Author's note1: It has been QUITE a while since I started writing again, so please bear with me if I ramble. I'm taking a break from writing action scenes for a little while. After all, even MY characters need to rest sometimes. So just kick back, relax, and enjoy some humor for a change.

Disclaimer: You know the drill by now
Extraneous: Ditto

After visiting with Poitrenne
(who was Seraph at the time),
The Oricaltos and his allies
descended into the D.E.I. Hell.
Here, they watched and waited
(and barely avoided discovery)
before they learned a few new facts.
First of all, Noir, a once forsaken half-demon,
had been granted entrance to Celestia.
Second, Corbin had promised to make the Apostate
into the Seraph, should he eliminate Prier.
The mage rose and denounced Chiasmus,
and then the battle was joined...
-Prophecy di luce e di ombre: Lines CCIII-CCXV

Chapter 8: Enter Asagi
What happened before:

After arriving in the D.E.I. Hell (and just barely avoiding being discovered by Father Salade), Saito and his allies descended to the final floor, where they discovered two interesting facts before the battle commenced. First and foremost, they learned that Noir, the half-demon who had nearly killed Croix in an attempt to summon the fallen angel Calamity, had been granted admittance to Celestia. Second, they learned that Corbin had promised to make Chiasmus into the Seraph, but only if he could eliminate the soon-to-be Alternate Overlord, Prier. The Oricaltos rose from concealment and denounced the Apostate, and then the fighting began.

The battle was (for the most part) an angels against demons affair, with most of the angels siding with Chiasmus, and almost all of the demons siding with the Oricaltos. In the midst of the early portion of the fighting, Sita (Saito's resident thief) discovered that all of the angelic servants of Chiasmus were each wearing three Legendary Arcadias. Saito thanked the young thief for alerting him before issuing a silent command to steal and utilize the demonic talismans against the Apostate's forces. When the Oricaltos spotted the Apostate trying to flee, he was quick to alert Aramis, and the young Zombie Master promptly summoned several of his trusted servants to cut-off the man's escape.

Meanwhile, Noir was busy finishing the transformation spell, and Éclair and Homard were back-to-back, fending off several angels. That is, until Éclair's stomach was sliced open by a lucky axe stroke. But while the angel was busy rejoicing, he didn't notice that the princess had reverted to her darker personality. The Dark Paladin (who, along with Priere and Homard, had vanished from Saito's time period) flashed her husband a smile before cutting-down the angel who had slashed her. In addition to being healed upon her reversion, Éclair had also managed to regain her memories of the Oricaltos. Shortly thereafter, she reminded Homard about working with the mage, and he too regained what he had lost. Grinning, the man cast aside the unwieldy lances in favor of his two sabers, and then both the Dark Paladin and the Shadow Guard joined forces with Father Salade in order to allow Noir to finish his spell and begin the actual transformation.

As Prier began to change into a demon, a large number of Surts arrived, courtesy of Corbin. Saito sent a frantic call for help to Poitrenne before joining Setsuna on the southernmost ridge. The two hybrids dueled back-to-back, playing a rather twisted game of "King of the Mountain." Eventually, after Setsuna had released a Celestial Ragnarök and Saito had reverted to his Phoenix form, the duo unleashed a lethal combination attack known as the Black Flame Blast. This attack, combined with the Seraph Poitrenne's arrival and Priere's awakening, utterly demoralized Chiasmus and the remainder of his forces. The Apostate once more attempted to flee, with Lamington in hot pursuit.

During a brief conversation between the female Seraph and the newly-reborn Alternate Overlord, two stunning revelations were made known to the Oricaltos. The first new piece of information was that Seraph Poitrenne and the fallen angel Calamity, two beings who were believed to have absolutely nothing in common with one another, were actually twin sisters! However, it was the second revelation that caused Saito's blood to boil. Apparently, it had been Corbin who had turned Calamity against her sister, and Saito swore upon his own immortal soul that he would do everything possible to restore her.

