"This is an outrage! A scandal! Unbelievable! Who do they think you are? You are the Overlord Master! You shouldn't listen to their demands! They should listen to your demands or face oblivion!" rated Gnarl through their connection and said Overlord, Kuran Yuma was sighing as he heard the old minions rants for the nth time since he called him and informed him about the situation.
And it was tiresome the first time. It got boring the second time. Now it is just ridiculous! Losing his patience Kuran snapped "Gnarl! Just shut up! I heard you the first time! I heard you the second time. And by now I am betting the entire tower heard it! I am aware that it isn't something a normal Overlord is doing. But now stop and think about what I said earlier: We are outclassed by the Skeith. They can fly, we can't. If they start a war we get hard-pressed since the only flyers we got are Skeith themselves. It is easier to get what we want through their good graces than brute force!"
"I know master. But it is still something I can help but find outraging. Once we got full control over those bird brains, we should punish them for the insolence they showed to you!"
"Gnarl!" growled Kuran "Are you insulting my mistress along the way?"
"O-of course not, sire. Just insulting those of her species that think that low about you."
"Better!" nodded Kuran as he kept walking in the mountains, alongside Lehid, who was fully dressed for the task and their two watchers/guides as they were seeking for… well whatever they are seeking.
They just turned around a particularly large rock that blocked their view in the two Skeith guides are stopping and gasping loudly.
Kuran looked past them and whistled "Now that is impressive."
"Is that… a..." began Lehid and gulped soundly "A… a… Mancoth?" looking at the mammoth-like creature that was covered with spiked tusk and fur layered like steel plates on an armour. It has its characteristic brown colour, but it was odd as it was covered by scorch marks that go so deep that even flesh and the head and even brain matter were seen. Burned but still seen.
"It is" stated Kuran and moves forward "Their fur is sought highly as it is light but strong as steel. However, the flesh is poisonous hence why only very specialized predators were going after it" and walked along with the dead creature "In fact, only one exists a Sabretooth Condor. But those giant birds are extremely rare. I only know of three living ones. And even then…" and pointed at the wounds "That kind of wounds is something I expect in a normal case from extremely skilled magic users."
"You say Normal case…" began one of the guides "Do you mean… that…"
"The wounds are too small. Too concentrated for any mage. Even the Nagas don't manage to cast that precise and high concentrated burns. The Mana uptake for such wounds is much higher than a regular fire-based spell that could cause a wound of familiar mortality." explained Kuran and then points at a portion of the snow "And whoever did that, was doing it in self-defence while dragging something along."
The second Skeith guide was kneeling down at the dragging tracks and nodded "Yes. Somebody has dragged Boskas with them."
"Boskas?" asks Lehid and frowns "Sorry but I fear I am not sure what those are… I am not trained as a dedicated hunter."
"And your old community was not close to the mountain area. Closer to the riverside that borders the Orc lands." added the first Guide. "But to make it simple: Boskas are giant white boars. Extreme aggressive to anything they consider less dangerous than themselves but run once they realize they are outclassed. Excellent meat but by the Spirits are they hard to hunt. Only extreme skilled hunters or well-organized hunting groups go after them.
"If they used the kind of weapon, I assume they use at the Mancoth, then I rather doubt that they needed to be that skilled. Just good at aiming." countered the Overlord.
"They?" asks the second guide and frowns "Are tell me… whatever you are searching under our watch and guidance… is a group of people?"
"That would be the most logical conclusion" answered Kuran simply. "All signs are that it was a group that hunted for food. And thanks to the tracks here we can follow them to their origin."
"But… it is leading further away from the forest," told the second guide with a frown.
Kuran looks at him and said "In my kingdom lives an entire mercenary group of Skeith that don't complain about being outside the forest. Back at my home, two midwives are currently taking care of the egg Lehid and I have. Are you telling me, you a trained hunter manage less than all of those back in my Kingdom?"
The second was opening his beak to speak but nothing came out. His comrade blushes in embarrassment "Well… he does have a point."
"Just great" muttered the second Guide and they start following the track. As they moved, they heard the sounds of fighting… and a roar that Kuran recognized "Crap. A Rock Giant!" and rushed up and got around a curve and saw it. Individuals with black and red armour, trying to fight off a Rock giant
The Skeith came around as well and Lehid asked "Who are those?"
