TOS - Vol 2, Pt 3, Ch 27

The Overlord Saga

Vol II. Versus

Part III - The Elite

"Envelope order into chaos
An eternal midnight hence on
Vague memories of every life and loss-
Mere motivation to fight 'til dawn
The entire world balance upon a knife's edge
Between a winter heart and a firebrand
Annihilation teetering upon destiny's ledge
The sun shall see the world a wasteland."

Chapter 27: Sibling Rivalry

The Overlord was unsure what had lured her back to the Insurgent Leader’s campsite in the forests west of the Fortress, but she found herself standing among the ashes of what had once been their stronghold. Deserted, half-standing tents lay nestled among the trees, a tattered Insurgents’ flag draped on a branch nearby. The Grasshopper was rummaging through some of the supplies left behind, tossing a clump of moldy bread over her shoulder. The Theurgist was looking around, passing through tents and remaining silent as he explored the campsite. The Advisor sighed, arms folded, “It looks like people haven’t been here in years.”

“Cold ashes. No food. No sign of life. Yeah, why did we come here again?” the Soul-Keeper remarked, rolling his sleeves back, “They’re all in the Fortress, I bet. With air conditioning.”

“Don’t need air conditioning at the Fortress anymore. It’s half frozen over,” the Overlord retorted, standing up from where she’d been kneeling next to the fire. She sighed, glancing at where the Grasshopper had found a rusty dagger. ‘This is so unlike the Insurgents. Leaving all of this behind? I guess they really don’t need it anymore between Fort Effort and the Fortress being in their control now,’ the Overlord thought, brow furrowing. Nard stood a few feet away, sniffing the air with his ears perked.

“I wonder how the others are doing,” the Advisor sighed, “Hopefully they’re having better luck than we’re having.”

“Well, I was hoping we wouldn’t have to storm the Fortress. But I guess the Insurgent Leader leaves me no choice...” the Overlord mumbled, gesturing towards a path leading away from the tents, “That leads to the plains. From there, we can survey the situation and figure out our next plan. I-”

“I didn’t know you had a bright crimson pimple on your neck,” the Soul-Keeper reached over with a hand, pointing at a red dot that had appeared on the Overlord’s neck. As the Overlord turned to see what the Soul-Keeper was referring to, the Soul-Keeper noticed the red dot had traveled to the back of his hand as he had tried to touch her neck. “Huh?”

“Get down!” a voice yelled and the Overlord dropped to the ground as a bullet whizzed overhead. Dragging the Soul-Keeper with her, she heard something hit the ground, her heart thundering in her ears. The Overlord heard a second gunshot, but could not hear the bullet strike anything. Looking up from where she’d ducked behind a tent, she caught sight of a spike of ice, protruding oddly from the dirt. Incased near the tip was the bullet, preserved perfectly.

“DIB scouts?” the Advisor asked moving behind a tree and firing her machine gun at whoever was firing the sniper rifle.

“Not scouts,” Sexist answered from where he’d been standing behind a tree a few yards from the Overlord, “It’s the Rebel Commander.”

“Where the hell did you come from?” the Overlord snapped, glaring at the ex-Insurgent. Sexist merely shrugged it off, snapping his fingers to shatter the ice surrounding the bullet. The bullet fell to the ground, harmless. A few yards away, the Rebel Commander could be seen, tossing his sniper rifle away and grabbing a semi-automatic pistol from his belt.

“Do you really care that I’m here?” Sexist quirked an eyebrow, glancing rather smugly at the Overlord, “Because if you do, I could just leave and let him shoot you all full of holes.”

“So snarky,” the Overlord commented, “You’re here, you might as well be useful.”

“That’s what I thought,” Sexist retorted with a satisfied gleam in his blue eyes.

“It’s great that you two are actually on speaking terms, it really is, but we’re sort of getting SHOT AT!” the Soul-Keeper yelled, returning fire via releasing a bolt of lightning. The Overlord nodded to the Soul-Keeper, then held up a hand, a swirling orb of fire appearing in her palm. Sending it out at the Rebel Commander, she was surprised as it was countered by a black and violet forcefield, ricocheting towards her. Sexist dosed it immediately with a blast of water, gaze darkening.

“The Insurgent Leader,” the Theurgist whispered to the Overlord, “He must be here as well.”

“Good,” the Overlord nodded to the Theurgist, catching an odd look from Sexist. She closed her eyes, then ducked out from behind the tent she’d been hiding behind. Sending a blast of green fire at the forcefield, she ducked as the Rebel Commander began firing bullets at her. The Advisor returned fire, gritting her teeth as the bullets from her gun sprayed the forcefield. As their attacks began bouncing back, the Overlord ducked, glancing up into the trees. Moving as stealthily as possible, the Grasshopper had leapt into another tree, katana in hand and looking down at where the Rebel Commander was firing at the ANF forces.

