Disclaimer: You know the drill by now
Extraneous: Ditto
With one problem solved, another one arose,
this time, involving the Alternate Overlord.
Apparently, something went wrong in the past,
causing her to disappear.
It was now up to the Oricaltos and his allies
to set history straight once again...
-Prophecy di luce e di ombre: Lines CXCVII-CCII
Chapter 7: The Dark Side of Prier
Last time on Summons of an Oracle:
While Zetta and the others were debating what to do next, Priere was busy reflecting on her past. That is, until she vanished, causing the Oricaltos to start in alarm. She wasn't the only one, as Homard and Éclair soon followed. While Croix was trying to remember what had happened, Saito had the Oracle look-up the exact date of the occurrence. As it turned out, the day was right, the year was wrong. Something was happening in the past, and when Croix finally remembered, it came as a shock to all. Chiasmus was an Apostate, that is to say, a dark angel. He was determined to eliminate the Alternate Overlord in exchange for power, and as the Oricaltos and his allies followed the disturbance, it soon came to affect more and more people. Eventually, news of the man's betrayal reached the ears of Poitrenne, the woman who was Seraph at the time. In a fit of righteous anger, she ordered for Lamington and his allies to bring her the traitor's head. Saito smiled to himself before they departed. It was payback time. Like the old saying goes: Revenge is a dish that is best served cold...
Floor 9 (of 10): 300 Dark-Energy Index Hell: Unknown Fear (map): Paprica
Date: June 9, 1865
"Now, explain to me one more time exactly WHY we need to be here at this time?" Alexander grumbled, only to have Saito rather forcibly clamp a hand over his mouth. Keep quiet, Alexander! If we are discovered too early, then the results could be disastrous... the Oricaltos warned as he slowly let go of the God of Destruction. Alexander, much to the relief of all present, did not immediately turn against the mage. Everyone was crouched behind an irregular ridge on the south side of the large cavern, and the Oricaltos kept casting nervous glances towards one of the far alcoves. "Are you positive that we won't be seen?" Saito whispered to Croix, and the man nodded in response. "I'm certain that we never saw you. However, I'm not too sure about them," he replied, gesturing towards the two figures in the center of the room.
The dark-haired half-snake, commonly referred to as a Lamia, looked over at the ridge. She was rather curious, but she knew that it would be better if she saved her strength for the upcoming fight. Turning, she softly whispered to her companion, a violet-haired, immodestly dressed Succubus. The demon nodded at her friend's comment before spreading her black wings and drifting back towards the ridge. She glided backwards, keeping her eyes on the far side of the room, until her back hit the rock outcropping. Then, as if she sensed that there were others on the opposite side of the ridge, she asked three rather pointed questions. "Who are you? What are you? And most importantly, why are you here?" she demanded, and then fell deathly quiet when Saito responded. "I am the one known as the Oricaltos. I am a hybrid of four parts, and my exact reason for being here, young lady, is to insure that history remains unchanged." The demon's eyes went wide as she scrambled away from the ridge. Please...Forgive me, she mentally pleaded, and the mage chuckled. What is there to forgive? You were just being curious. Thank you for understanding, sir. You're welcome, Saito responded with a smile, and then his grin widened as he noticed a light appearing in the alcove he had been watching. La Pucelle had arrived, just as Croix had predicted.
Following Prier: Floor 9 (of 10): 300 Dark-Energy Index Hell
Here we go again, a voice in the back of Prier's mind called with a sigh, and the red-haired woman rolled her eyes at the comment before turning to her companions. "Father Salade? How many demons can you sense on this floor?" The sixty-five year-old priest furrowed his brow in concentration as he allowed his awareness to stretch into the room. It permeated the cavern, but seemed to avoid the area behind an irregular-looking ridge, and he frowned slightly before opening his eyes. "I sense at least two demons out in the open, but there may be more behind the ridge," he answered, rubbing his temples. "Why do you say that?" Croix asked, loading his shotgun, and the older man shook his head. "Something seemed to be blocking my awareness back there, but I can't be certain." "All right," Prier called before motioning to two other members of the group. "Homard, Éclair, I want the two of you to investigate what's behind that ridge." The two demon-hunters nodded and then moved-out of the alcove. "Croix, I want you to help me purify the two demons that we know are there. Father Salade? I need you and Culotte to get rid of those Dark Portals. See if you can create a Multi-Miracle or two. Everyone understand what they are doing?" The others nodded, and then they went their separate ways.
