We walk for what feels like hours in mostly silence until we stop in front of a road leading into large, dense, forest.

“Okay so according to the map if we just follow this road through the forest we will reach the nearest town by midday tomorrow at the latest.”[Renise]

“Okay, so I guess that means we’re camping then?”[me]

“Unless ye can magic us a house? Aye, I would say that is the case lad.”[Sheamus]

“Shamus be nice, and besides nightfall shouldn't be for another five hours, so in the meantime let's get going already.”[Renise]

“Yes, ma'am.”[Sheamus and myself] we looked at each other and laughed as we walked into the woods.

“So what is the name of this town we're headed toward?[me]

Sheamus turns to look at me and does so with a confused face.

“Don’t tell me you missed it on the way here, lad?![Sheamus]

“What? Oh, I figured Renise would have told you already I’m not from here.[me}

“Aye, she told me you were a rookie merc. I just assumed that ye would be smart enough to stay at the nearest village instead of risking your life out here with the goblins, orcs and the occasional owlbear.”[Sheamus]

Renise and I glance at each other an I flash a quick but grateful smile before returning my attention to my small compatriot.

“Well Renise did tell you I was strong, didn’t she?[me]

“Don’t worry Jon I kept your pride intact.”[Renise]

Aye lad, that she did. The girl told me all about that armor ya stole.”[Sheamus]

“Well technically you can’t steal from a dead man, and the dragon willfully allowed me to take the armor after I beat it in a fair fight.”[me]

“Bah, semantics! The point is, you fought a spirit, not the actual thing. Because I can assure ya those are much stronger. [Sheamus]

“Oh so you’ve fought dragons before then[me]

“Well no, but I use to raise them in the Colosseum until I joined the military.”[Sheamus]

I look to Renise for confirmation but she’s just smirking as she says “Yes “joined”, after getting fired from the Colosseum and sentenced to the military.”

HEY! It was an honest mistake that anyone could have made![Sheamus]

“What happened, did a dragon escape?”[me]

“If only. No, instead our friend here got drunk one day and while taking care of the baby dragons he gave one them a taste of his ale. (Oh, this is can only lead to good things.) Unfortunately, infants aren’t known for holding their liquor, so imagine the look of surprise on all the coliseum staff when they find everything on fire, the monsters and prisoners escaping, all while this poor fool is using a hungover dragonling as a pillow just outside the Coliseum gates.”[Renise]

Renise smirks mockingly at Sheamus as he blushes furiously. “Aye, it seems that curtains are not as fireproof as a fire drake with alcohol enhanced fire breath.”

We all have a good laugh until a low guttural scream comes from our right.

(Um, what the hell is THAT.) {Goblin.} (Yeahhhhh. Fuck that. Acid breath, toggle ON)

Standing a few meters away is a small green-skinned man with a pot belly and long lanky arms. His eyes glare at us while his long ears twitch and his stance lowers “grrrrAAGH” (I shall name you Shorty) his skinny legs project him forward and lift my right arm with an open palm. “FUCK TODAY!!!”

His vulture-like nose collapses in on itself as it meets my armored palm and I close my fingers around its fugly bald head. “You picked a bad day to get out of bed pal.”

I snort and spit a loogie onto its forehead. Renise and Sheamus watch with a horrified interest as a festering blister burrows an ever-widening hole in the screaming goblin's skull. “BLARGAPHARGYMUDDERFADDACAMPGRANADA-aaaaauuhhh!!!”[Shorty]

The little man stops squirming and drools dumbly while the hole in his face gazes back at me empty and smoking. I drop Shorty and his limbs sprawl out like limp noodles.

“Doodeeaaaa” Shorty mumbles.

I turn to my friends, “So shall we get going?”

“Are just going to leave him there?”

I roll my eyes annoyed. I thought this war was to keep these races subjugated, and now she’s feeling sympathy for them? She should just pick a side damn it… at least she can.

I withdraw my sword and draw a line in red across the monster's neck.

Wiping the blood on his loincloth and resheathing my blade I ask again. “So shall we go?”

“HUMAN SCUM!!”[A goblin wearing feather hat]

(Oh come the fuck on, can I not go a day without someone trying to kill me?)

“Sorry but no. Fights rake in the views, now get to it before we get bored!”[Rignath]

What a douche. (magic missile!) A bolt of green shoots from my hand and detonates the head of Mr. Feathers who was standing just left of where Shorty started.

