Kuran was sitting on a chair in his library, reading the contents of a book. As he was moving one page after another as he read the book, he notices that a hells gate was opening close to him, and he turns his head.

A hand raised to snap the fingers in case it was unwelcome company to call in some of the guards… even if he is aware that those minions that are close by weren't much of a force to put demons down. But at least stop them long enough to get himself in a favourable position. The gate flashed and revealed Sunkren standing there with a smile for her Overlord.

Relaxing Kuran leans back "Hello Sunkren. I didn't expect you being back here that soon."

"Oh?" smirked the Succubus slightly and her tail waved a bit. "Not so soon? I was gone for a week after all."

"Given that Ahya tried on me and did on the princess, I was pretty sure you would do much more time." admits Kuran while folding his hands together while giving a pointed look.

Spreading her arms Sunkren concedes "Yeah… normally you would be very correct. But we are on a time table. So, I opted to go efficient and pragmatic than pretty and revengeful with my actions." Then she moves to one of the other chairs and flopped down "And I will be honest with you Kuran… I got two results out of it. One good. One bad. Which one do you want to hear?"

"The bad one" stated the Overlord preparing for the worst

"Ahyas mind manipulation on Isadel… the snake did a good job on her. It started to permanently imprint on her." and Sunkren shakes her head "it can be fixed. Thought that's going beyond my skills."

She leans against one of the shelves, "I have to hire somebody who has more experience in this field. And it won't be cheap. Even if we go for a mortal expert. But that one is better in the hands of one of my fellow demons. Or I call a favour with one of the celestials. Thought THAT is always a more unpredictable options than having a deal with a demon."

Kuran frowned while looking at her "Great. And in the meanwhile, we have to try and hide it from her grandmother."

"Well… that problem is easily to handle thanks to the good news" countered Sunkren. To which Kuran rose an eyebrow in curiosity. To which she explains "I went to Orlux and bought the contract he had. Was quite reasonable about it, thanks to the combination of me paying him what she was tasked to get, and upon learning what she did… He figured her value for any future trades are quite low. Or would ever get the chance to make a contract with him ever again."

"Ah. Reasonable." he nodded while rubbing his chin "so she will paly her role?"

"She will." nodded Sunkren "After that, we can decide how to go with her further… but I will be honest with you. I don't think we can continue to trust her."

"I say that as well. However, we won't be able to get rid of her until we fully understand the Nagas and their political systems."

Sunkren nodded in slight annoyance "I know. I trust you that you figure that out fast enough."

"Oh, that I am sure I will be able to pull off with time. But how long that takes are the big question" he admitted to Sunkren with a shrug. "The only thing that would ease my mind if she somehow changed her complete person to somebody I could trust."

Sunkren quirked her eyes a little and rubs her chin… her mind running on that little titbit and had quite an idea "Well… given I need time with her anyway to fix the damage… I am certain I can work on something. And… I think I have a favour or two I could use for the idea I just start hatching."

"Dot it." Then he snapped his fingers as he remembered something by the way… somebody is asking for you. Claims you two know each other of the good old days of Monora"

"Monora?" she asks and then her eyes widened "What he is alive? I thought he was slain ages ago by heroes"

"You know who I am talking about?" asks Kuran in curiosity.

"Oh yes. An old friend from the Abyss… don't worry. I never had something with him. Despite his strength he was… way too bloodthirsty for me. Never left anything alive when he had a bad mood. Where can I find him?"

"As far I know you have to go to the Capital and ask in The Raiding Horse for a Blaze." told Kuran simply to her and shrugged "Not a clue what that is about… he should be waiting for a few days by now."

"Blaze?" was the surprised reply but then she shrugged "Then I am straight on my way to him." smiles the succubus and stood up to leave the tower for the capital. Before she stopped and turned back to Kuran "Now that I think of it… how the hell did he manage to make you pass that massage to me?"

"It does get attention when somebody starts cursing in demonic language upon kicked out for trying to simply walk into the private rooms in the mansion in the capital." answered Kuran simply while crossing his arms "That's all."

She chuckled and just rolled her eyes upon her walking out of the room.

