TOS - Vol 3, Part 1, Chapter 6

The Overlord Saga

Vol III. The Armageddon Prophecy

Chapter 6: Fate's Champions

The Overlord used to go to the library frequently to do research, but lately she found herself avoiding it. But upon re-entering the section of the Fortress she'd neglected for so long, she developed an immediate longing to stay. The crimson sky radiated through the large stained glass windows, casting an array of colors on the desks and shelves. The Librarian looked up from her book, then waved amiably at the Overlord, a smile on her face. "I haven't seen you in awhile!" She received a tackle-hug from the Soul-Keeper, then asked, "What are you two looking for this evening?"

"Do you have any saucy romance novels?" the Soul-Keeper asked before the Overlord could speak. The Librarian raised her eyebrows, chose to ignore the hyperactive Soul-Keeper, then turned to look at the Overlord.

"Any books you have regarding the End of the World would be appreciated," the Overlord said firmly, "And I'd prefer it if you kept it quiet we were looking at-"

"OVERLORD!" a unison of voices cut her off and the Overlord whirled around to see a handful of Overlings march through the doors, led by the Advisor. The Captain was looking better, but still seemed to be limping along. The Lieutenant was at his side- no different than before. The Evocator seemed like a dwarf compared to the two muscular troopers, and next to her was the Animal Tamer, cuddling a snow leopard cub with both arms, its hind feet dangling below. The Apprentice was in the back somewhere, a radio on her shoulder with Three Day's Grace's 'Riot' playing softly in the background. The Scribe could be seen as well, documenting everything with a feathered pen and a slab of paper. Belarus was notably absent, after being banned from the library for burning the entire collection of Stephanie Meyer's books. The Grasshopper was also not seen, but this came as no surprise to the Overlord- her apprentice liked to stay out of the Overling council affairs. She looked around for the Ninja-Lord instead, but found her surprisingly missing... Or just sneaking through the bookshelves to cut off an escape.

"You've certainly got some explaining to do!" the Captain jabbed a finger at the Overlord, who merely took his wrist in a pincer-like lock, glaring at the mass that had poured through the doorway.

"Be quiet, this is a library!" the Librarian tried in vain.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Overlord sneered, unable to erase the irritation from her voice.

"So, what? We're just not cool enough for you anymore?" the Lieutenant huffed with a shake of his head. "Rude, Overlord. Very rude."

"When did you plan on telling us that the world was gonna end?" the Evocator asked, her voice neutral.

"I... What," the Overlord blinked.

"The world is gonna end! And you didn't TELL us?" the Advisor declared loudly, her hands on her hips. At the moment, she had an incredibly angered expression- one that reminded the Overlord of a mother scolding her child. That thought only drove the Overlord to take an aggressive step forward, bristling at the Overling council.

"Who told you!?" the Overlord snarled, glaring them all down.

The Animal Tamer was the one to speak up, bouncing to the front alongside her sister, "Well, okay. Here's how it started..." She cleared her throat, "Underling Ke$ha saw the Soul-Keeper talking about it with you, and then he told TCUE, who told Ginger, who told Owl, who told Brainsucker, who told Germany, who told Wilma, who told China, who told Prussia, who told Russia, who told Sexist, who told the Ninja-Lord, who told Kunoichi, who told Belarus, who told me, who told the Advisor, who told the rest of the Overling council." The Overlord stared, blinked, then waited for the Animal Tamer to finish. When it became apparent that her ridiculous response was the correct one, the Overlord merely facepalmed. I've a bunch of gossiping idiots for an army.

"So you caught me. Now the entire army knows," the Overlord held up her hands, "But that changes nothing, that I didn't tell you. If it changes anything, it changes that everyone's going to be panicking now." She huffed a sigh, then added, "Guess it can't be helped now. If you know, you might as well help me fix this."

"And why should we do that?" the Ninja-Lord said from behind the Overlord. Not turning around, the Overlord scowled, her eyes flicking from the Animal Tamer to the left corner of her eye. "What else have you been hiding from us?" the Ninja-Lord asked, resting a hand on her katana's hilt. I knew she'd been acting strangely, the Overlord thought, Has she been spying on us!? Does she know that we're- The Theurgist shared her concern, but did not voice it. Instead, she felt the tremor of his heart, which she realized at the moment was her own heart, and exhaled loudly.

"We just found out today," the Overlord pointed out, "I would've told you eventually, but I didn't want to until I was certain."

"The Rift and a message from the angels isn't enough?" the Ninja-Lord countered.

The Overlord's eyes narrowed, "I still need to look into this. One way or another. You're to resume your duties. All of you. Pretend like nothing is wrong until I make an announcement as to when we're leaving."

"Leaving?" the Advisor asked, eyes wide, "But the Rift is HERE!"

"And if I'm right, the things that can stop the Rift from engulfing our Fortress are all on Earth. Which means we're not staying here," the Overlord declared, looking out at the group of Overlings, "We're taking the fight to the three monsters causing this mischief." She paused- for dramatic effect and because the Soul-Keeper sneezed and she felt it appropriate to tell him "God bless you".

"Three monsters? Do elaborate," the Captain remarked.

"If I must..." the Overlord ran her hands along the spine of a nearby book- the Encyclopedia. She began flipping the pages absent-mindedly, "Three monsters have been unleashed. One is of air, one is of land, and one is of the water. In order to stop the end of the world, we have to destroy all three. But it's a race. We have to do it before they've killed everything. And in order to do that, we'll have to leave. Because they're all on Earth." She opened up the page to a picture of a large boar-like animal, "This one is Behemoth. It's the land one. And the next one is Ziz- that's the air one." She pointed to an eagle on the next page. The next page depicted a large shark, "That's Leviathan. It's the water one." She exhaled loudly, turning the page quickly. Admittingly, she had a phobia of sharks- probably because they were big and had teeth. She'd not even liked the Animal Tamer's T-Rex after awhile, especially after Ginger called it a "land shark". The concept of "land sharks" were terrifying to the Overlord. Almost as terrifying as a giant spider, at least.

"So, we kill these monsters," the Lieutenant said loudly. Everyone turned to look at him, "I mean, okay, let's think about this. Zombie hordes have attacked this Fortress. A freaking Jabberwocky was here last time! And don't forget the Zilant!" There were murmurs of agreement. The Lieutenant shrugged, "So what- three monsters. Big whoop. We faced nearly impossible odds less than a year ago, and... Look where we are now. We beat DIB. We beat the Uberlord. It's not like this'll be any different."

"Wow, you're unusually optimistic," the Captain remarked.

"You know... He's right," the Evocator nodded slowly, stepping up alongside the Overlord, "This won't be any different. There will be long, hard battles. There will be victories... And losses." Everyone in the room grew deathly silent. Pain flashed in the Evocator's eyes for a moment. The Overlord's hand brushed her elbow, but she restrained the Theurgist from doing something stupid (and incredibly awkward). The Evocator continued quietly, "But we've always prevailed. That's just how we are."

