Maraxus: Today is the day. Estell and Lady Jinx deciding the future of the Dark Domain and if the two will be allies, or enemies.
Jinx: Wish me luck, general. Don't let me be dominated before lunch at least.
Maraxus: I assure you, my lady, that it'll be over my dead body should that befall you. Though, I do have to ask, does he possess the strength to overpower you in a battle of the minds?
Jinx: That does make me feel better. I'd like to think that Overlord status renders me immune, but he's had a lot of practice. Let's go in with an only somewhat 'open mind', hm?
Maraxus: By your command. As always readers, this story belongs to the ever gracious Sunjinjo on deviantart. Let us see what becomes of the situation between two rulers of the Dark Domain.
Warm Breath Part 2
He'd almost forgotten how beautiful Kadath's upper cavern was in full sunlight. The previous day, filled with grey clouds, smoke and dust, seemed to have lasted forever; Kadath was a magnificent, colourful jewel by comparison, the cave walls layered in golden yellow and reddish brown, overgrown and hung with multi-coloured vegetation, the sky a brilliantly blue gash along the ceiling. The central flower gate glistened a deep indigo as he passed it, Shadow by his side. He could swear the huge petals turned darker every day, subtly following him into the shadows.
All of it couldn't be more different from the cavern to which Jinx had returned the night before; dark, lit by the last remnants of sunset… every light source had brought more shadow than illumination. Black and red, like the Netherworld itself, like her banner, red flames and black wings.
And she hadn't returned at all. She'd always been there, waiting, watching. He shivered. All faith he'd had in the dark, his own heritage, the Minions, it had all been brought out of balance. He hoped to resolve that today…
They were headed for one of the orchard islands, now furnished with a large round table and chairs of living, light wood, overgrown with bright leaves and all rooted into the soil. Sora and Nyarai had arrived there ahead of him, and Ramah was seated as well, Masud behind his chair and conversing with him. A brief pang coursed through Estell's chest; Jinx had been the Lady of Ruboria, and Ramah's father, the king of Kerma, had sworn fealty to her. How would his Ruborian friend react now?
Others present were Kitava, the new chief of the Zola, next to Nyarai, and Arandor, once a member of his mother's high council, next to Sora. Estell reached the island and seated himself between his Mistresses; Shadow remained floating beside him. Jinx wasn't here yet, but she could arrive at any moment.
Estell placed his elbows on the table and took his stump into his left hand. The amber gem gleamed more brightly than ever, had done so since Jinx' return, and he was reminded of whose gauntlet this was, and how the jewel had resisted him as he'd tried to absorb life force for the first time. He growled softly. "Welcome, everyone," he then spoke. "It's good to see you. I'm sorry for vanishing so abruptly last night…"
"Completely understandable," Masud nodded. "The day didn't end as we'd expected."
"What happens now?" Kitava wondered. "We have two Overlords and no advisor. This means better chances of success if she's really on our side, but we did need an eye in the mist pool up to this point."
"Technically we didn't lose our advisor," Sora spoke. "Jinx still has the same knowledge and experience; twenty years in her position make her a good counsellor."
"But can she be trusted?" Arandor asked.
"We'll find out today," Ramah spoke softly.
Estell turned to the Ruborian prince. "Ramah. Where do you stand here?"
Ramah didn't reply, but instead looked at something behind Estell, at the palace entrance. The Overlord turned.
Jinx ascended the living wooden stairs into the upper cavern, a group of Minions by her side like a loose horde. She was no longer wearing her grey rags, but had somehow gotten her hands on dark, intact pants and a sleeveless red tunic. A matching red bandana was wrapped around her head. Estell suspected the Minions had had something to do with this. The arcanium amulet glistened on her chest, her inhuman eyes shone right at him, and she seemed totally unaffected as she walked around the table and seated herself on the remaining seventh chair. Briefly Estell envisioned her burning down the entire table; how eager must she be to do so, having gotten her fire back after two years? The Minions who'd accompanied her spread out a bit further away – to Estell's relief also the large horde leader, who was now wearing a fluffy hat, be it after a long shared gaze between the two and a comforting nod from Jinx – but they did stay close and they kept an eye on them. The Overlord looked around and realized the same went for elves and Zola in their hanging dwellings and pole houses in the cave, which they'd used before the palace had been taken into use; they were the centre of attention, even though they'd found a semi-secluded spot to discuss. On the one hand he was glad not to be alone, but on the other he felt as though Jinx held his domain in the palm of her clawed hand… his domain!
Shadow silently leant him his hand. He felt a little better, more certain of himself. "Good morning," he spoke coolly, politely, as though he had king Thorlond before him again. "I trust you've had a good night's rest…"
A smile flickered across her face. "I greatly appreciate my chambers, Lord Estell. Much better than the tower room."
She looked up as the jingle of little bells neared the table and Quaver bounced out between the trees. "A Master, a Mistress, what a day! Twice the power, twice the sway; lead us and battle will be child's play…"
Jinx laughed, and Estell also smiled involuntarily; the jester's enthusiasm was contagious. Quaver grinned and bowed. "Glad you're here and Gnarl isn't, Mistress. You appreciate me." Then he turned to Estell and bowed again. "Sire, may great things happen today, may it be just as beautiful as yesterday."
