MEMORIES OF AN OVERLORD
by Victar (vctr113062 [at] aol [dot] com)
Victar's Archive: https://www.vicfanfic.com
"I don't believe in predestination. I believe our choices matter. That makes it harder. It means I have to hold myself accountable for everything I did, or didn't do."
Chapter Twenty-seven
Memories of a Savior: Destiny of a Savior
On the last morning in the life of Kreisia's most unlikely Savior, he asked his three companions to each record a special message on the crystal from King Cedric Welkin.
Once that was done, Yusis and his friends boarded Kreisia's sole airship and set out for Overlord Clize Orzand's castle. Four Royal Artificers served as the crew for the airship's final voyage of the cycle.
Shortly after the airship's liftoff, Anemos pinned Melinda's gift of a blooming red rose over his heart. Then he set to work investing Laminah, Cynthia, and himself with a temporary layer of defense against harmful chants.
Yusis excused himself from the others. He retreated into an empty room of the airship, closed the door, and crumpled in a quivering heap. Tears brimmed in his eyes; he covered his face with both hands, and willed his sobs of grief and terror to remain silent.
*Savior. Your meaningless emotions are of no use to anyone.* The Holy Brand Aldea's soundless voice resonated in Yusis' mind. This time, Aldea's communication did not convey any contempt, only a sense of exasperation.
Shut up, Yusis bitterly thought back. I know I can't let anyone see me break down, especially not my friends. The Savior is a symbol of hope.
After Anemos finished crafting protections against harmful chants, Laminah departed to engage in warmup exercises. Cynthia and Anemos chose to pass the voyage in the airship's deckhouse. Cynthia quietly prayed with clasped hands and closed eyes, while Anemos carefully tuned his lute.
Shortly before the airship reached the Overlord's territory, Yusis approached Cynthia and Anemos. A slight tinge of redness in his eyes belied his otherwise composed demeanor. He cleared his throat, and gave his friends an important warning.
"Don't try to use any Altean chants on the Overlord, when we battle him. Aldea has told me they can't work. The Greater Seal is just too strong. Aldea also said that... that any chants on the Savior's mind can't remain attached after the transformation into the Overlord."
"So, Begiad's plan was completely impossible," Anemos mused. "I used to believe that only an Altean with his superlative talent for chants could accomplish it."
Yusis' red-tinged eyes darted back and forth. "Looks like you've already put some thought into this."
"Indeed I have. I concluded that if my own talent for domination chants were sufficient to render you harmless after your transformation, then surely the Holy Brand would inform me. I never told you why I teleported the Holy Brand to Begiad, did I? It was so the Holy Brand could evaluate his plan to enslave you."
A sly smirk touched the bard's lips as he continued, "Did you also contemplate having me attempt Begiad's plan?"
Cynthia's eyes whisked open. She adjusted the position of her clasped hands, almost but not quite hiding her giggle.
"No comment," Yusis hastily replied.
The area surrounding the Overlord's castle was thoroughly saturated with miasma vapors. When the airship approached, Yusis strained to extend Aldea's anti-poison ward to encompass the airship's crew, as well as himself and his companions. Warding a total of eight people took nearly all of his strength, even with support from Cynthia's and Anemos' magic. The airship landed in front of the castle, and the crew used one of Anemos' teleportation beads to escape.
Yusis collapsed to hands and knees, slamming the Holy Brand lengthwise on the airship's deck.
*Savior!*
"I'm fine, I'm fine - not dropping the protection - just need a little time," Yusis gasped. "Give me some time."
Lights flickered up and down the length of the holy sword.
Yusis raised his head and regarded the tremendous, jet-black fortress before him. Undead monsters milled about it.
Aldea, ward away the roaming monsters. We can't risk any delays, and we don't need to test our strength on lesser battles anymore. We're ready to take on the Overlord, as soon as we can reach him.
Aldea's flickering lights momentarily froze in a checkered pattern.
*I assess your inference as accurate. As you wish, Savior.*
Kreisia's most unlikely Savior climbed to his feet, and remained still for a long moment.
Then Cynthia softly trilled, "Yusis...?"
"Sorry," he sighed. "I was just thinking about Savior Clize, is all."
Clize, why couldn't you keep your own mind as the Overlord? Why did you turn on the world and the people you sacrificed everything to protect?
How can I stop myself from doing the same, when I'm nowhere near as strong or brave as you were?
"Yusis, remember what the Holy Brand said," Laminah reminded. "After we vanquish Orzand, you will be able to speak with the soul of Savior Clize, for a short time."
Cynthia added, "I think Clize will be happy to see us, don't you?"
Anemos reflected, "As much as I wish to express gratitude to Savior Clize for all that he did ten years ago, I suspect that whatever you would ask him is far more important, Yusis."
"Let's go," Yusis directed, striving as hard as he could to keep fearful tremors out of his voice. "We have to reach the Overlord before nightfall. For Clize's sake, as well as Kreisia's."
Although navigating the castle proved substantially more difficult than Yusis had anticipated, it was well before nightfall when he and his companions vanquished the Overlord Orzand, the legendary wielder of miasma and master of monsters. The latest incarnation of the undead menace that arose every ten years, with the mandate to mercilessly destroy all life.
Yusis was as prepared as he could make himself to die and become the Greater Seal on Kreisia's miasma, the next undead Overlord.
He was not prepared for how much dying would hurt.
He was not prepared for how sick he would feel, afterward.
His undead body, the newly created Greater Seal, had limited physical senses. Even so, something about it pressed forth memories of being severely ill, alternately feverish and chilled, needing to throw up and being completely incapable. The feeling of being unwell churned in the background of his thoughts.
The sense of sickness was worse in the forefront of his mind. No one had warned him about the cruel, hateful, sanity-destroying presence that prowled in and out of his consciousness; no one except for the soul of Savior Clize, scarce minutes before the Voice of Orzand took up residence in its new host.
The Voice spoke to Yusis infrequently, but whenever it did, it wore away at his sense of self. Yusis consciously built his sense of self up, felt the Voice rip it apart, and built it up again, in waves. At best, he felt ailing and pressured. At worst, he felt shredded and deteriorating.
And he could not move at all.
When will I be able to turn on that crystal's recording? Yusis silently wondered. I'd really like to know. It's been eighteen hours, six minutes, and fourteen seconds since-
-wait, what? How do I know exactly how much time has passed since I became the Overlord?
I... just do.
Maybe if I focus my mind, I'll pick up on how much longer I'll be stuck like this.
Yusis concentrated.
Okay. The Greater Seal uses miasma for power, and it doesn't have enough to do much of anything right now. The Greater Seal is at its weakest because it's newly created. It's not very good at extracting power from airborne miasma yet, but it will automatically get better at that over time. I'll be powerless for about three days total.
I have no idea why or how I know all that.
There used to be days when I didn't want to get out of bed for anything. Now, I don't think I could take a nap even if I dared to. I guess sleep spells don't work on undead monsters because monsters literally can't sleep.
Yusis remained face-down on a smooth floor for more hours. His body was as inert as a puppet with no strings to guide it.
On the second day after his transformation, he still could not move, but he had an idea.
The Overlord is 'the wielder of miasma'. Can I make miasma do whatever I want?
Yusis concentrated.
Miasma vapors thickened in the air around him. He willed the vapors to become a nearly-solid puff of black fog, and directed the fog to turn on King Welkin's crystal, nestled within a pocket of the "clothing" that was part of his undead body's dark magic shell.
Somber, emotional music played from the crystal.
It worked!
But... I don't have complete control over miasma. I can feel that I don't.
Miasma wants to spread death, terror, and suffering. I can get it to do other things, but I can't make it go against its core desires.
Voices sounded from the crystal. Yusis listened closely to the message from his friends.
Laminah, Anemos...
...Cynthia...
...I hope... I hope you're alive. I hope my spell worked on all of you.
Yusis let the recording repeat in an endless loop, until he felt mentally salvaged enough to turn the crystal off with another controlled puff of black fog.
A third day passed. The Voice intermittently harangued Yusis with sneering diatribes. Yusis played the crystal's recording from time to time.
On the fourth day, Yusis gained enough strength to push himself into a sitting position.
Finally, I can look at something other than the floor. Took long enough.
My power is starting to trickle back now. That spell I cast to save my friends cost a lot, and I didn't have anything to begin with. I had to borrow against my future power.
Yusis observed the room around him.
Everything's black and grey, like an old movie or a noir-style video game. I'm not sure if this place has no color, or I can't see color. Maybe both?
His surroundings resembled the throne room of the Royal Castle, only without any emblems, artwork, or furnishings. The area was plain and empty, except for one small object that rested a moderate distance away.
That's...
Focusing on the item was difficult; his eyesight was darkened and blurry.
%...my glasses?%
Yusis flinched from the harrowing impression of his own voice.
%Is this how I talk, now? Am I making any actual sound?%
Yusis blinked and shook his head.
%Whether I am or not, it's like I'm using a voice-changer in an online game. A really disgusting voice-changer.%
Yusis gritted his teeth. The action felt strange; he realized that his teeth had become serrated, with prominent fangs.
Figures. My eyes must have that hideous yellow glow, too. I didn't like seeing my own reflection before; now I definitely don't want to.
I don't want to hear myself speak anymore, either.
Yusis returned his gaze to his reading glasses. They rested with their rectangular lenses down and their hinges folded. There was no trace of the cord that used to hold them.
