(A/N): My goal is to try and update either every other day or every day, depending on time and the possibility of writer's block. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Overlord, only Hanson.

Chapter VII: The End and the Beginning

William and eight other paladins knelt in a circle, chanting prayers to the Light in hopes that the gods would empower their troops. The bright sun glinted off of the armor and weapons of the combined army of the Anti-Overlord Coalition and reflected the light emitted by the globe of the Light that had been summoned by the paladins to ward off the Overlord's Evil powers.

"We shall attack from below with our tunnelers," said Goldo, poking the map of the countryside with his finger. "Then Oberon and I shall attack the front gate and destroy this Evil once and for all!" Willam declared, clenching his mailed fist on the hilt of the sword he wore at his side. The three leaders nodded to one another and left to prepare their respective armies.

Hanson followed Gnarl down the winding stairs to the Spawning Pit, the walls growing older and moister as they descended. A pungent smell hit Hanson, but he hardly noticed as he focused on a silvery globe that hang suspended in the middle of the Spawning Pit, surrounded by orbiting rocks. "Sire, allow me to show you the source of the Overlord's great power," Gnarl said. "The Tower Heart."

Twenty browns appeared out of an alcove, taking position behind Hanson. A further twelve emerged, carrying what looked like a hut. "The brown minion hive sire," Gnarl explained as the minion carried the hive over to the column of minions and took position behind them. "When we arrive, you will be able to harvest lifeforce and create more browns. I will explain later."

Hanson nodded and turned to the minions when the wall shuddered from impact. "Ah, it seems our uninvited guests have arrived. I advise stealth until we see what we're dealing with." Gnarl said. Hason directed the minions into an alcove and hid behind a rock, waiting.

The wall shook again and a massive drill emerged, scattering rock in every direction. The dwarves that steered the contraption turned off the drill and dismounted, gazing greedily at the Tower Heart. When they had waddled past his hiding spot, Hanson leaped out killed both with two strokes from his massive axe. "Excellent Master," Gnarl said as he shuffled towards the mining machine. "I advise that we use this machine to our advantage. See if you can't turn it with your minions and then use it to erm…remove any dwarves from the tunnel."

Hanson gestured to the minions and climbed behind the wheel of the miner, looking for some sort of switch that would activate the drill.

The minions strained against the miner, slowly turning it until it was facing the way it had come. Hanson finally found the ignition, and after a few splutters, the engine roared to life and as Hanson manipulated the control stick, began to roll into the dank and unlit tunnel, picking up speed. Hanson pressed some more switches at random, almost as if he was guided by an invisible entity, and the drill began to rotate, adding to the cacophony of the miner's engine.

The miner rounded a corner, and suddenly Hanson was in the middle of a lit earthen chamber, the dwarves' staging point for their tunnel invasion. Most of the dwarves sat at tables, drinking beer out of kegs. The dwarves stared at Hanson in shock, beer still dripping from their beards as the young Overlord's miner rammed into the nearest table, turning it into splinters. Dwarves went flying, some speared by the splinters, others relatively unharmed.

Again guided by the invisible presence, Hanson was able to find the flamethrower activation switch, making dealing with the dwarves much more efficient. By the time Gnarl and the browns had caught up, the dwarf staging ground and their camp at the entrance to the tunnel was blazing merrily, dwarven explosives going off at intervals as the gunpowder caught fire inside the barrels in which it was stored.

"Well done sire!" Gnarl congratulated. "Our path to the sanctuary is clear." Hanson dismounted the miner and followed Gnarl away from the Tower, resisting the urge to look back.

The Overlord stood in front of the gates to the Dark Tower, staring down the entire coalition army. After ordering his remaining minion tribes, red, green, and blue, to escape, he had focused on helping Hanson. Now, his part was over. Hanson had escaped the clutches of his enemy, and was free to plot revenge. However, the man that was once known as Averin did not plan to fade into history without punishing those that had come to dethrone him, just as he had finally found an heir.

"You had more with you last time William," Averin shouted, his voice carrying through magical means. "We are united in our cause to root out your Evil!" William shouted back and charged, the entire coalition army charging with him. Averin smiled humorlessly, shaking his head. This didn't work last time, and won't work now. Did you really think I hadn't noticed that pathetic shield you placed?

The Overlord reached deep within himself, drawing on his dark powers more deeply than ever before. In his mind, Averin felt that he owed his son at least one thing: an opportunity to destroy William from the inside out. Sweat streamed down Averin's forehead as the sun dimmed and shadows lengthened, dimming even the light of the paladins. Then, time stopped.

Averin relaxed slightly and grimaced in pain as the exertion of drawing on such power took its toll. The Overlord was glad that he had succeeded, and let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Out of the deepest shadows, a dark being rose. "What is your bidding Overlord?" it said with a bow. "Make them pay for their foolishness, but leave William and Oberon alive," Averin said, gesturing at the army that was frozen in time. "And in return?" the shadow inquired. "Take me." The shadow bowed once more and Averin felt a sensation similar to sinking into quicksand. He knew that underneath his feet a portal to the Infernal Abyss had opened and that he was slowly sinking, but Averin didn't care. He had secured his son's future with this final scheme.

When time returned to its normal course, Averin the Overlord had vanished, but a being made of shadow stood in his place. For the second time in his life, William's resolve shattered, and his faith in the Light waned, the Shadow's will defeating William's. The Paladin sank to his knees, his Sword of Light dropping from his grasp. Without William's will, the shield protecting the army vanished and the Shadow leapt forward, feasting on the despair of the soldiers in front of it, growing rapidly in size until it was five times the height of a man. Swords appeared in its clawed arms, and it began to hack and slash at the coalition army. Nothing the paladins tried worked; their spells were simply not strong enough to destroy the embodiment of Evil itself without William.

(A/N): Well, the old Overlord is gone, and William's army is getting slaughtered. Tune in next time. Review please, it gives me motivation.