OVERLORD: Minions and Magic!

[Bag of Bones]

Disclaimer: This story has nothing to do with the Might and Magic franchise)

I suppose it is time for a tale…

A tale of an Overlord.

No not that one! This is a tale of the true Overlord!

​

Our story begins at the end of summer, as the sun was dipping beneath the horizon, a story of Minions! Overlords! Carnage! Conspiracy! War! Betrayals! And all that other stuff such as love, drama, princesses, knights, emperors etc etc that those so-called "reviewers'' consider a necessary part of an epic tale! HAH, They wouldn't know a good story if it came and bit them in the rear! (as a side note you really should buy Gnarl's biting tales from your local bookstore, it will really sink its teeth in you!).

Now, where was I… Oh yes, the beginning of the story… the village of Mossband was turning in for the night, completely unaware of the events that would soon unfold. A cloaked figure was racing towards the village through the forest to the northeast. It was a vast forest filled with all manner of beasts and the figure was moving from tree to tree, desperate to not be seen but still with the haste of one wishing to elude their pursuers but even they could not fathom the events they would set into motion, the end of what the true servants of evil call: The Great Stalemate!

For you see, many years after the fall of the so-called Glorious Empire, the continent was divided in half. On one side to the east stood the forces of darkness led by the Dread Lords of Darkness, centred on the wasteland that was the site of the great cataclysm. On the other side stood the Empire of Light, the alignment of those pathetic good kingdoms and led by the unoriginally titled Emperor of Light. Each has waxed and waned in power during these long years but neither can destroy the other creating this blasted stalemate!

But that is not the concern of our mysterious figure just yet...

The figure emerged from the forest, wearing a ratty old cloak that reached its crudely bandaged feet. The figure darted from the trees to a nearby bush, on the edge of the village, eyes fixated on the village's tavern, hunger gnawing at their belly.

This figure could smell the greasy aroma of cooking tavern food and the loud din of slurred conversation, it tortured them but they remained in their bush waiting for their moment. So they waited, even though their stomach protested… loudly, leading to a lengthy war between the brain and the stomach as this figure waited even when the darkness of night fully engulfed Mossband and the sounds of conversation died down they waited for that perfect moment doing their absolute best to try and win the battle over their stomach's protests.

And when this war between stomach and brain reached its peak the back door to the tavern swung open! The figure in the bush tensed as a peasant man reeking of alcohol swayed out of the back door leaving it wide open for an enterprising figure (or multiple) to sneak on by and into the tavern with no one the wiser.

Of course, this would be the case if the inebriated peasant didn't decide to relieve himself a few steps from the door to the horror and disgust of our hidden figure. It was around this time when from the forest behind this figure, a great deal of rustling and whispering could be heard by anyone not soaked in cheap beer. Our mysterious figure, already disoriented by the actions of the inebriated peasant could not help themselves but to whirl around to look, rustling the bush they were in.

And in what could only be some act of divine intervention, the peasant somehow noticed that despite not being currently able to make out his own hands.

"Who'se there?" Slurred the peasant causing our figure to freeze in place. "You'se back again you thievings *hic* I'll show you!" he slurred while lurching forward, trousers at his ankles.

Now our mysterious figure was quite terrified at this point, both at the mysterious whispers from the forest and the approaching peasant bearing his shame to the world when another miracle happened…

"Oi, Ralph where's are's youse!" Came another drunken voice of a peasant from the front of the tavern causing Ralph the pantsless to turn around and start shuffling towards to stick his head around to call his companions…

For about two meters before he trips and collapses with a snore.

Wasting no time our mysterious cloaked figure dashed from their bush towards the tavern with a speed that could be called supernatural. The figure practically dived through the door into a hallway with two more doors, one with the loud sounds of conversation coming through at the other end of the hallway and the other with the smell of oak and beer to their side. Naturally, they chose the quieter door, pushing it open and collapsing onto the floor gasping for breath.

A few panicked breaths later the mysterious figure actually took stock of the room they were in, a room filled with a large number of barrels, some on shelves and some on the ground, all in a disorderly fashion. Our mysterious figure's heart soared with hope as they practically leapt at a barrel only to promptly sink with despair as they heard sloshing liquid within, these were not food storage barrels as they had hoped but kegs filled with a disappointingly watered-down beer. They looked towards the door, wondering if they should risk begging for food if their cloak was sufficient enough to hide their features for they still feared their pursuers when our mysterious figure heard a door open and the sounds of the main tavern room become louder.

Realizing quite rapidly that this meant peasants were approaching, our mysterious figure quickly ran behind a group of barrels to hide, good thing they did as soon enough two peasants entered the storage room. One was portly, balding and had a kitchen apron suggesting he worked in this establishment, maybe even was the owner, the other while stocky was clearly a farmer with a straw hat. The portly one was carrying what appeared to be a covered painting.

The farmer spoke first, "So Bob, what gots you so excited about a painting?"

Bob grinned before dramatically removing the cloth cover of the painting. "Only a portrait of the most beautiful woman in the world!" to the gasp of the farmer. Even from their hiding spot, our mysterious figure's eyes widened as they beheld the portrait.

The young maiden who was the subject of the portrait was indeed quite beautiful to an almost unearthly extent, clearly of elven descent with their long pointy ears, delicate features, and a slender frame an exceedingly well developed slender frame if I do say so myself. Long flowing hair the colour of brightest silver, untouched snow, and the purest moonlight was complemented by a tiara made of the most beautiful silver, sapphires like glittering stars and a large blue diamond rested in the centre of the tiara, whose deep blue colour was only matched by the woman's eyes that shone with their own inner radiant beauty unmatched by any gem. A kind, innocent expression graced the woman's face and her unblemished almost porcelain-like skin seemed to blend into her rather surprisingly conservatively cut white dress (though still stitched with pearls, silver thread and diamonds) adding to her seemingly ethereal beauty, the only flaw was that the dress did seem to be straining in the chest area to an… exceedingly noticeable degree, despite the expert craftsmanship of the dress.

You really feel a pang of pity for her dressmakers, trying to contain-

Wait no! Not the ears! That's where I keep my ear fungus collection!

Fine! I'll continue the story!

"Princess Elenaril Armathain, only child of our most beloved Emperor and the purest soul to ever grace this land!" Bob stated proudly, "and it's a portrait done by that famous Elven painter whose name is… uhhh I can't remember but it's probably something like leafgreen or something."

"How'd you get something like this Bob, thought only them nobles could get stuff like this?" The farmer stated as he continued admiring the portrait's… assets.

"Heh Heh, there's this little thing in the capital I managed to get access to where you can roll for portraits of women and it was like the gods themselves had blessed me that day to get me this, not sure what'd I do with this but I'd figure the Princess would want me to sell this to the highest bidder so that my financial woes are lifted, bless her angelic heart," Bob said mournfully while placing his hand over his heart.

The farmer took off his hat in mourning. "They said her voice could make a wilted flower bloom and that her reflection in a dirty puddle could purify it into clear water, damn shame what happened to that angelic beauty... anyway how does this rolling for paintings work Bob."

Now while I'm sure you all want to hear about gambling for pictures of wenches with large bosoms our mysterious figure was more concerned with what they could hear outside the walls of the tavern.

Their ears perked when they heard muffled whispering and demented giggling (the best kind!) coming from outside and they strained to make it out over the increasingly enthusiastic speech occurring inside the building.

"It here! It here! I feels it here!"

"Gnarl be happy we finds it!"

"I stole pants!"

"Me don't think it's here, think Zap sleepwalking agains!"

"I stole pants!"

"Shut its! We here to take! Not talk!"

"Wait! Something else with it… feels like-"

"Shut it and climb!"

"I stole pants!"

The demented voices stopped and our mysterious figure could hear claws scraping against the walls of the tavern towards the roof. With great trepidation, our mysterious figure looked up at the roof, where they noticed a hole in the thatch and the several pairs of yellow glowing eyes and demented grins looking down at them.

With a scream and scramble our mysterious figure scrambled out from their hiding spot into the view of Bob and his farmer companion.

They quickly stood up from their scramble, pushing their exceedingly long hair (with twigs, leaves and a bit of dried blood in it) out of their face. With no hair blocking their vision, they witnessed that the two peasants were staring at them mouths agape.

And let's be honest, who wouldn't!

With their Fey-like grace, slender legs, hips that-

Wait, not the chair! It's expen-Oof!

I am so deeply sorry about Gnarl being… Gnarl everyone! P-please forgive the switch but I will be telling the story now.

The figure that stood before them was a contrast to the figure in the portrait, crude bandages wrapped around my hands and feet, a ratty cloak that did nothing to hide the cuts and bruises that I had sustained, the torn sleeves and skirt of the smock were used up to create the bandages I had wrapped on my limbs and my face, that while I could still see the resemblance from the portrait when I had seen my reflection in the river this morning, was slightly gaunt from not having a decent meal for several days.

But the most significant difference from the Princess Elenaril of the portrait to how I now stood before them were my eyes, for no they were a solid glowing blue-white that I was certain frightened them horribly.

To my credit, years of etiquette training took over and I did my best to quickly compose myself as best as I could for the two men's sake, I curtsied towards them and said "I d-deeply apologize for my p-presence, g-good sirs! I require y-your aid." an iota of pride coming in that I could manage this much in my current state.

Oh, I dearly hope I am not putting these men in danger especially with those creatures around!

Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

The men continue to stare at me for a few precious seconds longer while I could hear those creatures on the rooftop moving about and whispering to each other. I begin to open my mouth when the man I assume to be a farmer speaks first. "Would you look at those…"

The man I believe to be called Bob speaks next in clear awe. "Gifts of the gods."

What are they… No, I must get their attention! "Um sirs," I say, trying to be polite.

The Farmer did not seem to notice me speaking and instead looks to his companion Bob clearly surprised by his companion for some reason "No Bob!" He shouts distressed. "Don't be drawn into them!"

"Wha?" Bob replies while shaking his head, while I stare in confusion.

The farmer continues to speak, increasingly distressed. "They are black magic, Bob! Your very soul is at risk if you can't look away!"

Bob's face pales and he seems to shiver with fear but his eyes remain locked onto me, are these men talking about my eyes? How foul was the magic to create their current glow? Before I could think further on this Bob stutters out, "I-I can't look away! Their unearthly sway has hold of me!"

"NOOOOO!" cried the farmer. "Curse your foul magics you foul… wait a minute." The farmer squinted, before shouting, "She is the princess!"

… Had they not notice who I was? Was my appearance that different or was there another reason? Bob gave me my answer.

"Hey, is her eyes glowing or is that just me?"

These men had only just now noticed my eyes were glowing… at this point, I had regretfully reached the end of my patience with these men. They seemed dreadfully unobservant when there is danger lurking on the roof! "Sirs!" I say with what authority I could muster in my voice. "T-there are c-creatures-"

"She has been possessed!" The farmer yells to cut me off. "No maiden of that calibre would speak in such a way to a man!"

Bob's face goes grim. "Aye, nor would she have such blemishes or such revealing attire, a truly evil spirit must have replaced her soul to seduce upstanding men in such a manner."

Have they gone mad!? "S-sirs I am not p-possessed! P-please there is s-something on the roof!" I yell at them, To say such things to one in need and when danger is still scurrying on the rooftop, watching this insanity unfold!

"The Emperor's messengers have already warned us about your foul deed demon, to do such a thing to the Emperor's only child," The farmer says, moving closer with Bob, their faces hard and with a glint in their eyes that made a chill go down my spine, I take a step back instinctively but feel the wall to my back as they approach slowly, seemingly enjoying the fact I am backed to the wall under the hole in the roof, the horrible implications of his words striking deeper at my heart with every word.

Bob piques up "They said that you needed to be handed over to the Emperor's men unharmed but I'm sure they'll forgive a little punishment, nothing less than you deserve, monster."

"T-those are all lies! My f-father is mad!" I plead, fear causing tears to start running down my face as the men's faces contort further into a dark rage and they reach out to grab me for whatever evil they intended for me.

But they never reach me for a Brown shape falls from the ceiling and latches onto Bob's head, in the blur of motion I can make out as a figure with leathery scales and long ears repeatedly bashing Bob's screaming head with a tree branch while itself was screaming "Ours! Ours! Ours! Bash! Bash!"

Another brown shape comes from the ceiling where the hole was to land on the farmer, this one with a rolling pin to strike at the Farmer.

I blink tears out of my eyes as I remember the creatures on the roof, had they decided to save me despite the fact they lurked in the shadows? Oh, how wonderful! I will never misjudge another-

"WAAAAAAAAAH!" Comes a scream from above and it's as if the world itself slowed to a crawl as I looked up and beheld my rescuers in full as it fell from the ceiling. Clad in only a loincloth and brown pants it was wearing as a hat, the creature resembled a cross between a scrawny lizard and one of those primates I saw in a book my mother had given me when I was young. Its face was skeletal with skin stretched too thinly across its skull and a nose that was just slits in its face, a maw lined with spikes, was filled with broken jagged teeth as it bellowed, tongue rolling out and trailing drool. Yellow eyes that glowed with a malevolent light were staring in two different directions as its too long arms with spiked elbows, held in four-fingered claws a plank of wood that was currently swinging downwards unto-

Pain, stars, blackness… bleh.

"Aw, you brokes its!"

"I stole pants!"

"AURRRGH GET THIS IMP OFF OF MEEEEE!"

*****​

I don't know whether I was awake or dreaming as I felt my feet drag across leaves and roots as off-key singing came from all around me but the sensation was soon gone again, replaced by blackness, dreams and memory of a childhood I wish I could return to.

I was in my bed, a stack of books on my lap as a woman moved to sit on my bed as well, she had long hair like mine but the aura she had around her, that gentle light, made it wonderful. She smiled that smile that always made me happy and picked up a book from my lap and spoke with a voice that sounded like a song. "My wonderful daughter, what book should we read tonight, hmmm? Maybe this one?" She held up a book. On the cover was a figure in armour with a spiked helm and glowing red eyes surrounded by impish figures, a book that wasn't there on that day...

I frown and shake my head, I hand my mother another book. "This one mama!" it was my favourite, even out of all the books of knights and damsels.

"Ah, The prince and the fairy queen, I must teach you elvish my little moonbeam, the original book is better told that way." My mother says before she giggles "better titled to!"

"This one has pictures though!" I respond and my mother smiles before opening the book and reading.

"Once upon a time, there was an Elven prince of the noblest of high elves, gifted with skill that was exceptional even among his noble race."

"That's Grandpapa!" I shout as I point to the illustration of the prince, his silver hair making him stand out among the blonde hair of his fellow elves, it didn't capture the nobility of the real thing though and it doesn't smile like when he comes to visit me.

My mother gives a gentle smile in response and continues, the illustration of the book showed a sky-blue haired woman in a flowing dress, an aura of blue light coming from her as elves danced and sang around her "On the eve of the great festival of the mother goddess, a fairy queen came to the prince's court, unmatched in beauty, wisdom and kindness, she was the greatest of the fairy queens since the time of mythical queen Fay. The Elves of the prince's court were overjoyed by her presence and..." my mother's voice trails off as she wipes her eye and a great sadness came over her.

My heart sank to see mama so sad but I couldn't help but ask "Was grandmama like the book says?"

My mother sniffs and says "More so, she would have loved you so much my little moonbeam and I so dearly wished you could have met her." and holds up the book to continue reading but a knock from the door stops her.

"Forgive my intrusion, your majesty, but your carriage is ready." came the voice of one the maids, I never got her name, and after this day I never got any of their names.

My mother sighed, "Why must he insist I go by carriage when I could just teleport?" She complains under her breath, but I could hear her fine, before turning to me "I am so sorry my little moonbeam, we will continue the story when I return, be good for papa for me while I'm gone."

"Yes Mama," I responded and Mama kissed me on the forehead before leaving my room with one last look at me, her face was blurred… I try to remember but I can't see past that fog and then everything was black once more.

My head felt it was being split open as sounds around me, shouts of "We finds it! We finds it!" as a grip loosened on my arms, I felt the sensation of falling than the taste of dirt, pain and more blackness.

"Oops." Came a voice before the darkness took hold of me fully and I dreamt some more.

*******​

I was in a hallway that twisted and turned in the dream, I heard voices coming from a room at the end, it looked like a normal door of the palace but I dreaded everything on the other side.

Not this…

Not this memory.

I ran to the door as if I was underwater, my memory playing out despite all my pleas for it to not happen again, to not see it again…

But you can't change a memory.

My tiny hands grabbed the handle of the door, "Mama! Mama! You're back!" I shouted as I flung open the door and beheld what was on the other side. Men were in the room, nobles and soldiers, surrounding a table.

And on that table was…

Blood, burns, pieces, too much gone, not Mama, not alive NO!

Not that, please I don't want to remember her like that!

The dream changed, and I was no longer a child, I held my staff in my hands and I could hear the knights accompanying me fighting the Snaga that cut them off from me. I had ran ahead of them to the Dread Lord's chamber at the top of the tower, I could not fight but I could do one thing, the one thing they said I could do.

He was there, the Dread Lord, One who sought to conquer all, even his fellow Dread Lords, the one father said was my mother's murderer. Clad in spiked armour with a helm that was spiked like some hideous crown, he stood before what he called the heart, a massive sphere that shone with intense blue light and crackled with energy. His eyes didn't glow red as he looked at me… why would I think they were supposed to glow red?

The Dread Lord spoke "You have no idea what you are, do you?" and he said more things that didn't make sense but I can't remember, my head was throbbing, the light of the heart was blinding in its intensity.

The memory of knuckles striking me to the tiled floor comes next, manacles around my wrists and stripped to the smock I had eventually fled with. I stared up in shock at the man who had struck me, stern features and cold eyes were contorted into a monstrous picture of rage as his white hair became wild and spittle went into his goatee as he continued ranting. "Years of planning ruined! This was supposed to be our ultimate victory! It wasn't supposed to be ruined by a half-breed who couldn't even die when she was supposed to!" He shouted and ranted as he kicked me again and again, words losing cohesion in his ranting as I screamed and begged for him to stop.

Two figures in blue robes with a maroon sash, emblazoned with the symbol of an eye gently pulled the man away from me as he ranted and left me sobbing on the floor, smock and hair now staining with blood "Your majesty, you must not kill her. Unless we extract whatever it is she absorbed, the energy release could-"

"I am aware, Sentinels!" He shouted before straightening his fine clothes. "Inform the rest of the order of what has transpired and the failure of our 'esteemed' Emperor of Darkness's idiotic plan. By God's grace, there must be a way to salvage this! Order may still be possible!"

The robed figures vanished in a flash of blue light and the man turned to me, the man who was the symbol of hope for so many, who had convinced my grandfather to let him marry my mother despite being only human, the man who had sired me, Emperor Matthias Armathain, looked at me with a look of utter contempt and said with a sneer the words that destroyed me "A pity I can't have you killed like that elf-witch mother of yours, but don't worry you'll die all the same half-breed."

I remember things blurring, the scream I gave at the betrayal of my own father to me and my mother as he walked away, lightning erupting from nowhere, the taste of an awful chemical cherry taste...

Wait I don't remember anything cherry tasting…

I cough and splutter liquid down my front as clawed hands remove the flask they had pressed to my lips. The pain in my head dulled as I swallowed whatever concoction that was forced down my throat.

"Good, she's awake." came a voice in front of me and I blink out the blur of my eyes before an absolutely foul smell hit me, nearly knocking me out again in its sheer foulness "Oh for darkness's sake, move upwind Stench! We just got her awake!"

There was a hissing grumble and the stench faded, I opened my eyes, wincing to the brief pain as they adjusted to the firelight of my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was my rope-bound hands and the feel of rope-bound legs, the second was the creatures that surrounded me.

They were all the creatures from the roof wearing stuff like jester hats, potted plants and I could make out the one with pants on his head. They had surrounded me in a circle, hands clutching what I could only assume what they thought were weapons but were mostly farm implements and large branches.

My eyes scanned the crowd of giggling creatures, maybe a few dozen in total, they reminded me in a way of Snaga though these were reptilian than the deformed man creatures that were Snaga and smaller in size. I heard a rustling and my eyes briefly glanced at one with green coloured hide, hunched and with longer claws disappearing into a bush with a flick of a tail that was missing from the brown ones.

"Greetings Princess Elenaril," came the voice again and the crowd parted as three figures stepped forth with a red one, horned, tailed, bound and gagged with red hot chains rolled on the ground behind them. Two of the figures were blue, tailed as the green and red one were but had webbed claws and feet as well as fins that rimmed their jaws. One wore only a loincloth but the other was clad in a deep red habit and clutched a massive scythe in its claws.

Between the blues was a creature that resembled the brown ones but had a grey goatee and mutton chops where the others had spikes and a more greyed hide, seemingly from age. Clad in robes made of rags and a necklace of fingerbones the creature bowed in an exaggerated mocking manner causing the glowing stone tied to a stick on his back to dip in front of my face and spoke with a politeness that did not sound genuine "I am Gnarl, advisor to Overlords and devoted servant of darkness, it is not everyday royalty graces us minions with their presence, I do hope you are enjoying our hospitality." The other minions, as Gnarl had called them, laughed at a joke I did not know and definitely did not find funny.

"P-please let me go! I have done n-nothing to any of you!" I plead with these creatures to which Gnarl scoffs and pulls out a piece of paper that I could see had my face drawn upon it.

"Possessed by evil my warts! No threats, no curses, no nothing! Just a pure innocent soul. Even Bonce could see that and he drowned on his own spit!" He gags and my heart seems to rise in my chest for a moment.

"Y-you don't believe in my father's madness?" I ask, my pointed ears perking up in the process, desperate for a bit of hope after these past few days "P-please you must-" only to be cut off by Gnarl as he waves a hand dismissively.

"Hah, like we'd believe that the pure, beautiful, princess Elenaril, who set off with the greatest of the dragon knights to defeat the Rogue Dread Lord Zelris, murderer of the empress, on her nineteenth birthday as part of some damn prophecy, would be possessed by the evil spirit Olc summoned by Zelris after the princess did him in with some holy spell!" Gnarl says and a glimmer of hope appears in my heart only to be immediately dashed by Gnarl scoffing and saying "Any real servant of evil knows that Olc is just a poser who can't even possess a fruit fly! Oh sure he talks a big game but that's just to scare peasants out of their gold! Like Zelris would ever bother to associate with such an insult to evil! Proper evil has standards you know!"

"Servant of evil... " I whisper with a gulp and Gnarl grins a grin filled with jagged teeth.

"Oh yes, we are Minions, the true servants of the Overlord, he who is the destroyer of empires, mightier than dragons and future ruler of all the lands!" Gnarl yells as he turns back to the minions who cheer at the titles their Overlord has before he turns back to me and says "Mortis has informed me that the Overlord is coming here soon and I hope to have an answer to a very important question he will undoubtedly have, so be a dear and answer swiftly."

"W-what question?" I ask with a shudder at the description Gnarl gave of the being he serves.

With surprising quickness and strength, Gnarl grabs the front of my smock and pulls me to eye level with him.

All faux-politeness was gone from Gnarl's face, replaced by a maddened focus and bulging eyes as he angrily yells. "How have you merged with the tower heart!?"


Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

I gape at the old minion, as they had called themselves. "Y-you know what that sphere was?" I ask in disbelief, even my father and those robed figures had not known what it was, the chances of some random-

"Answer the question!" The creature Gnarl snapped and I flinched back, it was abundantly clear that Gnarl was not a patient creature and fear began gripping my heart.

"I-I know not how I did it!" I half yell, half plead. "When I faced the Dread Lord he panicked when I began to cast the spell of banishment and tried to overload the sphere! I leapt to the sphere to try to stop it! P-please that is all I remember!" tears began welling in my eyes inadvertently and Gnarl just let go of my smock with a snarl causing me to fall to the ground. Minions evidently were stronger than they appeared.

Gnarl began pacing, stroking his chin and muttering to himself. "Of course Zelris would rediscover the tower heart, now he was evil with a proper evil ambition! But what could the Empire want with it?"

Huh? "My father does not want this heart, he did not know what it was!" I yell to correct Gnarl to which he seemed actually surprised.

"What do you mean did not know what it was? Impossible! Why it makes perfect sense that the tower heart was their real-"

"It was preventing him from... K-killing me! They needed it gone!" I interrupt Gnarl, my voice cracking before breaking into sobs. "My own father wants me dead! He killed my mother and now he wants me dead! Why? What have we done to deserve this!" tears are streaming down my face as I rant and wail to these creatures asking the world why such a fate could befall me and mother.

"Oh for crying out loud! Of course, we get one of those weepy 'oh woe is me' princesses! Stop your crying girl and answer our questions or we'll boil your elf ears!" Gnarl shouts and immediately a steel masked minion brings out a metal pot to the cheers of the other minions. I immediately cease my wailing upon seeing the very real threat with a hiccup and a small whine of fear.

Gnarl smiles a jagged grin at seeing the fear on my face and says "So it appears the princess has bucked the stereotype and actually has a brain, good. Now answer this, which of the spells of banishment did they intend you to cast?"

Why would he…? I knew not why this creature wished to know but with a fearful eye on the pot, I began recanting the spell making it through the first part of the incantation. Gnarl had a curious expression on his lizard face before a sudden look of panic came upon him and a wrinkled and mouldy claw grabbed my mouth.

