Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters (EXCEPT Lu Kyoko and Jia Li)
AN: Character death in this, but I figure you guessed that by the title
Chapter 11: Lu Meng's Demise
The journey to Fan Castle had been uneventful, Lu Xun had suggested that the fighting might have already started and Gan Ning had raced ahead with the cavalry to find out, but since he hadn't returned they just figured that he had joined in.
Lu Xun and Lu Meng had been talking about the forces when Lu Kyoko had mentioned that Fan Castle was in sight, and slowed her horse slightly in case of ambushes.
They looked ahead of and sure enough Fan Castle was not far off, and they slowed their horses to match her speed and it gave the troops one last chance to get some strength. 'The troops are still tired from the long walk from He Fei, but at least we're only in Jing, but if the fighting has started then we have the disadvantage of tired troops, but at lease Guan Yu will be overwhelmed because of the alliance' Lu Meng thought, as his horse pulled forward trying to go faster, but Lu Meng kept him steady 'And according to those doctors I shouldn't even be here
When they arrived on the battlefield they saw that Wei was being overwhelmed by Guan Yu's massive forces "Master Cao Ren!" Lu Meng announced "Sorry we're late, but now we're here to help!"
"Thank goodness, I wasn't sure we would be able to hold out much longer"
"Humph! So Wei seeks the help of Wu" Guan Yu said, and scratched his beard thoughtfully, across the battlefield when the message reached him "Father! That means that--" Guan Ping started but Guan Yu cut across him "That their numbers are larger than ours, but only barely. The gate will be breached before Wu even get there to assist, and then you know what to do" Guan Ping bowed "Yes father" Guan Yu gestures to the troops behind him "Eradicate Wu's forces! Then concentrate on destroying what's left of Wei"
Back at the Wu camp, Lu Meng and his troops were getting knowledge off the battlefield off some Wei soldiers "I don't like the way Guan Ping is now so far away from the others... What is this building here?" She pointed on the map to a building Guan Ping's unit was near "That's the old floodgate my lady" Lu Kyoko and Lu Meng looked at each other in almost horror "Kyoko, stop Guan Ping, we'll keep the gates secure!" Lu Kyoko nodded and jumped on her horse and steered him towards the bridge.
Once again, Guan Yu got the message of what Wu was planning, he said to some officers "Make sure she does not reach Guan Ping" The officers nodded and departed, Guan Yu turned towards the castle, he could just about see Lu Kyoko's white horse in the distance 'So you're the person I've heard so much about, the one who defeated Lord Cao Cao in a duel... supposed great mind and beauty... what are you doing on a battlefield?' Guan Yu thought, but he knew she wasn't the one to be worrying about when more Wei reinforcements arrived in the castle, with the arrival of Wu his chance of defeat had grown greater, Guan Yu was hoping to meet some of the Wu officers... and hoping to send them to Hell.
Lu Kyoko was racing through the mainland, her troops struggling to keep up with her rapid pace, suddenly some Shu warriors appeared in front of her, she stopped her horse abruptly. 'Damn, I should have thought about ambushes' She cursed herself for her own carelessness, now she was surrounded. She jumped off her horse, which ran to the side of the river, and drew her spear, 'If I don't defeat these guys quickly then no way will I get to Guan Ping in time' The soldiers drew closer and attacked.
Guan Ping waited for the message that the gate had been breached before actually entering the floodgates building. He got a message from his father as well
Guan Ping
When you get the word clear the floodgate quickly, Wu know what you're going to try and do. Lu Kyoko was on her way but I'm hoping the ambush troops will slow her down considerably. She has a white horse and several troops, be on the look-out just in case and be careful.
Guan Ping folded the note again and placed it in his pocket, he drew his weapon... just in case she reached him before the gate was breached 'But that won't happen' Guan Ping thought, 'But there must be a reason why Wu have a girl on the battlefield. But there must be a reason why father said be careful, she must be strong if father's worried' Guan Ping sat tight and waited for another messenger.
