Overlord Rising

A skeptical brow rose from Uriel's eyes, followed by a stern frown. "How is that possible?" she then asked, her fingers slowly flexing. "I am the Overlord."

The domineering figure of armor gave a quick breath. He crossed his arms, making a thick clunk when the metal touched. "To be precise, I WAS the Overlord," he rephrased himself. "I am your predecessor."

Uriel jerked back, upon hearing this. She bent slightly forward, and reached for a weapon around her waist. Although this so-called Overlord had yet to do anything to provoke her, this revelation immediately convinced Uriel to react with caution and readiness.

Stories of the Overlord were quite common in the streets and taverns. Bards often sang about them to display their talents to the public. Uriel had heard many stories herself, to the point where she also had begun sharing them to others.

She did not quite know which stories were true, and which were exaggerated flavors to the truth, but Uriel knew for a fact that the Overlord had accomplished many terrible and great things that shook several kingdoms to their core, and strike fear amongst those of high standing. If this man were truly who he claimed to be, then lowering her guard would have been a poor decision.

The so-called Overlord shook his head. "Do I intimidate you, my young successor?" he asked in a voice that grew more threatening with each word uttered. He took a step forward and began approaching.

"Stay where you are." Uriel drew out her sword, pointing the blade at his c.h.e.s.t. Her stance and words remained firm and steady, but Uriel could not deny the anxiety she felt within her.

"Your threats are both meaningless and pointless." the Overlord did not halt his approach. Uriel's sword went right through him, but it did not pierce the armor. It simply went through, as if he were made of air or smoke.

Uriel's eyes widened. "W-what?" she swung her weapon. None of her strikes did any damage. They simply went past him. "What magic is this?"

The Overlord gave a terrible laugh. "This is no magic. In this place, I cannot be hurt, and at the same time…"

The Overlord lifted his arm and threw a fist. It flew so fast that Uriel could not quite follow. In the blink of an eye, it went right through Uriel's skull. Like Uriel's sword, it went through her, causing no harm.

"… I cannot injure you." The Overlord finished his sentence and retracted his arm.

Uriel found herself taking a few steps back. Her entire being shook with nervousness and surprise from the sudden attack. It went right through her, and her attack went through him. Neither of them could harm nor touch each other. Uriel looked around the darkness she stood. Though she did not know for certain, she made an educated guess about her whereabouts.

"Is this the land of the deceased?" she then asked, biting her lip. "Have I died?"

"No," the Overlord responded. "Not yet, at least. You have been gravely injured, but it seems that your elven consort is doing all that she can to keep you alive. From the looks of things, she may succeed. It'd be quite fortunate, otherwise you'd be the first Overlord to die this early. I'd hate to have my title sullied."

Uriel snarled and growled. Her anxiety towards the Overlord fell, upon learning that neither of them could hurt each other.

"I need to return to my companions' side," she declared, looking around for an exit, or a path to follow.

"What would be the point? Your foe has used an ancient spell to transform into something quite monstrous. Your sorceress could not even contain him with her magic."

"How do you know this?"

"A small fragment of my essence exists inside of you. I have observed your every move, ever since you freed the traitor I once called friend from damnation. I even rescued you from near death, if you recall. It was during that battle with the lizards, when you were almost about to be killed."

Uriel's eyes widened. She did not remember what had actually happened in the battle, but she knew what occurred from what Mycelia explained to her.

"YOU. You're the one who made me cast those dark spells?!"

"I rescued you. You surrendered; given up on the battle. I stepped in to protect you, as you still did not have a full understanding of your powers and all that you were capable of."

"You toyed with your enemies," Uriel hissed. She shot a stare as cold as the harshest of winters. "You could have ended them easily, but you instead slowly carved them apart, made them suffer a little longer for your entertainment."

The Overlord casually shrugged, and shook his head. Uriel's icy stare had no effect on him. Her words did even less.

"I take no p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in tormenting the weak. However, I do find myself amusing to humble and slowly batter down the arrogant and proud."

