Collisa (Outsider Book 1), page 23
So the next morning he got to work packing up. Not just the trade goods but the tents and bedrolls and Zuri's collapsible chair and the cooking rack and plates and utensils and everything else.
Zuri watched him, brow furrowed. “Lone Ox?” she asked, pointing in vaguely the right direction.
“To start with,” he said, patting her head. “Then Driftwain.” He drew a picture of a necklace with a large stone in the dirt, then pointed at it. “Translation stones. Like Durrand had. For you.” She stared at him blankly. “So Dare can talk Zuri, and Zuri can talk Dare.”
Realization dawned, and her face lit up as she pointed at the stone. “Zuri talk Dare?”
He grinned. “Yes.”
She shouted happily and leapt up as high as she could, wrapping her arms around him. He laughed and caught her, pulling her up the rest of the way into his arms. “I want to talk to you so I can tell you how much I love you,” he told her, stroking her silky black hair. “And I'm sure we've both got so many other things to talk about after weeks together.”
With all their gear they both ended up loaded down like pack mules and plodding along at a snail's pace. At least as far as Dare was concerned, after spending the last several days running around at his preferred speed with Zuri riding on his back or held in his arms. But at least it would get better when they sold all their trade goods and extraneous camping gear, ie Zuri's tent and bedroll.
She didn't really need them anymore.
Because of the difficulty of the hike Dare decided to stick close to the river for as long as they could, so at least they could drink up and refill their water bottles in the heat of the day. It also tended to have fewer monsters along it, which seemed counterintuitive but he wasn't complaining.
The route also happened to take them right past the green slime spawn point, where Dare couldn't help but pause.
Slimes were usually common in games, and no doubt he'd find more on his travels. But there was no guarantee they'd be slime girls. So he looked at the beautiful transparent monster girls oozing along the riverbank, thinking back fondly on the good times they'd had.
He'd only meant to say a brief, silent goodbye before moving on, but when he turned back to Zuri he saw her smiling at him knowingly. “Dare abur slime?” she asked.
Dare felt himself blushing, but nodded. “If Zuri say yes?” He loved Zuri, but there were a lot of different types of women on this world he wanted to fuck.
Best to see now if she had a problem with that.
But his tiny lover just laughed. “Dare abur slime, yes,” she said, shrugging out of her pack, then tugging on his as if to tell him to do the same.
She helped him undress, smirking at his already hard cock, then took his hand and pulled him towards a slime that had taken the form of a bunny girl. The transparent green monster dropped down on her hands and knees as they approached, teasingly presenting her ass.
“Does this mean you don't mind me fucking cunids, either?” he joked.
She gave him a blank look and pointed at the slime. “Dare abur cunid slime?”
Well, he'd ask her again when they could actually communicate. In the meantime he wasted no time stepping up to that tempting transparent green ass.
He hurried, both because they had a long way to go and because he was aware of Zuri standing over by their packs waiting. She didn't seem to mind him going to town on a slime girl's ass, and in fact was unashamedly rubbing herself beneath her tunic as she watched.
That turned him on more than he expected, and with a groan he emptied himself in the slime bunny girl faster than he'd meant to.
The monster didn't seem to mind the quick snack, contentedly moving to cover him and clean away his sweat before oozing off in search of another horny meal. He returned to Zuri and pulled his clothes back on, then shrugged into his pack and helped her into hers.
“Sorry for the delay,” he said.
She grinned at him. “Dare abur, Zuri rest.” Then she grimaced as the weight of her pack settled on her small shoulders.
Well, they'd be in Lone Ox soon.
An hour and a half or so later, they came in view of Ellui's farmhouse. Dare supposed he shouldn't have been surprised to find her working out in the fields as usual, and considered going around to stay out of her view.
But his pack was getting heavy and he wanted to get to the village already. Besides, poisonous as the woman could be she'd been helpful too, and he supposed it was only polite to give her a proper goodbye.
Unsurprisingly, the farmwife immediately came over when she spotted them passing by her fence. “Unusually big load,” she called. Her sun-blistered lips pulled upward in a smirk. “Of course, I could've said that the first time we met.”
Dare rolled his eyes. “It should be since I brought everything with me.”
Ellui nodded thoughtfully. “So you're leaving, huh? Not surprised, I guess . . . adventurers always wander to find stronger and stronger monsters. And trappers and hunters wander more than anyone.” She gave him a speculative look and twitched her skirts up slightly to show him her pale plump legs. “Last chance to have me before you go.”
Zuri gave him a confused look. “Dare abur human galeka?” she asked, pointing.
The farmwife gave the little goblin an ugly look. “What did the pukeskin just say about me?”
He lost his patience with the toxic woman. “Probably something much kinder than you said to her. Which is to be expected.”
Her scowl deepened. “What's that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. Zuri's a good person and she deserves better than your spite. Which is why I'm not going to miss you.”
Ellui glared at him. “Get the fuck off my land. You and your goblin sex toy. I never want to see either of you again.” She stooped to pick up a rock, waving it threateningly.
Dare moved protectively in front of Zuri in case she threw it, and set a quick pace down the road in the direction of the village.