"Did beautiful things happen yesterday?" Arandor asked. His eyes were filled with mistrust as he looked at Jinx. "You could've led us to our deaths in your hunger for power, Milady."
Jinx looked at him, no expression Estell could understand in her staring yellow eyes. He shivered; sometimes they still resembled the eyes from his dreams, even though the golden glow now whirled around in their depths fluidly and very much alive. "Arandor, I admit I was partly driven by a hunger for power, as an Overlady, but my hurry to return the Hives to the domain had more to do with the Minions than my own condition. Though I am very glad to be free from that body."
"And besides that," Estell spoke, to his own surprise, "it was my idea to go out and get two Hives at once." Jinx looked at him with a warm smile, and he felt the connection of last night again, right through his suspicions. The only one to wear the gem too. Overlady at twenty-one… she knows what it's like. "…Though I do see, now, it could've been suicide. We barely got out of there."
"But now we can expand the hordes," Jinx spoke, her claws digging into the table in her enthusiasm. "Campaigns, Estell, hunts and the massive harvest of all that life force…"
He cocked his head. He liked the Minions, but her love for them surprised him. Minion Mistress. "As you may know I'm not half as destructive as you. It was fun in Stodir, but I'm not out for random mass murder."
Shadow floated down somewhat. "Estell and I prefer to see living creatures in our service instead of dead, Milady. And… don't forget in whose company you are." Sora and Arandor seemed put off by Jinx' proposal of a 'harvest', and Nyarai and Kitava didn't seem too happy with it either. "This battle won't be won with Minions alone. Remember what happened when you tried that?"
"All too well," she replied sourly. Her hand went to her chest; part of the horrible black scars writhed out above her tunic, strangely comparable to the star-shaped scar on Estell's wrist. "Alright, maybe you're right. No matter how much it pains me, perhaps my hordes can never again be as large as they were…"
Estell noted he didn't completely trust this swift surrender. Then he narrowed his eyes. "Your hordes?"
She laughed. "Our hordes, forgive me."
Estell felt his eyes flare. Something reckless stirred within him – where did he stand? What was he? "My hordes, rather. I'm wearing the amber gem. I have the domain. I'm the Overlord here." Jinx widened her eyes in shock, hurt and sudden fury, and he almost felt physical heat emanate off her. He was aware of the mixed reactions around him; Sora and Nyarai beheld him with a mixture of pride and doubt, Kitava smiled at this display of boldness, Quaver's golden eye almost rolled from its socket – but Ramah was the first to speak.
"Don't go too far, Estell."
The pang pierced his chest again. "Ramah?"
The Ruborian rose from his seat and lightly bowed to Jinx. "Milady, forgive me my earlier behaviour. I didn't know what to say. To have lived alongside the one my father swore loyalty to, Ruboria's saviour, for such a long time… The things I unknowingly said to you."
Jinx beheld him with those unreadable eyes. "All is forgiven, Ramah, I didn't expect any respect. Do I have allies in you and Masud? Among my first priorities are Kerma's liberation, the mobilization of its armies and your coronation."
The Kermese prince politely nodded at her. "Nothing would make me happier, Milady, but there is a problem. I swore you an oath of fealty when I was old enough and you visited us…"
Jinx smiled at the memory. Estell wondered how old Ramah had been then. Something within him clenched together, black and bitter.
"…but I also gave Estell my loyalty as I met him. My honour bids me to follow you both, and for my own sake in this matter, and probably the betterment of everyone in this domain, I will strive to unite you against our common enemy. Sire, Milady." He bowed again and sat down. His blue eyes gleamed, and Estell felt very ashamed all of a sudden. He wanted to outstretch his hand, but restrained himself. Ramah.
Jinx visibly shared that feeling, but the rage and indignation Estell's words had ignited still burned in her eyes. The elf could imagine how she felt, seeing the way Ramah looked at her now. He sighed. "Forgive me," he wrenched from his throat. "That was unnecessary."
Briefly it seemed she was about to rise – she sat rigidly upright, sparks already played around her claws – but then she relaxed, though with visible reluctance. Estell glanced at Shadow. "I promise not to dominate the horde leader and let you work with the Minions. In return I ask you trust me and don't set me on fire, and let me lead missions in the field." He caught a glimpse of the horde leader in question just outside their ring of trees, his glowing eyes fixated on him. He nodded lightly, comfortingly. Then he saw Silt – the blue who'd been most loyal to him so far, and the Minion he liked best – was standing next to Kniff, and he smiled briefly.
A grin crept onto Jinx' face, and something about the tense atmosphere seemed to change. "I can live with that. I've been a horde leader before…"
Kitava straightened out. "But then there's the matter of the missing advisor. Estell, won't it be better for Jinx to oversee progress from here, aiding you through the pool and training the Minions in the city?"
Estell looked at the Minion Mistress. He remembered how she'd enjoyed her only getaway from Kadath, that night on Maesmaer. He himself lived for the discovery of new realms; he couldn't wait to see the world. How must she feel? She narrowed her eyes. "That was one of my tasks once too." But her gaze told him something else. I do as I please.
He knew the Zola chief made this proposal more to see the reactions than anything else. The reactions were clear to her and him both. "It'd be a shame to keep your gifts from the field. We can use any bit of help."
