//------------------------------// // 3: Regaining a Thought... // Story: An Overlord Apart // by OblivionShadow //------------------------------// As they descended Twilight kept her eyes open and watched Hunter. He seemed to revel in the sudden plunge of the dragon and the roar and flame that followed. She could see a type of joy go through him. His eyes closed for a moment, then reopened with a look of strength and set determination. She could feel his armor pushing against her back as he held her safely in place. She had been afraid that she would fall and slide off the dragon’s smooth scales. But he had held her safely in place and didn’t let her slip. She felt Sorkeno pull up sharply and land softly on the snowy ground. The enormous golden dragon took up the entire hill outside of the city’s main gates. Hunter lifted his body up off her and stepped back to allow her room to rise. She got to her hooves and he laid a foreleg around her shoulders and led her to the outstretched paw of the Lord Dragon. He lowered them to the ground and she watched as Hunter left her behind him and walked to the highest point of the hill. Hunter was quiet as he scanned the city gates and the nearest homes. His ears flicked to the front as he listened. He could hear the ponies within the walls scrambling to open the front gates. As he watched the gates were pushed outward and several ponies rushed out to greet him. He recognized the father of one of the traitors running to him. The others he recognized by sight, if not by name. They neared him and slowed down to wait for him to approach them at the bottom of the hill, their obvious fear of Sorkeno keeping them at a distance. Hunter looked over his shoulder and nodded to the dragon, who laid down and set his head beside the Overlord. “What is your plan, little one?” The dragon asked. “Well, this little rebellion will end today. If I get to the harbor and find that the ship is missing I’ll call for your help to stop it. You’ve seen the ships I use. Is it possible for you to pick it up and carry it or would we just destroy it?” “If it is similar to the others I should be able to pick it up. I would prefer not to destroy a ship of your fleet.” The Dragon Lord replied. “Excellent. I will leave Twilight here with you. This should not take me long to rectify.” The stallion replied as he began to walk down the hill, toward the assembled ponies. “Be careful, little one.” Hunter stopped and looked back, a cocky smile crossed his muzzle. “It’ll be fine, Sorkeno. No problem at all. It’ll be fun.” The dragon shook his head slowly as he lifted his head from the ground. Twilight came to stand beside the dragon and watched as the stallion whistled. She looked back as the sound of feet drummed behind her. Minions crowded past her, led by Wrath. She didn’t count them as they ran by her, surrounding the stallion at the end of the hill. Sorkeno sighed and settled down to await any news from the stallion. “Sorkeno?” The dragon looked to her, his eyes huge and she could see her own reflection inside them. “Yes, little Princess?” “Why is he not having you drop him in the area needed?” “A valid question.” The dragon said to her, amusement in his voice. “Little one does not like to have it appear that he needs myself or the other dragons to aid him. His rule cannot be contested, even by a dragon.” Twilight was quiet as the dragon spoke. “Well, no pony would argue who is their ruler, but it still seems like he’s…” She paused and searched for the right phrasing. “Making things more difficult than they need to be.” Sorkeno threw back his head as a loud bark of laughter escaped him. Twilight startled at the laughter. “You are not the first to mention that, little Princess. He chooses to do things himself. Yes, by using myself or another then his rule would never be questioned when we are present. But by doing things on his own and using his own power he is reinforcing their view of him. He is a very complex ruler.” “I can see that,” Twilight admitted as sat down in the snow beside the dragon. She pulled Hunter's cloak closer to her body and snuggled into the fabric. “What was his father like?” She asked, trying for a conversation with the dragon. The dragon glanced to her and then looked back to the city. “He was very different than his son. While Hunter chooses to do things on his own, his father was no stranger to using all his resources if he chose to. None could argue the strength of his character. His greatest joy was his mate and their son.” “I have heard a little about his mother. Soft Touch said that she was a beautiful mare who was gentle and kind.” She replied. “True. Songstress was her name.” Sorkeno said to her. “Beautiful name,” Twilight admitted. “It matched her. She was a Unicorn of music and flowers. A mare that had no equal with a harp and other music. She would sing to calm Hunter when he was fussy. Only her voice was enough to truly calm both father and son.” “What did she look like?” Sorkeno was quiet as he seemed to be in thought. “Her coat was like spun silver in the moonlight, her mane a golden halo adorning her features, adding to the beauty that surrounded her.” He replied as Twilight looked at him. “That was how she was described by her mate.” Twilight smiled. “She sounds stunning. What about his father?” Sorkeno looked away from her, sorrow in his features. “He was a deep gray with black markings that went up his legs to his knees. His