Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, and they belong to their rightful owners, Koei and W-Force.
"I'll be back." He said,
eyes set with the firm belief that he will return in one piece. It would be an easy battle; they had a floodgate on their side. But both of them seemed uneasy with him going. Nonetheless, he ordered his horse to catch up with his father and brother's unit so they could advance on Wei territory.
It was simple. The troops outside were mere fodder, although that Cao Ren was notorious for his defense. It was said that no living thing could find a crack in his armor, but that didn't mean it was water tight.
"Just you wait Xing Cai, I'll finish this, and then I'll come back to you."
"Father, you should be the one to open the floodgate." He said, and his Guan Yu complied, unleashing a torrent of waves among the enemy. There was no hole in the castle walls that they could crawl through, but that meant they had to go over them. It was going so well. How could it have all go wrong in an instant?
"My lord, Wu is outside castle walls! Furthermore, Wei reinforcements have come from the north!" A messenger reported.
"What?" Ping, his brother and father and shouted collectively. They had similar reactions but different things ran through their mind. In the War God's mind, was a burning rage that wanted to cut down the traitors, though he knew they were outnumbered. In his son's mind, he was wondering how he could protect his father and brother, and in the younger's head, were worried thoughts. How could his first battle with his father go so wrong? Would he die in his first battle? Would they all?
His decision was firm.
"Suo! You are to protect our father! Both of you, make it back to Shu, inform our lord!" He didn't yell it, but his voice was clear and unwavering. Without the need to raise his voice, he had given an absolute order.
"But Brother, what about you?"
"I'll be fine, go now."
His father didn't say a thing to Ping. Neither men were good at words, and what words did you say to someone who knew they would die for someone else's sake? His father didn't try to talk him out of it either, knowing nothing could change his mind. They were the same that way.
In an instant, the castle was overrun, and Guan Suo and Guan Yu raced through the nearest exit. He could see them from atop the castle walls, but his attention was drawn off by an arrow that grazed his vision. He was an all too easy target for their archers from up there, and he had to jump down and face them head on. Even if it meant he couldn't see his father and brother's progress.
Regret. That's what he felt when a mere grunt plunged a blade into his stomach. He regretted not being strong to buy his loved ones more time. He regretted not being quick enough to dodge such a sluggish stab. But most of all, he regretted lying to his beloved…but he really did think he would come back.
"I'm sorry…Xing…"
What was this world? A bizarre mass of soil he recognized, and yet, terrain he didn't. And the denizens of this place, why were they all so hostile? Why did they try to kill him and Lord Haung Zhong at every turn? Were they demons? Yet ironically, he was saved by a greater demon. That man, Oda Nobunaga was one of strength and brutality. But he had saved him, and for that, he would follow the Oda, he had to. For what man would walk away from someone who saved them? His pride would never allow it. Besides, he might find some of the brave warriors of Shu this way.
The Serpent King had fallen, he found all his friends and family, the smiles were short lived. He announced it around a banquet one day, standing up to gain attention.
"I'm going to follow the Oda."
The table fell silent. He took this as a cue to continue.
"Lord Nobunaga saved my life, I have to repay that to him."
His father nodded, stroking his beard. He knew the determination his son felt. He knew this was something he needed to do as a man. His Uncle Zhang Fei nodded in acknowledgement, and went back to the fine wine. Xing Cai's lips however, went from slightly curved up at the tips, to a flat line.
"Excuse me, I need some air." She said casually and with that, she left.
"Eh? What's with her?" Zhang Fei asked to no one in particular. He wasn't really that worried, as he was still biting into a rather large meat bun.
A hearty laugh came from Guan Yu.
"This is why I adopt boys, brother, they're much easier to understand."
Zhang Fei gruffly laughed in agreement.
"Too true, brother!"
And Xing Cai's rude leave from the table was drowned out in a different conversation. The two elders never noticed Guan Ping follow Xing Cai outside.
"Xingcai? What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong Ping." But her back was turned away from him.