Externally, the lead demon-hunter of La Pucelle appeared to be normal. Internally, however, Prier was in an entirely different situation. You see, when the timeline became skewed and the Alternate Overlord's body disappeared in Saito's time, her soul was sent to occupy her body in the past. Unfortunately, thing's didn't exactly work out, and Priere's soul became a part of her human form's subconscious. She had the occasional tendency to surface, but as more time passed, it became harder and harder for her. Priere was desperate, and she reached-out in the only way that she could: through the use of telepathy. Can anyone hear me? she called rather bitterly, not expecting a response. Imagine her surprise when someone actually heard her plea, and responded in kind. She received an even greater shock when she discovered exactly who had responded to her call. PRIERE? Is that really you? She froze for a few seconds, and then started. Saito! I thought you would never come! ME? Never come? Are you out of your mind? Where are you guys right now? We are currently sitting in a cloaked position behind the main ridge. By the way, who's mind did I sense trying to penetrate my defenses? That was Father Salade. He's the head of the Church of the Divine Maiden. However, enough about him. I suggest that you guys move, right away. Umm... Why? Because, you idiot, I sent Homard and Éclair to scout your location. They won't see us. Trust me.
While Culotte was busy setting-up the Multi-Miracle, Father Salade joined Éclair and Homard as they circled the ridge. Seeing nothing, Homard heaved a sigh of relief, but Salade frowned slightly. "Something is off," he muttered, causing Homard to look at him rather strangely. "What are you talking about, Father?" Éclair asked, slightly puzzled. "I don't see anything wrong." "Well, appearances can be quite deceiving. Also, if there is nothing here, then why was my mind blocked from seeing this space? Something is different here, and I am determined to figure out what it is," he swore, cocking his right fist as he stared into the darkness of the mage's barrier. A soft white light appeared around his fist, growing in brilliance with each passing second. Just as he finished charging-up for his Holy Punch attack, Culotte called to him. "Father Salade? I need you to check this configuration for me." The original founder of the Church of the Divine Maiden slowly lowered his fist before giving the black area a rather hard stare. Just inside the barrier, the Oricaltos was already braced to catch the blow, should the man proceed in his attack. Lightly sighing, the man then turned away, much to the collective relief of the remainder of Saito's allies. The Oricaltos raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Croix. Will Salade be coming back? Saito asked, and the angel shook his head. No. After the two demons were purified and defeated, we merely proceeded to the next floor. Where will the portal drop them? Well, since it's on the opposite side of the ridge from our current position, that is where it will drop them.GOOD! I want to remain undetected for as long as possible. Understood, sir.
Salade checked the configuration twice with a rather critical eye before turning and giving Culotte an approving nod. "Do you want to start this, or should I?" "Go right ahead, Father Salade," Prier's brother replied with a grin, gesturing to the first Dark Portal. "Knock yourself out." The older man shook his head before slowly raising his hands. Kids these days, he thought to himself before bellowing a single word. "PURIFY!" A brilliant white light leapt from his hands and slammed into the Dark Portal, setting-off a chain reaction that ended when the final portal turned white, indicating a successful purification. Culotte looked at the end results and lightly whistled. "Let's see what happened: one Requiem (wind elemental), one Gospel (ice elemental), two Evangels (healing for allies, purification for enemies), and you finished with one Ragnarök (holy elemental). Man, I wish I could do that!" "One of these days, you will, Culotte," Prier called. "Now get over here and help me finish this fight!" "Yes Prier!" he called happily before hurrying to help his elder sibling defeat the Succubus.
Two minutes later...
"Royal Thunder!" Éclair called, casting the violet lightning bolt at the Lamia. The brunette half-snake never saw it coming, as she was too focused on trying to knock Culotte through the nearest wall. The only thing she noticed was a glimpse of something violet hurtling towards her before the projectile struck, knocking her out. The Succubus had already been defeated by Double-Team, Culotte and Prier's combination technique. The red-haired woman heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the alcove flash twice, indicating that both demons had been successfully converted into allies. "Well, it looks like it's time to descend once more," she said cheerfully, and Croix nodded once in agreement before reloading his shotgun. "Let's go."