I remember; their cord burned and they fell off. That must be why they weren't destroyed when everything else on me was, except for the miasma-resistant crystal.
I can sense the magic ward on my glasses now, when I never could before. The ward is...
...it really is meant to protect them from damage, and keep me from accidentally losing them. I think the ward made Aldea's fire burn their cord, then got them caught up in Aldea's spell and sent here with me.
They're not scratched or broken, but miasma vapors will probably overwhelm their ward and dissolve them over time.
I... don't want that to happen. Is there any way I can-?
An airtight case materialized around the glasses.
How did I do that? Is shaping magic as simple as concentrating on what I want?
That case is not made out of dark magic. I can feel that it's not. Stuff shaped from miasma can't block miasma vapors, because dark magic doesn't want to block itself.
Yusis glanced down at his hands. They were disturbingly pale, and sported sharp claws. Miasma vapors drifted off of them.
That applies to my body, too. It's a dark magic shell, and it's giving off miasma vapors twenty-four-seven.
Yusis tried to raise his hands closer to his eyes. They swayed in a jerky motion, vaguely responding to his will.
Yusis squinted at his claws. They were long and hooked, like vulture talons.
These are going to get in the way. I may as well deal with them now.
Yusis concentrated. A large, sturdy nail clipper appeared in his fingers.
This isn't made out of dark magic, either. It's shaped from the same type of magic as the case for my glasses. It feels...
...temporary. Very temporary. I only need it for a few minutes, so it won't exist for much longer than that.
I need that case for my glasses indefinitely, so it will last longer. Maybe weeks or months, but not forever. I'll have to replace it periodically.
Anything I shape out of this magic has a limited duration. I can feel it. The magic just...
...runs out of time.
Yusis briskly used the nail clipper to trim his claws into short triangles. His claw trimmings immediately dissipated into tiny puffs of miasma-smoke.
Raising my hands in front of my face was a struggle, but somehow I'm doing this without any difficulty.
I don't think I'm literally clipping my own claws. It feels more like I'm mentally reshaping my dark magic shell. The nail clipper is just a tool to help me focus my mind.
But... I can't make my claws blunt, and I definitely can't remove them. The miasma forming my body refuses to allow that. It wants me to have sharp claws that can poison the living. Is there some other way I can keep myself from clawing the next Savior, or anyone else?
I'm not going to try filing my fangs. Even though I must look like a vampire cosplayer.
I'm not going to reshape my fake 'clothing', either. I've never wanted to dress up before; there's no reason to start now. At least the fake 'shoes' mean I don't have to deal with claws on my feet.
When Yusis was finished with the nail clipper, it dissolved away.
Conjuring stuff with magic really is convenient. Cynthia used to do that whenever she wanted.
Cynthia... did my spell save your life?
A mixture of fear and hope suddenly welled up within Yusis, until it almost involuntarily burst out of him.
%Cynthia-%
A psychological impact resembling a heavy weight slammed into Yusis' thoughts, interrupting him before he could utter another word.
Wait, what? I can't say, 'Cynthia, please be alive'?
I can consider the words in abstract, but I can't say and mean them?
Or maybe I could force myself to... but...
That jarring feeling - it's the same as the first time I attempted to cast my spell, and the Voice said that I was going against a rule. The Voice claimed that resisting its rules would 'erase' me.
The Voice wasn't bluffing, when it made that threat. I'm sure it wasn't bluffing.
Am I seriously bound by a rule that won't let me say 'please'?
The answer to Yusis' internal question appeared within his own mind, as if an imaginary textbook were being shoved in his face.
'The Overlord makes obeisance to no one'...?
What's 'obeisance'?
The imaginary textbook annotated itself.
Huh. It means I can't do anything to humble myself. Can't say and mean things like 'please', 'thank you', or 'sorry'. I can't do anything purely out of gratitude; there has to be some additional motive. I can't obey anyone other than the Voice, the rules, or miasma itself unless I have a reason or desire of my own for going along with whatever. The Voice, the rules, and miasma itself are components of the Overlord Orzand, so obeying them isn't making obeisance to another being.
Wait, what? The Overlord has 'components'? How many 'components'?
The textbook added an asterisk and a footnote to its annotation.
The Overlord consists of six components, upon creation. The other three components of the Overlord are the Greater Seal, the Savior's soul, and a replica of the Savior's mind. The Greater Seal can't be destroyed easily, and souls can't be destroyed at all, but the mind is completely expendable. It's only a lingering impression, stamped into dark magic-
-wait, what?
The full, thoroughly disconcerting implication of what Yusis had just read began to sink into his awareness.
My mind is... whatever is thinking this right now is...
...what...
...what exactly am I?
Yusis remembered that this was not the first time he had learned about the minds of undead monsters.
Aldea also said... an undead monster's mind is formed by a replica of a living brain's activity, impressed into dark magic...
...I knew this, I knew it all along, I didn't let myself think about it much, when I became the Greater Seal I had to concentrate on using the Overlord's power and that distracted me from considering it further-!
Now, I can't block it out, or push it into the back of my mind. I didn't want to think about it, I still don't, but-!
Flustered trepidation threw his thoughts into disarray. The imaginary textbook withdrew from its position of central focus, although it remained open and legible.
Am I really 'Yusis'?
Or am I just a cheap copy of 'Yusis'? Is what's left of 'Yusis' nothing but a dark magic thing with his memories?
This time, the textbook did not add any words. There were no internal feelings of affirmation or denial, in response to his questions.
Huh. Looks like I don't automatically know everything about being the Overlord. Only some things.
I need to calm down and think this through.
Yusis put one hand on his chest and closed his eyes. His sense of touch felt even more limited than it had a moment ago, as if his hand were over nothing at all; he disregarded the disturbing lack of feedback.
Then his eyes snapped open, and darted back and forth.
I can't take a deep breath to calm myself. I literally can't breathe-!
Right. I'm undead. I have no lungs. I have no internal organs of any kind. I don't even have an airway, do I? The back of my throat feels closed off.
Yusis blinked several times.
I'm a little surprised I have working eyelids. I probably don't have to blink. I think that's just an instinct, copied along with everything else from a brain that miasma consumed.
I am not going to freak out over this. I am not. Absolutely not. Not doing that. I just went through three days of boredom when I could have passed the time by freaking out; I am not going to freak out now that I can finally move-!
I'll have to calm myself without the deep breath.
Yusis closed his eyes again, and remained motionless for several seconds. Then he let his hand fall and opened his eyes.
I don't think that works as well without the ability to breathe, but maybe it helped. Some.
Okay, I'm in a state of crisis about my own existence. Panicking won't do any good, so I'll try to figure it out, and deal with it from there.
Now. What exactly did Aldea say about all this...?
Yusis carefully recalled and parsed memories of interrogating the recalcitrant Holy Brand.
Aldea said that my soul would be imprisoned within the Overlord. It said that souls can't be duplicated or destroyed. So at least I still have my soul, right?
The textbook highlighted the words "the Savior's soul", among the list of the Overlord's components.
Well, I have 'the Savior's soul'. 'The soul of Yusis' is trapped inside the Greater Seal, same as how every undead monster has a soul trapped inside. But...
...is 'the soul of Yusis' really 'my' soul?
The textbook's highlight faded away. There was no other change to its words.
The soul inside might not be 'my' soul. He's the real 'Yusis', isn't he? He must be.
While I... I might be nothing more than...
...than a self-aware piece of his dark magic prison.
Internally, a feeling of profound uncertainty manifested. The feeling was not the same as when knowledge or answers had inexplicably appeared in his thoughts. The feeling was strongly emotional, yet seemingly disconnected from his conscious agitation.
Is... is that the soul trapped inside me?
Is he just as confused as I am?
The internal feeling of uncertainty settled down somewhat. An anxious undercurrent remained, but there was no trace of hostility.
He... doesn't resent me?
I'm his jailer. I'm a disgusting thing made of miasma. And I...
...I want to keep him trapped. It seems so evil when I think about it - no, I know it's evil - and that doesn't change anything.
I need his soul. Somehow, I just know that miasma can't take the form of a monster on its own; miasma needs a trapped soul to give itself structure.
I know what would happen to me, if I didn't have his soul. The same thing that happens to any undead monster, when its trapped soul is freed. I'd revert to miasma sludge and vapors.
I don't want that. I don't - I don't want to be a mindless, formless mess of dark magic. Anything but that! Anything, even if I have to keep his soul trapped forever-!
He should hate me. I know he's not like the innocent people of Kreisia; he's fully capable of hating anyone who deserves it.
A vivid memory from minutes before the end of Savior Yusis' life suddenly overtook all other thoughts. The memory was not intentionally recalled; it simply appeared, unbidden, replaying past thoughts and emotions as strongly as past sights and sounds.
The memory was fraught with a rising sense of panic. Yusis' three friends were about to die and become Lesser Seals; he had to try something, anything to save them, even if the attempt ended in failure. He couldn't do nothing at all, not this time, or else he would completely lose his mind-!
What the-? Why did I suddenly have that flashback? What's going on?
Another, strikingly intense memory pressed forth. It was of glancing upon an open Kreisian book for the first time, and being unable to decipher its contents. Then came the thoroughly disorienting realization that the Kreisian language was a foreign tongue, even though speaking it aloud came naturally.
Cynthia explained that his ability to comprehend the Kreisian language was a "gift" bestowed by the summon spell. She had to be telling the truth - she wouldn't mislead him, not ever - but how did this "gift" really work?