Overlord: Kingdom's Rise

Silver was sitting in a tent which was far inside the dessert… it was the meeting point with the new faction that arose in Asira. Or rather old faction since it is the returning last queen of the former ruling faction of this land. The young lord was of course not believing he would see the queen herself but having a representant talking to him is a start at itself.

In fact, the tent that is part of a small camp was set up by those people… to ensure the man wasn't trying to pull some trap or stunt. He glances a bit around a bit to see the guards. But there wasn't much to see. They wore light leather armour with some robes. Light enough to not get a stroke from the temperatures, but enough to protect them and hide their features. As far he could tell it is a mix of different races. The tent entry opens, and a young man walked in. He wears only a white robe while having a few golden jewellery over the body. One of them hanging around his neck seems like it stood for a high position.

Silver stood up and gave a respectful bow, while the young man did the same "I am Lukman. I speak in the name of my queen." And gestured Silver to sit "I am already aware of your reason here, Lord Silver. You came originally to these lands to strike a deal with those who hold the throne at the moment. It is about those canines that they breed for a few centuries now." He leans back and put the tips of his fingers together "No doubt for your overlord… due to a lack of mounts in his lands"

Silvers eyes widened in surprise of how well he is informed… he had thought he was only partly aware on that. Upon the reaction, Lupman smiled "It isn't a secret and given you are here, willing to meet us, who would be labelled as all sorts of negative terms, means you are willing to seek alternatives."

"That… is a good point" nodded Silver and folds his hands "And do you have something to offer in return of our help?" figuring that the only reason that meeting happens is that they need it.

Lukman was not really surprised but nodded "Yes… even with our advantages, the minions of a dark master, or Overlord as they are named today." and smiles to him "In return… we would once we have won give you breeding pairs of the lupines. As well a group of our mounts. And trainers of both." and chuckles.

"What kind of mounts are we talking about?" asks Silver incuriosity.

TO which Lukman snapped her fingers and one side of the tent is lifted… allowing Silver the view on a big bird… no… a Gryphon. Silver looks surprised at Lukman "A gryphon? I thought they are not tameable for armies. I only saw a few very skilled adventurers tame them and even then, it is always a daily fight to keep them tamed."

Lukman smiles simply "We know the secret of permanently tamed Gryphon. So, they make good mounts. Only downside is that it takes time to train them… a lot of time. But as result you get mounts that are also fierce fighters and once, they bond properly with a rider." he smirks, and Silver got the sign and nods. Turning his head towards the half falcon half lion creature with the rider on its back. It was scratching the ground slightly with one of it front feet.

After thinking about it, Silver turns to Lukman and nods "I am notifying Overlord Kuran regarding your offer. Once I get an answer from him, I try to have you the answer delivered."

Lukman only smiled while putting a hand on Silvers shoulder "That is all we are expecting from you for now. Now let's have some wine to celebrate that little meeting and then you are brought back to your host." and snapped the fingers, a servant coming in with two cups of wine, placing them on the table between the two young men.

Taking one, the native man raised it into the air "To our good talk."

"To our good talk" said Silver while raising his cup before the two drank the wine. And Silver wondered how to write the letter to explain his thoughts and opinion.

Overlord: Kingdoms Rise

Sitting in a private room in an inn, Sunkren was enjoying a glass of wine as the door opened… and her eyebrow rose as she saw a Feliton coming in. Before she starts grinning "Hello there… I take you are Blaze. With a small soulmate problem?"

"Yes." stated the cat with a sigh and took a seat "I am Blaze… and your "old friend" Vanid is sealed inside me. And bugs me like hell. Hence, we are searching for Asrial. According to the elder of my home village she is supposed to be in this kingdom. And Vanid in my head claims he can sniff traces of her might here. Fresh ones."

Sunkren blinked confused and places down her cup of wine "Asrial? Here? That cannot be… Asrial was destroyed by her student Baha… and took over her lab. And THAT was nearly 150 years ago." as she spread her arms with a shake of her head.

Blaze's eyes turned and slammed his hands on the table "Asrial is destroyed?" he shouts with a different voice "That cannot be. She pays too much caution to get destroyed by anybody who is weaker than her."

Sunkren smiles "Hello "Vanid". And good to see you didn't change much… despite being sealed in a cats body" she chuckles loudly while leaning back "I take you sought out my help to find Asrial… or rather Baha this time."

