//------------------------------//
// 6: Everlights Second Fall... 
// Story: Overlords and Friendship... 
// by OblivionShadow 
//------------------------------//

“Master.”

Azures eyes flickered open and he looked to the right to find Wrath barely an inch away from his eye.  He whinnied in surprise and pulled his head up from the ground.  Wrath backed up and sat back down as he waited to be addressed.  Azure yawned and looked around him.  The minions were in a circle around them and the Elven ponies were still asleep around the dead fire.

“What is it, Wrath?”  He asked the minion.  He looked up to the skies and found it was still dark out.  Aggravation began to roil within him as he addressed the armored minion.

“Master.  Ponies are close by.”  He replied and pointed to the road behind them.

Azure stared at him for a moment before he hauled himself to his hooves and began to think over his options.  Minions began to mill about as they waited for their Master’s commands.  “Wake up!”  He yelled at the three Elven, who startled and looked up to find him standing.

“My Lord?”  Anthe quickly asked as he also stood.

“Wrath has informed me that there are ponies on the main road.”  He clarified to the Elven.

Anthe looked nervous for a moment as he looked to the now, still minions.  They were all in a defensive stance around the Overlord.  Each green minion had their spider mounts hanging off of various trees and other surfaces.

“Anthe.”  The Elven looked to the red pony as he spoke.  “Go to the road and investigate.  If it is another Elven then I expect you to bring them to me.  If not, come back and alert me.  I will send a few minions with you to protect you if needed.”  Azure watched him head to the road as his magic lifted his helm from the ground and set it back in place.





Anthe nodded, fear riding in his eyes. He walked past the Overlord and watched as ten to fifteen minions stayed at his hips, watching over him.  An unmounted green jumped to land on his back, vanishing as it went still.  The pony crept forward as he left the sheltered clearing behind him.  He crouched down as he heard the sound of armor rattling.  He pushed a few fronds aside and cringed as he saw the armored ponies.  There were not many of them, perhaps only ten or so.  They wore the old armor of Everlight, from before the Overlords reign.  They paused at the turn in the road and began to look around them.  A pony that Anthe recognized as one of the old commanders from the Empire stood at the front.  Anthe crept through the bushes and drew up as close as he dared.

“That filthy magic user should be coming from this direction to try to reconquer the city of Everlight.  We have been sent to stop him and end his reign.  The Governess has retaken control of Everlight and has decreed that it is time for the Overlord to lose his hold on the region, permanently.”  The pony was overweight and appeared to have needed to be squeezed into the armor he wore.

Anthe looked over each pony, finding that they would stand no chance of stopping the Overlords force.  There were easily a hundred armored minions at the Dark Lords command.  Pitting them against a small force of ten was like lambs to a slaughter.  The commander huffed as he shifted the tight armor over his body.

“We will take the Overlord prisoner since his filthy magic is what has altered our bodies.  The magic-user will be taken down and confined.”  He went on.

“What about those little creatures of his?”  A soldier asked, his eyes darting from side to side.

The commander paused.  “They will fall as soon as we have control of him.  They will not endanger their leader’s life.  He may have survived the Arena once, but the Governess has designed a new one just for him.  Will only be a one time show, but will be worth it.”

Anthe’s eyes widened and he looked back the way he had come.  He slowly backed up and started for the clearing where the Overlord waited.  He pushed a minion ahead of him and the small creature darted easily through the fronds, silent.  He felt a spike of envy as he had to watch every hoof fall.  The pony watched his hooves and slowly made his way back to the Overlord.

“Master!”  He yelped as he got back to the clearing.  The Overlord was facing the entrance, waiting.





Azure watched him approach and waited for him to reach him.  The pony bowed low and panted as he reached the red stallion.

“What did you find?”  Azure asked.

“There is a group of ten ponies, all in the old Empire armor. They know that you will be coming to retake the city, so they have come out here to capture you. They said that they were ordered by  the Governess to do so.” He replied. He looked hesitant for a moment before continuing. “They also said that they will put you in a new  Arena. Apparently, it’s a onetime sight since you’re not supposed to  live through it.”

Azure smirked for a moment as he began to walk to the road.  “They can try.  This should act as a nice warm-up for the minions.”  He said aloud.  His voice was low and malice dripped off every word.

The minions trotted at his hips.  They did not go ahead of him, at his command.  He reached the road and Anthe pointed back the way they had come.  A malicious smile crossed his muzzle as he walked down the road.  He was unable to hide the prance in his gait as he moved.  His red eyes fell on the backs of the armored ponies and he slowed.  Anthe and the two others stayed behind him, out of sight.  The minions were silent as they began to flow out from his sides.  The mounted greens scrabbled up the trees and hid within the ferns and leaves.  The Browns ran along the edges of the path, their numbers making it so they were soon out in front of the small group.  The reds walked with the browns but stayed behind them to avoid being seen.  The other greens stayed at Azures back and waited, their stealth removing them from sight.  Several were commanded to use his back as a platform if needed.  The blue minions went deeper into the forest to avoid detection but remained close enough to watch the battle and retrieve any fallen minions.  Wrath slipped off his back and stared at his hooves, watching for any danger to the Overlord.

Azure raised his head as the preparations finished.  An ear-piercing whistle sounded from him.  The small group startled and turned back to see what had caused the piercing sound.  They all yelled incoherently with various amounts of fear at the sight of the heavily armored Unicorn behind them.  Their commander quickly stood before them and stared at the Overlord.