This struck a chord. Without warning, Uriel swung her sword. The blade slashed right across the Overlord's c.h.e.s.t. It did nothing, but slip by. Uriel knew it would have no effect, but her temper made her brashly react to the Overlord's words.

The Overlord looked at the area he had been attacked, and then back at Uriel. Despite just having been attacked, he remained composed. The glow in his blue eyes did not change.

"Proud and arrogant my foes may have been, but they did not deserve to be humiliated in battle like that!" Uriel roared, her fist shaking with rage.

"And why not?" The Overlord's tone grew deeper and more menacing. "Lizards that do not know their place ought to be disciplined and humbled for their arrogance. As the previous Overlord, I took it upon myself to make sure they knew where they stood, beneath us."

Uriel fumed. She gritted her teeth, and clenched her weapon. She did not attack a second time, however, for she knew all too well the futility of doing so. Instead, she took a deep breath, and attempted to calm herself to the best of her ability.

"I have no time for this," Uriel snapped, turning away. "I need to leave this place. Mycelia and the others are currently in battle. They need my aid."

"Again, I ask the question, what would be the point? Your enemy has obtained great and terrible power, which none of you can compete with."

Uriel turned her attention back to the Overlord with less hostility. "I can't just leave them alone to their fate. They need every bit of help that they can get."

"Do you honestly think you will make any difference?"

A sarcastic chuckled left Uriel's lips. "I am the Overlord, aren't I?"

Uriel's predecessor responded with his own jeering laugh. "An Overlord who seals her own power? You are no better than a common sorcerer or witch. You do not even know that many spells."

"And what would you suggest?" Uriel's temper began to rise again, as she shot a vicious glare. "Shall I just lay on the ground, await all our ends?"

Suddenly, a dark and foreboding presence filled the black space they stood. Although Uriel couldn't see it, she could feel a surge of incredible power warp around her, making the entire area feel smaller and more cramped than it actually appeared.

The sense of fear and anxiety returned, as Uriel stared at the Overlord, who quietly stood in front of her like an empty suit of metal.

"Use me," the Overlord then responded. "Tell your sorceress to undo the seal, and give me control of your body. I have the knowledge and experience that would turn that lizard into a belt."

Uriel took a step back. "N-no," she shuddered. "I cannot."

"Yes, you can." The Overlord spontaneously pushed himself against Uriel. "With my power and influence, imagine all that you can accomplish. You can control Ebonus, and even all the other kingdoms. With me by your side, you can bring order to that a world of chaos."

Uriel had heard the stories of the Overlord and all that he had accomplished. He made an excellent point. If she had him unleash his power, he may actually be able to achieve her ambitions and goals of taming Ebonus. Not only that, she may also be able to stabilize the more hostile kingdoms and lands.

It sounded most tempting. She herself slowly considered it as a viable option. However, she also remembered a few other facts surrounding the Overlord.

With a firm frown and a steeled expression, Uriel tore herself away from the Overlord's shadow. "I won't do it," she then answered. "I will not let you take control of me again."

The light in the Overlord's eyes began to flare. "You stupid girl! If you do not do this, you will lose everything! Your army, your ambitions, and even your very life!"

Uriel did not shake. Her expression remained strong, and so did her stance. "All those you mentioned are important, and if I allow Keshrak to go, he may indeed cause much trouble for the kingdoms."

"If you know this, then why would you still deny me?!"

"As powerful as Keshrak is, I know of many other warriors and champions far greater and stronger than I. They will be able to rise up against him, and save the kingdoms from ruin."

The Overlord spat and howled like an untamed wolf. "Such foolishness! There is no telling how much destruction he may cause before that happens! If you release me, I can end him!"

"If I release you, then I will be unleashing a danger greater and more terrible than Keshrak. A threat that had engulfed the many kingdoms in flames for almost two centuries! If I had to choose between which evil I would let run rampant, I'd choose the lesser."