mane was always cut short, unless his mate forced him to leave it long, and was a deep blue in color.” “Wow. I can see where Hunter has gotten his looks.” Twilight muttered, then startled at her own words. The dragon laughed once more. “Very true, little Princess. He has his father’s height and his mother’s grace.” “They had normal eyes?” “Yes.” “Then how are his…glowing like that?” Sorkeno was quiet. “They became like that after I gave him my name. By bonding us as I did, it gave him a bit of my fire.” Sorkeno explained. “It lit his heart aflame and allowed him to live when he should have died. That fire is still within him, even now, so many years later.” “Is that why you call him little one?” The dragon chuckled and nodded. “Yes. He carries an internal flame as though he were a dragon. In that way, he is like my own.” “You don’t have children of your own?” “No,” Sorkeno responded. “I am fine with what I do have. One cannot mourn what they never had. A better hatchling there will never be.” Sorkeno said to her. “He mentioned another dragon a couple of times. I think it was Kian…Something.” “Kaiana.” “Right. Sorry, I messed up her name.” Twilight said to him, her tone apologetic. “It is all right. She is a she-dragon that has been a large piece of his life.” Sorkeno explained as the mare waited for him to speak. “When his mother passed and then losing his father he needed guidance.” “Since she passed away when he was two?” “Yes. It hurt him deeply to lose her. Kaiana had become a dear friend to his mother and she had sworn that she would love him as her own. And she has. He has never been without a mother, who loves him in his life. Kaiana loves him more than her own life and has always been ready to guide and care for him.” “I haven’t seen her,” Twilight said to him. Sorkeno was quiet once more. “She is the eldest of us.” He said aloud. Twilight looked at him, dawning in her eyes. “Is she okay?” “She is nearing the end of her life. He knows this.” He said to her at her worried expression. “He comes to see her as often as he can. Often times she is resting and he will simply lay at her side. Words need not be spoken for them to understand.” Twilight was quiet as he spoke. “I never thought to ask him about his family.” She replied. The golden dragon looked down to her and laid his head on the ground close to her. “Do you still desire to trick him into rescinding the claim on the new lands?” He asked her, his voice quiet. Twilight startled and looked at the ground at the dragon’s question. “I was asked to…but.” She looked up at the gates of the city and watched the lights within it. “I don’t know.” Sorkeno blinked and then looked to the city as well. “If you will be trying to trick him, then I ask that you leave the Netherworld.” He said to her. Twilight inhaled, her breath catching in her throat. “I won’t try to trick him. He’s not the pony everypony thinks he is. Princess Celestia and Luna don’t know him. He said that Luna never asked him anything and treated him like he had to accommodate her. That wasn’t fair. I have decided that I want to try to get to know him. Applejack says it’s easier to work with a pony than work against them.” “Wise words,” Sorkeno said to her. “The Element of Honesty.” Sorkeno laughed and exhaled a ring of smoke from his mouth as he laughed with her. “It suits her then. I will withhold my judgment of your actions as well. So long as he is all right, then I see no reason to act.” “I wanted to come along to understand how things are here. Equestria is almost the exact opposite. I know that things happen in the background of politics and all that.” She explained to the dragon as they waited. “But I don’t see much of it. Ponyville is a very peaceful place.” “Ponyville?” “Where I live. My castle and my friends are all there.” She replied and the dragon nodded his understanding. “You have friends who love and support you,” Sorkeno said to her. His voice held a hint of sorrow. “Little one has never truly had that aspect in his life.” “Why not? He doesn’t seem to be a bad pony or even a crazy one. I don’t see a reason for him to be all alone at all times. With the minions and you obviously, but I mean other ponies.” Sorkeno was quiet and he sighed. “He has been hurt many times and so he chooses to remain alone,” Sorkeno informed her. “He was once a very friendly colt who loved nothing more than to run through the snow in Nordberg.” “What happened?” “A filly was kind to him and they were very close. He had been healed by my name and was able to run and play. It was a joy to watch him run over the snows.” Sorkeno said to her. He looked at the city, his eyes closed slowly as he thought about that time. “He came to me asking if I would bring him here to play. I agreed and we came to the city for him to play with the filly and a few others. They were brought out in the front to play and I watched over them.” “Quite the foal sitter.” Sorkeno barked a laugh. “Indeed. One would have thought that they would not to do something foolish in the presence of a dragon.” Twilight was quiet. “So what happened?” The dragon once more looked to the city then off to the side of it. “Over there. What do you see?” Twilight stood up, pulled the warm cloak close and walked around the dragon's paws to look where he indicated. “A very creepy, dark cave. That looks like its half-collapsed.” She admitted and shuddered at the sight of it. Sorkeno nodded. “I was dozing with them