Chapter: 11 Battle for the Sword
Tomas, Zi, Lihua, and the Imperial battalion rode all night. They reached Mulan's hillside village by the break of dawn. The rising red sun made the riders appear as if they were on fire. This contrasted against the shadowy terrain until all was illuminated. The battalion rode down a hillside and through a surging river. As the horses galloped through it, volleys of whitewater struck against the rider's faces.
"Faster Khan!" spurred Mulan. "Faster!" Her steed snorted proudly and picked up the pace, so much so that Mulan led the charge. As they neared the village, one of its farmers glanced up and gasped at the sight. "Sir," panted Mulan as she brought Khan to a dirt-grinding halt. "Is everyone alright?"
The elderly farmer gave his head a scratch and replied, "I believe so. Whatever is the meaning of this?"
Mulan remained occupied with thoughts of suspicion and urgency. She turned to Shang. "They're fine."
"For now," he whispered before calling out to the men. "Let's get into the village and set up a defense. I won't take any chances."
"You heard the general!" growled Yao. "Let's move it!"
"Do you think this village is still at risk?" thought Tomas. "Perhaps the Scarlet Sword has shifted towards another region."
"Everything is a mystery with the Scarlet Sword," replied Zi. "We'd best not take chances."
The battalion moved into the village and began to hastily set up a perimeter around its three main entry points. At each entrance, Imperial lancers formed a spear wall while archers assembled behind them. Soon, an old man in a blue tunic limped out of his home. He was accompanied by his wife, and a far more elderly woman. "Mother, father, grandmother!" Mulan ran up and hugged the trio.
"Mulan," began her father. "What on earth is going on?"
"We received news that the Scarlet Sword was in the area," said his daughter. "I had to make sure you were alright."
"All has been calm for the last few days," said her grandmother. "What are they just gonna pop out and-"
An intimidating roar echoed from the adjacent hills overlooking the valley. "Yes, grandmother." finished Mulan.
"Battle stations!" ordered Shang as he unsheathed his sword. The archers strung up their bows and took aim over the hill. A line of red infantry began to rise from the apex of it. They were common assassins with red gis and dao swords. They roared again before charging straight at the village. Tomas stood in the center with Mulan, Shang, and Lihua. "We will be the second line of defense," said Shang.
"No," retaliated Zi. "These men need help." She readied her bow and joined ranks with the archers. "Coming Tomas?"
"You know it!" he eagerly joined the lancers and stood in the center. One of the Imperials gave him a nod of respect before returning focus to the incoming attackers.
Shang raised his hand and gave the order, "FIRE!" On his command, the archers loosed a volley upon the charging assassins. They struck with the utmost intensity, bloodying the ground while the remaining assassins pressed on. "FIRE AT WILL!" screamed Shang. He then turned to a group of twenty warriors. "You men! Get the villagers to safety. Usher them to the Imperial City!"
Mulan's father contested, "I will not abandon my home."
"Honorable Fa Zhou," insisted Shang. "You must."
"We will be alright, father." said Mulan with a tight embrace as he reluctantly agreed.
"Steady," muttered Tomas, firmly gripping his sword. "Steeeeady...NOW!" The assassins leapt at the spear wall. While many were skewered by lancers, others were able to breach. A second wave of assassins emerged from the second hill. This group consisted of archers that fired upon the village defenses.
Zi ducked when the first volley struck, inflicting a blow upon the Imperials. "Return fire! Left side!" she ordered. With the archers diverted from the center, the rest of the Scarlet Sword assassins were able to rush full force at the spear wall.
The entrance to the village had become a chaotic and bloody battleground, one Tomas had not seen since his days with the Maelstrom. "Hold them!" he barked before stabbing an assassin in the neck. "Hold the line!" He watched as a foe disarmed a soldier of his spear and jammed it into his chest. He then removed it and impaled a second warrior. Enraged, Tomas bolted for the assassin. He sliced the spear in two and kicked its wielder to the bloodied ground. As he did so, he realized that other assassins were using their acrobatics to leap into the village. This is when Mulan, Shang, Chien Po, Yao, Ling, and Lihua charged in. They fought off the advance and Zi did her best to stabilize the archery line.
Tomas slashed down an incoming foe while dueling a dao swordsman. He strafed from a swing of his enemy's sword and grabbed hold of his scarlet hood. He pulled it over his face and then drop-kicked him into the crowd.
