39 Epilogue: Overlord Rising

The sun peaked out of the clouds, blessing the land with golden rays of warmth. A soothing breeze arrived from the east. Uriel took a deep breath, whilst the wind touched her face. After a few moments, Uriel let out a deep sigh. Chills ran down her body, as the air calmly exited her lips.

Uriel gazed at the land before her. Weeks had gone by, since the fierce battle against Keshrak and his forces had come to an end. A few traces of the battle still remained across the land.

Several weapons and arrows still lay scattered across the field, as well as some of the other equipment that the enemy had taken with them. Patches of charred earth still remained, revealing the areas that had been heavily touched by magic.

Most of the corpses had been gathered and buried properly. No one would have come to collect or mourn for the warriors that they had killed. Uriel felt it necessary to at least give the respectful burial they deserved.

Much to the chagrin of the many lizard folk, Uriel also commanded that Keshrak's body be buried and given the customary sendoff. Uriel had neither forgiven nor ignored all of Keshrak's crimes and atrocities, but still chose to bury him in a way that seemed respectful. She had already taken his life. She did not need to vandalize or dishonor the corpse.

On one of the small hills, Uriel gazed out at horizon. A wide and uneven landscape of great space and freedom lay before her. Beyond all this stood the forests, mountains and mysterious lights that beamed into the sky. Uriel had seen her fair share of Ebonus, as well as the surrounding region of Nul Hunur, yet so much had yet to be seen or explored.

A small, curious grin appeared on Uriel's face. She began to quietly ponder what she would find, when given the chance to go off. She remembered many of the stories and legends that she had been told. It wouldn't be long before she would be able to discover which would prove to be true, and which would prove to be myth.

As she stared at the horizon, Uriel heard a few footsteps approach from behind. From how they stomped on the grass, they belonged to something large and of great weight. Uriel had her sword with her, but she did not draw it.

"Enjoying the view, Lady Overlord?" Ragosh asked, appearing by her side.

Uriel gently smiled, and then responded with a nod. "I am," she answered, still looking at the distance. "It feels… good to just lay back without any sort of weight upon my shoulder."

"A great weight has fallen off all our shoulders." Ragosh snorted, while shaking his head like a dog. "We defeated the accursed shaman and his corrupted warriors. News of our victory spread quickly like wildfire across the lands."

"I'm honestly surprised it did. I had no idea we had spectators observing us from the distance."

"Some clans sent scouts to monitor Keshrak's army, and they watched the entire battle unfold. They don't know everything, but they know we won."

Uriel let out a deep huff. "Well, in the grand scheme of things, I suppose that's all that matters." She shook her and shrugged casually. "So, my young hero, how does it feel to be a champion of the Greater Clan Ovoo?"

Slowly, her eyes turned towards the young warrior. He appeared the same, yet also different. Ragosh had a few scars and scratches across his body, but those could have easily been overlooked. No, the way he carried himself gave an altered visage.

Ragosh stood with his head tall, and his eyes a bit sharper. He still had the energy and youth behind those pupils, but they also boasted with experience. No longer was Ragosh the run of a lesser clan. Now, he stood as a champion who had faced with some of the best the lizard folk could offer.

"I am no champion, Lady Overlord," Ragosh modestly responded, scratching his nostril.

"Sidra and the others who fought alongside you say otherwise. They told me of how you picked yourself back up and thrust your weapon into the Allosaur Chieftain's chest, which ultimately ended him, and dubbed you as a hero and champion."

Ragosh turned the other way, while his tail swished left and right. He may have become experienced, but he still had that habit with his tail.

"Nothing compared with your victory, Lady Overlord. With every last bit of strength in your body, you defeated the winged monster that spat fire."

Uriel laughed, but did not deny it. "Just shut up and take the compliment, whelp. You deserve it."

"As you wish, Lady-"

"Ragosh, please just call me by name. I'd prefer you call me that, instead of Lady Overlord."

Ragosh hesitated, but soon nodded and replied. "Yes, Lady Uriel."

Uriel rolled her eyes slightly. "That will do, I suppose. So, have you come to join me relax, or is there something that I may help you with?"

The Ovoo champion cleared his throat. "More representatives from two other clans have arrived, hoping to join and live under your name."

"Well, I suppose it's back to work again."

"Oh, and the Tower- err…, Lady Mycelia wishes to speak to you before you meet with the representatives. It seems she wants to talk to you about that thing."

Uriel frowned when she heard this. She knew what it was, and had great qualms. It took Mycelia a great amount of persuading and pleading to convince Uriel to change her mind, which she reluctantly did. It seems that Mycelia had finally provided some results.

"I'll go meet her right away then," Uriel grunted, getting back to her feet. It took some bit of effort.