“There you are, you filthy magical monster.  You will not be taking Everlight city again.”  He said aloud.

Azure was silent for a moment.  His eyes glowed from the confines of his helm.  “Is that so?”  He responded.  His voice was quiet and smooth.  “And you are going to stop me?”

“Yes, we are.  You will surrender to us and we will escort you back to Everlight for sentencing.”  He declared.

“I see.”  Azure went quiet as he ordered the minions to silently surround them on the sides.  He let them think that he only had a few of the creatures with him, versus the legion at his command.  “I don’t think I can let that happen.  I have heard that the Governess believes that she now controls Everlight city once more.  Is that correct?”

“It is back in the right ha…hooves.”  He replied.  “You have no power here.  Magic users are not permitted here any longer.  Your kind is not welcome and will be purged.  You will not be allowed to infect Everlight with your magical filth.”  His mouth pulled up in a triumphant sneer as he spoke.

The ponies with him fumbled a bit as they held their weapons.  Most had their shields titled in odd angles.  Azure fought back a laugh at the comical display before him.  The ponies had no idea how to hold their weapons properly.  The Overlord watched as they seemed to finally gather themselves, ready to approach him.

“I took Everlight once.  What makes you think you can stop me when the legion that was there before could not?  You have nine, hilariously awkward ponies with you.  While you have no idea of the force I command.”

“You have the one at your feet and the three slaves behind you.  You may have magic, but we outnumber you.”  His sneer grew as he convinced himself of the truth in front of him.

“So you think I have three Elven ponies and one minion?”

The commander nodded, triumph in his eyes.

Azure finally released the laugh that had been sitting in the back of his throat.  The laugh shook his frame and sent shivers down the spines of every pony present.  “You foolish little ponies.  I had forty minions to take Everlight once.  What makes you think I have brought no less than that same amount once more?”

“I don’t see any with you know.  Which makes me believe that you are a foolish little Overlord who no longer has those little creatures in bulk.”  He replied, his triumph certain in his mind.

Azure smiled.  His smile unsettled the guards even further as he lowered his head slightly and commanded the brown minions to silently box them in from the back as well.  They were silent as they moved to his commands.  “Turn around.”  He commanded.

The ponies looked back at his command, whether they meant to or not they obeyed.  The commander blanched at the twenty minions standing behind him.  The others cringed at the sight and held their shields close to their forms.  Azure laughed as the minions on the right and left sides also came forward.  Swords, halberds, daggers, and spears surrounded the group.  Azure's laugh died out as he relished the terrified looks of the group.  His heart thudded in his chest, relishing the adrenaline going through him as he watched the terror building in the guards.

Azure took three steps forward and the guards grouped tighter together, their fear getting the better of them.

“Come on now men, stand straight.  Show those backbones.”  The commander yelled at them.

The ponies did as commanded, but their nervousness and fear showed in their posture and expression. Azure was quiet as he remembered something Gnarl had once told him when he was taking Nordberg.  He thought back about what he had been taught about the leaders of the formations.   ‘Take out their leader first to lower the morale of their formations. If their morale drops too low the formation will break up and the individual units will rout.’  Basically, if you kill the leader the others fall apart.  A skill he had used frequently to great effect.  He glanced to the trees close to the commander and a smile crossed his mouth once more.  The brown minions lunged at him to drive him a bit back from the formation, preventing them from trying to save him.  They were able to herd him back and take him to the ground for a moment by attacking his hocks.  The rotund pony rolled to his feet and used his sword to try to deflect the browns weapons.  Azure commanded the greens to attack from the trees.  They followed his command and the pony soon found himself with three large spiders on his back, with green minions stabbing into his withers and breaking through his badly fitting armor.  The spiders leaped away and went back to the trees, waiting for the command to attack again.  Azure summoned the reds from their hiding place as he remembered Gnarl teaching him to use the reds flames.  ‘Humans can’t stand to see other humans on fire, it’s the smell you see.’  But if you use that to your advantage you can kill from afar without losing minions. By killing their commander the way he had when they were more likely to fall to their fear and surrender to his command.  Azure chuckled under his breath as flames began to flicker on the commander’s armor it spread to his mane and tail.  He began to scream as the minions continued to attack.  Azure gave them the command to finish him and the Browns jumped on him as he fell, flames licking over his skin.





Anthe shuddered back at the sight before him.  Desirah and Joren huddled against him as well.  They watched as the Overlord used the minions to attack and eliminate the commander of the small group of guards.  Joren looked to him and began to gag as the scent of burning hair and flesh reached them.  A stiff breeze blew ash and the strong scent of death over them.  Anthe watched as Azure brought his head up to full height and stepped up to the group.  Only a few feet from them he paused.





“Now you have a choice,”  Azure said to the group.  They turned away from the still-burning corpse to regard him, terror brimming from them.  “You can surrender or I will have the legion at my command kill you slowly as punishment for your transgression against Everlight’s true ruler.”

The group glanced back as the body burned and the minions were silent and waiting, they waited for the command to kill everything that was before them.  Anything that stood against their Master.  One armored guard looked around and saw eyes staring at them from the forest.  The eyes glowed from the forest, waiting.  He screamed and dropped his shield and sword.  He lunged forward and collapsed to his knees before the red stallion.

