Hunter was quiet as he walked into the lightning that swirled within the Gate outside Twilight’s castle. He had spoken with her earlier that he would be back in a couple of hours due to a summons from Gnarl. She had teased him about working on vacation but told him to try to be back quickly to have dinner with the girls later. The black stallion closed his eyes and focused on the Gates magic and commanded its power. He opened his eyes as the thunder rolled to find himself in the throne room once more. Gnarl stood by the throne and Dezhara whined loudly as she bounded to him and jumped to greet him. He ruffled the female wolf's fur and waited for Gnarl to wobble over to him to speak to him.
“I apologize for disrupting your vacation, My Lord.” He said as he bowed his head low.
“I will permit it. I trust your questions are important?”
“Of course Master.” The minion assured him and approached. “We have received letters from those that were connected to Top Quote and they have agreed to a meeting with you as a potential buyer for the beasts.”
“I had wondered how long they were going to make me wait.” Hunter groused.
“They will pay in time Master I assure you,” Gnarl said to him to help smooth his Master's ruffled fur. “They will be in Canterlot the day after tomorrow and have sent directions to a bar that they use for meeting clients.”
“I can use this to my advantage. They are not aware that Top Quote fell to me unless he found a way to tell them.” Gnarl shook his head and Hunter gave a slight grin at the malicious look from the Minion Master. “Through them, I should be able to find out who the Governess went to for the monsters that she used on me and others.”
“I agree with you, Master,” Gnarl said as he wrote things down as Hunter spoke them. “They should be able to be persuaded if you tread carefully enough. Will you be taking the Princess with you?”
“I might. She knows Canterlot far better than I do and she should be able to make an illusion over herself to appear as nothing more than a servant or assistant to me.” Hunter replied easily. “If she can keep herself under control and allow me to question them then it should be fine.”
“Be sure to check with her before she speaks up and ruins the chance you have garnered,” Gnarl warned.
“Agreed.”
“That was all I had for you, Master. Will you be stopping to see the dragons before you leave?”
“Yes. I will drop by to see Kaiana and the others before I head back to Equestria.”
Hunter said nothing more in reply as he turned to head for the platforms. Gnarl bowed his head and watched as the armored Overlord walked away from him. The Overlord stepped onto the platform after sending Dezhara back to the throne room. It sped through the Netherworld and he was still as it neared the Dragons Lair. It reached his destination and he jumped from it as it docked gently against the stone. His hooves thudded dully on the stone floor as he made his way toward the Nest. He suddenly realized that he did not have Sorkeno to call upon and he was quick to realize that he would have to find another dragon to lift him into the Nest and over the barricades. He came to the bottom of the Nest and he began to look around him and his eyes fell on Setan.
“Setan.” He called out and the emerald male opened one eye to look at him. “Can you lift me into the Nest?”
The emerald dragon nodded and put his paw down for the Overlord to jump into and he lifted him up and over the barricades and into the Nest. “Thank you.” He called out as he walked back into the Nest where he knew Kaiana would be.
The silver female laid in silence as the babies clamored around her snout and it was the little black that spotted the Overlord first. Hunter braced as the baby called out and raced toward him. Kaiana’s head snapped to look and her eyes went wide at the sight of him. She reached her tail back and blocked the babies from colliding with him and knocking him off his hooves.
“Give them a moment, my child.” She said to him as she got to her paws stiffly and made her way toward them as they called and tried to get over her tail. “They are still learning. The young ones will be coming to play with them in a while.”
Hunter stayed still on the other side of her tail and he nodded in understanding. The cries slowly quieted and they were soon quiet. She moved her tail and little black trembled at the sight of the Overlord. Kaiana nudged him and the baby barreled forward and collided with the bracing Unicorn. Hunter grunted under the impact and the others soon followed and clamored to nuzzle him as they sniffed him and regained his scent. He stayed still as they weaved over his back and leaned against his armor. He heard his armor creak under the pressure and he gave a quick look to Kaiana who nodded at the sound of the armor.
“Now, now children. Even your Master can only take so much affection.” She chuckled and slowly moved the babies away from him. “You are back early.”
“I came when Gnarl sent me a note about the mercenaries I have been trying to reach and I told him I would be coming down here before returning to Equestria.” He replied to her.
“I see. It’s good to hear that you are receiving the summons you wished for.” She said to him as the babies released their hold and began to wander away from him. “Have you been enjoying your time away?”
