The plan had worked marvelously.

Though Wu offered surrender to Guan Yu when they cornered him at Mai Castle, the God of War chose death before submission, and his wish was granted without hesitation. Joining him in death was his son Guan Ping and the Wu commander Lu Meng, who died of illness shortly after Guan Yu's execution. Once the executions were done, Wu lifted their information embargo and allowed news to spread that Guan Yu had finally met his end. All that remained now was to wait for Shu's reaction.

When Lu Xun and Zhuge Jin returned to Wu, they were pleased to learn that Yuan Yao had succeeded in his task of eliminating Zhang Fei, who would have likely been the first wave of assault from Shu had his life been spared. Even more surprising was the fact that Yuan Yao did not even have to raise an army to overcome the general, as he was able to convince Zhang Fei's men to defect to Wu and practically hand the general over to his tender mercies. Yuan Yao proudly displayed his head to Sun Quan, who then requested that it receive a proper burial.

It was a request that Yuan Yao only complied with superficially. In reality, he kept Zhang Fei's head in his quarters, rending the flesh from the bone and keeping its skull next to his late father's skull. Even without the rituals and fanfare, Yuan Yao had claimed the head of a vaunted general and it seemed unceremonious to discard the head immediately. The skull also complimented his shrine quite nicely, placing the head next to his father's head to give his setup a very symmetrical union.

Yuan Yao returned to the capital as the recipient of resounding praise from Sun Quan. There had been plenty of doubts about Yuan Yao's capabilities for servicing the state of Wu while suffering from crippling depression, but he had returned to his brother-in-law and sister with the recompense he needed to ensure his spot in the Wu Imperial Court. More importantly, he had proven himself an able military hand by personally delivering the head of Zhang Fei, and was formally recruited into military service as an officer.

Wu's latest warrior would not have to wait very long for his debut in the three-way war to decide the fate of China. When word of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's demise reached the kingdom of Shu, Liu Bei immediately reacted with more venom than the deadliest snake and immediately called for war against the kingdom of Wu. A few of Liu Bei's advisors and generals attempted to sway his lord's mind, citing the drain in resources a war with Wu would have in the ongoing campaign against Cao Cao, but he would have nothing of it.

In the wake of losing his two oath brothers, Liu Bei would cast aside the title of hero and cast himself the villain, swearing death upon Sun Quan and sending a message that he should prepare his neck for the executioner's slab.

News of Shu's mobilization quickly reached Jianye, but Sun Quan showed no distress and instead ordered his forces to mobilize at Yi Ling for their fated showdown with Liu Bei. Unlike Cao Cao's surprising assembly of his naval fleet at Chi Bi years before, Liu Bei marched his troops through the forests and mountains of Shu so that they could enter Wu territory and take revenge for his fallen brothers. There would be no deception or trickery on Liu Bei's part: he made it very clear that he wanted the blood of Wu on his hands.

While the officers of Shu were not particularly keen on attacking a force that could potentially be a strong ally in overcoming Wei, especially considering that campaigns were simultaneously underway against the foe in the north, the officers of Wu were all too eager to test their strength against their former allies. When Liu Bei married Sun Shang Xiang, several rivalries formed between the two forces when Liu Bei stayed in Wu, and the auspicious way they parted made them eager to show that they were the better army.

Yuan Yao in particular relished the thought of charging into battle against Shu, as he owed a good deal of his heartache to their generals. Though Pang Tong had perished in Liu Bei's campaign to take Cheng Du, Zhuge Liang was still very much alive and active during warfare, and Yuan Yao greatly desired his grotesque end after the role he played in Zhou Yu's passing. Liu Bei himself was another target for Yuan Yao's ire, as he had been a participant in the Battle of Xia Pi.

On a less vengeful front, Yuan Yao had developed a powerful thirst for the blood of strong warriors, even if they were unrelated to his campaign for justice. When he drew the blood of the bandits that attacked his post, Yuan Yao felt closer than ever to the military perfection that he strove to achieve since he witnessed Lu Bu's arrow strike the halberd. When he drained the life from an opponent and felt his life force brush against him, he felt less like the Goddess of War's subject and more like her equal. This was especially important, for a husband that relied on his wife for protection was no husband at all.