Gnarl actually looked fearful as he yelled, "Stop you fool! You'll kill us all!"

The claw retracts and I spit out with more venom than I have ever mustered in my life. "Does the spell frighten you that much creature!" The look of fear on Gnarl's face giving me a brief burst of courage that I could never have mustered otherwise.

"It does when you are causing a second calamity with it!" Gnarl snaps back and the icy grip of fear once again grabs me.

"What?" I whisper in confusion and Gnarl starts pacing back and forth, muttering to himself and ignoring me.

"Now I see what they intended! Use a modified version of old Vikometh's 'reverse soul explosion prank' to eliminate the princess, a fairy queen blowing herself up would cause a large enough explosion to take out even a Dread Lord. Two problems with one massive boom with a bonus martyr in the process! But they didn't know about the tower heart!" Gnarl mumbles before tapping his chin. "But why eliminate the fairy queens in the first place, why didn't they kill the princess alongside the empress? As much as I'd love to see the fairy queens gone this still requires investigation, I can feel it in my sores that there is more going on. Oh my, the Overlord isn't even here yet and we already have a conspiracy and a princess for them to exploit! So many potential dark deeds!"

"Fairy queens, calamity? P-please I beg of you to explain!" I plead to Gnarl, this is a cruel and wicked being, but it is my only hope for answers to what madness I had found myself in.

Gnarl turns his head to me and gives a wicked grin. "Oh, I suppose you should know in case you get any funny ideas! Your father intended you to blow yourself up with a piece of dark magic a dark wizard taught his apprentice as a prank! Course doing that now would just cause a second great calamity to occur which I am sure a princess as goody as you would certainly hate to cause." Gnarl says with a laugh at the end as my eyes widen in horror as I look down at my body feeling the blood drain from my face.

"D-do you mean to say…" I can't even finish the thought, so horrified at the mere possibility. It can't be possible, I can't have absorbed...

"That's right! You unknowingly absorbed the catalyst of the Great Calamity! HAHAHAHAH!" Gnarl laughs as the other minions look at each other nervously.

One raises a claw and says, "That mean she blow up soon?"

Gnarl stops his laugh and strokes his goatee for a moment, I stare at him in dread of what he could say next, my life could be ticking away at this very moment, everyone could be in danger!

Gnarl simply shrugs and says to the minions "the tower heart is surprisingly stable, unless the princess deliberately blows herself up even stabbing her to death wouldn't cause anything more than the normal magical release from dead magical creatures" To which the minions, in unison, give a sigh of relief.

I just stare at Gnarl in horror and for a moment silence reigns over us.

Only to be interrupted by: "So we can cut tower heart out without problem!" Yells a Minion in the back, waving a rusted knife.

"NO!" I scream and immediately start to run away only to fall on my face as my bindings prevent me from moving effectively. I attempt to crawl, tears falling non-stop only for clawed hands to grab my ankles, this can't be my fate after all that! I raise my bound hands, magical energy gathering in them. "S-stay back! I have magic!"

"Oh yes, healing magic, we are so frightened," Gnarl says with a roll of his yellow eyes, and then recites apparently from memory. "The princess who could not bear to harm another creature learned only the simplest of healing magic, unwilling to be tempted by the sinful magic of any greater power. Did you really think we would not know about that? The Empire only used it as propaganda for the past decade!"

I could only stare in disbelief, my father had kept me from learning my mother's magic and told the world it was an act of deliberate ignorance on my part?!

"So we cut now?" the knife-wielding Minion says only to get knocked down by a thrown pebble from Gnarl.

"Oh shut up Kniff, we aren't going to kill her." Gnarl says to a chorus of disappointed whines "The tower heart can't be removed by just cutting her into bits and even if we could cut the tower heart out she is far too valuable to our Overlord! Through her, the very Empire itself is within the Overlord's grasp so don't even think about killing her!"

Gnarl turns back to me, an evil grin on his lizard-like face, the night somehow becoming even darker with that fanged grin "Evil always finds a way, and you, my dear princess, provide many, many ways."

Oh, I like the way she makes me scary!

Gnarl…

Fine, fine, continue the story

*****​

I watched as the minions set up crude tents made of old towels and hide, my eyes were puffy from crying and rope tied my bindings to a stake leaving me helpless and awaiting my fate at the hands of their Overlord. I could do nothing but watch as minions grappled with cloth and hide in some farce. They fought and bickered with each other over how to set up camp, often whacking each other with some implement if their bedding was not messy enough or if it was too messy. Some Minions just threw blankets over their head and passed out on the ground only to bite and swipe as another Minion tried to steal it. The chained red one was staked to the ground with metal and the other minions threw sticks onto it causing a roaring fire to burst forth. They amused themselves then by poking the red one with long sticks as they sat around the new fire that didn't seem to harm the very irate red Minion.

It was chaos, except for the tent in the middle of it all, that resembled the tent of some barbarian warlord. Far larger than anything a Minion would need and made of furs, it was clear this would be the tent of their Overlord. It honestly surprised me how competent they seemed to build the Overlord's tent, like that competence only existed in service to whatever master they served rather than the chaos they seemed to invoke on each other.

Gnarl was pacing back and forth as the habit wearing blue minion stood nearby examining a pile of fingerbones that it had thrown on the ground.

"Your bones better be accurate Mortis!" Gnarl suddenly snaps at what I presume to be Mortis "Dawn is a few hours away and our new Overlord has yet to appear!"

"The bones do not lie Gnarl, the Overlord will appear here, heralded by thunder and lightning, by dawn." An almost watery voice comes from Mortis to which Gnarl snarls.

"Your prophecy better be right!" He casts a yellow eye in my direction to which I stare back blankly, no energy left to fight. "Will the girl be an issue? As much as I would love to have the heir of the Empire in our hands, heroic princesses have the annoying tendency to escape and be a thorn in the side of Overlords especially princesses that have merged with artefacts of immense magical power!"

Mortis picks up the bones and throws them, I see the blue glow of magic surrounding them before they hit the ground, Mortis bends over and squints. "Strange…" He mutters and Gnarl snaps again.

"Strange doesn't explain anything! What is it Mortis, what do the bones say!"

Mortis straightens up and looks directly at me, a quizzical expression on his face "What indeed Princess, what indeed?"

"That doesn't explain… oh she's listening isn't she?" Gnarl sighs, before shooting me a look. "Blasted elf ears, just our luck to be stuck with a fairy queen with elf ears! Probably elf eyes, elf nose and elf tongue too with our luck!" I hear what he says but it barely registers. Me a fairy queen? Like grandmama? It does not matter, I don't even have my mother's power, I can't do anything.

Gnarl hobbles over to me and I just stare blankly at him, completely resigned to my fate and Gnarl upon seeing my expression grins a fanged grin and says "Ah to see the broken spirit of an Elf it makes my little black heart flutter." I don't respond to him and just stare at the creature.

"You are looking a bit thin though… can't have you dying of starvation before our master gets here, can we? Quaver! Bring our guest some food fitting for an Elf!" Gnarl says and soon enough a jester hat-wearing brown Minion approached, a single yellow eye gleaming and carrying a leg of fire-roasted mutton that smelt absolutely divine after several days of berries.

"A leg of roast mutton! Cooked to perfection over a roaring fire, perfect for a warrior but for a delicate princess perhaps a bit too heavy!" Quaver said with an accented voice and Gnarl chuckled.

"Yes, that's right! No leafy greens for elf princesses here, only meat made of cute cuddly sheep! MWAHAHAHA!" Gnarl began to laugh evilly as Quaver thrust the meat into my bound hands, covering them with grease.

The smell was right under my nose and it smelt delicious, by sheer instinct I took a bite and I could not help but widen my eyes in shock at the taste, the meat was spiced with salt and pepper and practically fell off the bone in moist chunks. It was simple, far more simple than anything the palace served but it tasted better than anything produced by the palace chefs at the moment and I took a few more bites as hunger backed by taste won out over any other concern.

"Buh… she's eating meat!" Gnarl's laugh cuts out to disbelief and the food turns to ash in my mouth as the reality of my situation comes back to me in full.

"HAH, None can resist Quaver's cooking!" The jester minion shouts in delight. "Even a delicate elf!"

This actually confused me enough out of my resignation for me to state. "What are you talking about?"

Gnarl looked positively indignant. "Elves despise meat, especially ones from an animal that is cute and cuddly! Their laments and tears at the death of fluffy animals being cooked into fine dishes are music to my ears. So. Why. Are. You. Immune!" Gnarl snarls at the end.

I can only respond with one word: "What?"

I stare at Gnarl in bafflement for a moment as he makes a choking noise, was he seriously trying to torture me with meat? I did not recall Grandpapa or any other elves who had visited the palace court ever eating with us but I am certain they wouldn't have had such an extreme reaction as Gnarl described.

"Maybe she just doesn't know about that?" Quaver helpfully states and Gnarl just throws up his claws in defeat.

"I am done with this! Wake me when the Overlord arrives!" and with that Gnarl saunters into the large tent grumbling to himself, Quaver wanders away shortly afterwards leaving me alone to sit bound and with a leg of mutton jammed into my hands.

I take another bite of the mutton, the taste somehow even better now after seeing Gnarl's bafflement, but my chewing slowed and stopped as reality once again reared its head. I am a prisoner of these creatures, to be used by their master for whatever desire he wished. I am alive for now but even if this Overlord could protect me from my father I would still be the tool of this evil being.

Then there is the tower heart as Gnarl had named it, the cause of the Great Calamity, a devastation so great only the rise of the mythical glorious empire managed to bring prosperity back to the land until its untimely collapse at the hands of a barbarian army. I bear that power within me now, the minions said it was stable but for how long! How long till I cause a second calamity!

Mama… why did it have to turn out this way?

Why was my life doomed to this misery? I just want to see you again…

My eyes fall upon the rope that ran from my binding to the stake, it wasn't a long rope, only some slack before it went taut with my movements.

It still looked long enough to wrap around…

I stared for a moment longer at the rope… than the tears started to fall again.

I… I can't… oh gods above I can't do it! I am a coward and-

"Glub" came a croak and my heart nearly stops itself on its own. My head whirls to my right side to see the habit wearing blue minion Mortis standing to my side, scythe in hand. He was staring at me, just staring at me. Not making any movement beyond his croak and the occasional blink.

I have never despised a living creature more than I did right now.

"Did you come to watch me suffer creature!" I stated with more anger than I have ever felt before, tears falling, I wanted this to end! Why must I be further mocked!

"I am here to serve my Overlord, as all Minions must, now and forevermore," The creature states and I hated the creature even more! I could not care about his master! Why must he remind me of my fate as his slave!

"Leave me alone! Go away!" I scream at him before my screams become wails of despair. Why! Why must this be my fate! I wailed and screamed, tears soaking my face and my front.

"As you wish" came Mortis' response but I ignored him in my despair. It's not fair, It's not fair! This shouldn't have happened!

"Ah, the sounds of elven despair, such a relaxing sound." came the voice of Gnarl from the main tent followed by heavy snores.

I begged the gods to help, not the god my father worshipped, one who allowed his most fervent servant to perform such evil, but mama and grandpapa's god, the one mama told me to pray to when the priests weren't looking… the mother goddess.

But no help came.

I wailed even harder, laying on the ground, begging for answers from the gods as my cheeks became raw from my tears for why this was happening to me, what I had done to deserve such an evil fate!

I wailed and begged till my voice gave way and the snores of the minions became dominant, lulled to sleep by my cries.

Exhaustion hit me and won out over despair.

My last sight through tear blurred eyes before sleep overcame me was Mortis at the far end of the camp staring at me and waiting.

Waiting for his Overlord.


Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

I didn't know if I was dreaming or awake when I felt a delicate hand brush my hair out of my face and a familiar voice whisper in my ear, "My little moonbeam…" with a sad tone.

Tears immediately welled up in my eyes as I lay on the ground. "Mama… help me, please."

There was a pause before the voice returned. "Elenaril, you must listen for there isn't much time, there is an artefact of immense power in the main tent, you must reach it before they find you! Neither you nor the artefact can fall into their hands! You are the only hope of this world."

"Mama? What are you talking about? Mama!" I yell, shooting up from the hard ground blinking tears and sleep from my eyes. The sky was growing lighter with the approach of dawn and the snores of Minions surrounded me, including the red minion who was sleeping on the embers of the wood the minions threw on him.

I was still a prisoner of these creatures and the voice of Mama was just a dream. I bring my arm to my eyes to wipe away my tears, feeling the rope slide off of my wrists.

… Wait, slide off?

I look down at my bindings and my eyes widen in shock. My bindings are loose! Even those binding my legs! I do not know how but I was free! My mind immediately went back to my dream, was Mama really here? She was dead, gone, but could her spirit...

I look to the main tent, Mama's words in my head, an artefact that I must keep out of their hands… The Overlord's hands if they will be here by dawn which was encroaching closer with every second.

I look to the forest, I could escape now into the woods but the Overlord will be here soon and… I can't let something that leads these cruel creatures gain an artefact of immense power! I swallow nervously, fear of this being welling up in me and what he will do to me if I steal it but I can feel courage welling up as well, I… I faced the Dread Lord alone! Even if it was based on a lie I cannot shake off the memory of the resolve I felt, the courage necessary to face down such an evil and powerful being. I can't shake off my duty as the Princess of Light even with my father's misdeeds! I will make Mama proud!

So I take a step towards the tent and then another, tip-toeing through the spread of sleeping minions with all the skill I gained in sneaking out books from the palace library after father had banned me from it after Mama's death. A ban that in hindsight may have been for far crueller reasons than the protection he claimed it was, I wince slightly from the memory of the horrible beating he gave me when he found out I had taken books from the library, how he said it was for my own good. How much cruelty did I endure that my father claimed was for my own good? Did he ever care about me for even a moment?

I feel a grip around my ankle and I freeze in place. With my heart pounding in my chest with fear, I slowly turned my head down towards the caught foot. A sleeping Minion had reached out and grabbed my foot, to my horror that seemed to be enough to stir the creature awake as I saw yellow light coming from its eyelids. I saw its eyes slowly crack open, eyes that seemed to be lined to be looking directly up my torn…

On sheer instinct, I bring my other foot directly into contact with its extremely hard skull with a painful thud, the creature's eyes that were slowly focusing went cross-eyed and it's tongue-lolled out, stunned from the blow. The now slackened grip of the minion allowed me to get my foot free.

My foot now hurt considerably though and panic quickly followed the pain, I had struck the creature in rashness and embarrassment! Once it recovers it will sound the alarm! Oh, I was a fool! I quickly looked around, no minions were awakened, but now I must move faster! I hobbled as quickly as I could dodging still sleeping minions, ever aware that at any second I will be beset by the creatures!

I pushed myself past the flap into the interior of the main tent, it was large, fitting for a commander. A bed of furs took up the majority of the tent with a small pile of rags in the corner but what grabbed my attention was the wooden chest at the foot of the bed, too large for me to carry out. No lock but it was finely made, likely stolen from a merchant or noble considering the nature of these minions

With time of the essence, I hobbled towards the chest and flung it open. On a blanket of furs lay the artefact, an expertly crafted large bracer made of rusted and pitted steel. One end was shaped into the shape of a skeletal Minion face, more so than the creatures outside but my eyes were drawn to the gem in the centre of the bracer, as black as pitch but I could swear I saw the flicker of a light that brought no warmth within it.

I… I did not want to touch this bracer, I was not so naive to think this was not enchanted with black magic, I could practically feel the malevolence coming off it but I had to get it away from the Overlord!

My ears flicked, I could hear movement from outside the tent, the minions were awakening! I had run out of time! Without another thought I reached towards the bracer to grab it, only to watch in horror as the metal bracer seemed to shift in place so that my hand instead went into the bracer itself. The bracer, on its own, had wrapped around my left arm and tightened itself on it painfully to the point where I can't pry it off. The eyes of the minion face and the gem came alight with orange flame, then the pain came.

It felt like spikes dipped in cold fire had grown on the inside of the bracer and were digging into my arm, to my horror I could see a blackness crawling up my veins from under the bracer bringing the pain along with it. I fall to my knees with a gasp and tears from the pain, my other hand going to my arm, golden nimbus tinged with blue with occasional bolts of electricity surrounding it, a desperate attempt to stave off whatever this foul magic is!

"My, my, the heroic princess instead of escaping, tries to steal the artefact of doom from her captor only to be ensnared in a trap! Predictable but I must say it's refreshing to see after seeing so many spoiled brats over the years." The voice of Gnarl comes from my left and my head whips upwards to look towards the pile of rags in the corner, the glowing rock and stick poking through the pile followed by the long ears and malevolent eyes of the old minion, "Tsk, tsk, Did you really think there wouldn't be defences? The previous Overlord had quite the variety of curses and dark magic to defend his belongings from would-be heroic thieves and I must say this one is a favourite."

I give another gasp as a wave of pain follows a pulse from the bracer and the blackness begins infecting even more veins alongside its march up my arm. "W-what. Are you doing to me?" I pant out, pouring more and more magic into my heal spell, desperate to stop whatever this was!

Gnarl gave an evil grin from his rag pile. "Oh, just a little bit of domination magic for those unworthy thieves who dare touch the Overlord's belongings! It will pump you so full dark energy that you will be corrupted into the perfect little evil servant." Gnarl pauses and taps his chin "Though considering the purity of your soul it might just kill you instead, that's the thing with souls of such pure goodness it takes such a long and excruciating time to see the result, thank you for providing such interesting entertainment for the rest of the day… Or week! MWHAHAHAHA! Though it would be nice to hurry it along, I need to present that to the Overlord today."

I grit my teeth from the pain as another wave shoots up my arm and tears fall from my eyes as I feel myself sinking back into despair, I failed you Mama, I'm just a puppet to be used and discarded by evil who can't accomplish anything on her own…

Nothing but a failure…

I'm sorry mama.

I'm...

"... No," I say through gritted teeth surprising even me as I affix Gnarl with a steely gaze, willpower like I've never known welling up inside me.

"Eh? No what? Oh don't tell me you're doing that heroic resolve thing, it won't work with this one only the Overlord can master it! Just give in and become a good little puppet already."

I affix my gaze onto the brace feeling the same courage I felt when I faced the Dread Lord, when I snuck into this tent, bubbling up from the bottom of my heart. I won't fail Mama! I will make her proud!

"I won't… be a puppet! I won't be an Overlord's slave! I AM THE ARRRRRRGH!" Whatever I was going to say was drowned as a scream tore itself from the depths of my being. A blue light seemed to erupt from my heart and spread through my veins, consuming the black energy creeping through them.

"You… You're using the tower heart to consume the dark magic flowing through you! Impossible! Only the Overlord can use the- yikes!" I hear Gnarl yell before a blue bolt of lightning erupts from me and strikes near him. A great wind follows blowing the tent over and exposing us to the whole camp. My hair was blowing upwards in a great torrent of silver as I screamed, lightning erupting from me as a nimbus blue energy surrounded me. I could feel the bracer try to send another pulse of darkness but I met my will to it. I won't let it control me!

I thrust my arm to the sky and I don't know if it came from me or the sky but a blot of pure magic erupted forth to the bracer and I watched it transform, steel flowed like water as it wrapped itself around my hand as it formed a clawed gauntlet where there was none, the minion face looked less skeletal and the gem and eyes of the sculpted minion face glowed with a bright blue flame.

And all it once it was over and I fell over gasping for breath.

I held up the new gauntlet to my face, where once it was rusted it now shone like it was brand new steel. Bulky but still well fitted to my arm. I looked up at the camp, the minions were all awake and staring at me, jaws agape, Gnarl, from his pile of rags, looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

That is when the habit wearing minion Mortis stepped forward and knelt before me and said "What is your bidding my mistress?"

"What?" I say in response, picking myself up from the ground. Mistress?

"Now hold on!" Gnarl shouted from his rag pile. "You can't seriously be saying she's the new Overlord! A pure-hearted heroic princess!" Gnarl spat the last words out as a curse.

"The bones did not lie," Mortis says in response to a sputtering Gnarl "She was heralded by thunder and lightning as she mastered the gauntlet."

"I should have stamped those bones to dust after you found them!" Gnarl yells back at him as he stomps towards the blue minion as the other minions look at each other in confusion and began to argue and brawl.

"Princess is master now?"

"She girl so she mistress!"

"She hero! We Bad! We don't serve heroes!"

"But she has gauntlet!"

"Well, I think-"

"Shut it Quaver, no one cares what you think!"

"Take this!"

"OW! You Hurty!"

"YAAAY FIGHTING!"

I just gape and slowly flex my gauntleted hand as the minions argued with each other, some bashing each other when they ran out of words to argue with. I spotted the other blue minion still asleep on the ground and the red angrily muffled yelling from his firepit. The green was nowhere to be seen but I could smell a foul smell on the wind.

I am the Overlord, their master or rather mistress? The monster they said they served was me?

Before I could contemplate further what had happened, my ears flick as I hear a galloping noise coming from the woods behind, multiple galloping noises and the panting of some great beasts.

The sounds of beasts I recognized!

My eyes widened as I shouted without thinking "Everyone run!"

"Huh?" Goes every single minion as they pause in their arguing and brawls to turn and look at me.

That was followed by Wargs bursting out of the woods.

Giant corrupted beasts that looked like a cross between diseased skeletal wolves and rats ran into the centre of camp sending minions flying or scattering with panicked screams.

They were bigger than the ones I saw used as mounts by Snaga of the Dread lord Zelris. And these to were being used as mounts but by mud-stained beings, I had never seen before. As broad and as tall as strong men, underneath their black steel breastplates and brown clothes their skin was dark grey and their eyes were blood red. Jaws filled with jagged yellow fangs snarled commands and threats underneath steel helms as they waved wicked black sabres and pistols at any Minion that ran too close.

I turned to run but the hand of one of the creatures reached out and grabbed my silver hair. A scream of pain erupted from me as I was violently dragged across the ground, kicking and screaming, by my hair for a few metres before dropping me in the middle of the pack of wargs and their riders. I writhed on the ground feeling as if my scalp had come loose from my skull as the warg riders pointed their sabres at me and began to circle me.

Wargs snapped their jaws and growled as the riders yanked hard on their reins to keep them from devouring me on the spot. One warg snapped its jaws inches from my face causing me to let loose another scream of fear as I recoiled causing the creatures to laugh.

From being the prisoner of cruel beings to another…

There was a flash of blue light. "Keep your wargs in line, Snaga! We need her intact!" a voice called out and one of the beings snarled back, apparently the leader, different only in that he carried a massive jagged sword on his back.

"The girl is fine! Barely even worth the effort for us to track her down!"

Wargs parted and a blue-robed figure with a purple sash emblazoned with an eye symbol stepped forth and looked down at me, one of the same figures that were with my father by the sound of his voice. I could not see his face but I could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke. "Well, well looks like your master's claims about your skill at hunting were right, good work." He waved his hand and rope binding materialized around my hands.

"Y-you… You are one of those men who were with my father!" I say to the man, "H-how c-could you align with these beasts!" He had called them Snaga and I could see the resemblance in their savagery, but the Snaga I've seen were not this large!

The beasts snarled and the sentinel raised his hand to quiet them only for shouts from behind me, interrupting whatever they would have said next.

"Unhand me you worthless dregs, do you not recognize a true servant of Aieee!" Screamed a bundle of rags as it was thrown over the heads of the apparent Snaga into the centre of the circle of wargs next to me.

"Blasted imp was hiding in one of the tents instead of running with the next of the ilk!" Came the disgruntled voice of one of the Snaga who rode in next to their leader in the circle.

The Sentinel turned to the Snaga who seemed to shrink in his saddle "And you didn't kill it because...?"

"Hah, just like a Sentinel to be blind to what's in front of him! Do you not recognize Gnarl, Servant of Darkness! Advisor of Evil!" boasted the rags who brushed himself, (as best as bound claws could) as he stood up to reveal the withered form of Gnarl.

The Sentinel paused. "I can't say that I do but congratulations creature you just guaranteed yourself a very long interrogation on how exactly you recognized my order, How many more of these creatures have you captured?" The Sentinel snapped towards the Snaga leader who barks a command to his fellows who bark back in a black language I do not recognize.

"A red one, its fellows left it chained up but it's too hot to touch. We also have the corpse of a blue imp, no known cause of death. The rest scattered into the woods." The leader reported quickly and to the point while the Sentinel tapped his chin.

"My, my, this new breed of Snaga is certainly professional. Should have guessed the Sentinels wouldn't be satisfied with the previous breed, too chaotic I take it?" Gnarl taunted the Sentinel and I looked at him in shock, was he trying to get himself killed? I did not know if I should care or not…

The Sentinel looked back to Gnarl before snapping his attention back to the leader "Find the rest of the imps and bring them back alive, they know far more than they should and I wish to know why." The leader nods and barks out a command and a few of the Snaga disappear into the woods on their mounts, I could see a faint twitch of a smile on Gnarls lips that vanished as the Sentinel turned his attention back to me.

