Start!

-Humanities last effort to defeat the overlord.

-A band of trusted companions formed and bonded by the hero.

-Sir Gawin, you are our savior.

-You were willing to humiliate yourself just to protect strangers.

-Our lives are yours.

-A band of friends and your beloved are willing to accompany you to hell.

-Sir Gawin, lead us to victory and let justice and peace circle around the world once more.

-[[Overlord’s castle]]-

[Sir Gawin! They’re closing in from our left!]

Monsters ravaging through the ruins started crawling out of their dens. It’s an ambush.

With a wide sweep made from a halberd, Tristan, the Berserker, annihilated them. Although these monsters are weak, their numbers are still quite frightening. He turns towards the group with a smile and sticks is thumb up.

“Don’t worry too much Dyfar. I’ll use their blood to mop the floors before they can get to us.”

“Don’t get too cocky Tristan. What if you messed up?”

Thoumas replied to Tristan with agitated expression. He lifts his heavy shield off the ground and stood in front of the group. A breath of smog was separated by his shield, preventing any of us accidently inhaling it. The breath attack ends with the surroundings burnt or still burning.

“See Tristan, you forgot about this one.”

“Shut it asshole, you wanna fight?”

While Tristan and Thoumas are arguing, Melinda, our sorceress, smacked them with her staves. With her staves still on their heads, she fired her magic onto the advancing monsters.

“I call upon your burning courage, engulf thy enemy and defeat these savages!”

-Twin Burning Serpent-

Two giant spirals of flames in a form of snakes coiled around each other to create a powerful force. The combined flame pushes the dragon and its minions. When the smoke clears away, a path created from the devastating magic was all that was left.

“Hey! You almost burned my hair off!”

“Mine too!”

“Quiet fools, you guys are wearing helmets! Where is Sir Gawin?”

“He’s probably flirting with Olivia somewhere. Dyfar, you have the best nose. Sniff him out.”

[I’m not a dog.]

I cautiously separated myself away from the group and wander the hallways we cleared to find Lady Olivia and Sir Gawin. We have two more members I haven’t introduced yet, they may also be with Sir Gawin.

[Sir Gawin, Lady Olivia! Elson, Ysane! Where are you guys?]

I yelled through the hallways only to hear silence for a moment. When Tristan said I have the best nose it’s kind of true. I have characteristics of a werewolf but it’s not enough for people to label me as one. The only similarities I have are my canines are longer than normal and my abnormal size. I tower over a lot of people.

“Oh, It’s Dyfar! We’re over here, we’ve found something interesting!”

Sir Gawin pokes his head from one of the entrances and cheerfully waves at me.

-Seriously, we’re inside the Overlord’s castle and he wanders around inside the dungeon…

[Sir Gawin, what in the world are you doing? We’re supposed to press further and defeat the Overlord as soon as possible.]

“That’s what I’m doing. I inspected the door-.”

[The door’s gone. Melinda pulverised it with her magic.]

“Aw c’mon, we’re taking a short break here. We don’t have as much stamina as you.”

The one who spoke was not Sir Gawin but was Ysane, our expert gunslinger. Her weapons are strange to me. She told me it feeds on magic crystals and has a stronger power than most standard magic attacks. I still couldn’t believe it, something that small that could provide the same strength as a third level mage. Nonetheless her skills to defeat waves of enemies are remarkable.

“Elson, have you figured out what how to get past them?”

[Sir Gawin, what are you talking about?]

“Those things over there.”

Elson, our cleric, casually points his finger down the hall leading to another room. The hallway was actually a bridge with swinging guillotines, automatic flame crystals casting –fire- and iron spikes poking in and out.

[With all due respect, I advise you not to go!]

“Why not? The Overlord has provided a nice challenge. Something on the other side has my attention though.”

[Other side?]

“Look through here.”

The last member to speak was Lady Olivia, the paladin. I call her Lady Olivia because she is Sir Gawin’s lover interest. She is a beautiful maiden, I wish for Sir Gawin and Lady Olivia to find happiness after this chaos is over.

Lady Olivia hands me a metal staff that could change its size. Apparently if you look into the small end of it you can see objects far away, they call it a scope.

