Maraxus: I do not own this story, it belongs to Sunjinjo on deviantart, all credit for this brilliant story to her.

Seeds of Vengeance Part 3

After the painted chamber narrower tunnels followed, often with parallel cracks along the ceiling through which light and vines fell in. Water often dripped down as well, and the greens hissed and avoided it in disgust as though it was acid.

Cracks along the walls and in the floor let in green gas that spelled bad news for Estell and Nyarai, however. The further they went on, the higher the green clouds billowed, and soon the two coughed themselves hoarse and they needed the greens' help. Wherever they went, the green clouds streamed away between them, as though their own odour forced them away. Behind the Minions, the gas bloomed up again.

Higher up in the walls, and often at Estell's eye height, were the holes from which grasping brown claws darted as soon as he passed. Nyarai was quick to hear the cave crabs' clicking and could avoid them, but Estell was not yet as alert as she was. Multiple times it fell to the Zola or the greens to drag him aside, and multiple times the crabs grabbed on to clawfuls of his long hair. His face was only scratched a few times. The elf could see Scythe roll his eyes, and mused to himself to act with more dignity for a change. He perked his ears for the clicking, but the hiss of the gas and the greens themselves made it hard to detect, and the holes weren't very visible either.

Then that problem was solved for him – the holes started getting larger, and so were the matching claws. More cracks opened in the mossy rock, and the tunnels started gently sloping down. "Are we heading the right way?" Shadow wondered out loud. "Shouldn't we be going up?"

"Down first," Whisper hissed.

"Is there enough light down there?"

"No worries."

For a time the trio did worry. The claws kept growing, the gas kept thickening, there was less and less room to pass through safely and the holes through which light fell in grew smaller and more scarce. Briefly they walked through almost complete darkness, only broken by the Minions' eyes…

…and then a feeble blue glow blossomed ahead of them. At that moment Estell realized another faint light much like it glistened on his back – his spear tip.

Ahead of them the rock was sprinkled with irregular growths of karuskar – or abyssilion, as Gnarl called it. Curves, globules, razor-sharp edges, but all at a far smaller scale than in Atua's gift. Fragments, shards of something much bigger that had happened far away. The blue glow was weak, but there was enough light to see the contours of the rocky floor and walls.

"Beautiful," Nyarai smiled, looking around with gleaming eyes. Then she inhaled sharply, and the shards around her reacted to her sudden fear.

There was less gas here but the hissing cracks had given way to something barely better. The holes in the walls, just visible in the blue gloom, were monstrous in diameter here.

"Rare species, hm?" Gnarl remarked. "Minions at the ready, Sire."

"We can pass through here without bloodshed," the elf spoke. He started walking, careful to make no sound.

"We'll see," the advisor hissed. And he was right – ahead the cavern narrowed and the walls came distressingly close to each other. The holes steadily grew larger. The Hive vanished from sight ahead of them, and the greens darted forward in twos and threes, barely visible, actually invisible in some cases. Estell felt as though he walked across a nighted sea floor – the blue light played tricks on his eyes. There was no more moss here, and with every step he was at risk of kicking away loose rocks and making noise. He kept an eye on Scythe, just ahead, in case Gnarl was right and the untrustworthy Minion got any ideas.

Then he almost lost sight of the green, picked up the pace somewhat to keep up with him, and his bare foot hopelessly slipped on a wet, smooth rock. He milled his arms and tried to steady himself, but forgot his right hand was gone and kicked a handful of loose rocks against the walls. The echoes bounced off everywhere…

…and then there was only the clicks and scrapes of chitin on rock, absolutely everywhere. Spiny claws emerged from both walls, and Estell dropped to escape them. He wrenched the spear off his back. "Shadow!"

His dark counterpart darted down at him, even as some brave greens tried to get into the holes, but a certain sound had him freeze. It wasn't even that loud; not a fearful shout for help, but it was cut-off and it was Nyarai's voice. Two pairs of blue eyes shot her way, to see a huge disembodied claw pressing her against the dripping, glistening wall and steadily pulling her towards the cave crab's den. Milling mouthparts were faintly visible in the depth of the hole, and Estell could almost see the Zola being pulled in bit by bit. He tried to get up, but a crushing blow to his back had him smack into the floor again, blood trickling down to his sides.

Shadow was on his way, however. He halted just before Nyarai and only then seemed to realize there was nothing he could do. He didn't look back at Estell or the Minions for help, however, but almost immediately shot forward, into the hole. For a moment the cave lit up, a blue radiance that had nothing to do with the shards of abyssilion…

Estell stared at the hole, then into Nyarai's widened eyes. The claw keeping her in place jolted, convulsed. And relaxed. Nyarai stumbled forward, and Estell worked himself towards her on hands and knees to support her.