"Properly the ones we search" stated Kuran and watched them "I have seen this type of weapon before. It seems to be running out of power."
"Then let us leave them. That Rock Giant will take care of them!" stated the first Skeith and looks at Kuran "And your job got much easier."
Kuran looks back "So you would trade people you could reason with under the right circumstances with a Rock Giant?"
The Skeith looks at the Overlord "I walked myself into that one" and sighs "But still. How can we reasonably hope to face a Rock Giant of all things."
"Well… I have an idea. But you won't like your roles." stated Kuran and the three Skeith looked very nervous now…
Overlord: Kingdoms Rise
The unknown group, hold their ground against the Rock Giant with their strange devices, shooting off small balls of light at the monster, but it has little effect against its stone body.
The Rock Giant then grab the closed boulder and throw it to the group, a few manage to dodge with cat-like reflexes, but one of them wasn't lucky as the boulder landed on his legs. Two of the crew quickly try to help their comrade while the other keeps the monster busy.
Thought the Giant was stomping over the stick one and rose the feet to smash them with it… only to get distracted as two arrows hit the side of the head and upon turning to the direction where the shots came, the two Skeith Hunters passed it, releasing two more arrows on it, even if it doesn't affect it much, he growls in annoyance and even in anger as a crossbow bolt hits it and got stuck on the rocky body, trying the swap the blue Skeith in the air holding the crossbow but she avoided the attack and was reloading her weapon already.
"Let's keep it busy!" she shouted loudly before shooting the next bolt and hitting it again, angering it more and making it try to hit her with a rock it picked up but she was already flying to avoid it in a fast motion thought the group on the ground could see she and consequently the two others were trying to avoid getting the monsters attention in one particular direction.
[The humanoid avian? Why are they here? They shouldn't be here accounting to the report of our scouts!] One of the armoured men said, speaking in an unknown language.
[Getting our tail in a twist isn't going to beat this freak of nature!] Another one said, wearing a different variety of armour than the others and holding a weapon that has a strange crossbow. [Gu'gu is hurt and kicking that freak's ass with the birds' help will end this faster!]
[And how are we going to do that?! Cause you didn't notice; our guns and their primitive weapons are just tickling the beast!] One of their comrades shouts, pointing that the Rock Giant.
[Good point why are they keep attacking it with a simple bow and-] The leader finally realizes what the Skeith was doing and gives out the others to his group. [Sin-lá, you and T're are coming with me, the rest of you, get Gu'gu out of that damn rock and bring him to med, ASAP!]
The Skeith notices the movements and how they tried to free one of them but didn't dwell on it and instead keeps it distracted until they heard Kuran shout "By the Name of the Darkness that I command!" and it draws the Rock Giants attention over to the shouting Overlord who holds his blade above the head "And as the sixth Overlord!" he continued "I am ordering you to break in front of me!"
[What the?! Is that dude crazy!] Sin-lá shouted surprised.
The Rock Giant roared and rose another rock above his head, ignoring that the sword was starting to glow in the deepest black and the Overlord shouts "Crescent of the Darkest Light!" and swung the sword down, creating an arc of blackness that shined somehow and it shoots towards the rock giant as it starts growing in size until it was so large as it reached the creature of stone and passed through it.
The Rock Giant just stood while Kuran got down on his knees and panted loudly. The Skeith was just flapping their wings to keep their position while waiting for what would happen next.
Then the rock giant fell… to two sides as that arc just had cut the creature neatly in two halves, landing with a loud crash on the ground. The rock he was holding was also cut into two halves
[The fuck?! Did he cut a rock in two with a swing of his sword?!] Sin-lá gawked, hardly believing what she and her team were seeing.
[Just what kind of sword could pull that off if our weapons hardly scratched that thing?] shouts another and was looking like his worldview has just broken down.
[It may not be the sword doing, but that armoured warrior. He's not like the ones we spied on.] The leader stated.
The female Skeith was landing next to the man and was helping him up on his feet, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders for a better hold while holding his word with only one hand, and he looks very tired from the pose of his body. The other two were landing as well and helped the female, who let one of the other two take her position she removed the helmet, revealing his blond hair and human face and he was panting heavily.
[Soooo…. what do we do? Bail?] Sin-lá asked her leader.
