OK everyone, here's the final chapter. In this chapter, I give tribute to Galadriel, my favourite character from LotR! My next fanfic will continue the story with a Love Hina crossover. Hope you all like it!

Chapter 8: Apocalypse When?

"Before I go…" Hugh raised his skeletal arms and within moments the destruction he had wrought mere hours ago had vanished without a trace. The horror that had occurred would now only exist in memory. With a mere thought, he opened another portal, this one leading to Odaiba. As he was about to leave, Kari called to him.

"Wait! What do you want us to do? Where should we go?"

The Watcher turned to face them and replied, "I do not presume to be wise enough to give counsel by saying 'do this', or 'go there'. To each their own. I do not advise you one way or the other. You could stay here if you wish."

"But you're the wisest and strongest out of all of us!" protested Kari. "Your advice alone would be better than what we could come up with!"

"I thank you for considering me one of your own, Kari. But wise? I am not wise, child, I've merely grown old. I will say this, however. TK, the books you read that gave you knowledge of the past and future are the Books of Time. Their words are absolute and the events that were predicted to occur in them will happen. But not all of their pages have been filled, and we cannot write in them – they write themselves. Let our actions write a desirable future for us. Oh, and Daemon, sorry about your throat – I overreacted. I should thank you – after all, you didn't stop Yolei from setting me free."

With that, Hugh stepped through the gate into Hell. He was in a desolate land, where demons fought each other ceaselessly. The battles were the epitome of futility – whenever a demon 'died', it simply reappeared at the entrance to this abyss. These deaths did not dull their abilities, however, and their power had grown to such a degree that they could topple any enemy – if only they could set aside their hatred and focus their efforts, albeit joined by a common loathing, on a foe. Hugh scanned the battlefield and found a familiar face watching the battle from afar.

"Piedmon! Source of the One Hundred Poisons! I had not expected to find you here!"

The Deceiver felt a familiar presence that made itself known in his thoughts, though the tone of voice had changed. He turned around, startled by not knowing where the noise came from. He was both relieved and startled when he saw Hugh floating towards him. When he noticed the sword and robes, however, Piedmon realized that it was Hugh.

"So, you are free at last!" said Piedmon. "I tried to rescue you about 2 and a half years ago, but unfortunately, I was hit by volcanic rock and swept away in a river of lava."

"I'm so sorry, Father. I did not realize you were looking for me. I became unstable without any orders to follow. Had I known your coming, I would have been calm."

"Don't blame yourself." The Deceiver sighed deeply. "Even with nothing but the powers of darkness you still act the same. I guess it's that human soul I gave you. In any case, the slave is blameless – you couldn't help what you did. The people who give the orders must take full responsibility. Setting you free would have been so simple! I was glad someone else finished the task that I could not. Your division from your crest would explain why you were able to come here, but why did you? Certainly not to free me."

"Not primarily, no. Soon after I was freed, Gemma and several throngs of angels whisked Yolei away. Most likely to the human world to impose their own brand of 'justice'."

At that moment, the Chosen Children ran straight up to them, their skin and hair literally white as a sheet. The all clung to Hugh for comfort and found relief in their familiar companion.

"Whoa, whoa. Calm down. Why did you come here?" inquired Hugh.

After a few minutes of absolute terror, Kari had gathered up enough courage to speak.

"We went back home, and angels were laying waste to everything! Their leader mentioned something about their divine mandate, and separating the chaff from the wheat. We would have tried to rescue Yolei, but they were unstoppable, so we came here to help you."

"I see. They clearly are not above delivering their edicts on the tip of their bloody swords. According to them, no one is innocent of sin – that's the one free thing we are born with – no need to beg, borrow or steal – sin is part of the 'package' that comes with life. What's the saying, Piedmon? Give someone the right motivation, and they'll walk barefoot into Hell."

"Yes, Hugh. It goes something like that. Now, we need to stop this senseless and perpetual bloodshed if we hope to recruit any of these demons to our cause."

