Brann was staring at the now remade tower heart, trying to figure it out. His demons were able to find all the shards quickly, even faster with Luna's help, but now that it was together, it just confused him. The heart was weak, not even at a tenth of its true strength. Gnarl suspected that it exploded, and that is what caused the cataclysm, but that it also should have just powered down and become dormant after his father disappeared. Brann was interrupted from his deep pondering by Scorch tapping him on the hip.
"Sorry, master, but you wanted to know when the elf-lady was here. And she is."
"Thank you, Scorch. You may have a spicy rat from the treat box. Hell, why not two?" Brann then moved down into the throne room, seeing the elvish queen before him with five of her guards.
"Lord Brann, are you, in fact, aware that the empire is marching a considerable number of troops into the heart of your domain? From my scrying, it seems that they have pulled considerable forces from other war fronts to retake lands from you. Why are thy unopposed?"
"All part of a strategy to lure the enemy into a trap, once they are cut off from the empire, it will be nothing less than spearing fish in a barrel."
"Let us hope such a gambit pays off. I have burned many bridges siding with you against the empire. I would hat to find out that I did so for a fool. Now, why did you summon me?"
"I just wanted to pass along information. My spies in the empire have successfully seven cults in the Imperial Heartland. I have the troop movements and locations of several key empire nobles and saboteurs ready and waiting to help from the inside at any attack on three different cities. Here is all the information we have gathered." A minion walked over with various scrolls, handing them off to one of Luna's guards. The man looked through the papers and nodded to his queen, confirming that it was what he said it was.
"Tell me, am I to come down here personally every time you gather vital information? I do have messengers that can come in my stead, so unless you have need of me, I should take my leave."
"I actually would like to... ask you some questions. Not here, somewhere more casual."
"I'm not going to sleep with you, Brann."
"That was... not what I meant by casual. I just wanted to talk with you informally and felt this was not the best place for that."
"I have spoken with queen Fay in such way in her throne room. If you do not wish for prying eyes, simply dismiss your guards, and I will do the same with mine." Brann then waved his hand, and his minions and knights vanished into the darkness. Even Gnarl sculked off. When Luna's guards poofed into blue flashes, he took his helmet off and beckoned her to step closer. Brann looked very nervous, surprising Luna. She clearly didn't expect him to show such weakness freely.
"You... knew my father, right? You served Overlord Zephyr as a vassal. What was he like?"
"Zephyr was your father? Strange that I am only learning about this now... Why not ask your servants that knew him? They would have a clearer understanding of the man than me."
"They are all fanatic cultists, fanatic minions, or otherwise have a rose-tinted view of him. You don't. That is why I'm asking."
"Very well, my Lord. Your father was a vicious, savage, uncivilized barbarian rapist. He spent most of his short time as Overlord, the puppet and tool of not only his predecessor but his own minions. He was used, and when they tried to throw him away, he killed those who saw him as their slave. Except for Gnarl, I don't rightly understand why he kept that vile thing around after he betrayed him."
"So... In the end, my father was seen as a servant and a slave by those who professed to worship him?"
"Indeed, that was my understanding of the situation." Brann thought about that for a moment. Gnarl, Marcus, not even Jill ever mentioned that the minions betrayed Zephyr, that they even could. This purposeful withholding of information disturbed him to his core. After all, if they betrayed his father, they could do the same to him. Brann also started to wonder about what the purpose of the Overlord even was. Was he being used like his father was? Did the minions only have him around because they had no choice but to serve a master? Would he be cast aside the moment a more evil, or more powerful person came along?
"Would that be all, my Lord?" Luna's question shook Brann out of his pondering. And he had another decision that needed making.
"One last thing Luna. Feel free to say no to this, but how would you feel about being one of my advisors?" The elven queen looked genuinely surprised and a little taken aback by the question.
"Forgive me, my Lord. Could you repeat that?"
"I would like you as an advisor. Between a jibbering corps of a minion, a maddened zealot of a high priest, and my lovers, I don't really have an unbiased voice in my counsel who would openly question me."
"So you want me around to avoid being trapped in an echo chamber?"
"If you would please." Brann could practically read Luna's mind as she thought about his offer. All the ways she could manipulate and control him, but he was expecting it, so she had no power over him. Before he could get an answer out of her, Gnarl ran into the room, panting hard. Brann stood up and put his helmet back on, glaring down at the elderly minion.
"You better have a good reason to disobey me, fossil!"
"Forgive me, master, but we found the blues! They are being hauled off the arena in the very heart of the empire! WE HAVE TO RESCUE THEM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!"
"Get a ship ready to smuggle me into the imperial Heartlands at once." Without another word, Brann marched off to what would most likely be his doom. But considering the alternatives, he didn't really have a choice.
((Hello, my little goblins! It's your one true king, MRGOBLINKING7! Thank you, Coolwowboy, zacherylanderson, and white1498 for commenting on how you thought the elves should have been handled. HAVE A GOBLIN TREAT! *chucks treat at heads* Now, the next significant choice that needs to be made... Rose. I will leave her fate ultimately in the hands of the people. But if RQ Quest's comment is any indication, we might be in for a witch-burning. I certainly can't wait to find out what happens next, have a wonderful life, my little goblins!))