Merry Christmas everyone, I was meant to finish this yesterday but ran out of time. Feel free to write a review. Oh, and it jumps around a little bit, but the next few chapters should be a bit more concise.
The Golem could be described in few words. Giant. Craggy. 'Oh god, please don't kill me'. He was eight foot tall, almost four foot wide, and heavy enough to shatter a reinforced gate. Which he had just done. It was the final gate before the govener's house. There was little resistance, Kira had already led a small group of green's over the wall, leaving what little guards were left scrambling to plug any holes.
They could not fill them all.
'He's not to be killed, yet." That last word left a rather poignant memory in Kira's mind. They'd slaughtered their way across Everlight, taking keep after keep. She'd developed a bond with greens, they reminded her of her old friends. Mostly the smell and backing stabbing, but they seemed more intelligent than the other minions.
Things were simpler back then, but there was less money and food was harder to come the armour an weapons were scavenged. She had to admit, actual equipment was nice. There was something satisfying about a staff that didn't break. And she felt an awkward sense of joy from draining her allies.
Colours became sharper, smells more obvious. She imagined it was how The Huntsman saw things, but he was so much slower. Slower than the guard who's face has a look of surprise on it as she swashed the point of her staff into his skull, followed by a blow to another's kneecap. A green was scorched as a mage started launching fire balls at them.
Kira pulled off an armoured glove, walking towards him as he began to speak. "My name is Danarius Fon."
That was all he managed to let out before a palm was shoved in his face. "Shhh." She hushed, watching as his form dropped limp and one of the remaining greens finished him off.
She let out a pleased sigh. Half skipping before realising where she was. She continued forward. She found the door open, a group of minions dragging a thin, middle-aged man out to the main courtyard. He was dragged before the Overlord, pulling himself up from the floor to stand.
"Go on. Finish this." He dared.
"I am offering you a choice." The other stated.
"I'd rather die."
The armoured figure turned to the elf. As if by some silent command, an arrow pierced the mans flesh. Making him slump forward. Lo was a good shot. Very good. Her second arrow did not miss either.
"How can it be so bloody cold. It's summer." Tristen chattered, feeling the frost despite being in a carrige. "It's summer. How can there still be snow."
"Feels just like 'ome." Drez beamed, looking at the snow covered peaks that lay to the west. There were more to the east that housed dwarves, stretching south, past the ruins of the the empire, growing shorter till they reached the desert. No one knew what lay past it. Drez did not care. "Apparently the drinks stronger up here. Frankly, the stuff down there's just weak."
"We should get to the city by midday. The party starts in the evening." John added.
The change of scenery had been good for him, Tristen thought. He'd almost returned to normal, he ate slightly less food and was more devoted to training. He'd got a lot more skilled. Ridiculously so. Before it seemed like he was doing it for fun, but now it was serious.
Near the back of the caravan a diffrent conversation was happening, between a paladin, and an old women.
"The elves reek." Khalenhad mulled.
"You are suspicios of everyone." Rose replied.
"Yes, but this time I am right. Suspicion has kept me alive for a long time."
"What could they have to gain from having the person they're looking for sent away?"
"I do not know, but I will find out. How are things going in your other ventures?" It was small talk, they both knew it, but there was little else to talk about.
"After wandering around for several years and finding nothing, I thought I'd expand the search, the desert lord has been trying to find out what's south of him, with no avail. Since I couldn't head south I decided to head north. The former lord of Nordberg sent a ship. I was going to have an update, but well, we both know what's happened."
"So Parcid taking over has more than one downside." The paladin replied with a sneer.
"What do you think of him and Anise anyway?"
"The mage I can deal with, the lord is far too sure of himself. And I dislike the timing."
"What do you mean?"
"A friend of the Overlord's lieutenant takes over the centre of weaponry and magic. This will turn out well."
"You're rather cynical aren't you?"
Khalenhad cracked an uncharacteristic smile." It's not cynisism if you're right."
