The Sword Saint and the Dhampir

[Mandred Skavenslayer]

“Are you sure it is genuine?” asked Huáng chén, his excited voice almost a yelp.


“Look at the engravings, they match perfectly with other artefacts from the Zhou dynasty.” replied Lán fēng his own voice no less excited.


“That is what you said about that bronze chalice you found last month.” retorted Hóng yè.


The two of them turned to face the only female member of the group. Hóng yè was a classically beautiful woman, bright eyes with a hint of ruby red, full lips naturally scarlet, a lovely white-gold complexion and lush raven hair tinged in red. Yet she seemed careless with her beauty, wearing no make up and dressing in a simple loose fitting purple dress that gave no hint of her figure. She met her companion's gazes steadily without the slightest trace of embarrassment:


“Everyone makes mistakes.” replied Lán fēng. His features were regular and cleanly shaven giving him a youthful handsomeness. However his eyebrows and shoulder length hair were the colour of spun silver and there was an aged wisdom in his strong eyes.


“Mistake? You were nearly a thousand years out.” said Hóng yè with a giggle as she saw Lán fēng's cheeks blush with embarrassment.


“The two of you can argue later, right now let us focus on the subject at hand.” said Huáng chén in a pre-emptive move to stop them bickering. Like his friends he looked to be in his early twenties. His boyish good-looks were given an air of mystery by the streaks of gold running through his long black hair. As with Lán fēng his eyes contained great depths of knowledge, but there was a glint of mischief in them.


The three of them returned their attention back to object on the table. It was a white jade vessel carved into the shape of a three legged cauldron. The sides, legs and handles were all intricately engraved with a flowing text that ran like water along the paper thin surface. The skill needed to make the object was incredible especially when one took into account the fact that the entire vessel could fit comfortably into the single palm of an average man.


So began months of research where the three of them worked almost constantly on the object. They verified its authenticity by comparing it to other objects from the period, a task made all the harder by the rarity of such items. Finally after six months of painstaking research the trio were once again gathered around the vessel in the same room where Lán fēng had first presented the object to them. After several moments of comparing notes Huáng chén turned to Lán fēng with a smile:


“It would seem congratulations are in order. All of us our in agreement. This is the lost Ninth Tripod of the Zhou Kings.”


“It is more than that. I have compared the carvings on this Tripod to drawings of the other eight. The other Tripods all contain a portion of the script engraved on this one, but none of them contain all the text, except for this one. This leads me to conclude that the other eight Tripods are copies of this one.” declared Lán fēng, his voice trembling with excitement.




“I agree. I have translated the texts of all Nine Tripods and only this one makes any sense. The rest seem to be incomplete parts of a script.” said Hóng yè. She left a dramatic pause knowing that her friends were desperate to know what the texts mean.


The men looked at her with barely contained anticipation and she could not resists a wicked smile. Finally after several minutes she decided they had suffered enough and continued:


“The text is a spell that activates the Tripod, allowing one to perceive other worlds.”


“Do you mean Heaven?” asked Lán fēng


“I assume so. The text is rather vague on that point” replied Hóng yè


“We will know as soon as we try it.” said Huáng chén.


His friends looked at him and then each other:


“Perhaps we should wait for Shifu to have a look at it first.” suggested Hóng yè


“But Shifu will be meditating for months. Surely the three of us can handle anything that might happen.” pleaded Huáng chén as he looked first at Hóng yè and then Lán fēng.


There was a long moment of silence before Lán fēng replied:


“Provided we take all necessary precautions I think we should try.” Huáng chén smiled broadly at the words but Hóng yè pursed her lips in concern. However her own curiosity was just as strong as the other two and after some persuading she also agreed.


Going through her notes, Hóng yè located the phonetic translation of the spell and passed it to her companions. After several hours practice the three of them were happy they could perform the ritual to a reasonable level of accuracy. First they sat the Tripod on the floor then each of them sat cross-legged around it. Closing their eyes they went through the mental exercises to empty their minds. Once calm the three of them opened their mage-sight and saw the world hidden to mortal eyes.


Magic ran through the world like water, ebbing and flowing around everything. Every person, animal, plant and object left an imprint on the magic, colouring it with their aura as it passed through them. Each of the three friends changed the magic in their own unique way. Power flowed into Lán fēng like streams into a great river, turning sky blue as it ran in and out of his aura. Around Hóng yè the magic spun around like a tornado, breaking into leaf size fragments that sparkled ruby red. Huáng chén's aura made the magic appear like gold dust enveloping him in a dazzling halo.


Surprisingly the Tripod seemed to have very little effect on the magic, appearing to change the flows of power no more than the mundane furniture in the room. With arcane gestures the friends concentrated the magic around them, condensing the streams of power into their hands. Extending their wills they sent the gathered energy towards the Tripod where they fused into a glowing dome surrounding it.


With the ward in place the three of them spoke as one as they chanted the ancient spell. Words not heard for in millenniums echoed around the room and slowly the Tripod started to react. A small flicker of power began in its centre growing bigger and brighter as the chanting progressed. Finally as the spell reached its climax the Tripod shone like a star. A small tear appeared in the air within the magical dome and gradually got bigger.


The three friends peered into the tear and saw a blasted land devoid of life. Knowing that this was not Heaven they tried to end the spell, but the Tripod refused their command and the tear continued to expand. Desperately they channelled more power into the dome hoping in contain the tear until it ran out of power. The tear reached the dome and they could feel their ward buckling under the pressure. For several minutes the spells battled against each other until finally the dome began to crack.


Knowing that the dome would not hold the three of them redirected their efforts into strengthening their own auras, anchoring themselves to this world and hoping to ride out the coming magical storm. The dome shattered and the tear burst out stretching to the size of a door. It tugged at the friends with invisible chains determined to drag them into the strange world within. All of them felt their auras weakening and desperately sought for a way out of their predicament.


Suddenly Huáng chén stopped pouring power into his aura and sent it towards his friends instead. As the Lán fēng and Hóng yè felt their presence solidify to the earth they saw Huáng chén being lifted into the air. Before they could help him the man was drawn into the tear and a blinding light erupted in the room. When they were able to see again Lán fēng and Hóng yè found themselves alone in the room with the Tripod looking as inactive as it did before the ritual.


