Strongest

Chapter 16: Babylon's Night

Written By Illuminet

Disclaimer: The cast of characters from Makai Kingdom : Chronicles Of The Sacred Tome do not belong to me, and are the rightful property of N.I.S (Nippon Ichi Software) America.

"..."-Indicate Speech

'...'-Indicate Thought

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Salome's Netherworld, Remains of Overlord's Castle and Burning Spirit Mountain

:MK:CST:

"You think you can keep up this pace indefinitely, Babylon? You fight too hard for your age. Why don't you just die already?"

Baal taunted as he and Babylon's weapons met, sparks blazing free off their weapons with each impact dealt. Babylon's weapon had the advantage for now, since with every hit made would rattle Baal's stance. Still, as Baal said, this could not be kept up forever as Babylon had his limitations due to his age.

"I will keep fighting to protect Zetta and the rest of the universes still alive. As long as I live and breathe, you'll always have an opposition, Baal!"

Babylon countered with both words and a vicious overhead swing that pushed Baal further away.

"All of that will disappear once my might has been revealed, Babylon. As long as I live and breathe, this is the destiny branded upon all things. There is no stopping these events, and it will only come sooner once I see the Sacred Tome and have Zetta's soul join me."

Baal stated as he charged back into battle, sword thrust forward with tremendous force. Babylon grunted softly as he defended, feeling the power behind the attack which almost caused him to drop his own weapon. The Dragon Overlord held, barely able to deflect the attack away before aiming the spiked ball at the Legendary Overlord. It blasted free from the shaft to pelt Baal across the face. Babylon grasped the long chain that held the spiked ball and shaft together, manipulating the spiked ball's momentum expertly so that it swung up and struck Baal under the chin. Baal reeled back from the blow as Babylon pulled the Last Impact back as he twisted in the air to build up speed as the spiked ball was aimed to strike Baal in the side. The Legendary Overlord brought his free hand up to catch the linked projectile.

"Not bad, Babylon. I had almost forgotten your Last Impact could extend further and be wielded differently like that, but do you honestly believe it helps? Even after you changed him, he eventually reverted back to the use of pain tolerance tests upon his body that I had put him through so long ago. He has done a good job as well, because I hardly feel anything when your weapon physically strikes me."

Baal taunted the Dragon Overlord, showing how pointless fighting really was. It was unnecessary, for Babylon had already been long accustomed to Baal's moral lowering words from previous bouts. The Dragon Overlord could not be shaken. He pulled the spiked ball free from Baal's grasp before attacking again with more variation.

"So...Zetta is Baal's child, and was taught to cause himself pain so he would eventually become immune to it. I still don't understand the connection completely, though. Zetta would have to be much stronger then, if he was suppose to be raised during Baal, Babylon, and Ophelia's generation. Unless..."

Pram kept speaking, putting a hand to her chin in thought. Alex finished it for her.

"...Baal mentioned something about old gramps Babylon having altered Zetta in some way. Even if Baal is possessing Zetta's body right now, if we all look closely, there are some resemblances between Zetta and the old Dragon's physical features. If we add things together right, gramps Babylon mentioned Zetta being raised to be just a murder machine, so if that means the two had to fight and gramps Babylon won, all or at least most of the Mana Zetta acquired back then was transferred to the old man and then he somehow changed Zetta's body. If that's the case, that might explain why Zetta might seem too weak now to be able survive against Overlords like Baal himself of those ancient times."

He said. Pram nodded.

"That makes sense. Zetta would be much closer to our own levels of power if that were the case, and it probably is. However...Baal seems highly picky, so who would he force to sire him a child? She would have to be someone very powerful for Baal to even consider mating and impregnating."

The former Oracle mentioned.

"If your all following that way of thinking, then your all wrong."

Ophelia interjected as she hovered beside the rest of them.

"What do you mean? How else would Baal be able to create life without a woman? And where's Seedle?"

Salome questioned, looking around so as not to be caught off guard by the Samurai Overlord. Ophelia simply shrugged.

"I defeated Seedle. He's powerful, but my experience proved more effective than his strength. He ran off somewhere, so there's no need to worry for now. Now to the matter at hand...Baal would never dream of procreating with a female. He wanted a pure blooded son to inherit his great Mana power. The Sacred Tome was Baal's answer. He wished for it, and Zetta was born into existence to be in the spitting image of Baal himself. Even if they were both physically the same person at one time, Zetta's power and potential were meant to exceed Baal's own. This was Baal's intent, so that he could have a body to reside in that surpassed the current limits of his original body. A body more capable of putting universes to their ends."