The Soul-Keeper rushed forward suddenly, knocking a bullet in mid-air (most likely accidentally) with his staff and sending a sudden, vibrating wave through the air, an earsplitting clap of thunder shaking the very foundations of the trees surrounding the battlefield. The Grasshopper leapt down then, the heel of her boot colliding into the top of the Rebel Commander’s head. He fell back, but kept a good grasp of his gun. Swinging it to bluntly whack the Grasshopper in the head, he found that his strikes were too slow for the lithe apprentice. Jumping back, she flipped, then landed on both feet, sword still in hand.

It was at that moment that the Overlord charged, staff in hand. A small, semi-transparent platform appeared before her and she leapt onto it, using the momentum from her first jump to carry her over the barrier the Insurgent Leader had set up. As the Soul-Keeper, the Advisor, and Sexist followed suit, the Overlord began scouring the bushes and trees for the Insurgent Leader, who had yet to reveal himself. As the Rebel Commander kicked the Grasshopper off of him, he pulled out a second gun and began firing at the Advisor, who dropped down to the ground, gun in hand. Sexist held up a hand and summoned an ice shield, his eyes maintaining their slight glow.

“There’s too many of them!” the Rebel Commander yelled, looking around the woods. “Insurgent Leader! Insurgent Leader!? What the heck? Where did you-”

The first hound came flying through the trees, its skin rough and clinging to its bones. With gnarled fangs and crooked horns, the hellion made quite a gangly sight as it leapt through the woods, clasping the Soul-Keeper’s arm in its fury. The Insurgent Leader could be seen a few yards behind the Rebel Commander, irises changing to a sinister violet. The Rebel Commander was taken aback by the sudden reinforcements, but continued firing his gun. Sexist moved to the side, brandishing his claymore and charging the Rebel Commander. Taking a bullet to the shoulder, the ex-Insurgent’s assault was hindered, but gave the Grasshopper the time she needed to recover and retaliate.

“Insurgent Leader!” the Soul-Keeper pointed at the Insurgent Leader, but merely whacked a second and third hellion with his staff, both ends ablaze with lightning magic. The Overlord summoned two more platforms, exchanging her staff for her sword as she leapt over the incoming hellions, flipped, then landed behind the Insurgent Leader. As he turned to face her, he drew Muramasa, his eyes still unnatural. The Overlord turned simultaneously, Kagi’s red-silver blade clashing with the long katana.

“What have you done to yourself,” the Overlord whispered, glaring into his violet eyes. “Some ‘hero’ you are. You’re beginning to outshine me as a villain and I can’t have that.”

“So you finally came out of hiding. Long time no see...” the Insurgent Leader’s voice was devoid of emotion and dead, his eyes blank and face expressionless. He pushed her away, a surge of energy pulsing through his veins as he lunged at her. The Overlord blocked his strikes, eyes wide as the Insurgent Leader’s left hand released the hilt to his two-handed sword. Reaching out and grabbing her by the collar, the Insurgent Leader tossed her up into the air before swiping at her. Twisting her body in mid-air, the Overlord’s heels caught the blade of the sword and she flipped, her katana flying from her hand. The blade ricocheted from the Insurgent Leader’s well-timed shield, landing back into the Overlord’s hand.

“Stop this now. This is all stupid...” the Overlord cast a glance behind at where the Overlings and Sexist were still dueling the Rebel Commander and the hellions. More discreetly, the Overlord added, “You’re my brother. I need you to side with me for once.”

“I’m not stupid,” the Insurgent Leader remarked.

“On the contrary...” the Overlord muttered, then charged at her brother, feinting a blow to the right, then kicking him in the shin. The Insurgent Leader retaliated with a swipe across the Overlord’s torso, cutting through her Earth clothes easily. She felt a splash of blood from the wound in her stomach, but it did not deter her. “I won’t stop until I’ve knocked the bullcrap from your little midget brain!” She hissed while their blades clashed once more. The Overlord caught sight of Nard fending off a hellion as the Grasshopper tried to mend one of her wounds. ‘They can’t handle this forever...!’

It was a spark of an idea, at first. An idea that the Overlord knew would only bring trouble later on. As the Insurgent Leader gave her room and paced, the Overlord extended a hand, eyes ablaze in anger. “Inritus!” The Overlord yelled, a swirl of black mist and fire sprouting from the ground, knocking the Insurgent Leader into the air. With two platforms, the Overlord followed the Insurgent Leader into the air, knocking him higher into the sky. He curled his body, twisting it around to where he could attack.

“Die!” the Insurgent Leader snarled, a web of magic entangling the Overlord temporarily, but a quick slice of Kagi defeated it. She grabbed his collar, then sent a wave of fire magic through him. As the two began to descend, the Overlord summoned a third platform, breaking their fall before they struck the forest floor. The Insurgent Leader picked himself up fairly quickly, then dusted himself off with a shaky hand.