Meanwhile, Chiasmus' attempt at fleeing ground to a rather abrupt halt when he found himself surrounded by several zombies. With no place left to run, the Apostate was finally forced into a duel with Lamington. After having his face badly-burnt by the Celestial Paladin's Hellfire attack, Chiasmus flung his opponent into the nearest wall before deciding to end the future Seraph's life. Unfortunately, there was one factor that Chiasmus forgot to include in his overall equation: Poitrenne. The head angel personally removed the Apostate's head, finally ending the fighting.

With the battle now finally over, Poitrenne took several minutes to heal Saito and his allies, while Priere held brief conversations with both of the demons she had captured earlier that day, in addition to Father Salade. After several heartfelt goodbyes, the Alternate Overlord, with both of the other demons in-tow, joined the Oricaltos and his remaining allies for the trip home.

While Saito and his allies are resting and regaining their strength, let's check-in with our resident nuisance, Corbin.
On board the Yoshitsuna: Makai Kingdom: Zetta's Netherworld
Year: 6580 AD
Time: Nearly twelve hours have passed since Saito's return

"...Blast," Corbin muttered upon learning that Saito had managed to return from the past, not only with everyone still intact, but also with Priere in-tow. It did not improve his mood knowing that Chiasmus had been slain by Poitrenne, and it was even less comforting to know that Saito had sworn a solemn oath to the female Seraph. On the other hand, deep inside the Lord of Terror, Baal smiled. Nice job, Saito, he called gleefully. Why, thank you, Baal, the mage responded, sounding clearly relieved. How goes life? Well, it isn't too bad. He occasionally lets me out, but only for brief periods of time. That's about it. That must REALLY suck, another voice interjected, and Baal paused, trying to remember where he had heard that voice before. When he finally managed to place it, he smiled. You have NO clue how right you are, Adell, he replied easily.

How is Rozalin doing? She's fine, and so is Yukimaru. Ah, just wanted to make sure. There was silence for a moment, then Baal started to "speak" again. So, Oricaltos, how did Chiasmus really die? Uh, why are you asking me, Baal? Because I got several conflicting reports. One said that you killed him, and another one said that Lamington managed to pull it off. There was a brief pause while Saito mused over this information. OH. Well, in that case, both of your reports are wrong. Poitrenne took his head when he tried to take Michael's. I just wanted to be sure... No problem, man! Anyway, I have another piece of information for you. I'm listening. There appears to be a black-haired, black-eyed young woman wandering around the Southern Plains. It appears as-if she is looking for something. I'll have to keep that in mind, Baal. Long days and pleasant nights. Likewise, Oricaltos, Baal concluded before falling silent once more.

Well, now that Saito knows about the newcomer, what will he do? Let's go find out!
Following Saito: Pram's Study: Hall of Prophecy: Makai Kingdom

Saito pounded on the Oracle's desk until he had everyone's attention. "Okay people, listen-up: it looks like we might have another cross-dimensional visitor." Zetta rolled his eyes before looking directly at the mage. "Let me take a wild guess," he muttered sarcastically. "Our visitor is a black-haired, black-eyed young woman who happens to be wandering around the Southern Plains, correct?" he asked, and Saito nodded, allowing his puzzled expression to ask his next question. The flame-haired Overlord slowly shook his head and smiled before turning to Pram. "It seems like Asagi's Dimensional Gate has malfunctioned again," he commented dryly, and the Oracle sadly shook her head. "AGAIN? But this is the eighth time in under three months!" "I know," Alexander mumbled, trying desperately to keep a straight face. "It appears to me that our little self-proclaimed 'Demon Slayer' is directionally challenged," he managed to choke-out before finally bursting into laughter.

