SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 25 out, this is Chapter 26 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Pairings: Tao Ren/Fem!OC, Yoh/Anna

Disclaimers: I own absolutely nothing, except this plot and pairing.

Chapter 26: Door of Babylon

The Spirit of Fire dropped the charred form of Jeanne, the vines within the Iron Maiden instantly wrapped themselves around her and pulled her in.

"Now then, what are you guys going to do next?" Hao asked. "If Jeanne-sama is like that, you won't be able to use the Gate of Babylon that you guys have hoped for, right?"

"We must protect Jeanne-sama." Marco declared.

"There's nothing wrong with having faith." Hao snorted as the X-Law took up their defensive positions and sent his subordinates out.

"Guys," Hui Ling took the stage. I want all of you to team up with the X-Laws against Hao."

"But..." Chocolove started.

"Basic War Tactics 101: the enemy of the enemy is my ally." Hui Ling reminded. "Yoh, I need you to keep the Spirit of Fire off my back."

"Roger." Yoh nodded.

"Do you have any chance of defeating him?" Ren asked his partner.

"Slim to none." Hui Ling admitted matter-of-factly. "But the objective right now isn't to defeat him, but to plant the foundations for his ultimate defeat."

"Wait, what?" Ryu blinked.

"Once you understand the method he uses to transmigrate himself, it's only the matter of finding a way to counter his transmigration process." Hui Ling explained.

"Iron Maiden." Hao cast a look at the Iron Maiden. "Now, I guess it's just an iron coffin."

Chocolove had Mic grab Larch before the defeat Uriel fell on him.

Ryu reacted too late to witness Turbine take out both John and Raphael.

"Emus Noki-Pekonr!" Horo Horo used his ice shield to deflect off Hang Zang Ching's spinning gong and saving both Porf and Sariel.

"I'll send all of you to the other world!" Luchist declared on Lucifer.

"What is the meaning of this?" Chris asked, Mephisto E deflected Lucifer's attack.

"Don't get the wrong idea." the doctor remarked.

"It's not like we came to save you guys." Chocolove informed Larch.

"It's just how things turned out." Ren smirked. "We have our own plans on taking Hao out on a permanent basis."

"I came here to save Lyserg." Ryu announced.

"If I am at the mercy of my enemies, then I'd rather choose a noble death." Marco muttered.

"How convenient." Luchist retorted. "We'll get rid of all of you at the same time."

"Leave it to Luchist and the others." Hao informed Team Tsuki-Gumi, jumping down from the Spirit of Fire to face against Yoh and Hui Ling. "What's wrong?" he asked his two opponents. "The two of you have such scary faces. This is a good opportunity. I'm going to test you a little. Maybe now, I can see your true strength." he summoned the Spirit of Fire.

Yoh reacted by summoning the Spirit of Sword wordlessly, the tip of the energy blade was pointed at the Kami-class Spirit's neck.

Meanwhile, Hao was forced to dodge Hui Ling's incoming sword stab.

The young swordswoman hit Hao on the back of his thighs twice, before continuing to land more hits on his back. Closing in on the bleeding Hao, she continued fighting off Hao, before backflipping over his head and landing behind him. Reaching out her free hand, she passed her fingers over Hao's left wrist, before repeating the procedure with Hao's right wrist. "Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō!" pressing a palm on Hao's back, she immobilized the reincarnated Shaman. "Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku!" returning back to her original place in front of Hao, she cast her next blinding spell.

"Kido spells?" Hao was intrigued. "I see, so you're..."

"Bakudō #79: Kuyō Shibari!" Hui Ling did not give Hao the chance to finish his sentence when she cast her third binding Kido, the eight black holes surrounding the trapped Hao, before the ninth appeared right on Hao's chest. "Hadō #91: Senjū Kōten Taihō!" she sent her ten conjured energy bullets flying towards the restricted Hao.

Meanwhile, Horo Horo froze Chuck's cannonball with his ice.

"I won't let you lay a finger on my precious Lyserg!" Ryu fought off Jack.

"I can't believe you fight while protecting your enemies." Luchist retorted, clashing with Ren. "You sure are a bunch of freaks."

"No enemy can face me." Ren jumped to dodge Lucifer. "Because I'm invincible. And your dear Hao-sama just got done in by Hui." he added, hearing the loud explosion that came from the other side of the battlefield.

"She did it." Manta beamed as he, Yoh and Hui Ling waited for the smoke to clear.

The slightly burnt Hao just smirked and had the Spirit of Fire jump behind Hui Ling to grab the spell-caster.

"Bakudō #81: Dankū." the nonplussed Hui Ling simply erected a transparent barrier to block out the Kami-class Spirit's hand.

"Not bad." Hao praised. "A Bakudō in the eighties and a Hadō in the nineties, both without the incantation. Keep getting stronger, Fukuju member of the Keikain Onmyōji House."

"What is this?" Ren gaped when the sky started churning a tornado-like cloud.

"This is..." Marco turned to see light streaming from the Iron Maiden.

"Let's begin." the recovered Jeanne opened the Iron Maiden and reactivated the ritual circle.

"This is..." Luchist winced.

"The Gate of Babylon?" Manta exclaimed.

"She's pretty stubborn." Hao mused. "That Iron Maiden."

"Because I was careless, the live of two holy angels were lost as a result." Jeanne admitted, the tower rising under her feet. "And with my current strength, opening the Gate of Babylon will take everything I have. It doesn't look like I'll be able to control the Gate of Babylon. I can't guarantee your lives."

"We're prepared for death." Chris assured, the remaining X-Laws were using their Guardian Spirits to protect the ritual circle.

"Thank you, angels." Jeanne whispered.

"Idiots!" Ren snapped, the group seeing the X-Laws using their Furyoku to power up the tower. "If you release any more Furyoku, you will all die."

"Stop it!" Yoh screamed.

"Shamash." Jeanne summoned her Guardian Spirit who held a giant key in it's hands.

"Do you really want Shamash to end up like Fudo, Jeanne?" Hui Ling shouted.

When the stone door to the portal appeared, Shamash inserted the key into the keyhole and twisted it, opening the door, the resulting updraft of winds sucked the entire group into the portal before shutting.

"We sure came across a great feast." Hao laughed coldly, seeing the Spirit of Fire devour Shamash, the Gate of Babylon spell having failed and deposited everyone back to the ground.

SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Read and review.