Hugh nodded, and took out the sword he had sheathed in his chest, held it aloft, and spoke to it. "Well, Deliverance, let us see what some divine judgment can accomplish." He swung the holy blade and white lightning enveloped the entire field and its combatants. The demons were not slain, but were immobilized by the holy glow, writhing on the ground in agony.

"There. Piedmon, they should listen to you now. I shall need your leadership to help me defeat our antagonists. All the training they would need, they have learnt from infighting in this place. Kari, TK, Cody and the rest of you – do not worry about what may happen to your bodies here. After all what can they do? Kill you? Not permanently, at least not here. Keep your wits about you at all times – the real danger here is going insane. If you lose your mind, I cannot help you – you must help yourself. I shall go prepare a defense against the forces of the 'Light'." Although it was from his thoughts, Hugh seemed to spit that last word as if it represented the whole of his hatred. He set off in the direction of an isolated prison that floated in a sea of screams. Along the way, he was approached by a figure wearing a black hood. He delivered to Hugh a small package the size of a man's fist wrapped in rags, and instructed him not to use it until Gemma was defeated. Hugh nodded without question, and placed the small gift in his robes before continuing on. When he eventually reached the prison, he began work knitting together special robes for the upcoming onslaught.

Meanwhile, the children listened to The Deceiver preach to the masses of demons below. The mere fact that they actually listened to him was remarkable enough.

"Friends, hellions, whatever the heck you are, lend me your…oh forget it, just listen to me anyway," commanded Piedmon.

That statement was followed immediately by insane laughter – insane even by Hell's standards. Well, at least they aren't as scary as they were before, thought Kari.

Eventually they calmed down, and one particularly vicious demon spoke up.

"You have got to be kidding! Now I understand why they called you "Hell's Jester." Give us another one! If, on the other hand, you are being serious, why should we? If you want us to invade the earth, we would gladly do so! But once we are there, we could simply backstab you and send you back here for good! Your power is hardly worth noticing, let alone respecting! Send the one who controls the Sword of Heaven here and we shall gladly follow his every whim!"

"I am sorry," replied Piedmon, "but Yemeth isn't cut out for leading, and as such, he has given the mantle of leadership to me. I am not as weak as I seem – just because I do not flagrantly display my power like you do does not mean I have no power. And no one is more knowledgeable in the ways of deceit."

"Very well," conceded the demon, who seemed to be the ringleader and spoke for the rest of them. "We agree to obey your orders. For now at least. The angels shall know true wrath!"

The children were disturbed by the display that had witnessed, and had edged away from the crowd. They made their way to Hugh's temporary workshop. Despite his obvious concentration and focus, he welcomed them there and asked them why they followed him into a place of lost souls. The children pleaded for him to come and liberate their world, but Hugh explained to them why he could not.

"Please, try to understand. I want to tear save Yolei and undo what they have done as much as you do. But without my crest I have but one life. That is why I am preparing this defense against them."

"But we can't stand it out there! They frighten us, giving us nightmares beyond imagining! May we stay here with you?" pleaded Kari.

"If you have nightmares, what you dream is no longer unimaginable. But I understand what you mean. May you sleep long and forget your grief awhile."

With that, Hugh blanketed the children with a gentle shadow, and lulled by its security, slept. They slept a dreamless slumber that only the dead have experienced. Yet the time finally came when Hugh finished his red robes and woke the children from their long hibernation. As they left the prison to meet up with their forces, Piedmon greeted them.

"You have come, my undead son! The troops were growing restless and thought you wouldn't come! How beautiful you look when dressed in rage!"

"This isn't just for show, General. Its potential shall be revealed soon enough."

