Broken Hourglass
Chapter 20
" I still can't understand this. The last time we talked, nothing looked like it would go wrong afterwards... nothing at all." The voice of the young tactician became barely audible as he said the last words.
" The way you feel won't change anything. It's harsh, but I have learnt that well after the loss of my father. Try to face what happened and make your decisions."
Lu Su frowned slightly and walked away with unsure pace which prompted him to seek some support from the nearest wall. He sighed and tried to ease his shocked mind with random thoughts but to no avail.
He had just heard from Ling Tong that Zhou Yu had fallen in a coma after getting heavily injured. Nobody was certain when or if he was going to recover.
Unfortunately, Lu Su had noticed there was a general opinion among his allies that Zhou Yu might not survive and if he did, the possibility of not being the same loomed in their minds. Of course, these things were said during private conversations in which Sun Ce did not participate.
He stopped for a while and contemplated on the late events... first of all, this happened before Sun Ce's army arrive at Baqiu, where they were now. Zhuge Jin believed there was still hope for Zhou Yu and sought refuge back in the fortress to save him. This move cost them the town, the one that they tried to defend. Although the opposing force was able to conquer it and use the provisions, the Jing army showed signs of hesitation after the arrival of Wu's main unit.
" What lord Sun Ce could be thinking right now?" Lu Su wondered and looked for his leader, as he hadn't seen him for a long time. Until this moment, Sun Ce avoided to show his emotion or say anything about the incident, choosing to withdraw in silence.
He found the Wu lord at the central balcony, gazing the night sky. Sun Ce noted Lu Su's presence without having to turn towards him. " If Zhou Yu dies, I will make sure that Liu Biao and his family won't have a place to stay or hide. I will burn their territory to the ground, not worrying about harming innocent people in the process." His voice never sounded so cold.
" I don't think that will be necessary." The tactician said calmly.
" Some of your comrades speak as if Zhou Yu is already lost."
" His condition makes them feel nervous. They talk about the worst possibility just to exorcise their fear, so please, don't let this disturb you. I also feel afraid, but I have already chosen what to believe. Zhou Yu wouldn't want to go so quickly... to make such a decision."
"...It's all up to him, isn't it?" The lord's voice and expression softened, " Yet, I can't stop wondering if I could find something to help him awake."
Zhou Yu was lying in a single bed at the centre of the room where his lord stayed. Sun Ce closed the door and rested his back against it for a few moments, lowering his gaze. Then he removed his cape and shoes and knelt by his partner's side. He hesitated to touch him as though he was worried that it might plunge Zhou Yu deeper in his slumber which kept him captive between the worlds of life and death.
But this time Sun Ce felt like he could lay a caress upon him without reservations. He held Zhou Yu's hand in his own and trailed his thumb on the veins that were delineated on the upper side. He stopped close to the wrist where the thin paths of the ramification were faint.
" I want a second chance for you."
Sun Ce rested his head on the bed, still holding the hand of his lover, waiting for the morning to come quickly and together with it, the possibility of recovery. Later, he felt his eyelids becoming heavy and sank into a light sleep.
Shortly before dawn, while the sky was still dark, a tremendous noise startled Sun Ce and once he attempted to stand and see what happened, the floor shook fiercely underfoot and he wavered uncontrollably, " Earthquake?". He didn't have enough time to examine this possibility... he noticed that small and larger fragments of the ceiling were about to collapse.
The lord let out a deep cry like an animal that desperately needs to protect its young one as he struggled to regain his balance and go close to the vulnerable man. Sun Ce shielded Zhou Yu's body with his, not caring about his own safety. A part from the ceiling fell on his back but he realised that he didn't feel great pain, probably because his whole focus was on his partner.
When the deafening noise seemed to stop, Sun Ce turned his eyes towards the door, hoping it was a good moment to escape, but noticed that they were trapped. He had to move a few stones and furniture first, so they could get out.
Sun Ce saw that a part of the wall was destroyed as though it was attacked by a siege weapon. He didn't try to analyse the situation more and quickly began to remove whatever blocked the entrance, almost with unnatural power. After that, he took Zhou Yu, carrying him on his back.
Dust had risen in several places and anxious voices could be heard from outside. While Sun Ce was descending some stairs with caution, he came across Taishi Ci.
" They are using catapults so they can try to attack us from within! But I have already sent a team to distract them." The warrior reported quickly. " Were you injured?"