####


Huáng chén gulped down air like a man who had just broken through a lake of ice, his entire body felt like it was being pierced by countless daggers. Images flashed before his eyes and he could not tell what was real and what was his imagination. Slowly his vision cleared and he took in his surroundings. The land was a barren desert and above the blazing Sun blasted the bone dry earth. Hearing hoof beats from behind Huáng chén spun around to see a group of horsemen come riding towards him.


At first he was relieved, hoping to find help with the approaching group. As they got closer he saw that parts of the oncoming horses were strangely coloured. On closer inspection the coloured parts revealed themselves to be made of metal. At first Huáng chén thought they were bits of armour, but then realized they were parts of the horses and knew he was very far from home.

[Mandred Skavenslayer]

Darkness fell on the woods like a shroud, announcing that men should retreat in doors and inviting the creatures of the night to come out and play. Rex licked his forked tongue across his lipless mouth as he spied the lone rider entering the forest. Rex had claimed dominion over the area soon after being released by his creator. Blessed with unnatural strength and more intelligence than any other beast within the forest, he had quickly fought his way to become the apex predator amongst the other mutated monstrosities.

Those clever enough, recognized him as a leader they could follow and flocked around him forming a pack. With his pack behind him Rex had claimed the choicest parts of the woods where game was most plentiful, as his own and killed any non pack predators who dared hunt there. The rider had ridden into one such area and Rex laid in wait with a dozen of his followers. Each creature sported horrific mutations. Some had extra limbs sprouting from random parts of their bodies, others were a freakish blend of beasts and men, while some were so hideous as to defy description.

The horse moved at a steady walk and the rider sat casually in the saddle seemingly ignorant of the danger he was in. With a blood-curdling howl Rex signalled the attack and his pack of nightmares descended on their victim. All of them stopped dead and looked at the stranger like a pack of rats who just had ran into a lion. A heavy black cloak covered the man's entire body spilling like ink onto the sides of his mount. The wide brim hat he wore covered most of his face, leaving only the lower part of his perfectly shaped jaw exposed. Over his left shoulder jutted the hilt of sword, appearing to be the only weapon he processed.

An aura of absolute terror surrounded the man, letting all who came into contact with it know that they were looking at their own death. It was this aura that had frozen Rex and his pack, draining away their blood lust. Even the craziest member of the group recognized a predator as far above them as they were above the maggots. Without conscious thought the mutants started backing away from the rider, their bodies responding even if the numbed minds could not.

As one they turned and fled only to run into another powerful aura. This new aura could not have been more different from the one emanating from the dark rider. Where the first aura had felt like a black shadow spreading out to consume all before it, this one felt like a dazzling Sun scorching the mutants tainted souls and burning into the very core of their being. With screams of pain and fear the creatures scattered in all direction, with no thought other than to but as much distance as possible between themselves and the frightening presences that had entered their forest.

The dark rider had continued in his unhurried pace throughout the aborted attack never missing a single step. As he rode on another rider appeared before him. Looking up to reveal a face that would have shamed the Moon for its beauty, the dark rider studied the new arrival. The person facing him was dressed in a brown raincoat with a snake skin hat on his head and a sheathed sword at his hip. The face under the hat showed a handsome Asian man in his early twenties. Tipping his hat in greeting the man gave a good natured smile:

“With a face like that you must be D”. Although D understood the words perfectly, he knew the man was not speaking in any language he was familiar with.

“And you must be Huáng chén.” replied D in an aged voice which seemed at odds with his youthful face.

“I am honoured to be recognized by the greatest Hunter in the Frontier.” replied Huáng chén without any hint of sarcasm.

“Be careful D. There is something very strange about this man. I cannot read a thing about him.” whispered a voice in D's left hand.

Huáng chén's eyes darted to the hand that had spoken and his eyebrows rose in surprise:

“It seems you have brought a friend. Are you going to introduce us?”

If D was surprised at Huáng chén's discovery he gave no sign, but continued staring at him with those impossibly gorgeous eyes. Suddenly both men turned to the side as a shadow moved through the trees. Stepping into view the shadow revealed itself to be a man. Thin as a blade of grass, completely bald and wearing a pair of spectacles the man was dressed in the uniform of a butler. Bowing deeply he spoke in a squeaky voice:

“Gentlemen, I have been sent by my master to escort you to his home. Please walk this way.”

With these words the butler turned on his heels and walked back the way he had come. Huáng chén turned to D but the Hunter was already following the butler. With an amused smile Huáng chén followed.

####

The butler lead them to a massive mansion built deep in the forest, with a perfectly tended garden at the front. As they travelled through the garden Huáng chén smelt the delightful scent of night-flowers and the wonderful tinkling of running water. A sense of calm serenity enveloped him and he felt himself dosing in his saddle. Snapping out of the trance Huáng chén activated his mage-sight and saw the bindings of a very subtle spell around the garden. It appeared like a warm fog, clouding the mind and dulling the senses.

With a subtle gesture Huáng chén threw a screen around himself and his mount shielding them from the spell. As his mage-sight was already on he decided to study his surroundings with it. In addition to the spell in the garden there were also some very potent wards around the mansion protecting it from any forms of scrying. Next Huáng chén turned his gaze to his companions. The butler appeared to be a normal human with nothing special about his aura. D however was anything but normal.

He was like a hole in reality drawing in all the magic around him and into the eternal darkness that was his aura. Never in his ten years on this world had he encountered another aura quite as strong. Even in his own world he had known only two auras that were comparable to D's and only one that might surpass it. Those auras belonged to his fellow Sword Saints Lán fēng and Hóng yè and his Shifu the Sword God Wú sè.

As they approached the huge oak doors of the mansion the riders dismounted and handed their horses to a pair of waiting servants then followed the butler inside. They passed swiftly through the mansion until arriving at the door of a room set in the centre of the building. Another pair of servants flanked the door and the butler politely asked that the guests hand their blades to them. Neither men hesitated to comply and when unarmed were invited inside.