With Lu Meng dead, Sun Quan named Lu Xun his new supreme commander of his forces, valuing his intelligence and military prowess and citing his role in Guan Yu's defeat as proof of his competency. There were those in the court who expected Yuan Yao to receive consideration, but Yuan Yao admitted that he personally requested that he not receive the title of leader. The official reason was that he felt he had spent so much time in the court that he would not perform well as the chief strategist in so crucial a battle, but his personal secret reason was that, as Supreme Commander, he would spent most of the battle in the safety of the main camp.

Yuan Yao wanted to be in the very heart of battle, ending lives and shaming families by how brutal and utterly dominant he would be in turning the soldiers of Shu into meat. This was a fantasy he happily shared with Lu Xun at the war meeting to decide placements on the battlefield when Shu arrived at Yi Ling. His enthusiasm was met with a mixed reception, and the other members of the council were unsure if Yuan Yao was either very eager to serve Wu or just eager to draw blood.

Lu Xun recognized Yuan Yao's capabilities in spite of his intentions and obliged him. When the two forces engaged in their opening skirmishes, Liu Bei's first order of business would be to hunt down the man who killed his brothers. Therefore, Yuan Yao's unit would be used to lure out the enemy's main force and keep them busy while Zhu Ran infiltrated the Shu camp. This would allow Lu Xun to destroy the camp with a fire attack, driving Liu Bei into a corner and ultimately turning him back.

Should Yuan Yao still be alive after the fire attack was successful, he would be in the very front of Wu's invasion of the enemy camp. This would allow him to lead the way to Liu Bei, where he would either lose his dignity or lose his head. Either way, it would be a battle that would forever make it known to Shu that as valuable of an ally Wu has been to them, they would not tolerate any deception or trickery regardless of what their intentions were.

With his own force under his command, Yuan Yao wasted no time acclimating his men to his unique brand of battle preparations. The former prince proudly showed off his religion and set up a larger, more elaborate altar to which he and his men would pay tribute to the Goddess of War. The two halberds from the shrine in his quarters were used as the basic model for the more intricately designed pikes that he set at the altar, bringing the heads of Yuan Shu and Zhang Fei to truly make it the definitive place of prayer.

Yuan Yao further primed himself for the battle by giving the blacksmith the blueprints for his own personalized armor that he would wear to battle. The mark of a truly reputable general was seen through the monikers they earned through their acts of bravery and valor. Therefore, Yuan Yao drew inspiration from the nickname he received for one of his subordinates when he first brought the skulls of his enemies to the altar he set up. No longer was he just Yuan Yao, the deposed crown prince and brother-in-law to Sun Quan.

Now, he was also known as Yuan Yao of the Skulls.

When it came time for the day of reckoning, he hid his new armor under a cloak and called his men to join him at the altar, where he rallied his troops through prayers to the Goddess of War. The philosophy of the age that the acquisition of a famous warrior's head would transfer all of his infamy to the captor held especially true, as Yuan Yao's men saw their officer as something far more than a simple madman. As he recited his prayers and gave thanks to their deity's bravery she would bestow upon them, Yuan Yao was now a messenger of death who would bring misfortune to their enemies.

"Through darkest times and deep despair,

The Goddess of War shall lead us there

To a land of victory and untold glory,

Where women and children tell our story.

While our enemy breaks and bleeds dry,

We shall survive and raise our cry!

Our blades will shine and our arrows shall soar,

As we cleanse this field for our Goddess of War!"

It was here that he requested one of his attendants to hand him another halberd, one that was stood out from the stock weapons the soldiers carried and instantly identifiable to his underlings. Though it took him quite some time to find the weapon, and months after that to smuggle the weapon over Wu's borders, Yuan Yao held in his hand the halberd used to bring peace without needing to take a single life. Nevertheless, he felt the souls of the thousands slain by the halberd's blade surge through him as he held it high above his head for his soldiers to see.

"This, my comrades, is the halberd of Lu Bu, the mightiest general of our era and any era before! He came to us doing Heaven's bidding, teaching us what it meant to perfect the Art of War, but our enemy this evening branded him a monster. With their ignorance and arrogance as their weapons, they drove him out of this world and denied us the chance to learn from his example. But today, we will draw strength from Lu Bu. Today, we will draw strength from his weapon. Today, we shall continue his work and reap the lives of the unworthy!"

The ceremony concluded with a gulp of rice wine and a battle cry loud enough to echo throughout the fields of Yi Ling. In Yuan Yao's thirst for blood, there was evidence of boundless courage and trinckles of honor in his complete devotion to his mission. His comrades might have thought him mad, and perhaps he was, but Yuan Yao would ensure that his subjects would prosper under his reign. For was it not the duty of an Emperor to serve the people, and what better way to serve his people than to deliver swift justice to their enemy?

