Druidification

 AN: Just a warning, this chapter starts where this story gets graphic and disturbing. The stories tone will start going into more of a grey area from this point on, as it will flip between happy and sad regularly. I just wanted to give a warning on that for people so they are not surprised. This story was always planned to go a darker direction.

     As she moved towards her work place, the picture of devastation just got more clear. The men that she passed by had claw marks and looked like they were beaten with rocks. Small pools of black blood surrounded them, showing that they took some of the aggressors with them. Enough time had passed though that the bodies of any fallen enemies were gone. What made it all worse was the women she passed by. Clothing torn, claw marks all over their bodies, and startling evidence that they had most likely killed themselves. Whatever had attacked had only wanted to kill the men, and make the women they found live and suffer.

     As Natalie came across more scenes of the carnage, she became more and more sure that it was goblins that had attacked. Enough to completely overrun this town of just over a hundred people. The part that scared her about this is that she saw no goblins at all. Where had they all gone? Were the ones she found in the forest stragglers, or a separate group of them. Seeing that the sun was already starting to fall towards the mountains, she guessed that it must have taken her twice as long to get here as it did to get out to her camp. Considering that she saw the smoke at around sunrise, they could have gone anywhere.

     Nearing her work, Nat started to hear the familiar sounds of the disgusting monsters. Slowly, she moved through the open door, carefully avoiding the shattered glass. As she got up to the break room area, her worst suspicions about the goblins were proven true. Three goblins were all huddled around a prone body, raping the poor woman on the ground. As she got closer, she noticed that the person in question on the ground was none other than Angie. Claw marks covered her arms and legs, making her unable to put as much strength in them. Tears filled her eyes, which now looked devoid of life. She tried to resist but was not doing anywhere near enough to dissuade the goblins. While Nat did not like Angie, this was to cruel to be done to anyone.

     'Kali, I am gonna take care of the two on the left, can you eliminate the one on the right?' Natalie quickly asked, already stalking up to the goblins. All she got was a feeling of affirmation, and that was all she needed. Her left arm started throbbing as she put her strength into a swing into the middle goblin. As the crunch of its skull sounded out, Nat felt Kali leap out of her Soulscape and pounce on the goblin. The final goblin had a look of surprise and anger as it started to get up from Angie's prone figure, but before it could Nat already had the shovel swinging back at it. Another satisfying crunch rang out as she connected with its chin, sending the monster flying into the wall.

     Dropping the shovel, Natalie took a second to grip her forearm, as the pain that was radiating from using it was incredible. After a few seconds, she moved down beside Angie and took her hand. Kali was already standing nearby, vigilant in case any other goblins showed up due to the death cries of their brethren. "Angie, I am here for you. Its gonna be okay now." Angie's eyes focused on Nat's, a small spark of light popping in them. She tried speaking, but her voice was hoarse and weak. Natalie could not make out anything that she was saying. "Sorry, I couldn't hear that. Could you please repeat that?" She asked, moving her head closer to Angie's. The two words she heard however, broke her heart.

     "... Kill...... Me." Angie's voice rasped out, pleading Natalie. The look in her eyes showing that she had given up and did not want to continue living. Not after what she went through. She was clearly distraught and in pain, but this was the most sincere Natalie had ever seen her. Nodding slowly, Natalie took out her knife, and held it above Angie's heart. Her hands were shaking as she held it there, hesitant to end the life of another human being. A person that she knew and worked with. The longer it took, the less she wanted to follow through and more that she wanted to try and help Angie live on. That feeling however was passed on through her eyes.

     While Nat was still trying to make her decision, she did not notice Angie's hands moving. Before she knew, Angie's hands overlapped hers on the knife and pulled down. The edge went smoothly between her ribs and into her heart. As her last act, Angie looked at Nat, smiled, and softly said, "Thank.... You." before breathing her last breath. Her look in death being one of peace. All that Natalie saw in that moment though, was the knife in Angie's chest with her hands around it. Letting go, she fell back on her ass, and cried. Someone she knew, someone she worked with died at her hands. And thanked her for it. What had this world become, when monsters roamed and people killed their neighbours.

     Kali limped over and nuzzled against Natalie. She said nothing, but her presence was all that was needed. Nat turned and hugged onto Kali, sitting there for minutes crying at the loss. Not a word was said between them, as no words were needed. They both felt grief, and those feeling were transmitted back and forth between the two. Getting up, Natalie turned towards Kali, about to say something when Kali just nuzzled against her. The grief was still coming through, but so was a feeling of understanding. Natalie just sent back a feeling of thanks and appreciation as Kali went back into the Soulscape. She picked up her shovel and started to move down the hall, towards the enclosure at the back. Now it was time to check on the wolves that were back there.

Huge thanks to my Elder Wolves Jake, Viktor, and Kevin for supporting me and my writing! Remember that I keep Patreon ten chapters ahead at all times.