The Guardian Demon (The Guardians of Nine Heavens #3)

Chapter 31: Balthazar's Resolve

In a dark room full of candles, melted wax, piles of books and scrolls, and gruesome paintings of skulls, five-point stars, and other demonic symbols on walls and the floor, sat a tall boy at a table, scribbling something on a paper with his eyes sparkling like a madman's, whilst his long black braid fell messily over his back and shoulders. It was Balthazar.

Purple smoke burst up in the room and gave way to a lustfully beautiful black maiden with long dark purple hair and demon wings. However, even though it was such a horrifying miracle, the boy didn't even flinch. He continued scribbling weird letters on his papers without raising his head.

"Papa..."

Balthazar sighed at this demonic but childish voice:

"Do you not understand what 'do not disturb' on my door means?"

"But I entered from a portal-gate..."

The demon girl pouted with sadness. Balthazar rolled his eyes, slammed the pen to the table, and turned to her:

"Well, what is it?"

"I've detected Azazel in hell. He has abducted that girl already. I was right - Lord Incubus has just given her the soul memories back and it seems that she is the one."

"Huh? Really? But how come they couldn't protect her? She had all those guardians around, even Michael!"

"And Lord Incubus too..." She blushed. "But she got rid of the Bond Items before running out, so they couldn't detect right away that she was gone."

Balthazar furrowed his brow and fell into his thoughts.

"Hmm, I get it... Well then, assist me in the reverse summoning. I've formed a pact with that scum for this specific occasion, haven't I?"

"Huh? Y... You wish to oppose him?! But you're a simple human, papa, you might die!"

"I'm not a simple human, brat! You little pest wouldn't even be born without my help. Furthermore, I've undergone many lives and with your help have grasped all of their memories, even though it was against the worldly rules. Even if I go to hell, it doesn't matter, as long as I... get to meet her again, now when she too, knows it is me..." Balthazar grabbed his chest as if his heart stung heavily from the pain his soul had harboured for all these years. "Those worthless guardians were unable to help her, even though all the three of them were there! I never trusted Michael and his colleagues, anyway... That puny archangel had not been able to do anything when I owned him, so what could he possibly do with that weakling mayoress as his hostess..? Hence, I got a hold of that treacherous Azazel. Now, I'm the only one who can locate him, and finish him off."

"That's exactly what I'm saying - you want to see Joan again, don't you? You won't be able to do it if you oppose Azazel - if you attack the very demon you've formed a pact with, you too, will die!"

"It is of no importance. I'll be reborn."

"You're wrong!" The girl's eyes filled with tears as she clutched his arm. "Papa, please! You know very well that you're wrong. If you break the pact with a demon, you'll be consumed by black energy, to remain in the dark realm, forever!"

"I'm not a weakling to be so easily consumed now, Succubus, am I? Even if that malicious force absorbs me, I'll be reborn as a powerful demon. Maybe then, at last, I'll be able to meet her again, even once... And, I'll finally become worthy to be called your father, won't I?"

At such a bitter smile of his, the girl easily guessed that he too well knew his arguments were groundless, so more tears poured down her cheeks:

"But you already are my father! I don't care what anyone says - without your help, I wouldn't be born as I am! I did not help you to lead you to such suicide... If I knew you had this planned, I'd never have lent a hand!"

"Now, now, is that any way for a demon to talk? You are a seductress who should lead people to their doom. I'm proud of you_"

"Stop that! I hate your evil humour, papa!"

The child wept. Balthazar watched her sob with a furrowed brow and crossed arms. He sighed with annoyance:

"Stop yapping like some black kitten! Help me with the reverse summoning! Now!"

"But_"

"Don't talk back to me, brat!"

He swung a golden staff full of red gems - his Bond Item with the demon. Instantly, the girl yelled with pain coming straight from her core. When this tormenting pain ceased, she looked at her patron with tearful eyes:

"I... I won't take you there... No matter what you do or say, I won't take you there! You want to get yourself killed!"

"When will you learn to act like a demon? Such a shameless pest!"

Balthazar swung his staff, again and again, letting the poor demon child undergo excruciating pain. The girl, however, didn't surrender:

"I wanted to lead you to your dream goal! You always wanted to reach higher - you wanted to find the jade dragon! Why are you throwing your life away like that? You've been reincarnated in this perfect epoch when you are finally able to travel to the east and_"

"Shut up!" Balthazar snarled and swung his staff, making her cough blackened blood right out of her stomach. "Just shut up! You of all people should know how many times I've been through hell just because of that worthless priest's vain dreams!"

"But that priest was you!"

"I don't care!" He hit her with yet another wave of torture. "I don't care, got that? Dreams don't come true, no matter how many times you're reborn. Some dreams are too vain to come true! Now there's only one thing I want from this damned life - to fulfill that old promise of mine, and relax for good. So, you shall help me with the reverse summoning, you hear?"

Succubus sniffed, barely able to stand from the many waves of torment that this man had inflicted upon her in just a single hour. Yet, she still loved him from the bottom of her heart - her precious parent, who had shaped her into who she was. She wiped the tears off her eyes, raised her hands, and mumbled a spell that would help him teleport to Azazel's location. She had finally decided to yield and obey, even though she felt extreme pain at heart for doing so.

Balthazar, seeing that she had begun the ritual, placed the staff back into his belt and stood in a five-point-star symbol he had earlier painted on the floor. He too began to mumble some strange spells. After they finished with the ritual, they both teleported out of the room, leaving it empty in its eerie atmosphere.