Overlord Rising

Seven wooden targets stood out in the field, spread only a few feet apart from one another. Uriel took a deep breath and concentrated. Raising her hands, she ignited five balls of flame. Then with a held gasp, Uriel lunged her arms forward, directing the burning spheres to fly towards the targets. Two burning spheres struck their mark, while the other three missed completely.

Uriel quietly cursed. With a frustrated groan, Uriel took a step back and sat on the grass. She softly panted, while wiping the drops of sweat that ran down her face. Uriel had greatly underestimated the difficulties of training with magic.

She had only begun a while ago that day, yet she found herself drained of much strength and energy. Her forehead had gone red. A sharp pain etched from within her skull, like a nail poking out.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Mycelia asked. She approached and offered a waterskin.

"I'm fine," Uriel responded, taking the waterskin and drinking. "Would be better if I could cast these spells more proficiently."

"You're doing quite fine, my lady," Mycelia complimented. "You're still learning how properly use magic. It takes time to perfect this skill."

"Then what about them?" Uriel asked, turning her attention to Mycelia's Ovoo apprentices.

Nearby, Ovoo spell-casters practiced magic on their own targets. They successfully launched a series of burning spheres at their own targets, without having to exert much effort. Their spells still didn't possess the same amount of power as Uriel or Mycelia, but they did found no difficulty performing.

"They've been training a little longer, my lady," Mycelia answered. "It's only natural that they're doing a little better than you."

Uriel grunted with obvious irritation. "Since I was given this intense amount of power, shouldn't I actually be doing so much better?" she then asked.

"Not exactly, my lady," Mycelia replied. "Magic is a very special gift given to a select few, such as myself. From the moment we are conceived, our bodies began to build up a resistance that would prevent magic from straining us. Even without any training, or even having ever casted a spell, individuals such as myself would have no time adapting. You, on the other hand, were not born with such a resistance."

"You were not born to wield magic," she continued. "For years, your body grew and developed without knowing the concept. Only when you inherited your great power, did your body begin to adapt. If anything, you're quite fortunate to even cast a single spell, without feeling a sting."

"That's quite a detailed explanation," Uriel remarked. She found herself a bit surprised to have picked all that up. Explanations regarding magic often gave her a headache. "Has such a thing ever happened before?"

Mycelia sighed and silently nodded. "Yes, a number of times, actually," she answered, reminiscing a little bit. "A long time ago, there was an attempt to give regular warriors magic. It proved to be a dangerous undertaking."

Uriel raised an anxious brow. "Were you successful in doing so?" she asked further.

The Dark-Elf looked at the ground and scowled. "Yes and no," she responded. "Let's just say that during those days, for every elf that learned magic, three would meet an early demise."

"I see…," Uriel murmured. "Should I be concerned? Must I watch myself for any symptoms or dangers?"

"For the most part, the danger was trying to impart magic on the individual," Mycelia answered. "But once the gift has been passed on to you, you should be fine, as long as you avoid forcing yourself to go beyond your current limits."

Uriel stared at her hand. It quivered all the way to her shoulder. It reminded her of her early days of training, as well as the first time she had killed a person.

Both moments sent shockwaves to her body, but it felt a little different this time. Uriel could feel a bit of a fire in her veins, causing her blood to boil and her skin to redden. Her hands may not have looked too different, but Uriel felt as if her vessels were about to burst out.

Uriel pressed the palm of her shaking hand a bit, hoping to squeeze out a bit of tension. It worked to some degree, but the feeling and shakiness persisted.

At that moment, Mycelia kneeled down and took Uriel's hand. The Dark-Elf lay two fingers on Uriel's shaking hand and quietly cast an enchantment. A faint ray of light shined from the Mycelia's fingertips, as she repeated a two words over and over.

Although Mycelia's magic did not carry any sensations, Uriel did notice the quivering around her hand slowly stop, as the pain slowly faded.

"Thank you," Uriel sighed.