[No, they have saved us in this situation. Best to check if those natives of the world are to be trusted.] The leader answered. [But don't drop your guard at moment, this could be a trap.] Lehid then went in front of the overlord, pointing her crossbow at the armoured figure, which in turn they points their strange weapons at the hunter. [Thought as much.] he mumbled.
"Stop! You just make them angry!" Kuran warned his mistress. Turning her head to him she saw his gaze and sighed and lowered slowly her own weapon, as the unknown group also lowered their weapons.
[He understands the situation very well. Maybe we'll have a better chance with negotiation than with the avians.] The leader said.
As none of the group understood the others, Lehid turned to Kuran and asks "So any clues what now? I don't get any word they are saying."
"Sorry. I am lacking the understanding as well" gave Kuran back with a weak grin, before looking at Shadow's Light. Taking the hint, she took it and sheaths it for him and holds it for him.
[He doesn't look good, that attack must drain the heck out of him." Sin-lá noticed.
[Then perhaps we'll invite them to our home.] The leader said, surprising the two as they looked at him.
[You're kidding! We're taking a big risk here!] T're said to the leader.
[But he helps us against the beast. It would be dishonourable to return the favour] The leader walks to the overlord, before placing his weapon on the ground to avoid being hostile to them.
The Overlord and his group kept their guard up, ready to take down the armoured stranger if he was planning to do anything.
"What is it?" he asked the armoured being, waiting for anything that might indicate an adept to communicate.
The leader points to the southeast, and he then exceeded his right hand to Kuran with his palms open.
"I think he wants us to follow him." One of the Skeith said.
"I think you're right. And we should follow that offer," he answered and holds his hand out and takes the offered one, starting to shake it slowly.
The leader helps the overlord back on his feet and walks to his group before picking up his weapon. He ordered the rest to move while one is carrying Gu'gu over his shoulder.
And the group were moving now while the two Skeith hunters are nervous. Given what the job was, they are not sure if they would survive that mission and seriously asked some of their live questions at this point.
It didn't take long for the group to arrive at something the Overlord Team had never seen in their lives. They looked in awe at what seemed to be a large metal contraption that is almost so large as the capital that once rule the land.
"What in the loving bloody hell is that?!" Lehid gasped.
"You're kidding me… a spaceship?!" Kuran mumbled in surprise
"A what?" asks Lehid in confusion "You know what this is?"
"I do… and it is a bit difficult to explain," admits Kuran and waves his hand a little. "Let's see first what their story is."
The leader of the armoured group walks towards what looks like a metal door, he then places his hand on the middle of the door until it automatically opens on its own. The leader turns to the overlord, making a gesture to come inside while the remaining of his team when into the contraption.
Kuran nodded to that and starts following her, leaving Shadow's Light in Lehids care as he thought it might be better not to appear dangerous to them. Especially here where he is more than outnumbered.
Of course, Gnarl was complaining about how much of a bad idea it is through the magic communication but the Overlord were just ignoring it for now and followed the armoured man with the Skeiths behind him.
The group walked through what looked like a hallway made of metal and light came out of the top corners of the wall
"Wish I could understand you. Then I would ask how far it would still be." mused Kuran and looks around to try and get a feeling regarding how far deep they are in the ship.
"Why do I have this weird feeling that you know more of this 'spaceship' thing," Lehid said and asked. "Are you thinking of recruiting them into our ranks?"
"If they are interested, sure. They possess technology even the dwarves could only dream of at this point. If we could gain them to our side, we could archive a massive boost within a few years"
"True, their armour and weapons are clearly out of this world, not to mention this metal castle is nothing to joke about." She said.
"Not only that. The castle we are inside… is a machine that can fly." added Kuran but mused "However something feels off about it."
"It can fly?!" Lehid gasped, raising her voice that everyone heard as their turned around staring at her in confusion.
"Not that loud," told the Overlord, covering her beak with his right hand. "I know it is shocking but yeah. If it is really what I think it is, it can fly under normal circumstances."
[The heck is wrong with her? Did she step her claws or something?] Sin-Lá wondered.
After a walk through the hallway, Kuran and his companion were led to a guest room with a lot of items and furniture with unique and strange styles.
