Authoress' Note (11.52am, 14/12/08):
So, how long has it been since the last update? Does anyone still remember this fic? =D
I've changed my pen name to Erihppas because it's shorter and simpler. At least it's more positive that 'The Useless Sempai'! D=
Anyway, this chapter wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for a good friend of mine. It was difficult to continue Ashes to Ashes when I lost my thumbdrive that contained the half-complete chapter 4 of this fic (and the rest of my half-written stories, GBA files, etc.). I had to endure the heartbreak because I didn't back-up my files. However, it was the reviews, alerts and favourites that regain my confidence (albeit slowly). And then, there's Disgaea DS that helps regain my interest, and the announcement of Phantom Brave on Wii... ... MEEP! -cough- It also helps when there's someone who is a Disgaea fan and nags at me in reality, and today happens to be that someone's birthday.
Happy Birthday, Li-Lynn~ X3
For those who have waited for 2 years, I'm sorry that you have to wait and I thank you for your patience. -hugs-
For those who have bothered to review, who have added this fic to their alert and favs (despite the date of the last update), I thank you for your support. You have no idea how much your actions have isnpired me, even if it costs only a little of your effort. =3
And readers, bear with me. My writing skills are a bit rusty, so I may not be as descriptive as the previous chapters.
Alrighty, let's get the story rolling!
Update (10.12am, 15/12/08)
Revised Mid-Boss' letter. Corrected some mistakes. Add a few descriptions.
Disclaimer: Erihppas does not own Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and Phantom Brave.
Somewhere in the Overlord's Castle, a television crackled to life.
Shhhhhhrrrrrrrrrkkh!! [terrible imitation of a crackling TV]
"Urgh, it's not working again!" A female archer, Julienne, frowned as she thumped the ancient, battered box with her hand. "I so don't want to miss this..."
"Relax, m'dear," A male warrior, Fei-Hung, said, not looking up from his task of wiping the blade of a Diabolic Axe with a cloth. Judging from the tone of his tone, he was saying it out of habit instead of concern. "We could always catch what we'd missed on the newspaper."
"But it's my only source of entertainment!" She pouted, giving the TV another hard thump. "And it'd be hours before somebody buy from the store!"
The TV suddenly flickered, and the SatelliTV newsdesk came into sight.
"Oh yay! We're just in time!" Julienne clapped happily. Fei-Hung merely shook his head with a smile.
"It's 6 o'clock and time for the news!" The white stuffed bunny, Usagi-san, announced professionally. One would wonder how it could talk when its mouth was sewed together in a criss-cross manner. "We are broadcasting to all Netherworlds and throughout space in GigaVision."
"..." The petite blue-haired girl with a red ribbon ...'ed. She was known as Pleinair, and one would also wonder how she could become a newscaster when all she said was ellipses.
"Before we begin our news, we have an announcement to make," Usagi-san continued, casually producing a cardboard from the desk. "It is a challenge to a Overlord Laharl. I cannot fathom why this letter wasn't sent directly to the Overlord himself, but a newscaster gotta do what a newscaster's gotta do."
"..." Pleinair ...'ed again.
"Now, let us see what's written on the cardboard... We challenge you into a baseball game, dood!" Usagi-san placed the cardboard down. "How odd. I was quite certain that the one who wrote the letter to us isn't a Prinny..."
"..." Pleinair looked at Usagi-san coolly.
"..." Her cold glance made the stuffed bunny nervous; he flipped the cardboard... and blinked. "Oh, forgive me, folks. Apparently the real challenge was written at the other side of the cardboard," He chuckled nervously, and cleared his throat. "Well, let's see what it says..."
"Overlord Laharl,
I, Vyers a.k.a Dark Adonis, challenge you on a friendly duel!
If you choose to decline my challenge, your embarrassing secrets should be revealed throughout the Netherworld... For instance, you are actually a fan of the Prism Rangers!
I await your arrival at the place we first met. I look forward to our battle."
"And that is all," Usagi-san placed the cardboard on the table. "Now let's get onto the news."
"..." Pleinair closed her eyes, seemingly relieved.
"We have a special report on Overlord Zetta and Salome's Weddi-"
The TV died.
