Mythical Guardians

☆36. Oh, Hell☆

  Cedric was moved.

  No, seriously. He was.

  The fiery aura rolled back, retreating behind him to reveal the familiar landscape of Hell. Cedric let out a sigh, releasing the hands he was holding. Home, sweet home. Just lovely.

  The dark gas clouds blotted out what Hell had for a sky, a deep, violent shade of dark blue hid behind the layer of smoke, almost blending effortlessly into it. The dim, occasional sparks from the Hellstars lit up the skies along with the vague shape of a gignatic sphere far off into the horizon, glowing in a gazillion shades of red, orange, yellow and purple, piercing the dark, cloudlike smoke like thousands of fiery spears.

  "Wow."

  Cedric turned. He had almost forgotten that his companions were there.

  They all seemed mesmerized at the mystical beauty of the Hellish sunset, taking in the alien sight of the realm of the damned. In fact, sunset and sunrise were the only two times where Hell actually could be described as beautiful to mortal beholders.

  Jason staggered, looking around the fiery landscape. Beads of sweat already collecting on his forehead and neck from the intense heat. It wasn't a place for living mortals.

  "I... I remember this place," Jason muttered, "I've been here before, haven't I?"

  Cedric turned to him," Yep. When Herno sent you down here to start the Angel Demon War."

  He expected Jason to be kind of surprised, but the boy seemed calm enough, lost in thought, or his own memory.

  "So this is where all it started," Jason muttered," All that bloodshed, all that death..."

  "Can we go now?" Johnathan asked, his voice filled with unease," This place seems like it's gonna roast us alive any time."

  "In time," Cedric promised," But there is something I must do alone before we head to Silaweir. I need you to wait here."

  "Wait? Are you kidding me?" Gordon looked like he was going to fall over any second," This is Hell we're talking about! What if anything comes over?"

  "I'll cast a concealing spell over you all," Cedric said as calmly as he could manage, " It will shield you from the eyes of anything that comes near. Just be silent and don't draw attention to yourself. I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

  "Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Johnathan groaned," A little bit of warning might have been nice."

  "Sorry pal, next time."

  "I hate you," the vampire grumbled.

  Jason muttered, then drew the stick out of his pocket, and for a scary moment, Cedric thought he was going to activate it.

  "Don't!" He warned the boy. Jason froze in the act, confused.

  "A weapon from the gods will only draw attention," Cedric explained," Activate it only when you absolutely needed to."

  Jason didn't seem too happy about it, grumbling a few indiscernible words under his breath, but then he nodded.

  Cedric closed his eyes, and instantly, the words came to him. He uttered them one by one, before pushing the magical energy outwards, towards his companions.

  He could feel the magical energy connect with them, shimmering in a large dome that surrounded them all. Of course, being the caster, he could see through the spell, and all he could do was hope that the others couldn't.