"Ok… while I expected they have other rooms left for more people… such as a guest room on a spaceship? That is surprising" admits Kuran with a whistle and took one of his gauntlets off to feel the material of one of the furniture.
[That guy sure is different from the rest. He didn't freak out much like his bird buddies.] Sin-'la said, looking at the Skeiths who are confused and examining everything in the room before she and the rest of her team leave the room.
Also, Kuran went to the bed and felt the fabric of the blanket "Synthetic Silk… didn't think I would see it in that quantity or quality."
Lehid was looking around "How… how can you be so calm? Were you in such a place before?"
Turning to his mistress he chuckles "Nope. I was never inside a spaceship. In fact, I only know about it due back in my days as adventurers I travelled in some vaults of the Zehrets. There I saw things that would blow the minds of the dwarves"
"Then… then how… how are you…" stuttered Lehid as Kuran just grinned
"Let say… from all my experience I gathered, that is somewhere among the things I expected to happen sooner or later." he chuckled and took a seat on the bed "Well… I wonder how long it takes until a person of authority is going to see us." and rubs his chin "And how many more of them are here."
"More?" asks one of the scouts "What do you mean more?"
Kuran wanted to answer that but was stopped as the door opens once more as an anthropomorphic lion-like male being wearing clothing that screams authority, while hovering next to him is a bird size red metal ball.
The metal ball float towards the Overlord, as it starts to talk in the language he and the Skeith can understand. "Greetings, everyone!"
"What by the spirits is that thing?" shouts the second scout and backed off, pulling his bow and aiming an arrow at this… thing.
"Please! There is no need for hostility! I'm here to help with the conversation between us!" The metal ball pleads in panic, hiding behind the chair.
"Lower your weapon!" bellows Kuran and glared at the Skeith who dropped the arrow and then the bow in a shriek… a shriek that even made Lehid stare "I didn't think anybody even other females could get that high pitched of a voice."
Kuran shakes his head "I am sorry for my… companion here. They never have seen any technology higher than a steam engine… if they got lucky."
"Uh, a few of my gigabits just jumped off my system." The ball sigh, floating towards Kuran. "But I'm surprised, your reaction seems rather calm than comparing to your avians companies."
"That is because I saw precursor technology as I visited vaults. Thought most of what we found there was either broken or no longer useable, thus only giving us a glimpse of what they were able to do. As well giving us materials for other use." explained Kuran and crossed his arms "But it is rude to not introduce yourself. I am Kuran Yuma, Overlord of a Kingdom in the south of here."
"Is that true? How splendid! Now the chances of peaceful negotiations have increased to a 15%!" The metal ball said with glee. "And before we do that, could we know your names?"
To which Kuran gestures to Lehid "That is Lehid, a Skeith and one of my mistresses." she bowed in respect, and then he gestures to the others "And two Skeith Hunters of the Skeith Forest. I didn't bother to learn their names as they are only here to watch Lehid and me doing a task."
The two hunters looked at each other "We… are… not that important for anything regarding negotiations." admits the first with a gulp while the second stated "We… are really only here to watch the Overlord how he handles… a problem of ours…"
"And you are?" asks Kuran to that metal orb and gestures to the felines "And who are they?"
"Of course! Of course! My name is B4E0E21P, but most of the Feloians, the beings that are currently trying to survive in this place, give me the nickname, Beep." Beep introduced itself.
"Feloians? Is that the name of their race?" asks Kuran next
"That is correct." Beep nod.
"Also, really? Beep?" Lehid asked.
"Yep, Beep." Beep replied.
"Could be worse" shrugged Kuran and asks next "So… what brings you all here?"
"Not on our own account mind you. While we're travelling through the stars, finding a place to call home. and as we were planning to scout out that planet when our ship malfunctioned and we crash-landed here, with the bonus that this place is the worst spot and nothing in a normal travel distance is any better for a different ship to pick us up. Even the experts of the Clan ship are lost on that cause."
"Clan ship?" asks Kuran with a raised eyebrow "You mean there are more? How many are we talking about?"
"I have no idea how many there are in other clan ships since it's been years that we last contact with them. But the clanship that I honourably serve has exactly 2,500 Feloians on board." Beep answered.
Kuran whistles and thought about it and looks around a little "Hmm… you are stuck here in the mountains… but… how about I have a way to bring you to a wide field where you got all the space you might need to land more ships? Or better settle down."