Then the rock wall exploded. The duo shielded their faces from the rock splinters, but not long enough to miss what emerged; a twisted, spiny creature, massive bulbous pincers dragging across the floor in ape-like fashion, glistening compound eyes…

…blue compound eyes, slightly glowing.

Estell let go of Nyarai and outstretched a trembling left hand. "Shadow?"

Mouthparts rattled. Then the cave crab rushed forward, soft white abdomen and all, to stomp into the tunnel; whacking aside the claws to the left and right, or twisting them off outright, with the ear-splitting crack and creak of chitin. High-pitched and tremulous cries echoed through the tunnels, and in reaction almost all claws retracted, some still with Minions hanging off them, forcing them to wiggle out of the holes swearing and hissing.

"That's unexpected," the elf uttered. He didn't even feel his lacerated back. "Is there no end to your hidden talents?"

The glow of the crab's eyes dimmed, and a black mist ascended from the spiny armour's joints. Bit by bit Shadow took his old shape, breathing heavily. "That was… difficult. But it's not as if I had any choice." He smiled at Nyarai. The Zola laughed breathlessly and pulled him down into her arms. "Thank you!"

"You're most welcome. But don't ask me to do that again, that was exhausting." His eyes glowed less brightly than usual, and Shadow's breathing barely evened out.

Then the cave crab got up. In the blink of an eye the claws were back in position, but the same went for Estell's spear. "Shadow, lend me your hand. We have to dominate it." He lunged at the eyes, now green, and the crab lurched backwards.

"I can't recommend that right now, Sire."

Gnarl sounded urgent all of a sudden. Estell briefly looked back at his Minions. The tunnel, first full of black holes and grasping claws, was now filled with expectant yellow eyes, contrasting sharply with the faint blue light. He could almost hear the questions in those eyes. What kind of Overlord is this? Are we loyal?

Estell tightened his grip on the spear. He realized he'd seen the shadow hand as too much of a safeguard to fall back on. He couldn't bend everything to his will. He couldn't take the pacifist approach here – even if it would technically save the situation, he wouldn't be able to truly win the Minions to his side, and without the Minions he was nothing. He'd still have to kill… animals, people. Elves?

Mother Goddess forgive me.

Gnarl had to have seen his struggle in his eyes. "My boy, what did you decide as you lost your hand? What are you?"

Estell twisted his mouth and shut his eyes. As he opened them again he leapt forward, and his Minions followed. The tunnel filled with hissing battle cries and the crab's tremulant shriek.

The animal fought back impressively, flinging Minions aside with its huge bulbous claws and impaling others on its long spines. A few Minions fell even before any reached the unprotected abdomen behind the creature. Once that happened, however, the crab was quick to weaken, being unable to defend itself properly as Estell attacked the front. As his spear was caught in a claw, Nyarai attacked the other side, and not much later the crab collapsed with the abdomen reduced to a lacerated mass of dark blood.

Scythe and Whisper rammed their claws in a joint at the head, Nyarai flung the claws aside and Estell thrust up his spear through the mouthparts. A last rattle, and it was over.

"That's another way to do it," the elf panted as he pulled his weapon free.

"Clean your spear tip, Sire. I don't know if that material can rust, but I know nothing about that creature's blood either." Gnarl didn't voice it, but Estell could hear the pride in his voice. That made him feel a little better.

Then he turned and saw his Minions. There was a new respect in their glowing yellow eyes, even though a few of them had died. "My horde."

"Master," Chitlin hissed with a slight bow. Further away in the dark the Hive came back to sight, almost black in the blue light. The crabs were nowhere to be seen or heard.

Estell put away his spear and stepped forward. "Whisper, Scythe, Ramul. Lead the way."

The Minions were a great deal more enthusiastic than before the fight. When Estell had first laid eyes on them in the swamp, most had been glad to see as Master, but afterwards they'd clearly had their doubts about his elvishness, as Ramul had clearly shown. Now those doubts had been cast aside, however, and more Minions than Estell could actually handle came to him to introduce themselves as they walked.

"Flitter," one of them bowed. "Fetid," another growled. "Traps, Master." "Aphid," with a broad grin. "Perk, at service," with a shy smile, but a wink as well.

The Hive stayed closer to him. Before, the Minions had seemed to be in a hurry and Estell had almost lost sight of her, but now he, as a Master, had more priority than getting the life source to the surface as quickly as possible. Estell felt in his element, and that surprised him less and less. The amber gem shone with a fiery light around his wrist.

The tunnels did not lead upwards yet, but the dimmed blue light did start to reveal details that rather interested the Overlord, and Shadow and Nyarai with him. New wall paintings showed the white-haired man with lightning in his hands Estell took to be the original Tupuhi – the Overlord who'd once visited Maesmaer. The light of the amber gem showed purple eyes. Later paintings showed his hand in that of a Zola woman with a red mask.