Azure watched as the pony sobbed and begged through his tears.  “Please, you’re Majesty.  I beg your forgiveness.  I don’t want to fight you or your monsters.  Please let me live.”  He blubbered and begged for his life at the Unicorns hooves.

Azure reached down and pulled the plumed helm from his head.  “Do you regret your actions?”  Azure allowed his voice to drop, letting it sound almost interested in his words.

“Yes, Sire.  I will serve you.  Let me serve you again.”  He begged, tears running down his face.

Azure waited as the pony continued to sob and beg.  He took his hoof away from his face and placed it back on the ground.  “Very well.  I will allow you to live.  You will lead us to the city, to the back entrance.  Then you will go in ahead of us, with one of my minions on your back.  Should you betray my commands he will kill you in front of them.”  The pony shuddered at the reply from the Overlord.  “Then you will wait till I tell you and you will kill any who oppose me.  Or I will make you suffer a death that will go down in infamy.”  Azure vowed to him.

The pony nodded and mewled from his place on the ground.  Azure looked to the others, waiting for their response.  Behind him the Elven watched, he could feel their gazes on his back, almost like weights between his shoulders.  The group threw down their weapons and bowed low to their Overlord.

Azure watched as they gave into him.  “I will tell all of you this now.  Should even one of you betray me, then I will kill all of you, slowly and in public?  Your lives rest in the ponies at your sides.”  Azure called upon all the minions at his command to show themselves.  Revealing all one hundred of them.  The terrified ponies began to tremble at the amount of the troops around them.  “I will choose randomly who dies and you will not know if it is your turn or the one at your side.”  He informed them as the minions pressed against them.  “Do not betray me.  I have no issue with ending your pathetic lives on the spot.”  Azure commented as he spun on his heel and started down the path, with Anthe and the others leading.

Azure looked back as the guards moved with him and slowly stayed close to each other as the minions stayed close to them.  The browns behind them used their spears to drive them forward, marching over the smoldering corpse of the fallen commander.  As they marched Anthe looked back to make sure that the Overlord was close as they walked to the pavilion.  Azure ordered a stop as he thought back to the layout of the area ahead of them.  He looked back to the guards he had with him.  The Unicorn was quiet as he considered his options.  He could send one of them ahead and use them as a distraction to get his forces in position.  He changed his mind upon seeing the minimal troops at the opening to the area.  Azure moved Anthe and the guards to stay behind him.  The minions roared into battle and swiftly cut down all in their path.  Azure walked through the opening of the pavilion and scuffed his hooves over the sands to remove the blood from the bottom of them.

“That was boring.”  He commented to himself and kept walking.  He walked off to the side and looked ahead.  He was fairly certain that the direction he needed to go was now through the thick foliage and into the deep forest.  “Anthe!”

The Elven trotted to him, his face drawn as he scuffed his hooves, same as Azure had done.  “Sire?”

“Am I right in thinking that this is the way to the doorway?”  He asked the nervous pony.

“Yes.  A mile or so inward is the doorway we need.”  He replied, affirming Azure’s thoughts.

“Good.  This jungle is becoming more boring by the minute.”  Azure griped for a moment as he motioned for Anthe to lead and he would follow him.

The minions fell into lines as well and herded the guards with them.  The ponies were silent as they trailed the Overlord and awaited his commands.  Azure followed in silence as he picked his way through the trees and shrubs, all were over his head in height.  He kicked out at a tree that had risen up under his tail as he walked over it and ended up kicking several minions to the ground behind him.  ‘That was uncomfortable.’  He commented to himself as the minions picked themselves up and followed a couple of extra feet behind the Master's heels.  Time ticked past as the long procession made its way the last mile to the doorway that Azure himself had commanded closed months earlier to prevent any of his subjects from escaping.  As they neared it he waited for the minions to check the area and then call out that it was clear and safe.

Anthe trotted up to it and nodded to the Overlord at his heels.  “It’s right over here, Lord.”

“Perfect."  Azure walked up to it and looked it over for a moment.  The door was close to seven feet tall, just enough for him to have ducked through it before, now he could walk almost without needing to tip his head a bit to prevent knocking his horn against the doorjamb.  In the center was an indented area that he had requested be placed there to prevent anyone besides himself from being able to open it.  He reached a hoof up and set it in the middle of the indented section.  He waited as nothing happened.  ‘Well, shit.’  He thought to himself as the door remained locked.  He looked around it then shook his head at his forgetfulness.  He raised up his right hoof, which held the gauntlet and set it in the indent.  The door jolted as dust came off the doorway and began to slowly open, sliding into the ground.

Azure leaned in and was greeted with a wall of ivy and he used a hoof to slowly part it to see through.  The unicorn looked and found ponies milling around.  He watched as several Elven walked past the door, their clothes frayed and he could see what looked like marks from a whip or weapon across their back and flanks.  His blood boiled at the sight.  While he was the Overlord and his pony’s belonged to him, he did not permit slavery and the cruelty that came with it.  It was one thing that he had made sure to abolish when he took control.  Now it had made a comeback under the Governess.  He motioned for Anthe to join him, the smaller pony came to stand next to him.

“Do they look familiar?”  He asked the Elven pony.

Anthe gasped and nodded.  “I know a couple of them.  They are good ponies, Sire.  I promise you that.”  He whispered to the red stallion.