close by, as I always did. I reopened an eye and found that several of them were missing.” “Hunter too?” “Yes. I raised up and searched for him. One side of the city to the other, but I found nothing. I was not the only one searching. The parents of the filly were hunting for her as well. I finally commanded them to all go silent and reached out to him. I had not done it before with him. The chance of hurting him by calling upon our link was a possibility. His body was still very young and the power that flows between us could easily overwhelm him and cause injury.” “So that’s why you didn’t use the link.” Twilight nodded in understanding. “Yes. Desperation called upon me to use that link. I was able to find him in that cave. As I neared it I could hear him calling for help. As you noticed half of the structure is missing. I removed that part of it so I could get to him. He and the filly had been thrown into the depths of the cave.” “That’s horrible!” Twilight yelled, horrified. “Why?” “I am not sure of the exact reasoning. If I recall correctly it was due to the family’s distaste of the Overlord and his bloodline. So the foal of that family sought to hurt him and did exactly that.” “But you saved them right?” Sorkeno shook his head. “I was able to save him. The filly had died in front of him.” Twilight gasped, her hooves covering her mouth, horror on her face. She felt revulsion rising within her and she looked to the city. “That’s…Why?” “She was his friend. So they sought to make it seem as though he had killed her. They did not realize that the cave had a slope in the back that could be slid down. There was no way to get out of it. The filly rolled down the slope and was injured.” “She was murdered. That’s awful. Please tell me that they got justice?” “They did. His father saw to that. After that happened Hunter began to distance himself from all the other foals and threw himself into learning about the kingdom and all that was in it. When his father vanished he became focused on the kingdom and returning it to its place at his command. His focus has not wavered ever since.” “That’s why he does it all alone?” “Yes. He does not have the trust in others to allow others to rule or lead in his stead. Little one is a very strong soul, but he is hurt in other ways. The loss of his father drove him forward and he gave up all dreams from his foal hood. He grew up in a few short months and dove into his training.” Sorkeno said to her. “So he stopped being a kid and grew up?” “Yes. He let go of all foal games and the youth that comes with them. The loss of the filly started it. His father’s loss finished it and what is left is the Overlord you see now.” “I suddenly really wish I could just go back to Equestria and tell them to let the lands go and allow him to rule as he does. But I also don’t want to see him hurt.” She replied, rubbing her eyes as tears pricked her eyes. “But I want to stay and learn. He still smiles and laughs once you get to know him.” She looked to the dragon as he looked down to her. “Can I stay?” She asked him. Sorkeno smiled at her and lowered his body down to surround her. His warmth surrounded her as she began to cry. Guilt washing over her as she remembered the reason for her being there. “I don’t want to hurt him.” She sniffled and pushed up against the dragon's scales. “I promise I won’t lie to him or hurt him.” Stress and her own feelings bubbled to the surface and she sobbed against his scales. Sorkeno held her close and allowed her to cry. “I believe you, little Princess.” He said to her, gently nuzzling her. “I do not think you have the ability to truly hurt him. I do ask you a favor.” She nodded into his skin and looked up to him. “Anything.” “Please make him smile. He carries the Empire on his shoulders at all times. While I can ask him to visit me and relax for a few hours, perhaps you can do more than that.” “I will. I can do that. Spike adores him already. And I like being around him. He can be a bit intense at times. But once you get past that he has a good sense of humor.” Sorkeno nodded. “He has his mother’s heart, with his father's will. He does not back off or gives in. He will always stand tall and not allow anything to get past him.” “I noticed.” She giggled and sniffled once more. “Then I will believe in your words, little Princess.” She smiled and snuggled against the golden scales. Hunter walked slowly through the city, towards the back end where the harbor sat. Nordberg was the main trade route in his kingdom. The harbor was a fairly new development to add to the city’s resources and trade routes. “Sire?” “Yes?” The stallion looked to the father beside him. “I will try to talk to them. Please, give me a few minutes?” “I will hold back as long as I think it is fair. I promise nothing after that time.” Hunter responded. The stallion raced ahead of him and through the gates to the harbor. He sighed and slowed his stride to give him time. His hooves raced over the compacted snow as he ran ahead of the Overlord. The black stallion had agreed to let him speak to his daughter and the other ponies. ‘They have to see that this is folly. They can’t beat him.’ He thought to himself as he ran. He slid to a halt at a corner and plunged ahead once more. His hooves slid on ice as he bumped into a fence and rebounded off it to run through the harbor gates. They were open and he galloped headlong through them. He slid to a halt as his daughter came into view. She wore her mother’s coat of fur and was yelling at other ponies to hurry so they could take the ship and leave. “Wait!” He shouted to her, startling the young mare. She spun and a bored expression went over her face. She glared at him and then looked away, back to the others. “What do you want now?” He slowed and stopped, panting as he gathered his breath. “You must stop this, Cure Heart. How do you propose to get far enough away? Our Master has a dragon.” He tried to use logic to make her see. “So? We can escape him. No more being told what to do.” “He has never commanded our lives. We are loyal to him, yes. But he does not tell us how to live. So long as we are loyal he has never interfered in our lives.” “You are so stupid.” She cracked to the stallion and spun to face him. “You are so busy keeping your head down that you don’t think of what we could have if we left him. We can rule ourselves.” “And where would that be?” He snapped at her. “What happens if your crops fail? Your home is burned down? Who do you think aids in the repairs and see that we are fed?” The mare blinked. “We still would be better off without him.” She replied. “Maybe if he had died instead that day we would be fine.” The stallion’s eyes widened. His hoof struck her with enough force to send her back afoot. The slap resounded through the quiet air. Cure gripped her face and stared at him. “Your mother would be ashamed of you. I am ashamed of you. Wishing death upon others is not how you were taught. If this is what you plan to do then I will allow it. But you are no daughter of mine. Whoever filled your head with the idea that death and pain solve anything is an even bigger fool than I was.” Tears pricked the stallion’s eyes as he backed away from her. “I wash my hooves of this. I have tried everything to stop this from happening. But it is no longer my place to end this.” He said to her, sorrow gripping him as he looked up to the gates. The Overlord stood on the hill outside of the harbor. The legion he commanded surrounding him as he watched. The armored pony had watched from afar. The stallion looked back to his daughter. “I called upon him to help me. Perhaps if you are faced with the truth then you will remember what it was like to have the world at your hooves.” He said to her and walked away from her. “You called on him?” Cure shrieked. Her father said nothing as he walked away, his head low. “So you asked him to kill us? You’re worse than he is.” Hunter heard her words and a snarl built in his throat. He pushed the feeling back and began the short walk through the gates. His mind formed the commands that sent the minions off to accomplish his orders and goals. They swarmed over the snows, crying out and screaming as they raced into battle. The black stallion watched as the ponies squared off against the minions. “They might have height on them, but the minions are all battle-tested and relentless.” He said to himself as he stopped at the entrance to the harbor. The Rune bow on his back pulsed in time with his steady heartbeat. His magic covered the bow and he reared onto his hind legs, holding the bow in his hooves. While he could fire it with his magic, he was also well versed in the traditional style. His magic pulled out an arrow and he notched it into the bowstring. He drew it back to its full draw and breathed out as he aimed. Blue Runes traveled down the shaft of the arrow and he loosed the arrow. Blue flame trailed the path of the arrow as it thudded into the shoulder of a young stallion. The pony screamed as the arrow pushed him off his hooves and back several feet. The arrows flame bit into the wound and began to attack the ponies flesh. The bow had the incantation on it for both flame and poison. “Here we go.” He muttered as he set up another. Several ponies advanced on the Overlord as he reached down and pulled three more arrows out of his quiver, notching each of them. The blue Runes skittered over their shafts as he pulled them back and released all of them. Each arrow found the chest of its target. The ponies were thrown back by the force of the impact and went still. He looked for his next target and advanced as he sighted with the bow once more. His hooves slid over the snow as he loosed another arrow. The ponies that stood against him slowly began to panic as they were being beaten back by the minions and now they realized that they were being picked off by the Overlord himself. The armored stallion stood on his hind legs, his stance relaxed and calm as he continued. He saw the father off to the side, hiding in the shadow of the gate, sobbing. While he felt bad for the pony, his daughter and the transgressions of the other could not be forgiven. Ahead of him, a mare began to scream out orders to the ship in the harbor. Hunter watched as the ship's anchor was pulled up and its moorings removed. He slid his bow over his back and galloped forward. As he ran past Wrath reached out and gripped the shoulder of his armor, slinging onto the stallions back. Hunter barely noticed the minion’s weight as he raced around the stern of the ship, heading for the stem of the ship. A wide rope was thrown into the water from the top section of the ship and he leaped for it. His hooves gripped the rope as it hung over the side. He looked up and it seemed as though he had gone unnoticed. “Oh man.” He muttered to himself as he slowly began to climb the rope. He reached the top