Nyarai's eyes were wide, and she outstretched her hand to touch the image. Estell smiled. "That explains the dark magic in your veins. That explains why Shadow can touch you."

Shadow floated next to them. "Thanks, Tupuhi," he spoke. He turned to the others. "I wonder if he ever took her to the mainland…"

"Would you come with us?" Estell asked. "To Kadath?"

Nyarai looked at both of them. "What do you think? Of course I want to see where you're from. Zola fear nothing and we're curious enough."

"Well now," Gnarl spoke. "I see you had the best teachers to get you out of your old ways of thinking, Estell."

"The Zola don't believe in permanent death," Shadow's voice resounded through the darkened tunnel. "They believe in reincarnation in a new body, and when I see how the Minions do it… what you told us of the Well, Gnarl…"

"Well, that's not really a new body. But, Nyarai… how do you know who's being born anew?"

"Children are only born after a death in the same family," the Zola replied. "It's not difficult to see."

"But children have traits of both their father and their mother." Gnarl sounded confused.

Estell smiled briefly. "Nyarai's people don't really live by those tight bonds. And it is true… I don't know how, but death and birth are really close here."

"Hm." The advisor chuckled. "That does make it easier to get used to your free elf love. And it makes me quite curious."

"I'm curious to your… Kadath." Nyarai turned away from the paintings and led Estell through the tunnel again. A bit further on the Hive, too, moved along, the Minions beneath it hissing and growling as they went. "And Ruboria. A desert."

"It's going to be quite a shock, to me as well. It's very different from Maesmaer." Estell grimaced. "But I'm afraid I can't tell you much about Kadath. I've only seen part of the throne room, after that I didn't go back at all… to my regret. Gnarl has told me some things, but I haven't seen it for myself yet."

"It's magnificent, Sire. The blues and I have discovered all sorts of new rooms and even restored some parts of them after your disappearance, with your permission. Ramah helped me translate certain inscriptions, and the history is rich, I can tell you that much. Ruboria's glory days. There's just these annoying piles of rock we can't get out of the way. The actual entrance to the throne room is still blocked off, and so is the passage we think leads out of the palace. I can't wait to see what's out there, but the blues think it'd be… disrespectful to blink through without you." Now a hint of annoyance crept into Gnarl's voice.

"All in good time," Estell spoke. "I'm on my way." His advisor's enthusiasm and curiosity were infectious, and he felt a pang of homesickness for his dry domain, stronger than ever… perhaps even stronger than the yearning he felt for Evernight.

He turned to the Minions around him. "Are you going to be alright in a desert? It seems to me you're quite at home here, but…"

Scythe abruptly turned visible next to him, running along on a ridge halfway up the wall. "Reptiles are fine in desert." He grinned. "Dark and underground, too."

"It's not the Netherworld, Scythe."

"No matter. Help you return there."

Gnarl briefly coughed. "Return? Estell's never been there."

"But is his throne."

"One day, certainly." Gnarl seemed a bit unnerved. "We'll certainly need the forges… the fire for strong reds, the dimmed little ones from Stodir really need the power…"

Then his creaky voice suddenly had an unexpected echo to it, and the advisor fell silent. The group had entered a new cave, larger than the previous ones. The abyssilion shards in the walls and ceiling glittered weakly, small and faraway like strange, cold stars.

The amber gem faintly illuminated parts of the walls, the shadows moving and shivering as Estell moved his arm. The greens hissed and arranged themselves around Estell as the walls became more clearly visible; they were riddled with cracks letting thick clouds of gas in. Estell took his spear in hand as he came closer to the heart of the room.

The heart was formed by a single, very recognizable hole in the floor, at least three times the size of the largest they'd seen so far.

"Don't trip, Sire."

Estell nodded nervously and crept closer to the hole. He had the feeling he was still very noisy and clumsy compared to the greens, darting through the gas along the walls without a sound, and to Nyarai with her typical agility and care. The ground was rocky and uneven, and in places broken by silent pools of water, but she moved fluently and didn't cause as much as a ripple.

A few greens had already made it past the crumbly hole as he tried to clamber past it, Nyarai still by his side. Estell's eyes were fixed on the other end of the cave, where he thought to see an abyssilion-speckled tunnel leading up, up to the surface, the green, light world he knew…

Then a soundless mass of spiny armour shifted before his eyes, and he recoiled.

Legs reached up and out from the hole; eight impossibly long legs, but no visible body. They reached the gas-covered walls with soft clicks, but the monstrous crab in the depths made no other sound, nor did it seem about to move any further.