Hugh then opened a portal to the outskirts of Odaiba. Piedmon instructed the demons that stealth was the first priority – causing as much damage without making their presence known was of paramount importance. They had secured the Highton View Terrace carpark as a safe zone, where they could plan their attacks and assess the situation. Scouts were sent out, and it became apparent that although Gemma had sent subjugated the whole of Japan, he had not yet attempted to extend his reach beyond its shores. After hearing the report, Hugh replied, "He's waiting for me. That's why his forces are all stationed here – to prevent any major offensive we could launch to be a success."

"You're right," agreed Piedmon. "We must attempt small surgical strikes, with the aim of whittling down their numbers to a more manageable level. Beelzebub, did you manage to gather the routes of the patrols?"

Upon hearing the name, the children were startled into a state of full awareness. They had heard the name before. It came as no surprise to them that the Devil would desire vengeance against the forces of Heaven, but the fact that he had allied himself would have been a blow to his pride. The extent of Hugh's influence surprised them again, but Hugh himself was relatively unaware of his celebrity status in the supernatural realms.

Throughout the months that followed, small battles were won against the corrupt holy armies, but they might as well have tried to empty the ocean – they hardly seemed to make a dent in the seemingly unending hordes. What made matters worse was that the unparalleled power of The Watcher had to be constrained – the atmosphere of death he exuded could well have revealed their position and put them all at risk. So Piedmon considered the use of Hugh's unbridled fury to be out of the question. The only consolation they could give themselves was that they left no survivors behind – this ensured that the vanguard of their opponent's army remained blissfully unaware – for otherwise they would surely have wiped out any resistance against them.

One night, when Piedmon returned from a successful ambush, Hugh went over to greet him. However, Piedmon was not his usual self – his face was contorted in agony and he clutched his side with an ape-like fury. Hugh asked him what was wrong, but before The Deceiver could reply, a worm-like parasite burst his abdomen asunder and he lay on the ground in mortal pain.

"I'm sorry, Hugh. You see, it seems that I wasn't the one who wrote the book on deception. Beelzebub has grown impatient of a victory, and I fear that the troops share the same goal. I have failed you. Don't bring me back, I do not deserve your forgiveness. You must lead them now."

"But…but…I'm not sure I know how to lead. This is just great – I've been around since practically the dawn of time, and one of the few things I can't do is what I need to do most."

"Don't worry," reassured Piedmon, "You have more power than Gemma is aware of. As for leading them, don't worry. They respect and fear power above all things. From the beginning, they preferred your leadership over my own."

With those words, uncontrollable spasms wracked Piedmon's body, and he was gone.

Hugh resolved to lead to the best of his ability, even if it meant through the threat of harm. He developed a new strategy – the angels would remain loyal to the priests and bishops that preached their 'holy' word throughout the world, so he instructed a small contingent to kidnap whole congregations of worshippers throughout the world, with special emphasis on the Pope and priests of high stature. They were under strict orders to do no harm, although, ironically, it was precisely the threat of harm that made them obey this directive. Even the Devil himself was impressed with the show of tactical acumen.

Soon after the troops set of, spies reported that the desired effect had occurred – the bulk of the angels had flown off to deal with the kidnappings, leaving only a token defense behind. Hugh explained to his troops that he still shared a link with his Crest, despite being separated from it, and he knew that it was still in Odaiba, which meant that Gemma would probably be as well.

Before they prepared for their offensive, Kari asked if Hugh was going to negotiate or strike down the enemies in his path. Hugh turned and replied, "We are dealing with bigots in every sense of the word. These 'angels' believe their own moral code to be the only truth in the world. They treat all other beliefs with disdain, and make every attempt to discredit them at every opportunity. When this method fails, which is often, they then kill anyone with the slightest attachment to it. Nothing can open their minds to the views of others. They do not want to be proven wrong, and use emotional arguments designed to suit their own needs rather than use logic. They never think of those whom their views affect. So to answer your question, we are going to a fight, not a parley."

"But won't causing more bloodshed lower you to their level?" warned Kari.

