overlord reborn

14. Thorns of the beast

Mantle

It was a typical cold day for mantle as people did they're day to day routines. Droplets of melted rain come down onto the city that lay below atlas due to the heating system put in place by the atlas military. As people walked through the streets there can be seen among the many shops and businesses, a small group people gathered around a man dressed in a robe with sigil of a fierce skull stitched into the chest of the robe. This man stood up onto a makeshift podium preaching to the gathering crowd.

Preacher: brothers!! Sisters!! Gather around for our king looks upon us with gifts of progress and prosperity!! the God king ainz ool gown looks upon us in our trying times and shines his glorious radiance to guide us to a new eden...

As the priest yells to the crowd many of the other followers offer food and drink to the crowd for 'generous donations' to the church. With the amount of people there was a few paladins that stood close by if a riot were to break out they would disburse it if need be. Unknown to the group of people just a few blocks away a meeting is being held in a empty office building, between the priests of the sorcerer king and lotus executives.

Priest: we got more initiates this year many people pray   to our lord and we are looking forward to more in the coming years

Executive: can you tell us why father Michelle could not join us for this meeting?

The  priest went silent for a few minutes before answering his question in a monotone voice.

Priest: father Michelle is currently on a mission in Vale

The blond haired executive let out a sigh and continued on with the meeting. Flipping through a pile of papers on the table, he cleared his throat and spoke.

Executive: continuing on the topic of initiates, we see you were able to convince some of the badit tribes outside of mantle to corporate with the company.

Priest: We have convinced the likes of the skulls, wavy tide, leviathan, and broken hammer tribes to let your men mine in they're territory as long as they are given a cut.

The executive nodded and wrote in his notes then flipped the pages and looked up to meet the eyes of the priest.

Executive: and I'm to assume that they are converted to the church

The priest let out a sigh.

Priest: out of the four tribes that we were able to convince only two are willing to bask in the sorcerer kings light

The executive let out a long sigh as he continued to take notes. Just then a ringtone broke the silence of the room the two were in. The priest rummaged through his robes pockets for little while before he pulled out a scroll then proceeded to answer it with a resounding.

Priest:hello?

The executive had a confused look on his face as the priest continued to talk to the unknown person. To a normal person the executive would of had the man  admitted into a mental hospital but the executive was not a normal person.

Priest: this is him

Back then when you told Colbalt that there was a secret society of monsters and a hidden organization from long past set on dominating the world. He would have thought you were crazy, but here he was now doing business meetings with vampires, elves, giant bugs, and to top it all off fairies.You might be wondering how a average person like Colbalt found himself in this position, well he has a few things to say dear readers 'Luck, bullshiting, and a lot of wine'.

Priest:yes.. yes .... oh is that right now.... when? Ok I'll be there as soon as I can

Just then he removed his fingers from his temple and sat in eerie silence. Colbalt sat there in the silence uncomfortably fidgeting in his chair staring at the priest hoping he would say somthing but no. He just sat there giving off a intimidating aura around him, to be honest Colbalt never really liked the followers of the undead king. They always freaked him out because they always seemed wrong, not in the sense that they don't fit in no they fit in perfectly into society almost to perfectly. He always assumed that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him but he could never shake the feeling they were planing somthing, doing things behind closed doors.

Even now that he knows more about them there still so much that he does not understand and that is what scares him. The priest cleared his throat and stood up from the table and spoke in his monotone voice but cobalt can hear a bit of anticipation and excitement in his voice.

Priest: if you excuse me mr. Strawb I'll have to take my leave and prepare our followers for a bit of 'cleansing'

Those words send chills down cobalt's spine as the priest made his way slowly to the exit door. Colbalt didn't bother trying to stop him all he wanted right now was to be far away from that freak as possible. As the priest open the door he stopped in the door frame looking back at Colbalt before saying some parting words.

Priest: we will continue our meeting at a later date.

He said before walking out into the cold streets followed by the other two priests shortly after. Leaving Colbalt alone in the thinly lit room contemplating what just happened.

Yang's pov

As I slowly began to open my eyes I was greeted with a pleasant smell and warmth like no other. I felt very comfortable and would have went back to sleep if it was not for a stern voice waking me. The voice came out groggy and muffled but as I came to I was greeted by a lavish study room it was kinda dark in here not dark enough were I could not make out my surroundings but dark enough to give off a comfy vibe. There was a variety of books lined neatly along the bookshelves that were on both sides of the room in front of me was a desk that had a decorative lamps that gave a dim light. Sitting behind it was the white haired woman from earlier reading a book.

She looked up for her crimson eyes to meet my eyes she had a indifferent look on her face that barely showed much emotion. As I  stared into her crimson eyes they seemed to dig into my soul and gave me this feeling of existential dreaded like I was in front of some all powerful all knowing entity that could squash me with flick of her finger. After awhile she spoke with a powerful yet gentle voice that sent chills down her spine.

Momonga: ah yang xiao long your awake don't mind me I thought I might 'ketchup' on some reading if you don't mind

She slowly closed the book and put it on a pile of books that sit on her desk. She then grabbed a black menu with a strange symbol on she slowly handed it to me.

Momonga: I saved you this just in case you were hungry when you woke up.

As she held out the menu I was hesitant to take it from her pale white hand. Eventually I conceded and grabbed the menu and began to look through the options. The woman sat back done but with a small smile crossing her face, I don't know if this is just me but that smile freaked me out. Normally I would not mind other people's smiles  but this smile it felt unnatural to see it on this particular woman's face.

Me: uuuh ...thank you?

Damn