Lone dropped his swords and he used both arms to push the creature's lower jaw closed. What Naedrielle called a h.e.l.lhound was a quadrupedal creature that stood two heads taller than he was, with a head that could easily bite his torso in two. He really didn't want to call it a hound, as its skin resembled strips of rusted wire pulled taut and from the s.p.a.ces between, tufts of flaming "fur" licked at the air.

It didn't have eyeb.a.l.l.s but it did have a jaw with metallic teeth. And as it snarled, globs of oily, hot s...o...b..r dripped onto Lone's hair and chest.

Some of it got into his mouth. He was starting to regret leaving Dragan to distract himself.

Lone spat out what warm viscous fluid he could, and he turned to his magician ally, "Jejekaaaa!!"

The Popoto held his stubby arms above his head, "Fulmination BURST!!"

An explosive sphere appeared, glowing a threatening gold amidst the backdrop of darkening skies. With a deafening POP sound, it burst near the h.e.l.lhound's h.e.l.l-head.

As it reeled back, Lone reared a fist back and punched the creature with a solid left hook.

It felt like punching a metal barrel. Lone was fairly certain he'd broken something in his hand.

As if angered, flames began to burn brighter and hotter, all around the h.e.l.lhound's body.

"Oh, fff-- Get out!! I think it's gonna explode!!" Lone yelled. He waved his hand in a [Disperse] motion and the Guild Trayus members around them began to scatter for cover... with the exception of the Popoto Magician, Jejeka Banjeka.

It was then that Lone noticed the drawn magic circle on the floor beneath the mage, the Ley Line Circle. He recognized it from when Wroe had used it during the fight against Old Fool. A bluish cloud of mana was enhancing Jejeka's magics as he cast spell after spell at the hound.

Lone screamed, "Jeka, what are you DOING?! RUN!!"

Keeping a brave face, Jejeka continued to throw his fire spells, "My Mana Ward will save me."

"Don't be stupid, STUPID!!" Even though they spent only a short time together, Lone refused to let Jejeka die. Instead of running away, he rushed to the magician and picked him up underneath an arm.

"Nooooo!! My safe spaaaaaace!!!!!"

...

With a despondent, high-pitched gargle that could have pa.s.sed for a howl, the 4th and final h.e.l.lhound fell. Wind General Naedrielle raised her rapier up in victory, standing atop the fallen creature.

"Glory to Guild Invictus! Glory to Guild Trayus!!" She yelled. A round of cheers erupted from the crowd.

Lone stumbled out of the smoke, covered in bruises. The skin of his side, arms, and legs was torn from skidding along the ground after being launched by the h.e.l.lhound's explosion.

He dropped the Popoto held under his arm to the ground as he collapsed to his knees, "I thought we were gonna die!!"

Jejeka struggled to his feet, covered in soot, "I... told you so."

He had a growing welt on his forehead from being dropped on his face, "My mana ward saved us."

The members of Guild Trayus surrounded the two of them. --"You guys were awesome!!" "We thought we were done for when it was about to breathe!" "Drinks are on me when we get back, Lone Shadowdark!!" "You saved the Popoto!"

The nearby building exploded, quaking the earth, and abruptly halting the crowd's premature victory. An entire wall had been torn down from the explosive effects of a spell.

The 3-fulm tall Jejeka visibly trembled, hugging his stick, "Is it another enemy??"

A blue blur flew into the sky, out of the destroyed building. Maximus of Invictus landed in front of Guild Trayus and folded his wings behind him, "East side threats eliminated. No casualties."

Naedrielle floated down, glaring sharpened daggers at the Dovahkiin. The 5-fulm tall woman levitating next to the nearly 7-fulm tall Maximus was almost laughable, "Pah. You people from the Holy Country have no sense of delicacy."

Maximus crossed his bulging, scale-covered arms, "Your buildings are weak, just like your soldiers, Witch General."

Naedrielle scowled, "That's Wind General, you winged iguana. While your platoon was busy staring at their feet in your stupid formations, I've secured 4 Metal Rank kills with my Thunder Step, alone."

Maximus' wings suddenly spread to their full span, making Naedrielle look even smaller than she was, "COUNNNNNT!!!! OFF!!"

The platoon Maximus was leading began to emerge from the smoke. A man tossed a severed h.e.l.lhound head to the ground, "ONE!!" Then another, "TWO!!"

...In all, six severed heads were thrown to the ground, dripping oily blood.

After the 6th head was counted, Maximus' glare hadn't lessened, "A victory attained with coordination and precise, accurate fire."

Maximus tilted up his chin, his eyes sparking with blue electricity, "Thunder may boast, Witch. But the true power comes from the lightning that strikes first."

"Always intent on being first, Gian Vanzano," Naedrielle puffed one of her bangs out of her eyes.

"Perhaps one day, you'll decide to come second, for a change," Without waiting to hear a response, Naedrielle turned around abruptly and began walking into the central building.

Jejeka waddled up to Maximus and placed his hand on his forearm, "Holy s.h.i.+te, she killed you, dude. Should I call a Healer?"

...

The Duke's warehouse held hundreds of boxes filled with various metal goods: cookware, belt-buckles by the hundreds, lines of ma.s.s-produced swords and s.h.i.+elds. Much of it had been damaged, but the members of Guild Trayus were too busy recovering the injured and dead from both sides to admire them.

"So this is what they were protecting," Naedrielle sheathed her rapier and knelt beside a rectangular iron door, poorly hidden underneath a crate of mining picks.

Maximus opened a palm, crackling with lightning mana, "Step aside."

The elf rolled her eyes, "Opening the door with force? Your brain is as stupid as your feet, Gian."

Dragan placed a hand on Maximus' shoulder. Taking him aside, he lowered his voice, "The wh.o.r.e is right. The iron door's hiding something... but it could also be keeping something out."

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Maximus glanced back to Naedrielle to ensure their privacy, "And what are you worried about, Brother Dragan?"

Dragan hesitated, his voice barely above a whisper, "I worry it's something that specifically iron keeps out."

"Hey, fellas! And lady! I found somethin' over here!" Tamaki waved. He directed the group's attention towards a hidden lever on a nearby wall.

Lone absentmindedly scratched himself, "Are we... all gonna go down?"

Dragan broke away from Maximus, "Yep! Guild Trayus first! Line up, guys! Everyone in the hole!"

Jejeka Banjeka saluted crisply, "How about Guild Trayus take the honors? Invictus can do the work sorting the bodies for the City Watch and filling out the paperwork?"

Dragan and Maximus looked to each other, coming to a tacit understanding.

"NOPE! Get the h.e.l.ls out of my way!" Dragan yelled, shoving his way towards the iron door.

"The glory will belong to Sol Invictus!!" Maximus roared.

Tamaki pulled the lever and the iron door swung open with a series of creaks, crescendoing into a bang.

Jejeka smiled with tiny white, pearly teeth as he lifted up a closed fist, "Stay alive down there, Lone."

"Yeah, I hope to." Lone nodded, tapping his fist to Jejeka's.