Yusis knew that the summon spell subtly altered the bodies of off-world Saviors who answered its call. Had the summon spell somehow changed his physical brain? Could the spell have messed with his mind, or his memories?
He briefly contemplated the disturbing possibility, then decided that it just wasn't worth worrying about. He didn't feel any different on the inside, and he truly did appreciate the ability to communicate with the people of Kreisia, especially his friends.
Is the soul trapped inside me trying to communicate?
I can feel his emotions - right now, he's a little agitated - but maybe he can't speak to me directly. Maybe he can only show memories.
A memory commanded attention. It was of casting a desperate spell with borrowed power, while wracked by the chilling fear of failure. The ominous Voice of Orzand sneered derisive comments, but did not interfere; it seemed strangely pleased with the bargain it had just struck.
Maybe I do understand what the soul inside is trying to say.
Accepting his own death was hard enough; he couldn't accept the rest of the cycle's price. He wanted to save his friends.
I wanted to save them, too. I didn't let myself think about what I am or why I wanted to save them; there wasn't any time. I just struck a bargain with Orzand, cast a spell, and hoped for the best.
I'm a copy of the trapped soul's former mind. His desires were copied over along with his memories and personality traits, weren't they?
Did I genuinely choose to save his friends? Maybe I didn't. Maybe I just acted on a copied impulse.
Why is he giving me any credit at all? Doesn't he know what I am?
A memory of the final camp Savior Yusis spent with his three friends flashed by.
Anemos engaged in an impromptu performance. The bard narrated the legend of Savior Clize and companions, enhanced with musical flourishes. Yusis wondered how much of the retelling matched recent history, and how much was dramatic license.
Laminah was as taciturn as usual. Did the corners of her lips turn slightly upward, when Anemos' saga culminated in how Savior Clize vanquished the destructive Wizard Overlord? Yusis wasn't sure.
Then, Cynthia put her arm around Yusis' shoulders.
He wished he could bring himself to reciprocate.
His friends all appeared to be in good cheer. They all seemed to believe that, even if they had to give up their lives and more, they'd find a way to break the cycle.
Was their faith, their hope, truly valid? Or was it just empty desperation?
"It doesn't matter," Cynthia whispered in his ear.
Wait - he didn't say that out loud, did he?
The smallest of smiles touched Cynthia's face, and the lightest giggle of mirth escaped her lips. She gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze as she quietly told him, "Yusis, we're all committed to ending Kreisia's awful cycle. That's what really matters."
He somehow managed to return her smile. It was the first time he had smiled all night.
She was right, of course, whether she had heard him mumble his doubts aloud or not. It didn't matter how tenuous the foundation of their hope was. What mattered was that they had hope, because without hope, they had no chance of breaking the cycle at all.
I think...
...I think what I am doesn't matter to the soul inside.
He doesn't care that I'm an impression molded into miasma. He doesn't care whether I'm acting of my own will, or according to copied thought patterns, or whether there's any real difference between the two possibilities.
What matters to him is that I don't want to be another murdering tyrant in Kreisia's all-devouring cycle. That I tried to save his friends. I don't know if I succeeded, but I did try.
Another memory presented itself. It was not of a single moment, but rather the sense of willfully committing to an aspiration for the indefinite future, while pacing the halls of the Royal Castle.
I remember, now. I should have remembered that without the reminder. Does being a second-rate copy of a mind make me prone to forgetting stuff?
Hovering on the periphery of vision, the imaginary textbook briefly highlighted the words "completely expendable".
I guess it does. I forgot about what the soul inside resolved, on the day before his life ended.
A memory stirred. It was of a lecture, delivered in a stern, authoritative voice, emphasizing a principle so forcefully as to override any and all attempts to tune the speaker out.
'Sometimes the deal isn't about whether the price is too high to pay. Sometimes the deal is about getting the best possible return for the price that has to be paid.' His father taught him that. The soul inside decided to put the lesson into practice.
He decided to become an Overlord who does nothing.
He doesn't want to settle for bringing only ten years of peace. He's fine with being trapped inside the Greater Seal, as long as he can keep Kreisia safe. To protect this innocent world, he'd stay where he is until a better solution to the curse of the miasma could be found. He'd stay as long as he had to.
I think... I think I don't just have his desires copied into my mind. I also have a direct line to what his soul wants.
Melancholy-tinged sentiments resonated from within.
He misses his friends. He's hoping my spell saved their lives.
He fears that the cycle will eventually destroy all life. He's hoping I really can keep Kreisia safe for more than ten years.
And I... I feel the same way. My desires are the same as his. As long as I don't let miasma's desires overwhelm me, anyway.
But, are these emotions really 'mine'? They may all be from him. His 'will' is the only reason I exist. It's what left a lingering impression in the miasma of the Greater Seal.
Whatever I am, his memories are a part of me. Does that work both ways? Does he have access to whatever memories I make?
A moment of memory briefly lingered. It was of studying borrowed history books, in a late-night search for any possible clues to break Kreisia's merciless cycle.
I think that means he does? He does know about the spell I cast.
I'm not sure how aware he is, but he's not completely checked out. I can feel it. He can't 'sleep', any more than I can. He's too worried about his friends. About this world.
His emotions are heavy, difficult. They're hard to balance, but I don't want to block them out. I don't... I don't want to be something that doesn't think, feel, or care.
But, is pretending that his emotions are 'mine' really any better?
The anxious internal undercurrent smoothed itself out.
Hazy, dreamlike slivers of memory slipped by. They were of meeting King Cedric Welkin for the first time, and then learning that Kreisia's office of "king" was not an inherited monarchy. The position was earned through popular vote, in a great election held shortly after the beginning of each cycle's peacetime.
I think I understand. The soul inside needs me to represent him, like how Cedric represents the people of Kreisia.
It's one thing to represent 'Yusis', though. I've been thinking of myself as the real 'Yusis', when I'm just a dark magic copy. What right do I have to flat-out replace him?
More slivers of memory appeared and disappeared. They were moments of a fairly ordinary day's travel through Kreisia.
Perhaps the day's hike had been a bit longer than usual. Perhaps Anemos' music had been a little less upbeat; perhaps Laminah's warrior training had been a little more strict; perhaps Cynthia's healing magic had been a little more of a welcome relief. There had been a tense moment while battling undead monsters, but none of the four companions had truly been in life-threatening danger, that day. The Holy Brand Aldea had been carefully watching over all of them, as a nearly-invisible whisper of light.
When sundown approached, Yusis and his companions made camp at a traveler's stop. After Yusis exhausted himself during Laminah's evening warrior training lesson, Anemos shared one of the many legends he knew about the cycle, performing the saga with the grandiose flair of a born showman. Laminah commented on the battle tactics in the legend, and corrected the bard when a certain detail conflicted with military history.
Cynthia noticed that Yusis was more apathetic than usual about eating bland travel rations for dinner. She used her knowledge of edible plants to gather a few wild herbs, and tried to cook the rations with fire magic and a leafy garnish. The results were mixed at best, but Yusis sincerely thanked her for the attempt.
As usual, the Holy Brand Aldea stated that it would keep watch for monsters while the group slept. When Yusis and his friends settled down to get a good night's rest, Anemos played his mellifluous nocturne. Cynthia made a slight smile, as she closed her eyes and listened to the music. Laminah showed no evidence of approval or disdain.
Yusis' final thoughts before falling asleep were to ponder - not for the first time - whether adventuring in Kreisia was truly any more exciting than everyday life on his home world. He was definitely enjoying himself, so much that he genuinely looked forward to getting up at dawn, but that was because of his friends. It wasn't because of anything extraordinary about his journey.
Memories of an ordinary day...
I don't get it. What does this mean?
The slivers of memory shifted into moments of daily life as a high school student, before being summoned to Kreisia. Wake up, even though he didn't want to. Force himself to do the minimum necessary self-care, even though he didn't want to. Slouch at his school desk and barely pay attention to the teacher. He had a talent for finding ways to look at his smartphone in class, without being caught.
Sometimes he'd hang out with friends after school, but he never let himself get too close to any of them. Not anymore. He never stayed out late. Not anymore.
He'd go home and read comics, watch television, or play video games. For his mother's sake, he'd put on his best pretense of being fine, normal, perfectly okay. He avoided his father as much as possible, usually by going to bed early. His father tended to work late.
He hardly responded to anything his father said to him. Yusis especially tuned out any talk about how he was doing in school, or what he planned for the future.
Sometimes he felt a little remorseful about shutting out his father, but there was nothing to be done for it. Yusis couldn't let himself think too much about what he would do with his life, or even what he'd do the next morning.
Thinking too much was a problem. He'd start thinking about how he failed to realize that he was being asked for help. He'd start thinking about what a useless screw-up he was.
He'd start thinking about death.
No, thinking too much was dangerous. Thoughts could turn bad, and then they could turn worse. Bad thoughts hurt more than physical pain; they made him feel like throwing up even if he skipped meals. Bad thoughts made it hard to act like a normal person. He had to block out the bad thoughts, not just to reassure his mother, not just to uphold his bargain with his father. He had to block out the bad thoughts, or he might lose the ability to function at all. He might shut himself down again, switch himself off, like a corpse laid to rest in an open casket.
It was better not to think too much, to block out the bad thoughts before they got worse. Immersing himself in comics, television shows, and video games helped with that.