“You don’t know... the things I’ve seen... What I’ve done...” the Insurgent Leader stammered, sheathing his sword, “But you’ll know my power, Overlord. It surpasses yours.”

A few bullets whizzed by the standoff between the two siblings, but the Overlord remained steadfast, the resolve in her eyes. “Show me,” the Overlord challenged, “Hit me with whatever you have... Baby brother.” The Insurgent Leader smirked, a blue light shining from his chest. His hands cradled the light for a moment, shielding it from view. However, his back began to arch, then he threw his head back, shouting something incoherent as the light erupted and took to the sky. Body encasing itself into a crystal, the light spiraled upward, taking the form of a Chinese dragon. As it landed before the Overlord, she felt a shudder run down her spine.

The dragon’s crimson scales rippled as it arched its neck, a puff of fire whisping about his nostrils. Tail thumping against the ground, the dragon’s yellow eyes narrowed as it looked at the Overlord, claws tightening against the ground. His back, face, and elbow lined with yellow fur, the dragon appeared as some oriental mascot come to life from ancient scrolls. The Overlord recalled a story about such a dragon, a story that had been the favorite of her younger brother’s when they had been children.

“Ryuu...” the Overlord’s katana remained in hand, dripping with blood. As the dragon reared up, the Overlord made her move, rushing forward, the Overlord made a move to plunge Kagi into the dragon’s chest, but found herself in the massive creature’s grasp, lifting up the clawed hand to its face. Clutching the Overlord in his palm, Ryuu’s jaws parted, revealing rows of polished fangs. A shower of bullets from the Advisor’s gun distracted the dragon long enough for the Overlord to pull free, her katana falling in the process. She dropped to the ground, rolled, then looked up at the maddened dragon.

“Overlord!” the Soul-Keeper yelled, his robe torn from the hellhounds. It was then that the Overlord noted that the hellions had vanished. The Rebel Commander was cornered by the Advisor and Sexist out of ammunition with his hands up. The Grasshopper held Nard in her arms, staring at the dragon as its tail lashed out at the Overlord. Leaping over the tail, the Overlord grabbed her katana, then began to strike when the dragon’s arm knocked her sword away again. Pulling out her staff, the Overlord sent two shots of magic at Ryuu, watching as it bounced away harmlessly. Frustrated, the Overlord retreated back a few steps, panting heavily.

“He’s magic resistant?” the Advisor gasped, grabbing the Grasshopper and holding her back, “Get back!”

Sexist tossed his claymore at the Overlord with relative ease, unable to hide a smirk as the Overlord caught it heavily in her arms. She held it with the tip dragging the ground, her eyes wide as her fingers wrapped around its hilt. There was some odd, wintery feeling about the sword that she disliked, reminded of the Nemesis’ piercing stare as she held the blade. As Ryuu’s head snaked forward, the Overlord took the claymore and began slicing at everything she could. As a spray of blood flew through the air, Ryuu’s claws pierced through the Overlord’s chest in the mayhem, tearing through her and slamming her into a tree. The claymore fell and embedded itself into the ground. Sexist grabbed its hilt and hoisted it up, spitting at the Overlings, “Are you going to sit there, or help?”

“I’ve got this...” the Overlord groaned, pulling herself up via branches. The Soul-Keeper helped her to her feet, clutching her tightly.

“Quit trying to be the hero,” Sexist glanced at the Overlord.

“We’ll finish this together!” the Grasshopper nodded confidently, setting Nard on the ground. The Advisor responded by putting in another round in her machine gun, then firing at Ryuu as the dragon began to encircle the ANF forces in a ring of fire. The Overlord staggered forward, four distinct claw marks engraved in her body. Extending her hand, she caught Kagi by the hilt, pupils dilated as she stared up at Ryuu.

“Don’t hurt yourself!” the Soul-Keeper hissed to the Overlord, staff in hand.

The Overlord sprang up with newfound strength, Sexist following her. As she sent two slices into Ryuu’s skin, she dodged his jaws, teeth missing her by inches. Sexist jammed his claymore between the dragon’s jaws, keeping its mouth open. It reared back, bullets striking its scales and digging into its skin. Tail lashing, Ryuu almost knocked the Soul-Keeper flat to the ground, but the Grasshopper was quicker, running up the massive creature’s back and jabbing the tip of her katana into his skull.

A deafening shriek cut through the once-silent forest, sending chills down the Overlord’s spine. “Get out of there, Grasshopper!” the Overlord screamed at her apprentice as she leapt from the dragon’s head. Ryuu reached up and snapped at the Grasshopper, snagging her boot and knocking her off balance. The apprentice hit the earth, but was relatively unharmed. In a flash of light, the dragon reverted back into its spiritual, blue form before returning to the Insurgent Leader. As the Insurgent Leader’s body fell to the ground, the Overlord sank to her knees, panting heavily.