At once, the Overlord let out a powerful roar that shook the air. His blue eyes blazed like an inferno, as his entire body appeared much larger than it originally did. His appearance grew more terrifying, but it did little to intimidate Uriel.

"Sneer and cry out to me as much as you want," Uriel snapped. "Your threats are meaningless to me. I shall not release you. I will eventually have to undo the seal to access my true power, but until I can resist your influence upon my mind, I shall not do so."

The Overlord stared right at Uriel. His fists trembled and his eyes flared. He looked just about ready to lash out against her, but he did not. Instead, the Overlord lowered his fists. Rather than roaring in fury and anger, the Overlord burst out in laughter.

Uriel jerked a little, surprised by this change in tone. Ironically, his laughter frightened her a little more than his fuming roars. It made her feel small and almost insignificant, as if she had unwittingly stepped into a trap.

"You are both foolish and naïve," the Overlord huffed, still letting out a few chuckles. "However, I do admire your determination and commitment to your beliefs. You remind me of myself, when I was younger."

"You and I are nothing alike." Uriel frowned. Despite being a compliment, Uriel did not appreciate the comparison.

Suddenly, a spark of light started to shine. It grew from the distance. Rays reached out, slowly shattering the space of darkness that enveloped them.

"My lady, wake up!" The voice echoed and repeated. It sounded faint at first, but became clearer, the longer it spoke. Uriel recognized the voice.

"Mycelia?!" Uriel looked to the light.

"It appears it's time for you to return to the world of the conscious. Your sorceress did quite a job healing you."

A small smile appeared on Uriel's face. "Yes, I am indeed most fortunate that she is working with me, and not against me." Uriel turned to the Overlord once more. "I would say it has been an honor meeting with my predecessor, but in all honesty, it isn't."

"Then allow me to apologize with a small gift," the Overlord replied. He held his hand out. An orb of light floated above his palm. Several rings of text rotated around the orb like a current of stars.

"What is that?" Uriel then asked, stepping forward with mild interest.

"Knowledge of a particular spell. At your current state, you are useless. You lack the talent, understanding and skill to cast magic. This, however, will allow you to cast this one spell without much difficulty. Use it to defeat your foe."

Uriel looked at the orb, and then back at the Overlord. Her face had suspicion written all over it. "Why are you helping me?"

"The title of Overlord is one of authority and respect. You dying this early would only sully the title I have worked to make great. I honestly do not care about you, or your ambitions, but I am not about to let my title become muddied by your failure."

Rather than being provoked or frustrated, Uriel gave a nasty smirk and cough. "A harsh and terrible reason, but at least you're being honest."

Uriel reached out and took the orb. It felt warm, like sunlight wrapped into a ball. Despite its size and appearance, Uriel found herself having to use both hands just to hold the sphere up. Its weight seemed greater than it looked.

"Will I be able to defeat Keshrak with this?" Uriel asked.

"It depends entirely upon how you use it," the Overlord answered. "Victory is not determined by the weapon used in battle, but how the user wields it. You may have all the power in the world, but it would not matter if you do not understand how to use it."

"Well, I suppose it's time to see if I really do live up to the title of Overlord."

With those words, Uriel felt something tug her. An invisible force pulled her body towards the radiant light. She did not fight or resist this pull. With the sphere in hand, she calmly approached. The light gently flashed against her eyes, blinding her for a moment.

By the time her sight returned, Uriel found herself staring at an ominous red sky. Grey clouds floated over, as thick black smoke wisped into the air. The smell of fire and dirt captured her nose, while traces of fatigue and pain burdened her body. Close by, Uriel found Mycelia staring anxiously at the distance, as the sounds of battle rang.

"Mycelia?" Uriel g.r.o.a.n.e.d, pulling in bits of strength.

"My lady!" Mycelia cried out. Her visor may have covered her eyes, but the smile on her face expressed a great amount of relief. "Thank goodness my potions and medicines worked! You were this close to dying!"

Uriel gritted her teeth and tried to sit up. Inspecting her body, Uriel found herself stripped off her b.r.e.a.s.tplate, and bandaged on the side of her stomach. Judging from the large, fresh stain on the bandage, she had lost quite a lot of blood.