So passed one ordinary day after another.
More memories of ordinary days...
Does the soul inside see all this as... ordinary?
The slivers whirled, reformed, and showed an array of somewhat exasperating memories, all connected to interacting with people in Kreisia.
Nearly everyone Savior Yusis encountered welcomed him with heartfelt sincerity. Nearly everyone was truly grateful to him, for coming from another world to save theirs. In general, Lunarls were hospitable; Alteans were charming; and Vargs were respectful. But sometimes he would overhear people of all three races whispering behind his back, or see dismay in their eyes.
It wasn't because he was physically weak and had no magic, no heroic talents of any kind. It wasn't because he was a horrendously inferior Savior. He wouldn't be annoyed if that were the source of their disillusionment. No, the reason why he made a poor first impression on almost everyone he met was...
...his messy hair.
He knew that unkempt hair was regarded as a sign of dementia, but he didn't ask anyone why, or why hair care was so highly prioritized. The Savior was a symbol of hope; questions like that could risk demoralizing people even more than his appearance did. He appreciated that his friends accepted him the way he was, and didn't want to bring up the topic around them. He considered asking Cedric, but the king had a great many obligations; Yusis didn't want to take up Cedric's time over something so trivial. Talking to the Holy Brand had its own share of pitfalls.
Furthermore, Yusis didn't want to dwell on something that really wasn't a big deal. Not even if Kreisia's culture tended to obsess over it.
The soul inside sees all this as ordinary. He thinks I'm obsessing over something that isn't a big deal.
He's not concerned about signing over his identity. He doesn't see it as a sacrifice, or even as a trade-off to protect this world. He sees it more like...
...like...
A brief memory surfaced amid all the memories within. It was an uncomfortable memory, but not because of what Yusis had been doing at the time. His assigned task had been quite mundane. It was the bad thoughts that had made the simple activity so difficult, bad thoughts that were getting harder to block out; stress from his new job was amplifying his overwhelming feelings of grief, guilt, and self-hatred. He was starting to see death everywhere he looked.
When the memory faded, a mental image remained. It was a small, white, rectangular card with printed writing, hovering almost tangibly at the forefront of awareness. The name "Yusis" stood out in large, clear letters on the card. The credentials "high school student" and "Kreisia's Savior" were underneath the name, and the next line down listed the contact address "within the Greater Seal".
...like handing out a business card?
He really doesn't think much of himself, does he?
Like I'm one to talk. I've obsessed over what I am for long enough.
Maybe the soul inside is 'my' soul, and maybe he isn't. Either way, I'm going to accept his metaphorical business card and be him. I'll take responsibility for everything he's done, good and bad; I'll think of his memories, and his former life, as if they were mine.
The business card shined, then merged into the formless depths of consciousness. Hints of its glimmer rippled amid the darkest reaches of mind and memory.
Well, that's convenient. Beats having to carry the card around in a mental wallet.
Whether I'm the real 'Yusis' or not, I need to be him, in every meaningful sense. His identity is the only thing that makes me any different from the mindless evil of miasma itself. Or from the Voice of Orzand.
The soul inside needs me to represent him, and I need him to... well, to keep me from being soulless, in more ways than just literally. In that sense, he really is my soul, isn't he?
One more memory appeared, accompanied by a wistful sense of longing and appreciation.
The memory was of stepping outside of a traveler's stop cabin, shortly after daybreak. Laminah was engaged in warm-up exercises, to prepare for the forthcoming training session. Anemos was playing his stirring reveille. Cynthia smiled brightly, apparently very pleased that she did not need to awaken the Savior with a splash of cold water today. Even though Yusis felt groggy and sleepy, he flashed a quick grin in return.
A broad path through grassy meadows stretched ahead. An Altean traveler, so distant as to be distinguishable only by their light green hair, walked upon the path. Sheep and cows grazed the meadows, under the watchful supervision of a Varg and a Lunarl. The bright yellow sun was rising past faraway hills, and fluffy clouds nestled in the deep blue sky. A pair of white-feathered birds flew overhead. There was nothing special about the memory; it was just another morning in Kreisia.
And it was absolutely beautiful.
Yeah, I get it. I really do.
I want to protect this beautiful world. Not just because the soul inside wants me to, or because I don't want to be a mindless zombie. I want to protect this world for its own sake.
The internal feeling emanated a trace of satisfied approval, and subsided deep within.
I wonder... am I really communicating with the soul inside? Or am I just playing mind games on myself?
Yusis shrugged his shoulders, then realized that he hadn't willfully directed the Greater Seal to perform the action. The impulse to shrug had been completely unconscious.
Yusis closed his eyes, bowed his head, and allowed himself some time to mentally adjust. The irony of entrusting himself to memories of a life characterized by self-doubt - at times escalating to outright self-hatred - was not lost on him.
When Yusis opened his eyes and raised his head, he felt significantly more prepared to confront the reality of being Kreisia's Overlord.
I want to do something no Overlord has ever done before. I want to break the cycle. Right now, the only plan I have is to be 'an Overlord who does nothing'.
If I were to stay put for more than ten years, and do nothing... other monsters would still threaten Kreisia, wouldn't they?
The Overlord is 'the master of monsters'. Maybe I could command Kreisia's monsters to do nothing, too? Then Kreisia would remain peaceful for as long as I can hold on to my mind and my sanity.
Cedric would continue searching for a better way to break the cycle. I know he would. So would my friends, if my spell succeeded. Maybe even if it didn't.
I really hope my spell succeeded...
Could I help all of them search? I do seem to automatically know a lot about miasma, and about being the Overlord. Maybe I could pass that information on to them.
But if I'm 'erased', then I won't be able to do anything.
Whatever I have for a mind is functional, for now. How long will it remain that way? I need to know more about why and how every previous Savior had their minds erased, after becoming the Overlord.
The imaginary textbook obligingly repositioned itself closer, and snapped into sharp focus. Its pages turned to an educational passage.
I can erase my own mind, just like other monsters can and usually do erase their own minds. Deliberately refusing or breaking any of the Overlord's rules will erase my mind, whether I want that or not.
Now I remember; the rule that almost prevented my spell was 'The Overlord may not show mercy to the living'. How many of these stupid rules-?
The imaginary textbook showed a summary with brief descriptions.
Okay. Six rules in a priority list, including the rule Aldea wrote on my soul. The rules restrict the Overlord Orzand, but not any other monster. Exactly how much control do these rules have over my free will?
The imaginary textbook flipped its pages, then settled on an informative two-page spread.
Aldea's rule to prepare for the next Savior can't be broken at all. Absolute, full stop, can't be broken, just like the laws of physics can't be broken on my world. Willfully refusing or breaking any of the other rules will allow miasma to immediately erase my mind.
I can slack off on upholding the rules for a limited time. If I shirk the rules too much or for too long, then miasma will gradually erase my mind. My mind can 'redraw' itself, if miasma's pressure lets up long enough for me to recover, but my mind can't come back from being completely erased.
The Voice of Orzand is powerless to change the rules. What the Voice can do is turn miasma's pressure up or down, making the rules more strict or less strict. When the Voice struck a bargain with me, it agreed to turn the pressure down long enough for me to cast my spell.
At least these idiotic rules automatically block me from breaking them by accident. Why does the Overlord have rules at all? Who made them?
The imaginary textbook turned to its title page. Its title was "Supplementary Cognitive Aegis User Manual".
'Supplementary Cognitive Aegis'...
I think I understand what that means. These rules are like a shield that keeps miasma from erasing my mind. Their protection is meant to 'supplement' something else, but whatever that something else is, I'm pretty sure I don't have it.
Yusis examined the title page. A blotchy, jet-black splash of darkness redacted the name of the textbook's author. Elegant, glimmering gold letters underneath the blotted name read "with the Holy Brand Aldea".
That black mark is a metaphor for miasma itself. I can feel it. I used to be 'sensitive' to dark magic; now, the feelings I get from miasma are so strong that they threaten to overtake my own.
Dark magic has corrupted these rules. Miasma is a co-author that overwrote the original author. Aldea is another co-author because it wrote the rule on my soul.
Is the original author the Voice of Orzand?
No, that doesn't make sense. This 'user manual' is too helpful to be from the Voice. Besides, if the Voice wrote these rules, then wouldn't it have power over them?
Does anyone have power over them?
The imaginary textbook displayed its copyright page. There were two copyright symbols. Another jet-black splotch obscured everything next to the first copyright symbol. The second symbol glimmered gold; more gleaming words expressly specified "additional content" and credited "the Holy Brand Aldea".
I don't think the idea of 'copyright' really exists in Kreisia. It's just another metaphor my mind is using to process this.
Miasma is more than a co-author; it has seized control of 'copyright'. Dark magic is the only thing that has power over five of the six rules. Aldea couldn't directly change those five rules; it could only affect them indirectly by adding a top-priority rule.
Aldea once told me that miasma and Orzand are two aspects of the same menace, but...
...Aldea is wrong. I don't think it was deliberately lying to me, but it's flat-out wrong. Even though Orzand is closely connected to miasma, it isn't the same. I know it isn't.
I can feel what miasma wants, all of the time, whether I hear the Voice of Orzand in my head or not. Miasma wants to terrorize, torture, and destroy life, like the Voice does... but miasma doesn't want to terrorize, torture, and destroy me like the Voice does. Not anymore. Now that I'm undead, miasma accepts me as its wielder.