and gazed over the side, trying to get his bearings. Ponies raced over the deck of the ship and he watched to see if he could pick out the ringleaders. He looked over his shoulder and found Wrath clinging tightly to him, his eyes wide due to not being able to swim. Hunters red eyes stayed low to prevent himself from being spotted. As he watched the mare that seemed to be leading them, slinging commands as she stood in the center of the deck. “We just need to get out of range. He can’t shoot at us now.” She crowed, clearly pleased with herself. “Once we make it open water then we are clear.” “What about the dragon?” A pony asked her as he was wrapping a rope. “Well, so far I don’t see his precious dragon. We made sure to take one of the ships that hold value for him. So he won’t destroy it so easily.” She reminded them. Hunter looked back and leaned as much as he dared toward the stem of the ship. His eyes widened at the name across the side. Rage began to build in him as he realized that the ship belonged to his mother. It had been a gift from his father for their wedding. Never-ending. His breathing hitched as he leaned back to watch the ponies once more. “It’s a precious, irreplaceable ship.” She said, her voice snide and cruel. Hunter watched as a pale stallion approached her and put a leg over her shoulders. “It’s a good choice. I knew leaving this job to you was the best choice.” Hunter looked at him. The stallion was lame in the left foreleg, a heavy limp slowing his stride. His fur was a pale red almost pink. His eyes darted around them and a cruel smile played over his features. A saber hung by his hip and moved with him. Hunter could feel something like recognition tugging at his mind. He ignored it, for now, refocusing on the scene in front of him. “Once we get where we want to go what will we do with the ship?” Cure finally asked. “Well. I think we will sell it.” He replied to her. “Or. We could burn it.” “Burn it?” She asked, incredulous. “But it’s a really valuable ship. We could make a ton of coin off of it. Maybe even sell it back to him for a price.” “That is a good idea, my little peach.” He said to her. Nuzzling her neck suggestively. Hunter fought back a gag as he watched. “But he will know we are serious about our freedom if it’s at the bottom of the sea.” She nodded, but still looked unconvinced. The stallion looked to the others, who also seemed uncertain. “But since this is to be a fair colony, we will all vote and decide on the ships fate.” He replied to them. Hunter felt something biting at the edge of his mind as he listened. He had felt it for more than a moment of listening to the stallion’s words. He brought his magic to bear on his own mind and cleared it. The stallion was using magic on his words to control the ponies. While he wasn’t sure how due to the pony not being a Unicorn he still knew that it had to stop. He would stop at nothing to bring his mother’s ship back home, back to its place of honor. The other ponies all went back to their work and Hunter looked around to find out what his next move should be. He thought back to what he knew of the layout of the ship and a smile pricked his mouth. There was a hatch off the side of the captain’s quarters that could be opened if you knew the code for the lock. He slowly began to move down the rope till his tail was flicking the waves, Wrath clung even more desperately to him as he began to swing. After several failed attempts he growled under his breath as he missed the small alcove again. He looked over his shoulder and gave Wrath a few unspoken commands. The minion nodded and dug his feet into Hunters armor and reached for the alcove, missing the first couple of tries. Hunter groaned and then he felt a hard lurch as Wrath s claws dug into the alcove. He held back a shout of joy as he was pulled as close as possible by the panting minion and then managed to pull himself onto the small outcropping. He looked to the lock and set his horn into the ingrained lock. He felt the lock close around his horn and he focused on a series of numbers and letters. Pressure built on his horn as he focused. He felt a push back and he pulled his horn free, as the door clicked open. A smile went over his muzzle as he pushed back the sash on the wall and stepped into the cabin. Hunter paused as he looked around to see if he was alone in the cabin. He stepped onto the plush rug and closed the door gently behind him, hiding it behind the wall sash. His eyes scanned the room and it was the same as it had been the last time he had used it. The décor was the same as it had always been and he had ensured that the ship was tended to by the best he could find. Wrath fell off his back and collapsed to the floor, kissing the hardwood floors, under the rug. He shook his head and walked to the door. The Overlord unlocked the door and peeked out. Ponies were still racing around the huge ship, trying to keep it under control and steer her properly. The ship was the biggest of his personal fleet and the grandest. He closed the door and locked it as he thought over his options. He knew that the minions were still at the dock. He had ordered them to wait until he returned. He closed the door and locked it once more. The stallion was quiet as he suddenly recalled the stallion. He knew that pony. Anger surged in him as his memory kicked into gear. His name was Top Quote. That pony was one that had played a part in the Governess