Arandor steepled his fingers. "Perhaps Zap can assist us through the mist pool. He has almost as much experience and knowledge as… the real Gnarl."
Jinx looked at him in appreciation, and Estell had to admit he agreed with the blond elf. The old, official blue leader was a good choice… if they could find him. He'd spent much time in the depths of Kadath's system of canals lately. He nodded. "Zap would be a good advisor."
Jinx slightly bowed her head. "Thank you, Lord." Her gaze softened, and briefly Estell recognized the advisor who'd been so proud of him.
That had been real, not just for her own gains… hadn't it? She'd said she'd grown fond of him, she'd trusted him with her precious Minions… for a moment it baffled him how much faith the Overlady of old had had in him, but then something else took over. "Now, our new course. The Netherworld. You told me I could rule two domains."
"I have no interest in Kadath's throne, but the Netherworld is the only place that's ever truly been my home. I'm willing to… share the domain with you." The dangerous gleam flared in her eyes again, and Estell knew she didn't mean this in the slightest.
Strangely this only relieved him; he didn't want the Netherworld. It resembled Stodir far too much. He would keep this to himself for now, however. He smiled. "It is our best chance of reaching Everlight."
This brought a sharp-fanged grin to Jinx' face, and he briefly wondered why. "Everlight is completely yours, of course, my Lord. Your elven heritage."
We really need to get into her head. I don't trust a word she says with that grin. I just wish she'd stayed Gnarl… she might have hidden her face, but never her feelings…
He realized Sora and Nyarai had kept relatively quiet, and as he looked at Sora he suddenly suspected why. It seemed to him Sora's eyes were brighter in colour than when he'd lost her to the dwarves; no longer pure emerald, but somehow carrying a golden tinge that hadn't been there before… gold like her magic. He'd met her in the fortress clad in gleaming armour, part of which she also wore now, and the plan to lead the Minions from the mountain… I've decided I want to take your position… or at least practice it alongside you.
His Mistresses were interested in Jinx, but didn't want to openly admit this, not here. He and Jinx weren't the only ones to wear masks at this 'high council'. Suddenly he wondered whether his mother had ever dealt with this, and he immediately wanted to smack his forehead. Of course she had. He was feeling the exact same weights dragging him down as the powerful, ethereal queen Fay had. "Thank you for your time," he smiled. "Jinx, would you walk with me?"
She looked suspicious, but she did accompany him as he stepped away from the council table. "I think we'll reach better agreements without the council," he spoke as they'd walked a little way.
She grinned. "I thought you'd never realize."
(KADATH)
Someone stared at the two as they left the council, from a hanging dwelling not far from it. Someone desperately tried to calm the raging storm within him.
From the beginning. From the beginning he hadn't trusted a thing about it all; he remembered how he'd held a blade at Gnarl's throat the very evening the advisor had proposed Estell be the new Overlord… No. Not Gnarl. Jinx. The one who'd caused his hatred for the dark, fanned it…
Talmar thought back to how happy he'd been to know she was dead, two years ago in Fay's Sanctuary. The world had been in shards, but at least Evil had been exterminated… Evil had returned after that, but in the form of his best friend, controllable, on their side.
He heard Estell shout his battle cry at the browns again. Evil can't be tamed!
He pressed his hands to his forehead and tried to shut out an even more intrusive voice. A voice with the undertones of madness, but in his madness the crippled elf had spoken bitter truths. Not blind. I'm the only one seeing clearly here.
"Miruvor," he gnashed. Miruvor had been right all along.
Think of what you're about to do, Talmar. Don't do anything you might regret. If you kill me, you extinguish the last light and surround yourself with only darkness.
He still saw his blade sinking into Miruvor's chest, his last gurgle, his own choice. The choice for Estell's darkness.
He's an Overlord. We know what Overlords do.
Estell had clearly made a choice of his own. His friend… whom he'd never really known at all, never truly… More and more darkness had risen in him since they'd left Fay's influence. Shadow, the dominating magic developed on Maesmaer, and now this.
He stared outside again. The two were almost out of sight. No. He didn't want to believe it. He knew Estell, had known him his whole life. He didn't want to believe it. Estell knew what he was doing… wasn't he? He was strong enough to keep her down.
And whereas no one will ever forget Kamáel… your name shall be erased from history, the twisted servant of Evil you've become.
It was as though Miruvor was actually there with him. Would he ever be able to forget those crazed eyes? And the spark of clarity, of truth, still glistening in their depths?
He'd helped Jinx in retrieving the Hives, and with that to regain her true form and her power. His father's killer. "Father…"
And then there were the words she'd spoken to him herself. I didn't kill your father. Lies. Of course, lies. But what if… no one had actually seen it happen, no one still alive but her…
He felt about to burst apart. Miruvor, Estell, Jinx, his father. Whatever he did now, he'd hate himself for it.
He did know he still wanted to protect Estell, even from himself if he needed to. But he couldn't bear the thought of facing the Overlord now…
(KADATH)
Estell and Jinx silently left the earshot of the ones behind them, and then walked on until they also left all hanging dwellings and curious Minions behind. Even Kniff was elsewhere now, though the Overlord couldn't imagine he was happy about it.
He looked up at the sky though the crack in the ceiling. "I don't trust you, Jinx."