"Do you require assistance, Lady Uriel?" Ragosh offered, reaching out to hold her.

"I will manage, Ragosh," she answered, fixing her posture. "We're not in any hurry anyway."

Uriel and Ragosh walked back to the city, moving at a pace Uriel felt comfortable in. Although standing in one piece, Uriel had yet to fully recover from the battle. Many bandages lay under her skin, concealing the grievous damage she had sustained. She also still needed to take a number of medicines and ointments to pacify any discomfort she felt at night.

Ironically, the spell she cast also contributed to her injuries. She had used a powerful spell which exerted her body beyond natural limits. It did not kill or cripple her, but it did force her to lie in bed for several long days.

Soon, they arrived at the city. Several buildings and structures lay in rubble and debris, thanks to the shaman's destructive power. The city seemed more like a ruin that it did, when Uriel first laid eyes upon it. Despite this, life flourished within the city.

Both lizard folk and Blood Crow made had started settling in, making homes for themselves. They cleaned up some of the debris, and attempted to repair a few structures. They gathered food, made clothing and crafted other items that would help make their stay more comfortable.

It felt interesting to see these elves and lizards together. For several months they had worked together, but their interaction seemed limited to merely business and the war effort. Now, however, they did much more than just that. Lizard folk and Drow made casual conversation, they mingled, ate together, and even began teaching one another.

Naturally, some barriers still existed between the two races. It was far from perfect, but it was a decent enough start to show that they were willing to coexist in one place.

As the two continued their way to Nul Hunur, Uriel spotted Jotun sitting on the long staircase up to the citadel. With a small pocket knife, the elven captain carved what appeared to be a miniature sculpture of a raven.

"That's pretty good," Uriel remarked, grabbing Jotun's attention. "I didn't realize that you were also sculptor."

"Not by trade or profession, no," Jotun snorted, taking a break from carving. "However, such activities do help me relax."

"Considering our current situation, you now have a lot of time to rest." Uriel turned back to the city, continuing to observe the new inhabitants. "We have a lot to do, but there is no need for haste. We can take our time and handle things with care."

"Yes, this is where our new lives will begin. After over two centuries of wondering and struggling to survive in Ebonus, we will finally have a place to rest our heads in peace."

Jotun briefly sighed, and then he stood up. He then faced Uriel with both a serious and casual expression. "My lady, I would like to offer my thanks to you."

"Thank me for what? I should be the one thanking you for your support."

"True, but you gave us a chance, when you had no reason to. As you know, we Drow are outcasts, expelled from the empire for one reason or another. We were complete strangers in these dangerous lands, and Mycelia had every right to be wary of us, yet you still placed some amount of faith and trust in us."

"Perhaps I was just being generous? Who knows?"

Jotun coughed a smirk. He had only one good eye, but he could see the blush in her cheeks. "Whatever the case, thank you again, Lady Uriel, my Overlord."

The Drow held his hand out, offering her to take it. Uriel stared for a moment, before reaching out and shaking it in sign of friendship. To Uriel's surprise, Jotun had rather big hands for an elf. He still remained slender and slim like any other elf, yet his hands had a tender and welcoming feel to them.

"Perhaps when I have completely recovered, you and I can have another sparring match to better decide who the better warrior is?" Uriel offered with a competitive grin.

"Considering what you had done to Keshrak, I'm not certain I'd win that match," Jotun chuckled.

"It'll be a test of skill with the blade, no magic. You have my word."

"If you give me your word, then I accept." Jotun then took back his hand, and then stretched his arms. "Well then, shall we make ready to greet the lizard representatives?"

"You and Ragosh go on ahead and ready yourselves. I must meet with Mycelia. It seems that we have an important matter to discuss first. So, I expect you to be there before me, my captain."

"Yes, my lady!" Jotun playfully replied, whilst pounding his chest.

He and Ragosh went ahead, while Uriel traveled another direction. She wandered through the halls, meeting some of the metal golems that she had awakened. She casually greeted each one, only for them to quietly pass by without responding. Uriel knew well they would not reply, yet still found it in herself to greet them.

The hallways themselves still appeared dusty and decrepit, but the many footprints on the floor made the corridors a little livelier.

Eventually, Uriel reached Mycelia's quarters. There, she found the sorceress still hard at work with her magic. The ancient tome rested on a table, next to a number of written parchments, materials, and other tools for her research. Mycelia's room had become even more unkempt, ever since she started studying and working on the tome. However, the tome itself was not why Mycelia called her.

At another table, Mycelia quietly wrote on what appeared to be an old map. Beside her, a sapphire glowed; the very same sapphire that Keshrak had on his chest. It shined an ominous blue light, as Mycelia carefully kept her hand over its surface.

"How goes your research?" Uriel asked, announcing her presence in the room.

