09

*The tale continues. I expect to have written chapter 10, maybe 11, when this episode goes live so hang in there. ;-)

The three will face some tough opponents on the start of their quest, and an unexpected side effect of the familiar bond is felt.

*

07 - Little Fight, Big Fight

Iphigenia, Elzbieta, and Ulric continued their trek through the forest after their stay at the hot spring. Elzbieta looked up at the planet's ring. 'Where are we going?'

Iphigenia looked at Ulric. 'Where shall we go indeed? I have no idea where we'll find that demon lord.'

Elzbieta halted. 'What!? You have no plan of attack? How do you even think you can accomplish this quest!'

Iphigenia glanced and grinned slightly at Ulric. 'I guess we didn't think much of it when we left the City.'

Elzbieta looked away. 'I think I know what was on your minds.' she muttered and coughed. 'We can't just go around aimlessly. We need to gather information first. But no one seems to know anything about him or where to find him.'

Ulric sat down. 'When you want to get to the boss, start with the minions. It's also the order in which things happen in the games. I suggest we go ask some goblins since we've been seeing enough of them around here.'

'Ah, yes. We can start with that.' Iphigenia said. 'There's goblin country not far from here and we could try their chief.'

Elzbieta stared at the two. 'You want to go in there and ask!? Into an area infested with those nasty creatures!?'

Ulric shrugged. 'It's simple enough, really.' he said and Iphigenia told Elzbieta.

Elzbieta sighed. 'Fine. We'll go there.' she said and marched on.

***

After a while Elzbieta noticed Ulric glancing at her and frowned at him. 'What?'

'It's just that he's impressed how your disability doesn't show. In his world it takes pretty sophisticated prosthetics to hide it.' Iphigenia said for him.

She huffed. 'The one who made these is very good. I don't want people paying attention to me and pity me so few people know about it.'

Ulric nodded and thought of his current situation. 'I can imagine.' he said. Iphigenia chuckled at another remark and grinned at Elzbieta. 'He said he can imagine but doubted it would be pity when someone saw you like we did at the hot spring.'

Elzbieta's face turned red and she huffed again as she looked away. 'He's a big pervert and if he dares to look at me again like that I will finish what I wanted to do the first time!'

Iphigenia chuckled at Ulric's soft yelp.

Elzbieta suddenly stopped. 'Oh no.'

The three watched a grey rodent with large fluffy tail and black patches all over wiggle its nose at them.

'Squirrel?' asked Ulric.

'Worse.' said Iphigenia and slowly drew the sword from her cane. 'Tree rat. They travel in packs and are easily provoked in attacking. And they eat meat as well.'

'Ah. I think I get it.'

The rodent squealed loud.

'They're attacking!' said Elzbieta and drew her sword quickly.

The pack jumped out of trees and rushed at them.

'Take out the biggest one!' said Iphigenia. 'They'll flee when the alpha's killed!'

Ulric shifted his fur and straightened his spines. 'All right!'

The pack jumped quickly up at their legs, bodies, and faces. Ulric had never seen rodents this fast and it took effort to knock them off of him as they tried to bite and scratch him. 'These things are crazy!'

Elzbieta knocked a rodent from her left hand as it bit hard in her glove. 'Get the one with the black head! That must be the alpha!'

Ulric spotted it as it rushed at Iphigenia. 'I see it! he said and lunged at it. It veered off towards Elzbieta and he twisted to catch it, and received a hit from Elzbieta. 'Ouch!'

'Sorry!' she said and slashed her sword at the alpha again. It slipped away and scurried up her back. She turned as she tried to grab it when Ulric tried the same and knocked into her. 'Ouch!'

'Sorry!' said Ulric and snatched at the furred menace while it jumped over their heads and amongst the others. He jumped after it and bumped hard into Iphigenia. 'Ouch!'

The tree rat jumped up on him and Elzbieta knocked him over trying to grab it. 'Dammit!'

Iphigenia stabbed as it turned again but other tree rats jumped at her and she stumbled into Elzbieta deflecting them. Ulric jumped over them at the alpha. 'I got it!' he said but stomped on Elzbieta's sword when she stabbed at it. The alpha sat up and stared at him with its beady eyes. 'I'm truly starting to hate it.' he growled and glared at it. 'I think it's mocking us.' He turned to Iphigenia. 'Don't move and tell Elzbieta too.'

He snarled at the alpha, rushed at it again and chased it as it tried to evade capture by slipping around and in between the girl's legs while they were fending off the rest of the pack.