Estell stared around with wide eyes, and then dove beneath the first leg with a hammering heart and bated breath.

In a blinding instant massive pincers swept up and thundered down before the hole, with a force shaking the ground. Estell's breath escaped, Nyarai cried out, and instantly all the legs started moving.

"Back with the Hive!" Estell shouted. "Keep her safe!" He looked around and leapt into the only available direction to escape the milling legs – to the walls. He rolled through the gas, further wounded his back and came up coughing and choking. An instant later he was surrounded by greens and the gas spurted out between them on all sides. "Thanks." He looked up. "Shadow, give me your hand!"

His counterpart flashed down and grasped his stump, but the exchange was not easy this time. Shadow's entire form seemed duller, almost translucent, the way he'd been before Gnarl had turned him visible to the world, and the shadow hand flickered alarmingly. "I don't know how much I can do," he uttered. "That domination just now…"

Estell grabbed his wrist with his intact left hand. "We'll see. It'll be fine." Then he yanked his spear off his back and turned to the enormous cave crab. The pincers and legs hoisted up a central body, and flaming green eyes stared at him from over the edge. The beast's back was covered in snapped, and thus razor-sharp spines. Estell's heart leapt into his throat – this specimen was bigger than Ariki. And if he got close he'd be dragged into the hole, or impaled on those spines… he couldn't just dominate the cave crab the way he'd done thus far.

"Sire," Gnarl's voice resounded urgently. "So far every cave crab had a vulnerable abdomen. If we can just get this one out of her lair…"

"Her?" Estell heard himself say, even as the plan took form in his head.

"Huge, nasty, unexpected." Gnarl chuckled briefly. "In my experience, that's a queen more often than a king."

The elf nodded. "Minions, around her!" Even as the horde swarmed around the hole, through the gas and beneath the legs, he knew this wouldn't work. The crab's abdomen was still in the hole, and the Minions didn't get her to move on their own, not even with the attacks on her joints and eyes attempted now – as he looked on, three greens were crushed in the huge claws, and he heard the gnash of immense mouthparts in the deep. The eyes retracted to just above the edge, staring straight at Estell; taunting, confident.

"We're the bait." Nyarai voiced his thoughts for him. She'd taken her gleaming blue weapon in hand, lightly deforming and rippling with her own adrenalin. Estell's spear tip reacted in the same way. They exchanged glances. "Here goes nothing."

They sprinted forward, jumping over pools and rough rocks, and each lunged at pincers and eyes. Estell caught a glimpse of swarming mouthparts beneath the edge of the hole – then of a spiny, jagged pincer beneath him. He wrenched away and gasped as pain shot through his shoulder – his right arm jolted, but the shadow hand remained intact. He pushed away with the back of his spear to change course faster, and chanced another jab at the head, though not with the spear this time. Black fingers closed around a retracting green eyeball as large as his fist, and a furious hiss and rattle resounded from underground. Just behind Estell, Shadow tensed as his powers were called upon, and his eyes flared more brightly. Both the greens and Nyarai jolted as the same happened to Estell and he resembled Shadow for an instant, his eyes blue stars in a dark silhouette.

To Shadow and Estell the world darkened for about a heartbeat, and the huge crab briefly slackened – but then all three of them returned, and the queen stomped and thrummed all her legs in blind fury. Estell let go of the eyeball and recoiled, Nyarai dragged him back further, and the Inner world was out of his reach.

"It didn't work," he uttered. "Shadow…"

"I'm sorry," his counterpart choked, now flickering as badly as the hand. "It's too much. She's too strong. I'm too weak –"

"Look out!" Chitlin growled, suddenly very close by, shooting past them. Minions flocked to their Overlord from all sides now, fleeing the heart of the cave – a heart busy bursting.

Before their eyes the outstretched legs lifted a swollen body from the dark pit, heavily armoured and dark from the front, soft and fleshy and pulsating at the back. The abdomen seemed unending, and as the queen had finally gotten fully to her feet a part still dangled down into the pit. Gnarl hummed briefly, clearly beside himself with excitement. "There's your target, Sire. Couldn't be more clear."

"She's furious," Estell realized. The green eyes flamed more fiercely than ever, and as the beast stirred into motion it was with murderous speed and purpose, rushing forward without regard for the uneven ground, the water or the gas. Estell, Shadow and Nyarai darted aside, and the horde exploded around them. Nex and the two other shadow weavers leapt up via the walls chittering, throwing black silk and then themselves at the queen's back from there. More Minions who'd managed to get around her followed, but her next explosion of speed flung most of then back to the ground or against the walls, even before they'd reached the soft abdomen.

