Chapter 15

Written By Illuminet

Disclaimer: Refer to the first chapter

"..."-Indicate Speech

'...'-Indicate Thought

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Alternate Netherworld, Tower of Laharl, Patriarch's Seal

"Wake up. It's show time."

The two Overlords and Seraph awoke with a start. Raol loomed over them menacingly. His eyes gleamed with sadistic joy.

"I do hope I wasn't too rough on you three back on the Netherworld."

Raol said in a mocking tone of voice. Etna glared at the massive Prinny.

"Where is he?"

She asked in a low voice. Raol simply turned, waving out a fin dramatically. Laharl was sitting against the barrier, his cape hiding most of his body from view. His head hung low, his hair obscuring his face from view.

"Laharl! Laharl!"

She called to him, her voice becoming frantic when he didn't stir awake. Raol's eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong with you, boy? Stop pretending and stand up."

Raol ordered. Laharl remained life less. Raol growled.

"I see...so you'd rather have me let you hear you friends screams of agony rather than watching them die?"

He asked the younger Demon. Still no response. Etna turned to Raol.

"You said he would be safe."

Etna said to him. Raol's eyes flared dangerously.

"Impossible...he wouldn't dare actually kill himself..."

Raol mumbled. With the body dead, there was no way for Raol to regain his powers at their full potential. He would have to build up to that level of power again. Last time he had to go through three extremely powerful Demons, possess them and make them the next Lords of Terror to do it. This would be troublesome since for he was dead and would not last long enough to find the Demons who could rightfully inherit his powers, assuming there were any left within the Netherworld and Alternate Netherworld.

"Troublesome, isn't it?"

A familiar voice rang out. The barrier disappeared, along with Laharl. Raol's eyes gleamed with joy.

"So, it was just an illusion. I must be getting too old if I couldn't see through such a cheap trick."

Raol said. He spun around, using his fin to deflect Laharl, who had struck from above. Laharl back flipped off him, landing a few feet away.

"Did you really think I wouldn't have found out about the barrier's flaw?"

Laharl asked in a low tone. Raol chuckled.

"I was sure that you would...although I hoping it was after I killed your friends. Oh well, so much for that idea. You've written the other half of this scenario in my head, Laharl. I'm not very pleased."

Raol stated. Laharl simply scoffed.

"You think I care?"

He said to the giant Prinny. Laharl rushed forward, delivering a powerful blow to Raol's massive stomach, making the Prinny crash against the wall with devastating force. Raol was unharmed by the normally painful attack as his body scrunched up against the wall before Raol bounced off it with tremendous force, knocking into a surprised Laharl. Much like Raol, Laharl was propelled towards the opposite wall. Laharl had recovered quickly from his initial shock and quickly flipped back so his feet connected with the wall rather than his head. Laharl kicked off it, landing back safely to the ground.

"You should be careful Laharl. His skin protects him both from physical and magical attacks due to its extreme elasticity."

Michaelangelo warned him. Laharl nodded.

"So I've seen. This could make things a bit rough. Though I was expecting it to be anyway. You wouldn't be the Lord of Terror otherwise."

Laharl said, a smirk gracing his lips. Raol's beak prevented him from showing any emotions out right, but his eyes lighted with joy and anticipation.

"Maybe this is for the better. I'll simply change the scenario and adapt it to this situation. Laharl, all I want is your body, so how about raising the stakes a bit?"

Raol asked. Laharl visibly relaxed.

"What did you have in mind?"

Laharl said to him. Raol chuckled.

"A duel to the death, of course. Where the winner takes all and the loser...well, just ends up dead you could say in my case. In your case, you surrender your body willingly."

Raol said smoothly. Laharl growled.

"Heh, that sounds perfect to me. Come on then, Raol, have at you!"

Laharl speaks with anticipation, his fangs showing from his slightly opened mouth through clenched teeth. Raol begins to chuckle.

"What's stopping you boy? Come on!"