“Anyone else wants to piss me off today?!”[me]

A group of fifteen goblins surrounds us in a circle on the road.

“You’ve done it now lad.”[Sheamus] we group up back to back.

“Stay near Renise, I’ll handle this.”[me]

Uh… sure lad if you think ya can”[Sheamus]

I look to the large goblin directly in front of me and acknowledge the dagger in his hand.

(Identify)

--------

Poena, the hobgoblin of the green nail tribe

These creatures simply a stronger, smarter version of regular goblins. The Green Nail is the most inhuman of the local tribes due to their preference to keep humans of all genders slaves rather than simply killing just the mails like the others of their species. This tribe’s members are also fond of raping either gender of their slaves when bored. 

Race: green nail hobgoblin (grey skinned variant)

Level:20

Class: skill snatcher

Titles: the grey death, goblin chief

Size class: normal

skills: butcher, mighty leap, harden skin, lesser mental fortitude, rage

This specific hobgoblin is pissed you killed its father and brother

--------

(Krowola, remove the armor from my scar.) {Jon?} (Do it)

The cold removes itself from my face and as it recedes so does the color from the faces of Poena and his friends.

“I will survive you.”

I swivel my head from right to left and make sure every one of them can see my face.

After a few seconds, a couple of them have already pissed themselves while some straight up fainted but Poena just glared with a frightened anger. His dagger at the ready

I walk towards him slowly.

“Grah-” Poena takes a half step back but keeps his eyes locked on to mine.

The other goblins scream and flee as I get closer but Poena stays frozen.

When I’m within arm's reach I finally stop(I guess I may as well try this now, Phantom Eye!)

Almost immediately my sight is flooded with an array of colors, and Poena is covered in a grey-yellow mist. (hmmm, Phantom Eye off)

I reach forward and grab him by the face (Krowola bring us to the astral plane) {Whatever happened to that Hippocratic oath?} (...Shut up, just... let me do this)

My eyes close and open to a familiar black room with the only difference being the confused grey hobgoblin in front of me. {Sir I’m not sure I recommend this} (why not?) {He may be high level but I’m not sure he is worth taking.} (Don’t worry about it. I have a good feeling about this)

“H-human, explain!” (It speaks)

“No need” I raise my right fist and throw my hardest punch.

His eyes widen as my first crushes both his forearms that do nothing to stop my anger.

He flies backward somersaulting over himself when he hits the ground.

“HUMAN, WHY?!”The hobgoblin screams, with tears in his eyes. His arms held loosely at his side, mangled and torn. They bleed a grey yellow fog.

I rush forward and grab his throat.

“Because in one day I was murdered, sent to another world, assaulted by a dragon, and lost half my face to a necromancer. Then if THAT wasn’t enough you midget goblin FUCKS show up and attack me just when I finally think things are going my way.!!”[me]

“Bad day… brother dead.father dead. Tribe starving...dying. The bad day both.” Poena coughs and gives a wry grimace. He shows all three rows of his rotting yellow teeth.

I gently put him down.

“Yeah, bad day for us both.

(soul manipulation)

Suddenly a wave of emerald bursts from my hand and tears away a large chunk of Poena's yellow-grey aura. “Don’t worry I won’t kill you, after all, we both have a family to get back too, and I’ll need this to do it. But here you can have this.” I take a sliver of my soul and shove it into his chest.

He immediately heals and looks at me curiously

I absorb his aura and turn away “I’m sorry that this was necessary and I hope that you and the tribe survive.”

“Me too”

I close my eyes and open them to find myself with my hand still clutching Poenas face but I drop him quickly.

Turning to my group I point down the road saying, “No more interruptions let's get going.”

------

New skill: Butcher

Because you absorbed part of Poena’s the hobgoblins soul you have gained one of his random Skills!

Your cuts are more precise and have a higher chance of creating the perfect cut of meat.

Increase your skill level to make more complex cuts and to increase speed, while decreasing stamina cost

Cost 10 stamina/second

-----

(put the armor back up.) {....Yes sir}

The cold rises again while we walk away from the goblin horde who are still terrified of me and trip over themselves in terror as I pass. Renise looks as if she’s about to throw up. Her face is pale in the afternoon sun.

Sheamus has lost his jovial nature and is frowning at me. He is in clear distress in regards to my actions.

I look down and notice a small speck of yellow on my chest plate.

It now makes up the outline of my jade sword, keeping it separate from the black and purple. (A new addition to the insignia each new soul... interesting)

We keep walking until sundown without ever looking back.