I really appreciate the feedback. Each gear I see turning is another piece of the machine! :D I wanna say more but information is power n all lol. Just know I have a plan, I don't do stuff for no reason... for the most part. Thanks for reading!
With dusk fading away the moon was beginning to rise to its rightful place. Torches, like beacons acted as waypoints through the otherwise pitch-blackness which painted itself over E-Rantel. Besides the few taverns, houses, and guard patrols, there was no activity in the sleeping city.
A small cracked rock rolled before hitting a larger rock and shattering. Subaru nodded on with satisfaction and looked to the ground for more to kick. While doing so he posed a question to the person walking beside him.
"What's your deal? Why didn't you continue your patrol with that buddy of yours anyway?"
The man took off his helmet and ran his hand through his black hair, slick with sweat from being capped off.
"I don't see what ya mean. I'm still on a patrol, I'm making sure a civilian has appropriate lodging." The scarred man, Maerun said with a shrug.
Subaru raised an eyebrow at Maerun. Not just because of how different he looked with his hair out, but somewhat out of suspicion.
"But why are you helping me? because I have black hair?" Subaru said sarcastically expecting a laugh but none came.
"You remind me of someone is all" Maerun said distantly. His words eventually succumbing even to the crickets chirping.
Suddenly the teen felt his neck hair stand on end. Something was not right. Something that he felt in his bones. His insides shook telling him to run to do anything but stand in this spot. This usually benign but nascently heinous thing to Subaru was silence.
There was no breathing. There wasn't even any moving. The world seemed to freeze at the scene which the eyes didn't want to see.
Cold bodies dragged themselves across the ground. Their now tender flesh being grated away upon crossing any pebble, leaving behind a degraded sludge of what was once life. Tortured groans shallowly escape what's left of their faces.
Between the sea of bodies churning amongst themselves; there stood one which without the knowledge of who, would simply be another wave washing through. A teen with black hair strode somewhat ahead of the rest, making him far more visible.
A hand of a man, usually resolute, was reduced to a hollow shake. Seeking solace it found its way to its safe place: the hilt of the sword upon his waist. His diaphragm cramped, making the lungs in his chest quiver with shaky, pained breaths.
His body and mind were ready to fight, but at the sight in front of him, his soul refused. So he stood there in motionless motion, disturbed and confused, as the wind whistled against his ears.
The sun filtered within the outskirts of the forest which bled into the nearby village, where two boys donning peasant clothes chased each other. Swerving under the trunks of fallen down trees, diving into the tall grass and reeds after one another. The smaller of the two, using his nimbleness squeezed through branches the larger of the two had to run around or through.
The sound of their breathy laughter followed them as they continued their way towards the running water of the creek just ahead. Finally fully out of breath they plopped themselves on the bed of the creek and watched the water and felt the wind wash over them.
The larger boy scratched just above his eyebrow, the fresh scab was itchy. It was hard resisting the urge to pick it off.
"You really are too quick for your own good ya know that right Tarian." The larger of the two said, as he leaned back on his elbows.
"I'll keep running just like the water, it always finds its way!" The little boy, Tarian, cheekily smiled as he proclaimed so. Just then, the look of contemplation crossed his expressive face.
"But you- you'll always keep running with me won't you Maerun?" Tarian asked his big brother with innocent eyes.
Maerun reached out and rustled Tarian's black hair as he laughed.
"Of course. As long as you stay faster than me I'll always be right behind you."
Now however, the sun was gone and night hung still. As still as the breath Maerun couldn't take as he watched the visage of memory be distorted into the ugly truth. The tear wells, once thought to be dry, released against his will.
"I- I couldn't save you then. And I- can't save you now." The words which came out of his own mouth stabbed like daggers, threatening his very balance.
His ears heard his name being called but for some reason his legs started walking. Walking to the tip of the spear which had lodged itself in his heart. His arm reached out to the image in his mind, not the picture staring back at him.
"Tarian... I'm sor-"
A violent tug was felt on his back, he felt his weight swing a counter weight as he fell.
"What's wrong with you? We have to run!" The black haired teen shouted at Maerun who seemed to regain some part of himself.
