Kono, Futa Drow Ranger Ch. 02

"Correct, and a good observation as well. That is bugbear stool. They have a bugbear." Kono stood up and put her hands on her hips, she would look triumphant if they were anywhere else.

Amelia followed along but wasn't quite so enthused. Bugbear? Sounds dangerous, I'd be quite upset if I died and the last thing I did was dig through poop. "What's a bugbear?"

"The nomenclature is confusing—you can blame the dwarves for that—but basically a bugbear is like a goblin, but bigger, stronger, meaner, and somehow even less cunning." Kono turned to leave the clearing, but Amelia was hardly relieved. Most of that sounded very bad.

"Less cunning is good at least, right?"

"Not really, it just means they're too dumb to know when to run away. Which actually makes them more dangerous."

Amelia frowned. Out of the shitpan into the bugbear club, or claws, or... whatever. "If they're so dangerous then why do you look so excited?"

"Let's just say all the pieces are coming together."

Kono:

They both lay prone at the crest of the hill observing the goblin's before them. The creatures had taken up residence in what appeared to be an ancient shrine to Erastil, goddess of hunter and prey. Time eroded statues of beast and hunter framed an entrance to a cave set into the ground. The goblins had built a shoddy wooden gate to block off the entrance. A group of the creatures patrolled around the area, or at least acted like they were patrolling. Most were dozing off or chewing on old bones long since stripped of meat. As Kono surveyed the camp, she felt Amelia shuffle about nervously next to her.

"What if they see us? We seem so close." Amelia whispered. Kono couldn't tell if the girl was genuinely nervous or just too excited to lie still.

"Goblin's spawn and live underground, their eyesight is weak in the daylight." Kono reached into her pouch and produced a small telescopic instrument. She held it to her eye and began memorizing each creature standing guard.

"So that must mean you have a hard time in the daylight too." Amelia observed out loud before shutting her mouth quickly.

Seems the girl thinks she's offended me. I'll let her stew a little in that thought, if only for some quiet. Unfortunately, Amelia chose another tactic: breaking the silence.

"So are there female goblins we should be worried about? You know, like other mages?"

"No, there are no female goblins." Kono continued observing. The gate was operated by a particularly shrimpy looking goblin. From his small tower behind the gate he pulled some hidden lever to open it, allowing a goblin to exit from the cave.

"That's weird, then how do they reproduce?" Amelia asked thoughtfully.

Kono sighed before returning her spyglass to its pouch.

"As much as I appreciate your interest in goblin biology, I think your time would be best spent picking out which one of those guys to shoot first. And pick quietly, I need to concentrate." Kono rolled onto her back and produced a small tied bag she had picked out that morning. She carefully tugged at the strings, well aware of the cost of this particular reagent. Firefly essence extracted from the luminous insects that dwell in the deep fey forests made for a potent nullifier of most energy based offensive magics. Kono wasn't just grimacing at the monetary expenditure, if she wanted to buy more she'd have to barter with an elf. Or worse, a gnome.

Don't worry you're not going over budget for this quest. This isn't about the money, this is about that drow. This is personal.

Weaving the spell was a time consuming process. Kono whispered a memorized sylvan chant while her fingers spun the firefly essence into an invisible and protective web around her. All drow learned to cast magic with reagents found in the depths of the Subtennebrae. But Kono had wandered the surface for nearly a century and learned to use surface reagents to cast her spells. Even if she didn't understand the words she chanted or the patterns she traced through the air, the results spoke for themselves.

With her protective enchantment in place Kono rolled back over next to Amelia. "So which one did you pick?" The drow asked while checking her hand crossbow.

Amelia didn't look away from her target. She pointed at one of the nastier looking goblins. "That one. He's got a sword and none of the other ones do, plus he looks tough and they're all clearly afraid of him." Kono leaned toward the girl to get a better view of the one she was pointing at, her long ears brushed against Amelia's head a little which made the huntress blush.

"That's the last one I'd shoot." Kono replied. She pointed instead at the goblin on top of the gate, he was picking his nose with a stick. "That one will be our first target."

"What? He's the wimpiest o-". " Realization quickly dawned on Amelia's face. "I get it, we get rid of him then they can't open the gate to get back inside. But um, the gate opens from the inside. So when they yell, all the goblins inside the cave can still come out."

"Good observation. That's where you come in."

"Me..?"

"Well, you and this." Kono showed Amelia a small quartz crystal, inside of it swam a faint black hue.

"Whoa."

"Don't act too impressed. It's just quartz, one of the weaker spell capacitors. I cast a silence spell into it last night. It'll create a small dome where no sound can enter or escape."

"How small?"