However, his laughter was rather short-lived, as Saito coughed lightly, effectively silencing the G.O.D. The diralec then turned to Zetta, looking for an explanation. "What do you know about our visitor?" he asked rather pointedly, and the demon slowly shook his head. Where do I begin? he wondered silently before deciding to tell Saito everything that he was sure about. "We refer to Asagi as the 'Herald of Change,' because she always appears before a major change rakes place in one of the other worlds connected with this one." "What sort of changes?" Adell inquired, and Pram answered him with a straight face. "The last time she appeared was shortly before Saito's arrival, Adell. She usually only appears when there is either a tremendous cause for celebration, or a major catastrophe." I'm not gonna ask, man. Me neither, Adell. "Anything else, Pram?" the Oricaltos asked, and the Oracle shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Saito."

The mage nodded rather solemnly before beckoning for Laharl and Michael to join him as he withdrew. After the doors of Pram's study had closed, the Overlord grabbed his head in both hands, painfully wincing. "What's wrong, Laharl?" the hybrid asked, slightly worried, and Laharl grimaced. "Something is happening, all right. I just can't tell where." "Well then, try to figure it out, Overlord," Saito ordered, and the dhamphir nodded once in acknowledgment. The mage then turned to the Seraph. "I'm going to go and look for Asagi. I need you to make certain that Priere doesn't panic if I disappear," he stated, and Michel nodded. "I'll do my best to keep her calm. Just come back in one piece." "I will, Michael. May the Authority watch over you." "And may She watch over you as well," the head angel responded as the Oricaltos turned and strode out of the Hall. He had work to do.

Twenty minutes later...
Following Saito: Southern Plains: Zetta's Netherworld

The Oricaltos looked out over the near-endless landscape before eliciting a small sigh. Slowly shaking his head, he continued south, searching for any signs of passage. It didn't take him long to find an almost invisible trail, ad the mage inwardly smiled as he followed it, his eyes constantly moving, searching the landscape for any sign of the young woman.

Spotting what appeared to be a fight in the distance, the Oricaltos spread his wings and went airborne, mentally calling to Baal as he did so. BAAL! What is it, Saito? Can you check to see if Corbin dispatched any Surts? Sure. Could you hold on a minute? I'll wait. A few seconds later, Saito heard a rather nasty mental curse. Why that no-good, two-timing bastard! Calm down, Baal. How many did he send? He sent a little over a dozen, but no more. Saito pondered this for a few seconds before making his decision. Better let Corbin know that less than half are going to make it back alive. Will do, Saito. May the LORD have mercy upon their poor souls, for we most certainly will not. AMEN, Saito responded, a tiny grin crossing his face as he drew closer to the fighting.

"Holy Arrows!" the raven-haired woman yelled, launching the explosive quills into the closing circle of monsters. Two Surts howled in pain and vanished, leaving only three left to face her. There was a dangerous glimmer in the eyes of one of the Surts, but before it could attack, he arrived, causing all three monsters to freeze. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" an unfamiliar voice asked, and Asagi spun around, preparing to cast another spell. However, as soon as she saw the speaker, her eyes widened in shock and her jaw dropped in amazement. He actually exists, she thought to herself before realizing that her hands were still raised. Trying (and failing miserably, I might add) to keep from blushing, she quickly lowered her hands ceasing the casting of the spell she had prepared.

Saito only relaxed after Asagi had lowered her hands and ceased casting. Phew! That was a little too close for comfort, he thought silently as he stared at the Demon Slayer and then at the three Surts beyond her. "Why were you sent here?" he bluntly asked, shooting the so-called "Herald of Change" a rather hard look, telling her to keep quiet. The lead Surt stared-down the Oricaltos and then answered him. "We were sent here to eliminate her." "Well, why haven't you done that yet?" Saito asked, slightly amused, and the Surt glowered at him. "We were getting to that!" he snapped angrily, and the Oricaltos merely shook his head and chuckled. "Yeah, right," he commented sarcastically, a smug grin crossing his features. "I have no doubt that she was about to kill all three of you. However, I have a better idea." "Really?" Asagi asked, slightly skeptical, and the weredragon grinned. "Yup. Besides, my method won't cost any more lives. Are you all willing to listen?" he asked, and slowly, all four of the others nodded.

