I cast dark tendrils once more and walked over to the goblins. I cut them down as they clawed at me in horror.
"I'm gob's god. I sorry I not here earlier." I told them as they continued to squirrel around in agony.
I sat them on the ground a distance away from the fire and used fleshcrafting to mend what I could. I had to discard what was already too burnt however. There was another row of goblins tied to a large log behind them I'm guessing that those pricks had intended to do this all night.
I heard screams from the forest as an idea hit me.
"You untie." I said as I pointed the charred goblins to the goblins tied to the log.
I had already killed many of the men, but there are still about a dozen of them left.
I activated soul steal and received 7 souls.
I grabbed the fat one as he screamed in protest and tried to use his girth to escpape me.
"I wonder if you'll smell like pork." I said as a look of realization flashed across his sweaty face.
"No! You can't mean to." His eyes where streaming down tears as his fat face shot drool when he continued to speak. "But I'm human! Human!" He struggled against me with all his weight but it was pointless.
I tied him to the middle post as his pants caught fire and he began screaming. He pissed himself as if in an effort to put out the blaze that was gradually engulfing him.
I walked back around to the goblins as more screams came from the woods behind me.
"Come, you watch, you drink." I gestured to the bloody ground on the other side of the fire. I carried the one's who could not walk and sat them down.
I grabbed another man and tied him to the next pole as he and the fat man screamed obscenities at me. I tied the last man to the last post and sat with the goblins as we watched them struggle and plead. The last one just kept repeating "This can't be happening!" Over and over again as I smiled at him.
This seemed to have quite the effect on the remaining men as they struggled frantically against the tendrils.
I walked around and fleshcrafted their wrists together while removing their Achilles tendons.
I went to my son's body and brought it to the pile of dead men. I will make him a new body.
"Mors, I want to impart everything I can to him. I want him to have a body similar to mine but we must recreate his face I still want him to be himself."
"Yes master." She replied in a somber tone as if sensing my sadness.
I started fleshcrafting and we got to work. I combined three bodies into him thickening his muscle and bone density. I had been wanting to try something new. I continued to condense it, making him skinnier than me but much denser. I focused on fast twitch muscle fiber.
He was now almost my height but had a more angular frame. I lengthened his arms to go below his knees as mine did originally. I gave a set of two bone spikes per arm, one to shoot forward from the forearm and one to shoot backwards from the elbow. All four spikes were around sixteen inches and protruded a few inches from his skin. I looked at his face and fixed his teeth to be like mine.
I changed his skin tone to a light grey color and removed the wisps of hair he had, leaving him bald.
I imparted all abilities to him and changed his eye color to match mine. I used blend and everything smoothed out.
I walked around a while using Soul Steal on all the dead bandits in the area and opened my soul window.
I dragged all their skills over the Soul of A Goblin Disciple. I looked at his skills.
Skills:
Hunting: Level 2
Fishing: Level 2
Farming: Level 2
Hide: Level 3
Stealth: Level 4
Swordsmanship: Level 4
Archery: Level 4
Knifework: Level 4
Daggerwork: Level 5
It's likely that this group was mainly farmers, hunters and inexperienced cutthroats. Still he's fairly well balanced now.
"Mors, teach him english."
I dragged his soul over to the body.
His eyes shot open as he screamed."God John! Please save..." His voice cut off as he saw me.
His eyes went wet as he hugged me. "I knew you would come! I told the other Gobs but they didn't believe me." He said as he weeped. He may have a grown up body now but he's still a kid and a messy crier.
His eyes looked behind me as he noticed the screaming from the fire.
I remembered how Reginauld had told me just how much it means to be named. To name a goblin is to claim them as a member of your family, to take responsibility for them and their safety.
"I've decided, I will name you Athan. It's a part of my name and you're a part of my family." I said as he turned his attention back to me.
His bottom lip quivered but his tears momentarily stopped as he spoke. "A part of your family?"
"Yes, I've realized it only recently, but I think of you like a son as I'm sure Leera and Lina do." I said softly.
He hugged me again as he sobbed loudly. He pulled back his snot covered face and spoke. "Why did you do all of this? I don't deserve it. I'm just a gob, I can't be the son of a god."
"But you are. I've seen your merits, I've heard your prayers and I came here, for you. Now puff out your chest my boy and show me that you are a man worthy of that honor." I answered.
His eyes sparkled as they had in the cave that night. He wiped his face and noticed his new body for the first time.
"I will honor you, father." He said strongly in a voice that was deeper than he was used to.
He stood up.
"Don't forget pants. I once heard that gobs don't wear them, but I'll be damned if my son walks around in a loincloth." I said.