"We're not the kind of people to give up easily," the Ninja-Lord said firmly, her teal eyes scouring the crowd, "We never have been."

"This will require massive amounts of preparation. We'll need rations. Weaponry!" the Advisor began, pulling out a feathered pen and a notepad. She began scribbling everything down, "We'll also need transportation! And, possibly, despite the fact that our recruitment rates have skyrocketed this past half-year, there's a chance casualties could be massive in combat against such creatures. We'll need more man-power. More soldiers! And if I'm right, we'll need at least a thousand more Underlings, possibly a few catapults, a ballista or five, twenty more T-rexes, and maybe even a bush baby."

"What's the bush baby for?" the Scribe asked, confused.

"Hey! It's always nice to have a bush baby!" the Captain interjected.

"Bush babies have been known to carry an unexplainable amount of magic. They're sort of like... Power enhancers," the Advisor explained, "I think it has to do with... their eyes."

"I'll need an iTunes gift card," the Apprentice said thoughtfully, "We're gonna need more Skrillex."

"And I'd recommend a boat. Especially if we're going after Leviathan," the Evocator pointed out. "Do you think Jamie would let us borrow hers?"

"Heck, she'd want in on the entire expedition. Which would help us get more troops. I could always contact the Twin as well, and... Maybe even..." the Overlord began, but trailed off, catching a glimpse of the Ninja-Lord's frown at the corner of her eye. She scratched the back of her neck, "Uhhh, let's not get ahead of ourselves! I'll send a message to Jamie and we can start from there!"

“So what are your orders?” the Ninja-Lord asked calmly, resting her hands on her hips.

“Order Pizza Hut.  I want a large Hawaiian pizza, hand-tossed crust, and those cinnamon breadsticks.  WITH the white frosting to go with it,” the Overlord said firmly, then turned on her heel, “I have important business to take up with an old friend. Until I return, the Ninja team should watch the Rift, the Animal Tamer should start finding a bush baby, and... the Zombie Headhunting team needs to continue resting for what’s to come. Evocator, I would like you to research as much as you can about places connected with any existing Ragnorak theories or Armageddon prophecies. Soul-Keeper, you help her and I’ll buy you those handcuffs you wanted.” She didn’t wait for a reply.

So we’re leaving?

Looks like it.

What you plan to do next, Overlord... I’m not sure it will succeed.

Hm. I have to try. It succeeded once before.

Those were very desperate times.

And these aren’t?

You bring up a valid point.

---

The Insurgents’ forest had adjusted to the shorter days, huddled around sporadic campfires that had been built over the old ANF campsite.  Evening had settled in, the crimson skies dulled down with a central strip of overcast, blackened clouds. McCoy was sitting a log conveniently set by the fire, warming his hands.  Mooka sat to his side, near his discarded machine gun, which was in proper need of cleaning.  As light filtered through the branches, he caught sight of a few more Insurgents, returning from the woods to join him.  
 
“Insurgent Leader has Foreigner in his tent,” Canada observed, “I heard she’s going to be a Captain.”
 
“Bow chicka wow-wow,” Tinkerbell retorted, plopping down next to McCoy.  He was dangling a small bag, listening to what sounded like coins as they rattled. Grinning devilishly, Tinkerbell opened the pouch, pouring out a few pieces of gold into his palm.  
 
“Oy... Tinkerbell... Where’d you find that money?” McCoy asked, eyebrows quirked out of interest.  Mooka, immediately drawn to the shiny objects, was seized with a hand. 
 
“A giant spider,” Tinkerbell said firmly.
 
“What?” McCoy asked, blinking a few times.  
 
“You mean... You plucked that off a spider?  How?” Canada shared McCoy’s confusion, reaching out to grab the pouch. Tinkerbell drew away immediately, clutching his gold in paranoia.
 
“I killed him.”
 
“Eh?” Canada asked, head tilted to the side.
 
“... And then I took it from his dead body,” Tinkerbell concluded his brief story with a smile.
 
“And how’d you manage that?” Idico asked, joining the group of Insurgents by the fire.  He sat on the opposite side, his face illuminated by the firelight.  Reaching out with a twig, he poked and prodded at the firewood keeping the flames going, stirring the logs.  
 
“He had it on him!” Tinkerbell insisted.
 
“Don’t be stupid...” Idico retorted snidely.
 
“I’m telling you, it was on him when he died!” Tinkerbell put the gold coins back into the pouch, then pocketed it.  He glanced at the other Insurgents, who all were giving him bizarre glances.  
 
McCoy was the first to speak, being the most reasonable of the Insurgents, “How so? Giant spiders typically don’t have pockets... Or do they?” He stroked his chin thoughtfully, warranting an agreeable noise from Canada, who shrugged in consideration. Idico didn’t look terribly convinced, but merely stated:
 
“I once knew a giant spider...”
 
“It was more like a satchel,” Tinkerbell explained, realizing the more he spoke, the more insane he sounded.
 
“He was a greedy thing...”
 
“A satchel?  Was he gay?” Canada snorted with laughter.  He had, at this point, acquired a carton of root beers from a nearby Insurgent that was passing them around.  He began dispersing them throughout the group gathered by the fire. 
 
“A satchel!  Of course...” McCoy inclined his head understanding, all the while continuing to question Tinkerbell’s sanity.  The more he thought, the more he contemplated, even reminding himself of the Psych Ward that was being open somewhere in the Between.  Cedar Run- or something like that.  All he knew was that it was some form of institution that they were putting magic-infused madmen into.  
 
“His name was Carl...” Idico continued, oblivious.
 
“I didn’t know him long enough to ask him about his sexuality,” Tinkerbell retorted, arms folded, “I mean, it wasn’t like it took long or anything.  Just kind of... Saw ‘em, then killed ‘em...”
 
“Canada, don’t be absurd.  Gay men don’t carry satchels. Indiana Jones had a satchel,” McCoy waved his hand aside, removing his hat and setting it down atop Mooka’s head, sniggering as it enveloped the ferret.  Mooka let out a snippy noise of objection.
 
“Come to think of it...”
 
“What... are you guys talking about?” Agent asked, approaching the group with an odd, yet amused expression on his face.  He snatched a root beer from Canada’s grasp, then swaggered his way into the gathering, settling down next to Idico.  
 
“Ahhh, young Master Agent!” McCoy greeted him warmly.
 
“Carl had a satchel...”
 
“Has Norris reported back?” Agent asked, opening the lid of the root beer, then taking a swig of it.  
 
“Not yet, sir,” Tinkerbell answered for McCoy, drawing his sword and looking it over.  Taking a tattered looking rag, he began to clean the blade.  Much to Agent’s disgust, there was a rather suspicious looking goop on his sword that looked like arachnid guts.  McCoy’s smile faltered, altering into what appeared to be a grimace.  
 