of Everlight betraying him years earlier. Now that he had appeared again Hunter vowed that he would not escape again. He started as the doorknob shuddered, a pony trying to open it. “Is there a key for this door?” The mare called out and jiggled the knob again. “I never heard of it being locked. But I’m sure we can just remove the door.” Quote said to her. “Oh, hell no,” Hunter whispered to himself. The black stallion backed up. He kept Wrath behind him as he reared up, pulling his bow and aiming an arrow at the door. Magic threaded over the arrow and it slowly grew in power. He breathed out and closed his eyes for a moment. “I’m sorry, mother.” He whispered as he loosed the arrow. The arrow thudded into the door with enough force to put the arrowhead through the door. The magic weaved into the arrow and the Rune weapons own power collided with the door and it exploded outward. He opened his eyes and walked forward. He stepped out of the smoke and splintered wood, standing atop what remained of the cabin door. Ponies’ coughed and hacked around him. The mare was laying on her side, moaning in pain. The stallion hauled himself to his hooves, his eyes widened at the sight of the Overlord. The mare rolled over and screamed at the sight of the armored Dark Lord. His red eyes shone out of the dwindling smoke and haze of splinters. Hunter remained in place and waited as they stared at him. He felt Wrath jump to his back and snarl over his shoulder. Quote backed up a step and smiled. “It’s been a long time, Overlord.” He said aloud. “Indeed it has,” Hunter replied. His eyes moved slowly over the ponies assembled. “Last time I saw you were…In Everlight right?” “Your memory is correct,” Hunter replied. “Well you get older and that’s the first thing to go they say.” “So I have heard.” The stallion grit his teeth as Hunter appeared unaffected by the magic of his voice. “You seem to have learned a few new tricks. How are you not affected?” “Affected by what?” He asked, giving the pony the chance to speak. “I figured you might be having a change of heart by this point in our…chat.” “Not really. I still plan to throw you over the side of the ship and let you drown in the sea.” “Oh, why do we have to do that?” He said as he backed up another step as Hunter stepped off the ruined door. “You have committed crimes against my ponies, crimes against me, and most dire of all. You stole and threatened to burn my mother’s ship!” He roared as he charged the stallion, his bow colliding with the pony’s head as he swung it down. The pony slid across the deck as Hunter charged after him. While the Overlord was not a melee fighter normally, he was making an exception for this time. He twisted as the pony stood and backed up from him. The pony pulled his saber from its scabbard. The Overlord slid back and brought the bow down hard against the blade. The stallion appeared shocked as the bow didn’t break against the metal. Hunter was quiet as his horn charged and he blasted the other back, rolling him across the deck. Quote got to his hooves as Hunter stomped a hoof down in the place he had been. The stallion kicked away from each other. The pale stallion panted as adrenaline surged through him. Hunter breathed slowly as he remained calm and ready to move. The other ponies had backed away from the fight and were pushing themselves into the rails of the ship, staying as far away from the two combatants. “Well. You have definitely grown up since we last met.” Quote panted to him. “It has been a few years,” Hunter replied, his horn lit with his red aura. “That’s true. So in the heart of having a nice reunion, we should both calm down and talk it over.” He replied, trying to look calm and in control. Hunter chuckled. “That would be an option under some circumstances.” The other looked pleased as the Overlord spoke. “But not this time.” Hunter lunged forward, the other having enough time to look shocked, his bow slapping across the chest of the other stallion, pushing the air out of his lungs and sending him skidding over the surface deck. He hacked and tried to breathe as Hunter descended on him. His armored hooves collided with the other's shoulder. The shoulder cracked and the other stallion screamed in pain. He dropped his sword and curled up into a ball as he panted and screamed. Behind him, Wrath snarled at any pony that moved to approach the Overlord. Hunter leaned down to the pony’s ear as he leaned his weight onto the breaking shoulder. “You should never have returned to harm my ponies. You escaped with your life once. You will not this time.” Hunter vowed and leaned harder on the ailing pony. Quote cried out and tried to wriggle away from the enraged Dark Lord. The gauntlet on his leg swirled with color as his horn blazed. Hunter looked to the ponies that were now groaning and rubbing their heads. He watched as they seemed to be waking up and they sat back on their haunches. “What is going on?” Cure Heart suddenly shouted. She slowly pulled her wounded and shocked body up off the deck and looked around her. She turned around to find the Overlord standing at the front of the deck, a stallion pinned under him. “Why am I here?” A mare shrilled out. Cure started at the Overlord and sat down heavily, horror on her face. “Oh no. What have we done?” Hunter looked back to the pony under him and smiled. “So, you lost your touch.” He smiled and a laugh bubbled in his throat. “They are free of you and now