Overlord: Equestrian Invasion: Chapter 1

There was... An Ending.

Minions skittered about, cackling and fighting, in the throne room. The entire Netherworld Tower was a buzz, the stalactite structure lit up as the minions celebrated for their master's domination of the Glorious Empire. Quaver and the Minion Band were having a grand old time, playing their song and singing praises of their dark lord. The man himself, the Overlord, sat upon his throne with his mistresses around him. Adorned in silver armor with a red cloak of sorts, the Overlord smiled to himself in his victory over the Glorious Empire and its deranged leader, Solarius. His minions earned a bit of down time, if only a bit, for their aid in his victory.
     A wizened walnut of a minion approached the Overlord and his mistresses, hunched over and covered with a drape like cloak with a glowing rock tied to a stick on his back, bearing a grin and looking to the other minions. “Ahh, it's nice to see the little gnashers back and trying to kill each other. That was an impressive battle, sire. That'll teach any would-be heroes not to mess with the Tower Heart.” The minion commented, looking towards his master. The Overlord stopped watching the fighting and looked at his adviser. The closest of the Mistresses leaned so she could see the old minion, peering at him through her aura. “Gnarl, is there a reason you are disrupting our enjoyment of the brawl?” The Mistress who was seated on the floor looked up to the Overlord, speaking in a sweet, somewhat condescending tone. “Not quite the same as the Empire's Arena, but it's entertainment none the less, especially if our sire enjoys it.” The final Mistress scowled down at the second Mistress. “We could always throw you into the fight, see if you like it better there. I know I'd find it all the better.” The Overlord paid no mind to the banter exchanged between Kelda and Juno, still waiting for Gnarl to continue.
      “Yes, there is, Mistress Fay. I received word from Dribble and the other minions you sent to seek out the remains of the Tower Heart.” The Overlord gestured with his hand for Gnarl to continue. “Very good, my lord, I'm pleased to report that they have found shards of the Heart just like the ones in the wastelands. They are searching out and gathering them now, so that we may reconstruct the Tower Heart and fully empower your tower, Dark One.” Gnarl grinned as his dark master nodded his approval. “From what I have gathered, mi'lord, is that the Tower Heart fragments are still brimming with power, absorbing what was left behind by the goop that once was Florian, stupid elf.” Fay sneered at the mention of Florian. “He got what he deserved. Too bad he died so quickly, I’m sure one of the rooms above could serve as a nice torture chamber.” Kelda glanced at Fay, lightly kicking her feet. “Maybe let him loose and hunt him like a beast through the Minion Burrows?”
      A loud crash caught the group’s attention, looking over to see one minion had acquired a large mace and was batting the others around. Juno smiled, “Oh goodie, it looks like round seven is starting. Or is it round eight?” Gnarl piped in with a dark chuckle “I believe it is now round twelve, Mistress Juno. Neh heh heh.” Another loud crack propelled one of the minions into Quaver’s Harp, the strings stretching and launching the projectile minion at the stonework above the Throne proper. With a scream, the minion fell onto the Overlord’s lap, looking around of where he landed and found himself face to face with his dark master. “Mastah, you caught minion!” Gnarl scoffed, “Maggot, that is no way to behave, get down now!” The minion Maggot started to leap down before a metal gauntlet wrapped around the minion’s throat. Maggot gagged and his eyes started moving quickly as he felt the Overlord’s magic building up around him. “Mastah?” A single armored finger extended from the hand gripping Maggot and pointed at the minion with the large mace, like it was aiming. “Oooh, yes Mastah!” Maggot cackled, he knew what his dark lord was doing. Sure enough, the power built up in the minion and launched him at a terrifying speed at his target, screaming bloody murder the whole way. “ATTACK!” Maggot hit his target, knocking the other minion off his feet and propelled both into one of the columns. Round Twelve had officially begun now, with a super charged minion leading the brawl.