Raol taunts, but Laharl is already speeding towards the giant Prinny. He leaps up above Raol, sending a downward punch to the top of Raol's head, where it caves in greatly. Laharl leaps off from Raol while he's still trying to make his head rise up from the fleshy confines of his chest. Laharl doesn't give Raol the chance to do it, as he sends his fists into the giant Prinny's stomach. Raol loses balance easily and falls flat on his back, where his head pops out wildly. Laharl raises his right arm, creating a scythe from the black flames conjured in his right hand. Laharl slashes downward aiming for the stomach of Raol. The scythe hits its mark as Raol's stomach caves in as it did with Longinus earlier. Laharl was knocked back by the recoil of Raol's stomach as his scythe was deflected by the fatty skin of the towering Prinny. Raol lifts himself back up into his standing position.

"You think your scythe has any effect on me? You'll have to do better."

Raol taunts. Laharl shows a slight smirk on his face.

"Your becoming to over confident Raol. Look."

Laharl orders. Raol sees black mist escaping from a small puncture wound in his stomach.

"Damn. You aimed for the precise area where Longinus almost impaled me. Your good boy, I'll give you that much. But you won't be so confident when I step things up a notch. Starting now."

Raol said, beginning to chuckle darkly. Laharl's body tenses up. Raol disappears from his view.

"Up here."

Laharl looks up when he hears Raol's voice. Raol is diving towards him. Laharl growls.

"Bad move, Raol."

Laharl states as he swings up with his scythe in a massive arc that cuts Raol's entire stomach. Grey smoke erupts from the wound, blinding Laharl as he brings an arm to his face.

"A mimic?!"

Laharl spouts as he coughs from all the smoke. He is blind sided by an attack to the back of him, sending him hurtling out of the smoke and into the wall on the other end. Laharl hits the wall hard with his back from his tumbling in the air. He grunts in pain from his collision, which brings debris falling slightly from the ceiling.

"What were you saying about me being too over confident, hm? To me, it looks like the tables just got turned on you, eh?"

Raol says in arrogant tone. Laharl gets up slowly.

" I guess so. But don't think for even a second I'm throwing in the towel just yet."

Laharl says confidently as he rises up again to face Raol. He charged at Raol head on, baring down with his scythe when he got close. Raol brought a massive sword up to defend, trying to hold his ground from the force put behind Laharl's attack. Laharl reeled his foot back before kicking at the blade with such force, the sword Raol had gained a large crack in it's surface. Laharl swung once more with his scythe, aiming for the critical point of Raol's sword. Laharl smirked as he saw the blade shatter at the weak spot, leaving a bewildered and unprotected Raol. Laharl wasted no time, as slashed out with his scythe, making a big hole in Raol's skin. The previous Lord of Terror growled in pain as the black mist escaped almost freely now. Laharl did not let up, and continued to puncture the giant Prinny's skin. When he was finished, Raol staggered back awkwardly, black mist rising from his wounds, and his form started to get smaller, little by little.

"Damn you...Laharl...DAMN YOU!!"

Raol roared. Laharl simply shook his head.

"Your own overconfidence led to your demise, so don't blame me for what happened to you."

Laharl said simply. The giant Prinny tried to cover up his wounds with his massive fins, but there were too many , and the mist continued to seep out Raol's form started sagging, as there was not enough mist to keep the Prinny skin inflated

"Laharl...you..."

Raol began, but stopped, opting for laughing silently.

"Shut up. You've caused enough harm already as Baal, so it's appropriate you go this way. Fated to never return."

Laharl said softly. If Raol heard him, he made no indication other than to keep laughing hysterically. Soon the laughter faded as the last of the mist seeped from the skin, leaving it motionless on the floor. Laharl let out a sigh before falling to his knees.

"Laharl, are you okay?"

Etna asked in a worried tone as she stepped in to support him. Laharl looked at her through half closed eyes.

"All the stress has gotten to me...but I'll be okay in a few seconds."

He said. True to his word, Laharl removed himself from her, standing on his own legs.

"I wonder if it's really over, though...that just seemed too easy to me."

He stated, looking around the room as if he was trying to find any trace left of the former Lord of Terror.

"I'm not sensing anything, so hopefully..."

Michaelangelo began, but Priere interrupted him.

"So? He did have the ability to mask his own presence, right? What if he's still here?"

She said to the Seraph. Laharl let out a low growl.

"He's still alive!"

He all but shouted as he twisted around, slashing out with his scythe in a massive arc.

"What are you talking about Laharl? Nothing's over there."

Etna protested as Laharl's scythe cut through the air. He didn't respond to her.

"Getting perceptive are we?"

A voice echoed throughout the room. Raol's voice.