" No, but I must find a safe place for Zhou Yu before I can do anything else."
" Please, follow me."
The inner part of the fortress, where the store-room was located, was considered the safest area. Sun Ce placed his partner carefully on a wooden platform. He leaned close to him and said quietly, " I will come later to see you. Wait for me here."
Sun Ce took his weapon from the vault and hurried to meet his generals. He asked them to detach a strong team from their unit to cooperate and stop the catapults outside the fortress.
" Has the enemy leader appeared yet?"
" We don't know about Liu Qi, but it has been reported by some soldiers that Liu Zhong was actually seen inside this building. Maybe he tried to infiltrate with few of his men during the confusion." Lu Meng informed.
"...I see. For now, I want you, Taishi Ci and Zhou Tai to lead the teams that will take action outside. Try to attack each of the catapults together and don't give in to the temptation to split and strike separately. This will help you finish your work faster. I am going to ask horsemen of my unit to assist you while I remain here with Ling Tong and Zhuge Jin to guard our base now that a large part of the defencive walls has fallen."
" Be careful." Zhou Tai said to his lord.
" You also. Try to avoid unnecessary danger."
After the two warriors left, Sun Ce asked Ling Tong to find Zhuge Jin in order to organise their troops who appeared to have spread in many different places after the surprise attack. They also agreed to search for Liu Zhong.
An unusual, serrated arrow embedded in a pillar caught Sun Ce's attention. He got near, pulled it away and observed it closely for a few moments. A frown formed on his face as he turned his eyes towards a certain direction. " He's here."
In the meantime, a man in dark armour had approached the comatose warrior with curiosity. " Hm... I remember you. So you survived after my strike. I wonder what kept you to life..." His eyes shone with a malicious glint. " Whatever, it doesn't matter anymore..." He murmured and pointed his crossbow at him.
Suddenly, a ferocious arm wrapped his neck tightly, choking him and forcing him to trip backwards.
" Pathetic scoundrel!! Does a cheap murder make you feel proud of yourself?" Sun Ce's voice was filled with loathing.
The other warrior could only utter some inarticulate words as the Wu lord continued to choke him, his arm was pressing hard his neck. In the end, Sun Ce let him go, pushing him away. " Even a weak person could kill a warrior in such a shameful way. So, don't consider yourself too clever."
" Actually, I consider myself cunning and there was nothing wrong or dishonourable in my attempt. In battle you must be both a tiger and a snake in order to gain success."
" Then I hope you are more tiger than serpent because if you are not, I assure you that you won't have the slightest chance to beat me." Sun Ce observed the unfamiliar shape and size of his opponent's crossbow, noticing that it could be used at close quarters as its two long edges looked sharp like knives. At this point, Sun Ce was absolutely certain that this man was Liu Zhong himself.
The lord of Wu couldn't contain his urge to deliver the first strike, closing the distance between them and attempting to prevent Liu Zhong from firing the dangerous arrows. The warrior from Jing avoided Sun Ce after performing a few defencive moves and searched for an opportunity to attack him from afar.
Liu Zhong's agility permitted him to shoot without delay or second thought. Sun Ce could block the arrows with his tonfa, but their unusual weight and construction combined with the speed they developed, increased the risk of hurting his arms as he thwarted them.
" How long are you going to keep this up? You behave as if you can do this forever, but the attacks of your weapon happen to be limited."
Sun Ce's comment appeared to have provoked his opponent. " You think that I feel weak without my arrows? You 're wrong!" He rushed towards him, using the sharp, heavy edges of his weapon to challenge Sun Ce's. As they exchanged blows, repelling and parrying each other's attacks, Sun Ce heard a strange, cracking sound but he wasn't sure whether it was produced by Liu Zhong's weapon or his... the sound excited the warrior of Jing and it seemed like he had taken it as a positive cue, encouraging him to attack maniacally.
Sun Ce yelped in surprise seeing one of the tonfa breaking, rendering the other pair useless. Liu Zhong took advantage of this moment and kicked his opponent hard, forcing him to lose his balance and collide violently against the platform where Zhou Yu was lying.
" I wonder if I can finish you both with one arrow." The enemy said with a smug smile.
Sun Ce gave an aching look at his warrior. " Zhou Yu. I cannot have your protection right now, can I?"
As he lowered his gaze, trying to decide quickly what he could do, a piece of metal that shone under the faint light, lying hidden close to the wooden platform, entered his field of vision. He blinked and turned his head a little so he could see exactly what it was...