"I figured as much, Lord. And that while I'm telling you nothing but the truth."
A wry smile curled his lips. "Seeing our mutual history I'm inclined to doubt that."
"What's there to hide? I'd do anything for the Minions, I did what I did for them. As I saw how well you did as Overlord I let go of the plan to… permanently take over from you. You surprised me with your harshness last night, but if you promise to dominate none of the Minions I can guarantee to lay low. I will lead your Minions in the field; fight your battles, if you only let me be with them."
So polite. So submissive. She was my father's horde leader once… she's slipping back into that role, but she doesn't mean a word of it.
"I don't know if that's true, and I don't know if I won't dominate any Minions."
She stared at him. Then her gaze hardened. "You aren't above lying to anyone."
The truth has to emerge in both of us, and this isn't working. He sighed. "Jinx," he started. "Tell me, what would you do today if I wouldn't stop you?"
She looked away. Her shoulders lowered, however, and he knew she'd yearned for this day for so long the very idea made her relax. "Introduce myself to the younger ones. Have them train with Kniff. Install Giblet in the forge. …Make ropes."
Ropes. "Your weapons?"
"More than that. My wings." She looked at him, and for a moment her eyes shone; then they hardened again. Estell nodded, and she reluctantly continued. "I… climbed like no one else. I once told you you'd do well to leave acrobatics to someone else, seeing the matter with your hand…"
"You meant yourself."
She smiled. "When I saw you out there, I just couldn't wait to join you, and…" She silenced herself, but Estell knew what she meant.
"…and show me how it's done."
No reply. Two shadow weavers in the vines above them hissed at Estell and ran off across the wall as he passed them. Briefly he felt hurt, but then his eyes lingered on the vines. "Would those do?"
She followed his gaze, then looked back at him in disbelief. Then she climbed up into the vines and cut off two of them with her claws. As she landed she sank through her knees, sitting down in one move. Estell knelt down next to her. How weakened is she really?
Her claws danced around the vines, whittling off leaves, removing or tucking in aerial roots, untangling knots. Then her fingers flew to the ends and tied two blindingly swift knots. She'd clearly looked forward to this for a while. After a bit of shifting the knots she took out her hooks and worked them in, then she laid the vines in her lap and simply looked at them, a broad grin on her face.
My spear has a life of its own, but she looks at her weapons as though the same is true for them. He met her eyes as she looked up. "I don't know how well this will go… but I'd like to try how far I can get."
He nodded. He could always go after her with his new ability of short-range teleportation. It only now occurred to him this was something else he shared with his mother, only smoky, faster and on shorter distances. "I'd like to see you climb."
Another huge grin. She rose and swept one of the ropes around in her hand, then cast it out at the rough rock above them. Her breath escaped as she yanked herself up, in elation or exertion, Estell didn't know. She flashed away from him, and for a moment he widened his eyes in wonder and something close to admiration – and then she lost her grip and crashed. She landed on the rocky floor with a nauseating smack, and he heard the crack of bone. He ran towards her – and halted halfway.
She was laughing. One of her legs stuck out at a strange angle, but she was laughing.
He walked on, slower now. "…Why are you laughing? Doesn't that hurt?"
She looked up. "I like pain, at this moment at least. It tells me I'm alive."
"The blues…" he started, but then fell silent.
Blue sparks already hovered around her legs and the scratches on her shoulders. She chuckled. "I am a blue. In this, in any case. I can heal myself and others."
"That's useful…" Not just destructive flame, but also healing. Surprise after surprise. "What else can you do?"
"Like the greens I'm immune to toxin, so don't bother poisoning me. From the reds I got fire." She clenched her fists, and was suddenly surrounded by a ball of roaring flame, whirling around her like a blinding shield.
Reflexively Estell created his own smoky shield, and Jinx lifted hers. She looked at him sideways. "You're testing me."
Yes. You were planning to overthrow me for all that time, I want to know what I may yet have to fight. "No."
Her leg straightened itself with a crack, and she slowly got to her feet. "Rest assured, none of my skills will protect me from an attack on the mind." She smiled painfully. "And I'm in no condition to take you on in a physical battle either. If you want to dominate me…" She spread her arms. "Why wait?" But her eyes were toxic again, and he had to restrain himself not to back away. I don't want to dominate you… I want to trust you.
He couldn't say it. He looked at his shadow hand. "…Not now."
Jinx beheld him suspiciously. He'd discovered two new tricks the previous day; the shield and teleportation. What else lurked within him? Was she better off now she'd revealed herself? She'd been nervous since he'd announced his wish to save two Hives at once, aside from her happiness and incredible urge to see the Minions again. She knew everything would change the moment she took her true form again, and a part of her had wanted to postpone it. Your father tried to dominate me once. Taegan saved me that day, but he seems to have abandoned me now. If there's anything I fear, it's to end up a slave… She took up her ropes again. He'd allowed her to make them, she wasn't planning to ignore them now. She'd missed them almost as much as the Minions themselves. I trusted you with the hordes, the Hives. I thought I knew you. She twisted the rope in her hand and looked up, to the crack in the ceiling. Sunlight. …Slower. Carefully. Caution wasn't her strongest asset, but she yearned for that light. She cast out her rope again and pulled herself up, along the rock, through the vines, with agony screaming through her body. But it was true; she welcomed the pain. Gnarl hadn't been able to exert himself at all, Gnarl had barely felt anything. Gnarl hadn't lived. Those days were over.
