Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord
Guide: "words", (thoughts), [sound effects], {quick in story author's note}, SHOUTING or LOUD NOISES. A line means scene change, Bold is important things or supernatural beings speaking.
Fort Warwick
General Theobald stood in the center of the courtyard on a wooden platform the sun hung high in the sky a small smattering of clouds obscuring it casting a shadow over the area. They stood at a wooden podium arms raised wide as they addressed the crowd "Men of Baharuth for years we have laid siege to Re-Estize but met with limited success, but now with the support of the Slain Theocracy, we will finally be able to topple that kingdom cowards and weaklings. Tomorrow we march out and we will crush the army of Re-Estize and take the fortress city of E-Rantel from which we will launch our invasion of the rest of the country".
As the speech came to an end the crowd of soldiers erupted into cheers. As the crowds of soldiers began to settle down the general left making his way to his private quarters.
Fort Warwick General's Quarters
The sound of footsteps echoed off the stone walls that surrounded them as the general ascended the stone staircase there was a soldier standing guard just outside a tall broad-chested man in full plate armor a great sword slung across his back.
"Soldier you are dismissed I wish to have privacy" the General commanded.
The soldier gave a firm nod and walked away as the General entered his chambers as soon as they stepped through the threshold they quickly closed and locked the door. They walked over to the desk on the left side of the room pushed up against the wall. They pulled out a polished oak wooden chair with red velvet cushioning. The general reached down opened the desk and pulled out the sending stone hidden inside.
They sent a quick message and waited.
Several Minutes Later
The general sat in silence waiting for the arrival of their visitor when a sudden pop sound accompanied by a flash of light. And Theren appeared in the center of the room. The General knelt before Theren and spoke with fear and respect in their voice "My master I'm surprised I expected one of your servants".
Theren gave a rye smile before replying "No exactly my true self is busy with other matters so I came instead".
"Ah you're just one of his copies then," the General said with a hint of disdain.
"Were alone yes, then lose the disguise first," the Simulacrum replied head tilted in annoyance.
"Gladly," The general said.
The General's form began to shift their broad heavily muscled form growing slender and lanky broad hips a thin hourglass waist large pectorals changing into large breasts. Where once stood the form of General Theobald now stood a pale gray-skinned woman thin gangly form curvy figure, large breasts, long white hair, and solid white eyes surrounded by black rings.
"Ah finally I hated being in the form of that disgusting man," the Changeling woman sighed happily stretching out her arms overhead and arching their back.
"Enough of this, I didn't come here to chat I have an important war meeting," the Simulacrum said eyes narrowed impatiently annoyance clear in their voice.
Alright fine follow me to my desk the Changling said.
The wooden desk had a large detailed map of the continent with a large number of wooden figures and pieces laid out. Pulling out a large wooden stick the changeling pointed to a particular spot on the map "This is our current location, Fort Warwick, tomorrow soldiers will be sent out to capture the fortress city of E-Rantel here,".
Continuing the Changling then pointed at Katze Plains on the map "In order to reach it the Baharuth Army will need to pass through the Katze Plains. As usual, Re-Estize will send their army to stop them. This has been the state of things for years and has become an annual event where Re-Estize is forced to conscript hundreds of thousands of peasants pulling them from the fields and sending them to die in doing so cutting their food supply and harming their economy. That was the plan to slowly bleed Re-Estize till they were too weak to resist. The Plan was supposed to take decades but then things changed,".
The Simulacrum cocked an eyebrow "It was our shared master I take it,".
The Changing smiled "Indeed the Slain Theocracy was already unfriendly to Re-Estize but them allying with an elf the Theocracy sees Re-Estize as having betrayed humanity or some such lunacy. So they've been supplying Baharuth with large amounts of gold and magic items to help them. Baharuth believes this will give them the edge needed to expedite their conquest,".
The Simulacrum grasped their chin a deep look of thought on their face as they replied "So they use the extra resource to defeat the Re-Estize army at the Katze Plains and move on to take the fortress city of E-Rantel and use it as a springboard to invade the rest of the kingdom,".
The Changling gave a rye smile as she replied "Yes but that's not the end of it. You see they ran into a problem, namely our mutual master. Through the power of their magic, they managed to turn a small remote village into a thriving city and vast fertile fields that produce more food than the entire kingdom combined."
"So what then are they going to attack," The simulacrum asked looking concerned.
The Changling replied in an excited tone a gleam in their eyes "Oh yes but not Baharuth Emperor Jircniv has made a pact with the Slain Theocracy while the battle of Katze Plains is happening the Black Scripture the elite special ops unit of the Slain Theocracy is going to launch an attack on our master's domain they plan to kill lord Theren slaughter the people of his domain and burn it to the ground,".