Tomas spun to see the soldier whom had nodded to him before the battle. Two Scarlet Swords brought him to his knees and stabbed him in the back. "NOOOO!" roared Tomas as he lunged to engage. He rolled under the first foe's swing and grabbed hold of a dropped shortsword. He wedged it in the assassin's calf and uppercutted the other with his sword. With one final spin, Tomas flung the shortsword into the torso of a third assassin.
Tomas fought like the war veteran he was. As the last of the Maelstrom, he had to uphold his signature fighting style and carry on his clans teachings. He felt exhilarated to be fighting evil on the field of battle again. The nostalgia was short-lived when Tomas heard a war cry in the distance. He turned with a sneer, "What the hell is that?"
Zi fired an arrow and observed the incoming war band as well. They were Scarlet Swords that no one had ever seen before. They did not wear the traditional gis, but instead wore full suits of layered, red armor. Consisting of both men and women, these foes wielded long, jia swords and had scarlet bandanas wrapped around their heads. This horrific and intimidating horde poured out towards the frontal entrance points of the village. They surged through like a wildfire, slaughtering countless Imperial soldiers in their path.
Tomas engaged his first elite. He swung his sword, only to have it clang against the enemy's armor. The man swung upwards but Tomas ducked and stabbed with his sword. With great haste, the armored assassin caught Tomas' by the arm and twisted it. Tomas quickly broke free with a kick and bashed his assailant with the butt of his sword. He heard the foe's skull crack before falling over, and Tomas ran to help out the other soldiers.
Zi's range was lessening as the warriors closed in. Her arrows could not breach the elite armor, so she had to resort to solely headshots. Even Lihua was having a hard time combatting the elites with her sais. Zi withdrew her bow and finally used the scimitar Tomas had forged for her. She swung at the midsection of an assassin's pauldron, taking his leg off. "Wow," she gasped at the sword's effectiveness. "Thanks for the sword, Tomas!"
"Glad it...works!" he grunted while sticking his sword in a warrior's shoulder. Shang and Mulan fought back to back, fending off all incoming attackers.
In that instant, a voice boomed, "ZIIIIIIIIIIII!" Zi turned to find herself facing down her former husband.
"Tsao," she spat.
He brandished the finest scarlet armor of all, and readied his twin jias. "It's been too long," he cackled. "Face me now, and pay with blood for your treachery! I have-"
BWOOSH!
Tomas tackled Tsao while he was monologuing.
The two tumbled across the village center before he kicked the Arendellian off of him. "You," he hissed.
Tomas quickly recovered, "You will bring no harm to Zi!"
"Fool," he snarled, "I have risen to take my revenge! Now I will-"
THWACK!
Lihua performed a leaping kick on Tsao while he was monologuing.
He staggered back and raged, "That's it!" He charged forward and kneed Tomas in the face.
Zi and Lihua attacked simultaneously. He dodged both of their strikes and countered with his swords. Both women got severed from the fight when other elites engaged them, leaving Tomas alone with Tsao. He swung his sword, allowing it to bash against both of Tsao's. Sparks flared from the impact as both fighters continued to grind blades. Tsao shoved while ducking and elbowed Tomas back. Tomas countered with a kick to his chest. Tsao's armor made this move ineffective, and he kicked Tomas in the leg. Because it was his arrow-wounded leg, Tomas fell to his knees and growled with pain. Tsao realized this and stomped on the same leg. Tomas fell over in excruciating pain while Zi took aim with her bow. She fired, and Tsao caught the projectile, a mere inch away from his face. He smirked, "You always were my inferior at stealth." He ran at her as she aimed again. She shot another arrow, which Tsao dodged. He also evaded the third before tackling Zi. Yao and Ling ran over to help. Tsao fought both of them back with a swing of his blades, sending them colliding into Chien Po. "My training has only strengthened me! You will all fall!"
"Not today!" exclaimed Mulan before taking a swing at Tsao. Their blades met before she roundhouse kicked him in the jaw.
Shang came to her side and Tsao taunted, "The great General Shang. The heroic Mulan. Finally, a real challenge."
"Attack!" yelled Shang. He and Mulan dueled Tsao. He backflipped while slashing at them. When he landed, he bolted forward and knocked both off balance. Mulan attacked next, but Tsao slashed across her arm and drew blood. When she fell with a wince, he kicked her away. "Mulan!" yelled Shang as he ran to her aid. Tsao was ready to attack him, but Tomas intervened.
"Back for more?" he mocked.