She looked down. Estell was staring up at her, a strange expression in his blue eyes. Further away in the cavern she caught sight of Kniff, and as she found him he looked up at her. He jumped and waved encouragingly, and she felt something inside her flare up. She saw he had a group of youngsters with him, allowing them to play fight, testing their new weapons. A few blues stood by, ready to heal more serious injuries. The horde leader was already carrying out her plans…
She reached the end of her rope, clung on and cast out her second. She felt more certain of herself already. Faster now, and her hands remembered all those climbs through the Everlightian jungle, up and down the Tower, even the vine that'd led into Kadath's throne room in the days before the wooden staircase. Before she knew it she'd reached the ceiling, and she swung towards the crack between the stalactites. Then she was through.
She gasped for breath as the heat beat down on her. She blinked in the sunlight.
Then an inky cloud of smoke darkened that light, and a heartbeat later Estell was before her.
She ignored him, turned, stared at the sky, the rock formations curving over her like a giant predator's claws. Laughter escaped her. Then she started running. I don't care what he thinks. I don't care what I am to him; Overlady, horde leader, prisoner. I'm myself again, I'm free! Her clawed feet flew over the rocky plateau, the blue sky shone blindingly above her and around her, she was back in the world…
As her lungs really started protesting she suddenly heard the clatter of hooves behind her. She slowed and turned, and jolted as she saw the two falcicorns approaching, Estell riding one of them. The silvery scythes moved up and down wildly with the gleaming animals' heads, and before she could even blink the elf had reached her. "Climb on."
"Are you taking me back?"
"Not yet." He didn't turn his mount, and Jinx grinned in elation. He smiled. "Freedom… that's what every Overlord truly wants, isn't it?"
She nodded, as they spurred on their mounts. "Freedom…" She closed her eyes and felt the hot Ruborian wind in her hair, and for but a moment she felt as if she was flying… as if her actual mount had never died at all. She spurred the falcicorn to higher speeds, and grinned. "Let's wake some sand worms."
Estell smiled. Reckless. She's just gotten back, but it's going to be hard to keep her alive, if I indeed want to team up with her…
(KADATH)
The news of Jinx' ropes spread among the Minions like wildfire. The majority reacted with elation; she had her weapons again! She resembled the Mistress they'd lost more with every passing moment! Others, who'd never known her and were more loyal to Estell, were unsure. What did this mean? Was there to be a battle after all? Most, however, hoped their Master and Mistress could work together; it seemed possible, it'd worked for months already after all, and when stories were exchanged between the veterans who'd fought inside Stodir and Estell's Minions who'd fought for the harbour, it was concluded Jinx nor Estell would be able to win this on their own. Jinx had fallen to the dwarves, and Estell had only barely made it out of the mountain. They couldn't do it alone, but together…
An agreement was reached within the hordes, to try and unite the two the best they could. As Ramah and Masud caught word of this the two laughed among themselves. Hopefully all of Kadath would soon share this opinion, and maybe, just maybe, they could convince the Master and Mistress in question too…
As the two rulers had vanished just like that, and probably needed the time together, the Ruborian took it on himself to get some things inside Kadath done. He was soon joined by two others who held a position of authority in Estell's absence; Sora and Nyarai. Together they found groups of Minions wandering the palace and the city, eventually rooting out Giblet, to direct him to the forge. During the battle for Stodir and Estell's audience with the king they'd lost most of their dominated dwarves, and the Minion smith also boasted he was better than them anyway, so they were all too happy to install him.
They brought more young brown, red and green Minions to the upper cave, where Kniff and a few older veterans were busy training them. Ramah and the Mistresses met Jinx' large muscular horde members; Aches, Rasp, Minc, Clout. The prince's eyes also fell to a young blue furiously trying to wield a massive golden axe. He had one of the best weapons; there weren't anywhere near enough to properly equip all the little ones, but a few kind-hearted plant singers created wooden replacements, from swords to clubs. Some newborns didn't think these were good enough, and Kniff grinned in elation at this. He barely knew his horde anymore. Finally they didn't have to hold back to stay alive anymore… finally they did things the Minion way again. He walked to the throne room and let his voice ring through the palace halls. "Giblet! Get to it! Need steel!"
And deeper, in the forge, the master smith rolled his eyes and scoffed at the Ruborian iron he was to work with in his turn. He was used to so much better… he left most of the work to his apprentices, and busied himself more with a red Minion with a purple hat and golden horns.
The Minions were exhilarated. Ramah caught raspy rumours about black wings spreading over the palace, and he had to admit it seemed darker inside… more complete. If there was indeed a dark god keeping watch over Kadath, he was most content today. Many elves got used to the idea Jinx was probably on their side, and some even liked the idea as much as the Minions; she was strong, or would be as soon as she recovered from her years in Gnarl's body, and they stood a much better chance against the dwarves with her. But a minority resisted the idea, and these elves even left the palace and the new atmosphere of dark glory and contentment that lay over it, preferring the upper cavern where sunlight still flooded in.