They entered a large room completely devoid of windows and doors except for the one they had entered from. The room's high walls were lined with shelves all filled with thick books. Sweeping his eyes across the nearest shelf Huáng chén read the titles on the spines of the book and saw that they were treaties on biology. Without access to the outside the only source of light came from the gas lamps set in between the bookshelves and on top of the huge desk set in the centre of the room. Sitting at the desk was a middle aged man dressed in a red Victorian robe. His features were soft with no sign of winkles and his gaze warm yet piercing. Standing up he greeted his guests:

“Gentlemen, let me introduce myself. I am professor Von Cleef and I welcome you to my humble abode. Please be seated.” said the professor as he indicated a pair of chairs opposite him.

As they took their seats Huáng chén studied his host with his mage-sight and saw a sophisticated web of magic surrounding the man, masking his aura. Widening his mage-sight Huáng chén picked apart the web and peered into the man's aura. He noticed a great deal of power stored within him, but no sign of the insatiable hunger associated with Vampires and their creation. He concluded that the man was a powerful magic user but not necessary evil. When his guests were seated Von Cleef continued:

“I would like to thank the both of you for accepting my invitation and want to say how honoured I am that Hunters of your standing have deemed it fitting to be here.” Neither men responded, but the professor did not seem surprised by their silence. Slowly he reached into his draw and pulled out two big bundles of notes which he placed in front of them:

“Here are ten million dalas for each of you as a thank you. If you decide to accept my commission I will give you ten times as much in payment.”

Again neither man responded so he continued:

“There is a vile creature in these lands by the name of Baroness de Winter. This monster is an ancestral enemy of my family and has hunted my line to the brink of extinction. I wish the two of you to rid me of this menace.”

“Forgive for prying but can I ask why you have not tried to deal with this matter yourself? The wards on your home and about yourself show that you have considerable power at your disposal.” asked Huáng chén.

“You are most perceptive my friend. Whilst it is true that I have some small talents in the magical arts I am afraid to say that due to fighting my family for centuries, that vile creature is familiar with our abilities and has been able to neutralise any offensive spells we might use against her. Only the wards surrounding this, my ancestral home has kept me alive until now.”

“What kind of creature is this Baroness de Winter?” asked D.

“She is a noble.” replied Von Cleef

“How old is she?” asked D

“My family first became aware of her about five hundred years ago. But my own research suggests she might have existed even before the first fall of civilisation.” answered Von Cleef

“What manner of powers does she have?” asked Huáng chén

“She is strong and swift as only a noble can be. Yet she is also a powerful necromancer and has made pacts with countless demons of hell.” replied Von Cleef.

“Where can she be found?” enquired D

Reaching into his desk once more Von Cleef pulled out two scrolls and placed them with the bundles of dalas:

“These are maps to her lair. Well gentlemen do you accept my commission?”

D reached for one of the bundle of dalas and a scroll, but Huáng chén only took a scroll. Von Cleef looked at him with arched brow:

“Is the payment insufficient?”

“Not at all. It is just my habit to only take payment after the job is finished.” replied Huáng chén.

“Quite right. We should all learn to trust each other.” said Von Cleef with a smile.

“This has nothing to do with trust, but the fact that no-one has ever dared not pay me.” answered Huáng chén, his words wiping the smile from the professor's face.

Von Cleef pulled a bell and the butler entered:

“Albert, have food and rooms prepared for our guests.” Then turning to the Hunters he addressed them: “Please accept the hospitality of my home for this night.”

Neither men spoke but rose and followed the butler outside were the servants returned their weapons and escorted them to their rooms. As the Hunters departed Albert returned to the study:

“Your orders have been carried out sir.”

Von Cleef let out a tired sigh then rubbed his temples:

“I am feeling rather fatigued. Please fetch me a drink from the cellar.”

Pulling out one of the books Albert caused a shelf to spring open showing a hidden set of stairs and the soft sobbing of a woman could be heard from within.

[Mandred Skavenslayer]

Dawn found both Hunters riding from the mansion and travelling in silence along a deserted road. After several minutes the mansion disappeared from sight and the road split in two. Having spent the night studying the map Huáng chén knew that one road lead North and the other South, but both would arrive at the location marked as the lair of Baroness de Winter. He turned to D intending to ask the Hunter which route he wanted to take, but D was already taking the North road.

Huáng chén knew that the smart thing to do was to follow D and let his rival brave whatever dangers that might lie ahead. With a chuckle Huáng chén tugged on the reins of his mount and took the South road.

####

“Well that was refreshing. Finally someone who is not terrified or enamoured by you. Feeling a bit rejected pretty boy?” mocked the voice on D's left hand.

The Hunter did not reply but clenched his left fist tightly, eliciting a strangled cry from the unseen speaker. When the voice was once again silent D let the tiniest smile touch his lips for the briefest of moments. Yes it was refreshing to meet someone not affected by his dark allure. It almost made him feel human. Almost but not quite. The smile left and his perfect face took on its usual unreadable mask.

####

Huáng chén stirred his spoon absent minded at the stew. The day's travel had progressed without incident and he had arrived in this small town just before dusk. Knowing that his ultimate destination was still a couple of days ride away, he had decided to seek accommodation for the night. Now sitting in the common room of the 'White Horse' tavern he found himself in a melancholy mood and let his mind wonder. His thoughts went back to his initial arrival on this world.

When the oncoming riders were almost upon him Huáng chén had summoned magic in order to protect himself and was relieved to find the power answering. Yet there was a strange scent to the it, like the charred remains of a house after it hand been gutted by fire. For a such a scent to be embedded in the flows of magic something catastrophic must have happened on this world and Huáng chén shuddered at the thought of how destructive such an event must have been.

As the riders had got closer Huáng chén focussed the magic into an invisible shield around himself and also invoked a spell of understanding to allow communicate with them. The former spell proved more useful than the latter as the riders attacked him as soon as they spotted him. The lead rider charged his mount, which Huáng chén later learnt was a cyborg horse, straight at him intending to run him down. A look of shock fell on the man's face as he rode straight into the magical barrier and his mount's head crumbled into its shoulder flinging the rider into the air.

