by Zac Atie
“Uhh... Hey.” Yaevinn said.
“How do you feel?” Zaxxarius said.
“Numb” Yaevinn said. “Very numb. There’s no pain, but I feel as if my mind is completely blank. The mana I feel is... trippy. It makes me feel stronger than... I really am.”
“You look... bad.” Zaxxarius said.
“So do you.” Yaevinn said. “What’s up? What happened... to your neck?” Zaxxarius touched the scar that Veronica had made in her haste for blood. “Do you know I’m Overlord?” Zaxxarius asked.
“Yeah.” Yaevinn said. No expression ever entered his face while he talked. “Oddly... I’m not as surprised as I should of been. Probably the numbness.”
“Well, Veronica drank my blood. She was in a bloodlust.” Zaxxarius said. “This is what she did.”
“Damn...” Yaevinn said. “Looks nasty.”
“So” Zaxxarius said. “You given any thought about what you wanna do when you’re done?”
“Huh?” Yaevinn asked.
“Well. I made the promise that I’d ask the Cazrians to clear you and Veronica’s name with the council... but that went out the window when I learned I’m to be Overlord.” Zaxxarius said. “So, Veronica and my old friend are staying. What about you?”
“I wanna go leave.” Yaevinn said. Zaxxarius was shocked at this answer.
“I see.” Zaxxarius said, numbing for a minute. “Well. It’s your choice. I’d have thought you’d wanted to stay to see my battleship.”
“Don’t... tempt me.” Yaevinn said, trying to force a lame smile. “But, I’d rather be on earth. I’d rather be far, far away from Sanctum, and Warlocks, and... fire.”
“Fire?” Zaxxarius asked.
“I hate fire.” Yaevinn said. He looked out of his window. From there, he could see the very top of the sandstorm. He imagined it was a firestorm. “Look at that. Ridicu... Ridiculous. Such power is evident here. The fact I should be dead is testament to that. Magic... scares me. I do-“ He continued, but ended up being interrupted by a cough. “It’s alright.” Zaxxarius said. “I’ll take you back to earth.”
“No.” Yaevinn said. “I want to go to Rollysiam. To Yopellion.”
“You... do?” Zaxxarius asked, confused.
“I don’t belong on earth.” Yaevinn said. “I want to go somewhere where magic is outlawed completely. Where I’ll never have to use it again.”
“Fine.” Zaxxarius said. “Fine. But for now, heal up. I’ll make the arrangements another time.”
Stark had been doing his usual thing. He hung around by himself, played with his knife and unloaded gun, as per Zaxxarius’ request. Stark looked scary, but he was actually quite laid back, until it came to guard duty, probably. He used to interrogate people at the gate who visited, like he was still at Split, but he had revealed that it was just to remind him of the times as guard captain. Stark was Zaxxarius’ unofficial Paladin, he had never asked to be his Paladin, but he protected him like an overprotective mother whenever strangers were around. Zaxxarius was headed to the kitchen to grab a couple of snacks for him and Veronica when he came across Stark. “So...” Zaxxarius said, approaching Stark standing against a wall. “You ever get bored?”
“Of what?” Stark asked, innocent.
“Standing around, on guard duty. Miss Split that much?” Zaxxarius asked.
“It was a cool hangout.” Stark said. “But no. Here, I can get an awesome shower. You?”
“Do I miss split, you’re asking?” Zaxxarius asked. “No.”
“Can’t blame you.” Stark said. Zaxxarius often questioned Stark. He didn’t trust him.
“Why are you actually here? Not that I have a problem with you in my manor, it’s just that it doesn’t make any sense.” Zaxxarius said.
“Dante asked me to come here, of course.” Stark said.
“For this long?” Zaxxarius asked.
“That’s hard to believe?” Stark said. “I mean, It’s Dante we’re speaking about. He’s not exactly the most understandable person.”
“Sure.” Zaxxarius said. “Know who is understandable? Abaddon. It blows my mind that you’re someone he rarely talks about. To him, you’re a random person.”
“Perhaps.” Stark said. “You never know.”