"Right Tari- kid, we gotta go!" The guard said as Subaru tried his best to help him up.
Subaru felt a muscle in his back strain from lifting Maerun to his feet, just then he felt a powerful gust of wind blow past him in a dark blob.
The void closed the distance to the first zombie in an instant, a plea rang out but the blur moved through it before the words could reach.
"No!" The single word coming from the man next to him made Subaru jump as he watched the darkness eviscerate the horde of undead in moments. The organs and limbs decorating the buildings in a description that would fit hell.
The blur, something about it made Subaru's skin crawl, it was as if he could imagine this same scene with absolute clarity. Like he had already seen it before. These feelings unsettled Subaru to the core, perhaps tapping into a memory burried for good reason. Either way, Subaru couldn't shake the dreadful sense of Deja vu.
The pressure of the situation squeezed the teen internally. It was within this compression that the pieces started to fall together as his facade fell apart.
The blur stopped, showing itself to be Momon. The giant walked with confidence towards the teen and the guard.
The dark warrior felt a familiar feeling. The pressure, while not rivaling his own certainly made itself appear like it meant business. The problem with that however, was its source.
'This entire time, I've been battered around without even a chance to understand what's happening. Then when I do, this guy shows up, again, and makes it look like a piece of cake?' Subaru thought, as his thought became the word of his mind and echoed into his soul.
His teeth clenched and ground together. The simmer of frustration he'd felt was finally boiling over. In such a moment there was a crack, followed by a sharp pain. The brain registered it but the body disregarded it.
The taste of iron flowed into his mouth, then he felt it flow from his lips and and to his chin where it subsequently dripped off. These sensations only seemed to fuel whatever he was feeling at that time.
Spite? Jealousy? A mix of the two with extras added in for good measure most likely. Beneath it all, there was the seed, the seed which bore the fruit of his failures; himself. Yet, it was always easier to blame another, than oneself.
Subaru's shaky hand rose and a finger pointed at Momon and like a wounded rabid dog, he barked with bloody foam.
"Where were you?! This would've all been this easy from the start!" He yelled hysterically, the tooth that had cracked finally flew out, being forsaken to the dirt.
Confused and caught off-guard, the Overlord revealed himself before his Emotional Suppression could kick in.
"I was the only one who stayed-!" Ainz shouted just before he felt his sudden anger be quenched, leaving him regretting what he just said behind the visage of Momon.
'I shouldnt have said that. What's this even about? He couldn't have known about the plan, right?' Ainz thought within his empty skull.
Hoping to correct this in the manner of ignoring it, Momon coughed into his hand.
"I was just arriving as I saw you pulling back your friend." The armored being spoke somewhat curtly. The suspicion of this person had risen far higher than he'd expected.
'I was just trying to help. Maybe I should've actually followed Demiurges plan.' The soul of Suzuki Satoru echoed within the confines of the Overlords mind.
This whole situation would've been different if Subaru pulling back Maerun didn't strike a chord with Ainz. Then again, knowing a fact and knowing what to do with that fact are two different matters.
Nevertheless Momon stood with his arms crossed, looking down with his eyes of fire at the still feral Subaru and the seemingly baffled Maerun.
Subaru's eyes, once glazed over now seemed focussed, even for a second, as if a glimpse of recognition passed through them. Yet his teeth stayed clenched, it even seemed he forgot to stop pointing at Momon.
Ainz thought for a second that possibly he was simply having his own suspicion reflected back at him, he stowed such a thought for another time.
"Sir Momon... Its not how i wanted but, thank you for putting my brother to rest for good." Maerun said to Momon while wiping his face from the last of the moisture. Such a display brought Ainz back somewhat, back to seeing a shining paladin standing above while he laid on the ground about to get PK'd.
"Hmm. It was no problem. Helping people is just the right thing to do." The dark warrior said, and as he did, it seemed the boy fixed his temper somewhat. The kid dropped his arm and his jaw loosened, but his eyes still bore at Ainz with such intensity that make the Overlord want to Gate back to Nazarick.