Julienne let out a shrill cry and swung an arm, knocking the TV off the counter. It crashed onto the ground violently.
"Looks like it's time to get a new TV," Fei-Hung did not even raise an eyebrow when his partner collapsed onto the ground and bawled, which meant her reaction and behavior was common as well. All his concentration was placed on the dirty axe. He was rubbing with all his might. "Mm, this is tough."
Both did not noticed that a certain phantom demon had walked past their counter, heading towards the exit...
The slight bobbing of her head told Ash that the Dimensional Gatekeeper was dozing off.
'Had she been guarding the portal for the entire night?' He wondered. He thought she must be really tired when the loud crashing did not even arouse her from her slumber. The cleric may be his enemy, but he could not help but feel sorry for her. However, he would still have to wake her up if he wanted leave the castle. He hoped that he did not have to resort to violence. He dislike harming females. After making sure the coast was clear, he cleared his throat, hoping it was enough to wake her.
Nothing happened.
"Um... Excuse me, ma'am?"
Miraculously, Ash's polite voice caused the Gatekeeper to snapped out of her drowsiness.
"It seems that I have dozed off," She bowed her head, embarrassed and apologetic. Ash noticed that her eyes was still closed as she spoke. "May I help you?"
"I would like to leave the castle. If you may...?"
She raised her head, still looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, but King Laharl had specifically ordered me not to let anyone out (or in) for today."
No, there must be a way. He had to try again. "Couldn't you make an allowance just this once?"
She shook her head, her long golden locks swished beautifully along with her face as she did. "All gates to the Overlord's Castle are closed until further notice is given. It is best that you return to the Netherworld Hospital now... Phantom Ash."
Upon hearing his name, the phantom demon immediately stepped into his fighting stance; two legs widely apart, an arm stretched before him and a fist by his chin. "You know who I am, then you should know how strong I am," He growled, trying to sound threatening. He hoped it was enough to scare her to open the gates. He hoped she could sense his seriousness. "Let me pass through the gate. Please."
Her smile did not even waver. "For a strong fighter, you sound... desperate."
His confidence did not falter. "For her sake, I will not fail."
As both were unyielding, it seemed that a fight was inevitable...
.
.
Suddenly, Ash felt something large and thick gripped his leg firmly and, without warning, his feet touched air... and his world turned upside down. "Wha?" was the only thing Ash could muster before he felt his stomach churn. His head was starting to spin, but he caught sight of the Gatekeeper's amused smile, sparkly stars, the rocky ground, brief flashes of darkness, a closed wooden door, and a pair of yellow orbs in the midst of the sea of whiteness.
"So, this is the new kid?" A baritone voice rumbled. It took Ash some time to realize that the 'something hard' and 'yellow orbs in the midst of the sea of whiteness' was actually a golem. And he was currently dangling upside down, like a "He's the one the prince had been ranting before?"
'Prince? I thought he's an Overlord!'
"Yes, Goleck," The Gatekeeper sounded amused. "Although the tables have turned."
"Hey, Claris," A gargoyle hopped forward, his attention was at the Gatekeeper. "The new boy didn't hurt you, did he?"
"He did not, Gargo," She shook her head. "Thank you for your concern."
'So, she has a name... But why haven't I seen any of them before?'
Ash felt a presence behind him. He strained his neck and came face-to-face with a white face with two beady eyes. "I'm surprised that that the spell works!" The ghost's voice was high and chirpy, seemingly excited. Its sleeves brushed his exposed chest, and he could not help but shudder. "He really looks like a demon!"
'A demon?'
The cleric-slash-Gatekeeper tilted her head. "He does, doesn't he, Ghoss?"
"It wouldn't take long for him to turn into one if he stays here," The manticore beside the ghost commented. It pressed its nose on his back and inhaled his scent deeply. "Mmm... He even smells like one. Check out this kid, Dratti."
'W-W-W-What the heck!? What are they trying to do with me!?'
Dratti happens to be the dragon of the pack. "Manty, you're scaring this poor boy," Dratti looked at its comrade disapprovingly. After inspecting him, the dragon's eyes seemed to gleam. "He doesn't look half bad."
