To where the credits goes, this oneshot was inspired by the fanfiction ''Personal Demons'' by Descendant of Wei.
Open your Eye
The world around him was shaking and ripped apart by war. The destruction shaked the world around him. He was starting to turn himself into an emotionless pawn into his cousin's plan to take over the land. It was the beginning of a great conflict and he acknowledged the danger of the following battles and the necessity of their victories. He couldn't let all the work of his cousin go to waste. However, even if he accepted the fact of being a simple pawn, there was something bothering him.
He remembered the words of the lunatic prophet Zhang Jiao. The religious freak prophesied the fall of his importance and shall be shadowed by a mightier warrior than him. Was it a farce? Or something he should take in consideration? Since his Lord Cao Cao saw the powerful Guan Yu, one of the two sworn brothers of Liu Bei, he seemed interested in him to become part of his army. Xiahou Dun had a bitter taste in his mouth and his hands clutched when he thought of Guan Yu being under Cao Cao's command.
If, indeed, the God of War would serve the Hero of Chaos, will he be pushed aside by his lord? He understood very well the actions of his cousin and knows what he does to the weak officers under his power. He kills them. But would he dare to kill him? No. He was still useful to the eyes of his lord and he will show it today.
''Something on your mind, Brother?''
He starred behind his shoulder. It was only Xiahou Yuan with a bottle of sake in his hand and two meat buns in the other. He made a bit of exercise to reach him in the watchtower where he was looking at the brutal scenery.
''You look like our lord Cao Cao when you watch the battlefield with that face of yours.''
Dun only frowned an eyebrow to his cousin remark, but than smirked.
''You're going to eat these alone, Brother?''
Yuan had a surprised face for a moment and handed over one of the bun to Xiahou Dun, which he accepted in silence and started eating it, still facing the field of snow and the castle from a far.
''This is where Lu Bu is hiding, isn't it?''
Before responding, Yuan took a sip of his sake heating him up before he answered.
''Yeah, Xia Pi's castle is a real fortress. The strategists are still arguing on how to break in. The ram isn't gonna work, so there on a few options.''
''They are smarts; they will figure it out eventually.''
On those words, a guard blew the horn. It was the signal for battle. The two warriors finished their hot meat bun and headed down toward the gates to charge into battle, weapons at hand and pumped up to fight.
Xiahou Dun finished taking care of an enemy base,when a messenger arrived to inform him of an important mission. The mission consisted to cut the ropes from the barrage in another base at the north-west from his position. The idea behind it was to flood the castle and create panic in the enemy's rank, plus breaking the castle's massive gates. Without hesitation, he headed to the base where it protected the barrage.
However, he committed one terrible mistake: He went alone.
When he could see the camp around the wooden structure, he saw no enemies outside or inside. It was strange, but the scimitar warrior only saw the perfect opportunity to strike. He entered the base and walked between the tents on the covered snow field. He wasn't on his guard and he soon regretted.
The tents were filled with soldiers and they all came out at once. Sword or spear at hands they charged toward the foolish general. He fought back, but they could overwhelm him at any moment. He slashed, he blocked, he exchanged before kicking the enemy in the stomach to give him some space and he became a ruthless warrior in a manner of seconds.
After a few minutes, they were all dead. They had to be twenty of them or so. His sword was bloody from the enemies and so were his clothes and armor. He took back his breath and advanced toward the complex mechanism. He cut the only ropes in one swing and observed the gate opening as the water overflowed the small water flow in a fraction of a second.
''Let's hope this will work.''
He turned around, only to see another group of enemy soldiers, but smaller. They had an officer and he had bow in his left hand and an arrow in between of his right hand aiming at Xiahou Dun's head. He only had the time to slightly move his head for the arrow to stab right into his left eye.
Somehow, maybe by the will of the gods, the arrow didn't pierce through his entire skull and only let out a howl of pain out of his mouth. The pain was unbearable and he fell on his knees. In his cries, the enemy officer was about to let go of a second arrow aiming at his skull. Xiahou Dun raised his injured head to see the face of his attacker. He felt like an animal, an injured animal that can no longer stand. His attacker smirked at the sight of his feeble prey and when he let it go, his fingers released the arrow and completely missed Xiahou Dun. The archer fell in the snow and his soldiers followed him soon enough with arrows stuck in their back.
''Xiahou Dun! Xiahou Dun!''
Someone was calling him out. The voice sounded familiar. His working eye could see Xiahou Yuan running toward him, bow at hand, but no sake bottle. When he was near enough, Xiahou Dun showed his teeth to his cousin with the arrow still in his eye, which was bleeding badly.
''STAY AWAY FROM ME, YUAN!''
His cousin stunned by his older brother's yells. They were filled in hatred and rage, something Yuan rarely hears from the man's mouth. The words didn't have a trace of pity or shame through them, they were raw of rage. The pain must cause this barbaric behavior.
The wounded warrior managed to stand up even with the agony running through his head. He braced himself for what he was about to do to himself.
Maybe he was crazy or he had lost completely his mind, but, with his bloody hand, he grabbed the arrow and removed it, along with his eye. The arrow fell from his hand. He didn't scream, he didn't cry, he didn't even make a sound. The wave of agony passed through his body, even his mind, and he fell on the ground, unable to bear the pain any longer.
