A/N: I do not own Dynasty Warriors (wish I did) nor any of these characters. Please Read and Review, that would be very much appreciated!
The battle at He Fei
It was the summer of the year 234 A.D. The air was dry and sun was burning hot. The large army of Meng Huo made its way across the plains. After the assault on Wu Ting, Meng's wife Zhu Rong becomes weary of another ambush. She decides to retreat the army along the same path they had gotten forward. However, this leads them straight into a Wu trap. As Zhu Rong looks out on He Fei from a cliff, she spots a massive army lead by officers she had defeated previously. This does make her a little nervous, but at the same time she's anxious to take them down. She doesn't want to destroy Wu, but she couldn't leave this challenge. She would show them what she'd got, and with Meng's support, they all made their way down into the valley between the woods to get rid of the Wu army.
As they got closer to the battlefield, the sounds of immense fighting became louder and louder. Zhu Rong walked alongside her husband for the short time she could. Soon they would both go their own ways and fight their own battle.
"So we'll have to defeat both Sun Ce and Da Qiao in order for them to surrender?"
Zhu Rong asked.
"Yes my love, that's right. It will be a piece of cake, you'll see."
Zhu bit her lip.
"I'm not too sure about that. You've seen which officers he has, haven't you? Lu Su, Cheng Pu, Lu Xun..."
"Yes, yes. Don't worry. That's nothing like you. Oh! We're here."
Zhu placed her right hand above her eyebrows to look past the sun. She saw how small groups of soldiers gathered round with their simple weapons to fulfil their difficult task. Both groups would face some hard times. Meng gestured and a young soldier rode towards them. He stepped off the horse to let Meng on. He was stopped by a soft hand on his shoulder. He looked at his light blonde wife and smiled.
"Oh come on Zhu! Don't be so sentimental."
She shrugged and he gave her a kiss on the cheek before getting on the horse.
"Just... be careful!"
Zhu shouted as he had already taken off. It was time for her to move as well. She knew that an enemy officer was nearby...
Zhu Rong and Meng You decided to go forward. Zhu made her officer come with her to fight off any soldiers which made it through. Just behind the gate, Xu Sheng was waiting for her. She knew that he was around and made herself up for a proper fight. She got a firm hold of her Fire Wheel and encouraged herself. The eight royal guards surrounding her looked tense, as they always would in an upcoming fight. It was a trusting feeling to know that at least eight females were willing to give their precious lives for her. They would support and follow her, no matter what. They would keep bowmen away and pierce soldiers with their Elder swords. She ran on until she reached her first victim. She attacked a soldier and the poor man flew right through the air. Somewhere in front of her, she could hear Meng.
"This is not good! What have I done? The enemy is everywhere and now look where I am."
Zhu shook her head with a laugh. This man had actually made sure that she felt safe earlier?
"Oh come on Meng, you can do better than that."
She stepped aside to avoid being hit by a pointy sword. She sighed.
"Oh alright. Everybody clear out!"
Her officer nodded and quickly ran forward, bursting through the soldiers. Zhu Rong quickly followed him for Xu Sheng was heading towards her husband. She had to join him in order to secure him. She hit a wooden box and found some arrows. Those could be useful. Very. She ran around a corner and there she found them. Her husband was standing firmly around those enemy soldiers, even though he was shut in by two of the enemy officers, Xu Sheng and Dong Xi. Zhu Rong grinned as her weapon pierced through the sky and hit Xu Sheng, causing him to fall of his horse. She turned right behind him and finished him off quickly with a few combinations. This was only the start. Dong Xi was even easier to defeat and Zhu tugged away her weapon with great delight. She ran over to the brown horse and got on top of it easily. She was used to heavier horses, the white ones from their kingdom always were kind of hard to ride, so this one was completely lame compared to those. She rode the horse past the wooden houses and drove past Meng Huo, to defy fate herself. She came across Lu Su pretty soon and got down from the horse, leaving it at a safe distance. She released her special move she had been taught by Meng himself and got some support from some lonesome soldiers. Meanwhile her bodyguards assembled as well and Zhu Rong could enter the battle with great confidence. She groaned as Lu Su's blade slid past her pale skin. He dodged her revenging attack but couldn't take it that long and she quickly made an end to his miserable life. She took his weapon as a trophy and prepared for her next victim, which she had yet to choose.
She rode her horse around when a messenger brought her a message of Zhu Bao, asking her for help. He was fighting Zhu Huan, a fierce enemy. Zhu Rong, always in for another victory, galloped all the way to the upper side of the area when suddenly she was surprised by an ambush party. Without too much trouble she managed to cut her way through and go up, where she found the party.
"Yeah!"