“Good.  Now we need to find a way to get your or the others in there to gather the Elven in this area.  With them blocking we can make an entrance into the area.”  Anthe looked at him, confusion on his features.  “By having the Elven ponies in one area it will go unnoticed if a few more ponies are moving with them.  And the minions can move around their legs without being immediately noticed.  The more the better.  If we can get as many as possible in there then taking the city by surprise will be possible.”  Azure explained to the pony who nodded in understanding.

Anthe was quiet as he leaned into the small gap Azure had created.  “Sire.  Let me.  I have an idea.  Can you help me make a small cut in this ivy at the side?  I can slip through and the gap will be easily hidden.  I will get as many as I can.  Please let me do this.”  Anthe pleaded to the Unicorn.

Azure looked at the pleading face of the Elven.  His eyes were earnest and showed no deception.  Azure looked back to the gap and nodded.  “Very well.”  Azure used his sword to slowly cut the ivy by the side of the doorway.  Anthe quickly slipped through at the tip of Azure's horn to the gap.  Desirah slipped in behind the Overlord and held the ivy in place, preventing others from seeing the gap.





Anthe slipped through the gap and trotted into a group of ponies and hid among them.  One mare turned and saw him.  He frantically shook his head at her to silence her.  She nodded and angled the group of six ponies to a building.  Once they were in its shadow she looked to the Elven stallion.

“Anthe!  Where have you been?”  She questioned.  He started to open his mouth to explain.  “No, wait.  Why did you come back?  You escaped and got away.”

Anthe silenced her with a hoof and looked to the group.  “I did getaway.  I found help.”

“Who would help us?”  Another asked him.  “Desirah and Joren got away as well.”

“They are with me.  We found them and they came back to help as well.”  Anthe explained.

“Okay, but who would dare to help us?”  An older stallion asked, depression in his voice as he questioned the younger Elven.

Anthe paused.  “Okay, you need to not shout or yell.  Promise me you will not scream.”  He pleaded with them.  They nodded and huddled closer together, in the shadow of the building.  “It’s the Overlord.”

The ponies leaned back on their haunches, fear rippling through them.  “What?!”  The elder stallion nearly yelled.

Anthe reached over and put a hoof over his mouth, looking around, hoping his outburst had gone unnoticed.  When nothing happened he sighed in relief, then removed his hoof.  “He’s outside.  He sent me in to get help.”  They looked at him, fear giving way to curiosity.  “We need to gather as many Elven as we can.  Then get to the corner over there.”  He motioned behind them to the ivy-covered wall.

“Why over there?”  A mare asked.

“Do you remember that doorway that was there?”  They nodded after a moment of thought.  “The Master can open it.  It’s covered in ivy so he cut the side of it so I could slip through without notice.”

“Okay, but why do we need to go over there?”

“Because he has over one hundred minions at his command to take back the city.”  Anthe told them.

The group stared at him as he gave them the numbers.  The ponies looked to each other as they considered what he had said.  “So if we can get more over there he can come in?  But how does that help him?”

“If we can get ponies over there to block the sight of the others then he can slip in with his troops and hide among all of us and surprise attack the troops.  The little minions with him can hide among our legs as they wait for his command to take the city.  The more the better.”  Anthe said to them, hoping his voice sounded hopeful and encouraging.  “I know he is just as scary but, think about how it was after him.  We weren’t slaves any longer.  We were safe and protected.  I told him of slavery and he was pretty angry about it.  I know he plans to get rid of it again.”

“How do you know?”

“I asked him.  His goal is to retake the city.  With or without us it will happen.  I would rather be at his back than in the way.”  Anthe pointed out.

“Why?”

“Anything in his way is going to get run over.  The Governess sent a group out to capture or kill him.”

“What happened?”

“He caught them instead.  Their commander fell to his minions and now the rest of the group is at his back, under his command once more.”  Anthe explained.  “We have to help him.  He’s here to protect us again.”

They looked nervously at the stallion. “What do we do?”  A pinto mare lamented as she looked for one pony to the next.

“We help him.”  Another replied.  “We have to.  It’s either help him or get run over by his troops.  You say he brought over a hundred of them?”  Anthe nodded in affirmation.  “He took this place with a quarter of that the last time.  I was here and I remember it.  We have to be at his back.  He'd never hurt us unless we rose against him.  Otherwise, he was actually pretty fair to all the people…ponies.  Did he?”

“No.”  Anthe replied quickly.  “He was transformed to.  So he didn’t do this to us.”

The ponies nodded in understanding.  “We had best get started.”

Anthe nodded, glee working its way into his features.  “Okay.  We should break up in teams and branch out into the city.  Meet back here in a half-hour?”

The others nodded and they broke into three teams and walked into the main city.  Anthe reached a small group and told them to go the market streets and head for the wall of ivy.  When asked he gave a brief explanation that their Master had come to help and take back the city.  Most showed fear until he said that he was waiting till the Elven, who had not betrayed him, were at the market so they would be behind him instead of in the way.  The ponies nodded and slowly made their way to the designated meeting place.  Anthe managed to hide the grin that was threatening to break through his look of forced misery.  He spied another group and started to head for them when a guard stopped him.  He didn’t raise his head, trying to look as beat as possible.

“What are you doing?”

Anthe froze at the question.  “I’m working, sir.”  He managed to squeak out.

“And what are you working on?”

“Gathering materials for a blacksmithing project.”  He tried to lie as well as he could while keeping his head down.