Hm? What weapons do I use? I don’t, I mean I can’t. These tattoos engraved onto my arm summon the –Equity Scale– . I’m basically just a support to maintain Mana and Dust flow. Dust, not the things that covers over an unused object, but as in a spiritual flow that damages the air if too much Dust are in an area. For an easier definition, it causes bad luck and enables demons to spawn in the area. If I’m forced to fight I’ll have to physical with my enemies.

If I had the intention to fight with any weapon, my tattoos would glow and disarm me.

“Here I go!”

“Wait Gawin. Good luck.”

Lady Olivia gives Sir Gawin a kiss before sending him through the horrifying hallway of doom.

[Lady Olivia! What are you doing, are you trying to kill Sir Gawin!?]

I had to yell at her, I can’t stand the fact they are this curious. If it’s come down to this I’ll volunteer to go instead.

[Sir Gawin, let me go in your stead. I will retrieve the item for you.]

“Really? Dyfar, you’ll go?”

“Are you sure?”

[Yes, I can’t afford to let you get injured before we fight the Overlord. We need you to be your strongest.]

There was a brief silence until I saw evil grins on their faces.

“We did it!”

“I knew we could count on you!”

“Good luck Dyfar!”

“Go Dyfar!”

[Huh?]

-Wait? What in the world is going on?

I look towards Sir Gawin but his eyes avoid mine and started whistling.

“Sorry Dyfar, I ran simulations with my phantoms, needless to say all of us will fail to reach the other side except for yours.”

[Then we should give up on it, I don’t want to waste our time before the world is engulfed in darkness.]

“Dyfar, I know it looks like we’re playing games, but my instincts are pushing me to get across.”

[Sir Gawin…]

-If it’s Sir Gawin’s instincts then there is a high chance we easily overcome the Overlord.

Sir Gawin’s instincts are like predictions, since he was blessed by Oberon, the fairy king. The fairy king’s blessing sharpens one instincts able to catch a small but vague glimpse of the future.

“Elson and I will provide ranged backup, but it’s up to you to dodge all those nasty things.”

Ysane smacks her palm on my back with a cheesy smile, in my response I let out a small sigh.

[Then allow me to have a moment to myself.]

“I’ll be counting on you Dyfar.”

My hands shape themselves into claws.

[Equity Scale!]

On my command the tattoos shined and two circles, with mystical symbols, circulate in front of my palms. My vision cleared and I can see streams of purple and blue lines flowing on the surfaces, the air, and in everyone’s body. These are Mana and Dusts in their clear forms.

Each time I turned the handles, from the center of the circle, it created clicking sounds. My left hand is in charge of disrupting Dusts. My right hand repairs and increases the Mana created.

If you think I should turn the handles until all of the Dusts disappears, you are wrong. If there are too much Mana in the area it could create natural disasters and illnesses from being overdosed of Mana.

“How does it look Dyfar?”

[Strange…There’s not a lot of Dusts or Mana in this area.]

“Our Mana regeneration is lowered in this area then.”

[That is not true, the thing on the other side is absorbing it. I can see all the streams leading towards it. Sir Gawin, I’ll be going after I adjusted the flow.]

“Take your time, just be careful okay?”

“Do you want a good luck kiss as well, Dyfar?”

[Eh? N-no, you shouldn’t joke around. You should give them to Sir Gawin.]

“Ahaha, you’re really fun to tease Dyfar!”

After Sir Gawin finishes his laugh, I enter the entrance of the hallway.

“I call upon the heavens, grant thy friend spirit and swiftness. I ask the laws of nature, lend thy ally the protection of the mountains.”

-‘Ascension’ Quickness-,-‘Earthen’ Heavy Guard-

The spell Elson used were stronger than normal spells. ‘Ascension’ a holy based archtype, and ‘Earthen’ a mortal based archtype. Only Clerics were able to have archtype magic upgrades in their spells.

[Thank you, Cleric Elson]

“You can drop the Cleric, just call me Elson like everyone else.”

“I’m ready to shoot whenever you’re ready Dyfar.”

