Here's the next chapter for you all! I'm really glad to see that people are enjoying this so far! I'm grateful for all the support people give me, and I'm even happier just to see people having fun reading this.
Chapter 2 : Retreat to Jianye
Sun Ce galloped valiantly onto the battlefield and ploughed through a mob of enemy troops that blocked his path. His first thought was all about just how many troops Lu Bu's generals had brought with them to this battle. It was painfully obvious that they did not want what remained of the Wu army to complete the withdrawal to their capital.
Lianshi rode beside her lord with determined eyes of fire. Master Lu Su was desperately holding the frontlines so that what remained of the army could escape. If he were to fall, one of the brightest minds that remained in the whole army would be lost forever. It was not a burden that the young woman believed she could bare.
After breaking through one final gate, Sun Ce and his garrisons met up with Lu Su's exhausted forces. The Little Conqueror jumped down from his horse with a battle-thirsty cheer.
"Your backup has arrived, Lu Su! Now that I'm here Lu Bu's generals aren't gonna know what hit them!" He declared bravely; an air of confidence brimming from his being.
The arrival of his lord and master caused a smile to creep on Lu Su's usually stoic face, "We finally have a chance here…. OKAY! It's the moment of truth. We have to hold our ground here."
The Wu reserve troops let out a heroic cry and charged forth as the stronghold doors swung open. They poured out in droves and clashed in a violent; bloody melee with the soldiers under the command of Zhang Liao. Cries of battle and screams of demise were met with the clanging of metal. A sea of red and black began to mingle into one color as the forces of both sides became locked in battle.
Sun Ce cried out happily, "ALRIGHT! The call to battle! Soldiers, advance! It's time to drive these guys back!"
The young leader of the red clad troops swung his tonfa like a mighty tiger of battle. One by one he powered through as many of the peons that stood in the way as he could. The burning flames of war raged within him. Like his father Sun Jian, he was a tiger, and a tiger would fiercely defend all that resided within its domain.
"C'mon! Is that all you've got? Sun Ce asked in sarcastic glee.
As he smashed his way through another pair of soldiers, he couldn't help but smile even more, "You're going to need a LOT MORE than this to beat us!"
Meanwhile, Lianshi rode up beside Lu Su on horseback. She gave a respectful nod and looked to him with concerned eyes, "How fares the battle, Lord Lu Su?
The strategist with a sharp mind let a tiny sigh of relief escape from his lips before bringing his gaze to meet with Lianshi, "Allow me to explain, M'lady," He began.
Lu Su turned and pointed outward, past the gates of the stronghold, "Ling Tong is west of here. He is currently withdrawing with haste from the general Wu Zi. We sent our final reserve garrison to aid him under the command of a mercenary." The strategist's explanation was somewhat frank and to the point in regard to the details.
It was at that moment that the expression of Lu Su bore became much bleaker, "However…."
The stern faced man placed a hand on his chin in thought, "While Ling Tong's withdrawal is almost complete, the mercenary unit on the frontlines is on the verge of being wiped out."
Lianshi looked away sadly, as a pained sigh escaped from her lips, "That is most terrible..."
The young lady in her elegant red skirt bore a most saddened little frown. She didn't like to see any ally fall in battle. This was even truer as of late, for she had lost her husband to be, Sun Quan, in the coalition's first battle against Lu Bu at Chang'an.
It was those sad thoughts of loss and suffering that spurred her forward. As one of Wu's ladies of battle, it was her responsibility to bring an end to the suffering.
Motivated by that sole determination to protect, Lianshi placed a hand over her heart and brought her saddened eyes to meet Lu Su. Her powerful brown orbs burned with strength and passion.
"I will go and save them," She declared softly and confidently, "You can count on me to do my duty," She finished, there was not an ounce of doubt in her mind.
Lu Su spent the next few moments pondering the best course of action. Zhang Liao's pursuit forces were currently engaged in battle with Lord Sun Ce. As soon as Ling Tong arrived back at the stronghold the last stage of the withdrawal could commence.
The red clad gentleman thought long and hard about the possible options, "Hmmm…."
For all intents and purposes, the mercenary was expendable, but at the same time, there was something most curious about the lone stranger. He bore bright hair and eyes of powerful green, traits that were practically unheard of in this land. No, it was more than his mere physical traits.
"There was something about his determination when he held that sword," Lu Su thought aloud with utmost curiosity.
He looked to Lianshi with a nod of approval, "Very well…. Move with haste, however. I doubt the reserve unit has much time left."
A small sigh of relief escaped the lips of the battle maiden and she smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Lord Lu Su. I shall go forth and rescue them."
