The Axe Falls -Ch26- (Patreon)

“You sure I’m ready for this?” Claudia asked, nervously holding onto her staff.

They’d spent the better part of the morning getting her used to fighting. She was at the point now that they could dare to try more than two goblins. Iris would hold them all in position while Nick went about killing them.

Claudia would simply be there to heal Iris if her health got low.

“I mean, I think so,” Nick said and shrugged his shoulders. “I trust in Iris to take the punishment and handle all the little green bastards that show up.

“This really just comes down to you keeping your head on straight, not doing something you shouldn’t, and recovering from a mistake if you do make one. That’s not something that you can really learn without putting yourself somewhat in harms way. That means… groups where we’re outnumbered.”

Wincing, Claudia looked torn, but nodded her head.

“Iris, you’re confident?” Claudia asked, looking to the much larger woman. “If you’re confident, then I’m confident. If you believe in yourself, then I’ll believe in you.”

Iris blinked and looked at Claudia with a look of surprise.

“I’m… confident. I can hold them all,” said Iris after a bit of a pause. “I have the appropriate skills to keep their attention.”

Huh. Is that because of the shield? Does your choice in weapon dictate the skills you have access to?

“Of course,” Lucian said immediately. “You could very well Slash with a hammer, it’d be a Slam. Nor could you Smash with a sword. You can fix issues that might crop up from inappropriate weapon usage with a Skill Doctor but we don’t have a need for that. You’ve only ever used the Poleaxe and Hand-Axe. Those skills cross back and forth completely.”

“— lets go in. I trust in both of you,” Claudia said, going so far as to pat Iris on the back as she spoke. “Thank you, Iris. I’d be little better than a hunk of meat without you.”

“Mm. No worries,” grunted the big Beast-kin.

Reaching out, Iris opened the door to the fourth floor and pushed it open.

Nick had been on this floor a number of times with Erica’s group. It hadn’t been much of a problem for them when they’re reached it. Though Nick had most certainly experienced the gap in levels between himself and the monsters here last time.

His damage was reduced considerably given that they were so much higher than him.

This time, I’ll be able to do a lot more.

Iris led the way and began moving down the entry hall, the area around them rapidly becoming the castle interior Nick expected.

Turning at the first intersection, Iris began leading them deeper into the labryinthe. He knew she’d been throughout this dungeon up to the second promotion ending point. Her experience was rapidly becoming invaluable.

Turning again, down a hallway Nick didn’t even notice or remember, Iris led them into a small chamber. It looked almost like it the area would be used as an armory. Empty racks with what looked to be slots for weapons and bare shelves where armor would likely be placed.

There were the faint remains of what looked like battle splattered on the floor and wall. As if another group had recently cleared out the room.

“We’ll use this camp for a time. It’s steady and fast on the respawn,” said Iris and then pointed to a back corner. “Stand there. I’ll pull and hold here. Work at my rear.”

Nick snorted at the words, unable to help his thoughts jumping straight to Iris’ extremely muscular posterior.

Apparently Iris realized it as she said it, her eyes flicking over to him as soon as he made a noise in response. He could just barely see her eyes scrunch up in her helmet, as if she were grinning as well.

Nick and Claudia, who didn’t seem to notice Iris’ words, both got into the corner. Standing side by side they kept themselves to Iris’ back.

“How many do you think will appear?” Claudia asked, gripping her staff tightly.

“Unsure,” remarked Iris casually. “Somewhere between three and six.”

Three to six? Huh. That could be an issue. I’ll have to play off-tank if we get a full spawn. Have to make sure nothing gets to Claudia.

“Don’t do anything till I tell you to,” warned Iris. “And when I start losing some health, use that Regeneration thing. It should help keep my health up but add only a little hate for you.”

“Yes, of course,” Claudia said, drifting closer towards Nick. He hadn’t noticed it at first but she’d developed a habit ending up pressed to his side. Her shoulder against him in some way and sometimes even her leg.

She was being as brave as she could, but she was still clearly concerned.

Nick couldn’t help but admire her. She was growing as an adult right before his eyes.

“Think any second now,” Iris murmured after a minute or two had passed.

Slowly, shapes began to ooze up from the ground itself. A strange slime like substance that slowly began to take form.

A humanoid form. Quite a few shapes were making themselves known.

Taking a moment, Nick counted what he could see and saw that there was five monsters spawning. Growing from the very dungeon itself to become goblins in the physical world.

“Five,” Iris said aloud at the same time Nick had confirmed his own count. “Be ready. I’ll gather them up.”

Nick levered his poleaxe down from his shoulder and then moved closer to Iris’ side. He needed to be there for her in case she needed him to peel or tank something.

Not to mention his left side was always a little awkward for him given his choice of weapon. Having Iris there eliminated some of that difficulty for him.

