Overlord Rising - Chapter 1 Prologue

Frost left Thomas’s lips, as he tried to warm himself in front of the campfire. His body shook, and his teeth clattered, as a mild breeze blew against his back. Thomas quietly cursed the weather and his situation. He mumbled and complained; wishing that he were back at a tavern with a thick blanket, a glass of ale, and perhaps the company of a woman. Thomas grumbled on, as if he were expecting to wake up from some miserable dream.

Unfortunately, he never did. After letting out some of his grievances, Thomas let out a sigh. He had let it all out, and slowly resigned himself to his circumstances. Being back home with the comforts of a tavern would have been better, but he remembered his position and duty.

As a soldier of the kingdom of Grandstark, he had a duty to uphold. He and many others who had trekked a great distance from home. Lifting his head, Thomas surveyed the environment.

He sat in an encampment, surrounded by over a hundred other soldiers of the kingdom. Like him, they wore some plated armor over their bodies, as well as several layers of clothed padding. It not only protected them from injury, but it helped keep them from freezing.

Thomas inspected a few nearby soldiers. They sat near the fires, but still quivered in their boots. Fear and despair consumed their faces. True, the weather proved arduous, but that was the least of their concerns.

At the far end of the encampment, Thomas spotted the six ballista that they had dragged with them. These siege weapons were often used to either attack or defend fortifications. However, Thomas and company were neither attacking nor defending some castle or structure. No. Instead, they found themselves dealing with something worse.

“You don’t think it’s true, do you?” a young soldier by the name of Alex suddenly spoke. “They’re just rumors, right?”

Thomas glanced at the young soldier, who quivered a little more than others. He would have criticized Alex for his behavior, but chose to still his tongue. No point to adding shame to an already frightened whelp.

“Bah, it’s all hogwash!” Flitch grunted, as he spat at the floor. “It’s just some garbage that those mercenaries thought up, after drowning themselves with a keg of drink! If you want my opinion, we’re wasting our time here!”

Thomas then turned his head towards Flitch, a soldier older than most in the company. Unlike the others, he seemed far more composed and resistant to the weather. Either that, or his age had dulled his senses.

“But what about the scouts?” Alex replied, unable to hide tone. “They said they saw it as plain as day!”

“Then we ought to get better scouts!” Flitch snarled, as he pounded his knee. “It’s shameful to think that we have soldiers who are easily spooked! I have served for over thirty years, and not once have I ever faced a dragon!”

Dragons: giant reptiles that soared through the sky and breathed clouds of fire. That’s what the ballista were for. Some, such as Flitch, d