Azure looked to the drone at his side as he reached out to the Netherworld shard. His magic had already set Wrath up on top of it and he invoked the magic that held it. His eyes closed as his mind pulled away and he opened his eyes to find himself looking at his own body from the eyes of Wrath. The drone said nothing as the armored minion jumped from the shard pillar to the ground. Azure gripped the drones dress and led him toward the entrance, he looked out to ensure that none of the other Changelings were close enough to see where he had come from. He led the drone out into the light of day and allowed it to get its bearings before walking into the Hive. He allowed the drone to take the lead and lead him toward the hive. The other minions remained back at his command and they awaited his call to action if needed.
‘Here we go.’ He said to himself as they walked into the Hive.
The drone walked ahead and led him through the tunnels which shifted and chanced at will now that he was getting a look at them. He grumbled under his breath about the shifting walls but otherwise, he kept quiet. They walked into the throne room and the drone guided him to within thirty feet of the throne and stopped in place. Azure made sure to look around and scan the walls as he saw fit. If they had seen the minions normally then his actions were completely normal. The minions were nearly always in movement unless commanded otherwise.
He looked over his shoulder to a separate entrance as the Queen walked into the room. His eyes went over her and the same sense of revulsion went over his mind. He fought back a gag at the closer vision of her. His nose was only slightly better than normal in the body of the brown minion so he was not able to discern any scent from her due to the distance. She jumped to the throne and laid down, facing him and the drone under his command. He hated that she was standing over him but he ignored the feeling coming up through him in favor of allowing her to live for a while longer. Her eyes went over the drone and then to the minion by his legs.
“So what is this thing?” She finally sneered, looking down her nose at the both of them.
Azure fought back a snort and stayed still. “It’s the Overlords personal minion, his favorite.” The drone replied.
“So why do you have his favorite?”
“He said that I could use it when I went out.” The drone replied smoothly.
The Queen seemed to accept the answer and went quiet for a moment as she looked at the armored minion. “Why did he let you have him…her…it?”
“I mentioned that I was going out and he said for me to take him for protection.”
She growled and leaned off to the side of the throne and looked annoyed at the drones around her. “Why are you in that form still?”
The drone looked down to the Overlord at his side for a moment before the pre-outing training from Gnarl seemed to kick in. “If I am not the mare he was told to protect than he will leave.”
The Queen was quiet for a moment before she lunged forward. “Why would it leave you behind if it was commanded to guard you? It makes no sense to leave you just due to your appearance? So what is the real reason?”
The drone shrugged and looked to the minion once more. “That’s just what will happen, I think.” It replied as it went back to staring at her.
‘Shit.’ Azure thought to himself as he realized that he was going to possibly have to do some extra work to make sure he didn’t end up with a dead drone and no way out of the Hive aside from abandoning Wrath to the Queen's guards.
The Queen jumped down and her form lit with green fire as she transformed into Juno. She looked at the minion at the hooves of the other and then to the drone. “What is it called?”
“I don’t think they have names.”
“You.” She said and pointed to the minion, after making sure he was looking at her. “Come here.” She commanded, her voice the same as the drones.
Azure looked at the drone and then back to her, trying to appear as though he was thinking. The Overlord turned minion sat down and stayed in place beside the drone, a bored sigh escaping him at the situation. The Changeling Queen snarled and her form shifted back to her natural appearance. She snarled at the drone who shook in place at her expression. Years of living under her cruelty had left reactions that could not be stopped even by Azure’s own presence. She snarled and walked back to her throne and jumped up to sit in it once more.
“Fine. Stay in that form and do not lose that ugly little thing.” She snarled in reply to the looks she was getting from those in the room. “How did you even get here anyway?”
The drone breathed at her words and Azure waited for him to speak further. “I asked for a ride to allow me to get close and I left them on the edge of the forest. Then I had to walk.”
The Queen snorted. “Next time, bring him with you.”
“I…I can’t.” The drone replied. “I’m not his favorite yet.”
“Favorite?” She crooned.
Azure could feel the desire to beat the stupid out of the drone come over him and he nearly acted as he wished. His good sense caught him in time and he waited from where he was sitting on the floor, his eyes looking to the drone in question.
“He has other ponies around him that he favors more than me. I can’t ask anything bigger than this of him…yet.” The drone explained.
“So who is ahead of you?”