“YOU KILLED CARL!” Idico exclaimed, aghast and staring at Tinkerbell.
 
There was an unexplainable silence, the awkwardness overwhelming the entire campsite.  A few heads turned, staring at the almost deranged Insurgent.  Agent inched away from Idico, casting him a worried gaze.  Continuing with just as much bravado as usual, Agent continued, “Anyways... Norris took Batman out for a scouting mission.  They should have gotten back by now, but-”
 
Idico stood up, pointing at the darkening forest, mouth slightly agape, but moving as though he was trying to say something.  McCoy grabbed his machine gun instinctively with one hand, his hat with the other.  Tossing his hat atop his head, he checked his gun for ammo as Idico declared, “Look!  Over there! Someone’s running at us!”
 
“Insurgents!  To arms!  Intruders in the forest!” Norris shouted, sword in hand as he sprinted into the firelight.  Agent grabbed Norris by the shoulder, stopping him and looking off into the woods, his eyes wide. 
 
“Alert the Insurgent Leader.  McCoy!  Take the gunmen around and circle to cut them off from the Wasteland.  Tinkerbell, take the opposite side and don’t let them near the campsite.  Idico, Canada, Batman!  You’re with me!  We’ll cut him off!” Agent ordered, taking authority at once.  Snatching his handgun, he loaded it with a round and began into the woods.  Idico snatched his assault rifle, Canada his sword, and Batman his handgun.  
 
Agent kept to the shadows, his gun held with two hands.  He peered around a tree trunk, catching brief sight of McCoy on the far end with his machine gun, Mooka’s silhouette visible on the gunman’s shoulder. As he moved stealthily through the trees, the intruder came into view, cloaked and unrecognizable from a distance.  However, as the stranger- apparently a woman- stopped her trek through the woods and drew her scythe, Agent realized who they were dealing with.  Instantaneously, McCoy came from the shadows behind her, gun barrel pointed at her.  To her other side, Tinkerbell stepped forward, lance held in both hands defensively.  The Insurgents circled around her slowly, but she didn’t make a move to strike.  Agent made himself known by stepping into the dim twilight.
 
“It’s the Overlord...” he heard Idico hiss under his breath.
 
“We should check our surroundings.  Her army might be here,” Canada advised, glancing over his shoulder in paranoia.  
 
“Don’t worry,” the Overlord lowered her hood, bangs falling in her eyes.  Glowering at the Insurgents as they surrounded her, she held her scythe comfortably in a hand, noticing the heavily-armed platoons that had encircled her loosely.  She caught sight of Agent immediately, her green eye narrowed at the young Insurgent.  “I’m alone.  Your search is unnecessary, Insurgent Canada.” 
 
“What are you doing here?” Agent demanded, handgun pointed at the Overlord. 
 
“Don’t trust her.  She’s never been known to stay true to her word,” Canada hissed, gaining an approving nod from Tinkerbell.
 
“I see you’ve collected a few of the Nemesis’ old dogs.  Blondie...” the Overlord caught sight of the ex-DIB member among the swordsmen next to Tinkerbell.  She felt a flare of anger course through her, her eyes flashing in the fading crimson light.  Tinkerbell flinched visibly, his lance held firmly despite her intimidating glare. “And even some of my old dogs, too.  How much does loyalty cost these days?”
 
“Don’t forget it was us that helped you get your stupid Fortress back,” Tinkerbell shot back venomously.
 
“Noted...” the Overlord turned to glance at McCoy, a frown furrowing her features.  He’d have made an excellent Underling... she thought to herself, sad and a tad disappointed he had decided to revert back to his old ways.  It didn’t matter though- or so she tried to remind herself.  All of the Insurgents would belong to her someday.  She turned her attention to Agent, vaguely aware that he’d asked her a question.  “I’m here to speak with the Insurgent Leader.  It’s important, so I would appreciate it if we cut to the chase.”
 
“Not a chance.  You think I’ll just let you walk in there?” Agent sneered, talking a few confident steps forward.  As swift as lightning, the Overlord moved, the scythe flying from her hands.  Aimed in Agent’s general direction, the scythe landed, thudding into the dirt with the blade embedded in the ground.  
 
“What do you need for me to do in order to prove that I’m not here to continue our stupid war?” the Overlord snapped, bristling as she glared at the Agent, “You’ll take me to the Insurgent Leader.  Because this concerns him, too.  This concerns us all.”  Agent heard the malice and authority in her voice, wincing and falling back a step as he realized how serious she was being.  “The rift between the Fortress and this woods...” the Overlord explained in a low voice, “It’s much more serious than you think.”
 
“Well?  What do you want me to do?” McCoy called over to Agent.
 
“... Let her have her meeting with the Insurgent Leader,” Agent retorted, “Any funny business, though... And McCoy has my permission to fill you with bullets.  Tinkerbell, take her scythe.”
 
“And I’ll expect to have that back,” the Overlord added sharply, watching the traitorous Insurgent as he fetched the scythe from the ground.  McCoy stepped forward, gently grabbing her by the shoulder.  The Overlord tensed, but didn’t strike, glancing at her former ally from the corner of her green eye.  “This is a parley, after all.”
 
“You’ll have it returned to you,” McCoy reassured her gently.
 
“Good.  At least one of you Insurgents has a speck of decency,” the Overlord responded vehemently, sending each of them suspicious glares as she did so.  She allowed McCoy to lead her from the woods, towards the distant fires of the Insurgent campsite.  Drawing in a deep breath, she tucked the rims of her hood closer to her neck, feeling the chill of the night breeze.  A tension had settled in- and for that moment, she doubted herself.  She doubted that she was doing the right thing. 

“How’s Fish?” McCoy inquired lightly as they traversed the darkened woods.

“He misses you. I can tell,” the Overlord responded, her voice neutral, though McCoy could detect a hint of warmth in her words. He smiled to himself, then nodded.

“I miss him.”

Moments later, they had broken through the rim of the firelight that illuminated the campsite. McCoy’s gentle grasp on her shoulder only firmed when every set of eyes locked on them immediately. The Overlord’s jaw clenched, but she said nothing to the enemy footsoldiers. Years ago, she could imagine Sexist here as well. He was a perfect fit with the lot of soldiers glaring at her. But nothing was quite as smoldering as his glowing cerulean gaze. She noted Norris and a female speaking in low voices and looking at her. It was evident that the rumors were true about there being a new female in the Insurgents’ ranks. Foreigner... So that’s her... the Overlord thought to the Theurgist, who merely sent her a wordless wave of warning. Her head turned to the largest tent in the campsite, near the Insurgents’ flag that blew in the fell wind. A split second passed and the Overlord felt a strange pain shoot up her back, but said nothing and winced.

The Insurgent Leader stood, gloved hand still clasping the tent flap. Muramasa was visible in his hand, and his frame was outlined by torch in his tent. She could sense her younger brother’s dark glare, and set her jaw firmly shut, teeth pressed against each other in anticipation and tension.