Ulric panted as he sat on the ground after the pack had retreated towards the trees. 'Damn that slippery bastard!'

Iphigenia sat down next to him. 'I wish they'd been goblins. Much easier to fight.'

The alpha sat up and watched them until the pack disappeared into the canopy, then hurried up a tree.

'I swear it just grinned at me.'

Elzbieta leaned on her sword. 'That was a great start to the quest, defeated by a pack of rodents. What's next, a swarm of angry butterflies?'

Ulric groaned. 'Let's get into goblin territory soon. At least they're normal opponents.'

Iphigenia nodded. 'And let's not ever mention this to anyone.'

***

The three knew they'd reached their goal when a group of goblins stood ready for them the next day. Ulric gazed at one a head and a half taller than the rest with a physique to match. 'That's a big one.'

'I've rarely seen one that large.' said Iphigenia. 'This could get more troublesome than usual.'

'Seems they're confident in winning the fight.' said Elzbieta. 'They're not attacking but waiting for us to make the first move.'

Iphigenia hummed. 'Shall we attack or do you think there's a way to avoid it?'

Ulric stood up straight and stretched his back. 'Maybe I can get them to agree to a one on one with the big guy. There's some frustration I need to vent anyway.'

'You sure you can take him?'

He grinned. 'Pretty sure this powerful body is capable of more than I've tried so far.' he said and stepped towards the group.

Elzbieta looked at Iphigenia. 'What's he doing?'

'He'll try to challenge that big one to a fight instead of all of us fighting.'

Elzbieta stared at his back. 'That's nuts! Goblins don't do that!'

He walked up to a little distance from the group, patted his chest and pointed at the big goblin, and mimicked boxing. The goblins grunted amongst themselves and after a short heated argument the group split and the big one stepped forward. He dropped his sword and Ulric grinned. He never wanted to fight in his world, but here he minded less while it was for a good cause. Inhabiting a really strong body helped boost his confidence of course.

The goblin group formed a half circle and Iphigenia and Elzbieta moved closer to the other side while the goblin grunted and put up his fists. Ulric flexed his arms. 'Come at me, big boy.'

The goblin didn't move from his spot and Ulric groaned. 'You're supposed to attack me just like in the movies.' he said. 'But then again you wouldn't know since there are no movies here, aren't there?' He stepped forward and made a feint to test the goblin.

The goblin reacted quick and used the feint to jab at Ulric, who pulled back in time. He didn't waste time and continued to jab an array of punches while the goblins cheered.

Ulric caught them on his arms or deflected them and moved around in waiting for an opening. He ducked at a jab from the goblin and it left its side open. He landed a hit and the goblin pulled back. Expecting the goblin to be seriously hurt he stood straight but the goblin hit him across his jaw.

He rubbed the painful spot and frowned at the goblin who returned a defiant look. 'I guess you're tougher than I thought.' he growled and stepped in to jab at the goblin again.

The group jeered and grunted at the fight and even Elzbieta couldn't hide her excitement completely when Iphigenia cheered Ulric on. She detested brawls but watching the bloodwolf move around and fight in an unnatural way was something else to her and she wondered what else Ulric could do with that body. The goblin smacked him another one but when he returned a blow to the goblin's jaw she cried out 'Yes!'. For a moment she felt embarrassed but the rest didn't notice and a blow to the goblin's stomach made her cheer again.

Ulric had to admit the goblin had landed good blows on him but they were getting weaker while he didn't feel really tired yet. Another jab at his jaw was too slow and he responded with an uppercut at full strength. This time the goblin went down and he pounced on his chest to land a finishing blow.

The goblin squeezed his eyes in anticipation and Ulric hesitated for a moment. He doubted he needed to hit him again when he heard the goblin group gasp and cry in the imminent defeat, and pulled back just as a female goblin cried out and went for him with a club.

He jumped back and prepared to fight her when she knelt next to the big one and stroked his forehead. She grunted softly and the big one smiled gently at her.

Iphigenia and Elzbieta came up to Ulric and Iphigenia stroked his back. 'I guess she wanted to defend her man.'

Ulric relaxed a little. 'Pretty brave of her, to stand against me when she's much weaker.'

She glared at him. 'Fight over. You win.'

Elzbieta's eyes went wide. 'You speak our language?'

'Some of us do. We not all dumb as you think.'

'It's new to me too.' said Iphigenia. 'All I've experienced are grunts from groups attacking me.'

The goblin frowned. 'They goblins looking for trouble. We want no trouble. We want to be left alone.'

'We're not here to cause trouble either. We came hoping to get some information from your chief.'

