In the Tower's Shadow (for Lanania)

[Nebula]

Many heard tales about the mighty Overlord. Which one you may ask? Does it matter? Regardless of the generation the Overlord was always a symbol of terror, power and evil. Legends tell that a mighty warrior clad in black marched from the dark tower followed by his minion hordes and waged war upon the entire world, threatening to claim it all for himself. Through numerous battles and assaults the Overlord finally conquered all the lands and with the world under his heel he'd terrorize it further to sate his sickening desires. But in the end a group of brave heroes would always defeat the villain and bring peace to the land. Does the legend stand up to the reality? Not quite. History has forgotten to mention those Overlords who had an actual vision, who didn't conquer the world just for the sake of it, like the last one for instance! Of course, they were still "bad", but such label could be applied to any ruler who's ready to make sacrifices for the greater good.

No matter his motives, however, there were always greedy dimwits who sought to steal from him, take his power for their own. And so the last Overlord was backstabbed by his closest allies. Those treacherous "heroes" turned against their master and then crushed the whole tower down onto his corpse. Now these treacherous whoresons are reveling in luxuries and seized riches, playing gods in their puny kingdoms like spoiled children! Such injustice cannot be tolerated! Little do they know that evil always finds a way.

It didn't take long for servants of evil do discover the Overlord's lost son, out of our reach for a long time until those greedy bastards decided to declare genocide on mages to which the boy fell victim to. We arranged a flawless rescue (mostly) and brought the boy back to his household, the ruins of the dark tower. We told him about his true heritage, about his destiny and about the fate of his parents! And boy oh boy, wasn't he pleased with the last part! Now consumed by fury, our young master has revived the ancient traditions of the overlord bloodline! Now after long years of training and studying arts of war he's coming for you all! All who'd wronged him and his kin will be leveled with the ground straight into pits of hell! Those pathetic "heroes" will know his wrath and feel the consequences of their selfish actions on their own skinned bodies!

Now as we speak, the Overlord's armies march onward north to remind their ex-closest-allies that dues must be paid and betrayal is best paid in blood! As they cross the boarder the first thing they'll encounter is a small unnamed town that was unlucky enough to stand in his way - a perfect spot for a warm up! The Overlord is back, baby! And he's bigger, badder and more evil than ever before!

 

[Lanania]

Theodora was at her temple like each day, praying her gods in the morning, attending to the sick helping them with her soothing magic. When a man came before her, appearing distrusted, he spoke about great cloud of dust coming from the south. Theodora calmed him, it must be orcs once again. Each years they formed warbands to loot and pillage the region. Each year she had to muster some troops to scare them off. The bands were really numerous and just showing them that we were ready to protect ourselves was more than enough to scare them off. So she moved to toward the guard barrack, instructing them that the orcs were coming back. She gathered what she had in troops and donned her platemail and left for the walls of the town waiting for the ennemie to show itself.

 

[Nebula]

The unsuspecting guardsmen waited for an orc band to show up at their gates, but instead it was just a single person, accompanied by a small bunch of imp-like creatures, about twenty if to be more presise. The dark figure stopped somewhere in range of 200 meters before the gates and observed the entrance, an obstacle on its road. He stood there in silence without moving a muscle, as if waiting for something. After taking a closer look the guard got a general idea of the stranger's looks - a tall warrior clad in black followed by a miniature horde of "hellish" minions, something you'd hear in a fairy tail parents tell their children to scare them to sleep.

 

[Lanania]

Theodora moved to the wall after one guards told her about the invaders. At the sight she was dumbfounded, it could not be, the overlord lineage was dead, it was impossible for one of its descendants to have survived the brutal purges. "It must an orc trying to reclaim his legacy or something like that she muttered" She unsheated her sword, it was a long time ago she had to use it, but she know this invader would not flee like the last ones.