Those elves returned to their old dwellings, and suddenly looked down on the training Minions in bitter disgust.
Eventually Ramah, Sora and Nyarai ended up there again as well, around the abandoned council table, the Ruborian and the Zola relaxing in their seats while Sora lay back on the table lazily, staring up at the sky beyond the trees. "Where are those two?" she wondered out loud. "I really hope they're not killing each other."
"Seems unlikely," Nyarai smiled. "He didn't end the council for nothing. He wanted to talk to her honestly, without all those others stopping him."
"I'm glad you're on my side, behind both of them." Ramah gratefully looked at the Mistresses.
Sora sat up and grinned. "What you did during the council was brave… and wonderful to see. And the Minions are with you, too."
Something stirred, deep, deep below them. The Minions, and more.
(DESERT)
Silver bolts shot across the rocky plateau to Kadath's northwest. The falcicorns hadn't had enough movement lately; their enthusiasm to be outside spurred their speed and endurance to new heights. Estell had to admit he'd missed the desert, no matter how he loved Kadath's cool and shelter, and how terrible his first experiences with the Sea of Sand had been. At times he glimpsed the golden dunes between the reddish rock formations, but they kept to the plateau for now. The flat rock between the claws offered them a good route for something resembling a race. Jinx couldn't get enough of the speed; she'd livened up just being outside, spurring on her mount wildly, riding without holding the reins most of the time. Estell could envision how she'd flown with her giant bat once, wild and free, no matter how he disliked the idea himself. He just hoped she'd never try to hijack Ravea… but his Mistresses seemed to have grown fond of the dragon, and he suspected not even Jinx could get past them.
For now, the tension between them seemed lifted. Jinx didn't mind him being here right now. He wasn't here to prevent her from escaping; he knew she'd never leave the Minions voluntarily. He only wanted to get to know her better, no matter if it was to find out what he'd potentially have to fight or to trust her more… he didn't know which, and he couldn't utter either.
Jinx searched the sky. "Pity there's no clouds, I could've seen where the thermals pushed them up." She laughed. "Old habits."
"From the time with your bat? Didn't he seek them out himself?"
She smiled. "Zephyros… I always told him where to go. I dominated him when I first met him, you see. I didn't mean to, but it happened without me knowing. When I saw him again he was absolutely loyal to me, but that also meant he didn't decide much on his own."
Estell raised his eyebrows. "You can dominate, too? I thought…"
"…I'd told you everything I could do? I did. I can't do that anymore. That was in the time when I still had human magic, purple magic. Your father pulled that out of me permanently. But it did give my Minion magic the chance to fully develop, so I'm thankful, really." Her eyes slid over the choppy, half-hidden horizon again, then lingered on something. "Say… what is that?"
He followed her eyes. Beyond the rocky claws, beyond the Sea of Sand, a black column rose to the sky… like smoke. But there was very little that could burn here, and it was hardly the time of day for a campfire. He frowned. Then he realized. "Vultures."
"Of course… but how big must that carcass be?" She met his eyes. "Shall we have a look?"
"Giant carcasses mean giant predators, perhaps close by." A huge hairy shadow, a maw two meters wide. Elves, mad with fear, one with an effortlessly severed leg. "But… we're not exactly helpless ourselves." He nodded, turned his mount around. Jinx followed him in elation, and together they bolted off the plateau into the Sea of Sand. Tremors followed them; it was the height of day and the sand worms were awake, and a few of them burst from the sand behind them. Their mounts were swift enough to be far away by the time the worms had oriented themselves, however. Then silvery hooves clattered over solid rock again, and the collumn of vultures was much closer and clearer. Estell could make out individual birds now; giant, pitch black creatures with ragged wings and long jagged beaks.
Jinx looked at him sideways. "They always remind me of the Wasteland. They were everywhere in those days; the remains of the Mellow Hills, eastern Evernight, Angelis. Of course, they did have six eyes and their naked skin glowed blue…"
"You've seen a lot in your day." Half the time he didn't realize she was twenty years his elder; she looked far younger than she was, and didn't act her age either. Minion blood.
Her eyes gleamed brightly. "You're not doing too bad yourself. You just need a nickname…"
"Like the Minion Mistress?" He laughed. "What do you propose? The Black Hand…"
"The White Shadow," she chuckled. Then she looked up. There, beyond a jagged depression in the rock, was the spot the vultures were attracted to. Many of the huge black creatures jumped around wildly there, fluttering and squabbling over bits of flesh, but through all the feathers and all the blood it was still clear what had died here. The falcicorns backed away, unnerved, and no wonder; this concerned their dead kin… dozens of them. Bloody hoof tracks led away across the rock and into the desert, but whatever predator had done this, it'd killed and partly eaten quite a lot of them as well, leaving only bones and dry silvery fur. Aside from that there were also human remains here, ripped apart just as sloppily, reduced to shreds of skin, hair and the characteristic black robes of the Radaraz. There was no sign of the predator itself.
"This is a very familiar image," Estell heard himself say. "Something similar happened to me, not long before I met… you."
"You never told me."
He stared at the slaughter, while the vultures flapped and screeched around them. "I left my mother's Sanctuary in the company of twenty or so elves, not just Talmar, Isil and Miruvor. We rode unicorns, not falcicorns. We spent the night in a cave… that cave was inhabited."