The guard took the weight off one hoof and sighed.  “Fine, get out of the way.”  His voice grated over the pony.

Anthe hurried past him as a line of pain went across his back.  Anthe yelped and stumbled as the whip descended once more.  He raced forward to escape the strikes, he fled around a corner and managed to hide among the stalls, out of sight.  The guard went past his hiding place, a look of cruelty across his face.  Anthe memorized his features.  His heart raced as he hoped that guard got run over by the Overlord.  He looked back to his back and found three one-foot long cuts in his back.  One went down the center of his back, the others crossed it and went down his side.  He whimpered and waited as minutes went by and the guard didn’t reappear.  He slipped out of his hiding place and made for the last few Elven he could see.  He needed to get back to the door and alert the Overlord.

Anthe walked as fast as he dared and gathered the last few ponies to his side.  They moved with him to the door.  He started through the market and found Elven slowly coming to him.  They had been waiting in the shadows of the buildings.   Waiting for him to show them what to do.  He reached the doorway and raised his head to look over the group.  There were over sixty of them.  More than half of the population.  He allowed himself a grin and then pushed his head carefully through the gap and then slipped past it.  Desirah took his place, talking to the ponies and keeping them calm and focused.





“Sire.”

“Anthe.  How did it…?”  Azure leaned around and saw the deep cuts in the pony’s back.  “What in the hells?”

The pony looked to the cuts and then back to his Master.  “I was attacked by one of the guards.  I swear, I tried to blend in and keep to the shadows, I swear it.”  He whispered urgently.  “But… One of them hit me anyway.”

Azure felt a rush of indignation go over him, though his face remained impassive.  He looked at the Elven and felt a bit of protectiveness run through him.  “Okay.  When it is over, if he lives, point him out to me.  He has forfeited his right to breathe.”  Azure snarled.  The Elven looked shocked but nodded at the Overlords statement.  “All right, how many do we have?”

“Over half.  Maybe between sixty and seventy.”

Azure nodded.  “Good.  Do they know what is about to happen?”

“Yes, I explained it to them.  They know that the minions will be around their legs and that you will come in as well.  They are going to wait till you command them to act or stay behind.”

“They will stay behind.  Give them their orders when it begins.  If needed get in front of them and keep them back.  I will be taking the city back under my rule.”  He informed the pony.

“Understood Sire.  I’ll get to the front of them now.”  He started for the door when a hoof on his shoulder stopped him.

“Wrath.”  The red-armored minion came forward at Azures command.  “Stay behind this one's legs and watch the front.  When it begins to lead the Browns forward when I signal the assault.”  The minion took his commands and dropped to the ground scrambling silently to the Elven hind legs.  Azure dropped his hoof.  “Go.”  He commanded.

He watched Anthe slip through the gap and he leaned his head down to watch.  When Anthe was in front, Desirah turned and nodded back to him.  A signal they had worked out while they waited.  Azure lifted the ivy at the bottom, which he had cut away already, allowing the minions to slip under it and infiltrate the city, hiding under the legs of the Elven.  Azure watched as the reds and browns made their way inside.  The unmounted greens, as gently as possible, began to climb up on the backs and sides of the Elven ponies.  Many held onto their manes and dangled off the side, along their shoulders.

“What is this?”  A voice called out from the city.

Azure looked up, a curse falling from his lips.  “Damn it to the Dark.”  He watched as a guard came forward, his beady eyes going over the assembled Elven.  Anthe was in front, Azure could see the pony trying to speak to the guard.  The Unicorn focused on getting more minions into position.  He looked to Joren and the pony came to stand beside him.

“I will slip under as planned and begin the assault.  Push those guards in and they will follow my command.  I have already given them their orders.”  The pony nodded and held the ivy from the bottom.  Azure pushed as many minions as he dared in before he too ducked down and crawled, on his belly, into the group of ponies and minions.  He crouched down to avoid being seen, as he was much taller than most.  He slowly pushed through them and made for the front of the group, where he could hear Anthe frantically speaking.  Azure focused on his movement, leaving the Elven to talk.  He finally reached the front and was standing behind the front line.

“I don’t care if you were told to get an accurate count by the Governess.  You can’t be here.”  The guard’s voice rippled over the group, eliciting a tremble from most of the assembled ponies.  “If you do not go back to your masters, I will drive you all into the newly formed arena, and watch you die, painfully.”

Anthe trembled, Azure pushed his horn against the Elvens flank, a glance back had Anthes eyes connecting with his own, and he was seeing the red eyes of an angry Overlord.  He smiled and turned back to the guard.  Azure could see the pony’s courage come back to him.

“We will not move.”  He declared.

The guard smiled as he looked at them all.  “I will enjoy beating some sense into you then.”  He reared back his hoof to strike the pony a cruel whip in his hoof.

Azure pushed Anthe out of the way and the blow rang against the thick armor over his chest.  The guard’s eyes went up to his form until they connected with the glowing red.  He sputtered and fell back to his haunches as the Overlord, smiled.

“Now.”  His minions raced out, their commands clear.  Azure watched as the minions leaped from behind and under the Elven and surged into the city.  Azure stepped forward, his steps thudding deliberately against the tile of the walkway.





Anthe watched as the minions streamed out from under the Elven, they jumped off the backs of others and the doorway had them pushing past it.  Joren pulled the ivy off the wall and allowed the minions and the captive guards to push into the city.  He looked to the Overlord as he strode away from them, his head glancing from side to side.  The Elven looked to the ponies with him, who were slowly beginning to smile.