“Look...” Zaxxarius said. “I don’t mean to be an asshole... I know you helped me out and stuff... but you really gotta level with me. What’s up?”
“Lady Claudia and Dante have given me a mission.” Stark said. “The mission is classified, spec ops stuff, but Dante has cleared himself with Abaddon. Abaddon and me are cool, and I ain’t no threat. In fact, I’m helping you out, ain’t I?”
“So... how do you know Cazrian?” Zaxxarius asked.
“I don’t.” Stark said. “I’ve been blessed by Lady Claudia with Dragontongue.”
“Right.” Zaxxarius said. “It’s just... you’re a human. Not a magi, but a proper human. You’re probably the only non-sorcerer human on this planet.
“Aww, shucks, now you make me feel special.” Stark chuckled.
“No, seriously.” Zaxxarius sighed. “I don’t want you to get in trouble is all. You going to be okay.”
“Oh, please, kid.” Stark sighed. “I’m fine. Nothing can throw me off.”
“Alright.” Zaxxarius said, backing away. “That’s all then.”
Vander was on the roof, like he was most days. Zaxxarius and Vander were not as inseparable as they were back in their school days, where women were the only thing to pull them away from one another. Zaxxarius felt as if Vander was avoiding him most of the time, only being seen around dinner and sometimes in the afternoon, where he would teach Zaxxarius the foreign games Cazrians liked to play, Card games and the like. Vander liked to go up to the roof and watch the airships whenever they flew overheard, a task that Yaevinn would most likely love to do if he were not in his immobile state. One day, when it was turning dark, Zaxxarius went up to the roof to talk with Vander. Their serious conversations never actually went so well. Zaxxarius approached Vander when he got to the roof, who had his back to Zaxxarius, looking up at the airships flying by. Abaddon had told him that they had been sending supplies to Zolka and killing random rampant Domini who didn’t get enough killing in Zolka, and deciding to sail over to Metholi to raid small towns, or weaker targets like the aquatic islands to the north. “Hey.” Zaxxarius said, coming up from behind Vander.
“Hey.” Vander said, not turning around.
“You alright?” Zaxxarius asked.
“Yeah.” Vander replies. Zaxxarius had no idea how to get him to tell him what was wrong without sounding like he needed attention. “Things have changed, haven’t they? I remember when we were messing around in school, and going to fight practice afterschool. I can’t decide whether it feels like we were doing that just yesterday, or if it feels as if we’ve been here for years.” Zaxxarius said.
“Has it changed for the better, or for the worse? In your opinion.” Vander said.
“Hell... I don't know. Not much has been happening, huh? But, there are some appliances and stuff in the house that blows me away sometimes.” Zaxxarius said.
“Feel like you’ve come from the stone age?” Vander asked.
“Yeah. What about you? Surely you had heard of what was around here when you were growing up.” Zaxxarius said. “Yeah.” Vander replies. “Yeah, I suppose I did know about what was around here. But... I think I preferred it on Earth.” Zaxxarius paused at that.
“Miss your foster parents?” Zaxxarius asked.
“My ‘foster parent’ was some Magi.” Vander said. “A weak one. I had no proper family, and being forced to go to the village sucked. Now I'm here, I'm in official service to you.”
“I don't understand.” Zaxxarius said. “What do you mean?”
“I mean...” Vander began. “I mean, ever since I was born I’ve been told that I was being made for a single purpose, that I'm just some reincarnation tool, an abomination. I grew up knowing that the best friend I was forced t
o have, not that there’s anything wrong with you, is someone I could never be equal to, but beneath. Everything was monitored and written out, like some schedule.”
“It’s not like that anymore.” Zaxxarius said.
“Right.” Vander said. “So, you’d let me go?” Zaxxarius looked at him, eyebrow raised.
“Huh?” He asked. He felt as if he was losing friends. First Yaevinn, now Vander.
“I don't know where my true place is.” Vander said. “I have no clue what I want to do with my life. I need to find somewhere. I need to find... A haven. Somewhere I can exist, and feel as if I belong. Somewhere I can blend in, as if I’m like everyone else.”
“You want to leave?” Zaxxarius asked.