Nearly two hours later...

Baal had been temporarily released from his prison, and he hurtled towards Saito's location. When he reached the mage, however, a sudden grin crossed his face and he began to chuckle. The Oricaltos, the Herald of Change, and all three of the remaining Surts were sitting in a circle, discussing something. As Baal drew closer, his grin broadened when he heard Saito speak. "Hey Asagi! Have any nines?"

Yes, as strange as it may appear, Saito's solution involved several different card games, including poker, blackjack, and Go Fish. It was actually quite amusing to watch, plus it gave both Saito and Asagi an opportunity to relieve their opponents of large amounts of cash. Baal shook his head, intensely amused. How's it going, Saito? Oh, it's going well enough. I think those three are about ready to quit, he replied, tilting his head in the direction of the Surts. I have no doubt about that, Baal replied with a laugh. They don't have any money left! Hmm... That's a pity, the Oricaltos lamented with a grin as he picked up the last of the money. And they were doing so well too!

The Surts grumbled a few thinly-veiled threats before stomping off, and then both Saito and Asagi released audible sighs of relief. The Oricaltos sadly shook his head as he watched the demons leave, but then he turned his attention to the raven-haired woman. "Sorry about interrupting your spell there. It's just that I've had enough fighting to deal with already." "Nah, that's okay," the woman replied with a shrug. "I didn't really want to blast them into oblivion anyway." "Just out of curiosity, what were you going to cast?" Saito asked, and Asagi answered honestly. "I was going to cast Holy Scatter Blades," she replied, and Saito whistled lightly. "I haven't seen that attack in a long time," he commented, causing Asagi to laugh.

Then, as if he had forgotten to do something, Saito slapped his forehead. "Where are my manners? I completely forgot to introduce myself!" Asagi merely shook her head, clearly amused. "That's fine with me. Besides, I already know exactly what you are," "but not who," the mage finished, extending his right hand. "My name is Saito Onago, and I already know both who and what you are, Asagi. However, I do have one question for you." "What is it?" she asked. "If you're going to ask why I am here, it's because there has been a major distortion in one of the nearby worlds." "Which one?" Saito asked, his interest piqued, and Asagi sighed aloud before uttering a single word. "Ivoire."

Ivoire. Now where have I heard that name before? Saito mused, trying to make a connection. However, he was unable to do so, at least until Asagi started speaking again. "I've always hated that dratted Terror Demon for what he did to ruin so many lives." A Terror Demon in Ivoire? ...That's it! Now I remember where I've heard that name before. Saito's eyes narrowed angrily, shifting from crystal blue to flat black in a matter of seconds. Upon seeing the terrible expression on Saito's face, Asagi visibly blanched. "Do you know who I am talking about?" she asked, slightly frightened, and the Oricaltos nodded once before spitting-out the demon's name as if it were a curse. "Sulfur," he snarled, his voice dripping with malice.

Asagi quickly bobbed her head, trying not to look directly into Saito's eyes. Boy, that demon must have done something to REALLY piss him off... No kidding! I can practically feel the anger radiating from him, another voice added, causing the Demon Slayer to pause. And exactly WHO do you think you are, prying into my thoughts like that? Asagi demanded. He wasn't prying, Saito injected with a scowl. YOU were broadcasting your thoughts. There was dead silence for a moment. Uh, Saito? I don't think she knew that. I figured out that much, Baal. After all, I didn't realize that I was broadcasting in Veldime until Adell told me. Hmm. You have a good point there.