"Oh, Lady Uriel, you're just in time!" Mycelia gleefully replied. Jumping out of her chair, she stepped aside from the table. "My lady, have a look at this."

Uriel approached the table and inspected the map. She found a number of circles and crosses blotted upon the record. Although written quite clearly, Uriel could not quite understand the significance.

"What exactly have you found?" Uriel then asked, shaking her head with confusion.

"These crosses and circles are areas of the previous Overlord's empire," Mycelia explained, pointing at the map. "The circles are special bastions that he had constructed, while the crosses are old ruins that he had discovered."

This news definitely grabbed Uriel's attention. "How do you know all this?"

Mycelia grinned like a child with a surprise. "Do you recall that suit of armor from the treasury, many months ago? This sapphire is no different. Inside it lingers a spirit, the restless soul of a warlock who once served the previous Overlord. Not only does it possess a great deal of magic and power, but also a fountain of knowledge pertaining to your predecessor's empire."

Uriel's eyes widened, while her jaw hung slightly from her mouth. It explained quite a bit, particularly how Keshrak knew of the ancient tome, and how he knew of the human kingdoms. This possessed gem revealed to the shaman far more than he should have known.

While this discovery proved to be quite valuable, Uriel still could not help but frown suspiciously at the sapphire. She knew all too well what it had done to the shaman, and feared that it may do the same to the sorceress.

"Mycelia, how certain are you about this sapphire??" Uriel then asked. "Are you sure it is not tricking you? Trying to influence and corrupt your mind?"

The elf did not respond immediately. She glanced at the sapphire for a moment, before giving a slight huff, answering Uriel's question with some confirmation.

"I will admit that the sapphire has attempted to deceive me," she answered. "Unfortunately for it, I am not like Keshrak. Now that I know just what this sapphire is, I have taken the necessary measures to make certain I do not fall prey to its tricks."

"Are you sure?" Uriel crossed her arms, a little unconvinced.

"I am definitely sure, my lady. Please trust me."

Uriel looked at Mycelia. She could not spot the sorceress's eyes under the visor, but noticed the elf giving off that charming and alluring smile that practically all elves were known for. While Uriel had met a number of prettier and far more seductive elves, she still found herself falling for Mycelia's elven appeal.

"All right, I trust you," Uriel grumbled with some reluctance. She then looked back at the map, and quietly counted all the spots. "It seems like there are quite a lot of places for us to explore."

"Both explore and discover," Mycelia agreed. "With you as our leader, we will uncover the many secrets of Ebonus, and achieve your goal of tearing the mysterious veil off this realm."

"I'll be depending on you and the others as well, Mycelia. Throughout my time here, you have been my closest companion, helping me every step of the way, and doing more than your fair share of the work. I cannot thank you enough for all your hard work, Sightless Sister Mycelia."

Mycelia warmly smiled, as her ears twitched sheepishly. "It is the least I can do, my lady. My destiny is connected to your future."

"I have said this many times before, but I will be different from my predecessor. While I do wish to explore Ebonus, I will not focus solely on my goals and objectives. If you, Ragosh, Jotun or any of the others are in need, we will work together and achieve whatever we need."

"I look forward to see what you will accomplish with your power, my lady."

Uriel nodded. She then gazed at the map one last time, before turning her attention. "Now, we have a few clan representatives to meet. Please head there, once you are ready."

"Of course, my lady."

Uriel stepped out of the room, and retreated to her own quarters. She dressed herself in her usual traveling attire, which also included her gauntlets and armor for her legs. In addition, she took out a long, sleek black robe. It had a simple design, yet the black dye had a sparkle that resembled obsidian. Once fully dressed, she headed straight to the throne room.

She soon arrived, and took her place on the great throne of bones. Uriel still needed some time to grow accustomed to the morbid chair, but she found herself managing so far. She rested her hands on the armrests, and then glanced at all those present.

On the right side of the throne room, Sidra, Enoch, Sonpra and the other chieftains stood. A few more important members of the Blood Crows occupied the left side of the room. Jotun and Ragosh stood by the left side of her throne, whilst Mycelia took the opposite position.

In front of her, the representatives kneeled with the utmost respect. They kept their heads low, and their tongues still. Although none of them spoke, their tails slowly whipped from side to side, revealing how they felt in their current situation.

Uriel could not read minds, but could guess what ran through their minds. Would their clans be safe, if they joined? Were they making the correct decision joining this stranger who had defeated all five of the Greater Clans? How would they be treated, once under her? Their silence and behavior emitted such questions, which would all soon be answered in due time.

Fixing her posture, Uriel sat up straight, and then addressed them. "I am Lady Uriel, the master of Nul, Hunur, and leader of these clans before you." She then gave a pause, before one last declaration.

"I am the Overlord."