A Theory on Godhood: An Overlord Story

Chapter 11: Dancing in the Moonlight

The flames of the city cast deep shadows across the landscape, far longer and deeper than even the moon could eradicate them with its light. The massive creature hovered above E-Rantel for a few more seconds, before floating back downwards into its perch.

Ninya's grip only tightened on the staff the smaller mage carried, her ribcage constricting around her lungs as another bout of negative energy reached her.

Her stomach rumbled and pushed bile up the back of her throat, and her skin crawled as if a thousand spiders were making their home. Her hair stood on end, as her breathing grew more labored and a more clear picture of what awaited them in the city came to mind.

I...I didn't think anyone would ever be strong enough to summon one, and so many undead to overrun the city. It shouldn't be possible, unless...

Ninya's eyes widened, and she turned to the one person she felt would be able to understand her trepidation.

"Aria," Ninya said shakily, "that thing we just saw flying over the city, there's only one thing I can think of that would give off that much negative energy. If there's really one running around, then I don't like our chances here."

Aria glanced at her with those warm brown eyes of hers, and she could feel butterflies beat back the bile in her throat. Even under so much heavy clothing, she could still see the beauty that was hidden within, the skull of a grinning wolf obscuring features that would, in Ninya's opinion, make any noblewoman jealous.

The exotic woman was a cutting figure, even with her more modest attire. She still stood head over shoulders over even the tallest warriors that Ninya had seen, and she was a magic caster, just like her. Burgundy ringlets flowed from the bottom of her helmet, pooling around her shoulders over the top of her fur cloak.

From what little of her body Ninya could see, Aria was powerfully muscled, though not so much as to detract from her feminine beauty. Ninya could feel a hot blush coming over her as she traced her eyes over Aria's form, the shaman leaning against her staff and giving her a full view of her biceps.

Ninya snapped out of her admiration to observe the city, Sir Momon and his other teammates walking towards the entrance of the city. Ninya noted that Momon held up two fingers to the side of his head, only to put them back down moments later.

He must be amping himself up for the fight, Ninya thought. Even if I helped to take down the usurper myself, I'd be hesitant also to go into a city of the dead.

Another groaning roar echoed from the city walls, the gurgles of lesser dead intermingling to create a cacophony of the damned. When Ninya checked the expressions of her teammates, no, her friends, they also seemed unsure about the fight ahead.

A tiny part of her wanted to go back to Carne Village, to dance with Aria again and spend the night watching Archangel Flames rebuild the still ruined portions of the large town. She wanted to be able to spend the night studying their new capture, to learn all there was about his fusion of body parts that made him so fearsome.

But most of all, Ninya wanted to be able to find her. If she died tonight, then everything she would've worked and strived for would have been for nothing. She might as well keel over in front of everyone if that happened.

There would be no shame, a voice whispered in the back of her head, why bother risking your life for a city that is most likely already consumed?

A hand grasped her shoulder, scaring away that miniature influence. She looked up to see the ever confident and grinning smile of her leader.

His eyes grew fond and soft as she looked up to him, the way she imagined an actual father would.