"Well, your royal highness, I was hoping to have teleported back to the palace with you in tow by now but it looks like we have a pest problem to take care of first." The sentinel spoke in his condescending tone as I blinked as a realization struck me, did Gnarl just buy us… but that thought was interrupted by the Sentinel continuing to speak. "You are a very naughty girl you know, teleporting away like that. Why your father was practically tearing his hair out in worry for you."

I remember suddenly being in a river, being rescued by an old fisherman before I fled into the woods with only a lent cloak with me… I hope that man is alright, he was very kind despite my panic. But that kindness only delayed things as did Gnarl with whatever scheme he hatched, I look at the sentinel in defeat before looking to the ground. "W-why don't you just kill me now..." I say, tears dropping from my eyes.

"Oh, you misunderstand your highness! I'm here to rescue you from that evil spirit!" The Sentinel practically laughed as I shut my eyes, silently weeping "Unfortunately it requires some specialized rituals that do carry the risk of death but at least the Elf king will know that we did everything we could to save his granddaughter's soul from being stained with more blood."

I opened my eyes and looked up at him in confusion from his words "M-more blood?" I whisper, I had not hurt anyone!

I could practically see the grin through the darkness of his hood which now seemed unnatural "Oh yes, a Fisherman who so kindly helped the princess from the river only to be murdered in return."

"Y-you monster!" I shouted, the realization of his foul deed hitting me instantly. "He had not done anything!" as the sentinel and Snaga laughed.

"Oh, but he was a witness to your misdeeds! Oh, you should have seen the despair on old King Ilimitar's face to hear that the Chosen of the Mother Goddess had murdered an innocent man!" I looked at him in horror, Grandpapa thinks I am a murderer because of this evil man? This is a nightmare, a horrible nightmare!

"Chosen of the Mother Goddess! Her!" Gnarl shouted and even with my shock I turned my head in unison with the Sentinel and Snaga to look at Gnarl who looked positively shocked! Then a thoughtful expression crossed his impish face. "Of course! Now things are coming together!"

"Do not think I've forgotten you, creature, you seem quite well informed for some misshapen imp! What do you know and how have you acquired this knowledge?" The sentinel threatened to which Gnarl chuckled.

"Oh, quite a bit! How you intended to kill the princess with a modified version of old Vikometh's spell in her clash with Zelris! How you sentinels intended to use her death to martyr her and keep the elf king from snooping too closely! Oh, but things have gone awry hasn't it! Now Ilimitar is asking questions and you're racing against the clock to kill her before the elves catch on! You should have wiped them out in the purge if you didn't want such trouble!"

The Sentinel gave a grunt of frustration. "You are indeed well-informed especially if you know about that detail about the purge, yes the elf king is a problem but we have more than enough agents amongst them to ensure that the elf king is complacent long enough to ensure we can parade the chosen, drugged to rabidity, in front of him to ensure he looks away in horror long enough to complete our task. The sentimental old fool is desperate to have his granddaughter back and he still trusts us enough for us to 'attempt' to save her. But..." The air seemed to electrify as the Sentinel looked down at Gnarl "You still have not answered how you acquired this information… You called yourself an advisor? I look forward to finding out who exactly you are advising." I just watched and listened in horror at this man's plan for me.

The Snaga leader huffed. "Just give him to my lads and we'll have him talking in no time."

The sentinel shook his head and said in a frustrated tone "Use your eyes, Snaga! These creatures are weaklings! And this one is quite old to boot! This requires a subtle hand and those hands are back at the Palace! Not at the hands of Xarrith's Snaga-Hai!"

The Snaga-hai as the sentinel had called them tensed but my eyes flicked to Gnarl for a second as the shadow of rage crossed his face at the mention of this Xarrith before my eyes flicked upwards at the Sanga-hai as the leader practically snarled, "You do not say the Emperor's of Darkness name so casually human unless you wish painful death."

The sentinel palmed his face. "Of course he would instil that in his servants! You fools, I am one of his equals on the council!"

As the sentinel and Snaga-hai stared down tense, my ears flicked, in the distance, I swore I heard a scream. The wargs must have heard it as well as they began shuffling to the point one of the Snaga-hai said, "Hey what's gotten into the wargs?"

The leader Snaga-hai snarled, "Something must have got their attention! And our lads ain't back yet! You lot! Go and search for them and find out what's gotten the Wargs so riled up!" A few more Snaga-hai left on their mounts and moments later I heard more cries and yelps in the distance, while the Snaga-hai and sentinel seemed oblivious.

My eyes flicked down at Gnarl who looked back at me and gave a quick malevolent grin before looking back at the sentinel with a neutral expression.

The Sentinel was tapping his foot in irritation. "I hope your 'lads' didn't run into any peasants, the explanation of why the Forces of Darkness are in the middle of the Empire of Light is not one we can afford at the moment."

To which the Snaga-hai leader snarled back, "They know how to remain stealthy and how to silence witnesses, remember we're the ones who picked up the Princess' trail when the empire's trackers failed!"

The Sentinel looked as if he was about to retort when out of the woods came a yelping riderless warg who was bucking and rearing as if something was on its back.

One of the Snaga-hai rode up to the riderless Warg "Hey, wheresGURK!" was all he managed to get out before he devolved into a gurgle as a sharpened blade attached to the wrist of the Green Minion sunk into his throat, having appeared from nowhere clinging to the chest of the Snaga-hai.

"Minions, defend your Overlord!" Came the voice of Mortis from nowhere as a small horde of Minions burst forth from the bushes and began charging at the Snaga-hai wielding pitchforks and sharpened branches as makeshift spears, yelling and hollering gibberish with the occasional gunshot from Snaga-hai's pistols they somehow acquired. The Wargs reared back in fright, throwing a few of the Snaga-hai to the ground as the minions leapt into battle.

I feel hands grab me "Time to go PrincessARRRGH." I hear the Sentinel whisper and then scream as he lets go of me, I spin around I see him clutching a bloody shoulder as a ghostly Mortis backs off and literally through a rearing Warg, blood on his scythe.

The Sentinel turns his hooded head to look at me and raises a bloody hand, a nimbus of blue magic around it.

Without thinking I raise my own bound hands towards him. The gem on the gauntlet pulsed, I felt the surge of something. The next thing I knew is that I heard the crack of thunder and screams as sky and ground tumbled around me as a feeling of weightlessness took hold of me.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH" I screamed on my importun flight.

Then the feeling was gone, followed by the feeling of impacting a very solid tree branch that knocked the air out of me and soon after the fall into a not so soft bush caused stars to dance in my eyes.

I spat out some leaves and groaned in pain as the sounds of battle raged around me, the nimbus of magic around my hands that caused the pain to dull. Just as the pain dulled enough so that I could stand I heard the cheers of minions.

Gathering what strength I could I poked my head out of the bush. The camp was now a bloody battlefield, black blood covering Minions and ground alike as they danced on the corpses of the Snaga-hai or were in the process of looting them, holding aloft swords, pistols and armour as riderless Wargs scampered off into the underbrush yelping as Minions chased them. I saw the hooded form of Mortis waving his hand over fallen Minions who had grievous injuries that I was sure would have felled them but each time they all suddenly stood back up moments later, all trace of injuries gone.

My eyes scanned the battlefield and soon fell upon the spot where the Sentinel once stood, a spot of blackened earth, smoking boots with bits of charred bone sticking out of the top and the blackened bodies of three wargs and their riders surrounding it.

Had I done that? Had I killed them?

"Hah! That blabbermouth of a Sentinel got what was coming to him! By the way Mortis, excellent rescue, I assume Stench had no problem taking out the ones wandering off?" Gnarl's voice interrupted my thoughts quickly followed by a demented hissing whisper from the green minion as they wandered up to me with Mortis in tow.

"Wander off into trap, dumb so stabby stabby quick quick hehehehe!"

"Excellent, ah Your Highness! You appear to be doing well after your flight!" Gnarl said in a surprisingly friendly tone.

I shrunk back into the bushes "W-what do you intend to do to me?" I ask, still frightened of these creatures.

Mortis looked somewhat alarmed "Have you injured your head mistress? We are your minions, we live to serve you."

Oh… I looked down to the gauntlet on my left arm, Mortis had knelt to me, they had called me Overlord… the being they previously said I would be enslaved to. I… I did not know how to respond to that.

I didn't want to respond to that! What has my life become? What madness has affected the world? What madness has affected me?

"Oh, there she is getting all weepy again." I threw an angry, tear-filled, glare at Gnarl in response to which he rolled his eyes "As much as I love to hear you call me a heartless monster there is work to be done so listen well, girl! You are the Chosen of the Mother Goddess! Do you know what that means!"

"I-i know not what that means y-you evil creature!" I snap back at him, what does this title have to do with anything! My life is weeks, maybe even days from ending, I had survived today but for how much longer!

Gnarl rolled his eyes again "It means that is why they want you dead! Just our luck to have an elf who does not know that prophecy!"

That gets my attention. "W-what prophecy? W-why w-would they try to kill me o-over that?" I stammer out.

"Unfortunately the prophecy is vague beyond elvish flowery language, they love making their saviour prophecies grandiose, but the gist goes that the Chosen of the mother goddess will unite the world against a great threat and defeat it. Beyond that, like what exactly is a Chosen of the Mother goddess or how one is even chosen, it's vague but the point is that sentinels clearly think they're the threat you are supposed to stop hence why they chose to eliminate you, though the manner in which they chose to do so is certainly strange, far easier methods with far less risk of the elf king getting suspicious." Gnarl explains and when he finishes a deranged laugh comes from my throat before becoming a choking sob.

That is the reason! A vague prophecy is the reason for my misery! All the madness, all the death for something so vague! So pointless! The tears began to flow again and I grab my hair and pull as the sheer madness of the situation afflicts me. Why is this happening! Why! Why Why!

"Oh no, she's gone and broken herself." Gnarl sighs as I began to sob "Listen, girl! More is at stake then you realize! Do you not know about the great purge!"

"W-what does ancient history matter!" I hiccup out, tears still flowing, pulling on my hair harder as I give in fully to despair. "I will be d-dead soon! I-I am not some… some saviour! T-they have taken e-everything from me for n-nothing! A p-prophecy of nothing! Mama… why? Why is this happening!"

"Evidently you do not know ancient history." Gnarl says condescending and I shoot him a hate-filled glare of puffy eyes but he ignores it and continues "While Emperor Solarius was the orchestrator of the purge the Sentinels were the ones to carry it out! The near eradication of magic and magical creatures was carried out by the very same organization now in charge of the Empire and the forces of Darkness!"

"A-and how would you know t-that!" I snap in anger, tears running down my cheeks "A-almost t-two-thousand years has p-passed since!"

"Because he was there my lady," Mortis responded, still kneeling. "Many of us were, a glorious victory for darkness; it was when the Overlord of the time crushed it and the Glorious Empire."

I give a mad laugh in response, they claim to be old enough to have witnessed that and that an Overlord was the cause! I have truly descended into madness to be listening to such nonsense!

Gnarl gets a thoughtful expression on his lizard face. "And Queen Fay proved to be quite bothersome for the sentinels of that time, must be why they killed your mother and grandmother to prevent such a bother in their plans for you."

That shocks me "Wuh… Grandmama was k-killed p-protecting E-everlight!" I yell back, Grandpapa told me the story! The Forces of Darkness had launched an attack on the island while grandmama was there for a ceremony in honour of the mother goddess, using dark magic to get past the sentries!

"And despite all the defences and your grandmother's considerable power, assassins managed to sneak through in the commotion and slay her without the elves ever knowing until it was too late. I had heard that there were traitors among the elves and assumed that the often silenced rumour about a mysterious dark power behind the dread lords was responsible but to find out its a sentinel!" Gnarl shakes his head sadly. "It is a shame on all evilkind. Such evil being used by the Sentinels, what a disgrace! Such high hopes for evil dashed!"

"T-traitors… but that's…" I can't even finish the thought, Grandpapa was so haunted by that day, how he failed grandmama…

"Oh it's very possible, in fact now that the Elf King is making so much of a fuss those same traitors will probably want to eliminate the Elf King as well," Gnarl says with a smirk.

"NO!" I shout. "I h-have to warn him!" I can't lose Grandpapa too!

"Oh yes, that's a good plan, going to the one place the sentinels are watching the most," Gnarl says sarcastically while inspecting a claw. "Probably expecting you to make your way over to the Elf kingdom if they can't track you down, then it's a simple matter of capturing you and killing the Elf King if need requires it. Maybe even blame you for killing him in the process! Now I might despise the Sentinels but even I have to admit that's a dastardly evil plan."

"That's… no…" I say as I sink into the bush in despair. I can't even warn grandpapa about the Sentinels without risking his life, what do I do?

"Of course this can be avoided if the Sentinels are… distracted." Gnarl interrupts my despair causing my head to shoot up and my gaze to meet the grinning Minion's gaze in return. "Ah, I suppose I got your interest."

"H-how? How can they be distracted!" I shout desperately, causing Gnarl's grin to grow wider.

"It is quite simple my dear Princess, provide a big enough threat to their plans and they will draw resources away from the Elf King to focus on this new threat." Gnarl says and I lean in closer as he continues talking "I just so happen to have a plan on how to create such a threat and you, my royal highness, are a central part of that plan."

My eyes go wide. "A-a central part?" I question.

"Oh yes, since you possess the tower heart we have enough magic to awaken the netherworld and power the old tower gate network! And with the gauntlet…" Gnarl trails off with his eye twitching as he shoots a glare at my left arm. "With the gauntlet activated, we can rebuild the Minion horde and begin a campaign of destruction to tear apart the Sentinels! The so-called Emperor of Darkness and any else that stands… with the Sentinels," Gnarl hastily says before continuing, "If we keep your involvement hidden they might even waste resources chasing you on false leads, giving precious time for the Minion horde to grow and swarm over them when they least suspect it. Of course, hunting them down will be a challenge but give the right amount of pressure and they'll pop right out into the open as they always have."

Mortis nods and says, "My lady, listen to Gnarl, his plans have aided many an Overlord greatly in achieving victory over their foes."

"We will discuss that later!" Gnarl snarls. "She may have awakened the gauntlet but a pure-hearted maiden does not make an Overlord!" and there was a chorus of agreement and disagreement from the minions.

"Yeah! She too nice!"

"She have gauntlet!"

"I have pants!"

"What with you and pants?"

I look over the battlefield as the minions bickered, at the dead Snaga-hai. As horrific as they were it was still horrible to see their lifeless corpses as they lay in puddles of their black blood. I still felt the blood drain from my face and a wave of nausea roll over me, I had not witnessed the battle but they were dead while the minions were not. Then my eyes fell upon the charred boots of the sentinel and it finally hits me what I've done.

I had killed that man, with a spell I didn't even know I was capable of casting! The man was evil and planned truly evil deeds but…

What should I feel! What should I do! Grandpapa is in terrible danger because of these Sentinels! Because of me!

The bickering continues from the minions, many still covered in the Snaga-hai's black blood. Gnarl had said that if they rebuild the Minion horde they can draw the Sentinels attention away from Grandpapa, but how would that draw the assassins away from Grandpapa? Father and this Emperor of Darkness are aligned with these sentinels, and while these minions are certainly strong enough to face these Snaga-hai they can't face the armies of both the Empire and the forces of darkness! Do we even have the time to build up such a horde?

What do I do? What do I do!

You are the only hope of this world.

Mama…

I can't do this, I can't even save Grandpapa. I am a failure who is doomed to die who can't even go to her grandpapa for help. Grandpapa would have known what to do but they'll kill him like they killed Grandmama and Mama! If only there was some way to see him but in my heart, I knew Gnarl was right, they would have filled his court with assassins and Grandpapa never leaves his kingdom unless it is to see…

Me.

My eyes widened as the minion bickering grew louder, if Grandpapa knew about my location he'd come rushing to save me… but the sentinels would follow him unless I could somehow trick the sentinels away. I shift my gaze to Gnarl arguing loudly with Mortis, that being is a cruel, devious, being but maybe I can get his deviousness to help me. "Um e-excuse me… Gnarl?" I say over the din but the minions continue to bicker.

They do not hear me… they are content to bicker amongst themselves and ignore me, this is important! I need them to listen to me!

And like it knew what I was thinking, I could feel a pulse in the gauntlet, the eyes and gem flashed blue and a deep horn bellowed out seemingly from inside my head. As one the Minion heads all turned to look at me with only a slight delay from Gnarl, some looked confused while others like Mortis looked at me expectantly.

I gulp… that was most unexpected! But I must speak with Gnarl. "Eep… uhh Gnarl!" I stammer out, suddenly nervous. "Is t-there a way to draw G-Grandpapa out from his kingdom using m-me!"

Gnarl looked confused for a moment before he sneered, "Oh sure, we'll just tell the world that the 'Overlord' has the princess, blasted hero will come running along with every Sentinel!"

There was a click in my head. "B-but what if the O-Overlord went to see him?"

"Then the Elf King will probably stall the Overlord while a rescue team goes to save yourself, likely sacrificing himself in the process as is the stereotype but that's only if there was an Overlord!" Gnarl retorts.

"But she Overlord, any heroes would just find nothing." A Brown Minion stated scratching his head.

Gnarl looks ready to snap at the minion but it's interrupted by my clap of joy "Y-yes! T-that's right!" I shout before I wave my suddenly sore right hand. Striking a metal gauntlet hurts.

"The Sentinel's do not know that you are the Overlord, you could speak to the Elf King as the Overlord while setting a trap for anyone looking for your princess guise, an excellent plan my lady" Mortis says and I smile, I did not know about setting a trap but Mortis had stated my idea better than I ever could! I can save Grandpapa!

Gnarl looks ready to retort before a dark expression crosses his features "You are certainly smarter than I thought." He growls before saying "But you do not look like an Overlord! And any self-respecting Overlord still needs a Tower and a Horde of Minions for them to be taken seriously!"

"Didn't you say yesterday you have plan to build new tower for new Overlord?" A Minion in the back stated followed by another minion saying "Oh! Oh! And new Minion horde!"

"And Giblet can make new armour to make new dark lady look like proper Overlord!" A steel masked Minion added.

Gnarl looks like he sucked a lemon before throwing up his arms. "Fine, we'll follow this plan! At least it involves making fools of the sentinels!" Gnarl yells before saying under his breath quiet enough that I could barely hear it, "and evil can still find a way to benefit from this." But I did not care! I can save Grandpapa now!

"The Dark Lady still needs a proper weapon," Mortis says before nodding to several Minions who run to the battlefield and return dragging the leader Snaga-hai's massive sword to me. I gulp when I see it, it was a massive jagged thing fitting for such savage beings.

I just stare at the Minions in shock, they can not seriously expect me to use this! I do not know if I can even lift that!

But for my plan to work I must look like an Overlord and wielding that sword would make me look like a dark and evil being...

I gulp and stand up while reaching towards the hilt of the sword.

Only to freeze in place as a ripping sound interrupts me.

… My smock had been caught on a branch.

The Minions' eyes practically bulged out of their sockets. A single tear of awe ran down the face of one minion as a bug-eyed Gnarl said, "I suddenly feel much better about this arrangement."

A silence stretch onwards for the longest second of my life before being broken by a yawn as the very not-dead Zap, the other blue minion, sat up on the battlefield saying, "Zap have nice dream, what Zap miss?"


Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

When I was little, Mama would take me to play in the garden where we could do as we wished. Even if it was muddy we would run through the puddles without care. Why should we have cared? Not a speck of dirt seemed to cling to mama and I was too young to care. Nature was our friend as Mama used to say, and life joined in with us as we sang and danced through the garden. Animals of all shapes and sizes came up to us without fear and flowers bloomed around us.

Even then it seemed like a fairy tale, like from a book but it was real! It was real because of Mama!

Then Mama died... and my father locked me in my room, only allowed to leave under the strictest of guard. My world had become small and cold. Unfeminine play, as my father had called it, had been replaced by prayer and the freedom I once enjoyed was now replaced by a schedule calculated down to the minute. If I deviated from either schedule or behaviour I would be punished by my father and tutors… Harshly. It was claimed to me that torture they put me through was necessary to teach me discipline, to become a proper lady, and until I knew that my father really was a monster, I believed it. But deep down I must admit I dreamed that my father would let me run and play once more. Even as I aged out of being a child I hoped that one day, one day, that would be a reality.

"Come on then! Do you want to look like an Overlord or not!" Came the voice of Gnarl from the pack on my back that he chose to nest in. "But do try to take it at a less bumpy pace! You are rattling my old bones! Use some of that Elven Grace!".

This was not what I envisioned how I would run once more.

I run up a large moss-covered rock and leap to a tree branch in my path before leaping to the ground to not lose my momentum, not once losing my balance in the process, running forward until I had to pause in my run to lean against a tree, soaked in more sweat than I thought I could ever produce. It has been two days since the battle with the Snaga-hai and my long hair was tied up into a bun and I was clad in tan coloured male clothes: a large shirt, slightly ill-fitted breeches and surprisingly comfortable boots, that the Minions stole from the nearby village along with a pile of other clothes before I could dissuade them from their act. It was a sinful act to steal but the creatures seemed to revel in the act and unfortunately, desperation meant I had to accept the clothes as I had no other option available to me as my poor ruined smock was now converted into binding for my chest (which seemed to depress the minions) and even before that the undergarment made a poor choice for travel.

I heard the commotion of Minions approaching as I desperately gasped for air, they seemed to be arguing for the best spot in their horde to get the best view of me running for some strange reason, showing an unnatural determination to keep pace behind me despite their inability to match. Even the elderly minion Gnarl joined in before he insisted on being carried by me, claiming that his old black heart couldn't take the prolonged sight or rather the prolonged pace as he quickly corrected himself. The pack was to make this exercise harder for me and by the goddess it did!

Shaking my head, I held out my gauntleted hand and a minion pressed a waterskin into it. The moment I had my grasp around it, I quickly pressed it to my lips and drained it, desperate to replace the fluids I was sweating out of my body. "H-how will this m-make me look like an O-overlord? Oh goddess my legs." I gasp out as I take the waterskin away from my mouth.

"Well, we can't have a dainty little Elf maiden who can't even lift a sword pretend to be the Overlord." Gnarl states and I feel the tips of my ears burn. I had tried to lift the sword after I got new clothes… I failed. "Of course even in armour, you wouldn't strike that impressive of a figure, far too slender of build. But I've turned even the lankiest of teenage nobles into all-powerful lords of darkness so that's not an insurmountable image issue. The incorruptible pureness on the other hand..."

I sigh at Gnarl's comment, these Minions are fixated on being evil for no sensible reason. While they seemed almost eager to obey me, a few, with Gnarl chief among them, grumbled constantly about my "goodness". The others, fortunately, or unfortunately, are fervent in their desire to serve me and I must admit it is frightening to have such creatures who not too long ago were menacing me with enslavement to switch to practically worshipping my very presence, it was very unnerving.

What is even more frightening is how quickly I'm getting used to these creatures and their strange behaviour.

I feel a tap on my shoulder by a boney claw. "Are you done with your break?" Came the voice of Gnarl from behind me, to which I nod. "Then hurry it up! We need to be further north if we are to keep ahead of the Sentinels!"

"Y-you have not ex-explained why we must head N-north!" I say back to him as I prepare to restart my run through this forest.

"It is quite simple, your highness, we are heading to the lands of Nordberg!"

"N-nordberg!" I exclaim in shock, "W-what c-could be t-there so far n-north!" It was one of the most northern provinces in the Empire and named after its capital. From what I've heard from conversations my father had with his advisors it was quite prosperous.

"Yes, Nordberg, largest iron producer in the empire and most importantly the location of the Netherworld tower and the minion burrows! A perfect place to build a new dark empire!" There was a pause from Gnarl "Or at least it would have been if some minion didn't divert a river into the foundations of the tower!"

"Grubby take no responsibility."

I turn my head to get a better look at Gnarl. "If t-the t-tower is ruined, why g-go?"

I hear a sigh from Gnarl. "Because we could not move everything from the tower in the evacuation, while ruined now there are likely still some artefacts that will be useful… to your cause of course. But the real prize is the great mountain of Helfrost which overlooks the city of Nordberg, veins of netherworld rock run through the mountain and a fissure of magical energy lies at its very heart. It is the perfect foundation of a new dark tower! MWAHAHAHAHA!"

I sigh, such a strange creature, still it was nice to know travelling north had some purpose. I take a step forward to continue my run…

My leg gives out immediately and I fall face forward into a tree root feeling my nose impact with a painful thud. Gnarl is ejected from the pack with a "Eieeee!" as I writhe on the ground in pain, healing magic on full display as I try to stem the flow of blood, tears forming in my eyes.

"Perhaps... we should set up camp early." Came the groaning voice of the old Minion from a nearby bush as I try very hard not to cry.

And fail.

*****​

I dip a toe into the river before sliding myself into it, the cool river water flowing around me. I could hear the Minions setting up camp in the distance but at the moment I was in a state of pure bliss as the waters soothed my aching muscles. The sun setting had turned the sky orange and fireflies flitted above the almost still river running through the forest, it was very pretty and far from the chaotic minions.

"Move out of way, can't see with ears!" Came a whisper from a nearby bush.

"Me no in way, you blind!"

"Me wanna see Princess' big-"

I shriek in embarrassment and try to submerge most of myself into the river. Don't these creatures know how inappropriate they are being?