“That was scary,” the Rebel Commander commented.

“Oh, quiet!” the Advisor hissed, pointing her machine gun at the Rebel Commander.

“Are you okay?” the Soul-Keeper asked, kneeling down before the Overlord. “You look awful! A-are you going to be okay? Dear God, your nose is bleeding!”

“My... what?” the Overlord asked, touching her nose lightly with a finger and realizing it was, “Oh... It’s nothing. Is Thomas okay?” She pushed herself up with her staff, then began to hobble over to him.

“He’s breathing,” Sexist bent down and examined the Insurgent Leader, “And he’s relatively unharmed. He’ll be fine.” Glancing back at where the Overlord had sat back down next to a tree, he frowned, tilting his head to the side, “You don’t look so good...”

“I’m fine,” the Overlord shrugged it off, “Just need some water and rest. He’ll be awake in an hour or so. Wait until then to do anything huge.”

“Glad to see you care so much about my well-being,” the Grasshopper added, still wiping dirt from her face where she’d faceplanted the ground. The Overlord grinned at her apprentice.

“Some hard work will do you good.”

---


Jamie had landed on a world she was completely unfamiliar with. But rather than stopping to ask for directions, going to a different world, or anything sensible, Jamie had decided that this world would be an excellent place to stock up on supplies. Granted, Jamie was broke since the repairs on her ship had cost a near fortune (one she intended on collecting from DIB in the future), so there was one method she had decided to go about collecting the supplies- stealing. She didn’t have a boat anymore, so she realized that this involved a plethora of physical labor (AKA- running).

While the Trojan Army and the Smurfs had chosen to stay with Jamie, most of them had kept to their small campsite off the coast of a river in what was apparently the ‘Kvatch’ region. Personally, Jamie thought this was quite amusing- only because she’d spent the first two days convinced that they were located in the ‘crotch’ region. Others, such as the Animal Tamer, had not found this quite as entertaining as the pirate. However, the Witch had been making a plethora of inappropriate jokes- none of which shall be mentioned in order to maintain a PG-13 rating on this story.

You see, Kvatch was a rather nice region, despite Jamie’s nicknames for it. Kvatch was actually the name of a nearby city that domineered the region. Kvatch was also known for having guards. And these guards were not your average guards- they were quite persistent. Anyone could see where Jamie was running into a slight dilemma with the guards. They simply would not stop following her. Granted, it was hard for them to really pursue her as she had taken the majority of their horses. However, apparently, word of the ‘horse-thieving woman’ had gotten around Kvatch pretty quickly. Her accomplices, usually the Witch, the Apprentice, and the Evocator, had gotten quite the reputation for thieving from Prior Maborel- some monk that had (before met by the ANF forces) a horse and quite an assortment of weapons in his church.

But this left the ANF forces being pursued relentlessly by the guards- and Jamie was rather certain that their infamy had spread from beyond Kvatch (to which, the Witch replied that they were like ‘crabs’- and to which the Evocator promptly facepalmed). However, thankfully, the guards had been unable to find the ANF campsite, which was primarily being maintained by the Scribe.

“I’ve finally figured out our location,” the Scribe looked at Jamie urgently from where he sat next to the fire one afternoon. Holding up a map, he gestured with a capped pen, “Cyrodiil. It’s a very medieval world, full of a bunch of nasty creatures, magic, weird lizard-things... the usual.” He cracked his knuckles, then added, “There should be a bunch of weapons here, though. If we know where to get them. My map indicates a few castles...”

“Castles. That sounds like fun,” the Apprentice grinned excitedly.

“We’re going to completely disrupt the balance this world needs, especially if it has so much crap going on,” the Evocator remarked blandly from where she sat, still playing her DS.

“Better disrupt another cliche medieval world than lose against DIB,” Jamie pointed out, “Soooo... Castle Kvatch? I’m thinking that’s our next stop. And we’ve got enough horses to get half the army there by now.”

“And all of the roads are crawling with guards looking for us,” the Animal Tamer pointed out.

“Just makes things more fun,” the Witch giggled, “The Overlord told us to get supplies by ‘any means necessary’...”

“Well, there’s a place south of here called Skingrad. We can raid their land next,” the Scribe suggested, “And I hear there are caves and forts around here, too. All probably guarded by bandits or something. Small prey, easy treasure. And we all know Jamie likes treasure.”

“Soooo... What are we waiting for again?” the Apprentice clapped her hands together, “Screw being an Underling. I wanna be a pirate!”

“Ohhhh boy,” the Evocator sighed. “Just what we need.”

“Tomorrow, we make haste to Castle Kvatch. We take what we need. Annnnnd maybe a bit of gold, too,” Jamie announced, lifting her cutlass into the air. “We be pirates! Yarrrr!”