“I don't know.” Vander said. “I just... I don't know. What would I do? There’s probably whole loads of job opportunities out there... perhaps I could become a mercenary?”
“If you want to leave... I’ll let you go...” Zaxxarius said. “It’s not like you’re a slave.”
“I think I may only hinder you.” Vander said.
“Hinder me?” Zaxxarius asked.
“I'm not exactly the honourable guy... I like you, honestly... I wouldn’t want my foolishness get you killed, which it almost undoubtedly will...” Vander said.
“Where’s this coming from?” Zaxxarius asked. There was no answer for a time.
“Sorry...” Vander said. “Hell, I can’t go anyway. Whether I like it or not, being a Paladin would keep both of us safe. If you released me from vassalage, no doubt Varhaim would have me killed in a second, plagued with this mug.”
“I won’t let that happen.” Zaxxarius said. “I need you Vander. When I thought everything from my old life was gone, and that I was going to start anew, as if the old life had never happened, you came along. A relic from the past, an important, reliable relic. If you went... I don't know. Nothing would feel the same.” Vander chuckled.
“Even if that Relic tried to kill you?” He asked.
“Huh?” Zaxxarius asked.
“It’s true...” Vander said. “You had no way of knowing, but... There’s a reason I didn’t take you to the Magi settlement as soon as you hit puberty, and it wasn’t because I was confused. It was because I was pondering with an offer that was made to me. Eventually, after we finished high school, I decided I was going to take you to Germany... to Sanctum.” The news shocked him.
“You... were going to kill me.” Zaxxarius said. “You were going to take me to Sheol? He didn’t want me dead.”
“They both tussled with me.” Vander said. “They both pulled me to their side and shouted commands at me, Legion and Sheol’s faction both, both different orders, threats, promises. Honestly, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t win. The guilt would be overwhelming, but I never really considered actually going along with Abaddon’s plan till... recently.”
“So...” Zaxxarius said. “That’s what all that behaviour before us going to Germany was about...”
“How do you feel now?” Vander asked, almost bitterly. “Still want a relic of your past?”
“Sure.” Zaxxarius said, to Vander’s surprise. “I’ve been with you too long to hate you for something as minor as this. Remember that time you stole my Mars bar? That was far worse.”
“You’re joking, aren’t you?” Vander said. “I'm serious. This is serious.”
“Oh, I know.” Zaxxarius said. “Look... Don't worry. If it took you three years to make up your mind, I'm sure it was a heavy burden on you... Just, calm down, yeah? I trust you. You’ve confessed, and all is forgiven. Now, stop avoiding me.” Vander chuckled slightly.
“You’re something else.” Vander said. “Am I still free to leave?”
“Sure.” Zaxxarius said, eyeing Vander, watching his next move.
“You’re something else.” He said, then walked off whilst saying. “Thanks for the talk.”
Television was something that Zaxxarius had a great interest in. He often watched it with Veronica, as there was a great deal of TV shows that were similar to the ones of earth. This shows Zaxxarius that normal Cazrians were interested in the same sort of things as normal humans are. He had figured he’d be entering a world of pious and mystical aliens who took everything seriously, but he felt at peace to find out that it was not the case, that there was a wide range of things that were similar in terms of nature and mentality here as was on earth. Over the course of his days on Cazria, which felt incredibly long due to the 29 hour length of them, he surprisingly grew used to the different environments rather fast. He wondered if it was because of the Monolith’s recollection. Zaxxarius was watching television in his room one night, alone, when a knock came at his door. “Overlord Zaxxarius? Councillor Laer has come to visit you.” A maid outside said.
“Let her in, thanks.” Zaxxarius said. The maid opened the door, letting Laer into the room, then shut the door behind her. “Watching Television?” Laer asked, smiling. “Believe it or not, it’s out of date, nowadays. Most people surf the internet.”
“More or less the same on Earth.” Zaxxarius said. “Come and sit.” Zaxxarius was seated on a couch in front of the television. Laer sat on the couch, right next to him, leaving little space between them. “Know what I don’t understand?”
“Mmm?” Laer hummed, questioningly.
“All these animals are similar.” Zaxxarius said. He was watching an animal documentary.