"Uh-oh!"

"Princess know we here!"

"Run!"

The sound of the scampering of clawed feet towards the camp causes me to tense for a second while my ears twitch for any further sound of inappropriate behaviour…

And hear nothing.

"M-maybe I can bathe in peace now," I say to myself, I glance down towards the river water, to witness two glowing blue eyes staring back "Eek!" I yelp backing up and slipping on the slippery river bottom. There's splashing and flailing as I try to reorient myself, going onto my hands and knees. I blink water out of my eyes and stare into the glowing blue eyes that were wide with shock looking back at me. Framed in an Elven face with long dripping wet silver hair and dried blood covering her nose and mouth.

I close my eyes and sigh. "I was s-scared of my own face," I say dejectedly with my ears drooping.

A part of me wanted to laugh at the absurdity of this, to lose myself in the madness that has become my life as of late, but it's drowned out by an overwhelming sadness in my heart. This was not the life I wanted, all the horror and pain…

I sigh again and kneel in the water, cupping my hands to splash water on my face to be rid of the blood. I looked to my face again, free of blood but the glowing eyes remained, I sigh again in response before diving my head under the water and screaming, bubbles erupted from my mouth, taking the frustration that had built up inside me until I could scream no more. With a gasp for air, I breach the surface of the river and flop onto my back to float, feeling the gentle current around me.

I shut my eyes and give a contented sigh, feeling the water take away today's grime and ache. I feel a bit better after my scream and bathing is always nice, one of the few luxuries my father let me have, but always in linens so as to not be immodest. I still enjoyed it, I had heard comments in the palace from members of the court that it was unhealthy to bathe so regularly but I could never understand how they could stand not to, the smell of perfume and filth was so strong on them that I struggled to not gag in their presence. I must admit that being in the presence of a few made me want to scour my skin, so heavy was the smell that even the Minion creatures smelt better… though now I wonder if it was more than smell considering my father enjoyed their presence.

The sounds of encroaching night grew louder and I opened my eyes to look upon the sky rimmed by the trees of the riverbank. This was different to what I was used to but it was a peace that I had not known for some time, "For a brief m-moment Elenaril, enjoy this peace." I say to myself and the calm of the evening began to even calm my troubled heart.

Then I hear a bush rustling.

Oh not again…

"M-must you k-keep d-doing this!" I shout while covering myself hurriedly with my arms, embarrassment warring with anger. Don't these creatures have any decorum at all!

There was silence, then more movement but the rustling was far less intense than when the Minions were being inappropriate. My ears flick… I think I hear tiny squeaking?

Oh… Oh no! It must be some woodland creature looking to drink! And I am here! Oh dear, oh dear! I scramble to the pile of clothes on the riverbank with the gauntlet sitting on top of it. "Oh, I am so s-sorry little ones! I will be gone soon!" I say in the direction of the rustling as I exit the river and start throwing on my clothes, I still need to dry myself but I can sit close to the fire at the camp. Once I get the shirt and breeches on I slide my hand into the gauntlet, the eyes and gem reigniting with blue light as I flex my hand… I know not why that's always relieving for me.

But to the matter at hand, I smile in the direction of the rustling and pick up my boots, ready to head back to the camp and leave this creature in peace.

At least that was what I was hoping to do if the rustling of the undergrowth didn't rapidly switch positions to cut me off from the direction I was heading.

… That is concerning.

I take a step in another direction only for whatever is making those noises to rapidly move in that direction as well.

No creature would do that...

I take a step back, ready to run as fast as my legs could take me. Then the entire undergrowth began shaking.

Fear gripped my heart as I could hear the march of many tiny feet in the undergrowth. I watched in shock as a swarm of hundreds of… tiny people left the undergrowth and into sight?

They all were looking at me, they were small enough to stand on the palm of my hand with tiny legs and almost comically disproportionately sized hands and forearms. Their noses were bulbous, ears pointed, beards wild and covering nearly their entire body, all capped by a pointed hat.

I recognized them from Mama's stories! "Gnomes!" I whispered in shock, I knew very little about them but to see them here of all places!

They bowed and I curtsied in response before kneeling down so I did not tower over them so much. "W-what are you doing here little ones," I ask them, inwardly cursing my stutter but only a brief moment as I looked on in wonder at these fantastical creatures.

A Gnome stepped forward and began making a series of squeaking noises that I assumed was it speaking.

I gave a strained smile in response. "I am s-sorry good s-sirs I c-cannot understand y-you."

"Believe me there is nothing these foul creatures have said that is worth any intelligent creatures hearing your highness." Came the voice of the old minion Gnarl, emerging from the undergrowth while removing a cloth cover for his hanging glowing crystal.

I sigh in exasperation before turning my head to the Gnomes. "I am d-deeply sorry a-about Gnarl l-little ones, please d-do not take o-offense."

The Gnomes just gave a series of more squeaks and I give a strained smile at my inability to understand them, thankfully (I think) Gnarl translates. "Hmmm interesting, apparently they are going to bring you, the most beautiful maiden in the land, to the palace of the Gnome king."

I clap my hands together and smile. "Oh that s-sounds lovely!" I say happily, I heard such wonderful stories about the Gnomes and their adventures! With their toadstool villages and dormouse pets, it would be oh so wonderful to meet the Gnome king, he would probably help me as well!

A few more squeaks interrupts my thoughts of cute little Gnome villages. "And be made his bride." Gnarl translates.

"... C-come again?" I am pretty sure Gnarl mistranslated.

More squeaks. "where you will spend the rest of your days barefoot, producing heirs and making sandwiches for the king... by the abyss they're really going all out with the stereotypes aren't they."

"... eh?" I just say while cocking my head and looking back at the Gnomes, surely Gnarl made that up.

The Gnomes had circled me and somehow produced a rope from somewhere. "eh?" Is all I can get out before Gnomes swarm over me. My vision briefly becomes just beards and pointed hats before they recede, rope now binding my limbs together as I stare in bafflement.

By sheer instinct, I squirm and fall forwards only for a swarm of Gnomes to catch me with surprising coordination and flip me onto my back. Two gnomes climb unto my chest and begin to, what I presume, give marching orders with authoritative squeaks.

I respond appropriately. "EH! W-wait let me go! I n-never a-agreed to this!" I yell frantically at the Gnomes who have begun squeaking in unison like marching soldiers.

I leaned upwards to look past my chest at Gnarl pleadingly as he listened to a gnome. "Apparently you did agree when you bathed so openly and then wore such inappropriate clothing for a woman, they are apparently hoping marriage and pregnancy will straighten you out of your mad behaviour."

I stare in sheer bafflement at the receding figure of Gnarl as the Gnomes carry me away into the forest. "That was not an a-agreement to a-anything!" I yelled back at Gnarl before I blinked as I realized something else. "W-wait, W-WHY ARE YOU N-NOT HELPING ME?" One of the Gnomes on my chest walks up to my face after my yell and slaps my nose. "Ow!"

Gnarl yells from the riverbank, "I didn't wish to get in Stench's way!" a moment passes and the Gnomes carry me further into the woods. "Any time now Stench… hello?"

The foliage of the forest had completely obstructed my view of Gnarl when suddenly I heard the huffing of the old Minion along with grumbling as he bursts out of the foliage. "Blasted useless green! Find your own Elf maiden, you filthy gnomes, this one belongs to the Minions!" He yells only for the gnomes who weren't carrying me to pull out crude but sharp-looking spears causing Gnarl to stop in his tracks and hold up his claws in an attempt of placation. "Oh… they learned how to use weapons, perhaps we can negotiate?"

I stare at the old minion in disbelief who shrugs. "I'm old! You can't expect me to smash Gnomes like I used to! Especially armed Gnomes!"

Panic overwhelms me at the sight of the old Minions cowardice and I struggle with my bonds. my movement causing the two gnomes on my chest to be flung off into a bush as I turn my body causing me to fall face-first onto the ground as the gnomes lose their grip on me.

Spitting out dirt and bits of leaves I look up at the Gnomes who are looking at me with a look I can only describe as sheer horror… Why?

To answer my unvoiced question, a very nervous Gnarl, who the Gnomes had backed against a tree, spears pointed at him says, "Apparently resisting females are extraordinarily unnatural to them so please don't agitate them more, while those weapons are small I don't want them in my sensitive areas!"

I sputter in genuine anger. "U-Unnatural! T-they are trying to kidnap me!" Are these creatures incapable of realizing what they are doing!

More horrified squeaks. "Well you convinced them you're possessed, Gauntlet, Maybe you should calm down before I end up a pincushion, Gauntlet!" An increasingly irritated Gnarl as the Gnomes closed in on him. I gave Gnarl a glare in return, he's telling me to be calm now and calling me Gauntlet for some strange-

… Wait, The Gauntlet! Oh, thank you Gnarl! Mortis said it's how Overlords controlled the Minions after they had fetched new clothes for me! What a fool I am for not thinking of it earlier!

"The Gauntlet has great power mistress, through it you can command your Minion legions with but a thought and focus your awesome magical power into powerful spells. Now command us oh great and powerful Mistress of the Minions!"

"P-please go and let me c-change!"

I did not know how exactly it worked and I did not really test it but I closed my eyes and whispered "Minions, help me." surely that would be enough if thought was to make it work!

A deep boom echoed out from my left arm, startling the Gnomes. In the distance, I could hear the shouts and the clumsy running of the Minions occur almost instantly after, I felt relief enter my heart, finally some help! Now if we can keep them at this standoff for just a bit longer...

Gnarl gives an evil grin only for the rapid squeaking of the Gnomes to put a look of bafflement and rage on his wrinkled features. "No, she is not possessed by Olc you stupid filthy Gnomes! Don't dare you praise that embarrassment!"

Oh no…

A gnome steps forward and squeaks something at Gnarl and I see something snap behind his eyes. "Don't know anything about evil! I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I KNOW ABOUT EVIL YOU DIMINUTIVE PRIMITIVES!" He yells and with surprising speed and strength, leaps and grabs a branch hanging above him, tearing it off with a crack and bringing it down on the Gnomes causing them to scramble out of the way of his blow.

Gnarl laughs maniacally as he swings the branch, with every blow sending Gnome's flying. There was a mighty squeak from the Gnomes and a quarter of them charged Gnarl, spears raised. The rest turned their heads towards me, anger on their faces and an evil in their eyes, they began advancing on me spears raised. Gnarl will be overwhelmed at this rate and I will be carried away!

Why Gnarl, why did you provoke them?

But in a miraculous turn of events, everything began to smell foul, like sulphur and rot. A cloud of miasma had settled on us from out of nowhere. The Gnomes started gagging and I… covered the advancing line of gnomes in what remained of my lunch, the smell was just too foul. Oh goddess that is humiliating to even acknowledge!

Then a whisper in my ear. "Mistress free, fight, fight!" a tug and my bindings loosened, I scrambled up to my feet as the Gnomes were regaining their senses. My left arm was raised, a nimbus of blue magic around it, blue flames erupting from the gem and eyes of the gauntlet.

"E-everyone stop!" I yell and the scene in front of me freezes. The swarm of Gnomes stopped in their tracks, whether recovering from the foul smell or in their attack on Gnarl who, with several Gnomes on him with one dangling by their teeth from Gnarls ear, turned his wrinkled head in my direction mid-swing of his makeshift club. Nervousness grips my heart but I have to find a way out of this. "L-listen to me! I-I have m-magic! B-bring Gnarl to me and let us go or I'll… I'll cast a s-spell on all of you!"

The bloodlust leaves Gnarl's eyes almost instantly, replaced by a glint that sent a chill down my spine as he rapidly says, "Do as she says! She'll turn all of you into earthworms! You know how possessed elven maidens can be!"

The Gnomes looked at each other, clearly shaken, and gnomish ranks parted to let Gnarl scuttle through, shaking off gnomes in the process. Gnarl goes to my side just as a series of squeaks began to go through the Gnome swarm, pointy hats turning to their fellows who wore hats with a shiny string sewn into the rim before looking back at me with a crossed and determined expression on their faces. They began encircling us and Gnarl whispered, "Looks like they aren't intending to let us go even after your little threat, probably think elven maidens can't do any really impressive magic. I do hope you have a plan, I was enjoying smashing after all these years."

I rapidly scan the surroundings. The green minion Stench was nowhere to be seen and the minions were getting louder, but they won't be here fast enough. I look up into the canopy. That thought was interrupted by a Gnome suddenly flying out of the swarm, thrown by his fellows with surprising strength but still bouncing off my chest back into the swarm, there was a mighty squeak and the Gnomes charged.

"Hold on!" I yell and Gnarl grabs my leg, I slam down my left hand to the ground and the magic was released. There was an explosion of light, a feeling of weightlessness and pain. When I could make sense of the world I briefly wondered why the ground was the sky and the Gnomes who were looking down at me.

"Pbbt! I have foliage up my nose!" came a grumble from below me or rather above me, looking down/ up I see my foot caught on a branch and an even more unhappy Gnarl "Trust a hero to come up with an incredibly risky escape plan! When did you even figure out how to use that spell!"

"It just c-came to me… I am in a lot of p-pain."

"Then why didn't you just use some of that elvish agility and leap up here!"

I just blink at Gnarl whose claw palms his face and look back at the Gnomes on the ground. "O-oh no."

"Oh what is it… they're climbing the tree, well that's unusually persistent of them," Gnarl says as I watch gnomes scaling the tree… right next to the one we're stuck in.

"I d-don't think t-they can tell what tree we're in," I say as I watch two Gnomes arguing, pointing at a random tree and the tree they are currently climbing.

"Well that's Gnomes for you, tiny size means tiny brains! Speaking of tiny brains, Stench where are you!"

"Here, here!" came a voice from a bit of foliage to my left.

"Eek!"

"Oh there you are, find out what's taking the other Minions so long! This greenery is giving me a rash!"

My ears flick. "T-they're already here."

"Oh, well I guess Elf ears are useful for something," Gnarl says as a hollering group of Minions burst through the underbrush. Firing pistols and swinging sabres they charged directly into the Gnome swarm. The Gnomes instead of fighting, immediately begin to retreat in a disorganized squeaking mass.

"Hmmm interesting, Gnomes aren't usually this cowardly, too stupid to give up that easily even against suicidal odds especially with those numbers," Gnarl comments as the Gnome swarm disappears into the underbrush and the minions give a cheer. "Barely any casualties either… but where's the evil energy? Curious… very curious."

I look down and my heart sinks at the sight of the tiny bodies of Gnomes, some of which looked charred. They may have been trying to kidnap me for a horrifying purpose but I did not wish for their deaths. Something must have ensorceled them into attempting such a horrific-

*crack*

"O-oh no." Is all I get out before the branch gives way, luckily the Minions noticed and attempted to break my fall.

The important word being attempted.

"Is she still alive?" Came the voice of Gnarl from the treetops as I lay on top of a pile of whimpering minions, very bony minions with spikes digging into me. I gave Gnarl a groan in response, "Oh well that's a relief, now GET ME OUT OF THIS TREE!"

*****​

"Honestly it's too good for the vermin, better to just smash them all. You should try it! it will make you feel thousands of years younger, like it did for me! Though of course as a hero you're probably ignoring everything I'm saying." Gnarl said while I ignored him and continued my prayer for the souls of the inhabitants of the tiny graves I dug, night had truly fallen at this point and the minions stood guard around me, not keen to let me be kidnapped again "Though don't you think you're being a little hypocritical? I didn't see you praying for the souls of the Snaga-hai and Sentinel." Gnarl adds snidely.

I cringe inwardly, we had left the corpses to rot and yes, I did feel hypocritical, but those were creatures and a man who embraced evil while these Gnomes were ensorceled… right?

"I just don't understand what could have ensorceled these Gnomes like this," I said after my prayer with a sigh and regret.

"Likely nothing, Gnomes were always thieving little vermin who cared for nothing but themselves. only getting away with the flimsiest of justification of being light magic creatures, probably because no dark magic creature would ever want to associate with them!" Gnarl explained and I sighed again, so much for getting a good explanation without Gnarl being Gnarl. "But to attempt to kidnap an Elven Maiden? To get to that point they would have to have corrupted themselves but no evil energy emanated when they died, I didn't see any sign of mind control either in case you were going to throw that at me!"

"E-evil energy? What are you t-talking about?"

Gnarl sighed. "Of course they wouldn't explain that to the princess, to overly simplify it: Magic absorbed by evil creatures who use it for evil thus corrupting it and vice versa for light magic. The Gnomes have relied heavily on the Elves for protection from anything that wants to rightfully squash them making kidnapping an Elven maiden an extremely stupid behaviour. With how persistent they were in kidnapping you, I assumed they embraced corruption but no they are still the same disgusting light magic creatures they always were. Though it looks like my theory on light magic rotting the brain was correct especially with brains as tiny as a Gnomes if they're willing to risk angering the Elves this much!"

"I… I don't t-think that's the case." I respond, Gnarl's explanation just left me with more question on why the Gnomes would do this.

"Mistress," came a hissing whisper from beside me, nearly causing me to leap out of my skin, "Stench Scout, scout out ahead, Gnomes have traps for mistress and are sneak sneak but me sneak sneak better, they want you bad bad."

"Persistent, aren't they," Gnarl says and a horrifying thought entered my head.

"T-they must k-know who I am!" I yell, "The s-sentinels must h-have told them about me, t-that's why t-they thought I was p-possessed by Olc!"

"Hardly, their king wants a beautiful maiden for a wife and you fit the description perfectly, Gnomes don't pay attention to world events." Gnarl dismissively says and I glare at him "Though that puts a damper on training and time, between them and the shrine in our way we risk the sentinels regaining our trail!"

I blink at the mention of a shrine. "S-shrine? Y-you have never m-mentioned a shrine."

"Because it is an ancient Elven shrine," Gnarl explains with an exasperated air, "Made to house the relic of an ancient elven hero of the royal bloodline! I would suggest going there to loot it but only a heir to the Moonsilver throne with a pure soul can make it through the defences without being torn to pieces by ancient magic and the guardian! Now if we had a fully powered Overlord and a truly massive Minion horde we could destroy the defences and loot it but for now, only the Elf King can access it and we don't exactly have access to him!"

… Wait. "The E-elf king… you mean G-Grandpapa?"

"Yes, your grandfather," Gnarl says while rolling his eyes only to pause mid-eye roll to stare at me and me back at him as we both realize the same thing about myself.

"S-so to the s-shrine then?"

Gnarl just yells "Minions! Prepare yourselves! Tomorrow the Princess is taking us to the royal shrine!"

A series of confused cheers from the Minions came in response, I can reasonably guess sacred shrines are not exactly somewhere they've ever been welcomed. I suppose I should prepare to sleep, hopefully, tomorrow ends better than it has today and with no bloodshed.

Though there is something else I needed to know first.

"G-Gnarl I m-must ask, why w-were you and Stench at the r-river in the first place?"

"Oh um… Giblet! We need the weapons sharpened, we don't know if those Gnomes will come at us in force!"

"You are n-not answering the q-question Gnarl..."


Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

It was on reflection that I truly realized how little I knew about Elves, even when mother was alive the Elves that came to visit us at the palace seemed like they stepped out of a fairy tale, always standing out from the court with their otherworldly dignity and grace. Even their clothes, simple and yet more beautiful than the finest clothes of the court. The court seemed to dislike them, with the kindest calling them arrogant, strange and outdated, even I had to admit that the Elves seemed to disdain the court. But to me and Mama they were polite and graceful, always happy to see me like my grandfather.

Then mother died and visits became rare, when they did come they were always sad, a few weeping openly. They missed Mama, like I did. I wished to talk to them, share in my grief with them but father was strict about his rules that I should only speak when spoken to and only in certain ways. Misbehaviour was not to be tolerated especially when speaking to the Elves, doing otherwise would be punished even more severely than usual. I now wish so much that I ignored my father and spoke to them, to learn even an inkling more than what little I did know.

How little I knew about them is now all the more apparent as I hiked deeper and deeper into the forest to a sacred shrine of the Elves, erected in honour of a figure I knew not the name of. Even as the hours passed I knew I was stepping into something that belonged in one of my mother's stories, Dense underbrush gave way to paths lined with flowers and the forest itself seemed to resemble an illustration from a storybook more than the woodland I was previously hiking through with the trees taking on fantastical shapes with strange and beautiful insects flitting between the branches of more shapes and sizes than I could count. Not once did I feel lost and wherever I stepped I seemed to be on the path. It was a forest hand-crafted by the Elves with a skill unrivalled by the palace gardeners.

It was beautiful…

"Ugggh, all this light magic is making me want to throw up! Look, I'm getting a rash just being around it!" Gnarl says, holding up his arm to a chorus of agreement from the small horde of lizard creatures and I suddenly remembered who I was travelling with.

"M-must you dislike a-anything even slightly pleasant?" I ask with a sigh, I swear that whatever created these creatures must have been getting inspiration from a farce.

Gnarl snorted derisively. "Hah! Pleasant, she says! The only thing pleasant about this forest is that it's reacting to your presence! Hence why we haven't gotten lost or torn to bits! Everything else I say we let Blaze burn it all down!"

I look at the red Minion, chained to a pole and carried by Minions wearing oven mitts, perk up at the suggestion he burns things. When they first declared me Overlord I asked why he was chained. They told me he'd try to burn everything around him. I saw the Red nodding enthusiastically at that and decided it was probably better to leave him chained.

As to the matter at hand, I gave another sigh. "P-please do not do that."

The red slumps and Gnarl scoffs, "Fine, we won't burn down your ancestor's shrine no matter how much better it would look on fire."

I blink as Gnarl's statement hits me, this is my ancestor's shrine…

I seem to easily forget my connection to the Elves, the mystical race that seemed to be fairy tales made physical were my mother's people, and I had certainly inherited their ears! I was quite proud of how they matched the Elves' ears in size and shape!

"Oh no she's back to reminiscing, try to direct her so she doesn't walk into a tree."

… Though none of the court liked it. I could hear them whisper how they considered it a deformity that should be hidden. Even when mother was alive I could hear the children who I was to play with say how strange I was in appearance... how they feared I would cast spells on me like their parents told them if they didn't play with me, mother was furious when she found out but even she couldn't change peoples minds that easily (though now I suspect the sentinel's hand in that) and she began playing with me more. When she died it got worse for a time no doubt with father and his sentinels approval.

I remember the priests, tutors and even father insisting to stamp out my 'elvishness' and non-femininity. I knew not what elvishness I had that they could stamp out, I possessed none of their grace and dignity, what magic I had was just healing, but they had tried and punished me when I could not achieve whatever standard they wished I obtained... I remember fearing they would cut off my ears after one such conversation they had with father.

He had only disagreed when a courtier reminded him about my grandfa-

"Eek!" I yell as my foot catches a root and I stumble a bit before catching myself, ears burning at how close I came to making a fool of myself.

"Just like an Elf to have their head so far into the clouds that they don't watch their feet!" Gnarl said as he trotted along beside me. "Keep your head on this plane of existence, last thing we need is you walking off a cliff!"

"I-I am not that m-much like an elf." I bitterly say, Gnarl insists on insulting the Elves at every opportunity but what stung more was being compared to a race I will never be.

Gnarl just laughs. "Hah, I have had the misfortune to meet many Elves over the years and you, your highness, are the most Elf to ever Elf! You prance like an Elf, daydream like an Elf and even cry like an Elf! If it wasn't for you having your father's cheekbones I would have sworn you were a pure Elf! But even that has been made Elfy by your Elfyness so it's impossible to be sure! Why I'm surprised that a horde of forest creatures aren't following in your elfy, so graceful they can't even properly trample, footsteps right now!"

I blink at Gnarl's rant and begin to laugh, for the first time in I don't know how long. It was so ridiculous but hearing Gnarl, a creature who despised the very existence of Elves, call me the most Elf he ever met in a rant meant to insult my Elvish heritage but it actually made me happy. Utter Insanity that would make me happy and I seriously began to consider my mental health but hearing it come from Gnarl, to be acknowledged as an elf certainly made it feel real, more than the thought of going to the shrine of my ancestor! And all because of a ridiculous rant on Elfyness! Hehehe!

I give Gnarl a smile. "T-thank you for the compliment!"

Gnarl looks horrified at that. "Compliment!" He sputters and I just laugh harder with even the other minions joining in!

"Heheheheh, I don't get it." a Minion piques up from the back of the horde.

"Me neither!"

"I stole pants!"

"What pants have to do with funny? Me thinks you have serious psychological problem or possible brain injury requiring urgent care… Oooh bug! SMASH!"

"Will you idiots stop laughing, we're here!" Gnarl snapped at the Minions and all at once the laughter stopped, including mine for I was suddenly struck by both awe and fear at the same time.

Two statues of plate armoured elven warriors wielding swords stood on guard on either side of a beautifully carved white stone gateway, the only visible entrance in a white stone wall. Vines covered both the gateway and the wall, brimming with white flowers, It was only on closer inspection that I realized not all the flowers and vines were real for the walls and gateway were covered in depictions of the surrounding plant life in life-like detail.