Vanid grumbled in the throat before telling "Well… given the situation I think… we are going to have a change of plans now. If Baha was Asrial student, then she should do the separation as well."

Sunkren nodded "Sensible. Asrial was always the best when it comes to sealing procedures… given she created half of today's known ways. Including some of those the celestial forces are using." before she laughed while slapping her knee "Even if they are NOT willing to admit that they had paid her for some special methods."

Vanid twitched the eye of his host body "Are you telling me… that this angel used… an Asrial sealing method for me?"

Sunkren shrugged "How should I know? I only know that sealings are one of her three specialities, the other two being mundane magic applications and the creation of familiars." before rubbing her chin "Which makes me wonder why she never poked into the possibility with teaming up with a dark master… I mean the minions, no matter how dumb they are must be a great research object."

Vanid looks at the succubus in deadpan "And mess with the creation of a dark god?"

Then the eyes flashed back to their original colour "Wait what? Minions are a creation of a god? I thought they are demon made?"

"Normally I would agree." laughed Sunkren "But no… the minions are a product to create a kind of balance system. A dark lord to knock down the light, if necessary, while light gets heroes once the dark masters had their fun. Thought, most mortals mistake it with good and evil sides. Even Gnarl makes the mistake. In my opinion this comes from of being a minion, even if he has the collective brainpower of his race, and I heard Azriel likes to mess with everybody. Even his creations."

Blaze laughed weakly to that and rubs his throat "SO… can you… help us finding that lab?"

Pondering on this question Sunkren nods "I think I will help you. Even if only for the sake for knowing where other demonic forces are in this kingdom. After all, as ones of the Overlords mistresses, and demonic being myself, I should know where such powers are moving in this kingdom. And having them under my thumb." and grinned wider, thinking of the aspects of such a lab added to the research team of her Lord. The possibilities about boosting everything for the kingdom is just too much to ignore in her mind.

"Thought I have one thing for you to do." she mused to them. and holds out her hands "Until you two are successful separated you two are acting as my personal servant. You will get a place to sleep, clothes and a payment."

Blaze looks nervous at the hand that is hold out and the succubus laughed "Don't worry. Kuran is more than enough to keep me happy at the moment. But with Gins knowledge I can task you with things that I cannot ask from anybody else I could order around in this kingdom."

"Why should I agree to that?" he asks while stepping back "You demons are not known to be trustworthy…. who knows what you could with that demon in me."

Sunkren smiled simply to that "Don't worry… your duties will be mostly to oversee summoning's and bonding rituals. And occasionally bind rouge elements under your will. To prevent innocent people getting hurt due to wrong procedures and such." while still holding out the hand and winked at him friendly. "Of course, Vanid is forbidden to cause any trouble during that contract"

Blaze thought about it… helping to prevent people getting hurt? With the knowledge Vanid could provide… and Vanid seems to agree to the terms. Moving over he took her hand and said "Well… under those conditions I agree" he answered.

To which Sunkren smiles "With that we made our pact. May it prove fruitful for both of us" and turned his hand… showing that a glowing mark was now there.

Vanid grunted in Blaze head "I never thought I would ever be in a contract with a Succubus."

"You make it sound like we had much option" muttered Blaze while Sunkren just grinned in amusement.

Overlord: Kingdoms Rise

Claret was moving down to the stairs towards the throne room. Somebody has showed up and demanded right now an audience with the Overlord. And given he had showed a letter with the royal seal of the kingdom of Agor. Not wanting to bother Kuran right now she took it upon herself to greet the man.

Reaching the Throne room, she saw a man in expensive clothing and looked down on her. She opened the conversation "My name is Claret and the secretary of Overlord Kuran. How can I help you?"

"I wish to speak with your Overlord immediately by the name of my siege, King Olaf the sixth" while holding up the letter "I have to present this letter and as soon as possible take the reply of your lords reply back to my king."

Claret tilts her head "I can certainly asks my liege to see you… it would help the matter if you could tell me why your king is sending you here and what the demands are. And your name would be also helpful as well."

The man looked down at her once more and thought for a moment about the Meratrix words "My name is Holur the Direct. And I have strict order only to reveal the reasons of my being here to your lord. And if he doesn't come now, the next letter I will deliver will be the declaration of war from my king!"