“YARRRRR!” the Apprentice yelled enthusiastically, flailing her arms into the air.

TOS - Vol 2, Pt 2, Ch 26

The Overlord Saga

Vol II. Versus

Chapter 26: Burning Resolve

The Insurgent Leader stared across the table, his dark eyes unblinking. The house he was inside was some small circular room, with a ceiling so low that he even had the issue of hitting his head. He was in a chair, nestled into its back with a woven blanket wrapped around him. As “Bob” continued his work in the kitchen, the Insurgent Leader shifted his gaze from the goat-man to the various items laying about. A flute of some sort, a few household things like candles and pillows, an umbrella- this guy really had a humble life. But that did not suppress the Insurgent Leader’s worry. Unsure of how he had even gotten to this home, the Insurgent Leader merely remembered collapsing in the snow, shivering with the thought of freezing to death wavering about his half-sane mind. This stranger had taken him in, though the Insurgent Leader was puzzled as to why he had.

Paranoia convincing him that this was some ANF trap, the Insurgent Leader had not said a word to “Bob”, keeping to himself for the most part. The goat-man had offered to feed him, and had given him a bowl of stew despite the Insurgent Leader’s vigorous head shakes. He feared there was poison in the broth. Or worse. Date rape. Anywho, the Insurgent Leader had several reasons why it was perfectly feasible that this man was an ANF spy:

The stranger had been stalking him.
The stranger did not seem to approve of him.
And the Insurgent Leader had awoken in a completely different set of clothes than the set of clothes he had been wearing previously, alluding to very, VERY bad things.

Clutching his arms in a pathetic self-hug, the Insurgent Leader rocked back and forth. Shaking, he eyed the odd stew before him, unsure of what the gunk comprised of. He found slightly more comfort from the fire pulsing in the hearth. “Bob” had it well-kept with a clump of logs and a rack of fire irons to the left, dangling harmlessly. And that’s when the Insurgent Leader had one of those very classic ‘lightbulb’ moments.

Perhaps he was their assassin. Perhaps he was there to kill him. To torture him. To get information out of him. The Insurgent Leader understood now why the goat-man had not killed him. Not yet, at least. ‘I must escape,’ the Insurgent Leader’s mind shifted gears- from self-pity to survival. It was time to leave.

Tentatively glancing at “Bob”, the Insurgent Leader reached an ungloved hand, the black swirl falling into view of the light. Biting back a shameful groan, the Insurgent Leader snatched a fire iron, silently moving it into the crimson flames. And he waited, keeping a watchful dark eye on the busied goat-man. As the iron began to glow red, the Insurgent Leader drew it away, smoke tinting the air. Creeping behind “Bob”, he reached out with his free hand, holding the fire iron with his marked hand at about eye level. Grabbing the goat-man by the shoulder, he turned him around suddenly, shouting something incoherent.

“Oh my!” the goat-man shrieked, the dishes in his hands dropping. The Insurgent Leader held the fire iron up, angrily gritting his teeth together.

“WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?”

“S-Son of Adam!”

“YOU STUPID GOAT, I WILL SEND YOU TO A MEAT PACKING PLANT! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?”

“C-calm down!”

The Insurgent Leader threw “Bob” to the ground, shaking as he did so. Dropping the iron onto the floor, he made a sprint for the door, his heart thundering in his head. He burst through the door, staggering outside into the snow. Boots stomping deep holes into the perfectly smooth ground, the Insurgent Leader threw himself at the pathway, stagger-running towards the horizon. It wasn’t long down the road when he tripped and fell to the ground, twitching and cringing as he pushed himself back up.

Footsteps. He heard them everywhere. “Bob” was coming. He was coming for revenge! The Insurgent Leader grabbed the nearest rock, eyes stretched wide in madness as he reached back to send it hurtling at “Bob”. He saw shadows creeping around him once more, dancing behind the trees and slithering in the shade of the massive trunks. He held his breath, nothing but the footsteps and the sound of his own heart flooding his ears.

“I’ll kill you...” He broke his paranoid silence, “All of you. I’ll send you straight to-”

“Insurgent Leader?”

It was the Rebel Commander. He stared at the Insurgent Leader for a few moments, blinking as he took in the odd, crazed leader. “You look bad.” A pause. “Really bad.” The Insurgent Leader hadn’t needed the news update to know that. He let the rock fall to the ground, almost weak in the knees at the thought of company. “So this is where you’ve been?”

“Are you... an... an illusion?” the Insurgent Leader stammered in disbelief.

With a wry smile, the Rebel Commander shook his head, “Naw. Come on. Let’s get you back to DIB. You need a bath. I could smell you on the other side of the wardrobe.”