I position myself and began sprinting. The guillotines were easy to dodge but it was the projectiles hindering my mobility. Luckily Ysane was fast to react and repelled most of them for me.

I can hear Ysane starting to whine, the amount of projectiles were increasing and speeding up.

“Dyfar, watch out! The doors on the other side are closing!”

[Not a problem!]

I sped up with the guillotines grazing my back. Once I gotten enough speed, I kicked my body off the floor and slid towards the door with my fist on my hips.

-Dust Overcharge-

My purple fists lightly touches the door. The door rusts at an incredible speed and crumbles before me.

What happened you ask? I adjusted the Dust in the area and manifested the excess dust to flow into my hand and the door. It was damaging my hand before I started running but Elson’s magic mitigated the damage Dust applied. When the Dust from my fist made contact with the door I instantly used my [Equity Scale] and moved the amount into the door. The amount was too large for the door to handle so it started taking affect and destroying itself.

I can only make object absorb the maximum amount of Dust or Mana. To transfer it I would need to have other object to make contact in order to inject it into them.

The wounds on my back rapidly regenerate as if nothing happened.

“Dyfar, are you safe?”

[I’m okay Sir Gawin. No major injuries but there’s a chest in here.]

“Find something there to disable the traps before opening it.”

Beside the exit I found a lever and pulled it without a second thought. The traps stopped and I hear a click from the chest. It open.

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!]

The loud noises scream into my head, my hands covering my ears were ineffective and my body is being dragged towards the chest.

“Dyfar!”

“Hang on, we’re on our way!”

Sir Gawin and the others started running to help me. I can feel my head being pounded by the noise punching my very soul, it was painful.

[SIR GAWIN, DON’T COME CLOSER!]

Ignoring my warning, Sir Gawin was the first to approach me, he was also affected. Grabbing his ears and resisting being pulled in by the chest.

“Gawin!”

“Hero!”

-I have to do something quick or else.

A book floats above the chest and flips its blank pages. Sir Gawin loses his footing and is being pulled closer to the chest.

I fought the pain pounding into my body and threw him back with the group.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

My legs went numb and carried me to the chest, my hands grabbed the book and the screaming stops. Later I was blown back and everything went dark.

-

-

-

“Dyfar, Dyfar are you okay?”

[Ugh…Sorry Sir Gawin. Are you alright?]

“It’s thanks to you I’m alright. You should worry yourself more.”

“Elson, how are Dyfar’s wounds.”

“Don’t worry Lady Olivia, I healed as many wounds as I could. He should be fine, Dyfar, are you hurt anywhere?”

[No, thank you for the treatment Elson.]

“But that was a surprise, your huge body was able to move through the traps with ease.”

[That’s because you were protecting me from the projectiles, Miss Ysane.]

“You’re flattering me too much.”

“What of the chest?”

[It’s gone?]

The chest was no longer there. All five of us shrugged and regrouped with the others waiting by the door.

-This is it. Through this entrance is where the Overlord’s last defence is. We’ll surely break through and have Sir Gawin defeat him!

Sir Gawin walks at the front of the group to give us a moral boost.

“Friends, family, my dear. I wanted to thank you first for sticking with me till this very moment. I know I have been selfish in the past but you guys stuck through with me. Our foes may have the advantage in numbers, they may be stronger but it is our courage and bonds that makes us a force to be reckon with. Today, is the day we defeat the Overlord and stop his treachery, we are the light that will illuminate the world, to banish darkness and unite the world. I will have to be selfish again, I ask all of you to fight not for me but yourselves. If you are endangered I want you to run.”

“There’s no need for us to run! We’re no cowards!”

“Yeah! Where all alive today because of you.”

“I used to thought I would turn onto the world. It’s because of you I was able to change my ways and look towards the future.”

[We’ll never run! The lives here are all indebted to you. We’ll follow you into hell even if you tried to enter alone.]

“Dear, I’ll always be with you no matter what happens.”

“I’ll wipe of off the monsters from the earth with my magic!”

“We’re blessed and fortunate to be lead by yourself. You think about others, there’s no way you are selfish.”

“Everyone…”

Sir Gawin turns around with his head rubbing on his arm.

