7 Session 6

Gohn lay sprawled on the cave floor, his body a battered canvas of pain beneath the lifeless hulk of a dead hobgoblin. The metallic tang of blood filled the air, a cruel reminder of the brutal dance that had unfolded in the dimly lit cavern. His vision blurred, the world around him reduced to a haze of shadows and flickering torchlight.

 As the lifeblood seeped from his wounds, pooling beneath him, Gohn's breaths became ragged, each breath a struggle against the encroaching darkness.

 He strained to lift his head, the movement sending waves of pain through his battered form. In the distance, he heard a voice whose tone was both haunting and soothing, like a lullaby for the departed. Death was coming and it was coming quickly

 His consciousness teetered on the edge, caught between the realm of the living and the silent embrace of the dead. Yet, the voice drew him back, a lifeline in the void.

 Gohn felt an otherworldly warmth pulling him closer and closer, yet always pushing him away.With a final surge of his remaining will, Gohn's eyes flickered open. The cavern walls, stained with the residue of battle, greeted him. The dead hobgoblin loomed overhead, a stark reminder of his mistake.

 In the chamber, where life and death wove a complex dance, Gohn drew upon reserves untapped. With a deep breath, he gathered strength from the unknown source that had reached out to him. And with the last bit of strength in his hand, he pushed the Hob slightly off him.

 Death save past

Gohn's head pounded with the intensity of a thousand storms. The unseen force that had beckoned him from the world of the dead now manifested as a chaotic storm within his mind. Each attempt to focus felt like grasping at fragments of thought, slipping through his mental grasp like sand through his fingers.

His hands trembled as he clutched the hilt of his weapon. The chant for Cure wounds seemed elusive, a distant memory in the fog of his scattered thoughts no matter how hard he attempted the words just couldn't seem to roll off his tongue. Blood seeped from his wounds, a cruel reminder that while he was able leave her grasp for but a brief moment; Lady death's embrace is inevitable

Gohn closed his eyes, attempting to shut out the dissonance that raged within. The voices, both of the living and the ethereal, merged into a disconcerting cacophony. His breaths came in ragged gasps, the pain in his head intensifying with each heartbeat.

 "I can do this," he whispered to himself, determination battling against the encroaching chaos. His hands glowed with a faint, ethereal light as he attempted to channel the healing energy into his wounded body.

Yet, the moment his focus neared clarity, it shattered like glass, the fragments scattering into the void of his consciousness. Gohn gritted his teeth, frustration mounting as the elusive threads of concentration slipped away.

Death save failed

He tried again, But the syllables echoed disjointedly, a discordant melody that refused to harmonize. He clutched at his temples as if physically restraining the chaos that threatened to consume him.

Gohn's breath hitched, a realization settling like a heavy stone in his chest. The relentless storm within his mind defied resolution, and his attempts at healing remained futile. Desperation clawed at him, and with each passing moment, the darkness threatened to claim him once more.

Death saved failed

In a final act of defiance, Gohn forced his eyes open, staring into the abyss of the cavern. The pain and disarray within him mirrored the battlefield around him, a reflection of the struggle between life and impending doom.

His voice, now a hoarse whisper, uttered the incantation once more, the words hanging in the air like a plea. But the scattered fragments of his consciousness refused to align, and the healing magic eluded his grasp.

Gohn's strength waned, the light within him flickering. As the shadows closed in, the distant echoes of the mysterious voice lingered, a haunting reminder that his fate hung in the balance, and the threads of his existence were unraveling with each passing heartbeat.

As Gohn lay on the cold cavern floor, his senses dulled and vision fading, a distant voice echoed through the vastness. It was Priestess, her words distorted by the cavern's acoustics, reaching him like a fleeting whisper in the wind. He strained to catch the fragments of her voice, a lifeline in the encroaching darkness.

"Mister! Where are you? Answer me!" The voice of Priestess bounced off the walls of the cave. Gohn tried to call back to her

His throat felt like lead, each breath a laborious effort. and he struggled to respond. His weakening grip on consciousness slipped further, and the world dissolved into a murky haze.

Her voice persisted, growing more desperate. "Mister! Please, say something!"

