Reports on online games and their confirmations (Winter 2009 season).

To lose the final battle, you also needed to wear the red orb.

Exactly.
With the Fire Book and an expert in that school, why wear the orb? ... Ideally, you attack as a "noob":
1) Check the maximum speed of the opponent's units.
2) Check for artifacts like the Cloak or Orb of Inhibition (it's a bit harder to check for the Cloak as a "noob").
3) And, of course, check for Shackles...
Then, either with Papyrus or Efreet + Armageddon, or with All Troops + Berserk. :)
Sorry for the off-topic.