---

The meeting room was bleak. Shifting her weight in her lawn chair, the Overlord had let her eyes glaze over in boredom, her thoughts swirling about her head leisurely. The Theurgist was standing behind her, actually paying attention as Jamie gave her report on her ship’s repairs. The Overlord saw little purpose to clinging to the pirate ship- there were no rivers remotely by the Fortress. They were sitting here talking about useless information and she couldn’t take it any longer. “DIB has yet to strike us in some time,” the Twin was most likely going to propose taking back Fort Effort. The Overlord could feel it in the air- they needed a decisive victory.

“All we’ve been doing is sitting here, getting attacked, building forces...” the Advisor tapped her fingers on the small pool table they’d been using as a meeting table. “It’s time we did something.” ‘Of course,’ the Overlord thought moodily. Everyone wanted action, they wanted revenge for what had happened. People were just tired of running, and she couldn’t blame them. What held her back from the grand finale? She knew it in her heart, the chains that bound her to the ravine. The fear that made her even doubt her skill as a fighter.

“I agree!” the Animal Tamer waved her hands frantically over her head, “Fluffy wants to go kill DIB now!” The Overlord recoiled slightly at the Animal Tamer’s enthusiasm. She heard the spirit in the younger Overling’s voice, reminded very much of her own confidence- the confidence that had died the day the Nemesis had taken over the Fortress.

“What IS your plan, Overlord?” the Evocator inquired, glancing over her Nintendo DS and staring at the half-alert Overlord.

There were eyes bearing into hers, glaring her down, watching her as she stood up. The Theurgist quirked an eyebrow, messing with the rim of his fedora hat. The Overlord took a deep breath, the tension in the room rising as she did so. She avoided direct eye contact, instead, staring at the back of the room with the general powerful leader gaze. Breaking her silence, the Overlord proclaimed, “I need some fresh air,” then promptly departed from the tent, the Theurgist trailing behind. As the Overlord stepped toward the pool of water

“Overlord.”

Silence.

“Overlord.”

Further silence.

“EMILY!”

“WHAT!?” the Overlord spun around, green eyes wide in frustration. And then, more calmly, “What?” She knew better than to lose her temper, but at the same time, it was just too easy. Especially here lately... She just couldn’t bear dealing with people. They all wanted something from her. Something she could never give. She wanted back in her Fortress, but at the same time, the fresh air seemed to call to her more than ever. Dare she said it, she was beginning to like the idea of abandonment- finding a new hobby other than reaping the souls of mortals. Her perspective almost even changed to ‘let the Nemesis win’... And then she caught herself, realizing how she was bastardizing her title. The Theurgist deserved better- he deserved vengeance. Gaze hardening on the swirl of the waters at her feet, the Overlord bit back a sigh. She didn't want to talk about 'how she felt'. She just wanted this to be done with already.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Sure...”

The Overlord bent down and touched the surface of the water lightly with her index and middle finger, testing its temperature. She tilted her head, then sighed, glancing at the Theurgist, “Death. It’s possible to go there while alive, right?” She was starting to form an idea that would be considered by most to be one of those ‘half-baked, awful plans’.

“Possible. But difficult,” the Theurgist considered for a moment, then sat down next to the Overlord, “What’s on your mind?”

“So inquisitive,” the Overlord stretched, stood up, then sighed, “I need to talk to Metatron.” When the Theurgist opened his mouth skeptically, the Overlord explained shortly, “One of the Archangels. Speaker of God. I need to ‘borrow’ a few souls. A group in particular.” The Theurgist’s mouth shut, but the quizzical look remained. The Overlord grinned sinisterly, holding up a hand.

“Ever heard of the Trojan War?”

---

The Overlord was unsure how she’d managed to get the Ninja-Lord and the Soul-Keeper in on the mission. But the two were more than willing to jump into the very pits of Death, which, was courage that the Overlord had to admire, but it was slowly becoming more evident that the two were not courageous at all. No, they were freaking nuts. The Soul-Keeper shuffled through the gray halls of the massive building. It looked like some deranged hospital met by an apartment complex- the Overlord just wasn’t sure if she’d accidentally warped them into a psych ward or if she’d actually managed to get them into the middle level of Death- supposedly called ‘Purgatory’.

Purgatory. It was a funny world. There was nothing to be purged here. It was a proverbial waiting line to be sorted. Think of the first-years from Harry Potter. They clumped them all together like sheep before putting them in their houses. Purgatory was the same- only there were two places you could go from there. Granted, there weren’t departed souls packed from wall-to-wall. No, they stayed in rooms, very much like a giant hotel. Except, the Overlord had yet to find the indoor swimming pool.
The Ninja-Lord bumped into a rather chubby looking old man, one that the Overlord suspected was either a pedophile, a rapist, or a Walmart greeter in his lifetime. The man shot the Ninja-Lord a glare as she passed through part of him, then promptly waddled away. “Keep your hands to yourself,” the Soul-Keeper giggled, then stopped, “Or... Is it... ‘Keep your hand to yourself’...?” The Ninja-Lord elbowed him in the stomach in a quick response.

