THE NETHER WORLD, THRONE ROOM

(Y/N) stood at the foot of the steps to Ruby's Throne, thinking up plans for a way for the young Huntress to expand her Evil Influence and gain more power to establish a Dark Domain, when suddenly some of the Browns came running over to the robed young man and babbled to him quickly.

"I see, that is good to know Grubby" (Y/N) said to the Brown Minion, who nodded eagerly before he ran off to continued his duties.

"What is it, (Y/N)?" Ruby asked him from her seat on her Throne, now very interested in what news they might have now.

"It would seem there are a few things happening that will require your attention, Dark lady, chances to expand your influence, and increase the size of your Dark Domain" (Y/N) said as he turned around to speak with the younger girl directly.

"Really? Like what?" Ruby asked her Minion Master and Sorcerer, after having nothing to do for a while she was eager for some action, Weiss, Blake and Yang also looked over, wondering what the Minions may have learned.

"Is seems that the Minions have found a way to the city of Heaven's Peak, and it would seem that the city is gripped by a Plague of some kind" (Y/N) said to her with a serious frown on his face, as he folded his arms behind his back.

"A Plague?" Ruby asked in concern, the other girls were also concerned about the fact there was a Plague, and wondering what it did.

"Yes, and whatever this plague is it seems to have crippled the city, the perfect chance to go in there and show those Peasants whose in charge!" (Y/N) said to Ruby, that made Ruby sweat-drop, going into a city with an unknown sickness going around made the four girls a little uneasy.

"Okay, what else is there to do?" Ruby asked him, wanting to know the other option available to her.

"There is also a small village in the snowy kingdom of Atlas, I saw them when I went to fetch you your birthday present, that Village could also make a good second settlement for you to rule over" (Y/N) said to her as he thought back to that sleepy snowy little town that he discovered.

"A village in Atlas? What's it called?" Weiss asked as she walked over, interested in knowing what village (Y/N) planned for Ruby to take over, because if they tried to take over mantle then it would likely end up being a disaster, so where else could they possibly be talking about?

"I believe it's called Nordberg?" (Y/N) said as he turned to look at the Heiress, whose face changed from interest to disinterest.

"Ugh... that Oum forsaken backwater, it's not worth much if you ask me" Weiss said with a frown on her face, not impressed about the mention of that town.

"What's it like there?" Ruby asked her partner in Beacon with interest, wondering why Weiss seemed to deflate so suddenly at the mention of this town.

"It's just a small village full of brutes and yokels that make a living Hunting Seals and selling the meat and pelts to the people of Atlas and Mantle" Weiss explained to Ruby, seeming like she really didn't like the idea of spending time in suck an isolated little backwater settlement that reeked of Fish and Seal.

"Huh... okay, let's go to Heaven's Peak! We can help those people with the Plague, and maybe find some stuff there" Ruby said as she turned to look at (Y/N), who nodded to her and went to prepare himself and the Minions for the adventure and prepare his own Spells.

"Okay, whose going with you for this one?" Blake asked Ruby curiously, knowing that they couldn't leave her alone with (Y/N) too much.

"I think I'll take (Y/N) and you with me this time, Blake" Ruby said with a smile as she skipped off to get herself ready, a minute later the three were stood on the platform and rose up as the magic's of the Netherworld transported them to their next location.

HEAVEN'S PEAK

At the forgotten ruins that surrounded the Waypoint Gate close to the entrance of the Fortified City, a sudden flash of bright blue light illuminated the area, as three figures emerged and stepped onto the raised cliff that allowed them a brief view over the walls of the City.

"The slime, the stagnant odour, the festering corpses, ah, it's all so homely..." (Y/N) said with a contented sigh as he hugged himself with a smile.

"Ugh, if you say so..." Blake said in response as she looked around the surrounding area, not too impressed with what she could see.

"Woah... look at that you guys, a castle!" Ruby said excitedly as she jumped in place, pointing one hand toward the City as her other arm waved around excitedly.

"A City in fact, this is Heaven's Peak, it dominates these swamplands, and within this city Angelis Keep squats like a Fly on a pile of Dung" (Y/N) said as he walked up and stopped himself next to Ruby, Blake came over too.

"Looks like trouble..." Blake said as she narrowed her Amber eyes as she smelled the smoke on the wind, the three also saw the columns of smoke rising from the city, something wasn't right... Rub y quickly summoned herself a pack of ten Minions, seven Browns and three Reds.

"Perhaps the Humans down there can offer an explanation?" (Y/N) suggested as he turned and pointed to a pair of men close by on the road into the City.

