TOS - Vol 2, Pt 2, Ch 25

The Overlord Saga

Vol II. Versus

Chapter 25: Project Navi

It was a glorious day in the ravine. Nothing particularly was wrong, despite the fact that the ANF army was hiding in the ravine and was deprived of the luxuries of the Fortress. The Overlord had to admit, she’d gotten used to the idea of living in the middle of the woods, even though she sorely missed her office and swimming pool. There were some perks to the Overlord’s Sanctum, the main one being that living in such close quarters with her Underlings brought about a sense of unity, serenity, peace, and newfound understanding of each other’s needs and personal space.

As such, the Advisor and the Soul-Keeper were bickering upon exiting her tent that morning. The Theurgist, who was drifting along behind the Overlord, couldn’t help but warrant the trivial situation a facepalm. The Overlord glanced irritably at her two council members, hands on her hips and breathing in exasperation. “What happened.” She wasn’t even going to give the statement a question mark, knowing full well a long list of things that could have happened.

“It’s like nothing’s changed...” the Ninja-Lord remarked from where she was sitting in a tree, looking out for DIB soldiers, “Nothing at all.”

“Agreed,” the Theurgist remarked under his breath.

“He keeps being inappropriate!” the Advisor pointed at the Soul-Keeper, angrily anchoring her foot and jutting her hip out in the stereotypical ‘angry woman’ pose. The Overlord fought back a scowl of disapproval, feeling the Theurgist’s annoyance as well.

“Maybe you shouldn’t take things so seriously!” the Soul-Keeper shot back, arms folded into his long sleeves.

“I so don’t have time for this,” the Overlord retorted, stepping between them and shoving each of them back, “Advisor, you’re in that corner, Soul-Keeper, you’re in that corner. WHY CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?” Throwing her hands into the air in exasperation, the Overlord proceeded across the camp, brushing off the odd glares she was receiving from the Underlings and other ANF members.

“What’s gotten into her?” the Animal Tamer whispered, frowning as the Overlord kicked a stick halfway across the campsite. “She seems... Moody...”

“Hasn’t been sleeping, I’d imagine,” Jamie remarked from where she was putting in her hoop earrings, “She was up allllllllll night last night with Elwell, Sensei, and Obstruckshun. I couldn’t hear much, but from what I gather, DIB has a secret weapon that they’re going to implement in the campaign, soon. And we’re not even remotely close to having an army that can match theirs.” She tossed her hair back over her shoulder, brushing it a few times, then glanced at where Sexist was sitting around four yards away, watching her and the Animal Tamer. Blinking a few times, then looking down before back at the Animal Tamer, Jamie continued, “The Navi Project- that’s what it’s called. Em figures it’s some sort of bioweapon.”

“A bioweapon?!” the Animal Tamer exclaimed, eyes wide.

“Firebrand sleeps not, but Navi is merely part of why,” a voice chimed from behind Jamie. She started, then looked over her shoulder at where Maverick was scurrying over, smashing an ill-fated beetle with her cane, “Troubled eyes, troubled mind. The toll of these ventures reaps more than you Soulless realizes. Maverick knows.”

Jamie quirked an eyebrow, exchanging looks with the Animal Tamer before her gaze returned to the Maverick, “Oh?”

Maverick rocked back and forth, laughing to herself as she did, “Aye... Maverick knows all too well. But worry not. Destiny has cast this to be. And so, Maverick sits to wait and see what shall become of Firebrand when this venture ends. The war of ANF against DIB shall be one of bards to sing of, and storytellers to speak of- a war of Fire and Ice.” As Jamie fought back a laugh at the maddened woman, Maverick wandered over to Sexist, who instinctively drew back, watching her carefully. Grimacing as the hermit reached out with a hand and grabbed his hair, Sexist curled his hand into a fist- just as a defense precaution. “And you...” She whispered, leaning forward, dark eyes glittering, “Much you have to do. Much at work is there with you.”

“Why are you touching my hair?” Sexist asked uncomfortably.

“Uhhhh...” the Animal Tamer stammered, watching Maverick as she whispered into Sexist’s ear. Voice low so that Sexist could only hear, Maverick murmured.

“When leaders hath lost grace
And firm foundation begins to unlace
Tread the snowed path
For one must end the bloodbath.”

Pushing the hooded hermit away, Sexist rose from the ground, “What are you doing!?” he snapped, blue eyes narrowed at the woman as she fell to the ground. Catching the bewildered glances from not only Jamie and the Animal Tamer, but the rest of the army, Sexist faltered, shifting his weight on his feet before glaring down at Maverick, “Just leave me alone!” Turning deftly on his heel, he stalked away, down the ravine to be alone, passing a quiet, perhaps even fearful Twin who shied away from him as he stalked by. The entire campsite went completely and utterly silent.