“McCoy, Tinkerbell! Hold her,” He stepped down towards her, blade reflecting the crimson and orange flames that danced around in their confines in the wooded campsite. And it suddenly became evident that the Insurgent Leader wasn’t going to honor any sort of parley. Not with the Overlord, at least.

TOS - Vol 3, Part 1, Chapter 5

The Overlord Saga

Vol III. The Armageddon Prophecy

Chapter 5: The Start of the End

The Overlord was painfully disappointed by the lack of excitement in the temple. She had, at first, entered with extreme caution, recalling events from Indiana Jones and National Treasure. If she had much knowledge concerning temples and ancient structures, it was all based on several things- don't touch the idol in the center of the room, don't step on any strange tiles on the floor, and keep an eye out for large boulders that might come crashing down onto you. However, within the first ten minutes of exploration, it became painfully obvious that this shrine was unarmed and unprotected by any booby traps, giant boulders, stone warriors, or even snakes. And for this, she was disappointed.

There was actually not much in the temple, not even a mountain of gold to horde back to the Fortress. Everything was overrun with vines and shrubs. The floor was beginning to deteriorate, leaving chunks in the stone floor where plants had started to spring up. The Overlord noted the ivy that clung to the pillars supporting the roof. She noted the lack of windows, and the pictures that decorated the walls. They were of the same things. The boar, the shark, the bird. For a moment, she considered that these animals were important, then completely disregarded that theory as it sounded preposterous. After all, there wasn't much sacred about a giant, tusked pig.

... Or was there?

A flicker of doubt, and the Overlord caught a glimpse of where the Soul-Keeper stood, in front of a large tablet at the far end of the room. The Overlord checked her mental handbook on 'Really, Really Old Places That Probably Are Mystical", silently reading off the rules in her head. The line of logic went as follows:


1. If it's important, it's in the middle of the room.
- If it is not in the middle of the room, then it is large, obvious, and in the back of the room.


There was a glance at the middle of the room. There was nothing. She looked at the back of the room. The tablet was the center of interest here. She stepped up alongside the Soul-Keeper, looking at the tablet in interest.

"Whatcha reading?" the Overlord asked the Soul-Keeper casually.

"I don't know, but the pictures are pretty!" the Soul-Keeper remarked giddily.

"Let's see if we can make this into a story..." the Overlord squinted, looking at the tablet. "There's a man here." She pointed at the beginning, "He has a sword. He's... All tough and powerful looking. And, oh look, are these his pets?" She pointed to a trio of animals- the boar, the eagle, the shark. The next image was of the man in serious combat with all three beasts, "I... Nevermind." It looks like a kid drew this, the Theurgist remarked. The Overlord continued, "He's beaten them all, and..." She frowned, looking at the image ensuing the man's victory. She couldn't tell what it was, but it looked suspiciously like a door.

"So nosy of Firebrand, to be here," a voice hissed, and the Overlord swung around, grabbing at the hilt of her scythe. When she saw that it was Maverick, she stopped, shooting the hunched over figure an annoyed look.

"Oh! Oh! Oh, oh, oh, I FOUND her!" the Soul-Keeper bounced up and down, "I found her, Overlord!"

"I see that," the Overlord said evenly.

Maverick cackled, hobbling forward, "Ye have founds the Ruins of Armageddon," she observed with a wry smile, "Built ages before, dares Maverick speak it? Ages before even Maverick existed." A strange of black hair could be seen drifting out from under the hood- the wisp of a set of bangs.

"Ruins of Armageddon? Like... the thing from the Bible?" the Overlord asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Armageddon is in many religions, faiths, and beliefs. Not all named Armageddon, though. All named other things. Ragnorak, that is a name Maverick hears from old, strong men, thinking they know more than even mountains. Mountains know all, Firebrand knows?" Maverick inquired, pointing upwards with a finger. The Overlord, who had been lost at the first sentence, merely nodded a few times, feeling incredibly dumb. Maverick laughed boisterously at this.

"Uhm, so... You know what the tablet says, I guess...?" the Soul-Keeper pointed over his shoulder at the large slab of stone.

Maverick inclined her head, "But will Maverick teach him tales, I wonder? Yes... Wonder, indeed," She murmured. "Perhaps if you give Maverick a chicken, Maverick will tell you?"

"Or I could not tell the Order where you are. That would be a better bargain," the Overlord retorted.

"And yet, Maverick sees much irony in that statement," Maverick remarked, enjoying the Overlord's slight bristle in defense. She played with a strand of hair, then continued babbling, "Chicken or no, Maverick tells what is happening. Sees Rift, yes? Cannot see the bottom, yes? Wonders what lies in the shadow of the ditch, does Firebrand not? Well, now, but only now, there is soil! Layers upon layers, but soon, no more layers will there be!"

"English?" the Overlord asked impatiently.

"Maverick tells Firebrand now. Firebrand has much to be concerned about. For when the Rift hath cracked to Between's core, then shall more than fire rise up from the abyss," Maverick said very seriously, "The Lord of Darkness bears more armies than feet upon a centipede."

"That's a lot of feet," the Soul-Keeper stammered.

"The Lord of Darkness? Are you trying to tell me that Satan is going to burst through the Rift?" the Overlord scoffed.

"Him and more. The Gates of Hell, yes... Those are to open when Armageddon has reached its climax. When the beasts of old begin their march to devour and destroy, Firebrand! That is when the Enemy returns to claim Eden. To claim paradise. And Life," Maverick hissed angrily.

"I... What," the Overlord said, blinking several times.

"Oh my goodness..." the Soul-Keeper frowned, "Did she just say that-"

"The world will end," the Maverick finished deftly.

"But it's not 2012 yet!" the Overlord argued.

"Destiny never waits," Maverick pointed a finger at the tablet, "And fate is never a good neighbor! Only the Chosen One of the Armageddon Prophecy can stop the tides of change and prevent the Enemy from his returning!"

"And, let me guess... I get to be the Chosen One, because I found the stupid temple and luck is never on my side?" the Overlord remarked, rubbing her forehead.

Maverick grinned from ear-to-ear, "To be told destiny never makes the story as good, yes? Be warned... Firebrand, the Enemy knows the face of his destroyer. And he will try to end his rival before he can be stopped."

"Are you kidding me? We have three large monsters tearing the world apart, and, oh, by the way, you get to deal with the armies of Hell trying to assassinate you? That's so awesome. I think I just won the 'Best Year Ever' award," the Overlord scowled, arms folded.

"So, does this mean we're all gonna die?" the Soul-Keeper whimpered. "We can't let them kill the world. I like the world..."

"Hm. Heaven itself unleashes the monsters. Authority would be needed for Armageddon. Perhaps way to contact angels is needed," Maverick frowned.

"Gabriel!" the Overlord declared loudly.

