Overlord X Male reader

Kriin! Du! Vaaz!!

I think this half works as it's own chapter.

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It was said that this would be the last time the Empire dared to attack the kingdom, that's what Ester heard from his friend Wren

That afterwards he would only need to worry about making due to support his family, look for  nice girl for him to settle down with, and that he could regal his own children with war stories like his father before him

Now Wren, his friend since childhood who was a brother to him, who was standing just a second ago to his left, he could literally reach over and tap him on the shoulder, but then he collapsed dead as a dark ooze fell from the sky and dragged his corpse to the center

That's when he heard the call, it reminded him of his home...waking early to tend to the farm with his sister, working through the dawn knowing his mother would have something for him to eat later

Memories that brought him cheer muddled and corrupted as this eldritch creature rose from the dark tar

The yelling of the nobility calling to retreat drowned out by the creature's bleating, but he didn't need them to understand the basic principal of self-preservation

He broke formation, many others joining him as he ran as fast his legs could carry tears welling in his eyes as he heard the orders of the foolish to stand and raise their spears removing as much armor as he could to run faster

Ester: 'father said there was glory...that war is where boys became men...'

Those stories he held close to his heart from his late father crumbled, his heart was quickly filled with disdain for the man

The ground shook, the innocent sound of baby goats bleating filling his heart with fear

A shadow growing over him there was no chance for him, yet he took closure in the fact that his death would be instant under the intense pressure of it's hooves

He's swept off his feet

Ester: 'is this how death feels, weightless...have I died, and gone to some better place?'

Those thoughts entered his mind looking down at a sword stabbed through his body coughing blood as it stuck to the blade

Sliding down the blade he watches as his killer steps over him spurs clinking raising it's sword it shines and with a swing an arc of blue light cuts through the fleeing soldiers showering the ground with blood

Harrick, Orion, Alaster, Callum, Ypres, Ashur, Lore, Huron, and many more dead some still clinging to life trying to crawl or try to put themselves back together

Ester crawled, his fingers creating divots in the stream of blood endless screams of the unknown and scared surrounded him when the ground began to shake

This was it, certain this time...

???: quick lad, we need to get out of here!

Someone grabs his arm pulling him up seeing their face to be Rowan, a man he only met yesterday befriending him within minutes, a carpenter by trade he too had a family waiting back home for him a wife with child on the way

Ester: ...thank you...

He smiled weakly, Rowan had his life set straight he didn't need to save him, yet he was willing to do so anyway...

Keeping his gaze down he watched the blood flow popping filled his ear shaking his head in annoyance, the hairs on his arms stood straight, and he's pushed to the side splashing into the crimson liquid