[Author-san: Read at own risk]
Standing alone in his room, he stared at the peculiar item within his grasp.
"I wish to be a true eminence in shadow... A being in the dark, the one that sees and controls the light. An entity that is Supreme..." He whispered to the crystal orb in his hands.
Waiting for something, anything at all. The orb held close to his chest only seemed to glow briefly before returning back to its original red-ish color.
"Hmmm..." As the red orb lost its magical glow... it brought nothing. "Dang it. So much for a 'World bending, wish granting Item'. Well, it was worth a shot." He said, throwing away the ominous orb.
"Need to start heading out. Seems Alpha needs me for something. Anything will be good-treatment after this failure." With a hint of disappointment, he made his way true the window setting off to Alpha's location. The red orb was left alone within the empty room.
Only after a moment, the silent and dormant energy within it... started to pulse once more.
.
.
.
The sudden feeling... the feeling of a release. A glitch in time and space. From the sudden voice in his head and then a feeling of being ripped and torn from his body. It was so fast and quick that he barely felt it. Keyword being "Barely".
Opening his eyes, he could... wait... eyes?
Technically, as an overlord, he shouldn't even have eyes. And why does he feel like he is being watched. Oh, yes. He was in the throne room speaking with the pleiades. They must be waiting for his response.
Finally opening his eyes and not questioning the odd feeling any further, he saw...
"Huh!?"... something extraordinary. Not being able to hold his surprise, he accidentally jumps in his seat as he sees the drastic change in scenery. The action seemed to be only noticed by the blonde elf kneeling in front of the rest.
"Lord shadow. Something wrong?" The blonde asked Ainz. His mind was still re-collecting itself.
He could feel the drastic spike in his senses and emotions. The only thing similar to it would have been the time during his transfer from Yddrassil to the new world. Suddenly, noticing all the new senses, he takes a second to survey his surroundings.
It seemed he was now located in a well-built room made after some sort of throne room. Maybe they were in a mansion or noble manor? From seeing how most of the windows were framed with gold and crystal chandeliers, this was probably an estate of some high noble. Maybe one from Re-estize or maybe the Baharuth Empire?
The occupants were also well dressed with... was he feeling a life signal from their clothes? No. It was more like an extension of themselves, akin to Entoma's bug creatures that made up most of her body, but these suits didn't seem sentient. Wait... his getting side tracked again.
"Where am -" He stopped himself from asking as he realized a crucial thing. Addressing the Blonde elf, he asked. "Wait, what did you call me just a moment ago?"
She was puzzled by his question but answered none the less. "You are Lord Shadow. It is only fit for me to call you as such as you are the one with -"
"Okay, okay." Ainz stopped her as he could practically sense the long speech that was about to come about his greatness. Or maybe about this Shadow person's greatness?
For now, he knew that things were... different. He was in an unknown location, with unknown people. He should get to the bottom of this, but he first needs to secure his safety. Actually... this was VERY similar to that one occasion. Something he thought as a dream... that Damned school, those Damned math tests, and... that blue haired Goddess!
"Wait, could this be another gathering of..." He stopped his thoughts from wandering as he recollected himself. After the experience at that school, practically all the guardians and nazaricks inhabitants didn't remember a thing. He was the only one who seemed to know of it.
He was still very skeptical, but after a while, he learned to move past it, slowly forgetting and remembering it more as a distant dream. The experience was an eye opener, but after the semester was complete, they all finally could return to their original worlds. He was lucky enough to return with no one actually noticing anything. Seemed as no time even past when they were gone. Rethinking his situation. He looked up to the ones before him, trying to gauge any information he could.
"From how they refer to me and by the changes, it's safe to say they may think of me as someone else.For now, I should act accordingly and not raise any suspicion." He thought ,surveying their faces for any reaction.
"Umu... first, do any of you know the whereabouts of Yuri Alpha?" He asked, gaining a reaction from all of them.
Most were surprised. The blonde elf seemed flattered while the silver haired one was more jealous or perhaps envious of the former. Their faces reminded him of Albedo and Shalltear for some reason.
"Oh lord. To bless me with a new name. Always you have referred to me as just Alpha, but..." The Elf started to glow happier by the second. "Just know I will cherish this name with pride and joy. I am truly honored for such a..."
