Chapter 214: Firstborn
The air in the Imperial Capital of Durban had only just begun to calm after the storm of conquest. The banners of the Skadi Empire lay in tatters, replaced with the sigil of Igaris, the Overlord who had shaken heavens and torn down gods. His vast army, numbering in the hundreds of millions, was already spreading throughout the continent to maintain order and dismantle the structures of oppression that had ruled over Earth and countless worlds. The citizens, weary and confused yet filled with cautious hope, began to whisper his name as both conqueror and savior.
Inside the newly claimed palace, Igaris stood before his three wives, issuing final orders to his loyal generals and saints who now served as the foundation of his empire. He spoke with precision and authority, his Architect’s Eyes laying out plans that could shape generations. Each subordinate bowed deeply, their faith in him absolute. Once his words had been spoken, silence fell, and the war room emptied until only Igaris and his wives remained.
He turned toward them, his expression softening. Diva, the Dream Goddess, radiated calm, her silvery hair shimmering like starlight as she watched him with adoration. Shirley stood tall, her enchanting eyes filled with pride. Evernight, cloaked in midnight silk that seemed woven from shadow itself, leaned gracefully against a column, her beauty carrying a dangerous charm that only Igaris could truly tame.
"I will be leaving soon," Igaris said quietly, his voice carrying the weight of destiny. "The rest of my wives await across the many worlds, hidden realms, and dimensions. I cannot leave them behind again. Not this time."
The wives exchanged glances. They understood what it meant. For Igaris, gathering his companions was not just an act of love but also of survival. Each of them was a pillar in the war against the Outer Beings, those monstrous entities that lurked beyond the veil of their universe.
But before anyone could reply, a gentle sound broke the air. It was Evernight, her voice delicate yet steady. "Igaris... before you depart, there is something you must know."
Her hands lowered to her abdomen, resting just beneath her flowing robes. Her eyes shimmered like the night sky, carrying both mystery and vulnerability.
Igaris blinked, his sharp gaze faltering for the first time in what felt like ages. "Calypso...?"
She smiled, tender and faint. "Yes. I am expecting with child. Your child. Our firstborn in this new life."
The words struck him like a tidal wave. For a long moment, Igaris could not breathe. His body trembled, his mind falling silent, as if the weight of every battle, every loss, every scar had been lifted all at once. His lips parted but no sound came out. Then, finally, tears slipped down his darkened eyes.
His Architect’s Eyes confirmed the truth. She was really saying the truth.
"My child... our child..." he whispered, his voice breaking. His hand rose to his face, wiping away the tears, but they kept falling. He was the Overlord, a sovereign who defied gods, yet here he was, shaking as if he were nothing more than a man who had finally found light after endless night.
He rushed forward, gathering Evernight into his arms. She leaned against him, her face pressing into his chest as she whispered softly, "This time, I will give you what was stolen from us."
Igaris tightened his hold, his tears falling onto her hair. "I thought I would never see this day again. Even if this child is not the same as before, I... I will protect them. With everything I have, I will be there."
Diva stepped closer, her silvery hair gleaming in the soft palace light. She raised her hand, placing it on Igaris’ back as her melodic voice soothed him. "Fate has granted us another chance. Let your sorrow turn into joy, Igaris. This child is not only yours and Evernight’s... they are a symbol of hope for all of us."
Shirley, though less tender in demeanor, felt her throat tighten as she watched him weep. She had grown alongside Igaris, had seen him forge himself into a being beyond mortality. To see him broken, not by battle but by joy, filled her with warmth. She stepped in, wrapping her arms around both Igaris and Evernight, her embrace firm and reassuring. "Husband... I swear on my life, this child will be raised in a world of peace. They will know love, not despair."
For the first time in years, Igaris allowed himself to bask in their warmth. He held Evernight, while Diva’s hand comforted him and Shirley pressed close in fierce loyalty. Their warmth enveloped him, easing the storm in his soul. In that moment, he was not the Overlord, the Supreme, or the Conqueror. He was simply Igaris, a man surrounded by the love of his wives, about to become a father again.
He pulled back slightly, looking into Evernight’s glowing eyes. His hands lingered over her abdomen, trembling with reverence. "I will never fail you again. Neither you, nor our child. This is my vow."
Evernight smiled through her own tears. "And we will never fail you, my love. Together, we will face what is to come."
The night grew long in Durban as the city outside slowly adjusted to its new ruler. Yet within the palace, in that tender circle of warmth and love, Igaris found the strength to hope again. The war was far from over, the Outer Beings still waited beyond the stars, but for the first time in ages, he had a reason to dream not just of battle, but of family.
