Like old times

The sound of trampling hooves echoed through the eerie woods. In the shadow of sentinel sprues and birch trees rode a large black horse, whose legs and hooves were covered in sludge. Veins of brown littered the neck and body of the animal were trickling sweat had left behind dirt. Within the saddle sat a giant of a man. His filthy red hairs framed his copper-coloured face. His vermillion eyes stared stark to the road ahead, underneath heavy brows. The man wore thick bronze armour, decorated with golden ornaments. A tattered crimson cloak, trimmed with fur, hung from his shoulders and fluttered behind him as he galloped over the dirt road. He carried a long, broad sword that hung from his belt. His left arm was bounded in many coloured stripes of cloth, a large smear of orange-brown span across it. Other bandings were found on his chest, below his armour and his right leg. The bindings on his leg were soaked with water and dripped water pasted the flank of the horse on the ground.

Ganting rode upon his mighty steed Xuan through the northern most woods of Fiore on the border with Seven. He had through the lands of Seven, Iceberg, the kingdom of Pergrande and others to reach Fiore. It had been weeks since he left the crumbling walls of the once proud city of Duoshang, the former capital of his now diminished kingdom, behind him. Gangting had ridden out more than a year ago to retake the city and restore his grand kingdom to its former glory. He had believed at that time he had grown strong enough too withstand the demonic spawn, that had destroyed and occupied his realm, and push them back. Once again, his vanity proved to be his demise. He had managed to fight his way through the demon invested lands but the deeper he entered that dark realm, the more resistance he got. He managed to reach Doushang and found the city engulfed with the unholy beings, the city itself was shrouded in black mist. He had managed to breakthrough the outer wall, that ran along the mountain tops. He fought there for a week, day and night, but never managed to enter the second wall. He was tired and severely wounded. He marshalled the last strength he had, praised for the blessing of Tudigong, and unleashed an earthquake down on the city while the shape of Tudigong appeared around him in form of dust. Deep within the earth roared, buildings collapsed, and walls cracked. The demons were occupied with what was going on and Gangting summoned his giant chariot and rode off. The aurochs rode on while Gangting well fast asleep only to wake up days later. Only then he took the time to take a look at his wounds. His right leg had been severely burned by a hellish serpent’s bite, his left arm had a long and deep cut by a venomous claw. His body was littered with other stabs, cuts and burns. Most of it had healed but his leg and arm were still not healed. On his way to Fiore, he sought many healers, but none could help him with his severe wounds. A few even dared to tell him that they could provide painkillers to ease his passing, they were convinced that no man could survive such wounds. Gangting thought differently, he was no mere man. He was a demon slayer, a king and the champion of Tudigong. He would survive, he knew, he had too. He had failed to retake his city and kingdom, he had to try again. His part in this world was not done yet.

Gangting concentrated on the road ahead and keep his mind filled with thought to distract him from the pain. Suddenly the air around him was filled with shouts and bulky men appeared from sides of the road. They were clad in fur with armour of bone, bronze and rusty iron. Armed with spears, axes and swords. They formed half a circle around him with their weapons ready to strike. Xuan halted and pranced. Gangting roared and steered his horse around and jumped off. The ground shook, tree’s shuddered and birds within a mile took the sky with loud screaks. Gangting slammed an open hand upon his horse rear and Xuan speeded off. ”Grave mistake,” shouted Gangting his voice was thick with anger, ”Prepare to meet your gods!” The nearest spearman charged forward with his spear pointing at Gangting’s throat. Gangting evaded the strike and grabbed the spear with both hands, snapping it as if it was a twig. He quickly japed the shortened spear straight through the bone plates of the lamellar armour. ”Earth Demon’s spiked fists!” uttered Gangting loud, the soil around him spiralled past his legs up to his hands were the soil formed spiked glows of stone surrounded by a golden aura. He struck the spearmen on his forehead; his skull broke with a sickening sound. Gangting looks at the others, their eyes were white with fear. They had thought they ambush an easy prey; they had seen he was a warrior, but they also had seen his bandages. A dozen warriors against one wounded warrior was meant to be an easy victory. Gangting took a step, the earth shook. The first started to run, followed by the others. Gangting walked after them slowly with an irregular step, the depths of the earth reverberated every step he took. They could run as far as they wanted, he would find them.