 

[Nebula]

The figure remained in place for quite some time, its presence put other guardsmen under pressure even when just standing at a fair distance. At some point one of the guardsmen on the left side of the wall started calling someone names. Apparently he was chasing something, unsure if it was a real threat or not. The next second a green imp jumped through the barricade and slid down the wall. From first sight it was rather similar to the ones that accompanied the stranger. Once down the imp rushed straight towards the person in the distance and started blabbering about something, but it was impossible for anyone on the wall to hear their conversation. Once the creature finished and joined the group the dark figure turned its gaze back at the wall, eyes shining like dancing flames - "He's here..." - he mumbled under his nose before raising his hand and clenching his fist. Somewhere in the distance sound of blown horns echoed all the way to the city walls. At first nothing happened, but then multiple tremor waves rolled through the ground. Before anyone could realize what's going on multiple portals opened behind the figure clad in black. Through those hell gates ran out hordes of armored soldiers and imps. The figure pointed his hand at the gate and began advancing himself, leading his army at the front lines. The assault has begun.

 

[Lanania]

Theodora sent a guard away with the fastest horse of the city to warn other town and the capital about the return of the overlord. She roused the guards asking them to stand there ground, they will have to face this enemy for the good of the world. She knew the biggest town was about half a day away of march maybe if there were lucky they could hope for reinforcement by tomorrow morning. She would have to defend the city alone until then.

 

[Nebula]

The Overlord, now right under the city walls, cast a shielding spell which made arrows and other ranged weapons redundant against him and his nearby allies then broke the door in just with brute strength and a bit of assistance from his minions. Unlike during a logical siege however he didn't go up the wall to clear their defences but instead went straigth for the center of town. His minions weren't directly killing anyone, just causing mayhem and further damage to the interior. Few came before the dark lord thinking they'd buy enough time for the reinforcements to arrive or even had a chance at stopping him for good. Too bad the outcome was always the same - like a farmer cutting weeds with a sharp scythe, so he was swinging his way through, bluntly crushing bodies of his opponents without remorse. With every passing second he was getting closer to his destination without a delay.

In the meantime, the messenger wasn't sparing the horse and galloped towards another city, unaware that grass has eyes and those eyes followed him carefuly.

 

[Lanania]

Theodora was surprised that a single man was able to crush the gates in no time. She asked the guards to take care of the civilian. Help them escape the city if the invasion wasn't stopped. While she moved toward the city center sword and shild ready. Any minions she encountered were scared off by her holyness, a single strike of her sword was enought to banish them. Her duty was to stop the new overlord at all cost.

 

[Nebula]

At this point any remaining guards fled from him, tending to the civilians instead of facing him. Once Theodora reached a villa in the center she witnessed something horrific. She appeared somewhere in the middle of a scene where the Overlord threw the local baron through the window into the front yard while his minions dragged out baron's family. Hitting with clubs at their legs minions forced them to kneel. The Overlord lifted the baron by his neck while he lamented - "Please! I beg you, spare them!" - to which the invader answered after throwing the man to the ground - "She had no such luxury, your family won't have either" - with that said he torched the baron's family alive right before him. Their screams echoed through the whole town as while burning alive. The baron squealed in despair. Clearly the dark one reveled in that expression, but not for long. He took up an battle axe from one of his minions and lifted it above his head. Before the baron could beg for his life the Overlord chopped him in half right in the middle with a loud thump once the axe hit the ground.

 

[Lanania]

"We all thought you were dead vile creature!" Theodora shouted at the Overlord "He could see that she was shocked by the scene, but not to the point of affecting her abilities. " I won't let you kill anymore innocent, your invasion ends here!" She shouted in defiance.

 

[Nebula]

The Overlord took a deep breath, executing one on his list surely lifted his mood. He tossed the axe towards a minion who instantly flipped backwards from its weigth. He turned his flaming gaze at the paladin - "Didn't take" - he walked a few steps towards his mace - "Innocent? That's a brave statement. But this doesn't concern you. Run along, little girl. You might still make it out alive with the rest of those covards" - he lifted his mace and put it over his shoulder.

 

[Lanania]

"I knew this man since I was born, he never did anything wrong!" She took a battle stance "I Won't run away from you, I here to stop you once and for all!"

 

[Nebula]

"You're as delusional as you are stubborn. If your wish is to die then I have no other choice but to oblige" - he began to slowl circle around her, mace at the ready.