“I have been. It’s proven interesting. Discovered that a distant relative was a pony that conquered the Crystal Empire over a thousand years ago. So that was a bit of a shock. Now we need to keep that from getting out.”
“Why?”
“He was a tyrant that enslaved the ponies instead of tending to them.”
Kaiana cringed and shook her head. “Not all of your line have had your heart. Some have fallen to darkness and have lost themselves in that evil.”
“Unfortunately that is true.” He agreed and sat down close by her. He watched as the babies began to run around them and play with each other. “It could be troublesome if that fact comes out before I am ready for it too. For now, we will keep it between a few and there it will remain. I blamed his fall on greed and they seemed to accept that. Twilight agreed to keep the truth secret and that was the end of the conversation.”
“Good. I am glad to hear that you and the Princess are still getting along. I trust Sorkeno has been behaving himself among them?”
“When he’s not traveling with me he’s proving to be laying quiet for the most part,” Hunter informed her. “I think he has been enjoying seeing more of Equestria with me.”
“I am glad to hear it. I have a request for you.”
Hunter nodded to her and waited for her to go on. She looked over her shoulder to the babies before she refocused on him.
“I wish to give the young Princess a gift from the dragons.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I have discussed with many of them the fact that she has stood with all of us and has not shown fear. Setan spoke of her willingness to stand fast in the heat of battle and Maranna praised her for the same. Red and the young dragons that ran with her wished to give her a gift as well when it was mentioned.”
“What were you thinking would suit her?”
“Her regalia is of Equestria,” Kaiana said and he nodded to her for her to go on. “I would wish to give her a set that is of the Netherworld.”
Hunter’s eyes went wide at the request. “You know how Gnarl is about the materials that come from the Netherworld directly. I had to fight with him about the necklaces I gifted them.”
“I know. But this is something that will show our thanks and our hope that she will remain close to all of us.” Kaiana explained. “You are this world's Master and can choose what happens with the materials you hold. While your Advisor will grumble I think he will understand as well.”
Hunter was quiet as he considered what she had said. He had to admit that new regalia would suit her well and he was loathed to argue with the silver matriarch. He knew he also owed her a gift for her hosting him while he was out of the Netherworld.
“I do owe her a gift for her hosting me as well,” Hunter admitted out loud and Kaiana nodded to him. “A new Regalia would fit both of our needs. Her crown cannot be tampered with as it is of Equestria as it is meant to be but the rest can be interchanged as needed.”
“See? It is a perfect gift for her that will show our love and thanks and yours as well. I think she would also enjoy seeing how it is made. Giblet can size it as it cools for her if she is there when it is made.” Kaiana pointed out.
“That’s true. I have no doubt she would be pleased to see how it is made. What with her knowledge hoarding ways.” He said with a chuckle. “All right. I’m on board and Gnarl can grouse all he likes but the choice is made.”
“He might not argue with you too much when you mention who it is for.”
“What makes you think that?”
“He is of the same opinion I am.” Hunter made a go-ahead motion for her to keep speaking and a smile crossed her mouth as she regarded him. “He thinks she is a good match for you as well.”
Hunter choked and looked away from her, trying not to glare at the silver female. “By the Dark.” He cursed and ran a hoof over his face.
“She is of a similar station and you get along well with her. If I had to choose I would have chosen her for you and you for her.” She went on and Hunter finally broke into a deep glare as she chuckled.
“Yeah, we can talk about that another time.” He finally said as he got to his hooves. “I’ll speak with her about how we make the armor and bring her back here for it to be made for her.” He replied, not dignifying the rest of the dragon’s words with a response. “See you when I come back.”
Kaiana chuckled and reached out her nose to nuzzle him as he got to his hooves and he nuzzled her back before heading for the exit.
Hunter sat down at the table and waited as Twilight and Spike set the table. Wrath sat by his hooves and chittered incoherently quietly. Hunter looked over his shoulder as the doors behind him opened and the other mares walked into the room, chattering amongst themselves as they went to their seats. Twilight smiled widely as they sat down. He had not mentioned the new regalia for her yet and he was thinking of speaking to her after the others had left and he had time alone with her. The girls sat down and he waited as Wrath came out of the kitchen with Twilight as her magic levitated their food. The minion pushed a jug of lemonade onto the table and rejoined his Master.