"It most likely will, and I am aware of this. I will make every effort possible to detach myself from my actions and retain my humanity. After the wanton pain I cause here, I would wish to make up for it, even though I direct my wrath towards those who are truly deserving of such terror."

And with that, they set off in the direction of the Imperial Palace, where Gemma had enlisted the Emperor's guards in his service. When they served the Emperor, who was more a figurehead than anything else, their honour was of much importance to them, and shunned the use of guns, believing them to be cowardly. At a distance, they saw several thousand angels who had remained behind. The demons outnumbered their opponents, which was fortunate. However, Hugh instructed his troops to remain a stone's throw behind the gates while he went forth to issue a challenge.

"Come on you cowards! Are you afraid to face me, a pile of skin and bone! Strike me down and my leaderless forces will be rendered impotent on the battlefield! I dare you all! Come down at once and finish me! Or do you doubt your own abilities?"

The taunt triggered the inherent pride that all angels have. After all, they were created superior to humans, so they believed that they were above the powers of this 'charlatan'. Or so they thought. They crashed through the gates, bowling over any guards in their way with no regard to their allies. As they drew their swords to strike down their target, Hugh merely smiled and laughed mentally to himself. The children were concerned at the danger their friend put himself in, but knew that there was nothing they could do.

Suddenly the angels that had landed blows against The Watcher fell to the ground, clutching their sides in agony. Before the remainder could fly away, Hugh conjured a wave of darkness in the air, preventing the aerial escape route of the remaining forces. At this time, the children noticed that he had not yet drawn his sword, for he now unsheathed it from his chest and charged the bewildered contingent of his enemies. With each strike, his sword Deliverance spout forth lightning that incinerated his target and those nearby, but never harming its wielder. The unholy army was stunned at such a display of power, executed flawlessly and, apparently, effortlessly.

To ensure that the angels could never harm anyone again, he shattered their swords into fragments and incapacitated their hands through force of will alone. None of the angels were slain, but the lightning had made them unable to speak for a time. He instructed his forces to disarm and hold captive the Imperial Guard, but otherwise leave them unharmed. He also warned the children to be wary – Gemma certainly would have his own elite angelic guard. The children were stunned at what they had just witnessed, but nothing more so than the fact that several angels were wounded while he hardly lifted a finger. TK asked whether he had a hidden weapon or whether it was the result of the robes he had sewn together whist in Hell.

"The robes are my secret weapon," explained Hugh, "They were forged from the souls of those who were unjustly condemned to Hell, or cast down from Heaven unfairly. This armour uses their indignity as a weapon. The blows of the angels were meant for me, and I do not deny that I felt the malice when they struck me. But the price they paid for their violence was high – they suffered whatever damage they inflicted on me."

Once inside the courtyard of the Palace, the guards were dealt with easily enough – they put up no resistance. Hugh looked up to the balcony of one of the buildings, and after spotting Gemma there, announced his intentions and frustrations with him.

"You try my patience, weakling!" bellowed the undead lord. Then, indicating his sword, continued, "Care to try my BLADE instead?!?!"

A dozen of Gemma's elite burst forth from the palace windows and charged the Watcher, throwing their daggers at his corpse-like form. They seem to have realized that my armour only works against melee combatants. However, they haven't realized something simpler…

The knives hit their mark, but Hugh was unfazed by the knives in his chest and legs, floating high to meet them as if their weapons were mere irritations. His opponents were stunned. The Captain of the 'angelic' guard gazed in sheer amazement and disbelief.

"This is impossible," he protested, "The poison we used would have slain a rabid tiger before it could take another breath! And we failed to even draw a drop of blood!"

Upon hearing this, Hugh bellowed a deep, echoing laugh full of triumph. "You fools! You cannot poison the dead! I don't bleed because I DON'T…HAVE…BLOOD! For the undead like me – skills like that are part of the job!"