“A few servants that tend to him more than I do.”
“Then get rid of them and take their place. Show some initiative!” She yelled at the drone, who cringed down toward the floor.
“Yes, My Queen.” He said to her and nodded frantically.
Azure bristled at the use of her title by the drone but he figured that if needed he would allow it to keep the Queen from acting out more than he was ready for. Azure calmed as he thought it out and stayed still in place. He got to his feet when the Queen approached them once more, having jumped back down their level. Her horn lit up and Azure felt himself being lifted from the ground. His eyes went to the Queen and his own magic came up from within the body of the minion but died when he tried to invoke it. He could feel the queen’s magic pressing down on him, trying to suffocate him.
“We don’t need to send this one back. Maybe over time, we can steal a few and then you all can take their places. Soon his army will be mine, one way or the other.” She cooed to the struggling minion.
‘I think not.’ Azure’s mind crashed into place and he called out to the Netherworld that was his to command. Wraths golden eyes flared red as the Netherworld and the Tower Heart came to Azure's command and he brought their force back against her and she reeled back as though she had been struck. Her magic dropped him and he fell to the ground and leaped to his claws. He looked to the drone and leaped to its back, ready to command it to flee. He knew that it had been commanded by Gnarl to save him no matter the cost if needed. He could feel it tense under him, ready to run to protect him. The Queen lunged forward, her face a mask of rage. She reached out with her hooves toward the minion and Azure brandished the sword at his hip and roared back at her. She stopped and stared at the ferocity of the minion and backed up a step.
‘She comes after me again I will say to the Hells with my own plans and march on this place. I can yell commands if needed. The Netherworlds magic is more than enough to take this place down.’ He snarled to himself.
The Queen laughed at the sight of the minion standing half on the drones head by now and then walked away. She jumped back to her throne and Azure allowed himself to fall back and sit on the drones back. He would not be caught on the ground again.
“How did it push me back?”
“The armor was made by the Overlord personally.” The drone supplied.
‘If Gnarl thought that far ahead I will be praising him as soon as I get back and that praise will not end for a day. Even though he will hate all the attention.’ He thought to himself as the Bug Queen leaned back and nodded to him.
“He can add enough magic to push me back into a piece of armor?”
“Yes.” The drone said to her and looked back to the minion on his back, who was now gripping the brown mane in its claws. “His forge can do a lot of strange things.”
Azure was quiet so as to give the drone as much credence as possible by staying still so long as not threatened, despite his own desire to beat her senseless and stomp her skull to paste. She pondered what she had been told and soon waved her hoof at the drone.
“Fine. Keep getting closer to him and when you have his ear tell me. I can be patient for a bit longer. I want him under my control and when I do then not even Celestia and her precious Element Bearers will be able to stop me.” She growled, a cruel smile on her muzzle.
‘Element Bearers? What is she blathering about?’ Azure asked himself. ‘I will have to ask about this when I speak with Twilight again. That sounds like something she would know of as a Princess of this country.’
The drone made for the exit after nodding to the Queen. Azure stayed on his back and got up into a position he had seen Wrath sit in before and the drone hissed as the claws bit at his skin. Azure looked down and he could see that the drones form was much slimmer than his own and he sat back down to avoid bleeding the drone further. They walked slowly out of the Hive and the drone paused when others came down to speak to it.
“So this what you have been up to?” One asked and flipped the drones long brown hair back, flipping it into Azure’s face.
“I was doing what she told me to do.” It replied, mechanically.
“I’m sure. You got the easy job and…What is that thing doing?”
Azure was now standing up taller on the drones back and glaring down at the others. His patience was wearing thin and he had just been hit in the face with the drone’s mane. The thin drone in front of him backed up under the clear anger from the minion. Azure reached for the weapon at his side and slung it toward them. They scattered and he sat down heavily on the drones back and kicked it back into motion. He leaned down and picked up the tossed weapon on their way out. They got a fair distance away and the Overlord sighed aloud.
“Gnarl?”
“Yes, Master?”
“Please tell me you heard all of that?”
“I did Master.” He assured the clearly cranky Overlord.
“By the Dark, that creature gets uglier with each interaction. I did not think it was possible. Do not allow me to forget to ask Twilight about what she meant by Element Bearers.”
“I wrote it down, Master.” The Minion Master assured him again.