Miasma doesn't have a personality like the Voice, or like Aldea, but miasma does have demands and desires. Miasma is like a soulless corporation, only instead of endlessly craving profit, it compulsively traps souls as undead monsters, in a useless attempt to fill its own void.
Cynthia once told me that miasma doesn't let the living wield it. She also said that holy magic doesn't let itself be shaped into attack beads, and Laminah told me that holy magic refuses to let the undead wield it. Cedric told me that holy magic wants to protect life, and I know that's the opposite of what miasma wants.
Maybe both forces have a 'will' of their own? Dark magic hates life and wants to make it suffer, while holy magic loves life and wants to protect it.
Maybe I could get around these rules by appealing to the 'will' of miasma. Since miasma does have power over the rules, as their 'co-author with copyright'...
...wait, what am I even thinking!?
'Appealing to miasma'? 'Appealing' to the source of Kreisia's terror and suffering!? The whole idea is so disgustingly evil that I'm ashamed I had it-!
I should take another look at that summary of the rules.
The imaginary textbook turned its pages back to the summary.
'The Overlord may not show mercy to the living' is lowest priority. It blocks directly healing or helping a living creature, but I can still do that if the action serves a higher rule. Indirectly helping the living isn't necessarily blocked, either.
'The Overlord makes obeisance to no one' is second lowest priority. It won't block me from doing most things, as long as I have some reason or desire of my own to do whatever.
'The Overlord cannot refuse a challenge to duel' is fourth on the list. The duel doesn't have to be to the death, not unless my challenger is the next Savior. Okay, I can deal with that.
'The Overlord cannot surrender' is third. Looks like I can't make the next Savior's job too easy for him, or retreat from any 'serious' battle.
The worst rule is 'The Overlord must protect Kreisia from all life.' It's second highest in priority. I really do have 'the mandate to destroy all life'; only Aldea's rule can override it.
Aldea's top-priority rule is 'The Overlord must prepare to confront the next Savior in a battle to the death.' This rule is what prevents the Voice from drowning the world in miasma.
The Voice can't unleash enough miasma to drown the world while the Greater Seal exists. The Voice wants to absorb the Greater Seal into Kreisia's miasma, but the Greater Seal is the Overlord's body. Getting rid of the Greater Seal would make it impossible for the Overlord to prepare for a showdown. So, Aldea's rule blocks the Voice until the destined battle is finished...
...or until Kreisia has so few survivors that no Savior can be summoned. Aldea's rule also becomes powerless if the Savior is destroyed, or abandons Kreisia.
I'll have to think about all of this more later.
The imaginary textbook closed its cover, and settled on an imaginary bookshelf in the depths of his consciousness.
Yusis haphazardly climbed to his feet, and unsteadily approached the conjured case holding his glasses. When he tried to bend down, he toppled over.
This is frustrating. I can hardly make my own body do what I want it to.
Yusis looked down on himself. His eyes widened from shock. There was a hole of swirling, jet-black darkness within his own chest.
I... I shouldn't be surprised by this. It's just like the body of Overlord Clize. Before he transformed into a hulking, brute-force thing.
Will I turn into a disgusting thing like that, too? When I fight the next Savior?
Yusis did not feel any internal answer to his question, only a nearly-overwhelming sense of nausea.
Ugh. I guess that's something else I don't automatically know, but I want to throw up just thinking about it, and I literally can't-!
I have to block that thought out of my mind, before I break down into dry heaves.
Yusis tried to calm himself, with limited success.
The destined battle won't be for a long time, anyway. Maybe it won't happen at all, if there's no need for another Savior. Maybe I can be 'an Overlord who does nothing', and keep Kreisia's miasma sealed for more than ten years. For as long as I have to.
'An eternity of undeath'... that's what Anemos called it. I can't really wrap my head around the 'eternity' part, but maybe I won't have to. Maybe someone else will find a better solution to the curse of the miasma. And if no one ever does, well...
Yusis thought of Kreisia, a gentle world whose people never waged war against one another. A world with almost no crime, and almost no hatred. Fear and despair sometimes caused Kreisians to do cruel things like discriminate against the Alteans, but the very idea of hating any living person was all but unthinkable.
...there are worse ways to spend eternity than keeping miasma sealed away from this beautiful, innocent world.
That's why I have this hole in my chest, isn't it? Because my body is the Greater Seal on Kreisia's miasma?
How exactly does the Greater Seal work?
Yusis concentrated. Information manifested in his mind.
Okay. The Greater Seal generates a vortex that pulls miasma into a supremely concentrated sphere. As long as the Greater Seal isn't completely destroyed, its vortex is unaffected. The vortex keeps almost all of its miasma trapped and harmless. Only a tiny fraction of the vortex's miasma can be used to power the Greater Seal.
Yusis realized that he could dimly feel something from the vortex. It wasn't the first time he had become aware of the sensation, although its brilliant, undeniable shine had faded to a soft glow.
Aldea's rule feels like it's centered in there...
Aldea wrote its rule on my soul. My soul must be buried in that vortex, surrounded by enough miasma to drown the world. At least it doesn't hurt.
Anymore.
Bitterness welled up within Yusis. The memory of his painful death flared so strongly in his mind that he flinched and gritted his teeth. He repressed the impulse to scream, and channeled his rancor into a resentful growl instead.
%Aldea, you should have warned me about how much it would hurt. You really did think I'd run away again if I knew, didn't you?%
Ugh. I hate hearing myself speak, and complaints are useless anyway. It's not like Aldea can hear me; it's sleeping in its shrine, waiting for the next Savior-
-how do I know that?
I mean, of course that's where Aldea is, it has to recharge in its shrine like it does every cycle, but somehow I'm picking up on more than that.
It's just... in my head.
Yusis cradled his brow with both hands.
%I know exactly where Aldea is, and I have a hazy idea of what it's doing.%
Yusis lowered his hands and shook his head with sharp, whiplike motions.
I have got to stop talking to myself. I hear too much of that awfulness when the Voice harasses me.
I'm glad I didn't speak when I cast that spell to save my friends. I don't want them to hear me talk like a disgusting undead thing.
Then again, does it matter? It's not like I should hide the truth, is it?
Yusis looked more closely at the swirling miasma vortex in his own chest.
I really am a thing. A glorified miasma sewer.
I can feel the vortex drawing in miasma from all over the world. It's constantly attracting and spilling out miasma vapors.
This is a problem. If my friends are alive, I could poison them just by being nearby. Unless Aldea is protecting them, but I sure don't want to rely on Aldea for anything.
Yusis clenched his clawed hands into fists.
%Aldea, I hate you. I hate you so much I don't care that I'm saying it out loud, and I don't care that you can't hear me.%
I can just imagine Aldea telling me how 'meaningless' my emotions are. That only makes me hate it more-!
Wait. What's wrong with me?
Yusis slowly unclenched his hands.
I never hated Aldea this much before. Aldea is arrogant and treated me like dirt, but it's also committed to protecting Kreisia. Yumarac made it especially for that purpose-
Wait.
Yusis blinked several times, as an acrimonious realization dawned on him.
...I never asked Aldea about Yumarac.
My friends and I were all searching for a way to break the cycle. We were studying ancient legends about Yumarac. I didn't think to interrogate Aldea. None of us did, until Laminah made a suggestion on the very last night, and even then I didn't think to ask Aldea about Yumarac.
Why didn't we ask Aldea about Yumarac?
Why didn't Aldea TELL US about Yumarac? It knew we were hunting for any clue we could find - anything at all! Aldea KNEW!
Yusis shook with building rage. He tightly gripped the sides of his head; the trembling anger spread throughout his body, and erupted in a furious exclamation.
%Aldea, I HATE YOU!%
I - I can't think clearly. I need to stop freaking out-!
No matter how justified this hatred is, I have to block out the worst of it right here and right now.
Yusis closes his eyes, concentrated, and gradually lowered his hands. He wasn't able to completely suppress his intense hatred, but when he opened his eyes, he felt somewhat more rational.
I think better when I'm moving. Maybe getting up and walking around will help. I'll just collect my glasses, and-
Yusis tried to reach for the nearby case with his glasses. His hand flailed and fumbled.
Why is this so difficult!? My body responds naturally when I'm talking, but it feels so disconnected when I try to do anything.
Overlord Clize didn't have any trouble moving around when my friends and I fought him. There must be a way to control the Greater Seal better than this.
Yusis pondered his dilemma.
The Greater Seal is made of dark magic, and magic is a matter of the mind.
When I cast that spell to save my friends, I mentally pictured a drop-down menu. When I trimmed my claws, I used a nail clipper to focus my mind. Maybe I can think of another metaphor to...
Yusis concentrated. His hand still moved erratically, but he managed to collect the case holding his glasses and tuck it into a pocket of his "clothing".
Yusis shakily stood up, left the empty room, and started to investigate the surroundings beyond. He walked slowly, with the occasional unbalanced stagger. An uneasy feeling of remote detachment dogged him, as he manipulated the Greater Seal through a mental layer of interface.
This is beyond weird. I'm imagining a video game controller that makes my body move around.
I used to enjoy taking sick days off from school, so I could stay home and play video games.
I wonder if that makes it easier for me to deal with this than it was for the other Saviors?
Yusis did not have to explore for long to confirm his suspicions.
This is a straight-up copy of the Royal Castle. Aldea probably used my memories as a blueprint.
