A Theory on Godhood: An Overlord Story

Chapter 18: Fated Arrivals

"And we're sure there are no other human settlements around? Nothing else at least in close proximity to this one?"

"This is it. Next closest is that one place called E-Rantel, but it's on the other side of the forest. At least according to the map we have."

"Then we need to head in there and start talking. We shall accomplish nothing if we continue to sit here and debate this."

Ankoro shook her head at that, leaning against a tree and crossing her arms.

Ever the blunt one, aren't ya, ol' Coup? Ankoro mused, idly watching as the androsphinx scouted the human settlement that they had been sent to.

From what she knew of historical lumber camps back in the old world, It appeared ordinary enough, save for additional buildings that wouldn't look out of place on a farm. However, this was mostly from an outside perspective, so she'd need to get in and take a look to make a confirmation. There were some additions that didn't fit the definition of a standard lumber camp though.

It was a decently sized, fortified area, complete with stalwart log walls and spikes planted into the ground all around the perimeter. If she had to take a guess as to the population size within, she would wager no more than a few dozen. If they were really pushing to capacity, they could manage maybe a hundred.

Wooden sentry towers lined the entrances of the camp, manned by grizzled men in simple cloth shirts and pants. Bows rested in their hands, looking just as comfortable as if they were holding saws or axes.

What looked unnatural were the steel swords strapped to their belts, hung haphazardly on their hips. While her eyesight had been enhanced, details blurred around twenty-two meters, making it somewhat difficult to make out the expressions of the armed men.

Wonder what's got them all riled up?

"The humans' look ready to go to war, Aunt Ankoro," commented Lupusregina, kneeling by an oak at the tree line right before the settlement. "Think something might've happened to make them fortify so heavily?"

"If we were to take an educated guess, with the disappearances of the dryads, it might not be unreasonable to assume that the humans have either been harassed or had one of their own taken as well," Coup De Grace stated, resting on his haunches in the cool shade of the tree they stood under.

Blue Planet leaned against his staff, absent mildly running his hands along the carved grooves of his chosen gear. He gazed intensely at the lumber camp, his eyes tracing every last detail of the fortification.

He was analyzing, searching for ways to get in and out of the place should things get hairy, Ankoro imagined. But when she herself studied the druid and watched the carefully controlled twitches of his face, she couldn't help but wince.

She knew that ever since they had all arrived in the new world they were in, he had slowly begun...changing. Not in the sense of his core personality, for he was still just as cheerful and nature-loving as he always had been.

Rather, it seemed like something else was developing alongside the old Blue Planet, something that was restless and writhing like a den of snakes. He hadn't calmed down ever since Bellriver came back to Nazarick, something that she still didn't understand.

As far as she knew, he had been missing in action for the last four years of Yggdrasil's lifespan. He had died, and yet, there he was in the middle of a field wearing a crown of dandelions. But the event had been like a switch in her nature-loving friend's mind, and now here they were.

She internally chuckled to herself, with the direction their small adventure had taken. If she didn't know any better, she would say they stumbled upon a hidden quest in Midgard of Yggdrasil.