We now head down to the final floor, where Saito, Prier, and the others find a rather unusual scene being played-out before them...
Following Saito&Co: Floor 10 (of 10): 300 Dark-Energy Index Hell
"I absolutely refuse to yield to you, Chiasmus!" Saito heard as he dropped into the final cavern. Raising his head, he peered over the ridge, only to stare in amusement at the scene unfolding before him.
Prier was the first one to step out of the portal, and then Croix and Father Salade moved to her left and right, flanking her. They were followed by Éclair, Homard, Culotte, and the two demons who had been captured and converted. Croix raised an amused eyebrow, while Salade and the others could not help but stare at the unfolding sequence of events with a mixture of bewilderment and amusement.
Three absolutely massive Demon Overlords were cowering behind a rather calm-looking, raven-haired angel. Beyond these four, the members of La Pucelle could make out at least a dozen angels, lead by a fiery-haired man with black eyes. At long last, Saito got his first good look at the Apostate. Chiasmus sneered at the lone angel before him. "Do you actually think that you can stop me, Noir?" he snarled contemptuously, causing Prier to freeze in shock and surprise. "HA! Without any allies, half-breed, you don't stand a chance!" Noir's eyes narrowed in anger as he reached towards the sword at his waist. "Even if I die here, I am still taking some of you down with me," he stated confidently, shifting his stance to prepare for any attacks. "I actually have Poitrenne's approval for what I am going to do here, while you don't. If you kill me and she finds-out about it, then she will be hunting you down for the rest of your miserable life!" Chiasmus allowed this to sink-in a little before laughing maniacally. "She'll never know! I'll just lie to her, like I always have! And even if she did manage to discover that I am an Apostate, then it would already be far too late!"
"I honestly hate to interrupt you here, but you really need to get your facts straight before you start ranting and raving," a new voice called, causing Chiasmus and his allies to crane their necks in order to see him, while Noir and the members of La Pucelle merely had to turn around and look towards the top of the ridge. "Excuse me?" Chiasmus snapped, and the man merely shook his head. "What did he promise you, brother of Vulcanus?" he asked, almost too casually. Chiasmus' mind suddenly kicked into overdrive as he tried to think of any way to deceive this newcomer. "Uh, who are you talking about?" he inquired, a false sense of innocence creeping into his voice. Unfortunately, this did not fool the man, and he merely narrowed his eyes in annoyance at the black-eyed angel. "You know exactly who I am talking about, Apostate!" the man snapped, his eyes shifting from light-blue to a brilliant gold. "What did Corbin promise you?" he rumbled, and the dark angel finally relented. "He promised to make me the Seraph. Now, exactly why did you interrupt me again?" he snapped, and the man merely shrugged once before giving Chiasmus a diabolic smile. "She knows." "WHAT? HOW?" he roared angrily, and the man laughed in his face. "Why, I told her, of course! What did you expect?" he asked, causing Noir to chuckle dryly. Nice one, my friend! he called to the mage, and quickly received a response. Thanks, the man mentally responded as he stepped into the light.
Father Salade merely raised an eyebrow. The man appeared to be about nineteen years-old, but he knew that appearances could be quite deceiving. The man's auburn hair was hanging around his face, framing golden eyes with slit pupils that were glimmering with amusement. He stood a little over six feet tall, with a slender, well-muscled build. There was a sword hanging from the man's right hip, a quarterstaff slung across his back, a nearly-invisible sword resting at the back of his waist, and what appeared to be a razor-edged chain wrapped around his right arm. He was wearing all black, but something about his appearance gave the priest a rather strange premonition. That was you, wasn't it? HUH? What are you talking about? You were the one who was blocking my mental probe, correct? Yes, and if you had tried to punch through MY barrier, then I would have been forced to hurt you, Father. But that's not the point. What gave me away? Well, for starters, you came from the other side of the ridge, correct?There was a moment of silence before the man responded. ...Damn. Forgot about that. No matter. Are you here to aid us, or them? Who do YOU think, Father Salade? If I was allied with them, then I would have already slaughtered all of you and left, no questions asked. ...You have a good point there. Anyway, there is only one thing that is perfectly clear: Chiasmus HAS to die. Agreed. He dared to threaten our Goddess, and and he must be dealt with.
