Disclaimer: I wish I owned the characters, I really do!! However, you and I know wishes do not always come true. Particularly in this case. So…
These characters do NOT belong to me. They belong to themselves, who lived many, many years ago, and character designs are from Koei.
~~~~~
CHAPTER 1
The night breeze blew warm and tangy against his face, unfurling the very few strands of ebony black hair he let fall against his cheeks. It was annoying in a way; how quiet the air was and yet how it crackled and whipped with tension, apprehension, anticipation. He…he was strangely calm and emotionless; considering how important this night was. It would decide his future…and spread the seeds for which his loyalty and liege would now rest.
He sharpened his claws; the noise drawing attention from the soldiers he would lead into battle. But their gaze was one of mistrust and…fear? Deep down, he could sense longing and perhaps, lust, as well; but he viewed it as a gift. Zhang He had always been quite preoccupied (obsessed, more like it) with beauty and perfection - given the slender curve of his long, lean length and the graceful, aloof tilt of a most magnificent head - but it did not really matter where their thoughts traveled. None captured his attention and he doubt any would; but he looked anyway, and a small secretive smile appeared all the same.
His priorities lay elsewhere tonight, far from thoughts of beauty and pleasure.
Tonight, what mattered was the colour he bore and the emblem he carried. As yet, tonight, his fate would forever be engraved upon the stars as they lay witness to his triumph and recorded the inevitable of his destiny. Tonight, he would spread beauty among the ugliness and destroy the corruption of his former liege.
Tonight…he would walk the path of the Gods…
______________________________________________
The Battle at Guan Du
Cries of the wounded pierced the blaze of blue and red. Hands clawed at nothingness as they reached out for the last ray of light before finally falling to the ground, motionless and lifeless. War horns sang their unknown messages and battle drums beat the steady rhythm that was slaughter.
"Charge!!"
"Kill!!!"
Zhang He swung his gaze to the top of the castle watchtower where Cao Cao looked down at the mass killing with nothing but indifference, safe for a slight interest in his direction. He is testing me…watching me… Black-brown eyes lowered almost demurely till but a slit, he pivoted swiftly and disposed the impudent soldier who dared sneak up on him with deadly efficiency; drawing his beloved bronze claws and slaughtering another two by both his sides - all in a single almost invisible move. Crouching low and literally cutting the feet from under them, he danced on the balls of his feet, darting and weaving through those of his former alliance. It was but a game to him. That was war…
If he allowed unsavory thoughts to ever possess his mind, he would lose one and all…
Angry with himself for letting his thoughts wander, he quickened his pace, darting from left to right without leaving much trace. Yuan Shao is a fool, he appraised viciously. He fails to see through Lord Cao Cao's ploy and loses two loyal commanders with nary a thought… Well, disloyalty would be rewarded with disloyalty. His forced defection to Wei might not be such a bad thing after all…
Zhang He smiled. It really was nothing but a game… How could he ever have shown such faith in such a man… It was beyond him.
Slender fingers deftly controlling lethal claws, he tore his way through those who stood in his path and disappeared into the black night…
______________________________________________
"Find the supply depot!"
Zhang He straightened. Firing rapid orders, he said, "Tell Lord Cao Cao that we have found the Yuan supply depot." Turning back to his troupes, he acquiesced, "A fire would look good here…"
…from the dark hole had that swallowed Zhang Junyi, terrified shrieks rose with the smoke and later, the enormous blaze that consumed the darkness and secured victory.
Ahh…victory was indeed sweet.
And the Yuan family was no more…
______________________________________________
"General Zhang He," Lord Cao Cao's voice boomed in the glorious wealth of the hall where a few thousand men assembled, looking up upon their Lord with ill concealed excitement and triumph.
"Yes, my Lord."
A long lithe body emerged from the mass of people, threading quietly along the marble floor. The man approached the platform gracefully; head bowed, falling on a knee to greet his new master. There was a sudden hush as generals, young and old, and recruits, old and new, studied the beautiful androgynous creature before their lord. Discreetly, their eyes roamed his length and darted to the face of their Lord, quickly reverting back to their downcast gaze for it was impudent to gaze upon such power so openly. The creature with long, midnight hair bound by a singular blue ribbon and double satin bows towards the end shifted slightly at their obvious appraisal and prodded, "My Lord?"
Cao Cao gave a start. Gazing upon such beauty, his thoughts had wandered and now, he colored slightly under leather skin.
