MEMORIES OF AN OVERLORD

   by Victar (vctr113062 [at] aol [dot] com)

   https://www.vicfanfic.com


	"I couldn't stand seeing myself in a mirror, most days. I learned how to shave by feel alone, not that I have to shave very much anyway. When my hair grew over my eyes, I'd take scissors and cut it without looking at any reflection, or caring what the result would be."

Chapter Ten
Memories of a Scholar: Formulation of a Question

	Flanked by his highest-ranking minister, and almost surrounded by elite Royal Guards, Royal Mages, and Royal Chanters, King Cedric Welkin gazed upon the gigantic, five-sided, jet-black obelisk before him.
	It was the size of a small house, and jutted out of the earth among the settlements outside of the Royal Capital's walled interior. There was nothing noteworthy or artistic about its shape. What made it extraordinary was the writing carved into it.
	The side facing the city walls displayed a brazen proclamation in large, emphatic print: "OVERLORD YUSIS ORZAND HAS LEFT THE CASTLE".
	Below that ominous statement lay paragraphs of colloquial writing: "Hey, everyone in Kreisia. Here's the deal. Yeah, I'm a risen Overlord now. I'm not imprisoned in my castle anymore, and I can do stuff that affects Kreisia. A little less than ten years has passed (I round up when I talk about it) because my power's growing at a faster rate than any other Overlord in history. I seriously don't know why. Maybe because I'm a Time Mage Overlord?
	"Tell Aldea and the next Savior to work quickly. I can sense that Aldea's slept for long enough to recover its strength. Wake it up. Now.
	"After I make these miasma-obelisks rise up all over Kreisia, for everyone to read, I'm going back inside my castle on an island. I'm not leaving the island again until the Voice of Orzand erases me. (Maybe I should set up some automatic divinations connected to the monsters here, so I'll be alerted when the next Savior comes? He deserves a respectable face-off against the final boss. I wouldn't want to be reading in my library or pacing around the coastline when he storms my castle.)
	"Right now, my decree is for all monsters (including me) to keep away from settlements, animals, and people. (Except for the Lesser Seals or the next Savior, monsters are allowed to battle them.)
	"Don't let your guard down. I don't know how long what's left of 'Yusis' can hold out. Orzand _will_ erase my mind sooner or later, and then, well, you know what happened last cycle. And every cycle before that. Prepare yourselves and summon the next Savior as fast as you can, okay?
	"Here's where to find my castle. Watch out, I've made the flightless monsters on this island super-strong. Especially the hydra. Don't underestimate the flying monsters, either."
	A crude map of Kreisia, with an arrow pointing to a remote ocean island, separated one rambling passage of text from another. To one side of the map was a series of runes that Cedric identified as a spell anchored to a specific geographical location, next to the words "Teleports a maximum of four people to my castle gates; Holy Brand Aldea required to cast."
	The lower section of text read: "Oh yeah, the Lesser Seals - Anemos Monochrome, Laminah Thor, Cynthia Klaus - they're not undead monsters. They're all alive. They have no miasma in their bodies; I'm shaping the miasma from the three fonts they sealed into these obelisks.
	"Don't panic if you see the Lesser Seals. They're not compelled to obey the Overlord Orzand. Each of them has refused a direct command I've personally given them, and each of them has refused to pledge obedience to me.
	"(Wait, what? No, we're done talking about that. There's nothing more to say.)
	"The Lesser Seals will deliver Aldea's pommel stones directly to the next Savior. Time is running out; I'm _not_ letting Aldea move the goalposts this cycle-
	"(Come on, quit it already. I'm concentrating on a message here; any distracted thoughts will get scrambled into the end result!)
	"Did I mention that the Lesser Seals are _not compelled to obey the Overlord's commands_? First time in history, I know; the proof is right in front of me.
	"(_Rrgh_, you're not going to let this go, are you?)
	"All right, everyone in Kreisia. _Don't blame the Lesser Seals for the black stripes in their hair_. I'm responsible for that. It's a side effect of giving them miasma resistance. I don't regret the trade-off, but I can't fix their hair color with dark magic or time magic. Cynthia's holy magic can't fix it, either. Even Anemos' hair dye isn't working. (Seriously, Laminah? That's what you want emphasized front-and-center? Anemos, Cynthia, you too? Whatever.)
	"Hey, Aldea? Are you reading this? Have you tried to destroy these miasma-obelisks? I don't mean just turn them into miasma-smoke that drifts back to the Greater Seal. Aldea, can you _actually, permanently destroy miasma_ when I shape it into this form - not vapors, not liquid, not animating an undead monster, but into a solid block you can hit?
	"Aldea, I know you need a wielder to power yourself up, but I don't think that wielder really has to be an off-world Savior. I think a native Kreisian would do fine. You just won't let one wield you because you need an off-worlder to continue your precious cycle.
	"Well, it's time to _break the cycle_. The Lesser Seals can't wield you; they're weak to holy magic now. So, someone else needs to step up. Maybe someone who's planning to pledge their service to the next Savior. Maybe someone reading this right now.
	"Aldea, have you been the key to breaking the cycle all along? Could you have prevented _generations of suffering_ (not to mention all the Saviors you've killed!) if only you'd been willing to TELL OTHER PEOPLE WHAT YOU KNOW!?
	"Aldea, _I HATE YOU_.
	"Just wanted to make that clear."
	Additional paragraphs upon paragraphs of text were carved into the obelisk's other sides. King Welkin slowly paced around the giant, jet-black block. The minister and the military escort walked with him.