"He's still in the Dungeon!" the Soul-Keeper gasped, hands over his mouth. He then allowed himself a giggle, "He's chained up."

"That's creepy," the Overlord shot a look at the Soul-Keeper.

"Find why monsters have been released. Maverick's eyes can see that this... Rift, world destruction, monsters to devour mankind- dark events. Not something angels would do. Not now," Maverick frowned.

"Ugh, this is so confusing," the Overlord snorted, "Okay. I'm going to go back to my Fortress now. I think I need to make a few business calls..."

"Business calls are important," the Soul-Keeper nodded. "Can we stop for orange chicken?"

"As long as I get a Tao tea while we're at it. I need something," the Overlord mumbled, massaging her temples.

"See you at large stone castle, Maverick will. Sent for help, Maverick has," Maverick bowed to both the hooded Soul-Keeper and the dark-clad Overlord before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

"Help...?" the Overlord asked, then frowned. I don't want to get everyone riled up if we can easily stop this... But... There's no telling what the next few months are going to be like if we're going to be running around trying to fight Hell's soldiers. What do Hell's forces even LOOK like? Ugh... Never mind, I don't wanna know. It's probably a bunch of spiders. Big, hairy spiders.

---

The Evocator, the Animal Tamer, and the Apprentice were all within the Overlord's office by the time that the Overlord and the Soul-Keeper had returned. The Overlord had no idea where the Ninja-Lord had snuck off to, but suspected she was scampering somewhere around the walls with the rest of her squadron. The Advisor, according to the Animal Tamer, was off in the armory attempting to put her machine gun back together. Apparently, it had been dismantled (the Overlord had known about this in advance, but had sworn to Brainsucker and TCUE that she would not tell on them). She stifled a smile as the Animal Tamer finished her report on the new animal soldiers. The Animal Tamer had been constructing armor for Nard alongside the new Papillon Guerilla Force Squad (PGFS), and was proud to have finished the prototype.

Once the Animal Tamer had stepped back from the desk, the Apprentice stood up proudly, "I have a problem." The Overlord fought a sadistic laugh, and listening on to her underling. "I keep having these weird dreams about not wearing pants. And I have hamburger cravings. I think it's because of that stupid stuff you make us drink when we join the army! I think I'm allergic!"

"You've been an Underling for how long?" the Overlord asked, raising her eyebrows. "I'm sure you're fine."

"Maybe you're pregnant," the Soul-Keeper giggled.

"Well, she resides in your dungeon. Who do you think would be the father?" the Overlord shot an accusing look at the Soul-Keeper.

"I... Uh... Uh... GABRIEL!" the Soul-Keeper proclaimed loudly, his voice the epitome of disgust and shock.

"That's what I thought," the Overlord rolled her eyes. "Evocator, you're up next. And please let this be something relevant."

The Evocator stood up as the Apprentice sat back down in her chair. She cleared her throat, then held out what looked like an invitation. Taking it cautiously, the Overlord cocked an eyebrow, "This is from the SVC." Her single jade eye flicked to the Evocator for an answer.

There was a shrug, "I found this earlier today. TCUE had it. He was gonna set it on fire. Brainsucker wasn't doing anything to help either. There's a party at the SVC today."

"Brilliant."

"You're available?"

"As per usual."

"Wonderful. It's at 8:00 p.m."

"Superb."

"Lex will be there."

There was that moment where the Overlord recalled the previous events from that day. The image of the shark, the boar, and the eagle came to mind in such a flurry that it stunned her silent for a moment. There were the Maverick's words in her ears- distant echoes that only grew louder and louder with each ticking of the clock. The Overlord's hands dug into the sides of her desk and she gritted her teeth together. Lex- he was the sort of fellow to take a clump of salt and shove it into a wound. No, it was worse than that. He was the sort of guy to strip you down naked, cover you in papercuts, then dump you in a bathtub full of Germ-X. He was an unwanted nuisance. A conversation with him would throw her off the edge... Perhaps not as much as merely seeing Jester again, but it was still annoying- all of his formalities and under-handed compliments. That, matched with his absolute baldness, the shininess of his head, just drove her insane. She wanted to rub his head, damn it, but he'd never let her. Just one rub. Just to see if it squeaked. But no, this was how it would all go, and she saw the scenario playing in her head: Lex would ramble on about nothing, she would want to rub his head, someone would start talking about Darth Vader's betrayal, there would probably be a Voldemort impersonator, and she just couldn't deal with those kinds of politics.

"Never mind, that's during my.... ahem.... underwater basket-weaving class," the Overlord shook her head.

"You're going. Wear a cape," the Evocator folded her arms.

"You wear a cape," the Overlord stood up, "I'm not going. There's actually another matter I need to address. Privately, so, if you wouldn't mind kindly departing from my office, I need to make a call to the big guns upstairs. If you catch my drift."

"I thought we were the big guns upstairs?" the Apprentice asked in confusion.

"Bigger guns," the Overlord clarified. She urged them all but the Soul-Keeper from her office, then collapsed into her desk chair. The Soul-Keeper began making tea, whistling something from Gypsy as he was doing so. The Overlord summoned a ball of fire, then began playing with it, "I don't know why I'm forced to put up with this sort of nonsense, Soul-Keeper."

"Because it's funny?" the Soul-Keeper poured her a glass of tea, then began sipping his drink happily.

The Overlord wordlessly tossed the ball of fire into a nearby bush near the window. She watched as the shrub burned, but did not wither and die away. Instead, the ringing of a telephone could be heard. She rubbed her forehead as she listened, taking in a deep breath and exhaling loudly.

"Yes, is this the Overlord?" a deep voice answered, resonating from the bush.

"Yes, is this Metatron?" the Overlord asked, "I've a certain matter I need to discuss with you."

"Yes."

"So, why exactly did you release the monsters to eat the world? That's kind of uncool."

"Excuse me?"

"Shark. Bird. Piggy. Don't you remember that at all?"

"Are you referring to Leviathan, Ziz, and Behemoth?"

"Sure, whatever. I heard you released them. There's even this giant crack right outside my house. What the heck, man?"

There was a long drawn-out silence. The Overlord tapped her pen impatiently, waiting for an answer. But then, a strange thought occurred to her. It was something along the lines of 'it doesn't really make sense to randomly end the world now' and 'for being one of the head angels, he really has no idea what his people are doing'. And that thought inevitably led to, 'I don't think he knew that the world was ending'. Which, then, led to, 'wow, these people are as ill-informed as the American public on Congressional matters'.

"... We didn't release the Beasts of Armageddon, Overlord," Metatron said quietly. "I've just been informed that they've escaped. No one knows how-"

"Oh, so that's cool. The world's just gonna end because someone in your organization SCREWED UP?" the Overlord held up her hands in frustration. The Soul-Keeper cackled in the background, snickering as he slurped on his iced tea. The Overlord scowled, "No matter that hundreds of people are going to die or anything because of this..."