Saito nodded at Father Salade in understanding before looking at Chiasmus once again. "Poitrenne is anything but pleased with you, and she ordered that we return with your head." Chiasmus chuckled once before his eyes hardened. "Well then, I guess that I'll just have to kill all of you before that damn Celestial Paladin of hers finds me here." "It's a little too late for that, Apostate," an all too-familiar voice snarled, and Chiasmus silently cursed as he spotted the man's distinctive eye and hair-color. His eyes narrowed to slits as he spat one word, even more vilely than he had spewed any curses in his lifetime. "Lamington." The silver-haired angel stepped forward, resting his right hand on the hilt of the Lightning Fang. "I knew that there was something wrong with you, but I just couldn't place it. Now I know for sure. So," he called, drawing his weapon, "what is it going to be? Are you going to attempt to alter history, and die here? Or will you get out while you still can, and live?"
"I choose to change history and kill you all!" Chiasmus yelled, flinging his head back and raising his arms, as if in supplication. There was a blinding flash of light, and by the time it had faded, there were several hundred angels surrounding the Apostate. "Let's see what you can do against me now, Lamington!" he cackled, but froze when the lone man on the ridge began to chuckle. These chuckles soon grew into full-throated laughter, and Saito flung his head back and laughed aloud several times. He then looked directly at the Apostate, his eyes clearly amused. "Well, now that you have called-in all of your reinforcements, it seems to be the perfect time for me to call-in mine!" he called before lifting his right hand and snapping his fingers three times. The result was instantaneous. Every single one of the mage's allies rose to their feet, and the sheer number of demons stunned Chiasmus into silence. "What...are...you?" he asked, and Saito openly smiled before speaking the four words that the Apostate never wanted to hear. "I am the Oricaltos." While Chiasmus was busy processing this information, Saito gestured to Poitrenne's second-in-command. "Michael? He's all yours!" "Why thank you, Saito."
Here we go! the mental voice in Prier's head called, and the red-haired woman smiled. "Eliminate the Demon Overlords, and then deal with Chiasmus' forces." "Understood," everyone else acknowledged, and then they split-up. The Succubus and Lamia flanked her, trying their best to keep-up with her nearly frantic pace as she tore through angel after angel, searching for the one person she knew could help her. Eventually, she spotted him in the middle of a nasty-looking duel with another angel. "Noir!" she called, trying desperately to grab his attention, but the man refused to waver as he continued to fight for his life. After several close-calls, he managed to slit his adversary's throat, and then he turned to Prier. "Thank goodness you're alright. I thought that I wouldn't make-it here in time." "In time for what?" Prier asked curiously, and the former head of the Church of the Divine Mother smiled. "I'm here to help you achieve your dream. I am here to change you into a demon." She froze for a few seconds, and then smiled before hugging the angel tightly. "Thank you," she whispered, and Noir smiled. He had work to do.
"Sita, watch your back!" The young Thief rolled forward, just barely dodging the axe swing meant to remove her head. Pivoting, she sprang at her opponent's throat, catching him by surprise. The angel froze for a few critical seconds, which was more than enough time for Sita to steal the man's necklace before stabbing him in the throat with her short-sword. Ducking into one of the alcoves to examine her prize, Sita's eyes grew wide with amazement. MISTER SAITO! What is it, Sita? Well, I just stole a necklace from the angel I was fighting, and you are not going to believe what was on it. ...Okay then, enlighten me. The young woman paused for a moment to catch her breath before continuing. I count at least three Legendary Arcadias on here. ...WHAT? Did you just say that you found three Legendary Arcadias around the neck of your opponent? Yup! Holy mother of...! This is great for us! How so? We kill the angels, and then take the Arcadias. It's as simple as that!
After Saito finished talking with Sita, he turned to look at the other fighters around him. It was then that he noticed several were circling Chiasmus, trying to keep Lamington away from the Apostate. Well, they have bigger things to worry about. Aramis! Yes, sir? Zombie Master... YES SIR! Saito shook his head and smiled, watching as Aramis planted his katana point-first into the floor before placing both palms flat on the ground. Immediately, all of the fighting ceased when a series of glowing demonic runes appeared on the walls and ceiling. The silver-haired young man rotated his palms upward and slowly rose to his feet before issuing a single command. "Rise." Several hands burst from the floor, followed rather rapidly by a fair number of zombies. Aramis smiled, pulled his weapon from the floor, and then pointed it directly at Chiasmus. "Obliterate all who follow him," he commanded, and the zombies got to work.
