Disclaimer: See the prologue and the author's note from the last chapter.
Extraneous: Ditto

Author's note: Ready or not, we are finally nearing the end. After this, only two more chapters to go. Are you ready?

Chapter 10: The Battle of Baal
When we last left our heroes:

Saito learned that Baal had raised an army. In addition, he had raised Shadow, Saito's most hated rival. Saito finished arranging his army, and then he sent them through the gate. The battle went without a hitch, but there were several memorable moments. Among theses moments was the first use of the Overlord's Inferno overdrive, and Priere's reunion with most of her old friends from La Pucelle. The pivotal moment arrived when Saito and Shadow dueled for one last time. It was at this point that Saito unleashed his own devastating potential in combination with Marjoly's Dark Conjuration. In the end, Shadow's soul was ripped from his body and absorbed by the vengeful mage.

Meanwhile, we learned that Baal was the demon who wrote the last line of the Sacred Tome, causing the destruction of another Netherworld. Unfortunately, he was looking to the Oracle for help, but Pram turned him down and vanished back to her own time. Saito and company arrived at the tower just as she departed, and Saito felt the disturbance. However, he knew that whoever had come through the gate meant them no harm, and he proceeded to lead the teams to the pinacle of the tower. We now join the final planning in progress...

Baal's Tower: Alternate Netherworld

Saito was finishing issuing his last orders when he heard a rumbling from just beyond the seal, he turned and looked inside of the room. "What do you think is so funny, Baal?" The Lord of Terror merely chuckled and then he grinned wickedly. "Did you actually think that the Patriarch's Seal would be able to hold me here? I can move freely throughout space and time, all thanks to you, mage." The young weredragon returned Baal's grin with one of his own. "I don't think, Baal. I know that you can't escape, because you have no knowledge of how to use the draconic key." The mage then stopped smiling, and his face turned deathly serious. "Are you truly prepared for the battle that will wipe you out?" Baal merely smiled as he beckoned with his right claw. "You truly ARE a fool for coming to challenge me at a time like this. Of course I am ready to kill you." Saito smiled before he drew his sword. "Then what are we waiting for? If you want me that badly, then come and GET ME!"

Baal snarled as he lunged at the door. However, he met with an invisible wall, and was immediately thrown back. Saito laughed aloud at this. "As long as I am still alive, the Patriarch's Seal will still exist. You can't cross it, but WE can!" As if to prove his point, the mage crossed the seal with a natural ease, and he was closely followed by his companions. He then reared back and launched a punch at the demon's face. Baal dodged backwards, but he was quickly blocked by Éclair. The violet-eyed woman grinned wickedly as she slashed her lance down less than an inch from Baal's nose. "Going somewhere?" The Lord of Terror grinned in response before unsheathing his claws and knocking the lance from the Dark Paladin's hand. He then proceeded to rush her, only to be stopped short when two sabers cut across his path, leaving ragged cuts on his shoulders. He snarled at Homard. "Stay out of this, unless you want your precious wife to die."

At this comment, Homard's eyes narrowed to mere slits. "NO ONE speaks about my wife like that and lives to tell about it." At that point, he crossed his swords and then looked over at his wife. "How about we show this fool what we are capable of." Éclair grinned wickedly at her husband as she began to gather dark lightning in her fists. "I'm ready when you are, dear." As Homard began his charge, both husband and wife called out one particular phrase: "Dark Paladin and Shadow Guard overdrive: Lightning Cutter!" As Homard began his most devastating attack, Éclair cast her dark lightning onto both sabers. The combination of the lightning and Homard's Burning Soul attack brought the Lord of Terror to his knees. Baal then lashed out hard, slamming the Shadow Guard directly under his chin and sending him soaring away. Homard hit the far wall, and then slumped down, unconscious. Éclair scrambled over to him and checked his pulse. She then turned and called to the mage. "He's still alive, but just barely."

