//------------------------------// // 18: Interacting with a Queen... // Story: Overlords and Friendship... // by OblivionShadow //------------------------------// Azure sat in his throne, a hoof tapping gently against his chin as his own thoughts spun through his mind. His armored hoof tapped against his chin as he considered his plans and how best to move forward. With the Netherworld safe once more he turned his eye to the Changeling that sat in place off to the side of him. The creature was silent at his command and waited for him to command it further. His magic had summoned the Tower Heart and it hovered above the map table. Gnarl was jotting down notes on a clipboard as he scanned the map itself. Azure had marked where the Heart was draining on the map earlier and they were now looking at ways to begin to once more drain more spots from the world above. “Gnarl.” He suddenly called out, startling the minion. “Master?” He replied as he looked to the Overlord and waited for him to speak further. “Is the Netherworld now able to use the magic of the world to feed itself?” “Yes, Master. I was able to confirm it earlier. The Netherworld got enough of a taste for it with the channeling that was done through the little Princess.” “Good. That solves that problem before it got out of control. We can turn our attention to other matters.” “Yes Dark One.” Gnarl agreed and went back to the map table once he waited to ensure that Azure had nothing more to say. The red stallion fell silent once more as his mind still swam with ideas and plans. A sigh escaped him as he leaned heavily into the furs that covered the throne. The Overlord sighed again as he closed his eyes, his hooves going over his face as boredom began to bite at him. His body flowed forward as he pushed away from the throne and he began to pace a few feet away from the Minion Master. His thoughts were becoming deafening even to himself and he snorted as his eyes fell on the drone once more. He halted abruptly and Gnarl turned to look at him as he stared at the silent drone. “It’s about time I confront that crazed creature.” He finally said, his voice low and husky. “Sire?” “The Queen. I think it’s time I spoke to her personally.” “Oh?” Gnarl replied, his eyes wide. “The key to outmaneuvering an enemy is to move when they least expect it. That was she cannot move to be more ready than I allow.” He admitted to the Minion Master. “What is your plan Master?” “I will send our drone back to her and he will tell her that I will be out, alone, in an area that we already control. Her arrogance will blind her to any danger and she will come after me, saving me the effort of going to her.” “Very clever Master.” Azure said nothing as he looked to the drone once more and his horn lit as he sent a new charge of his spell to the creature. It responded by coming toward him and bowing heavily as he began to issue his commands. The drone walked through the Hive and into the throne room where the Changeling Queen sat. It waited for her to speak as it came to stand in silence before her. The armored drones were silent as she stared down at the illusion hidden creature. “No creature this time?” She questioned. “I snuck out to come back to you. I overheard him saying that he was going out to the desert, alone.” “Alone?” She asked as she leaned forward, her eyes wide and interested. “Yes m,y queen. His guards angered him and he has cast them aside in favor of his own magic. I decided to risk leaving to tell you.” He said to her as she jumped down from the throne and patted him on the head, mussing the long brown mane. The drone leaned back on his haunches as she walked past him, a laugh coming from her. She spun back to her army and they advanced to her command. “Well done. You were right to come back to tell me. He will fall to me and then his army and his magic will be mine. You know where he went?” The drone nodded frantically and turned to face her. “Yes, My Queen. I listened long enough to overhear the location. I can lead you right to him.” “Good. This will make things far simpler than I thought. I’ll subdue him as I did Shining Armor and he will be under my control.” She gushed, her elation clear and her desire for power obvious. Azure stood at the edge of the growing black spot of dead earth, his back to it. His ears flicked to listen behind him as the Queen arrived, her wings giving off a signature sound that he had become accustomed to when the drone flew. He said nothing as she approached him and paused at the other side of the patch of earth. He looked over his shoulder as she stared back at him, her eyes wide and hungry. He slowly turned to face her from the other side of the patch. “So here we are.” He said to her, his voice quiet but loud enough to be heard. She nodded, a wide smile on her face. “You’re all alone out her, Overlord.” “Am I?” “None of your little creatures are here. Not even your favorite is at your side.” She snarled to him. “You are mine.” He snorted a laugh. “I belong to nopony or creature.” “I will have what I want from you, whether you like it or not. Your army and the power they hold will be mine.” “I have