"What's happening?" Uriel then asked, still feeling the wound.

"Jotun, the two Chamael, and the remainder of the Blood Crows are still trying to fight against Keshrak," Mycelia explained, pointing out at the city.

There, Uriel found several more buildings demolished. Jotun and his allies struggled and did everything they can to deal with the shaman. Unfortunately, everything they had wasn't enough. It didn't take all that much to recognize the winning side.

Keshrak did appear to have some glaring wounds and injuries, yet he still moved with plenty of energy and strength to continue for as long as he could.

"My lady, I hate to say this, but we may need to flee," Mycelia sighed, her voice filled with resignation. "The shaman is too strong for us right now. We ought to gather our remaining forces and escape from this place."

"No," Uriel snarled, trying to stand up. "We need to fight. We must stop-!"

Before she could finish, something burst inside her head. A great deal of pain erupted, forcing her to drop down to her side. She held her head tightly, squeezing and scratching every part, in hopes to reach the source of this mysterious pain. Uriel hissed and kicked about, as the pain took hold of her.

"My lady, what is wrong?!" Mycelia cried out in panic.

Uriel could not answer. Too focused on this pain, she gritted her teeth and tried her best to resist. It felt as if a massive flood had broken out from the deepest corner of her brain, crashing and slamming against the walls of her mind.

Words and ideas popped all around her, each one seemingly as confusing and as complicated as the other. A great amount of information pressured its way into her mind, forcing her to absorb every single bit of detail in a short amount of time.

Eventually, the pain subsided. Uriel stayed on the ground, panting heavily. As Uriel recovered, something sparked inside of her. Everything that had been forced into her head started to make sense. She started to comprehend every bit of knowledge and idea that had been implanted in her.

Uriel then remembered the so-called knowledge that the Overlord had given her, before leaving. Was this what he had given her? Was this the knowledge that could be used to aid her against Keshrak? Perhaps so, or that's what Uriel thought, at least.

"My lady, are you alright?!" Mycelia asked, trying to get Uriel to sit back straight.

"Y-yes, I am," Uriel growled, pulling herself from Mycelia's care. "And I know what I need to do."

"My lady, please!" Mycelia pleaded. "You're gravely injured! You are no match for him right now!"

"I will be after this."

She placed her hands together and took a few breaths. Uriel steadied the beat of her heart, and focused the flow of magic in her veins. She meditated, until everything fell into balance. With one last breath, she uttered a single word, and cast a spell.

Immediately, black and white flames ignited around her entire body. Despite this being engulfed by these strange flames, Uriel did not scream or panic. No. She remained perfectly still, allowing the flames to continue burning upon her skin. Instead of feeling pain, Uriel felt a raw sense of power flow through her very being.

Eventually, the flames extinguished. Uriel then emerged, somewhat changed. Her body had been completely healed of all her injuries. Her left eye shined like light from the sun, while her right eye appeared as dark as the shadows of the night. Lines of black and white had been etched upon her skin.

Mycelia fell back and stared with complete awe at her mistress. She could not fully comprehend everything that had just happened. The elf felt something different from her mistress. A sense of both purity and raw power emitted from Uriel, almost like heat from a flame.

"M-my lady, what happened?" Mycelia stammered, very unsure with herself. "H-how did you do this?"

Uriel stared at her hand and clenched it into a fist. She felt herself overflowing with power. "Let's just say I had a moment of clarity, while I was unconscious."

The sorceress had many more questions, but could not find the words to say them. Mycelia simply stared in awe and wonder at Uriel's new appearance. It made her feel small, insignificant. It felt as if she were looking at a mighty fount of magic, in the form of a human.

Suddenly, a loud crash and a searing wave of heat erupted from nearby, reminding both Uriel and Mycelia that a battle was still going on.

Turning to the nearby street, Uriel found Jotun and a few other warriors. They all knelt on the ground, whilst gasping for air. Apart from Jotun, the others could not even afford to grip their weapons. All of them had been almost completely depleted of their strength.