“Okay everypony. Dinner is served.” She said to them cheerfully.
Hunter was quiet as the others began to gather their food and he waited patiently. By his hooves Wrath growled as food passed over him and he looked from it to his Master. Hunter gave him a short look and the minion went quiet. He began to pick up his own choices once the others had finished and Twilight seemed to have the same idea as her magic picked up her choices and set them on her own plate. The black stallion remained quiet as he leaned back in his chair and began to pick at his dinner.
“Darling, I have a question for you if I may?” Rarity said as she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin.
Hunter looked to the white mare and gave her his full attention and waited for her to go on.
“You mentioned that your armor is forged in the Netherworld. Who forges it if I may?”
“My forge master Giblet tends to all matters of the forge,” Hunter replied.
“You said that Sorkeno tends to the forge as well when we first met,” Twilight said to him.
“He does in a way. If it is needed then his flame is able to heat the forges to a higher temp. I don’t ask it of him very often.” Hunter admitted.
“When would you ask for him to do that?” Spike asked as he stood up in his seat.
“If my armor needs to be forged. The armor I wear into battle for example is a type of living armor. Only from Sorkeno’s flame is the forge made hot enough to give it that semblance of life that it needs to adjust to combat situations if needed.” Hunter supplied and bit into his dinner as they considered what he had said.
“How hot does it need to be?” Rarity asked him.
“I do not know the exact temperature. Giblet tends to it and I usually stand off to the side to supervise as needed. He knows the temp innately and can adjust it as needed.”
“Do the minions have anything more to do with the forging?” Twilight asked him.
He bit back a cringe and simply nodded. Twilight continued to look at him, waiting for more of a response. “They play a crucial role in the forging of my equipment.” He replied simply.
“Wow. The minions are needed for everything.” Spike said and sat back down.
“There is very little that they do not have a claw in,” Hunter admitted.
He looked around the room as he bit into his food once more and he could tell that Fluttershy had something on her mind. Over the past few months, he had learned about each of them and Fluttershy was particularly easy to read. He said nothing to her and simply waited. If he had learned one thing it was that she would speak up when it was needed.
“What do they eat?” She finally asked.
“The minions?” She nodded at his reply and he looked down at the armored minion by his hooves. “Anything and everything. It depends on the minion. They do not need to eat to survive but many choose to for the simple pleasure of it. Wrath, for example, will eat anything so long as he can get his jaws around it. He’s not partial to salads but give him anything sweet and he will eat it in large quantities.” Hunter explained.
“So they live off of…what?” Fluttershy inquired.
“They live off of the Netherworld itself. They are fed by the magic that it gives off and the magic they can get from me.” Hunter replied. “I cannot sustain the whole of them for very long but they make do. I am of the Netherworld so it helps when we are out and away from it.”
Fluttershy nodded in understanding and went back to her own dinner, giving him the chance to bite into more of his meal. Minutes ticked past in silence as he looked around them once more. Applejack leaned toward the table and a look crossed her face as she turned to him.
“Where do they come from?” Applejack asked, a sly look on her face.
Hunter immediately knew she was trying to get an awkward response and he simply leaned back in his chair, his face a mask of composure.
“Minions are not born necessarily. They come from a Hive that they are spawned from. We feed the Hive and it gives me minions.” He replied simply.
He saw Twilight eyes widen and she leaned heavily against the map table and regarded him. “What do you mean? What is it exactly?”
He chuckled and leaned slightly forward. “The Hives are exactly what they sound like. They do birth the minions in a way but they do not require help from another Hive to do so.” He replied and he saw Applejack cringe and he bit back another laugh at her expense. “The Hives are different depending on which minion type you talk about. They are kept within the Netherworld in the minion burrows and they are well guarded by those that live with the burrows. I cannot draw unfortunately or I would simply show you a rendering of them but they are about two ponies tall and just half as wide. Each one is a different color that coincides with the minion that comes from them.”
“So what would happen if you don’t have them?” Rarity asked him.
“No minions.” He replied. “Well, none of that type anyway.”
“So without the blue minion Hive then no blues?” Twilight clarified.
“Exactly.” He responded.
“How do they birth a minion?” Fluttershy asked him quietly.
“We feed them life force and they give me minions. They cannot be created from nothing so it needs something in exchange.”
“Lifeforce?” Applejack asked and looked curiously at him.
