To any potential readers, I must advise caution. This story, as it deals with the dawn of the evil known as Overlords, will contain dark and mature themes of violence, death, suffering, and many more such things. Just be sure you are ready for such a story.

Overlord belongs to its proper owners and I make no claim of ownership, this is a fan story made in admiration of the work of the companies and studios involved.


Chapter 4: God of Dreams

That salty smell of which I'd heard the sailors speak, the rumble of crashing waves, and the blue vastness lit by the fading orange of the sun. Were I not still building my image I'd have shed a tear at finally getting my lifelong wish. With nothing keeping me from it, as master of myself for the first time, I went forward towards what I wanted. Sand caught into broken footwear and my minions scurried closely behind just as fascinated by it. Finally I'd feel it's cold foamy touch wash my feet, and further I went as though lured by a siren's song. Waist-deep in the tide I admired how it seemed to wash away my earlier rage. It took nothing from me, of course, but it made me feel all the clearer and all the more alive after having felt what it was like to die. My tranquility must always remain short-lived as even the littlest of things strive to interrupt.

"Master! Maste-rerglugg-gurg-" My minions had followed me, eager to stay by my side, disregarding the fact they were far too short to be out as far as I. Snarling in annoyance I grabbed the diminutive thing by the head and flung him to shore, where he promptly began hacking and coughing up seawater. His brother seemed to of learned by his example and not gone in. Instead, "Bad splashy!" They went to work striking at the edges.

Not to be outdone, the little pup I held to my side began whining and yelping and kicking her legs. Displeased further I held her out from me by the red wrappings I'd given her. Quickly she quieted up and began making unusual 'running' motions. Interested, I lowered her into the water and was amazed to see her keep herself afloat with this paddling of hers, and as I let her go she even began making her way to shore. I knew what swimming was, but to see it in motion impressed, and I committed her methods to memory.

I followed her to shore where, once a good distance from the waves, she vigorously shook the water from her coat, flinging it into the faces of the surrounding minions who fruitlessly tried to shield themselves from with their hands. Dry as she could get she'd circle around in a patch of green before dropping into it, panting from all the stress of the day as she made to rest.

Looking back out onto the sea I near wished to return, but the sun had left it now, traveling behind me and falling beneath the wall of stone hills and mountains. As durable as I felt even I knew it would do no good to continue my wanderings all cold and wet. So I took to the nearby trees, these odd things with such long bodies capped by great fan-like leaves. First I raised my axe and gave it a firm test chop, which was quickly followed by a large ball dislodging from the top and konking hard on the head of one of my minions, quickly sending him down with a large lump already rising from his bald cranium. Taking precautions this time I sent them to move and drag him away to sit with the wolf pup before I finished my work.

Before long I'd cut a couple of smaller logs from it and tossed them in a pile along with a few leaves for kindling. Now only to start it. I took a spare log to sit on before picking up a rock and striking my axe against it for sparks, but such little things hardly worked. Frustration flaring fast I raised my left hand to throw the stone, stopping when I noticed something. My bracer, the one I got from the fire demon, still burned with the same fire in that disk. It made me clench my fist, the same one blackened when I tore out his eye. I remembered what that was like, and what I'd earlier done in battle with the wolf queen. Holding back as much as possible I sent another ball of molten flame out, immediately catching the firewood alight.

In the darkness of coming night all my minions gathered near the familiar sight, even the pup, who snarled instinctually at it, could not help but lay at my feet and bask in its warmth. The day had been long, and as powerful as I now was even I knew the value in rest, and the gnawing reminded me that it had been so long since I'd last eaten. As if to answer me, the minion who'd before been knocked out by the rock-like nut arose, and retaliated with his sturdy club, splitting it and splattering juice out. Puzzled at first he soon took it up and testing gnawed into the white meat of the fruit, not taking long to cheer and shove his face in. The others followed his example, and even I took one, splitting it with my axe. I kept one half for myself and placed the other in front of the pup. At first she snarled, but as she saw me bring my up to my face she reluctantly began lapping up the milk inside.

Finally at peace with my servants gathered to this little dinner I took off my helmet for the first time since dying and began to eat. As I enjoyed my first meal in gods know how long, I looked past the fire and to the moonlit sea. It was still so beautiful, so desirable. Though the priesthood I'd once apprenticed in forbade my marriage I felt almost a fantasy that if these waters were a woman I would use my new strength to defy them and make her mine. Of course these musings were beyond me for the moment, I had only just watched my wolf paddle through it and I doubted my minions even had the aptitude for that, so until I could solve those issues it would have to stay a dream... a dream.

Yes, as I sat by the fire under this radiantly starry night, I felt the allure of dreams calling to me...


As the first children taught us humans of the Mater, they also told of her consort, the Pater. It was said that he was a great wyrm of the sky who would slip through our memories and use them to give us our dreams, like a father guiding us. It was out of his love that he often showed us at our greatest potential, out of his drunkenness the disjointed pictures of our experiences, and in his rage comes our worst nightmares.