"Excuse me?" Ruby called out as she approached the two men, they turned to look at them as the group approached.

"Ah, another one... look friend, the Camp is getting pretty full now, we just can't take in anymore" one of the men, a Human with a bald head and wearing regular looking clothes that was holding a staff.

"And... your little friends look pretty far gone, I'm sorry" the Man said as he looked at the Minions, mistaking them for people on their way to becoming Zombies.

"Er, I don't think they're refugees, sir, from the way they're all dressed I think they're heading to the City, not away from it!" another Man, who was in fact a Faunas with the ears of a Wolf said as he looked to the Human.

"That's right!" Ruby said proudly as she stood with her hands on her hips.

"You mean you want to go INTO the City? What's wrong with these people?!" the Human man exclaimed in disbelief, looking between his Faunas companion and the party in surprise.

"You three know about the Plague, right? The Zombies?" the Wolf Faunas man asked them all, thinking that they likely didn't know about the Plague.

"Z-Zombies?!" Ruby squeaked out in shock, Blake also looked surprised with what the Wolf Faunas had said, (Y/N) however, was just intrigued.

"Yes, Zombies! it's gotten so bad the City's been closed off, orders of Sir William, our Paladin Governor" the Human said to them as he motioned toward the City of Heaven's Peak, which had it's drawbridge raised to stop anyone from going in or out of the City.

"He even cancelled his own wedding, and that ain't a woman you want to cancel on!" the Wolf-Faunas said to them, making the three sweat-drop at that added comment.

"Look, if you three want to start wandering about, be my guest! I suppose you might find a way into the City if you search... but I'm warning you, it's not safe and you won't get any help from us! We've enough work to do in the Camp, as it is and Zombies ain't the worst of it!" the Human man said to them, before he and the Faunas turned and walked into the Refugee Camp, leaving the rest of the group standing there.

"What do you think he means by "not the worst of it"?" Ruby asked as she turned to look at (Y/N) and Blake, Blake looked unsure while (Y/N) was wracking his evil brain, trying to think of what Evil Creatures could possibly be involved in this situation.

"I'm sure it's nothing, maybe you should summon the rest of your Minions?" Blake suggested to Ruby, they went back to the Waypoint Gate and she summoned the rest of them, she now had five Reds and fifteen Browns.

"Okay, so if the City is on lockdown, we obviously can't get in through the normal means... what should we do?" Ruby asked the two as she kept her Minions behind her, using her Overlordly authority to keep them close and not run off causing mayhem.

"Perhaps we'll find another way inside if we search around?" (Y/N) suggested to his Dark Lady helpfully.

"Maybe we'll manage to find something faster if we split up?" Blake added in as she looked at their surroundings carefully.

"No way! Every time people split up in Zombie movies they get eaten!" Ruby exclaimed as she waved her arms around really fast, as she imagined a Zombie chomping on her brains.

Blake and (Y/N) both agreed it would probably be better to stick together for this one and followed Ruby and her Minions, they made their way down into the Refugee Camp and saw a mix of Humans and Faunas gathered together into frightened, pitiful groups.

Some of them were also armed and looked ready to fight and/or protect themselves and their families, the group were making their way through when they suddenly heard a yell!

"Argh... what's happening... what's happening? Get away from me, get away... get away!" one of the men in the Camp said, before suddenly, his flesh seemed to rot and fall off around the arms and abdomen, his internal organs showed through as well as the bones on his arms!

Ruby looked horrified at the sight of the newly turned Zombie, the creature let out a low groan and shambled toward her, before Ruby quickly thrust her hand forward and threw a Fireball at the shambling corpse, making it groan and flail around as it's body caught fire, then Blake morphed Gambol Shroud into it's gun form and shot at the walking corpse, the Dust infused bullet striking the Zombie in the head and making it drop to the ground dead.

"So... this Zombie plague is real after all..." Blake said in disbelief as she looked down at the formally undead monster.

"We need to find out who or what caused this and stop them, before this starts happening in other places" Ruby said with determination in her glowing Silver eyes, she didn't like the idea of Zombies appearing in Vale or the town she now ruled over.

"That's right, Mistress! After all, Zombies don't make the best subjects to rule over!" (Y/N) added in with conviction, as if he knew for a fact Zombies made bad subjects, this made Ruby and Blake sweat-drop while the Minions all nodded in agreement.

"Hey, little lady, over here!" Ruby heard someone call out to her from close by, she looked over and saw a man with Deer antlers on top of his head motion to her, Ruby looked to the others and they went over to the man.