Before they could flee, Hugh removed the daggers from himself – though he would have considered them 'splinters', and willed them towards their original wielders, piercing their throats. Hugh turned to the children and explained, "I spared the bulk of their troops because I do not think it is fair for me to kill those who do not have the power to kill me in return. The personal guards of Gemma, however, are corrupt to the core. That is how they acquired their position. If they had the wisdom to aim their daggers at my head, they could well have defeated me – my dodging speed is not that good. Fortunately, it seems as though they have been taking their opponents too lightly in the past, and they let their previous victories go to their heads."

They reached the balcony where Gemma held aloft Hugh's crest. Hugh was incensed and demanded that Gemma relinquish Yolei immediately.

"I am surprised with you, Yemeth," stated Gemma. "You ruthlessly cut through my personal guard, as I knew you would. Still, to accomplish such a feat with such ease is commendable. Especially with only half your soul. Yet you do not ask for your crest, but instead ask for the girl. She's hanging upside-down from the ceiling."

Hugh looked up, and after being assured that she was unharmed, replied.

"What is commendable about cold-blooded murder? I did what I had to, nothing more," came the reply.

"Still, I am surprised that you have come against me with demons at your side. Why have you recruited them?"

"Because the angels were taken."

Gemma laughed at the reply, but Hugh did not share his sense of mirth.

"The real reason, Gemma, if you would care to hear it, is that demons never disguise their killing. Yet you would have your angels disguise their bloodlust under a veil of righteousness! They had become judge and jury. Yet they did not like it when I took my role, as executioner!"

"I see. But why would you let your personal guard face a foe such as me without aiding them?"

"They had outlived their usefulness. I only want the best to join with me. And you can."

"How? Would you have me merge with my crest and become a slave once again?"

"I see you have not grasped the true nature of the crests. Each crest commands what it represents. Yolei's crest of love could make legions of men obey her beck and call!"

"No, you're wrong!" clamoured Yolei, "The crests exist to inspire us to be more like them! I've tried to be more loving ever since I got mine! I would rather receive love out of people's free will than force them to love me!"

Gemma threw back his head and laughed with deep and horrible glee. His spat his next words with indescribable venom, "Fool! The crests exist for US! WE don't exist for THEM! Hugh! Your crest has matured to such an extent that you could save or damn the world at your whim! Now stand with us, or die."

"Then I shall DIE!"

"Fine!"

Gemma held out the crest, and spat forth a ray of holy energy. It struck Hugh in the chest, whose grisly laugh reverberated throughout Gemma's skull.

"You yourself are unaware of its nature as well, Gemma. I am the only one who can wield its power effortlessly, even without merging with it. I had no intention of becoming a martyr for my cause. If I die, this cause is lost! I am also rendered immune to its power. However, it won't save you from me! I had no intention of becoming a martyr for my cause. If I die, this cause is lost! "

Hugh conjured a grey sphere in his hand and directed it at Gemma's wicked heart. Upon contact, Gemma's countenance was incredulous, and he fell lifelessly to the ground. With Gemma's death, the magic binding Yolei to the ceiling no longer held her captive, and she fell flat on the floor. Hugh tended her wounds by merely waving his hand over her. The dark flame of his eyes had now become a tranquil blue. Yolei was amazed and asked him how he was able to cure her, despite having strong ties to death and decay. Hugh seemed to contort his lips into a smile and replied, "I can manipulate death, pain, suffering, decay and all other detrimental things. While I can give them unto others, I can also take them away, relieving their hurts and worries."

"Wow. That's a new experience for me, but then again, I never expected to be captured by angels. I always believed that they were kind, considerate and merciful creatures. Nor was I expected to be rescued with the assistance of demons."

After looking at her saviour with starry eyes, Yolei realized that a relationship with him could never go as far as she would like, and began to cry. After being consoled by TK and Kari, she composed herself and picked up Hugh's crest and returned it to him.

