The Overlord Saga
Vol II. Versus
Chapter 16: 24.... Minutes
"I do very much like burritos," the Soul-Keeper was munching on a burrito as the group walked the streets of a small Mexico town. He reached over and poked a few maracas hanging from a street vendor, giggling as they rattled against each other. The Overlord led the way down the dirty road, carefully avoiding a lump of burro poop in the middle of the road. The Evocator and Jamie trailed after her, the Evocator careful to avoid bumping into any of the locals. Fish was behind the front three girls, feeling incredibly awkward as he walked next to the Apprentice, who was just in front of the Twin and Centurion Ifill. The marketplace, as that was where the group had landed, was very crowded and packed full of customers. The Overlord brushed a beggar woman out of her way, nonchalantly walking past a group of starving kids. She wasn't one to pity them- she still had to maintain her title as a SVC member... Even in exile of her own home.
The Witch had taken the time to equip everyone in what was apparently 'normal' clothes. Jamie was in a nice gray dress and some red heels (much to the pleasure of some of the male locals.... ew). The Soul-Keeper had chosen to keep his mask, but wore a regular black shirt and jeans. The Apprentice had her hair pulled back as usual, with a black T-shirt and jeans, matching her mentor. Fish was in a T-shirt with some sort of intellectual joke that was far too great for even the Overlord's brain to comprehend and some dark blue jeans. The Evocator was in a pink and white shirt, light blue shorts, and had a white hat on. The Twin had, as per usual, chosen an array of neon colors (namely an orange shirt with a gray plaid shirt over) to wear (with matching sunglasses)- the Overlord referred to her lovingly as the 'walking highlighter'. Centurion Ifill had a more casual looking black shirt with a gray plaid shirt over- matching her sister. The Overlord was sporting a long, flowing vest over a flowery tank top with a pair of torn looking blue jean shorts. Overall, the Overlord had to admit, the "Earthling" clothes were quite comfortable... Albeit, she never thought she'd be showing so much skin...
"Soul-Keeper, do you even know what's in that?" the Evocator asked, raising her eyebrows.
"The lady said something about a 'la iguana'. What's that anyways?" the Soul-Keeper asked before shoveling a large bite into his mouth. The Evocator stared at him, cringing as she did. As the Soul-Keeper finished his burrito, the Overlord handed a map to Jamie.
"You're a pirate. You're better with maps than I am. Look for Chihuahua Road."
Jamie took the map into her hands rather confidently, unfolding it and, with a flick of her wrist, unraveled it all the way, "This map... Is a very good map." She nodded, pointing at the compass. "See? It's even got a compass." She began reading the map, "Chihuahua Road? That's so racist."
"I think it's by Taco Square," Fish said quietly.
"TACO Square? Are you kidding me?" the Soul-Keeper laughed.
"Why am I here again?" the Apprentice piped up.
" 'Cause I want some good background music. And I gave you karaoke powers," the Overlord replied rather carelessly, "So, Apprentice, gimme a decent 'search' beat. Something that defines the moment."
The Apprentice nodded and tapped her staff against the ground. Blaring from invisible speakers, the song "One Way or Another" by Blondie began to play, surrounding only the group of Underlings and their Overlord. The Overlord nodded her head in approval, then continued walking. "Keep your eyes peeled," the Overlord added, "Odds are that Mr. Bauer knows we're here already..."
"What does he look like again?" Centurion Ifill asked, hand on her sword's hilt.
"Think Kiefer Sutherland," the Overlord responded.
"Oh, like the guy on the roof up there?" Centurion Ifill pointed up at an old warehouse. As the Overlord glanced up, she saw a figure disappear back onto the roof, confirming her suspicions. 'He's been watching us all along... Good,' the Overlord smirked, then snapped her fingers.
"Apprentice and Centurion Ifill, I want you to take the fire escape up to the roof. You'll play distraction. He'll try to move to another location... Fish, I want you to take up a position in the adjacent building to the north. Twin, stay out here and watch to see if he switches buildings. Send a flaming arrow if he moves north, lightning if south. Two arrows if it's east, and one normal one if it's west," the Overlord explained calmly and carefully.
"That's too much to remember!" the Twin exclaimed.
