**Chapter 4 - The Demon and the Hunter**
Time in Hell does not move the way it does in the living world. Days and nights blended together, and months simply passed in a blur of darkness, training, and failed attempts. But for Alex, there was one thing that kept her going: her determination not to be just another demon lost in a purposeless existence. She wanted more. She wanted something beyond pain and manipulation.
Controlling the infernal energy was only the beginning. He had learned to channel his anger, but he also knew that he could not rely on destructive emotions to become stronger. True power lay in resistance. And as time passed, he could feel the power within him growing, but Hell was not a place of simple rewards.
One night, as he practiced his new skill deep within the caverns, a presence interrupted his training. The air seemed thicker, and Alex knew immediately that it was no longer Malgorath watching him. Something—or someone—was there to test him. He turned, already feeling the smell of sulfur and the pressure of the presence around him. Deep in the cave, a figure emerged from the shadows. His red eyes glowed with intensity, and his body was covered by a black cloak with gold details. He didn't look like a low-level demon like Alex. No, this demon exuded power and experience. "I've seen your training, Alex Ribeiro," the figure said, his deep voice reverberating off the stones. "You have potential, but you're still lost. And Hell, as you must know, has no place for the weak." Alex straightened, observing a creature in front of him. "Who are you?" he said, trying to remain calm. Which didn't seem to be any ordinary situation. There was something else, something insidious. "My name doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm one of Hell's hunters," the being said, with an evil smile. "I hunt those like you. Low-level demons who think they can rise without paying the real price. You interest me, Alex, because I see something in you that few possess. But tell me, do you think you can escape your fate here? Can you become something more?" Alex frowned. "I am not a plaything for demons like you. I will not submit to Hell, nor will I become a weapon in the hands of just anyone." The figure moved slowly, its heavy footsteps reverberating off every inch of the ground. "Do you think you have a choice? Hell offers no choice. It makes you what it wants you to be. And if you do not understand that, then you will become a mere shadow, an echo from the depths." With a swift movement, the hunter raised his hand, and a blast of hellish energy shot toward Alex. He barely had time to react, but something inside him, an instinct, made him raise his hand, forming a barrier of fire and darkness that absorbed the attack. The explosion of the impact reverberated through the cave, but Alex stood firm, his heart pounding. He hadn't been destroyed. He was still standing.
"Interesting," the hunter said, his tone appreciative now. "You have power. But you don't know how to control it yet. Hell will do one thing or another to you. Either you submit or you succumb. Let's see which category you fall into."
Alex felt a sense of urgency. He probably understood what the hunter wanted, because he knew that if he failed, Hell itself would consume him. "What do you want from me?"
"What do I want?" The hunter laughed, his laugh cold and emotionless. "I want to see how far you can go. Hell needs beings like you. We need more hunters, more powerful than any who have ever been here. If you prove yourself worthy, I might offer you a chance to be more than just a pawn in this power game."
Alex knew it was a trap, but the hunter had made a point. Perhaps, if he could control his power properly, he could finally become something more than a common demon. Something like the hunters he had always admired in the world of the living.
"I will not be your pawn," Alex said, his eyes shining with fierce determination. "But if it is a fight you want, I will prove that Hell does not control my destiny."
The hunter met his gaze, but there was something sinister in his eyes. "Very well. Let's see how far you can go, Alex Ribeiro."
The next moment, the hunter fired a new wave of energy toward him. But this time, Alex did not back down. He extended his hands, concentrating all of his infernal energy, channeling it in a more focused manner. A blast of flames and darkness he created collided with the hunter's attack, creating a deafening explosion.
They were both exhausted, but Alex stood his ground. He had learned something important in that fight: Hell did not define him. He still had control over what he would become. And though the path before him was dark and perilous,