"It's not true, what Gemma said, is it? These weren't meant to be abused, were they?" inquired Yolei.

"Unfortunately, what he said does have some truth. The crests were made for us. Whether one uses it for their own selfish gain or to benefit others is a choice for the individuals."

"So, if you were to use it to damn the world, as Gemma said you could, what would happen?"

" If I were to condemn the world," Hugh clenched his crest, and he grew to be beyond measurement – his shadowed form shrouded the earth. All was darkness and gloom, save the radiance of his crest. "Then, in place of a fallen angel, I would be a FIEND! GONE SHALL BE THE GLARE OF THE SUN AND THE STARS! I SHALL BE THE SOLE SOURCE OF LIGHT IN EXISTENCE – DAUNTING AS THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN! STRONGER THAN THE FABRIC AND RELENTLESS AS THE FLOW OF TIME! ALL SHALL SERVE ME AND DESPAIR!"

After this display of power, the light faded from the crest of sacrifice, and Hugh had shrunken to his normal size, although he still gave a look of being drunk from having excessive power. Yolei questioned him further about it.

"Don't you feel like you have lost something? Gemma said that you only have half a soul now. Could that be because I separated the crest from you?"

"Yes, but don't worry about that. I am free now. I don't care about the other half that remains in the crest."

"But still, the lack is still there, and ignoring it won't make it go away. Give me the crest for a minute."

After Hugh handed over the trinket, Yolei held it in her hands and wished for a miracle. It had the desired effect – half of Yolei's soul, her essence, had gone into Hugh, replacing what he had lost while still retaining his freedom.

"There. All done," said Yolei, returning the amulet.

"Thank you. That is the most selfless act anyone has ever done for me. I would return it, but that would be downright boorish of me. I shall treasure it, and strive to live exist the way you would want me to."

When they had reached the foyer of the palace, Yolei leading at the front, she was grabbed by one of the younger angels who had returned from scouting.

"You killed our master! I know this woman means a lot to you! Give up your weapons or she bites it! Strike, and with my last strength I shall end her life!"

Hugh laughed the same grisly laugh as before and informed the transgressor:

"Trias, Trias, Trias. I know you well, you petulant child. May I ask just what dying strength you intend to use? My spell shall dissect your soul from your vessel of flesh. For you, only oblivion shall await, just as it does your master, should you try. Do not try my patience further, or I shall try my hand. Even if you kill her, I have dominion over death – she will not stay dead, unlike you, if you lay another finger on her."

Admitting defeat, the once-proud angel released Yolei, saying, "Go to him."

"A wise choice, Trias. I have one more task for you. I want you to gather all the angels on the world and send them back home. If they will not listen, take Gemma's severed head and tell them that you have usurped leadership from him. They respect strength above all other things. Do this immediately – I will send my forces back to Hell, where they shall be of no threat to you. And do not enter the mortal realm again – free will is not to be interfered with."

Trias agreed and set forth at once to collect the head and accomplish the directive. Once the children were outside, Hugh discharged his armies to return home, but Beelzebub tried to entice them to further battle. He was immediately set upon by hordes of demonic talons and his flesh became a feast for the eager hordes. One of the larger fiends stepped forward and said, "We will do as you ask of us. Your words are absolute. We saw your potential when you wrapped the earth in shadow. We shall obey your commands to the letter." And with that, they had vanished from the world.

"So, what are you going to do with yourself now?" asked Yolei.

"Well, on my way here, I noticed that there was a small outpost that remained undefiled by the onslaught. I intend to go there to find out just how they managed to do that. And after that, who knows? I'll probably end up enjoying the world, before I find a place to lay down and fade away peacefully."

The rest of the children agreed that they would accompany him on his journey as far as they could, and after they had found Ken, Davis and the original children, they set out in the direction of the Hinata Lodge, the one place in the world that withstood the attack.

THE END

I hope that you liked it! Look out for my continuation that crosses over with Love Hina!