The other horsemen surrounded the Sword Saint and fired loud weapons at him, hurling powerful metal missiles against his shield. Huáng chén would learn that these weapons were called guns, a weapon he despised for their noise and smell. His magical shield held against the barrage of bullets and he realized that talking to these men was not an option. Changing the structure of the shield so that it fit him like a second skin, Huáng chén drew more magic to his limbs hardening his flesh while enhancing his speed and strength.

Leaping to the nearest man with the ferocity of a tiger he caved in his scull with a single blow of his palm, then quickly set upon the other men. Not one of them had a chance to fire a second round before they were dead. With the battle over Huáng chén scanned his surrounding and saw that the rider who had ran into his shield was still alive. Hauling the man into a sitting position he started questioning him. He kept his queries short and precise asking about his immediate surroundings and where the nearest settlement was. When happy that he had gained all the information he could, Huáng chén promptly sent the man to join his friends, then taking one of the horses and anything useful from the corpses, he set off for the nearest town.

At first Huáng chén had tried using the spell of the Tripod to get home, but without the sacred artefact nothing happened. Realizing that he would not be getting back to his own world soon, he decided to learn as much as he could about this one. Throughout the last decade he had managed to piece together the traumatic history of his new home. In times long past the people of the this world had brought about an apocalyptic war which had pushed them to the brink of extinction. Then a new race of beings known as the 'nobles' had appeared and lead them back to civilisation.

As Huáng chén later learnt, the 'nobles' were vampires and their civilisation was also toppled by their former human slaves. Now the 'nobles' were in the twilight years of their existence and the humans were trying to eke out a living from the carcass of the vampire's civilisation. At another time Huáng chén would have loved the opportunity to study this world, but now his priority was to ensure his own survival. He discovered that this world was plagued with many monsters created by the vampires and saw that people were willing to pay handsomely for the slaying of such beats.

So began his life as a Hunter, travelling from one settlement to another, battling monsters and looking for a way home. In his travels he had come to hear of the name 'D'. A peerless Hunter whose skill was only matched by his beauty. Now that he had met the man Huáng chén was not disappointed. A buxom serving girl placed some bread on his table bringing his thoughts back to the present:

“Is everything all right?” she asked with a little smile.

“I am just not very hungry. I think I will go to my room for some rest.” replied Huáng chén as he laid down a handful of coins.

The girl's gaze followed him up the stairs and her brown eyes smouldered with desire.

####'

D entered the valley in his usual unhurried pace, his cyborg horse moving at a steady walk. Night had fallen swiftly snuffing out light and sound at the same time. The complete absence of sound would have unnerved most people, but D was not most people and continued on his journey with no more tension than others would have on a summer stroll. Passing beneath a canopy of trees D seemed oblivious to the glittering spider web hanging above him.

Suspended twenty feet above his head the thin silk was all but invisible in the broken moonlight, but the fibres were ten times as strong as steel and could trap a raging bull at full charge. Tiny eyes without pupils followed the Hunter until he was directly under the centre of the web, then razor sharp claws sliced through the threads and the web dropped as silently as a leaf. A flash of silver flew up to the Heavens and the web was sliced cleanly in half falling to either sides of D, who now had his sword in hand.

None of the tiny eyes studying him saw him draw the blade, in fact none of them even saw him reaching for it. One moment the sword was sheathed to his back, then it was in his hand and the carefully laid trap had been evaded. A woman's giggle could be heard in the night, turning into a husky sensual voice:

“Magnificent swordsmanship. Tell me are you as skilled with your other 'sword'?” more giggles followed the words, but D did not respond as he continued to ride on.

Suddenly dozens of glittering shafts flew through the air hurtling towards the direction that the giggling voice had come from. Punching deep into the night the wooden stakes were stopped a few inches from their unseen target as they met another web that screened its creator. The hearty chuckle of a man could be heard, then a deep voice rumbled across the ground:

“Well beloved, it seems that this man likes to play rough. Perhaps my boys can entertain him.”

Barely had the man finished speaking then the ground at D's feet erupted in great columns of dirt. Ravenous jaws lined with razor sharp teeth, connected to worm like bodies the size of hunting hounds burst from the earth and tried to devourer the Hunter. Sailing through the air with the grace of a black swan, D elegantly avoided mutated worms, but his mount was not so lucky and whinnied in pain and fear as huge chunks were ripped from it.

The worms however did not enjoy their meal for long. In mid air D unleashed streaks of silver from his sword, slicing into their unnatural bodies and cutting every one of them in half. A shriek of pure hatred echoed around the valley and once more the female voice spoke, but this time it sounded like the wail of a banshee:

“Daughters, avenge your brothers!”

From above they fell, dozens of hideous spiders the size of a man's head, each of them sent streams of web towards D, hoping to immobilize him and allow their viciously sharp pincers to finish him of. Once more D took to the air, his body twisting to avoid the sticky streams with ease. Passing the mass of legs and pincers D landed back on earth the same as the spiders hit the ground. For a moment the Hunter stood in the midst of the large spiders, then all the spiders collapsed their hairy legs falling from the bodies, having been neatly severed by D's blade.

D kicked of the ground again, leaping backwards as the earth beneath him vanished into a massive crater. D's feet had barely touch the ground before he launched himself into the air once more as another crater appeared underfoot. While airborne D was assaulted by a stream of webbing ten times as thick as the ones shot by the now limbless spiders. A flash of silver met the streaming web parting it to either side of the Hunter. As skilled as D was, it was only a matter of time before the twin assaults from ground and air would soon bring him down.

As D's feet left the earth for the fifth time another stream of webbing came flying towards his face. Lifting his blade the webbing wrapped itself around the steel guide and missed trapping his hand by less than an inch. The woman's laughter came from the woods, delighted at having caught D's weapon. Suddenly D reversed his grip on the sword and hurled it like a harpoon into the third crater that had just appeared:

“No!” screamed the voice from the woods, then the web grew slack as its creator severed her connection to it.

