Chapter one: Introduction
The rebellion at Yang Quan

187 AD, Ancient China. The Han dynasty has collapsed. The child emperor slain by unknown assassins. In a desperate move, the lords of China elect He Jin, General of the Imperial army as the next emperor. He Jin readily accepted his new power. Unfortunately for the would be emperor, not every lord in China was happy with the decision.

In Yang Quan, a small town to the north of Luo Yang, governed by Dong Zhuo. A young security officer named Zhou Cai returns home to his quaint little house on the outskirts.

The young Zhou Cai announces his arrival to his brother.

Zhou Qin, Cai's younger brother enters from the back door of the house. His Iron Blade over his shoulder. Cai places his Eastern sword on the table in the middle of the room.

Qin tells of his daily training, tree cutting on the mountain slope.

Cai looks out the back window up at the mountain, a huge glade has appeared since morning.

Qin informs his brother of his intention to join the army. When asked why he responds. "To fight, like you, brother."

Cai replies cynically "What I do is completely different to the army. I shout at beggars and thieves for a living." Cai then makes a joke of the new emperor's swift ascension to the throne.

Qin doesn't't take too well to it. He shouts at his older brother. "That's treason! You can't talk that way about the emperor!" To Qin's surprise Cai lets slip that the emperor wont remain emperor for too long.

When Qin inquires into this treacherous information Cai reluctantly informs him Governor Zhuo is planning to use his Personal Guard Regiment to enter the Imperial palace and kill Emperor Jin. Making himself his replacement.

"This is wrong!" Yells Qin.

"I know, but what can we do?" Cai replies.

Suddenly, sounds of disorder can be heard outside and people are running past the front window. The brothers rush to the window. Cai runs outside. He asks a fellow security officer what's going on.

"The city is under attack! They're burning houses on the North West side!" He responds.

Qin grabs up Cai's Eastern sword and runs it out to him.
Cai looks at his brother and speaks "You want to fight brother? Lets go."

Cai, Qin and the Officer run towards the North West side. Towards the rising black smoke.

The Officer informs the brothers that the attackers are unknown. They just fired fire arrows from the forest and then charged the city.

He admits that few people managed to escape the district before the attack began and that numbers of dead are unknown. He also tells Cai that Lord Zhuo refuses to send his Guard to help the people.

As the three enter the North West side, houses everywhere are burning, people running for their lives or trying to find loved ones. One Man is trapped inside a nearby house that is burning. Another scrambles up to the three men, begging for help finding his wife.

Cai takes charge "Officer! Go for help! Qin! Free that man! Help as many as you can! Where was your wife taken?"

Cai follows the man down the street.The officer runs back to the central district to find help. Qin walks towards the burning house, he swings his Iron blade at the blocked, burning door and smashes through. Qin leaps into the burning house, scoops the man over his shoulder and leaps back out of the door. He stands the man up.

Qin notices a band of rebels up the street. They are standing circled around one leader. Qin runs towards them.

The rebel leader is shouting to his men "Tear down this pile of rot! Return it to the Earth that bore it! Then head for the pig known as Dong Zhuo!"

Qin taunts the rebels "Foul beasts! Leave now! Or fall at my feet!"The band turn and charge Qin. Their leader watches. Qin cuts them all down with ease. Their leader is stricken. He retreats.

Suddenly, from Qin's right a voice shouts out "Now!"

Arrows fall around Qin. He turns and blocks three heading for his face with his Iron Blade. On a roof on the right side of the street is a leader and three archers. Qin challenges the rebel and demands his name.

The old, white bearded man replies from neath his helmet "You don't ask anything of me you whelp! Go home! You don't belong here boy!"

Qin replies "Neither do you old man!"

The old man jumps down from roof. He point his sword at Qin."Go now boy! Or I'll give you a thrashing that'll make your grandchildren hurt!"

On the other side of the district, the man leading Cai stops. He shouts out "Shen! That's my wife! Shen! No!" His wife is surrounded by a small group of rebels, attempting to force her to perform sordid acts on them.The group of bandits around the mans wife look up, they walk towards Cai and the man.The man steps forwards but is stopped by Cai's hand on his shoulder. He demands the identities of the rebels. They spout a speech about righting the wrongs Dong Zhuo has caused the people of Yang Quan.

Zhou Cai points at the man's wife "And this? What part of all that righteousness involves raping another man's wife?"

"What do you know?" One of the rebels asked.

"I know if you do not allow that woman to leave, you're all going to die." Cai says.

One of the rebels let out a huge laugh, then charged Cai. His friends followed him. Cai cut them all down in three strokes. "Take your wife citizen. Get her out of the city. It's not safe." Cai tells the man. Then heads back towards the palace to find Dong Zhuo.

Meanwhile Zhou Qin is still facing down the old rebel. "You don't want to fight me boy. I'm stronger than I look." The old man said. "And I'm stronger than you think." Replies Qin. Then once again he demands the rebels name. Then, a force of rebels appears from the alley ways on the right side of the street. Qin is forced to cut his way through the rebels and retreat deeper into the city.

At the Palace entrance, really it was just a small stone, two floored building as oppose to the 1 floored, wooden shacks of the commoners, Zhou Cai met with 50 of Lord Zhuo's best Guardsmen. They demanded to know why he was here. He stated his rank and his intention to inform Lord Zhuo of the current situation. The Guards reluctantly let him in.

Cai found Lord Zhuo in the courtyard overseeing his carriage preparations. He bowed low and introduced himself. Lord Zhuo demanded to know his reason for being in the palace grounds. Cai explained that the people in the north-west district need help.

"Pah! So do I! Help getting out of here!" Was the response. Lord Zhuo then ordered Cai to leave. Suddenly a ruckus was heard outside the gates. The rebels had arrived! Lord Zhuo got into his carriage and ordered his small escort of 30 armed foot to proceed to the north palace gate. Cai ran alongside the carriage, trying to persuade Lord Zhuo to send help to the people. He scoffed back at Cai, saying he needed his guards to force the north East road open.

By now the entire city south of the palace was beginning to host smoke from the invaders fires. Cai's last thoughts as he left the palace were of his brother. He wished for his safety.

Qin was in the south-west district. Holding back rebel forces with 11 security officers, trying to give people time to flee to Yu Ci. Qin was cutting down bands of rebels in great numbers. Qin was forced to block two arrows heading for has head with his blade. He looked up the street to see the old rebel from before.

The old man challenged Qin, saying he had killed too many of these freedom fighters. Qin replied, that he would not take a challenge from an anonymous warrior. If the old man wished to fight him, he would have to give his name.

The man introduced himself as Huang Zhong and Qin accepted his challenge. The two duelled for several bouts. Until several other rebel leaders arrived to support Huang Zhong with troops. Qin and the 11 security officers were forced to retreat, fighting a rearguard so that the people could escape.

Zhou Cai was still trying to persuade Dong Zhuo to send aid back to the city as they arrived on the road to Shijiaz Huang. Lord Zhuo commanded the removal of Cai from his sight. As 6 of his Guards dragged Cai into the woods they were attacked by rebel troops. The rebels killed the Guards and in turn are killed by Cai.

Cai, in the hopes of gaining favour, runs to catch up with Lord Zhuo. When he arrives, the carriage is under attack by other rebels, most of Lord Zhuo's Guards are already dead and the rest are surrounded. Cai rushes in and rescues Dong Zhuo. He cuts loose the two horses pulling the carriage and he and Dong Zhuo escape to Shijiaz Huang.