Earth above began to rip asunder, the cackling noise of collapsing stone echoing throughout the circle with the thunderous force of lightning.
Atop a small plateau, overlooking the great savages that was the first ring, stood the sight of an execution. All around the small clearing was vegetation that could only be described as uncannily beautiful and alien in nature — a fictitious facade masking a hellish reality. It toed the line between fungal and a twisted form of bamboo, mixed with the tall lush trees clashing against the red skies above.
The perfect scenery for a killing.
Just by the edge of the brush was a row of banners, entirely encapsulating the group that stood at its center. They donned the sigil of Torrice, resembling that of a hollow 'A' crossed inside of a thin yet strong 'V.'
Dressed in their dark blue cloaks, they watched in amused silence as their prisoners helplessly began to fall in line. Brown leather hoods obscured each and every one of them, along with the painfully tight ropes binding their hands as though they were nothing but livestock for the slaughter.
A lone soldier stood at the snake's head, hand clenching the leather grip of his blade and seemingly ready to massacre until none were left standing.
"Forward." He murmured, voice cold and calm. Not even a twinge of emotion shone through his pronunciation, and even his dark eyes managed to lack any form of compassion.
Slowly, every prisoner took a few steps forward, not wishing to bash heads with the ones in front. The unlucky soul to be first in line was quick to fall to his shaking knees.
"Any last words?" The man spoke, twisting the blade to his side and cocking back his arm.
"I-" The beast began, stammering over his words as though struck with the overwhelming presence of death. "I... I d- ...no, I don't."
A slight quiver emerged from his voice. In the end, however, it was of no concern to the man.
With a hefty swing, the head barreled off from the neck — ruthlessly giving no time for contemplation. The blood began to spew from the lifeless corpse, still giving slight twitches as it limped onto the ground below.
Of course, only a few streaks of red managed to stain the man's blade.
"Forward." He repeated again.
Two fellow soldiers briskly walked forward, dragging the larger half of the corpse away and leaving the head to rot in the dirt. And just like that, the cycle continued.
One by one, the snake began to die- not a single soul having anything to say when met with the executioner's blade.
Two soldiers, standing far over by the brush of the forest, looked on in subtle awe.
"So, that's him, huh?" One of them spoke. He appeared quite young, somewhere around his early twenties, and similarly had a gaze of indifference when met with bloodshed. With the demonic tint over the first layer, it made his short brown hair almost appear an odd shade of red.
"Yeah," The other spoke. A much larger man in stature and older in appearance, not a hair being placed on his head aside from his lofty brows. His skin was slightly darker, and his eyes a striking hazel. "He's only nineteen, and he's already a stone-faced killer."
"A year younger... I find it hard to believe he's going to outrank me. Then again..." He took a brief moment to reassess the boy before shaking his head, "I'll admit that he looks the part."
Perhaps what he was noting was the high posture he attained — he didn't slouch, raising his back and planting his feet with every swipe. Or maybe it was as simple as his general appearance; Dark, wild hair and deep blue eyes. A look of boredom as he beheaded these nameless demons could have set him off.
"Hah! Sounds like someone's a bit jealous, aren't you?"
He scoffed. "Of course I'm not! Don't be stupid, Chrono."
"I'm stupid, Bane? ~Why, your words wound me... haha!"
Bane slightly tightened his face, "Stop making a scene, you big oaf! We're meant to be keeping watch!"
Chrono coughed a few times before trying to steady himself. "Right, right... no, no, you're right. I'm just saying, a few more years and you'll be nearly as washed up as me, that's all~!"
Bane shrugged over, a bit of annoyance and a sly smile wiping over his face.
What the two of them didn't expect, however, was for the very man they were talking about to suddenly appear right before their eyes. "What are you two doing?"
Both of them slightly flinched, "Oh... w- we were just messing around, sir." Bane spoke.
"Messing around? Need I remind you we're in literal hell. There's no time for that."
Chrono nodded. "Right- sorry, sir."
He left them with nothing but a piercing glance. By now, the snake was dead and their mission was over. The two of them passed a slight gaze to each other before steadily following in pursuit.
In this world, in this power, rank and prestige meant everything. To a Knight of Torrice, there is no better way of gaining said prestige than murdering their sworn enemy — the hellspawn.
It's for that very reason why one forgotten, ordinary cadet managed to ascend the ranks so quickly. It was because he was a murderer.
His name was Caius. Caius Vayne. But that's not what the world knew him as. A name beyond his own managed to tie itself to his being. To them, he was no 'Caius.'
He was The Hellwalker. He was the slaughterer of demons. He was the true embodiment of hell, yet he was hell's sworn enemy.
A demon only made to resemble a human being.