Worse, the crab's raging violence started to weaken the cracked walls further. Gas was already bubbling up from the pit she'd risen from, but now the clouds along the walls became thicker and reached higher as well, and they crept closer to the pit at the cave's heart. Bits of rock flew off the walls, and jagged holes came to sight, frothing with toxic fumes. Shadow followed the progress with wide eyes. "Guys, we don't have much time."
Estell scrambled back to his feet, an arm before his mouth, coughing as he went. The queen raged amidst a group of Minions further on; her abdomen was leaking with dark fluid, unclear in the muted blue light. The elf spurred into action and sank his spear into the pale flesh; the queen reacted with a furious shriek, and turned so quickly and abruptly the elf was flung against the wall again. This time he inhaled so much gas he gagged with it, and briefly the world fell away in starbursts and dizziness. We don't have much time.

"This doesn't seem to weaken her much, Sire," Gnarl urged. "Other tactic?"

"What tactic?" Estell coughed. He stared up at the enormous beast, tears blurring his vision.

She almost filled the entire cave, she was huge. She rose above the gas. If he could only get onto her back, then he'd be able to breathe… but her back was covered in razor-sharp spines…

She rose above the gas, even if her abdomen dragged along the ground. She could breathe normally.

"Not for long," the elf growled. "Minions!"

The majority of his horde – the Minions who could get away – sprinted towards him, bending the gas away where they went. Estell gestured. "Form ranks, lead the gas to her!"

On his command the Minions hurried to the queen in formation, forcing the gas between them. The islands of clean, though stinking air around them put it under pressure, and agility and invisibility made sure they could surprise the confused, recoiling queen and leap up at her, so the billowing fumes spurted between legs and pincers, and in between mouthparts. The greenish gas coiled and fumed between clattering, gnashing chitin, around her head and up beneath her belly, and briefly the crab recoiled even further. Then the flaming eyes lowered slightly, and a few legs lost their grip on the uneven ground. One of them slipped in a pool of water; the rest soon followed, and suddenly the malicious eyes were at the same height as Estell's again. The Overlord now found himself surrounded by the green horde, breathing deeply, and he stared back with a grim smile. Blood trickled down his shoulder and arm as he stepped forward. Before him the queen collapsed into the gas, defeated.

The Overlord glanced at his shadow hand. "Different method, same effect." He swept his spear around. "Minions, finish her."

The horde swarmed over her and threw itself at the pale, weak abdomen. Soon nothing remained of it but rags of loose flesh, and the queen's life dripped across the ground and back to the pit she'd nestled in.

As Nyarai and the Minions bearing the Hive rejoined him, Gnarl spoke to Estell again. "That was like seeing your father in action… Sire."

The Overlord and his followers climbed over the rocks to the tunnel leading out of the cave, and up. "Oh, yes?" Estell looked around and at his spear, as if seeing the weapon for the first time, before sheathing it. "Really?" He sounded slightly surprised, but also proud.

"That was a great use of the Minions and your surroundings. Well done."

Next to him Shadow flickered at irregular intervals. "Estell…"

"Are you alright?" The elf looked up in concern. "Do you want the hand back?"

"No… keep it. Don't know what we'll run into."

Estell nodded, but kept an eye on his counterpart. The same went for Nyarai. The Zola was unharmed save for a few scrapes and cuts, and clearly as proud of Estell as she was worried about Shadow. "That domination you showed back there is very useful, but we'll have to be careful in practicing it."

Shadow was breathing almost as laboriously as when he'd taken over the smaller cave crab. "It's hard to… have a body. It's good Estell had… the queen under control…"

The elf glanced at his spear tip, then back at the horde – dozens of glowing eyes, the weirdly shaped Hive. "The Minions had it under control," he smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem," Scythe grinned from near the Hive.

Gnarl chuckled. "What's this, Scythe? Getting loyal to your Overlord?"

"Maybe," the green hissed. "Like this one."

Estell felt something inside of him light up, and the amber gem reacted at once. He laughed softly, both at Scythe and himself. "Who'd have thought…"

Nyarai pulled on his good arm. "Estell! Light!"

He looked up, and felt his pupils react; further on a glow streamed in, clearly not coming from any abyssilion shards, but the distant sun behind layers of leaves. Every step was one away from the shadows…

…and Shadow was reacting to it. "Light," he muttered, now almost limp in the air, his eyes only half open, his arms and his one hand hanging slack. The darkness coiling off him became weaker and weaker in the swelling sunlight…

"Shadow!"

At Nyarai's voice his eyes suddenly shot open, and the darkness deepened abruptly until it was blacker than ever. And just as abruptly, Estell's counterpart shot forward, darting through the tunnel like smoking firework. The other two ran after him, into the light.
Bend after bend through the rock, brighter and brighter… and then they stood on bright green moss, blinking in the light, but not yet outside.