"Small enough to cover the cave entrance. Last time I checked sound doesn't penetrate stone. So while the spell is active we'll have free reign to cause as much pandemonium as we like. It's an old drow trick, great for tunnel ambushes."

"So where do I come in?" Amelia was looking nervous.

"You get to sneak in and toss it at the gate, easy enough."

"What if I get caught?"

"I remember someone telling me that stealth "Just came naturally"."

"Getting caught sneaking a peek at a book would get me a spanking at worst."

"Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."

"And after I've thrown it?"

Kono gripped the hilt of her sword and flashed Amelia a bloodthirsty grin.

"I'll put on a little show."

Kono peaked out a little from the tree she was hiding behind. She watched as Amelia used the shadows of the dense foliage to slip her way closer to the goblins. Sunlight shone upon the faces of the shrine's ancient statues making them stand out amongst the gloom of the forest.

It's difficult for those in the light to see into the dark; she's smart. Kono fastened her helmet on tight as Amelia stooped down into a low crawl. The dilapidated stone walls were just tall enough for the petite girl to crawl behind. When Amelia reached throwing range, Kono took her cue. The drow stepped out from her hiding place and walked toward the goblins in plain view. One by one the green figures stood up in surprise at what was approaching them; a drow adjudicator in full armor. Yes, witness your doom. Pay no attention to your salvation being snuffed out behind you.

As her red eyes adjusted to the sunlight, Kono could barely make out Amelia throwing the quartz. It smashed against the gate with no sound. Black smoke billowed upwards into a small dome before an invisible vortex sucked it all in along with all sound.

The gate guard gave a start, dropped his stick, and started shouting, but no sound would escape. He clutched at his throat with confusion then turned to his comrades while waving his hands. Amelia's arrow found his neck as soon as he revealed it.

Kono drew her scimitar slowly, intentionally letting its metallic rasp sound throughout the clearing. She drew all of the goblin's attention as Amelia scampered off back to the safety of the foliage.

Kono advanced toward the goblins at a swift walk. They gathered into a group and readied bows to shoot at her. The first arrow missed, and the second glanced harmlessly off of her pauldron. Panic was beginning to set in amongst her foes, until the sword wielding goblin stepped forward. He shouted guttural commands at the others keeping them in position.

They prepared to launch another volley at the armored drow. She didn't bother picking up her pace. At this point, conserving energy was more important than a few dents. The weak draw of a goblin shortbow proved no match for her armor. She covered her exposed mouth area with her arm as the arrows bounced harmlessly off of her. One managed to stick in the hauberk between the plates of her gauntlets.

Annoying. Enough showing off. She moved quickly now, her sword at a low ready in front of her. The goblins were organized in a loose mob and Kono counted around fifteen of them. The ones in the back pushed the ones in the front forward out of selfish cowardice. They drew their small blades and did their best to try and surround her, but Kono would not allow it.

Typical. Goblins fight like an ebbing tide. Strike at the center and they'll surround you when your weapon's stuck in one. Stay still and they'll move around you. Kono lashed out quickly at the flanker to her left; the scimitars' long curved blade caught easily against his exposed flesh. The curve allowed the sword to slice through on its own as Kono went through the attacking motion. A satisfying streak of viscous blood flew from the fresh wound, coating the ancient statue behind it.

Good, the curved blade won't get stuck in their blood. Kono continued to circle toward them, slashing at any goblin foolish enough to attack her. She had the reach and the skill, and her clockwise movement made their flanking tactics worthless. Those who weren't disabled outright by their wounds attempted to escape back through the gate, pounding at it weakly or attempting to climb it while their wounds spilled blood on the shoddy wood.

The sword wielding goblin realized that their mob tactics weren't working, and moved to engage Kono himself. She brought her sword down on him as he approached, but he was nimbler than most, dodging to the side and replying with his own slash. Kono brought her sword quickly to parry his blade when she realized she had not hit flesh, and backed up to square off against this more dangerous foe.

They traded a few more strikes, but Kono could not break his nimble defenses. He either dodged out of the way or blocked her blow with a well angled shield. This one's a real swordsman, and he's not trying to hit me, just burning time. Perhaps Amelia was right. The remaining fresh goblins took notice of this change of tide and scampered quickly to surround her. They yipped excitedly at the thought of feeling their blades pierce flesh. Kono decided to take the battle into her own hands, risks be damned.

She slashed at the skilled goblin's neck, prompting him to crouch below her. A plated knee slammed into his large nose, sending him to his butt as Kono lunged over him. He quickly rolled out of the way of a follow up strike, but Kono was setting about attacking his underlings instead. If he wants to play defensive then fine. I have plenty of others to kill while I wait.