Saito turned and nodded to Rena. "Go help Éclair. I have some work to finish." Krichevskoy's wife nodded, and then she hurried over to help the Dark Paladin tend to her husband's wounds. Meanwhile, Saito was completely focused on Baal. He shifted into his Warrior form, and then he "flickered" his hands into metal claws. Drawing his sword, the weredragon turned to look over his shoulder at both Lamington and Setsuna. "I think it's time that we demonstrate how well we all work as a team." Laharl nodded, and everyone else was quick to follow the example of the Overlord. The entire group quickly circled Baal, and then they all began to strike hard and fast.

The first thing that the Lord of Terror felt was a staff slam into the base of his skull. He whirled and lashed out, but Alouette dodged back much faster than he had anticipated. Croix was quick to draw his shotgun, and he fired three rounds into the demon. Baal snarled as he felt the lead pound his back, and then he lashed out without warning. Croix received three nasty slashes across his left cheek as he dashed backwards, trying to stay out of Baal's range. He looked over at the Seraph, and then he raised an eyebrow. Michael nodded and then he drew his own sword. Croix put his shotgun away, and then he drew the broadsword at his waist. Both angels quickly circled Baal, surrounding him in a vortex. They then began to swing at the same time. Baal was unable to turn fast enough, and he received several cuts from the double Hurricane Slash.

Saito nodded at the Overlord, and Laharl proceeded to join his powers with Flonne's. "Demon Angel Team Combo: Divine Ragnarok!" The massive blast connected, and Baal suddenly staggered backwards…right into Aramis' Nightsever. As the Zombie Master slammed Baal back towards the floor of the tower, he grinned wickedly. He had just set-up Baal for another massive headache. The Lord of Terror slammed into the ground hard, only to find himself being slammed by a spear. Etna had begun her Avalanche attack, and Baal was helpless to stop it as the combination of blows began to take its toll.

The former Overlord and his wife were next, and Baal was soon tossed halfway across the room by a combination of darkness and star magic. Culotte and Maderas were next, and the two of them wasted no time in starting another overdrive. "Angel and Nosferatu overdrive: Blades of Chaos!" Priere's little brother had drawn his short sword, and Maderas had pulled out all the stops by bringing along a long-sword. The Nosferatu unleashed his Chaos magic at both blades, and then the two of them got to work landing numerous blows on the Lord of Terror. It was at that point that Baal realized that there would be nothing to stop his destruction.

Priere and Marjoly then launched into one of their more lethal overdrive attacks, commonly called Wind of Darkness. Priere was quick to prepare her Spirit Wind, and she waited while Marjoly finished charging the Dark Conjuration. The Witch of Beauty Castle looked over and nodded at the Alternate Overlord, and Priere was quick to launch all of the mirages. As soon as they had all left her hand, Marjoly cast her spell, and the room suddenly went dark. Each baton had absorbed part of the witch's spell, and that tiny bit of power was enough to massively amplify their speed and power. Baal reeled as each baton strike connected. After the last blow, he fell to his hands and knees, gasping for breath. He then turned in an attempt to flee, but found himself staring at a pair of black combat boots. He slowly looked up in order to find that Saito was grinning wickedly. "I see that you have finally learned your place, Baal." The demon snarled before he lashed out at the mage, but the diralec was much faster than him. In the span of a few seconds, the weredragon had already delivered a swift blow to Baal's stomach, and then he turned and nodded to Setsuna. "It's time that we finish this." The other hybrid nodded, and then he prepared his final spell.

"Double hybrid overdrive: Sword of Light and Darkness!" Saito had already begun to charge up his Light Splitter attack, and Setsuna was quick to add his own power to the mixture, creating a unique combination of holy and unholy energies. Saito was quick to finish with an overhead slash, and Baal fell in two directions. The Lord of Terror had been split right between the eyes, and he had finally fallen. However, the weredragon was quick to realize that while the battle was over, there was still a war raging outside. It was at this time that he was contacted by Brian.