The halls opened up to a main corridor, bleak and white as some hospital. There were chairs that lined the walls, each filled with an eager, or panicked deceased spirit. As they passed through towards a large office at the far end, the Soul-Keeper piped up, “You think the Theurgist is here somewhere?”

“Some spirits don’t pass through here. They have bonds in Life, so they stay. So you never know,” the Overlord said, almost absent-mindedly. The Ninja-Lord shot her an inquiring look, and the Overlord shrugged it off almost immediately, “Just speculation. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Evocator had given him reason enough not to move on.”

“Or revenge,” the Ninja-Lord remarked almost pointedly.

“Yeah, that too,” the Overlord nodded then promptly barged into the office labeled ‘Gabriel the Archangel’. However, what the Overlord found in the office was not Gabriel. Though he radiated with just as much light as the other Archangel, this angel was indeed different. With a scroll and feather pen in hand, he looked up, his muscles bulging. The Soul-Keeper visibly cringed at the sight of the massive angel, hunched in the chair with his golden-tipped wings folded around him. His hair bouncing in ringlets, the angel might’ve struck the three as calm and innocent had he not the brawn that could’ve snapped even the Captain in half.

“Oh boy,” the Ninja-Lord whispered under her breath.

“Metatron,” the Overlord’s voice was even, almost smooth- almost. She still had a distaste for the angels- they were too nice. Too needy. Too perfect. It drove her freaking insane. He rose from the chair, his silk robe draped around him lightly, edged with gold and silver. “Good to see you.” She understood that he understood that she was lying through her teeth.

“Well if it isn’t the brat girl from Tamashii,” the comment stung, but she shrugged it off as the muscular angel continued, “I ought to have you thrown out of here for what you did to Gabriel.”

“Touch her and you’ll regret it,” the Ninja-Lord warned, hand resting on the hilt of her katana. The Overlord wasn’t sure why the Ninja-Lord thought that she could get away with threatening the most powerful angel in Heaven, but it didn’t seem to overly irk the Archangel.

“Let’s skip the formalities, I guess,” the Overlord remarked, “You know what’s going on in the Between. I’m here to cash in a favor.”

“What FAVOR do we owe you?” Metatron hissed angrily, a vein beginning to pulse on his neck. The Soul-Keeper held tight to his staff, eyes narrowed from under his hood. The Ninja-Lord’s free hand strayed to a small dagger, her heart beginning to race as the Archangel took flight, then landed with a thud a few inches from the Overlord. “You corrupt little...!”

“Do you want to sit here and condemn souls all day or do you want Gabriel back?” the Overlord asked impatiently, glaring up at the angel with folded arms, “My demand is this- the Trojan Army.”

“Ha! A legion of Godless failures?!” Metatron roared with laughter, “I suppose it’s fitting... For you.”

“So you’ll give me them? Hector included?” the Overlord asked, eyes narrowed as she craned her neck back to stare intimidatingly at the Archangel. He grinned at her, his own arms weaving into a fold. A strong beat from his wings caused a small breeze to blow the Overlord’s dark hair back, though she stood still in the room. With a cunning smile, Metatron replied.

“No.”

The Overlord sprang into action, left hand moving behind her cape and snagging the hilt of her concealed sword. Meanwhile, the Soul-Keeper barred the doors, the ends of his staff glowing as he turned to face the stunned Archangel. The Ninja-Lord leapt, sending the dagger flying and pinning Metatron’s sleeve to the desk. In a flip, she lunged over him, missing his outstretched hand by less than an inch, drawing her sword, then whirling around. The Overlord’s katana pressed against one side of Metatron’s neck, the other secured by the Ninja-Lord’s katana.

“You were saying?” the Overlord asked.

Reluctantly, the Archangel’s eyes locked with the Overlord’s, his anger and hatred for her evident in his cerulean eyes, “I will fetch them. Promptly.” At the Overlord’s signal, she and the Ninja-Lord lowered their blades, both heaving sighs. Metatron disappeared in a flash of gold light and the Overlord sat down on the edge of the desk, dangling her feet off the edge.

“That was easy,” the Soul-Keeper remarked. “Now, comes the interesting part...”

“Soul-Keeper, what do you know about the Trojans?” the Ninja-Lord asked, glancing over at where he was still guarding the door.

“It’s a condom brand?” the Soul-Keeper shrugged, warranting an immediate facepalm from the Overlord.


---

The three had returned with the Trojans that evening, who were partially resurrected. When I say this, I don’t mean that they were zombies, as that would not only royally freak the Captain and the Lieutenant out, but be downright cliche and disturbing. The Overlord had been given a warrant for the temporary revival of the Trojan Army, who was dead set on attacking DIB. Granted, it had taken some coercion to get them to pledge their new, short lives to the Overlord- they were actually convinced that they were fighting the Greek Army once more in revenge for the sacking of Troy. Hector was especially eager to find Achilles.