"Yes, but while and and the optimists are arguing if the glass is half full or empty, Parcid is drinking what's left."
"And then he becomes a thief and I'm allowed to hunt him down."
"Is there anything else I need to know about?" Rose asked, frowning slightly.
"The king's poisoning was a set up. Baristan told me not to announce it." He replied, sounding ever so slightly like a child telling their mother about someone who was picking on them.
"Now, that is interesting."
Lo give an experimental pout before giving an unhappy look. She'd wanted to go to the wedding, she knew Parcid would propose. She'd gone to help pick out the ring. But she couldn't go to the ceremony.
"Pass me the green one." Lo told Most. She held the dress between her and the mirror. She d settled on dark colours, nothing that would attract attention either. Lilith had gotten her some new clothes, and she was rather happy with the selection. Most were comfortable, some formal, and not a single pair of the heels she despised so much.
"What do you think?" She asked.
Morg tilted his head slightly. "I don't think I'm an expert on this."
"I suppose not, just I never get to talk to you anymore." Lo let out a huff before sitting next to him, giving him a slight tickle behind the gill. "I mean, with everything that's going on, I feel like I don't see you anymore."
"It's okay, it's to be expected."
"Morg, I've been thinking." Lo started, her voice had become a lot softer. "When we first met, did you know that I was going to be the Overlord."
There was an awkward silence. "Yes." He stated."
"So, is this friendship real, or just because, I am what I am?"
The minion tilted his head slightly. "Originally, it was because of who you are, but now, it is genuine."
Lo had suspected this for some time. She wasn't shocked. Nor was she angry. She felt very little about it overall.
She'd been thinking about her friends lately, mostly how little unconditional ones she had before 'joining' the Overlord. Morg was supposed to keep an eye on her, the same with Parcid. Drez could have been one, if not for the whole casual hidden racism. Anise was one, they'd gotten along very well.
There was also Ule. How callously had she acted when he had died. She didn't even seem to care at the time, it took her a hour to gain some sense of depth of what happened. There was John, sort of, maybe. Although that was not unconditional with the whole arranged marriage thing. That left Tris... no, just no.
Comparatively, there was Seb, Drake, Anders (although his arm?), Marian, Jennie. Maybe Kira. Apparently they'd gotten along well after she'd had a cup of wine, although that had not transfered into her regular behavior.
Lo flopped backwards and let out a sigh of resignation. Her friends had no idea who she was.
"Is there something wrong?" Morg asked.
"No." Lo replied. "Nothing at all."
Parcid had received the odd scowl from the royal guards, acting as if they and the royals deserved some sort of special treatment. In his mind they did not. There armour was made in Nordberg, there swords, Nordberg. The nails that held the carts together, most likely from the city as well.
It took them a short time to get to the college. It was pretty much the only building with enough space to house the guests, that and the idea of having a large amount of mages nearby was appealing to the person that organised the security for the event.
It was a show of good faith. They all knew it, but that didn't mean people shouldn't be able to enjoy themselves. When they had finally arrived outside the school, it took what seems like an age for everyone to leave and get unpacked, and Parcid was left waiting for the King, they had business to discuss, the royal just didn't expect it yet.
There was another thing that was bothering him. The Queen. The level of improvement in the city was doubtless, but they had not gotten along well in the past, nor did he expect them to now, but the way she could so easily put on a smile, it was unsettling.
Everything was on schedule. Food and drink came on time, there wasn't that much he hasn't needed to actually, what had started out as a simple affair had developed into a city wide party. He didn't even try, it kind of just happened. It just spread out.
The queen had gone with Anise, helping her to get ready, leaving Baristan, and the king with as well. It was working out slightly better than he could have hoped. They had started walking, Parcid knowing where he was going but the others not asking suprisingly.
"I can't think of any other nobles that would invite any commoners, or marry." Baleon said, his voice showing a hint of concern.