Excuse me for interrupting, but you still haven't answered my question yet. WHOOPS! Totally forgot about you for a minute there. Quit making excuses, man. Asagi, I would like you to meet Baal. Baal? This is the Herald of Change. Asagi froze. BAAL? As in THE Lord of Terror? Not exactly, Baal replied with a wince. You see, I'm not the REAL power behind the Lord of Terror. Corbin, on the other hand, is. All I want to do is regain my sword and my human body. The Herald of Change thought for a few moments, pondering the information she had just received. So, lemme get this straight: all you want to do is get rid of Corbin, correct? Yes. Then I have a feeling that we will work GREAT together, she replied with a grin, and Saito slowly rose and stretched before gesturing for Asagi to follow him. "Come on. We've got to let the others know about this." Agreed Saito, Baal added. Long days and pleasant nights. Likewise, Baal.

Well then, back to the others we go!
Following Saito&Asagi: Pram's Study: Hall of Prophecy: Zetta's Netherworld
Time: A grand total of three hours have passed since Saito originally left to find Asagi

It was obvious that Priere was worried. The Alternate Overlord was nervously pacing, wearing a path in the carpeted floor in front of Pram's desk. Despite reassurances from both the Oracle and the Seraph, she was certain that something terrible had befallen Saito. Therefore, when someone knocked on the door, she answered it, fearing the worst. Her fears proved groundless, however, as Saito led both Asagi and Laharl into the room. The Oricaltos looked at the carpet and then at Priere, raising an eyebrow as he did so. "Pram and Michael told you that I was fine. You know that I'm immortal, and yet you insist on worrying about me." The Oracle rolled her eyes at the mage. "She can't help it. After all, she loves you very much, Saito." And so do I, she silently added, guarding that thought from everyone else. Well, almost everyone else...

Salome shot Trenia a rather startled look. She had managed to catch Pram's last thought, and it had surprised her. In response, the former spirit of the Sacred Tome inclined her head towards the door, indicating that she wanted to speak with Salome outside of Pram's hearing. So, while Saito and Asagi were busy explaining their theory, both women managed to slip-out of the room unnoticed.

Once the door had closed and they were out of earshot, Salome sadly shook her head. "Poor Pram. She's fallen in-love with the one man who is already promised to the Alternate Overlord." Trenia, on the other hand, couldn't stop giggling, prompting Salome to give her a rather strange look. "What am I missing that's so funny, Trenia?" "Oh, nothing much," the younger woman replied. "You're just missing the fact that Saito is hiding his feelings, too." The female Overlord allowed her puzzled expression to ask the question, and Trenia leaned forward, allowing her voice to drop to a whisper. "He loves them both."

Salome's eyes grew wide. "But how do you...?" Then it dawned on her. "Hold on a minute. Now I understand why she refuses to read ahead in the Tome!" "It's because she is afraid that she will discover who Saito will be with in the end. However, she doesn't really need to worry about that. You see, it clearly states at the end of the Prophecy di luce e di ombre that the Oricaltos won't be forced to choose between the two of them." "Alright," Salome responded with a smile. "Let's just keep this between the two of us, okay?" "Deal," Trenia agreed before gesturing back towards the study. "Come on. I think Saito is about to get to the point of his lecture." Salome nodded, and then they both returned to the room, just in time to hear Saito finish. "...Therefore, I believe that it is imperative that we go to Ivoire and eliminate the threat of Sulfur once and for all. Are there any questions?" There was dead silence for several moments. "No? Then I want you to meet me back here in three hours. Dismissed."

Author's note2: Well, it looks like another section is finished. Thanks to all who have reviewed so far, and for those who haven't, PLEASE do so! I am always looking for ways to improve my writing, so please, tell me what you like or don't like about my story so far.

It appears that the next destination on Saito's list is Ivoire. What will happen when he arrives? Is this Corbin's doing, or is it something more sinister than the Lord of Terror? And why does Saito despise Sulfur so much? Find out the answers to these questions and more in my next installment, The Chroma and the Oxide. As always, please remember to both READ AND REVIEW. Thank you.