-He must be overjoyed for us to follow him. Now then…

Everyone except for Lady Olivia approached his side and I whispered into his ear.

[Isn’t it about time for that?]

“Yea, I brought the things along.”

“Good luck hero!”

Everyone from the group turns at Oliva with a smile. Sir Gawin was given a bouquet and a ring. I guess you can think what happens next.

Sir Gawin kneels before Lady Oliva and lifts one of her hands gently.

“Olivia Celoa, my dear, treasure, my lover. I’m sorry I couldn’t find a better time for this but I don’t want to miss the chance in case something happens. We’ve been through ups and downs but in the end my heart flutters whenever I’m near you and it’s about to explode now.”

“Gawin…could this be?”

“Yea, it is. I want to be by your side forever, even after death I want the memories of the women I love. My love, Oliva, will you marry me?”

“OOOHHH! He’s asking her!”

“Say yes! Say Yes! Say Yes!”

Olivia was unable to utter a word, but she flew straight into Sir Gawin’s arms and hugged him tightly. Later the ring was slipped onto her fingers and they kissed.

“Woohooo!”

[Congratulations, Sir Gawin!]

“Now all that’s left is to defeat the Overlord. We’ll risk our lives to see you and Lady Oliva home safely.”

“Yeah, everyone let’s go!”

Tristan, the Berseker.

Thoumas, the Defender.

Melinda, the Wizard.

Elson, the Cleric.

Ysane, the Gunslinger.

Dyfar, the Abnormal.

Lady Oliva, the Paladin.

And finally Sir Gawin, the Hero.

All eight of us walked past the passage. We entered into another dimension, in an open plane with large numbers of monsters blocking our path.

We strengthened our resolve.

We hid away our fears and doubts.

We let out our battle cries.

We charged.

“Melinda, Ysane, Dyfar, I’ll be counting on you!”

Ysane’s weapons had a red aura around their tips.

“My guns are blazing!”

Melinda scattered her floating staves above her.

“Oh Ancient sprirts, lend your spirits of nature and pave a path for the hero.”

-Beaming Lotus, Golden Lance-

[Equity Scale!]

As usual it’s the only weapon I can use. I directed Mana into Ysane’s weapons and dust into Melinda’s spell.

The two attackers fired their attacks onto the enemy.

Ysane rained fiery hell upon the enemies near us. Melinda’s staves shot beams of golden light and begins to scribble around the enemy. The Mana enchantment allowed longer durations while Dust enchantments created a more destructive effect.

Once my dust enchantment reaches its maximum in Merlinda’s spell, her beams of light began to grow unstable and disperse upon the enemy forces.

“Charge!”

“Thoumas, take the lead. I’ll destoy anything that comes to our side!”

“Understood.”

The devastative combination of the charging fortress and dangerous headsmen obliterates the enemies. They left a clear path of dead bodies as they continue to mow down the enemy.

“That’s what I’m talking about!”

“Look out, we’ve got some artillery fire heading our way!”

“Everyone group up!”

On Elson’s command, everyone clustered together. Oliva raised her sword and began chanting.

“My ancestors, hear my call and lend us your strength to protect my allies.”

-Grand Shield of Agies-

“Heavens from above, grant us the protection to defend our spirits, may our will never falter.”

-‘Ascension’ Divine Sanctuary-

Clear shaped shields cover our surroundings and the earth sparkled with dots of light. The giant fireballs were nullified and we continued to fight through the enemy.

When we reached the other side, Sir Gawin turned towards the enemy.

-Ancient Wave-

He swung his blade gently across. The clouds raged, the earth trembles and the air screamed. Flames from the ground engulfed the enemies, lighting forked them, the air strangled them and the earth consumed them.

-Burial Execution-

“What!?”

The corpses of the army revive.

-We won’t have enough time to escape if they keep on reviving.

“Gawin, Olivia, Dyfar. You guys go on ahead, we’ll stay here and hold them off.”

“But!”

“What else can we do? We’ll lose all of our strength if we continue fighting them.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about us.”

“Everyone… I’m sorry.”

[I’ll stay here and assist!]