"I'm just getting warmed up!" laughed Tomas. He jabbed his sword at Tsao, who countered with his jias. Much to Tomas' bewilderment, Tsao then sheathed both swords and assumed a fighting stance. He punched Tomas in the face and leapt over him. As he did so, Tomas felt something leave his back. He turned...to see Tsao holding the Guardian. He aimed it, and by sheer luck, pulled the trigger for normal projectiles. He fired one as Tomas ducked.
"I like your toy," laughed Tsao. "I think I'll keep it!" He fired two more crossbow bolts. Tomas rolled away from the first and deflected the other with his sword. He was about to fire again when something popped out of the top nozzle. It was Lucky. The snowgie hopped onto Tsao's face and bit his nose. He fell back while Tomas recovered the Guardian and Lucky.
"Nice work, buddy." said Tomas as Lucky squeaked on his shoulder. He examined the crossbow, and how it only had one bolt left. This was the last of Tomas' stash. He carefully aimed and fired it directly into Tsao's neck. The warrior fell, twitching for air. Just when Tomas thought he had one, Tsao began to stand up! "What...the...hell?"
Something began to glow blue from Tsao's neck. It was a skull-shaped necklace that seemed to energize him. Soon, Tsao's eyes became orbs of blue fire. When he opened his mouth and flared his nostrils, blue flames fumed outwards. He smiled, "You know not what powers you deal with!" He turned towards a group of Imperial soldiers and stretched out his hand. Blue fire blasted out of his palm and scorched them alive. "BUUUUURN! FEAR THE MIGHTY TSAO!"
He punched at the ground, making it shake beneath everyone's feet. "Take him!" ordered Shang. Imperial archers fired at Tsao until he was a human pin cushion. He clenched his fists and turned every arrow to ashes. A soldier ran up and stabbed him. Tsao simply grabbed the man and threw him with super human strength. The man went flying and loosed an iconic scream. "Captain Wil-Helm! No!" exclaimed Shang.
"Now..." Tsao cracked his neck. "To get what i came for." He stomped across the conflict and into Mulan's estate. He burned down the door and barged in.
"What is he doing?" panicked Mulan while grasping her bloodied arm.
"I don't know, but I don't want to wait around to find out!" Tomas beckoned Lihua, Zi and the other fighters to join him as they chased after Tsao.
The assassin leader rummaged through Mulan's home until he found his prize. A crooked sword lay mounted on the Fa family wall alongside various other mementos. He sighed, "At long last. The sword of Shan Yu. Possessed by the family of his killer. A gift from the emperor, no doubt." He removed it from the wall just as Tomas and company came running in.
"Drop the sword, Tsao!" ordered Zi.
"Or what, dearest? You'll kill me? That's if you even have the guts to." He quickly turned and breathed fire at them. As the house was consumed by a blue inferno, Tomas still attacked Tsao.
"If we can get that necklace off of him, we might stand a chance!" Tomas dodged one of Tsao's blasts of fire. Zi leapt at him, but Tsao caught her leg and flung her into Lihua. He breathed fire again, scattering Yao, Ling, and even Chien Po. While he was distracted with the others, Tomas closed in on Tsao. He leapt onto Tsao's back, doing his best to try and rip off the necklace. His effort failed, and Tsao threw him to the ground so hard, the tiles beneath him cracked. Enraged, Tsao roared and blasted fire across the entire room. The explosion sent Tomas crashing out of the house and disappearing into a black cloud of smoke.
"Look upon me! This is the end of China as you know it!" screeched Tsao while holding up Shan Yu's sword. "The Scarlet Sword shall rise again!" With that, he continued to burn the entire village to the ground.
"We need to fall back to the Imperial City, " resorted Shang. "We need to regroup and tell the emperor what's happened. Now!"
"But what about Tomas?!" exclaimed Zi. "Where is he? I won't leave without him!"
Shang carried the wounded Mulan in his arms. "We don't have time for this! You have to trust he'll be alright and leave him if he's dead!"
Zi shook her head in retaliation and ran back in. "No!" Lihua held her back. "We have to leave, Zi! Tomas would do the same for you!"
"No he wouldn't!" flailed Zi. "He'd stay!"
"Remember your place!" scolded Lihua. "The emperor needs us. We leave, now!" Zi gave into the urgency of the situation and the worry of her companions. She joined the surviving Imperials as they fled to the city. They mounted what horses they could recover and rode violently. Zi gave her steed a spur before looking back at the destruction behind her. The sight brought tears to Mulan's eyes as she watched her home smolder to the ground. All Zi could think about...was Tomas.