Lu Kyoko lowered her spear, the ambush troops were all dead, she whistled her horse over, mounted it and carried on towards the bridge.
Guan Ping thought he was seeing things, but sure enough: a white horse, red clothing, bloody spear and soldiers dressed in red... Lu Kyoko had beaten the ambush troops and was heading straight for him 'This is what father warned me about'
Guan Ping raised his weapon and all his troops readied themselves, Lu Kyoko jumped off her horse and their troops charged at each other, while Lu Kyoko and Guan Ping fought in the centre.
Soon all of Guan Ping's forces were defeated and he managed to retreat before Lu Kyoko had a chance to deliver a 'final blow' but she stopped Shu from flooding Fan Castle, but in case he returned she stayed nearby the floodgate.
Meanwhile Lu Meng, Lu Xun and Gan Ning had all advanced and were pressing the Shu forces, with a few Wei officers such as Xu Huang, Zhang He and even Sima Yi who had just arrived. Eventually they all saw Guan Yu's main camp and charged it, calling out for every officer to charge with them, Guan Yu stood in front of them. "You must be Lu Meng, I have heard about you" Then he raised his spear "And I challenge you"
Even Lu Xun could not read the expression on Lu Meng's face, Gan Ning rode off and Lu Meng dismounted his horse, but he knew where Gan Ning was going, the troops and officers on both sides joined together rather reluctantly to make a ring.
Lu Kyoko was waiting by the floodgate when Gan Ning suddenly raced up to them, "Gan Ning? What's wrong?" Gan Ning stopped "Guan Yu has challenged Lu Meng to a duel!"
"What?!" Lu Kyoko mounted her horse and turned to her troops "You guys all fight well, I'm leaving the protection of this base to you, if Guan Ping comes again then stop him!"
The troops all nodded and bowed while Lu Kyoko and Gan Ning raced off, Gan Ning knew his horse was tired but kept urging him to keep going. When they reached Guan Yu's main camp they heard shouting and the sound of metal clashing. Lu Kyoko and Gan Ning raced inside the camp and had to stop their horses quickly to avoid crashing straight into the ring. They dismounted and joined the circle, right at the front, but Lu Kyoko knew that Lu Meng hadn't been well and still wasn't now, he was no match for Guan Yu.
It wasn't long before Lu Kyoko was proved right, Lu Meng's weapon flew out of his hands, killing a Shu soldier in the process, and he knelt down, Guan Yu raised his spear for a killing blow, Lu Meng saw Lu Kyoko's sad face and closed his eyes, thinking it would be the last thing he saw.
Guan Yu swung down but something blocked it and there was a great 'clang' as two metals clashed, Lu Meng opened his eyes and looked up 'I can't believe it...', Guan Yu looked surprised as he saw Lu Kyoko and her spear was between him and Lu Meng, he smiled slightly "Stubborn to the end?" He asked her.
"Don't be ridiculous! You'd do the same if it was your brother!" Lu Kyoko answered and they started duelling. Gan Ning and Lu Xun carefully got Lu Meng to the edge of the ring "What's she doing? Gan Ning..." Lu Xun knelt down and supported his mentor "I tried to stop her, but she was too fast for me to grab her" Gan Ning said and Lu Meng nodded and started watching the battle, Lu Kyoko had only fought the ambush units and Guan Ping, she wouldn't be as tired as him either.
Eventually, Guan Yu had defeated her, once again by knocking her weapon out of her hands, but she stayed standing "You are a stubborn one" Guan Yu said and raised his spear a second time, he swung down but Lu Kyoko ducked forward and, drawing a dagger she stabbed Guan Yu. Gan Ning checked his pockets and saw he was a dagger missing "I didn't even realise..." He said.