"It is what I'm here for, my lady," Mycelia replied, taking her hand back. "Please don't overexert yourself. You are needed at your best shape for the coming days."

"I know," Uriel g.r.o.a.n.e.d. She flexed her fingers, finding herself completely freed of the discomfort. "I don't suppose you could teach me that spell?"

"It's a very minor healing spell, my lady," Mycelia replied. "It only pacifies and relaxes. It does not actually heal any injuries or wounds."

"You'd be surprised how helpful that would be, during conflicts," Uriel remarked. "I know plenty of situations where such a spell would be most handy."

"Well, if you think so, I suppose I can teach it to you," Mycelia agreed. "However, I would suggest you to take a break first. My magic may have calmed your nerves, but that doesn't mean you can just jump back into action. Rest for a while, my lady."

"Very well, if you insist," Uriel sighed.

"Very good, my lady," Mycelia replied.

Standing up, Mycelia turned back to her Ovoo apprentices, who repeated the same spell over and over on the wooden targets. They trained longer and harder. Their magic may not have been anywhere as strong as Mycelia's, but such skills did provide the army with an edge.

As for Uriel, she trailed off to the encampment, hoping to find something to pass the time. Small campfires burned. Warriors lay everywhere, resting from their long trek. Most of the warriors appeared in fighting condition. Others had bandages and scars all over.

Despite their training and better equipment, the army still suffered losses and casualties. They still had plenty of warriors to fight, but many would not be returning home. This was not a miscalculation, but a mere fact that everyone had to swallow, no matter how bitter. Anyone could die in the battlefield, regardless of experience or readiness.

Few tents stood. These belonged to Uriel and the company of elves that joined this march. The lizard folk didn't mind sleeping on the dirt, with the sky under them.

As she continued on, Uriel soon found an interesting sight. Ragosh and a few other lizard folk conversed with some of the Dark-Elves. It didn't appear like a simple greeting or short exchange of words. They seemed to be having a genuine discussion with one another. Curious, Uriel approached.

"That sounds unbelievable," Ragosh remarked with wide eyes. "Such a creature truly exists?"

"Yes, they indeed do," a Dark-Elf answered, as he chewed on a leaf.

"I'd like to see one, one day," Ragosh stated with much enthusiasm.

"I'd be careful if I were you, lizard," another Dark-Elf warned. "They may be a wondrous thing to behold, but they're nasty if you get in their faces."

"You all seem to be having fun," Uriel declared softly, approaching the group.

"Lady Uriel!" the elves gasped with surprise.

"At ease," Uriel grunted, gesturing them to relax. She noticed the elves stand to bow, whilst the lizard folk remained sitting. While Uriel didn't mind, she couldn't help but notice the difference in courtesy. "What are you talking about?"

"These elves have been telling us a few of their stories, Lady Overlord," Ragosh responded, still quite giddy. "They've seen things that our elders have told us, and even more."

"Have they now?" Uriel smiled, turning back to the elves. "Perhaps you'd like to share a few of them with me, every once in a while."

"You need to hear of these monstrous birds, giants, creatures with hundreds of eyes, and mountains that float into the clouds!" Ragosh exclaimed. He popped like a geyser."

Uriel chuckled a little at Ragosh's almost child-like behavior. Despite his scaly and fierce appearance, Uriel often forgot that Ragosh was young by lizard folk standards.

"We never expected these lizard folks to be so curious and inquisitive," an elf remarked with a chortle. "It's actually quite adorable to be asked of our stories, and be seen with such high regard."

"That's good, I suppose," Uriel murmured. "Regardless, it pleases me to know that you're getting along with one another."

"The potion that the Sightless Sister gave has been quite the help," an elf mentioned. "Back then, we found it a little difficult to rest alongside these lizard folk, as we could not understand them. But now, we find ourselves at ease, learning that they're not the savage beasts they appear to be."

"Appearances can be very deceiving," Uriel admitted. She looked at the Drow in front of her. "Speaking of which, I've been meaning to ask, were you all soldiers like Jotun?"

