THE HELLRIDERS
Gathgool brought with him three Demonlords and about a dozen Greater Demons together with about a few hundred Hellhounds and lesser demons to join our rank.
"You shall open your souls to me and be saved from eternal damnation", Eirot told the demons as the sky above shredded transforming into a blinding cross.
"Crucifix of Damnation"
Gathgool and his demons submitted their souls to Eirot and were marked by her. They became her subjects and slaves, and they were saved.
"It is strange that to be saved in this Hell means to become bound by slavery", Chash said to us.
"Only those who are free in this Hell shall be damned", Alfred, the Incarnate of Eirot's absorbed Pool of Suffering said to us.
"I still don't understand the logic in this", Chash told us again.
"This is their religion, you don't try to understand or explain it, you just accept it or not", Meera told him.
Gathgool and the other demons suddenly evaporated into magic essence and returned into Eirot's soul realm of damnation which was a shelter and magic sanctuary for her marked demons.
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We traveled for some time along a well-trodden path and along the way we met many packs of demons like Gathgool's pack. We easily defeated them and recruited them into Eirot's demonic army.
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"We are in the territory of the Hellriders clan. Demonlord Kanzovok is their leader. They are fearless warriors who ride on powerful Hellhounds. We should avoid coming into conflict with them", Gathgool said to Eirot explaining the situation in the area.
This area was governed by a powerful Demonlord who couldn't be subjugated easily like Gathgool. Kanzovok also commanded a large army of Demonlords, demons and Hellhounds.
This army of Kanzovok was formidable and if we had to fight heads on, even if we won, we would suffer great losses.
"It isn't our intention to avoid a conflict", Eirot replied to Gathgool.
"Is there a Pool of Suffering in this region?" I asked Gathgool.
"Yes, the Hellrider clan command a Pool of Suffering in their stepped mountain", Gathgool told us.
"Great, let the fight begin", Eirot said to us.
It was Eirot's intention to conquer the Hellriders and absorb their Pools of Sufferings.
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Our forces were met by more than three thousand Hellhound riding demons who were charging toward us on the rocky plains. We were outnumbered by the enemy who had Hellhounds as their rides.
"We are no match for the Hellriders", Gathgool said to us as we watched the army of Kanvozok rush to us from a lower ground.
The Hellhound riders halted their charge as they met our army.
"I am Kanvozok, Demonlord of this region who are you who intrude in my land?" Demonlord Kanvozok asked us.
"I am Eirot, Savior and the new ruler of Hell. Submit to me or die", Eirot said to Kanvozok and his army of Hellhound riders.
"Hahaha, We will die before we submit to the likes of you, human", Kanvozok laughed before he replied to Eirot.
The Hellriders charged toward us again upon Kanzvozok's order. They weren't intimidated by us because they had superiority of numbers.
But as the riders almost reached us, the Hellhounds suddenly dropped their master's and turned back to the shock and surprise of Kanvozok's army.
"Why are you stupid hounds running away?" Kanvozok screamed to his Hellhounds.
The reason the Hellhounds ran away became soon apparent.
"Holy Light of Blinding"
A bright and blinding light shone over the plains as the Hellhounds were hurt by the beam and they had to run to avoid the damaging light.
The Holy Light was cast from one of the holy lanterns of the apostles.
We took many of these lanterns from the treasures that we stole from Elis.
Ratatouille's magical golden chains rose into the sky, carrying several of these lanterns of the apostles that cast out demon repelling light which chased away the weaker Hellhounds because the holy light was fatal to them.
Although the Greater Demons and Demonlords were less affected by the holy light, they lost their rides.
"Good job Ratatouille", I complimented the greedy rat.
It was his greed in taking everything from the Apostles of Elis that helped us in this situation.
"Come back you stupid beasts", Demonlord Kanzovok shouted at the Hellhounds again who left the battlefield.
We were waiting for the riders from a higher ground, a hill, so reaching us wasn't easy for most of the demons without Hellhounds except the Demonlords who could fly.
"We don't need those stupid hounds to reach you", Kanvozok shouted to us as he and his fellow Demonlords extracted the magic demon wings on their back before they rose into the air with their demonic wings' flapping.
But we had more Demonlords than Kanzovok's army.
The Hellrider's superiority in numbers to us was made up by the Greater Demons who rode the Hellhounds. If it was a match between the Demonlords, we had the superiority. We simply have far more Demonlords with us.
Kanvozok and his Demonlords battled with us in the air despite their smaller numbers, so they gained little advantage over us.
On the ground, Kanvozok's demon army was faced with difficulties. Without the Hellhounds to carry them, their advance was slowed.
"Infernal Beams of Suffering"
Our demons fired powerful fiery beams at the Rider clans from the higher ground of the hill. We had an advantage over the attackers because we were defending on higher ground with projectile magic while the enemy had to charge toward us slowly on foot.
Before the enemy could reach us, more than one third of their forces were downed.
"Charge, we have a much larger force against them", Kanvozok shouted his command to the demons on the ground.
Our forces were still outnumbered when the ground forces of the Hellrider clan finally approached us.
However, we had a fully rested army while the Rider clans were exhausted from the march coming here. Many of them were also injured by infernal beams fired from our Greater Demons.
"Charge", Kanzovok screamed to his soldiers again.