The blobs had become green in color and were about to finalize their spawn. Nick stood ready, his eyes moving from shape to shape.

Then the goblins were alive and no longer forming. At the exact second they became sentient, Iris slapped out with her shield at one, while pointing her sword at the others.

She let loose a low bellow that sounded a lot more like a groan or a grunt. It reminded him of something but he couldn’t quite place it.

All five goblins had already turned to face her and were quickly moving in on her.

The one she shield-slammed should be a fair target. Right?

“I suppose, but she said to—”

Nick used Advance to move around Iris’ side. Negating the benefits he’d gotten from his original placement. Lining up on the goblin she’d blasted her shield up against, Nick lined up his poleaxe then used Lunge.

The spike of his poleaxe caught the stunned goblin in the shoulder. Nick had been aiming for the creatures lungs and heart but had fouled up the attack.

Slapping into the green monster it drove it backward, but then it moved forward again.

It didn’t seem to like what Nick had done, but didn’t seem that interested in him either. Instead it tried to move away from Nick but still press in on Iris.

At this point Iris had shifted her footing to bring herself in line with the other four. Nick got the clue and moved to re-engage the one that was pulling away from him.

Dropping the front of his poleaxe down and to his side, he then brought it up in an curved swing. The axe blade leading the way.

With a wet slap it pounded into the goblin’s ribs and slammed it into the group of goblins. Sending one sprawling to the ground with it as it collapsed.

A second later and a Holybolt spell ran the gap between the green arms and legs and obliterated the goblin’s head Nick had been focusing on.

Wow.

Glancing over his shoulder he saw Claudia between himself and Iris though further back. She’d managed to take that shot between himself, Iris, all the goblins, and still thread the strike perfectly.

Her eyes were wide and flickering back and forth as if she were checking targets. All the while she was gnawing at her lower lip.

In that moment, Nick was struck by the fact that Claudia was actually incredibly pretty. If she became formidable as an adventurer, as well as intelligent, and beautiful, she would become quite dangerous in the long run.

Am I making my own worst enemy?

Claudia’s eyes slipped sideways and caught his own. She gave him a strange almost dopey smile before looking away again.

“Given how she loves you, I think you’re creating an ally at this point, Sire,” murmured Lucian.

Nick threw himself back into the fight.

Though it became somewhat of a blur. Lunging out, Slashing, and generally just taking any opportunity to attack. There wasn’t much thought behind it other than attack, reset, repeat.

Iris’ blade came around in a flashing arc and beheaded the last goblin, sending it’s headless corpse to the ground.

Battle won!

Calculating experience!

“I’ll hide the experience windows for now, Sire,” Lucian offered. “The gains are minimal anyways considering they’re only goblins.”

Thanks.

Nick was actually grateful. He honestly didn’t much like the constant intrusions of the windows. It felt like he was ever battling things that wanted to block his view.

“Good work,” said Iris who gave her sword a swish, sending a spray of blood off to one side.

Nick pulled his poleaxe in close and whipped out a rag. Wiping away the majority of the blood in a habitual way, he glanced to the corpses. He didn’t imagine they’d have much in the way of loot so didn’t bother.

They weren’t here for the meager gains from such things anyways. Their primary goal was prepping and readying Claudia.

“That… wasn’t so bad. Did I screw up at all, Iris? Nick?” asked Claudia.

Looking to the young woman he saw there was a splatter of blood. It went from her waist up across her front and along most of her face.

“It’s not mine,” Claudia said quickly as her eyes met Nick’s. “Iris… Iris got hit really hard by something and I was right behind her. This is all her blood.

“But she’s okay! I healed her right up and everything is fine! Right Iris?”

“Ayup, no problems,” said the large woman, sheathing her sword and looking at her shield critically. “You did good. And yeah, that was a critical strike that slipped past my guard. Not used to this armor yet. Better than what I had but it doesn’t cover the same stuff. Went right in through the collar and caught my throat. Maybe I should go get that chain gorget. That’d cover my throat better.”

Iris turned round and met Nick’s eye, then pulled the visor on her helmet up. Her mouth was tilted to one side with a smirk.

“Was kinda pissed you started before I said go, but you knew what you were doing,” said Iris nodding her head at him. “Good work. We’ll be fine as a team with this so far. Just have to keep working together and figuring one another out.

“Shouldn’t be much of a—”

Iris stopped mid-sentence and turned, looking toward the hallway they’d come in from.

After several seconds Nick heard it too.

The crunch and bump of booted feet headed their way.

Reaching up to her helmet, Iris pulled her visor back into place then drew her sword. Nick realized that she had the right attitude. While attacking other adventurers in city-dungeons was outlawed and prohibited, it didn’t mean people were incapable of doing it.

Leveling his poleaxe Nick eased up to Iris right side then took several steps away from her. Giving her room to work and giving himself some as well.

Only a few seconds passed before the owners of said sounds came into view.

