Willy and his team were on the way to the meeting hall to inform the elders of their inconclusive findings. Bruiser continued to monitor the increase in temperature through his magic perception looking for any similarity for its properties in one of his grimoires. Evan looked through his monster compendium hopeful to find something of value as well. Whatever was going on people were starting to notice as well the heat especially in the sun was becoming unbearable.

Bruiser and Evan seemed to come to a conclusion at the same time in their individual books and they both opened their eyes wide. Willy and Gia stopped walking and turned to see what they found. Evan gaze intently at the page then looked up to Bruiser who looked at the image on his book. He then nodded grimly, agreeing they came to the same conclusion. They looked at Willy and Gia with dread in their eyes.

“This is bad, guys! This thing is not supposed to be in this region, we need to evacuate this town immediately!” Evan said in a subdued scream.

“What is it?” Willy asked as he looked at the page Evan stopped on.

“Gods, are you sure about that.” Gia questioned as she covered her mouth.

In Onsus, native tongue of the inhabitants of the Testial Empire, the creature that descended on Kilverstead were known as glor scursk, a name that once translated means “flame dog” but more accurately translates to “hellhound”. These monsters are normally not native to the area and are not known to travel in packs as they typically live solitary lives.

Hellhounds had the ability to increase the temperature of the surrounding area the longer they remained in place. Given enough time, one of them could turn the forest into a dry wasteland in a matter of days. The temperature in the town was quickly reaching a dangerous level. It does not matter if the townspeople are inside or outside, the temperature rises at the same rate and there is no escaping the heat aside from getting out of the creature's area of influence. The water from the river was starting to steam and dead fish were floating up to the banks.

Hellhounds were unique monsters as they were not born in the traditional sense but instead would manifest from the environment if very specific conditions were met. Those conditions were not present in Mighthand and in fact under normal circumstances were not possible in the Empire as a whole. Even so, on occasion the unusual monsters have made their way into the Empire in the past and no less than fifteen well trained Argonauts or a military detachment is needed to kill one of them. Hunts for hellhounds for their incredibly valuable hides have led more Argonauts to their graves than to fame and riches.

“We need to evacuate the town now.” Bruiser said with stalwart resolution. “We can’t stop one of those things alone we need to…”

“Calm down! Everyone out of their way! They are out of control!” Cena screamed from his carriage as his pracked galloped as fast as they could down the road. “Get out of the way! I can’t control them.”

The carriage sped off out of the town as the terrified dog man tried to get control of the animals. Similar situations started all over the town as animals began to flee en masse. The terrified screams from the farmers quickly arrested Willy and his team's attention. They ran to the square and saw the demonic black kainine monster emerge from the woods and attack a nearby farmer.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Evan exclaimed.

“Gia, Evan get everyone to safety.” Willy said as his face paled and he took in a dry breath. “Bruiser. Are you up for taking out your auntie out there?”

“You arse.” Bruiser responded with a grim nod. “Never liked her at family gatherings anyway.”

“Gods no! I am not letting you two go out there alone!” Gia said as she grabbed Willy and looked him in the eyes. “Don’t you dare think you can leave me.”

“We are a team, we will think of something.” Evan said, his voice shaky but stern.

Willy was about to object but after Gia tore into him some more about how stupid it would be for them to go alone he relented. They were wasting time and more people were being killed. Willy reached into his satchel and pulled out a horn decorated in multicolored runes.

“Our job is to save as many as possible.” Willy said as he looked at his team. “Once the townspeople flee we are to get out of here as well.”

“Our best way to get out will be the dense forest to the west.” Evan said. “The large size of the creatures will make it difficult for it to follow us.”

They continued to make a plan but all knew that it didn’t matter. They knew as soon as they went to intercept the hellhound it would kill them. There was no way they would be able to outrun the creature to escape. They killed it here or died trying there was no other option. Willy looked over his team again then each of them nodded. They all turned and ran towards the beast.

“We will distract them!” Willy exclaimed, his voice hard and resolute as he ran. “Everyone evacuate! These creatures will not leave the village.

The item in his hand was a voice amplifier which he bought for an occasion like this. It glowed as he spoke and his voice cascaded over the town. He was sure everyone heard him including the hellhound who turned immediately to watch their approach. They were still several hundred meters from the creature but it just stood in place and watched them while growling angrily. It was Evan that pointed out that hellhounds were cautious when they were being approached. They sized up an opponent before striking but as soon as the hellhound felt as though it could win or they got too close it would charge them.

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As they ran Bruiser rattled off spells that would increase their stamina, endurance, battlesenses, focus, agility and strength, dexterity and many other attributes. His many years and skill as a mage allowed him to cast the spells in quick succession and without needing to say the incantations. His skill was something that most mages would be hard pressed to attempt, especially while running.