“No Dyfar. The Hero needs you, we’ll be fine with Elson and Thoumas protecting us.”

“And Lady Olivia, we promised to see through you two through this. Now go!”

A stone wall separated us, behind that wall I could hear battlecries.

“Everyone.”

“Olivia, Dyfar… we’ll finish this as quick as we can.”

Sir Gawin’s aura changed as he holds his sword tighter. I can feel his resolve and courage being stronger, with him in the lead I feel like we can win this.

-So this is the Overlord…? It’s not moving…

In the last room, we could see a skeleton on the throne. The skeleton didn’t move, it continue to sat there as Sir Gawin raised his sword preparing to strike it.

-!

The skeleton grips tightly the incoming blade and looks at Sir Gawin with its jaws open.

“Let go!”

“Hehehehehe, welcome chosen Hero! How nice of you to visit.”

[Let go of Sir Gawin!]

I punched the skeleton’s head away from its body, the skeleton’s hand was still holding onto Sir Gawin’s blade.

[Equity Scale! He’s over there!]

-Consecutive Light Wave-

Sir Gawin swings his blade over his head behind the pillar with four arcs of light destroying it.

“Interesting…Most Interesting hahaha… It seems like your follower can detect me.”

-It…It’s a person!?

He has a face of a human, not the best face since his face was covered with scars.

“Sadly it’s time for you to die.”

-Death Grip-

“Huh? My attack was nullified… Strange follower, was that your doing?”

With my eyes I was able to see the strange flow that was crawling underneath us. I injected as much Mana as I could into it causing the spell to explode internally and return the Mana back into the air. But the spell he casted was weak, any magic stronger I would have a hard time disabling it.

Olivia clashes her sword onto the overlord’s arm. A metal noise sounded through the room as she was kicked into a pillar.

[Lady Olivia!]

“Die!”

-Sword Garden-

Clones of Sir Gawin sword flew around the Overlord and himself creating an arena. The swords would then point their tips at the overlord and flew towards him as he stood close to one. I enchanted them with Mana and injected it into the Overlord’s body causing multiple blood streams to rupture.

[You did it!]

“Not so fast!”

“Olivia!”

A skeleton with a sword was charging towards the unconscious Olivia. There was a sudden disturbance in the Mana and Dust flow which the Hero wasn’t able to use any magic.

[Sir Gawin!]

The sword was clearly pierced into Sir Gawin’s heart. Lady Olivia opened her eyes and looked at the injured Sir Gawin.

“G…Gawin!”

“I…Said…I…Would…Protect…You…”

The stone wall blocking the entrance collapse and the undead army headed our way.

[No…Elson…Tristan…Everyone…]

I could see the undead holding onto their weapons as they advance into the room.

“Sorry…Dyfar…Can you…Buy me…A few Seconds…?”

-If it’s your request to send me to my death then I’ll accept it.

[I will! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!]

I gathered up my hatred and rage, boiling my blood, intensifying my muscles.

[DO WHAT YOU NEED TO SIR GAWIN! I’LL SACRIFICE MYSELF JUST TO BUY YOU MORE TIME!]

I disarmed the undead holding onto Thoumas’ shield and pushed the horde back to the exit. Before my tattoos activated I kicked it away and begun to fight the enemy bare handed. I was stabbed, sliced, speared, ignited but I did not waver. It hurts but I promised Sir Gawin.

-Sir Gawin, I’ll meet you on the other side.

The enemies’ attention were glued to me and I ran into the middle of the army. As I stood in the middle they began to freely skewer me.

[EQUITY SCAAAAALE!]

On the two handles I forced the limitations of each wheels to increase as much as I could. Their bodies started bubbling and explode one by one. The ground shook and tornados formed around me. My body began to break, starting with my legs. They exploded. Lying on the floor I continued increasing the amount of Dust and Mana in the area. My sides are rotting. I used my remaining strength and was able to break the limit of the wheels. The army vanished, but I had weapons on my back that made me look like a porcupine.

Before I died, I look towards the castle and saw a ball of light consuming it.

-Sir Gawin… you did it…

Author:

Thank you for your time to read this. I would very much like some feedbacks on this prologue.