"Well, the world isn't a great place," Metatron said defensively, "God gave them knowledge of chemistry and physics, and what does humanity do? They come up with a backwards cape. That's just pathetic. We give them brilliant singers, and they waste their time on Miley Montana, or whatnot, and that Key-dollar-uh girl... I don't understand. Why not the Beatles? What is wrong with the Beatles?"

She didn't understand. World wasn't a great place- so what? It never HAD been. Backwards capes? So what if humanity was stupid. She also didn't understand the angel's fascination with the Beatles. But that seemed beside the point. All of it seemed 'beside the point'. "That sounds like a plethora of excuses, sir," the Overlord growled. "I don't know if you realize what this-"

"Oh, we do realize, and we apologize. But the monsters cannot be captured. Not again. So, it appears as though you're out of luck," Metatron snapped back angrily.

"I don't think hope's completely lost," the Overlord sneered, "There has to be a way to make up for YOUR mistake, am I correct?" How she hated pawns like him. How she loathed the minions that knew nothing but laziness and loopholes. It was due to cronies like this one that nothing ever got done. The Overlord prided herself in owning a very hard-working force of soldiers, and, perhaps though the troops were not currently at their best, the recent war with DIB had reinforced her belief that she still retained the best troops in the Between.

"What are you more concerned about, Overlord? The fact that these monsters will destroy the world, or that your contract will have expired when they're finished ending the world?" Metatron asked scathingly.

"WHAT?!" the Overlord shouted, rising from her desk. A thousand whirs of thoughts were zooming about her mind, clustering her thoughts and preventing her from seeing straight. The Soul-Keeper rose to catch her as she swayed on her feet, and she latched onto his shoulder with a hand, her single visible eye narrowed until it was a serpentine slit.

"You heard me," there was a definite tone of snarkiness in the angel's voice, "You can't take and keep souls if there's no Earth. No Life. No Death. Just a blended existence. One plane, one world. Did you think your reign in the Between would last forever?"

And that was one of the only times the Overlord could actually remember being so furious that she could not speak.

TOS - Vol 3, Part 1, Chapter 4

The Overlord Saga

Vol III. The Armageddon Prophecy

Chapter 4: In The Mountain's Shadow

It was the next day before the OoM members had departed, and once the doors had been slammed shut behind both Acolyte and Siren, there were immediate, relieved shouts of joy that rang throughout the foundations and halls of the Fortress. The Apprentice cracked out a few common, popular Earth melodies, one of which detailed a woman waking up in the morning feeling like a very well-known rapper. The Overlord allowed herself a brief moment of relaxing, the consciousness of the Theurgist wavering in her emotions for a moment. She felt his worry, the worry that the Evocator had potentially fallen in her studies, in her grief for her lost lover. And though the thought was fleeting, the Overlord realized how much still remained as a barrier between the neighboring souls. She cast a glance about the festive corridors as the Underlings began their dancing and singing. Somewhere, the Soul-Keeper was digging through his iPod, trying to find Phantom of the Opera. And the Ninja-Lord had returned in silence, a disgruntled Sexist in tow. Propped up by a pair of crutches, the Captain looked on from the outskirts, a wry grin on his face.

It's hard to think we were at war less than a year ago and this place was in ruins, the Theurgist remarked silently. We went from living by an old pool, to partying it up in a grand Fortress, and it's all thanks to you.

Us, you mean. I'd have died if you hadn't been there.

True...

She was caught off guard by the Advisor poking her shoulder lightly. The Overlord glanced over at her friend, who was donning a fanciful overcoat-cape that was dark blue in color. She waved at the Overlord, then said "You know... Everyone's been talking about this whole 'Rift' thing that's going on." When the Overlord merely nodded her response, accepting the information, the Advisor continued, "And, as your advisor, I need to tell you... You absolutely need to do something about this. You're the Overlord of the Between. You're required to do something about all uncanny occurrences and strange events." The Overlord's brow furrowed, and she opened her mouth in protest, but the Advisor cut her off, "And don't tell me 'Oh, it wasn't in your job description', because it's here." She pulled a scroll from her sleeve, then unfolded it. The Overlord snatched it with a hand, glaring at the Advisor with one uncovered jade eye. Eye flicking back down to the scroll, the Overlord cleared her throat, ignoring the mental laughter of the Theurgist somewhere in the depths of her mind.

The Overlord read, reluctantly, "As the official Overlord of the Between, the following is required and demanded of the person(s) holding the title (it should be noted that if the person holding the title is unable to perform any of these tasks, they are subjected to being replaced by their second-in-command):
1. Must steal a minimum of 10 souls per month unless it is December. Then no souls are required.
2. Must pay a rent of 500 souls per year to God. Can be given to the
3. Must wear a cape.
4. Must protect the Fortress at all costs.
5. Must possess, at all times, a jar of Nutella.
6. Must not give in to peer-pressure and disturbing indulgences such as yaoi, Justin Bieber, and being a cheerleader.
7. Must act in cases of emergency. Such cases may include uncanny occurrences (ie- giant rifts forming in the Between) and strange events (Justin Bieber being proven to be male)."

There was a pause. A thoughtful, moment where the Overlord's emerald eye flicked towards the ceiling, staring at the crystalline chandelier that the Soul-Keeper had ordered so very long ago. The one that was polished to perfection, yes, putting even the one used in Phantom of the Opera to shame. Her gaze moved to the perfectly carved columns, which had been recently altered to depict phoenixes with outstretched wings. She glanced at the dancing Underlings. The Underlings sipping tea mixed with lemonade and laughing. The heavy metallic doors that barred the celebration from the outer wall, which, then, barred them from the desolate wasteland, where their enemies lurked at every shadow. She looked at her home, a sinking feeling in her heart as some flicker of a thought in the back of her mind realized that they were all in danger... Again. And procrastination wouldn't help. And partying and ignoring the problem wouldn't help. She shuddered at the ignorance displayed before the Nemesis' initial attack. She couldn't let it happen again.

"My second-in-command. That'd be the Soul-Keeper," the Overlord remarked, then looked at the Advisor, "And there's no way I'm letting that happen." She smiled coyly, then clapped the Advisor on the shoulder, "Well, keep the party going. I don't want anyone to be worried about what might happen. I'll go with the Soul-Keeper to see Maverick. She'll have some ideas about what to do."

"I hope you're right..." the Advisor said sternly, then sighed, "But must we really keep on with this stupid... Ke$ha music?"

The Overlord shrugged, "Just don't be suspicious. That can't be too hard for you. You only have one expression... And it's the annoyed one. Like... the one you're giving me... right... now..." the Overlord's voice trailed off as the Advisor's pale blue eyes narrowed in annoyance. There was a shrug, a smirk, and the Overlord was cantering over towards the Soul-Keeper throwing an arm around him. She caught the Ninja-Lord's suspicious glare, but ignored it, leaning over to whisper in the Soul-Keeper's ear. "So, there's something I need for you to do."