"Mycelia, I will deal with Keshrak," Uriel announced. "Try to get the others to safety."

"Understood, my lady," Mycelia swallowed, picking herself up.

Uriel ran forward to meet her foe. Although she did not fully grasp this spell's capabilities and limitations, she approached without fear or hesitation. She had an enemy to defeat, and had obtained a power that could achieve that. That much knowledge sufficed for the moment.

Gathering her courage, she took a firm stance, and then shouted. "Keshrak, your fight is with me!"

This caught the shaman's attention. His eyes turned away from his nearly defeated prey, and towards the person who topped his list of priorities.

The shaman noticed a change in Uriel, but simply smiled. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he then cackled, approaching slowly. His footsteps lightly stomping the streets he stood upon. "Have you dressed yourself for your death? I must admit, it is quite a unique look."

"I have come to put an end to this shaman! I would demand you to surrender, but we both know that you have no intention of doing so!"

Keshrak's smile widened. "So good of you to share my sentiments! Indeed, it is time to end this conflict, which comes with your demise."

"Not if I end you first, shaman." Uriel held her weapon, and took a defensive stance.

Keshrak then took a deep breath, and unleashed a mighty stream of flames directly towards her. His fire could have easily burnt her to a crisp, yet it didn't.

Uriel quickly took a step to the side, narrowly dodging the flames. She didn't just dodge, however. She continued by charging forward. Uriel ran, ducking and avoiding every blast of fire that flew towards her.

After a few more steps, Uriel closed the distance, and stepped within reach. Tightly twisting her hands around her mace's grip, Uriel summoned her newfound strength and swung her weapon. It landed with a resounding thud. Penetrating through the scale's tough defenses, the weapon's blow reached the flesh and struck the nerves.

Keshrak's eyes widened. Senses that he thought he had abandoned came crashing into his head. With a violent roar and howl, he flapped his wings and jumped several feet away. He then inspected his leg, and found it changing color to a more purplish shade, showing that he had just received a considerable amount of damage.

The shaman's arrogant smile faded to a deep frown. The sapphire began to blink and glow frantically upon his c.h.e.s.t, speaking to him.

"Yes… it seems that she has indeed changed," Keshrak hissed, his claws now scratching the ground. "It seems I will have to take this seriously."

Uriel readied her stance again. "I preferred that you didn't. Defeating you would be much easier, if you let your guard down."

Uriel did not receive any snarky response. Instead, she found the shaman also readying himself to pounce. His eyes focused deeply upon her, as the fire in his mouth ignited and burned, preparing to be unleashed.

It seems the time for dialogue and witty banter had come to an end. Uriel understood this, and also prepared to meet her opponent in what may just be the final clash that would ultimately determine the victor of this whole battle.

The wind softly blew, as the flames around them smoldered. The surrounding area became vacant, as Mycelia led Jotun and the others to safety. No one would interfere in the middle of their fight. No one would come to save either of them, while they faced. Just the shaman and the Overlord going toe to toe against one another.

Neither of them moved. Both waited for the perfect opportunity to strike, or at the very least, waited for their opponent to leave an opening, or make a mistake.

Soon, a building crumbled and collapsed, breaking the silence, and signaling the start. At once, Uriel and Keshrak charged towards each other, ready to finally bring this very conflict to an end.

Keshrak spewed wide and vicious streams of fire from his mouth. His tail lashed out like an enormous whip, while his claws slashed out with enough sharpness to cut trees from their trunks. His fury and strength proved to be great and terrifying. The shaman displayed savagery that no wild beast could rival.

Uriel did not have the same kind of fury or savagery as her opponent. Instead, she fought with the tools she had at her disposal: her determination, wits and discipline.

Her newfound power allowed her breach the shaman's defenses and injure him. It also allowed her to receive blows and strikes that would otherwise kill or break her in an instant. Despite these new strengths, Uriel did not permit sloppiness in her movements.

