Guardian's Redemption

Chapter Twenty Four

Ben kept his pace slow while walking down the dim lit corridor. His eyes scanning every path of darkness for hidden enemies. He had descended into a once large basement. In the far wall was a large hole that looked to be crudely formed. Within the tunnel were torches made of bones that burned with eternal hellfire stuck in the walls to give light. Ben walked past multiple rooms, taking only a moment to view the dried blood, bones, and fly infested flesh within them. In the days past, these sights would have made him vomit instantly, now though he felt no emotion to these sights. This world truly was Hell.

He noticed the succubus as he walked by, but he forced himself to not pay attention to it. The difficulty of being a man. Her aroma was so good, she smelt like the woman of his deepest desire. He could almost see the seductive figure. 'That's not how she smelt,' Ben told himself. His wife entering his mind with a smile. The succubus would die soon with its master.

The Hunter wasn't surprised to see the devil sitting on a throne of bones with a large grin. That strong intimidating pose seem almost too perfect. Devils could also sense other beings' mana as well and just as good as the Highlords of the Sanctum of Haven. Ben could say that devils were slightly stronger than a Highlord, then again he never crossed paths with a Highlord. To Ben's immediate right a different succubus came lunging at him, growling in pleasure for a kill. She didn't make it.

A huge spike of ice fell from the ceiling pinning the female to the ground with a blood curling scream, snapping her back as it impaled her. Ben ignored her death throes. His eyes were fixed on the monster in human form in front of him. Balazaar stood laughing at the female demon's death.

"Not bad human," the man said smirking at Ben. Those red eyes were not human nor was the perfectly etched steroid muscles of this being.

Ben standing in the entrance was not moving, "Balazaar is it?" The devil tilting its head in response. "One of your minions told me your name." The Hunter truly hated devils. They were arrogant bastards that needed to suffer and die horribly.

The devil gave a grunt in response, "I am."

Ben drew forth Moonlight from its scabbard and came at the devil in a lunge, the devil replying the same. Torch light gleaming off that magnificent katana. Blades throwing sparks as the two weapons connected, fire erupting from Edgebane on contact with Ben's sword. Any other blade would have snapped in half and could never stop those hellish flames, but Moonlight met the eruption with a spray of water to douse the hellish element. Those demonic flames didn't douse easy though. Ben had learned a trick when dealing with the demonic element, to add a bit of his own mana to his element to assist in removing those dark flames. This meant that Ben's mana would be used up faster than his opponents, but it did beat being burnt by hellfire.

Balazaar struck over and over again as Ben took the defensive to evaluate the hellion's attack method. Power was all the devil fought with, both mentally and physically which each attack would erupt with flames every time the blades came in contact. There was no method to the devil's attacks. Ben blocking easily every swing, yet his bones shook from the raw power behind those strike. He could not keep this up for too long.

Ben broke contact with his opponent. The man glaring at the smirk from the being of Hell had on his face. Ben summoned a raging aquatic torrent out of the air and forced the element to attack the man. The devil gave a low growl at Ben, slashing with his demonic blade that cut through the torrent with violent hissing. Hellfire sparking out in contact with the water.

Steam rose within the chamber. Balazaar came bursting through the steam, his blade bearing down on Ben. The Hunter blocked with both hands on his sword for more leverage. Over and over they clashed; Ben becoming more annoyed at being put continuously on the defensive. His impatience could cost him his life though.