He looked around and started undressing a tall bandit. Ah my boy's first pair of normal guy pants. He put on all of the bandit's leather armor, including the shoes and sword and dagger belt.
He looked back at me and stifled another sniffle. He hardened his resolve and got himself together before walking over to the other goblins and beginning a conversation as they examined him in amazement.
He noticed the men burning by the fire and smiled a wicked smile.
I felt the ground shake slightly as I saw the two oni running towards me. They were covered in blood and muck. Liz appeared beside me with Nex on her back. They seemed to somehow remain clean though Nex was missing a few daggers and Liz had a cut on her shoulder.
Nex hopped down and looked around at the bodies. As she scanned the dead goblins her teeth clinched. She walked around to each and chirped. I'm assuming she is calling their names. She dragged them into a line and began closing their eyes.
A loud shriek came from the fire, I'm guessing that the last man finally realized that this was real as his endorphins wore off.
Nex wondered over to the fire as a tear rolled down her face.
That's right, her family was roasted this way. I don't know if this is cathartic or damaging to her. From what she told me on our trip she was spared the same fate by a large man with an axe when she went to investigate where her family disappeared to.
She looked back at me as she let the tears flow from her eyes. Her mouth had a sad smile.
I walked over to her and knelt down to hug her. She kissed me for a moment and said. "I know I've said it many times since we met, but thank you." I kissed her salty tears away as I held her close.
"Athan, come." I said as my son rose to his feet. He now towered over the goblins around him. He ran and was in front of me a few seconds later.
"This is my mate, Nex." I said as he looked her over.
"Nex, this is my son." I said as I gestured to Athan.
"Wow, she's as beautiful as mom and, um, mom." He said awkwardly as if unsure how to address his former parents.
Nex spoke in goblin and did her cute chirp which I knew was her name. Athen looked shocked as he looked from her to me and nodded. He said something that sounded like a dog's yelp while pointing to himself and it was Nex's turn to be shocked.
"That makes sense, she was always the strongest." He said as he smiled at Nex.
"But you were always the weakest." She said while laughing.
"Not anymore!" He said in a voice that sounded like a jilted teen.
The Oni sat down as Reginauld and his children hopped off and approached.
Reginauld looked at the dead goblins and shook his head, then he looked up at the burning men and nodded with a smile.
"Hello John." He said as he approached. "I approve."
"And who is this fine lad?" He said as he held his hand out to Athan.
"I'm Athan, I used to be." He yelped again.
Reginauld's eyes went wide as he patted Athan's hand and spoke to me. "A fine choice Chief, a fine choice."
"I think so too." I said as I patted Athan's head.
I noticed Liz and the little gobs watching the fire. The kids had angry looks on their faces as they stared at the men I could feel the hatred coming from them. Liz on the other hand smiled as if she were watching a sunset.
Nex hugged herself up beside me as we all watched.
The fat man had stopped screaming and I guessed he was unconscious.
I told Athan to finish him off then swap him for the next one.
He walked up to the large man and thrust his spike into his chest. He then untied him and carried him like he was nothing over towards the incapacitated men on the ground. He let the crispy, fat man fall like a sack of potatoes as he walked over to the next bandit and grabbed him roughly. The bandit squirmed and pleaded as Athen ripped his arms apart only to tie them back together behind the post the fat man had occupied.
Liz grabbed my hand and pulled me away from Nex.
"There's something I need to show you." She said as she practically dragged me along into the forest.
We reached a large tree and she maneuvered me in front of it, facing her. She pressed me against it with all her strength as she pulled off her shirt. She pressed her naked body into me so hard that I couldn't breath. She undid my leather armor, throwing it to the side.
"I told you, I won't take no for an answer." She spoke through heavy breaths.
She moved her arms down untying my pants as the twins responded in full force, pressing against her.
We made love while gazing into each other's eyes during the hight of our pleasure. Soon after, Nex joined us as I satisfied them both over and over again. They were now my mates and I felt a unique connection to them both as we all reached mutual climax.
At long last we each lay there spent. I had Liz on my right and Nex on my left as we snuggled each other, nude under the moonlight.
I noticed the sound of insects in the distance as Liz moved forward to kiss me again. Nex moved herself up and kissed us both before settling herself back into my armpit. I remained there for a while just listening to them breathing while enjoying the feeling of their warm skin pressed against me. Liz nuzzled her nose against my neck as Nex threw her leg across my waist.
We fell asleep there in the forest all tangled together while I thought about how to restore the goblin village.
Chapter 34: Plans - John
Nothing could prepare me for the horror of what I awoke to. Bob's smiling face was inches away from mine. I stifled a screech as I figured out what I was looking at.
"Dammit Bob! Be careful with that mug of yours. You almost gave me a heart attack." I said as a shrill screech came from Liz and Ice began forming in the air above us.