And through the gateway, I could see the shrine, illuminated by a sunbeam somehow breaking through the thick tree canopy, a surprisingly small egg-shaped structure made of the same white stone as the walls. Adorned only with depictions of vines running to the top of the structure it still carried a sense of holiness matching any of the grand churches of the capital city. It was surrounded by a garden of flowers that looked better tended than even the palaces gardens!

I felt incredibly unworthy to be in the presence of such a sacred place.

"Well, go on and claim the treasure of your ancestor already!" Gnarl says impatiently and I eep in response, which he ignores as he continues to talk. "We'll stay out here, while being in your presence has gotten us this far despite being creatures of evil, I'd rather not try my luck with those statues, I'm allergic to being squished!"

"S-squished…" I gulp as I glance at the statues who were very large and carried very sharp looking stone swords, but they shouldn't squish me!

… Right?

Oh, what have I gotten myself into?

With another gulp, I take a step forward and then another and another.

I shut my eyes as I start to approach the gate, imagination running wild with depictions of me being squashed under the boot of those statues.

"Look! Look! Mistress past gate!" I hear a minion shout quickly followed by the shouts of other Minions.

"She not squish!"

"Duh! She Elf princess! She own place!"

"Quiet you fools, she still hasn't gained the relic yet so keep an eye out!" came the admonishment of Gnarl. "Urrrgh the light magic of this place is making my skin crawl!"

I open my eyes and marvelled at the fact I almost reached the door of the shrine with my eyes closed, I looked back over my shoulder at the minions with a smile, things were going well!

At least until I saw the statues on my side of the wall, smaller than the statues guarding the entrance but of the same design and inlaid in alcoves in such a way that you would have to be where I was now standing in order to see them. They were unmoving and I prayed to the mother goddess that they would remain so.

The oblivious Gnarl shouted from the gateway "Oh, I almost forgot, try not to anger the ghost of your ancestor and her defenders as well!"

Oh… there are also ghosts as well.

I turn back to the shrine and continue walking into the shrine, teeth chattering in fright the entire way.

I took another step, my first step into the shrine and my breath hitched into my throat and my fear vanished. I know not if it was the magic of this place or if it was the beauty of the interior of the shrine that made me lose my fear but all the same I now stared in awe at the shrine of my ancestor. The interior was lit by glowing crystals that cast a serene blue light and the walls were covered in murals of a female elf with silver hair, either clad in a green cloak and hunting all manner of terrible creatures with a beautifully carved bow or sitting on a throne of silver taking court.

I took it all in, the life of an ancestor whose name I did not know before my eyes fell upon the tomb in the centre, at first I thought it was a beautiful elven woman sleeping in a beautiful dress on a stone bed before I realized she was made of marble, her face was serene and her stone hair flowed freely off the bed towards the floor, carved so finely I swore I could see it move. On her breast was a bundle of green cloth that I knew instantly was the same cloak she wore in the murals around us.

I walked up to the tomb and ran my hand along it, it was so beautiful and yet I could not feel a bit sad. This was the tomb of someone truly special if the elves had created a place so beautiful to be her eternal resting place. I looked at the face of the elven woman and it was so beautiful and yet so familiar, like I had seen her before but I never had until this moment… Was it because we shared blood? I know I had her hair but how much more of her was in me? I absentmindedly flick one of my ears with my finger while looking at her long pointed ears.

"Oh chosen of the mother goddess" came a soft female voice from within my own head causing me to let out an "eep" and step back, slipping on the stone floor and landing hard on my bottom as the voice continued to speak.

She who is of my bloodline and heir to the Moonsilver throne.
My treasures and guardian are yours.
May they help ease the terrible burden placed upon you.
And aid you in navigating the perilous paths ahead.
Go forth with our blessing and our love.

I blink in shock and raise myself to my feet on shaky legs, a thousand emotions running through my head at hearing the voice of my ancestor. Operating on pure instinct, I gently lift the bundle of cloth from the tomb and laid it on the floor, unfurling it as gently as I could.

I had thought I couldn't be in more awe than I was as I unfurled the hooded cloak but the craftsmanship was unearthly in it's beauty. The silver thread stitched more finely than any of my dresses made the shapes of leaves and seemed to shift and ripple… No, it was shifting and rippling as I watched in amazement as the colour shifted to the colour of the stone floor and the silver thread shifted to match the patterns on the floor.

But as I unfurled the last bit of the cloak I was not prepared for what I found, for the cloak was wrapped around a bow and quiver. Flowing Elven runes alighted with blue light that tingled my fingertips as I ran my fingers along the brown wood which was also etched with silver vines, flowers and stars. It was simple and primitive in this era but just from a touch I could tell this was a priceless relic of the Elves, the magic within still powerful even after all these years. The quiver too, leather etched with silver and filled to the brim with arrows that as I pulled it out looked more like an art piece than a weapon of war with a broad-headed arrow tip engraved with depictions of vines and thorns.

These… these were my heirlooms, from an ancestor I did not know and they were being given to me by her spirit, though I did nothing to earn them. Tears began to well in my eyes as I knelt on the ground before these relics, to have this moment, this gift after weeks of pain and sorrow was more than I could bear.

"If you weren't torn apart by an angry ghost yet, look for something we can use! Like gold! Elves have lots of gold! Almost as much as Dwarves! Gold that is better served in my… I mean our hands!" Came the shout of Gnarl along with shouts of agreement from the other Minions.

"Gold!"

"Shiney's!"

"Pants!"

I close my eyes and sigh, exasperation replacing every single emotion I was feeling.

I had briefly forgotten about them…

I wipe my eyes and shout while giving a lazy look over the shrine. "M-must you f-focus o-only on p-personal riches you… you… you… you…" I trail off at that point as I now noticed what was behind my ancestor's tomb.

"So I take it you found the gold?" Gnarl shouts

"By the goddess…" is all I manage as I see the other treasures of my ancestor, an exquisitely carved wooden table was covered in glittering silver jewellery fitted with gems, emeralds, diamonds and sapphires glittered in sockets of stylized wolves or wrapped by artistic interpretations of plants in an array of necklaces, earrings, rings and so much more. Underneath the table was a large chest with two more on either side but I ignored them as I approached the table to more closely inspect the jewellery of my ancestor.

It was not that they were of incalculable wealth and craftsmanship that made me approach them with such awe, I had worn such things all my life, but the fact these were things my ancestor wore. I look up at the mural above the jewellery, depicting my ancestor in full regal apparel seated upon a silver throne silver crown on her head with a white wolf at her feet, both with matching grey eyes. I wonder why this jewellery didn't pass on to her descendants like my mother, why this was left here instead?

"I don't hear you dragging any large chests of gold out so you probably didn't find them yet!" Yelled Gnarl and I shut my eyes in exasperation. "Look for large chests tucked in a corner!"

"Maybe Princess confused by her large ch-Yeowch!"

"Shut it, Gold now!"

I feel a headache approaching.

Opening my eyes I kneel down and pull out the chest... with difficulty. I knew not what was in this chest but I doubt it was a pile of gold like the minions believed, this shrine was a celebration of my ancestor not a vault to store riches. Whatever treasure was in this shrine were heirlooms I would not trade for anything, not gold like what the greedy Gnarl wanted, oh I can hear him now ranting about there must be piles of gold in this shrine and I hadn't looked everywhere.

"In case you didn't hear me before because you're in some daydream: Look for large heavy chests, those are usually filled with gold!" Gnarl yells.

"I… am… l-looking!" I yell back at the crowd of Minions as I pull out the chest inch by inch. This chest is extraordinarily heavy, but with several grunts of frustration, I had finally pulled it from underneath the table.

It was a simple wooden chest with a metal lock on it with carved runes in the metal. My fingers brush the lock as I inspect it and with a click, it comes undone.

"I h-have found y-your chest!" I yell at them as I swing open the chest. "I know n-not what m-myths you heard but a s-shrine such as t-this would not have piles of g… g… g…" I trail off as I behold the pile of gold coins and jewels in the chest.

"HAH! The rumours were right! The Elven royal family are using these shrines as makeshift treasure vaults to be used in emergencies! The fools! Now it's ours, all ours! MWAHAHAHA!" Gnarl yells out in triumph with a laugh as he realizes why I trailed off to the cheers of the other Minions. I just stared at the gold in shock, while the jewellery were things I had seen on a near-daily basis. I had never seen so many gold coins in one place! And there were two more chests!

It's all mine as well… Given to me to aid me in this dire time… Should I take it all? From what Gnarl said it seems this was meant to be used in times of need for the Elven Royal Family, could I really justify-

"Wait I almost forgot, we're dealing with a heroic princess, she'll try to be selfless." I hear Gnarl mutter to himself, interrupting my thoughts, before yelling out, "If you're thinking about being selfless we need all that gold! Ships are expensive! And to top it off you're the bloody heir to the Elven throne!"

… Oh… right, I am the heir to the Elven royal family and I am in an emergency.

"I w-will pay you all back, I promise." I whisper to myself before shouting to Gnarl, "I c-cannot lift the c-chests on my own!"

There was a sigh from the old Minion. "of course she can't… You lot! Go aid the Princess!"

A cheer from the Minions and the scampering of feet was all I heard as they suddenly started screaming. I rush towards the shrine's entrance to see that the statues were coming to life in their alcoves, eyes blazing with light blue magic and brandishing their stone weapons with menace. Moving with a mechanical pace to the entrance. The giant statues at the entrance had blocked off the entrance with their swords and no doubt were glaring down at the horde of cowering Minions who all looked towards me, pleadingly.

"NO!" I shout out! Fear in my heart. "Don't hurt them!"

The statues all freeze and look towards me, I could not help but to shrink back in fear of their blank emotionless faces.

"I… n...n...need t-them to save g...g...grandpa." I stammer out, suddenly fearful for my life.

"We serve mistress! We serve mistress!" Minions shout pleadingly and full of fear at the statues.

There was a pause before the Statues began walking backwards, as if time was being rewound, back into their prior positions in the alcoves. I sink to my knees in relief.

"It safe?" Asks one Minion.

Gnarl let's see "Hmmm, let's see" and pushes the minion forward past the gate…

No reaction.

"Well, what are you all standing there for! Get the treasure!" and the Minions take off towards the shrine, hollering and waving weapons, some running on all fours in their haste.

"D-don't damage the shrine!" I yell at them and the Minions slow down and start walking on the tips of their claws as if they were sneaking.

I question why they think that will not cause them to damage the shrine…

I still quickly go back into the shrine to make sure they don't and wrap the jewellery in the cloak as they tiptoe their way in and gingerly begin picking up the chests and moving them out, shushing each other every other step.

I must admit I feel a pang of jealousy alongside amazement at how easily they lifted the chests that I could barely move, for creatures of their size and scrawny nature they are quite strong.

Following them back out to Gnarl who remained just before the gates, I carried the personal treasures of my ancestors.

Gnarl was rubbing his hands with glee. "Ah nothing warms my little black heart like seeing chests full of gold, these will serve us well in getting us to Nordberg and funding any dark scheme we require!" he casts a beady yellow eye on the bundle I was carrying. "And you found some personal treasures judging by how you are clutching them like a newborn babe! Good, good, let me see them."

I hold the bundle tighter and Gnarl rolls his eyes. "Oh please, as much as I would love to sell the personal treasures of your ancestor, their magic is far better served in our arsenal rather than the collection of some rich noble!"

With a sigh and a great deal of hesitation, I lay down the bundle on the ground and unfurl it. Gnarl sharp intake of breath and widening eyes surprises me as the bow is revealed "If I had known this was here I would have suggested raiding this tomb years ago! Ithilalme, the moon-flower. My, My I had not seen this since your ancestor shot me in the rear many years ago after I… tactically retreated from an ambush."

I gawp at Gnarl "Y-you a-actually met her!" I say excitedly.

"Yes, she made quite the name for herself hunting down the most dangerous evil beings and beasts! Even us Minions were hunted by her! Just started picking us off one day for no reason at all!" Gnarl said and my heart sank for a minute… until Gnarl continued talking "I remember her shouting from the trees about how we need to face justice for burning down a few villages… and a temple, a couple farms, a sacred tree, etcetera etcetera, but that's no reason to turn loyal servants of darkness into pincushions!"

Oh… Of course, why did I think otherwise. "C-can you tell me her name?" I sigh while rubbing my temples from the sudden headache.

Gnarl tapped his chin. "You know I never bothered. Funny, she kept shouting how 'evil will fear my name!' and I've only ever known her by her ridiculous nickname 'the wolf' not that she ever travelled in a pack or even acted like a wolf, the blasted she-elf just really liked wolf-themed jewellery which I see you've collected," he says as he picks up and inspects an elegant wolf-themed ring. "But I do know about Ithilalme, a bow through which your ancestor channelled her magic into devastating spells and you have her 'thorns'! Arrows designed specifically for that task! If I recall correctly it was also rumoured to have some hidden powers that are only known to the royal family but since you are her descendent they should become available to you in time."

Gnarl rubs his claws together. "Oh just imagine, the devastation that can be wrought if the bow is combined with the power of the Tower Heart! What was once a weapon of good will become a superweapon of Evil! Walls crumbling! Cities burning! Mwahahaha!"

"No good. Bow not made for all the Tower Heart magic. Giblet will need to improve but need tools." Came the reply of the steel masked Minion Giblet, who had appeared seemingly from nowhere, startling me in the process.

Gnarl just sighs. "A shame but still workable."

Giblet inspects the cloak which changed colour again to match the ground. "Oooh cloak magic."

"Indeed Giblet, the original cloak of the Elven Rangers, enchanted to aid in camouflaging the rangers on their patrols and apparently to save on cloth when they needed a different coloured cloak, changing colour with only a thought."

"R-really?" I say and I touch the cloak, it immediately changes colour to a deep blue, then a red with purple polka dots causing me to let loose a giggle. "T-that is most certainly useful! But what of the j-jewellery?"

"Completely non-magical, though ancient elven jewellery is certainly fashionable in certain circles of the Empire, at least last I checked. While grim, dark and spikey is a timeless fashion it is good to keep track of the latest trends in order to exploit the brainless rich of their gold as a former Overlord did! Drove an entire species extinct and ruined an entire Kingdom's economy in the process just so that some nobles could have a closet full of fashionable slippers even as they were ruining themselves! Ah, those were the days, especially since they couldn't afford soldiers! Swept right in and conquered them in a fortnight!"

That's horrible… "I d-do not wish to sell these Gnarl."

Gnarl just pouts in response "Of course an Elf wouldn't want to sell priceless heirlooms for cash! Next, you'll tell me you don't want to turn this shrine's guardian into a rug!"

Huh? "Y-you mean the statues?" I ask confused.

Gnarl rolls his eyes. "Must I have to explain everything! The guardian! A magical creature infused with copious amounts of light magic in a specialized ritual to serve as the guardian for a sacred shrine! The statues are the secondary defence meant to aid the guardian!"

I blink "T-then where is-" and to answer my question my ears catch a cry of pain coming from deeper into the forest.

Gnarl's long ears perk up as well, clearly showing he heard it as well before a look of dread comes across his lizard face "Oh, don't you even think about rescu-" he begins to say but I don't even give him the chance to finish.

Without even thinking about what I was doing or what I would face, I grab and don the cloak and pick up the bow and arrows, scattering the jewellery and sending the Minions into a mad scramble for the jewels, as I rush into the forest, cloak billowing behind me. I feel a weight clutching onto the bottom of the cloak but I pay it no heed for there is an innocent creature in need!

"BLASTED HEROOOOOES!" yelled Gnarl in dismay from behind me followed by sputtering as I leapt over a shrub.

Sorry this took so long, I was lazy.



Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

I ducked under a branch as I ran further into the woods, I knew not what I was going to face but I knew if I did not face it an innocent creature would perish.

Not that my companion seemed to care.

"Will. You. Stop!" Yelled Gnarl, who I presumed was still clutching on my cloak like some tick, but I will not stop, every moment wasted could lead…

I stopped in my tracks as my scalp suddenly felt like it was about to tear off.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" I yelped as two claws had gripped onto my hair and one ancient imp put his full weight into hanging off it. "S-stop! Y-you'll tear it off!"

"Look to the ground you heroic fool!" Gnarl hissed and with tears in my eyes (and Gnarl switching his grip to my shoulders) I looked at the ground and felt my face blanche at the sight.

Dozens of dead Gnomes littered the ground all either shattered by a heavy blow or torn to bits.

"W-wuh... what happened?"

"If I had to guess, it appears our Gnomish pursuers ran afoul of the Guardian," Gnarl explained as I gazed over the carnage. "I had noticed the bodies earlier but you 'heroically' chose to ignore my observations in favour of galavanting into heroics!"

I could not help but feel a little bit of heat in my cheeks as Gnarl continued, "But look closer, some of these Gnomes look… different to our last encounter, more feral, more crude, more… evil."

I indeed could see what he pointed out, much to my horror, three of the gnomes seemed to have changed into… something, their nails and teeth had become yellowed and jagged, their hair matted with filth and their skin had paled to a sickly grey with prominent black veins.

Gnarl scoffed as I examined the Gnome's corpse. "I'd give praise for them embracing darkness but that'd involve praising a Gnome. This is deep corruption, one gained over a lifetime of evil. One does not accrue this much in the few hours since our last encounter… well not by Gnomes, the lazy buggers."

A yelp followed by a whine of pain causes my head to shoot up in the direction of the sound, an eerie light accompanying it, shining through the foliage. A bunch of squeaks, which sounded ominously like chanting, followed it.

"Well, well, well it looks like you found the Gnomes and the Guardian, do try to sneak up on them instead of doing a heroic leap onto their weapons."

More heat rose to my cheeks as I bit back a reply to Gnarl and ready the bow of my ancestor and nocked an arrow as I had seen my mother do once. I crept forward and peeked my head through the brush to look upon the Gnomes and the Guardian, briefly wondering if the glow from my eyes would alert the Gnomes.

My eyes first settled on the Guardian, who was lying on its side breathing heavily, and I could see why this being was the guardian. It was a wolf, a truly gigantic wolf, that could easily tear apart a warhorse with its jaws. But it was beautiful, with a nobility that surpassed even the noblest mounts of the Empire. I almost wept in horror at the sight as well for its white almost silver fur was stained with blood from hundreds of tiny spears and the tight ropes that bound the creature to the forest floor and its jaw shut. To do such a thing to such a noble and beautiful creature of the forest was… an unspeakable evil.

And I saw the perpetrators dancing around the noble being, a horde of those decayed and corrupted gnomes hooted and hollered in their squeaky voices as they danced in a circle around the Guardian. I was immediately reminded of the Minions as I watched them with growing disgust, so corrupted were these things who abandoned anything good about their existence!

An authoritative squeak interrupted the dance and all eyes moved to look upon a Gnome with a crude tree bark mask waving a tiny staff in front of some contraption, held aloft by crude ropes and branches. The contraption, to me at least, resembled a brass cannon that would require multiple men to lift but where the muzzle would be it was sealed with metal and a fist-sized purple gem in the centre, more purple gems studded the exterior as well though smaller. The masked Gnome waved his staff which glowed with an eerie blue light and a burst of energy erupted from the contraption striking the Guardian who let out another yelp of pain.

A globule of bright blue energy lifted from the Guardian and shot towards the device, but it was intercepted by the masked Gnome, who raised his staff in its path with an ominous chant. The moment it struck the staff the globule exploded into a shower of sparks which a small horde of the corrupted Gnomes immediately ran and clambered over themselves to be underneath. I watched with deep disgust as they stuck out their tongues or rubbed the sparks into themselves in some gross parody of a shower, until the Gnomes began to change, the corruption that plagued their bodies seemed to revert, with Gnomes quickly beginning to resemble their uncorrupted selves.

"Oh I see," Gnarl whispered in my ear as a cheer of squeaks went up from the Gnomes, "They're using that device to drain the light magic from the Guardian (and presumably other light magic creatures) and using it to power a spell to make themselves look uncorrupted! Little more than a suped-up glamour in practice but it's a classic and surprisingly effective spell used by evil sorcerers when they need to pose as trusted advisors, why even a few Overlords-"

"This stops, now!" I say, practically shaking with anger as I step forward, bow at the ready. I felt a tug on the cloak as Gnarl tried in-vain to stop me with whispered shouts of "Stop!" and "You fool!" but I paid him no heed. As soon as I stepped into the open the Gnomes stopped in their dancing and chanting and all turned to look at me but before they could even react I lined up an arrow towards the strange device, held the bowstring taut and fired.

The wobbly arrow veered off course and quickly clattered to the ground harmlessly a few meters away from me.

We all stared at the fallen arrow before, as one, every Gnome (and Gnarl) looked at me with a deadpan expression, even the Guardian raised their head to look at me with almost visible disappointment in their surprisingly blue wolf eyes.

So, with cheeks burning and a scream of frustration, I raised my gauntleted hand and let loose a bolt of energy at the device, briefly remembering I should brace in the second before the energy is released. I was not knocked back however, the energy struck the contraption and immediately I felt a pull as the energy was absorbed into the device. A tether of lightning connected my hand to the device as it absorbed my magic and it was not exploding like I wanted! With a grunt of anger, I poured even more magic into my attack and the lighting grew larger and brighter.

The sound of scampering clawed feet followed by the sound of a misshapen lizard creature leaping behind cover alerted me to Gnarl's actions while the Guardian's eyes widened and with sudden energy started wriggling and twisting in an attempt to free itself as the lightning grew brighter. The Gnomes, while initially taken aback, just began to laugh in their squeaky tongue and crowd around the device with a cheer. The masked Gnome even climbed atop the contraption, heedless of the lighting, and began squeaking at me, punctuated with what I could swear was a "mwahahaha" but the sound of the lightning and the wind drowned it out. My hair and cloak were wild and the light was blinding as a primal scream tore itself out of me, I had to stop the Gnomes, this… this... Atrocity had to end!

The lightning grew to its brightest and then was suddenly cut off, like one end was suddenly cut and I collapsed to my knees to the jeers and laughter of the Gnomes. I looked up at the device, silver hair in my eyes, to see that the purple gems were now glowing bright blue with the Gnomes climbing all over it, swinging on ropes and sticks, laughing and jeering at me at my apparent failure to harm the device.

They died laughing as they were incinerated in a brilliant blue explosion.

Charred Gnome and white-hot metal shards rained down around me as I watched in awe as the energy rose into the heavens like a pillar of blue fire before at the top, like a fountain of water, it seemed to bend… in my direction.

"W-wait no!" was all I could shout at the fire bearing down on me, arms raised in a desperate attempt to protect myself. The fire struck and instead of harming me it began to flow into the gauntlet's crystal! Within moments the gauntlet had sucked all the fire into it, the gauntlet's crystal glowing a brighter blue before fading.

I stared at the gauntlet in wonder "W-what in the goddess's name?"

Rustling sounds and the arrival of several misshapen creatures leaping from the surrounding bushes interrupted my wonder. "Mistress! Mistress! We here to… Aw, you blow pointy hats up already. Minions wanted to bash." said a rather disappointed brown Minion, which was repeated in various tones and expressions as more Minions arrived into the clearing.

"Is she vaporized… no? Good!" Shouted Gnarl from some distance away before he scurried into view "Ah charred Gnome, a truly wonderful smell and you princess… are a lot more glowy than I remember."

I blink. "W-what do you… AAAAAHHH!" I scream as I looked at my ungauntleted hand, the veins in my hand were now shining a bright blue. With extreme haste, I rolled up my sleeve and the glow continued up my entire arm. Pulling on my collar to look into my shirt revealed that the glowing veins continued onto my chest where the source of the glow became apparent. Shining, brightly enough that I could see my ribs through my skin, was what I could swear was my heart (or at least close to it I could not make out any details). But as I watched the glow began to fade and soon I could see naught but my own breast with no indication that glow had come from inside me.

I look up, desperate for an explanation, and see that the Minions, Gnarl included, had suddenly moved in very close, eyes bulging with intense focus, a strange reaction.

"G-gnarl, w-what was that?" I ask worriedly, he did not break his focus. "Gnarl!"

"Hmm yes, Yes!" He starts breaking his focus. "It was just the Tower Heart reacting to absorbing the magical energy, nothing to worry about." A thoughtful expression then crossed Gnarl's face. "Though I could inspect you more closely to be sure hehehe."

I did not like that laugh. "I'll pa… the Guardian!" I exclaim as I finish adjusting my shirt, the memory of why I was here just reentered my head, oh what a fool I am to get distracted and let it suffer! I immediately get up and rush forward to the massive wolf.

I hear Gnarl sob quietly followed by the sound of a sympathetic pat on the back. "Don't touch me you fool!" as I skid to a stop in front of the wolf, hands outstretched with healing magic.

I gave a reassuring smile to the Guardian, though I didn't know if it was for my benefit or the guardian's, "D-don't worry, I-I'll heal you r-right up.'' The Guardian opened it's eye for a moment before closing it and huffing. There was a lot of blood around the ropes and tiny spears but they didn't look that deep… I think, I look back to the Minions who were still slowly arriving into the clearing, Mortis and Zap had arrived along with the Minions carrying Blaze and the gold from my ancestor's shrine. "H-help me remove the r-ropes!" I shout at them, to which they hesitate "Now!"

That got them moving with a chorus of "Yes mistress!" and they began removing the ropes while I ran my hands over the Guardian's wounds.

