Disclaimer: I only own Pànduàn and no one else.

Warriors Orochi: Dragon of Judgement

Chapter 2-Bandits


Himiko and Pànduàn had been traveling together for over a week by the time they had reached the kingdom of Wu in the east. They hadn't entered a town since Pànduàn had pointed out that if they went into one before they improved Himiko's image among the people of the Three Kingdoms then there would be a worse reaction then the one where they first met by the river. Himiko couldn't really argue with him though she felt like she should've. They had met the occasional traveler on the road and if they were heading their way they'd travel with that person for a time. The traveler was always suspicious of Himiko but they were always smart enough not to engage her since Pànduàn always seemed to give off this aura of justice and power that seemed to keep them from loosing their temper. This impressed Himiko to no end. From one such traveler they had heard that a new group of bandits had been formed. They were known as the Odigan Rebels* and they always were looking for ways to harm the Three Kingdoms in some way. Recently rumors had reported that they were only attacking the occasional poorly defended outpost which would be recaptured within the week. But recently, however, the Odigans were becoming much much bolder, attacking entire towns in broad daylight. This got Pànduàn to go for awhile in deep thought and, though she tried, Himiko couldn't find out what he was thinking about. She assumed it was about the Odigan Rebels but how he was thinking of them was a mystery. Pànduàn had a hard face to read.

Some reports from a week or two ago showed that the Odigan Rebels had no more than a hundred and fifty members. It was still big for a bandit group but small enough to where it could be easily dealt with. However, recent reports had shown the Rebels with at a minium of seven hundred and they were even capable of capturing a small fort with them. No one knew where the Rebels got their numbers or how they had gotten so bold but it was terrifying many people, especially when people heard that a nearby town had been attacked by them. The Odigans have gotten so bad that the leaders of Shu, Wu, Wei, and the Samurai had all gathered for a meeting of how to deal with this threat. Himiko asked him about what he thought of these Rebels one night before they went to sleep and he mearly replied that it feels like peace isn't going to last the year. Himiko didn't know whether to feel worried about the Rebels starting a war or anxious about redeeming herself by fighting the Rebels. She had grown to trust Pànduàn in the short time they'd been together and she felt that he knew what he was talking about all the time. Pànduàn had grown to trust her a lot as well, revealing a little more about himself. Like the fact that he was twenty-one or that both his parents were killed by a lone warrior and that he was raised from the age of five by a wise, old man named Zhìhuì Fǎshī**.

They had been traveling down a large dirt road. They were talking about random facts of the Three Kingdoms when Pànduàn suddenly went quiet.

"Is something wrong?" Himiko asked curiously but he immediately and quickly put his hand over her mouth.

"Shh. Listen."

At first she heard nothing, but the longer she waited she heard noises coming from up the path. They sounded like screaming and clashing steel and shouting but she couldn't tell. Pànduàn's hand then came off her mouth and he cautiously and quietly went off the path into the tree. "This way...quietly."

Himiko followed, attempting not to make a sound. The furthur through the trees they went the more audible the sounds became. It sounded like a...battle. Pànduàn led Himiko through the brush until they were right next to the sounds. They hid behind a bush and looked towards the road. It was a Wu Caravan, full of trade supplies from Shu, being attacked by raiders in boiled leather armor, wolf skins over their heads, and long swords. They had silver and orange sashes around their wastes. Both companions recognized the wear from what a traveler said to describe the look of Odigan Bandits.

"Perfect," both Himiko and Pànduàn thought at the same time. As they observed more closely, they saw quite a few Wu spearmen trying to hold back the Rebels but obviously in vane. The Rebels were much more battle-hardened and they looked much more intimidating, which Pànduàn knew lowered morale of the soldiers they were fighting. Himiko looked at her companion, "We've got to help them!"

