A Flesh Golem's Ascension

by John Domus Cruo

  "So, how's it going on finding a route?"

  "The problem is avoiding the main road. It stands between us and our village. It was where they captured us before. They have a garrison of archers lining it there, and a fair amount of human traffic goes through regularly,” the elder goblin said while pointing to a line that divided the map.

  "What if we head southwest and cut past it after it turns towards the human village?" Nex asked while pointing to a huge curve in the road.

  "We can't do that — two of our gobs never returned from that direction leaving." He made an exaggerated trilling noise. "An orphan," the older goblin said, shaking his head.

  If I understood the way Bob and I had came correctly, then my cave wasn't far from where the road trailed off. Oh, I think I have some explaining to do here.

  I told them about Leera and Lina and my first experience after stepping out of the cave. I also told them about their child coming to visit us and how he was now apparently my disciple. I also told them my theory on the pulling sensation and our need for haste.

  The old gent had a tear in his eye as he responded. "I see. It's good that they have found happiness."

  Nex looked at me with pride, her eyes glowing as she leaned up to kiss me.

  “You saved them, like you saved us,” she said. “Even after they tried to kill you. We're all still here because of you. It might not seem like it, but we gobs are all family, and for a non-gob to treat us so kindly is unheard of."

  Nex ran off, leaving me alone with the old gent. I couldn't just keep calling him that.

  "Is it okay if I give you a name in my language?" I asked.

  "To a gob, earning a name is an honor. However, names are usually only bestowed to family from a higher figure in the family. You have, however, taken my eldest daughter as your mate, so you are already in my family. Given what you have done for us, I will allow you this honor and appoint you the head of my clan,” he said while bowing to me.

  Damn, I had no idea goblins where this sophisticated; he almost sounded like a human noble. He was a gentleman and deserved a gentleman's name.

  "I am honored to have your daughter as a mate, and as the head of our clan I name you Reginauld." I told him.

  He nodded as he spoke. "That's a fine masculine name; within it I sense a certain respect, as well. I will gladly take it. Thank you, Chief."

  Wait, chief? Was he the chief? Did that mean that I marked and bedded the chief's daughter? I guess that makes her one of the stronger females in her village.

  Nex returned carrying a bundle of leather armor and boots. She placed them at my feet.

  "I found these among the bodies; I'm pretty sure I know your size now," she said as she again eyed me provocatively.

  I took off my harness and put on the leather armor. The arms of the chest piece wouldn't fit, so I had to rip them off. The leather greaves slid over my normal pants just fine and the boots fit. I placed my harness back on and reattached my weapon. I felt a little more protected now.

  An idea sprang to my mind about making bone armor, but I didn't have time at the moment.

  I looked around to see everyone's progress. The red oni now held a shield made of logs and a weapon made from a fallen tree. The blue oni was currently fashioning himself a shield in the same way; he seemed to be putting the finishing touches on it. Liz was darting through the trees at an astonishing pace, dodging between them with a determined look on her face.

  I walked toward the tent to retrieve my bow and shield as Nex followed me. She looked disappointed that I was only going in the tent to get my weapons, yet still followed me out.

  "You should make her your mate as well," she said seriously as she pointed to Liz. "She is strong, and you need many strong offspring to increase the power of the clan."

  She was almost like a more straightforward Leera.

  "I will, but she has been through a lot. I won't take her until I'm sure she is beyond it." I replied as we walked back toward Reginauld.

  I peered down at the map. I felt one last surging pull as it stopped at the height of its urgency.

  "We will go directly and take out the archers on our way." I said resolutely.

  My time to prepare was up.

  "Red, Blue, Liz, gather up, we need to go!" I yelled.

  I felt the earth shake as my super-dense oni came sprinting over. Liz appeared in front of me almost instantly in a very Bob-like manner, her hair and shirt flapping in the breeze as she smiled at me.

  After everyone had gathered together, I laid out our anti-archer strategy and went over their capabilities.

  Reginauld informed me that Nex was perhaps the best archer in the village; he felt he may be more accurate, but she could could fire more arrows at a target than he could.

  The oni would act as shield walls and targets as Liz and Nex set about sniping them at opportune times.

  It was agreed that Nex would ride on Liz's back and take out targets while Liz charged her spells. Reginauld and his children would stay behind the oni and take shots of opportunity while I focused on directing everyone and controlling the battlefield with my spells. In the event of a melee, the goblins would climb the oni and cling to their shields, firing arrows when they were able.

  The red oni told the blue one to quickly tie some rope together in a small net pattern around the inside of their shields so that the goblins could have a foothold they could wrap their legs into or cling to should things get rough. The blue oni ran off, returned with a length of rope, and hurriedly began tying knots.

  I looked over to Reginauld and asked how far it was if we took the direct route. He informed me that it was less than half a day's walk from here. That made me wonder about a few things. Just how long would it take the bandits to notice that their reinforcements from this camp weren't coming, and just how long would it take them to start heading back? What if Thads had hopped off in that direction? Could we be running directly into a prepared ambush?