"Yes, General Zhang He." Cao Cao straightened, and then bent a little to study the man. Settling back against his throne, he mused, "It seems your presence has managed to cause quite an uproar here… Then again, it isn't much uproar, isn't it?" Cao Cao speculated.
"Ah, you are right, my Lord… They seemed quite…stunned…to be able to cause an uproar. Maybe later… Though I wonder the reason behind such a reaction. It leaves me quite stunned myself."
"Why you… How dare…" An enraged voice sounded somewhere from the middle of the crowd. Zhang He did not bother looking back, lifting his head to look at Cao Cao instead.
Raising his hand, the older man halted the verbal onslaught. "I agree. Though…I think you are quite disrespectful of the person you call 'My Lord'. I wonder if you have truly given yourself to us."
If it was quiet before, it was deadly silent now. All noises ceased and one could almost hear the drop of the proverbial pin.
The man with ebony hair bowed his head again. "My Lord, calling you thus has secured my liege to you and to Wei. Some still call it defection. I don't deny it. Wei is a worthy kingdom for the loyalty of many and I trust I will serve Wei well. My defection was not planned but you have shown me kindness and mercy when faced with death, Lord Cao Cao, and my allegiance will always rest with Wei." He paused. "I believe a warrior should always be measured by his actions, not merely by words, or beauty…" Zhang He smirked. "…alone. However, I shall take care not to overstep my boundaries."
Cao Cao said nothing; and the hall stayed equally silent. Then, the ruler stood, sweeping all with a commandeering stare and announced: "Today, we open our doors and hearts to General Zhang He, Van leader and general of Wei!"
And a carpet of blue bowed down as they addressed the order of their lord and accepted Zhang Junyi. He, together with Wei, would create…history.
~~~~~
Jade: God, this opening chapter was surprisingly hard, seeing how I had imagined all explicit Zhang
He/Sima Yi scenes in detail beforehand…
Zhang He: Yeah!! I thought I was supposed to get down and dirty?
Jade: Puh-lease… There's still plenty of time to get under someone's covers. Anyway, don't you
think you should establish your character first??
Zhang He: It was supposed to be a Zhang He/Sima Yi fic, remember? Not Zhang He and the whole
of Wei… Though, I suppose…
Jade: ENOUGH!! Unless you forgot…you actually have to be in Wei before you can get near Sima Yi.
Ring a bell?
Zhang He: Oh…OOHHHH… Right… Heh…
These characters do NOT belong to me. They belong to themselves, who lived many, many years ago, and character designs are from Koei.
~~~~~
CHAPTER 1
The night breeze blew warm and tangy against his face, unfurling the very few strands of ebony black hair he let fall against his cheeks. It was annoying in a way; how quiet the air was and yet how it crackled and whipped with tension, apprehension, anticipation. He…he was strangely calm and emotionless; considering how important this night was. It would decide his future…and spread the seeds for which his loyalty and liege would now rest.
He sharpened his claws; the noise drawing attention from the soldiers he would lead into battle. But their gaze was one of mistrust and…fear? Deep down, he could sense longing and perhaps, lust, as well; but he viewed it as a gift. Zhang He had always been quite preoccupied (obsessed, more like it) with beauty and perfection - given the slender curve of his long, lean length and the graceful, aloof tilt of a most magnificent head - but it did not really matter where their thoughts traveled. None captured his attention and he doubt any would; but he looked anyway, and a small secretive smile appeared all the same.
His priorities lay elsewhere tonight, far from thoughts of beauty and pleasure.
Tonight, what mattered was the colour he bore and the emblem he carried. As yet, tonight, his fate would forever be engraved upon the stars as they lay witness to his triumph and recorded the inevitable of his destiny. Tonight, he would spread beauty among the ugliness and destroy the corruption of his former liege.
Tonight…he would walk the path of the Gods…
______________________________________________
The Battle at Guan Du
Cries of the wounded pierced the blaze of blue and red. Hands clawed at nothingness as they reached out for the last ray of light before finally falling to the ground, motionless and lifeless. War horns sang their unknown messages and battle drums beat the steady rhythm that was slaughter.
"Charge!!"
"Kill!!!"