 

[Lanania]

Theodora grasped her sword tightly she knew he was much more powerful then her, but she was quicker so she waited for him to make the first move. "I thought our good king ended your lineage. You want to know what I think you are?"

 

[Nebula]

"Your good for nothing king will end up like your beloved baron, just with a much slower death" - he didn't make a move yet, instead he taunted his opponent with mild remarks.

 

[Lanania]

"You are an imposter, just some peasant who took the mantle of overlord thinking you might have a chance to become a new king, but like all the others you will fail and die alone!"

 

[Nebula]

He chuckled, clearly amused by Theodora's attempts to provoke him - "I'm sure your parents would be proud of your deeds as an overlord slayer"

 

[Lanania]

"I have no parents, but at least I have my goddess to be proud of one of her champion!" Theodora moved a bit closer, but still out of the overlord reach.

 

[Nebula]

"So, they abandoned you? How unfortunate" his circles were getting thinner with every step.

 

[Lanania]

"Unfortunate? No. I wouldn't have been able to find my way if they didn't. Nothing happen for nothing, the gods have plans for us, and mine is to stop you!"

 

[Nebula]

"Then prove your words" - as the tenaion reached its peak the overlord began swinging his mace at the female paladin. His movement was heavy and imprecise, but smooth and continiuos, leaving little to no gap for a counterattack. He first struck low then middle, then low again. He never repeated the same combination.

 

[Lanania]

Her opponent was indeed very powerful, she quickly moved out of the way of his strikes, blocking some with her shield. She didn't tried to counterattack, rather she waited for him to fatigue. Swinging that mace should have been really tiresome for him.

 

[Nebula]

Theodora was moving in the right direction. The overlord could easily overpower her if taken head on, but his stamina reserves weren't infinite. However, she overestimated her shield. Each consecutive strike on her block was getting stronger. Inevitably her shield cracked and a final blow broke it into pieces, injuring her arm in the process, but not too severely. While at disadvantage, the paladin could clearly see that her opponent was slowing down, his moves becoming more sloppy.

 

[Lanania]

Theodora called upon her goddess for help, what she had lost in physical protection could maybe be gained in divine protection. She moved to the left trying to keep her uninjured arm on the front line waiting for a gap to form.

 

[Nebula]

It seemed like he was losing his patience. The dark lord made a tricky whirl and swung his mace from a half spin with enough force to break a hole in a wall. Taking such strike would be lethal for anyone, even with a shield, but with enough reaction time it could be dodged, leaving the overlord exposed to counter attacks.

 

[Lanania]

Theodora took the initiative moving away just out of the reach of his swing before charging, his weapon was heavy and long. She knew that if she was really close to him she could block any backswing attempt and he would be forced to drop his mace or be simply at her mercy. With a quick dash she moved awfully close to him, stabbing his thigh with her sword at the same time.

 

[Nebula]

"Bah!" - the man growled in surprise more than pain. No man, not to mention a woman, ever defied him for this long. And now she even managed to fight back. Truly, she had his curiosity just a second ago, but now she had his full attention. He dropped his mace and quickly punched her in the chest leaving a dent on her breastplate and sending her back a few steps. Still catching his thoughts the Overlord squeezed the wound in and glared at his combatant with a chickle - "It looks like your words aren't just empty blabber after all, despite it being foolish" - he took a step forth, unarmed as his mace was still on the ground.

 

[Lanania]

Theodora took a moment to catch her breath. Trading blow with this behemoth of a man was a dangerous game, but at least it was paying off. She strided to the right to place herself near his mace so he could not take it back.

 

[Nebula]

This time he wasn't going for the mace. This was a duel of agility and resourcefullnes now. Free of a heavy burden he rushed at her head on. With slight disruption in his walking from an injured leg he ran at her like a train at full speed. Were she to stab him back he'd grab the blade with his gauntlet and grip it tightly enough so she wouldn't be able to pull it out. Holding onto it would give him a possibility to grab her by the head.

 

[Lanania]

She dropped her blade but moved her right hand on his chest, channeling her divine power, making his armor red hot with divine energy. This heat would only burn the wicked of heart. At the same time she threw a punch with her left arm aiming for his head.