  Chapter 28: Burden — Leera

  As was typical of him, John left early yesterday without telling us much of anything. I had noticed that Bob was also gone.

  I woke up yesterday cuddling who I thought was John, just to open my eyes and see the dryad. I was surprised at first, but I felt something hot on my stomach which distracted me.

  I looked down to see Lina. I moved her up my body to my chest and whispered her name a few times. She didn't respond.

  I placed my hand on her head. She was burning up! I observed her for a few minutes. She was taking fast, heavy breaths.

  I sat up and gently cradled her in my arms. Her face was squished up in a labored expression. I breathed my healing mist over her, and she seemed to calm down a bit.

  This was bad. Where the hell is John?

  After looking around, I knew he had left. Luckily Bob had left us most of a bear to eat, even though it did smell a little strange.

  I dragged it inside and began taking it apart. I held a piece of it up to Lina's mouth, but she didn't wake.

  The dryad sat up and began smacking her lips. She scratched her armpit and then smelled her hand. When she noticed me watching she seemed to blush. She looked around the cave in a panic, then got to her feet and began running around as if frantically searching for something.

  She ran up to me speaking gibberish in an exasperated tone while making overly exaggerated hand movements. All I could make out of that mess was "Gone."

  I just shook my head. She screamed and ran out of the cave.

  Why exactly did John bring her home? He said that he didn't want to mate with her and that she had even tried to kill him. It didn't make any sense to me.

  I rocked back and forth, still cradling Lina in my arms. Her body felt like it was on fire.

  The dryad came running back in and started babbling while shaking my shoulders.

  "I can't understand you!" I said while trying to enunciate as much as possible.

  She sat down and held her chin as if thinking before she tr
ied to speak. "He... where?" she asked nervously.

  "He, gone." I answered.

  She started pulling her hair while mumbling to herself.

  I looked down to Lina, who was now wrapped in her wings with sweat pouring down her face.

  I had no idea what I could do for her, but she was worrying me. I loved her; there was no way I could ever stomach the idea of losing her. The fact that she was suffering was more than I could bear.

  I breathed some freezing fog on her. I thought it might help bring down her temperature.

  She began shivering, but she didn't open her eyes.

  The dryad came over and placed a hand on her forehead before looking me in the eye and again running out of the cave.

  There really must be something wrong with that lady.

  I continued to breathe my healing fog over Lina, as it seemed like the only thing that brought her comfort.

  The rest of the day passed by quickly with Lina only waking once or twice, and then only taking a bite or two of food.

  I fell asleep with her in my arms. She was an irreplaceable person to me; I desperately wanted her to feel better.

  I awoke again in the morning with the dryad cuddling Lina and myself. Why couldn't she take a hint? I had no love for her, and the only reason I even tolerated her presence was because John brought her in.

  As I sat up, her arm hit the ground and my hand slipped. I landed back on her arm with a weird crunch. I think I may have accidentally broken her elbow. She rose up screaming with tears in her eyes. I breathed my healing fog on her, and her wailing stopped.

  She smiled at me and flexed her arm before running over to a pile of plants she had gathered. She began shoveling the plants into her mouth. I guessed that she was an herbivore. She hurried back over to me and looked down at Lina while still chewing.

  "I... fix," she said with her mouth full while gesturing at Lina.

  I looked at her questioningly as she pressed her lips to Lina's mouth. She moved her hand up, rubbing Lina's throat as she kissed her.

  Lina's heat seemed to normalize as the dryad fed her something.

  "She... unlock... infernal," she said before continuing her gibberish.

  "She what!?" I asked while staring at the dryad.

  She paused her unintelligible monologue and responded in a mix of bad English and goblin. "She... magic... Trapped inside."

  Lina opened her bright green eyes and looked at me.

  "Lina! Lina, my sweet, you need to use some of your fog, not the paralyzing kind, but just blow some out. It may help you feel better." I said while stroking her hair.

  I helped her sit up and she exhaled.

  It was hot, really hot! I used self-heal on myself, as I could feel the skin on my arms burning. It was like she was exhaling superheated steam.

  The dryad screamed, as she was accidentally in the path of it, and ran across the room clutching her face.

  Lina stopped exhaling and started taking even breaths. Her body felt a little cooler now. She stood up and walked towards the exit of the cave and flashed me an apologetic expression.

  She began breathing out steam once more. I watched as her steam gradually changed forms, becoming more like smoke. The smoke thickened and began to take on a human shape — a familiar shape. It was eerily similar to John. The smoke man leaned down and hugged her. As they embraced, the smoke man picked her up in its arms as two amber orbs formed in its head resembling John's eyes when he used Life Sense.

  The smoke man carried her over and sat her down by me before dispersing into the air. Lina sighed.

  "I miss him," she said sadly.

  "Don't worry, we'll see him again soon!" I said to try to comfort her.

