Once the helicopters were all on the ground, the workers started to stake out other building locations, as if they were making a small village around the dungeon.
Now it made a bit more sense. If they were going to make a dozen permanent buildings at the same time, they might actually have a use for all these people.
Bob looked around at the work in progress. “This is chaos. It looks like they’re going with metal frame and sheeting buildings for most of the structures, but they’re going to need to build a wall around the whole complex if they’re not going to make something more sturdy.
They don’t usually keep Elites on station at these things, or at least not strong ones. So, they need some sort of protective barrier that will keep the wild beasts out of the complex.”
Doug brought out a cake, sliced for the whole group, and they turned people watching into their afternoon entertainment.
The important people weren’t here yet, or at least they weren’t coming over to talk to the Elites, so nobody was in a hurry to get up from their seats.
Late in the afternoon, a feeling of approaching power drew Karl and the beasts’ attention to the west.
“Do you see something?” Doug asked as he noticed that Karl was distracted.
“There is more than one Overlord coming. By the speed, I am guessing that they’re in a helicopter. It’s too fast to be a car, even if there was a road that came to this spot.” Karl explained.
“You can tell that from this distance?” Ruth asked.
“Yeah. Or one of the beasts can, which is the same thing because when they are alerted, I am alerted.” Karl replied with a shrug.
[It’s not Overlord Drake.] Rae noted.
[And there are three of them, I am pretty sure.] Hawk agreed.
“Three Overlords, Hawk thinks. None of them are Overlord Drake, who I have often crossed paths with in the past.” Karl explained.
Bob laughed. “It seems like every time we run into someone famous, you’re already friends with them. Even the Colonel is an old friend of yours already, and you’re only just about to finish your first year at the Academy.”
Karl shrugged and waited for the helicopter to come in sight.
“I have met a rather extraordinary selection of people so far, I can’t deny that. I even met the Archbishop for a few seconds.”
Bob looked like he was going to ask, then realized that the incident was almost certainly classified, and while they were pretty relaxed in their assignment to accompany Karl, there was still a whole team of Magic Knights from the Inquisition sitting right next to them.
Karl saw Colonel Valerie in the distance, motioning for them to change.
“Alright, it looks like it’s showtime. Everyone get into your formal best, the important people are on their way in.”
He was about to change to his suit with the Royal Rank cape when Jodi, one of the familiar Bureau of Elite Development’s Agents under Colonel Valerie, came jogging over.
“Stay in your armour. The fancier, the better. They have a cameraperson with them, and that means they’ll be expecting staged photos. Most of you should be fine as is, just Karl and Bob will need to change.” He explained.
Morgana was in her usual black dress, the clerics were in their robes, and the Magic Knights never changed out of their armour in public. So it was really just Karl, Bob and Ophelia who were in casual wear.
Karl changed into his armour with the fur trimmed Ice Giant cloak, but without his helmet, while Bob changed back to his shining Knight outfit with the most glorious horned helmet equipped.
Ophelia giggled as she checked her armour. “It feels weird to be wandering around in armour, but as a human. All my fighting is done in Werebear or Dire Bear form, so I’m never really wearing armour in human form.”
Jodi smiled at her reluctance, and then examined the group.
“Karl, what’s up with the Darklight Host tabard?” He asked.
“It is part of the armour created by the skill. It adapts to the situation, and today, it thinks that I need a tabard.” Karl replied with a gesture of defeat.
“So, it doesn’t always have a tabard?”
Karl shook his head. “I have seen it without the tabard, but normally, it does have it. Sometimes it creates a tunic and puts that under the chest plate. I think it’s formal enough, and it’s still a symbol of the World Dragon, so it shouldn’t cause any issues with photos.”
“Good enough for me.”
Jodi led them over to the main camp area, where the small helicopter was about to land with the three Overlords in it, plus three other Elites and the two pilots.
“We should all be there to greet them, especially the Royals.” Jodi muttered as he hurried them along toward the landing zone.
Karl and Doug got there just in time to take spots in the front row with Prince Charles and the team leaders of the response teams.
The first man out was an Overlord in shining silver armour with a golden tabard and close-cropped blonde hair. He had the look of the perfect noble gentleman from a romance story, and Karl could see that there were more than a few of the women giving him admiring glances.
Not Colonel Valerie, he noted. Perhaps they were on bad terms?
The next out was a man in a black hooded outfit that was somewhat similar to Dana’s, but without the coat. It was the common stealth outfit for a Rogue Class Elite, but Karl thought it was a bit extra to be wearing it here with his face covered in the middle of the day.
It wasn’t like a black outfit actually helped him blend in with anything here.
That man noticed Dana right away, and then did a double take when he realized that she was a mage, and that the coat was a Royal Rank item. The quality was clear in the construction, and the adaptive coloration made it even more valuable.
The last man out was a mage in deep blue robes that seemed to sparkle with an entire galaxy of stars, as if you were looking at an eternal void, and not a piece of clothing.
[That is spectacular. I need to learn how to do that.] Rae sighed as she admired his outfit from her space.
She had created her own fake stars all over, but if she could make something that realistic, she could completely redecorate her home. She could even make it look like her favourite trophies were floating in the void.
Their assistants stepped out behind them, with the copilot serving as photographer, and began the formal introductions.
“Overlord Johann, The shining Knight, representing the first military fast response battalion. Overlord Niall of the Inquisition, and Overlord Ahmad the Legionary Golem Lord.” The man informed them simply.
Colonel Valerie stepped forward. “I am Colonel Valerie of the Bureau of Elite Development. This is Lord Inquisitor Mable, then Minister Davies of National Treasures, followed by Prince Charles, Royal Priest Doug Mackenzie, and Prince Karl the Beast Master.”
Karl was more than a little startled that he was introduced with a title when the others weren’t, but when he saw the eyes of the Overlords light up, he knew that the Colonel had done it on purpose.