Éclair and Homard were back-to-back, trying desperately to defend themselves. All of a sudden, Éclair slumped back against Homard, and the man turned in alarm, catching his falling bride. He bit his lower lip in order to keep from crying-out when he saw the hideous wound. The angel had shoved an axe into her stomach, and then he twisted it before pulling it out. Éclair's eyes were starting to glaze-over, but then they abruptly sharpened, changing from a vibrant green to a moderate violet in the process. Homard watched in alarm as the wound disappeared, and then Éclair reverted to her darker personality. Her hair, which had been curled around her face, suddenly straightened and rippled down to her waist. The lance in her hands changed into an electrified saber, and then the woman gently smiled at him, just before killing the stunned angel. "Don't worry, Homard. I'm back to the way I always was," she said, giggling at the puzzled expression on his face. "I remember him now." "Who?" "Why, the Oricaltos!" she called happily as she rose to her feet, and Homard began to shake his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Then, it all came rushing back to him, and the man smiled at his bride. "So do I," he replied, tossing away both lances and redrawing his sabers. "Come on, let's go make sure that Prier is alright."
The raven-haired angel had just finished muttering the end of the spell when Prier suddenly cried-out. Looking down in alarm, Noir almost froze. Several angels were clinging to Prier, trying to drag her to the floor and crush her. Desperately, he reached down to try and save her. "Prier! Grab my hand!" The red-haired, brown-eyed young woman struggled to reach Noir, but it was no use. That is, until three other members of La Pucelle arrived. Within seconds, most of the angels had been defeated, and the remainder were warily falling back, looking for an opening through which they could attack. Unfortunately for them, Éclair, Homard, and Salade were taking absolutely no chances. While Prier was busy healing the Succubus and Lamia (who had both been badly injured earlier in the battle), Salade made a command decision. "Prier!" he called, and the woman raised her head to look at him. "Yes, Father Salade?" "Do what you think is right," he told her, and Prier suddenly smiled. "Yes sir!" she called cheerfully before reaching up and grasping Noir's hand, allowing the angel to haul her into the air. As soon as Prier's feet left the ground, her transformation began.
Well, it appears that the transformation will be a success. Now, let's go find-out what is happening elsewhere in the world, shall we?
Sacred Altar: Celestia
Poitrenne gently smiled as she felt Noir's magic take effect. "So, history will remain unchanged, after all," she whispered, and Angelique smiled. "Yup! Do you need me to do anything, Lady Poitrenne?" "Yes please, Angelique. Be a dear and go fetch my sword and bow." "Yes, Seraph," the red-haired angel replied before bowing and exiting the room. It is time that I make certain that Chiasmus does not survive this day! Poitrenne thought to herself as she prepared to enter the fight raging below. However, just before Angelique returned, the Seraph received a slightly frantic message from the Oricaltos. Lady Poitrenne! What is it, Saito? Poitrenne asked, noting the panic in his voice. She then froze. Wait a second... Saito almost never panics! That means that there must be something terrible happening!What's wrong, Saito? You almost never panic! Well, the situation has taken a turn for the worse. You see, the one who caused Chiasmus to turn against you ALSO happened to send him aid. We need some serious help, FAST. Aid? What kind of aid? He sent far too many Surts for my allies and I to handle alone. ...I understand, Oricaltos. I'll be right there. Thank you. she thought to herself as she reached out to Saito once more.
Down once more!
Following Saito&Setsuna: Floor 10 (of 10): 300 Dark-Energy Index Hell
Saito and Setsuna were back-to-back on the ridge, playing a rather twisted game of "King of the Mountain" with the Surts who were constantly charging. So far, none of them had managed to survive for more than a few seconds against the two hybrids, but they both knew that it could change in an instant. "Hold them off for a little while. I'm going to try something," Setsuna whispered, closing his eyes and focusing his energies into his staff. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open as he yelled two words. "Celestial Ragnarök!" Immediately, a large amount of holy energy erupted from the staff, changing the weapon into a massive holy sword. Setsuna then swung once, cutting-down nearly a dozen Surts before one managed to sneak under his guard. The lone beast landed a blow to Setsuna's stomach, causing the hybrid to double-over in pain. However, that was the last blow that the Surt landed, as Saito spun around in a complete circle, removing the monster's head. "Are you alright, Setsuna?" the Oricaltos asked, slightly concerned, and the dark priest rose to his feet, grimacing. "I'll be fine," he replied, wincing slightly. Saito's eyes narrowed to slits, and then he offered a silent chant. Authorities, hear my plea: unseal the light. Give me the powers that are mine by right! He was instantly surrounded by a column of blue-green energy, and when it faded away, Setsuna smiled as he felt the energy flare-up from Saito's direction. The mage had gone Phoenix, and he was extremely pissed-off.