A hooked spear.
His arm stretched as though it had its own will or as if being guided by an outer force, and the fingers embraced the handle with confidence. Sun Ce glanced at Zhou Yu with a small smile as he stood up to continue the fight.
" Ohh, a new weapon." Liu Zhong commented, keeping his fighting stance. " It amuses me that you insist on defending the unconscious general whereas the main battle is outside." He paused speaking once his guards appeared in the large room to check what their leader was doing, " Well, since you didn't want to give up, I will have to make this more challenging." He added and signalled his men to attack Sun Ce.
The lord of Wu responded with revitalised strength to the new offencive wave. The blade of the spear was fierce and merciless, fuelled by the warrior's decisiveness to overcome any obstacle while the masterly technique of the user didn't leave his opponents a chance to stop him.
After seeing that the guards had failed, Liu Zhong pointed again at his enemy and fired three arrows. Sun Ce destroyed them, moving the broad blade accordingly and bounced in the air for a close strike. Liu Zhong thought he was going to attempt to destruct his crossbow from his high position but Sun Ce faked the attack, and before he landed, he twirled around and performed a low slash close to the enemy's knee and then executed another rapid, vertical blow, tearing the crossbow apart.
Liu Zhong cried out in shock and pain as he fell to the ground and felt the deadly tip of the spear upon the skin of his neck.
" Order your army to leave immediately, but more importantly, tell your father that if he ever tries to mess with me again, I won't spare a single soldier from his land."
Before the defeated warrior could answer, the ground shook vehemently again, the high ceiling and walls looked like they were about to collapse. Another catapult strike.
" Lord Sun Ce!" The warning of Zhuge Jin was heard clearly from the long corridor that connected the store-room with the outer section of the fortress.
" I am coming now." He answered aloud and withdrew his weapon, ready to leave.
Liu Zhong's eyes widened after realising the identity of his previous opponent. He groaned and crawled towards Sun Ce...
" I cannot take both my broken tonfa and this spear, together with Zhou Yu." Sun Ce thought as he was about to place Zhou Yu on his back, not knowing how and which weapon he should carry.
" My lord, look out!"
This time, Zhuge Jin's voice sounded more intense, which made Sun Ce turn quickly and come face to face with a desperate Liu Zhong looking for a chance to make a vain effort. Sun Ce struck him with the opposite tip of his spear, not intending to be the one to punish him lethally but let Liu Zhong's cunning method to destroy the fortress, do that for him.
Zhuge Jin offered to carry the spear and also took a broken piece of the crossbow.
The first bits of the ceiling were falling and the piles cracked dangerously. When this part of the building begun to collapse, Sun Ce and his two officers had already managed to escape. After that, they were informed by a messenger that the generals that had been sent to fight outside were close to destroying the catapults and driving their opponents away.
" You can show this to an enemy general and the Jing army shall lose the will to continue the fight." Zhuge Jin said, indicating the broken crossbow.
" Is it necessary?" Sun Ce asked and his voice sounded distant.
" Not really. You secured the victory of this battle."
Sun Ce turned a little and looked at Zhou Yu's face.
" Have I?"
XxXxXxXxX
Nothing seemed to have changed in Jian Ye. But very few knew about a particular absence from the castle...
" Lady Qiao asked me to give you this message, my mistress. She said she couldn't stay here anymore and probably won't come back... she hoped that you, especially, would understand."
" No, I don't! She can't..." Sun Shang Xiang let the sentence linger, sheer tension and unrest went through her eyes. " Did she say where she wanted to go?"
" No, my lady. But maybe she was thinking to return to her family's house so she would try to reconcile with her father after-"
" Wait a moment. What is that suppose to mean?" The warrior asked her handmaid impatiently.
The girl took an unhappy expression as she began to speak, " After you left for battle, lady Da Qiao stayed here in the castle. Later her father came and there seemed to be a serious dispute between them. I am afraid that lord Qiao accused her of not being able to persuade her husband not to oppose Wei."
" Why must she face all this?" Sun Shang Xiang murmured to herself with palpable anger in her voice. The handmaid lowered her gaze without saying anything.
" I don't think she went to conciliate with Qiao Xuan. In certain occasions there is no turning back. Some decisions are permanent and cannot be reversed."
Sun Shang Xiang turned around and quickly prepared to leave.
She didn't hear her brother Sun Quan asking her where she was going.