Chapter 1- The First Mistress
A powerful dark force yanked her through what felt like some kind of dark abyss. She felt like every strand of her being was being torn apart and fractured, only to be reassembled flawlessly once she met the other end.
She was suddenly consumed by a blinding flash of light. Her vision began to clear- behind it lay a far darker undertone. She was suddenly standing in the middle of what looked like some kind of temple, the black ash crusted walls rose high around her. The land beyond the fractured pillars that offered a safe cocoon was a barren, magma scorched wasteland. "Aaah" A voice carried over the hiss of the steam.
Kelda snapped around to face the source of the voice, being confronted by a hunchbacked creature draped in a dark cloak. "You must be Mistress Kelda"
She wasn't sure of exactly how she was supposed to respond. "Yes?"
"Ah" The creature at least appeared satisfied with the response. "Welcome to the Netherworld"
Kelda stepped over the lip of the pit she was standing in- her gaze travelling across the open chamber surrounding her, taking in the bladed pillars and the rocky outcroppings hanging precariously over her head.
The stalactites above her suddenly began to course and pulse with electric current. Kelda stumbled back up the steps in surprise. The creatures around her stood in awe, some mumbling 'The Master' in a dumbfounded voice. The stalactites hanging precariously above her suddenly unfolded like a flower in bloom. From the centre emerged a figure draped in steel grey armour, descending like a dark angel from heaven. The creature that that had greeted her moved forward to greet him as his metal boots touched the cracked stonework. "You now have a dark tower truly worthy of you master"
"So this is your place huh?" The two of them turned to face her, watching as she stepped down the broken steps.
"It certainly beats Nordberg. It's warm for a start"
Kelda turned to the creature at her feet. "I'm not sure about this thing though- what is it some kind of walnut with ears?"
Gnarl shook away her wandering hand. "Perhaps you and your mistress should visit the private quarters sire?"
"Great. I'm goanna see where my fur rugs and hunting sovineours will go" Kelda's mood quickly lightened at the prospect of rest and relaxation in pleasant and serene surroundings. What greeted her once she had ascended the stairs however was not what she had expected. Instead what she had hoped to be a warm, calming metropolis emerged to be a cave strewn with rubble and creaking planks that could barely withstand the force of their own weight. "Well, this certainly won't do"
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Weeks had passed since Kelda had first entered the Netherworld. She had requested some assistance from the Overlord in renovating the Private Quarters. He responded by supplying her with ample gold and Brown minions- their ability to move and think at the same time made them adequate for the task at hand. Every few days the Overlord would return, weighted down by bags of gold and dozens of spare minions in tow he was willing to commit to her plans.
Her life couldn't have been better. She was the exclusive love interest of her childhood crush, tending to his needs every time he returned. Being lavished with gold and minions while giving her free roam over the private quarters. He even allowed her to hunt some of the minions in the lower levels of the tower, saying that it was good training that would separate the weak from the strong. The minions however were beginning to get wind of her sport and started moving in packs, leaving Kelda to hunt the weak and overconfident. For her life seemed to be nothing but total bliss.
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"So this is your place huh? It's a little dark, no natural light. But I think I can work with this" Juno spoke with an intrigued voice. Her gaze suddenly turned towards the throne at the top of the stairs. "Oh I see you've already arranged some peasant slave as my lady in waiting. She's a bit scruffy"
Juno steps up stairs to face her head on. "The only thing I'm waiting for, Empire, is for you to step a foot out of line so I can hang your carcass up on the wall with the other pretty, vacant things". Kelda's eyes burned with a fiery determination. She turned away from the engagement towards the Private Quarters.
Gnarls voice resonated behind her. "Now Mistress Juno has some interesting information for you"
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Despite the sudden arrival of a new player in their game Kelda ensured that she remained top dog. The Overlord occasionally requested Juno, sometimes Kelda- even both. But Kelda still maintained her standing as First Mistress. She was prepared to fight any competition to that position.
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"I think we have a situation to discuss" Fay stepped out from under the cool glow of the portal. "You appear to have a couple of unfortunate hangers on. Dark One".
She approached the Overlord, passing a glance over Juno. "A refugee from the empire with more in front than up top"
"Ridiculous, my hair is lovely" Juno glared. "And I don't wear black out of season" she grumbled beneath her breath.
"And some kind of Nordbergian Snow Rat. I didn't know you did charity work" She turned her vicious tongue towards the overhanging balcony.
"Hmm. I'd like to see you try to wrestle down and skin a rabid seal mother" Kelda mused.
"I guess it's too much to ask you to kill them right now, so I'll just settle for being First Mistress. I'm sure you don't need it, but as an incentive I can make sure that Salamanders are available to you in your final battle against the Empire"
Kelda emerged from the shadows behind the Overlord. "I was going to cut you a break because you're new around here, fairy. But if you want to play rough I can offer you the services of the wolves in the final battle if you make me First Mistress"
Juno stepped down the twisting stairs, entering the fray. "Wait a minute! I learned a few tricks in Everlight. If you make me First Mistress I can make sure those little green spidery things and you instead…..and I am after all me"
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The actors in this play had all assembled- the final act was drawing near. The question was to whom the final tragedy would befall.
"You!" Kelda was roused from sharpening her hunting blade- stabbing the metal into the thick woodwork before her. "Nordbergian!"
Kelda refused to acknowledge her. Fay stepped in front of her, her dark form bathing her in shadows. "This won't last forever"
"What?" Kelda still kept her eyes locked on her blade.
"You, being First Mistress. It will never last" she spoke in a casual tone.
Kelda had to give- finally looking up to face her. "And why do you think that? Corrupted one"
Fay chuckled "Because now I'm here"
Kelda refused to rise to the bait.
"Listen" Fay took the seat across from her. "You only became First Mistress before because he had no one else to choose from. And that Imperial tart Juno lacks the intuitive to do anything about it. But now I'm here"
"Someone sure seems full of themselves"
"I came down here to help you" Fay sighed. "But I guess if you don't want it I could always ask Ju-" Fay rose to leave, but Kelda's hand wrapping around her wrist pinned her to the chair.
"Why would you wish to help me?" Kelda was intrigued enough to abide her for a while longer.
Fay smiled. "Got you" her mind sung sweetly.
"Because there can only be one First Mistress from the three of us. And rather than fight and scrape against the two of you I think it better to remove some of the competition"
"And how do you plan to 'remove' the competition" Kelda's speech was laced with poison.
Fay feigned shock. "I am amazed, I may be evil but I would never turn a weapon on someone else. That's what minions are for"
"So what are you proposing?"
"A truce- we work together to ensure that only we have a chance at becoming First Mistress"
"But you'll still stab me in the back the second Juno is out of the way"
"Of course" Fay's voice was eerily sweet. "But for once use your primitively thick skull for something other than cracking nuts or killing seal babies".
Kelda had to admit the idea was flattering, and declining this opportunity would only harm her chances even more. "Ok, I'm in"
"Excellent" Fay leaned forward across the table separating them, taking Kelda's firm chin in her long fingers. "Why don't we seal it, with a kiss?"
Fay leaned in closer- but Kelda brought her finger up to her lips, halting Fay's advance. "And how do I know your lips are not laced with deadly poison?"
Fay smiled at Kelda's first display of intelligence. "You don't". Their lips met.