She remained focused and disciplined, making sure to avoid as many blows as she could. While her power may have protected her, Uriel did not know for how long it would do so. Rather than throwing herself right into the carnage, she took practiced caution.

Their very battle shook the entire city to its core, like two calamities meeting at a single point. They fought and contained themselves at their very location.

Slowly, the sounds of battle became less. Energy from their attacks and movements diminished. The passing moments gestured for the coming end.

Uriel and Keshrak faced one another, bruised and bloodied. They panted heavily, trying to conserve their remaining strength for more precise and decisive blows.

Sweat ran down Uriel's face, as weak embers puffed from Keshrak's mouth. They threw almost everything they had at one another. Neither of them showed any signs of surrender or fear for the other. Only the flames of resolves and d.e.s.i.r.e for victory sparked in their eyes.

With one last roar, they charged once more at one another. They pulled their strength and together delivered what they considered to be the mightiest attacks they had left in their bodies.

Uriel found herself rammed by Keshrak's skull. She could feel something break in her, as a large gasp of air escaped from her lungs. Saliva and blood gushed from her lips, as she felt the pain.

Keshrak received a mighty smash right between the eyes. A thick noise cracked in his head, a sharp pain pierced right through and made contact with the flesh that his skull protected. His eyes popped wide open, as his entire body jolted.

The two of them then dropped to the ground. Uriel huffed and breathed, as she felt the effects of her spell quietly fade. The markings on her body disappeared, as her eyes returned to their normal color.

As for the shaman, his body, horns and spikes shrunk. His wings disappeared, while his two front legs turned back into arms. Soon, Keshrak found himself reduced back into his original shape.

Although they no longer had the strength to perform as furiously as they did, both Uriel and Keshrak still found themselves returning to their feet, knowing that the other had not yet been defeated.

"Vile demon!" Keshrak blabbered, being the first to stand. "I will end you, if it is the last thing I do!"

Keshrak raised his claws. He then reached out to deliver a fatal slash. Unfortunately, he did not have the speed to deliver anything too swift. Before he could even reach her, Uriel got back up and caught his wrist.

"I will not be done by you, accursed wretch!" Uriel exclaimed, followed by a fierce blow to the cheek.

She punched him a few times. Although all her hits made contact, her fists could not produce the sufficient weight needed to knock him out cold. Regardless, she continued her weak barrage of punches, hoping that it would take him out piece by piece.

Keshrak took the blows, but not for long. Taking a chance, he turned and swung his tail. It slapped Uriel across the face, and sent her falling back to the ground.

"I would have preferred to destroy you completely with my power," Keshrak snarled. He planted one foot upon her head, and began to exert his weight upon her. "However, this will have to suffice."

It seemed like the end. Keshrak stood tall and found himself as the victor. All he needed to do was crush her skull and finally be rid of her. However, before he could get the chance, an electrical surge jolted around his body, forcing him to coil to the ground. Keshrak huffed, and turned to see his attacker.

Not too far away, Keshrak found Mycelia with her staff raised at him. "Witch…," the shaman hissed, struggling to stand back up. "I will kill you as well!"

Before he could get the chance, Uriel tackled him back on the ground. Pinning him to the ground, Uriel reached for her mace, and raised it high above her head.

Keshrak's eyes widened with shock and horror, realizing what would happen next. He tried to react, but could not do so. The heavy weapon fell upon his face with a loud splat. His vision went completely black, while his body twitched, consuming the very last ounce of strength in him.

Uriel took a few steps back, and then stumbled back. She panted and huffed, while staring at the body of her defeated foe. It had been a very long time since she was forced to fight with such attrition. Although it took so much out of her, it also made her almost feel a bit alive.

With a final grunt, Uriel lay on the ground and stared at the sky. She began to feel the full amount of pain and fatigue anchor her body, but she didn't mind all that much. It was finally over. She had won, and now she needed to rest.

She slowly closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift off. Before she slumbered, she saw Mycelia frantically call out to her, pleading her to hold on.