The red lady of Wu rallied her troops on horseback and galloped forth into the distance. "I will protect them. I promise…." Lianshi spoke with quiet confidence.
Meanwhile - The frontlines
The two small garrisons under Mike's command were almost diminished. The secondary assault force led by General Wu Zi was simply too large to face with such a small number of troops.
As a soldier beside Mike was cut down by a mighty swing of Wu Zi's sword, the British brawler with no memories jumped back to generate some distance.
He felt out of breath, "This isn't looking good," The blond haired fighter said between shaky gasps.
Worse than that, his body was beginning to tire also. Martial art training was one thing, but battle of this magnitude was enough to put even the fittest body under pressure.
Wu Zi stood tall like an armoured giant, scars of battle covering his face, one of his eyes obscured by a strand of downward hanging hair. He slowly advanced upon Mike. His massive two-handed sword trailed across the ground as he went.
All the while he laughed with hearty confidence, "Face me, warrior," He said with a sneer, "If you believe yourself strong enough to meet the task."
Mike was unable to back away no more. He was almost up against a wall in fact. It was at that moment that the urgency of the situation dawned upon him. His thoughts raced in overdrive over the worst scenario.
If he didn't fight back, he was dead. There was nothing more to it than that. He had the choice to fight for his life, or die.
It took but a moment for the British fighter to make his choice, "Alright," Mike said as he exhaled the tension.
Grasping the silver short sword in hand, he moved to engage Wu Zi in battle. He lunged, and so did his two, with the two butting into each other like a pair of primal beasts. Their blades met for a pass, and a second, followed by the loud clanging of a third.
The two combatants remained at a deadlock with their weapons crossed. Both stood anchored into the floor, as they grunted under the strain of holding their respective ground.
It seemed like a complete deadlock for the moment.
"Your strength is not enough to match mine," Wu Zi declared with arrogance. He used his impressive strength to shunt Mike back, and with a mighty swing of his blade, cleaved his blond-haired foe's much smaller sword, in two.
"Dammit, he's strong," Muttered the Brit under his breath.
Lennox stood defenceless, as his foe continued to approach. His heart was beating loudly within his chest. Nausea and sickness washed over his body as what seemed to be impending doom approached. It seemed as though it was all over.
"UNFFFF!" Wu Zu grunted in pain and fell to his knees.
Mike was surprised to still be standing, but the sight his eyes withheld was one of great relief. Wu Zi was doubled over in pain; a steel bolt from mighty crossbow jammed deeply into his right leg. Soldiers flocked around him, and in the next few moments utter chaos ensued.
The sound of beating hooves erupted from behind as men on horseback came zipping past Mike, and charged toward Wu Zi's troops.
It was at this moment that Lu Bu's general let out a pained uttering of words, "An ambush…. Grrr…. Wu reinforcements have arrived. We must fall back." Flanked by his men, Wu Zi turned around to make his well-guarded escape.
"Please, come with me. Master Lu Su sent me to collect you," Said a gentle, ladylike voice behind Mike.
He turned to see the woman in red, Lianshi, sat atop a horse with a crossbow on her back. Her face was soft and gentle, as she kept her gaze fixed upon him.
"Thank goodness I reached you in time," The lady of Wu spoke softly, with a smile gracing her lips.
Of course, Mike looked confused, "Lu Su… the man from earlier sent you?"
After giving a nod, Lianshi beckoned for the man to come closer, "Ride with me," she offered politely, as she motioned to him with one of her soft and delicate hands.
As if by instinct, Mike shook his head. Even with no memories of his past, something in his head just warned him against getting on a horse, "While I'm grateful for the help," He said thankfully, "I don't know how to ride a horse."
Lianshi chuckled softly and dismounted her steed. With a light smack, the majestic white stallion galloped away in the direction in which it had come from.
It was a most strange thing for the lady to hear. This man was supposedly a warrior, but yet he didn't know how to ride a mount? It was peculiar, but in all honesty, the urgency of the situation left her no time to innocently question it.
"In that case…. Let us walk together," Lianshi kindly gave her offer out of interest for this mysterious warrior's protection, "The path leading this way is clear. You will be safe as long as I am beside you."
While Mike was cautious of everything at the moment there was something about the softness of this woman's aura. It disarmed him; made him feel safe and at ease, in fact.
His eyes fell downward to the pendant that hung around his neck. He clutched it tightly for a moment while he considered, and gave a small nod, "Alright…. I'm coming with you," He answered in agreement.