“It’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s the life of another being that feeds the Hives. In the Netherworld, we use the lives of rodents and other creatures when needed. Currently, the Hives have enough life force stored within them that I would be able to go to war a dozen times and still have life force left over to feed the Hives.”
“How do you gather that?” Pinkie asked and bounced lightly in her seat as she waited for him to reply.
“The minions can gather it as things die around them. I have never asked how and I assume it to be magic that is inherent to the minions themselves. Gnarl taught me about it many years ago but I fear that lesson did not stick as much as others and I have forgotten much of it.” He admitted with a shrug.
“So it’s the soul of a creature in a way?” Twilight asked him.
“I suppose that’s one way to look at it. It is the essence of a creature so I suppose you could call it a soul.” He admitted and waited for the next question to be sent his way.
“Even ponies?” Fluttershy asked him, her voice a whisper.
“Yes.” He replied simply to her and let it sink in.
He knew that the realization that the minions were nothing more than the essence of another being was a lot to swallow. He had needed Gnarl to go over it a few times before he came to grips with it and was able to understand it. Now it was simply another fact that he cataloged as being needed for his world to go on.
“The minions are the life force of other creatures?” Applejack said as she looked over the table to Wrath who was sitting in silence.
“That is what is needed to birth a minion, yes.” He replied. “Each one is the form that life force takes when it is used by the Hive to create one. The Hives are pretty simple in terms of what they can and cannot do.”
“And you are okay with this?” Twilight asked him.
“Of course. What other way do you think they could be made as quickly as I need them? They live within the Netherworld and each one is from the Hives. Each minion in my army comes from another beings life force. Gnarl and a few others were there before me and they will continue after me. I inherited much of my army from my father and his father before him. The truth is that we have always had the Hives and the Hives play a part in each Overlord's life.”
“How big is the army?” Twilight asked, her voice quiet.
“Big enough.” He replied. “Equestria does not have a dedicated army so far as I know. That would require conscripting the populace. I do not need to conscript my subjects. I supply the army myself through the Hives.” He said to her and he leaned against the table as he went on. “My army is stored within the Burrows and they are at my whim and command. I could have overrun Nordberg a hundred times if I had wished when you saw that little rebellion. The Empire would have stood no chance under the full weight of them. I do not use them lightly and I have no need of the full army and I plan to keep it that way.”
The mares were quiet as he finished speaking and he waited for them to process what he had said. Twilight sat back in her throne and her eyes blinked slowly as she thought over what he had said. Her jaw would open and then close quickly as she thought over what to say next. He waited in silence and tossed part of his plate to the waiting minion, who purred with glee at the food.
“The Sky Serpent?” Pinkie asked.
“Its life force went to the Hives.” He replied. “That creature held more than the average amount of life force so it was able to be split among the hives and each benefited from its death.”
“How long do they live? Do you have to replenish them frequently? I never saw any kind of graveyard.” Twilight finally said to him.
“They do not die in that sense. Gnarl, for example, has been around for longer than I even know. He is well over a couple of thousand years old. Minions can die but that is not the end of their story.” He replied.
“What do ya mean?” Applejack asked him.
He paused before replying as his mind went over the knowledge in his mind. He had a feeling that Gnarl would skin him living for telling everything to them. They were not an ally nation in the sense that he would defend them if needed but they were not an enemy either.
“Hunter?” Twilight said his name as he remained silent.
“Yes?”
“Kingdom secrets?” She asked him.
His eyes widened slightly as she hit the nail on the head. He gave a quiet nod and he could see her dropping the subject just as quickly. He could tell that the others were not so quick to drop the subject.
“Okay girls that is not something that he can tell us without us being advisors or part of his kingdom. So we need to respect that.” She told them and they slowly nodded in agreement with her.
Minute’s stretched out as the other mares were still quiet and he looked at the minion by his hooves and tossed a chunk of bread to the minion who gulped it down happily.
“How long before ponies can see the baby dragons?” Fluttershy asked.
Hunter breathed in as he thought it over and after a minute of thought, he replied to her. “For now I am not sure of the timing. Sorkeno and the others will let me know when the attendants are allowed to be around them. Normally they are put to other tasks while the Hatching takes place and during the time after it. This time however they are permitted to continue their duties due to the babies being placed in a separate area of the Lair away from the eyes of ponies. The area the babies are being kept in is impossible for any pony to reach unless they have wings or can teleport.”