The darkness closed in, a suffocating shroud that muted the sounds of battle and swallowed his fading vision. His limbs felt distant, unresponsive as if severed from his consciousness. The cavern became an abyss, and Gohn teetered on the brink of death.

In the throes of his struggle, the voice of Priestess pierced through the shadows. It was closer now, a beacon guiding him back to the mortal coils

Finally, in the fading twilight of his awareness, he heard her cry out, "There he is Goblin Slayer!"

The cavern trembled with the frenetic pace of her footsteps. Priestess emerged from the shadows, her eyes widening in shock as she beheld the weakened figure of Gohn beneath the dead hobgoblin. With urgency in her movements, she sprinted towards him, her hands reaching for the whatever could be of help.

Goblin Slayer followed close behind, they approached Gohn's prone form, and with determined strength, Priestess began to roll the lifeless hobgoblin off him with the help of Goblin Slayer.

The relief in her eyes turned to horror as she took in the extent of Gohn's injuries. His breathing was shallow, and the crimson blood blocking off his exposed skin spoke of a life hanging by the thinnest of threads. She wasted no time, she began to pray to the Mother Goddess and holy energy began to gather around her palm as she pressed it on his largest wound.

Holy power spread from the initial wound to the rest of Gohn's body; small cuts and bigger lacerations begin to knit themselves back together. He felt the warmth of renewal spreading across his wounds. The pain receded, and strength returned to his limbs like a gentle tide. With a deep inhale, he pushed himself up from the cold cavern floor.

"I owe you one," he uttered, his voice strained. As he lifted himself with the help of Priestess.

Priestess offered a warm smile, her eyes reflecting both relief and determination. "We're in this together, I'll never leave a party member behind" she answered but whispered something beneath her breath which Gohn didn't quite catch his ears still ringing.

Goblin Slayer, ever vigilant, stood nearby, his gaze unwavering. Gohn turned to him, the urgency of their situation hanging in the air.

"What's our plan, Goblin Slayer?" Gohn asked, his tone steady despite the lingering echoes of the recent ordeal. " do we continue"

"You should take a break first" Priestess almost shouted at him." You almost died" she added in a softer tone

Goblin Slayer's gaze met Gohn's, his usual pragmatic resolve undiminished. "You two rest here before continuing, there shouldn't be any deeper in the cave. But I shall go check"

Gohn just nodded knowing that he was in no state to fight. Out of spell slots, low stamina, and body is still feeling a bit weak. Goblin Slayer made his way back through the cavern. confirming each goblin kill and checking for any more pockets of resistance.

Gohn sat with his back against the wall analyzing the previous fights of the day. He made a lot of mistakes today…He was lucky and he hated relying on luck. He knew he was going to have to do better next time. Or he would end up six feet under quickly.

Priestess attempted to do another check-up on him asking him if he still felt pain anywhere and trying to remove his clothes to better check to make sure there were no lingering injuries that may be covered up by his regenerating clothes.

But Gohn just told her he was fine to dismiss her worry as he went back to his thoughts while regenerating his stamina.

Goblin Slayer came back a little less than an hour later with his armor a little bloodier than it was originally. Gohn was able to recollect himself and was able to regenerate one of his spell slots…Boosting his amount of spells to a total of 1.

Better than nothing, but he hoped that there would be no more fighting. if there was one ; a retreat would have to be the first option for their group of three. Both spell casters were out of fuel. It would be dangerous to press on.

A gun might be powerful, but a gun without ammo is like a spell caster without spells. Sure you can use the gun as a club or make shift spear and maybe you can give the spell caster a sword for self defense but you would rather not get yourself in situation where you need to resort to that.

After the short break the group journeyed through the winding passages of the goblin nest and as Gohn, Priestess, and Goblin Slayer reached the end, the grim reality of their mission weighed heavily upon them. The air in the cavernous space was heavy with the stench of despair, and the dim light revealed the tragic aftermath of the goblin's cruelty.

