Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord, Overlord: Raising Hell, Overlord 2 or the vague references to Fellowship of Evil.

The references to Fellowship[ of Evil are just references because I haven't been able to find a copy in Australia, and I don't know if I could get one from America because of zoning. Might have to bite the bullet and just get it over PS4 online store.

Either way...

SEQUEL!

Lethe will be in First person, but there will now be scenes from other character's POVs every chapter.

I drowsed in the cistern, listening to the background screaming of victims and the chanting of Velvet's cult of female worshipers.

It was interesting how things changed in ten years. It was only we Blues, both minions and Girls, and Velvet's almost-all-female cult here at Castle Gromgard, the others having to return to their Hives, which had scattered as predicted. The only Blues not with us were Mortis and Thetis, who were bound to the Styx and so were with the Browns in the Netherworld.

From what I learn from my spy in the Light Magic camp, the Red Hive was, funnily enough, in a subterranean magical sinkhole near Nordburg and was actually the reason the sinkhole was so warm. If they left, the temperature in there would plummet, killing the majority of life that had moved in, and it was the only reason Queen Fay allowed the Reds to remain, despite the fact that the Reds were there first and had precedence.

The Greens, on the other hand, had somehow managed to get onto a ship to Everlight and had taken over an old temple the Elves had abandoned when the surrounding jungle grew too aggressive for them to control. They took some of the baby Killer Flytraps and Rabid Sunflowers with them to make the place homier.

In other news, I had given birth to twin girls, Styx and Drana.

They took strongly after myself, with only slight variations in their coloured spots and markings, their ear-fins being larger and both had their father's green eyes. Styx was noted to be remarkably good at curses and potions, and learnt such things at Velvet's knee. Drana, with a name derived from Drowner, was a Singer much as her namesake, able to enchant people into the water with her hypnotic singing and drag them under with her vice-like grip and unusual strength.

Together, they were nearly impossible to out-manoeuvre. Despite being only nine.

Silk River, much like his mother, was a seductive predator through-and-through.

Not long after his birth, succubae had attempted to force their way out of the Totem to retrieve him. It turns out that he was a Childe of Prophecy to them, one who would rule over them and bring them to greatness and prosperity. He was specified as 'A Childe Born to the Darkest Beauty and Lord of the Abyss, Birthed during a Cataclysm by hand of the Drowner, A being of Twilight Skin and Vorpal Voice, Eyes like Disks of Gleaming Silver and Hair of Deepest Night, Wings of Dark and Light Spread Afar.'

It took some work, but Velvet eventually worked something out with the Succubus Queen (who was, magically speaking, her second mother due to her blood being used in the Fairest Ritual), and five succubi were permitted to teach and guard him until he reached adulthood. But, in no uncertain terms, Velvet made it clear that her son was just that: Hers.

Agonisingly beautiful, Silk's skin was indeed pearlescent grey, and his eyes of the same vibrant silver as his mother's. His hair was long, pin-straight, blue-black with hints of purple and red, and often tied into a high pony-tail that fell past his hips. Of his four wings, they were all black with a silvery felt on the inner membrane that flashed brightly in the light, and could be used to excellent affect to blind or dazzle the eye.

His voice was a pure work of art, as far as magic was concerned.

Even as an infant, he could convince anyone, even Gnarl, to comfort and feed him. It only got worse as he grew older and he learnt to channel compulsion through humming or crooning. Abyss help the poor souls who heard him sing, as he could quite easily pull them from their shells and into death. By the time he was five, only myself, Gnarl, Mortis, Velvet, the succubus elder Viviana, and, oddly enough, Archeron, could brush off his demands. That we knew of.

And until Acheron left when he was ten and Silk nearly eight, Acheron was as good as Silk's whole world. Velvet, herself, once compared her son's devotion to Acheron as being similar to my own devotion to Lord River. He followed his older half-brother everywhere, even trying to sleep with him in his watery bed until I just had a bunk bed made for them over the cistern, where he could fly to and from it.

The racket and tanty the little cambion made when I sent Acheron on his mission was so bad he was banished from the cisterns and dungeons, with their ridiculous acoustics, until he settled down.

And Acheron?

Now nearly twelve, I hadn't seen him in the flesh since he was ten and I had tasked him to infiltrate the Light Sanctuary and, if possible, Queen Fay's own Court.