She glared. 'By fighting?'

Ulric put his paw on Iphigenia. 'Tell her it's our fault for assuming we needed to fight now but our intention is to talk.'

The goblin grunted with the big one and what seemed to be the leader of the group after Iphigenia told her, and she nodded. 'We take you to father. He chief.'

Ulric smiled a little and said more to Iphigenia, who told the goblin and who grunted at her man. He chuckled, sat up, and grunted in return. The female goblin shook her head. 'He think it interesting fight too and want to try again one day.'

Ulric stepped forward to the big goblin and held out his paw. The big one took it and he pulled him up on his feet. 'I'm Ulric.'

After learning the daughter of chief Hrung was named Gugun and the big one Grum, everyone followed her towards the goblin settlement.

Ulric nodded when they came upon several caves in a low hill. 'This conforms to the standard again.'

Inside they were led to a large chamber while curious goblins peeked at the visitors and gathered slowly while Gugun explained the situation to her father. He stood up from his large wooden chair and approached the three. 'I hear you want to talk. First time human or elf want to. First time see bloodwolf talk. Is interesting, so why talk to goblin chief?'

Iphigenia glanced at Ulric and Elzbieta. 'Well, we'd first have to know what you think of the demon lord.'

Hrung frowned. 'We do as ordered because we not as strong as others but we more happy not needed by demon lord.'

She nodded. 'We're looking to find out where he is. Maybe we can help you to be left alone.'

Hrung rubbed his sides. 'We talk.'

'You ask orcs.' Hrung said when everyone sat in a circle in a corner of the chamber and Iphigenia had explained they were on their way to the demon lord to find out how to stop the constant fighting. Ulric thought it best not to tell the real reason and it would benefit the goblins anyway. Iphigenia and Gugun translated to both sides and the chief had wine brought to fill the pauses in the conversation.

Ulric licked his lips. The wine had either more flavour than what he was used to, or his new taste buds were of higher quality. 'They know where we'll need to go?'

Hrung nodded his head sideways once. 'Not know sure but they get orders first. They know who to talk to when they not know palace.'

'Can we talk to them like we do with you?'

Hrung waved his hand. 'They war like. Won't talk unless defeated.'

Ulric frowned. 'If only we could. I still don't like to use violence. Can we at least avoid fighting other goblins?'

Hrung pat his side. 'If goblins not attack, they not want to fight. You say,' he uttered a grunt 'they know you not want to fight.'.

Iphigenia tried to pronounce the grunt and the goblins gathered in the chamber laughed. Gugun grinned at her when she looked puzzled. 'You said word for little goblin finger.' and wiggled one finger at her crotch. Iphigenia laughed out loud and with Gugun's help she got it right after a few tries to the amusement of the goblins. Elzbieta tried and the crowd was impressed at her correct pronouncement the first time. 'What?' she said. 'I happen to have a good ear for sounds.'

Everyone stared at Ulric. He waved his paw. 'I'm sure with my current voice I'll only end up insulting everyone's mother in law and the neighbour's dog.'

Hrung laughed. 'I hope you never need use it then.'

The group talked a bit more about the goblin life as the lowest rank of the demons and the oppression they felt from all races. Iphigenia, Elzbieta, and Ulric gained new insights and told Hrung they were looking differently at goblins in general now. Ulric needed no translation to say goodbye to Grum with a firm handshake and bumping fists, and the women rolled their eyes at the display of manliness.

'So, what are orcs like here?' asked Ulric when they were on their way.

Iphigenia glanced at him. 'I know of two orc races, one with darker skin than a goblin and one that has pig faces. I've only met one of the first kind so far and he was a slave from a wealthy merchant.'

'There's slavery here?'

She nodded.

Ulric sniffed. 'We abolished that mostly in our world.'

'It's either because they have debts to pay off, received punishment, or they're prisoners of war.'

He frowned and hummed. 'So much like our dark ages.'

'Any idea on how to get to the orc chief once we're there?' asked Elzbieta. 'Without fighting our way through.'

Ulric looked at Iphigenia. 'Seems you can move silently and Elzbieta's armour doesn't make a sound, so I thought we'd just sneak into their territory and observe them first. Maybe we'll find a clue on how to proceed.'

Iphigenia told Elzbieta. 'This armour is silent, yes, so we could pass undetected if we're careful.'

Ulric nodded. 'Then we'll start from there.'

08 - Unintended Threesome

The three had travelled for a while through rocky hills when they came across a group of goblins. 'Would these be friendlies?' Iphigenia said and the group cried out and stormed towards them. 'I guess not.'

