Editor's note: this story contains scenes of non-consensual or reluctant sex.
*****
A roar echoed through the mountains, shaking them near to collapse and causing every villager in their small and fragile towns to dive for cover and clamp hands over their ears.
They gibbered frantically about the evil one, and the end of the world.
The only figure who seemed unaffected by the roar looked towards the mist rising behind the tallest mountain and drew a longsword slowly from their back.
From a face hidden behind a steel mask a satisfied grunt was heard, before they headed off and up the mountain pass.
— — —
"You have to save us, please!" The peasant woman fell to her knees as the wizard stood in front of her. The man didn't seem to notice her, his eyes instead fixed on the figure emerging out of the ash on the wind.
He nodded knowingly at the armoured figure and spread his hands, "Hero, you have returned!"
The head of the dragon fell at his feet with a squelch, and the figure rolled their shoulders.
"Amazing." The wizard said in admiration, "You have slain the dragon that plagued the people of this region for generations. You have killed the Great Trzask!"
The armoured figure held up a hand and rubbed two fingers together.
The wizard spread his hands, "But of course! A mighty reward like none other is deserved for this task. The original poster of this quest lived but a little way from here, on a farm with apples. To the south. His grandson will have your prize of ten thousand gold."
The knight turned and began striding away, dragging the dragon's head behind them.
The wizard chuckled at their back and raised a hand to look inside a flame that spawned there. "It will be interesting to see what you do, Hero. Very interesting, indeed."
— — —
"Ack!" The man in the orchard yelled and nearly fell off his ladder. He slid down it to stare at the knight in front of them, "You've killed the Great dragon, Trzask! My family has sworn to pay your reward. Feel free to eat any apple from this farm, for so long as you live. We will provide you with shelter and -"
The knight soundlessly held up a hand and rubbed two fingers together.
The man frowned, "Eh... I think I could scrounge up twenty gold, if you'd really prefer that. Wouldn't you prefer it if I had a word with the merchants in town? They can give you a significant discount, I'm quite influential, if I do say so myself."
The knight swept off their helmet, spilling out waist length golden hair as the beautiful woman inside yelled, "What the hell do you mean two hundred gold, you piece of crap!?"
The man flinched, pulling back, "I said twenty... Eh... You see, I'm an apple farmer and -"
"Ten thousand!" She shouted, flecks of spittle hitting his face. The knight glared at him and reached for her sword, "I was promised ten thousand gold, by the Wizard Osiol. So that's what you're going to pay."
"Hero." The man begged, "It has been two generations since that poster was put up. The land isn't as fertile as it once was. Be reasonable. That's more gold than I have."
"Pay up." The Hero replied.
The farmer winced, "Bloody Osiol. You know he'd be able to pay it, right? Why don't you take the dragon head over to him. I'm sure he can use it for his dark magics. Pay you well."
"He sent me here." She drew her sword, "And I did just kill your dragon for you. Pay or die."
The man held up his hands, "Hold up, hold up. Let's be reasonable. If I sold everything I had, even the shirt off my back, I might be able to put together six thousand gold. I've got some rare sztuczka cards. Give me a day, and I'll see what I can do."
She sheathed her sword quickly, "You play sztuczka? Why didn't you say so? Let's play a round."
The Hero sat down cross-legged without waiting for an answer and quickly spread out a series of cards. Some were face up, a couple were facedown, and a deck waited like a looming trap to her right.
The farmer sat down slowly and pulled his dirt-encrusted deck from his shirt and spread out his own attack, "What are we playing for? My debt?"
"Debt and the rare cards." She replied as if it were obvious, "You win, I'll forgive your ten thousand gold debt, and even throw in two of my own rare cards. I win, I get your cards, and you'll pay me the full ten thousand."
He didn't really have a choice.
The Hero's blue eyes were icy cold as she surveyed the gameplay in front of her, toying with his frontlines of defence. She attacked and retreated, wearing down his main attack, before turning over her trap card and destroying every unit in the field in a single brutal attack.
She grinned up at him, "I'll be taking those cards, now."
He muttered and picked them out of his deck to hand them over to her, "Lucky bloody draw."
She shrugged, "And now, about that gold..."
"I don't have it!" He said in frustration, "Haven't you been listening to me at all!? I just gave you cards worth four thousand! I sell the farm, and I might get you another two. Wouldn't you rather get a massive discount at every merchant? I could spread your legend and -"
She glared and rubbed her fingers together as she finished putting away her deck of cards.
"The wizard could literally pay you out of his pocket. You're ruining me! I have a family to feed. You'll kill my children. Turn my wife into a whore." The farmer begged her, "A reputation would last you a lifetime. Enemies hearing of your victories could run away. Please."
"Rather kill them myself." The Hero shrugged, "Blame your grandfather, not me. I just killed that dragon. It's not like it was easy, so... Where the fuck is my gold!?"
The farmer fell to his knees, clasping his hands together, "Please, Hero. You wouldn't want everyone to think that you are a heartless and -"
"I will gut you right here, in front of your home." She replied and drew her sword, putting it against his throat and cutting the skin with the smallest of touches. "I literally do not care about my reputation."
The farmer winced, staring up at her, "What will it take to make this go away? I'm fucked, no matter what happens. I die here, or I starve to death. Starving to death is sort of worse. You ever starved, Hero?"
"No. I'm the Hero. I kill everything. Including Death." She replied with a roll of her eyes, "Eugh. Fine. I could maybe turn you into a slave. You got any useful skills? Like... Maybe some elven heritage that gives you fire magic?"
"No, I'm human." The farmer winced. "I could carry your burdens?"