There were many reasons why this had been done, but primarily because, as the son of an Overlord and not completely minion like the rest of us, he was not so tightly tied to the Hive, and so able to come and go as he pleased. Another reason was because, while 'obviously' some kind of Unseelie water fey, he was a child in a time where magical creatures were being hunted.

And everyone knew Drowners were a female-specific species, anyway, so he clearly wasn't one of them.

I wasn't expecting him to be fostered by Queen Fay, herself, though.

I was so proud of my baby boy. If he played his cards right, he might even be able to make his way to the position of Consort. And if he knocked her up, his offspring stood a good chance of subtly keeping the Dark in a position of power over the Light.

After Queen Fay suffered an 'accident', of course.

I sighed, stretching as the screams and chanting above died away, and turned back to 'The Big Book Of Evil: 3rd Revised Edtion.'

These Netherghul sounded interesting…

(space)

"Rose's child? You found Rose's child? Where?" I demanded, mind racing.

"Aye. The boy appears to have been affected by the wench's temper tantrum. Blue skin and glowing eyes. Looks a fair bit like the vermin affected by the magical plague, but he retains his mind where the others don't." Gnarl scratched his chin in the Pool. "He's strong in both magic and body, and he's developed a hatred for most of the people in Nordburg." His face twisted in irritation. "Except a wench, Kelda, and her family."

I sighed in relief. "Nordburg was where I sent my brother, Able, and his wife after I left the little Wolf-Queen Kelda with them. She probably associated him with Acheron due to his magic signature, familial scent and blue skin. It's probably a good thing that she's attached herself to him." I paused. "Able probably thinks he's a minion child and keeps an eye on him."

Gnarl pulled another face. "You have plots spawning everywhere, don't you?"

I smirked. It was true.

Gnarl rubbed his face again, oddly tired. "I should probably send some more minions to keep an eye on him, then, as neither of the previous Overlord's other sons are viable for the title."

I hummed and leant back. "The Glorious Empire is spreading quickly. It will no-doubt reach Nordburg in the next year or so. It would be best if you have contingencies to remove the boy from that town quickly. Kelda should be fine since her powers are sealed so deeply it will be difficult to sense them if you don't know what you're looking for. Able and his family are complete nulls, so should be missed by the Sentinals." I clicked my tongue in thought. "There's a Light Sanctuary near there, and the Reds are firmly entrenched in the lower levels, so you'll have to keep an eye on that as well."

The Minion Master rolled his eyes. "And, of course, the little Red bastards would be where we'd have to fight our way through to them. I don't suppose you know where the Greens went?"

I shrugged. "Everlight. They took over one of the old temples there. Just look for the carnivourous plants; they took some from the former Illirium."

"Figures." He muttered. "And you're still in Gromgard?"

I nodded. "We have a firm foothold here. It will take years for the Centurians to pry us loose, by which point you will likely have trained that boy into a proper Overlord. Besides, we still have a working Waypoint Gate if we need to retreat quickly."

"Fair enough."

We turned our conversation onto other things.

(space)

Acheron, son of Minion Mistress Lethe and the former-Overlord River, had slunk away from his bamboo hut in the Nordeburg Sanctuary in the early hours of the morning, slipped into the water and made his way to the Red Hive.

Not far from his room was a series of tight underwater tunnels that opened up everywhere, but a specific one took him to where the Red Hive was sequestered and Moira, the Red Chieftainess, was waiting for him to report in.

Surfacing, he took a few moments to expel the excess water from his gills as he grabbed the hot, bright red hand reaching down to him, pulling him out of the little well and into the hot underground chamber that smelt of hot rock and charcoal.

Nodding his thanks to the Red Girl (Tinia, he thought it was, a halfsister) and strode over to the pile of ash, stone and burnt wood that made up the Red Nest surrounding the Hive where Moira was playing knucklebones with what he assumed were elvish knuckles.

The Red Girl with the pronged horns and large spade tail flashed a grin at him and gestured invitingly to where what was once a fairy or gnome was turning on a spit, skin split and juices running.

"Any news?" She inquired with her low, smoky voice, eyes back on the bones as she threw them again, another Red Girl (Miki, maybe?), giggled as she took down the score on a slate plate with charcoal while others watched on.

