make two more of those glaciers, several logs and hundreds of spears." She answered with confidence.
Liz was no longer a glass cannon, she was now a weapon of mass destruction. I was worried that I had corrupted her with power. I may need to change her back to her dimi-human form if this continues, but I couldn't argue with the results.
I faced her and pulled her into a hug. "Good job my deer but next time please consult me first." I whispered into her ear.
I noticed immediately that her ears reddened as I released her. She just shyly nodded at me in confirmation.
I mounted her again as we continued our trek to the goblin village. We traveled at a slightly slower pace to prevent the oni from crashing into trees and generally making noise.
As we made our way through the forest I heard an almost imperceptible laugh in the distance. Liz and Nex seemed to notice it as well as they turned their heads towards it.
I called another stop while I focused on listening for any other signs of life.
The oni hunkered down to one knee catching their breath as I once again dismounted Liz.
I focused on my hearing trying to confirm what I had heard. The sound of cheerful voices and a rowdy laughter wafted over to me. I wasn't sure who it was but I knew who to expect.
"Get ready, they seem to be coming this way! Liz make yourself scarce, and use ice spears. I don't want friendly fire here." I said in a hushed voice.
Liz and Nex disappeared in an instant as the oni stood up.
I decided that I would be the vanguard. I didn't want innocent blood on my hands if I could help it and needed to confirm that they were the enemy. If they were anything like the one's at camp they wouldn't try to kill me outright and would instead try to lure me to their friends for an easy kill. My spells would be able to control them as I called reinforcements should they try to kill me themselves.
I opted to set an ambush. I told the oni to remain here and be highly visible. At the point that they could visually confirm the enemy they should make a loud noise to alert them of their presence. I would use that moment to slip behind them and bind them in place with tendrils and weakness. The oni nodded and I moved off towards the voices.
As I crept nearer I could make out more of what they were saying.
"Therossa, I love killing goblins!"
"I know, they always scream the loudest."
"I kind of feel bad for that little one though, it jumped at me screaming something about it's god punishing us."
"Since when do goblins even have gods."
"It's probably just made of poo like everything else in that village."
They all laughed again, like it was just some sort of comedy they had watched and not a genocide. I felt my rage bubbling up from inside me again, had they been talking about Leera and Lina's child? Had they murdered my only disciple?
"Just what was that spiky thing that poked out of his arm? Are they evolving?"
"It doesn't make much difference now. Do you remember how much he squealed as I shoved my sword into his back."
"Yeah, you pinned him to the ground. He kept trying to crawl, it was like he didn't know he was stuck."
"Yeah, it took him a long time to die. I had to kick him until his face caved in."
They all laughed again while describing his bloody death. He was an innocent, in a way he was my step child. I had, had enough of their banter. These were definitely enemies and they needed to die in the worst way.
I stepped out into their path. My fists were shaking and I could feel a sense of maleficent fury pulsing from me. I didn't think I could go along with my own plan anymore. I tried to use the calming effect but it only took the edge off.
There were six of them. Two archers and four men armed with swords and daggers. This was likely just the group responsible for notifying the camp of their success.
They noticed me instantly. The archers started to take out their bows as the man in front shouted. "Just who..." I didn't let him finish.
I leaped forward and smoothly drew my weapon. I swung it into his side. I felt his body buckle under the impact as it bent almost in half. He went flying off into the trees as I heard a disgusting crunch in the distance.
The archers had their bows ready as the other two men fumbled with their swords in a panic.
I dropped my weapon and dove at the archers. My bone spikes hit them both in the chest. I held them up letting their blood slide down my arms as they squealed and kicked in the air. I withdrew my spikes and allowed them to die at my feet.
I heard a scream as one of the men crashed down to the ground trying to scramble away from me.
The other one had drawn his sword but seemed unsure of what to do with it. I parried with my left spike as he took a wild swing at me. I grabbed his sword hand and crushed it at his wrist. As he screamed I flung him to the ground on top of his friend. I picked up his fallen sword and skewered them both, driving the sword deep into the ground pinning them in place.
I retrieved my macuahuitl as they struggled and squirmed. I chopped into the one on top using the minimum force while being careful not to hit his spine. I felt it bite deep into his leather armor. I wanted him to feel everything, I needed to see his suffering. It would be like a cold drink of water in the hot desert.