Lianshi bowed respectfully, "Thank you, warrior. The path ahead is several miles, but I will ensure your protection."
Meanwhile – Outside the main fortress
Sun Ce swung his Tonfa into the chest of a black clad soldier and swiftly moved to kick a second to the ground. At this point their numbers were about even, but it seemed strangely chaotic out here, almost like the enemy was in disarray.
"It's like these guys don't even know what they should be doing in this battle," Said Sun Ce as he smacked his blunt weapon into the head of a yet another soldier
At the rear of his troops, Zhang Liao sat mounted atop a mighty grey steed. A messenger hurried to his side, "My lord," he stammered nervously before handing the twin axe wielding general a note, "Orders from Master Gao Shun at the Capital. We are to withdraw and assist Lord Lu Bu in his assault on Tianshui."
Zhang Liao nodded respectfully while his eyes scanned over the contents of the scroll, "I understand," He said politely, "It would seem that our Master is turning his attention to the Western Coalition."
However, a slight sigh of disappointment did still escape from the mouth of Zhang Liao. His eyes scanned out upon the sea of troops, and saw Sun Ce fighting fiercely among the common soldiers.
"It is a shame," he spoke in a slightly disheartened manner, "I wished to face Sun Ce in battle for myself this day."
After a shake of the head, he turned his steed around, "No matter. Sound the retreat. We shall withdraw to Puyang first so that we may re-supply our forces there."
War drums boomed in the distance. Heeding the signal, the troops in black armour started to turn around. Slowly but surely they began turning in the other direction. The Wu forces continued to chase down the frontline ones, with Sun Ce once again slamming into them with the force of a mighty hammer, but eventually the pace of the retreat was more hurried.
As the last of the enemy forces disappeared over the hills Sun Ce smiled with excitement! He looked to his troops as he flung his fist up into the air to signal victory.
"We did it! That showed them! See? We don't need the rest of the Coalition! Let me hear those cries, men! We held the Demon's armies back!"
"YEAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Cheers erupted from across the muddied plain outside the main defensive fortress. They echoed for miles around, while the Son of the Tiger gave another hearty laugh, "Let's head back in the direction of the capital! We set up camp in three hours!"
Lu Su rode out on horseback with Ling Tong beside him. They both stopped to greet their lord with a respectful bow of the head.
The strategist spoke with a slight smile on his usually stoic expression, "We are successful here today. We should feel truly proud."
Ling Tong chuckled with a somewhat mischievous grin, "You got that right, M'lord! We showed em, who's in charge here didn't we, Master Sun Ce?" He asked with excitement as he looked to his lord.
The Wu ruler felt the same as Ling Tong in his heart. There was excitement, and the sense of true achievement here. Lu Bu's colossal army had been pushed back for now, and that gave them room to move for the near future.
Sun Ce smiled confidently, and gave his nod of approval, "You all did great! Ling Tong…. Try not to get cornered next time, okay?"
The youthful Wu officer looked to Sun Ce and laughed with a nervous smile, "You got it, Master Sun Ce! I'll be more careful!"
Later that evening – Wu Army Camp
Dim orange fires illuminated the night skies above the huge campsite. It was late in the evening. That did not stop the celebrations from running wild however. The officers sat in their tents and drank wine in celebration of their victory today.
Ling Tong laughed and playfully fought with one of his lieutenants over a sarcasticl comment made about his recklessness in battle today.
All the while, Lu Su quietly sipped his wine and looked across to his master, Sun Ce. The young conqueror of the Wu territory was laughing along heartily with the fun.
"He's right, Ling Tong," Sun Ce said with sarcastic glee in his voice, "You do have this VERY strange habit of getting yourself in trouble all the time!"
He continued to laugh between gulps of fine wine and the occasional bite out of a meat bun.
Ling Tong swung himself back into his seat and reached for a piece of chicken from across the table, "Ohhh, C'mon Milord," He said playfully before taking a bite of his chicken leg, "I do my best don't I? I always come through for ya!"
Sun Ce leapt up from his seat to give his trusted comrade a thumbs up, "Of course you do, Ling Tong! With you in this tent, and Lu Su here," He declared confidently while pointing to his wine-sipping strategist, "We're going to push back that demon, Lu Bu! It's gonna be FUN!"
Lu Su placed his cup down upon the table and exhaled a sharp breath, "Lord Sun Ce, the wanderer I talked to you about earlier…. May I have your permission to have him serve us?"
The wanderer of mysterious circumstances was discussed earlier, on the way back toward the capital. Lu Su wanted to ensure he was kept in the ranks if at all possible. There was something about him, an aura of some kind, or maybe a mystery that made him valuable. Whatever the truth behind this warrior of pale skin and bright emerald eyes was, the strategist wanted it to solve it for himself.