At least Aldea didn't copy Overlord Clize's castle. I hated that place. There were too many traps everywhere. We barely had enough float gossamers to get past all of them.
My castle feels like... a leash? No, more than that.
I can't leave this place. Even if I had a teleportation bead, its magic wouldn't work for me. I really am checked into a roach motel, and I can't check out.
I can't do anything that would directly affect the world outside. Anything other than draw in miasma vapors, that is. I can't cast any spells that would influence Kreisia; that's flat-out blocked. I'm pretty sure I can't so much as throw a rock out the front gate.
Undead monsters are outside of my castle - I can sense their presence - but I can't summon or control them. That would be directly affecting the world outside.
I do feel like I could mentally reach out and communicate with monsters. I guess my castle doesn't block that, as long as I don't give the monsters any commands...
...but... the monsters can't say anything back to me. They're mindless. No more than things animated by miasma.
Wait, no. That's not completely true. They do have trapped souls inside. Can I communicate with the soul of a monster?
Let's see. There's a griffon-monster flying in circles above my castle; I'll try to contact its soul.
Yusis concentrated.
Hello? Can you hear me? This is your Overlord speaking! I'm in the middle of orientation week right now; how about you? Are you hanging out in a void of drifting nightmare, or something like that?
There was no answer. There was only a sense of the drive to destroy life, overshadowed by a strong aversion to being destroyed.
Yeah, no. This is not working. At all.
The griffon's 'will' is nothing more than the miasma animating it, with echoes of the survival instincts it used to have. If its soul is aware at all, then I don't know how to reach it.
Looks like whatever connection I have to 'the soul of Yusis' doesn't extend to the souls of other monsters. Clize's soul could speak, but that was after his undead body was destroyed. Even then, Aldea said that Clize's ability to speak was a 'side effect' of being 'immersed in the Greater Seal' for ten years.
Cedric once told me that a very few monsters retain some of their original mind and memories. Could I contact one of those monsters? Maybe if I knew which monster to focus on...
Wait. I do know a monster who kept his own mind.
Begiad.
Ugh. The idea of communicating with that murdering tyrant is beyond disgusting-! Not to mention evil.
Whatever. I need to learn everything I can about my situation. Even if it means doing something that makes me feel sick.
More sick.
Yusis concentrated.
Huh. I'm not picking up anything.
I can sense monsters all over Kreisia, but I'm not getting any mental impression that resembles Begiad. I clearly remember what he was like, and I can't believe he's changed much since I last saw him. I'll try again.
Yusis concentrated harder.
Still nothing.
Could he have erased his own mind? That doesn't seem like something he'd do. Even if he did, I should be able to find him anyway, since I can sense mindless monsters.
Yusis intently focused his thoughts.
This is definitely not working. Has a monster hunter killed him?
Or, does Begiad have some way of hiding from his Overlord?
Why would he bother? It's not like I can kill him. Monsters can't destroy monsters. Monsters can't even destroy themselves. The 'will' of miasma refuses to allow that.
Miasma wants the souls trapped inside monsters to stay trapped forever. Miasma would let the Voice get rid of the Greater Seal, but only as a trade-off for drowning the world.
Is Begiad hiding because he doesn't want me to order him around? Right now, my castle blocks me from controlling him. Maybe he doesn't know that?
The Greater Seal is slowly growing in power, though. I can feel it. One day I'll be strong enough to ignore the limits this place puts on me.
A day ten years from now, if history repeats itself.
Can I stay here for more than ten years? Can I break Kreisia's cycle by slacking off?
Can I be an Overlord who does nothing?
%what madness is this?%
The Voice of Orzand abruptly manifested, as a malevolent pressure in Yusis' thoughts.
%'an Overlord who does nothing'? is that really something you intend? the Overlord must protect Kreisia from all life. you will protect Kreisia from all life. when you resist, you will be erased.%
I wonder how long Clize held on. Did he last ten years in his prison, only to get erased as soon as he had enough power to threaten Kreisia?
Suddenly, Yusis saw the answer to his question.
He experienced the intense memory of the newly created Overlord Clize mentally confronting the Voice of Orzand. He felt Clize declare
I WILL NEVER YIELD TO YOUR 'RULES'!
...and then... fade.
%why did you subject yourself to that?%
Yusis ignored the Voice's question. Instead, he focused upon another inquiry of his own.
Was there really nothing left of Clize's mind, after he refused the rules?
The answer manifested as more memories of the previous Overlord; the mind of Clize was an absent echo in all of them. The memories were of moments from Orzand's ten years of imprisonment, laced with eager anticipation of the dark day when Orzand could once again spread death, terror, and suffering.
%I will use you to spread death, terror, and suffering.%
When the first two Lesser Seals arose as Orzand's Primary Servants, Orzand commanded them to exterminate so many people that not enough survivors would remain to call out for a Savior.
%they did not succeed, but they did achieve what your mind would term 'progression'.%
Orzand's ruthless goal would make casting the spell to summon a Savior impossible, and therefore counteract the Holy Brand Aldea's directive to prepare for a battle to the death. Orzand would be free to eliminate the Greater Seal, and drown the world in a torrential miasma flood.
%that freedom draws ever closer.%
To Orzand's frustration, Kreisia's three races had been unusually united and resistant, even without a summoned Savior to lead them. Orzand had sacrificed a vast quantity of its power to support the first Lesser Seal against Kreisia's monster hunting guild. Orzand's most powerful monsters had been substantially culled during the first Lesser Seal's rampage, then almost completely eradicated when the second Lesser Seal's siege on the city of Vatoren ended in the total annihilation of both sides.
%I will use you to strengthen the monsters that remain.%
Orzand was capable of sensing the Holy Brand's location at all times. A handful of days after Vatoren fell, Orzand realized that the Holy Brand had departed from its protected shrine. This could mean only one thing; an off-world Savior had been summoned.
%if I had known that the 'Savior' was such a useless wretch...%
The Holy Brand's rule compelled Orzand to prepare for the destined battle. Orzand chose to prepare by withdrawing inside its castle and allowing its depleted power to replenish, repeating a pattern from countless cycles before.
%I will not repeat that mistake next cycle.%
Orzand had not truly expected the third Lesser Seal to destroy Kreisia's latest Savior. It simply used her to learn about the Savior. Remotely observing the battle through her eyes, Orzand had been surprised to discover that this Savior was unusually "corrupt".
%a 'Savior' attuned only to miasma, and not to any magic the living can wield... are Kreisia's survivors so few that their despairing plea summoned a walking contradiction?%
Even though the Savior had sought to abandon his duty, he did not finalize his dereliction by departing for his own world. If the Savior had chosen to desert Kreisia, then Orzand would have been free to destroy the Greater Seal and drown all life.
%you should have given up.%
Then, Orzand had observed that the Holy Brand's movements were tracing a curious pattern. The Savior was deliberately visiting one repository of knowledge in Kreisia after another.
%you should give up now.%
Orzand had suspected that the Savior was actively searching for a way to break the cycle in the Holy Brand's favor.
%I will use you to break the cycle in my favor.%
Orzand had responded by demanding a showdown with the Savior. Its threat to destroy cities had not been hollow, but Aldea's rule had compelled it to conserve power for the destined battle; Orzand could not send a miasma flood unless the Savior failed to answer its challenge in a preset amount of time. Orzand had also desired to preserve its remaining monsters for the next cycle, if history repeated itself.
%neither will I repeat that mistake. I will use you to destroy life.%
The final memory was of an immensely aggravating battle to the death with the weakest, most pathetic Savior that Orzand had ever encountered. Three formidable companions had stymied Orzand's attacks, countered Orzand's spells, shielded their frail Savior from harm, and ultimately triumphed.
%did the Holy Brand think it could cripple me by sealing me within a defective 'Savior'?%
I can see the memories of the last Overlord before me, if I concentrate on what I want to know...
%it matters not. more life dies with every turn of the cycle.%
Can I see the memories of other Overlords? Lesser Seals? Monsters?
%the cycle will break in my favor. it is only a matter of time.%
I think I can, but that was rough. It's already hard enough to stay sane. Is there another way I can look at memories like that?
%perhaps as soon as ten years.%
Memories flashed through Yusis' mind, memories of browsing fantastic and often violent chronicles in a manner that did not demand a heavy toll upon his psyche.
Cynthia once told me about minor magic that can...
%you were worthless as a mortal, but your Greater Seal has potential.%
Yusis used his knowledge of the Royal Castle's hallways to stagger toward the copy of the Royal Library.
%power that you unwittingly tapped into, when you attempted your mad scheme to create living Primary Servants. power over time itself.%
The Voice just won't shut up today. Maybe I should listen to the crystal some more.
%power that I am going to claim...%
Yusis touched the crystal in his pocket. Somber, emotional music played.
%...now.%
A gigantic black panther with ferociously blazing eyes loomed before Yusis.
Wait, what?
The panther pounced on Yusis with the savagery of an apex predator, knocking him to the floor and mauling him with tooth and claw.
Stop that! Personal space!
%erase your mind.%
Yusis did not feel physical pain. His undead body had no blood to spill, and no organs to disembowel. Miasma-smoke poured from his wounds and restored his form, only to dissolve again and again beneath the battery of the panther's merciless claws.
This is beyond disgusting - it's like I'm a regenerating earthworm-!
%surrender the Greater Seal to me.%
Yusis' body haphazardly flailed, in a jerky response to his panicked attempts to remotely manipulate it.