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I began sawing slowly, he shrieked as he tried to crawl away from the sword in his lower back. Unfortunately for him and the one underneath I had driven it in vertically. If he wanted to be free he would have to split himself from his stomach through his crotch. I felt blood splatter my face as I hit an artery. It continued to gush, painting the ground around us in red and practically downing the man below him.
Soon the screaming turned into gurgling and then only the horrified wailing from the one underneath remained.
The macuahuitl finally broke through the one on top as he sloughed off in two pieces leaving only the one at the bottom.
"Did he scream as loud as that when you killed him?" I asked the one on the bottom as a look of horror slowly turned too a look of thought.
"You! Are you their god?" He stammered through gasping breaths.
"I am his god and I will devour you all. This is only the beginning to your torture. Would you like a preview?" I yelled as spittle shot from my mouth.
I used petrifying gaze.
He contorted in abject horror. His body seemed to withdraw into itself as his hands curled up so tightly I could almost hear the tendons snap. His mouth opened to supernatural levels and his eyes cried blood as they bulged from their sockets.
I began sawing. I felt it tearing into him as he spasmed under me. He didn't release so much as a scream as I finished bisecting him. My body and my macuahuitl where now dripping wet with their thick blood. I licked my lips savoring the taste.
I panted uncontrollably this wasn't near enough. Not only had they likely raped those girls, they had also tortured someone who had believed with all his heart that I would save him. Someone precious to my girls, the last remnant of their former lives.
He would be a torch soon.
I finally regained myself. I looked around for further threats. I guess I hadn't realized when they got here but I was surrounded.
Luckily it was my own group.
The oni stared at me with terrified gazes, from the tops of their shields the goblins looked on in amazement. Liz looked at me with her manic smile plastered on her face as Nex seemed aroused, her eyes glancing over my bloodslicked skin apreciatively. It was time to move on.
I withdrew the sword from the red mud with a wet sucking noise as I set about gathering their bodies.
I used Soul Steal and took their skills. It wasn't enough to level up anything. Thad had likely kept his strongest men around himself and sent the weaklings off to fight the goblins.
I began decapitating them.
I infused each of their souls back into thier heads. I looked to the sky and used soul steal again. As their lamenting cries rang out in inescapable torment, I felt my lips curling into a full grin.
I felt the cold embrace of the elder god once more. There seemed to be something in it, a warm feeling similar to a proud motherly hug. It seemed so familiar, like I had felt it before I came to this world. I must learn more about it.
I canceled soul steal and mounted three heads each on the tops of the oni's shields. They would definitely draw all the attention now.
I knew the Oni had strong defenses, as I had seen them topple several medium sized trees with their bodies without flinching, however I needed them at full power. I wanted them to be able to regenerate. To do that they needed to eat and as it turned out I had no further use for these bodies.
I ordered them to eat. They looked at each other nervously. I could see the conflict in their eyes. They didn't want to eat humans, but they also didn't want to disobey.
The red one was the first to try. He started taking timid bites that gradually turned into frenzied gluttony. Yeah the hybrid stomachs probably automatically gave them the feast ability. The blue one joined in after seeing the look of satisfaction on the red one's face and soon there was nothing left.
This way their bellies would be full and they would have the fuel to regenerate later. Though I felt like they needed a bib as it looks like they both took first place in a cherry pie eating contest.
I mounted Liz and our group proceeded onward.
The mood was a little strange and no one said anything. Nex was purposely pressing her butt against my crotch as we rode but now wasn't the time for this. She hiked up her long shirt and I was reminded that she didn't have anything on underneath.
We did still have a few hours until we reached the goblin village. Maybe she was doing this to take her mind off of things. Perhaps she thought we might die in the battle to come and wished to mate one last time.
Chapter 31: Reaching The Goblin Camp - John
I had succumbed to Nex's temptation and we mated. In the throws of passion, I had also dragged Liz into it against my better judgement.
We stood there facing each other. Her lips were glossy from her earlier work.
Liz seemed so small now. She was looking at the ground between us, afraid to look me in the eye. Her body trembled as she drew her arms into chest in a self hug. Was she was worried I would abandon her now that I was done.
