Zhong Hui watched the troops disperse before him, running or riding to their assigned posts. The young warrior couldn't help the smug smirk that tugged at his lips and he let out a chuckle as he curled a strand of hair around the index finger of his right hand.
"I forgot to thank you."
Zhong Hui turned at the sound of Jiang Wei's voice as the strategist stepped forward to join him, holding his double sided spear to his side. The former Jin follower snorted and turned back to the battlefield "Thanking me is pointless, I am in this only for personal gain."
"I am aware of that," Jiang Wei smiled, "But still, without your help, this battle wouldn't even be possible."
"Yes well, despite your clear lack of talent I ask that you try not to get in my way or slow me down," Zhong Hui mused as he drew his swords that floated out of his hand to hover next to him.
"Of course. To destroy Wei is my only goal. For my late lord and prime minister!" Jiang Wei raised his fist to show his determination but his words only irritated Zhong Hui.
"Fulfilling the dreams of the dead," he snorted as under his breath as Jiang Wei mounted his white horse, "Preposterous!"
Zhong Hui mounted his own gray speckled horse that swished it's tail and pawing at the ground. The brunette riding it patted it's side before taking it's reins.
"On my mark," he told a waiting soldier who bowed and ran to pick up a mallet waiting by a brass gong. Zhong Hui smirked, he would indeed show Deng Ai who was superior.
He raised his arm and the soldier tensed, pulling the mallet back.
Zhong Hui didn't even bother to look at Jiang Wei as he swished his hand down and the sound of the gong rang out, reaching every green clad troop on the field.
"Charge!" Jiang Wei called, raising his deadly weapon before swinging it under his arm and snapping his horse's reins.
"Don't fall behind," Zhong Hui called to Jiang Wei before he over took him, steamrolling enemy troops that ran to greet him.
"For Shu!" Jiang Wei cried before he flipped around his spear, throwing a solider a few yards, and entered the fray with his troops roaring behind him.
Zhong Hui made no battle cry as he lept cleanly off his horse and bashed his feet into the unhelmeted head of an officer. Zhong Hui recognized the officer who was now rolling to his feet, nose bleeding, but he didn't have the slightest idea what his name was. Such an insignificant man was not worth notice.
"Traitor!" the man spat, obviously knowing Zhong Hui as he lunged and attacked the former Jin warrior with his gleaming spear.
The man put up more of a fight than Zhong Hui had expected but soon the unnamed warrior was retreating with a gash in his side and a finger or so missing.
Zhong Hui's men cackled and ran after the retreating troops, cutting down the ones they could catch before their commander lazily called them back.
"The fools are not worth it," he said as he drew his hands together and his swords skewered another officer like a shish kabob. The officer let out a scream of pain and his body jerked twice before Zhong Hui allowed him to fall to the ground, unmistakably dead.
"Fabulous!" Jiang Wei called to him while the pony tailed man sliced an enemy troop down the middle.
"I certainly hope you didn't set your expectations lower," Zhong Hui smirked as he sent one sword into each of the backs of five fleeing soldiers.
"Get on the cliffs!" he then called to his own men, using a sword to point and his men charged as Zhong Hui fell back to join Jiang Wei.
"You're the key player here Zhong Hui, I've put all my faith in you," Jiang Wei said as he ducked and Zhong Hui's swords slashed over him to knock a ring of troops back.
"I won't disappoint you, just stay close and I will assure our victory," Zhong Hui smiled as he and Jiang Wei charged together toward the cliffs where the young officer's troops were knocking archers off like flies.
A general jumped down, crushing a quarter of Zhong Hui's men beneath him. Their was cold fury in his eyes as he turned on Zhong Hui who was laughing, "I remember you! You're that man with the name almost like a pipa!"
"Liu Qin," the man snarled ,and Zhong Hui looked him up an down as he moved his fingers to defend against lunging attackers.
"You certainly look like one," the brunette smirked and Liu Qin's face grew even redder with rage as he sprang at the sword wielder. Zhong Hui drew his swords in to form a shield but Jiang Wei's spear split Liu Quin's back and a moment later he was thrown sky high off the cliff.