Ophelia explained.

"That can't be right. Trenia said that the Sacred Tome had a personality, a mind of it's own. It would never allow Baal to provide a means to end all existence, including itself. How was Baal able to wish for Zetta's creation if the Sacred Tome wouldn't allow it?"

Pram argued.

"Don't forget of whom you speak about, Pram. It's because he IS Baal that makes him the exception. Out of the three of us, his manipulation of Mana energy was the greatest. He was even able to manipulate the Mana within the Sacred Tome, the most powerful relic there is, so that it would do his bidding. So that it could not refuse to make his wish..."

Ophelia was interrupted by none other than Baal himself.

"...but that wish had backfired when Babylon, Ophelia, and Trenia interfered with the process."

The Legendary Overlord spat out as he sent an injured Babylon hurtling towards them. Ophelia caught Babylon, who was breathing heavily from exertion.

"Or perhaps I should blame her mother the most. She was the one who sent her daughter to find the two you to provide me with a distraction."

Baal kept speaking as he hefted his blade up as it became consumed in black fire before he sent the projectile towards Babylon and Ophelia. The Dragon Overlord pushed Ophelia out of the way as his Last Impact became covered in a sheet of white ice that he slammed into Baal's attack to cancel it out. Baal was in front of Babylon in an instant, and only quick reflexes kept Babylon from being caught off guard. The clash of their weapons created a large shockwave through the air that sent the other Overlords tumbling backwards.

"You deserved so much more than just that ill will. You destroyed nearly her entire family just to obtain the Sacred Tome and make your wish."

Babylon spoke tightly as he strained against the pressure Baal was using against his weapon. The Legendary Overlord smirked.

"Such rubbish. I would gladly kill them a million more times if it meant I could repeat that wish. All these universes would have already fallen to complete and silent blackness if the wish had only been successful."

Baal snarled out as he overpowered the Dragon Overlord and sent him to the ground with the flat of his blade, striking the side of Babylon's head.

"Where is it? Where is that ambition of your's, Babylon? At one point in time, were we not like brothers who shared the same goals? Demons such as us were not born into existence to protect anything. Those with little insights and dreams believe in just conquering everything. Such imbeciles. Then there are those like myself, who are willing to become the strongest at any cost. Even the lives of everything else no matter who or what they are. I will make sure no one is stronger than me when I die. No one."

Baal said coolly as he hovered over Babylon's fallen body. The Dragon Overlord rose steadily, spitting out blood from his mouth before glaring up at the Demon he once considered a friend.

"That point in time has ended and will never return. We are like brothers no longer. Stop edifying yourself for it is you who is below all others. Not in power, but even power has limits, Baal. Angels, Demons, Humans...no one is higher than one another. Each try to live their lives as best as they can, through each age, each evolution, each reincarnation. We don't have to like one another, but it doesn't mean those others don't have the right to exist within the universes they are born into. You have set your sights on a prize that cannot be claimed, to become the strongest when it is not up for you to decide upon. Others will surpass you, they will surpass me...that's the way things will continue to be. I still admire your convictions to never give up even to this day, Baal, but this is simply beyond anyone. Even yourself. Accept it."

Babylon spoke just as calmly. Baal's anger rose further.

"Heh, heh, heh...Babylon...if your trying to anger me, then you have succeeded. But do you honestly think you can steer me off the path that I have chosen with that speech? The path that only I can walk? The path that me and my power alone can succeed in? I think not. As you have just said, I'm not one to lay down the towel quite so easily. Now shut up and die!"

The Legendary Overlord stated.

"You first. Salome, forgive me for what I am about to do."

Babylon apologized as he thrust the Last Impact deep into the ground of Salome's Netherworld. He flew high into the air as he released the chain, letting extend to amazing lengths. Before anyone knew it, they found themselves in space.

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Outer Space

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"Huh? What the hell is happening?"

Al asked, eyes widening in surprise at what he was witnessing. Babylon had pulled the entire planet out from under the Overlords, spinning it around and around as if it were the spiked ball of his weapon.

"Damn, I thought big physical masses like planets could only be moved with the use of Mana energy, but the old gramps is using his own physical power to move it at incredible speeds!"

Alex gaped as well.

"Then you thought wrong."

Ophelia said with a smirk.

"Um...what about the rest of the residences of my Netherworld?"

Salome asked.

"They're probably having the worse quake of a lifetime."

Ophelia told the female Overlord. Salome cringed at this information. Baal was finding the whole ordeal extremely amusing, however.