The evening gave way to night, and that was when the armies of Shu finally arrived onto the battlefield. There had been rumblings among the camp that the force they would be doing battle with were nothing more than reserve units that stayed behind while the main force was facing off with Wei in the north, but as the army marched to the east, it was quite apparent that this was not the case. Liu Bei spared no expense in waving his banner in Sun Quan's face, and he made it clear from the opening attack that there would be no mercy asked or given.

Yuan Yao's men emerged from the camp and charged headlong into the enemy forces, with either side eager to make a strong first impression on their new enemy. With his black warhorse bucking wildly before taking off, the former prince took sight for the first peon he saw and immediately took his heart with his shears. With a swing, he tossed the corpse into the crowd and dismounted so that he could engage in a more personal manner.

The chaos of the crowd, Yuan Yao found tranquility, quenching his thirst with each life he snatched away. He immediately noticed the general soldier's lack of commitment and resolve, feeling their paltry ambitions shrivel just moments before their life wilted away. That is why Yuan Yao had nothing to fear from his enemy, and the first wave quickly crumpled before his unit. As a first time officer, Yuan Yao had met the enemy force head on and won the initial exchange.

His men raised their voices in victory while Yuan Yao turned to his bodyguard and requested the tally while the dead were removed from play. While his men were enjoying the brief moment before the next wave and congratulating their friends who were still alive, all Yuan Yao could think about was Shu's response. This was not because of any anxiety of fear of what they'd send now, but more due to eagerness of increasing the body count.

The bodyguard reported that Yuan Yao's unit had claimed the lives of five hundred men in the exchange, with Yuan Yao himself personally slaying a little under a hundred. The prince cursed his hesitance and made a vow to do better for the next wave.

The next wave consisted of a few minor officers that Yuan Yao recognized from the first wave, but no one of any serious repute that would look impressive on the tally. The primary difference was that the second wave was greater in number and a tad more anxious to get their battle over with. Yuan Yan decided that he would not need his horse from this next wave and allowed one of the other soldiers to lead it back to the camp.

Instead, he lifted the banner of Wu high into the air and called for a full charge by his men. Again, the front lines of Wu and Shu buckled against one another for dominance, and for a short time, Shu's greater numbers in the second wave provided them momentum. Sadly for them, Yuan Yao was still very much alive and very much hungry for their flesh. The cries of his enemy's were far too confident for his liking, and so he set about changing the tune.

Through the sea of metal and humanity, Yuan Yao waded across the mob to find the closest thing to an infantry commander. He managed to find one by deducing how he was moving his mouth more frequently than the other men of Shu, and made it his mission to end his prattle. Reaching over the shoulders of one of his men, Yuan Yao lined his shears around the soldier's neck and cut off his head like it were a lock of hair.

Immediately after this, the lines of Shu vibrated violently, allowing Wu to once again gain momentum and for Yuan Yao to once again open his butcher shop. The nature of his buckler made it difficult for enemies to strike any of his vital areas, but he had no qualms with reaching for whatever weapon he could get his hands on and cutting them down when he could not behead them with his shears. Yet again, the lines of Shu pulled back and retreated, considerably smaller and meeker than they were when the battle started.

Once more, Yuan Yao demanded the tally when the bodies were removed for the next wave. The number that the bodyguard returned with pleased him greatly. The death toll now approached two thousand men lost for Shu, and Yuan Yao responsible for three hundred and fifty men who would be unable to see their families again until they joined in the afterlife. There were many accomplished officers who were fortunate to have more than two hundred credited kills per battle, but three hundred and fifty?

To this, Yuan Yao proudly called for a round of rations for his troops, and they feasted on their dinner like they had already won. News was spread to the Wu main camp that the former prince had become an Emperor on the field of battle, and his reign was one of tyranny. Lu Xun was not impressed and returned to the messenger to Yuan Yao's camp, ordering him to remain vigilant and hold position until the fire attack could commence.

Yuan Yao complied and reorganized his formation, stabilizing his line so that not even a mouse would pass by them. A considerably greater amount of time had passed since the last formation than the time it took for the one before it to arrive. The messengers would report to Yuan Yao saying that the Wu forces were still engaged with the enemy in other areas, so it was not like Shu had already given up. No doubt Zhuge Liang was plotting another dishonorable scheme that relied on trickery and deception instead of bravery.