At hearing this the Simularcum's eyes went wide in alarm his voice raising considerably "Do you know exactly when the attack will take place?"
The Changling pulled a sealed envelope from the nearby desk and handed it to the simulacrum "All the details are in this envelope".
"Very well I'll be sure to deliver this to our master at once keep up the good work," the simulacrum said before teleporting away.
The Fortress Dungeon Theren's POV
I stood in the dimly lit dungeon within my fortress the solid stone walls seeming to close in around me, eventually I came to a door leading to Gabrielle's office. A solid wooden door with thick steel reinforcements. My hand knocked against the door a few times after a few moments a feminine voice called out from behind the door. "Yes come in I was just finishing some reports".
As I walked in I saw Gabrielle sitting in a chair reading over some papers. As I closed the door her green eyes glanced up in my direction and immediately flew open in surprise she bolted up from her chair bowed her head and spoke a voice filled with surprise and a hint of joy "Lord Theren this your home, not mine you don't need to knock but I am please by your visit nonetheless,".
"This about the prisoner I dropped off yesterday was your interrogation successful," I said getting straight to business.
At that, Gabrielle's happy expression faltered and became twinged with sadness "Ah that yes it was successful, the man's a military commander of the Slain Theocracy. He was on a mission from the Theocracy to capture any elves he could kill the rest and burn the villages. Those captured would be sold into slavery to help fund the war effort."
"I figured as much did you have him dealt with afterward" I asked voice wavering for a moment.
"Delt with… oh you mean executed my lord I do not mean to be rude but it is truly necessary to take the man's life and to use such a ghastly machine," Gabrielle said a hint of judgment and sadness in her voice.
"How many" I asked my voice growing somber anger slowly building in my chest as I remembered the faces of the dead villagers.
"I'm sorry," Gabrielle asked in confusion.
"HOW MANY VILLAGES HAS THAT MAN BURNED HOW MANY OF INNOCENT ELVES HAS HE ENSLAVED FOR GOLD" I shouted in outrage my wings instinctively flaring in anger my eyes beginning to glow with magic.
At my shout of anger, Gabrielle's eyes went wide head lowering in submission "Please forgive me I should not have questioned you like that,".
"Look Gabrielle you are a celestial being who seeks good and what is right but you need to understand I have to defend my people. From the time I was born, my mother taught me I was born to protect the elves. My power exists for that purpose I left Evermeet for that purpose I made a vow to Corellon himself that I would dedicate my life to protecting them. And these creatures have for centuries been waging a war of extermination against them untold numbers having been burned out of their homes and put in chains for the enrichment of those that seek to wipe them from this world. For this, they will all be destroyed in every way one can be destroyed,".
"I... I understand your need to protect them and seeking to bring justice down on those that would seek to bring harm to your people is admirable but please my lord don't confuse revenge with justice or you may one day find yourself no different from your enemies," Gabrielle warned.
"I will keep that in mind now I have a question where exactly was the man going to take his captives the Theocracy is quite a ways from there they'd need somewhere to bring them before transporting them to the Theocracy a base of some sort,".
At that change in discussion to a less serious subject Gabrielle's mood lightened noticeably "Ah yes that he said he was planning to bring them to a fort a few days ride northeast to the Elves village I'll show you on the map,". Gabrielle then pulled out a map of the Great Forest of Evasha from her desk and showed me the exact location.
"Are there any elves currently being held there if so how many," I asked, concern growing in me.
"Ah yes there are at least a hundred of them taken from various villages they will all be transported to the Theocracy in a few days so if you want to stage a rescue now would be the time I will begin assembling an assault force right away," Gabrielle offered.
"No if I did this could end up being connected to us I'll go myself in disguise," I said as I turned preparing to leave.
"Very well my Lord will you need anything of me," Gabrielle asked head bowed.
"Yes contact my simulacrum and have them attend my meeting with King Ramposa and his generals while I rescue the captured elves, oh and I want you there as well your mind-reading abilities could come in handy," I said and vanished in a flash via teleportation.
Later that day, Re-Estize Capital, War Room
In a well-furnished war room King Ramposa, Gazef Strongoff, and many generals sat at a large table a map and various war pieces set up on it. "I thought that Theren was supposed to be in attendants today," Ramposa said turning to face Gazef.
Gazen knelt before the king as he replied head bowed "I was told that as well though none of the staff as alerted me to his arrival perhaps we should continue without him,".
As if to respond to this suggestion Theren's Simulacrum and Gabrielle arrived in the room in a flash of magical light.