The Overlord, who once bore nothing but destruction in his hands, now held the promise of life. And that, more than any conquest, was what gave him strength.
---
The news spread faster than wildfire across the Overlord Empire.
What began as a whisper inside the newly claimed palace of Durban soon spilled into the streets, then the marketplaces, then to the farthest borders of Earth and the conquered realms beyond. Messengers carried it, heralds shouted it, and even the winds seemed to sing it—Evernight, the first Empress of the Overlord, was with child. The Firstborn of the Overlord was coming.
The announcement came like sunlight piercing through the storm after years of endless chaos. Across lands that had been ravaged by war and trembled under the Skadi Empire’s tyranny, people erupted in cheer. Flags bearing Igaris’ sigil unfurled across cities, flowers rained from balconies, and bells tolled for days.
In Durban, the heart of the new empire, the celebrations were like nothing seen in generations.
---
Drums echoed in the streets. Vendors who once cowered in silence now gave away free food. Children ran barefoot, their laughter filling alleys once drenched in blood. Music played in every district, from soft flutes to wild warhorns turned festive.
At the grand square, a group of citizens gathered, voices overlapping in excitement.
"Did you hear? The Empress Evernight carries the Overlord’s child!"
"A child of destiny, born of the man who saved us from those Skadi tyrants. Can you imagine what sort of being they’ll grow up to be?"
"Stronger than gods, maybe! Hah! I’ll drink to that!"
"Stronger than gods or not, I just want the child to live free. If the Overlord rules, maybe my sons will never be sent to die in pointless wars again."
An old woman, hunched and wrinkled, pressed her hands together in prayer. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered, "Finally... after so much death, we are promised life. May the child be blessed."
Nearby, a young boy clutched his father’s sleeve, his eyes wide. "Papa, do you think I can see the baby one day?"
His father laughed, scooping him up. "If the Overlord wills it, lad, perhaps the whole Empire will. This child belongs to all of us, for they are hope itself."
---
The celebrations were not confined to Earth. Through gates and portals that linked countless conquered dimensions and hidden realms, word reached far-flung territories.
In the sky-islands of Aetherion, winged people flew in great arcs, drawing constellations of light to honor the unborn heir.
In the molten depths of Igrazul, fire-worshippers cast massive bonfires that painted the cavernous world red, chanting praises to the child who would carry both flame and shadow in their blood.
In the shattered wastelands of Morvik, where war had left nothing but ruin, starving citizens shared their last scraps of bread with one another in celebration. Even famine tasted sweeter in the light of this hope.
And in every realm, the words were the same: "The Overlord’s heir is coming."
---
Back in Durban, festivals lasted for days. Ordinary people danced alongside warriors and mages. Even hardened soldiers, who had faced gods on the battlefield, smiled freely as they drank, laughing like children.
One soldier raised his cup high in a crowded tavern. "We fought for this moment, brothers! We bled and buried our dead so that our lord might bring a better world. And now? His firstborn comes! Let this be the true beginning of an age of peace!"
A tavern girl leaned over the counter, grinning as she poured another jug. "You lot talk too much. Less shouting, more drinking! For the heir!"
"For the heir!" the room roared back, mugs slamming together.
---
Even the conquered nobles and officers of the old Empire, who had once bowed to Skadi, could not help but join. Some out of genuine joy, others out of fear of being left behind in the tide of celebration, but all raised their voices.
Fireworks cracked across the skies of Durban, filling the heavens with radiant blossoms. The great rivers shimmered with floating lanterns, each one carrying a citizen’s prayer for the child’s health.
---
Inside the palace, Igaris stood at a high balcony with his three wives. He looked out over the sea of lights, the joyous chants, and the dancing throngs below. His hands rested on Evernight’s shoulders as if to shield her from the world. His chest tightened, not with sorrow or fury as in countless battles past, but with pride.
"They celebrate not just the child," he murmured, his voice low, "but the future we promised them. For the first time, they see hope."
Evernight leaned back against him, her hand brushing his. "Then let us make sure that hope never dies."
Shirley, her violet eyes reflecting the fireworks, smirked. "If anyone dares threaten this joy, I’ll cut them down myself."
Diva, serene and soft, whispered like a hymn, "The empire breathes again. All because of you, Igaris."
Igaris’ gaze swept the horizon, where countless fires of celebration burned. His voice was quiet, but resolute. "No. It is because of us. This child... this empire... will be the dawn of something greater than even I imagined."
And so, under the light of a thousand lanterns and the roar of endless celebration, the Overlord’s Empire embraced its first taste of true peace. For the first time since the continent had been drowned in blood, people danced not in fear, but in hope.
The Overlord’s child had not yet been born, yet already, they had brought life to a world long starved of it.