Bloomring School
Lira, seven years old, freed rabbit Servitor, sat in classroom. Twenty students—humans, freed beasts, mixed. Learning letters.
Teacher, human woman, kind: "Today's word: HOPE. Can anyone use it in sentence?"
Human boy: "I hope we win the war."
Teacher: "Good. Anyone else?"
Lira raised paw. "I hope my mama comes home."
Teacher's face softened. "Where is she?"
"Fighting. She's soldier now. Said she fights so I don't have to."
Silence. Other children looked down. Many had parents deployed.
Teacher knelt beside Lira. "Your mama's brave. And she will come home. Because Covenant protects its people. That's what we fight for."
"Will she be hurt?"
"Maybe. But we have healers. And friends. And hope. That's why we'll win—not because we're strongest, but because we have most to protect."
Lira thought about that. Didn't fully understand. But felt... safe.
Under Dominion, before freedom: she'd been chained. Mama too. Both property. Both disposable.
Now: Mama fought by choice. Lira went to school by choice. Learned reading by choice.
Teacher said choices made people free. Lira thought: choices made people brave.
Mama chose to fight. Lira chose to learn. Both brave. Different ways.
***
Class continued. Teacher wrote word: **FREEDOM.**
"Tomorrow, we'll learn this word. It's most important one."
Lira practiced writing it already—secret, wanted to surprise teacher. Letters wobbly but readable:
F-R-E-E-D-O-M
Didn't know what it meant fully. But knew: it was why Mama fought. Why she went to school. Why she had name instead of number.
***
That night, writing homework. Assignment: "Draw what freedom means to you."
Lira drew: Mama—big wolf—and her—small rabbit—standing together. No chains. Smiling. Sun above.
Caption in wobbly letters: "Freedom is mama choosing to come home."
Teacher would see it tomorrow. Would probably cry—adults did that when children understood big things.
But Lira wouldn't cry. Because Mama WOULD come home. Teacher promised. And Covenant kept promises.
That's what made them different from Dominion. Promises kept.
***
War Room, Evening
Council assembled. Routine strategic review turned urgent.
Dorn via secure crystal: "Intelligence from Ruins of Chains. Seismic activity increasing. Heat signatures rising. Ground temperature 20 degrees above normal."
Sylvara: "Raziel. The Magma Drake is stirring."
Everyone went quiet. They'd heard stories—city obliterated, molten devastation, legend from months ago.
Brenn: "Is he... attacking?"
"No. Moving. Deliberately. North toward us."
Draven felt cold. "When will he arrive?"
"Three days. Maybe four. He's massive—20-30 story building size. Can't move quickly. But he IS moving. Hasn't done that since destroying Ashmar City."
Lysara: "Do we evacuate?"
Draven thought of Zor's trauma—witnessing Raziel's wrath, primal terror imprinted. Thought of civilian population. Thought of why Raziel might be approaching.
"No. We meet him."
"WHAT?" Multiple voices, simultaneous.
"He sensed my bonding pulse. He sensed Zor's ascension. He's not attacking—he's curious. Overlords don't waste energy on pointless destruction. If he wanted us dead, he'd have come immediately after pulse. He's waited months. Now he moves. That's deliberate. He wants to see us."
***
Velnar's mental voice: *Bearer speaks wisdom. Overlords do not rush. If Drake wanted destruction, Bloomring would already be ash. He comes to judge, not to kill. Probably.*
"Probably?"
*80% certainty. Overlords are... unpredictable. But logic suggests curiosity over hostility.*
Brenn: "So we let 20-story fire-dragon walk into our city?"
Draven: "No. I meet him outside. Thirty kilometers east. Minimal escort. Show respect, not fear. If he's judging us, we pass by demonstrating courage and intelligence."
Zor's presence through bond—anxiety, old trauma surfacing: *Bearer. He is... terror incarnate. I witnessed his wrath. Mortals before immortal. You cannot comprehend.*
Mental response: *Then help me comprehend. You're Lord now. He's Overlord. Same tier difference as you to Servitor. But you'd show Servitor respect if they approached honestly. Maybe he will too.*
*...Perhaps. I will accompany you. Storm stands with Bearer, even before Drake.*
***
Preparation:
Mira: "You're really doing this."
"I am."
"Then I'm documenting it. Historic moment—Fragment-bearer meets Overlord peacefully. This goes in the chronicles."
Lysara: "Who escorts?"
Draven considered: "Zor, obviously. Sylvara—she's ancient, maybe old enough to remember Overlords. Varyn, if he chooses."
Varyn's mental image from courtyard, listening: *I choose. Fire recognizes fire. Drake is elder flame. I show respect.*
Brenn: "When?"
"Day 38. He'll arrive then. We meet him at dawn, eastern plains. Empty territory, nothing to destroy if it goes wrong."
"And if it DOES go wrong?"
Draven looked at his council—people he trusted, pack he'd built, family earned through choice.
