(A/N): Well hello there! I haven't updated in a while due to lack of inspiration, but we have started medieval history at my school and with a bit of research on the side, Evil came running faster than a man after a succubus (don't you love my similes?). We're back in business.
Disclaimer: I claim the souls of the characters I have created, not those of the Overlord series.
Chapter XVI: A New Plot (of Evil)
William the Paladin paced the length of his white hall, gazing up at the ornate ceiling that was engraved by the finest masters of the past century. The design of William's order, a sun, was inlaid with gold to create one of the most beautiful works of art in the known world. William's mind, however, was not concerned with the beauty of his ceiling, but the reports he had received from Spree. The paladin had received a letter from the mayor of Spree, but something wasn't quite right. William sighed in frustration and read the letter again.
To the King, William the Golden.
Sire, the knight you have sent us is a true servant of the light. He has cleared the forest and the nearby countryside of all sorts of criminals and returned us to your peace. Sir Ryrin has taken residence in the old tower to the south and restored it to most of its former glory and made it a place of light where once there was darkness.
He also has disposed of a necromancer that had kept the village of Clearhollow under his control with a horde of zombies. The villagers were unwilling to provide full details, but they are quite thankful for their salvation.
Thank you again,
Wilford, Mayor of Spree
"There!" William muttered. "The villagers were unwilling to provide full details!"
"What's so wrong with that?" Elizabeth asked from her position on a leather armchair. "Why would the villagers be unwilling to tell us what happened if they are truly freed from oppression?" William asked, staring at the ceiling again. "I think you're just unwilling to accept the fact that someone can do your job as well as you," Elizabeth said from the armchair, taking a sip of her tea.
So much like her mother…William thought. His daughter had inherited her mother's features, from the strawberry blonde hair to the high cheekbones and the blue eyes that sparkled with blessings from the Light that William had bestowed upon her when she was born. "Father?" Elizabeth looked at William with concern. "Are you alright?" William looked back at his daughter and sighed again, realizing that his concerns were probably the result of stress over the suitors, none of whom he would ever trust his daughter with.
"We should hold a tournament," William began. "All those hoping to win your hand in marriage will participate, which should get rid of any suitors that are too fat to move."
At the newly rebuilt Dark Tower Gnarl gazed into the Tower Portal, a smile forming on his face as a plan formed in the minion master's mind. Hanson, who was sitting on his new darksteel throne, raised an eyebrow under his helmet as Gnarl began to chuckle in that Evil way of his, signifying that a brand new plot was on the way.
"Gnarl?" he said. "I have a new scheme sire," the minion master said in a satisfied tone. "William and his righteous ilk have decided to hold a tournament for his daughter's hand, being the over-protective father. Poor thing, that princess, only being allowed to be courted just now; I remember the old king giving away his daughter at thirteen. However, there was something about her being a succubus as well, so that might have had something to do with it."
Hanson considered the plan and decided that it was acceptable. "It would be all too easy to defeat the other suitors, but the difficult part would be shielding my increased Evil from the multitude of paladins that are sure to be there." "A good point sire," Gnarl replied. "Luckily, I have looked into that. A very special set of armor exists that belonged to the very first Overlord that lays buried with him in his tomb in the darkest part of Evernight. Needless to say that besides elves we may have to contend with whatever guardians the first Overlord left behind. I remember him…he was quite a strong one."
"It doesn't matter. My newfound powers are quite great," Hanson said as he got up off his throne and flexed his left arm. The darkness was strong within him and burned with a fiery passion for destruction.
"Come to think of it, the First Overlord had similar powers," Gnarl muttered to himself. "I believe that the First Overlord's guardians won't be any trouble after all. That still leaves the world's most annoying tree huggers."
"What are we waiting for then? There's a chance we could encounter the green minions as well." Hanson said. "Very well sire. I shall provide assistance when needed, as per usual."
"A tournament?" Elizabeth's eyes lit more than usual. She had read many stories of chivalry in her childhood, but never witnessed one before. William had forbidden them after his return from the war, to avoid unnecessary deaths, with the kingdom's armies stretched so thin after the horrific losses during the last clash with the Overlord.
"That is a wonderful idea! When shall it begin?" "I think a moth should be enough for enough knights to assemble and for the suitors to clean the rust from their swords."
The wheels began to turn and messages were issued from the Capital City to all nobility and every knight in the land. Elizabeth made sure that she saw the messenger bound for Ryrin's tower off personally, reveling at the thought of learning more about the man behind the steel plate.
Hanson appeared in a flash of red light on a ruined tower gate and called his standard amount of minions: twenty browns and ten reds, all armed with newly forged weapons and armor purchased discreetly from the dwarves. Hanson gazed around himself as the golden light that issued through the canopies of the trees lit up his surroundings. He spotted a patch of wood that was much darker than the surrounding trees and snorted quietly. They might as well have drawn a skull and crossbones pointing to it, Hanson thought. The Overlord freed his new sword from its sheath and began to make his way into the dark center of Evernight.
(A/N): A bit of a short chapter, for which I apologize, but it does set up the next chapter nicely (I think). As per usual, review please and provide constructive criticism where necessary.