	"The Rules of the Overlord Orzand," King Welkin read aloud, scanning the extensively annotated list of commands that restricted the Overlord's free will.
	"The Powers of the Overlord Orzand," he continued, browsing meticulous descriptions of the Overlord's sorcery and battle abilities.
	"What Exactly is Orzand?" he repeated, contemplating the Overlord's speculations about the origin of Kreisia's greatest menace.
	"Can Kreisia's Miasma Be Destroyed Forever?" he quoted, scrutinizing these written passages most closely of all.
	"Your majesty, you should not be here," warned the king's highest-ranking minister, a stern, dour Varg man well past his prime years. "All of this text has been fully transcribed for libraries throughout the land, in accordance with your order."
	"I had to see it with my own eyes," King Welkin replied, without turning around. "For the first time in history, a risen Overlord has retained the mind of the Savior he once was."
	"Your majesty, this writing could be a trick."
	"Our long-distance chant and communication magic conduits are all providing regular reports. I reviewed those reports less than an hour ago. We have not received word of a single monster attack."
	"No, your majesty, but-"
	"And obelisks shaped from solid miasma, identical to this one, have appeared outside of cities, settlements, and traveler's stops throughout the land."
	"Yes. I have also reviewed the reports, but-"
	"All the obelisks bear the same text. Text which states, among a great many other declarations, that the risen Lesser Seals are neither monsters nor beholden to Orzand. That they have kept their lives and their free will."
	"There have been extraordinarily cunning Overlords before, your majesty. Whether or not any truth is written upon this object, it could be a trap."
	"Including Laminah Thor."
	"Your majesty, are you listening to me?"
	"You know that you are welcome to call me Cedric. Usually, you do. Today has been a most unusual day all around, has it not?"
	The minister made a low, growling sound. He moved between King Welkin and the obelisk, and resolutely folded his arms.
	The king showed a charismatic smile.
	King Cedric Welkin was a Lunarl with blue eyes and long, golden hair that matched the color of his fur. He was greatly beloved by the general population, and well-known for his efforts to end discrimination among Kreisia's three races.
	His position of authority was not inherited, but rather earned through popular vote. He momentarily closed his eyes, and contemplated a vivid memory of how learning that fact had startled Kreisia's most unlikely Savior.
	(Wait, what? Whoever heard of a 'democratically elected king'!? That's literally a contradiction in terms!)
	Cedric chuckled to himself.
	"Your majesty!" the minister sharply addressed.
	"Minister Lamton Thor. You did meet Savior Yusis ten years ago, did you not?"
	"I encountered him briefly. We did not exchange words. He appeared befogged."
	"I had certain opportunities to speak with him, as befits the honor and the duty of a king."
	Cedric thought of the first time he had set eyes upon the previous cycle's Priestess of Salvation, and Kreisia's most unlikely Savior.
___________________________________________________________________________

	Captain Laminah Thor had requested a private audience with King Cedric Welkin to herald the Savior and the Priestess of Salvation. Cedric had taken the opportunity to brief Laminah with information about the war against Orzand, including confirmation of harrowing details about how the city of Vatoren had recently fallen. Then, Cedric had listened intently to everything Laminah told him.
	Now that the desperately-needed pair were before Cedric, he still felt completely unprepared for what he saw.
	"My king," Laminah announced in a strained tone, "this is Cynthia Klaus, the Priestess of Salvation. This is Yusis, the off-world Savior she has summoned. I apologize for his unpresentable haircut."
	"Seriously?" the messy-haired young man groaned to Laminah. He held one hand palm out, in a mildly agitated gesture. "Come on, quit it already."
	Cynthia made a demure curtsy in her humble, frilly dress. "It's an honor to meet you, King Welkin."
	Kreisia's elected leader showed a kindly smile. "Feel free to call me Cedric."
	"Oh, thank you! This is so exciting; I'm on a first name basis with the king of Kreisia!" She smiled happily, then added, "I used to dream of being the Priestess of Salvation, but I guess I just don't like the title as much as I thought I would. It's so long and cumbersome. I'd rather have everyone call me Cynthia."
	Cynthia looked to the Savior, who seemed to be aimlessly staring into space. She nudged him with her elbow, whispering, "Yusis, you should bow."
	"Huh?" the off-worlder blearily responded.
	She lightly pressed his upper back with one hand, guiding him to make an unsteady bow of respect. He wobbled and nearly fell on his face.
	Cedric had been informed of the pair's youthful age, yet that did not diminish the dismay of seeing them in person. He tried to collect his troubled thoughts about them both.
	(Cynthia Klaus, daughter of monster hunters Siwell Klaus and Oreanna Klaus. Laminah said that you just recently turned sixteen. You may be the youngest Priestess of Salvation in history.
	My sister was roughly a decade older than you, when she summoned a Savior. The Savior she called was also a mature adult, not a dazed-looking teenager on the threshold of adulthood.
	Are there so few of us left that we must sacrifice one of our children for ten years of peace? Let alone a youth from another world.
	He appears to be in tolerable health, but his body is so thin and frail. He resembles an Altean, but he looks physically weaker than most Alteans or Lunarls, let alone any Varg.
	I am not sensing any significant talent for magic within him. Saviors who are deficient in both physical strength and magical aptitude usually have expertise in military strategy, but...
	...is this 'Savior' even mentally competent? Laminah, you warned me that he is unaware of the cycle's requirements. Now, I am unsure whether he is capable of comprehending them. His bearing is so haphazardly adrift, perhaps even outright befuddled.