“He’s back.”  Anthe finally said aloud to those who crowded around him, watching.





Azure heard a loud cheer sound from behind him.  He looked back to find the Elven cheering at his back.  They saw him and smiles crossed their muzzles, clear joy in their eyes as they kept calling out encouragement to him and the minions.  He blinked at them for a moment before refocusing on the job ahead of him.  ‘That was a bit… Different.’  He admitted to himself as he commanded the minions to sweep across the stalls and rout the guards and citizens cowering around them.  The minions corralled all the citizens and guards into one area.  Azure waited till they were properly cowed and then moved on.  The guards quickly switched their allegiance and walked with him.  He kept them in front to hide his forces behind them and take each sector of the city back.  He was reminded of how big the city itself was as he walked the streets, searching each house and dragging ponies from it.  He sent minions back with captives and commanded the guards.  Soon his force of one hundred had swelled to one fifty and he commanded them with absolute assurance.

“Master!”  Wrath yelled out as he jumped to Azures back once more.  “Moreover there.’

Azure nodded to the minion and sent the guards to gather those in the houses and streets.  Elven ponies immediately flocked to him and were led back to the others.  Foals and mares were escorted to holding areas.  He commanded those that dared stand against him to fight his forces, though none did.  The spiders happily bit and the greens attacked the guards when they did fight back, only to be brought down by poison and force.  Azure finally found himself striding up the main causeway toward the temple.  The temple was a relic from when Everlight had first come under the control of the Empire.  It stood twenty feet high and was made up of columns that held up a halo-shaped ring around the top of the structure.  A dome rose from that and held a banner that Azure had placed in his colors, signifying its fall to his rule.  As they neared it he saw that the banner had been removed, but not completely.  It hung off to the side, showing that they had not been able to reach it and had simply moved it instead of removing it.

Azure chuckled at the sight of the temple as he neared it.  His eyes fell on the Governess standing on a balcony in front of the temple.  Her eyes widened at the sight of the army he brought to her doors.  The minions roared and screeched, eager to reach their goal.  The mare watched as he stopped at the head of the path.  Twenty feet away from her if he went forward.  On the sides were the paths which had been blocked by debris.  Azure's grin fell on the blockades, shoddily made as they were and laughed.  It would take no time at all for the greens to clear the barriers and the Browns to beat them down to rubble.  The reds could set them alight if he chose but he would hold off on that.  The mare wore a dress of white silk that flowed over her body.  A necklace of amethyst gems around her neck, beveled with gold help to hold the dress in place.  A hairpiece of gold rose above her head and gave the impression that it was a crown more than a simple accessory.  Azure smirked at the sight of the very overweight mare.  Her dress straining to contain her.  Her silver hair begot her age.

“You are not welcome here, beast.”  She declared to him.  Her voice was as arrogant as he recalled.

Azure took the weight off his right hind leg and sighed in boredom at her statement.  She sputtered as he looked more bored with her than before.  “I see that you have tried to take back the control that I stripped from you once before.”  He replied, his voice drifted over the light breeze.

“You are not welcome here in this civilized place.”  She went on.

Azure scoffed and shook his head.  “Civilized?”  He chuckled at the statement and went on.  “A place so civilized has fallen once more.  My ‘barbaric’ ways have once again conquered this city.  You seem to be confused about something.  This city was never yours.  It was always been Mine!”  Azure said to her.  His voice became more firm the longer he spoke.  His voice snarled out the last word, causing the mare to visibly shudder.

She seemed to gather herself once more to speak down to him.  “You have no place here, beast.  You belong in the new arena that I have made and we will watch you die as a sport.  You, your little things, and the traitorous slaves that helped you.”  She vowed.

Azure looked back as the Elven marched up behind him, hate in their eyes as they looked at the Governess.  His eyes looked over them as they stopped behind his forces, out of the way, showing their support for the Overlord.  The stallion looked back to the mare and a smirk crossed his features once more.

“I applaud you for delaying the inevitable, but.  I grow bored with your stupidity.”  Azure looked to the sides and sent a group of spiders to each one and ordered them over it and they advanced on the mare.  The Browns began attacking the blockades, destroying them in seconds.  He walked to the right and slowly ascended the stairs.

He caught a glimpse of the mare as she tried to mock charge the surrounding greens, trying to get them to back up.  Azure could hear her yelps of fear as the spider’s gnashed their prominent fangs.  The browns surrounded her as well.  The minions stayed firm in their place.  Azure was silent as he reached them, the minions parting to allow him to reach her.  She trembled at the sight of the heavily armored stallion.  Azures magic gripped his helm and he gave it to a minion to hold for him.  His red eyes sparkled as he shook out his mane and regarded the mare once more, this time from his proper place, above her.

“You have committed a great error, little pony.”  He said aloud.  “I have heard of this new arena, where is it?”  He asked of her.

The mare motioned off to the side and he walked deliberately over in the indicated direction, the minions herded her after him.  He reached the edge and found a deep pit that had been recently dug.  The smell of death wafted up from it and he could see blood along its floor and walls.  His eyes scanned the ground and they widened when he found several ponies on the ground floor, huddled against the wall.  They looked up and found, their former Master standing above them.

“Dark Lord?”  One asked, her voice small and weakened.