Gia broke off from the group once she was one-hundred and fifty meters out from the creature. It was the maximum distance for her most powerful bow skills. She he pulled the large compound warbow from her back and surged her magic into it. It was no ordinary bow; the enchantments allowed her to feed magic into the weapon for a host of arcane attacks. Gears began to turn as the bow extended from just under four feet to well over six. She pulled an arrow from the quiver and waited for her signal to let loose her barrage.

Evan and Bruiser stopped once they were seventy five meters away, the best distance for their combination of skills and spells. While Willy ran forward only a few more meters to be the guard between them and the hellhound. Evan pulled out a roll of steel string and wove it through his fingers creating a criss crossing pattern which quickly became more and more complex.

The hellhound watched them for a second before it lowered its head and started to stalk them. The creature’s six eyes seemed to move independent of one another and all watched a different target. Its growl was low and guttural, vibrating the heated air all around them. The creature looked crazed and ready to pounce at any moment as the seconds passed like hours.

Everything that happened next took only a few seconds to pass. The hellhound charged with speed and agility no one expected. It closed the sixty meters to get to Willy in the blink of an eye however the trap was already sprung. It’s jaws descending on Willy faster than he can even react. Several things happened at the same time, Evan and Bruiser cast a spell that caused an ethereal mesh of steel wires to catch the beast as it attempted to close its jaws on Willy. The wires snapped one after the other barely slowing the creature down. As the ethereal wires snapped the now glowing wires in Evan’s hands also snapped only to be replaced by more wire which also reappeared in ethereal form tangling the beast.

Several arrows slammed into the creature's head with a loud bang veering the mouth away from Willy. The arrows hit with enough force to kill most creatures but the hell hound was not most creatures. The arrows bounced off the face of the monster leaving only superficial cuts. Willy slashed his twin sabers as he dodged to his side catching the beast along its jaw and throat leaving shallow cuts. He was able to pass through the ethereal wires as if they were not there.

The hellhound thrashed it’s way through the wires snapping them with its powerful body faster than Evan and Bruiser could replace them. Willy continued to use the distraction of the wires to his advantage, getting several more shallow cuts on the creature. Any time the hellhound looked too focused on Willy, Gia would unleash another barrage of arrows which slammed against the beast with enough force to knock the beast off balance even if they could not penetrate the thick hide.

The attacks only seemed to further enrage the beast and its attacks became faster and more unpredictable. The steel wires no longer slowed the beast down and it would snap them without resistance. Willy is only able to survive on his skill and swordsmanship alone a feat no one would believe possible had they not seen it. Bruiser chanted another spell as Evan rebuilt the tangle of ethereal wires. When the spell was complete the wires were now electrified, shocking the hellhound every time it touched one.

The creature began to back up as it snapped and thrashed at Willy who expertly moved about. The creature howled at a volume that caused everyone to stumble back and hold their ears. Everyone’s heart sank when they heard two howls ring back from the mountain then more and more followed. In seconds a second and third hellhound ran out from the treeline barreling towards the fight. Their furious jaws open and aching to taste blood.

“Bruiser do it!” Willy screamed.

“What’s he talking about,” Evan asked.

“Sorry about this friend. When you find Silvia just be sure to make your move. Ladies like it when you make the first move.” Bruiser said in response.

“What are you talking about?” Evan questioned as tears began to flow knowing he was about to die.

“Whatever you do, live Evan. We all decided a long time ago if anything happened at least you should survive.” Bruiser continued. “It is the fate of all Argonauts to die one day, but it is not your time yet. Protect Gia for Willy and try to keep her from hating me for this.”

A gust of wind blew Evan high into the sky well over the town as the first hellhound racked its claws across Willy’s chest carving through his armor and flesh in a single strike. Willy screamed in pain as he struggled to dodge the incoming jaws which snapped on his body. The hellhounds were closing in the distance even faster than the first in just a moment they would be on top of them. Willy attempted to hit the hound in the mouth with his free arm to get it to release him but to no avail. The creature continued to bite down until he no longer had the energy to fight back, then it spat his body to the ground before turning to Bruiser.

Bruiser turned around and looked at Gia and raised his hand. She knew what he was doing and cried for him to stop. The spell he just used on Evan activated and Gia was sent into the air launching to a predetermined location. A few seconds of falling later and she and Evan landed in the river in the middle of the town safe and sound. The resonate screams of terrified townspeople fleeing and the howls of the hellhounds rang all around them.

Evan pulled Gia to the river bank, she didn’t help him nor did she resist. She just stared blankly out as her mind struggled to put together what just happened. She started sobbing as she saw over and over again Willy die in the jaws of that beast. Evan punched the ground over and over cursing at his own weakness. He then looked over to Gia who curled up and scream-cried. Evan looked around and saw that people were still evacuating the town.

“Damn-it!” Evan wept. “Gia we have to go. We have to make it, we have to live so we can be the ones that make sure those things die.”

He picked Gia up who still did not resist and started to escape with the crowd. He knew that the best thing to do was to make it back to Tintagel and warn the lord what happened here. He knew the town was lost but he would be back to avenge his friends. He screamed as he hurriedly jogged into the crowd fleeing for his life.