	And his hair-! While that unseemly brown color is presumably natural, it is _uncombed_, and its cut is so jagged that he likely _trims it himself_. Perhaps this does not necessarily signify dementia in his home world, but it is not an auspicious sign.)
	"...am resigning from the Royal Guards as of today," Laminah stated, and Cedric realized that he had missed a large part of what she had said.
	He quickly processed the meaning in the gaps. "Laminah... you have pledged yourself to the Savior's service."
	"Yes. I will support the Savior and the Priestess of Salvation to the best of my ability in every endeavor, including their destined battle against the Overlord Orzand."
	(I have known all along that you were planning to do this. Now that the moment has come, why does it shock me so much?)
	"What's wrong?" asked the off-worlder, raising an eyebrow at Cedric. "Laminah's a really strong fighter, and Cynthia's good with holy magic. I bet we can beat this evil Overlord together."
	"Of course you can. I have complete faith," Cedric assented.
	(Why is it so hard to keep my heart from pounding? To hold my voice steady, to stop my body from shaking? I must control my emotions. This 'Savior' cannot possibly be ready to learn the cycle's price.)
	"Is something wrong?" Yusis questioned, turning to face Laminah, then Cynthia. "Why am I getting this weird feeling?"
	('Savior', are your mental faculties truly sound? Or is it only that you are sensitive to the pall of death?)
	Laminah stoically made no response, but Cynthia piped up, "Don't worry, Yusis. You'll be okay."
	"Uh, that isn't exactly what I meant..." the off-worlder uneasily murmured.
	Cedric was careful to keep his internal confusion concealed. (Laminah, you told me that the Priestess of Salvation has pledged to surrender her life and more. Surely that means she is aware of the cycle's price, even if she has not informed the 'Savior'?
	I should dismiss this 'Savior' first, and interrogate the priestess with only Laminah present.)
	Cynthia dreamily continued, "Whenever the Savior defeats the Overlord, a beautiful golden light reaches into the heavens. This beacon shines so brilliantly it can be seen from far, far away! The golden light brings hope to everyone. All of Kreisia is overjoyed to have another ten years of peace."
	(Is she speaking of the grand luminosity that the Holy Brand Aldea generates, when it transports the newly created Overlord to a remote location and constructs a sorcerous castle as a ten-year prison?)
	With a happy sigh, Cynthia trilled, "Every turn of the cycle, this golden light takes the Savior back to their own world."
	(What?
	Did she truly just _say_ that?)
	Cedric glanced at Laminah. The warrior was utterly impassive.
	(You must be as startled as I am, yet you are as impossible to read as the stars in the sky. I will never achieve your level of mastery, Laminah.)
	Cynthia clasped the off-worlder's hands in her own, held them near her heart, and stepped very close to him. A smile of adoration spread across her lips. "We're blessed to have you as our Savior, Yusis. We need you."
	The off-worlder blushed, and displayed a broad, sloppy grin. "Hey, no problem. Glad to help." He tilted his head and closed his eyes.
	"I want you to be happy, when you go home," she whispered.
	Yusis opened his eyes, straightened his head, and made a small laugh with a twinge of nervous embarrassment. "Yeah, well, maybe we should look for a way to keep this Overlord from coming back, you know? It feels kind of wrong for my part to end there, if more bad stuff is going to happen in ten years."
	(Does this girl know that she is lying to him?) Cedric incredulously wondered. (Does this cycle's Priestess of Salvation have an impaired mind?
	Did like summon like?)
___________________________________________________________________________

	Cedric smiled languidly at Minister Lamton Thor. "You express the concern that these obelisks could be a trap. While I cannot completely disregard the possibility, I do remember Savior Yusis moderately well. Well enough to say that, if Overlord Yusis is 'extraordinarily cunning', then I am a rabbit." Cedric's long, furry ears flipped to a vertical position.
	"Your majesty...!" The minister briefly clasped his hand over his face.
	Cedric lowered his ears. "After seeing evidence of one miracle, I must know whether another miracle has happened - whether the Lesser Seals have truly kept their lives and their free will."
	"Your majesty, it is unwise to invest hope in writings _from the Overlord himself_."
	"I acknowledge that we must prepare for the worst," Cedric sighed. "If Laminah returns tonight..."
	"My sister selected the location of her home in anticipation of this day. She awaits her daughter's return at the city's furthest fringe, away from the populace."
	"And you?"
	"I am ready to confront whatever fate brings," the minister stoically stated. "I will accede to the instructions of the Royal Guards, and I have spoken with the chief strategist."
	"You remember his predecessor, do you not?"
	"Yes, your majesty. She was the shrewdest Altean I have ever known. We used to play games that simulated military strategy. She always won, despite her failing sight."
	"She did not look forward to the day when the Savior she once advised - the Savior who so closely resembled an Altean, and who fought to liberate Alteans - would become her nemesis," Cedric reflected, wistfully. "She once confessed to me that she hoped her time would come before the cycle's turn. Was it two years ago, when the advance of age granted her wish?"
	"Three years, your majesty."
	"It is regrettable that she cannot read Overlord Yusis Orzand's obelisk alongside us."
	"Her wisdom will be sorely missed, but her successor is also an experienced veteran of the cycle. He has stationed the military within and without the city, and he has assigned a delegation to protect my sister. The delegation is conducting preparations now; they will take their posts before sundown."
	"I will await Laminah's return with them."
	Shock disrupted the minister's formerly steadfast demeanor. His eyes widened, and his entire body tensed as he fiercely bellowed, "_No, your majesty_! It is too dangerous for you. You are our king!"
	"You are correct, of course," Cedric calmly returned. "It is too dangerous for a king."
