So, this fic was a request…and this is chapter 1 of a few chapters. Anyone who regularly reads my work will notice this is somewhat out of my element…however, no worries Zhuge Liang WILL be in this fic…probably make his debut next chapter or after and remain until the end…so Zhuge fan readers, hang tight.

Oh and on a different note if there's anyone who still wants me to update…I'm in the process of Chapter 20 of "I Loved Him" …if anyone even remembers that story…so yeah…

Zhou Tai ran his long fingers down the flat edge of his blade. Battle had not greeted him in many months. He supposed that perhaps that was a good thing. Then again, he missed the exhilaration of a fight. Suddenly, a subtle noise issued from his far right, causing him to look away from his work.

"Take him to Lord Sun Jian." A soldier called, whose voice Tai did not recognize.

"We can't hold him down. He's getting away; catch him!"

This time the voices brought him to his feet. He strode in the direction of the commotion. But as he walked a young man ran straight into his chest and fell to the ground, terrified.

"Who are you?" Tai spoke in his usual tone.

The boy did not answer only trembled there in the dirt, staring in awe at the strength in Zhou Tai's persona. The latter narrowed his eyes. Something was not right about this boy. However, there was no time for him to ponder at the moment, the soldiers had caught up. As soon as they saw their superior they bowed.

"Thank you for stopping him, Lord Zhou Tai."

"Where did you find him?' Zhou Tai's gaze remained fixedly on the green-clad boy.

"Straggler from a caravan heading toward Shu."

He nodded, "What is his name?"

"Hong Tian, sir, we found it on a letter he was carrying from his mother."

"Sorry to interrupt, but Lord Sun Jian wishes the prisoner's immediate attendance in his quarters."

"Carry on."

Tai returned to his former seat and considered this sudden Shu appearance. He may not have been a scholar, but he knew when something was not right. And something was not right in this situation. However, he would have plenty of time to think of these things at his guard position that evening. For now, he had better things to do, like finding out more about this Hong Tian. He sheathed his weapon and made a steady way toward Sun Jian's tent. On usual terms he would not be eves dropping, especially on an imperial meeting with his lord, but something about this conundrum sparked his interest. The boy was too lanky to be a soldier, there was no muscle of which to speak and his age could not be marked on his face, for it would speak of a boy well before puberty. His eyes were deep and gray, inviting as those of a poet—someone whose soul was there-written amidst its shallow pools of nothingness... His hair was quite long and copper red, a color only foreigners had, but this prisoner was no barbarian. Fear was constant in the enemy, leading Tai to believe the boy had not been trained in the ways of war as Zhuge Liang had mercilessly drilled into the other men. No, this was no soldier and he began to doubt everything told to him concerning this boy.

"We don't know who he is, my lord. He won't speak we think he may be mute. We have not yet tested his ability with a weapon."

"You won't get much out of this one." Sun Jian's steady voice deduced.

"Could he be some other position…like an archer?"

"Not brave enough." Tai shook his head.

"Or a magician of sorts?"

"It does not matter, take him away for now."

Zhou Tai acted casually as they brought the struggling prisoner away…pretending to look behind some boxes. They paid respect to his title and moved on. Tai looked to the heavens and cursed in the secret of his mind…it was time he guarded his post at the border of the city.

x-x-x-x-x

That night an eerie mist set itself upon the city and chilled the bones of all who were placed within it. The night had been filled with silence until now. Sudden confused revealing itself in screams and shouts filled his ears. He was forced to fight the urge to leave his post and check it out. He heard footsteps running his way, followed by a copper glint flashing in the torchlight. He surged ahead, unsheathing his katana in a single motion, stopping its swing only a hair's breadth short of the prisoner's neck. His menacing stare provoked the creature to tremble and he looked into the boy's eyes, he realized a shocking revelation. This was no man.