"Yeah, you sure helped all those people." Subaru said with sarcastic venom. He didnt know why, but something deep down. -His mortal coil itself- felt backed into a corner from simply talking to the thing in plate armor in front of him.
"I'll write this off as simply a heat of the moment thing. They were already gone." Momon said to Subaru, and then he put a hand to his helmet and said one word. Within the time it took for the brain to register the word Momon said was, without a sound they were already here.
"Nabe, I've wasted enough time here, round up the civilians to a safe place while I clear the rest of the undead." The drive of authority was imbued with every word. Even with the distaste of helping humans visibly expressed on her face, she nodded, she would never refuse her lord's words.
"Understood, Sir Momon. I will herd these sheep like the animals they are." Nabe said to Momon before dashing away as fast as she appeared.
'Hmm, I'll have to talk to her about that. Sheep have four legs, not two.' The Overlord thought to himself, perhaps trying to distance himself from the quandary he found himself in the middle of. He needed to reconvene with Albedo and Demiurge as soon as possible.
Momon looked back to the two he had been watching. He pointed a finger in the direction he had seen Nabe run off to and said.
"Go that way, you should find a large gathering of people, you'll be safe there."
There was no response other than Maerun nodding to himself. It felt like nobody wanted to move, because nobody wanted to be seen. The low thrum of nearby torches was all that met one's ears. Then, a hand reached out and patted the boy's shoulder, making him turn to the source.
"C'mon kid, we gotta run" The guard said to Subaru, who, after stopping himself from shaking his head picked up his foot to start moving.
So, the guard and Subaru walked where Momon pointed them to. Ainz sighed a breathless sigh and wished he was in his room at the moment. He needed to faceplant onto his bed. His vision looked to what remained of the zombies and rolled his head.
That night, to the rejoice of everyone but one, was the birth of the tale of Momon the Black.
Within the grandest of grand rooms; a body, or rather the skeletal make of one, fell into a bed silently. Finally able to relax, at least for now as he had asked the maid stationed in his room to gather things from the various floors of Nazarick.
"I feel bad sending them on wild goose chases, but its the only chance I get to be actually alone." Rumbled the human soul inside the Overlord.
The arms made of bone pushed against the mattress, in a manner wholly inelegant and unbecoming of the stature he carried. The mighty suzerain of Nazarick bounced on the bed as he became upright, now sitting. The compression of where he was pulled down the mattress, revealing the book he had hidden under his pillow.
'An Introduction to Computational Physics and Simulation Theory. The only theory I have is how I'll never understand what the hell these words mean!' Suzuki Satoru practically rolled around inside the skull of Ainz Ooal Gown.
With a swift movement, his hand pushed the book back to its place as if swatting an annoying fly. The orbs of flame which reside within his eye sockets peered around the room, from the glorious Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, to the sheer opulance of the room. He was hoping that the ruffling he heard outide the door wasn't the maid back already.
'They're getting faster and faster.. Are the maids helping each other out?!' Ainz thought with a hand to his skinless forehead. He did always say that they should find ways to make the jobs easier. He just wasn't ready to see his words turned back on him in such a way.
Ainz didn't know exactly how long he was in his room but it was long enough for the moment. Too many things are happening and getting away from it all just left him in deeper anticipation. So, the Overlord of procrastination gathered himself and stood up, his left hand reaching out to its rightful place around the staff. The feel of the staff's cold metal or what he could feel of it, was soothing. As if he was together, with no missing pieces.
The tenebrous robe he was known for, flowed at his side as his staff clinked on the ground. Upon reaching the ornate door, he picked himself up- standing taller, straighter. He was the Ruler of Nazarick, not some salaryman anymore. His free hand opened the door and used Life Essence to take note of anyone coming around the corner. Feeling safe that he wasnt about to be ambushed, he took the first step out of his abode. His foot came down on something soft, far softer than the carpet that ran the length of the floor was.
"Hmm? What's this?" Ainz said as he leaned over and picked up the black feather which sat just outside his door. The smell emanating from the feather was as addictive as it was familiar, but familiar how, was what he couldn't place. So with a shrug, the Overlord strode down the splendid hall, making his way to the throne room, where a magnificent motley crew of creatures congregated and awaited their lord's words.