"Where the hell are you, Raol?!"

Laharl said, his fists clenched tightly together as he kept scanning the room with his eyes.

"Where am I, huh? Let's just say I'm...EVERYWHERE!!!"

Raol's voice boomed. The room began filling with black mist.

"Raol...you..."

Laharl growled. He furiously hacked at the surrounding dark fog, but his scythe connected with nothing. Laharl stopped attacking when he realized no amount of physical power was going to do him any good. He began looking around, only seeing darkness everywhere. He could barely make out his own hand as he began walking cautiously. He tried to make his way to a wall but no matter how far he walked, he couldn't feel anything.

"What the hell is going on..."

Laharl muttered to himself. He lost all sense of time and direction. He suppressed the urge to just scream out his frustration.

"Poor, poor Laharl...seem to have lost your way, have you?"

Raol's voice came mockingly close to Laharl's ear. Laharl lashed out with a swing of his scythe, but did not hit anything. Raol's laughter surrounded him soon after.

"Almost had me there, Laharl."

Raol said. Laharl's eyes flared crimson.

"Where are you Raol? Why don't you show yourself so I can smash your face in?"

Laharl said, his tone filled with suppressed rage.

"Show you? But your already looking at me. Did I not make myself clear the first time? I'm everywhere...everywhere you look, your eyes are watching nothing but me."

Raol explained. Laharl began to back up slowing, his expression a mixture of surprise and doubt.

"Impossible...your this giant cloud of smoke. No one normal could perform this kind of feat. Your hiding somewhere, bastard."

Laharl stated, though he sounded uncertain. The Lord of Terror that Raol was could hardly be called simply normal and shrugged off. The infuriating laughter that put Laharl so on edge erupted once again in all directions.

"Ha, you keep believing that boy. It will make my enjoyment all the more pleasurable when I make you fear me for good and relinquish your body to me."

Raol said. Laharl roared in anger.

"STOP TOYING WITH ME!!!!"

He ran as fast as he could swinging wildly as the maddening laughter filled his ear in murky darkness. Laharl soon couldn't tell if he was trying to run away from Raol or trying to somehow score and random hit on the Lord of Terror, if he really was around physically and not existing as some kind of vapor in the air.

"Feeling a bit hopeless are we? I would too, if I were you."

Raol commented as Laharl dropped to the floor in exhaustion, not even realizing how long or how far he was going.

'The room is big, but it can't be this big. I should have hit a wall by now or something...and the others, weren't they also caught in this trap...or worse, could he have already taken care of them?'

Laharl thought to himself. Now that he thought more on it, it didn't feel like he was on solid ground either.

"Is this some kind of dream?"

Laharl asked himself.

"Sorry, but no, it's not."

Raol's voice came suddenly, causing Laharl to quickly turn around and face nothing but the empty blackness. The mist was so thick he couldn't even see anything but endless black.

"Oh this is rich. I should have thought of doing this earlier. Slowly but surely, your beginning to feel the emptiness crushing you. I can't wait to see the look of your face when that time comes."

Raol's voice echoed. Laharl's face remained neutral and calm. But his eyes shone darker then they ever had in a long time.

'I need to keep moving...must find Etna, Priere, and Michaelangelo...'

Laharl thought to himself and began walking. He used his scythe as a sort of a walking stick, and only did this in hope that he would hear the sound of his scythe end hitting against the pavement of the tower floor, but not a sound came. Laharl kept moving now, stretching the limits of his senses in order to try and find any of his friends. Or more importantly for now, to find Raol physically if he could. All he could detect was Raol on all sides of him.

'Maybe he wasn't kidding when he said he was this entire black mist...I need some means of defeating him...of removing all this darkness from my eyes...of finding my friends...I just need to hold out a little longer, because if he senses any weakness from me, he won't hesitate to take my body...and I'll kill myself if I have to before letting him do that.'

Laharl swore to himself as he began to wander aimlessly, undisturbed by Raol's slight laughter surrounding him.

:::TBC:::

Note: Sorry for the really late update, but that's how it's going to have to be for a while since my own life is going to take some major priority. I'm also sorry this chapter couldn't be longer but hopefully this small update is better than nothing at all. Well I hope you readers enjoy it anyway. I'll try to post the next update as soon as I can, so please have some patience.