         The Overlord and his Mistresses settled back, getting ready to watch the next brawl. The Greens had already jumped in and it looked like the Reds were lining up a salvo of fire for the mix. As the fireballs were launched, Quaver ran up to the throne to avoid a couple that were aimed for him! “Savages! No appreciation of true art! Touch the Harp and I’ll tear you apart!” The jester turned to look at the Master and Mistresses, who were all laughing at Quaver’s retreat. “Never seen you move that fast, Quaver. Maybe next time I go hunting, I’ll have to get you to go with me. You’d make a good retriever or if we put a pelt on you, you could run really fast!” commented Kelda as Quaver huffed. “I’d like to think not, Mistress Kelda. Who would sing of our Lord’s praises and legacy if not old Quaver?” He bowed respectfully as he mentioned the Overlord, and lifted his head from the bow to smile at him. “So, my Lord, what will your next dark deed be that I can write a poem of?” The Overlord himself had just been lining up his foot to boot Quaver back towards the band but stopped, lowering his foot to look at Quaver. A good question, what was next? All known conquerable lands already belonged to him. The elves and empire tourists of Everlight were bent on their knees to him, the snowy town of Nordberg were working away building new weapons and armor for his minions and gathering gold, and the Empire was lying in ruins at his wrath, no one survived that little excursion.
      A noise brought him back to reality, looking to see Gnarl appraising his lord with a grin. “If I may, Mi’Lord, I anticipated this and took the liberty to send one of your Blues to the Wastelands close to the Old Tower to see if he could recover a book. The book in question belonged to one of your predecessors, the Second Overlord. He had done some research on and with the Tower Heart and discovered a way to access new realms via its magic.” Fay sat up properly, placing an arm around her Overlord, “So the Dark One can extend his reach to other realms and beyond?” Kelda smiled at the Overlord, “Hear that, Witch-boy? New lands to see, new artifacts to loot, new people to see…” Gnarl piped in about that moment, “And kill them. Enslavement is also a good response. Would you like me to send more minions to…” About that moment the spikes on the ceiling parted, causing the minions fighting below to stop and disperse, clearing the middle of the room for the newcomer. A scream later from a red minion who fell through the Tower Gate, a group of minions floated down gently carrying an orb. The orb hummed with power, the surface appearing to reflect the room while streams of energy passed through and over it. One of the minions, a brown, stepped away from the orb and in front of the Throne and its occupant. The minion had a skull over its face and a Jolly Roger bandana tied over it, saluting with an oversized weapon. “Minion Dribble reporting back with Tower Heart and fragments.” He pointed with his sword at the red minion who fell first and was under the Tower Heart. He squeezed his hands out and revealed two or three pieces of the Tower Heart. “Back of Heart broken, where it hit city.” Dribble continued.
      The Overlord stood up, stepping around Juno who was still sitting on the ground, walked over and inspected the Tower Heart. Dribble kept close, barking at the minions around the orb to pull out the trapped minion, to no avail. The Overlord stopped and Dribble slammed into his knee and backed off quickly. The master of evil looked across the orb, it was in excellent condition considering they shot it at an anti-magic shield at the Empire City. He patted Dribble on the head, a rare sign of appreciation towards a minion. Dribble grinned widely and cheered after the pat, he had pleased the master. He’d come to rely on Dribble, one of the first minions he met long ago that night in Nordberg. The Overlord looked at Gnarl and nodded, Gnarl stepping up to bark orders. “Good work, minions. Gurg, gather some blues and start repairing the Tower Heart. Dribble, you and your group head up to the Wastelands and meet up with Goudvis. You’re looking for a book. A long square with paper. Be careful with it! It’s an object of interest for the Master. Flinter… Well, looks like you’re stuck under there until we fix the Tower Heart. Try not to get kicked.” Right on cue, a loud thwack reported that the red minion was kicked. The other minions shot to their duties, a number of them following them after Dribble to aid the search for the book. The Overlord, along with his adviser, walked over to the balcony to oversee the minions as they ran to the burrows to go about their orders. “Soon Master, you’ll hopefully get the book and be able to see what new realms you can invade. The Glorious Empire has been crushed beneath your heel, now a new realm will be crushed by you. As the saying goes, my Lord, Evil always finds a way.” With an evil laugh from Gnarl, the Overlord nodded and lifted his left hand, a vibrating horn sounding through the cavernous Netherworld as the Overlord delivered his orders: Find that book.