Beep flew towards the Feloian officer, explaining the deal Kuran made before turning back to the overlord. "Commander Re'sa wants to know why giving us the chance to settle down? Will there be a catch?"
"I will be blunt: For one. getting you off those mountains. The way you kill the beasts here is scaring the Skeiths hunters and they need the meat. For the other: I expect you to share knowledge and technology with us over time." explained Kuran and gestures around them "I can see on your state, their armour states and the malfunction of your weapons that you are travelling for a long time now… and that you are starting to have trouble to keep your technology in a running state. It isn't hard to guess that sooner or later your clanship will have failures in the life support or other critical areas, crippling or outright destroying the ship to a point your survival is questionable."
"That is surprisingly correct. But I can understand the… Skeiths, was it? fear." Beep then looked at the two hunters, making a small bow. "Please you must forgive us, we do not want to scare any of your race. We were trying to survive this terrible experience."
"As… long you disappear as fast as possible from this place… it is good." stated the first one with a sound gulp.
Beep talk with Re'sa for a short while before telling the Overlord. "Re'sa will accept your proposal if you help with unloading anything from the ship to the land you mention."
"Good." nodded Kuran and smiled "Can you then arrange a talk with your leader? Then we can make more detailed terms for a settlement for your people."
"For that, we need a large amount of energy and something that would boost the signal. If you know someone who can make something like a satellite dish, that would be great." Beep explained.
"A dish… how large?" he asked loudly.
"I still need to calibrate the largeness of the device. But if the land you mention is somewhere high as the mountain where are now, then we don't have to build a very large satellite dish." Beep answered.
He rubs his chin "Well the place I have in mind isn't as high but I got a mountain range within the kingdom that easily got the height… and a little more if we go for the highest tower within that mountain range."
"Then we have a deal!" Beep declared with glee. "I do hope we'll have a good partnership in the coming days."
"Indeed! Now excuse me for a second. I need to handle something before they continue." and picks up his helmet and put it on "Gnarl! Did you listen in?"
"Of course, Master! I already got your intentions, and the Minions are already preparing for the gate to be placed. As well as preparing the Canan fields for you."
"Yeah. At least one good thing came out of Steadfast stunt of burning the fields. Plenty of unused space." stated Kuran "Get a troop ready to get here. Just enough that they can be of a helping hand here but not try anything too stupid."
"Understood Master!" answered Gnarl and Kuran took off the helmet "Ok. My Advisor is already preparing the place I got in mind… I must leave the ship for a good spot to open up a gate for my minions to come and help you taking apart that ship." and then wondered "Say… why can't you make a dish out of pieces from your materials? As you have to dismantle the ship anyway."
"That idea was also suggested once we figure out where we are." Beep explained. "Also, bit curious here: why did you mention minions? I do hope they are not slaves or anything."
"A) I outlawed slavery. B) Minions are a race that reaches up to my hips. Pretty dumb but so loyal I could order them to jump into a pot of molten metal and they would do it happily." stated Kuran simply "Once the gate stands you can see them first hand."
"Just don't expect them anything that requires any higher intelligent thing. Just let them have the heavy lifting and smashing parts. They love smashing" added Lehid with a giggle
"I see, I'll make a note of this Minion race and organise a list of what they can and can't touch, smash, or lift. For safety measures." Beep said
"Oh… and don't worry if they die. Either they die in a way their blue brethren can resurrect them or just call for new ones." added Kuran on top of that "A minion is faster replaced than a smashed bug."
"D-daily noted." Beep hesitates, feeling quite unsure of how Kuran and Lehid are so casual about how they treat their Minions.
"Trust me… either you get so casual, or you are going to a murder spree around them after a few weeks dealing with them." said Lehid "But if you want it rather worse: Gnarl, Kuran's advisor and minion master is encouraging that. And he is the oldest living minion we know off."
"Well… if there is nothing to add. Let's head out and get you set up" smirks Kuran.
Took much longer than I thought...
Real live, too many ideas cramped while doing the rewrite, wondering if I should or should not keep the bulk of how I originally made etc...
Not helping that I made the bad decision to co-work on several one shots at once.
(Not going to post here due to NSFW. The very close one type)