The Overlord ignored her and continued, "Evocator, Soul-Keeper, and Jamie come with me! We're going to pursue the target." She threw everyone random walkie-talkies (no one bothered to ask how she managed to purchase them or where she even bought them), then began toward the warehouse's front door. As she pulled on a garage door, she found that it was locked and unbudging.
"Dang it!" the Evocator sighed, "We'll have to find another way in!"
"Lemme see that!" Jamie grabbed the handle and suddenly threw it upwards. The Overlord frowned, then glanced at the Evocator, then back at Jamie.
"How did you do that?"
"Same way I'm able to store an infinite stash of daggers on my person at all times!"
"In other words... Don't ask... Got it..."
The Overlord walked into the warehouse, drawing her staff. The Evocator glanced down at the weapon curiously, then asked, "So... you really plan on using that to take out DIB?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" the Overlord remarked.
"Because it's so... weird," the Evocator frowned, "Where did it come from? What if it leaves one day? Who made it? It's not an ordinary stick..."
"Better this than no weapon. Remember Krystal? She didn't have a weapon and y'know what happened? She got trapped in a crystal. Sucked to be her," the Overlord retorted, then thought, '... Would I get trapped in an Overlord...? That's a very strange thought...' She glanced upward at where someone was walking on the second level of the warehouse. The ceiling was open, revealing a walkway several feet above their heads. The Overlord stepped out into the clear, open middle of the warehouse, glancing up at the man in solid black. She wasn't surprised to see that he was holding a gun, the barrel pointed directly at her.
"Who are you?" the man yelled. When the Overlord merely lifted her hands, the man yelled, "YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS BEFORE I BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF! WHO ARE YOU?"
"I am... the Overlord," the Overlord said simply. She looked back and saw that the Soul-Keeper was preparing to send a lightning bolt at Jack Bauer.
"Is that some sort of codename? DO YOU THINK YOU'RE FUNNY, LITTLE GIRL?" Jack Bauer demanded, "I WILL SHOOT YOU IN FIVE SECONDS IF YOU DON'T TELL ME-" The spell was cast, hitting Jack in the chest. The Overlord crouched down and closed her eyes, altering her own gravitational pull. As she leapt into the air, she grabbed onto the railing of the walkway, hoisting herself up and swinging over. Her feet slammed into Jack as he tried to rise once more, staff spinning over her head. He rolled over, firing a few bullets at him.
"Annnnd there she goes, doing that Overlord thing. I can't even get UP there!" Jamie pouted, folding her arms.
The Evocator patted Jamie on the back, then sighed, "I guess I could figure something out... Let's see..." She closed her eyes and hopped a few steps forward, palms ablaze a golden color. A shining beam rested on the door to the roof, where the summoned spirit began to materialize- a large, armored soldier with a massive spear, "Conjure! War spirit! Lugh!" The armored warrior barred the way back onto the rooftop. The Overlord grinned and began pushing Jack back towards where the large spirit was looming as some sort of shield. As she ducked and sent a fireball at the ex-government agent, the Overlord caught the glimpse of a silvery-blue shape on her shoulder. Glancing at where there was a hawk flapping its transparent wings, talons gripping through her shoulder, the Overlord muttered, "Alexi? What are you-"
"Here to help. As always," the voice seemed to be radiating from the hawk. That was when the Overlord decided she needed some serious counseling.
Jack Bauer sent an array of bullets at the Overlord, who dropped to the ground immediately. As he ran forward to kick her, a chain shot out of the earth, tripping him. Fish stood on the other side of Lugh, who vanished as soon as Fish approached. Twisting his arm around, Fish directed the chain to pin Bauer against the floor of the warehouse. The Overlord reached down and grabbed the gold wisp that was forming around Jack's chest. With a mighty heave, she ripped the soul from him, listening to the agonizing scream that followed.
"Whaaat? Did I miss it?" the Twin asked, running up to Fish. "Dangit!"
"Sorry, Ifill..." the Overlord apologized, placing the soul into a jar, "Well, Fish, grab 'em and let's go. Jamie, how long did that take?"
"24 minutes," Jamie shrugged, "Why?"
"Ooh! We have time to go to Sonic!" the Overlord clapped her hands cheerily, "Let's go. I'll pay."