Sun Ce didn't even have to think about his answer. This wanderer had already fought for them once, under intense pressure and with supposedly no memory of his past or his sense of self. Somebody who was willing to risk all that for the glory of the people of Wu was entitled to a chance, at least out of respect!
The young ruler nodded before putting his shiny wine cup down beside the rice bowl, "Let's give this guy a shot! Offer him a place as one of our lieutenants. If he wants to stay, he's under your command, Lu Su!"
Meanwhile – The furthest corner of the camp
Mike sat quietly beside his own little fire. He wished to remain out of sight and out of mind more than anything. In truth, there was doubt in his mind, doubt and fear beyond any compare. He was lost and alone in a strange place, and remembered almost nothing.
He looked down at his clenched fists. For some reason looking down at them caused the single string of vague memories to return. Through the foggy haze of his mind, Mike could see a place far off in the distance. It was like an arena, a large stadium. Voices cheered and fireworks erupted in this huge arena of neon lights. It was the only shard of his fragmented past he had left.
Every time the lost warrior tried to remember anything beyond that lone set of tiny memories, it hurt his head more and more. The pain was faint at first, and it got stronger and stronger; until it reached the point that it felt like somebody was splitting his head with an blunt object.
Alas, Mike tried with all his desperation to remember, and winced as he went. It felt like his head was going to burst. It hurt so much in the end that he had no choice but to stop.
"Why can't I remember?" His expression twisted with sadness
In truth, it was becoming more upsetting each time he thought about it, "My entire sense of self is gone... I've got nothing to tell me who I am," the blond said in a tiny; broken voice.
His head was so sore that it made him feel tired. Exhaustion washed over his body rapidly. Just as it was about to ensnare his senses however, the sound of footsteps slowly coming closer brought him back from the edge of falling asleep.
His emerald eyes locked upon the sight of a woman in a vibrant; majestic red evening gown with sandals. Her silky black hair was held in a ponytail with chopsticks, with the whole attire held together by a black silk belt tied around her waist.
While Mike still didn't know the name of this lovely lady, the sight of her was enough to make him feel at ease compared to his inner turmoil a moment prior.
She started by giving a small but caring smile. With her hands sat nearly in her lap, she fixed her beautiful brown eyes with the green ones of Mike, "May I sit with you, please?" She asked kindly.
Mike nodded tiredly in response to the fair-skinned maiden of Wu, "Go ahead," He said softly, gesturing for her to take a place at the fire, "I doubt I'll be sleeping tonight anyway."
The beautiful woman quietly seated herself a short distance away from Mike, on the side to his right. She held her hands out toward the fire to warm them with its soothing orange glow. It was then that she turned to face him. Her deep brown eyes flickered softly in contrast to the light of the fire.
"So," she began quietly, "What is your name, warrior? That is of course, if you don't me asking."
Such a question was enough to make the British man feel a twinge of unease. He looked back to Lianshi shyly, before looking away again.
"….I don't remember, or maybe it's better to say, I don't have one," He replied solemnly, with a tinge of regret.
The lady was disheartened by the sadness of his response. A little gasp of surprise escaped from her delicate red lips. She pointed to Mike's chest with one of her slender white fingers.
"The symbol that is burned into your chest," the young lady said with a smile of revelation, "It means Luck. Yunqi... If you do not have a name, perhaps you could take the namesake of luck?"
Mike was surprised by such a sudden statement. It showed too, as his expression was a little dumbfounded. However, he quickly gave a gentle nod, "….Yunqi. I like it…. It sounds like it fits pretty well in this land."
Those words made warmth fill in Lianshi's heart, "That makes you the Lucky Warrior. I hope you stay a while longer." She said so caringly and with a smile.
The blond haired man of a foreign land chuckled lightly in reflection of his newfound title. It gave him a sense of identity. It was something he needed, no matter how vague it was. He would use that name from now on.
He continued on with a smile, "May I ask your name, Milady?" He inquired with gentlemanly warmth. He couldn't begin to think about why he did so. It was simply something that was THERE inside him.
The young lady of silky, dark hair nodded with a kind and friendly aura accompanying her, "My name is Lianshi," she started in a soft voice, "I'm a Lady Warrior of the Wu territory."
The mention of the word 'Wu' was enough to cause confusion for Yunqi, "You said Wu, right? Is that where we are?" The emerald-eyed fighter questioned with a puzzled gaze.