Azure could see she was thin and her fur showed signs of rain rot.  Her fur falling off her back and sides as the skin threatened to rot on her form.  Anger pulsed over him as he spotted two foals in with her.  A stallion held them close, protecting them as best as he was able.  Azure horn lit and the red aura covered the ponies in the pit.  They cried out at the red aura and struggled against his magic.  He lifted them from the pit and set them gently on the stone grounds.  They stopped struggling as they realized they were no longer in the pit.  Their eyes were wide as the stallion spun to the crowd below.

“Anthe!”  He yelled to the group below.

“Master.  I’m coming!”  The Elven hollered as he ran to the Overlords call.  He galloped to them and slid to a halt.  “Yes, Master?”

“Do you know these ponies?”  He indicated the small family behind him.

Anthe looked back, his eyes widening at the sight.  “Lorna, Tillhe, the foals are named Orino, and Sehere.”  He shouted and looked to the Overlord.  “I know them.  What happened?”

“They were in the pit behind me.  Their ‘Arena’ as they called it.  A death filled pit is more accurate.”  He said and then looked to the ponies.  “Tend to them, Anthe.”

“Yes, Master.”  He jumped to the family and helped them stand.  He picked up the foals and set them on his back, both were too weak to walk.  The pony turned to the Unicorn, rage barely held back.  “Sire.  I know I have no right to ask anything of you.  But….”

“This will not go unpunished, that I can assure you.  Now go.”  Azure snarled.

Anthe nodded and let the parents lean on him as they walked away.  More Elven approached to help as they reached the stairs.  Azure refocused on the Governess, who was now cowering away from him.  Azures magic gripped her and dragged her across the ground behind him.  She yelped and cried out as he dragged her over the stones and up the stairs of the temple.  He dropped her on the balcony in front of the temple.  The citizens and the Elven were crowding into the causeway and watched as he stood above them once more.

“Today I have retaken this city as my own.  This city will once more fall to my rule and the rules of the past will be re-enacted.  Slavery is once more abolished and if I should hear of any outcry or argument against it I will remove the tongue of the pony arguing.”  Pony’s gasped as he threatened them.

Azure could see the Elven smiling at the statement.  Azure looked to the cowering mare and continued.  “The Governess has been once more removed from power.  Her crimes are far greater than they were the last time she and I crossed paths.”  Azure went on.  “She has led a rebellion, crushed the Elven under her heels with forced slavery, and cast ponies into a pit that she called an Arena to watch them suffer and die.”  He paused as ponies listened.  “And she has nearly brought ruin to Everlight.  Had her rule continued I would have still taken Everlight, but due to the actions of those loyal to me, the complete ruination of Everlight has been prevented.”

The ponies milled about as he spoke.  He looked over the ponies as they all once more began to look to him as they were meant to.  The Unicorn was quiet for a moment as his magic picked up the mare and held her aloft for them to see.

“So now I will ask you for her judgment.  This time I will ask of the people she cowed and those who suffered what a suitable punishment is for her.  I have my judgment to give, but I will still ask.”  Azure said aloud.

His ears were inundated with the shouts of the ponies.  Some called for her death, others for mercy.  He would still bring forth his punishment but, his curiosity had been piqued when he found the Elven suffering in the pit.  He had wondered how ponies would react to cruelty.  His ears listened as they began to scream for her blood.  Azure smiled and held up a hoof.

“I have heard many advisement's.  Many of you call for her to die for her crimes.  I agree that her life is forfeit.”  Azure called out.  “The question now is how will she die?”  He asked then once more.

He heard them calling out for her to go into the pit and die of starvation.  Azure listened and his mouth pulled up into a cruel smile.  “Judgement is final.  And I know how to end her.”

Azures magic kept her aloft and he felt the Tower Heart react to his reaching for it.  Magic pulsed over him as he held her a bit higher allowing ponies to see her as she began to writhe and cry.  Magic coursed over her slowly burning through her clothes and into her fur.  The ponies cheered as she began to scream.  Even those who had served her as fellow nobles had held some hate in their hearts for her.  Azures magic burned her fur, beginning to burn into her skin.  She began to scream even more when the flames began to bite deeper into her flesh.  She writhed and cried out as her skin began to split from the flames and her writhing.  A quick glance to the crowd showed that they were still screaming for her to die.  Azure increased the power behind his magic and she screamed as he pushed the flames inside of her, allowing it to burn from within.  She screamed as the flames began to burst from her and her insides burned through and her blood boiled within her.  She screamed one last time as the flames consumed her entirely.  Azure released the remnants of her and let the ashes fall into the water below.

Azure exhaled as a wave of fatigue hit him, but he kept his stance.  The ponies screamed their joy as he raised his head higher and regarded them.  His magic gripped the banner on the temple and replaced it.  Returning it to its place, showing all assembled that Everlight City was his once more.  He walked past the Gate that was close to the temple and down the steps.  Ponies reached out to gently run a hoof over his armor, murmuring their love and thanks to the Unicorn.  Azure walked out of the causeway and into the streets.  He looked over and found Anthe giving water to the tortured ponies.

The Elven smiled as he got up and walked over to the unicorn.  “Sire.  Thank you for everything.  You have returned Everlight to the way it should be.  Thank you.”  Tears fell from his eyes as he regarded the other pony.

Azure nodded at him.  “Do not think I have forgotten who was there to aid me.  Your reward is for you to decide, within reason.”  Azure informed the pony.