“Gods curse you, you smelly, ragged tramp!” the farmwife shouted after him. “What makes you think you're so great anyway? Who cares if you have impossible good looks and the body of a god and a giant cock, you're still trash! That's why you fuck trash like goblins!”
“Don't listen to her,” he told Zuri.
The timid goblin looked at him uncertainly. “Human galeka zaburazed?”
“Very zaburazed,” he said with a laugh, hoping he wasn't saying something stupid.
She smiled tentatively and slipped her hand into his.
The village was more tense than Dare expected, women standing in doorways and leaning out of windows to talk to each other, children huddled by their sides. And rather than going about their chores, the men were all gathered at the big table on the tavern's patio, hunched over mugs of ale in spite of the early hour and talking grimly.
Whatever the excitement was, it probably wouldn't have much to do with him and Zuri. And he wanted to sell his and Zuri's loot and be gone as quickly as possible, so he could hopefully carry her and run the distance to Driftwain before nightfall.
It was a day's walk for most people anyway, so even with a late start it should be easy.
As they passed the table Dare nodded politely to the men seated around it, most of whom either nodded back or ignored him. But to his dismay, just as they came abreast of the final seat the big fellow perched on it rose ponderously and moved to block Dare's path. He had thick arms, big fists, and a pronounced beer belly, and Dare's heart sank as he recognized the man he'd seen visiting the slime girls.
Ellui's husband, Brennal.
“What're you doing parading your pukeskin sex slave around our streets?” the big man said belligerently. “Lone Ox is a decent town.”
Dare glanced at Zuri, who was cowering behind his leg. The clothes he'd crafted her were as decent as any woman's in the village, and she'd simply been walking quietly at his side, bothering no one.
He was furious on her behalf, and would've liked nothing more than to pound the big farmer into the ground. He wouldn't hesitate to defend Zuri with his life if it came to it, but his parents had taught him that you didn't answer words, no matter how vile, with fists, except in very clear cases of imminent physical danger.
It usually just made the situation worse.
Just in case Brennal had any ideas of starting trouble, though, he quickly used his Eye on the man: Level 14 Tiller, by far the highest level in the village. Which might've been explained by the farmer's Brawler subclass; Dare hadn't realized people with non-combat classes could have a combat subclass.
But he supposed it made sense, since as a combat class he'd been given a Leatherworking subclass. Although with a penalty to quality and probably other things as well. That was probably the case for a combat subclass as well, although it would still be a good alternative for people who didn't want to spend their life adventuring but still wanted to be able to defend themselves.
The man's hit points were fairly impressive, and his attacks included a decent arsenal of punches, tackles, and grapples. Even so, Dare wasn't worried about him.
“You have the wrong idea,” he said as calmly as he was able. “Zuri isn't my slave, she's free. And she's my friend.” He wasn't about to talk about his love life with this lout.
Even so, his declaration drew a chorus of harsh guffaws from men around the table, as well as from a few villagers who were emerging from their houses to watch the confrontation. It briefly relieved whatever tension had the town in its grip.
Brennal laughed loudest of all. “A goblin friend? What, you play cards with the pukeskin? Tell it all your hopes and dreams? Punt it around like an inflated pig's bladder when you're bored?”
“Don't listen to him, Zuri,” Dare told his trembling lover, patting her shoulder. He turned back to Brennal. “We have some business in the village, then we'll be gone. You probably won't see us again.”
The farmer's face turned ugly. “The pukeskin doesn't go a step farther. Send it outside and fetch it when you're done.”
His parents may have taught him not to answer words with fists, but they'd sure as hell also taught him not to back down, either. Especially when it came to defending his loved ones. “No,” Dare said evenly.
Brennal slowly cracked his knuckles. “I don't think you're listening to me, adventurer. The only good use for a gobbo is seeing how far you can punt it.” He drew back his leg and started to drive his big boot towards the tiny woman's face. “Like th-
Dare kicked out with impossible speed, knocking the farmer's foot aside before it could hit Zuri. Brennal stumbled, and without giving the man time to recover Dare stepped in close and began raining punches on his face.
He was already fast thanks to his body's heightened traits and Fleetfoot, but he added to it by using chain punches; his fists were an almost impossible to see blur as he struck over twenty times in the space of a second.
Brennal stumbled back a step with a strangled grunt and Dare stepped in to keep up the attack, punishing the shocked Brawler's face until the man finally fell flat on his ass.
It all happened in a manner of moments, so to an observer it would've looked as if Brennal went from trying to kick Zuri to rolling on the ground, cursing as blood streamed from his broken nose and split lips and bruises formed on his cheeks and around his already swelling eyes.
Which was why for a moment everyone could only stare in shock at the man 2 levels below the farmer, who had just cleaned his clock faster than they could even see.
Dare looked around at the gathering crowd, labored breathing more from anger than fatigue from the brief fight. “Lone Ox has been good to me, and I'm grateful to you,” he called. He hardened his voice. “But anyone who tries to harm my friend will end up on the ground, and lucky they're not six feet under it. Am I clear?”
Some people, especially Brennal's friends around the table, quickly looked away. But most just stared silently.