Kono had killed two more before they had a chance to regroup. Her back was to the gate now, and ten bodies littered the ground, some dead, some still pouring blood onto the old stone of the once serene shrine. Go ahead, run away. Or do you fear your master more than me?

The swordsman's busted nose leaked blood down his face as he tried to find a way to defeat her. One of his underlings decided that running was the better option, and attempted to scurry off into the foliage. He came face to face with Amelia and she quickly put an arrow in his chest. It's about time you showed up.

The reveal of the archer sent the remaining goblins over the edge. The swordsman charged at Kono with a nasally battle cry. Amelia attempted to shoot him too, but he blocked her arrow with his small shield.

"Leave him to me! Defend yourself!" Kono commanded as the remaining two goblins made a rush at the blonde girl. Amelia obeyed, quickly nocking an arrow to shoot one of her assaulters.

The swordsman was now on the offense, holding up his shield to deflect Kono's slashes while he stabbed forward with his shortsword. His attacks were desperate and aggressive. He had Kono on the defensive but the strikes burned his stamina quickly.

He has no choice but to attack, he can't fight both of us at once.

The swordsman's face was covered in blood, and his eyes betrayed his exhaustion. He hardly expected the gauntleted hand that reached for him from the left. His quick reflexes made him slash at the drow, but the sword's edge had no effect on Kono's armor. She grabbed him by the shoulder and shouted a word of power. Her mana flowed through her fingers and sparks of electricity shocked the flesh of her foe. He lost control of his body, spasming as Kono's sword came at his neck one last time.

The swordsman's head had barely struck the stone before Kono drew her hand crossbow. Amelia had her back to the statue of a once great hunter, the remaining goblin was moving menacingly toward her with a gnarled dagger. She fended him off with her bow best she could, but just before the goblin lunged at her a bolt pierced the back of his neck and jutted out the front sending blood spraying onto the girl's frightened face.

The sounds of battle had ended, and the remaining gasps of those bleeding out slowly faded as Kono surveyed the battlefield. She looked down at her opponent while she reloaded her crossbow. This one must have been the chief before the drow took over. I wonder how many dwarves and men he slew to gain skills like that.

She observed the handprint burned into his shoulder. The print from her own shocking grasp was layered over it. I wonder what feats this one could have accomplished had he remained free. Kono was torn, perhaps the enemy drow had done the world a favor by controlling this one. But at the same time, she couldn't help but respect the warrior who lay dead before her. Despite being a goblin, he made it this far south on sheer skill and guile. Impressive.

"Well, that was close wasn't it?" Amelia had returned, breathing heavy from her ordeal.

"Had I been here alone it would be. But with a fine archer like you at my side, they never stood a chance." Kono looked over at the girl approvingly, and Amelia's bright face lit up with pride. She would look cute if her cheeks weren't spattered with blood.

Kono flicked the blood from her sword and sat down to begin cleaning it. Amelia looked around at the outside of the shrine.

"I've never seen anything like this before. It must be ancient." The girl commented, gazing at a statue of a female hunter.

Kono inspected her blade, the swordfight had left its edge nicked and dulled. "Not that ancient. It's a shrine to Erastil, goddess of hunter and prey. Humans like you used to worship here as early as a hundred years ago."

Amelia nodded. She ran her fingers along the weathered stone face of the statue. "The gods are false idols. Just a bunch of tricks used to extort cash from the desperate, or send the zealous to their deaths."

Kono scoffed. "Is that so?"

Amelia turned back to the drow with a look of surprise on her face. "Is it not? Are you saying the gods are real?"

Kono shrugged while she returned her sword to its scabbard. "They're as real as any other concept. Sometimes they're used to control the foolish like you said, but there are positive effects as well."

"Like what?" Amelia crossed her arms defiantly. Clearly she had strong beliefs here.

"Well, take this place. This shrine used to denote these woods as holy ground. No blood was to be split in this forest, either of man or beast. So when hunting season came, the animals had a place to come and breed, safe from the rapidly multiplying humans who hunted them. If the humans didn't recognize Erastil and her laws, then the animals would be hunted to extinction."

"Then how are there animals here now?" Amelia replied. Her tone had shifted from defiance to some measure of understanding.

"Humans abandoned the gods, and replaced them with the rich and powerful. Holy woods became the lord's woods. He's turned what was once a place of reverence into his own sporting property, but, intentionally or not, the breeding grounds are protected."

Amelia bit her lip and looked back to the statue. "I just noticed, all of these statues are of women."

"Humans have abandoned more than just the gods Amelia. Now come on, let's get you over that gate."