Chapter 11

Gat Su followed the trail of the many hoof-prints that had left Cheng Du. It only took a few hours to trek over the mountains in the Northern Plains until he reached Fan Castle. From his vantage point atop the crest of the valley, he could not observe any Shu soldiers assembled around the castle but he could tell the place was heavily fortified with Wei soldiers situated atop the castle walls and on the outside defending the several drawbridges.

"That place is rock solid. There's no way we're gonna penetrate that castle." However Gat Su soon noticed the ground troops scrambling around the back of the castle only to return to the drawbridge in search for higher ground. "A flood? But there is no rain..." It was only then that Guan Yu's forces emerged from behind the rear of the Castle as they swarmed the entire fortress.

"He...a sneaky tactic but it'll work for me..." Gat Su decided now was his time to enter the fray.

…

"All forces penetrate the castle and surround the enemy forces." Guan Yu gave the orders as Zhang Fei led the first wave of troops inside the castle using a set of wooden flotsams to connect cross the river.

"None shall pass!" A heavily armoured veteran officer jumped down from the castle walls and mowed down a row of soldiers with his two halberds. The next few rows of soldiers stepped back, reluctant to face the mighty warrior. "Ah...So the enemy cringes in fear before Pang De!"

"Amatuers, let me take care of this!" Zhang Fei barged through and engaged combat with Pang De. He slashed in a diagonal arc with his serpent blade before spinning on his heels and swinging his blade in a full revolution. Pang De was rigid the entire time. No matter how much ferocity Zhang Fei put into his attacks the man was immovable. He was effectively an iron golemn.

"Tch...This one is pretty tough." Zhang Fei persisted in his attacks but he could not find an opening with this man.

"Father!" Zhang Fei heard his son ride up to his side with a broad sword in hand.

"Son, this is no place for-" He felt the cold steel claw its way across his chest.

"Father!" Zhang Bao caught his father but the mighty warrior had already used his serpent blade to prop himself up.

"Get out of here boy, you're not ready for this stuff yet." He grunted as he covered his large wound.

"No Father, I want to prove myself to you, I have been training for over a month now." Zhang Bao helped his Father to his feet and regained his fighting stance. "I'll help you beat this guy Dad."

Zhang Fei smiled confidently. "Huh, don't get cocky son, I was just getting warmed up anyway."

…

Gat Su reached the front entrance but there was a mass blockade. He couldn't tell which soldiers were the enemy and which were allies as everyone was squeezed into a tiny corridor of space. A huge shockwave managed to clear a space in the crowd but unfortunately it was the allies who were on the receiving end.

The shockwave was triggered by the impact of a certain soldier's Great Axe as it raised the Earth through its heavy impact. Gat Su jumped off his horse and faces the turban wearing General of Wei.

"That was quite impressive." Gat Su commended his opponent's attack.

The man spoke in a deep and husky voice. "Your sword is quote impressive as well, I wonder if it could break my Great Axe?"

Gat Su drew his enormous blade from the back of his shoulders. "Let's test the toughness of your Axe then shall we?"

…

MEANWHILE...

"This is not good...our forces are being inundated by the rising waters and the Shu forces." The commander Cao Pi expressed his concern. "I trusted your strategy but now we are being annihilated!"

"These floods can be used to our advantage." His fellow strategist Simi Yi waved a black feathered fan over his face. "Soon the enemy will be wedged in a small crevice...It won't be long now before our reinforcements arrive..." He clenched his fist as if strangling the air. "Then we shall crush Guan Yu."

…

Gat Su's and Xu Huang's blades were locked in a tight contest of strength and steel durability. Gat Su's sword may have been four times as thick and wide as a regular sword, but the Great general's Axe was at least five times as heavy as a regular axe.

"Why did you betray Cao Cao? You could've had a better life serving Wei." Xu Huang pushed harder on his Axe.

Gat Su clenched his teeth into a smile. "I had far better goals in life than serving a man's foolish dream." He pushed back with his own blade.