"By something huge."
"Something huge and hairy, which bit off Miruvor's leg. It drove us into the night without mounts. It was pure luck we found the slaver caravan taking Sora and the others to Napata."
"Ah, yes. You let the blues get away that day." She chuckled. "You fixed that soon after, fortunately. But…" She grew serious. "That creature was at the start of your journey. Without it you might never have found Kadath."
Estell blinked. "That's another way to look at it…" Whatever it'd been, the monster had ripped away almost everything connecting him to his false heritage in the light, and violently directed him to the truth. "The less light there is, the more you can see," he murmured, remembering how Nyarai had gazed up at the stars in Katoa. "Ah… that reminds me. I had a strange dream last night, probably connected to the… guardian."
"Not about me, I think?" Jinx had dismounted and now inspected the bodies, chasing off vultures to the left and right.
"No." Estell brought his falcicorn closer, despite the animal's protests. "I think that's over. No, in this dream…" He briefly struggled to remember the details. "There were huge pearls in the sky. Red and blue. They circled around one another…"
Jinx abruptly looked back, her eyes wide. "Pearls?!"
"You know them?"
"Tower Hearts. The most powerful artefacts an Overlord could wield. For centuries everyone thought there was only one in the entire world, but Kniff and I discovered there were two more, and their locations." She smiled wryly. "Even the power of the Hearts could not protect me against the dwarves. It was as if… they opposed each other, in the end. The power slipped from my fingers like water." She stared at him. "If he's showing them to you now… that must be our next goal. The dwarves must have them in Stodir somewhere."
"A powerful weapon, which they cannot use." Estell recalled the elven stone that'd sustained Thorlond's shield spell. "…or maybe they can… but… you're saying there are three Hearts. I only saw two in my dream."
"Perhaps he saved the third at the fall of the Netherworld. But even then, we have to get the other two back. The Hearts will give us…" She hesitated, then her eyes hardened. "…will give us the upper hand. They can strengthen magic almost infinitely for a little while, we could bring down Stodir in a day."
"If we manage to get the Hearts out of the mountain first."
"It's a risk. But taking risks is what Overlords do." She turned back to the Radaraz corpses again, and threw a bold vulture off her back as it dug its claws into her shoulders. "Hey! I just came back to life, leave me alone!" Estell thought he saw something resembling jealousy in her eyes as she watched the creature flap away. Wild and free, but bound to the ground. A powerful weapon, he thought to himself. A powerful ally… if she's to be trusted. I want to trust her… but is that even a good thing? The look in Talmar's eyes…
Jinx mounted her falcicorn again and turned her nervous mount around. "Shall we try to find out what did this?" Her eyes glistened. "Maybe you could dominate it."
He smiled. "You really want me to become stronger, don't you? Why?"
"Estell." She laid a hand along her falcicorn's silver head. "Hope. I think your mother named you for another reason, but you were my last hope, and you've lived up to it wonderfully. The Estell I know, who battled crabs underground for the fate of the green Hive, who risked it all to return from Maesmaer, who rescued two Hives from the lion's den for the first time in living memory… that Estell I want to strengthen."
"I can't know if that's true. Maybe you want to follow the beast in the hope it kills me, and you can claim everything I lived up to."
A faint grin, and suddenly the sunlight caught her teeth. "A tempting idea. Alright, then it seems to me we'd better leave your hairy monster in peace for now." She glanced at the sky beyond the vultures. "Shall we head back?"
"Before they decide we've killed each other." He smiled and spurred on his mount, and Jinx followed.
(KADATH)
When they returned to the domain the sun had already started sinking, and by the time Estell had inspected all the changes in the palace and busied himself with the newly armed horde – Jinx by his side – the domain once again bathed in the red light of sunset. Jinx seemed to perk up with this, but to Estell it only meant more trouble, especially as he saw a group of elves – Talmar with them – pointedly keeping to themselves. They left the Minion Mistress in peace, but he wondered how long this would last. He wanted to step towards Talmar, but his friend avoided him and retreated into his old hanging dwelling.
During dinner – which Estell took at his council chamber today, surrounded by friends and keeping an eye on Jinx, who'd climbed halfway up a tree during the meal – the Minion Mistress offered a proposal. "After what happened today I still want to show I want to strengthen you, Lord."
Estell looked up at her. She was sitting on a branch, lazily leaning against the trunk, one leg swinging loose and her ropes over her shoulders. A little further away he could hear the sound of playing or fighting Minions; Kniff kept close with his young horde, and even used dinner as a way to let the browns, reds and greens test their newfound strength. As determined to die as he'd been before, so vigorously did he tackle life now. At times Jinx looked around at them from her tree, a warm light in her eyes, and at those moments the sounds of training sometimes turned to unorganized clattering and rasping shouts.
Estell looked back at the Minion Mistress himself. "How?"
She nodded at his back. "Your spear. I saw you fight yesterday, and you did great, but it seems to me it could be even better." She tapped a claw to her chin. "It'd be nice to make the back as dangerous as the front."
Estell glanced at Nyarai. The Zola Mistress cocked her head. "That would make sense, but we'd need a new tip… or split this one."