Azure waited patiently as the pony considered his words. He did not expect the pony to choose immediately and rose a hoof to silence him when he spoke.  “I do not expect you to choose immediately.  You have time.”  He paused as the guards began to come through the gates.  “Though I do remember a promise I made to you when the siege began.”

Anthe nodded and looked to the guards as they went by the Overlord, their heads bowing low.  Anthe pointed as one went by.  “That one.”

Azure nodded and Wrath jumped to the appointed pony and drove him to the ground.  The Overlord was silent as he went over to him and regarded the pony at his hooves.  “Do you have a preference, Anthe?”

The Elven walked over to him, then knelt down to the guard's face.  “How many Elven have you beaten just for fun?  Because you decide that you can.  That you’re allowed.”  He asked.  “How many?!”  He yelled.

The guard looked panicked as Azure approached.  Anthe stood up and looked to the Unicorn as he stopped beside him.  “Sire.  I think death is too easy for him.  It the easy way out and he doesn’t suffer for it.”

Azure nodded.  “That is true.  His judgment is yours, then.”

The Elven sniffled as he looked at the other Elven that had joined them.  Azure waited as he looked at them.  “How many has he hurt?”  He called out to the others.

Azure watched as hooves were raised.  Even he was a bit surprised by how many admitted to being beaten.  Anthe gasped and backed up a step at the count of ponies.  He looked back at Azure, who said nothing in reply.

Anthe looked at the wounds on his own back then to the pony on the ground, who Wrath still had pinned.  “You will suffer as we did.  But your life is mine to decide if you live or not.  Your life is in the hooves of an Elven, one you attacked for no reason, other than that you can.  You will not die today.  Maybe tomorrow, or the day after that.  You don’t know.  I decide your fate.”  Anthe said to him.  The Elven looked to the Overlord, his eyes asking for approval.

Azure smiled and nodded.  “Well done.”

Anthe panted as he spun and walked away from the guard.  Azure stepped forward.  The guard shrieked as a line of magic burned into his fur, leaving a long burn.  Two more burns went over his skin, marking him for his crimes.  Anthe had looked back and a small smile crossed his muzzle.  Azure glanced up to the Elven who nodded in agreement.

“You are stripped of your position.”  Azures magic yanked his armor off his frame.  “Your fate has been sealed and decided upon.  Your death is in the hooves of another and will remain that way until he chooses to change it.”  The last of the armor was removed and the pony looked to his former comrades who looked away from him.  “You are not allowed to take your own life, nor are you allowed to leave the city to try to die.  You will have a minion will you that will prevent your death till the decided upon a time.  Forgiveness.  That is a truth you will never be given.”  Azure informed him and all those present.

The Overlord backed up and used his magic to destroy the armor, melting it into nothing.  Azure looked over the ponies and found approval in their eyes.  He walked away from the crowd, after sending a brown minion to watch over the guard.  It would keep him alive as long as was needed.  Till Anthe decided his fate.  The Elven walked with him to the Gate and they bowed as he walked into the lightning.  He summoned the minions to the city and they went over it, reclaiming each corner.

“Anthe.”  He spoke out as he turned in the lightning, once more speaking out to the ponies.  The Elven looked up and came up to the base of the stairs of the gate.  “You are in command of the Elven.”  He ponies eyes widened as he immediately bowed low.  “You will guide them and remind them of the reason I reclaimed this city.  The rebuilding of Everlight will begin under your command.  I will send builders to the city and they will help with its rebuilding.  In the meantime, I will send Faye to the city and she will rule over it for now.”

“Yes, Sire.”  Anthe said to him.

“Good.  Now I suggest you gather what you can and tend to your own.  The real work begins now.”  Azure told him as he reached out to the Gates magic and was gone.

Azure sighed as he found himself in the throne room once more.  He looked to the stairs and watched as Kelda stood up, clear relief on her face at his arrival.  Gnarl also stepped forward, clearly pleased.

“Everlight is once again mine to command.  I have set an Elven pony to start the rebuilding.  Faye.  When you are able the rebuilding of Everlight will be aided by you and its rule will be built by you as well.  No doubt I can trust you to bring it back to my ways.”  The mare nodded as she remained on the stairs.  “Good.”  Azure began to speak more as a wave of exhaustion rolled over him.  He breathed deeply and began to walk around them, heading for the stairs behind the throne.  He caught Faye leaving for Everlight as he went around the throne.

“Master?”  Gnarl asked.

“I’m tired, Gnarl.  It took more than I thought to take it back.”  He admitted.

Gnarl waddled quickly to the side of the stallion, who had stopped before the stairs.  “Master.  What happened?”

“I called on the Tower Heart to punish the Governess.  I have used it before and it was tiring.  But this is… Different.”  He explained.

Gnarl looked at him as he listened.  “Master.  The Tower Heart was meant to hold your fathers magic and he could draw on it to use more.  You have not been attuned to the Heart.  You are able to put your power into it, but it is not yours, yet.”  The minion explained.  His clawed hand landing on Azure's shoulder.

Azure groaned.  “That knowledge would have been useful yesterday, Gnarl.”  The stallion spoke aloud to the advisor.

Gnarl opened his mouth to speak as the stallion pitched forward, managing to catch himself before he fell.  Gnarl made to hold him up as the stallion's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the ground.  He heard Gnarl yell, the last thing he heard was Kelda screaming his name.

“AZURE!”