The mares were quiet as they listened to him. “So the odds of us seeing them?” Fluttershy went on.
“Not going to happen.” Hunter replied easily. “Unless you come back to the Netherworld in a year or so, then maybe. But for now, the babies are kept away from ponies for several reasons. First being that the dragons are fiercely protective of them. They will kill any who gets too close to them. Secondly, the babies do not have a concept of their own size and could harm any they run to. You saw Red and others and their size.” The mares nodded as he went on. “The babies are about half their size and they will grow slowly over the next few years. They go through a short growth spurt after they are hatched. They can easily crush a pony if they are not careful. I interact with them with the dragons supervisor. Should they start to play with me too hard the dragons intercede to keep me from being hurt by them. They have to be taught to be gentle now that they are getting older and their size is evening out.”
“So they are huge?” Rainbow finally spoke up.
“Basically. Roughly the size of your average carriage.” Hunter replied. “Red and the others will remain that size for many more years and then they will begin to grow once more.”
“When do they get their names?” Twilight asked. “Red mentioned that they would get them soon but he was not sure about the timing.”
Hunter chuckled. “They will get it when Sorkeno and the other adults think they are ready. It’s not really an exact time or year. When they are ready the adults will show them how to find their name. I do not have anything to do with it and know very little about personally.”
The mares fell quiet as he finished speaking and he fell silent with them. He did not mention that he would play a part in their naming and he chose to leave it out. His place among them was as a Lord of Dragons that stood above even Sorkeno. That meant that he played a part in their lives above what was permitted normally. He chose to keep that to himself and perhaps in time he would be able to speak of it to them, or at least speak of it to Twilight.
“How long do they live?” Rainbow asked.
“Sorkeno is over a thousand years old. Kaiana is older than that. I do not know her exact age but it is well within two to three thousand or so.” He admitted. “It depends on the dragon. Some live thousands of years other hundreds.”
“What about Sorkeno? How long can he live?” Pinkie asked.
Hunter was quiet as he thought it over. “I think he mentioned that the last golden dragon was well over three to four thousand or more. The golden ones live longer than the others since they come to rule over their kind in time. It can depend on the color and the bloodline of the dragon that can determine their life span.”
Spike stood up on his chair and regarded the stallion for several seconds before he leaned back. “Are there more dragons than what you have?”
“Of course,” Hunter replied easily.
“Do they answer to you too?”
“Of course not,” Hunter replied with a chuckle. “They are not mine to command since they do not live among mine. They live in the farthest mountains and we have little contact with them if any.”
“Can you call on them?” Rainbow asked.
“No. They were called on once by an ancestor of mine and the dragons came to aid him in battle. At the end of that fight is when the dragons split and some of them went with my ancestor while the rest returned to the mountains.”
“Wow. So there are a lot more dragons out there?” Spike asked him.
Hunter nodded and leaned his forelegs on the table. “My dragons choose to remain in their Lair and I will never send them away or give them a reason to leave. I value each of them and even if they choose not to answer my command my love for them will not change.”
“Sorkeno said that some of them are older and might not want to answer your call. That’s okay with you?” Twilight asked him.
“Of course. They are like family to me and I do not command them lightly. Setan sometimes chooses not to answer my call and I do not hold it against him.”
“He was the big green one right?” Pinkie said as she looked at him.
“Yes. He rarely leaves the Lair and when he does it is usually at the call of Sorkeno or Kaiana.” He admitted. “I do not hold it against him and I thank him for his aid when he does choose to come to my call. Many of them are older and choose to remain where they are comfortable.”
“When you retook your kingdom Sorkeno said that in the final battle you had over twenty dragons at your command,” Twilight said to him. Her friends stared at her and then at him at the number that came from her mouth.
“That’s true.”
“How do you call on that many?” Rainbow asked, her voice had pitched as she questioned him.
“I had Sorkeno’s help. I could not call them from the field. I had Sorkeno call on them during a lull in combat and they remained out of sight while we tried to negotiate. When that fell through IU called them out of hiding and they ringed the field. Even with them, the Emperor chose to fight against me. Despite his troops giving up and fleeing the field.”
“I’d run too if I saw that many Kaiana size dragons on the other side of the field,” Twilight said him and he nodded in agreement. “What happened to those that fought against you that day? Where they allowed to go home?”