“It’s good to see everyone’s in such a great mood,” the Lieutenant broke the silence. There were a few chuckles, some uncertain and some truly humored. Notably, the Captain spewed soda from his nose at his Lieutenant’s statement, grinning from ear-to-ear.

“Twin, Jamie, Ninja-Lord, Evocator, Soul-Keeper, Captain, McCoy, Fish, Lieutenant, Advisor, and Animal Tamer, come here!” the Overlord cleared her throat, looking at the rest of the army, “We’re taking the offensive in this campaign. I need to put an end to DIB’s bioweapon, that you all have no doubt heard of.” The Overlord drew her katana, testing its blade with her finger, “Project Navi. We find this project. We take it. We either eliminate it, or we sway it to join us. Either way, DIB will no longer have the advantage in this war. I will make sure of that.”

“Excellent!” McCoy called, tipping his hat to the Overlord.

“Scribe, Master of Tazers, Grasshopper, and Belarus! You’re in charge of camp until we return. It shouldn’t be long, I’d imagine!” the Overlord glanced at the four council members left, then shouldered her staff, smirking to herself.

“You’re taking your best fighters?” the Theurgist asked, “Well, minus the Wises and the rest of the ninja team... And... Well, you know, Sexist.”

“Should I bring him?” the Overlord asked quietly, angling her head to where she could see the Theurgist from the corner of her eye. “I still don’t trust him worth a crap, Theurgist.”

“You own his soul.”

“His eyes are weird.”

“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard.”

“My impromptu skills have eloped with my list of excuses and I’m afraid they won’t be back for another week.”

“That’s a shame.”

“Fine...!” the Overlord sighed, pointing at Sexist, “You come too.” ‘A test to see where his loyalties lie. Even as an Underling the first time, he still was able to sneak past my gaze and make dealings with the Nemesis. Tch... Why did I let my guard down?’ the Overlord glanced down at the leaf-covered floor, hand curled into a fist. ‘I hope I’m not screwing up by dragging him along.’ With a wave of her hand, she stalked through the middle of the army, passing Sexist by with little to no emotion in her eyes. She felt his pressing glare on the back of her neck, hardly able to hide a chill as it swept through her.

The Soul-Keeper took the Overlord’s right side as she approached him, dutifully crossing his arms and grinning from beneath his hood. To the Overlord’s left, the Ninja-Lord stood, silver arm glinting in the sunlight. Sweeping her gaze across the army, she caught glimpses of the growing ANF forces, a smile playing about her lips. Her stride faltered only as Maverick could be seen, brooding just beyond where the Smurfs were playing. Dark eyes glittering, the hermit’s stare was impossible to hold. Continuing onward, the Overlord drew her staff from its holder, lifting it high into the sky. In a flash, the group had vanished from view, leaving behind the campsite.

---

“Disgraces.”

The Nemesis spat the word out at his subordinates as they knelt before him, cringing in his presence. Still preserved, the Theurgist’s body wavered in its icy tomb, shielded behind a blanket of aquamarine ice. A hole in the ceiling permitted the Jabberwocky to sit in on the conversation, its long neck stretched to where its head was inside the Fortress. Occasionally, the Nemesis would reach up and stroke its scaly head or toss a bunny from a nearby pin into the monster’s eager jaws. The crimson spray from the victims would spew onto the faces of the other DIB members, warranting a wince or two.

“The Na’vi project is almost complete,” the Rebel Commander reasoned, “We’ve got an adequate amount of cloning material, sir, we can still continue with the construction of the super soldiers...”

“My sources tell me that the Overlord has departed her campsite...” Pharisee stammered as the Nemesis descended from the throne, stepping lightly despite his heavy armor. “We still have this campaign so long as we have the Fortress.”

“No,” the Nemesis retorted, his voice laced with a condescending air, “This campaign is ours so long as we have this.” He held up the scythe, looking its polished blade over. “An amplifier of powers. The mark of the Overlord’s morale. Not this damn Fortress.”

“Where is the Insurgent Leader?” Blondie spoke up quietly, but was merely rewarded with silence from the armored leader.

The Nemesis pulled a rolled up piece of parchment from his belt, glancing it over with a satisfied gleam in his eyes. “Rebel Commander. You will take this letter to the Overlord. It is a formal SVC notification of her dismissal from the council of Super Villains.” He handed the letter to the Rebel Commander, adding, “She’ll be in Hyrule.” Without further instruction, the Nemesis left the room, the large double doors to the courtyard slamming behind him. Glancing at the other DIB members, the Rebel Commander nervously shifted his weight.