The Overlord drew his weapon and extended it, to twist it around in his hand testingly. Two tips… he had to admit it seemed like a good idea to him. "Can that be done?" He didn't trust this proposal any more than the idea to hunt the beast from the desert; what if Jinx wanted to damage his weapon? But if Nyarai trusted it…
She nodded. "It can. I can do it for you." She took the spear and loosened the tip's wrappings. In answer the blue spirals around the shaft retracted, like they'd done as the wooden shaft had been exchanged for this steel one. Estell nervously looked on as she took her own weapon and slightly deformed the back, in a display of knowledge and experience with abyssilion he could only dream of. She slid her hand over his spearhead, and the razor edges and barbs reacted in turn. Then she took the tip and sharply tapped it with her own weapon. His precious spearhead neatly split apart.
"We still have to adapt the shaft…"
Jinx jumped from the tree. "Wait a minute," she grinned. "Thud!"
The blue Minion couldn't have been far, as he appeared from the trees only a few moments later, approaching the council table. His yellow eyes shone as he bowed to Jinx. "Yes, Mistress?"
Estell smiled slightly. He couldn't help how most Minions saw her. The hordes seemed of a mind to treat and follow them both as Overlords, even though he had the amber gem.
"Thud," Jinx spoke affectionately. "This meal…"
"Yes, Milady?" The fat Minion hopped from one foot to the other, eager to receive her compliments.
"…is terrible. What happened to all your skill?"
His jaw dropped, his ear webs fell down limply along his face. Suddenly he was an image of baffled horror… and Estell felt movement course through the two spearheads. They thickened, new barbs and fluid edges formed, and suddenly two fully grown weapons lay before him, both bigger and more impressive than his first spearhead had been. He looked down on them, dumbfounded. Thud's fear and despair had to have been many times greater than his own as he'd thought Nyarai might sacrifice him…
On the other side of the table Jinx dropped to one knee and hugged the blue cook. "Just joking, just joking. It's alright, Thud. It's delicious."
"Really?" he spoke in a small voice. Big tears trickled down his face.
"Yes. You've improved, and not just because of that djinn essence. What did you learn in those Deb Nar kitchens? I'm jealous of that Rolling Regiment, I'm going to have to watch out not to end up like them."
Thud clearly envisioned a rolling Jinx now, and his grin returned. "It'd do you good, Mistress, you've gotten so skinny."
Estell looked at his new weapons again, pleasantly surprised. Then he looked up and called one of the brown Minions to him. "Would you take this to Giblet and have him attach both tips?" The Minion nodded and hurried off.
Jinx climbed back up her tree. "We'll get there, Sire. We have the same goals in the end."
Estell looked around, suddenly aware of his entire domain and everyone in it. On the short term, yes. In the long run…
Later that night Silt and Clam dove deep into Kadath's canals, where they knew Zap, the old clan leader, busied himself with the presumed source of all that water. It took them a while to return from the dark, cold depths, but eventually they brought up the pale Minion, and he agreed to be their advisor until Gnarl returned. "After all, I'm almost as old," he chuckled. "He sometimes called me to the throne room to support our Masters already."
"What did you find in the deep, Zap?" Estell inquired. It'd kept the old Minion from his returned Masters for quite a while; it had to be important.
"Strange phenomena, Sire. Sunken parts of the city, deep underwater. Rising currents. Blue light."
"Blue light?" Jinx raised her eyebrows. "From the water?"
"Glowing glyphs and sculptures, Milady. Feeble, but brighter as I got deeper." He shrugged. "Nothing substantial. Now it's more important for you to have an advisor. It's happened before, two Overlords heading out together…" Jinx and Estell glanced at each other, very different expressions in the yellow and blue eyes, but neither remarked on Zap's assumption of their equality. "…but it really hasn't worked out that well since the time of the Darklords." He bared his needly teeth in a grin. "It'll be my honour to try and bring back the glory of those days."
Jinx grinned as Kniff's words returned to her. "A new beginning. The return of Evil. The return of our dark glory!" She slightly bowed her head to Estell, with a doubtful amount of respect. "I think it's time to see where that flower gate landed, in the valleys around Stodir, Sire…"
Sora brightened, and the golden gleam in her eyes caught the light. "North?"
"To the Netherworld, Milady." Jinx seemed to glow with an inner fire comparable to a red Minion's. No matter how submissive she might act, Estell felt nailed to his seat by her gaze as she looked at him. "Home."
Maraxus: So, we have an alliance with Estell, and the false insults of Thud's cookery skills allowed to modify his spear, far be it from me to question you, but are you sure it wise to strengthen him my lady?
Jinx: True wisdom was never my strength. I'm merely trying to win his trust - plus, I know how to deal with a physical attack. I must confess that if there were a way to strengthen his domination magic, I wouldn't do so.
Maraxus: Indeed, his magical abilities certainly warrant caution. Do you think he could quietly dominate the minds of the Minions loyal to you in the event that a civil war erupts, like what happened between you and Sayron?
Jinx: That probably wouldn't be hard, given a natural instinct to follow is already there. But if he tries to alter them like that and I catch even the tiniest whiff of it, I'll be prepared to die trying to kill him...This is going to be a long, tense journey, isn't it...
Maraxus: Probably. Anyway, that's us for this week readers, review and we'll see you next time.
