Fenn felt his fist sink into the metal plates driving the beast back a step before his frame crashed against the creature’s abdomen. For all that, the monster continued to thrash in his grip, and the glow coming from the openings in the creature’s body only grew in intensity. Either he had mistakenly assumed the source of the glow to be a weakness, he had incorrectly guessed at the location on the monster’s body, or his fist had failed to pierce deep enough into the creature’s defenses.

Fenn only had a pulse of blue light as a warning before a sound like a raging waterfall came from above him and a lance of pain wedged itself into his back. 

The hound’s actions were reflexive. With a pained roar, one long arm whipped upwards and caught the monster’s throat, forcing its maw upwards. The drilling sensation left him, a strong pressure trailing a path up and away from his unprotected back. The demon’s other arm wrapped around one of the beast’s retreating legs, forcing it to stay in place as he gave the monster a final shove with his shoulder. Tipped off balance, with one leg fixed in place, the creature toppled backwards, the large demon falling over it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Fenn caught the human jumping off the metal monster with a surprised expletive, but his attention quickly returned to the writhing monster under him. The beast’s claws wrapped around his long arm, trying to find purchase in the hardened scales, while its rear legs curled back and forth in attempts to push its attacker away. 

Tightening his grip on its throat, the Hellhound lifted the monster’s head, then slammed it to the ground. Cracks formed on the rock under them as he repeated the motion. In a desperate attempt to free itself, one of the mechanical beast’s arms reached towards the dog’s face, razor claws flashing towards his eyes. A meaty hand wrapped around the limb, stopping it in its tracks, then twisted back with a savage wrench. Grinding sounds filled the dog’s ears as metal popped, bent, and tore into the creature’s rubbery flesh under its armor. 

Tossing the mangled limb aside, the arm drew back, then fell on the monster’s head. The chain-wrapped fist sunk into the metallic skull with a heavy clang, and the beast grew limp. Once more, the arm drew back, then crashed down on the creature’s head. A broken horn clattered onto the ground, followed by droplets of a viscous liquid.

Fenn glared down at the downed opponent, waiting for signs of life with bated breath and bared fangs. When none came, he gave the corpse a shake by the scruff of its neck, then clambered off. It had been a long time since something had managed to compete with him in a contest of strength, and the experience had left him both frustrated and invigorated. Invigorated from the novelty of the challenge. Frustrated by the knowledge that the enjoyment must come second from their objective, and that now that he had taken the monster’s measure, he had no proper excuse to prolong a battle.

The other monsters seemed to have been kept at bay easily enough, and as he surveyed the remains of the battles, his gaze naturally fell on the human that had interrupted his bout. He felt his lips curling back in distaste. Something instinctively told him the sharp pain pulsing below his shoulder blades would be absent had the man not involved himself.

Fenn let out an irritated grunt. “Leave the slaying of monsters to monsters, human, lest you hobble us.”