Maraxus: I've quite enjoyed watching our leader make her decisions on how to run her domain. She seems to have a real talent for it. Anyway, I do not own this story, it was created by Sunjinjo (Iris) on deviantart. I am merely passing it through to you fellow readers. Enjoy.

An Overlady's Audiences Part 7

The figure now descending in the scarlet light was slender, with a wild head of auburn curls and clad in a tunic resembling the one Jinx had worn as she'd been dragged into the Netherworld herself. This was clearly a second Imperial, and the Overlady narrowed her eyes – she was wary of the inhabitants of her brother's Empire. Darion's fate had been easily sealed and Bob had wanted to leave the Empire… but the young woman's eyes shone with a light she knew, despite the overwhelming throne room, the imposing throne and all the Minions around her. Jinx had a hunch she wasn't going to want to kill this visitor.

"Greetings, Milady," she spoke. "My name is Miranda Duccius. I'm here on behalf of the I.P.G.E…"

"The what?" Jinx interrupted gingerly.

"The Imperial Party for Gnome Eradication, Milady."

Jinx grinned. "Oh, that does sound like something that has my back. Doesn't it, boys?" The Minions chuckled in approval. "What do you ask of me, Miranda?"

The young woman seemed to relax somewhat. "I heard about your... actions on Everlight, especially the fall of Orntal and the slaughter within the elven fortress where our troops held the green Hive. Emperor Sayron held sway over the Minions then, but I am under the impression they're most capable under your command too."

"Capable of killing gnomes? They're the best. Especially when paired with salamanders, the little buggers' natural enemies, it seems. They'll dig out the burrows in no time." Jinx shifted. "You want to borrow Minions from me, don't you?"

"I won't bring them anywhere near Arcadiopolis, Milady. It's about the harbour cities along the coast. They stow away in the ships, you see. They're a real pest, almost everywhere outside of the capital, where they don't seem to have realized the anti-magic shield is gone yet." Miranda bowed her head. "I just really dislike them, Milady."

"Did you found the Party yourself?"

The young woman nodded. "Yes, Milady. After I'd seen what they were capable of…"

Jinx frowned. "They're mere vermin in my eyes, not capable of inflicting much damage. I've mostly dealt with them in Nordberg and the Last Sanctuary beneath the Wasteland…"

"They're quite tame there. It's mainly the Everlightian gnomes, which are also plaguing our harbours, that can be a danger. They're wilder, seemingly more intelligent and some make use of poison darts. Others are capable of limited fire magic and can start fires, for instance in storehouses, when they are with sufficient numbers. A colony of them managed to inflict quite some damage on my mother and me when we were settlers on Everlight, years ago."

"It will be my pleasure to support you in your personal vengeance, Miranda."

"Thank you, Milady," the visitor bowed, beaming. Jinx looked up at the Minions. "Go get a team of browns and salamander riders. They'll be having fun tonight if possible." A few bat-eared heads nodded, and the Minions ran off to descend along the Tower to the floating rock.

Next to the throne Gnarl leaned in to his Mistress slightly. "There's a gnome in the waiting room as well…"

"Hostile?"

"He's tried to attack the Minion guards multiple times and he's squeaking highly aggressively, they say."

"Then I can display what happens to gnomes and uncivilized visitors," Jinx grinned.

"Miranda," she spoke to her first visitor, "as you're waiting for your Minions, I even have a demonstration for you. Come closer, and we'll bring him in."

Miranda briefly raised her eyebrows, but then stepped off the trap door – not that she'd have known what it was – and approached the throne, nervously looking up at the giant basalt formation, lit by the fiery glow of magma dripping down along it. The Minions had patched up Taegan's ruined likeness into a tall spectacle of peaks and claw-like spires, inspired by Vessperion's old Tower they'd had the pleasure of beholding in the Wasteland.
As the Imperial visitor was standing next to Jinx – ignoring the looks Gnarl cast her from the other side of the throne – the portal on the ceiling opened a second time and the red glow reached down. For a moment it seemed as though no one had come down, but then the glow retracted and a very small form came to sight, almost entirely covered in dark hair and topped off by a pointy red hat, almost taller than himself.

Minions chuckled throughout the hall, but the gnome paid them no heed. On the throne Jinx narrowed her eyes, and made out a tiny needle-like sword as his side, which he swept up into the air as he saw her. His size made it comical, but he was clearly on a mission of the utmost importance in his own eyes.

He started squeaking vigorously almost immediately, and Gnarl hurried to translate. "His name is… gee… Ywerontaivilon Drafilorusazic Hardonastricallion, if I'm not mistaken. But his friends call him Fic… the Avenger?"

More squeaking.

"I understand correctly, Milady. And he's here to avenge his fallen brethren. He was going to come with an entire company of heroic gnomes, but his companions all seemed to have other duties today."

Jinx nodded at the gnome. "I respect your courage, Fic. It takes some guts to come here alone."

Fic jumped up and down furiously as he replied. Gnarl wiped a hand over his face for a moment, but then translated on dutifully. "It took no courage, though he almost didn't survive the wait."