D grabbed the silk before it could slip away, then yanked at it with supernatural strength. A huge column of dirt exploded from the ground and massive form the size of a house flew into the air. It was a larger version of the worm monsters that had devoid D's horse, but had one additional feature than its children. Fused on its back was the upper body of a man, completely hairless and covered in slime and dirt. The head of the man snapped back as a wooden stake pierced his head. The worm gave one spasm then slumped to the ground as the brain that controlled its huge bulk died.

A horrified scream came from the woods and another gigantic being appeared. As large as the great worm, it also had the upper half of a human torso on its back. However the torso was that of a woman's and it was attached to a monstrous spider. Scuttling towards its fallen mate the creature paid D no heed. Suddenly the spider paused in mid stride as a wooden stake also appeared in its skull.

Throughout the desperate struggle D's face had kept its cool detach demeanour and now that it was over, the Hunter's beautiful features was still devoid of any trace of emotions. Ignoring the stench and gore surrounding him, D walked calmly towards his dead mount and removed the saddle. Throwing it over his shoulder he continued on his journey in his customary unhurried pace.

[Mandred Skavenslayer]

While D was locked in mortal combat with the monstrous couple, Huáng chén was enjoying a somewhat more sedated night. Sitting on the bed in his sparsely furnished room he ran a whetstone along the edge of his bronze straight sword. The weapon was double edged and tapered into a diamond point, catching the candlelight it shone like gold. The Sword Saint smiled as he remembered the look of surprise on the blacksmith's face when he had asked for this to be made. Almost no one used such a soft metal to make weapons with, but Huáng chén had allowed himself this small indulgence.

His coat and hat rested on the single chair of the room and his long gold streaked hair was tied into a loose ponytail down his back. There was a knock on the door and the serving girl from before entered without being invited. With a broad smile that Huáng chén returned, the girl closed the door behind her.

####'

The owner of the 'White Horse' stalked up the stairs flanked by two of his bouncers:

“He is a decent size lad. We should get a couple of meals out of him.” said the tavern owner as he ran a tongue across his jagged teeth.

“It is a shame he did not eat the stew. It would have made him so much easier to handle.” said the bouncer to the left.

“Don't worry, I doubt he will put up much of a fight after Jessica has finished with him.” sniggered the bouncer on the right.

The three of them made their way towards Huáng chén's room, straining their ears for the tell-tale sounds of the lovemaking they knew was going on inside. Just as they arrived at the closed door it exploded with so much force that it knocked them off their feet. When they came to their senses they were horrified to see Jessica's severed head rolling towards them. A pair of feet stepped passed the threshold of the shattered door and the three cannibals tore their gazes away from Jessica to see Huáng chén looming over them, sword in hand and his handsome face contorted into a mask of righteous fury.

Paralysed by fear the three of them could do nothing but stare as the gleaming blade descended and parted their heads from their bodies.

####

Huáng chén looked out of the window in his room and saw the streets swarming with towns-folks. Opening his mage-sight he saw their ravenous auras like a sea of death as they rolled towards the 'White Horse'. As he had suspected this was a town of ghouls and it seems that he was to be their intended meal. His gaze went towards the church in the distance. It was a simple stone building with the central bell tower being it's only distinguishing feature. Focussing his sight on the tower Huáng chén saw tendrils of dark energy spreading outwards towards the unclean masses below.

Huáng chén shook his head, disappointed at how cliché this scene was. Terrified whinnying from the stables told him that his mount had succumbed to the insatiable hunger of the ghouls, causing the Sword Saint to sigh in regret. He had liked that horse for it was a natural creature untouched by cybernetics or mutations. The ghouls had broken down the tavern's doors and were headed upstairs. Gripping his sword Huáng chén leapt out of the window. A wave of golden light spilled from the gleaming blade and fell upon the teaming masses.

Those that were directly under the light were cleaved clean in half, the component parts of their bodies thrown through the air. As the wave hit the ground it rippled out like an exploding mortar shell creating an island of calm amongst the sea of depraved monsters. Huáng chén's feet touched lightly on the ground, then he took to the air once more before the hungry masses could close in on him. In this way he carved a broken path towards the bell tower where he knew the puppet-master of this disturbing play resided.

####

Kull looked out from the bell tower with growing trepidation, as the Hunter got ever closer. The man's speed and skill were amazing, causing Kull to feel an emotion he did not know that he was capable of. He was afraid. Taking his gaze away from the oncoming Sword Saint he took in the retinue around him and took heart. Twenty Wights made up his honour guard and Kull was confident they could handle a single man, no matter how skilled he was.

Each Wight was over seven feet tall, armed with black blades wrapped around with deadly curses that ended life with the merest touch. The skeleton warriors were clad in old but serviceable armour that would turn away most blows. Each one of them had been a Master Swordsman in life, and now stripped of the weakness of humanity they were a hundred times more potent than before their deaths.

Stepping back inside the tower Kull sat cross-legged in the centre of the room with his Wight guards forming a loose semi circle around him while they waited for Huáng chén. The Hunter was not long incoming. With amazing agility the Sword Saint scaled the tower with the same ease that a normal man would going up a flight of stairs. Leaping into the room he confronted the master of this sick town.

Facing him were the Wight guards, their black blades emanating auras of deadly cold. At their centre sat the thing that controlled the monstrosities that populated this town. He was a lean man almost as skeletal as his guards, his sickly grey skin stretched paper thin across his thin frame. His head was completely devoid of hair and his unnaturally large eyes pools of darkness. A thick robe covered him from neck to toe and his hands were tucked into the thick sleeves. Obeying a silent command the Wights charged Huáng chén, moving with viper fast speed.

Kull smiled wickedly as he waited for his guards to overwhelm his enemy. The smile fell as Huáng chén crashed into the Wights with the force of a comet, his gleaming blade slicing through armour as if it was paper and smashing rock hard bones into powder. In the space of a few heartbeats the Wights were reduced to a few scattered scraps of bones and their bound souls released back to their eternal slumber. Huáng chén did not break his stride, but continued in his rush towards Kull, his bronze sword thrust towards the point between Kull's eyes.