"Yes?" Ruby asked as she approached the man with Blake, (Y/N) and her Minions.

"I heard you might be looking for a way into Heaven's Peak? You're crazy, you know that? But I've still got a family in there... so maybe you're the kind o' crazy we need right now" the Stag Faunas said to the group, before he turned and walked to the cliff close by that overlooked the foetid swamplands.

"See that sewer entrance down there? I've been watching it, seen a few people come out, not a lot of them and some are in a bad way... a real bad way, but if you want into the City, there it is" the man said as he pointed down toward the base of the cliffs that Heaven's Peak was built upon, Ruby, Blake and (Y/N) looked down and saw the entrance he spoke of, but it was in deep water and... had a fallen pillar blocking the way.

"Well... at least we have one way into the City, but how do we get in? There's a pillar blocking the way and the Minions don't do well in water" Blake said as she turned to look at Ruby and (Y/N).

"That might not be the only way inside? Let's tale a look around, maybe we'll find another way?" Ruby suggested, she then looked to (Y/N) to see if he had a back up idea in mind.

"Hmm... if you want to cross water with help, we'd need the swimming abilities of the Blue Minions, they might be around here somewhere, they gravitate towards watery areas" (Y/N) replied, hopefully they would be here and they could then get into the City, though... they weren't fond of the idea of traipsing through the sewers.

"Okay, let's take a look around and see if we can even find them here" Ruby said with determination, before she led the way to a set of barricades.

"Careful there, that barrier is all that stands between us and those monsters" said a man close to one of the Barricades, Ruby could heard the snarling and groaning of the Dead, as they clawed and battered against the hastily built barriers.

"Let's get a better look, wait here" Ruby said before she used her speed Semblance to get up onto a high hill, she then took out Crescent Rose and used it's scope to peer beyond the barricades, she saw a large swarm of Zombies were gathered up there and hitting the blockade.

"There's so many of them... they'll destroy the Barricade eventually, huh?" Ruby said as she then saw something in the swamp beyond the Barriers and she saw... a few small Blue creatures, they looked kind of like Impish Salamanders.

(Congratulations, Dark lady, you've found the Blue Minions!) (Y/N) said in Ruby's head, communicating to the young Overlady through her Helmet, Ruby smiled to herself under her Helmet when she noticed something around the entrance to the cave the Blues call home.

(Curses! The Blue's cave is surrounded by Poisonous plants! We can't get past those without the aid of the Green Minions, otherwise we would all die from poisoning) (Y/N) said to her, this made Ruby frown, they might have to leave Heaven's Peak for now and try to locate the Greens.

Ruby jumped down from her spot and went back to the rest of her group, it seems that (Y/N) had also explained the situation to Blake.

"What should we do now? If there's poison surrounding the cave, we can't get in to fetch the Blue Minions or their Hive" Blake asked Ruby and the young Sorcerer, the answer was obvious, they needed to find the Green Minions before they could try to get the Blues.

"Looks like we'll have to search for the Greens before we can return here and enter Heaven's Peak" Ruby said as she glanced toward where the cave was in the Swampland beyond the Refugee Camp.

"Do we even know where the Green Minions are?" Blake asked them both.

"No, unfortunately... so, I believe we should return to the Nether World and go to Nordberg, it would be another Village under your Rule, Dark Lady" (Y/N) said to both girls, Ruby was a bit unhappy about having to leave but... didn't want to put her Minions at risk of drowning or being poisoned, so they returned to the Waypoint Gate and returned to the Nether World.

ATLAS, THE CAVES CLOSE TO NORDBERG

After a brief recap with the others and a journey through the mostly empty Hunting Grounds, Ruby, Blake and (Y/N) were now at the caves with both Ruby and (Y/N) of them having Minions following them, (Y/N) however recognised this place all too well.

"Mistress, this is where that disgusting Sanctuary is hidden, I recognise this area well..." (Y/N) said in a low, angry voice as he remembered how those Elves stole his prize away from him.

"You mean the place you came across while you were trying to get Ruby a pet Yeti?" Blake asked him with a raised brow.

"Yes, we should be cautious as we pass through, those terrible Elves might be on patrol" (Y/N) said to both girls and the two groups of Brown and Red Minions, Ruby nodded and the group then went into the caves.

They made their way inside the caves, keeping a listen out and soon they heard voices ahead, they stayed back and peeked around the corner, they saw a group of Soldiers in Roman style Armour were carrying something through the tunnel, which had corpses of Elves and the Soldiers scattered around.