“What do you think happened to the Insurgent Leader?” Jester muttered darkly.

“Probably same thing that happened to him,” Pharisee gestured over his shoulder at the Theurgist’s frozen body with his thumb, “If I were you...” The false prophet’s eyes locked onto the Rebel Commander, “... I’d go ahead and give that to the Overlord.”
---


Hyrule Fields were quiet, despite the large amount of non-Hylians that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The Animal Tamer was the first up and ready to go, scouring the rolling hills a few yards away from the rest of the group. The Soul-Keeper was helping people onto their feet, and came around to extend his hand to the Ninja-Lord. Upon grabbing her silver arm and pulling, he was shocked to see the metallic part completely detach itself from the rest of her body, falling away in his hand.

“I er... Oops...” Hastily, he crammed the arm back onto the disgruntled Ninja-Lord’s shoulder, wincing as she yelped in pain. A few feet away, the Apprentice (who had decided to disobey orders and come along for the ride), had drawn a cerulean ocarina from within her robes and was playing a small melody.

McCoy felt strangely out of place with the rest of the Underlings, shouldering his machine gun. He had been absorbed into the Zombie Headhunting Squadron since betraying DIB, but didn’t necessarily mind it. The Captain had been referring to him as the ‘cadet’, which McCoy figured was better than ‘fresh meat’. Overall, he’d been generally well accepted into the Underling Army- well, far better than Sexist had. Despite his new loyalties to the Zombie Headhunting Squadron, he had been sticking close to Fish, who was both quiet and very tolerable. He had promised himself no attachments- just in case the Insurgents got their act back together after all.

“Where to?” the Evocator asked the Overlord, hands on her hips. “There’s nothing around for miles.”

“Not true,” the Twin pointed at a hilltop in the distance. “That looks like a cluster of buildings up there. Look! I see fencing, too. A town?”

“Too small,” Jamie shielded her eyes and looked at the hilltop, “You know, I’ll be happy when I’m back on my boat. All of this walking is annoying.”

“Makes thwarting DIB all the more satisfying, doesn’t it?” the Overlord shot her pirate friend a coy smile. Unfurling a map, the Overlord glanced at a massive field depicted, tilting her head to the side. Ignoring the fact that the Captain and the Lieutenant were playing with a lighter near a particularly odd looking plant, the Overlord’s finger traced the rim of what seemed like a mountain. “We’re looking for Kokiri Forest.”

“That looks like the entrance to a forest,” Sexist pointed at a gap in the rock walls surrounding Hyrule Fields, then traced a small canyon to a cluster of trees to the far east.

“That’s not it,” the Overlord retorted stubbornly, shooting Sexist a testy look.

“Uh, yeah it is,” Sexist folded his arms, but not before gesturing at where the map read, in fine print ‘Kokiri Forest’. Sending the Overlord a smug smile, he watched as she wordlessly began walking away, whistling for the Captain and the Lieutenant to pay attention. The Soul-Keeper jogged after them, wiping his brow.

“The author of this story should’ve given me more summer-friendly attire!” he complained.

“It’s almost like I’m alive again. You’ve got almost the entire freaking council here,” the Theurgist muttered to the Overlord, in chinchilla form on her shoulder. She cast her gaze back at where the Ninja-Lord was adjusting her silver arm, then to where the Evocator was walking alongside the Advisor, though seemed very absent-minded. Sexist was taking up the back with the Soul-Keeper, hands shoved into his pockets.

“The scars that the Nemesis cut are too deep for things to be like how they used to. Even after this is all over, things won’t be the same,” the Overlord argued quietly, “We’ll be lucky if everyone survives the final battle at this rate.”

“Ye of little faith,” the Theurgist remarked.

“BIRD!” the Captain yelled, pointing his bazooka at a circling vulture. “IT’S MINE!”

“Nope!” the Lieutenant aimed his bazooka at the bird, but the Captain was quicker. Pulling the trigger on his bazooka, he was surprised when a portion of his weapon opened to the side, revealing a padded boxing glove that promptly smacked him in the face. The Lieutenant grinned and fired, exploding the vulture with ease, “Told you it was mine.”

“... Maybe you do have a reason to worry, Overlord,” the Theurgist muttered under his breath.

---

Hours had passed before the group had arrived at the edge of a forest, the sun beginning to set. The Twin was urging everyone forward, glancing at the Overlord frantically. Standing with her staff sheathed and her sword in hand, the Overlord carried up the back, forcing Jamie to take up the leading position.

“Why the rush?” the Advisor pressed, hands her hips.