read up on how you drain your victims and how you attacked the wedding before. I am ready for your tricks, Changeling.” He replied to her. “My army will remain as they are.” “They will be mine before the end of this conversation.” She sneered. “You won’t be able to tell me no when I am done with you.” Azure took note of the drone coming up to his side and didn’t react at the creature’s presence. “I am well aware of your plans for me and my army. I am sorry to say that your plans will take a second to my own.” “Your plans will matter little when I use your power to overtake Equestria. I will rule it, not you.” “If you wish to believe that it is your choice. I will not stop that delusion from sustaining you.” He growled to her. She growled but kept her head high. “You can’t stop me if you can’t find me. Your plans will fail and I will have what I want.” Azure tried to bite back the laugh that brimmed in his throat but he failed and it tore from his mouth. He could see the uncertainty in the bug Queens eyes as he laughed at her. “I found you’re Hive long ago. Did your drones tell you I had not found you yet?” She looked to the drones behind and around her and she shook her head as she snarled back to him. “I have the loyalty of my drones and all you have are those little things. They will be the front line of my army. Their too weak to make up a strong force. My Hive is well hidden and you cannot find it.” “I assure you I can and already have. Shall I prove it?” He asked her, a slight tilt of his head stopped her snarling. “Let’s see.” He said as he tapped his hoof to his chin. “It’s in an area that does not have any life in it. The walls move and shift as the Changelings change their form. Oh! And in one of the chambers sat a clutch of eggs.” She stared as he went on. “I smashed them all. Leaving only a foul-smelling goo in their place.” He watched as the Queen rocked back a step on her heels. Her drones looked shaken at his admission. The drone at his side didn’t move at the sight of the Queen and stayed at the Overlords side. He watched as a wave of anger came over her and she snarled at him once more. He took the weight off one hind leg and he watched as the drones fluttered their wings at the clear rage of their ruler. “I already know your plans since I was there when they were discussed. You were going to have a drone replace me and take my army that way. Or you would ask me to step in as your consort and you would rule the army that way. Or you would have snapped off my horn since you believe I command them through magic. Or the final option was to kill me and cow them that way or find a way to use the corpse another way.” His voice was confident as he spoke to her. “Did I miss anything?” She stood upright, a snarl still on her lips. “You may have found my Hive but you know nothing of it. Attack me there and see how far you get.” “Why would I do that when you’re already here? I already know that magic is blocked within the Hive as well. Why would I go there when you already fell into my trap?” Her mouth dropped open at his words and the drones stared blankly at the confident red stallion. Her wings spread and she made to leave but stopped when she looked at the drone. “Take him.” She snarled suddenly at the drone. Her eyes went wide at his lack of movement. She pointed a hoof at the drone and then to the Overlord. The drone didn’t move despite looking at her. Azure chuckled at her expression of irritation as he glanced to the drone at his side. “Drop your illusion.” He commanded. Green flame erupted around the drone as the image faded to reveal the drone that had hidden within it. Her face dropped into an expression somewhere between shock and amazement that was so comical that it brought a laugh from him. “Shocked?” He asked her, his tone mocking. She shook her head slightly and glared at him. “What did you do? How did you get him to turn against me?” “A trick of my own. Do you wish to know?” He asked her. His eyes fell on her as she stared at him. Her eyes roved over his armored form and she finally nodded. “I will show it to you. But you have to be closer to see its use.” He said to her, his voice smooth and even. The Queen looked dubiously to him as he waited for her to move. She stepped forward and her hooves fell onto the patch of dead ground and Azure commanded the Tower Heart to drain her as well. He upped its drain rate and the Queen cried out as her power was being leeched out of her. Azure stepped onto the dead patch and approached her, his stride even and deliberate. She cried out as the drain was sped up once more at his command. “Thank you for feeding my realm with your power. It will go to good use.” He said to her. Her face screwed up in a soundless snarl as she fell to her knees before him. “You will also be of great help to MY plans.” His magic lanced out as he approached her and struck her horn with enough force to send her reeling backward. He said nothing as his spell washed over her. He was using her for more than her power. He was experimenting to see if she was able to the conquered. He watched as her green magic surged out to contest his own and his