Then there were the dreams he gave to the greatest of men. Prophecy. I'd had such experience when the consuls of our city called on the priests to divine for them paths to their success. They were always brief and unclear experiences and half the people I advised with them ended up running into the worst fates in search of destiny. Yet in all of these dreams I never once saw myself. It was always some rich fool either making a hero of themself or crashing and burning.

Now though I saw a massive man, wielding a most terrible axe, standing before a tower that reached the very heavens. A great horde of minions driving on a legion of slaves. Even a red-hooded enforcer of his will. Not least of these visions though, was of the wretched queen whose soldiers had killed me. I saw her chained atop a mountain, justice served upon her as beasts gathered 'round.

Nothing I'd ever conceived of, but everything I so certainly deserved. Retribution, ascension, domination. I would find a way...


It was the sun that finally woke me, the golden rays making the very waters match the sand. I rose up and brushed the sand from my armor, taking up my helmet and dumping out all the sand from it too before putting it on just as my servants began to wake as well. I began walking along the beach and everyone began to follow, even the pup stayed close at my heel. A couple minions ran ahead, and I noticed they were wearing the cleaned out shells of the fruit as helmets, reminding me just how resourceful they were.

As we went on I pondered my dream. It was so beyond me... Maybe not... Those soldiers who defeated my comrades and I were beyond me, yet I took several down with me. That demon was beyond me, as was that she-wolf. Now I wondered if even the sea itself was not out of reach. All I had to do is find a way.

Aimless wandering was just as certain to bring you where you needed to as was the direct paths used by pilgrims. My belief carried me for hours till it was confirmed by smoke rising from the south. Picking up my pace we were there by the time the midday sun had risen. And what we saw was no mere campfire, but a village of raised huts and thatched roofs, half of which were lit like torches as people scattered and panicked.

These half-clothed folk fleeing and fighting with spears were clearly the natives, but their attackers though, I did not yet see. A young man ran up, terrified and desperate. "Please, please! You're clearly not one of them! Help us, save us from the sea peoples!" He begged as he grasped at me pitifully before being sent stumbling by when my minions chased him off, snarling and laughing.

If things were this bad then surely they'd be very grateful to me if I solved their problem. So I charged in, minions in tow, as I came to see three long boats had been driven into shore and from them several large bearded men emerged, they wore bronze caps with bull horns and fur cloaks while charging in with great two-handed axes. Some were making a butchery of the few warriors who stood up to them while others carried baskets, pigs, and women onto the boats as two of the three made to depart.

Finally! A chance to see exactly what kind of warriors my minions could be. I was not overconfident though, and I waited till the two full ships were leaving before striking. My minions pounced on the first, their clubs and claws did damage, but so did his axe as a single swing split one clean in half. Soon enough though his knee was bitten into and he dropped, but only so far, even as they whaled on him he still managed to reach out and grab one's neck with his enormous hand before ending him with a sickening crunch. Of course he was not invincible as they beat him over the head till it caved.

My minions were strong to fight such powerful men, but only by their numbers. I needed to be more careful with them especially as another pair of warriors howled out at sighting their fallen brother and charged. Now I couldn't let my minions fight alone. I rushed to meet them, throwing a fireball at one, who fast swung his fur cloak to absorb the impact before discarding it as it caught alight.

My obsidian axe clashed against his bronze as my minions ducked and weaved through the other's as to not repeat last time. Another three clashes between our axes and my foot to his gut I forced him back before swinging widely, intentionally missing him and landing it in the back of the one my minions were distracting, at which point they immediately rushed past to intercept the vengeful axe of my other opponent. Dislodging my weapon from the man's spine I spun around and smashed through the living foe's throat, enough to kill him, but I put in the extra effort and sent his head flying from his body and toward the ship.

The remaining raiders had finally taken notice and rose to crush my defiance, but clearly the villagers had been rallied and began their counter-charge. Without the other two ships the raiders were clearly outnumbered and quickly launched their boat to sea. But I would not let them go so easily, and there sent a fireball that split the mast of their small sail-craft, killing their momentum as the villages followed up with sending a hail of spears upon them.

Cheers rang out as the ship toppled over and a wave washed all of the loot back onto shore. "Celebrate later! We need to get these fires out!" Called out a man of large and wide stature, at which point his closer attendants began directing the survivors to work. "As for you, stranger. You have our deepest gratitudes. Were it not all we just lost we'd be throwing you a feast."

My immediate sense was disappointment I'd essentially done all that for nothing. But I was sated by observing how honest the eyes of this jolly man were in assuring their gratitude. And judging by the blood on his weapon, an axe-shaped piece of wood with shark-teeth making an edge, he was clearly a respectable warrior in his own right. So instead of making demands I simply nodded in acknowledgment.

"Come now, friend. We have much to talk about." He said, turning around and walking toward a large hut in the center of the village.


Hope you all enjoyed the "Beach Episode" of the story. There is more to come, just as soon as I remind myself to work on the next chapter.