“Just trust me. These plains get nasty when night comes ‘round,” the Overlord pushed the Advisor lightly into the shadows of the trees.

“Like...?” the Advisor scowled, glaring deep into the Overlord’s eyes.

“Y’know. Walking skeletons. Every two steps you take, another one’s coming after you,” the Overlord shrugged carelessly, though couldn’t suppress a grin as the Advisor hurried along into the woods after her younger sister, keeping a protective hand on the Animal Tamer’s shoulder. The Overlord glanced at the Twin, then called, “That’s the last of ‘em!” As the Twin waved back at the Overlord, something began to emerge out of the ground behind the Twin, clawing its way to the surface.

“Get into the forest!” the Theurgist yelled, his claws digging into the Overlord’s shoulder, but merely passing through her skin and clothes. The Overlord charged forward, much to the Twin’s confusion, katana drawn. As the skeletal creature reached back to slash the Twin with a bony hand, the Twin turned around, a piercing scream echoing the skeleton’s garbled roar. Kagi whirling less than an inch over the Twin’s head and striking the skeleton’s neck, the Overlord watched the head as flew away, the glow in its eyes dying away. With a kick, she sent the body away, then grabbed the Twin’s wrist.

“Holy hell...” the Twin breathed, shaking and glancing over the Overlord’s shoulder at where more skeletons were emerging from the ground. “Let’s get inside!”

Entering the forests, the Overlord continued along the path before her, Kagi’s blade pulsating with a fiery light. A few moments later, she almost bumped right into Sexist’s back, stopping abruptly and craning her neck to see what was happening on at the front of the group. “Why are we stopping?” the Twin whispered and the Overlord responded by shoving her way roughly to the front, where the Soul-Keeper, the Evocator, and the Ninja-Lord were talking with a small blonde boy in green.

“And who are you?” the Overlord was not amused by the small person blocking her path.

“I am the Great Mido! I am the leader of the Kokiri!” the blonde boy stared at the Overlord, who didn’t budge. If there was any sign of emotion, it was stifle of a very harsh, bitter laugh.

“I don’t have time for this. Fish, if you will,” the Overlord waved a hand. Fish stepped up and summoned a series of chains to wrap around Mido. As Mido struggled in the air, the Overlord walked by him, hand rested on Kagi’s hilt as she strode through the village. The other villagers- equally as small as their leader- ducked or shied away from the intruders, none of them brave enough to stand against them.

“I want some awesome sunglasses. That would make this moment so much better,” the Soul-Keeper remarked, breaking the silence. The Apprentice had overrode the peaceful, yet upbeat Kokiri Forest theme with a more appropriate ‘Bad to the Bone’, which pulsed loudly with a bass as the group approached a path on the opposite side of the village from where they had left Mido chained. Taking the path away from the treehouses and Kokiri, the Twin and Jamie moved to positions alongside the Overlord, the Lieutenant, McCoy, and the Captain falling into place behind them with guns at the ready.

“Such a primitive little world,” the Overlord remarked, mainly to herself. Not even a second after she’d spoken, a large bulb resembling a venus flytrap had perked its head from the ground. As it opened its mouth to grab the Overlord, McCoy fired a round of bullets, killing it instantly. Moments later, and the bushes thinned out to reveal a massive tree located in the center of a clearing, a comical mouth and eyes carved in its trunk.

“That’s not right,” the Ninja-Lord remarked, arms folded.

“That’s an old spirit,” the Evocator whistled as the tree took notice of them, its nose twitching.

“Thou hast brought chaos unto mine forest,” the tree rumbled, its branches shaking in the wind. The Overlord’s hand never moved from Kagi’s hilt, her green eyes bearing into the eyes of the tree spirit. “And thou art not ashamed nor doest thou bear a heavy conscience.”

“It’s a cover-up for the Nemesis’ secret lab. Something to hinder us,” the Overlord concluded in a relatively level voice. In a flash of red light, she drew Kagi, the heat from the blade radiating before her and the tree. ‘I never was a huge fan talking trees. It’s like a freaking rooted ent,’ the Overlord said to herself, still poised to strike.

“Don’t be hasty,” the Evocator closed her eyes, “Overlord, this is no security program or object constructed by the Nemesis. It’s a spirit! I can sense it!”

‘A spirit? The Nemesis has spirits working for him now? Great... That’s all we need...’ the Overlord thought grimly. She would heed the Evocator’s words... this time. Her coercion talents would not be wasted by her fiery passion for warfare. It was time to regain her status as the master of threats. “We’re here for Navi,” the Overlord continued, “And we will take Navi whether you like it or not. Or this forest burns.”

“Don’t anger him!” the Evocator whispered urgently.