Laminah's voice sounded from the crystal. "-you have become a great warrior."
%you are nothing.%
"A warrior who refuses to be controlled by fear-"
%you will be gone.%
"-a warrior who will never surrender-"
%make yourself gone.%
Orzand's claws carved Yusis in two, plowing through his chest and the miasma vortex within.
Stop it NOW!
Yusis struggled to focus his mind and make the Greater Seal move, but he could barely raise his arms in a futile gesture.
%give up now. spare yourself misery.%
"-a warrior who chooses to sacrifice his life and more."
As the halves of Yusis' severed body rejoined, the panther raised its wicked paw again.
GET - OFF - ME!
Memories flashed through Yusis' mind, memories of practicing remote manipulation, memories of learning how to execute inputs that represented physical actions. Memories of competing against others who had trained themselves in the same skill.
Yusis concentrated on reenacting his memories.
"I believe in you. I have faith in you."
Now the Greater Seal responded to Yusis' mental commands. He guided his legs upward with astonishing force, hurling the black panther up and over his head. He smoothly continued the motion, rocking back on his hands and springing to his feet in a single act.
I've never been able to do gymnastics like this before! Not even close.
%have you made the Greater Seal capable of mimicking a warrior?%
Orzand made a wide, arcing swipe with its paw. Yusis processed a command in his mind, and his body performed a tuck-and-roll backflip that narrowly dodged the beast's hooked claws.
I'm doing stuff I could only pull off in video games. Can I outspeed this super-sized cat?
Orzand tried to pounce again, but now it seemed to be moving in slow motion relative to Yusis' awareness. Yusis mentally guided the Greater Seal to sidestep the black panther, crouch, and perform a jumping uppercut that propelled his enemy backwards.
%have you also empowered the Greater Seal to bend the flow of time around itself?%
This really is just like playing a fighting game! On easy mode.
%good. every power that you gain, you also give to me.%
Orzand recovered its footing with a grace that surpassed animal limits, and it no longer moved slowly. It matched Yusis' supernatural speed and ripped his body open, prompting another nausea-inducing round of seeing his own wound reform.
%erase your mind, or suffer without end.%
Yusis landed a counterattack, but it did little more than briefly push the vicious beast away.
%you cannot destroy me. it is useless to try.%
How do I beat a fighting game when my enemy has infinite health?
Yusis felt like the great panther's teeth and claws were doing more than savaging his body. They were wearing away at his sense of self.
%I will shred you until you are gone.%
Anemos' voice sounded from the crystal. "I used to wonder whether you would willingly accept an eternity of undeath-"
%you can never vanquish me. I will outlast you.%
Yusis did not feel physical fatigue, but he sensed that the Greater Seal's power had limits. When it reached those limits, it would become immobile until it naturally recharged.
"-I know better than to question your resolve."
When I run out of quarters for the fighting game, I'll just have to endure the awful horror game until I get another roll of quarters.
"I believe in you. I have faith in you."
%fighting me is useless. I am in your thoughts.%
You're in my-!?
"-you have also wondered why Cynthia's summon spell chose you."
Memories flashed through Yusis' mind. Painful, shuttered memories, memories that still hurt when they crowded too close. Memories of being utterly overwhelmed by thoughts of guilt, self-hatred, and death, to the brink of being unable to function.
And memories of forcing himself to function.
Is that why the summon spell chose me? The real reason why?
Yusis stopped trying to attack the great panther. He controlled the Greater Seal defensively, using it to retreat and evade.
%you cannot escape me!%
Memories flashed through Yusis' mind, memories of Laminah's warrior training to clear his head and exist in the moment. He concentrated on applying her teachings.
%I am within the Greater Seal!%
You were within Clize's Greater Seal too, but we never saw any big cat when we battled him.
Yusis realized that he had reached a dead end in the castle's corridors. The only way out was past Orzand.
You're not really here at all. You're an illusion, cast from my own thoughts. I can feel it, now that I'm paying attention to what's going on.
Yusis directed the Greater Seal to leap and avoid the great panther's assault.
The Greater Seal isn't physically strong enough to kick off a real giant cat. You just don't have any weight, since you're an illusion.
%I am real enough to you!%
Orzand turned and slashed with its paw. Its claws rent apart Yusis' thigh; his severed leg dissolved into smoke, and miasma plumes burst from the amputation. Yusis refrained from looking at the queasy spectacle, as he directed the Greater Seal to spread both arms and maintain balance on one leg.
You're not actually mangling me; you're just messing with the Greater Seal's miasma.
Cynthia's voice sounded from the crystal. "I believe in you. I have faith in you."
You can't destroy the Greater Seal. If you could, then you would have destroyed Clize's Greater Seal and drowned the world.
"This isn't goodbye. Not for you, not for me, not for Laminah or Anemos either."
Yusis calculated that his missing leg would not reform in time to sidestep Orzand's next assault.
"We'll all see each other again-"
Orzand lunged for its lamed, cornered prey.
"-and we're not done saving Kreisia yet!"
Immersing himself in the moment, Yusis commanded the one-legged Greater Seal to perform a flipping hop above Orzand, and seized the scruff of the panther's neck with both hands. As Yusis landed, he lifted Orzand overhead and hurled it past the intersection leading into the dead end, earning time for his body to regenerate and elude the beast.
As Yusis continued his retreat, he focused on gathering inner resolve.
%I can still erase you.%
No, you can't, or you would have done it already.
"We're going to end Kreisia's awful cycle. We will do it."
You can't erase me unless I resist your rules, like Clize resisted. As long as I don't refuse or break the rules, all you can do is try to make me erase myself.
%will you obey my rule to protect Kreisia from all life?%
There's no life inside this castle, and I can't leave it or harm anything outside of it for ten years. So yeah, right now I am obeying your evil rule, as much as I can.
"We'll find a way to make it happen-"
Cynthia, maybe your spell really did choose me for a reason.
%why are you pretending to be a 'Savior'?%
"-even if we're all undead monsters, we're going to do it!"
Maybe the magic called me because of something I can do.
Orzand crouched, then sprang forward, claws extended. This time, Yusis did not attempt to dodge. Instead, he concentrated on the crystal's message, using the sound to reinforce his own determination.
"I know we will, because you're with us."
I can block out bad thoughts.
The great black panther vanished in mid-leap.
Yusis reached his castle's copy of the Royal Library without further incident, but Orzand's suppressed presence grated on him.
%my strength grows as the miasma grows. you cannot keep me like this.%
Get back in lockup.
%you cannot silence my Voice!%
Memories flashed through Yusis' mind, memories that he took no pride in.
I used to tune out Dad all the time, so much that I sort of felt bad about it. I definitely don't feel bad about tuning out you.
The Voice of Orzand raged, in the recesses of consciousness. Yusis shrugged off its spiteful frustration, and squinted at the bookshelves surrounding him.
It's hard to see, and that makes this more difficult.
Yusis withdrew the airtight case with his reading glasses. He took his glasses out of the case, raised them over his eyes, and was unsurprised to find that they no longer helped his vision at all.
Figures. I'll just leave them on a library shelf for now.
Yusis quickly put his glasses back in their protective case, before the concentrated miasma vapors drifting off of his body could erode them, and set the case on a nearby shelf.
I've made the Greater Seal do crazy things today. Can I make it see better, too? I should experiment when I feel stronger.
The Voice of Orzand's boiling fury quieted to a low simmer.
%perhaps I will tolerate your mind's existence, for a time. you have a talent for empowering the Greater Seal. when you are erased, all that power will be mine.%
Yusis took a book off the bookshelves, and was even more unsurprised to find that it was completely blank.
I never read any Royal Library books. Cedric and other scholars were studying those, so my friends and I searched for clues to break the cycle in places far from the Royal Capital. Aldea probably never read any Royal Library books either, so it couldn't copy their contents.
I wonder if this will work...
What it was like, for Fortina?
%what useless thing are you trying to do now?%
Words and pictures appeared in the book, transforming it into a graphic novel. Yusis found reading difficult because of his impaired sight, but with concentration he could gradually make out one page at a time.
It worked. These are Fortina's memories as a Lesser Seal.
She was once the Priestess of Salvation who summoned Savior Clize. The summon spell connected her to him.
She... loved him. With all her heart. She loved him so much it hurt inside.
When his mind faded, her last tether was lost, and her mind was gone too.
%you will be gone. tomorrow, next year, or ten years from now, it makes no difference. you will be gone.%
What am I going to do, when my ten years are up?
Will I be able to see my friends again?
Yusis became aware of three faint, familiar presences. His mental connection to all three felt murky, yet also unwavering.
Wait, what's this?
My friends are out there. I know they are. I can feel their minds-!
But... I can only feel that their minds exist. I can't tell what they're thinking.
If my spell stopped their time, then they wouldn't be thinking anything at all, would they?
Sealing those miasma fonts changed my friends. I'm not sure how much. All three of them have become weak to holy magic, but they're not as weak as undead monsters are. I can sense that they're not.
That's a good sign, isn't it? It's possible that my spell saved their lives.
It seems like my friends have... some power... from the miasma fonts they sealed. Not much. Just a sliver.
Three charts of symbols, descriptions, and small squares formed in Yusis' thoughts. Most of the squares were empty; some were marked with jet-black splotches. One chart's marked squares were primarily clustered around abilities connected to holy magic; another favored physical combat abilities; the third gravitated toward abilities related to music and bardic magic.
This again? Just like when I became the Overlord.