---
The Ninja-Lord had not yet gone to Earth to fulfill her mission. Knowing full well that she was disobeying the Overlord by returning to the Between, she had promised herself that this mission would be worth it in the end. Kunoichi had originally protested at making a pit stop in the Nemesis' territory, but no one was voicing their objections now. The Ninja-Lord presumed this was only due to their fear at being so close to the place where the enemy was. She understood their fear... After what had happened to the Theurgist, it was hard not to fear the Dark Ice Brotherhood. But perhaps this mission would let them forget their fears?
"Ninja-Lord! There's something over here!" Shinobi warned, crawling among the rocks to the far east. She had been so focused on staring at the mutilated Fortress, that she hadn't bothered to even glance around to see if things were prowling the plateaus. The Ninja-Lord joined Shinobi on the northern side of the plateau, the wind whipping through her recently dyed hair. She narrowed her eyes as she watched the trail of Insurgents march toward the horizon, armed and prepared for war.
"Oh my..." Llama stammered, "Where are they heading?"
"Fort Effort is the only place that direction," Kunoichi glanced at the Ninja-Lord, "The Twin isn't there!"
"We have to warn them of the attack," Shinobi muttered, "They'll get KILLED otherwise."
"You saw who's leading them," Llama whispered to the Ninja-Lord, katana in hand, "It's the Insurgent Leader." The Ninja-Lord stood there for a moment, a numbing feeling crawling through her limbs. For some reason, the thought of dueling her leader's rival felt so wrong to her. But if it saved Fort Effort, then wasn't it worth it? She glanced at Llama, then nodded.
"Ninjas... Move to attack."
---
Jester paced the woods angrily, cutting every so now and then at a nearby tree. He glanced at his forces, a group of ruffians in all black. He tore his gaze away from them, impaling the nearest tree with one of his knives, "This is so stupid. I can't believe we can't attack them. Most of their forces are gone!"
"Whoa, anger management..." Pharisee remarked as he walked over, struggling to hide the fact that he was limping, "Jester! So good to see you..."
"What do you want?" Jester huffed moodily.
"What are you sitting around here for?" Pharisee asked, "Isn't that an entirely empty camp beneath you?" He leaned against his staff, cleverly smiling at Jester.
"They've got that Advisor and her little sister in charge of camp for now," Jester scowled, "Who knows when that stupid, fake 'Overlord' will be back... Since you and that dumb blonde can't even catch her. What's the big deal? She's just some stupid little girl with an ego problem."
"Calm down," Pharisee chortled, "And listen." He put an arm around Jester, then began explaining, "The Nemesis stuck you up here because you're too freaking angry all the time. He thinks you're a liability... You can't be trusted." As Jester's eyes narrowed in irritation, Pharisee grinned cunningly, "And you can change that, you know. Any time you want."
"What does he want me to do?" Jester asked, flinging Pharisee's arm aside.
"Those two little girls running camp down there? Kill 'em. It's that simple. Take down some of the Overlord's 'generals' and you'll be guaranteed the next big assignment," Pharisee shrugged, "Maybe you'll even replace that hulking idiot I'm stuck with. We'd make a better team anyways."
"Kill them?" Jester asked, "What good would that do?"
Fighting the urge to call this guy an idiot, Pharisee merely smiled, "You get the camp. You get the supplies. The Overlord once more has no where to turn to. You get the victory, Jester. Not her." When Jester shifted his weight, clearly thinking the situation through. Pharisee clapped Jester on the back.
"Or you could stay here. That works, too," Pharisee nodded, then began walking off, smirking all the while. It was all a part of the plan... Get Jester to take out part of the troops and in a fury, the Overlord would slay him in a heartbeat. Pharisee knew Jester was no match for the Overlord- not even on one of his 'good' fighting days. Once Jester was gone, it was one step closer to success... But getting rid of Eric and the Rebel Commander was more difficult. He rubbed his chin, knowing that if Eric was unable to fulfill his contract with the Nemesis, he'd die. 'And that Rebel Commander could... conveniently... blow himself up...' Pharisee said to himself, fighting back a laugh. 'Oh, this is gonna be good.'
"Wait."
Pharisee stifled a gleeful chuckle.
"I'll do it."
With a sinister smile, Pharisee nodded, "That's precisely what I wanted to hear, Jester."
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