"Yes, well the others have their heads' stuck up their arses."
"Parcid." Baristan chided slightly.
"I apologize, the others have their heads' stuck up their noble arses." Parcid replied with a slight smile. He received a derisive look from the knight, but a laugh from the king.
"Finally, someone who doesn't try impress me." Jonah continued smiling. It was true whenever he did a visit everyone was perfectly polite, perfectly dressed, and perfectly imperfect. It was a refreshing change of air.
"Actual, I do have something to show you, but it's not specifically to impress you. I you'll like it though."
"And where is it then?" Baristan asked.
"Inside." Parcid replied, giving a gesture. They'd come to a large building that stood against the back wall of the city, overlooking the cliffs. It used to be an old barracks, it had been left surprisingly well preserved, taking no damage in the siege more than thirty years ago.
The trio walked inside, the two unfamiliars acting rather cautious. Inside the area were sets of barrels and large wooden crates, roughly three foot high and five foot wide. Baristan started to pry open a crate, using his sword as a lever as the lid came undone.
In the box was two sets of items. The first, was long metal cylinder with a hole in one end. On the opposing end was a piece of wood, coming down along one side till it was aboht a third of the way along, sticking out of the wood was what looked like a small metal hammer on a hinge. The other items were similair, but much shorter, easily holdable in a single handq.
"What are these?' Jonah asked, picking up a longer item and looking down it.
Parcid took it out of his hands quickly. "The future, gentlemen, the future. Their should be a small set of bags near the bottom of the box, can you grab one and then follow me." After a brief fe seconds they headed outside where a dummy was waiting for them, wearing full plate armour.
Parcird took the bag and slid a small metal panel on the item from its normal position, poring some of the powder in and putting a metal ball in the other end. "Either of you two want to try?"
Baleon and Baristan glanced at each other before the knight took a step forward, taking the object. "How does it work?"
'You point at what you want to it, then pull the hammer back."
He did as he was told and there was a loud bang.
"What the hell was that?" Baleon asked.
"Look at the armour." Parcid replied.
Again it was Baristan that made the first move, looking at the metal sheet. "Clean though, and a dint in the back."
"Each shot penetrates a quarter of an inch of steel at thirty yards, more at shorter ranges, . It takes thirty seconds to get another shot prepared. Originally they had a chance if blowing the users hand off, but the we reinforced the barrel. The smaller ones have much shorter range, and pack less of a punch, but generally have the same effect."
"What spells do they use?" Jonah asked. Taking it from Baristan and examined it himself.
"None, but were currently experimenting. Takes a week to make each one, but they come in batches of twenty, we currently have sixty of each, and with your consent, I'd like to move them into mass production."
"Do the have names yet?" Baristan asked, an eyebrow raised.
"The large ones are called aurates, the smaller ones are called hand cannons." A smile started to spread across Parcid's face as he spoke. "You want to see the non-hand cannons? Well they're just called cannons." He jumped up and moved to a large wooden gate, hitting it twice with his fist. There was the sound of several cracks as it started to open. "I'd like you to meet Leo, and Lokir."
They were huge about the size of a small cart each. A small man was sat next to one of them, tampering with something on top and trying to line it up.
"What do they get through?" Khale had said, his mouth slightly agape.
"No idea." The old man said. "The original one's forced us to rebuild one of the walls, but we then made the smaller versions. We had to upgrade the smaller ones to get then working, and then I scaled the improvements back up."
"How long have you been sitting on these?" Baleon asked, his jaw dropped as well.
"Not long. There are currently ten people making them, but as I've said, with your permission, like to have one of the forges fitted to make them. We'd be able to make six hundred in the same time. However."
"There's always a however." Baristan interrupted, receiving a short look from Parcid.
"I have two conditions. Number one. Lo is not to be killed, under no condition."
"That is acceptable." The king replied.
"Number two, whatever their conditions are." Parcied finished, as a group if men in iron masks appeared.