“Thy blade hath the soul of fire. I wish not to see these forests burn... Navi is not worth the lives that would be lost,” the tree conceded. A few moments later, a blue light came flying from the trees, swooping down and floating a few inches from the Overlord’s face. The tree continued, “I present ye with Navi. Care for her greatly, as she shalt not betray ye.”

“This little light is Project Navi?” Jamie snorted with laughter, “Some bioweapon.”

The Overlord promptly grabbed the light in her hands, though was careful not to crush the glowing light. As the Animal Tamer offered a jar she frequently used to capture fireflies, the Overlord smiled and placed the glowing light in the jar. “Watch it carefully,” she warned, “You never know... This thing could be a violent, psychotic monster.”

“... Why do I have to carry it?” the Animal Tamer whined, holding the jar out to the Advisor, who refused to accept it. Dismayed the Animal Tamer hung her head as the group departed from the tree’s meadow.

‘Why do I get the feeling that something is not right...?’ the Overlord thought, casting a puzzled look at the blue light banging angrily against the glass walls of the jar.

TOS - Vol 2, Pt 2, Ch 24

The Overlord Saga

Vol II. Versus

Chapter 24: "Firebrand"

There was a field, though, the Evocator was unsure as to where ‘there’ was. The Overlord was already up and walking when the Evocator had sat up, touching her forehead delicately with a hand. A few paces away was the peak of a hill, tipped with a few wildflowers that danced with the wind. The Overlord, who stood in a pile of particularly bright daisies, brushed a twig of dark brown hair back, staff in hand as she looked out across the rolling hills. The Evocator joined her, hands on her hips as she looked at the speck in the distance.

“That our guy?” she asked, glancing at the Overlord, who merely smiled and nodded before putting her staff away. The Evocator’s brow furrowed as she shielded her eyes from the sun, watching the horseback rider as it came closer into view, “Holy crap, that horse is HUGE!”

“Yep,” the Overlord nodded, “Just like in the legends.”

“Legends?” the Evocator inquired lightly, but the thundering of hooves distracted the Overlord from answering. A turn of the head and the massive red horse was galloping straight for them, its armored rider brandishing what looked like two lances wielded together to form an X. Two massive crimson plumes trailed after the rider, the feathers attached to his helmet. As the huge horse leapt over both the Overlord and the Evocator, a deep, echoing war cry could be heard.

The horse landed a few few away and turned deftly, its rider leaping from its back. “And where do you maggots think you’re going?” The rider’s voice was deep and threatening, almost as intimidating as his height. Towering over the Overlord, he was probably ranging at almost seven foot in height, glaring down at the dark-haired girl without a speck of warmth. Returning the cold glare, the Overlord fought the urge to grab her staff, but instead flashed him a smile.

“We’re but humble travelers,” the Overlord knew that she was losing awesome points for using such a cliche phrase. The Evocator was clearly biting back a snort of amusement at the Overlord’s feint amity.

“Travelers that trespass in other people’s lands?” the rider demanded, his stature very barbaric. The Overlord cringed inwardly, mind thinking at an insane pace.

“You’re right. It’s wrong of us, and we apologize. We have not been truthful. We’re magicians,” the Overlord shrugged, glancing at the Evocator from the corner of her eye, “And we’d be happy to perform for a powerful warrior such as yourself.”

“Magic?” the rider remarked, “I am the fearsome Lu Bu! Magic does not enthrall me, you little worms!”

“Oh, he’s a lovely chap,” the Theurgist remarked. The Overlord immediately moved to elbow where the Theurgist was standing behind her, but her elbow merely passed through him. Disgruntled, the Theurgist remarked, “Missed.”

The Evocator snapped her fingers together suddenly, sparks flying through the air. As they shimmered around Lu Bu’s head, the Overlord watched his expression eagerly. The mighty warrior swatted at the sparkles, his expression unchanging from its typical angry look. The Overlord held up a hand and blew gently over it, a few flames pouring out and spilling forth. Lu Bu startled, brow furrowed as he watched the two “magicians”. The Evocator summoned an Aqua spirit, watching as it danced around the entranced Lu Bu as a see-through, light blue doe before turning into a fish that swam through the air. The Overlord contributed by adding a secondary flame that turned green in the palm of her hand.

“So you can do tricks,” Lu Bu stated, a smug gleam in his eyes, “You two are both clad as warriors. So tell me you can fight like one.”

“You’re a rather belligerent guy, aren’t you?” the Overlord glanced at the Evocator, nodding ever so slightly. It was time for a new plan. ‘I should’ve known... This guy was definitely not known for his negotiation skills,’ the Overlord thought grimly, though did not draw her staff even as the Chinese warrior dropped into his battle stance. “No matter...” the Overlord’s voice was calm, and matter-of-fact, “You will bow to me eventually.”