After what seemed like an eternity for the bloodthirsty Yuan Yao, but was in truth barely two hours, the next wave of the Shu forces arrived to Yuan Yao's position. Instead of charging blindly into Yuan Yao's blades, this time they stationed themselves many yards away with the exception of a lone officer emerging from their rabble. Though he did not recognize the warrior, Yuan Yao immediately knew that Shu was delivering to him the officer he needed to truly baptize himself as a warrior.

The officer was a young man, possibly younger than Lu Xun, and in his youth he possessed the ignorance of mortality that made him a viable officer. "I am Zhang Bao, son of Zhang Fei, and I am have come for the head of the men who murdered my father," he declared as he raised his weapon, the fabled Cobra Pike that once belonged to Zhang Fei before his soul was offered up as sacrifice to the Goddess of War. "Cowards of Wu, deliver them to me immediately and I promise that your deaths will be quick. Resist, and you will share their slow, agonizing punishment!"

Yuan Yao stepped forward and antagonized the youth. "You need not harass the men of Wu to seek justice on your father's murderer, for he stands before you now with the blood of over three hundred of your comrades stained on his blade." Mounting his horse once it was delivered to him, Yuan Yao charged to the young man and issued his challenge. "Do you have what it takes to avenge that pig, or are you just the dung that fell out of his rear end?"

The youth took the bait and charged forward with a roar of hatred for the man. When they passed each other, there was a flash of sparks as their weapons clashed, and they quickly turned around to charge again. Zhang Bao lifted his weapon with the intention to behead Yuan Yao, but the blade of the Cobra Pike bounced off of Yuan Yao's buckler and they again passed unharmed. "Coward," Zhang Bao hissed while he turned around for a third charge. "You will not escape my wrath!"

The third time they passed one another, Yuan Yao needed to only lift his free hand and ball it into a fist. Then when they passed, he drove his armored fist into Zhang Bao's face, sullying the youthful cleanliness by bloodying his nose and knocking him off of his horse. With the battle joined in earnest, Yuan Yao quickly dismounted himself and eagerly dashed to the fallen young man to collect his head. It might not have been one his Goddess of War wished for, but it would make for a fine personal trophy.

Zhang Bao lifted his pike and parried Yuan Yao just before he could bring his shears around his neck. Pushing Yuan Yao off of him and returning to his feet, the youth cursed the former prince and issued threats as a laugh began to bubble in his throat. "You cur...you dare mock me after what you've done to my family? How did father ever lose his life to a devil like you!?"

Yuan Yao was all too pleased to explain to the youth the details of his father's demise, describing how he had alienated his own men to such a degree that decided to abandon Shu altogether rather than spend another day under his charge. He described to him how they sold their general to Yuan Yao so that he could do whatever he wished to the drunken cur, and he gleefully elaborated on the final pitiful moments of Zhang Fei's life, shot down with arrows before having his head claimed as a prize that was being held in his camp.

And with that, Yuan Yao finally cast aside his cloak and revealed the armor he designed specifically for his debut as an officer. With a name like "Yuan Yao of the Skulls," the prince made sure his attire reflected his moniker, as he held a skull on either side of his shoulders, while his breastplate was lined with the ribs that all men possessed when stripped of their flesh. Most generals designed their armor with more noble traits, but Yuan Yao was done pretending to be a good man.

Zhang Bao immediately deemed Yuan Yao a demon as the two joined battle once more. While the youth was brave and strong, he lacked the polish necessary to overcome an opponent like Yuan Yao, who had spent years perfecting his technique through a variety of weapons in anticipation of his debut. Futhermore, Zhang Bao only had the righteous fury that came from losing a parent to murder. Yuan Yao had the strength of madness trained through endless months upon months of heartache and despair, threatening to boil over every minute he was away from his Goddess.

And the most important detail of all was the full display of the scar in which he vowed to do the terrible acts of vengeance he grew to enjoy, though it had been modified and improved so that it bore the true meaning behind Lu Lingqi's gift. In the days leading up to this moment, Yuan Yao spent many hours in front of his reflection carving into his flesh, turning his belly into the canvas which he drew the calligraphy "marriage." And now, he would share his love with this young man who craved his own revenge.