"I agree," was his reply and both Pànduàn and Himiko came out from their hiding place and began to attack the Rebels. The Odigans were startled by the sudden enemy reinforcements and Pànduàn used this to his advantage. He sliced across the chest of one who was too ill prepared to block the attack, then blocked a sword strike aimed at his face from another. He pushed it off then push kicked the man to the ground where he stabbed him. Without even looking he moved his sword behind him, blocking an incoming attack from another Rebel and in one fluid motion, forced off the sword, spun around, and sliced the man diagonally across the body. Himiko wasn't having as easy of time as she thought since she had to carefully aim her shots as not to hit a Wu soldier. Eight of her tiny energy orbs hit a Rebel who got right in front of her, which actually made her job much easier. She just barely noticed a man coming behind her and swing down to slice her in half and managed to backflip over the man, with a little help from his shoulders, and land behind him. Using this to her advantage, she fired a large blast of energy from the two dolls above her head and sent him flying. She turned to her right and noticed three Rebels making a charge for her. She immediately jumped up, front flipped, and moved her dolls under her feet to let off a fiery energy blast that'd push her up a few more feet before coming down to earth while buring the guys below her to a crisp. She turned around to fight more Rebels, but was surprised to see Wu soldiers backing off as Pànduàn, surrounded by ten Rebels, blocked, parried, slashed, blocked, stabbed, and parried in a continuous cycle until he slew all ten of them. Himiko couldn't help but be impressed by the man. She knew he had a sense of power to him, their first meeting was proof enough of that, but he, he was something else. Unfortunately for her she began to stare which, once she saw that Pànduàn was looking back at her, made her turn bright pink.

Pànduàn's focus on her was brief as he turned to one of the Wu soldiers, "You can head off on your way. The road's clear for you."

Instead of a thanks like Himiko had expected from them her hears heard this, "Wh-who are you?"

Himiko smirked. This guy was nervous? Well, after seeing his performance she would've too, but only if she was an enemy; which, thankfully, she wasn't. "I am Pànduàn Shén. This here is my companion, Himiko."

They gaped at the man. Pànduàn rolled his eyes. He was obviously getting annoyed by this constant reaction, and quite francly, so was Himiko. A Wu soldier bravely spoke up, "You mean the same Himiko who ressurected Orochi?"

"Yes," Himiko frowned as putting her hands on her hips. "It's me."

The Wu soldier took a fearful step back as he prepared his weapon. Pànduàn frowned, "Really? She just saved you life and your preparing as if she's going to try and destroy you? Can't anyone accept change around here?"

Himiko smiled. After all she did, it nice to finally have a friend to stand up for her. The Wu soldier kneeled down and bowed his head, holding his spear in front of him. "My apologies, Lord Pànduàn. I did not mean to offend you or her. It's just...we know she helped to ressurect Orochi...we just...-?"

Pànduàn smiled and walked over to the man; putting his hand on his shoulder, "It's alright, I understand. And Pànduàn is just fine. I'm no lord."

The soldier stood up and smiled, "Very well then Pànduàn. We were just heading to He Fei Castle. Apparently, Odigan activity there is high then anywhere else in China. We could use your's and Himiko's protection on the way there and you may even clear Himiko's name."

"That is what we are trying to do actually. Rest assured, this caravan will reach its destination."

The Wu soldiers and the caravan driver sighed in relief. Pànduàn turned towards Himiko and she smiled and walked toward him. "Thanks for standing up for me."

"What are friends for? Now, come on! Let's get this caravan moving!"

The Wu soldiers smiled and the caravan began to move as the morale of the group greatly increased. They began to move northeast, toward He Fei Castle and, reportably, a massive Rebel Army.


*The Odigan Rebels are going to be the major antagonists of this story. There will be others but they are going to be the most common.

**Zhìhuì Fǎshī is Pànduàn's mentor. He's a master of sorcery and, despite being incredibly old, is a powerful swordmaster.

Okay so now they're in Wu heading towards He Fei. And Pànduàn gets to show off his skills with the sword, too. Haha! Well anyway there are going to be four major pairings in this series.

Pànduàn x Himiko

Liu Bei x Sun Shang Xiang

Yukimura x Kunoichi

Sun Ce x Da Qiao

There may be other minor ones but this is mainly it. Anyway, please review!

~Teddypro