"Hey Setsuna. How about we give these idiots a taste of what two hybrids can do?" "Agreed," Setsuna responded with a grin as he focused his energy into his fists, feeling the mage doing the same thing behind him. Suddenly, both called-out one particular phrase before lashing-out once again. "Oricaltos and Dark Priest Combination: Black Flame Blast!" The fireballs that emerged from the hands of the two hybrids seemed to be quite small, but when they reached their targets, both burst apart, showering a rather large area with the unholy flames. Several angels screamed as they were burned to death, and Saito smiled grimly before looking at the ceiling. A white light was descending, and it caused the Oricaltos to chuckle. Welcome to the battlefield, Lady Poitrenne. You're just in time to watch the transformation finish, he called, eyes glittering with amusement.
The Seraph smiled at Saito's greeting before turning to look at Noir and the woman he was holding aloft. Indeed, Saito had spoken truly when he said that she was just in time. As Poitrenne continued to watch, two ram's horns appeared on the sides of Prier's head. These were followed shortly by a pair of bat-like wings bursting from the woman's back. Her costume had already changed from that of a demon hunter to a more simplified dress, and then Prier, or should I dare say, Priere, opened her eyes and smiled at Noir. The angel gazed down, and blinked in surprise when he saw a pair of blood-red eyes gazing into his own. Startled, he released Priere's hand, but the woman did not fall. Her eyes glittered with amusement as she looked around the battlefield, hovering above most of the fighting. She then turned back to Noir. "Thank you for helping me to regain what I lost," she called, earning a puzzled look from the man. "What are you talking about?" he asked.
"Well, it's a long story, but I'll give you the abbreviated version. Chiasmus created a paradox, forcing my body to disappear in Saito's time. As a result, my soul was sent to occupy my body in this time, but because I was human, the demon portion of my soul seemed to disappear. Now that I am a demon again, I remember everything that happened to me, and, especially important, I remember the Oricaltos." Noir scratched his head, shrugged, and then nodded in confused understanding. "I believe you." "Thanks, Noir. Now, shouldn't you be focusing on trying to eliminate Chiasmus?" "He doesn't need to, Alternate Overlord. Michael is already seeing to that," a female voice called, and Priere looked to her left in mild alarm. She recognized the voice, even though she had only heard it once, right before she awakened in time to confront Croix's dark half at the Church of the Divine Maiden. "Poitrenne..."
"Correct, Priere. It has been a long time in coming, but you finally have the strength to finish what was started so long ago. Corbin was a threat to all of us. It was he who turned my own sister against me, and I have never forgiven him." "Wait a second. Did you just say that he turned your own sister against you?" Priere asked in stunned disbelief. But that would mean... "Are you saying that the Fallen Angel Calamity is actually your sister?" she asked, slightly incredulous, and Poitrenne sadly smiled. "Yes. Calamity is my twin sister. We were inseparable at one time, but then he came." "Corbin," the Oricaltos sneered, the hatred evident in his voice. "Correct. He created a rift between us, and then turned her towards his own, dark purpose. I only hope that she may one day come to see that it is Corbin who is wrong, not me!" she cried, and Saito shook his head in disgust. Corbin has ruined many lives, not just your own. I swear upon my immortal soul that I will do all within my power to restore your sister to the way she was, Poitrenne. Thank you...Saito, the Seraph seemed to whisper in response, tears streaming down her face.
Chiasmus was in the process of trying to leave the battle when he was suddenly cut-off from his forces by a ring of zombies. He drew his black broadsword and snarled at them angrily. "Out of my way, you stupid things!" he snapped, and, much to his surprise, the two closest to him moved out of the way. However, they were allowing someone in, not letting Chiasmus out. The Apostate froze for a few seconds, but then he reluctantly saluted his opponent. "So. The time has come at last, Michael." "Indeed it has, Chiasmus. It is time that we settle this once and for all." "Agreed," the dark angel snarled, lunging towards Lamington's throat, only to have his weapon blocked by the Lightning Fang. Lamington rolled his eyes and sighed once, but then his eyes narrowed. "I gave you one last chance, and you threw it away. Now, it's my turn!" he yelled, lunging at Chiasmus.