“To... what, the animals of Earth?” Laer asked.
“Yeah.” Zaxxarius said. “Reptiles... dogs... cats...”
“Yeah, that’s something that scientists marvel at.” Laer said. “It’s all connected. The dragon’s don’t have much of a way of changing things up. I mean, take a look at me and you, we’re both humanoids. We have snakes, like you do... Dogs, like you do... Hell, humans and Cazrians have somewhat similar genetics. That baffles scientists... but, in my opinion, it’s just that the Dragons aren’t very imaginative.”
“I see.” Zaxxarius said. “So... Is something wrong? You don’t often visit.”
“Oh, no.” Laer said. “Boring reports of Domini getting slaughtered along our share of the aquatic isles The Isles used to create a bridge between us and Zolka during our primitive ages, and one of the states captured by the Domini is at the end of the bridge that was once. The Domini race down to our section of the bridge and kill off the defenceless residents, but lately we’ve sent airships to deal with them. It’s Childsplay mostly.”
“And what’s the reason we don't take that as an act of war, again?” Zaxxarius asked.
“We’ve been taking it as an act of war from the start.” Laer said, as she said this, she places her arm around Zaxxarius, who awkwardly shuffles, making no move to resist. “At least, the Sylvarin’s have. The Sylvarins are heads of Sanctum, and they sent their forces to quell the invasion. They succeeded in halting the invasion, but Varhaim Sylvarin, being a ‘true’ Metholian, decided he’d let the Legion off by simply telling them to stop taking more of the states.”
“What?” Zaxxarius asked, angrily. “Why?”
“Because, Zolka hates Metholi, and Metholi hates Zolka. Ever since the early ages, we’ve hated each other brutally. That’s another reason we don't intervene. Plus, why should we when Pontaron, Cradle, and Kirall don't? We have no alliance with them. The only assistance we have was feeding them supplies to retake their lands, though we don't openly admit it. Plus, if we invaded Zolka, it would look bad. Not to mention, what would we do when we beat the Domini back? Nobody wants that responsibility. Nobody wants to be the ones to make the choice of whether to close the portal, or forgive them again. What would you do?”
“Well... I...” Zaxxarius began to answer, but Laer edged closer, looking at him seductively. She placed her left hand on his leg. “Erm... What are you doing?”
“Some Cazrians would say it’s wrong to bed humans, like it’s wrong to bed Ispii...” Laer said. “But I think you’re rather attractive.”
“Wait...” Zaxxari
us said, but Laer forced her lips on his, and her hand between his legs. Zaxxarius vaulted off the couch, back towards his bed. “What the hell, Laer?”
“What’s wrong?” She sighed, getting up, not the least bit put off. “Something wrong with me?”
“It’s not that.” Zaxxarius said. “It’s just...” Laer began to take off her top. “Wait! I'm taken already!”That made Laer stop. “Oh?” Laer hissed. “I see. So the Council has went ahead and got you a bride behind my back? Wow, that’s sly. That’s really sly.”
“No, I mean... I’ve chosen someone by myself.” Zaxxarius said, relieved that she had ceased stripping.
“Hmph. Who?” she asked, hands on her hips. “Who’s your ever so wise queen, then? Some maid?”
“No...” Zaxxarius said. He looked to the floor, awkwardly, like he was being scolded by a teacher. He didn’t know what to say. “Well? If you don't have her name, she can’t be all that much of a queen, so I might as well force myself on you.” Laer said, resuming.
“No, stop!” Zaxxarius said. “It’s Veronica.” The words came to him, and he instantly regretted saying them, as he was sure it’d bring hardship to their relationship. He bit his lip, looking pathetic in front of Laer. Laer stared at him for a moment, then chuckled. “Hey, that’s alright!” Laer said. “She can be your concubine, if you love her. Nobody has ever forced Overlords to love their queens. They’re merely partners with benefits.”
“But, Veronica is to be a queen.” Zaxxarius said.
“Hah! Oh, please. Don't be foolish.” Laer laughed. “Ever heard the tale of the Metholian war? That huge war that messed up Zolka, and the humans? Do you recall the reason that war started?”