Depending on ones constitution, looking down upon the spectacle within the throne room one would see many faintings, more probably even deaths from being a mere withness to the sheer power of all within this room.
A giant blue monster in a frozen carapace stood next to two young dark elves stood on the left side of the carpet running the throne room. On the opposite side there stood a being with crystalline eyes and a metal tail, next to a vampire in a dress as if dressed in blood and lastly the graying stoic butler.
They all kneeled facing each other with their heads down as their master walked by and took his seat. As the Overlord was seated he smelled it again, so he peeked to the side where he saw the kneeling albedo, he thought sometihng was wrong when she started breathing funny..
Ainz turned forward once again and coughed into his hand.
"You may rise." The Overlord of Nazarick spoke absolutely.
The heteromorphic beings all said "Yes my Lord!" in unison as they stood as if it was a recital of some sort. Ainz thought of what to say, he figured it was time to at least share his suspicions with everyone. This is a security concern after all.
"Now then, there is a decent possibility that we are dealing with a player in E-Rantel. Demiurge, i would like to apologize for not following through on your plan." Ainz said, to the shock to every being present. The flustered Demiurge looked seriously troubled as he spoke.
"Please my lord, there is no need to apologize. I was adding mere suggestions, im honored any part had to do with your plan at all." The Devil said, he seemed to struggle with his words.
The Overlord sighed silently and contemplated what to say next. He brought forth the mirror of remote viewing and scrolled until he found his target, the black haired teen eating something from a skewer. Ainz turned the mirror towards the Guardians.
"We have to proceed with utmost caution going forward, everyone is to continue with their orders, but the moment you see this person or anyone resembling him, you are to retreat immediately." Ainz said to all present.
After they affirmed their master, one of the dark elves, pointed at the Mirror of Remote Viewing.
"W-what's h-happening Lord Ainz?" Mare asked, and the rest of the guardians tilted their heads upon seeing what was going on in the mirror.
"Why's he doing that with his arms?" Aura pondered outloud. Cocytus wasn't far behind in his two cents.
"I. THINK. HE'S. STRETCHING." The frost insect bellowed out with a wisp of iced breath.
"Could he be doing a dance of some sort?" The butler of steel added in his own thoughts.
As Ainz was turning the mirror Demiurge finally wanted to chime in.
"I believe he is choking." The devil stated nonchalantly as he corrected his glasses.
'Huuuuuuuuh!?' Ainz yelled internally, his jaw dropped as he watched the commotion on the other side of the mirror.
The sun shone down on a sparse marketplace. Two people stood outside of a food stall, watching their food be prepared before recieving it. It was some meat on a stick, there was no sauce but one could smell the fresh herbs and spices. What was odd however, was if one looked around, this is where busnisness would usually be booming. Yet there was hardly any at all.
Subaru took a bite from his skewer and turned to the guard next to him.
"This skewer is pretty good Maerun. You said this is your favorite spot?" He said, pointing to the man behind the stall with the skewer.
"Hmm? Oh yeah Kojin makes the best skewers in E-Rantel, probably even Re-Estize isn't that right Koj?" Maerun said with a grin.
"Ah they not that good, you jus' have messed up tastebuds, now shoo you're scarin' the customa's." Kojin, a rather burly man with a bulbous nose said with a chuckle.
With a handshake and goodbyes to Kojin, Maerun and Subaru started to walk down the road. They walked in amicable silence as they walked in the direction on Maerun's house. The guards house wasnt large by any means, but he was kind enough to let Subaru sleep on the floor in the living room after what's now called 'The Night of Darkness'.
Even if it was on a floor, a place to sleep as a place to sleep in his book. So Maerun was showing Subaru the way to a food stall before he had to resume patrol. As they finally rounded the corner, they arrived in front of Maeruns home. After waving to each other, the guard started to walk to his patrol route. Subaru thought it would be a good idea to shout to him.
"I'll see ya Ma- ahchk!" Subaru half said, half gargled as the piece of meat he had been chewing on lodged itself against his trachea.