"Liz! Stop, it's just Bob." The ice in the air dissipated turning into cold water that rained down on us all.
Liz wiggled away from me in a rush to find her shirt as Nex and I gasped from the unexpected shower. Bob shook his fur spraying us and everything in the area in a mix of dirt, blood and water.
"Mornin' Boss!" Bob said cheerily.
"Morning Bob, maybe nudge me or try calling my name next time instead of just staring at me." I said in a slightly annoyed way.
"But you all looked so sweet cuddled up together, I couldn't resist. Anyway, we got problems! Older sis is dead again and there's this village we need to enlighten." He said with an angry expression.
"How the hell did that happen? You didn't..." I said worriedly.
"What!? No, no, these girls aren't in my strike zone. They're all just too damn adorable, I prefer a girl with a bit of gristle." Bob stared off in space for a moment, then shook his head and seemed to focus before resuming. "It's the town, Rosie's home, They're killin' the kids there."
"They're what!? Oh god, just how fucked up is this place." I said as Athen came running up towards me pointing a sword at Bob nervously.
"Athen, chill, this is Bob. Bob, this is my son Athen." As I spoke Athen lowered his weapon. Bob looked from Nex to me to Athen and raised an eyebrow.
Athen spoke as he and Bob shook hands. "I just got done roasting the last of them. Is it okay if we eat them now? We're all starving."
"Oh, yeah, that's fine but don't eat their heads and be sure to leave one body per dead goblin." I responded.
Bob shook his head and laughed to himself as Athen ran back towards the goblin village.
"What exactly is so funny?" I asked Bob.
"You don't even realize it do ya." He responded as he shook his head. He once again looked from Nex to me. "I knew goblins were fast breeders, but damn!"
"No, he's not from Nex and I. He's actually Lina and Leera's kid from their previous life, so I adopted him. He's also my disciple." I responded as Nex began to sit up.
"Actually, he is my child as well. You took me as a mate so I am also the mother of any children you have, rather or not I birth them." She spoke with her unique accent.
Just why the hell does she have an accent? That question has been bothering me for a while. Reginauld doesn't, unless you count proper english as an accent. Come to think of it though, Bob does sound kinda like a person from the east coast.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
"Mors?"
She appeared and curtsied. "Yes Master?"
"Why do Nex and Bob both seem to have accents?"
"It's related to their personality. In their native languages they may have spoken in an informal way, as Bob does or they may have strong cultural ties like Nex."
"So Bob can speak normally, he just subconsciously ops to speak that way?"
"Yes, and Nex speaks with a slight goblin accent because she's so tied to her culture that it's part of her identity."
"Thank you Mors!" I said as she smiled and vanished.
I felt Nex's arms wrapping around mine as I opened my eyes.
"I will also bring you many, many children." She said as her eyes glowed slightly.
I leaned down and kissed her for a moment before returning my attention to Bob.
Bob bent his head down towards me and untied something from his horn. It looked like a bloody leather ball.
"What's this?" I asked him.
"This is the older sis. They cut her up." He replied in a sad tone.
"How the hell did this happen?" I asked as I unwrapped the leather to see her sad, bloodstained face. It was the same face that I remember from yesterday. The same girl who hugged me and played with Bob.
I felt my anger swell. I'm adopting the girls as well. I don't trust anyone anymore, at least not anyone human.
She was just here, she was just fine, then this. I just wanted her to have a good life, but this world itself seems to want her dead. I felt something warm running down my face as a cold embrace took me once more. I closed my eyes and focused on the blackness. It seemed to be saying something, not in words but in feelings. It said that this is the nature of this world, everything is predetermined and controlled, everything except me and the one's I've changed.
I felt the darkness press into me. It seemed to say that soon this world itself would attack me. The slight pressure I was feeling became soothing almost like a hug. It comforted me and gave me a feeling of peace. I knew it was there, that we were together. It was imposs
ible to tell where I ended and it began but I understood what it meant.
When I opened my eyes, Nex was wiping my face.
"Boss, yer eyes are doing that black gooey thing again." Bob said with a concerned expression.
Nex was staring up at me with sad eyes as she spoke. "It will be okay my love, I am here for you. Make them pay!"
I rose to my feet.
"Woah, watch where you're pointing those things." Bob said as he jumped back.
I got dressed and began walking to the goblin village. If this world wants to kill me and the ones I care about then I will raise an army. I will remind it of who is actually in control here.
First, I will restore the goblins. No, I will improve them. Then we will take the human town. I won't allow this foolishness to continue. I'm going to make my own kingdom and protect my people from whatever this world throws at me and it all starts now.
Deathcreator Book One Page 26