He perked up, a cookie halfway shoved in his mouth. "Hrnmh?

Dusting the crumbs from the Soul-Keeper's cheeks, the Overlord said, "We're going on an.... Adventure. Like we used to." The Soul-Keeper's dark eyes lit up at this, and his master continued slyly, "But it's secretive. We can't tell anyone." As the Soul-Keeper nodded slowly and finished the cookie, the Overlord began discreetly pulling the hooded magician off towards the doors leading to the gardens. On the back of her neck, she felt the Ninja-Lord's deep blue eyes watching. It was unnerving really, and the idea that her loyal third-in-command had fallen into such a mistrustful state was only grating on the Overlord's patience even further. She was going to have to be monitored due to suspicious behavior. And the Overlord knew the exact person for the job.

Out of the double doors and into the afternoon air, the Overlord stopped to turn to her companion. "We're investigating the Rift, Soul-Keeper," She explained shortly.

"There's a Rift?" the Soul-Keeper asked.

"Yes, and it's very important for plot purposes of this story," the Overlord said calmly, arms on her hips. "And for awesome factor, we're just not going to tell anyone where we're going. Fair enough?"

"Makes sense!" the Soul-Keeper nodded affirmatively.

"Excellent!" the Overlord opened a portal behind her and the Soul-Keeper stepped through. She followed, and the dangling sphere of light vanished behind the swirl of her crimson cape.

And at the base of the Red Stone Mountains, they stood. Necks craned back, viewing the jagged peaks, the duo allowed themselves to momentarily be taken in by the sight of the ancient landmarks... And then promptly began forward, heads held high. This demeanor of confidence and composure lasted for a grand total of ten minutes before the two were immensely tired of hiking and the Overlord finally looked back at her robed comrade and said, "Damn. It's HOT out here." He looked back, hood fallen from his dark hair and looked at her, sweaty, panting, and head bobbing up and down comically. At that point, it was decided that the Overlord would summon a series of platforms to get them to their destination. Clambering onto the first of the semi-visible platforms, the two stopped to rest, viewing the Fortress outlined by the sun and orange sky miles upon miles away. Bordered by the horizon and the endless colored sky was the Western woods, home of the Insurgents and the Overlord's brother. Well... long-lost-and-recently-found brother. She rang a hand through her longer, dark brown hair, then huffed out a sigh.

"Why does the Maverick live so freaking far away from everyone else?" the Soul-Keeper whined, looking rather tempted at stripping out of his heavy, golden-tinged robes. "We should've brought Sexist. He could've summoned some ice cream for us or something."

"I don't think he can do that," the Overlord said flatly, then stood up, stretched, and summoned a second platform. She nimbly hopped onto it, then looked back and waved at the Soul-Keeper, "Break's over, buddy."

Stumbling to his feet, the Soul-Keeper scowled, then followed the Overlord onto the next platform, "Well, I could use something! A nice glass of lemonade, maybe. I love lemonade. I always wanted to sell lemonade in a stand. Like all the other kids do!" He climbed onto the next platform with the Overlord. "Why did the author decide to give me heavy, not-really-functional robes for my character design!? Do you know how hot it is in here? My sweat is SWEATING. AND IT'S SO HARD TO LIFT THIS UP FOR THE BATHROOM, YOU HAVE NO IDEA!"

The Theurgist was amused by this conversation. And as the Overlord sized up a leap into a nearby cave, the Theurgist spoke, but through his current body's more feminine vocal chords, "Because, Soul-Keeper, not only are you functioning as the comic relief, but you're also the stereotypical robed magician. We have to have you. Or else we'll not be deemed an official fantasy story. If this is even fantasy. I'd say it's more like a twisted biography, but whatever..." the Overlord drew a dagger and leapt towards the mountain suddenly, sinking the blade into the side of the mountain in order to not skid downwards. She looked up at a ledge just a few yards up, and carefully began to climb. The Soul-Keeper watched dismally from the platform she had abandoned him on.

"Okay, there's no way I'm gonna make that jump!" the Soul-Keeper flailed his arms, "I don't have a spiffy dagger. If I fall, I go all the way down!"

The Overlord swung herself onto the ledge, then looked down at the Soul-Keeper, smirking despite the sweat pouring down her face, "Come on. I'll make another platform and you can jump from there. I'll even catch you."

"You won't catch me!"

"Oh yes I will."

"You're gonna let me fall, aren't you?"

"If you keep annoying me like this, then yes."

"Ha. Ha... ha.... ha. You're soooo funny," the Soul-Keeper scowled, then climbed the platform that appeared above of his head. And as he stood, sizing up the leap between platform to cave entrance, he gulped, his Adam's apple visibly dipping inward. The Overlord sheathed the dagger, then extended her arms, as if to gesture that she wanted to hug the Soul-Keeper. There was a running start, the magician's black boots thudding against the transparent platform, then a leap... That the Overlord could tell was far shorter than what was necessary. She rushed forward, eyes snapping wide and arms outstretched.

Images flashed through her mind. The image of the Nemesis clouding her vision momentarily, followed by the image of the Uberlord dispelling the Insurgent Leader from their previous battle. And this, was even trailed by the image of the Theurgist's frozen form, so realistic that even the Overlord, at that present moment, could feel the cold radiating from the ice wall where he had been trapped. But her fingers clasped the Soul-Keeper's, the majority of her body dangling over the edge. The Soul-Keeper let out a girlish scream, his boots scraping and wounding the rock on the cliff's edge. She heaved back, but found that her strength was suddenly failing. Her back was aching. Her arms were like jelly, her fingers slick with sweat from the climb. The Soul-Keeper's dark eyes stared at her in a panic, in a biting desperation that clawed at her heart. There was no letting him go.

"Vires!"

And the Soul-Keeper was flung overhead, still latched onto the Overlord's wrists, but falling back behind her, winded as his back struck the stone floor. The Overlord winced, turning and looking back at her stunned comrade, who had been saved, yes, but at what cost? Let's hope he didn't catch what you just did... The Theurgist's chiding words sent a wave of frustration through the Overlord. I just saved him. He should be thanking me, not wondering what kind of spell I just used!

"Oh my... Oh my goodness..." the Soul-Keeper breathed, sitting up.

"Are you okay?" the Overlord asked, looking at her friend. She walked over, bending down next to him to see if he was injured.

"Yeah... I think so... Wait," the Soul-Keeper glanced down at his right hand. Gasping, the Overlord realized there was blood, droplets decorating the palm of his hand. I hurt him! "I think I'm bleeding... Wait a minute..." He wiped the flecks of crimson away to reveal nothing. No wound. No injury. Pure flesh, untouched and unmarred, yet the Overlord found it a welcome sight. But a small glance was tossed downward at the Overlord's arm, where she noted blood barely seeping through her dark gloves- something that could be covered and ignored.