eyes widened as it appeared as a tug of war between them. Her magic pushed it over halfway back to his own horn and he stopped to focus on fighting back. “You won’t win against somepony who feeds on love. I will drain you of all that you have and then I will enslave you like I did Shining Armor.” She snarled at him as her magic pushed against his. “You can try bug.” He laughed as his magic pushed back. “I am no pony to be trifled with. Your battles with those sentimental little ponies are nothing compared to what I can do.” He forced more power into his horn and his magic was slowly pushing hers back toward her. She screamed in rage as she was still being drained by the Tower Heart and she used her own emotions to push against him. He narrowed his eyes as the magic pushed against him. He rolled his eyes as he reached out to the Tower Heart to drain her faster and the bug Queen screamed in reply to his commands to the Heart. “Time to fall.” He growled and called upon the Tower Heart and the Netherworld magic that he commanded. His red aura surged out of his horn, covering the white spell on his horn and collided with her own horn. He watched as it cracked and then snapped off under the assault from him. She screamed as his spell and his magic covered her completely. The horn spun away from her and was embedded in the ground close by, its green color fading to nothing. The Changelings with her backed up at the scream from their Queen. His minions had surged forward in case they reacted to the subduing of their ruler. “You have fallen, my little bug and you are now line to do with as I choose.” He said to her as he approached her and now stood in front of her. “You are MINE.” Her eyes went dead in their sockets and Azure released the spell and watched her for several seconds, his horn still covered in his aura in case she shrugged off the magic of the Netherworld. She stayed in place and he watched her for any sign of reaction beyond what he would allow of her. “Get up.” He commanded her. She got to her hooves and her gaze stayed on him as blood dripped down her face from her broken horn. Her gaze was vacant as she waited for him to speak further. Wrath came up to his side and held out the stallion’s helm. The minions has been hiding off to the side out of sight behind a fake bush. He slid his helm into place and spoke aloud for Gnarl. “Gnarl?” “Master?” The minion replied quickly. “I see it worked.” “It worked perfectly. The Tower Heart drained her nearly completely. She is one of my pawns now.” “And her drones?” He looked up as the drones were now staring at him. “Let’s see.” He said nothing to the former Queen as he moved past her and to the drones that had been with her. “Your Queen is mine to command. Your choice now is if you join her or if I make you answer my command.” The drones with her looked between each other and one took the chance on bowing low to the stallion. The others followed suit and Azure stood above them, his head high and proud. “Good choice. You will be commanded by me for when I call you into battle. You have your place in my plans and I will make sure you are well used.” Azure assured them with a cruel smile. “I would advise against trying to fight against me. You saw what I did to her and do not think I cannot do it to each of you easily enough. You heard all I said to her and I did not lie about knowing where your Hive lies and that I can take it at a moment’s notice if I choose. Tell your fellow bugs about your change of leadership. Serve me well and you might be rewarded.” The assembled drones got to their hooves and waited for his commands of them. he went back to the former Queen and then looked to her broken horn. Wrath went over and picked it up for him. His aura surrounded it and he tried to push a bit of magic into the horn and it flared to life for a moment. “Interesting. Gnarl?” “Master if we can harness their magic then perhaps we can use that horn to alter your appearance as needed.” Gnarl said to him, clear excitement in his tone. “Interesting. Start the experiments for it. I will have it delivered.” Azure looked to one of his minions and then stomped his hoof to call Grubby to his command. The digger came to his side and he issued his commands for a small Gate to be assembled in place. The minion galloped away from him and set to his own task. Azure waited for several minutes before he began to walk toward where the minion was working. “Come.” He called out and the former Queen followed him closely. Ahead of him, Grubby jumped back and the dust steeled for the small slightly above ground Gate. Azure looked at the drones who had also followed him and turned to them once they were close enough for him to command. “Return to the Hive and await my command. Inform your fellows of your new ruler.” He glanced back and made a noise at the fact that he had forgotten to slow down the Tower Heart. He watched them leave with a bow. He kept his drone close by since he figured he would need one to experiment on to possibly power the Queens broken horn. He chuckled and reached out to the Tower Heart to slow it down to normal levels once more. “Oops.”