Gangting's steps reverberated through the earth with each step that he took. The pines softly swayed with each step. Gangting was mad, the pain of his wounds, the pain of his defeat and this nuisance were like oil on a fire, it blazed hot within. He stamped his way through the forest in the direction his attackers had fled to. His bare feet felt the vibrations of their steps as they ran away from him. But then, suddenly, vibrations stopped, the first one stopped and then the others. A new set of vibrations reverberated through the ground, at first the vibrations were strong as if it placed its feet heavily onto the ground but after that vibrations became like normal steps. The new person was a male, a bit shorter then Gangting and lighter as well. This person was unknown to him but there was something about him, a wisp of familiarity. Like tasting the of slight traces of cinnamon in a never before had dish. It calmed his mind for a moment, but the torrent of range raged again once he barged passed the corner. The wind blew in his face and brought a familiar stench to his nose. "Demon's" was the thought that filled his mind.

He saw his ragtag group of attackers, held up by the unknown man. He was easy to distinguish him from the others. Whereas the marauders wore filthy furs and bone this man wore a clean suit of black and red fabrics. His clothing was decorated with golden thread and trimmed fur. The tribesmen were unwashed and their hairs were long and messy while the man's silver hair was neatly groomed. However, the most notable feature of this man's appearance was one intense red-eye. Gangting focused his attention back to his attackers, as he was uncertain where the demonic smell came from and charged. Each step sounded like dull thunder strikes; the forest swayed as the ground shook. "Earth Demons Spiked Wave!" roared Gangting. His shout, trained to convey commands during the thick of battle, echoed far into the forest. Tall spikes of earth and stone rose from the ground before him and flowed in front of the redhaired giant like a wave. Spikes rose and fell as the wave stormed at the warriors. Those unfortunate to stand in its way were pierced by the many spikes, covert with its holy aura. Gangting bashed one axe-wielding warrior, clad in bronze lamellar a moment later. His earth covered right fist pierced its bronze plates with easy. The bronze-clad warrior dropped its axe in shock and horror as the force of Gangting's punch threw him to the ground.

Gangting looked around him, a couple warriors were laying with shrieks of pain in puddles of blood. Others stood around them with faces white of fear. An aura of demonic origin danced in the corner of his eyes, Gangting turned his gaze to meet the origin. The aura surrounded the mysterious person. Anger bursts within Gangting, he forgot the marauders. "Earth Demons Smite!" bellowed Gangting loud as earth around him crawled across his right leg to his right fist. A thick layer of condensed stone covered by a white aura formed over his spiked glove. "In name of Tudigong, vanish!" bellowed Gangting as he charged at the demonic being, determined to ride the world of its existence.

The person did not falter and stood his ground while Gangting was about to smash him to smithereens. The grey-haired man simple rose his hand with such confidence that Gangting had doubts. His doubts were confirmed as his arm just stopped when he hit the hand, the layers of earth on his right arm fractured in an explosion of slates and dust swept up. The cloud of dust soon dissipated and the holy aura that had enveloped his arm faded. Gangting looked with confusion at the crushed rocks on the ground, his rage had seized to exist as his strike had. A familiar voice called him by his name and told him to calm down. ”What? muttered Gangting baffled as he looked up and at the strange face. The scent of recognition he had earlier fell to its place. ”You? Johann?” blurted gangting out astonished. ”I’m not drunk! Thoughts, you look odd… You look strange… I don’t recall drinking booze?” Johann interrupted, they would talk later.

Gangting’s eyes widened as he saw his old friend disappear and reappear as only one mage could that he knew. It was Johann indeed, no doubt. Gangting’s head tried to follow the movements of Johann but it was impossible. His eyes went to look at the few barbarians that were left upon the tilled path. One by one fell as blood gust out of their bodies, seemingly without cause. It all happened in a matter of seconds rather than minutes until one was left standing. The terrified man threw down his weapon with broadened eyes. Johann and the last bandit spoke for a moment, Johann spared his life.

”Ambassador of Dies Irae? I don’t know that country? Didn’t you work for the… the trading company?” Gangting scratched his head. ”Did you really have to let him go? Gangting stamped on the ground with his right feet and a solid table with two chairs rose from the ground. He seated himself and gestured at Johann to do the same. He pulled up the bandages on his left arm and tied it up tighter, his face betrayed the faint hint of agony. ”I would offer mead or wine but I am afraid I didn’t expect your visit, got nothing in store.” The laugh of the redhaired giant echoed through the forest. ”What has happened to you? Time has passed yet you have grown younger?” Gangting leaned forward to studies Johann’s face closer. ”And you have grown more powerful too as well. I wish I could do that.” the slayer rambled. ”You do stink of demon thoughts. How is that? I don’t like that change.” Said Gangting bluntly as he pulled up his nose and looked with dismay at his friend.