"Then how about I deliver the letter and let Overlord Kuran decide if he wishes to see you today or if you have to wait until he holds the next audience?" offered Claret while holding out her hands.

Thinking about it for a moment HOlur hands over the letter and stated "You better come back with him!"

She nods to that and leaves the throne room, going up the stairs to where Kuran would be… but first stopped in a smaller room where she found Gnarl, looking down through a hidden opening towards the Throne room, watching Holur. Then he turns to her "I take you want me to know the context of this letter as well?"

"While I am not going behind Kuran for this, it is better when we could prepare for anything they could throw at us." she reasoned to him.

Gnarl nodded and asked "So, what is this guy demanding?"

To which Claret opens the letter carefully and scans over the context with widened in surprise "That is a demand for reparations… for the unprovoked attack against their kingdom with the help of orc troops." and nearly choked at the demands "They want every corn, tree and gram of iron we can generate within a year at maximum productivity. And every gold coin in the kingdom."

Gnarl huffed "A clear adept to use an excuse to either start a war or ruin us. Let's get to the master and inform him about those ridiculous claims… and think about our counter measures to those claims."

Overlord: Kingdoms Rise

Ahya was hanging the chains that holds her in a standing position. Robbed of her clothes, her staff sealed inside a crystal, and none of her other abilities seems to have even a remote effect to this cursed place.

"Why do I end up in such places all the time" she muttered to herself. Oh, she is aware why. She did a move that displeasured that succubus.

At least her cell was not a cold affair like the last time. This one was quite comfortable given all that. She was fed well, given to drink whenever she asked, her broken fangs handled just enough that she is no longer in pain, and she gets regularly cleaned. If you ignore the fact that the chains were hanging from the middle of the room one would think this is a guest room instead of a prison.

The door in front of her opened and in all her glory Sunkren moved in. Followed by two girls. All three as nude as the Naga.

"Hello Ahya. Sorry for letting you wait that long. I had quite the busy day." Smiles the succubus "At least you behaved this time... none of my witches complained about an attempt of you to mind control them."

Ahya just glared at her, thought to her surprise the two witches came... and undo the chains. Staring at her hands, she rubbed the sore wrist. Then she looked up "I take Orlux demanded that you hand me over to him?"

"nope" clicked the succubus and holds up a scroll "I bought your contract." And grins "You know what this means?"

"You want me to serve you to pay back my debt" hissed Ahya in annoyance, knowing that now she can bury any chance to get out. "Or are you now sending your male slaves at me, now that you know that Orlux won't bother with me ever again?"

The succubus looked at her and mused "I really should have seen the last one coming." But shakes her head "Nope. Don't have any males under my employment. Never had. The only males entering my home ever are those who deserved it. Be it bad like you... or because they are what I desire."

Then the demoness began to give a Cheshire grin "And speaking of which... for all you did you will serve me now. Including fixing the elf."

Sunkren moved closer to the Naga and holds her jaw "And now a little explaining why I do bother myself with your misdeeds, despite Kuran having more than enough resources to have it handled as well."

The Naga looked confused at first but then some clarity starts to spread on her face "The Overlord has something special. Something beyond his position. Why else would a demon of your rank even bother to talk with him?"

"You are on the right track" mused Sunkren in approval "Yes. He has something special. And it links to your failure to use your mind control on him~" Then she tightens her grip and orders her "Tell me your train of thought!"

"There are only three reasons that could have failed. The first is that his magical resistance is higher than what I could use. But then he must be so damming talented to have that untrained he would be an archimage now instead of a trained warrior." Began the Naga, unable to resist the order of this magically much more powerful being. "The next is his hero blessing... but that combination was there before. And who knows if he still has the blessing. That leaves- "

Ahya stopped, her eyes widened. That... was preposterous. There is no way that..."

Sunkren grins widened wider, giving an almost disturbing aura. "Now you caught on. Yes. Its exactly what you think now" and whispered "Thanks to you I know how close I am... for what I truly wish. And you are going to help me archive it even faster~" and licked the check of the Naga.

Who in turn was having a shiver running down her spine. And her mind racing, looking for the answer of how she could have missed THAT?