"Xingcai, I'm not as dense as those two." He gestured to his drunken father and uncle.
"Tell me."
"Ping, why are you leaving? No, why are you leaving me again?" Her tone was even.
"Xingcai, it's-" He stopped talking, catching the meaning of her word "Again". It brought forth the memory and the pain of dying, but what had hurt more then was the thought that he was leaving her.
He swallowed and finished sentence.
"Xingcai, it's something I have to do."
"You're so thickheaded." She had meant to say "I don't want you to go."
He chuckled in agreement, even when he knew she was insulting him. He didn't want to leave on a sour note.
"I leave tomorrow morning." He said, ignoring her previous statement.
She huffed, and walked back towards the banquet. She didn't even spare a glance as she walked past him.
Orochi had been defeated not once, but twice, and this time, the humans had killed him. In this upside down world where two countries joined together, there was finally peace. Was. That all changed when an eight headed beast emerged from the ground. It burned villages and even dry lands without people living there. The fires though made those areas inaccessible, perhaps that was it's plan? There were even reports of the Hydra setting the sea on fire in some areas. Nobunaga had ordered Guan Ping to go to Fan Castle with his unit and a few others. His plan was to go to the major strategic areas and put them under defense, as he predicted the Hydra would attack the important areas. Hearing the name Jing Province sent a chill his stab wound.
However, Nobunaga couldn't predict everything. He overestimated it, thinking it was sentient enough to attack strategic locations. No, it was a mindless beast that only wanted destruction, and would attack anything, anywhere. That's why it came as a surprise to Guan Ping when it appeared in front of him, cutting his path. His troops panicked and fled, and his steed bucked back and forth trying to flee along with the infantry. He felt the pain of dying a second time, and the pain of leaving her once again.
"Xing Cai? What is she doing here?" Guan Ping asked aloud from his station in Jieting.
"Guan Ping, you don't mind? If we crush them I mean." Toshie asked.
"No, I have an obligation to fulfill to Nobunaga, we have to what is necessary."
Toshie nodded without a word.
"Guan Ping, open up, it's me." There was no mistaking it was her voice. Even if Xing Cai, Keiji Maeda, and Katsuie Shibata were quite legendary, he didn't expect them to tear through the entire Oda army. That was no easy feat.
He ran forward, and they both struck each other at the same time. But the amazing thing was how she was holding off his great sword with her own. She didn't even need her shield. Xing Cai, your belief and will power gives you this much strength? Such determination… You've forced me to submit to your will.
His lord Nobunaga understood, actually, it didn't seem he cared much. He was free to go back and serve his first lord. He could be with his beloved again.
"Xingcai, why don't we train together? It would be more efficient." He asked one day, looking forward to regaining lost time with his friend.
"Sorry Guan Ping, I prefer to train alone." She replied plainly.
"I see. It has been a while since we have faced each other. I was really looking forward to it." He replied, and he had meant it. Perhaps he would try again some other time.
He saw her standing alone one day, but her face was unreadable. She was smiling a nostalgic smile, but it was also crossed between a frown.
"Xingcai, do you remember when we were children? We were so small back then and-"
"Guan Ping…I'm not in a nostalgic mood right now." She told him in a passive but forceful way.
"I see…I'm sorry I disturbed you." Why was she acting so cold to him all of a sudden? She had fought so hard to bring him back, but now she wants nothing to do with him. Did he do something wrong? Was it something he said?
"Xingcai, are you avoiding me? Have I done anything to offend you recently?" He needed to know what it was, he couldn't stand her lack of presence now that she could be so near to him.
Her answer surprised him.
"No it's just…We're together like this now, but I know one day soon, we'll be apart again. I want to be prepared, so that I am ready whenever that happens."
Why save him then? Would she really throw away everything they had? They used to do everything together.
"Xingcai…"
She turned and walked away. If she heard what he might've said next, she might have broken down the carefully constructed wall between them. She couldn't, she just couldn't.