Wood writhed and curved around them, walls rising to the distant sky, like a hollow pillar of life. The wooden wickerwork was interwoven with flowers and vines, but still let through light on all sides. Shadow hovered at the heart of the hollow space, a beacon of darkness, as misplaced as could be amidst light and colour.

"A strangler fig," Nyarai realized. Estell stared around in bafflement, but then abruptly looked down at the hand he hadn't yet returned to Shadow. The fingers convulsed, and then the entire hand rose up, without his consent, lifting his arm with it. Darkness spurted off it, and the same happened to Shadow above him; pulsing, humming, living darkness. His counterpart's eyes were open wide, and his free hand opened and closed convulsively.
Then the darkness shot away to all sides, through the fig's coils and out, and the hum turned to deep silence.

And the light dimmed.

Estell wildly looked around and widened his eyes as he realized all the plants weaving through the fig were swiftly growing, closing the wickerwork. New flowers opened – a little darker than those that'd already been there, a little more blue. Leaves unfurled, vines reached down at them.

"What the…"

Shadow descended to them, to come to an exhausted rest in Estell's and Nyarai's arms.

"Sorry, guys," he panted.

"None of that! What was that?"

Glowing blue eyes looked up at them. "I think I bottled up some energy during the fight, but only now had the strength to release it."

"On the plants!" Estell's heart hammered away. "And my hand did it too! Are we plant singers now, Shadow?"

Gnarl laughed out loud. "All the elven talents are coming to you… on the terms of darkness! Oh, the irony!"

"Oh, if that could be so… how I'd love to experiment with this…"

Ahead of them the strangler fig's coils unwound to form a natural gateway, back to the outer world. Estell staggered outside through it, his followers behind him, and for the first time in over a year the green Hive was back on solid ground. Not for long, however; not very far ahead the swamp forest started again. Luckily this didn't pose a problem; the Overlord found two very loyal, very large crabs in the water, one striped blue and black, the other covered in rosy moss. And after a lot of cutting and slicing, and even more messing around with knotwork, guided by Gnarl's impatient advice, the gathering started for Katoa with the two crabs at the head. The Hive had been bound between them with the darkly lengthened vines, and the green horde followed through the trees, in turn followed by the swarm of pohea Estell had dominated in the swamp. And, seated on Ariki's back, Nyarai and Shadow by his side, the Overlord felt as though he'd already reached the dark throne.

That night the trio had the place of honour at dinner in Katoa as well, and the greens had mingled with the Zola in and around the huge common longhut and its huge fires. Nex, Ssirin and Raay swooped in via the roof every so often, the swamp forest's huge moths between their fangs. Estell told the tale of the caverns and cave crabs multiple times, as Chitlin and the three elder greens listened close by. Ramul managed to smile at times, especially as his children came by. He'd left the poisonous crabs at the caverns and seemed to want to spend less time intoxicated – he even refused the Zola wine.

Aside from the Zola, Estell and Shadow also tried to spend time with Gnarl and Ramah the best they could, through the mist pool. The Ruborian prince had stayed up later than the rest of Kadath to be able to talk to the duo. And as Shadow leant him his hand from time to time, and Estell tried to manipulate the surrounding foliage – but failing for the moment – the elf realized the strange parallel between Sora's disappearance and his own. He'd lost Sora when returning from Napata, and Ramah had lost him returning from Stodir. In both cases they'd been powerless, and Ramah clearly was as glad that he'd return to Kadath as Estell himself would've been about Sora. The elf smiled at the Ruborian's enthusiasm.

Later that night Estell and Shadow took some distance from the Zola to focus on Gnarl and Ramah more. The advisor hadn't really shown it during the day, but it was clear to Estell that he hadn't been this glad since their very first meeting, and now he finally uttered the words; "Estell, Shadow, I'd never expected you to go after the Minions just like that. For them… for me… for yourself, in the end, of course, but… It's clear to me I made the right choice when I picked you to be the new Overlord."

"Thank you, Gnarl."

"I always had faith in you both, of course," Ramah chuckled. "At our first meeting I knew you were a worthy successor for Evil. I mean, Shadow, you're a pretty obvious sign."

"I often told myself otherwise, but I'm glad I was wrong," Estell's counterpart smiled.

"Ramah…" the elf started. "…how are the elves there? How is Talmar?" It still hurt a bit, his best friend – former best friend? – barely coming to the mist pool at all.

The Ruborian hesitated. "Talmar is… torn. He wants to believe it's good you're headed into the dark, but he can't shake the connection with Jinx. This is what he feared, everything he feared. He feels as though you won't listen to him anymore, as if you've replaced him with Gnarl… and me."