Whipping his hands from his sleeves Kull revealed a pair of horrendous claws, the skin consisted of uneven red scales and the ten elongated digits were topped with viciously sharp black nails. Despite witnessing the ease with which Huáng chén had despatched his Wight guards, Kull was still confident of victory, for the rough scales of his claws were thick enough to withstand laser blasts and the dark nails were as sharp as diamonds. Holding his right claw in front of his face he expected Huáng chén's sword to ricochet off the hard scales.

Incredibly the sword did not stop but sank deep into the tainted skin and flesh, passing through to the hard bone that lay within. Kull stifled a scream and lashed out with his left claw seeking to disembowel Huáng chén, but found nothing but air as his attacker leapt away. Black blood spurted out from his injured claw as the sword was yanked free and this time Kull let his scream out. The cry of pain and rage was terrible to behold. Suddenly the air between the combatants shimmered like water before becoming a tidal wave of wind that came crashing towards Huáng chén.

The sonic attack would have turned his bones to jelly had it connected, but the Sword Saint was too quick and the wave struck the stone pillar he had been standing in front of. Deep cracks appeared on the pillar, then it shattered under its own weight. Kull unleashed another wave of deadly sound at Huáng chén, this time narrowing the attack into a streamline lance and increasing its speed tenfold. There was no way the Sword Saint was avoiding this strike and the sides of Kull lips curled up in a smile as he saw his enemy lift his sword up in a futile attempt to defend himself.

Kull kept smiling up until the point when his own attack struck him in the chest shattering his ribs and sending the broken shards into his organs. As he collapsed Kull understood what had happened, but could not believe it. Somehow Huáng chén had vibrated his sword at exactly the right frequency to reflect Kull's attack back at him. He had a moment to marvel at the skill needed for such a feat before the glittering blade came down causing his head and body to part ways.



Huáng chén wiped his blade on a piece of cloth as he looked out of the bell tower. Most of the ghouls that had felt the demise of their creator had dropped dead from the shock of the experience. Even those who had been strong-willed enough to survive, had had their sanity blasted and went screaming from the town. The Sword Saint threw the cloth aside and calmly made his way to the stairs without so much as a backwards glance.

####

Four shadows sat in front of a gate built between the narrow pass of a great mountain range. This was the only pass for countless miles within the mountain range and guarded the major route into the valley that lay beyond. The formless shadows remained motionless for a long time and could have been mistaken for stone boulders, until the shadows to the far left and right suddenly twitched:

“Silk valley is no more.” stated the shadow to the left.

“The Flesh Market has also fallen.” answered the shadow to the right.

“It seems that Von Cleef has found some interesting lackeys this time.” said one of the shadows in the centre.

“I will go and welcome our guests. Anyone care to accompany me.” said the shadow on the left

None of the other shadows spoke, but the one on the right rose with it's companion and together they left their long held vigil.

[Mandred Skavenslayer]

Huáng chén strolled along the path at a leisurely pace, enjoying the warm Sun on his face and the cool breeze in his hair. Despite the horrors he had faced the previous night the Sword Saint was as jovial as ever. To anyone observing him, he would seem to be a man taking a stroll in the woods. He stopped mid step, turning in every direction, a look of surprise replacing the careless expression on his face. He could not comprehend how this could have happened. His well homed senses should have detected the trap long ago, yet they had not.

Somehow he had missed the complex dome of magic until he had walked into it. Now that he was within the dome it was as clear as day. It was a strong force field designed to keep him trapped within and woven in such a way as to completely enclose him. Opening his mage-sight to its fullest Huáng chén analysed his prison. It was all encompassing, rising twenty feet into the air before curving elegantly into the earth then looping ten feet underground forming a seamless sphere.

Given time to gather his power Huáng chén was confident that he could break through the barrier, but he doubted that he would have such a luxury. Dropping the saddlebag that had been hanging over his shoulder, his right hand drifted towards his sword. Without warning the earth before him rolled up into a massive wave twice the height of Huáng chén and hurtled forwards to engulf him. The bronze sword leapt into his hand then descended in a glittering arc parting the wave. Yet despite Huáng chén's potent attack the wave continued rolling forward.

The twin waves of earth stopped to either side of the Sword Saint then quickly came together like the clapping hands of a giant. Huáng chén shot straight up into the air rising above the clashing mounds, yet escape was not so easy as the colliding dirt reached for him like massive fingers. Spinning upside down in mid air Huáng chén lunged his sword towards the rising earth and a beam of blinding gold light flew from the blade. The light burrowed deep into the earth before exploding from deep within, undoing the magic that gave it animation.

Huáng chén continued to plummet towards the ground until his head was less than a foot from the hard earth, then he performed a perfectly timed flip landing lightly on his feet. In the blink of an eye he was once again airborne as the branches of a nearby tree came flying towards him like the possessed hair of the legendary Medusa. Huáng chén's bronze blade moved like molten bronze as he severed the probing branches, then with an upwards sweep he sent a wave of power towards the tree, slicing it in half.

Landing in a defensive stance Huáng chén braced himself as his entire surrounding moved against him. Every rock, every tree, every spot of dirt and every blade of grass came to life and rushed towards the Sword Saint. The situation was hopeless for no matter how skilled he was even Huáng chén could not survive such an attack. He seemed to realize the futility of any action for he stood stock still as if resigned to his fate. As the earth closed in around him the bronze sword gave one last glitter before being buried.

####

Mandrake smiled as he saw the Sword Saint disappear. Covered from head to toe in a single long black cloak, the only parts of the man that could be seen were his pale hands and face. Sitting cross-legged inside the trunk of a dead oak, Mandrake had his hands to the sides of a large plate resting on his lap. On the plate was an exact replica of the environment Huáng chén was trapped in, with twigs representing trees, pebbles being rocks and a mound of dirt representing the earth.

Mandrake had set this trap, knowing that Huáng chén would have to pass this way. Within this area Mandrake had absolute control, with every non sentient object obeying his whim. Even so he had been impressed with how long the Sword Saint had lasted. However he had finally succumbed as Mandrake knew he would. He could see everything that went on in his trap as clearly as if he was there and now that his enemy was buried under tonnes of dirt he exerted his will and hardened the earth to the density of rocks making sure that there was no escape.