“Of course. They stood down and surrendered, then they were spared. Those that did not fell to dragon fire and the minions.”
“The reds are immune to fire. Are they immune to dragon fire?”
“Not all dragon fire. Sorkeno’s flame cannot be countered so I kept them back until he stopped attacking. Once he had pulled back I sent them into battle.”
“They're immune to fire?” Rainbow questioned.
“The reds are immune to fire, the greens are immune to poison. And the blues are immune to Unicorn magic.” He replied easily. He left off the part about them being immune to all magic except the magic of the Netherworld and he could see Twilights ears flick as she glanced to him and he gave her a look and she gave a slight nod.
“Wow.” Pinkie breathed out. “So they don’t feel any of that? No magic can hurt them?”
“How do ya even plan a fight around all that?” Applejack asked him. “Ah can’t even keep it all straight normally.”
“It’s my job.” He replied. “I am the Overlord of the Netherworld Empire. It is my place to know my army in and out and to know my kingdom. To keep the peace in my kingdom I must know all that happens within it and how to address each threat with the best combination of my army. Each threat or situation needs to be addressed properly.”
At his hooves, Wrath murmured and Hunter looked down as the minion flopped to his back and laid on the crystal floor.
“Has the Netherworld always been your family’s home?” Rainbow asked him.
“Do you mean if my line has always been there or if we have a vacation home?” Hunter teased.
She huffed and scowled at him for a moment. “The first one.”
“No. At one point we lived in the first Dark Tower. That home was destroyed over a thousand years ago by dragon fire.” He replied. "The Netherworld was found by an ancestor of mine and was molded into what it is now over time.”
“So it used to be above ground?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yes. It used to stand taller than the towers of Canterlot.”
“You said that it fell to Dragon fire?” Rarity asked as she looked up from her meal.
“Yes.” He looked at Twilight who smiled warmly as he leaned back and paused before he went on. “My line was once the opposite of what it is now. We used force and cruelty to subjugate the ponies. They had no choice about their fates and we took everything from them and gave very little back. One of them rose and went against it.”
“So you were evil once?” Fluttershy said as she looked at him.
“Once.” He replied and leaned forward against the table. “One of my ancestors rose and went against it all. He went to the dragons in the mountains and asked for their help to depose his family and rescue the ponies. After some convincing, they agreed and went into battle with him. Their fire brought down the old Tower.” He summarized what he had told Twilight before and waited for them to reply.
“Wow.” Rainbow breathed out. “So after that, they were good?”
“It’s a choice to be good or not. Nothing is so simple.” Hunter said to her, his tone short. “I choose to be what I am.”
The others were quiet as they turned to Twilight who nodded in agreement. “Nopony is immune to being one way or the other. It just means we need to always make sure that we are what we want to be.”
“That’s true.” Applejack agreed. “Just reminds ya ta stay on the straight an’ narrow.”
The girls nodded and Spike sat down in his chair to finish his food. Hunter picked at the remainder of his meal and leaned back after several seconds. The Overlord was quiet as he considered all that he had said. Nothing stood out as being incorrect and he was pleased with how things had played out. He tuned them out as they fell into other topics and he budged Wrath with his hoof and slid the rest of his food to the minion, who eagerly ate what he was given.
Hunter sighed as he leaned heavily into his chair as Twilight came back from walking her friends out of the room and out of the castle. Wrath was laid out on the floor and appeared to be sleeping. She came back into the room and her magic began to clean up from the meal. Hunter poked Wrath and the minion got to his feet and walked to the Alicorn with his arms outstretched to take items from her. She smiled and set several plates in his claws and the minion followed her into the kitchen.
“So what is next for you to see?” Spike asked him from his place.
“I’m not sure. I have something to tend to in Canterlot in the next couple of days. That should take only a short amount of time.” He admitted to him.
“What are you looking into?”
“Not the right time to talk about it, Spike.” He replied. “In time I will let you know.”
Spike looked at him for a moment before he seemed to accept the reasoning from the stallion and sat down. He fell silent as Twilight came out of the backroom with Wrath on her heels. She came up to the table as Spike yawned and the mare smiled at him.
“Looks like somepony is tired.” She said to the baby dragon, affection in her voice. “It’s late Spike. You should head to bed.”