“Bow to you? The Great Lu Bu bows to no one!” Lu Bu roared angrily.

“Oh, but you will bow to me. I am the Overlord,” the Overlord replied, standing fearless as the Chinese warrior charged at her. The Evocator hopped back, closing her eyes, “Seraph, Invoke!” the Evocator yelled and a flash of blinding light filled the area. Lu Bu continued charging, his dual lances spinning over his head. The Overlord’s eyes remained open even as the Evocator’s summon took to the fray, a white-armored maiden wielding a golden bow. As her blonde hair whipped around in the gale, two massive eagle wings sprouted from her back, beating heavily. Drawing a pure golden arrow, she notched it to her bow, aimed, then fired, striking the enemy with relative ease. As the arrow pierced through his armor, it vanished, leaving behind a mere blur where it had been previously.

Lu Bu fell to the ground, though rolled and got back up again, still holding onto his weapon as he did so. The Overlord had back-flipped and had cast a fire ring around the battlefield, grinning sinisterly as she did so. Lu Bu threw the two spears, watching as they spun like some deadly boomerang at the Overlord. She crouched down, then leapt into the air, catching the middle of the X that the two lances formed, a red glow lightly radiating from the weapon as it cycled back at its owner. Lu Bu ducked to the side with shocking speed, grabbing the weapon and dodging another one of the golden arrows at the same time. The Chinese warrior’s other hand grabbed one of the spears, dislodging them from each other. Swiping at the Overlord with both spears, he found that she was too fast for him to hit, ducking and dodging under each blow. She flashed her opponent a smile before jumping at him, grabbing the dual plumes on his helmet and yanking them back cheekily as the Evocator sent light magic square into the warrior’s chest.

Sending the warrior down to the ground, the spells dented his breastplate considerably. “Infusion!” the Evocator called and the Seraph spirit flew at her, wings enveloping her. The Overlord tossed her head back and laughed as Lu Bu tossed the crossed blades at the Evocator, an orb of swirling crimson flames forming between both of her palms. A set of shimmering wings unfurled from the Evocator’s back, shielding her from the blow. The Overlord spread her hands apart further, the orb expanding to form a pillar, then finally exploding. Lu Bu was sent flying back, staring up at the sky, dazed.

The Overlord glanced down at her hands, catching sight of blood. “Did he hit you?” the Theurgist’s voice inquired, edged with anxiety. Shrugging the question off, the Overlord wiped her hands on the grass next to her, wincing as she looked at the small cracks that had formed in her palms. Tucking her hands into her pockets, she walked over to the stunned Lu Bu, leaning over him.

“What do you want from me?” Lu Bu asked, breathless for the first time in his life.

“Fight for me. Kill for me. It’s a dance you know quite well...” the Overlord replied, voice laced with a sinister tone. “... My friend.”

---

The Insurgent Leader was many things, but above all, he was cold. Having been wandering the woods for days, he was freezing, starving, and he was hearing voices. They whispered as the wind raged, creaking against the bare branches and casting odd shadows over the lost Insurgent Leader as he staggered in the snow. It fell up to his knees, which, he assumed, meant that it probably didn't even come past the Overlord's shin. But still, the Insurgent Leader plowed onward through the snow, Muramasa laying somewhere on the other side of the wardrobe he'd been cast into. Weaponless, his paranoia had driven him to the edge, each stir of bushes an unseen enemy. And this unseen enemy was later dubbed as Bob by the Insurgent Leader.

Bob could be anything, the Insurgent Leader reasoned, such as a drifting snowflake, or a cloud, or a lamp post. But there was definitely a sinister aura about Bob. No- Bob's mien was typically gleeful and cheery, the Insurgent Leader figured, so that Bob could therefore lure him in to play catch with missiles- and we all know that playing catch with missiles is simply a bad idea.

And then the Insurgent Leader became very much aware of how insane he had become.

Glancing down at where the snow caked his boots, the Insurgent Leader drew his cape in around him, huddled under the dead canopy. His teeth chattering, he cast a wary glance to each side of the snow-covered path, catching a glimpse of something moving in the bushes to his left. Dropping in a fighting position, the Insurgent Leader’s heart began thumping harder, the mark on the back of his hand glowing in the dim sunlight. His eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, the Insurgent Leader gritted his teeth, shots of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He trembled, twitched, a maddened glint in his dark eyes as his curled fist drew back as the entity approached, slithering through the bushes sneakily.