"Sorry about that. I was… busy?"

"And he's challenging you to a battle to the death."

Jinx burst out laughing, but quickly caught a hold of herself. "Are you sure, Fic?"

Gnarl didn't have to translate this reaction, it was more than clear. Jinx nodded to her advisor with a smile, and rose from the throne. She took her battered Imperial sword, which had been resting against the seat of power, and dramatically pointed it at the gnome. "I accept your challenge, Fic, may the best warrior win. I will use no magic."

"Doesn't matter to him," Gnarl translated the next squeaking tirade. "Give him everything you've got, he's sure he can handle you."

Jinx dryly snapped her fingers and let a flame spring to life in her free hand. The gnome nodded and squeaked once.

"Yes, still sure."

"Come on then," Jinx spoke, and then jumped forward, sweeping down her sword.

Fic jumped about making tiny scratches in Jinx' leather armour and skin, and Jinx intentionally missing him with almost every attack of her own. She laughed out loud every now and then, and was clearly having too much fun to actually get serious and kill the gnome. This was the first time she had an opponent this much smaller than herself, and Fic was probably one of the most courageous challengers she'd ever had. She just regretted the fact he couldn't see the fun in it himself; it was clear he was here only to avenge his fellow gnomes, squashed beneath Sayron's boots, and hers as well in some cases; most often as a side effect of the actual conquest. Jinx did know she'd pay a bit more attention to gnomes from now on.

The Minions in the great hall had initially wondered why Jinx hadn't killed her opponent at once, but then recognized the familiar game of cat and mouse. Now bets were being placed on the amount of small injuries the Minion Mistress would allow Fic to inflict on her before she crushed him.

"My apologies, Miranda," Jinx laughed in excuse to the young woman looking on next to the throne. "This is no good demonstration. I assure you, my Minions will be far more efficient."

Miranda smiled lightly. This dark Overlady had more sense of humour than she'd expected. Then she widened her eyes.

Fic had run up along Jinx' armour and had exploded squarely in her face – or so it seemed. Jinx' entire head had been obscured by a small explosion and a cloud of black smoke, from which the gnome came flying, unharmed. Jinx fell over and remained lying on her back, unmoving. The gnome landed on the black marble floor, huffed, and then squeaked in triumph.

"…What's he saying?" Miranda asked Gnarl, looking around at the advisor sharply.

"The demon hadn't counted on his magical prowess," the old Minion translated loyally. "He, Fic the Avenger, is triumphant and demands the surrender of the Netherworld."

He turned to the gnome. "Forget it, featherweight."

The gnome turned back to Jinx' body indignantly and wildly gestured with his tiny hands. Then he clambered onto her breastplate and puffed up with pride.

"Not a chance," Gnarl spoke dryly. "I know our Overlady is dead and you beat her and you traditionally are next in line to the throne…"

Jinx' mouth curled in the slightest of smiles. Her hand rose up.

"…but something tells me it's just not going to happen."

Jinx' hand came down to her breastplate, with the crack of miniature bones. She sat up, chuckling.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?"

"Yep." The Overlady stood up and shook Fic's body from her hand. "I thought his bravery was to be rewarded with a good honest fight, but he's not getting the throne. Though a gnome Overlord would be quite an experience."

"Spare me," Gnarl groaned, as if remembering something he'd rather forgotten. Then he looked out through the hall. "Say, your Minions are here," the advisor nodded as Jinx strolled back to the throne. Jinx looked back, to see a small horde of red and brown Minions. The reds were leading their salamanders along with them.

"Take good care of them, Miranda."

"I'll try. Do they have special needs?"

"Fresh meat," Jinx grinned. "Or less than fresh. But they'll catch that themselves. Give them enough violence and they're happy. Isn't that so, boys?"

"If we fall victim to Eradicator or Sentinel Mortis will tell," one of the browns remarked, a wary glance at Miranda.

Miranda took the lead of the Minions, more or less reassured, and nodded at Jinx one last time. "Thank you, Milady." Then, with a faint grin, "Your demonstration was most convincing."

"Let's hope I never have to face the amounts you encounter daily," Jinx jested. "I wouldn't survive for five minutes."

As the fire flashed the young woman and her battalion to the upper world Kniff took her place next to the throne. "Don't play dead too often," he muttered to Jinx with a smile. "Funny, but…"

"Don't be so worried. I don't plan on dying at the hands of a gnome. Gnarl would threaten my successors with my example of failure for all eternity, like the one with the weasel."

"I most certainly would, especially if it motivates you to die later and with more dignity," the advisor remarked.

"I knew you cared."

"As long as the illusion helps you empty the waiting room faster…"

"I get the message," Jinx chuckled. "Bring in the next one, guys."

Maraxus: Can you imagine if she actually did get killed by a gnome?

Gnarl: It would be the new most humiliating end for an Overlord.

Maraxus: But it might also remind them to beware the pointy hats of doom.

Gnarl: Are you serious?

Maraxus: Not really, take care readers and please review.