"The Empire is moving on Nordburg in two days, as far as the scouts can tell." Archeron began, biting into the juicy meat he couldn't have while living with the vegetarian elves. "The remaining dwarves from the Golden Hills were either wiped out or went into the deep caves last week. A Sanctuary in the Empire Highlands, the last stronghold in that area, fell this morning." He paused to lick the oil from his fingers as it dribbled down, then shot the gathered Red minions and Girls a darkly amused grin. "There had been come talk of allying with Castle Gromgard and moving into the Illirium Jungle again."

As one, the collective Reds began howling with laughter. The jungle would eat those with Light Magic alive, and without a means by which to convert other females into Minion Girls, Lethe would have no interest in the Sanctuaries as anything but cannon fodder.

Sinking his teeth deeper into the succulant meat as he undid the spells that shapeshifted his 'darker' features into the more 'light' spectrums, he mused that he really was looking forward to burning the Light Sanctuary to ashy deposits.

He was at that age where he was starting to develope certain 'tastes' that were repungant to Light elves, and it was itching him like poison oak that he couldn't act on those impulses while undercover.

But Mother wanted him to do this, and he did love Mother so, so he would keep going. Maybe arrange to be the 'sole survivor' of an ambush by some of the Red Girls so he could murder some of the more annoying little shits.

Acheron's now much sharper teeth crunched straight through bone as he hummed in anticipation.

(space)

I almost sighed as I paused in the doorway of Velvet's Throne Room.

She was in a maudlin mood again. How droll.

Sprawlled in an unconsciously enticing manner on her opulant dais, there was a large crystal wineglass in one hand while the other dangled off the side of the chaise lounge/throne, a mostly empty bottle of expensive Ruborian red wine on the side table.

I snapped my fingers loudly to shoo out the provocatively clad cultists and closed the large double doors before approaching, bare feet mere whispers on the black marble.

She rolled her eyes idolantly towards me, beautiful, unchanging face following the movement more slowly as I sat at the other end of her 'throne'.

Her eyes were still large, black-wreathed orbs of silver, skin still flawlessly white, lips like blood and face agonisingly gorgeous. Only her hair appeared to have changed, the fringe still the same and the colour like moonlit water, but now down to the top of her hips and cut straight across.

Her preferred outfit had also inverted to now be black with scarlet accents.

Overall, she just had an air of refined elegance that had evolved from the almost adolescent slinkiness she had had when we first met.

Velvet was still hedonistic, selfish, materialistic and sadomasachistic, but she had lost the brattiness and ignorance that made her difficult at times.

The Cult and her son had been good (or evil) for her, though that might have been the result of natural maturing.

I tilted my head and lowered the hood of the outfit she had designed for me a long time ago.

"What's wrong, Dearheart? Your discontent is making you followers skittish."

Velvet tended to get creative when unhappy or bored.

Surprisingly, she didn't verbally answer so much as peevishly gesture to a Message Orb beside the wine bottle before taking a long sip of her wine and turning her attention back to the couryard where her latest sacrifices were still moaning on the stakes.

Picking up the Orb, I shuddered in revulsion when I identified the magic as belonging to Rose.

The Orb's internal mist swirled into a picture of Rose, older and almost manic, with the blue hood and laurels of an Empire Sentinal.

"Hello, Sister." The tone was mocking and arrogant and so totally Rose. " Due to our blood relation, I am giving you this chance to turn yourself over for a relatively quick and painless death rather than the drawn out agony that will be the fates of your followers and the Abominations you are harbouring. Be aware, however, that this is the only concetion you shall receive, and you are only being offered this choice because it is what Mother would have wanted." Ouch. Low blow. "You have two days to decide."

I placed the Orb back down and leant back to regard my friend.

Looking at her, I could only assume that Velvet wasn't discontent, so much as worried.

"What is on your mind, Velvet?"

She rolled the glass between her fingers, staring blankly as her mind worked.

Really, of those who had ever known her throughout her life in any regard, only Rose truly thought Velvet was stupid, and that was her hubris talking. Velvet was intuitive.