Gangting looked confused at his old friend, or rather at his friend of old as he was not quite a lot younger looking. It was strange to see Johann so young. ”Interesting, so now you are the one holding the strings.” Gangting brushed with his left hand through his beard. ”What does a guild do if may ask? I never got a grasp of it, I was only ever involved the trading company.” Gangting had dealings with other people thoughts, but never members of a guild as far as he knew. He had heard from mage guilds before but never bothered to learn about them.

”That is true indeed, but I am not fond of that kind of trickery. You had promised to let him go, so he goes.” said Gangting sternly, a promise had to be kept or else one loses honour and the trust of others. He noded, fear was indeed effective. It was a trick he knew all to well from experience, always at the giving end thoughts and never at the receiving end. He usually made his army look bigger, much bigger than it really was. He covered the rear in dust clouds and enhance the vibration of the marching feet to make it sound there were a tenfold more man in his army. Opposing generals would cower and flee, with them the army followed. Soon their man would lose heart as well, if they hadn’t already. ”You hunt them? asked Gangting curious.

”That’s a pleasant surprise.” He wondered since when Johann open up portals. Gangting sniffed at the amber liquid, he recognized the fragrant. Mint in mead? he asked himself. He took a sip; he could trace the cold liquid through his throat to his stomach. It was icy cold, the right temperature for after battle. ”I see, how did it get into your body then?” Ganting sniffed and breezed out almost like a horse. ”Then I shall learn to tolerate him.” Gangting’s voice didn’t sound confident as he spoke. The future would tell if Mars was to be trusted, how can one hate his own kind?

”The same?” said Gangting with a fake surprise, ”I do got new scars!” His hand hovered over his body to nothing in particular as he grinned. Johann seemed to have acquired healing magic, it softens a lot the pain and he saw some of his wounds repaired. But a couple of his larger wounds, like the burnings on his leg and a venomous sting to his chest did not heal. The pulsing pain of those wounds did stop, for now. The smile of Gangting’s face faded. ”I thought I was strong enough to cleanse Duoshang of the demon spawn that took residence there in my absence,” said the redhaired giant and paused briefly, ”I was very wrong about it. I did manage to reach the city and breach through it’s outer wall. I don’t know how long I have fought in there, but the sun and moon passed by at least a couple of times. I have Tudigong to thank that I managed to get out of there alive.” He bended his head to the ground as he spoke about his god. He looked back at his friend. ”I have no other place to except to go back to Fiore, were I have at least a foot on the ground.” with that he meant that he had gotten familiar with Fiore and knew how to make a living here. ”I will heal and I will train harder, and next time I will go with an army!” Gangting voice was infused with anger.

Gangting listened closely to Johann’s explanation of guilds, as he had heard of such organisations before but never bothered to asked what they stood for. He didn’t care what they were back then as the priority lied with the job at hand. But now he was genuinely curious what it was, as his friend was head of one of them. ”I see, curious.” The redhaired giant scratched his manes and took another sip of the refreshing cold beverage. Gangting’s browns rose, ”An army?” The silver haired mage had his curiosity, but now had his full attention. He leaned in towards Johann, accidentally shifting the solid stone slab of a table by an inch or two. Gangting clasped his hands together and rested his chin upon them. ”That is a very noble pursued.” The giant nodded in silence before breaking it, ”I approve.” Gangting had a similar goal, thoughts specific to eradicate demons; a task given to him by Tudigong when he also received the mandate of Terra, his justification to rule and conquer. The giant noted that’s Johann’s air changed slightly. ”I see. And who is the voice of justice? An earthly head of state? A judge? Or is it the gods themselves?” his voice was neutral, as king he had always been the judge thoughts all souls were weighted and judged again in the afterlife. With what he had seen Johann do just moments ago, he expected the latter or perhaps Johann himself was judge in this matter as well.

Gangting tilted his head, narrowed his eyes. ”Then I am very curious how he eluded my senses.” The slayer of demons did not like the idea of a demon masking his presence from him, how many more demons might have evaded his wraith like this? How many more demons live within human beings? He noticed that he was scowling at his friend and rose his hands in pardon.

Gangting lifted his head at hearing the word army. The giant looked inquisitive at Johann, whose face was dominated by a wide smile. The giant rose to his feet, moving the table once more unintentionally. ”I’ll help you with your mission my friend.” Bellowed the redhead, ”It has been months since last I had a fight.” The giant rubbed the manes on his chin, ”Perhaps, Dies Irae seems to have similar views as the task I have been given.” He pondered for a moment. Was he going to omit his wandering freedom? Or should he looked at it differently, the guild of Dies Irae could be a sanctuary for him; a place for him to regain his former strength and become even stronger as he was far from strong enough to achieve his holy cause. The guild could give him a roof above his head, rather than his stone pavilions he rose every night to sleep. ”Very well, consider me part of Dies Irae” It was easily said by the giant, who would learn that his expectations would be far from reality. Johann would not hand him a notable position within the guild as it was against its rules. Nor was he prepared for a uniform or to cross the sea to reach the Amber Isle. ”That sounds good to me.” The scales would move much closer to the equilibrium with Johann at his side, as demonstrated by his prowess just now, on his second crusade to reconquer his fallen capital and the lands of his former empire.