The leaves and branches parted to reveal a bushy head, topped with goat horns. Appearing as some sort of hairy man, the creature stepped from the shadows, his lower half resembling that of a goat. “Son of Adam?” the goat-man asked, quirking an eyebrow. His tail twitched, though not so much as the Insurgent Leader’s eye.

There was one word uttered, one single word whispered under his breath before he made a run for it. And that word was, “Bob.” Watching the deranged Insurgent Leader sprint away with much difficulty in the snow, the goat-man merely tucked his scarf further around his neck, nose twitching in amusement as the Insurgent Leader let out a horrified cry.

---

The Ninja-Lord knew that they were close to the Overlord’s Sanctum when the trees began looking familiar. Sliding down a slope and nimbly hopping into a tree, she was a few yards ahead of the Maverick, who was much slower due to her elaborate cloak. Glancing back and down at where the hermit was making her way through the thick branches, the Ninja-Lord couldn’t help but grin at the difficulty that her rescuer was going through.

“Almost there!” she called, swinging from a branch and landing in another tree. “I think I see the campfires up ahead!”

“About time,” Maverick mumbled under her breath, leaning heavily on a gnarled piece of wood that she’d been using to support herself. The Ninja-Lord hit the ground running, using her katana to cut a path for the Maverick. A quiet “thanks” could be heard under the hermit’s breath as she staggered on, clearly not used to walking so much. The Ninja-Lord did not wish to wait for her rescuer, but knew she had no choice- she didn’t want to risk angering the maddened woman.

What seemed like ages later, the Ninja-Lord broke through the veil of trees, standing on the ridge of the ravine and looking down at the campsite. Already, she could see the Advisor attempting to cook something, though had caught it on fire and was attempting to blow it out with a gust of wind, which only enraged the flames. Sexist, much to the Ninja-Lord’s surprise, was the one to put the fire out, summoning an orb of water over the burning plate. A large T-rex was scratching itself with a hind leg, mimicking Nard. Elwell somehow had gotten a TV to work (though, no one was quite sure how), and a group of Underlings had crowded around her and were watching one of the many episodes of Glee. McCoy was polishing his machine gun in the corner, whistling and tapping his foot rather casually. Overall, the Ninja-Lord was baffled.

“I’ve missed a lot,” the Ninja-Lord decided aloud before sliding down the side of the ravine, sending a shower of leaves onto where the Sabotage Team was sitting in a circle playing Go Fish. Immediately, everyone looked up, completely bewildered by the Ninja-Lord’s appearance.

“Whoa... Wait...” the Soul-Keeper stammered, pointing at the Ninja-Lord. “Wait... Wait, just wait a second...”

“Ninja-Lord?” the Animal Tamer’s eyes grew wide in shock, “Is it...?”

“Hey guys...” the Ninja-Lord said awkwardly, waving a hand.

“You’re... Alive?” the Advisor gasped, dropping whatever burnt food she was cooking and taking a slow step toward the Ninja-Lord. “But... But how? You were dead...”

“Is it bad that I’m alive?” the Ninja-Lord frowned, bracing herself as the Ninja Squadron rushed towards her. Kunoichi flung her arms around the Ninja-Lord, embracing her as Llama approached as well. Shinobi combined nearly knocked the Ninja-Lord off of her feet, causing her to stagger back into where Maverick had finally managed to get down the slope. The Animal Tamer joined in the group hug, followed by the Soul-Keeper.

“N-no, it’s just...” the Advisor was staring at the Ninja-Lord’s arm, speechless, “We all thought... We all thought you’d died!”

“They found your arm...” the Scribe explained, glancing up from his laptop, “It was quite the mess.”

“And... What did you guys think happened to the rest of my body?” the Ninja-Lord asked with a frown.

“Er... We thought the Insurgent Leader must’ve eaten it?” the Soul-Keeper asked, letting go of the Ninja-Lord as the Lieutenant and the Captain both ran over. Ducking out of the way, the Soul-Keeper laughed as the two picked the Ninja-Lord up, hoisting her onto their shoulders.

“Where’s the Overlord?” the Ninja-Lord asked, “There is a lot I need to tell her.”

“Yes. The Firebrand. Where has she disappeared to this time?” Maverick whispered, casting her dark eyes across the quieted-down site. She leaned against her staff, tutting softly as she swept her gaze about the ravine. “Maverick does not see her old friend or roses. And this troubles Maverick.”

“Maverick...?” the Soul-Keeper quirked an eyebrow, staring at the hooded woman while tilting his head to the side, “Who...?”

“I... have a lot of explaining to do, I guess. But, first, I’m hungry. So... Let’s fix that problem first,” the Ninja-Lord nodded, then pointed at Sexist, “Why is he here again?”