“I guess so. You need anything before I go?” He asked her and looked at Hunter who shook his head. Twilight shook her head and the baby dragon jumped from his chair to the ground and headed for the doors. “Okay. You guys have a good night. Don’t let her bore you too much Hunter.”
Twilight startled and scowled at the baby dragon as he laughed and left them behind. “I don’t bore him.” She growled and then looked at the black stallion. “Do I?”
“No. I can usually stop any ramblings you might go on about. Nothing I cannot handle.” He assured her and leaned forward. “I do have a question for you though.”
“Go ahead.” She said to him and sat down across from him.
“I was within the Netherworld and Kaiana brought up something she had spoken with several dragons about. Something they wished to give you and I have agreed with it.”
She looked stunned for a moment before she recovered. “What could I have done to deserve something from them?”
“It’s what you did not do. You did not panic when they were around and you stood firm in battle beside them and me.” He clarified. “And I owe you a gift for being my host while I am away from the Netherworld.”
“You already got me a gift.” She argued and looked at the necklace around her neck.
“That does not count, it was for the Gala.” He reasoned and she gave him an exasperated look. “This is for allowing me to remain here and the dragons wish to give you something in return. After speaking with Kaiana she wishes to give you a new Regalia.”
“A new Regalia? Why would I need a new one?”
“Your Regalia is of Equestria and the one we would give you would be of the Netherworld. I would not wish to replace your crown, simply the rest of it. We would need to go back to the Netherworld to have it sized properly by Giblet.”
Twilight looked at him and she heaved a sigh. “I’m not going to win this, am I? If I said no you would take my Regalia to size it with that wouldn’t you?” She replied top him her tone clipped.
“Probably. I could most likely get Spike to give it to me if I asked.”
“Don’t involve Spike in this.” She laughed.
“I will if I have to.” He promised and she scowled in reply.
“You…Ugh.” She groused and leaned heavily against the map table. “Geez. Fine.”
“I win.” He chuckled and she glared at him for a moment longer before a smile broke through her angry look.
“Okay, then I have a few more questions for you, your Highness.” She replied.
“I thought as much.” He admitted. “Was it you who told them to grill me or was that their own choice?”
“Was all them I swear.” She replied quickly.
“Mm-hmm.” He replied and made a motion for her to go ahead with his hoof.
“I know I told the girls that it was a Kingdom secret but is it real or are you just not telling everypony about the minions living a long time?”
He sighed and considered her question. “You’re asking what I meant when I said that their death was not the end of the story.”
“Pretty much.” She chirped and waited for him to speak.
He waited for a moment before he replied. “You are to keep it to yourself.” She nodded and made a motion to zip her lips and he went on when she had finished. “The minions to do not really die.”
“What?”
“They can be resurrected.”
Twilight’s eyes went wide as he finished speaking and she stared. “Huh?”
“It’s exactly what it sounds like.” He replied and she leaned forward and still stared openly. “There is a minion that is in charge of the minions when they die, Mortis.”
“So he can bring them back?”
“If I am willing to pay for it yes. I do not pay in bits or coin but with the lives of lower minions. For example, if Wrath were to fall then I would go to Mortis and he would be able to pull Wrath’s soul from…wherever it is, and I would sacrifice lower or newer minions to pay in exchange.”
“That’s…amazing…but…” She babbled and finally came to a stop and waited for him to go on.
“It is not common for a minion to fall in battle and not be healed by the blues.”
“Can they bring them back from the dead?”
“Yes. I did not mention that, did I?” She shook her head almost frantically and he chuckled. “The blue minions can bring minions back from the dead if they reach them before the body decays. It’s a matter of time and ability. The blues are not fighters and are fairly weak when compared to the others. I tend to keep them back and out of sight until a fight is over then I bring them in to do their work.”
“So they’re not fighters?”
“No. They do a great job of dying. But they can swim which puts them above the other types. The others do a great job of drowning.”
Twilight giggled and then sat back down and regarded him. “So you can resurrect your entire army if you need to with the help of the blues or you can resurrect them from home?”
“Yes. Mortis is within the minion burrows and I can access him easily through there.”
“You can bring them all back.” She whispered.
“Yes. Thankfully the majority of the army is pretty resilient and I would not need to resurrect them all at once. The blues follow in my wake and they bring back those that fall.”
“Wow.” She whispered out and he waited for her to go on. “So your army is never-ending?”