He woke up. The sounds of battle still raged on, but he was not in the snow or being stepped on by soldiers. He was in a tent, his tent to be exact. But it took him a while to understand the fact that he was alive, since he wasn't feeling his left eye at all. Actually, trying to move it was impossible. He suddenly remembered the officer and his bow, the arrow piercing through his head and Xiahou Yuan trying to help him before he fell in the snow between the bodies he made. He had the courage to put his fingertips to where his left eye was supposed to be, but all he felt was a rough substance, maybe leather. He was wearing an eye-patch.
''You finally decide to wake up, Brother.''
It was Yuan with his bottle of sake. He had his bow and quiver next to him, while he was sitting on a chair.
''How long was I out?''
The archer didn't immediately answered to the question of his injured sibling.
''For about a day.''
''Did we win?''
Again silence. It was a simple ''no'' for Dun and he knew it. Xiahou Yuan explained that the flood worked, but too well. It not only took out most of Lu Bu's army, but also some ally officers and troops. Lu Bu's army retreated, but so did Cao Cao's army in the confusion.
''So we failed, the strategists are going to hear it from our Lord, once this battle is over.''
Yuan smirked and took a sip of his drink.
''Not really. The waves were so strong that they weaken the doors from the west side and the south. So, they are going to bring the ram tomorrow morning to finish the job.''
Xiahou Dun mediated on Yuan's words, before a healer came in.
''Good evening my lords. I just passed by to see if lord Xiahou Dun had awake.''
''Healer, tell me why I am not dead.''
The question came out of no where and without warning, which caught off guard the calm healer. The healer stared down at the injured's face and looked away from his scowling eye filled with something violent.
''Gods know, my lord. I am incapable of explaining how you had survived this attack, my lord. Maybe the gods had blessed you, my lord.''
The healer was tense and was probably afraid of his reaction toward his vague explanations, but the warrior didn't talk back. Instead, he got up and began to suit himself with his battle armor. The healer was about to protest, but his younger sibling opened his mouth first.
''You're going back to the battlefield!''
Dun continued to suit himself as he answered toward the archer.
''And letting Guan Yu taking all the glory? You are mad, Yuan.''
All set up and scimitar at hand, he walked out of his tent. The healer didn't even try to stop him. A single glare of Xiahou Dun's eye terrified him. Yuan was following him from behind.
''So, all of this is a story of fame and glory? Is that it, Dun?''
The scimitar warrior continued to walk toward the gates. Some soldiers looked at the two brothers, only to turn their head away from Xiahou Dun's menacing eye. Yuan's hand caught the one-eyed general by the shoulder and he stopped.
''You are not the only one worrying about your position, Brother. Plus, what good will you get when you're going to go head first into enemy's hand? You can't take out an entire army by yourself for crying out loud!''
The warrior stood silent, all the soldiers around them looked toward the generals. However, they didn't hide their curiosity from Xiahou Dun's single stare, his eye was stuck in the direction of his young brother's face.
''If you walked out this gate alone, you're just going to get killed. Wait until the signal is given, before losing another eye.''
His voice was sarcastic, yet it was true. He was lucky last time and maybe, just maybe, it was the gods which gave him this warning. He had survived the last fatal strike of Death, but the second one could be final for him.
''Very well, I shall wait.''
Just like Xiahou Yuan predicted, the horn blew after an hour or two. The assignment of Xiahou Dun was simple: Killing all the enemies at the west gate. With the help of Xiahou Yuan, he was about to enteer a bloody fight.
The west gates of Xia Pi's castle were gone the ram took care of their resistence, but in exchange of gates made out of steel there was a gate made out of flesh and bones armed with sharp-edge weapons. The icy water was at the height of his ankles, the river level must have lowered during the last twenty-four hours. Archers were placed on the castle's walls, but they quickly got dispatched when Yuan arrived.
''Brother Dun! Let's show to all those guys who are the real warriors here!''
He was in high spirit, like he was. Both warriors ran into the battle and a slaughter started. The enemy bodies were falling like flies. Their twisted face under the water surface, Xiahou Dun took them out one by one of the pests surrounding him and Yuan. The fight went on and on, he was starting to believe that there was an endless supply of infantry. But the gods smiled upon them a second time and the one-eyed general finished off the last of the standing enemy soldier. The rest of their troops ran into the castle with a victorious roar coming out.
''Good work, Xiahou Yuan.''
''Yeah, yeah... good work indeed.''
His tone was weak and heavy, Dun turned toward Yuan and saw the archer's left arm bleeding. Dun didn't react physically, but he was worrying mentally. The wound didn't look life treating, but it was a pretty bad cut.
''You'll hold on?''
''Yup, but I need to go back to the main camp. I can't fight like this.''
Xiahou Dun knew very well that letting Yuan going alone on the battlefield could be a instant contract with the world of the dead. He wasn't fighting over the subject and walked toward his wounded cousin.
''I'll help you getting to the camp.''
''But, what about...?''
''I'll just take you to the main camp and then I'll go kill Lu Bu with my own hands.''
Xiahou Yuan smiled at the answer of his cousin. He is a harsh man, but got the right words. They both marched toward the main camp in the silence of winter. They didn't talk; they didn't see the need of it. The cries of battle were their voice, only by those cries will they die in. While advancing toward the main camp with a wounded Yuan at his side, Xiahou Dun understood something.
His arrogance almost had him kill, his jealousy of Guan Yu made him blind from the danger and his rage only drove his actions. Maybe, he finally get it. He will continue to fight, to kill those standing in the way of his Cousin and to show his valor to Cao Cao. His eye was finally opened from the darkness of his mind and foresaw his victory against him and Guan Yu's might.