I looked at the tiny spears in the back of the wolf. "T-this m-m-might hurt so please r-remain c-calm." and grab a tiny spear with my fingers and pull it out quickly, a grunt but the Guardian doesn't react more than that.

"Hah! A gnomish spear is barely more than an over-glorified thorn, even a 'delicate' light magic-infused she-wolf would barely be harmed by it, which I would like to mention is really unoriginal of your ancestor to pick for a guardian though I shouldn't have expected better from Elves." Gnarl comments from the background to a roll of my eyes and a growl from the Guardian.

"J-just ignore h-him, G-gnarl is just being Gnarl.'' I say to the guardian… and myself but then a thought struck my head as I continued to heal the guardian "O-oh I h-haven't i-introduced myself, I am s-so sorry about my p-poor m-manners, I am princess Elenaril A-armathain and t-these…" I look to the Minions, the ones not helping with ropes had begun picking through the Gnomish remains or… chewing on them uggh! "... are the Minions." I finish, disgust clear in my voice.

"T-they're vile but t-they are helping me save g-grandpapa who is the k-king of the E-elves from my F-father and his S-sentinels." I continue, words flowing from my mouth as I heal this noble creature "H-has my G-grandfather ever visited this shrine? M-met you? I-EEK" I yelp as the guardian begins to move, instinctually grabbing the fur of the great beast as she stands up and shakes herself, nearly throwing me off and sending the remaining ropes (and one Minion) tumbling to the ground.

"W-wait! You need to rest!" I shout, clinging to their side, as the guardian moves to head into the forest. A huff of apparent annoyance and the massive wolf laid down. As my feet touch the ground I breathe a sigh of relief and continued my work to heal this noble creature.

An annoyed "tsk" from Gnarl drew my attention as he examined a bit of melted brass before throwing it to the ground. "Useless! Well princess, you certainly obliterated any evidence of where the Gnomes acquired this device and with the Gnome priest dead we can't even interrogate them to find out where they got it or who taught them that spell."

"My father and his Sentinels are probably behind it," I say bitterly, considering the evil my father has his hands in I would not be surprised if the corruption of the Gnomes was his doing as well.

"No, no I don't think so in this case," Gnarl said, stroking his goatee. "No Sentinel would consider the Gnomes to be worth the effort to hand over such a powerful device and the spellwork of that priest, amateur! Even a novice dark sorcerer could cast that spell far more efficiently and without the use of that device."

I frown "T-then are you s-suggesting they stole it? I would not think my father would allow the theft of such an evil device."

Gnarl nods. "Indeed princess and the Gnomes draining light magic creatures would not go unnoticed for long either, too many questions that could link back to the Sentinels and Gnomes are easily broken under pressure, it'd be top priority for the Sentinels to recover it. There is the possibility that it is a relic of the Glorious Empire, they used similar devices in those days, but this design was far too advanced for a relic of that time and for that matter where did the Gnomes even learn that spell in the first place? An evil plan is at play here, I can feel it and I doubt it's for the sentinels' benefit or min- ours for that matter. A shame really, we could have gotten so much evil done with this mysterious third party before our inevitable backstabbings."

"That's h-horrible."

"I know!" Gnarl says happily before his ears perk as he gets a contemplative look on his face. "Though I suppose one upside to this is that the magic stored within the 'extractor' might have granted you a new ability thanks to the Tower Heart. Of course, it might have just eaten the magic, one can never be sure with artefacts of immense power especially in… present circumstances," Gnarl ended bitterly while giving me an evil eye.

"H-how would we k-know for sure?" I ask, still focused on my task of healing the Guardian, I had managed to remove most of the spears luckily.

"Simple. Bruise! Get over here you useless sack of pus!" Gnarl calls and a Minion wielding a rolling pin runs up to me shouting, "New spell! New spell!"

I pause in my task to look at the minion confused as Gnarl continues talking "place your hand on the Minion and focus on his magic, take it from him." A pause as I give a horrified look to Gnarl. "Don't worry he'll like it and will probably be fine!" to which Bruise nodded enthusiastically for reasons that defied explanation.

"A-all right, sorry," I say apologetically as I place my gauntleted hand onto the Minion's head, ready to stop in a moment if it looked like it would hurt the creature.

I closed my eyes and imagined myself reaching towards the magic of the Minion to grab his magic. I did not have to wait long for something to happen for I felt the gauntlet's grip immediately tightened around the Minion's head and I could feel something flow out of the Minion into the gauntlet.

"Bruise feel woozy," the Minion says as he begins to grey and sway, panic immediately grips me. The first thought that came to my mind instead of letting go was to put the magic back into the Minion. In an instant, I felt the flow of magic shift and colour began to return to the Minion.

And size? Oh no…

The Minion began to grow suddenly and I let go of the creature's head and scrambled back followed closely by Gnarl and the Guardian who quickly spun around and growled, hackles raised.

The Minion now towered over me even though it was now more haunched, more like a troll's, muscles having grown larger to the point their weight pulling the Minion into its new posture. The Minion dragged its, now exceptionally large, knuckles across the ground to position itself to look at me, its face still looking like its former self though far larger. The spark of… semi-intelligence was gone from its eyes though veins of blue added an eerie look to its yellow eyes.

The creature opened its jaws and spoke in a deep bellowing voice. "Mast… duuuuuuuuuuur." Whatever it was attempting to say next was drowned out by a prodigious amount of drool from its maw and a glazed look in its eyes as it stared into nothing.

I just stared, too scared to even move and provoke such a creature into attacking me.

"Well, you've created a mutant Minion," Gnarl said from a fair distance away and behind several Minions. "Should have guessed exposure to pure Tower heart energy would have caused Bruise to mutate and that you would try to reverse the drain! Though I suppose I must congratulate you on gaining the drain ability, it should allow you to drain magic straight from the source! Perfect if you ever feel like you need a magical recharge! Though, as you've seen, you can reverse it as well and pour magic into whatever creature or device you want with… varied results."

"Eeee." Was the only sound I could make as I stared at the mutated Minion in fear.

"Well at least this mutant looks stable, unlike the ones created by the cataclysm and still loyal despite the decreased intelligence (which is a wonder in of itself) Minions have very tiny brains so all that new mass must be sucking up what little brainpower there is like a big muscly sponge!" Gnarl tapped his chin. "I wonder if the process can be improved, create deadlier variants… hmmm a question for later. Princess! Draining him should restore the Minion back to his original form if you ever feel like there's too much muscle in your vicinity! That or killing him should work!"

"Death cleanses the Minions, we return to our original form on our return to life. Guard your altered Minions well in battle, Mistress for their power will grant you victory." Mortis piques up.

Well, I would rather not harm the Minion more than I have, I choose the first option and place my hand on the arm of the Minion while still shaking with terror. I feel the gauntlet grip and the drain begin, the minion shrinking before my eyes back into his original form.

The Guardian's growl stops and looks on as the Minion, now back in his original form… continues to stare at nothing and drool.

That's… probably not a good sign. "Ummm a-are you o-okay?" I asked the desized Minion.

The Minion blinks, shakes his head and looks down at himself before letting out a sob. "NOOOOO! Me small again!" and then latching himself on my legs. "Make me big again!"

This takes me aback "B-but you were so big… and scary." I add under my breath.

The Minion looks at me, tears and snot running out his orifices. "Me good Minion! Me loyal Minion! Me no hurt Mistress! Me hurt those who want hurt Mistress! Make big so hurt better!"

"Oh I can't stand to see a grown Minion cry, make him big again... or stab him," Gnarl helpfully responds.

"A-are you sure?" I ask the sobbing Minion who nods with such speed I was sure his head would fly off. "A-alright." and I place my gauntleted hand on his head again, briefly questioning in my head why I would do this even for a creature who was sobbing on my legs.

"Yay!" exclaims the Minion as the magic begins to flow into him.

The next thing I knew was that there was a wet sound and my vision suddenly went very red as something wet covered my face and I tasted something disgusting mixed with copper on my tongue.

"Oh he popped, well looks like the reverse drain effect needs to be improved or else there is a chance you'll pop, probably a fairly large chance. You hear that Minions! No asking for embiggening until we work out that kink!" Gnarl says to a chorus of disappointed groans from the Minions.

I feel something wet and tubular slide off my head as I blink out a red liquid from my eyes.

Then my brain catches up to what just happened.

And I scream in horror at what I did to Minion who only asked to be big… big for me! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

"Oh, there she goes, being all horrified about a Minion popping. Well, I suppose we can't exactly afford a Minion casualty right now, Mortis if you may."

"Certainly, enough of the Gnomish lifeforce still remains."

I pause for a breath and feel the blood and viscera covering myself flow off my body, my vision returns just in time to witness Mortis, with his webbed hand outstretched, direct a stream of glowing light balls rising from the corpses of the Gnomes into the puddle of blood that the viscera covering me had flowed off into.

A skeletal claw rose up out of the blood followed by the rest of the Minion's skeleton rising up. The eyeless skull looking right into my eyes as the blood flowed upwards and as I watched, organs reformed, blood flowing and its heart begin to pump until they were covered by sinewy muscles and then brown scaly hide, all inching upwards in layers at a time, like a glass of water being filled from the bottom. The sightless eyes continued to look at me until their eyes flowed back into their skill.

The Minion took a breath and grinned. "I live again mistress!"

I, upon seeing the Minion be poured back into life from the bottom up, did the only thing I could do and vomited in its face.

"Well, it appears your new master can't handle a little Minion revival!" said Gnarl with a joking tone as my vision began to turn black.

I heard a huff of an acknowledgement as I pitched to the side and darkness took me into unconsciousness.

"Alright Minions, let's drag the-"

"Grrrrr."

"Errrr, gently put the Princess on the back of the Guardian."

"Ruff."

"Me got puked on by Mistress! Me special!"

"Yes Bruise, you have the same value as a rusty vomit bucket, now heave!"

"Grrr"

"Yes, claws are where they should be… blasted Guardian."


Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

Darkness was all I could see as the bliss of unconsciousness gripped my form, then strangely, through my unconsciousness, I felt the sensation of being lifted into the air and then just as quickly falling.

I wonder, is this some strange dream I'm having through-

The shock of hitting water jolts me awake along with the sudden intrusion of water into my lungs. Panic and instinct follow next, I kick my legs in desperation to reach the surface of the water before I could drown.

Coughing and spluttering my head breaks the surface, gulping down as much air as I could. I treaded water looking back and forth, frantically trying to piece together how I ended up in water. My eyes scan the surroundings and I realize that I am in a pond that seemed strangely illuminated from below before my gaze quickly fell on the crowd of impish creatures on the edge of the pond I was swimming in, all pointing at the giant wolf with a shout of "She did it!" in perfect unison.

A giant wolf that rolled its eyes in response and was now wading into the pond, its massive size allowing it to easily walk on the bottom of the pond, till it was right beside me. What happened next filled my heart with wonder as the crystal clear water of the pond seemed to glow even brighter. A sensation of peace, calm and warmth, not unlike my healing magic, filled me causing an inadvertent sigh of contentment to erupt from both me and the beautiful wolven guardian next to me.

Leaning against the guardian I finally took stock of my location, first noticing the softly glowing pink crystals that both surrounded the pond and lay at the bottom of it. The crystals were quite pretty and I wondered if they were linked to the magic of the pond.

My eyes fell next on the great tree that shadowed the pond, its roots dwarfed even the massive guardian. I believed it was an oak but I knew of no oak that grew to this size or gave off motes of blue light that winked in and out of existence though I suspect the large and glowing light blue crystal that was nestled in its branches played a role in the tree's massive size.

"What is this place?" I say in wonder at the sight and feel of this place, what wondrous place has the guardian taken me to? I could feel it in the air, this a sacred place maybe even more so than my ancestors' shrine.

"A filthy source of light magic!" Gnarl yelled from the crowd of minions and I let loose a long-suffering sigh as Gnarl continued speaking "That sacred oak is the heart of the forest and of course the elves placed a light crystal in the middle of it, no doubt to make it more Elvish! Ugh, Fairy gems popping up like weeds and a magic healing pond on top of it all! It makes me sick, I suggest immediate defilement of this place and draining of that crystal's magic!"

The Minions gave out a chorus of agreement and pulled out weapons, ready to defile.

The guardian turned its head to me, an unspoken question in its blue eyes and I knew not why but it gave me a spark of courage "No!" I said firmly "This p-place s-shall not be harmed!"

Gnarl scoffed "heroes" as the other Minions began to whine.

"Aw but why?"

"She hero, she no break light stuff."

"She Mistress though?"

"Me want defile!"

My hands massaged my temples, why goddess? Why must I have to rely on these creatures? I felt a ripple in the water as the guardian moved out of the pond and towards the tree as the Minion's whining and arguing grew louder. I watched through my fingers as the massive dripping wet wolf moved into the tree's roots, disappearing into it to my surprise. As the Minions continued to argue I swam towards the shore, reaching it in time for the Guardian to emerge from the roots and trotted towards me with a saddle in its jaws.

And it was quite a large saddle! Clearly meant to be used on a beast of large size and with silver engravings of vines and leaves along it and the saddlebags on its sides. I immediately knew this saddle was for the guardian for it to be used as a mount, had… had my ancestor ridden on top of this guardian into battle or its ancestor? My eyes flicked to some script on the saddle, I could recognize it as a name despite its elvish writing: Ylva.

I lock eyes with the guardian still with the question in her eyes. "Ylva… is t-that your name?" I asked her and the wolf nodded, somehow understanding me. I felt a bond form with Ylva as I stared into her eyes, this guardian of my ancestor and this forest, she who faced constant dangers to protect my ancestor and now… me.

A strength fills my heart and I clench my gauntleted left hand, as one, the Minions stop their bickering and whining and all turn to look at me. "By my command, you shall not defile this forest," I say still locking eyes with Ylva, voice clear, steady and with an authority I did not know I could muster.

A brown minion is the first to speak from the horde of Minions gathered "Yes, mistress." I could see it say it with a bow from the corner of my eye, the other Minions quickly repeating the action and words.

I break eye contact with Ylva and sink to my knees with an exhausted sigh and soggy clothes, why was that so hard? I glance over at Gnarl to see him looking back at me with a raised eyebrow.

That was about when a spray of water hit me as Ylva began to shake off the healing water she was soaked with. I sputtered as I wiped that animal smelling water from my face though the Minions… fared worse.

"AHHH IT BURNS!"

"THE LIGHT, IT BURNS US!"

"IT HEALING ME! NOOOOO!"

A group of Minions used by their fellows (and Gnarl) as importum shields were now writhing on the ground in agony, screaming and clutching their faces from the healing water. I don't understand why they would find healing to be agony.

"Well I suppose I must congratulate you, Princess, you successfully saved a giant wolf who retrieved a saddle from it's den so that it can be your mount, too much light magic involved for my liking but a giant wolf is still a giant wolf alongside the other treasures of your ancestor so this has been a fruitful endeavour," Gnarl said, stepping around the writhing Minions.

"W-will… Will they be alright?" I say with concern to the writhing and screaming Minions.

"Eh." Gnarl shrugged indifferently. "We will need to continue on, I doubt your father has given up his search along with those filthy Gnomes, and we have quite a fair bit of ground to cover." He turned his head and shouted to the Minions not writhing on the ground. "You lot! Attach the saddle to the Guardian." Causing the Minions to spring into action. Ylva for her part, laid down to give the Minions an easier time.

She is quite intelligent for a wolf.

A light breeze passes through the trees and I shiver in response, I had forgotten I am soaked to the bone! The strange warmth from the pond has now left and I am shivering in wet clothes!

"Uhh G-gnarl, do we h-have any dry c-clothes?" I chittered out and as one the writhing Minions leapt up suddenly fine and eager.

"Oh! Oh! me help Mistress get clothes!"

"Uh, uh me help Mistress!"

"Me help Mistress out of clothes!"

"No me!"

"Now, now," Gnarl said, hands raised in placation, "only an expert can help the Princess remove her clothes and as said expert, I suggest that I remove the shirt first as only my expert claws can remove the shirt with such large, wonderful… eh where'd she go?"

I had moved into a bush with the sack of dry clothes that a Minion had carried here and I luckily noticed, removing the wet clothes I was in. I peeked through the bushes, just as I finished the task of removing my shirt, back at the pond. The formerly writhing Minions and Gnarl were all scratching their heads in confusion as the Minions equipping the saddle onto Ylva finished their work. Ylva stood up and trotted over to the pond, inspecting her reflection in the still waters. She began trotting around the pond looking at her reflection before suddenly picking up speed, running and leaping around it. Minions were diving out of the way the entire time as Ylva ran tongue out and tail wagging.

On her fourth lap, Ylva suddenly raced towards the tree and gave a mighty leap into its branches, paws scraping the bark. Powerful jaws shot out towards the light crystal and latched onto a branching part of the crystal. With a loud crack a piece of the crystal broke off in its jaws and Ylva kicked off the tree, landing with enough force to send a tremor through the ground and a cursing Gnarl onto his back.

And to my eyes only, a single glowing acorn fell from the branches into a saddlebag that had opened in Ylva's activity.

A satisfied huff was my only warning before Ylva threw back her head and let loose a howl that seemed to shake the very earth more than her weight did.

"AWWOOOOOOOO!"

Minions cheered or clutched their ears as Ylva howled, the blue motes of light intensifying in brightness.

I smiled at the sight, this will be a moment I will remember fondly even with the Minions there.

A thought crossed my mind in that moment though, if I am to use Ylva as a mount how will the Minions keep up?

******​

"This. Is. Not. What. I. Expected!" I gasped out, exhausted and thirsty.

"Come on! Move those wonderfully slender legs! We need to be out of the forest by sundown!" Gnarl said from my back as I ran and carried him through the forest, leaping over roots and ducking under branches. The massive Ylva trotting beside us and a small horde of demented Minions cheered and gibbered behind me.

*******​

"Oh goddess my legs," I said as I rested against Ylva's side, rubbing my throbbing legs with healing magic. We had stopped to camp for the night and I was grateful for the reprieve. I was always told that a lady cannot engage in exercise as they lacked the fortitude for it and with my agonized legs I would agree at this moment!

"Quit your belly-aching Princess." Gnarl snapped "This is the fastest way to build up your strength or have your dainty little elf muscles finally given up?"
Ylva gave a growl and Gnarl rolled his eyes. "You can't expect me to go easy on her, what with her wanting to look like a classic Overlord for her plan."

"Ruff."

"Well of course she's too slender for the look, but with the lack of classic Overlords around I have to make do with what I've got and what I've got!"

"Wuff."

"Ugh, don't remind me of her pure-heartedness but with enough practice and armour even she would be able to bluff being an Overlord long enough to meet with the Elf King and throw the Sentinels into disarray!"

"Umm," I mumbled, gaze shifting between the massive wolf and wizened imp. "D-do you understand e-each other?"

"Hah! You think Gnarl, loyal servant of darkness, wouldn't learn... " Gnarl begins to say triumphantly before a realization crosses his face before it lands into his palm. "Of course the one royal elf who can't shoot a bow can't communicate with their guardian either. Next, she's going to say she can't even speak telepathically either!"

"W-what?!"

Gnarl buried his face further into his claws "Darkness help me, what haven't I done to deserve this? Purest elf in generations and their most useless, it'd be hilarious if I wasn't the one suffering from it."

My heart began to sink before a large wet nose nuzzles me and a growl directed at Gnarl put a small smile on my face as Gnarl threw up his claws.

"Fine! I'll admit she came up with a workable plan to ruin the sentinels, is still the heir to the continent and that she has the greatest bo… er I mean magical potential I've seen in over a thousand years (in no small part thanks to the tower heart!) but she's still an elf who can't even shoot a bow much less master the other parts of her heritage!"

I actually felt a bit defensive about that "N-no one c-can master s-something they tried once, I t-think e-even my ancestor couldn't!" I say with confidence slipping into my voice and I look to Ylva for support.

Ylva doesn't meet my eyes.

My ears droop.

"Ah, nothing like a crushed Elven spirit before a night of consulting maps and forcing Stench to scout ahead in order to find the best route forward." Gnarl sighed, stretching his limbs.

"Wait, what-what?" came the hissing reply of the suddenly visible green minion.

"You heard me! Or have you not noticed that we are venturing back into human lands! Lands filled with gossipy humans that will give away our position to the sentinels because we can't all turn invisible! Now get moving!" Gnarl snapped at Stench who quickly scurried off while Gnarl headed towards the main tent.

I remained resting against Ylva, who curled herself around me enveloping me in fur. I lay against her, eyes closed, listening to her breathing and the thrashing of Blaze as Minions threw sticks at him to burn.

Time passed and a… less Minions arguing and fighting each other calm fell over the camp. A thought has been worming itself through me, an unpleasant thought that wormed itself out of my throat into the air "... I r-really am that m-much of a failure a-aren't I?"

A sympathetic whine from Ylva was the reply but the unpleasant thought was not finished "G-Gnarl is r-right I… r-really am useless. I c-cannot fight… cannot even fire a bow or s-swing a sword!... Only f-fling uncontrollable m-magic and hope for a m-miracle."

Ylva gave another whimper and I continued nuzzling my face deeper into her fur "I w-wonder… will I be useless in saving-eek!" Ylva's massive wet nose jammed into my side, startling my head upwards into locking eyes with two blue wolven eyes.

There was both seriousness and kindness in her eyes, it… took me far too long for me to realise what her gaze was conveying, that I was stronger than I thought, that I wasn't useless.

The gaze of someone who cared for me despite the truth of my uselessness…

A kindness I had not experienced in… I cannot remember how long.

My face screwed up, tears began to fall and sobs of both sadness and happiness erupted from my throat.

I cried into her fur until I fell asleep, the one being in the world other than Grandpapa who truly cared for me. Something my father tried to deny me.

The last feeling I had before falling asleep was feeling a breeze blowing through the campsite on the tips of my pointed ears.

And the ominous smell of distant smoke that the breeze carried.



Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

The morning was sunny but we could all smell the rain coming, a fact Gnarl was gleeful about.

"While the humans cower in their houses from a bit of rain we will be able to use it to sneak past any villages we encounter and make a fair bit of progress on our journey north, though a bit more soggy than preferable… what? I'm not a blue, I can only take so much soggy misery before my old bones start to ache."

So now we waited, Gnarl went back to consulting maps, the other Minions either milling about or (in the case of the larger browns) patrolling the camp edge, Ylva rested in the shade of a tree and I chose to train for the journey ahead.

A training… that I was not succeeding at, as another arrow fell short, in the wrong direction, and the tree trunk I was attempting to hit remained mockingly unmarred. It did not help that my failure had drawn a crowd of Minions who were cheering on my failure and exchanging all manner of things in some kind of crude form of gambling just as the priests had warned me creatures of sin would do.

I guess they were right about one thing…

Though I can't help but feel horrible for the Minions who were betting on me exclusively, it felt like I was betraying their trust every time they lost a bet, leaving them with fewer and fewer belongings until they had nought but their loincloths… that they were now betting.

With sudden motivation I took aim again, pulling the bowstring taut and stilling my breath. Then when my arms started to wobble from the strain of holding the bowstring taut, I released it. The arrow flew from the bow as the string snapped forward and struck the tree… lower than where I was aiming for but I still struck the tree!

A rather embarrassing noise of triumph erupted from me at that moment and the grumbling of the Minions who just lost their bets were drowned out by the cheers of those that just won back all they had lost, something which warmed my heart. Even if they are creatures of evil, they still believed in me and I cannot stand to see them lose everything because of my inadequacies.

"Yay mistress!" One shouts which I respond with a smile as I turn to look at the Minions. "She almost hit Stench!"

"Wha-?" I say, utterly confused as I whirl back around, sure enough, there was the green Minion Stench in front of the tree quivering as he looked up at the arrow which nearly struck him in the forehead.

I gasped in shock, why was he there! I could have severely hurt him!

Gnarl interrupted my shock by yelling, "Stench! There you are, you useless sack of pus! Report!" He strode up towards us, as I continued to gape at the Minion.

Stench, to his credit, immediately regained his composure. "Found path to be sneaky-sneaky, only village near path busy-busy with making ladies burn and hang-hang."

"Burn and hang?" Me and Gnarl both say at the same time, me with a stutter of horror and Gnarl with a more questioning tone.

"Yes-yes, villagers rounding up ladies, little ones and big ones, call em witches, traitors! Fancy priest leading it, lots-lots of fancy guards!"

"A witch hunt!" Gnarl hissed as I struggled to comprehend what I was hearing, a witch hunt… I had heard the priests mention witches before, evil female magic users who cursed and hexed the innocent but that was all I knew about them, for the priests had considered even my healing magic to be witchcraft and wrecked all manner of horrific punishments on me for it. At least until my father put a stop to the worst of it after a series of punishments conducted by the Archbishop, one of the few times I had seen him furious on my behalf… Though I now wonder if there was an ulterior motive behind it.

A horrific thought crossed my mind at that moment, if even my healing magic was considered witchcraft by the priests, are these women being killed truly evil? Stench said big ones and little ones are being killed… Oh goddess, could the little ones be children? What could ever justify harming children?