Zhong Hui offered no thanks but merely kept advancing with a glance at Jiang Wei. His attention was ripped from the Shu officer almost at once as Deng Ai dropped down ahead, smashing a handful of troops back before pulling his drill out of the ground and pointed at it Zhong Hui who snarle, "You meddlesome fool! I'm going to rid myself of you right here, right now!"
"You know nothing of integrity. I shall put an end to your foolishness!" the elder enemy grunted ruffly as he matched Zhong Hui's charge step for step.
Sword clashed against drill in a shower of sparks that had both Jin and Shu troops jumping back with yelps.
"I've had enough of your arrogance old man!" Zhong Hui hissed as he sent swords at Deng Ai from all directions, only to have a wall of drilled earth throw them off course and into the ground. The armored warrior let out a growl and wrenched his swords out of the ground before sending them at Deng Ai again as the older man was thrown off balance by the moving of one of the swords under his foot.
Zhong Hui twirled, arms out stretched so the swords clanged against Deng Ai's drill before he spun his arms in circles, causing the swords to revolve as they stabbed at Deng Ai.
The younger of the two let out a hiss of pain as chunks of rocks cut into his hands and cheeks and he was thrown against a tree. But he didn't let up as he began to push Deng Ai back up the cliff, his troops following.
"I grow tired of your face!" Zhong Hui shrieked before he slammed all five swords into Deng Ai's side, sending him off the cliff so far he was out of sight by the time the swords flew back to Zhong Hui, blood soaked.
"Deng Ai!" a familiar female voice called, and Zhong Hui looked around with a scowl to see Yuanji jump down to his level of the cliff, letting knives slide from her sleeves into her hands.
"Joining with the enemy?" she asked him, eyes narrowing, "And to think you are called intelligent."
Zhong Hui smirked and brushed his hair back as he raised the other hand, swords floating around him, "Are you prepared to test my genius Yuanji?"
"We don't have time Zhong Hui, their reinforcements will be here any moment!" Jiang Wei called as his troops focused on forcing back a thoroughly injured but still fighting Deng Ai who had returned.
"You'll have to excuse me," Zhong Hui said as he charged at Yuanji who let her knives fly, slicing at his armored arms as he body slammed her into the wall.
She let out a gasp as the wind was knocked out of her and Jiang Wei used the time to push through her troops, Zhong Hui soon following despite his want to try and finish both of his old allies off.
"Ambush troops ahead!" the head of Zhong Hui's guards shouted as he fought off a women body guard and Zhong Hui cursed "I grow tired of this."
"Break through at all costs!" Jiang Wei ordered as he kicked an archer away before clashing with a fan wielding general.
Zhong Hui threw his swords up and thrust out his arm. The swords seemed to multiply before they were surrounded by blue energy. He closed his fist and the swords slashed into every enemy that stood in front of the wall of swords. Jiang Wei had to roll away from his general to avoid the blast but his enemy was not so lucky and soon fell, dead.
"...Such skill... it leaves me speechless!" Jiang Wei laughed, clapping Zhong Hui on the back before he raised his weapon for the signal to charge.
Moral was growing higher and higher as the army reached the top of the cliffs, Jiang Wei and Zhong Hui leading the way.
"Are you okay?" Jiang Wei called to Zhong Hui, having been separated by a few yards in their battle to take the cliff tops.
Zhong Hui's momentum had began to slow, the cause of Jiang Wei's worry, but the young strategist just snorted and replied as he stabbed two men to the ground, "I feel unstoppable right now."
"You look it as well, the standards your setting are unimaginable!" Jiang Wei laughed, twirling his weapon to strike a hiding archer.
Zhong Hui smirked.
...
"Well, should we rest and regroup here?" Jiang Wei panted as the last troop in sight fell before his blade, winning them the cliffs.
"I'm pushing on. Whether you rest or join me is up to you," Zhong Hui replied, running a hand through his hair that was growing wet with sweat but still hadn't lost it's flow.
"I can continue," Jiang Wei said, looking at his troops who were sloshing water into their mouths but gave him a nod with final swallows.