Suddenly the earth exploded like the top of an angry volcano, hurling up great clouds of dust and golden light. In the middle of what was now a massive crater stood Huáng chén surrounded by a glittering halo with his sword pointed at the Heavens. The Sword Saint seemed to stare straight at Mandrake as he brought his sword down, unleashing a wave of power that spilled towards the barrier. Mandrake told himself that he was safe for he was nowhere near the field of battle and that even if Huáng chén could break out he could not harm him. But a part of him felt like a mouse trapped within the gaze of a snake.

Shearing pain erupted in his hands, travelling along his arms before striking him in the chest like a sledgehammer. Mandrake gasped for breath, then his whole body sagged from the mortal blow. He tried telling himself that this could not be happening, that there was no way that Huáng chén could have struck him. But the proof of his dying body showed that this was indeed the case. As his mind slowly fell into the darkness he understood what had happened. Huáng chén had used Mandrake's connection to the trap as a conduit for his own attack, sending the wave of energy travelling along the invisible links between the spell and its creator.

Mandrake managed a last enlightened smile before slumping over face down into the ground and the embrace of death.

####

D woke gently from his resting place against the base of a great tree and was greeted by the majestic beauty of the night. The full moon bathed everything in an ethereal silver light that perfectly complemented the tranquillity of the woods. Rising elegantly the hunter stared down the dirt road before him to be confronted by a pair of glowing red dots bobbing up and down towards him. The dots revealed themselves to be the eyes of a massive charger as black as ink, and on its back was a rider almost as huge as the mount.

Clad from head to toe in black steel armour covered with runes that glowed red hot, the rider looked like some kind of demon from hell. Stopping a respectful distance from D the black knight saluted the Hunter with the lance of black stained wood held in his right hand, before dipping the dark iron point and charging. The mighty charger thundered forwards with the power of a storm its nostrils flaring in excitement. D stood rooted to the spot seemingly paralysed with fear.

Just as the iron point was about to pierce his heart D stepped to the left and the lance passed within a hairs breath of his right arm. The silver blade leapt into the Hunter's hand and the tip of the lance flew through the air. Sparks played along the right arm of the knight as D's blade ran along it and continued up to the visor. The knight brought his mount to a stop several yards away from D and metallic laughter echoed from the knight as he swung around to face his foe. Despite D's magnificent swordsmanship, his blade had failed to leave even the smallest mark on the enchanted armour.

As the laughter grew louder the knight's eyes started glowing the same blood red as those of his steed and his gauntleted hand reached for the sheathed sword at his side. Drawing the blade he revealed a great broadsword made of the same metal as his armour and cut with the same powerful runes that hurt the eye to read. With a flick of the reins the knight once more charged towards D his demonic laugh intensifying as he quickly closed the distance between them. When D was about ten feet away the horse opened its mouth and released a spurt of searing hell fire that glowed white hot.

D's left hand shot out and a tiny, ugly face appeared in his palm. The grotesque little mouth opened wide and sucked in the hell fire as easily as a man would inhale air. As if to taunt its enemy the parasitic face then ran its tongue along its hideous lips in appreciation of the meal. Leaping into the air with the speed of a gust of black wind, D sliced upwards with his blade decapitating the nightmarish mount. Sparks danced in front of the knight as D's sword ran along the eye-slits of his helmet, but the gaps were so small that even D's elegant sword could not find its way through.

Despite the weight of his armour the knight leapt easily off his toppling mount and landed steadily on the ground. Turning sharply he faced the Hunter and attacked, swinging his great sword as if it was a willow reed. D seemed to float in front of the knight his darkly beautiful form always staying just ahead of the deadly blade. The knight made a massive stride and lunged his sword towards D's heart with frightening speed. It seemed impossible that even D could evade such an attack and he did not, but merely held his left hand in front of the black sword.

The grotesque little face caught the sword point between its tiny teeth and held firm despite the knight throwing all of his armoured weight behind the attack. For a long moment the combatants did not move as they strained against each other, until finally the eyes of parasitic face started glowing. Without warning the hell fire that the parasite had recently consumed shot out of its eyes and into the eye-slits of the knight's helmet. The knight screamed in agony as the flames engulfed first his face and then his entire body, roasting him alive inside his impregnable armour.

After several minutes of horrific screaming and thrashing about, the knight succumbed to the flames and fell to the ground in a heap of smoking metal. Ignoring mass of smouldering armour D walked back to the tree he had been resting on. Retrieving his saddlebag the Hunter slung it over his shoulder and resumed his journey without so much as a backwards glance.

[Mandred Skavenslayer]

Huáng chén emerged from the woods just as the moon reached its zenith and stared at the looming gates built into the mountain pass. The massive structure resembled a slumbering beast waiting to be awaken in order to start its rampage. The Sword Saint estimated the gates to be at least another four hours walk away and started looking for a suitable place to make camp for the night, deciding that he deserved a good night's sleep before facing the perils at the gates.

Some unknown instinct caused him to turn to the right and he smiled as a dark figure stepped out of the trees. Walking with the grace of a dancer D approached his rival and stopped a respectful distance away. Hunter and Sword Saint stared at each other for a long moment, yet neither showed the slightest shred of tension and the air was free of any murderous intent. Wordlessly Huáng chén moved away and started collecting wood while D cleared the ground in preparation for a fire.

Within an hour the men sat in front of a small camp fire and started bedding down to sleep. Huáng chén pillowed his head with his arms and stared up at the stars, his mind drifting to another world and his eyes misting with memories of a family he had not seen in a decade. As if sensing his melancholy mood D spoke from where he lay on the opposite side of the fire:

“I am surprised you made it this far.” He said in his old yet emotionless voice.

“Not unpleasantly so I hope?” Replied Huáng chén his own voice filled with mischievous joviality.

D did not reply and another moment of silence passed between them, until Huáng chén spoke once more, this time his tone was gravely serious:

“You know, when all this is over there is something I really want to settle with you.”

“Its best you forget the idea, for your death would give me no pleasure.” answered D his voice as always devoid of feeling.