you are nothing without them.” The stallion stared up at the red eyes of the Dark Master. “No. I didn’t tell them to do anything. You can’t punish me for their actions.” “I can’t?” Hunter said to him, his head cocked slightly to the side. “You don’t have that kind of power.” The pale stallion started to speak. “Silence!” Hunter roared and slammed his hooves down once more, causing the pony to scream in pain. “I. AM. THE. OVERLORD! I decide what power I do or don’t have!” The pony cried out and whimpered under the force of the stallion above him. Hunter brought his head up and stepped back from the pale pony. His magic pulled a heavy rope from one of the rungs ships rails and used it to hogtie the stallion. He backed up and was walking away as a dry laugh sounded behind him. “So how are those scars?” Quote said to the black stallions armored back. Hunter stopped in his tracks. Wrath looked from the pony to his Master. Hunter fought against his desire to rip out his throat. He knew that no pony would stop him if he chose to end his life. He turned back and looked at the prone stallion. His eyes blazed red as he watched the stallion go from cocky and self-assured, too nervous in the span of a few seconds. He went silent as Hunter approached him. Another rope was pulled from the rails and it looped around the ponies head as Hunter gagged him and slung him over the side of the ship. He dangled above the waves and cried out as the water splashed him. “Talk through that,” Hunter said from above him. He could see hatred in the eyes of the pony as he swung in the wind and waves. He pushed back from the railing and breathed in and then out to release the anger in his heart. His eyes closed as he calmed and then he reopened them to see the ponies looking to him. He walked up to the steering platform and spun the wheel, angling the Never-ending back to her port. “Prep her for the port.” He yelled out. He could see that they were a bit shocked that he knew how to pilot and steer the large ship. His mind raced as he set the course and reached out to Sorkeno to let the dragon know that he was fine. After several minutes he looked up as the golden dragon's body sliced through the air. He smiled at the sight and looked back to the ponies on the ship. “Sire?” Cure spoke up and limped up to the bottom of the platform. “Cure Heart, right?” “Yes, Sire. Please forgive us. I don’t even remember getting on the ship.” She sobbed to him. “Whose idea was it to betray me?” He asked her. His voice stern as he waited for her to respond. She sniffled and looked around her to the other ponies. “It was his. He came to Nordberg a few months ago and…I thought he was helping us.” “Helping with what? To leave my rule?” “No, Sire. No.” She sobbed and interrupted him. “I don’t even remember why I listened to him. He’s never been to Nordberg. I didn’t recognize him. He kept asking us why we don’t break away and try to live without your rule. At first, it sounded so…stupid. You have always treated us well and we have never wanted to run away. He just kept…talking.” Hunter was quiet and steered the Never-ending back to her port, his hooves light on the wheel. “He seemed to have the power to influence the minds of others and control their thinking. The more he spoke the more lost you become.” “Sire. What stopped it?” “I did.” He informed them. “How?” “I broke his shoulder. That seems to have interrupted his concentration.” The ponies cringed at the information but smiled weakly as well. They all sat quietly as the ship moved through the waters. Hunter was silently thankful for the favorable winds. Otherwise, he would have needed to ask Sorkeno to provide the propulsion from the water. The dragon hated swimming. He looked up as the dragon weaved through the skies above them. “Sire?” Cure spoke up once more. “Yes?” “Are we going home?” “Yes. I will get you home.” He said to her. She smiled and looked over her shoulder to the growing landmass. “I need to talk to my dad.” “Yes, you do.” The Overlord replied. “He begged for your life many times. You owe him a great debt, little mare.” She nodded and limped to the rail. She looked down at the still suspended pony and then looked back to the Overlord. “Can’t we just cut the rope?” Hunter barked a laugh. “I have thought about it. But he must pay for his crimes.” The mare nodded and sat back down with the other, still bewildered ponies. Hunter looked up as Twilight flew down to the ship. She landed close by him and trotted to his side. She smiled and looked around the deck. “This ship is beautiful!” She cried out to him. Hunter smiled and nodded. Sorkeno flew above them, keeping the ship in sight. Hunter kept the course straight as they sliced through the waves. He sighed and inhaled the scent of the sea. “This ship is amazing. I have seen ships and airships, but none were this grand.” She gushed to him as she ran to the rail and looked over the edge, curiosity brimming through her. Hunter smiled once more as he watched her. Her exuberance was refreshing and he felt himself slowly calm. “It is my mother’s ship.” He said to her. Twilight stopped and looked over her shoulder to him as he finished. “Hers?” “Yes. It was my father’s wedding gift to her.” “That’s an amazing gift. Wow!” “He brought her to the dock, blindfolded, of course.” He said and Twilight giggled. “Once they were there he stopped her at the gates and pulled the blindfold. She opened her eyes and saw