Lianshi noted his confusion and continued to speak gently, "Yes. Wu is the land of the South. We're currently camped between Hefei and Jianye."
That was when the thoughts of the newly named 'Yunqi' came together. He knew he was in China, but at least now he knew where he was specifically. At least he had some sense of his place in the world, along with his newfound name. It gave him hope.
There was more that needed to be said and done however. Since his arrival here, Yunqi had noticed that people showed thanks or respect to their lords, comrades and masters by bowing, or a bow of the head.
The young British warrior remembered the events of earlier today. They made him feel the need to express his gratitude. So, with that in mind, the emerald-eyed fighter stood for a moment, and respectfully bowed to Lianshi.
"Thank you, Lianshi. I would have died today if it weren't for you," the words of Yunqi were honest and filled with gratitude, "I seriously owe you my life…. If you ever need something…. Name it."
Lianshi in all of her delicate beauty, was truly taken aback by a humble gesture. It was unlike anything she had really experienced before. It caused a light flush to appear on her cheeks, but of course, she just gave a gentle smile.
She bowed her head thankfully for the praise and looked back up to Yunqi's eyes with a smile, "I require nothing from you, Lucky Warrior. All I want is for you to find your way in the world."
"Yun," The British fighter started quietly, "Please feel free to call me Yun if you want, okay Milady?"
"Of course," she responded warmly, "I would be happy to do that if it is just the two of us, Yun." Her words resonated musically, as if in complete harmony with the slight breeze of the wind.
For the first time since his arrival in this chaotic land, even if was just for this single brief moment, Yun, had gained so much. He had a name, and a sense of his place and person. That was more than he could possibly ask for, and it was enough to make him feel some genuine happiness.
Lianshi brought her eyes back up from the faint glow of the fire to look at Yun again. This time her glance was half nervous, half determined. She felt a sense of duty welling up inside her, especially after she had lost so many friends and loved ones in the battle against Lu Bu. The man sat beside her at this fire truly had nothing of his own, and that made her yearn for something. She wished to protect, so that this seemingly kind man with no past would never have to suffer a horrible fate all alone.
"Yun, Lucky Warrior with no past…. I promise you something today…." The words of the red garment clad battle-maiden resonated softly and shyly from her lips.
The young man himself, Yun, the lone fight with nothing apart from his name, could see the seriousness within the eyes of Lianshi, "What is it, M'lady? Are you alright?" He questioned nervously.
Of course, the lady of Wu said nothing in response to his words. Instead, she stood quietly from her place across from Yun, and met her gaze with his for a second time.
"You have no one, and you must feel so alone," she began, "That is why, I will not let you come to harm. If you ever need me Yun, I will be your protector. I solemnly promise you that. As long as you stand in the lands of Wu, I will guard you…."
There was nothing that Yun could say to respond to that. He could not find the gratitude to thank his willing protector. Neither could he ever find it in his heart to turn her down after she made such a solemn and heartfelt pledge.
Not a single word could be said. This was epspecially true when he looked into her eyes. This was important to Lianshi beyond anything. Even though she wasn't willing to show it, it was obvious just the importance of this promise, for whatever reason, was enough to make her powerful brown eyes quiver with emotion. There was no way that Yunqi would cause Lianshi hurt by turning away her ultimate showing of kindness and warmth.
Yun simply nodded in a grateful manner, "…..Thank you. I can't explain it, but I trust you to keep me safe until I find my way. Something inside tells me that you're going to keep this promise to me..."
Lianshi sat back down beside the fire with a happy smile. Slowly, she reached behind and released the chopsticks that held her hair in place. Her lovely dark locks flowed beautifully past the shoulders and down her back, "I trust you too, Yun. While it may seem sudden, our meeting and your circumstances… they have given me even more reason to fight now."
Alas, on this cool spring evening, a promise was made. A name was also forged, and a sense of self granted. It had been a long day for all, but it bore so much. Sun Ce had his victory; Lianshi had gained a new friend, and charge that she would protect, while the people of Wu could finally rest.
The armies of Lu Bu had chosen to turn their attention elsewhere, for now.
End of Chapter 2
That's it for this chapter! Thank you again for taking the time to come back and read more. I know this chapter was longer, but I honestly didn't want to leave anything out. If you enjoyed it then please feel free to leave me some feedback if you would like.
I'm also sorry for any occasional typos that you might see in some of my larger chapters. I do proof read this, but some things do slip through the net. Missing a couple of words here and there is a slight mistake I make in my writing at times. Sometimes I don't notice it!
Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read more, and I hope to see you all in the next chapter!