The demon slayer followed the gaze of the silver haired mage, it was the mountain of whom their captive had spoken. Gangting took two fingers in his mouth and whistled. A few minutes later a galloping black horse appeared from the woods. The giant petted Xuan. ”Well, what are we waiting for?”

The red slayer nodded, ”It lies before the hand; it the most sensible thing to do.” Gangting looked up from petting his horse and chuckled; ”Me keeping up with you? Of course, I can!” Of course he couldn’t, Johann was the fastest being he had ever known. The Wise used to say that the Empress Hawk, a red golden hawk with a silver-blue belly that hunted in the Red Waste, is the fasted creature on the plain that is earth; but the Wise have never seen Johann in action. The speed of the Empress Hawk is surely stunning, but Johann redefined the meaning of quick and haste; The giant recalled how entire hordes of enemies were slain in the blink of the eye, while he himself had yet to strike his first opponent. That was years ago now and Johann had even grown stronger, certainly stronger than he was himself. Gangting’s wounds were no excuse either; even if he wasn’t in this sorry state, Johann was without a doubt many a time more powerful than he had become. Gangting had know himself to be the most powerful man on earth, or so he assumed, during his reign as king of Duoshang but it was the humbling at the feet of Tudigong that brought Gangting to heals. Aeons ago, Gangting would have likely been jealous and filled with even anger in the presence of a stronger being; but now he could only feel admiration and surge of motivation to strive harder and grow stronger, it might take years to regain and wield the strength of his heydays but he will go on. ”A drink? What about cask or keg instead?” Gangting knew he would lose and is well aware of the barrel with some exquisite strong wine a nation beyond the borders of Pergrande, the name of the nation had escaped him. Johann was gone in a blink, leaving a ruined patch of earth behind him. The Earth Demon Slayer chuckled and repaired the place and dismantled his chairs and table.

The giant pulled himself into the saddle of his large warhorse and rode off, following the rail of shrubs that were ripped apart and tree’s whose branches were naked. The giant and his black steed galloped through the green tunnel that Johann had made with his speed, they passed streams whose vicinity was covered with a thick layer of dew; no doubt splashed up by a passing silver-haired mage. The forest was unusually silent, except for the dull rhythmic beat of horse hooves on a needle carpet; all animals had fled.

The giant got close the mountains roots and slowed down, he jumped out of his saddle and placed his feet firmly into the dirt. He closed his eyes for a moment and climbed back into the saddle. He felt were Johann was, thoughts that was not as important as he could simply follow the path of a hurricane that was Johann himself; what he had been trying to sense, and successfully senses, was the settlement the barbarian had talked about. He continued in an outstretched gallop and arrived at an elevated clearing at the base of the mountain, at a striking distance from the settlement, where Johann was.

”My goodness? What are you doing here? I had not expected to find you here now, I thought you were still miles away!” laughed Gangting, ”You shall get an exotic keg filled with dark red from me, once this task is completed. Wouldn’t want to descend my chariot with all it’s thunder and lightning from its heavenly portal now and alert the rouble of our presence.” said Gangting joyfully, ”thoughts, it would give them a better chance… I don’t really think it makes any difference at all.” The giant laughed again. ”So what’s the plan? Or will it be just a mindless raid.”

The Redhaired Giant stomped off the hill, back into the woods; at first, the woods were dense but soon grew more sparsely. The woodlands made way for open ground, thoughts the large clearing would have been woodland decades ago as visible by the countless rotting tree trumps where once mighty sentinel pines had stood proud. A new hill was before Gangting and upon it stood an earthwork wall; made of a wooden frame filled with earth and stone, on top of it stood a palisade of logs. A simplistic wall, suitable to keep out most foes without the means of laying siege. But their foes today would not be stopped, by what Gangting would view as an, a sorry excuse of a wall. Gangting noted that the marauder they had freed had reached the settlement; the few wooden towers with open tops were filled with archers, behind the palisade glint the armours and weapons of the warriors in the sun as they patrolled the walls. There were also roofs visible from behind the walls, they were made of sods; making the roofs almost look like grassy hills with patchworks of flowers and heath. Gangting wondered if it was a fort or a village, they would find out once they breached the walls. The giant started his climb, he was as an avalanche that defied gravity; he busted through the thick wooden gate, headfirst; splinters and chunks of wood were strewn around. Gangting had not noticed that he had been taken under fire, his trail of turned over earth were littered by a dozen arrow; a couple of arrows had deflected from Gangting’s thick bronze cuirass and laid useless on the ground.