A Drow shook his head. "Not all of us, my lady," he answered. "I myself was once an herbalist, making medicines and potions for the empire."

"An herbalist?!" Uriel repeated with surprise. "How does an herbalist receive banishment?"

"There is a lot of political turmoil within the empire," he explained. "I concocted a brew for a lord, only for someone to tamper with it. The lord died moments after taking the brew. While I did not have the intent to kill, I was still indirectly responsible. Rather than death or imprisonment, they chose to turn me into a Drow."

"And of all the places to send you into exile, they chose Ebonus?" Uriel asked. "Couldn't they have just sent you to the human lands? True, humans would be suspicious of you, but your skills would have been very desirable."

"That's exactly the reason why they sent me here instead," the Drow continued. "Dark-Elf medicine is a secret, forbidden to share with other races. Rather than letting me share such secrets or skills to others, they decided to throw me out here instead."

"They may as well have given you the death sentence, if that were the case," Uriel grunted, crossing her arms. "I'm honestly surprised you survived upon arriving here."

"I was lucky," the Drow sighed. "I had a few others exiled with me. We were picked off one by one in the first three days. On the fourth, the Blood Crows found and rescued me."

"Is this how all of you found your way to the Blood Crows?" Uriel asked.

"More or less, yes," the Drow answered with a nod. "We owe Captain Jotun and his followers much for rescuing us from death."

"Well, he's a far more generous one than I pegged him for," Uriel confessed, looking around for the Blood Crow leader. "Speaking of which, where is your master?"

"He went off to have a friendly spar with one of the lizard folks," the Drow answered. "The lizard had a long neck, blue scales, and a kind of hook for a weapon?"

The statement surprised Uriel quite a bit. Although she did not get a full description, Uriel still recognized the lizard as Sidra. Jotun and Sidra having a duel? A spark of excitement lit in Uriel's c.h.e.s.t. She needed to see this.

"Do you know where exactly they are?" Uriel then asked.

"Just outside the encampment," the Drow answered. "They shouldn't be all that hard to find."

"Thank you, I appreciate it, err…" Uriel paused, realizing she had yet to ask for his name.

"My name is Theo, my lady," the Drow responded.

"Well, thank you for your time Theo," Uriel replied, bowing her head kindly. "Ragosh, behave yourself."

"I'm not a hatchling, Lady Overlord," Ragosh g.r.o.a.n.e.d.

Uriel continued through the encampment. As she did, she took note of the additional forces that had joined their cause. In the past few weeks, Uriel and company found themselves met with warriors from clans that they had either defeated, or not yet met. They came out of nowhere, and offered their services.

These warriors were not just some ragtag clansmen that volunteered to join the fight, but genuine fighters that had the skill and ability to survive in the battlefield. Despite having sent a message to the other clans to choose a side, Uriel did not actually expect any other clan to offer aid. Regardless, Uriel welcomed any support provided.

Although these warriors did indeed come to help, none of them represented their clans. If anything, they behaved as if they had been removed from their clans. While they did want to fight the Allosaur, they also did not wish to bring their clans directly into the conflict. Instead, the warriors fought alongside Uriel's company, under the guise of their own volition.

Leaving the encampment, Uriel soon found Jotun and Sonpra already engaged in battle. They indeed sparred, but based on how they fought, it hardly seemed friendly.

They fiercely exchanged blows. Jotun's steel blade met with Sonpra's bone hook. Both warriors fought with equal intensity, but exhibited different specialties.

Jotun swung and thrust his swords towards his opponent. His flexible stance, as well as his precise movements displayed his remarkable technique and skill in the art of combat. Uriel had sparred against him before, but she had not yet reached this far.

Sidra, on the other hand, did not show any practiced technique or skill. Instead, the lizard folk showed raw instinct and ability. He lacked a form or style most commonly used by practitioners. He moved sporadically and spontaneously, acting mostly on reflex. His manner of battle proved difficult to predict.