Saito! We have to pull everyone out of here. What is it now, Brian? Master Alexander's orders. Apparently, Asmodeus found a way to use the Dimensional Gates, and he just launched an attack on the Hall of Shadows. WHAT? That's impossible! That doesn't appear to be the case, Sai. We have to move and we have to do it NOW! I hear ya, I hear ya. I'll be right out with the rest of the crew. Prepare for the final gating. YES SIR!

The rest of the team was waiting anxiously for Saito to move again. However, as soon as Nicholai saw the mage's eyes, he knew what had happened. "Asmodeus began his assault, didn't he?" Saito sighed aloud, and then he responded. "Yes, that idiot had to pick the absolute WORST time to launch his attack." He turned to the Seraph and raised an eyebrow. "I believe that the last key to Celestia is on Shadow's belt. Do you mind going to get it, Michael?" The chief angel shook his head. "I don't mind at all, Saito. I also felt that the final Earth key is somewhere in this general area." "Have Marina and Croix look for it. They already know the resonance." The two angels nodded, and then they followed their leader out. Saito bent down and removed something grimy from the ruins of the Lord of Terror. "Well, I can finally open the last portal home."

Priere took a closer look at the key, in order to find that it was marked with the letters DHOS. "It looks like you're right, young man. We might as well get started on sending the fleet through." The mage nodded in agreement, and then his hand strayed to his collar. He touched the orb pendant, and then he addressed the fleet above. "This is it, ladies and gentlemen. Are you prepared for the final battle of the war against Asmodeus?" The answer was fast in coming, and it echoed from every ship hovering above. "YES SIR!" "Then go and do your duty," the Kaiser called as he opened the Dimensional gate once again. The fleet soared through to aid the draconic forces, leaving the ground troops behind.

"It looks like you were right on both counts, Master Saito," Marina called as she returned to the tower with Croix in tow. The man who had first fallen for the Alternate Overlord willingly handed over the final key to Earth, and then the Seraph arrived, bearing the key to the Netherworld-Celestia gateway. This key he handed over without question, and Saito smiled. "The ring is complete now, but I have one task left to finish. Will you all be willing to join me in crushing Asmodeus?" Marjoly looked around the room, and then she stepped forward. "I will be more than willing to help, but I do not know the way." Priere followed the witch's example, and everyone else followed suit. Saito allowed a small smile to cross his face, and then he bowed to the group standing before him. "Thank you for everything that you have done so far. You are truly the GREATEST group of friends that I have ever found." The mage then turned towards the doorway, motioning for all to follow him.

He walked out of the tower, and was greeted by a massive surprise. The entirety of his ground troops stood at attention, fully arrayed for the fight to come. Maderas stepped forward and saluted the young mage. "Everyone is ready and waiting for your orders, sir. We had enough time to fully recover, and Lady Rena even had enough time to completely heal Homard. We are ready when you are." The mage nodded, and then his face grew solemn. He took two steps forward, and then he addressed the crowd. "This is it, ladies and gentlemen. We are about to enter one of the most hellish battlefields known to anyone. If you wish to back out now, then this is the time." There was dead silence for a few moments, and no one moved an inch. Saito blinked in surprise. Okay then. "Are you truly willing to sacrifice your lives in order to help me?" Fatima was quick to answer for everyone. "We are more than willing to help you, even if it means going to our destruction. You have done so much for us, and it is time that we repay that debt."

Saito hung his head, and everyone could clearly see the tears glittering in his eyes. "Thank you, all of you, for helping me upon this day. Those of you who may perish, know this: your lives were not lost in vain." Priere stepped up next to the Kaiser and wrapped an arm around his waist. "We are with you to the very end, Saito." The mage wiped his eyes, and then he rose to his full height of 6'1.75". His voice suddenly boomed out over the silent army, and then the massive Dimensional Gate appeared. "MOVE OUT!" "YES SIR!"

Author's note2: Only one real chapter left, and then the epilogue. Asmodeus has launched his final assault, and it is up to Saito to end the war. Will he fulfill his destiny and become Oricaltos? Or will he fail and die at the hands of the archdemon? Tune in to my next chapter, The War with Asmodeus, in order to find out! Also, please remember to READ AND REVIEW. Thank you.