She and Elzbieta drew her swords and Ulric shifted his fur. Elzbieta glanced at Ulric and tightened her jaw. 'Dammit!'

Ulric looked at her. 'What?'

She looked at Iphigenia. 'Pardon me while I need to share your bond, before we repeat the mess with the tree rats because I can't understand him.' she said, lifted her helmet, and put her forehead against Ulric. She had completed the chant before Iphigenia or Ulric could stop her, and they had no time to say anything about it when the goblins were on top of them.

Ulric had to admit she was right though and being able to talk made teamwork easier during the fight when they could stab, slash, or hit each other's enemy while warning them. With Iphigenia and Elzbieta covering their backs and Ulric rushing through the goblins with his spine fists they soon took down the last of the group.

Elzbieta took off her helmet and wiped her brow. 'I had my doubts about that thin sword of yours but I see now it's very impressive.'

Iphigenia grinned as she wiped the blade. 'It's so light it's as if I handle a twig. I can use it single-handedly or double because I had some lessons in double handed swords as well. And even if it seems short it's like it can still stab and cut like a longer one.' She smiled at the clean blade. 'I hope we find more of Volundrus's weapons and see what they're capable of.'

Elzbieta raised an eyebrow. 'I thought those were a myth?'

Iphigenia shook her head and examined the blade's edges, finding no chip at all. 'This one proves they're not.'

Elzbieta nodded. 'I'd like to have a broadsword made by him then.'

Ulric wiped his fur. 'I had my doubts about getting our hands on special weapons in the first place but now I'm not so sure we wouldn't see more of them.'

They searched the bodies for useful items and left to get as far away before making camp for the night. Elzbieta checked her tallies to make sure they were all in order and froze when she saw the familiar bond note. 'What!? What nonsense is this!?'

Ulric stopped, looked back at her, and quickly checked his tallies when he suspected what she saw. 'Ah, right, that's what I wanted to warn you about. It seems things aren't working normally with me and I'm made the master of the bond. It happened to Iphigenia when she initiated it.'

She glared at him. 'Break it.'

He shrugged. 'I can't. It's too strong and part of the reason why I need the power from the demon lord.'

She leaned closer. 'Break it.'

Iphigenia put her hand on Elzbieta's shoulder. 'He really can't. Even the wizard's couldn't.'

Elzbieta groaned. 'Not just a slave in a bond, but I had to become a slave to a pervert.' she said and walked on. 'If that orc chief doesn't know where that demon lord is I'm so going to cut him to pieces.'

Iphigenia nudged Ulric. 'You gained pangolin now. What would that do?'

'I'm not sure. A pangolin is an animal in my world that has tough scales all over its body and can curl up in defen-' he said, then concentrated on an image of the animal.

'Wolfie!' Iphigenia said as she saw his fur shifting to red and black scales. She touched them and knocked on them. 'These are really hard.'

He grinned and squeezed his arm. 'This seems real good body armour. Try cutting it with your sword in a corner.' Even her blade had trouble cutting and piercing it. He imagined spines on his arms and back and scales on the rest and grinned even wider when it worked. 'I think I am running in cheat mode.'

Iphigenia looked puzzled. 'Cheat what?'

He chuckled. 'It's like I have unfairly great abilities and cheat to win at everything.'

She grinned at him. 'Well, I could disapprove, but then I benefit from your healing as well. In both ways.'

He shifted back to his fur, pulled her close, and kissed her. 'I surely gained the most from that one.'

She giggled and poked his nose. 'Come, we'd better catch up with Elzbieta before her mood gets worse. And before I can't hold back on receiving some sexual healing.'

He growled playfully at her and chased her towards Elzbieta.

***

The three stopped for the night with time to spare before it became dark in a landscape with many clumps of trees scattered around the flat grassland. After unloading their gear Iphigenia stared at several deer next to a nearby one. 'Shall we go hunt, Wolfie?'

He followed her gaze and licked his lips. 'Sure. Then we won't have to in the morning.'

Iphigenia grabbed her bow. 'Elzbieta, we'll be back shortly.'

Elzbieta looked back at the trees behind her. 'I'll prepare the fire then.'

Iphigenia and Ulric moved quick and low in a wide arch towards the other side of the trees from the deer to stay out of their view, split up on either side and sneaked closer. Iphigenia slowly aimed her bow at a big stag and fired. The arrow hit him in the chest but it bolted away with the rest. Right into Ulric's jaws. He snapped the stag's neck to hasten its death.