A group of men, probably two dozen, in shaggy furs and armour ran towards the Giant; they carried large oval shields and spears. They formed a crescent shape around the Redhead, try to surround him. ”Earth Demon’s Smite!” bellowed Gangting loud; earth around him shone with a silver aura as it defied gravity and surrounding Gangting’s right fist with a thick layer of holy rock. Gangting smashed his right fist deep into the ground in front of him, with a relentless furry; The shock and force of Gangting’s fist made the dirt turn into solid stone, only to crack and shatter an instant later with a loud noise. Chunks of silvery rock blasted into all directions, shattering the shield and piercing armour; half the men fell to the ground, never drawing another breath; none of the survivors was unscathed, the lucky ones had their shields in ruin but others had likely sustained broken bones and open wounds from which blood gushed. Those that survived dropped their weapons and ran, if they could and otherwise straggled behind on one leg; they routed towards the buildings in the centre. Meanwhile one of the towers began hailing the Demon Slayer with arrows again. The Giant ran forward, taking an arrow to his shoulder, and threw himself against one of the legs of the tower; log busted with a loud crack and he tower shook heavily. Gangting charged on and pushes against the second tower, which made the tower fall; As the tower came crashing to a stop on the ground, so met its archer their afterlife. That display would be a good enough incentive for the other archers in their towers to leave theirs as well; if they were quick enough at least. Gangting snapped the arrow in his shoulder, leaving the arrowhead inside his flesh.

The men on the walls made their way to the buildings; then a booming voice was heard. “You are here to die! Die for the Horned One!” Gangting turned his head towards the direction of the voice and took a deep breath through his nose; he smelled a stench, besides the blood of the fallen, the unwashed bodies of the marauders and the heap of dung in the stables; a smell that hinted at the presence of demonic activity. Angered Gangting stomped his way to the source, somewhere in the middle of the settlement; his steps made the ground shake heavily as a wave of anger with burned within him. A mob of fighting men appeared before him as the Giant came from behind a farmhouse, behind the men he saw a shrine made of bones; bones from humans and beast alike, adorned by mammoth tusks and elk antlers. The heap of bones was covered in an orange-brown hue, spattered by deep crimson dots; an altar for blood sacrifice. Gangting was focus was fully captured shrine; he marched forwards and the fighting men charged at him. The Redhaired Slayer barely gave them any heed, they bounced off him like the waves on a ship; Some he did push or push away but his path was barely challenged. Gangting was near the bone heap when a mammoth skull launched itself at him, Gangting smashed it to pieces and the shards passed him harmlessly; yet they reformed behind him in the shape of a spear, which then shot itself into the back of Gangting. His armour took most of the impact, yet the Giant nearly lost his balance. His eyes looked around him, where did this come from; the source appeared in the corner of his eye. A large entity, just a foot shorter than Gangting, stood beneath the shadow of the largest house in the settlement. This had to be that man that had commanded his own men to die, Gangting felt a demonic presence in both the shrine and the man; he was man, not a demon. This leader was dressed not dissimilar to a demon thought, most prominent was his elk skull mask, adorned by predatory teeth and other antlers to make the mask even bigger. His armour was lamellar but the strips that ought to be metal was instead made of bone; the armour was tight and thick, decorated with teeth and antlers. In his hand was a giant axe with two blades, each of those blades was bound to the shaft by a human skull; that had merged with both blade and shaft to make a solid weapon. “You shall perish today,” boomed a hollow voice from behind the skull mask. ”I do not think so,” bellowed Gangting back and turned towards the mob around him; they had surrounded him in meantime, but their ranks were now not only filled with armed men but also with woman and children. ”I am Gangting! The Liberator of the Wicked, I have cleansed many settlements and cities from their demons. Surrender yourselves now and you will be spared, the demon shall be vanquished, and you can al live-in peace under the laws of Fiore. Defy this over and you shall all meet in the hells, your demon will be annihilated anyway and this settlement will be whipped off this earth; leaving no trace it had ever existed,” Gangting’s boomed and was saturated with confidence. The leader of the settlement started to laugh, drawing the angry eyes of Gangting.