And maybe I have. Estell grimaced and stared up at the stars beyond the canopy. "I want to talk to him, but… not through the pool. When I get back."

"I look forward to that moment," Ramah spoke. "When there's a gate between Maesmaer and Kadath. There's so much I want to show you here, and I want to see so much in your jungle… and I miss you."

Ramah. So loyal, so fierce, so warm, from their first meeting onwards. Estell smiled as his doubts on Talmar faded slightly. Who could've thought the dark would offer him the best of everything… adventure, magic, friends… he almost judged his right hand a fair price.

"Hm, speaking of Kadath… I'm going down for a moment," Gnarl spoke. "I feel at home in the palace. See you tomorrow, Master."

"Until then, Gnarl."

Gnarl almost skipped down the stairs through the sandstone tower, leaving Ramah behind. His eyes were radiant, his ears stuck almost straight up through the holes in his grey hood. Then, halfway down the stairs, his pace slowed.

"What happens now?" he wondered out loud – out loud, but not loudly enough to be heard, except by the one he'd never notice even if he was listening. "How does this end? He's a means to an end, not the Netherworld's ruler… I didn't intend for him to ever reach the Netherworld… but this, now… after all that time in silence, this is incredible…" The advisor shook his head. "I've grown soft. I need him, but not for long." He hesitated. "But he's so much like Sayron all of a sudden." He briefly glanced up, and smiled faintly. "And if even Scythe wants to serve him in earnest…"

He reached the tower's base and looked out over the darkened cavern. Most of the little islands in the shallow water were covered in small orchards now, started when Isil had still been here, but expanded now – the elves' food supply. Some trees were garlanded and connected by vines heavy with globular glowberries providing a faint light and reflections in the water.

Gnarl's eyes lingered on the blue Hive and the dwellings the blues had constructed around her – half sung by the elves, half scrambled together by the Minions themselves. In Kadath the horde had expanded a little bit, but not much. That'd probably soon change as the greens joined them and more life force could be plundered…

"The elves will kill us," Gnarl muttered to himself as he walked towards the Hive through the shallows. "Ramah will kill us. We need more Minions." His eyes flared more brightly. "There will be more Minions. When the browns and reds get here… Sear… Kniff…" His ears trembled briefly. "Of course it's worth it. It's worth everything."

"Who are you talking to, Gnarl?"

The advisor abruptly turned. Drip and Trickle were behind him; the blue horde leader and one of his peers. He lay a grey hand on his chest. "You startled me… think of my heart, will you?"

Drip smiled. "How's the Master?"

"Good." Gnarl pulled his cloak around him more tightly. "Very good. The green Hive is in Katoa… he's getting ready for battle and his return."

"And what a return that'll be," Trickle spoke. "How are we going to house those crabs? Or do we keep them on Maesmaer until they're needed?"

"That seems the best course of action." Gnarl paused and exchanged glances with the two. "Say, I was thinking to go down again. Do you feel like going out the gate?"

Drip crossed his arms. "Blink through the rocks, you mean? Gnarl, I know how curious you are, but we're waiting for Estell. We haven't been able to do a Master's bidding for too long, and we respect him. He should be the first to see what's out there."

Trickle smiled apologetically. "And we were going to bed."

"Jinx would've wanted you to explore," the advisor muttered. "Very well… I'll go on my own, see if I can translate a few inscriptions before bed." He turned. "Maybe Ramah wants to help me with that," he added pointedly.

At that same moment Ramah descended the stairs and left the tower, to go another way. He felt exhilarated; Estell was fine, he had the situation under control, he was stronger… he had changed, but he was still the same. Still the prince he knew.

He'd felt lost in Estell's absence, had wondered what he was even doing in Kadath. His own city was waiting out there for him, Ruboria's rightful ruler. The thought of a dwarf on Kerma's throne had his blood boil with anger and disgust, but still he lingered, waiting for Estell, assisting Miruvor in his return to his old prowess, helping Gnarl with the inscriptions in the deep… At times he talked about it to Masud, and his bodyguard was glad he was laying low. Glad and surprised. Ramah had realized Estell's presence had cooled his rage and grief over his father's death and the dwarven takeover of his city, and he was now more worried about the fate of his Overlord. When he returned to Kerma he'd do so with vengeance in his heart, but it was even more important to have the elf by his side.

The Ruborian prince approached his dwelling, deep in thought, wandering through curtains of moonlight falling in through the crack in the rocky ceiling, but then caught an intrusive scratching sound. He looked up and saw something glistening in the pale light; no water, no elven or Minion steel, but an almost metallic shield. A bomber beetle. In sunlight it'd have been magnificent and golden, now the elytra gleamed silvery, ghostly… and the insect was not alone.