Gnarl paced back and forth, ignoring my growing horror. "There hasn't been a witch hunt for a hundred years! At least officially, plenty of moronic peasants murdering each other at the drop of a pitchfork this past century." Gnarl paused his pace and stroked his goatee. "I'm willing to bet an infected scab that the 'fancy priest' is none other than the local Bishop, Edwin Knife, corrupt, greedy and more in common with a bandit than a man of the cloth, though not so good with knives or so the rumours say. If not for his fanaticism I'd call him a shining example of corruption in institutions… Eh, why do you look like you've swallowed Quaver's mystery stew with extra mystery?"

"The mystery is where I found the worms!" Quaver says with a singsong tone as I struggle to word my horror at the first horrific revelation.

"I k-know B-bishop K-knife, he'd s-serve as one of my t-tutors when the A-archbishop was not a-available." I say with a shudder, rubbing my arms where there were no scars.

"Ah, lemme guess, he was the cruel and merciless tutor who used creative punishments whenever you made a mistake, a classic stereotype," Gnarl responded with a sneer.

I shake my head "N-no, he w-was u-unpleasant and s-strict b-but g-goddess h-help me I c-could not s-see him d-doing t-this!" I say holding my arms, Bishop Knife didn't even use the lash as much as my other tutors and never to the point of the screams and the blood that the others… Enjoyed.

Gnarl seemed genuinely taken aback before stroking his goatee again "You think you know a corrupt official… If what you say is true then he must have been ordered by the Archbishop to perform this witch hunt, or I was mistaken and it was the Archbishop that Stench saw."

"B-but why, w-why do… any of t-this!"

"Simple, convenient scapegoats. With your 'possession' the Empire probably needs to look like they're doing something without actually doing anything, hence the murdering of defenseless women," Gnarl said before chuckling to himself, "And they call this an enlightened age! Oh it's so good to see that fear and paranoia being exploited by those of ill-intention will always be a constant, and look! The rain is just about to come down! This day just keeps getting even more wonderfully bad!"

I just stared in horror at Gnarl, opening my mouth to retort only for a very large wet nose to touch my neck (and back of my head) causing an inadvertent gasp to leave my lips. I look back to see two very large sorrowful eyes looking into mine, the meaning clear.

… That there was nothing I could do and that we needed to move on.

A drop of water chose to fall from the sky and land on my nose at that very moment and a glance upwards revealed a turbulent sky, heavy with rain. Gnarl took that moment to begin directing the Minions to prepare for departure, leaving me and Ylva in the middle of the camp.

I continued to look towards the sky as more and more raindrops began to fall, people are dying because of my father's lies, because of me.

Why… Why must this be happening?

*****​

"Stop splashing you fools, the rain can't hide everything!" Gnarl hisses from the top of an annoyed Ylva as we made our way in the strangest column ever through a large ditch at the edge of a farmer's field. The heavens were content to drop all its contents upon our heads as we did so, making the ground muddy and difficult to traverse. My ancestor's cloak kept out the worst of it however, leaving me surprisingly warm… An enchantment maybe?

Poor Ylva on the other hand was having the most difficulty, her white fur was matted with mud by the Minions to camouflage her but her sheer size meant she had to crawl on her belly whenever there was a chance of her being spotted… which was more frequent than not as the land had little in the way of hiding. It also prevented her from sinking into the mud more than she already did, her massive size being a detriment to cross the muddy fields.

The Minions struggled as well but seemed experienced with this kind of trek, Gnarl reassured me they had made this kind of trek many times before and so far it seemed like they indeed had done similar, their constant chatter and other sounds had softened to a whisper while they crawled and sneaked their way through the fields with surprising quickness though burdened with baggage and supplies, enjoying the filth that soon covered them all the while with only the occasional reprimand from Gnarl, who had taken the opportunity to crawl on top of Ylva while she was focused on remaining hidden.

I did not join Gnarl on top of Ylva, I did not deserve such luxury, choosing instead to sneak beside the Minions in the mud. To my own surprise, it appeared I had a much easier time sneaking through the muddy fields than the Minions did, my footing being far surer and noticeably less muddy. Gnarl scoffed when he noticed, and told me to use my "elven grace" to keep an eye out for any trouble alongside Stench.

So I did… At least I assume Stench did, in the few moments I could see him before he vanished before my eyes. I was in my head, focusing on the atrocity that was happening because of me.

The more I thought about it the more I could not understand it even with Gnarl's explanation. Was it truly like my own situation? The word of who even I had thought was holy over someone accused of being corrupted by evil? The word of my father had convinced those farmers that I had fallen to evil after my encounter with the Dread Lord but that was the plan of the sentinels after I failed to die to their plot. But these were peasant women, women who I had never met in a part of the Empire I had never travelled to… Why kill them? What connected them to me? I needed to find out more, find out why this was happening.

Find out what I could do to make it right...

"Mistress should focus-focus." The hissing voice of Stench startles me out of my thought "Elf eyes see-see more than Stench"

"I-i'm s-sorry!" I quickly apologize, nearly falling over a patch of slick ground. "I c-cannot get it o-out of my head, t-that… A-atrocity!"

"But Mistress no-no see it?" Stench says striding into view "Always best-best to see atrocity, stick-stick better in head that way."

"E-eh? Y-you'd show me?" I respond, focusing on the Green and foul-smelling Minion with all my attention.

"No, need-need." Stench replies before pointing to the northeast where I could see trails of chimney smoke even through the rain. "It over there-there… why Mistress run-run in direction?"

I ignore him as I run through the fields, alongside the ripening crops in the muddy ground. The spur of a split-second decision pushed me forward despite all sense telling me to stay away. I had to see it with my own eyes, I had to know why this happened!

I could hear Gnarl behind me. "Now Princess, what do your elf eyes… eh? Where she'd go? Stench where is she… Hello? You there?"

I'm running closer and closer to the village. I could see the furthest of the thatched roof houses now despite my blurring vision and just a bit further I would be in the village proper.

At least until something small and extremely foul-smelling grabbed my cloak and caused me to fall face-first into the mud as while the grab was not enough to yank me back, it still threw me off balance. "No, Mistress!" came the hissing whisper of Stench as I gag and spit due to the mud and extremely foul smell. "You no think-think like Green! Get caught!"

"P-please l-let m-me g-go!" My voice came out trembling even more than usual, so filled with emotion that it was a miracle I could say anything. "I h-have t-t-t-to k-know!"

"Stench know how properly sneak-sneak into village, me tell you how!"

I blink and look back at the Green lizard-like Minion holding my cloak. "H-huh?"

******​

This was a terrible plan.

I didn't understand how walking up the main road, in full view of the village with only my muddy cloak with hood pulled over my face to hide my identity could be considered sneaking but Stench had all but forced me to do this, he had called this was the best way to enter the village. "Bushes no good-good view, Mistress can't be invisible like Stench." he had said, arguing that with a disguise and deepening my voice I would be able to walk right up to the… horror without any of the villagers becoming suspicious because "peasants dumb-dumb."

I did not think the villagers were "dumb-dumb" (oh heavens I have spent too long with the Minions) and will easily see through my disguise but I was so distraught, so desperate to see this with my own eyes that I was mainly going along with this just so that Stench could let me proceed to the village. Now that I was actually approaching along the main road, fear brought reason to my mind over my other emotions. What madness gripped me that I thought this was a good plan? Why am I still walking forward?

I could see the layout of the village clearly now, several dozen thatch-roofed buildings surrounding a church to my father's god in the centre of the village, the stone belltower visible even at the edge of the village. I could hear laughter and conversation from the buildings from the villagers who took shelter from the rain as I walked past them with my boots squelching in the mud, not a hint in the voices from the buildings of what had happened here.

I could not understand how that was possible.

No one looked out or greeted me as I entered the village and walked towards the church, Stench was indeed correct that I would not be able to see from the bushes, the buildings blocked any view and even me walking up the road could not get a good view until I walked past a house and…

"Oh gods," I whisper to myself, I now stood before the church in the village square and saw a sight that rivalled some of the worst in the Dread Lord's lair. Charred skeletons lay in a heap at the base of a burnt stake, broken to the point I could not tell who they were in life but the killing was not just limited to burning. Three cloaked and hooded men were loading blue-skinned corpses into carts, their broken and bruised necks showing what killed them and oh what a horrible sight! Girls who could be no older than six lay alongside women who shared my age and those who were wrinkled with the weight of many seasons, all had bulging eyes and lolling tongues and stripped to only their underclothes.

I stood rock still as I attempted to desperately disbelieve what I was seeing until one of the men, a man with a sunburnt nose and cheeks who I assumed was a farmer noticed me. "Oi traveller!" He shouted at me, "Might want to get to the tavern, this storm will soak even your bones!" Not seeing my face through the storm or my hood.

Stench's words on how to disguise myself comes back to me in that moment and nodding my head down further (which is hopefully non-suspicious considering the wind shifted) and speaking with a deepened tone I said, "W-what happened here?" my voice cracking into high pitched tones much like the young nobles at the palace whenever they spoke in my presence.

The men stared at me and I froze, oh what a fool I am! Curse my morbid curiosity and listening to Stench!

Then the men started to laugh before the sunburnt farmer waved his arm in the air and addressed his fellows. "Quit your laughing lads, can't you see you're embarrassing the poor boy! Hehehe." He snorts before addressing me again "Sorry about that, Lads just having a bit of fun with ya, not like we all didn't go through the same thing when we were your age."

I cocked my head, did they think I was a boy? I suppose I should count my blessings that my cloak was expansive enough to hide my… very non-masculine features from their eyes. But that moment of relief was dampened by the horror of how casual they were being in the scene of nightmares.

The sunburnt farmer seemed to notice my obvious tension and grew sombre. "Ah, I guess this is a grim sight to stumble across especially if you've been travelling. This is the result of the evil times we are in, my friend."

I stare at him before looking at the corpses. "H-h-how?" I choke out, feeling bile rising in my throat as I looked at the open sightless eyes. It was so horrific, so vile that my disgust and horror overwhelmed me and the rose and rose until I could contain it no more and spewed it upon the ground.

The men winced, moving to help only to be dissuaded by a wave of my non-gauntleted hand as I gasped for breath. "Easy there lad, nothing to be ashamed of." Came the sympathetic voice of the sunburnt farmer as I gasped at the ground "Never a pleasant sight, the dead, but take some solace in the knowledge that these corpses are those who got what they deserved."

I tensed again, bent over a puddle of my stomach's contents but the man clearly took it to mean something else as he said, "Hard to believe it ain't it, but ever since the Princess had been taken by evil… Well, things needed to be done."

My stomach painfully churned as the man continued to speak with pride in his voice. "Our most holy archbishop had long warned of the dangers of magic and of witches in league with the forces of darkness, good men had taken his sermons to heart and recognized that the Princess' being taken by evil must have long been planned." A mad glint came to his eyes. "Witch hunters they call themselves, men whose divine duty is to hunt down witches no matter what guise they pick for themselves for only a small donation of gold!"

One of the other men piped up. "Yeah, one of them was me own daughter! Playing with frogs and such!" the man shook his head. "Should have hit her more… might have beaten the evil out of her."

"Don't feel bad, that one was marked from birth like the witch hunter said besides, she's on the cart with the rest of em now." The sunburnt man said sympathetically to the other man for the truly evil thing he said.

His own daughter… Something was building inside me at that admission of evil, something that was beginning to eclipse my horror and fueled by my guilt.

"Anyway," The sunburnt farmer addressed me again "the great thing about these witch hunters is that the blasted Bishop can't interfere!"

That shook me out of my emotions for a moment as the man continued, "Came here with those thugs he calls guards all demanding and ordering, saying that the witch hunters were undermining the church's authority for years now if you can believe that!" The men laugh. "Should have seen his face when the Archbishop's holy knights showed up to back up the witch hunter! Paler than the dead!"

A more timid looking man farthest from me spoke up with a shudder. "I'd be pale too if I had to speak to that creepy hooded fella leading them."

The sunburnt man glared at his companion. "That be a holy man you be speaking about, waved a staff and knew exactly who was the most guilty out of all of them witches, taking them out of our hands and into the hands of the Empire's new inquisition!"

"Shame the witch hunter didn't join em or stick around to watch that no good bishop slink off defeated, I think they were so awestruck by the Archbishop's Knights that they took our donations and ran off to hunt more witches that very hour!"

"Aye, hope they have as much luck in the next village as they had here, right lad? Lad? You alright?" The man gave me a quizzical expression as what he said rolled around in my head. These men were worse than I thought, whose crime was stoking the black coals of rage in me to a degree I did not think possible. They murdered their neighbours and daughters at the word of a stranger!

"Course he's not alright, Lad's soaked and shivering and I'm not faring much better meself! You gabbed too long and we've got to dump these bodies!"

I spare another look at the corpses and an overwhelming desire to exact justice on these men filled me to near bursting. With my magic, I could do so easily… I could feel the gauntlet responding, energy building within it.

"Why didn't you lot stop me! God help me, Lad you better head to the tavern before you freeze, we'll catch up in a bit."

… But a voice from within me, like a soothing stream, snuffed out those coals in an instant before it could ever burst into flame and asked me with a bottomless sorrow what would that solve beyond the death of these men? They are not threatening me and the village would only see me using magic against their neighbours, justifying their hatred. I've already learned they would not believe my words, not over the lies of their Emperor…

It is a bitter painful truth but I can't deny it: I can't do anything here and I hate it… I hate it so much.

With a great ache in my heart, I turn away from the men and walk away... boots sloshing in the mud heavy with guilt, hearing only the rain and the complaints of the sunburnt farmer's fellows behind me. "Do ya have to exposit to everyone who comes up and asks what we're doing?"

I quickly increase my pace to walk away from their sight, away from the village, and into the fields where no one in the village can see me.

I hate not being able to do anything for those women, something to give them justice for this grave crime against them. I hate myself for giving these witch hunters the excuse to murder these women, how many women have died in the years…

Years? Wait, but Gnarl said… and an Inquisition as well? Only Father can call an Inquisition into being and he hated the very idea of it despite the archbishop begging him to create it when mother died.

I don't understand how-

"Mistress find-find what she looking for?"

I nearly jump out of my skin. "S-stench! Y-you f-followed me!"

"Yes-Yes mistress! Stench follow and hear-hear all about witchys, inquisition and bishops fighting!'' The now visible creature said proudly "Gnarl be very interested to hear-hear about that!"

My eyes narrow as a swell of anger comes. "W-women died!" I nearly shout at Stench before biting my tongue and looking back at the village. The rain was still coming down but I am not so void of sense to risk shouting.

Stench just gives me a quizzical look before simply saying, "So?"

And with that my sense had left me. "So?! They died because of me! Innocent women who were just victims of insane men and my father's lies!" I shout at Stench, the wind picked up in that moment, spraying an even greater torrent of rain into my back as tears flowed freely. "I let their murderers w-walk away!"

"Mistress smart-smart! No trail for sentinels to follow-follow!" Stench says happily over the raging wind before his ears droop. "No stabs-stabs though."

A maddened laughing sob erupts from me. "O-of course t-that's what's i-important!" I shout at Stench with the wind becoming a tempest as I spoke, "M-my safety! Not the innocent!"

Stench seemed to be getting more frantic as he began to yell but I couldn't hear him, not over the wind that was blowing with ever greater force, turning rain into bullets that stung my flesh even threw the cloak.

But I ignored it, my grief, my guilt was too strong. "Not the p-people who died because of YIKES!" Until Stench grabbed the front of my cloak and pulled me to the ground forcing mud and muddy water into far too many places. I hear something whoosh over my head followed by a substantially sized branch hitting the ground just beyond us.

"Mistress do hero guilt-guilt thing later! Storm go bad-bad!" Stench yells as I stare wide-eyed at the branch that would have likely cracked opened my skull as I blankly nod.

And as I stand up I become acutely aware of just how bad the storm has become as the wind catches my cloak and I fall back onto the muddy ground. How was this even possible? It had rained for hours with no hint of a storm of this power coming!

"Get-get on ground!" Stench yells as he curls up into a ball to try and weather the storm. I follow suit, feeling the rain pounding on my back and my guilt being replaced by fear at the ferocity of this sudden storm.

Until just as suddenly it stopped.

"Huh?" I hear Stench exclaim as we both look up, the storm's ferocity had vanished, replaced by only a light drizzle.

"W-what was t-t-t-t-that storm?" I ask as I stand up, soaked to the bone and beginning to be chilled. It had appeared out of nowhere as I spoke… as if summoned by my guilt.

Stench shrugged, "Gnarl would know-know. Find them now, get mistress warm-warm."

I nodded, teeth chattering guilt momentarily forgotten.

******​

At least until we stepped into a nearby copse of trees and found some very muddy Minions and Ylva huddled around a very angry Blaze in an attempt to dry.

"You know it's strange, this is one of the few times I am absolutely furious at a hero's IMMENSE STUPIDITY!" an extremely muddy Gnarl admonishes me. "You absolute fool of a hero! You risked discovery and my… I mean our continued safety to see a bunch of corpses!"

Ylva stood next to Gnarl and nodded at his words, disappointment clear in her gaze. "See! Even the bloody guardian agrees with me! And it's a disgusting light magic creature! … Oh don't give me that look, you overgrown fleabag… Yes, I can call you that after you threw me from your back!"

I averted my gaze from both of them, guilt gnawing heavily at me. "P-people died b-because of me…" I say, Gnarl's anger I could understand but the fact Ylva agreed with it… hurt.

"Just the most recent excuse according to what Stench told us along with that other juicy information, but he will be punished regardless." Gnarl nodded towards a group of Minions who advanced on a tied and gagged Stench, soap in their claws. "Honestly you hero types blame yourselves for everything, 'oh I was in the general area and a village burned down at some point, now I will get all depressed because I couldn't save them'."

I close my eyes, hands clenching.

"Oh, one of the filthy peasants stubbed their toe when they looked at me? Let me use incredibly powerful magic to heal it!"

I open my eyes but still averted my gaze, feeling something brewing within.

He just sneered and continued in his mocking tone. "Oh, a flower wilted! My life is shattered!"

A mumble comes from my lips.

Gnarl cupped one of his long ears. "What's that, some excuse for the stupidity of heroes or just your own heroic stupidity?"

Something snapped within me in that moment, a dam finally burst and I looked at him right in the eyes and I repeated what I had mumbled under my breath.

"I SAID SHUT UP YOU VILE WRETCH!"

Silence fell over the Minions and each one, including the formerly struggling Stench and Blaze, looked towards me now, eyes wide and jaws agape, even Ylva seemed shocked by my outburst. Gnarl mimicked his Minion brethren with a look of utter shock.

For me, I simply panted from the strength and shock of my outburst before moving past all of them to sit as close to Blaze as I could, legs to my chest and tears in my eyes, stewing in my guilt.





This took far too long to get out.

Thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

 

[Bag of Bones]

"You! You have dared to use foul witchcraft in front of a man of god!" The Archbishop said, voice shaking, his plump and pockmarked face nearly purple from barely contained rage. "You, the child of our most holy emperor and his heir, how do you confess before God your sin?"

I merely whimpered past the gag he had ordered stuffed in my mouth, disbelieving what was occurring as the other priests tied my limbs down, fingers placed in a device whose nature I did not know. What had I done wrong? Why do these things to me?

The archbishop looked down on me with a gaze of hate, as if he was expecting I could do anything other than whimper "We will see if you are still pure and worthy of being your father's daughter, tighten the pilnie-winks!"

"NO!" I scream as I startle awake from the cold ground to bird song and murmurs, it took me a moment to realize where I was and what the daylight streaming from the trees above meant. I had slept through the rain into the daylight of the next day. A curious and muffled murmur drew my attention as Blaze, who had not moved from last night and was still bound like he always was, looking at me with a concerned look on his face.

And he was not the only one.

"Mistress, have bad sleep vision?" asked one brown Minion of the several that surrounded me.

This concern surprised me, I had not thought them capable of such concern especially after what I had done the day before. "N-no, j-just a b-bad dream," I responded, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and glad that the heat that Blaze produced was more than enough to dry me from the storm of yesterday.

"Oh. Okay!" and like nothing at all happened they all turned back to whatever task they were doing before my awakening interrupted them.

… I probably should not have expected anything else.

Nor should I have nearly jumped out of my skin when a massive wet nose pressed itself into the back of my neck. "Ylva!" I yelp, twisting around to see the… now caked in dry mud Ylva looking at me with concern, which flooded my heart with emotion. "Oh, Ylva!"

I leap forward and bury my face into her furry neck, tears in my eyes and for a moment we stood there, me the useless girl and her the ever majestic, ever patient, ever giant wolf in this copse at the edge of the surrounding farms. It was a moment of peace, one out of a story.

"Awwww, it so storybook nice it make me puke blaaaaaarg!'' I hear a Minion interrupt the moment.

Ignoring the vomiting Minion I ask Ylva, "D-do you h-hate me for y-yesterday?"

All her response was to move her head in such a way that I sunk deeper into her neck fur as more Minions go, "Awwwww!" followed by a "BLLAAAARG!"

I sniff, my face a mess from tears and the dirt in Ylva's fur. "th-thank you... so much… g-goddess are they still v-vomiting?"

With a huff, Ylva walks back from my grasp (to the relief of the Minions) and looks down at me, sympathy in her expression, I could not help but to look away out of guilt, saying "I'm s-sorry for p-putting us all at r-risk… I h-had to k-know… h-had to see-bleh!" only to be cut off by a massive wolf tongue licking me, covering my front in wolf slobber. "Ylva!"

Ylva just lies on her belly and nuzzles my chest (at least as much as her giant nose allowed), big wolf eyes looking into mine, a smile comes to my lips then and I begin stroking her large snout "Y-you do not want me to be sad." I say softly, as I stroke her snout but then I frown, my thoughts still fixated "I k-know I s-shouldn't have t-taken such a r-risk b-but a-after all the c-cruelty the a-archbishop p-put me through… t-to k-know o-others are s-suffering worse than I ever did…"

Ylva's eyes suddenly focus on me with an incredible intensity as I continued speaking, "T-the b-beatings and the… and the t-t-t-torture! I r-remember it so c-clearly… h-how they h-hated me, h-how everything I d-did was w-wrong and needed to be p-p-punished!" I close my eyes and grimace as the memories come flooding back "The p-poker, the w-whip, and all t-the o-other t-tools of p-pain t-that they i-inflicted on me… t-they s-said c-couldn't go too far b-because I was the p-princess but these w-women…"

More and more memories came flooding back at a rate that I could not manage, I remember them laughing as they waved a red hot poker near my wrist as I screamed and begged. The whip strike against my back, punishment for improperly speaking the lord's prayer, again and again for each failed attempt, each stutter. My vision fading, in and out, blood from their blows pooling around me as the priests who I would never see again, greed in their eyes as they tore at my dress… until my father grabbed one of them to their shock, sword in hand, rage clear on his face, rage he only ever showed to me. Still more flashes of their cruelty before that point hit me, more and more in a swirl of pain and horror.

It was so sudden, so horrible that my knees buckled from the onslaught, only Ylva's snout held me from falling to the ground.

A cry from Ylva and shouts of "Mistress!" from the Minions brought me back to reality for a moment, weakness in my limbs, my stomach lurching and my breath rapid. My eyes lock onto Ylva's and I saw fear in her eyes, as if me collapsing was one of the most terrifying things she had ever seen.

"What in the abyss is going on!" came the angry voice of Gnarl, and I grimace… that creature was one of the last beings I wanted to see right now.

"Mistress fall down!" One of the minions eloquently put.

"The mistress was speaking of torture that the archbishop dared to perform on her before she collapsed." Mortis, who I had not noticed was around, said much more clearly.

Gnarl, to my surprise, gave a confused "eh?" before Ylva made a series of noises, her eyes never leaving me.

Gnarl sputtered "Pokers, whips? She's a maiden princess and the bloody heir of the empire! The archbishop would be tried for treason and be given a slow death! That's not even going into what King Ilimitar would do! For an elf, you really have to respect his capacity for vengeance… and extensive body count."

Ylva growled and I could practically hear the roll of Gnarl's eyes "Oh don't give me that! There's not a scar on her body and if she did go through all that Ilimitar would know it all the moment he laid eyes on her!" Another growl "Yes, I know the Emperor wants her dead but he was planning to kill her in a specific manner that would absolve him of any blame! And besides, anyone harming the princess would be considered the same as harming the Emperor! It's the law! You think he would allow himself to look that weak by allowing it!"

"H-he did… a-allow it" I gasp out trying to catch my breath, memories surfacing again causing me to cling onto Ylva's snout harder, the punishments he would allow… whenever he couldn't inflict them on me, it was not till I was well into my thirteenth year of life that things began to change and the demands of our respective stations meant we rarely saw each other in private and even rarer spoke to one another, the years between punishment grew longer. Just punishment I once thought before I knew the truth. But… Grandpapa should have been able to know, Gnarl was right, he seemed to know even the most intimate details about a person from even a glance but… he never noticed what happened to me.

Gnarl scoffed as I struggled mentally to piece together this revelation "Probably no more than a rap on the knuckles! Something a delicate Elven princess would be mortified by and not worthy of attention by an elf king! Besides, only the most subtle and powerful of mind magic could fool his sight and that, dear princess, would require extensive preparation with enchantments and potions before each and every meeting you would have with your grandfather to say nothing of suppressing the long term effects such abuse would have on your mind."