As the night rolled in, the Overlord’s thoughts had finally settled down to confirm a few things- the final battle had to come sooner than she’d ever want and that their present state in the ravine was bad. With the Trojans, they swarmed the forests and people would begin to notice their presence. The Overlord knew it was time to divide and conquer- there was enough of an army to begin an actual conquest. And if DIB hadn’t been attacking them, then they had been attacking elsewhere- perhaps innocent towns and villages.

Calling Jamie and the Twin away from the rest of camp had been a challenge, especially with everyone constantly watching the Overlord. However, she had managed to get them a half mile down the ravine before she felt as though no one had followed them. The night had settled in and it was fairly dark. The Twin had taken a few neon glowsticks to light their way. As the Overlord held a lime green one in her hand, she found that they were by a partially caved-in wall from some old building. Deciding it was best to stop here, the Overlord held up a hand, then sat down on a nearby log, careful where to put her feet.

“What’s up?” Jamie plopped down next to her, earrings dangling amidst her long brown hair.

“We can’t continue like this,” the Overlord remarked, “Not in our present state. I’m dividing our troops. Between the three of us. Twin, I know you want to take your fort back. And Jamie, we need more supplies. We don’t have the weaponry to win a battle.”

“Divide the tasks? Is that what you’re suggesting?” the Twin asked, sitting down across from the two, “I could take Fort Effort back, Jamie could get supplies, and...?” She stared at the Overlord questioningly.

“Back when the Uberlord was around, there was a collection of warriors. A guild. Twin, we were once affiliated with that guild. They were called the Elite. Remember... They helped us before. And I’m convinced they would help us again,” the Overlord announced, glancing between the Twin and Jamie, “I want to find them.”

“The Elite?” the Twin scoffed, then shook her head, “They disbanded a long time ago...”

“I know. But they’re still strong. I know I can find them. And you know, if we get them on our side, we’ll win no matter what,” the Overlord said firmly, “The Swordmaster, the Corporal, the Scholar, the Sorceress... Venice...” She sighed, “Have you heard from any of them? I lost contact years ago...”

“Well... The Scholar was at Fort Effort when it was overrun...” the Twin remarked flatly. The Overlord cocked her head then looked at the Twin urgently, eyes wide. The Twin patted the Overlord on the head, then added, “You’ve got your work cut out for you. They disbanded for a reason.”

“And if they know what’s best for them, they’ll regroup,” the Overlord remarked.

“So says little baby Fortenberry,” the Twin stood up, “Remember, you’re the Overlord of the Underlings. Not the Elite. You were young when they were around. Who says they’ll listen to you, huh?”

“It’s not a lost cause, I’m sure...” Jamie pointed out, “Well, in any case, there’s no point in not trying to talk to them.”

“Precisely,” the Overlord stood up, then looked at Jamie, “I need you to get the supplies and armor that we’re gonna need. I don’t care how you do it. You’re good at getting what you want. And Twin... You’re good at recruiting people, right? Once you have Fort Effort, you can continue building up the army while I’m looking for the Elite.”

“Yeah, that’s great and all, but who are you gonna take with you? Because if push comes to shove, you’re not gonna be fighting alone. I don’t allow that,” the Twin remarked, hands on her hips defiantly.

“I don’t need as many forces as you two do. Twin, take the Ninja-Lord with you back to Fort Effort. And the Captain and Lieutenant. Heck, McCoy and Fish will do you a service, too. Jamie, I want the Apprentice, the Witch, the Evocator, the Animal Tamer, and whoever else you can find to go with you. You’ll need all the help you can get. DIB won’t want us to be preparing for a full-out war. You’ll meet resistance,” the Overlord cracked her knuckles, “I’ll take the Soul-Keeper, Advisor, and the Grasshopper. That should suffice.”

“Everyone should be extra careful and should send word as much as they can,” Jamie pointed out, “Y’know, just in case someone is stupid and gets caught by DIB.”

“Excellent,” the Overlord smiled at her two friends, then held out a hand, eyes glittering with excitement. As the Twin giggled and fist-bumped the Overlord, Jamie began smirking sinisterly. ‘And so it’s settled. Jamie to get supplies. The Twin to take back her fort. And I... to find the Elite’, the Overlord thought, catching sight of the wavering spirit of the Theurgist. After receiving a look of approval, the Overlord inclined her head, smiling, then turning away to glance at the half moon above them.

“So... Which one of the Elite are you going after first?” the Twin asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I heard a rumor that there was something up north that I should take a look at,” the Overlord smiled thoughtfully, then looked to her two friends. “But first, I want to talk to Thomas. Just one last time before the big fight. Maybe I can sort this entire thing out before...” Her voice faltered, though she shrugged, “... He does something stupid.”

END OF PART TWO

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...”