The Powder Keg

The Waking World

The Good Hunter did it, he killed the Moon Presence and freed his mentor. When the Hunter woke, he was in a cave. The hunter's keen sight allowed him to navigate the cave. Then the smell hit him.

It was the smell of blood and semen. It reminded of home. Well it wasn't much of a home anyway. His beastly hearing picked up growling and whimpers. He followed it and saw green little things. Crooked faces and deformed bodies. They are surrounding a little girl about ten or so.

Her clothes are long since gone. Their brutal gang rape silenced her screams long ago. Yet her ragged breathing persists. Then it reminds the Hunter of that girl. One of his many failures. His greatest failure, her father dead, her mother ravaged. He couldn't tell the difference between them. The little girl and the one he failed blurred.

He struck in a beastly fury. The Stake Driver billowing steam. The first beast was blown into pieces. Then he slashed the next one into little chunks.  The Hunter charged his Stake Driver again. The Hunter let loose his fury. More fell against him. The beasts blew into red mists.

The Hunter stabbed the Stake Driver into a corpse of a large one.

Again again again again again!

Blood blood blood!

Sing to me!

"Beasts all over the shop. You'll be one of them sooner or later," The Hunter said. Then he turned to the girl. Her eyes were filled with tears. She limped towards him and hugged his leg. She cried and repeated thank you.

They continued through the cave. His slaughter was thorough. His Ashen Hunter Set was covered in blood and gore. They eventually found a makeshift throne room. Fit for the larger one. His keen hunter instincts rang off. The throne was fit for the larger beast he slayed.

"My...children are in there," the girl said to the Hunter, and pointed to the throne. The Hunter destroyed it and saw beast children. He looked at her, a silent sign asking her what he should do. The girl's eyes were filled with hate and anger.

The Hunter reached into his coat. He took out his Flamesprayer. A twisted smile broke out on his face. He pressed the trigger and the flames spread around the children.

The Ashen Hunter's bloodlust filled laugh filled the cave. He gave no quarter and showed no mercy. His brutality knew no bounds.

The girl took a rest next to him in the cave. Her stomach was stitched together. She gave birth to a litter of beasts. He killed them and stitched her up. She was covered in a blanket.

He didn't know the name of the beasts. He didn't care, after all, beasts were beasts. The Hunter watched over her vigilantly. A watchful guardian, he was happy for the first time in so long. He finally saved someone, then the darkness was getting brighter. A man in armor, holding a torch with a short sword out. He was inspecting the corpses. Seemingly counting the remains of what he could find.

The man approached him and spoke in a dead and semi deep voice. "How many are dead?" The armored man asked. "I counted, all fourty nine I hunted," The Hunter answered. "Any hobs or shamans?" The armored man pressed. "If you are talking about the big one, I killed him. I burned the children as well," The Hunter once again answered. 

"What is your name?" The Hunter asked in return. "Goblin Slayer, and it seems you got them all," Goblin Slayer introduced himself in a curt manner. The Good Hunter introduced himself as the Powder Keg. They escorted the girl and left the cave.

--
Reaching the town, the two entered the 'Adventurer's Guild'. Goblin approached the clerk, or known as Guild Girl.

The Powder Keg introduced himself for the sake of appearances. She thanked him for clearing out the nests, keeping Goblin Slayer safe, which is strange to hear. The Powder Keg is never thanked. He is usually vilified for his actions. After the reward was given to him. Goblin Slayer handed a bag of coins to Powder Keg. "You took care of the nest. You earned it," Goblin Slayer said to Powder Keg. He then turned to Guild Girl and asked for more quests.