Guan Yu took a deep breath and dropped his weapon, he stood up fully again and looked down at Lu Kyoko "You're right, I would have done the same for my brother..." He admitted and collapsed; she heard a shout and saw Guan Ping running for her with his weapon, but suddenly Gan Ning was between them with his other dagger and he stabbed Guan Ping, Gan Ning caught him and lay him down beside his dead adoptive father. Lu Kyoko smiled her thanks, Fan Castle was safe, then a cough brought her back to the attention of her brother and away from the troops who grabbed their leader's bodies and started running back to Cheng Du.
Lu Kyoko knelt down beside her brother and supported his head, Zhang He got the other Wei generals and they started walking back to the castle, deciding to leave this final moment to Wu. But despite Lu Meng's fast approaching death he smiled at his sister "I've never been prouder of you, and I want you to take my place as Field General... Gan Ning a step above that and for Lu Xun to become strategist, he's ready" Lu Xun and Gan Ning heard this, but decided to leave Lu Kyoko, they stood outside, close enough to hear but away enough to give them privacy and stop anyone intruding.
"You want me to take your place?"
Lu Meng nodded and held out his hand, she took hold of it "You are all ready, Lu Kyoko keep an eye on them, watch over Lu Xun like a tiger watches it's cub, it's your turn to leave the den as I did years ago" She smiled, tears filling her eyes "You still speak in riddles brother"
"And don't think I never supported you and Ling Tong... that was the plan"
"'Plan'?" She echoed
Lu Meng nodded again, "I would tell you... if I thought I had the strength, ask Jia Li, Gan Ning will have been through enough after this week"
"I promise... brother, if you knew you were ill then why did you take to the battlefield?"
"Because I would prefer to die here, on the battlefield in my sister's arms, then you beside my bed"
Lu Meng closed his eyes and she felt his grip on her loosen, the tears escaped from her eyes and she bent her head down into his chest "Brother? No!" Lu Xun and Gan Ning came back in, Gan Ning was swallowing hard, his face going slightly red, while Lu Xun clearly had tears in his eyes as he
knelt beside Lu Meng, Gan Ning knelt beside Lu Kyoko and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but even he could feel the tears start to rise; but, for the sake of the others, he refused to let them fall.
After a while, Gan Ning picked up Lu Meng's body and started to walk back to Wu's main camp, Lu Xun and Lu Kyoko on either side of him.
Cao Ren was on the castle walls, Wu's main camp was right next to the castle and he saw them carrying their former leader and taking him into their camp. He turned around to Xu Huang, Zhang He and the other officers "Well it looks like Lu Meng did indeed die" Xu Huang looked confused "How? Lu Kyoko didn't let Guan Yu touch him after the duel" Zhang He walked over to the wall and looked over it "Beauty never lasts, and an illness makes the flower bloom for a shorter time than of its own accord" Xu Huang turned and looked at Zhang He "Lu Meng was ill? Well he hid it very well"
"He did indeed" Said an almost menacing voice behind them and Sima Yi came up beside them
"I take it his sister didn't take the news very well"
"She already knew he was ill, but she didn't say anything because nobody else knew, though I now suspect that the other Wu generals do" Sima Yi said, gesturing towards Wu's camp.
"Nevertheless," Cao Ren said "For now at least we are still allies"
Cao Ren ordered a coffin to be built with Wu's emblem engraved on it, borrowing a soldier for the pattern and Cao Ren personally took it to the Wu camp with a black flag. Cao Ren hadn't expected Lu Kyoko to be grateful, but the Wu forces soon left at Lu Kyoko's command, the soldiers passed the role of commander down to her and packing up the camp had been harder than she'd thought. But soon they were back on the way to Jian Ye, with the black flag soaring high beside the Wu flag, Lu Meng's coffin was behind her, being carried across two horses.
AN: Okay so how was that, personally I think it's quite hard to write fighting scenes, and the death ones are quite hard but I think I did them both okay. Please R&R