Because that’s just it. When the Grots came to Nore and destroyed the planet, they also devastated all Novans by killing every single female, no matter her age, as well as all of the young boys too. It had been a dark, dark time for the Novans, but they managed to not only survive. They achieved their goal of revenge, and now, the Kurians need to take up the quest and repopulate Kuria so that the Grots can’t win and kill off every last Novan and allow the species to become extinct.
Although, to be honest, when the last Novan dies, that’s it. There will never be another Novan. There will be the Kurians to rise from the ashes with the help of Earthlings. A new dawn, a new age, a new planet, a new people.
And yes, a new planet is right because the overlord, Overlord Nestrol, has plans to see to it that Kuria is reforged and altered to become exactly what the Kurians will need to thrive and prosper.
Overlord Nestrol…
“You thinking about how many women you want to fuck?” Gus asks.
I glare at him. “I’m thinking about how I need to see the overlord.”
“You want to leave now?” Nos asks.
I grin. “Do you know me, or do you know me? When I make up my mind, I move forward straight ahead.”
“Yes, and sometimes you even run straight into walls,” Gus deadpans.
“I was three,” I mumble.
The two of them laugh, and I give them the finger—another Earthling rude gesture—as I walk away. It’s time to have a chat with the overlord, and hopefully, he’ll be in a good mood. Lately, all he’s cared about is the Rebuild Nore project now that it has been shifted entirely on its head because of the invention of levitation.
The overlord isn’t the only one in his office when I show up there later that evening. He agreed to the meeting, but I hadn’t realized that my parents would be here too. I suppose it’s for the best. They would have to learn about my leaving, and I would need to say goodbye.
“I hope you don’t mind that I invited Captain Stox and Colonel Lara to join us,” Overlord Nestrol says as he gestures for me to sit across from him at the huge table.
I shake my head. “Not at all,” I say as I claim the seat. My parents sit on either side of him, which makes it seem to be three against one since the table is that long that I am not near any of the trio.
“I take it you have a request to ask of me.” Overlord Nestrol folds his hands and rests them on the table.
“Yes. I would like to head to Earth.”
“Why?”
“Honestly, I don’t think I’m suited for any of the jobs on Kuria.”
My dad lets out a snort.
I flare my nostrils.
Mom laughs. “And just what job are you suited for that is on Earth?”
Ovian.
I hadn’t thought about what I would do once I got to earth.
Reckless is right. Damn Gus.
I clear my throat to stall. “I just feel that there are more opportunities on Earth.”
The overlord leaps to his feet and narrows his eyes as he points at me. “What do you mean by that? What are you insinuating?”
I swallow hard. Shit.
“I didn’t mean any disrespect,” I say. “I just thought that I…”
“Were you thinking?” Dad asks once the meeting is over and we’re at my parent’s house, eating a late dinner.
“He wasn’t thinking,” Mom says idly. She shakes her head. “It’s one thing to want to see the overlord. It’s quite another to insult him.”
“I didn’t mean to insult him,” I grumble.
The rest of the meeting went downhill from there. The overlord ranted and raved about how the Kurians are the most ungrateful lot he’s ever seen, that we just want to fuck him over and do whatever we ovian want, the rest of the world be damned. I couldn’t argue with that, considering that’s what I want. Not to fuck him over. Hell no. But to do what I want? Hell yes.
“But in the end, you got what you want,” Dad says.
I nod past a lump in my throat. Before the overlord basically threw us out of the meeting, he said, “Fine. Go to Earth! I don’t want someone so disrespectful and backstabbing as you here on Kuria. You’re a damn mercenary. That’s what you are!”
“Do you still have no idea what you’ll do once you get to Earth?” Mom asks.
“I think I might,” I muse, smiling to myself.
The overlord himself gave me the idea.
A mercenary. A jack of all trades. I can take on what jobs I want and decline the rest.
I’ll be able to do a little bit of everything.
It’ll be perfect for me.
And that’s exactly what I do. I opt for the deep sleep on the flight over to Earth so that I’m wide awake and ready to set up shop as a mercenary from the moment I set foot on the bright, colorful planet. As I inhale a deep breath and enjoy the green grass, the towering trees, the sheer lack of red stone, I think I’m going to enjoy Earth very, very much.
2
Sophia
My lungs burn, but I’m grinning. Yeah, so I’m being chased by a pair of thugs. Yes, they want to kill me, but I’m not worried. I’ve been in more harrowing escapades before, and I’m still alive. Others have tried to kill me. No one has.
My line of work is a bit dangerous, yes, so maybe I’m asking for this. What bounty hunter doesn’t have a lot of enemies?