"Are you... Bleeding?" the Soul-Keeper asked as a stray drop trailed down her exposed fingertip. The Overlord shuffled a step back, a tad uncertain at this question, but shrugged a careless response.

"Maybe you ought to trim your fingernails."

"Maybe."

The Overlord turned towards the cave entrance, then casually walked inside. The Soul-Keeper rose from the red-toned ground, dusted his behind off, then followed his leader into the shadowy depths. An extended hand from the Overlord summoned an orb of fire that acted as a torch for the exploring duo. "Maverick?" the Overlord called, though kept her voice relatively quiet. "I know this is her home... Where is she? Maverick?" The two proceeded forward, quiet and watchful. The hallways, usually alight with various glowing vegetation, was strangely dark. And though the Overlord had a half a mind that the Maverick had vacated this location long ago, she had hoped that the loner would have returned here. There's not much hope here, Overlord. Might as well turn back now, the Theurgist said grimly. She ran her hands along the dirt walls, still gazing into the darkness.

"You sure this is the right place?" the Soul-Keeper frowned.

"Positive," came the sigh of a reply.

"There's not much down here," the Soul-Keeper pointed out. "Nothing but mushrooms, rocks, a few doused torches, and this weird wall with carvings on it."

"Mushrooms, rocks, torches, and what?" the Overlord spun around, bringing the light closer to where the Soul-Keeper was pointing.

When she saw the wall, she was not surprised. Not in the slightest. It was that gut feeling that made her smile, a twinge of an emotion and a small feeling of triumph. So what if they hadn't found Maverick? They had at least found something. But the carvings were strange, though the Overlord couldn't say that she was an expert in spontaneous carving designs on ancient walls. She could feel a sensation of magic imbued in the mountain, though it didn't help with the letters on the wall. It was not pictures, but words, in something that looked a mixture of Latin and Chinese. In other words, it was something completely beyond the Overlord.

"I wonder what would happen if I touched it?" the Soul-Keeper wondered aloud, and as the Overlord began to protest, the Soul-Keeper reached out and prodded the wall, which... Resulted in nothing. At first. But a second prod revealed a glow about the characters inscribed in the stone, releasing a golden aura. Shifting to the left, the wall gave way, revealing a passage into even further depths. "Well, that's spiffy," the Soul-Keeper remarked, and began down the passage nonchalantly.

"Do you even know where that leads?" the Overlord asked him, peering at his disappearing form.

"Nope!" came the almost giddy reply.

"Oh joy..." the Overlord frowned, then stalked after her headstrong, borderline unreliable companion.

The tunnels were narrow at first, but the Overlord noticed how they widened as the two ventured deeper into the mountains. She kept a small flare of fire in her hand, extended out so that she could still see the Soul-Keeper. He didn't seem to care if he left her behind or not, so she struggled to keep up. She tried to get him to slow down, but he seemed driven to explore the tunnel. Silently, the Overlord cursed herself for bringing her most easily distracted Underling along with her. He's so simple it almost hurts, the Theurgist commented. The Overlord agreed, but shook her head. Sometimes, I forget why we even have him in the first place... A brief memory of the pickle jar with glowsticks in it flashed across her mind's eye and the Theurgist let out a cackle of approval, so strong that the Overlord had to clamp down on her lips to prevent an actual laugh.

Before long, the mouth of the tunnel spilled out into a much grander corridor. The stone walls, which had begun very unorganized and plain, seemed to be more decorated. The ancient symbols from before returned, with variations, new characters, and even a few pictures. The Overlord paused to examine a small picture of something that resembled an eagle. "This is just like in the movies. Right before they find El Dorado." She threw a look over at her second-in-command, then noted how he stood at the end of the tunnel, his hands clasping the edges of his hood. The Overlord's head tilted and she followed him, her boots making light thuds against the stone floor. Clasping his shoulder with one hand, she neared the edge, stopping to look out over the edge of the cliffside, at the ruined temple that rested before them.

It was something out of an Indiana Jones movie- or that's what she thought. It reminded her of the fourth one, you know... The one they made for marketing purposes. Where they threw in that guy from Transformers. And there were aliens. Random aliens. I digress- the temple! It was a magnificent piece of architecture, like something crafted by expert hands. The stone was smooth and perfect, with pillars that had various creatures etched into their marble. In the front three pillars that supported and framed the pathway into the temple, the Overlord could distinguish a giant boar-like animal, an eagle with massive wings semi-folded to its sides, and what looked to be a large shark, it's fangs devouring the edges of the pillar.

"So this looks promising," the Overlord commented.

"More promising than Final Fantasy XIII-2," the Soul-Keeper remarked.

"Ha! Franchises," the Overlord snorted.

And the two made their descent, which was painfully... easy, as the Overlord merely summoned a few platforms for them to leap on and they were on the grand in less than a minute. The Soul-Keeper went first, the head of his staff glowing as though it were a large torch. The Overlord stuck near him at all times, careful to conceal her right eye just in case. And where do you think this leads? The Theurgist prodded playfully.

Narnia.

Poor Insurgent Leader...

"There's just something weird about this place..." The Soul-Keeper murmured, then grinned, "I like it!"

"You also like musicals. And puppets," the Overlord commented, gently grabbing the Soul-Keeper's staff and bringing it forward to reveal a large door sealing the temple shut. "Keep the light here." She instructed, then stepped forward, looking at what seemed to be a notch on the door.

"Looks like it takes a key," the Soul-Keeper observed, "Too bad you turned that kid with the key-sword away."

"There's always a hitch in the plan. Whatever. Give me your staff, I wanna see if I can pry this thing open," the Overlord held out her hand. The Soul-Keeper wordlessly passed his staff to her, watching with anticipation. The Overlord shoved the end of the staff into the hole where the key would have gone, then began to feel around to see if she could unlock the door. She pushed. She pulled. She wriggled the staff in the slot a few times. She pulled the staff out, then slammed it back in the lock. She yelled a plethora of profanities. She took a small break. And, then she got back up to try again. And after the third or fourth time of pulling back on the staff, the Soul-Keeper decided to intervene.

"Let me try," he offered, and the Overlord relented. He grabbed the staff in both hands, then moved it slightly towards him. There was the click of something unlocking... But nothing. The door did not move. It did not budge. It merely stood there, staff still protruding awkwardly from the lock. The Overlord watched, unimpressed. The Soul-Keeper withdrew the staff, sighing, "Or not..."

"Maybe this is a bust," the Overlord remarked, "Maybe we should just turn back."

"I'm starting to agree with you, sadly enough... I want an omelette," the Soul-Keeper shrugged, and turned to go.

That was when there was a crack of light that emerged from between the cracks of the door. The Overlord grabbed the Soul-Keeper's sleeve somewhere in the pounding and roar of the stone gates swinging open, revealing a blinding light that enveloped the two. Somewhere in the background, the Overlord could heard the faint chorus of angels singing. And she wondered what exactly they'd gotten themselves into.