"I see, then you are as foolish for leading yourself here into this trap."

"Trap?" Gat Su felt a jet of air blow across the nape of his neck and so he rolled our of the way of a surprise attack from behind.

"Xiahou Dun! Please don't interfere." Xu Huang caught the one-eyed warrior's blade with his pole axe.

"I have to deal with this one personally." Xiahou Dun walked over to Gat Su and held his Scimitar with both hands. "My Lord...My cousin...Died after losing you to those runaways from Shu." Xiahou Dun charged into Gat Su and held his blade with a vengeful passion. "Lord Cao Cao died before he could achieve his ambition! WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TAKE SUCH A MAN'S DREAM FROM HIM!" Xiahou Dun slid underneath Gat Su's sword and hacked towards his legs, the blade left a shallow cut in Gat Su's shins.

Gat Su regained his stance and tried to explain himself. "I never intended on following your Lord with the utmost loyalty, I merely held on for the brief ride until I grew tired of following a stray horse."

Xiahou Dun gritted his teeth so hard they began to crack. "YOU SCUM!" Xiahou Dun raised his blade high into the air as he rushed towards Gat Su. However Gat Su had more enemies to deal with and wished to end this quickly. With one swift swing of his blade he cut through Xiahou Dun;s scimitar and slashed through his opponent's stomach.

They both faced away from each other for a brief moment as Xiahou Dun raised his broken sword towards the heavens. "I'm sorry Lord Cao Cao...Even I could not tame the demon Slayer..." The one-eyed warrior collapsed to his knees and tried to turn back and face his killer before he slumped to the ground, permanently defeated.

Xu Huang made his way towards his fallen comrade and knelt down on one knee in a sign of respect. "You obviously seek a dream that is far bigger than I or my Lord could ever comprehend, I shall let you pass for now, but be aware that there are many stronger opponents out there waiting to bring down that dream of yours."

Gat Su noticed the flood of enemy soldiers heading from over the valley. "Looks like your friends are here."

Xu Huang smiled as he stood back up. "They are lord Cao Pi's friends but they are not mine anymore. Go ahead, I'll hold them off for a while." Gat Su was surprised by this seemingly veteran warrior's heel turn, and somewhat saddened at the thought of leaving him behind. But he knew his path lie ahead and his destiny would not allow him to perish here.

"May we one day lock our Great blades together again..." Gat Su left his worthy opponent with those words.

Xu Huang smirked as the Black Swordsman left him behind. "Hmph...You and I both know that won't happen." Xu Huang laughed at the thought as he swept down a dozen oncoming soldiers with his mighty weapon.

…

"HUUAAARRGHH!" The two Zhangs drove their blades forward as Pang De held back with his two halberds. The two Zhangs pushed him back slightly but he managed to parry them both away for the twentieth time.

"This is hopeless, Father we must pull back." Zhang Bao insisted but his father was not giving up. He rose from the wooden floor and gripped his blade.

"If you wanna run away and die somewhere else go ahead, but you said you wanted to prove yourself to me by fighting with honour." He looked down at his son. "So what'll it be kid?"

Zhang Bao picked up his sword and returned to his father's side. "Let's get him Dad!"

…

Guan Yu's forces had found a way around the human wall of Pang De by taking the Western entrance into the castle. They had found themselves fighting on top of the roofs of the buildings inside the castle.

"Do not falter, our enemy is tiring! Finish them off." Guan Yu pushed a few soldiers into a watery grave as he advanced further towards the enemy's main camp.

As Guan Yu sliced down a few more footsoldiers he peered over the walls and noticed a deluge of red armoured soldiers converging on Fan Castle. "It can't be...Wei has allied with Wu?"

…

Xu Huang lay sprawled across the ground. He turned his head and tried to reach his Great Axe with his fingers.

May we one day lock blades again...atop the heavens...

Shu's forces have been surrounded by both Wei and Wu. How can they possibly escape the oncoming flood? Don't miss the next tragic chapter!