	The golden-haired Lunarl removed his crown and his deep crimson robe. With a playful flick, he placed the crown and the royal robe on the minister's head and shoulders. "I hereby abdicate my office to you. Let all present bear witness."
	King Lamton Thor sputtered, "Cedric, have you gone mad!?"
	The question triggered another memory.
___________________________________________________________________________

	"My king, have you gone mad?" Laminah sharply interrogated. "At least you have the presence of mind to discuss this without witnesses!"
	King Cedric Welkin did not turn around to face the former Captain of the Royal Guards. He kept his arms folded behind his back.
	Their private talk with the Priestess of Salvation had confirmed that, as impaired as the girl was, she at least recognized that the cycle required her to sacrifice her own life and more. She had begged them not to inform the Savior, with the heartfelt plea to "Let him go home to his world and be happy, after we defeat the Overlord." Cedric had then dismissed her, and instructed Royal Mage agents to keep him apprised of both her and the Savior by means of short-range communication magic.
	Cedric's next act had been to issue a royal order. His command was to never speak of the cycle's price around the newly summoned Savior, and to temporarily conceal all written records of the cycle from the Savior's potential perusal. Kreisia's government officials had immediately set to work quietly passing on the royal order to the general populace. The possibility existed that someone would willfully or unwittingly defy the order, or simply leave a history book in a place where the Savior could find it, yet Cedric suspected that such risks were minuscule. The Overlord was too great a threat, and the people's fear was too palpable.
	Eventually, the Savior would have to be told the full, merciless truth - unless a better Savior could be summoned to replace him. But, was that truly likely to happen? Summoning this frail, befuddled 'Savior' had taken so long...
	A message from one of the agents watching the Savior manifested within Cedric's mind.
	(Continue monitoring the situation,) Cedric silently responded, through the conduit of the communication spell. (If the Savior tries to stray beyond the public garden, or if the bard does anything suspicious, then intervene, call backup, and notify me, in that order.)
	Cedric emphasized, "I meant what I said, Laminah. You do not have to sacrifice your life and more."
	"You know I am committed to the war against Orzand! That was never a secret."
	"You are not subject to the same constraints as the Priestess of Salvation. Another could take your place."
	"Even if I were willing to permit that, there is no one else, my king."
	"Your uncle has volunteered."
	In the silence that followed, Cedric turned enough to glimpse Laminah on the periphery of his vision. Her only suggestion of discomfiture was an immeasurably small amount of tightness in her face.
	"Are you surprised?" he quietly asked.
	"Perhaps not. When did this happen?"
	"Lamton approached me in confidence today, a short time before you did."
	"So. That was his 'important errand'. Did he hide my mother's toy, as well?"
	"He suspected that you might deduce as much, given its ward against accidental dispossession."
	"There was a wrongness to his story, but I knew he would not lie unless it were a matter of life and death."
	"This is indeed a matter of life and death. I have instructed Lamton to tell no one of his willingness to serve. My office invests me with the responsibility to decide which of you may undertake the duty."
	"My uncle has not neglected his combat ability, but both of you know that I am far more capable of protecting the Savior. Both of you have seen the Savior for yourselves. Both of you know that this Savior needs _as much protection as possible_."
	Cedric sighed.
	"It is settled, then," Laminah stated, with a decisive nod.
	"I do not disagree with your assessments," Cedric acceded, still not looking directly at her. "That does not mean your uncle is exempt. No one else has volunteered to become the third Lesser Seal. If that does not change, I will accept Lamton's offer, and place your mother in the full-time care of the Royal Castle staff."
	"A single Lesser Seal all but eradicated the monster hunting guild. A single Lesser Seal led the legion of monsters that annihilated the city of Vatoren. If my uncle and I both pledge our service to the Savior, then _two_ Lesser Seals will be driven to attack the Royal Capital, ten years from now."
	"If the Savior does not have three companions willing to aid his duty, then there will not be a 'ten years from now'."
	"Give it time. The Savior was summoned very recently."
	"I will give it time. However, should no one else volunteer, and should the unthinkable happen to you, Cynthia, or Lamton during the Savior's journey, then I will pledge my own-"
	"Do not finish that sentence," Laminah sternly interrupted.
	Cedric turned to face her straight-on. "Are you truly surprised?"
	Laminah appraised him with a cool, impossibly distant gaze.
	Unyielding intensity affected her voice as she rejoined, "I am not surprised that you would surrender your life and more. I am surprised to hear you speak the intent aloud."
	Cedric sighed again.
	(I know that vocal tone. You are not finished chastising me.)
	Laminah reproached, "My king, you must _never_ repeat any such declaration, regardless of your trust in the listener, regardless of what protections you have against prying ears or divination spells. Your people need you. You have led them to cooperate and survive this long, amid the Overlord's extended reign of terror. You cannot sacrifice yourself except as a last resort, and you will _not_ be forced into that last resort. _I will ensure it_."
	"I know you will," Cedric relented, breaking eye contact.
	"Is that all, my king?"
	"No, there is one other matter. An Altean bard in the public garden is playing music. I am informed that Savior Yusis has erratically staggered out the Royal Castle's front gate, utterly entranced by the sound. My concealed agents are monitoring the situation, but I suspect that you should be the one who conveys my request for a private audience to Kreisia's only Savior. He might not acknowledge another messenger any more than rustling noises on the breeze."
	Cedric kept the wards to preserve his privacy active after Laminah departed. He concentrated on thoroughly expunging all evidence of internal misery, before his impending audience. Kreisia's elected leader could not show tears to anyone, especially not the Savior.
