With terrifying speed, Infernos charges at the purgers, opening its mouth and revealing its horrifying row of deadly teeth, each as big as a sword. It goes for Rex, as his colossal sword has drawn its attention. Rex reacts fast as he reaches into his pocket, hurls an explosive into the beast's gaping mouth, and rolls aside. The hound's attack smashes the earth, carving a crater in its wake. As the hound is regaining his balance from the massive attack it launched, Dorian throws two net traps at it, the same type he used against the incubus. The traps explode and hold the hound down. It moves and resists but the enchanted nets are too resilient. The pair, with the hellhound trapped before them, raise their swords and charge at the captured beast with the intention of dealing a coordinated double strike. Suddenly, the hound opens its mouth, and a beam of hellfire surges from it, melting away the enchanted trap. The beam continues its momentum until it reaches the dark sky then explodes, illuminating it like a hot day in June. The purgers watched the spectacle in awe. They have never seen anything like it before. It was like facing a dragon. Nervousness starts creeping at the two men, how can they face such a destructive power? The other brother is watching silently, not moving a finger. He is analysing the battle, and evaluating the purgers' merit. The hound prepares another beam of hellfire. It opens its mouth and starts aiming at the two men.
"Dorian! With me", screamed Rex.
"Got it"
The two started sprinting and dashing around randomly, in unrecognisable patterns. Zigzagging and jumping around from tree to tree. Their goal was to confuse the hound, letting it shoot away with frustration and then attack. They started getting closer and closer. If the beast fires at such a closer range, it risks damaging itself. They knew this all too well. They have used this same strategy in the Murdok Ellonia war, when they faced cannons. Destructive weapons only operate at a longer range. The closer you get, the more useless they become. Gripping their swords tightly and with great momentum, the two jump at the hound with flying speed, and slash down its eyes with swift strikes. The hound howls with pain and blindly fires a beam that explodes into the air. They have figured out a way to take down this gargantuan creature. The brother is still silently watching, and the purgers want to keep it that way. A one against two is more favourable than a two against two in their situation. If they get rid of the hound, all that's going to be left is the demon child. The purgers rain down strike after strike on the blinded beast, slashing it and tearing its infernal flesh apart, with blood flowing and pieces flying into the ground. Abruptly, the hound extended its claws and hit Dorian with a devastating blow. Luckily he felt the strike coming and blocked it, but the force caused him to lose balance and crash into a tree. The shock of the blow left him momentarily paralyzed. He almost lost his vision. He felt his newly healed ribs cracking. He had never felt such tyrannical power before. The hound has regained its vision, it was waiting for its eyes to regenerate and let the purgers have a bit of fun, before finally making an end to it all. Rex runs towards his comrade who slowly gets up.
"You alright ?"
"My ribs are stinging again"
"The fucking thing got its eyes back, we have to face it onwards"
Dorian takes out a healing potion and drinks it. He also takes two yellow colored vials and hands one to Rex. A physical enhancement potion that will push their bodies beyond the limits of what they already have. It is the only way to keep up with such a force. The hellhound howls then jumps at the purgers with terrifying speed and delivers a lightning fast claw strike. It changed its strategy. Instead of biting and shooting beams it is now relying on agility and speed. The two barely dodge the attack, with rubble and mud covering their coats from the heavy impact. The hellhound delivers another strike but the purgers stand still and with both forces combined, deflect the attack and throw the beast on its back. The potion is showing its effect. To take down a higher incubus, a being that feasts on the carnal desire of men and their souls, prayers and incantations are needed. Against a powerhouse like the hellhound charging at them, they needed raw power. The beast regains its balance, confused by the power the purgers demonstrated. Without giving it too much room to breathe, the two jump on the four eyed beast, swords in the air, and deliver a powerful dual slash that cuts down the beast's paw. It screams from the pain, tears of fire flowing from its eyes. Its fur turns red and yellow like magma. The hellhound is enraged. It's emitting waves of scorching heat. The ground beneath it melting away. The purgers feel their armor burning beneath their coats. Nimbly, Dorian takes out a crystalline shard, similar to the one he used against the incubus, cracks it with one hand and sprays it on his sword. He throws one at Rex who does the same. Both of their weapons are now coated with a glacial layer, adequate to facing the brazing hellhound. The two fighting sides charge at each other, each delivering a devastating blow of their own. Shockwaves are propagating after each hit and the whole battlefield is now painted blue and red. The glacial swords successfully penetrated the brazing carrapace of the hound. It's slowing down after each cut and slash. The purgers are unstoppable, not one drop of sweat, not one hint of fatigue, but their bodies are soon reaching their limits and they are well aware of that. The hellhound on the other hand, is full of cuts and bruises, its paw cut off and its energy depleting. The tides of battle had shifted, the beast felt itself overpowered by the perseverance of the two purgers. It started retreating back.
"The fucker's done for, let's finish this…I can feel my bones breaking already", said Rex moving his hands around his body.
"I know, I can't hold on much longer, its blows are too powerful"
"What about the dwarf? He still watching us"
"Lets get the hound out of the way first"
The pain is finally starting to creep back at the two. The potion's effect was fading. With a fast dash they close the distance between them and the retreating hound. Rex runs to the left and swings the Cannibal as hard as he can, tearing off the beast's rear left paw. Dorian ran right, and delivered the same devastating blow with his sharp glacial blade, cutting off the right paw. With only one paw left, the hound falls to the ground. The moment is now, its head is exposed, its energy is gone. They broke off, just far enough to gather speed and momentum, then charged again, blades aimed at the monster's head: The killing blow.
Then, impossibly, flames erupted from its spine, coalescing into vast wings of fire. The sky itself recoiled as the beast took flight. The purgers stop mid attack, speechless, not believing their eyes. It stares the men down then raises its jaws to the sky, showing off its glorious flaming wings like a proud peacock. It charges another beam. This time, the beam was different. A dreadful sound of the beast's breath filled the sky, hellfire gathering around its mouth.
"What the fuck is this", screamed Rex with laughter, "We're facing a bloody dragon"
"It's preparing another attack, we have to hide from whatever it is", said Dorian with his eyes fixated on the beast.
The flying hellhound finally unleashes a mighty beam of flames that penetrates the sky like a knife does to butter, then silence. The purgers are staring at the sky, each one of them hiding behind a tree. Then to their surprise, a barrage of fire balls falls down from the sky. Just a moment earlier, it was raining drops of water. Now, a rain of fire is filling the sky. The fire balls start decimating the ground like a shower of meteors with some reaching the unfortunate walls of Forgehorn and destroying them, setting everything to flames. The church bells start ringing again, announcing a state of panic inside the city. The northern side of Forgehorn has been completely wiped out, its inhabitants turned to ashes. Its proud walls turned to dust. The poor people, who remained in their houses taking refuge from the storm, could have never expected such an occurrence. Their burned and disintegrated bodies are now carried in the fierce wind of the storm. The priest, who got out of his church and started evacuating the people out of the city, could not believe the abhorrent spectacle before him. Tears ran down his eyes, the own city he swore to protect and serve has turned to a raging battlefield. Buildings turned to nothingness, and an ungodly beast flying around in the dark sky. It was as if he were witnessing the end of times.