Ainz once again stopped her by raising his hand. Showing his signature King Silencing Pose No.38, he executed the gesture with clean movement. For some reason, the silver Haired elf started to furiously write in her notebook, but Ainz ignored her for now.
"I'm not granting anything. I'm asking about the location of a woman named Yuri Alpha. Unlike you, she has black hair and grey framed glasses along with a white, umu... I think Victorian or maybe England styled maid uniform." He said, trying to recall what that style of maid uniform was called again. If his not wrong, it was WhiteBrimm that mentioned it.
"England?... Victorian... Oh!" She exclaimed, coming to a sudden conclusion. "Lord shadow must be asking for the whereabouts of Victoria."
"Victoria?" Ainz parrott the name, wondering who she was referring to.
"I shall call her at once." Before Ainz could decline, Alpha clapped her hands as another woman suddenly appeared near her. "Notify Victoria that Lord Shadow wishes to see her at once."
"Uhg..." Ainz felt his soul crumble by how things were getting out of hand. "Might have to rethink my approach on this one. They appear subservient, but they may be hostile in the future." He thought, formulating a plan to gain information and create an escape route if things go south.
Speaking in a quiet tone, he decided to act while they were distracted with Aplha's orders. "[Widen magic: Detect Life[Widen magic: Detect Mana]" He said, gaining a surprising result.
From his words, a great burst of mana exploded outward from his body. Sending a dark wave of energy all true out of Alexandria. Shocking not just the occupants but all shadow members in the building. The energy coming from Shadow's body was not the same purple shade as before, but now dark and ominous. The building remained intact and only a few cracks could be seen on the walls.
Ainz was expecting to only detect the possible enemies around him, but the explosion of mana severely caught him off guard. "Uhmmm... that wasn't supposed to happen." He thought, trying to keep as much of his composer as he could.
The shocked faces looking at him didn't help. Preparing for an attack, he gained a more serious expression as he thought the jig was up, but their actions seemed to be more of the opposite of what he was expecting.
"Forgive us, Lord Shadow, for any offense we may have caused!"
"Huh?" He couldn't help but again be dumbstruck by their actions. He was expecting all of them to charge and attack, but now they were kneeling and apologizing?
"Our progress on the Diablos Cult have not been to your liking, we know."
"Diablos Cult?"
"But, with the upcoming events. We would surely- no. We would definitely make new advancements to put an end to them. This We Assure you."
""This we swear!"" They all said in unison. Some were a bit more serious than others, but they were determined. Whoever this Diablos Cult was, it seemed to be the antagonist of this group.
"Boss shouldn't worry! Delta Will HUNT all those - " The beast woman was cut off as the Silver Haired elf hit her on her head. Alpha seemed also mad at her shouting.
"They really do share a lot of characteristics with the npcs." Ainz thought, while subconsciously doing his signature chin rub whenever he was in thought. The silence from him only made them worry even further. All tough Ainz didn't notice their worries due to his head wandering to Nazarick.
"If this really is like last time, then shouldn't Nazarick also be somewhere here. All tough last time, only the NPCs were transported and not the guild-base. Makes me a bit on edge with the possibility that Demuirge might be out there doing God-knows-what."
[Scene Change... or I guess world change]
"Lord?" asked Yuri Alpha the silent Overlord. Apon, the throne, a masterclass actor skilled in the art of lies and showmanship, was wondering. Where was he? Who was he? What the hell was he?
He could feel the lack of needing to breathe, eat, sleep, and... more. It was so odd. The feeling of constant dread and darkness lurking within himself. He looked down to the six maids kneeling to him... wait, those weren't maids. From the weapons, pieces of armor, and the very obvious magic surrounding them, they were more like guards or warriors. Battle ready combatants... wait...
"Are these... Battle Maids!?" He could feel the jealousy swirling inside him that someone actually owned Battle Maids. He might have to ask Gamma or Alpha to implement something like that.
Getting back to reality, he could feel their gazes on him. He didn't know what was going on, but he didn't exactly care. For now, go with the flow.
"Sigh..." He breathed a heavy sigh, a bit heavier than usual, considering he didn't have lungs, but no need to think of that. He emphasized it to set a more serious depressed mood. Unintentionally activating his dark halo, making him seem even more dark and mysterious.
"What exactly happened just now." He wondered to himself. Not expecting an answer, he sighed again. For some odd reason he felt so... empty. Emotionless. Almost like nothing mattered in the world. Well besides his goal, off course.