___________________________________________________________________________

	A light breeze rustled the flower garden by the door to Lamtia Thor's house, as she tended to the beautiful blooms with a metal watering can.
	"Cedric, are you truly abandoning your subjects on the eve of a new Overlord's rise?" Laminah's mother demanded, with an unfriendly frown.
	"My abdication does not leave the people abandoned," Cedric gently refuted. "King Lamton Thor was elected to his former rank; he is my lawful successor, and I have trained him extensively for ten years. He will lead and protect Kreisia in my stead."
	"Perhaps it is for the best," she reasoned, setting down the watering can. "My brother does have substantial qualifications. For one, he is not mad."
	"I am quite pleased by your optimism."
	"He warned me that you were coming. You seem to have prepared for far more than to simply confront my daughter, when she returns." Lamtia eyed Cedric's fully-packed traveler's satchel.
	"Yes, I have certain plans in mind."
	"You are wearing clothing suitable for travel, and I recognize the collar of your shirt. It is the same shirt Laminah used to wear. You have donned the Royal Treasury's greatest ward against Altean chants."
	"I have promised to return it when an off-world Savior is summoned. King Thor has magnanimously permitted me to borrow it for now, since one of the Lesser Seals is Anemos Monochrome, and his talent for chants is unusually strong."
	"That is not why you asked for the ward, Cedric. It may be why my brother let you have it, but it is not why you asked. You do not believe that any of the Lesser Seals are a threat, do you?"
	"I do not, although I cannot completely disregard the possibility just yet."
	"You have another reason for wanting that ward."
	"There are many monsters in the world, dear Lamtia. Some of them were once Alteans."
	"And you think that you could encounter such a monster in the near future. Cedric, what exactly are you planning to do?"
	"As both a scholar and a protector, I must determine the answer to a question that Overlord Yusis has formulated: 'Can Kreisia's Miasma Be Destroyed Forever?'"
	Lamtia shook her head. "Abdicated or not, you are a symbol of hope to the people. They need someone to believe in, now more than ever. If my daughter strikes you down..."
	"Hope is priceless treasure," Cedric returned, with congenial warmth. "Have you none of your own? Have you none for Laminah? You must know what the Overlord's obelisk says about her."
	 Lamtia appraised him with a cool, impossibly distant gaze.
	(Your daughter is so much like you.)
	"Cedric, your rashness may have surprised my brother, but I suspected for years that you would be mad enough to await my daughter's return. Do you have a teleportation bead?"
	"I have a few that King Thor allowed me to requisition, yes."
	"More than one teleportation bead? Did my brother loan you an airship, as well?"
	"The beads I have are the same ones that Laminah returned, prior to the destined battle of ten years ago. And I suspect that the government may need its scarce few airships far more than I would. Recovering the airship that Savior Yusis once used was difficult enough; efforts to construct more have been quite labor-intensive."
	"Very well, Cedric. You may await Laminah's return here," Lamtia declared. "You must stay indoors at all times. I will keep you locked in the guest quarters until Laminah comes, and the Royal Capital's defenders and I have determined what she truly is. You will keep a teleportation bead ready for a quick escape, if necessary."
	"I truly appreciate your gracious hospitality."
	"I'm feeding you cold soup and dry bread."
	"I shall cherish every bite." Cedric flashed his charming smile.
	Cedric followed Lamtia inside her home. She led him to a small, sparsely-furnished enclosure that resembled a heavily reinforced storm shelter, with an adjoining ablution room. She brought him a meal tray, then locked the only door leading out of her "guest quarters".
	Lamtia's vegetable soup was runny and tepid. Her bread was so desiccated that soaking it in the dull brown broth barely made it edible.
	(It would seem I lied,) Cedric reflected, setting aside the meal tray. (As a scholar I pursue truth; must every other aspect of my life be shrouded in deception?)
	The memory of a private audience with Kreisia's most unlikely Savior lingered in Cedric's mind.
___________________________________________________________________________

	Yusis staggered in a zigzag pattern when he entered the Royal Castle's throne room. He made an unsteady bow of respect to Kreisia's elected leader, and swayed as though dizzy.
	Cedric warmly said, "Thank you for responding promptly to my request, Savior."
	"Uh, no problem, King Welkin," Yusis mumbled. His eyes wandered distractedly, although he seemed to be careful about not looking too closely at Cedric's ears or tail.
	"You are most welcome to call me Cedric."
	"Uh, okay. I guess you might as well call me Yusis?"
	"I appreciate your generosity."
	"Cedric, where are all your guards and stuff?"
	"They are keeping watch outside of the throne room. I would have you feel free to speak openly."
	"Okay, as long as I'm doing that... it's late, I'm really tired, and I'm supposed to set out for this shrine with a holy sword tomorrow, right?"
	(How aware were you when I explained this earlier?)
	"The Holy Brand Aldea," Cedric clarified, in a friendly, easygoing tone. "It is the legendary weapon wielded by every Savior who has vanquished the Overlord. You will need it."
	"Yeah, okay. Is the shrine close to here?"
	(How aware are you right now?) "No more than a few days' brisk travel; you will likely pass a village on the way. The region itself is uninhabited."
	"Huh? Why?"
	(Is the Priestess of Salvation as absentminded as you?) "The grasslands surrounding the Holy Brand's shrine innately possess an extreme abundance of holy power. No one can permanently settle there. People feel repelled, and cannot linger beyond a limited number of days. Even rabbits will not approach, or eat the grass."
	"Seriously?"