"Sorry for the late arrival I was just going over some last-minute intelligence for the meeting," the simulacrum said apologetically.
"No need your right on time why don't you start the meeting by providing an update on that project of yours then get into the intelligence your agents have collected," Ramposa said.
The Simulacrum did so sitting down at the table as they did so they spotted someone new a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes sitting directly next to Ramposa.
"Ah if you do not mind me asking who is this young woman I don't think we've been acquainted," the simulacrum asked looking at the young woman.
A wide smile broke out on Ramposa's wrinkled face as he placed one hand on the young woman's shoulder "No I suppose you have not this is my daughter Renner she has asked to sit in on this meeting,".
At her father's prompting the young woman briefly stood from the table to make a small curtsey as she introduced herself "It is a pleasure to meet you I have heard much about you my name is Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself," the young woman said a welcoming smile on her lips.
She took a seat and allowed Theren to continue.
The Simulacrum then continued "The airships have all been completed and are ready to move out at a moment's notice the details are in this report,". At that, the simulacrum reached into their bag of holding and pulled out a large stack of papers which were passed to everyone at the table.
Everyone at the table spent several long minutes flipping through the reports and shuffling through the papers. Princess Renner was the first to finish reading she looked to the simulacrum eyebrow raised in surprise "According to these blueprints these airships have no propulsion method how do they move,".
"Ah that is a result of a magic item called a space jammer helm installed in the navigation section check the back of the report for the details," the simulacrum replied.
Later after everyone had finished reading the reports Gazef was next to speak up "I must say I'm impressed being able to attack from the air would be a big tactical advantage,".
There was a murmur of agreement among the generals "I'd agree according to these reports these airships do have bomb bays and are loaded with exploding barrels filled with gunpowder and oil. An effective strategy could be to bow the enemy in using a combination of Theren's forces and our own and then have the airships deployed to attack them from the air," Renner said a thoughtful look on her face.
The Simulacrum raised an eyebrow impressed at the princess's attention to detail and ability to strategize as she continued to talk with the generals.
"Of course, I find this all terrible I wish only for peace bloodshed is that thing I'd ever wish for but if it is for the sake of the kingdom I will bear it," the princess said near tears as blound young man in plate armor her person bodyguard comforted the golden princess.
The simulacrum was impressed at the girl's sheer intellect and compassion when he heard he heard the voice of Gabrielle in his head "Don't be fooled that child doesn't mean a word of that I've listened to her thoughts this whole time nothing she said has been sincere she's just mimicking emotions pretending to feel things she doesn't she may act joyful sad or compassionate but inside she's ice cold she feels nothing inside part of her mind constantly focused on how she appears to others thinking about what expression to use to come off as genuine and manipulate those around her".
The simulacrum's eyes flew open in slight surprised looking at Gabrielle in surprise as he thought back "Are you serious then why is she even here if she doesn't care,".
I will try to find out Gabrielle thought back as she began to probe deeper into the princess's mind and felt only cold calculated thoughts her mind was cold like wading through a pool of ice water. But buried underneath it she found it a reason for her actions buried deep down as she probed deeper suddenly the princess's eyes went wide in alarm her gaze as cold as her mind stared directly into Gabrielle before her expression returned to normal.
"Oh my I am feeling ever so faint I am afraid I just retire for the night," the princess said quickly turning to leave her bodyguard fawning over her condition.
"What was that," the simulacrum thought to Gabrielle.
"I probed too deep into her mind and the little beast sensed me in her thoughts though I did find an answer to your question," Gabrielle thought back eyes narrowed on the retreating princess.
"And what was it," the simulacrum thought back impatiently.
"She is fanatically obsessed with that bodyguard of hers Climb is his name, the only reason she came her, or rather the reason she does near anything is to win his affection to convince him that she is the perfect angelic princess out to save the common folk if that boy could see into her heart as I have he'd probably vomit in horror," Gabrielle thought back anger and disgust for the creature clear as a bell in her telepathic message.
"So she's in love with him right," the simulacrum questioned back mentally.
"Absolutely not that creature is not capable of love or any real emotions it can only pretend and mimic true emotions, no what motivates that creature is meer lust and sick fascination, never in all my life have I felt a mind and heart as desolate as it's," Gabrielle thought back angrily.
The simulacrum sat silently in thought mind searching through Theren's memories of Earth much foggier and unclear than they expected almost as if they were retreating from him before a word slowly came to their mind "She's probably a psychopath the idea someone like that is so close to thrown is… the master needs to know,".
Chapter End
Author's Note: If you liked the chapter or have any advice let me know