His brain immediately went into panic as he started punching his stomach, punching his back, trying to pull the pobject from his throat, anything. Then with a swift pain he felt the pressure retreive from his face asfast as it came on.
"C'mon kid, you don't need a babysitter do you? At least i dont have to worry about you being quiet, damn." The familiar voice said as he felt a pat on his back. After coughing his brain seemed to finally accept the new information.
"Hey! That piece of meat was a choking hazard." Subaru said, eliciting a laugh from the guard. Finally, the guard actually resumed his duties as Subaru ditched the rest of the skewer with a shudder, and then walked into Maerun's house.
It was a small place, a firepit to cook and heat the house with sat close to the far wall from the front door, the smell of soot lingered in the air. The only other addition was Maerun's personal room. Subaru looked at the slight disarray of the house, it reminded him of another small place that he knew all too well. It only added to his anxiousness, he needed to get out, he wouldn't let this life be the same.
But in the silence of thought, the neurons in his brain finally made a path, or more accurately reformed the path that was already there. So much has been happening that Subarus mind hadn't been able to piece everything together. The more time he has to himself, the more he feels what's murky become clear. With a hand on his heart he had a realization-
'A lady, a lady definetly stabbed me. The feeling of my blood draining, my heart malfunctioning. It was all too real.' Subaru thought to himself, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. The violent retrieval of this memory made his heart pulse painfully, as if it thought it had again been stabbed. As the teen gripped his chest, this only solidified the line of thought he was on.
After somehow being able to control what was starting to churn in his stomach he felt an itch in his brain overpower even the arrythmia of his heart.
"Gah! What was her name?" Subaru scratched at his head as he tried to pick out the itch.
With a name or not, he was certain, at least mostly of his conclusions. He figured he might as well get used to Maeruns shack, so for payment of giving him a place to sleep, he started cleaning the place up. Within the days he was getting somewhat used to the routine of E-Rantel.
A maid turned her head as she saw a knight carry himself down the opulent hall of the castle he admired so. Its history detailed in every piece of stone, each pane of the intricate windows. He made his way with unfortunate haste, he wished he could look on for longer, but now wasn't the time. The knight left these thoughs behind with the last step before the door he needed to reach. Holding the parchment tight, he knocked and stated the reason for his disturbance.
"Your Majesty, I apologize for the intrusion It's grave news from E-Rantel." The knight stated to the other side of the door.
Upon recieving no answer, the knight thought the King was asleep or didn't hear, so he was about to repeat himself-
The door opened swiftly, and he saw dark faced resolute gaze of the one who protects the emblem of the Re-Estize Kingdom. His imposing frame almost taking up the entrety of the doors to the King's room. With a nod of acknowledgement, the Warrior Captain took the parchment from the knight and shut the door, returning to his lord's side within the confines of his personal chambers.
King Ramposa III looked to his side, peering at Gazef with the corner of his vision.
"So, what does E-Rantel bring us today?" The king asked rhetorically. Whatever it was, he was sure it would give the nobles even more ammunition for disregarding their duties as part of the aristocracy.
Stronoff widened his eyes and opened the parchment in a somewhat rushed way, not having the grace of a natural born noble, instead he was graced with peasant roughness. Afer gazing at the letter's contents the Warrior captain felt both helplessness and second hand pride at the events that were detailed. Yet no matter how great the tale of a new hero is, the facts were still in the numbers.
"My lord.. From these numbers- about 20% of E-Rantel is now deceased or left the city. Many of the merchants being the first to flee. It surely would have been the whole city if this warrior named Momon wasn't there." Gazef said, squinting at the name scribbled in obvious haste as he relayed the rest of the details within the report to the king.
He was sure that as he told his king these things, he could see him age in real time. With a tired sigh the old king spoke.
"We much graciously reward this Sir Momon. The nobles will be angry no matter what we do, so it will be best to let them get angry as long as we become close with this Momon character." King Ramposa said. Even though he said it to Gazef, he seemed to be reassuring himself of his own thoughts if anything.
And so, the patriarch of the Re-Estize Kingdom was saddled with yet another headache. Little did he know this ache was one which potions couldn't fix.