"The two generations of the Overlord has chosen a zombie as their vassal," A zombie remarked in his raspy voice proudly. "What does it said about us undeads?"
'What zombie?'
Manty snorted. "He's no zombie, Zommie. He's bandaged because he's injured."
"He looks even paler than a demon," Ghoss chirped. "Like a ghost~!"
Gargo frowned. "Goleck, perhaps you should put him down."
"No can do," The golem disagreed. "He might escape."
"He looks too sick to do so," Dratti leaned closer to inspect him. "Look, he can't even say a thing."
"You're the Overlord's vassals?" Ash managed to rasp, and instantly regret it when he felt even more nauseous than ever. He could not understand why the demons erupted into laughter, but he regretted talking; Goleck's arm was shaking when he laughed, and Ash's stomach did flips in response.
"Laharl's? No way!" Manty was chortling.
"We would never work for the prince." Goleck was wiping off tears of mirth.
"Not in a million years!" Ghoss giggled.
"No, phantom," Gargo was the first who calmed down enough to speak seriously. "We once served the late Overlord, King Krichevskoy."
"And we will always do!" Zommie added, still shaking from laughter.
"But we do accept Laharl as the Netherworld's Overlord," Dratti sounded thoughtful. "It's just that, well, it's... complicated."
"What are you guys doing to my vassal-to-be?" asked a familiar voice of authority and childishness.
Ash cursed his bad luck. Goleck's body might block his sight, but he could recognize that bratty voice anywhere.
Claris bowed as how one would bow to his or her king. "Prince."
"He was trying to escape, prince," Goleck grinned. "But I got him. Yup."
Zommie furrowed his eyebrows, pretending to think. "Actually, I think he was trying to make some moves on our Dimensional Gatekeeper."
"Hmph, he wouldn't be able to escape. I ordered all the gates to be closed for today," The Overlord crossed his arms with a smug smile on his face. "And it seems to be that you guys are the ones who are going to make 'some moves' on him."
"I swear we didn't think of an org-" Manty's mouth was swiftly covered by Ghoss, who giggled and murmured something that sounded like "Keep it PG-13!"
"Well, it's almost time for me and my vassal-to-be to meet the Senators," Laharl gestured an arm. "Release him, Goleck."
The golem obeyed and ceremoniously dropped Ash onto the floor. He hit the ground with a hard smack.
"Oof!"
"The Senators?" Gargo frowned. "I don't recall you seeking approval from the Senators when Flonne or the humans joined."
"That's because our dear phantom stirred up quite a ruckus when he invade my castle," Laharl replied in distaste. "Those bunch of old bags wanna know if I can keep him leashed. In other words, they want gifts of assurance from me."
Try as he might, but Ash could not seem to connect the last two sentences Laharl said. All was too confusing, and the room had not stop spinning.
"How long are you gonna keep lying there?" The Overlord was glaring at him. "Well? Get up."
Ash faced the Overlord, opened his mouth... and threw up.
"Whoops, I think we really scared him bad." He thought he heard one of the vassals snickered.
Next Episode
Etna: Dark times descend…
Ash: I don't think I like the sound of that.
Etna: The Netherworld is challenged by a powerful crisis!
Ash: And you're always the source.
Etna: Mountains and land begin to submerge… The Overlord's Castle was plunged into the sea! Never has a crisis been so big! Never has this ever been recorded on the pages of Netherworld's history.
Ash: … Man, you're even more dramatic than before. Are you sure that isn't because you didn't appear in this fic for 2 chapters?
Etna: When all hope was lost, Etna, a scientist of extraordinary talents rose in attempts to battle against the crisis! But can she stop it alone?
Ash: Are you ever embarrassed for saying such things?
Etna: The crisis was caused by a berserk phantom. Can she find out a solution to save the Netherworld?
Ash: … Why do you have to drag me into this?
Etna: Next on Netherworld Sinks, Chapter 5: Clash between Science and Steel! Witness the greatest battle in the whole history!
Ash: What's the point of these 'Next Episode' previews when none of them are true?
Etna: Weeeell, they're fun. –grins-
Prinny: Reviews and love are appreciated, dood!
Eri: Hope you guys enjoy it. –bows- Expect a next chapter soon.