“Good.” He replied and sagged on the drones back. “That was more work than I had anticipated.”
Azure looked up to ensure that they were not being watched as he pushed the drone into a lope and found the entrance to the Gate and slid inside as the minions closed it behind him. The Overlord focused and was sent back to his own body and Wrath jumped from the drones back and ran to the Overlord, quickly jumping to his back. Azure looked back and he could tell that not only did his armor protect him, but he had also been right about the drone being much slimmer than himself. He glanced over his shoulder to the brown minion on his back and he seemed to be fine despite the time under the Overlords control. Azure had seen the green that he had used before suffering from the effect of the Overlords magic. Wrath seemed no worse for wear despite the use of the Netherworld magic through him. Azure sighed as he pushed the thought of the minion wellbeing from his mind and walked back for the Gate, the drone on his heels.
Azure sat in his throne, having explained everything to Gnarl and how he viewed their next moves as a minion came running up to Gnarl. The minion yelped and cried and Gnarl looked to the Overlord, his expression uncertain.
“Master?”
“Yes?” Azure replied as he looked to the map next to him.
“Dragons have been spotted close to Nordberg.”
“Dragons? As in large dragons or the ones from before?” He asked, his expression annoyed at the lack of information.
Gnarl looked to the minion and waited as it screeched. “The smaller ones.”
“Again?” He growled and began to walk toward the Gate when he paused and looked to the caged dragon by the side of the room. “Gnarl…”
“Yes, Lord?”
“Can we make more cages like this one?”
“Of course Master. If you command it we can make…Several more.” The minion replied and his tone changed as the implications of Azure’s question caught up to him.
“Garble?” Azure said to the dragon as he approached the cage.
“My Lord?” The dragon said and looked intently to the stallion.
“What did I tell you about my life once?”
“That’s it is far more valuable than mine.” The dragon replied quickly.
“Good boy. I need you to do some acting for me.”
“Anything My Lord. I will do everything as you command.” He replied and bowed his head low to the stallion.
Azure smiled at the dragon’s words as he opened the cage door. “Good.”
Garble walked forward and he could see the other young dragons were circling the area around the town of Nordberg. He breathed out and walked out into the area that he had been defeated in before. The ground still held evidence of the fight that he had been in with the Overlord and he walked out into their line of sight. He watched as they saw him and he swaggered out further as they landed close to him. They landed around him and he could see the shock in their eyes at the sight of him. The brown one dropped to the ground, it shook as he landed.
“Garble?”
“Yeah?” He growled back, the picture of his normal self.
“You’re okay now?”
“I’m fine. That stupid pony let his guard down and paid for it.” He snarled back and released a puff of flame, along with a cocky smile.
The brown raised his arm and the other three joined them. They all reached out to set a claw on him to make sure that he was okay and began to talk all at once.
“How did you break that weird mind control of his?”
Garble paused as he leaned back on his heels and smiled. “I could tell it was not permanent so when it started to release a bit I kept it up, you know just so I could get that little pony to bow to me and when he wasn’t ready for it.” He released a jet of flame and the others laughed. “He got so burned that he had to do what I told him. He’s not too tough without his little creatures and magic.”
“We went to the Dragon Lord and he told us that you got yourself into it and had to get yourself out. So we came back to get you.”
“Good thing. I have that pony doing what I tell him now. All the other ones are running scared when I come around.” Garble went on. “Come on.” He said and motioned for the others to follow him.
“Where are we going?”
“I want to show you the town that I run now.” He laughed and walked ahead of them.
He glanced back and the others were on his heels. He walked them through the main front gates and he stepped to the side when they were all inside to allow for the torrent of minions to fall over them. They had been waiting for the red dragon to get them in place. The others cried out as the armored minions fell onto them from all directions and their jaws were roped shut and their claws tied. They cried out through the gags and they went silent at the sound of hoof falls.
“Welcome back,” Azure said to them as they stared at him.
Garble went up to him and knelt down before the armored stallion. “My Lord. Is this as you had wished?”
“You did well,” Azure assured the dragon and patted his head in clear praise.
“I am glad that you approve. I have brought them to you as you commanded. They are yours.” He replied and waited as Azure walked past him before he stepped to the side and waited.
Azure looked down at the dragons and a laugh broke from him as they stared at him. “Coming back here was not your best idea, was it?” They shook their heads and Azure looked to the new dragon, a white dragon with pale pink spines. He had pink eyes and had a gangly appearance. “And you are wishing you had stayed home.”