  I walked over to the cowering dryad and breathed a thick gout of my healing mist. The blisters on her face disappeared, and she sighed a breath of relief before energetically hugging me. She really needs some clothes. It's not like I'm opposed to her sexually, but she isn't in our family, and she really needs to calm down. It's like she's never really interacted with anyone before and has no filter on her actions. She's manic and selfish. I can understand why John didn't want her, but maybe I can do something about that. Help her grow up a little.

  Not now, but in time I might be able to turn her around and let her see that reality is about more than her. Could that be why John brought her to me? She did help Lina, and I'm grateful to her for that. If she wasn't here I'm not sure what I would have done.

  I hugged her back. She was a little more than a foot taller than me and my head rested between her breasts as she hugged me in close and sighed a happy sigh on my shoulder.

  I think she is afraid of being alone, of rejection. It's like she needs to be close to someone. I more than most can understand that after all those years I spent in isolation.

  Dryads had never appeared for me before, but I knew about their existence from the stories I had heard here and there in my travels. They are almost always bound to a tree, but somehow John had severed her link. Maybe that was the cause of her current behavior. It must be hard for someone who was always part of something bigger to suddenly be alone. I think that’s why she was so inseparable from John that first night.

  I pushed her back from me despite her protests. She really was weak compared to Lina, John, or myself. John had made our muscles strong, but I'm guessing he had left her as she was.

  My mother once told me a scary story. It was about how paradise falcons were often captured and kept as pets. She told me they would sew our eyes shut and make us depend on them for everything in order to train us to be subservient to them.

  I doubt that was John's intention, but maybe I could use that here to help her.

  I reached out and grabbed the sides of her head. She tried to pull away as a look of fear spread across her face. I pulled her in and kissed her. She seemed to protest for a few seconds before relaxing and accepting it. I could still taste the herbs in her mouth as my tongue played with hers.

  I released her and she lingered for a few moments as we continued to kiss.

  I finally broke it off and moved my head away while searching her face for a reaction. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyebrows were knit as if unsure what to do.

  I reached my small arms around her and held her body close to mine again. I could hear her heart beating through her chest as I lay my ear on it. I released her and moved away as she hugged herself and sat down.

  Yes, I was sure of it now. She could be changed. She longed for someone the same way I had before I met John.

  I would begin immediately. In time, she may become part of our flock.

  Chapter 29: Crusade

  I had been in Theross for only a few days and I had already amassed a large group of followers. Commoners came by the droves, seeking glory and fearing condemnation.

  Knights, guardsmen, and even third sons of nobles joined me. The nobles proper would not meet with me out of fear that they may be compelled by the sigil to join my cause.

  "I've brought a large number of clergy, my champion!" Barneth said to me as he bowed humbly.

  I never thought I would see the day when a high priest bowed to a paladin. I felt truly blessed as I reveled in the glory of Therossa.

  As it stood, I had a large number of supporters, but they were not fighters. They would die in glory, but I feared the dark god may be tied to necromancy as all dark things are.

  I couldn't risk having these honorable souls charging to their deaths only to be resurrected to kill their brethren. I would not fight a war of attrition. I would fight one of overwhelming force and certain victory.

  I would need the knights and the nobles to train them in our sacred art of divine swordsmanship. I would induct them all as honorary paladins and have them go through the basic physical training at the very least. I would need to take some time to get them combat-ready — time that Therossa had not given me, but I saw no way around it.

  In the meantime, I would take a trip to the outlying camps, th
e slums, and the poor quarter. It would be a good opportunity to rid this kingdom of crime and the fetid poor who bring it with them. The beggars, the drunkards, the physically incapable, the injured, and the ill, they are like leeches to this glorious kingdom. I will use my sigil on each and every one I find, sending all that don't agree to the plains of suffering. I'll spit on their souls. These fools are a blight lacking the will to kill themselves to spare the kingdom of their weakness.

  I had fought against the Garanthians in the last war, and quite a bit of that had rubbed off on me. They may have been savages, but their capital was spotless and grand.

  Now that I had the power, I would not let it go to waste. I had even heard tales of a slaver's market in the slums. The slaves would not be affected by my sigil as they were not followers of Therossa, but the masters surely would be. I would free them and add their number to my crusade. Their evil deeds would feed my good cause.

  I have no idea what this dark god may amass, but it will pale in comparison to my forces when we meet. I will see to that.

  Barneth seemed to be beaming as he looked out at our camp outside of the capital. He had suggested that we also visit the orphanages and conscript the children. I hadn’t seen any value in that until he explained that they could all be taught the art of divine healing by his own hand.

  That was truly a great honor. Usually training by the high priest was reserved for nobility, but he explained to me that these were turbulent times and we must take in every person who could be of service in our upcoming battle.

  Things were definitely coming together nicely. Though I knew it was wrong of me, I felt excited. I would soon lead the largest army this continent had seen in the past thousand years.

  By the end of this, I may even be a king.

  Chapter 30: Forest Run — John

  We rushed through the forest heading toward the goblin camp. It became quickly apparent that I was falling behind fast, though. The oni took long strides that ate up the distance, while Liz darted quickly between trees at an amazing speed, having to stop and wait every now and then for everyone else to catch up.