The Overlord stood and watched in awe, as these two mighty fighters clashed. Uriel knew for a fact that she still had a long way to go before she could defeat Jotun. She knew this as a fact. However, as she watched this fight, a bit of doubt filled the pit of her stomach. Uriel began wondering. Would she have defeated Jotun, if she were back to her original self? The question lingered a bit in her mind.

Soon, the spar came to an end. Neither one left as the victor. Both stood with their weapons positioned for a finishing blow. They panted and gasped with wild grins on their faces.

Uriel loudly applauded, making her presence known. "An excellent battle," she complimented.

"Thank you, my lady," Jotun smiled. He turned his attention back to Sidra and lowered his sword. "Quite the fearsome warrior you are, my scaly friend."

"For a creature without claws or a tail, you're quite troublesome yourself," Sidra complimented back, as he lowered his weapon. "Honestly did not expect such a fight out of you. Was expecting things to end quickly."

"It just goes to show that you must not be so hasty to judge others, based on appearances," Jotun snorted.

"Advice taken," Sidra noted, bowing his head politely. He then turned to Uriel. "Lady Overlord, if we ever get a chance, I myself would like a chance to face you in battle."

"Perhaps once this conflict with the Allosaur is over, you will have your chance," Uriel responded.

"Don't forget, you and I still have our own little score to settle," Jotun grinned.

"Now I'm VERY eager to fight you one day," Sidra chuckled with enthusiasm.

"For now, both of you use that energy on the coming battles," Uriel coughed. "Especially you, Sidra. You've been an incredible asset in our war effort."

"We are under your service, so it is only natural to give it everything we have," Sidra replied. "I am also hoping to end this battle soon, so that we may finally see the home that you've promised for us."

"It's a big place with houses made of stone," Uriel described. "Even if we brought everyone from the Shunen Grounds, there would still be a lot of space."

"Houses of stone?" Sidra purred. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"It's stronger than what the clans live in," Uriel replied. "It is like the Chamael's home, but much larger."

"Hmm… the Chamael do live in an interesting place," Sidra murmured. "Regardless, the others and I will fight with everything we have, so that we may soon go there."

"That is all that I'm asking," Uriel smiled, patting Sidra on the shoulder.

"Oh, don't look now, my lady," Jotun muttered. "But it seems you've got company."

Turning around, Uriel found Sonpra and two of his Chamael approach. She had a pretty good idea about what they wanted.

"Chieftain Sonpra, have the scouts returned?" Uriel asked.

"They indeed have, Lady Overlord," Sonpra snorted, his strange eyes darting at every direction. "They have found the village of the Frita Clan preparing for battle."

"I see…," Uriel sighed, somewhat disappointed. "Are they planning to challenge us by themselves, or have other clans joined in to help them."

"Actually, the Allosaur are there," Sonpra reported. The news almost made Uriel jump from the spot. "Our scouts have learned that over four legions of Allosaur warriors have come to make a stand at the Frita Village."

A smug grin appeared on Sidra's face. "Well, it's about time they showed up," she chuckled, pressing his knuckles.

"Don't be too c.o.c.ky," Uriel hissed. "While it would be convenient to stamp them out right there, I am rather curious to know why only now they would choose to appear."

"Perhaps they think us weakened from travel and battle," Sonpra suggested. "Although, it will be a surprise for them to learn that our numbers have grown over the days."

"Let us hope it is that simple," Uriel g.r.o.a.n.e.d with a frown.

"You worry too much, my lady," Jotun commented. "They may be a vicious bunch, but we have magic, better weapons and more allies. They are simply underestimating us."

"Perhaps you're right," Uriel sighed, scratching her head. "I tend to forget that the lizard folk are not versed in conventional strategy."

"See, there is nothing to fear," Jotun grinned. "We'll break the Allosaur and show them that we are a force to reckon with!"

A small smile began to form around Uriel's face. "So be it," she sniggered. "Tomorrow we march forth to meet and humble our enemies."