Extensive preparation with enchantments and potions? There was the preparation before each meeting with grandpapa but his visits were always lavish affairs befitting his status as a king. I had to rehearse before each meeting as per my role as a princess as these visits were still a formal meeting, often without my ladies-in-waiting, with special tutors that I… can't remember the faces of… and I was placed on an even stricter diet to prepare for the feast we would have, given a special… broth.

I swear in that instant my blood froze, Ylva's eyes widened, no doubt seeing the realization on my face but I spoke before she could do anything, "H-how w-would these w-w-work?"

I could hear Gnarl tap his chin as I stared into Ylva's eyes, to reassure either her or myself I knew not which, before Gnarl spoke again "Well if your trying to hide things from the elf king outright removing the memories would be too obvious for someone of Ilimitar's skill to not notice. Suppression would be the method I would use, burying it under enhanced positive memories and emotions, artificial memories of sufficient craftsmanship could work as a supplement but that would only work for just one memory, long term abuse would require masterwork mental manipulation and charms to hide the signs, replace fear with love… but Ilimitar is a master at noticing subtle details… so maybe… but no that would not work…" Gnarl trailed off muttering to himself as he imagined every possible way they could have reshaped my mind without Grandpapa noticing while I was left more and more horrified with every word Gnarl spoke, they did all this to my mind… to just hide their crimes against me? I never noticed what they were doing to me, never questioned… but how could I? How could I do anything!

Before I could fully comprehend it Gnarl spoke again, "Well princess this has been quite the thought experiment on how to hide things from the gaze of King Ilimitar but it's wholly unnecessary, anyone competent would know that it's too much effort to go through all that, far simpler to just show some basic patience and pretend love to win over your victims trust before stabbing them in the back. Oh, that look of shock and hurt at the moment of betrayal makes it all truly worth the years of planning." Gnarl trails off with nostalgia in his voice before snapping back into a lecturing tone "The mind is a fragile complicated thing, push too far and things can break beyond repair especially if you're having to near constantly suppress new memories, why if they truly had to suppress the memories of torture from your mind the most vivid and earliest memories would come rushing back the moment they couldn't control your mind and as we all know that hasn't happened because the risk from the side effects would be… why are you looking at me like that's exactly what you have been experiencing?"

I was looking at Gnarl now in abject horror. "W-what s-side effects? What have they done to me!" I yell with more force and anger than intended. I was sickened and fearful, beyond any capacity of restraint now. I was free of them now but what had their sick… vile… Violation left for me to suffer with!

Gnarl actually looked nervous as he spoke, "W-well the mental magic would act as a dam, without constant reinforcement or continuous mental abuse it would eventually burst, years of trauma all hitting the mind at once but even before that point leaks would happen, the charms would, of course, be lifting near-instantly the moment the barriers couldn't be reinforced but there's the risk of flashes of old memories surfacing at the worst time or worse, cause mental damage. Incredibly risky if you're trying to hide memories from the Elf King which is why you couldn't have gone through all that! The sentinels would have to be utter incompetents to continuously risk their plans just to get their jollies off on abusing a helpless Elf Maiden! Now sure it's a trap villains can fall into but at least give us some credit, we're evil!"

I stared at Gnarl for a moment longer as I processed everything he said before a madden sobbing laugh erupted from me as everything broke. "Of course! T-that's why he s-stopped then! B-because too m-much pain w-would break his c-control of my mind! E-even then he c-could not help h-himself!" tears are flowing down my face, and I was sickened to my core, my mind was violated! Continuously! And the worse part of it was that it was because they couldn't stop themselves from hurting me! Something was building in me as I ranted "I t-trusted him! L-loved him! M-my father! A-and now I f-find out they c-couldn't even g-give me the choice for that to be r-real, even if he d-didn't love me back! Because they were so pointlessly cruel!"

Gnarl, with a surprising amount of meekness, said, "N-now see here! We don't know exactly what they did to your mind and how much was just-"

I glared at him and yelled, "I don't care! W-what they c-could have done… no what t-they d-did was e-enough! T-they t-took away my m-mother! My g-grandmother! I c-can no longer trust my own mind because of them! Worst of all, t-they are killing and t-torturing i-innocents as w-we speak! F-for what? Pointless c-cruelty! It just won't end!"

"Then end it mistress, glub." came the… glub of Mortis, I look to him and see him standing in a crowd of minions, their glowing eyes all looking at me expectantly. "You are the Overlord, the ender of empires and we minions will carry out your vengeance at your merest word… glub."

Vengeance? The word somehow shocked some tiny bit of reason back into me… use the Minions to deliver vengeance on my father for what he did to me?

I didn't like how that sounded… My father and the Sentinels have committed terrible, terrible crimes against me but… I saw those girls, murdered for nothing, how many more are dying because of the vileness of my father? "This has to end," I say, surprising myself with the lack of stutter, from the corner of my eyes I saw both Ylva and Gnarl looking at me… almost expectantly. "For those girls… for my mother… for me… for everyone else who has or is suffering because of them… the sentinels have to be stopped and brought to justice." As the words left my mouth I felt as if I had just walked off a precipice but a strange calmness settled over me regardless.

I heard Gnarl sneer under his breath, "Chosen of the mother goddess." like a curse as Ylva simply nodded at me, pity and sorrow in her eyes but also a flash of… pride?

The Minions just looked slightly disappointed.
"Aw, no fighting."
"Course there be fighting, Sentinels want kill Mistress!"
"Oh yeah…"
"Yay, we get to fight big empire!"
"Two big empires!"
"I stole pants!"
"... Wait, that my pants."

Mortis simply bowed. "As the mistress desires, so shall it be done."

I sank to the ground onto my knees, energy utterly spent, ignoring the minions trying to process my declaration. Only my grandfather had the power to stop the Sentinels, I had simply stated what needed to be done and if they now wished to aid him in that task if… When we rescue him… Then I suppose I should take that as a positive outcome.

I shudder inadvertently. Despite the strange calmness that afflicted me for my declaration, I was still shaken by the revelations that Gnarl had given me and the events of yesterday still burned in my mind on top of it. From what I understood of what Gnarl said… I could lose my mind at any moment because of my father… how do I process that? All the pain, all the horror that he inflicted on me, all hitting my mind at once… a mind that was shaped by him to just hide his cruelty.

Ylva's snout brushed against my side and with only a glance towards her I began stroking it. "Oh, Ylva…" I whisper to her, "w-what will b-become of me? E-everyday t-things just seem like they w-will get worse and worse, n-now I learn m-my own mind will t-turn against me… w-what should I do?"

"Well for one you can stop moaning." came the reply of Gnarl, and I cursed myself for not foreseeing that this vile creature will just saunter up and ruin whatever peace or calm I find for myself "Can only hear so much before it gets old."

"W-what do you w-want?" I state bitterly to the old minion.

"Do you remember what that sentinel you vaporized said, that he was the Emperor of Darkness' equal?"

"W-what does t-that have to do with a-anything!" I snap at him, after everything that happened why would he bring up something so… "W-wait why w-would that man be equal to s-someone who c-controls the Dread Lords?"

"Ah, so your brains aren't scrambled yet, just checking." I glared at him with all the fury I could muster. "It is also strange that an archbishop could get away with torturing a princess don't you think?"

"Y-you believe me now?" I ask, still glaring at the Minion, who simply shrugged. "W-what are you i-implying? T-that my f-father is e-equal in status to these o-other s-sentinels?"

"Well, that and something far more delicious." Gnarl's face broke into a broken tooth grin. "that the sentinels, so-called paragons of order, can't control their other members! How wonderfully chaotic."

I narrow my eyes at him. "A-and h-how does that m-matter now?"

Gnarl simply tented his fingers and continued to grin at me, some dark scheme being hatched behind his yellow eyes. "Oh it doesn't, not yet anyway… but you should learn Princess, when presented with the opportunity evil always finds a way."

*****​

Far away from Gnarl being pointlessly cryptic at me for little reason as I struggled to come to terms with my possible fate Oh come on, that was the perfect set-up that I had to take! Evil always finds a way! To be unnecessarily dramatic and unhelpful… and you didn't even come up with a plan, you just tried to make me think you did!

… Wasn't I supposed to be… The story! Oh uhhhh Ahem… In a dimly lit windowless hidden room of the Palace, a conversation between the Emperor of Light and the Emperor of Darkness was occurring.

Emperor Matthias Armathain, with his prim and proper clothes, white hair, goatee and mustache paced before a mirror that reflected not himself but a shadowed figure with only an outline of his armoured form and two fiery red eyes visible. Fiery red eyes that watched the Emperor of Light pace back and forth before, seemingly bored of the display, the Emperor of Darkness spoke with a calm voice, "Pacing will not find the Chosen sooner, Matthias."

"Emperor Matthias!" Matthias Armathain snapped at the figure in the mirror, veins bulging and spittle flying. "And how can you be so calm? That abomination still somehow eludes us, and to make matters worse a council member and contingent of your Snaga-hai have gone missing in my lands! Calmness now does not maintain order!"

"Lands that still hold many hidden dangers in the wilderness such as the old elven ruins, many that could even pose a threat to my Snaga-hai while leaving the chosen unharmed and if I recall… you and the mind mage were telling the council that the 'weak-willed' chosen will go mad soon making her easy for us to find… Unless that isn't the case?"

"Of course, it's still the case, what are you implying?"

"That she is still the chosen, and that may mean she has a far stronger will than believed, despite you and Archbishop John's extraordinary efforts to break her, a will strong enough to elude us and withstand the… fortunate side effect of your spell."

Matthias Armathain scoffed. "Extraordinary effort! Bah! I do not like your implication Xarrith! That blasted archbishop nearly ruined everything with his unauthorized indulgence all those years ago! I maintained discipline! I maintained obedience! Why without my control we would have had an uncontrollable wild thing years before now! Nothing like that archbishop dared perform under my nose!"

"Forgive me, Emperor Matthias. My age had me forget how time passes for others such as yourself, I had thought the event was closer to the present day," The Emperor of Darkness said, a hint of unnoticed sarcasm in his voice. "Indeed you should be commended for the herculean task of keeping such a wild and uncontrollable daughter as Elenaril Armathain under control, a task comparable to keeping the Dread Lords in check! A shame she always reacted so poorly to your… methods, especially considering her weak constitution as you called it."

"A spoilt feminine mind made of worthless glass, threatening to shatter from even the most minor reprimand I could give the witch! Which is why your worry is false Xarrith, if the spell's side effect has not activated already then it soon will and we will just have a mindless, broken thing to collect that can be easily shaped to fool that blasted Elf while we complete our great work." Matthias Armathain stated with smug self-assuredness before a flicker of doubt crossed his face. "But if the harlot is receiving help… If they managed to seduce some sympathetic peasant to aid them, plenty of young men out there would fall to the vile seductress' wiles… that would explain how we haven't found them yet, even with the spell!"

Matthias began to pace with even more frenetic energy "I should have foreseen this sooner! Always the temptress to my favoured courtiers even before the first instance of that unseemly female disability and after, it simply got worse. Why that whore has even tried to ensnare my cousin in her most egregious example! Drew him right into where the witch bathed, everything visible! We are extremely fortunate the whore suffered from a hysterical fit in that moment, drawing the attention of the maids and guards, or else we would have had a true disaster on our hands!"

The subtle sound of a metal gauntleted hand meeting a metal helmet was ignored by Matthias Armathain as the Emperor of darkness spoke again, eyes no longer visible. "Is that so Emperor Matthias? Then it is truly a miracle that the Chosen managed to maintain even her chastity from your relatives and courtiers despite your no doubt constant vigilance in your task to raise her to play out the role we require." Sarcasm was deep in the voice of the Emperor of Darkness now, to the point you would have to be the most vile… ego dominated… narcissistic… misogynistic… arrogant bastard that has ever lived in this age to not have noticed the insult and I am sorry for the language but it is true.

Hah! Far worse than that has come out of your mouth in speaking about your father! You lot are in for a treat once we get there! Now back to the Emperor before I spoil anything!

"Exactly! And now that the abomination is out of our control there is no telling how many men they have seduced to aid them, even when the madness strikes the whore would still be cared for by those men," Matthias said running his hand through his hair imagining all manner of situations how young men could aid me.

"Which is why there should be more searches to the west." The Emperor of Darkness stated, now back to his former composure. "The elf kingdom is her most likely destination and I have no doubt Ilimitar is sending out his own search parties separate from ours, and I don't need to tell you what will happen if they reach Elenaril before we do."

Matthias, upon hearing about the Elf king, regained his arrogance and scoffed, "That we don't have to worry about. That elf trusts me completely and whatever search parties he sends will be known to us within the hour."

The Emperor of Darkness' eyes flashed and for the first time during this conversation menace entered his voice as the shadows of the room seemed to grow deeper and longer "Ilimitar is no fool especially after his daughter's murder, I am certain he knows far more than he has ever let on and has already made plans to pluck the Chosen from right under our noses. Listen to these words very carefully Matthias: Ilimitar is not to be underestimated under any circumstance, every step we take now must be made with extreme caution! We must reach the Chosen before he does or everything our lord has built is at risk!"

Matthias looked nervously at the lengthening shadows approaching him, sweat now beading on his brow and said, "W-well we are lucky that the Chosen possess none of the intelligence to realize the traps we have set around the elf kingdom, drawn as they are to the Kingdom by their Elf blood!"

A sigh from the Emperor of Darkness and the shadows retreated. "Of course, you would think that… We must still take further precautions, speak to the archbishop in my stead, you are the only one he actually listens to… yes I know, I share the same distaste for the man and his private campaigns." The Emperor of Darkness added upon seeing Matthias' face. "But his ability to incense the populace with mere rumour and subtle implication while avoiding any direct blame is invaluable to our lord and will be here. Even the most innocuous implication as to the Elves role in the princess'... corruption, will turn the populace further against the Elves and keep them far away from any settlement, delaying their search."

A sigh from Matthias came next. "It would not be too hard, the fool essentially started years ago, half of the Empire's political capital with the Elves is spent on explaining away his behaviour but I must admit his talents are perfectly suited for this." Confidence crept back into his voice "Mark my words Xarrith, mad or not, the chosen will be walking straight into our hands by the end of the week!"

******​

Several weeks have passed since the day I learned of the witch hunt and the threat to my mind. The leaves of the trees have shifted into a vibrant array of colours as autumn finally arrived in full and a chill from the north began creeping ever southwards. We had managed to sneak by villages and travellers without much incident, though extending our journey by a few weeks, and finally reached the northern coast which is quite far away from where my father thought his "unintelligent" daughter would go.

Hang on... That cutaway was solely to make your father look like he's only a comically misogynistic abusive fool as spite after you reached the part where you found out about the whole mind-altering he did to you to cover up his abuse!

I had spent the weeks since the journey practising both swordplay and archery at the insistence of Ylva... often startling me by dropping the sword beside me or the bow on top of me whenever I became too focused on my possible fate. I am proud to say that with my practice I have finally managed to hit my target with some regularity! And when I tried my hand at swordplay I, to my shock, had managed to lift the massive sword and even swing it a few times.

You're ignoring me now because I was right, aren't you...

As much as I hated to admit it, Gnarl's training regime had most certainly had an effect on me, already the hint of muscle had appeared on my person. It was strangely comforting even after years of being told that as a woman even the slightest bit of exercise would ruin my health, it had not ruined my ancestor's health as Ylva confirmed (though she was extremely confused when I asked) and it was certainly not ruining mine, In fact, I felt better than I had in years and I was beginning to actually enjoy Gnarl's surprisingly effective and well-thought-out training regimen.

Flattery will not get you out of ignoring me!... But please continue on about my perfect hand-crafted training regimen.

… And to move on from praising Gnarl to prevent his ego from getting any larger.

No, keep feeding it! My ego hungers!

No.

… But when we finally reached the coast and I first walked through the bushes blocking my view I beheld one of the most awe-inspiring sights I had ever seen, an endless expanse of blue stretching past the horizon, dotted by sailing ships of all types moving towards the port city of Trave in the morning air, which I could just make out from our hiding spot. My hand rested against Ylva who lay next to me watching the ships with interest.

"H-have you ever s-seen such a sight Ylva?" I say softly to her stroking her fur, Ylva simply shakes her head. I lean against her in response, enjoying the view and the peace it brought…

For another minute when Gnarl's voice cut through the peace like a cannonball.

"Which one of you wriggling maggots scuffed my hat?!"

With a simultaneous sigh, we both turned to look towards the gaggle of Minions behind us, only to be simultaneously baffled as we both beheld Gnarl in the garb of a gentleman: dark frock coat, waistcoat, powdered wig, breeches and cane were all there as Gnarl dusted off a tall slightly conical hat. Four other Minions were with him, in peasant clothing and hats. If not for the fact they were misshapen lizard monsters and I still possessed a grip on reality I would call them a gentleman and his hired labourers.

"W-wuh… huh? H-how?" Was all I could sputter out trying to make sense of the sight before me.

"What? Oh bollocks, did mud get onto the tailcoat? I just had this cleaned you, simpletons!"

"W-what? No! W-why are you dressed as…? H-how are y-you dressed as t-that?!" I correct him in other bafflement, those clothing looked to be expertly tailored and even the peasant clothing the other Minions wore… actually they looked like they were sewn together from rags and larger clothing so that made sense but not Gnarls! When did he even acquire them?!

"Well, you can't just expect me to walk into Trave in rags and conduct economic evil, princess!" Gnarl snaps before going into a lecturing tone. "When evil needs to use a subtle hand it is important to take on the correct guise in order to manipulate fools! Thus I, the master manipulator that I am, shall take on the guise of a gentleman who recently came into the possession of an elven treasure stash to start a trade company with the purchase of a ship. We have more than enough gold to cover the expense and stealing a ship draws far too much attention. Then after we have crossed the northern sea I shall use the ship to begin a trade empire! Heaps of gold and resources will flow into a new Minion army that will conquer the very Empire that unknowingly funds it! MWAHAHAHA!"

I can not help but to bring my hand to my temple as the immediate flaw was overwhelmingly apparent. "Y-you did not a-answer my other q-question Gnarl, nor h-how a-anyone w-would actually sell a c-creature like you a ship!" It was just too ridiculous! "I w-will go, I c-can hide my e-ears and eyes to l-look like a n-normal person." I suspected we would have to steal a ship, but Gnarl was right and purchasing a ship was the only way we could travel without drawing the entire navy in the north sea onto us.

Gnarl tsked at my declaration and glared at me "and what do you know of purchasing ships, Princess? Were you even taught in your dainty little princess lessons how to purchase a fish or how much it would even be worth? Leave this to the professionals!" I… falter in my stance a bit, this was indeed knowledge I didn't possess… as a princess I never conceived I would ever require it… But I held firm in my glare at Gnarl, I could actually pass as a normal person and Gnarl most certainly couldn't.

The battle of glares held for a moment longer before Gnarl threw up his hands "Urgh, just like a Princess to be stubborn!" I almost smile before Gnarl explains "This plan has been in the works for years in preparation for the next Overlord, I've already sent Stench ahead with the letters to certain contacts who don't ask questions who will handle the majority of the transactions, I merely need to hand over the gold, and in case you are wondering even the house I'm posing as belonging to is something I set up centuries ago with this outfit purchased a few years ago with some saved up gold in preparation for this very situation!" Another glare "Now will you stop being the spoiled stubborn Princess and let me do my job! Go back to staring wistfully at something like all you Princesses do instead of doing something stupid… Again!"

I open my mouth to retort but it dies in my throat and I look away… That was more planned out than I had thought, I felt like a fool but that did not lessen my dislike for the creature.

Seeing my defeat Gnarl grinned evilly before calling out to peasant disguised minions "Come on you louts, I'd like to reach the city before noon!" and began walking to the city, clutching a large purse of gold and babbling minions following him.

I was left standing, cheeks burning in shame until Gnarl was out of sight. I kicked a pebble on the ground before sitting next to Ylva, who nuzzled me.

"~And so the Princess sat defeated like a spoiled child, the old minion had bested her in logic and planning, mayhaps when you argue plans with a Gnarl, you first ask what your planning for!~" The minion Quaver narrated with a sing-song tone before quickly adding "And old Quaver should shut his gob when in chomping distance of a guardian wolf- AIEEEEE!" He yelled as Ylva snapped at him, the remaining Minions cheered at that.

"Ylva…" I admonish and she looked back at me with concern in her eyes "It's f-fine, I s-should have asked b-before… Goddess, I am s-such a fool!" I yell out before putting my face in my hands.

Ylva nuzzled me again and I lean against her, hands slowly lowering from my face but tears began to fall "I c-can't do a-anything Ylva… I am a u-useless g-girl w-who… w-who… k-knows nothing!" I broke down sobbing but through the sobs I managed to hiccup out "A-and… a-and w-worst… I… have t-to rely o-on… O-on… T-that v-vile d-disgusting s-scum!"

The minions began furiously whispering among themselves.
"Mistress crying!"
"Duh, she hero princess, they always cry!"
"She seem mad at Gnarl have plans like Gnarl always does."
"~Heroes shown up by evil never take it well! Naive maiden princesses on the run most of all! Her tiny confidence has been shattered, her spirit crushed, let's hope her depression doesn't bring us all down as well!~"
"Oooh! Oooh! Bash Gnarl to make mistress stop crying!"
"Stupid! We need Gnarl to make thinkings!"
"Bash Quaver instead?"
"... Yeah, okay."
"Works for me!"
"Yay bash Quaver!"
"Bash, bash!"
"Shut up Quaver with bash!"

"Wait, let's not beAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" the jester hatted Minion screamed as he bolted from the crowd of Minions, swiftly followed by the crowd of Minions chasing him, weapons drawn, in a circle around the struggling Blaze, Quaver managing to keep a decent pace out of their reach and the other Minions not realizing that they could just stop and catch him.

At least until they got all dizzy and fell over, Quaver just kept running in a circle unaware that his pursuers had stopped until he tripped on one of them and faceplanted into the ground.

An inadvertent snort of laughter erupted from me through the sobs as Ylva let loose a wheezing giggle at the sight of the Minion's foolishness. I wiped my nose and eyes on my sleeves, disgusted at the mess and feeling that brief moment of levity begin to be smothered by my sadness, saying as I bring my knees to my chest "I c-can't do a-anything b-but wait for G-gnarl to do e-everything b-before I go…" I couldn't even finish the sentence, my potential fate weighing heavily on me.

"Whaaaave, whaaaaaaaaved" Ylva… wheezed? She kept making this noise, struggling with something. I look at her with concern and a bit of fear. Is she sick? Is something wrong with Ylva! I need to heal her!

"Whaaaaaved meeeeeee" was what she wheezed out next as I brought up my gauntleted hand, healing magic at the ready.

I blink, before tears began to well in my eyes again as realization struck me at what she was attempting "Ylva… Y-you… Y-you…." That was all I could manage to get out as I grabbed her fur and wailed into it, the fur of my first friend! A friend I rescued! I'm not… I'm not…

Oh no, she's getting weepy out of story! Quick throw a green at her, it's relevant to what happens next!

Not crying! I am most certainly not crying!

Ahem.

The next thing I knew was the sound of Ylva yelping followed by the most foul, vile… Stench.

"Mistress! Mistress!" Stench's panicked voice followed the stench.

With a groan, I extracted myself from Ylva's fur to the sniggering of her and the other Minions, My face felt somehow both crusty and fuzzy as I stared groggily at the blurry green Minion wondering why my stomach felt so empty and why the sky was suddenly black. "Wuh?" was all I could muster as I heard a chorus of snickering from both Minions and a giant wolf.

"Gnarl caught-caught!"

That shocked some sense into me "Wuh? G-gnarl caught!?" I exclaim, rapidly rubbing my eyes with my sleeve "I k-knew this w-would happen! Why d-did I listen to Gnarl!"

"Oh Gnarl ranted you get sad-sad about that. Meeting went fine-fine, have ship and supplies." Stench reassures me… I am not getting annoyed that Gnarl's meeting worked despite all logic to the contrary, and no I do not care what Gnarl said. "Get jump-jump on way back, random peasants got real mad-mad when Gnarl group walk-walk by, charged through human crowd with carriage to drop-drop barrels on Gnarl and Minions! Stench up on roof, no find-find because sneaky-sneaky! Lots of screaming and Gnarl shouts-shouts!"

I blink "W-wait, they charged out of n-nowhere, through a crowd?" I ask to which Stench nodded vigorously. That made no sense to me! How could Gnarl and the Minions with him walk through a crowd without being noticed?!

And more importantly, why would some peasants just suddenly attack Gnarl when they could walk through a crowd with no issue… somehow?

Did they work for the Sentinels?

With that fear in my heart, I declared to the Minions "We have to rescue Gnarl."

Especially before he could sell us out to save his own skin.

Oh, come now! What scheming backstabbing servant of evil do you take me for, Mistress!

The scheming, manipulating and self-preserving Gnarl kind.

Touche.


Well, this took forever to write.

As always, thanks to @MysticKnightJoe for editing

Please comment, discuss and criticize.