	(Her summon spell must have recognized something exceptional about you, yet I cannot fathom what that quality might be.) "Prolonged exposure to concentrated holy power can endanger the bodies and minds of the living."
	"Oh, right. You mentioned that before."
	(Are you paying attention, this time?) "A relatively brief journey through the grasslands will not harm you. Holy power desires to protect life, not threaten it; short-term exposure does not cause lasting physical or mental damage."
	"How do you know that for sure...?" Yusis' eyes darted to one side, then to the other. A yawn disrupted the mannerism.
	(Or at least, trying to pay attention?) "I have some training in holy magic, and I have overseen research into its properties, among other projects."
	"Wait, you know holy magic? Like Cynthia does?"
	(Not precisely the same. Her knowledge may save our world, at least for another turn of the cycle. Mine saved no one.) "My understanding is more academic, while hers is more practical. I suspect her skill is primarily self-taught, with aid from books."
	"Oh. I never asked her about that."
	(My efforts to distribute books throughout Kreisia very likely benefitted her. Or doomed her, given the path she chose with what she learned.) "Her home village is not far from the Royal Capital. It does not have a Royal Mage dedicated to warding away monsters; instead, the monster hunting guild safeguards its people. A Royal Mage was stationed there this cycle, but only temporarily. For most of Cynthia Klaus' life, she presumably did not have any expert instructors to learn holy magic from."
	"Like you did?"
	"Twenty years ago, yes." (My first instructor was my sister, before she summoned a Savior. She taught me that the true purpose of studying holy magic is to protect life - a purpose far more important than magic itself.
	And I did not listen to her.)
	"So you're a priest?"
	(I never should have called myself that. If only I had not been so prideful...) "I prefer to think of myself as a scholar whose studies include holy magic."
	"Uh, sorry," Yusis apologized, uneasily. His eyes rapidly darted back and forth.
	(Did you see through my guise of calm, if only for a moment? You truly do seem sensitive to the pall of death.) "I have studied the history of holy power, as well as its practical applications. As problematic as the intense holy power of the grasslands is, that same power does provide a strong defense against the undead. The Royal Capital is situated near the border because organized and less-than-organized retreats to the grasslands have sometimes been a last resort, in particularly desperate turns of the cycle."
	"I... don't want things to get that bad." The off-worlder muttered the words under his breath, and his gaze drifted to the floor.
	(Am I losing you again?) "The Overlord has recently expended a great deal of his power in a protracted conflict with the monster hunting guild, and lost many of his strongest monsters in an ill-fated siege. He will likely follow a pattern common to previous cycles, and focus on rebuilding his power and his forces for a time."
	"How long?" Yusis asked, looking back up.
	(Or am I holding you by a single thread?) "I dare not conjecture."
	"So the faster we move, the more likely we'll shut down the Overlord before he does any more bad stuff," the off-worlder reasoned. "We need to get this holy sword as soon as possible. Can we ride horses to speed up our trip, maybe?"
	(Now you seem more engaged. Is that because this topic interests you?) "Could you please clarify what a 'horse' is?"
	"Uh, they're fast-moving animals that can carry people around. Don't you have anything like horses in Kreisia? I know you have sheep and cows. I saw some grazing on the way here."
	"It seems the fauna of our respective worlds are similar, but not necessarily identical," Cedric amicably remarked. "I have browsed legends of creatures similar to 'horses' before. There are ballads and bardic lore of Saviors who used to 'ride' upon the backs of 'steeds', on their home worlds."
	"But not here?"
	"To have an animal engage in such strenuous and potentially dangerous labor is all but unthinkable on Kreisia. The animals of our world do not have the intellectual capacity of people, and therefore cannot consent to bearing heavy burdens."
	"Uh... okay, that sounds a little weird, but at least it's an explanation. When I asked Cynthia, she didn't understand the question at all. Is there any other alternative to walking?"
	"The Royal Mages and Royal Artificers are nearing completion of an airship that will enable you to swiftly fly anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, the airship is not yet operational. For now, you will have to travel on foot."
	"Wait a minute. I think Cynthia mentioned something about how the Royal Mages create 'teleportation beads'. Laminah said something about teleportation, too. So, teleportation does exist in Kreisia, right?"
	(I must select my words with care.) "Your greatest enemy is capable of teleporting his servants. The Overlord and some exceptionally strong monsters can summon undead minions to any area that is not warded."
	"Okay, so teleportation exists for the bad guys. What about us?"
	(Extreme care.) "Living people cannot directly cast teleportation spells. Such powerful magic is simply beyond mortal limits. Scholars have debated whether the spell to summon a Savior is a specialized exception; regardless, very few Lunarl priestesses have sufficient talent to successfully cast it. The Holy Brand Aldea can grant its wielder the ability to teleport, if certain conditions are fulfilled. The Holy Brand is so powerful that only a teleportation ward cast by the Overlord himself may barricade it."
	"Aren't 'teleportation beads' a real thing, though?"
	(Concealing the cycle's price from you is almost certainly the best option, for now. Compared to that deception, concealing the whole truth about this matter is a trifle.) "Teleportation beads require an extraordinary amount of resources to create, and crafting them exhausts many of our strongest Royal Mages. Our most powerful Royal Mages are currently needed to safeguard the people. The few Royal Mages who are not supporting the Royal Guards or stationed to ward away monsters have been diligently applying themselves to other important projects, such as constructing the airship."
	"Don't you have any teleportation beads to spare?"
	"The last three have already been requisitioned from the Royal Treasury." (By Laminah.)
	"Oh. Figures."