When Estell had just gone missing, he'd found the crack where the beetles had seemed to have their nest; every once in a while a few emerged or vanished inside. The past few weeks that number had increased, however, and there were always a few within sight by day. A few of the more combative elves – like Talmar – used them for practice, testing their speed and agility by escaping the explosions after striking. At times, having the blues around was a good thing.

At night they usually kept within the walls, but now that was apparently changing as well. Ramah followed the insects to their crack in the wall, and then raised his eyebrows. Further to the left, another two entrances were visible. How fast was this colony expanding? What lay behind the rock walls?

He looked back. The blues weren't just good for healing.

Even as he thought that, a creaky voice drifted over the water. "There you are! And here I thought you were still with Estell!"

The prince smiled. "Gnarl, do you have blues with you?"

"Do you need them? Can I wake them up again?" There was a hint of malicious satisfaction to his voice.

A little later Ramah was in the company of the grey advisor and a somewhat annoyed duo of blues. He had the feeling he didn't have the right to use Estell's Minions, but somewhere he also knew the Overlord would appreciate this. "Drip, Trickle… just this one thing before I leave you in peace."

"No, good idea," Gnarl remarked. "This is interesting. I spend too much time up in the tower and down in the palace, I never even took notice." The four of them were surrounded by curious bomber beetles now; Ramah's boots and the Minions' feet were regularly inspected by black antennae. Fortunately the beetles weren't aggressive unless provoked. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"You never took an interest in the cave itself," Drip shrugged.

"Well, I do now! Take a look inside, will you? Ramah and I are curious as to how far the colony extends."

"Yes, Master," the blue horde leader mocked. Trickle glanced at Gnarl and patted her horde member's shoulder. "Sorry, Gnarl."

The advisor looked on as they flared up and vanished through the rock wall. He huffed. "No respect for an old hand."

"It's late, Gnarl." Ramah looked down on him. "They don't mean anything by it."

"Still… it stings a bit." The grey Minion pulled on his cloak. "I'd do anything for them."

The Ruborian prince raised his eyebrows – he hadn't expected Gnarl to get emotional. "They know. We all do. …I don't think Estell would ever have saved them, or gone after the greens like that without you."

"That much is certain," the advisor immediately replied. "I'm glad someone sees that." He looked up. "Thank you, Ramah. I'm glad you don't blindly worship him, but also see what's behind him."

Ramah rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I do think he's a born Overlord, but he needed you to get going."

"Do you think he's better than Jinx was?"

The prince laughed. "We need more time to see that. I can't wait." He fell silent. "But I don't have the feeling I ever really knew Jinx. Estell isn't just my Overlord… he's my friend."

Gnarl's eyes glowed like coals in the gloom. "You really do appreciate him, hm? You seem to miss him more than Talmar does… still his closest boyhood friend. And you seem to miss him more than you do Kerma."

"Heh… it's strange, yes."

"This reminds me of Jinx in a way… before her reign, before she knew what she was, she wondered why her friendships with humans seemed so empty and meaningless compared to what she had with the Minions. Even when she'd only known Kniff for a short time…" The advisor suddenly fell silent. "Do you hear that?"

Ramah had been glad it was dark all around for a moment; his thoughts had suddenly run rampant in strange new directions before the other voices had reached his ears. Now he and Gnarl both looked at the wall through which the two blues had vanished. Drip and Trickle were shouting at them in excitement, and soon their voices grew less muffled. A heartbeat later they reappeared in the cave. "So many beetles… so much space…"

Trickle's eyes were radiant. "Gnarl, the nest is huge! No wonder there are so many beetles lately… and at the heart… they all crowd together, it seems as though they're taking and following commands… Gnarl, they have a queen."

"Of course they do," the advisor grinned.

Night, but Maesmaer's east was still brightly lit and never quiet. The headquarters of the Pit's head overseer lay at the edge of the cluster of slave barracks, but resembled those in nothing; an angular building in Maesmaer's greenish and bluish rock, magnificently polished and engraved, with pillars at the entrance and blazing windows.

At one of those windows a small, spherical cage gently moved in the nightly breeze. On its bottom sat a golden bird. Half its feathers were missing and it had only one eye.

Arandor stared outside. He'd refused to take his true form and talk so far, and he'd continue to do so, no matter what they did to his small body. He just hoped Isil and Ructa were holding up.

In the Put the pipelines gurgled with water, and the gas frothed and fumed in the deeper tunnels. A waning moon sailed over the distant swamp forest. The former high council member did not know how, but he could feel there were more shadows in that forest than just those cast by the moonlight. He plucked on his remaining feathers. There was more black in them than he remembered from his Everlightian days. Deep darkness, bring him back.

Maraxus: And that's us for yet another fantastic chapter, please review readers and we'll see you next time.