"Then you lead without me. You've proven you can. Covenant survives."
Silence. Heavy. Real.
Then Brenn: "Don't die stupidly."
Draven smiled. "I'll try not to."
***
Night Reflections
Draven, Tower, Alone:
Stared at eastern horizon. Somewhere out there: Overlord approaching.
Through bond, felt Zor circling above—protectively, anxiously.
Felt Velnar's presence below—steady, patient, ancient confidence.
Thought: *I've bonded three Lords. Acquired Lord-tier gear. Allied six kingdoms. Freed 1,200 beasts. And now I'm gambling it all on philosophical conversation with city-destroyer.*
Smiled despite fear. *Sounds about right for my life.*
***
Mira, Quarters, Writing:
Journal entry: "Tomorrow we consolidate. Day 38, we meet Overlord. Brother walks toward fire-dragon like it's casual diplomacy. I'm terrified. But also: proud. He doesn't see himself as hero. That's exactly why he is one."
***
Brenn, War Room, Planning:
Contingency documents: "In event of Warden's death, command transfers to Lord Marshal. Covenant endures. Purpose continues. We don't fight for one man. We fight for idea. Idea can't die."
Hoped he'd never use documents. But prepared anyway. That was leadership.
***
Freed Beast Families, Residential District:
Thessa tucked cubs into bed. They asked: "Mama, what's Overlord?"
"Very old beast. Very powerful. Very important."
"Will it hurt us?"
"Warden will make sure it doesn't. He protects us."
"Promise?"
She couldn't. But said: "I believe. That's all any of us can do."
***
Northern Clans Warriors, Barracks:
Joran sharpened axe. Warchief Kerra sat beside him.
"You think he'll survive?"
"Draven? He's walked into death before. Keeps walking out."
"Overlord's different."
"Everything's different until it's not. We prepare. We trust. We fight if needed."
"Northern way?"
"Covenant way now too."
***
Dominion Observer, Leaving City:
Ambassador Thorne departed under cover of darkness. Failed mission—all assassination attempts foiled, all political pressure backfired.
Final report to Emperor: "Covenant stronger than assessed. Economic warfare failed. Political isolation failed. Covert operations failed. Military assault required. 60,000 minimum. And even then... Overlord approaching them. If Drake allies with Covenant, we cannot win."
Rode east. Didn't look back.
Bloomring grew behind him—lights, life, hope.
Dominion Heartlands ahead—darkness, decay, desperation.
For first time in thirty-year career: doubted which side deserved victory.
***
Dawn, Day 35
Draven stood on tower, watching sunrise. Four days until Raziel arrived.
Four days to prepare for meeting that could decide everything.
Mira joined him, journal under arm. "What will you say to him?"
"I don't know. Truth, probably. That's all I have."
"Truth worked on everyone else. Converted assassins. Built alliances. Freed beasts."
"Overlords aren't everyone else."
"No. But they're not mindless either. Sylvara says they're ancient, wise, patient. Maybe wisdom recognizes wisdom."
Draven looked at her—fifteen years old, chronicling war, understanding it better than most adults.
"When did you get so wise?"
"When I started watching you." She smiled. "You don't see yourself clearly. But I do. You're not just strong. You're honest. And honesty is rarest power in world built on lies."
Below, Bloomring woke. Forges lit. Training grounds filled. Children ran to school. Freed beasts walked to work.
Life. Purpose. Hope.
All built on foundation of truth, respect, choice.
If Overlord came to judge them, let him judge that.
***
Draven descended tower. Preparations to make. Four days.
Behind him, Mira wrote: "Brother walks toward fire, not because he's fearless, but because someone has to. That's what heroes do. They see impossible thing, and they do it anyway. Not for glory. For everyone else."
She closed journal. Followed him down.
Whatever came next, they'd face it together.
Pack.
***
Notes:
Lira's Perspective: Child's understanding; mama fights by choice; freedom drawing; promises kept; innocence amid war; hope grounded in trust.
Raziel Intelligence: Stirring at Ruins; moving north; 3-4 day travel; arrival Day 38; curiosity likely over hostility.
Meeting Planned: Dawn Day 38; 30km east; minimal escort (Draven, Zor, Sylvara, Varyn); empty plains; shows respect not fear.
Night Reflections: Multiple perspectives showing character states before Overlord contact; Draven gambling everything on diplomacy; Mira's pride; Brenn's contingency; freed beasts' trust; Northern Clans' readiness; Dominion observer's doubt.
Thorne's Defection Seeds: First crack in imperial loyalty; recognizes Covenant strength; doubts which side deserves victory; reports need 60k+ troops minimum.
Consolidation Complete: Six kingdoms allied; 32,800 combined forces; economic dominance; political isolation of Dominion; military proven; defectors integrated; moral warfare winning.
Four Days Until Raziel: Preparation period; truth as only weapon; honesty as rarest power; pack ready to face judgment together.
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