She yelled as she rode her horse right through the crowd of fighting men. Zhu Bao was able to pull it off by himself and he and Zhu Rong rode together to face Han Dang, a leader of the ambush group. He was quickly defeated, without seriously hurting either Zhu Rong or Zhu Bao. After defeating him, the whole Meng Huo army moved south, where they would find Sun Ce. There was no report of his wife yet, but Zhu Rong assumed that she would be at his side. She decided to challenge Lu Meng all on her own, with only her guards for support. She was brave, she would manage. Or so she thought. She rode bravely into the fight and soon learned that facing an enemy all alone wasn't such a good idea. She had done that before, however, but this enemy was slightly harder. Lu Meng was very handy with a lance and he was able to kick her off her horse. She had to run for her life to avoid being run over by him. She was able to seek shelter behind some rocks and from there she fired an arrow which hit his leg, causing him to fall of his white stallion. He cursed as he got up, his leg only temporary wounded. He ran towards her in great speed but Zhu was able to counter-attack. He fell on the floor and she ran towards him to finish him off but he was quick: he jumped up as soon as she had reached him and simply resisted every attack of her, and then after he hit her hard. Zhu Rong yelled as his sharp weapon cut her chest. She reached to her chest to discover a fair amount of blood. She was enraged by this and jumped forward, launching a series of combo's which she had never done before. It was so intense that Lu Meng was flabbergasted and she was able to overcome him. He disappeared into shadows and dust. She stole his white stallion which was a fresh horse and would ride faster, when another report came in about an ambush party in the centre, cutting her from Meng Huo, and causing Meng to fall into a trap. She had to help him, but she needed desperate care first. Her wound was bleeding heavily. She rode to search for some field nurses and found some, only just in time. This took her so much time that when she finally rode out onto the field again, Meng had already defeated the ambush party and was now heading for the main enemy camp. Zhu Rong didn't hesitate for one moment before joining her husband's side and she rode towards him as fast as she could. She met up with him and then went ahead to enter the enemy camp first, but suddenly once more an ambush party turned up, right in front of Meng Huo. Zhu Rong, who didn't know, advanced further into the enemy's cave. She fought real hard against Lu Xun together with Gao Ding and Meng Jie. With the three forces together, they were able to beat him. Zhu wiped some blood from her mouth as she entered Sun Ce's whereabouts.
"Sun Ce. Come here and play with me. Let my troops leave or else..."
She threatened him, her weapon high in the air.
"Or else- what?"
She frowned as she saw him standing right on a small hill in front of her, obviously not ready to surrender. This could be the hardest battle, for Zhu knew that this man wasn't a general for nothing.
"Well, where's your tongue now? Come on, sissy..."
Zhu Rong nearly exploded with anger.
"Sissy? Who do you think you are? Prepare for your death!"
She ran towards him, followed by her loyal guards who always helped her out. She would count on them now, too.
Being the opposite of him wasn't going to be easy. He was young and determined while Zhu Rong herself realised that she had past his years. Not that she didn't feel youthful enough. She'd teach that little worm some lessons. It was almost like a head to head fight. It was rough and heavy blasts were coming from both sides. Sun Ce managed to shatter Zhu's shoulder. She cried out in pain but this enraged her and she managed to pull off her special move which took him into despair fairly quickly. With a last final blow she managed to take him out.
"So this is it. I guess it's... not that bad..." and he was gone.
Zhu Rong triumphed by waving her weapon above her head. Finally she had defeated him.
"But where is Da Qiao? Where is his wife?"
Her leading guard shrugged. They obviously had no idea. Zhu Rong begun to become furious. She whirled around.
"Da Qiao, where are you! Come and fight me, if you're not too much of a coward!"
There was no reply, just the sound of horse hooves galloping towards them. Zhu Rong turned round. It was a low ranked officer.
"Excuse me madam, but you asked for Da Qiao?"
Zhu nodded.
"Haven't you heard?"
Zhu Rong frowned.
"Heard what?"
The man looked shocked.
"Da Qiao came with an ambush party. She's fighting General Meng Huo! I think he might need your help!"
"What?! Give me your horse! How come I didn't know? Is he hurt?"
She mounted the horse and the poor man could only look at her sadly. She was shocked and made the horse go as fast as it could. She came past bodies. Her own soldiers, slashed into pieces. Tears were burning in her face. If only she was on time... As she came closer, things were getting more and more quiet. The air was tense and soldiers she was riding past, merely looked at her without doing anything.
"Come on you lazy bastards! Do your work! Defeat the enemy!"
But all they did was glance at her. It made her furious. Soon she reached the remaining officers. They were all standing, with their weapons unsteadily in their hands.
"What's happening? Go on! Attack!"
She jumped off her horse and pushed them aside, only to see a terrible, terrible thing.
"Hold it! Get back you!"
Da Qiao said with her childish voice. She was half kneeled next to a nearly unconscious Meng. One of her fan like weapons pressed against his neck.
"Meng!"
Zhu jumped forward. Da Qiao nearly lost it and pressed her fan into Zhu's husband once more. Tears were running down Zhu Rong's face. Da Qiao seemed calm and cold as ice.
"One more step, and your husband will greet a different world!"
Zhu groaned and remained where she was. She had to think of something. This was dangerous. Why did that silly husband of hers always had to get into fight himself? Why didn't he remain in the background, like all the other Generals did? Of course, she already knew the answer. He was just like her. He needed to fight; otherwise it was just no fun. Zhu Rong focused on keeping calm. She looked around. There were allied forces everywhere.
"Da Qiao, please. Please let him go. You are surrounded by us. There is no way you can get out of here. Perhaps if you let him go..."
Da Qiao shook her head furiously, but in a way which made it seem like a lost child who said 'no' to something that it was asked.
"No. But... You are right. I guess there is no point..."
She attacked Meng with one quick move, enough to make him fall onto the earth to not move again,
"...in not doing this immediately."
Zhu Rong screamed in horror as she witnessed her husband's fall. It took her awhile to recover from the shock.
"There. You killed my husband, and I killed yours. I don't care weather I live or not! My husband was avenged!"
And with that, Zhu Rong ran forward with a furious scream and made sure that Da Qiao wouldn't walk away alive. Even before Da Qiao hit the earth, Zhu Rong was already at Meng's side. He had already passed away. She wiped her tears.
"You stupid, silly man. Why did you have to mangle in the fight?"
She looked at the sky. It was turned grey slowly. Tears came running down her cheeks freely and all emotion left her body. There was just one word she could press past her lips.
"Why!?"