Upon reaching the final chamber, their worst fears were confirmed. The village woman they had hoped to rescue lay lifeless, their lives cruelly stolen and snuffed out by the goblins. Priestess, overcome with grief, fell to her knees beside them, tears streaming down her face. The sight was heart-wrenching, and Gohn could feel the pain radiating from her.

He knelt beside Priestess, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You tried your best"." Thank you about all the villagers you saved.." Gohn added "Not those you failed to save…you'll last longer that way" Gohn stated

If you start thinking about every life lost in a job like this you'll find yourself breaking down far quicker than you would if you started thinking of casualties as only numbers. He learned that long ago.

Priestess, unable to contain her anguish, sobbed softly. Gohn offered a supportive embrace, allowing her to grieve. He did his best to comfort her but he was unsure how much good that did as the girl continued to cry.

Goblin Slayer, his face unreadable as ever, stood a few paces away. Without a word, he turned and began to examine the surroundings, seeking any remaining threats or clues. His grim determination remained unshaken even in the face of such tragedy.

Gohn, glancing at Goblin Slayer, whispered to Priestess, "We need to keep moving. The villagers deserve to know what happened"

Nodding through her tears, Priestess wiped her eyes and stzood, her resolve returning. Gohn helped her regain her composure as they followed Goblin Slayer, who moved silently through the shadows, focused on the task at hand.

Gohn and Goblin Slayer collected the remains of the girls and put them into a pile before Gohns set them ablaze with a cast of Create Bonfire and Priestess gave a prayer to the Earth Mother to guide their souls safely to the afterlife.

No one should have to see their loved one in that light, the goblins desecrated their corpse leaving only a corrupted visage of what was once a human form… they couldn't bring that back to the village, it was better to give them a send off here and burn them. After that, the trio made their way silently to the entrance of the cave.

The trio meticulously combed through the cavern, making sure no lurking goblins or hidden threats remained. Goblin Slayer's keen eyes scanned every shadow, and Gohn's ears were attuned to the slightest sound. Priestess, her expression somber, clutched her staff tightly, ready to use it as a makeshift club if need be.

After a thorough sweep, they gathered near the cave entrance, preparing to make their way back to the village that had sought their aid. The weight of the failed rescue mission hung heavy in the air, and Priestess took a deep breath and rehearsed what she was going to say to the village chief. They were in there for 3-4 hours so it would be around ten now,pretty late into the night.

"We need to inform the village of what happened," she began, her voice carrying the burden of the news she was about to deliver. "They need to know what happened to their wives, daughters, and mothers..."

Slayer gave a nod of approval to the suggestion, this could have waited until tomorrow but it was better to do it today so they could make their way back home first thing in the morning. And there is no worse thing to be told than the loss of a loved one first thing in the morning.

They knocked on the door of the village chief and calmly waited. The village chief came out after a brief moment and greeted them.

"Adventures, I hope you all were victorious," The older man said

"We killed all the goblins" Goblin Slayer reported

"But we failed…. "Priestess trailed off, her eyes filled with regret as she struggled to find the right words. The old village chief, awaiting the remaining portion of her report, looked at her with a mix of anticipation and concern.

"We couldn't save the missing girls…they were dead when we found them" Priestess added shakingly

"We did everything we could," Gohn added."They were long gone when we got there...their bodies mangled beyond recognition"

The old village chief nodded solemnly, understanding the harsh realities of their line of work. "You did your best, and for that, we are grateful. The goblin threat is no more, and our village can begin to heal."

Priestess lowered her gaze, guilt evident in her eyes. "I'm sorry... I wish we could have done more. I wish we could have saved them."

The old chief, placing a weathered hand on Priestess's shoulder, offered a kind and understanding smile. "You risked your lives to help us. That is more than we could have asked for. The burden is not yours alone to carry. The goblins are gone, and that is a victory in itself."

And that will be the end of our Session

I'm going to be honest with you all; I shot myself in the foot by extending the length of this section. It brought a lot of plot holes that I failed to plan for when writing the next few chapters originally.

I'll just say this wasn't my best work. I spent way too much time trying to make this readable, but I'm still not satisfied with the quality of this one.

I'm going to have to heavily rewrite the next few chapters or start from ground zero using this as a base hoping I can remove the plot holes.