Huáng chén smiled, knowing that D may very well be speaking the truth, yet he knew that his own ego would keep him on this course despite its danger. Closing his eyes the Sword Saint drifted into a dreamless sleep, opposite him the Hunter also lay unmoving, but whether he was actually slumbering was anyone's guess.

####

Thick clouds hung heavily in the Heavens as they reached the gates and thunder rumbled across the mountains like the applause of the gods welcoming a pair of gladiators into the Colosseum. Hunter and Sword Saint stopped as a pair of cloaked figures came into view, crouched in front of the gates their function obvious. Without a word Huáng chén and D began walking towards the figure facing them, when they were about twenty feet away the figures stood up and threw off their cloaks.

D stared impassively at his opponent, an impressive feat given what was standing before him. Standing less than four feet the figure was as broad as he was tall and none of that weight was fat. Rock like muscles covered his chest and arms, which were bare save for the intricately painted tattoo of a stylised dragon that ran along the skin. The face upon the powerful body seemed to have been cut out of the surrounding mountains and was dominated by a massive beard that stretched down to the waist. In his hands he carried a double headed axe as tall as himself. Made from a single piece of metal the axe was covered in a single rune that ran like water along its length and radiated a destructive magic that could be felt by even the most dim witted.

While D faced his enemy with his typical lack of emotion, Huáng chén looked upon his advisory with amused curiosity. The figure was so thin as to be nearly gaunt, but for all her thinness she was beautiful, with ash blonde hair tied into a loose ponytail to reveal a pair of slightly pointed ears, along with ivory pale skin and sapphire blue eyes she was the very embodiment of ethereal beauty. Her face had the ageless perfection of a marble statue and invited all who gazed upon it to love her. Huáng chén knew that her loveliness was being enhanced by magic and the knowledge allowed him to resist her charm. Wearing a form fitting leaf green jerkin and trousers she moved towards Huáng chén with a grace that rivalled D.

Her movements were so natural and swift that the Sword Saint nearly missed the thin blade in her hand until the cold steel flickered before his eyes. Leaping back Huáng chén drew his sword and unleashed of wave of golden magic at his enemy. She side stepped the fast travelling wave as if it was the clumsy swipe of a blind man and lunged at Huáng chén's throat. He parried the attack, but was then assailed by another, then another and another, each strike same faster than the one before and Huáng chén was getting desperate as each attack got ever closer to breaching his defence.

Summoning his magic he created a cyclone of power and expanded it outwards from his body. Once more his opponent danced away from the attack with infuriating ease, but Huáng chén had achieved his goal and created the space he needed. Drawing the cyclone back to himself he formed a transparent sphere around himself, hoping that when his enemy struck next she would break her slender blade on the barrier. Strike she did but to Huáng chén surprise her blade passed right through his shield and plunged towards his chest. Only the Sword Saint's lightning reflexes saved him as he twisted to the side narrowly avoiding the blade before striking back with his own sword.

The bronze sword met nothing but air as his agile opponent darted away. So the pattern of the duel was set, with the ethereal sword-woman making lightning fast attacks that Huáng chén barely managed to deflect and then dancing away before the Sword Saint could mount an effective counter attack. As Huáng chén fought his elusive enemy, D had also entered into combat with his foe. Charging forward like an enraged bull he swung the axe with crushing strength. The blows appeared wild and unfocussed and D stepped to the side to avoid it, but that was part of the axe-wielder’s plan. In an incredible display of strength and skill he changed the course of the axe mid-swing bringing the blade perilously close to taking off D's head.

The Hunter raised his sword to block the blow and was lifted off his feet. Black cloak spreading like the wings of a raven D slowed his flight then plunged downwards at his opponent. Raising his axe above his head the axe-wielder brought it down intending to cleave D in two. Twisting in mid-flight D avoided the axe while his sword sliced into the side of his opponent's neck. Despite the thick muscles protecting the neck D's blade easily cleaved flesh and bone neatly decapitating his foe. Even as D's feet touch the ground he heard the axe-wielder laugh. Turning around D saw the cleaved neck reknit itself as quickly as he had severed it and the head on top of it grinning wickedly.

As the duel between Hunter and axe-wielder progressed it soon resembled a bull-fight with the former being the Matador and the latter playing the bull. The axe-wielder continued charging forward with wild abandonment the mighty axe rising and falling like the cleaver of a butcher. D always danced away from the potent attacks his own blade flicking out to inflict fatal wounds on his enemy, but like his first attack all the wounds healed as soon as they were inflicted without even slowing his opponent.

After nearly an hour of combat the axe-wielder made a huge overhead chop aiming to split D's skull. However this time instead of backing away D lunged forwards plunging his sword into his opponent's stomach. The axe-wielder smiled as he grasped D's sword arm with his left hand and brought his axe down. D caught the shaft of the axe with his free hand, then did something incredible. Despite appearing frail in comparison to the mound of muscles that was his opponent, D lifted the axe-wielder into the air holding the massive body horizontal above his head. The smile vanished from the axe-wielder's face as his life blood poured out if the wound that no longer healed. D had somehow divined that the axe-wielder's regenerative ability came from his connection to the earth and that the only way to defeat him was to separate him from it.

The axe-wielder struggled desperately to reach the earth that was his lifeline, but D was as immobile as a stone statue. Slowly as the blood drained away the axe-wielder's struggles became weaker and weaker until they ceased altogether. While D vanquished his foe, the fight between the Sword Saint and his opponent also reached its climax. Huáng chén took three great backward steps his sword making wide vertical sweeps that covered him from head to toe as he fended away the quicksilver blade. The sword-woman rushed forward to press her attack then let out a shriek as her foot sunk into the ground. Huáng chén had weakened the earth between himself and his opponent when he was backing away knowing that this was the only way to pin her down, now with his sprung he darted in for the kill.

The bronze sword flickered out silencing the surprised shriek, for a moment the world was completely quiet then the most exquisite of whistles filled the air. The sound came from the tiny hole in the sword-woman's throat as the breath came out. The sound of so beautiful that it made her forget her mortal wound and sink into death with a smile of utter serenity. Now victorious Hunter and Sword Saint cleaned then sheathed their swords before walking towards the gates and pushed them open.