	(Laminah will not squander a precious bead on a teleport to the Holy Brand's shrine. She knows that your journey could potentially encompass far more than that fleeting jaunt.)
	Yusis let out a disappointed sigh. "I should have known it wouldn't be that easy."
	"Few things are," Cedric congenially returned.
	(Laminah requested that I not inform you of the magic items she is carrying. She claims that your personality has a strong irrational streak. Her assessment may be overly influenced by your appalling haircut, but I know that I can trust her to use the Royal Treasury's valuable resources wisely.
	I cannot trust you to so much as walk in a straight line.)
	The off-worlder grumbled, "Looks like I have to walk more in the morning. No getting around that." He made a half-hearted attempt to stifle another yawn, then gave up. "Okay, whatever. Why did you have me come here tonight?"
	(I need to know more about what type of person you are, so that I will have a better idea of what to expect during your reign of terror as the next Overlord.)
	Cedric showed an amiable smile. "Before your journey begins tomorrow, I was hoping you could regale me with tales from your home world. I would be most fascinated to learn about a world beyond my own."
	"Uh..."
	"What was your life like there?"
	"Mostly reading comics, watching TV, playing video games." Yusis blinked his brown eyes several times. "Wait, did I say that out loud? I'm more tired than I thought."
	"Marvelous! You must tell me more about these things!"
	"They're just entertainment, is all..."
	"Quality entertainment is a valuable treasure, is it not?"
	"I mostly used them to pass the time..."
	"So, leisure time is plentiful on your world? How wonderful!" Cedric clapped the off-worlder on the back, and affectionately hugged his shoulders with one arm.
	Yusis flinched, and grimaced from the tight squeeze. "Cedric, let go. Now. Personal space."
	"Oh! My apologies," laughed the king, releasing the off-worlder.
	(You did not so much as attempt to evade or guard. You truly are not any type of physical fighter, are you?
	I still cannot detect any attunement to magic within your body. All I can feel is the dull resonance of that 'Savior gift' Laminah mentioned. And your mental faculties seem so muddled...
	Warrior, Wizard, and Master Tactician are all highly implausible. I should thoroughly review what is known about the more atypical Overlords that have menaced Kreisia.)
	Yusis reeled a step backward, mouthing silent words. Cedric read his lips well enough to discern "-dream better not get weird on me."
	('Dream'?
	This is a quandary. Kreisia's only 'Savior' is close to oblivious for a far greater reason than diminished intellect, or simple fatigue.)
	Cedric continued to draw out the drowsy off-worlder. Yusis seemed less and less conscious of his interrogation the longer it went on.
	(I should end this before Kreisia's only 'Savior' faints, but not just yet. First I ought to ask...)
	After giving a handful of nearly incoherent answers to Cedric's line of inquiry, Yusis droned, "...huh... I guess a year here is roughly as much time as a year on my world...."
	"That would be a reasonable conclusion," Cedric affirmed. "Since both the length of a day and the number of days in a year are approximately the same for both our worlds. Even our respective concepts of hours, minutes, and seconds are similar."
	The off-worlder's eyes fluttered shut.
	(Are you about to fall asleep while standing?)
	"You appear to be youthful," Cedric observed, "but perhaps I should not make assumptions based solely on appearance. How many years old are you?"
	"Seventeen..."
	"Seventeen is the age of adulthood on our world. Is it the age of adulthood on your world as well?"
	"Eighteen is, more or less..."
	"You seem to resemble an Altean, but do your people have any major differences? Other than a lack of talent for magic or chants, that is."
	"Uhh..."
	"This is not considering your hair color or the shape of your teeth to be major differences, of course."
	"...what about my teeth?"
	"A few of them are pointed. That could be a further similarity between you and the Alteans; according to legend, a few of their teeth were naturally pointed many generations ago, before the cycle."
	"...but not anymore?"
	"That is correct. Your pointed teeth are visible proof that you are an off-worlder, even more so than the color of your hair. Have you not noticed that no one on Kreisia has teeth like yours?" (I cannot hold that against you. I might not have been sharp-eyed enough to spot the distinction, if Laminah had not told me.)
	"...huh... maybe people here evolved that way."
	"Your people may differ from ours in other ways as well. For example, a few Saviors in history have belonged to species that metamorphose upon maturation. Should you need to cocoon yourself in the near future-"
	"I'm blocking out that thought right here, right now," Yusis interrupted, half-opening his eyes and groggily shaking his head. "No. No, I am absolutely not going to turn into a butterfly, or anything weird like that."
	(Perhaps your mind is not entirely submerged, if you are still capable of denouncing a thoroughly ludicrous suggestion.)
	Cedric saw the off-worlder silently mouth, "Do not let this dream get weirder. Do not let this dream get weirder."
	(In all my studies of history, I have never seen a record of a dreaming 'Savior'. What to do?
	The direct approach could be perilous. If this 'Savior' does not discover the truth on his own, then he might reject it in a backlash. In the worst case, his denial of reality could irreparably consume him.
	Legends assert that the Overlord Orzand is always cognizant of the Holy Brand's status. If this 'Savior' rouses the Holy Brand from its slumber, then the Overlord will likely stay within his castle and conserve his power for the destined battle, as has happened in countless cycles before. Our temporary respite from the Overlord's reign of terror would be lengthened.
	Dare I hope that another Savior, one fully prepared to accept death and worse, will be summoned before the Holy Brand formally invests this youth with the duty to save our world?)
	"Yusis," Cedric addressed. "You have been in Kreisia for only a short time. Yet you have learned of our world's distress, have you not?"
	"Yeah." Yusis uncertainly looked away. "Laminah told me about your sister. I'm sorry."