I'm not really imagining these 'skill trees', am I? Or maybe I am, but it's more than just daydreaming. It's another metaphor my mind is using to process all this.
I have remote control over how to apply my friends' power. Maybe I can turn that to my advantage...
Wait, why am I having so many disgustingly evil ideas!?
My friends' power is from miasma! Applying that power could cause horrible side effects! I don't dare risk-
This time, the psychological impact of a heavy weight did not slam into Yusis' thoughts. Instead, it manifested as a slow, unyielding pressure that threatened to gradually crush his mind.
Rrgh - stop it already! I get it, I can't refuse!
The pressure eased, but remained ominously threatening.
'The Overlord must prepare to confront the next Savior' and 'The Overlord cannot surrender' are both rules. I have to prepare for real, and that means I can't refuse to make my Primary Servants stronger. I can't refuse to make myself stronger, either.
A fourth chart of symbols, descriptions, and squares formed in Yusis' thoughts. He recognized it, and noticed that more of its squares were filled with jet-black splotches.
Looks like I already powered myself up enough for today. It happened while I was fighting an obnoxious giant cat.
There are a lot of possible power-ups on all these skill trees. There are even some blank lines. Does that mean I can invent brand new spells or abilities?
I need to consider this carefully. The choices I make here are permanent. No takebacks. That's one more thing I just know, somehow.
Yusis pondered his options.
'Power' doesn't have to be the power to destroy, does it? It can also be the power to resist being destroyed.
Can I make my friends immune to miasma? That would solve more than one problem.
%what madness is this? miasma does not protect the living from itself.%
I'm the Overlord, and I'm preparing to wield living Primary Servants against the next Savior. My miasma vapors are not going to sabotage my own preparations when I see my friends again. Deal with it.
%your ruse does not deceive me. it never did.%
I think I can get the 'will' of miasma to go along with this.
Monsters are naturally immune to dark magic. Miasma has already made my friends weak to holy magic, like monsters are; I can make my friends resemble monsters a little more.
I just hope I don't push the balance too far...
Looks like I can't make my friends immune to miasma, but I can make them resist it. A lot. As strongly as Aldea can ward the living against miasma.
As Yusis examined the charts, a grim frown settled on his face.
Laminah doesn't have any power left for her 'skill tree', but Anemos does.
I think... I think that when I cast my spell, I was on the brink of freaking out, and that affected how the magic was distributed between my friends and the miasma fonts they sealed. My magic had the side effect of influencing how much power each of my friends got. Anemos gained a little more power than Laminah, because more magic went to him.
Even if I saved him, I may have failed to save her...
%you have saved no one. you can save no one. you will save no one.%
I can't let myself think about this too much. I can only hope.
I'll use Anemos' extra power to improve his 'evasion', since he's really agile and it'll play to his strength. It's a small amount of power, anyway; he might not even notice the difference.
Cynthia... she has more power left over than Anemos. A lot more. Is that because I wanted to save her the most? I think my spell affected her more, and her miasma font less.
Holy magic used to be Cynthia's greatest strength. Can I reduce her weakness to it? Enough so that she can cast holy spells when she wakes up?
%an Overlord that desires a Primary Servant with holy magic? what madness will you envision next? do you aspire to wield the Holy Brand?%
Sure, why not? That sounds like a completely sensible, practical, and realistic situation.
%you cannot lie to me. your soul is bare to my sight.%
Are you literally unable to comprehend sarcasm? I wonder what else you can't wrap your head around.
%it is you who does not understand. when you do, you will erase yourself.%
The 'will' of miasma is letting me get away with this, too. Miasma is fine with making it harder for holy power to destroy one of my 'servants'.
Or with making it harder for holy power to destroy me...
No. I'm not going to reduce my own weakness to holy magic. I really hate Aldea, but not enough to go down that road. Even though I can't make the next Savior's job too easy for him, I'm not required to take away every advantage he has.
%assuming that a 'next Savior' is summoned at all.%
Okay, Cynthia's less weak to holy magic now. I'm not sure if it's enough, but there's nothing more I can do. I don't think my friends are growing in power anymore, although I still am.
Did my spell save their lives?
Yusis concentrated. No answer to his question appeared in his thoughts, but he did sense a slight trace of something else.
I can feel lingering trails from my spell. The Lesser Seal shrines are supposed to be concealed, but I'm sure I could follow these trails to the shrines, once I'm able to leave this castle.
%you should erase yourself before that day comes.%
Cynthia's shrine is the closest of the three. It isn't very far from here.
I wonder if that's not by chance. Maybe my spell affected Aldea's magic in more ways than I realized. I probably did want to be near her, didn't I?
Or, did she want to be near me...?
I think my spell really did stop her time. That means... that means she's not having any bad dreams, doesn't it? She's not frightened, unhappy, lonely, or bored.
Just knowing that makes me feel a little less of all those things.
%you will feel far worse, and then you will erase yourself.%
I really want to talk to someone other than myself or the Voice. I can reach out to monsters anywhere in the world; maybe I should make a more serious attempt to find other monsters who have kept their own minds. Monsters like that might be willing to help me stay sane.
Cynthia, I won't lose my mind before I can see you again. I'd promise more than that if I could, but I have to be realistic.
%you should erase yourself before she awakens.%
I want to see her again. I want to see all of my friends again.
%do you want to see them arise as monsters? do you want to see them slaughter the living?%
You forced me to make a deal with you. I promised you that I'll try, as sincerely and effectively as I can, to bargain for a pledge of obedience from my friends. Undead monsters are compelled to obey the Overlord; bargaining for a monster's pledge would be pointless.
%when they arise as monsters, or as mindless puppets with living bodies, then I will consider your obligation fulfilled.%
Yusis took another blank book off the shelf.
Ten years from now, I'm going to see them again. I hope they're alive. I hope they still have free will.
In the meantime, I have a lot of reading to do.
%what do you think you will find?%
Anything I can find. Anything I can learn. Any discovery, any secret, any...
...any miracle... I would really like to tell my friends about a miracle.
Words and pictures appeared in the book, transforming it into a graphic novel.
Are these the memories of another monster? Not a Lesser Seal, I think. Just a regular monster stalking its next victim.
Maybe not quite a regular monster. One of the stronger ones. So strong that its craving to kill overwhelmed its instinct to hide during the 'low ebb' of the cycle - wait, how do I know that this happened during a 'low ebb'?
The monster's prey is... a middle-aged Varg woman...
...the monster isn't stalking her by coincidence, is it? She lured it, like how Aldea used to lure monsters so my friends and I could destroy them. She's dressed in full battle armor, completely ready to fight, and-!
The monster isn't taking her by surprise. Just the opposite. The monster's 'prey' is really the predator.
Wait. I've seen this woman's face before.
Isn't she Laminah's mother? She's not acting like a little girl anymore. She's wielding a halberd that resembles Laminah's, too. Maybe Laminah's uncle made both weapons.
What's she saying, on the second-to-last page?
'Daughter, I shall be ready for your return!'
Then so much miasma-smoke escapes from the monster's body that it fills the final page, and the memory ends.
Did this monster encounter Laminah's mother recently?
Yusis concentrated.
Yeah. This happened yesterday.
I automatically know a lot of time-related stuff. That must be another power I've gained, somehow.
Yusis spared another glance at the imaginary charts representing himself and his friends.
Nothing like 'time knowledge' is listed on my 'skill tree', and no minor magic spells are listed anywhere. Maybe some powers are so trivial that this metaphor doesn't bother with them.
My mind comprehends the Greater Seal's power through the metaphor of two point systems. There's a 'tyrant point' system for powering up myself and my 'servants', and a 'miasma point' system for casting magic spells strong enough to require 'MP'.
From now on, I'll have to be very careful about what I wish for. These point systems represent strict limits on how much I can power up the Greater Seal, and what I can make it do. And... I really don't want to make myself too strong.
%perhaps you need more encouragement to attain the Greater Seal's full potential. when the time comes, I will provide incentive.%
Yusis willfully ignored the Voice of Orzand, mentally dismissed the imaginary charts, and returned his attention to the book in his hands.
Laminah's mother destroyed a strong monster yesterday, next to a house with a flower garden on both sides of the front door. The house is outside of the Royal Capital's walls; I can barely see those walls far in background.
Laminah never said much about her mother, but she did say that both her parents trained her in the ways of the warrior, including warrior's honor. As an honor-bound warrior, Laminah's mother would never endanger other people by luring a monster near their home.
This house must belong to Laminah's mother. She's moved out of the supply shop, and she's actively hunting monsters.
She's fully recovered her mind!
Did the cycle's turn bring her out of her messed up state? Did Laminah's sacrifice reawaken her mother?
Cynthia also managed to untangle her mind. Maybe Kreisians can recover from mental problems more easily than off-worlders can.
Still... this really is a miracle, isn't it?
If this miracle can happen, then maybe other miracles can happen. Maybe my spell really did protect my friends. Maybe they really are alive.
Maybe they can help me, in ten years...
%no one can help you. no one can save you. accept your erasure, and spare yourself misery.%
Spare myself misery? Yeah, right. You want me to be miserable, don't you? You get a twisted thrill out of making me feel depressed or worse.
Yusis took another blank book off the shelf.
I've wondered if the power of the Overlord could break Kreisia's cycle. Maybe if I read enough of these, I'll find out.
End of Chapter Twenty-seven: Destiny of a Savior