Dare gently guided a trembling Zuri past the prostrate farmer, keeping her on his other side just in case. “Now, we're going to complete our business in Lone Ox, then be on our way,” he continued in the same loud voice as the onlookers muttered to each other. “Anyone have a problem with that?”
The crowd abruptly quieted, and Dare followed their turning heads to see Durrand storming down the street towards him, expression furious. “Adventurer!” he shouted.
Dare quickly raised his hands. “He started it.”
The Mayor glanced at Brennal and snorted derisively, although that didn't lessen his fury in the slightest. “You think I care if that lout finally picked a fight he couldn't win? This is about the bandits.”
Dare nodded apologetically. “I know I've been taking my time-”
“Fuck that!” the portly man shouted. “You need to kill them now! Last night they raided a farm and murdered everyone there, aside from the farmer's daughter and a fieldhand's young wife, who they took back to their camp.” His expression twisted, looking almost sick. “I don't suppose I need to tell you why.”
Shit. Dare had actually put the bandits out of his mind, not wanting to take the risk even if he was now higher level. But it looked as if his procrastination had led to the suffering and death of innocent people.
He couldn't take too much responsibility for that, since he'd only told Durrand he'd fight the bandits if he could, and it looked as if the Mayor and villagers hadn't taken any steps to protect the village themselves.
But now that he knew the bandits had hostages, and were likely hurting them, he couldn't just ignore the girls' plight.
“Of course I want to help them, but me and Zuri can't take the camp by ourselves if they're all gathered up,” he said. “We need more people.”
“I'll go,” Brennal said, wiping his bloody nose on his sleeve as he finally stood.
Dare stared at the Brawler in shock. “You'll help me after I just got done beating your ass?”
The man glared murder at him. “Fuck you and your pukeskin whore. Harand was a friend of mine, same with most of the others working his land, and Telliny and Yena are sweet girls. I'll do it for them.”
Dare stared thoughtfully at the Brawler, then turned to Zuri and pointed at the man. “Could you please heal him?”
She stared at him blankly, either not understanding or surprised by the request.
“Let me,” Durrand said, motioning to the translation stone around his neck. He quickly explained the situation to Zuri, who looked a bit frightened as she hesitantly took out her water skin, dumped it over Brennal's face, then cast her healing spell on him.
“She's scared to go up against a dozen humans, even if they're lower level,” the Mayor explained. “And she's not wrong . . . this won't be like fighting monsters or animals in the wilds.”
Yes, which was why Dare had been taking his time finishing up the quest; he didn't want to get swarmed by intelligent enemies. And he hadn't wanted them to know he was hunting them until he was ready to attack, which was why he'd given their camp a wide berth after first scouting it.
Dare looked around at the crowd, picking out a Level 8 and a Level 9. “Either of you want to help?” Both shook their heads fearfully.
Brennal chuckled dourly. “Looks like it's the two of us then.”
“Guess so.” Dare turned to the Mayor. “Can you tell Zuri I'd like her to stay in the village, and take care of her while I'm gone?”
Durrand had only repeated half of that when Zuri yelled “No!” and grabbed Dare's leg. She babbled desperately at the Mayor, who stared at Dare's face the entire time with a neutral expression.
“She might be scared, but she'll go with you.” the portly man said, shaking his head. “That's one loyal goblin you've got there.”
Dare nodded reluctantly; he would've preferred she stay safe here, but he had to admit he needed her help. And he could think of a plan that would hopefully keep her out of danger.
Brennal strode over to the tavern's patio and retrieved an ugly cudgel that was leaning against the railing. “All right, let's go,” he growled, slapping the weapon into his palm.
* * * * *
Dare took out one bandit on patrol and one sentry as they snuck up on the camp, a Level 8 and a Level 6 respectively. The one on patrol had some sort of Stealth ability that applied to vision but not sound, which allowed them to find and kill him before he could raise a warning.
The sentry was actually asleep, the careless idiot. He was dead before he woke as they all struck at once.
Then they were at the camp, the dozen-ish bandits whittled down by two.
Dare made them hang back and hide while he climbed a tree and tried to get a good view of the camp without being spotted. They were all gathered around a tent, drinking and laughing.
As Dare watched a man emerged from the tent tying the laces on his pants. Another man eagerly ducked past him through the entry flaps, and a short while later Dare heard the soul-wrenching sound of a woman's broken scream, quickly cut off.
Fuck.
His instinct was to rush in and start killing to try to save the poor girl before she could suffer any more at the hands of these monsters. And from the looks of it Brennal, fist clenched murderously around his cudgel, was about to do just that.
Dare dropped down to the ground and caught the man's arm. “We can't save her by committing suicide,” he whispered. “They're all paying attention to the tent and drinking heavily . . . if we sneak up we can kill several before they even know we're here, then finish off the rest.”
“I'll tell you what, adventurer,” the farmer growled, straining against Dare's grip as another scream pierced through the trees, a different woman's voice. “I'll march over there quietly, but as soon as I reach that camp I'm going to start smashing in heads.”
Dare grit his teeth; the man's refusal to work with him might get them all killed, and at best would just make the battle more difficult. “Fine. Try to hold off at least two minutes.”