Zhong Hui nodded and his swords turned lazily in the air as he led the advance. Jiang Wei followed, wiping his blade on a patch of grass they passed. The roars of battle could be heard not far ahead and Zhong Hui raised his hand, causing his weapons to fly higher. He thrust out his hand and the swords stuck into the backs' of enemy guards, throwing the two units into the fight once more.
Another hour or so passed before Shu was able to break through the lines into the palace where Zhong Hui fought frantically, trying to catch a glimpse of Sima Zhao.
The former Jin warrior had suffered a blow to the chest which had cracked one or two ribs and had also taken a hit to the face, leaving a large cut from the tip of his ear to his jaw line. His riding partner wasn't in the best shape either; Jiang Wei was bleeding badly from a leg wound and half his pony tail had been cut off when he received a blow to the back.
Zhong Hui cursed, he would have to end this soon.
He was fighting some buffoon by the name of Wang Chen when finally the voice he wanted to hear sounded.
"I think you've gone far enough," the voice called and Zhong Hui whirled around, almost getting sliced by a random troop that he kicked away. His eyes met the speaker's, Sima Zhao.
"What's the matter? Didn't trust me enough?" The second son of Sima Yi chuckled as he tapped his sword against his shoulder as Zhong Hui advanced toward him.
"You're not bad by any means," Zhong Hui smirked as his swords slammed against Sima Zhao's and their dance began, "It's just that I'm much better."
It was like panther versus hawk as the two whirled around each other, swords clashing again and again. Small fire were put out at once as sparks flew in all directions. Those that weren't had to be extinguished with water when they grew to high but neither of the fighters let their attention waver from the battle.
Zhong Hui wore a smirk and Sima Zhao was laughing, both confident of their victory.
Zhong Hui was making calculations as they moved and was about to step under Sima Zhao's guard when there was an excruciating pain between his shoulder blades and the former Jin warrior stumbled as he let out a cry.
He held his arm that had gone limp when the arrow, now sticking out of his back, effected the nerve. He looked over his shoulder to see the head of his guards notching another arrow.
"No!" Zhong Hui snarled as the wound forced him to his knees beside Jiang Wei who was being pressed down by his own troops. The Shu strategist was fighting and screaming at the traitors as Sima Zhao advanced on them.
"You would have all knelt at my feet! I was so close!" Zhong Hui hissed before he let out a small cry as another arrow struck him, just to the right of the first.
"Your time in this land is over Zhong Hui," Sima Zhao lowered his sword to Zhong Hui's throat "Perhaps you will do better in the next life."
"One such as you has no right to rule this land!" Jiang Wei snarled as he continued to push against his men with no success.
"Stop being so stubborn," Sima Zhoa chuckle before he raised his sword, changing it's direction, "your ambition died months ago along with your pathetic ruler and teacher."
"No-" Zhong Hui began to shout but then Sima Zhoa swung his sword and Jiang Wei's roar of rage was cut short, replaced by a gurgling sound that was being caused by the open hole in his neck. He let out a choky gasp as his troops stepped away and he slumped to the floor.
"Zhong Hui," he choked out and Zhong Hui stared at him, eyes wide as the light faded from his ally's irises and his body ceased to move.
Using one hand to brace himself Zhong Hui reached the other over to close the dead brown eyes of the Shu strategist while Sima Zhao looked on, no longer cheery.
"You won't get far," Zhong Hui informed the Jin leader as he looked back up at him, eyes cold, "Mark my words, you'll be dead before the harvest."
"We'll see, won't we?" Sima Zhao shrugged as he stepped in front of Zhong Hui, rising his sword once more.
The scowl never left Zhong Hui's face as blood squirted from his shoulder as Sima Zhao cut diagonally into it, hitting his heart moments later.
Impossible.
That was Zhong Hui's last thought before he hit the ground.
Dead.
Author's Note: Woot, this is what I was working on while avoiding work on my Death Note fan fiction. Also I wanted to write a nonWei story at some point, so that's how this story came to be. I changed the ending about fifty times, and I hope it was at least okay (wasn't really sure about it still). I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you take the time to leave a review!