The Legend of Shu
By S.
Ch 2
Zhang San ran over to the barracks.
"Get out of your bunks and fall in, our lord, Liu Bei, has summoned us for battle!" he yelled.
Many of the men seemed confused, or scared. Zhang San was shocked, not only at the number of men who had actually volunteered, but at the age groups. Some men were in thier olden years while most of the men were meerly sixteen. Those that were vetarans of war now could barely hold their swords while the youth didn't know how to use them.
" Grab your blades and horses, then follow our lord to the battlefeild!" Zhang San shouted as he left the tent.
As he ran out of the tent, the sound of battle seemed to be drawing closer. He looked over to where the Wu Zhang Plains would be and he saw smoke, smoke coming from beyond the Wu Zhang River. The smoke was coming from his village. Zhang San began to feel anger and fear rising up inside of himself. He couldn't believe it, not his village, anybodies but his. He whistled for his horse and got on the steed. The horse ran as fast as he could as Zhang San begged it to go faster, in fear that it may be too late. The smell of smoke now filled the air as he began to see the flames which engulfed his village. He could hear the screams of his people as they ran from the flames, or worse, died. He also heard the sound of blades clashing amongst the turmoil.
"Father, I shall be there soon, so please, hold on!" He prayed to himself.
When he arrived at the entrace to the village there was two men waiting there, one man on a horse, and the other standing next to the horse. Both men had yellow turbans on. They approached him.
" Hey you there, you can't pass through here. Can't you see we, the Yellow Turbans, are "investing" in this property?" the man standing said rather proudly.
"No, it seems that you are killing innocent people for the sake of "the Way"....what a stupid excuse!" Zhang San exclaimed.
"Well, seems like this boy has a mouth on him. You there deal with this peasant." He said as he looked at the first guard.
Zhang San got off his horse and drew his sword. Both men stared at each other, neither moving. The guard spat at Zhang San and grinned as he attacked. Zhang San parried and attacked. The men grunted as the blades struck each other. Again and again the blades struck, the force from each hit forced the men back. The guard seemed excitedand started to laugh as he swong. He seemed to gain strength from each attack. Sweat formed on Zhang San's forehead, he was running out of steam. The guard charged at Zhang San. An opening. Zhang San dodged the attack and brought the blade down on the guards back. The man stood there for a minute and then turned around.
"Pretty good kid." he said as he spat out blood and fell to the ground, dead.
The man who ordered the guard to attack now stood in confusion, and amazement.
"H...How did you do that, he was the best fighter I had." the man said as he looked at the guards dead body. "Grrr....Damn you! Now face the wrath of a Yellow Turban General!"
The man drew his blade, never looking down from Zhang San. He shouted angrily and charged at Zhang San. Zhang San tried to dodge but the man was too fast and got him in the side. Zhang San fell to the ground from the pain, blood spewing out. The man laughed as he punched Zhang San in the face.
"Well, well, well...it seems that you were all talk. You mus've been luky to kill my guard. Now prepare to die you brat!" He said as he brought back his blade for an attack.
The blade came down. Zhang San braced for the blow, but it never came. The man had stopped. He coughed up blood then fell over. A man stood behind the once alive man.
"Well who woulda thunk it, my cousin being here of all places, how's it goin?" The voice asked.
"Who are you, and how do you know me?" Zhang San asked the figure.
"First of all, we need to get you medical attention." he said.
The man approached Zhang San but Zhang San couldn't make out a face, the world was going black. Zhang San fainted before he could see who his savior was.