"So...this is your answer? I've taken down entire universes, but you will fight me with just a pathetic planet? Bring it on!"

Baal taunted, seeing Babylon move forward and hefting Salome's Netherworld around in a mighty arc. The Legendary Overlord was about ready to thrust into the planet and destroy it himself, but Babylon used magic to keep Baal distracted, freezing Baal's arms over so he couldn't move them.

"You really think you can hold me off...?"

The Legendary Overlord muttered out as he let black fire consume his arms to thaw and melt the white ice. He flew towards Salome's Netherworld again, only to have his torso and cape frozen, slowing him down. Baal growled as he melted the offending magic off himself, but by then Salome's Netherworld was already upon him. He went through the atmosphere, seeing the sky pass him by in mere seconds before his body collided into the main island on the planet's backside. The collision sent Baal flying back nearly all the way across from where he came from in this universe in a haze of fire, minus the Yoshitsuna which had been far enough away to escape being hit. Everyone watched as Baal went across space like a shooting star. Babylon's breathing was labored.

"Damn...I'm really out of practice."

The Dragon Overlord said as his chain retracted and he was sent back down to Salome's Netherworld.

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Salome's Netherworld, Massive Crater left behind from impact with Baal

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"Damn, Baal must have a real thick skull to be able to leave a dent that big in an Overlord's Netherworld."

Pram stated as she peered down at the damaged planet. Alex flew down to the very bottom.

"Sheesh...I think you might be right about that."

The God of Destruction said as he touched the ground.

"Hopefully he'll fry into a tiny black crisp after receiving a hit like that. For an old guy, Babylon's pretty cool."

Al said, not having quite gotten over the shock of seeing someone move a planet like it was a small tennis ball or something. Babylon limped to the side of the crater's edge, supported by his weapon and Ophelia.

"Don't think he'll die from such a small wound. Baal will survive. We must hurry to Zetta and Trenia while Baal is still occupied with having to slow himself down."

The Dragon Overlord said as fast as he could through each haggard breath.

"What good will that do if the entire universe is in danger? Besides, Trenia has charged me with the duty of protecting Zetta from Baal."

Salome said to him.

"There's been a change in the plan. We may all survive yet if all of you follow me without question. Trenia has already taken Zetta to the safest place she can for the time being. We must go there. Now."

Babylon spoke with urgency. Before anything else could be said, a familiar voice addressed Salome.

"Hey Salome, why is your Netherworld positioned differently? I almost teleported into the ocean! Where's you castle? What's up with that big crater behind you? That imposter must have done all this."

Everyone gaped in surprise to see Zetta floating before them.

"Zetta, your awake."

Salome breathed out a sigh of relief. Trenia came down soon after.

"Trenia, why did you come here?"

Babylon asked, eyes widening in further surprise from having first seeing Zetta.

"I'm very sorry, Babylon. Zetta woke up and surprised me and then just suddenly teleported here. I tried to catch up, but..."

The little girl was interrupted by laughter that was similar to Zetta's. Baal reappeared before them all, much of his skin matted with bits of charged black and clothes burned to tattered shreds.

"Trenia, it has been quite a while, and you've even brought me the prize I so desperately was seeking. Ha ha ha ha ha..."

The Legendary Overlord chuckled as he saw the little girl shrink back in fear when she realized who he really was and seeing her instinctively going towards Salome, as a child would to a mother.

"Baal..."

Trenia's voice was small and weak, and her knees shook violently. Everything felt hopeless to her now, for Baal now possessed the very body he had created for him. Zetta's soul was also right where the Legendary Overlord wanted it as well. Zetta was quite the opposite to Trenia, of course.

"Tch, Baal you bastard...and here I had thought I was so bad-ass I came around full circle. Give me back my magnificent body, you asshole! Your not me, your just an imposter masquerading in a grand possession that's not even your's to begin with."

The Overlord turned book said vehemently. Baal did not seem to hear him, however.

"Zetta, my precious son...finally, we meet again. And rightfully so! And rightfully it shall remain!"

Baal spoke with genuine happiness in his voice which seemed quite strange for a person such as himself. The wild fiery hair rose higher along with what remained of his cape as black fire swirled around him. Salome's Netherworld began to shake more and more with each pulse of power Baal displayed.

:ToBeContinued:

Note: Sorry for the long update. School has started up for me again, so updates will be very slow from now on unfortunately. Edited Chapter 15 a bit so it suited more of your tastes, Bella. Hopefully the story still continues to entertain readers at the very least, and hopefully the information in this chapter is making everything start to make sense more and more.