“Eh-hehehe.... A lot’s happened in your absence, O Ninja-Lord,” the Animal Tamer remarked, “And it’ll take awhile to explain it all. So... I say food first, explanations later!”

“Eh, sounds good to me,” the Soul-Keeper nodded in agreement.

---


The Theurgist was nagging the Overlord, and had continued to do so even after receiving word that the Ninja-Lord was alive. Stalking insistently behind the Overlord, the transparent spirit muttered, “Let me see your hand. What did you do to yourself? Are you okay? Why are you not telling me something?” Throwing the occasional elbow or two in the Theurgist’s direction, the Overlord pushed her way out of her tent, glancing around the nighttime for the Ninja-Lord. As she approached the massive campfire that the Sabotage Team had created, she caught a glimpse of her friend sitting next to Jamie and the Twin, a thousand different emotions raging through her mind. She felt relieved, but the fear of losing the Ninja-Lord still plagued her, though she hated to admit it. ‘I’ve turned into such a softy’, the Overlord thought bitterly. Stepping toward the light of the fire, she tilted her head and watched the Ninja-Lord silently.

After a few moments, the Ninja-Lord caught the Overlord’s eye, a smile playing about her lips as she rose from the ground. As the two approached each other, the Overlord felt a stinging tear in her eye, though tried to brush it aside. She wrapped her arms around the Ninja-Lord, holding her tight for a moment before letting go, whispering, “Don’t ever do that again.”

“What? Scare you like that?” the Ninja-Lord grinned from ear-to-ear.

“Yes...” the Overlord replied shortly, a half-smile lighting her features.

“Um, hello, YOU’re scaring me over here, Overlord...” the Theurgist waved his hands about, but met only a cold shoulder.

“I think it looks sort of badass,” the Ninja-Lord held up her arm, letting the Overlord take a gander at its shining form. The Overlord touched it gently, wincing as she did so.

“That must’ve hurt,” the Overlord remarked, looking into the Ninja-Lord’s eyes, “We’ll make him pay.”

“Aye,” the Ninja-Lord nodded, “So we will.”

The Overlord nodded to the Ninja-Lord, but froze, her eyes widening as she stared at the figure on the far side of the firelight. “No...” she murmured, hand straying to Kagi, which hung at her side. As she took a small step forward, the figure greeted her with a simple nod of the head. “... Maverick,” the Overlord’s chin lowered to glare at the hooded woman meaningfully, lip curling in a smile. The hermit moved around the fire with surprising grace, staff in one hand.

“And so the Firebrand’s path crosses once more with Maverick’s,” the Maverick cackled, “Maverick hears you have made a name for yourself. And she wishes to join your faction and lend her abilities.”

“Firebrand would be most pleased to have Maverick in her faction,” the Overlord inclined her head respectfully, “I know you can help us... I’ve seen you fight before. And it’s quite..... Fearsome. Fearsome enough to aid us in fighting DIB, I’m sure.”

“Maverick wants roses. Lots of roses,” Maverick added sharply, her free hand clasping her hip bone stubbornly.

“Firebrand will fetch Maverick many roses,” the Overlord smirked, holding out her hand, “I promise.”

Maverick giggled gleefully, “Good, good!” She clapped her hands together, then grabbed the Overlord’s hand, squeezing it tightly. Leaning forward, Maverick’s eyes glittered in the torchlight. Unsure, the Overlord tried to pull out of the Maverick’s grasp, but did so discreetly. However, the hermit’s grip was like iron, and the Overlord felt her heart begin to thump faster. Was this a trick? The Overlord’s hand rested on Kagi’s hilt, just in case. ‘This woman was always unpredictable... She better not be working for DIB!’, the Overlord thought in a slight panic. The Maverick’s free hand clasped the Overlord’s collar tightly. Pulling the Overlord closer so that she could whisper into her ear, the Maverick grinned toothily, “Maverick knows what even careful eyes do not see... For she has seen it, your secret. Your sin.”

Fear rising in her veins, the Overlord’s eyes darted to where Sexist was watching the two at the very edge of the fire’s light, partially concealed by shadows. The Overlord watched his eyes, as they stared at her, they seemed to glow against the darkened backdrop of the ravine. His arms folded, he brooded silently, pale eyes unblinking. She shuddered involuntarily, reminded of the Nemesis’ cold, malicious eyes. Maverick’s voice dropped even further, “Inconcessus ars.”

Jerking away, the Overlord dusted herself off, adjusting the new set of gloves that shielded her hands. In silence, the Overlord turned on her heel and merely departed back for her tent, casting a wary look over her shoulder at Maverick. The hermit cackled, then added under her breath, “Reckless as ever. You have not changed...”