The duel dragged on into a brawl, neither man willing to stand down for the other, and it wasn't until an arrow whizzed by Yuan Yao's ear that they were broken apart from their standstill. Feeling the sting of the arrowhead when it grazed his cheek, Yuan Yao turned around and noticed the shadow looming over him. Lifting his head, he received a sharp kick in the face which bloodied his nose and brought him to his knees.

"Brother," a young female voice called out, landing next to Zhang Bao while Yuan Yao returned to his feet. The former prince barely even had time to fully regain his focus when suddenly, he was attacked en tandem by his two enemies. His first opponent Zhang Bao seemed to have no qualms against this unknown woman helping him in battle, and if the way she wielded her shield and her weapon was any indication, she would have been a match for Yuan Yao even if she fought him alone.

At last, Yuan Yao recognized the young lady. Many years ago, when Liu Bei's forces were visiting Wu in preparation for the battle of Chi Bi, Zhang Fei brought with him his family to camp with him in the region. Though she was considerably younger and smaller back then, her identity in the present was unmistakable. Lady Xing Cai had blossomed into quite a lovely flower with the passage of time, in stark contrast to her drunken mule of a father who only became less flattering as he grew older.

Dealing with the youthful fury of one upstart child of Zhang Fei was a handful, but both of them at the same time was too great a task for even Yuan Yao. His stamina ran thin and his breath became haggard, and he finally toppled over to catch his breath. These children fully intended to torture him to death, which was only fair given the torture he gave their father. But he refused to show fear and surrender, for his life was always at the generosity of his Goddess of War. If he were to die on this field of battle, it was a mark of honor to have done so while requiring two officers to take his head.

So he stood proudly and readied his weapon, looking forward to seeing how many body parts he'd be able to rend from their bodies before they sent him to the afterlife to be judged for his sins, waiting for his end to come in a violent fashion...but just as they charged to run him through, they hesitated. "Hmph! Do you not wish to make me pay for my sins, children?" Yuan Yao sneered as he noticed that they had lost interest in him. "Come! I await and contemplate my end at your hands!"

It wasn't until Yuan Yao heard the sound of rapid footsteps that he realized their lack of interest in him was not because of any disrespect, but because of the interloper that approached the duel on the hooves of brilliant red horse, coming at them at almost impossible speeds. Meeting the siblings' gaze, Yuan Yao's expression of violent anticipation turned into one of starry-eyed wonder as the warrior riding the horse vaunted off, landing between them and joining the battle.

For many years, Yuan Yao had been deemed insane by his peers for his strange habits and idolization surrounding the late Lu Lingqi, who on the stage of history was nothing more than the daughter of her more famous warrior father who sought to use her as a political tool. But as she stood in front of him, dressed in her black armor with her cross halberd split apart into two glaives in each hand, as flawless as she was the night she rewarded Yuan Yao for his execution of Zhang Fei, that bloodthirsty insanity dwindled and a tear welled up in his eye.

He was not insane. He was not delusional. Lu Lingqi now stood before his enemies and they were very much aware of her presence. Almost immediately, the forces of Shu and Wu scrambled to assemble their messengers to tell their leaders that Lu Bu's daughter had infiltrated the field of battle, and Zhang Fei's children immediately treated her as the enemy.

"Beloved...let's make war together."

Yuan Yao wiped away his tears of joy and answered his mistress' call, and the two lovers worked together to even the score against Zhang Fei's children. The dance was as close to equal as it could possibly be, neither side able to score a critical wound and turn the tide in their favor. But at this point, this was all the forces of Wu could possibly hope for and more, for in the midst of this battle, Zhu Ran was easily able to get into position and set the Shu camp ablaze.

The explosion of heat rattled the forces of Shu, and Zhang Fei's children realized that they had been deceived by this madman and his mistress. Regrettably, they called their forces for a full retreat and made a vow that the next time they encountered Yuan Yao and Lu Lingqi, their souls would be cut from their bodies and sent to their father's resting place where he would dole out their true punishment. Yuan Yao laughed and replied that he welcomed their revenge.

As the fire raged and the Wu forces celebrated, Yuan Yao blinked and realized that Lu Lingqi was not disappearing into the darkness as she had before, nor was she teasing her lover with more riddles and vows. The sweat that glistened off her skin, the focused breaths from her soft lips, and the soft shine of her hair was proof enough that she was alive.

There would be plenty of time to explain the how, but with victory close at hand, Yuan Yao obediently followed his mistress to her horse, and together they rode into the enemy camp to slay more enemies in the name of Lu Lingqi, the Goddess of War that had returned to the mortal realm.