The newcomer looked to the others and they looked back to the red stallion. Azure said nothing as he charged his horn to begin to force the dragons to submit to his rule. He targeted the brown first and the white magic crackled through the air and struck him. Azure held the magic till it signaled that his resistance was broken and he released the magic. The dragon’s eyes were as white as the spell and then his eyes reverted back to normal and he stared at the stallion.
“Master?” He called out, his muscles going slack as he stopped fighting the minions hold.
“Release him,” Azure said and moved onto the next dragon.
Azure walked into the Netherworld from the Gate, five dragons on his heels. He looked up and a surprised look crossed his face at the sight of the five cages that were already set up and ready for use. Each dragon was moved into place and they settled into their cages as the Overlord walked back to his throne and sat down. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. The use of so much of his magic was wearing on him and he breathed in slowly to try to push back the slight discomfort. He started to allow himself to drift off when Kelda called out to him.
“Love?”
He sat up and looked to her as she walked up the few stairs to reach him. “Yes?”
“This came for you a little bit ago.” She said to him and gave him a scroll.
He took the letter and unfurled it in his hooves and read it over. “Twilight wants to ask my help with something.” He said aloud, tiredness in his voice.
“You okay?” Kelda asked him quietly as she walked up to the side of his throne and leaned over it to nuzzle him.
“I’m fine. A bit wore down but nothing to worry about.”
“What does she need?”
“No idea. Doesn’t say.” He replied and his magic incinerated the letter as he pushed himself to his hooves.
Kelda followed him as he went to the Gate and Wrath jumped to his back. He pushed the mare back and the gate crashed over him. His eyes opened in Ponyville and he walked down the steps as the minions poured from the minion gates and clamored to his side. He walked down the street, his head slightly lowered as fatigue bit at him. He decided that if this was nothing important he was going to storm out of the crystal castle and go back to the Netherworld. He reached the castle quickly and his magic opened the front doors to find Spike looking startled at his entrance.
“Hey, Azure.” He called out and approached the stallion.
“Spike.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Twilight asked me to come here.” He replied. “Where is she?”
“I think she’s in the library,” Spike replied and motioned for the stallion to follow him.
Spike led him deeper into the castle. He had been in the library once before but that creature Discord had taken him there the last time. Spike pointed to a set of large double doors and Azure’s magic pushed them open to reveal a long room surrounded on all sides with bookshelves. He walked in and a sound caught his attention. He looked to the side and found a side room, he walked in and twilight was staring at a sample of dirt as he approached.
“Twilight.” He said to her.
She looked to him, clearly pleased at his presence. “You came.”
She trotted over to him and gave him a quick hug and led him back to where she had been sitting. Normally he did not approve of such acts but he let it go. He was tired and he was not in the mood to fight at the moment. Plus it let her think that she was close to him and could act that way.
“What do you need?” He asked her, his voice tired.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. What is it?”
“This is a sample from the spot we found in the desert by Appleoosa. I had a sample sent here just in case I missed anything. So far my own analysis hasn’t changed but I am thinking that since I was able to see more with your help that maybe you could help me again.” She said to him, hope in her voice.
Azure paused and looked to the sample of dead earth. His thoughts fell on what Faye had said about his power infecting her and he looked to Twilight, who watched him with hope in her eyes. He allowed himself a slight smile and nodded to her. Joy crossed her face as she pushed her chair back to allow him to stand closer to her and the sample of earth.
“Hold still.” He said to her.
His magic covered her horn and then covered her body. He pulled some of her magic away from her and pushed some of his own into place. He watched her eyes widen a bit as he moved the magic into her. He pushed a bit more than normal into her to see how she would react. Her eyes fell on him and he saw a shift in her gaze for a moment. He tilted his horn to the ground sample and she looked to it as he considered what he saw in her. He had seen a look similar to what he saw in Kelda’s eyes when she looked at him. There was a clear sense of care but also lust in her gaze for a moment. He fought back a smile and waited as the mare pushed the dirt around with a hoof. His magic stayed over her as she worked. She glanced to him and he dropped the magic he held over her and she leaned back on her haunches.
“Anything different?” He asked her.
“No. It’s odd though.”
“How so?”