I pulled her close and kissed her deeply as if for the first time. I let her tongue run throughout my mouth as her thin arms clasped me tightly, like she believed I would be gone when she released me.
I returned her embrace, pressing her close to myself. I needed her to realize that I would not throw her away. I had not just used her. She was mine now and I intended to keep her.
I pressed my lips into hers and continued to kiss her. I had no other way to show her how I felt.
Though I may have many, I wanted her to know that she was special to me, unique in her own way. I was sure my seed had taken root inside her, but I didn't feel like that was enough.
I clutched her softly in my arms. I allowed my mouth to travel from her mouth to her neck as I licked and sucked her tender skin, leaving red marks and hickies. I would mark her as mine for all who viewed her.
I nibbled gently on her ears as I felt the heat from her skin on my lips. She cooed softly in my arms and seemed to relax.
"I will never abandon you." I told her with certainty in my voice as I whispered into her ear.
She loosened her grasp and let me move freely. I moved my head back and looked into her wet teal eyes. I could tell that she had truly given herself over to me, trusting that whatever fate was to befall her she would face it proudly by my side.
"I have finally found the place I belong." She said as she searched my eyes with hers.
If she was looking for doubt or insincerity she wouldn't find it here. She kissed me once more. It was a sweet gentle kiss that seemed to express our feelings. I felt a warm sensation blooming inside me and I knew I could never be apart from her again.
I released her as she spoke. "Next time, I want to look you in the eyes as we..." She looked down nervously again before finishing. "Mate."
She then looked back up to me as if finding her courage. "I won't take no for an answer anymore." She said with a smile spreading across her face.
"I will do that and I will watch you as you succumb to your wild side, gazing into your eyes as you take every part of me." I replied as a deep crimson spread across her face.
I mounted her once again moving Nex up to a sitting position as Liz ran at a furious pace to catch up to the oni. It had started to get late into the evening and I was wondering how Bob's trip went. I hope those girls find happiness.
I thought about Leera and Lina back in the cave with the dryad. Hopefully Leera won't be too angry at me for leaving her with a lunatic. I'm sure they're all just sitting around eating something as there's really not much else to do in the cave. Looking back on it, I don't think I told either of them where I was going. I was just in a hurry to get away from the awkward clinginess of the dryad.
Thinking of Leera and Lina had reminded me of their son. I remember that night. At first I saw him as a burden or even an enemy but now I can see his face clearly, crying and laughing. I remember his big eyes staring at me in amazement over every little thing. I saw a little of
both of them in him and I think when that connection was made in my subconscious mind, he became like a son to me. Then those men saw fit to tear apart his home and torture him to death. To torture my son to death! My son! My disciple! I now understood my anger earlier. Without me realizing it, this has become all too personal.
I don't want to just save the village. I want to kill them all. I want to torture their families and talk about it like it's nothing. True, I had given them a grotesque end and an eternity of pain, but it wasn't enough. They need to feel how I feel. I want them to understand what they had done.
I activated soul steal. I could hear them screaming. I listened for awhile as I rode. It soothed me and I began to calm down.
I canceled soul steal.
They would have a front row seat as I killed all their little friends. Then the goblin village will be filled with torches.
I saw Reginauld's head peek up from the Red oni's shoulder. He yelled. "We should slow our pace down. We're almost there."
The sun was setting and it was about twilight.
This would be a good time to attack.
I needed to come up with a strategy before we were there. My original plan had been a frontal assault with the oni leading it but now I didn't want to risk allowing any of them to escape. I wanted to surround them, but I didn't have the numbers. After I had encountered the six thugs walking through the forest without a care in the world, I realized that they probably didn't have the brains to post archers in the trees. They may not even have any scouts or lookouts. It's a sad day indeed when Thads is considered the smart one. I really hope he came this way.
My new strategy would be a one sided slaughter. I would be the killer and the focus of their attention. I would have the oni guarding the path. I would station the goblins in the trees and I would trust Liz and Nex to kill the ones who ran off into the woods. With Liz's speed I was confident that she would be able to catch them and Nex had already showed me her mastery of life sense, though for her it seemed to also be a way to express her feelings.
Deathcreator Book One Page 24