“That’s one way to look at it.” He agreed with an absent wave of his hoof.
“Wow. Going to war with you would be the biggest mistake of any pony’s life.”
“That’s true and yet some have done it.” He said with a laugh. “I do not go to war lightly and so far I see no reason to go to war with anypony.”
She was quiet as he sat and waited for her to speak once more. He knew that hearing about the abilities of his and the blues had been quite the shock. He had only learned about their abilities when he was beginning to plan how to retake his kingdom and it had been startling to him. His armor creaked as he shifted his weight and he waited for her to speak.
“Okay, that's pretty amazing.”
“It is when it’s used. But I have no desire to use it on a large scale again.” He admitted.
“You did when you took back your kingdom and the ponies?”
“Yes. Any battle that went on I sent the blues in behind us to resurrect the dead and those that we did not get to I brought back through Mortis.” He informed her.
“Do you know of any other magic that you can use? You mentioned the darkness that you can use but that can’t be it. You have the minions and their abilities but are they all you have?”
“No. There are old magics at work that I can call upon. The Netherworld magic is another I can call upon when I figure out how, and there are types of magic that are determined by the type of ruler that you are.”
“What do you mean? Like they know who you are or what?”
“It’s not that they know who you are it's more that they change depending on how you use them. They go hoof in hoof with the Netherworld Magic but are easier to use. For example one of them can strengthen a minion or I can sacrifice a minion to replenish my energy or magical strength.”
“Oh wow.”
“Another can either subjugate a weaker-minded pony or beast or it can turn them into ash. It depends on what it is used for.” He clarified and her eyes went wide.
“Subjugate a pony?”
“Or a beast. It is rarely used since it is not easy to control if you are not focusing on it. I do not use it personally.”
“You can do what with it? Control them?”
He sighed before he replied, he knew she would have trouble with it but he wished to be honest with her. “Yes. But I have never used it to any great effect. It’s better not used.”
“But you still can do that?”
“Yes. It is possible.” He admitted with a short sigh.
She opened her mouth to speak but it clicked shut as she considered what he had said. Her mouth opened and closed a few more times as she thought it over.
“But you don’t use it?”
“No. Like I said it can be hard to control and if you’re not careful you can severely hurt or kill somepony." He replied.
“Okay. Did your dad ever?”
“Not that I am aware of. According to Gnarl, he was as cautious with it as I am.”
“I see.” She said and leaned back in her chair as she considered his words. “It’s just hard to think about you being able to do that to another pony even though I know you and I know you wouldn’t do that.”
“I can get ponies to follow me on my own I don’t need magic to help me.” He reassured her.
“I know you and you wouldn’t do that.” She said with more confidence in her tone. “You’re not that kind of pony.” She said to him and he gave a slight tilt of his head in affirmation of her statement. “Is that it?”
“No. There are other types but they deal with strengthening the minions as a group or individuals.”
“Wow. You have access to a whole host of magic that I have never seen before. I know some of it is bad but other parts could be used to the benefit of others and that is what you choose to do with it.”
“Was there anything else?” He asked her with a smile.
“Where is the old Tower?”
“I was wondering if you would ask about it. If you wish I can take you to it and show it to you. There is a Gate close by it that is still active from when Gnarl showed it to me.”
“You can go to it?” She asked him, excitement in her voice.
“Of course. It’s a ruin now but it’s still quite the sight even now.” He replied as she nodded with a wide smile and he laughed at her enthusiasm.
She looked thoughtful for a moment before she nodded once more and smiled back at him. “I would love to see it. But for now what did Gnarl need from you?”
“Oh. He informed me that a group of mercenaries and animal traders have agreed to meet with me as a potential buyer in Canterlot. I gained their name from Top Quote and I used his name to gain access to them.”
“I assume you’re going to go in an illusion?”
“You assume correctly. I will need you to point out the bar they want to meet in though.” He replied to her.
“I’ll take you to it. Can I come with you?”
“If you think you can let me lead the conversation and only speak when asked to then yes.” He replied, his tone short. “I don’t say that lightly. I need them to talk and I will need them to believe that I am nothing more than another customer with questions. If I am right then I can get to the one that sold the Chimera and other monsters to the Governess.”
She nodded in agreement. “I’ll keep quiet. As far as they know I’m an assistant to you nothing more.”
“Perfect. The meeting is two days from now.”