[WP] As you were driving two black cats cross the road. Don't they negate each other? the driver thought. And so comes the slam.
...
Alright, so you guys understand the plan right?" I asked the question as casually as I could manage, ignoring the racing of my nerves that came with the adrenaline rush of a contract. It was one thing to have circumstances thrown at you in an unpredictable manner- but another entirely to go out and seek them yourself.
"Yes." Two voices replied from the backseat of the hatchback, and a glance in the mirror showed two equally nervous faces.
"Okay, remember: We're only here for the Goblins. Let the maniacs from those other groups deal with the Orcs. Current bounty is fifty copper for three, so if we can nail fifteen of them we'll be breaking about even for the week." I listed the numbers from memory of the crumpled parchment in my pocket. I'd managed to decipher the symbols over the course of a ten minute migraine inducing stretch, but that was better than asking Sola for help; or worse, not being able to read at all. "First Adventuring mission for you Lars, how are you feeling?"
"I've never killed a Goblin before." The young boy named Lars spoke quietly. "They frighten me."
He was a slender thing, body of a farm-hand and the looks to match. Still, the timid appearance was rather deceiving considering he had a tail hidden under his peasant garb, and the capacity to turn into a rather large and hungry wolf on the night of a full-moon.
It was enough to make me wonder if I was truly the only normal person alive in this world.
"Well, don't worry about that Lars. Sola and I will do most of the work, and worse case we can all stand on the trailer and brain them with shovels. That works most of the time." Ignoring the two looks of horror and irritation that earned me, I turned my attention back to the road.
Really, I wasn't even certain how the boy had ended up under our supervision in the first place. Logically it wasn't exactly my fault he wasn't able to find work in another profession, truth be told I wasn't certain what a kid his age could really do for a job, but I doubted Adventuring and Bounty collection was a recommended career choice. Somehow though, every time I happen to be involved with saving someone's life, next thing I knew I was responsible for their continued well-being. Maybe I was too nice.
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First the shovel swinging Dark-Elf, and now a kid. Growing up on the fantasy literature, I would have thought traditional armored soldiers more easy to some by. Just one heavy set man with a big sword could make all the difference in the world. If I could save the life of one of those instead of gathering misfits, I'd probably not complain as often.
I'd long since given up trying to fill that niche myself.
For starters I didn't fit that description, my medium build not nearly impressive enough to carry dramatic burdens of weapon and armor. In fact, I was losing weight at a record pace on the starvation diet to boot. Heavy debt, late nights, stress and lack of regular meals... It was doing a number on me. Even if I managed to get myself a full suit of armor and a big sword, I had my doubts on the effectiveness it would lend me in combat. I'd probably swing once or twice, lop of a single Goblin's head, and promptly fall over exhausted.
As the drive continued, I had to acknowledge that our route was more of a trail than a road, really. What was probably once well laid stone was being overtaken by mud and roots, and the occasional large rock of no true apparent origin. The wheels overtook more bumpy portions of the road, I focused heavily on not driving us into a ditch than on my passengers.
"Should be there in a minute or two. If it's looking nasty, absolute worst case, we can let the other groups make the coin instead." I continued, trying to resolve whatever feeling ill-intent was still glaring at me from the back right seat. "I'm not trying to scare the kid Sola, just being honest. Goblins are-"
I watched as two black cats crossed the road, perfectly in time from their steps to the swishing of their tails. It was a sight to behold, scratching at the back of my thoughts into the superstitious mumbo-jumbo of my grandmother's wisdom. If only I could remember, were two black cats crossing double the bad luck, or did they negate each other?
SLAM
A horrible scream was followed by a thick wooden club doing away with my driver's side mirror as the hatchback thumped once, then twice- followed shortly by the trailer doing the same. I leaned across the seats to check behind us, bearing silent witness to the green corpse limply strewn about the path. I supposed that meant a cancellation on the bad luck.
"Well, that's one Goblin down." I glanced at the broken portion of the driver's side mirror, plastic and metal limply dangling. Possibly fixable with tape, but I was already wondering: If my grandmother were here, would she have pinned the bad luck of a broken mirror on the driver, or the Goblin? I was leaning towards the Goblin, but it was a tough call.
"Look out Jake!"
Sola's warning came directly before another scream. A gurgling voice that pitched and trailed off, ushered brutally beneath the undercarriage of my vehicle- all eyes within catching the horrible scene just in time to watch green hands slip from the hood with sliding groans.
That made two dead Goblins, and that more or less answered my more superstitious line of questioning.
"Fuck it." I said, picking up a shovel and a large rounded shied from the passenger's seat beside me. "Let's get to work.