	"There is no need to apologize."
	Yusis looked back, just as uncertainly. "You've been searching for a way to get rid of the Overlord forever, right? Not just ten years. Any luck?"
	"Very little, regrettably. Amidst the Overlord's current reign of terror, resources are stretched so thin that I have been compelled to suspend official government research. In the immediate present, Kreisia is in dire need of a Savior. Of you. Of an off-worlder who can wield the Holy Brand Aldea, and bring us ten years of peace."
	"Yeah, okay." A troubled undertone affected the informal response.
	(If this dreaming 'Savior' does not awaken before he confronts the Holy Brand....)
	"Yusis, I must inform you of something important. The Holy Brand Aldea is more than a weapon; it is an intelligent being shaped from holy power. It will only accept a wielder who truly desires to protect Kreisia, with all their heart and soul. Even if it costs their life. Even if it costs more than that."
	"Wait, what?" A shadow of trepidation affected the off-worlder. "The holy sword has a mind? It can accept or reject a wielder?"
	"You will soon see for yourself," Cedric replied, with a kindly smile.
	(Will the Holy Brand mandate that this inferior 'Savior' be returned to his home world?
	If summoning another Savior takes too long - let alone if no other Savior is summoned - then returning this 'Savior' could condemn us all. The Holy Brand would not dare take that risk, would it? Its actions throughout history suggest that it prefers to err on the side of caution.
	I must have faith in the Holy Brand. Laminah will remind it that we are desperate, if ten years of slumber has dulled its memory.)
	Yusis nervously ventured, "What happens if the holy sword rejects me?"
	"Do you know, I have not the slightest idea?" Cedric beamed.
	(Out of all the partial truths I have told, this one might be the most guileful yet.)
___________________________________________________________________________

	"Did you reject the food I provided you?" Lamtia sharply interrogated.
	Startled out of his reminiscence, Cedric quickly smoothed his alarm into affability. "My apologies, dear Lamtia. I have let my mind wander excessively, instead of partaking in your generous repast."
	"I do not care." Unyielding intensity belied the seemingly ambivalent words, as she collected the mostly-untouched meal. "I presume you are carrying travel rations in your satchel. You may eat those. I will dump the soup and give the bread to wild birds."
	Cedric maintained his congenial demeanor as Lamtia departed.
	(I recognize that vocal tone. It is the same as your daughter's. You are not finished chastising me.
	Laminah, I miss you terribly. Ten years did not soothe the ache.
	You did not so much as bid me a final farewell...)
	Lamtia soon came back.
	"Cedric, I know that my guest quarters cannot hold you, when my daughter returns," she bluntly stated.
	"Indeed?" The golden-haired Lunarl glanced upon the room's only door leading out. It was quite sturdy, made of solid metal with a prominent lock.
	"Not unless I pummel you unconscious, and I do not dare render you unable to defend yourself."
	"You have given this matter careful thought."
	"I will still lock you in here. I promised my brother."
	"Of course. Promises must not be broken unless absolutely necessary."
	"Since I cannot restrain you by force, I will attempt to restrain you with reason."
	"I am listening."
	"If my daughter is undead, then you will not impede our efforts to destroy her, will you?"
	"For the sake of her soul, I should hope not."
	"Even if my daughter is alive, she may be a menace," Lamtia warned. "In past turns of the cycle, living people have willfully pledged their obedience to the Overlord Orzand. Usually in desperate bargains, hoping to spare their loved ones from suffering death and worse."
	"I am aware," Cedric pleasantly assented.
	"Any living person who freely and intentionally swears to obey the Overlord becomes a murderous slave. There is no way to undo this corruption. Even when the Savior vanquishes the Overlord, living puppets remain beholden to Orzand."
	"My scholarly studies do include an extensive interest in history, particularly with regard to the cycle and the Overlord."
	"Orzand's living assassins have slain priestesses, military commanders, and elected leaders."
	"Of course, you know that I am mindful of such tragedies. You simply feel the need to emphasize them. I understand."
	"Pledging obedience to the Overlord is a crime that mandates execution. Not as punishment, but as an act of merciful euthanasia."
	"That is very true, dear Lamtia. Did you know that the transgression is categorized as interfering with the duties of the Savior? Since the Savior is inherently the Overlord's most prioritized target."
	"My daughter could have-"
	"Do not finish that sentence," Cedric interrupted, with a kindly smile.
	Lamtia glared at him.
	Cedric calmly added, "The inscribed obelisk explicitly states that all of the Lesser Seals refused to pledge obedience to Overlord Yusis Orzand, and that they possess the free will to disobey his commands."
	"That obelisk is _from the Overlord himself_, Cedric."
	"Acknowledged."
	"I encountered Savior Yusis once, and never spoke to him. Although he appeared like a sleepwalker, he surely possessed at least as much awareness as I did."
	"My first impression of him was also somewhat unfavorable. Perhaps more than it should have been; perhaps not."
	"Overlord Yusis knows all that Savior Yusis once knew. He knows that destroying you would crush your people's morale."
	"Laminah also knows this. She is aware of the havoc that living assassins have wreaked, in past turns of the cycle. Do you doubt her commitment to the war against Orzand?"
	"I have spent ten years readying myself for her return. As both a warrior and a mother, I must be prepared for anything."
	"We will soon see the truth for ourselves."
	"What will you do, if the truth is a possibility so horrifying that you cannot bear to hear me speak it aloud?"
	"Do you know, I have not the slightest idea?" Cedric beamed.
	(Is this what it feels like to be completely honest?)