A group of five people armed and armored in a similar way to Nick’s own group.

Eying one another, Iris slowly lifted her blade and then cocked it backward. She angled her shield at the newcomers as well.

Nick lifted the poleaxe slightly and directed the point of it at the person in the lead.

“Nice day, ain’t it?” Nick asked in a friendly and firm tone. “Fraid we’ll be hanging out here for a bit. No need to check this camp for a time.

“Hope your hunting goes well elsewhere and that luck’s on your side. Have a nice day.”

The five people stood there, eying Iris and Nick for several seconds.

“Alright, see ya,” said someone in the back of the group. Then they turned around and left, the other four falling in behind them.

“Was… that about to be something?” Claudia asked in a very soft voice after all five had left.

“Maybe, maybe not,” muttered Iris. “Sometimes they just want your stuff, sometimes rape you, rarely kill you. You have to always be on your guard. Strength is power and we were making sure they knew we wouldn’t be tolerating them being nearby.”

“That said… let’s… make sure we have an exit strategy in case they decide to do something stupid. Yeah?” Nick said and then hooked an egress crystal to his belt. As the party leader all he’d have to do is activate the crystal and they’d be dumped out to the guild head quarters.

One of the reasons people were loathe to engage in hostilities in a dungeon, was escaping it was very easy if one was prepared. A few reports against an adventurer would have them under a very close watch as well as being put on a few lists you didn’t want to be on.

“I didn’t realize,” mumbled Claudia.

“It’s rare,” Iris replied, still staring at the hallway. “Never had anything happen to me personally, or had anyone even try, but I had friends who did. Knew people who did.

“Admittedly people who probably shouldn’t have been in the dungeon to begin with but still.”

“Right, next time I’m bringing Ker,” said Nick. “We could use the little bastard right about now.”

“Ker?” Iris asked.

“My familiar. He’s a fisher. Big one. Nasty little fucker,” said Nick.

“His full name is Fucker,” said Claudia. “Informally, Ker.”

Iris turned her visored head and looked at the two of them, then back ahead.

She said nothing.

***

Claudia practically skipped toward them from the guild entrance. Nick and Iris had tasked her with turning in the quests they’d picked up.

Both of them figured it’d be a good way to give her more experience with guild activities. While on her way back to them, it was obvious she seemed quite excited.

“So… am I off-duty then?” Iris asked before Claudia made it to them.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” said Nick and then groaned. “I’m probably not though. I’m sure she’ll be right back out and hounding me to do something.”

“All done!” Claudia said and let out a whoosh. “Okay! I’m… going to go lay down, poke at my stats, and do some reading. Shall we meet up at the guild tomorrow afternoon? I was told tomorrow morning they wouldn’t be open. There’s a bunch of once a week quests that are on their books to be completed tomorrow morning so the dungeon will be closed for a bit.”

“That works,” Nick said somewhat surprised. He hadn’t expected either Claudia to want to go be by herself, or that the dungeon would be closed.

“Great! Okay, goodnight!” Claudia said, giving Nick a beautiful smile with a handwave, and then running off. Heading back to their inn he imagined.

“Seems you’re off duty, too, then,” Iris said with a chuckle.

“Yeah. Seems so,” he replied. “Think I’m gonna go hit a few bars and see if I can’t find some company.”

“Good idea, think I’ll do that, too,” said Iris. “You’ll probably get lucky faster than me though. Takes a little bit to find someone willing to go at it with a Beast-kin.”

Nick knew that attitudes to Beast-kin weren’t the best in the kingdom, but they were at least tolerable. He knew in other locations it was considerably worse.

Glancing over to Iris his mind went back to seeing her in her city clothes. She hadn’t been bad looking, just muscular and not exactly “womanly”.

Before he could think it through, his brain ejected an idiotic suggestion from his mouth.

“Wanna skip the bar and just go with each other?” he asked.

Iris blinked at him, her helmet held in her armpit. Watching him for several seconds she gave him more than enough time to realize how stupid that sounded.

“If it’s just sex, yeah. So long as there’s no ties or promises,” Iris said, surprising Nick. “That’d be quicker and probably more fun.

“Can’t tell Claudia though. I like her. Her crush on you is cute and I wouldn’t want to ruin that.”

“Uh, right, sure. Sex, no ties,” agreed Nick. This seemed like it would work out perfectly. He didn’t have to risk getting into the bed of a stranger, and Iris seemed as unwilling to harm Claudia as he was. “I’m fully on board with that. That actually sounds great.”

“I’m not so sure I agree with your sentiments, Sire,” murmured Lucian.

“Great, my room then. I get what I want, you get what you want,” Iris said, putting her free hand behind Nick’s back and leading him off.

“Yeah, this works out great for both of us,” Nick said with a laugh.

Iris only nodded her head, saying nothing. Though she did smile.