The Apostate blocked the attack, but then barely managed to dodge the overhand follow-up. "Curse you, Paladin," he snarled, swinging his blade crosswise, only to have his stroke blocked yet again. "And damn you as well, Apostate," Michael snarled in reply as he thrust his left hand into the man's face. "May you writhe in flames forever. Hellfire!" he yelled, unleashing the multi-fireball attack directly in the Apostate's face, causing him to scream in agony as he stumbled backwards, clutching at his badly-bunt features. "DAMN YOU!" he roared, unleashing a wave of dark energy that slammed into Michael, throwing the silver-haired angel into the closest wall. Shaking his head, Lamington tried to get his ears to stop ringing, and didn't notice when Chiasmus reared-back, ready to remove Michael's head from his shoulders. Unfortunately for the Apostate, someone did, and acted in the only way that she knew how.
There was a sickening slicing sound, followed by a meaty thump as Chiasmus' head hit the floor. Poitrenne closed her eyes and shook her head sadly as she gazed at the angel who had become the Apostate. "If only you had listened to me in the first place," she whispered, and then turned as she felt a hand gently squeeze her left shoulder. Saito was there, offering the Seraph a cloth to clean the blood from her sword. "It's okay, Lady Poitrenne. The battle is finally over, and Chiasmus' allies paid the ultimate price," he said, gesturing towards the groups of fallen bodies. The battle had been won, all right, but at a terrible cost. Poitrenne sniffed hard before nodding once. "It had to be done." "Agreed," the Oricaltos responded, his golden eyes gazing into the Seraph's crystal-blue ones. "Come on. There are several who need to be healed, and I don't have the strength to do it." Poitrenne smiled as the Oricaltos leaned heavily against her. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that you are all healed before you head home." "...Thank you, Seraph."
Priere settled onto the floor once again, and hugged both the Succubus and Lamia tightly. "I thought that you were both dead!" she cried, and the Lamia lightly poked her in the stomach. "Don't think that! We're here to help you every step of the way, Alternate Overlord. No matter what, we will be there to help you in troubled times." The Succubus nodded in agreement, and then crossed both hands over her breasts before falling to one knee and bowing her head. "My name is Violet, and my friend is called Laura. It would be an honor to serve you, my lady." Priere wiped the tears away from her eyes and gently smiled. "Then I would be honored if you would both accompany us back to the Makai," she replied, and both demons nodded.
As Priere turned away, a light cough behind her caused her to pause. "Yes, Father Salade?" she asked, not even turning to look at the stunned priest. "I'm not going to ask how you knew that," he muttered, causing the Alternate Overlord to smile as she turned to face her mentor. "I want you to know that, no matter what, you can always feel free to return here. It doesn't matter whether you are a demon or not, because you are still the young woman that I came to know and love." Priere sniffed gently, feeling tears welling in her eyes once again. "Thank you, Father," she whispered, and Salade smiled. "You are very welcome, Priere. Now get moving, young lady. The Oricaltos is waiting." "Yes sir!" she called softly, and then raised her voice once more. "Croix? Keep an eye on that brother of mine, will ya? I don't want him to do anything too stupid while I'm gone." "Hey!" Culotte protested, but Croix smiled, shook his head, and then smacked Culotte upside the head before replying. "Will do, Priere. Just take care of yourself, okay?" "I will, Croix," she responded with a smile before turning and walking over to Saito. The Oricaltos "descended," and then slowly shook his head before calling to the Oracle. "Pram? Let's go home." The Oracle opened the white Dimensional Gate once more, and Saito and his allies, their number now increased by two, returned to their own time period.
Author's note1: Well, that was another long one! However, this thing is nowhere near done, so stick around! Even though Priere has been saved, there is still much left to do. What happens when another traveler stumbles into the Makai by accident? How did she get there? And what sort of problems will ensue when she encounters Saito and the others? Find out in my next installment, Enter Asagi. As always, please remember to both READ AND REVIEW. Thank you.