Danmachi Familia from Hell

3

- They're taking a long time to come back - said a sullen, bald dwarf with a dark beard and a bandage wrapped around his head.

- Maybe they died? - added his friend, whose arm was in a splint.

- Mayor, let's be realistic. No one has managed to deal with those damned things for four centuries. Why would this particular bunch succeed? - chimed in another person.

- The monsters are probably finishing off their corpses right now. We should get out of here before they get us too - feared another onlooker.

- No one told you to come here - the mayor snapped back. - I'm not forcing you to stay - he added sharply.

He turned back toward the distant hole in the rock wall that the monsters had dug in order to reach the outside world.
Although the tone of the man known as Oled Kan-the mayor of the only nearby town, Gelid-was confident, sweat was actually running down the back of the gray-bearded dwarf.
If the familia he had hired failed to complete the task, then standing barely two hundred meters from the entrance to the monsters' lair was, frankly, not the wisest decision. Especially since the beasts might be enraged by the disturbance of their peace.
The tension was not helped by the coffin made of gleaming black wood, adorned with a silver-painted skull and two ancient coins on the center of its lid. The hired warriors had dragged it here and left it in front of the mine entrance.

- You said, Mr. Kan, that he'd have this wrapped up by dawn, and dawn is almost here! - fumed another townsman.

- I'm telling you, let's get out of here while we still can - one of them urged.

- Mayor, if they fail, will someone else come to take the contract? - asked the local healer, unusually level-headed.

- Well... - Oled hesitated.

How the hell was he supposed to explain that everyone except Hades had either declined in writing or not even bothered to reply?

- I am currently in talks with many deities from different parts of the continent. I am certain that before long another candidate will arrive to sign the contract, - the mayor babbled like he was in the middle of an election campaign.

- So you haven't sorted out a damn thing, let alone found more monster slayers - commented the bald dwarf.

- I wouldn't put it that way. In reality...

- Something's coming!

The politician's excuses were interrupted by a shout warning of approaching figures. Through the darkness of the night, however, it was impossible to tell whether they were monsters or people.
Everyone in the crowd quickly calculated whether they should feel fear of the approaching evil beings or joy at the sight of their conquerors. For the vast majority, fear won out. Only those paralyzed by terror remained in place, including the mayor himself and the militiamen, who had already fought monsters more times than they could count and intended to defend the civilians with their last breath.
They would not, however, have the opportunity to bathe their swords and axes in blood. Emerging from the darkness were the figures of a man with gleaming red eyes, a cheerful werewolf, a serious pallum, and a slightly limping dwarf.

- The job is done, - Teepashtee announced with an expression devoid of emotion.

Oled swept his gaze over the man with whom he had signed the contract and his three companions. All of them were dressed in black as though attending a funeral, and every one of them except the white-haired man was stained with monster blood, seemingly unconcerned by it.
Even the battle-hardened militiamen felt a chill at the sight of them, especially when they noticed the silver pins depicting three macabre canine heads adorning the shirts of the werewolf and the vampire.