it. According to what I was told she was quiet for several minutes. My father was close to panicking, according to Sorkeno, when she screamed for joy and ran across the harbor. He named her Never-ending.” “That’s a beautiful name. Standing for how much he loved her?” “No. For how long he would.” Twilight smiled and looked over the deck. “Did she sail often?” Hunter nodded. “Oh yes. Mother loved the ship and was always going with him whenever it left port. She always said that it gave her the ability to fly.” “She had the ship to fly with, you have Sorkeno,” Twilight replied to him, a wide smile on her muzzle. “Like mother, like son.” “It seems that way.” He looked over the deck and sighed as he guided her into the port. He saw Twilight frown as the ship slid into her place and stopped. Ponies immediately jumped from the ship to moor it and tie it down. Hunter walked to the front and looked back to find Twilight trailing him. “We have to put the anchor down.” He motioned to the pulley at the front. “Want to try?” Twilight looked up at him. “Can I? How?” She gushed and trotted to him. “There is a lever there. Slowly pull it.” She reached up and gripped it in her hooves and pulled on it. She yelped as the lever clamped down and threw her off her hooves. She looked up as the anchor fell overboard with a resounding splash. She looked back to Hunter to find him holding his sides as he laughed at her. The black stallion fell to his knees as he laughed at her. She got to her hooves and tried to glare at him, which only made him laugh harder at her. She fought back a grin, but it slowly crossed her muzzle and she joined him. She collapsed against his side as she laughed at her own foolishness. “You did that on purpose!” She accused. He panted and coughed as he stood up. “Yes. Yes, I did.” “I will so get back at you.” She vowed. “Worried sick.” He mocked back to her. “You should be. I happen to know a pony or two that thrives on pranks. So you’ll get it when you least expect it.” She said to him. “Like I said. Worried sick.” Sarcasm bit from him as he led her off the ship and back to the aft of it. Hunter walked to the side of the dock and used his magic to pull up the soggy stallion from the calm waters. Beside him, Twilight gasped and looked from Hunter to the pony. He cut the rope and tossed the offending stallion onto the deck. “Why?” Twilight started to ask. “He is the one that led to this foolish rebellion. He has some sort of ability to influence the minds of ponies the longer he speaks to them. The ponies on the ship were horrified when the spell broke and they realized what had happened.” “Daddy!” Hunter and Twilight turned as Cure Heart limped to her father and held onto him, sobbing. Twilight smiled at the sight. Hunter said nothing as the minion’s converged and Sorkeno slowly landed in the harbor. “Little One?” His voice flowed and got the stallion's attention. “I’m okay. Here’s the culprit. I trust you can take him back to the Netherworld?” The pony shrieked through the gag at the realization of what Hunter had said. “Don’t let him talk, at all, not one word.” “Oh?” “I don’t think his ability could touch you but, just in case. We will join you there.” Hunter said as he began to walk away. “He has much to answer for.” Twilight trotted to catch up to him as the dragon wrapped the pony in his paw and took off for the skies. Hunter walked back into the city and led Twilight to the main city Transport Gate. “Wait here.” He said to her and walked to the city hall. Twilight looked at the structure and reached out a hoof to touch the metal. To her surprise, the metal was warm to the touch. Swirls of living lava moved through the metal and its claws reached for the skies above. Azure lightning crackled from within the Gate and she chanced a look into the gate. She pulled back as it crackled and kept her distance from it. She looked back to find Hunter walking back to her, his expression set. He reached her and she jumped as a bellow came from the gauntlet he wore brought forth more minions from the gates. He watched as they flooded the city. Hunter was quiet as he commanded the minions to scour the city and bring it back to heel. He gave Twilight a gentle push and set his hoof on her shoulder as he commanded the Gates magic. Twilight yelped and closed her eyes. He watched her open them as he moved away from her. “How did? What?” She sputtered behind him and he turned back to her. “That is one of the Gates that I mentioned. I use them for transport if needed. Normally I use them, but if I’m walking into a situation like today then I tend to call on Sorkeno.” “Wow. That was amazing. How does it work?” She questioned. He paused and shook his head. “That’s a secret that remains here, Twilight.” He said to her. “Oh. Okay. That’s fine. Oh, here.” She pulled his cloak off her shoulders and began to hand it back to him. “Keep it.” He said and pushed it back to her. “If we go to that area again then you will need it.” He said to her and backed up a few steps, heading for the platforms. “Wait up.” She yelled at him and trotted to catch up to him. He looked at her as she drew up next to him. “Why?” She appeared to be thinking for a moment before responding. “I need to drop off my Regalia…For Giblet.” “Well played.” He said to her and called upon one of the stones. Twilight gave a relieved exhale and stepped onto the stone with him. She smiled as they moved and waited for the short ride to end.