"The Empire is spreading rapidly. She has the forces to overcome the Castle within the year if she focuses those forces upon us." She took another long draw from her glass. "She can and will make everyone within the Castle suffer for her own spite." Those big silver eyes blinked at me and she frowned unhappily. "We should move the bulk of our people and possessions away as soon as possible and move the guards on the walls through the Gate at shift changes. Keep the kitchen fires cooking and torture some peasants in the courtyard to keep them thinking we're still here for as long as possible."

I mulled over what I knew. "There is probably a spy in the Castle. You're position as Cult Chieftainess isn't common knowledge. Collect your followers into one place and go through them as you see fit. Have Silk Compel them and see who speaks up or is immune to his thrall. I shall have the Blues go through the Castle from top to bottom for any hideaways or spells."

The woman nodded, set her glass down, sat up and reached across to embrace me.

She smelt overpoweringly of wine and...

I immediately flexed my healing power through her in a surge of blue light, searing away the taint of the Magical Plague that was trying to eat into her own magic and dispelling the series of small spells the Messenger Orb had transferred to her.

Velvet went slack in my arms, then taunt as she began heaving, black-blue ooze splattering across my skirt.

Laying the woman onto the lounge, curled onto her side, I smacked the array that would bring her Guards and my Blues running.

I patted her back and wiped her face as she heaved against my legs until her personal attentants arrived with the assassin-like Barberoi who had sworn allegience to her. I didn't know how or why, but they had.

I looked up, lips tight and eyes blazing. "Find everyone who touched the Orb. It has been tainted with the Magical Plague, as well as compulsion spells. Make sure no one gets in or out."

The almost reptillian, heavily covered Barberoi snarled and dispersed rapidly.

My eyes flickered to the Girls and Minions hovering around.

"Start with the cisterns and search your way up through every nook and cranny of this Castle for foreign magic and spies. Including the shingles on top of the towers." The Blues dispersed, hands flaring with magic.

Silk bolted into the room with a flurry of wings, followed by his entouge fo succubi. "Silk." He skidded to a halt and stood at attention when my voice cut through the room. "Gather all non-minions into the courtyard and compel them to answer truthfully. Route out any spies." My gaze flickered for a moment. "Leave Viviana here. I have need of her experience."

The boy's eyes blazed as brightly as mine did, teeth bared as he left without a word.

The willowy redheaded Viviana approached, face solumn.

"This is what I need you to do..." I didn't even blink when her hand flashed out to gut one of Velvet's attendants, who fell screaming as the knife aimed at my back clattered across the floor.

(space)

Kelda loved the colour blue.

Her second favourite colour was yellow.

For as long as she could remember, she had dreamed of someone with dark blue skin and glowing yellow eyes watching over her. The feeling of soft, cool dark skin rubbing against her own paler skin brought a sense of peace to her forward nature, and the impression of water and rocking often led her to sit in the boats down by the lake or river.

It was also why she had at first been fascinated by Witch-Boy, then fixated as she followed him around.

Witch-Boy was blunt and stand-offish and didn't know how to interact with people much, but Kelda had pretty much adopted the blue-skinned boy three years ago, when he was six, and she was ten, so she had taught him as much as a slightly-outcast little girl could.

When Witch-Boy had been abandoned by his mother outside the town gates early one morning, she had taken the badly dressed little boy to her Uncle Able, who had appeared surprised but not overly worried, to get warmer clothes before anyone could see them.

Ever since, even with the ostrocizing from the rest of the village, Witch-Boy had been fond of the family and nearly attached to Kelda at the hip. Things happened to people who did badly by them, but no one could ever prove anything.

It would only be later on in life that she noticed her Witch-Boy's skin was more of an ashy blue than the darker jewel tones she dreamt about, and the rings were plain ash coloured rather than vibrantly colourful spots, but she still loved him dearly.

Able and Mira supposed she was projecting her affection for Lethe's young son onto this new boy who might have been a minion's child. Initially, it was true, but she grew to love him on his own merits as they grew up together.

So, at thirteen and just coming to the realisation that she was probably crushing on her only friend, she was understandably upset when the miller tossed him over the wall for the Empire to kill.

That was the first time Kelda ever killed someone, and, in the Empire's assault, the only person to witness the violent murder was promptly squashed by a boulder. Which may, or may not, have been fired by a squad of Brown minions.

Kelda was still quietly and periodically murdering Empire soldiers and witless peasants late at night when Witch-Boy came back years later.

Minion carnage for all!