Zhang He swung his gaze to the top of the castle watchtower where Cao Cao looked down at the mass killing with nothing but indifference, safe for a slight interest in his direction. He is testing me…watching me… Black-brown eyes lowered almost demurely till but a slit, he pivoted swiftly and disposed the impudent soldier who dared sneak up on him with deadly efficiency; drawing his beloved bronze claws and slaughtering another two by both his sides - all in a single almost invisible move. Crouching low and literally cutting the feet from under them, he danced on the balls of his feet, darting and weaving through those of his former alliance. It was but a game to him. That was war…
If he allowed unsavory thoughts to ever possess his mind, he would lose one and all…
Angry with himself for letting his thoughts wander, he quickened his pace, darting from left to right without leaving much trace. Yuan Shao is a fool, he appraised viciously. He fails to see through Lord Cao Cao's ploy and loses two loyal commanders with nary a thought… Well, disloyalty would be rewarded with disloyalty. His forced defection to Wei might not be such a bad thing after all…
Zhang He smiled. It really was nothing but a game… How could he ever have shown such faith in such a man… It was beyond him.
Slender fingers deftly controlling lethal claws, he tore his way through those who stood in his path and disappeared into the black night…
______________________________________________
"Find the supply depot!"
Zhang He straightened. Firing rapid orders, he said, "Tell Lord Cao Cao that we have found the Yuan supply depot." Turning back to his troupes, he acquiesced, "A fire would look good here…"
…from the dark hole had that swallowed Zhang Junyi, terrified shrieks rose with the smoke and later, the enormous blaze that consumed the darkness and secured victory.
Ahh…victory was indeed sweet.
And the Yuan family was no more…
______________________________________________
"General Zhang He," Lord Cao Cao's voice boomed in the glorious wealth of the hall where a few thousand men assembled, looking up upon their Lord with ill concealed excitement and triumph.
"Yes, my Lord."
A long lithe body emerged from the mass of people, threading quietly along the marble floor. The man approached the platform gracefully; head bowed, falling on a knee to greet his new master. There was a sudden hush as generals, young and old, and recruits, old and new, studied the beautiful androgynous creature before their lord. Discreetly, their eyes roamed his length and darted to the face of their Lord, quickly reverting back to their downcast gaze for it was impudent to gaze upon such power so openly. The creature with long, midnight hair bound by a singular blue ribbon and double satin bows towards the end shifted slightly at their obvious appraisal and prodded, "My Lord?"
Cao Cao gave a start. Gazing upon such beauty, his thoughts had wandered and now, he colored slightly under leather skin.
"Yes, General Zhang He." Cao Cao straightened, and then bent a little to study the man. Settling back against his throne, he mused, "It seems your presence has managed to cause quite an uproar here… Then again, it isn't much uproar, isn't it?" Cao Cao speculated.
"Ah, you are right, my Lord… They seemed quite…stunned…to be able to cause an uproar. Maybe later… Though I wonder the reason behind such a reaction. It leaves me quite stunned myself."
"Why you… How dare…" An enraged voice sounded somewhere from the middle of the crowd. Zhang He did not bother looking back, lifting his head to look at Cao Cao instead.
Raising his hand, the older man halted the verbal onslaught. "I agree. Though…I think you are quite disrespectful of the person you call 'My Lord'. I wonder if you have truly given yourself to us."
If it was quiet before, it was deadly silent now. All noises ceased and one could almost hear the drop of the proverbial pin.
The man with ebony hair bowed his head again. "My Lord, calling you thus has secured my liege to you and to Wei. Some still call it defection. I don't deny it. Wei is a worthy kingdom for the loyalty of many and I trust I will serve Wei well. My defection was not planned but you have shown me kindness and mercy when faced with death, Lord Cao Cao, and my allegiance will always rest with Wei." He paused. "I believe a warrior should always be measured by his actions, not merely by words, or beauty…" Zhang He smirked. "…alone. However, I shall take care not to overstep my boundaries."
Cao Cao said nothing; and the hall stayed equally silent. Then, the ruler stood, sweeping all with a commandeering stare and announced: "Today, we open our doors and hearts to General Zhang He, Van leader and general of Wei!"
And a carpet of blue bowed down as they addressed the order of their lord and accepted Zhang Junyi. He, together with Wei, would create…history.
~~~~~
Jade: God, this opening chapter was surprisingly hard, seeing how I had imagined all explicit Zhang
He/Sima Yi scenes in detail beforehand…
Zhang He: Yeah!! I thought I was supposed to get down and dirty?
Jade: Puh-lease… There's still plenty of time to get under someone's covers. Anyway, don't you
think you should establish your character first??
Zhang He: It was supposed to be a Zhang He/Sima Yi fic, remember? Not Zhang He and the whole
of Wei… Though, I suppose…
Jade: ENOUGH!! Unless you forgot…you actually have to be in Wei before you can get near Sima Yi.
Ring a bell?
Zhang He: Oh…OOHHHH… Right… Heh…