“I tried to add some water and other nutrients to it and nothing can bring it back. It’s like everything was taken from it and there is no way to bring it back to life.” She said to him. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
He leaned back on his heels and shook his head slowly. “So what will you do now?”
“I’m not sure. I was going to bring it up to Princess Celestia but I don’t know if there is anything she can do that I haven’t tried. But I’m out of ideas.” She admitted and huffed as her magic pulled her chair back to her.
Azure was quiet as he forced his tired mind to act on what he knew. She did not seem to realize that the area was completely dead and there was no saving it at this point. He would let her spin her wheels on that concept for a while. Her mind was very slowly accepting the corruption that he was pushing into her and her body was allowing it. So far nothing in her gave him pause to slow down his plans. He watched her ponder things as he contemplated how to continue. He knew that the corruption in her would start to affect her in the same way as a strong drug would and she would slowly begin to need to be around him to gain any further effect from it. His magic would keep her coming to him to have him ‘help’ her with other tasks. She would begin to justify it and then she would be too far gone to save. He would keep a close eye on her just in case of any attempt to undo what he had been doing to her.
“Azure?”
“Yes?” He looked at her when she spoke to him.
“Do you think that spot is truly dead?” She asked him, her voice quiet.
“In my opinion, it is yes.” He said to her. “But I get the feeling that you are going to keep trying to save it.”
“Your right. You haven’t been here very long and you already know me.” She chuckled and nodded at him. “Will you help?”
He nodded at her and she grinned widely at him. “For now we can keep it to ourselves while we try to find any solution or a definitive reason for it before we take it to the others.”
She looked to the dead earth as she considered what he said. She nodded and looked at him. “Your right. We need more information and we need clear reason and proof before we do anything else. I agree that we should keep it to ourselves for now. We will watch out for any change. But it has gotten a little bigger since the last time but not by much.”
Azure nodded in agreement with her and backed up a step. “I will ask my advisors and see if he has seen anything similar before and if I find anything I will let you know.” He said to her and she beamed at him. “Until next time then.”
“Get some rest. You sound tired.” She said and got up to lead him out of the library.
“That is the plan. Till next time then.” He said to her as she led him to the front of the castle and he left her behind.
He heard the castle doors close and a smile tugged its way onto his mouth. He reached the Gate and its magic brought him back to the Netherworld. Kelda stood up from her place on the stairs and she looked at him as he began to laugh. He saw Gnarl look at him from the map table as he pulled himself back together and he approached the throne. His body spun and he allowed himself to fall into the plush furs.
“Love?” Kelda called to him as she came up to the throne and sat down at his hooves to lean her body partially across his hind legs.
“Hmm?”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Things are coming together rather well actually. I was able to corrupt their little Princess of Friendship further so she will begin to fall even further in time. For now, I will let her act as needed and ‘help’ her when asked.”
Kelda leaned heavily against his legs and he ran his hoof over her mane. She nuzzled against him and he tugged her mane in play and she slapped his thigh in return. A coy look from her brought a laugh from him as she got to her hooves and laid more across his lap, allowing him to run a hoof over her fur. He looked up from her and to the Minion Master.
“Gnarl. I might pull back the Tower Hearts draining of the land for now. I will leave it in the one spot until it has fully drained the area more completely. That will keep the Princess at my beck and call since she has agreed that she and I are going to try to find out what happened to the land there without telling anypony else.” The Overlord explained as the Minion master opened his mouth to argue.
The Advisor went silent at the explanation and nodded in agreement. “Well played Master.” He smiled wide, his sharp teeth showing. “Will you keep it in the other areas or pull it away from them completely?”
“I will slow it down. The main spot will continue uninterrupted while I slow down the others to allow me to monitor it easier through the little Princess.” He replied and went quiet as a thought struck him. “Gnarl. I need you to make up some ideas of what could be causing such an act to feed to her. That way she is chasing her own tail while I continue to move.”
Gnarl bowed his head and nodded. “Understood Master.”
Azure pushed Kelda off his lap and got to his hooves. He arched his back under his armor and walked toward the stairs to go to his own quarters. He felt Kelda bump his hip and allowed her to stay close to him. The Nordberg bred mare bumped him again and when he didn’t react she bumped him once more, knocking him out of stride. He paused and she nipped his neck and ran up the stairs ahead of him. He chuckled and followed in her wake.