"Come on, you louts! Lift with yer legs! We gotta get this think to Governor Borias right now!" said a man wearing Bronze Armour, similar to Pyrrha's, however, it was moulded to a man with a rather big belly, before he turned and led the march out of the caves, while the men were carrying a large glowing stone object.

"Woah, what's that?" Ruby asked (Y/N) in surprise, her eyes following the stone as the Soldiers carried it away.

"Hm, that's a Spell Stone, my Lady, it unlocks the Magical potential of any who possess it, better not let those Humans take it away" (Y/N) said to Ruby, however... one of the Browns giggled a bit too loudly and they were spotted by the remaining soldiers.

"Look, Magical Creatures, and a Faunas! Get 'em!" one of the Soldiers exclaimed before they all drew their swords and raised their Shields, then they formed up into a group and went to attack them!

Ruby saw these men charge at her and she suddenly felt something inside of her pulse in response, something small but dark... telling her to fight these men, she quickly unfurled Crescent Rose into it's scythe form and sped at ther men with her Browns charging after her.

Ruby's speed and velocity from her Semblance, Petal Burst, caused her to slam a hole into the sheld wall and sent several of the men flying, the shocked men were then suddenly swarmed by Browns that started bashing and stabbing them with their weapons, until soon enough, the men had been taken down.

"Masterful work, Dark One, very impressive" (Y/N) said as he clapped his hands together, his pack of Minions also clapping and cheering for their Master, making Ruby go all bashful at the praise.

"Why did they attack us?" Blake wondered as she looked down at the bodies of these men that littered the ground.

"It seems they didn't like the fact we had Magic" (Y/N) said as he picked up one of the helmets and inspected it.

"And that you were a Faunas, for some reason" Ruby said as she looked at Blake, the Browns looted the helmets and swords from the men, before they marched onward, as they did, Ruby felt that dark spot inside of her grow, and it felt... good.

They then passed by the entrance to the Sanctuary, which was still blocked off with Dryad's Roots, they went to pass through the cave only for a column of rock to rise up as Ruby drew close.

"What's that?!" Ruby exclaimed in surprise as she looked up at the column of rock, which looked like a claw at the top.

"Ah, that is a Shard of Netherworld Rock, it's positively pulsing at your Evil presence, my Lady, It may allow you even greater access to your Dark Powers" (Y/N) said in admiration, looking very happy to see this piece of Rock for some reason.

"Okay... what does it do?" Ruby asked him curiously, with a question mark over her tilted head.

"Perhaps you could try sending your Minions to it and see?" (Y/N) suggested to her with a smile as he backed up, motion ing toward the column of black stone, Ruby nodded and she moved her hand, silently commanding the Browns and Reds she had to drop the Spellstone and approach the rock.

She watched as the Brown she called Prince, which had Melvin's golden dinner fork and Melvin's crown on his head jumped up onto the top of the pillar, and started cheering and dancing around, as the remaining nineteen Minions ran around the pillar in a circle, all seeming very excited and energetic.

"Okaaay... what now?" Ruby asked as she looked back at (Y/N), feeling amused by the show that her Minions were putting on.

"I think you should give it a Magical nudge, Mistress" (Y/N) prompted her with a smile, seeming eager to see what would happen, which Blake seemed to notice.

Ruby nodded and she approached the piller, passing by the capering and dancing Browns and Reds, she stood close to the column of Netherworld Rock and she slowly raised her hand, she felt her Magic forming on her left hand as her Silver eyes glowed in the darkness of her Helmet, she focused on the power building withing her when suddenly her body was pulled up into the air, and she felt this strange sensation of being pulled toward the pillar!

"Maaaaasssssttterrrr!" the Brown Minion, Prince cried out as the magic shot him off the top of the dark stone pillar, and landed in a heap on the ground, as Ruby's body floated in the air by the column of dark stone.

"What just happened?!" Blake exclaimed in surprise as she went to go and check on Ruby.

"Blake? When did you get so much taller?" Prince asked in... Ruby's voice, Blake froze and looked down at the Brown Minion, she saw that the normal Yellow eyes had now changed to... Silver?

"R-Ruby?!" Blake exclaimed as her eyes went wide in shock, her jaw falling open at the sight.

"Yeah... what? Is there something on my face?" Ruby/Prince asked obliviously as she went to try and get whatever it was off of her face.

"You're... you're... in the body of a Minion, Mistress!" (Y/N) exclaimed in surprise as he looked at her, Ruby then looked down at herself and saw that, he was right!

"H-HUUUUUUHHHH?!?!" Ruby/Prince and Blake exclaimed in bewilderment, trying to make sense of this!