"Wait, what if this is... Could that orb really have?" still speaking to himself, he came to a quick realization. The change in scenery, the feeling of darkness and the empty abyss within himself. It all fit the ideals and dreams he had of how a being of darkness should be.
The secret boss in a video game that was stronger than the final one. The entity behind the scenes that controlled everything. An eternal Eminence in Shadow. Even the throne room he was in, totally fit the whole big boss vibes. It was all so... cool.
"Lord?... Lord Ainz?" The voice of Yuri tried reaching out to her Lord but for some reason she felt like he was in another world from her. The red flames dimming in and out as they stared to the horizon of probably some distant plan. She couldn't even hope to imagine the boundless plans the mind of a Supreme being could hold.
Looking to her sisters, she could see they also shared her sentiment. She shouldn't bother her master too much while he was planning for probably the entirety of Nazaricks future. All she must do is report what she must and leave.
Just when she was about to talk, her Lord did something she wasn't exactly expecting.
"Hmph..." He chuckled to himself, shortly after instantly stopping as the dark aura returned.
She, and most likely most of Nazarick, never saw Lord Ainz laugh or even smiled. She was prepared, or she thought she was atleast, for anything her Lord might do, but this. She wasn't.
"Maybe it was my imagination... Or something could be bothering Lord Ainz."
She thought, not sure how to handle this exactly.
"Wonder how many nations I have under my control?" Shadow pondered with his new position of power.
He didn't exactly think he fully acquired the role of Shadow in all its glory. It is best to test the waters and see how far his reach is. This is the perfect moment where the dark entity says something ominous and vague but also equally mysterious. The giant throne room already set the scene for the perfect quotes, or Phrases.
To make the scene even greater, he rested his jaw on his skeletal fist while staring off into the distance. Not paying any attention to the maids in front of him. Appearing deeply in thought, he waited for the fish to take the bait.
"Is something bothering you, Lord Ainz." asked Yuri, taking the fresh bait to continue the act.
"The world..." He began, speaking in a deep, distant tone. "... I can feel it's cry for the eternal release." He said... not actually knowing what the hell he was saying, but it sounded cool. Like a small hint of the coming end of an Era.
The maid seemed to catch on as she widened her eyes from his words. "This world, my lord? It's end... is nearing?" She asked, the others seeming also eager for an answer. And so was he!
"Yes, this world is tethering on a knifes edge. Seems man's greed truly knows no bounds." Continuing with the lies, he acted out each sentence with awe and determination. "It seems a new challenger is rising to stand against us. Perhaps a hero?" He sarcastically asks himself.
Possibly overflowing with pure Ecstasy, this was the best act yet. He could already see it. This was not the Debute of an Eminence of Shadow, no... this was the opening to a brand NEW VILLAIN Ark! -until his emotional suppression kicked in... Dang it. Whatever that thing was, it was annoying.
Shadow's displeasure only lasted for a second before another voice joined the stage.
"It is just as Lord Ainz says." Came the sudden voice of Demuirge standing near the entrance. His devilish smirk didn't go unnoticed by shadow as he put two and two together.
"Oooh... this must be the smart, evil henchmen guy. They are usually the second in command, if I'm not wrong." concluded Shadow, examining the Arch demon as he approached.
After stopping only a few meters from the steps, the demon knelt before him as one would to a God. "Lord Ainz, it is true after our actions, the human populace will start to fear us and most likely rebel, but... you have already foresaw such actions. This is what led to the creation of Momon. Truly marvelous, my lord." The demon started praising him while the maids politely applauded his intelligence.
Shadow didn't know who was Momon, kinda almost sounding like Mundane Man's name if he ever gave him one, but for now, he should probably play it cool and collected like he saw all this coming.
"It's nothing all that impressive, really. Merely outsmarted a human. These mortal creatures are a bit slow when it comes to using their heads they were so graciously gifted. Maybe they would serve better without them."
"Oh yes Lord." Not realizing the weight of his words, Shadow merely marveled at the praise he was receiving.
After all the praise the Shades have given him, he was more or less use to it, but this felt more than just like praise. Almost felt like a prayer to a God.
"Hehehe, praise me more."
[Author-san: something written on a bored afternoon. Based on the crossover from Kadowai where Ainz and shadow had a freaky Friday incident and switched bodies. Made just cuz]
More? Or No more? IDK