[Xu Shu]

I looked down at my sword, the cloth slightly blackened from cleaning the blade. I used the nearby metals to sharpen it like Lu Huang had taught me. I carefully move my hands, dragging my bare fingers across the blade, soft enough to see how sharp I made it.

The memory sat fondly in my mind, as I sat with Lu Huang in his cellar, watching him work on different weapons. He had showed me his process and even allowed me to try it for myself. He told me that I should sharpen my sword periodically, to keep it in great condition. It became a ritual for me, A way to remember and honor his existence kind of.

At first I did the ritual with a heavy heart, often my sword would be stained with the tears, I used to mourn him with. But recently, I found myself remembering our pleasant times and smiling.

I guess this is what you call moving on.

I lift my sword as the sunlight shone through my window and reflected on it. I tilted it partially and meet my own brown eyes. I looked at the already sharpened hook, as my eyes land on the tattered red ribbon.

It was well made for it to still be working, but it's starting to fall apart. I bring it to my hand and rub the material as it starts to shed a little. My smile became slightly bitter, as I didn't exactly want to throw away the ribbon he had given me. A sword can be sharpened and preserved but a ribbon?

Throwing it away doesn't seem too right.

I'll have to replace it eventually, but I didn't want to just dishonor this artifact but leaving it behind. Then an idea came me.

I should give it to Lu Mei.

For all she knows this is the last artifact of her father. It'll only do her justice if I gave it to her. And maybe I can even give her Ping's chain. I place my sword on my wall near my window and gently reach to the back of my neck. I had to move my messy hair, it seemingly have grown from all the time that passed. I undo the chain and gently pull the charred Xiangqi piece off of it. I take the gold ribbon that hangs around my waist on my blue robes and hang the burned chariot piece there.

I take the end of my sword and untie the red ribbon, doing the same at the hook's end. As the blades sat separated I gazed that the artifacts that I've carried in my possession for years. My eyes overlooking them and drowning in the kind memories.

Mei deserve these memories. She deserves these last remnant of her family.

I nod to myself as the resolve fills me, standing, I place the red ribbon and the chain in my pocket. Taking the two separated blades and making my way to the handmaiden's quarters so I can request a new ribbon.

Maybe I can make the trip back to that base before FengXiao returns and give it to her and maybe take this chance to try to reconcile with Lu Shan.

I've been running for too long.

This was a family who I had seen fall apart, a family that I used to be apart of. Another family that I watched being torn apart by tragedy. They deserve closure, they deserve the remnants of their loved ones much more than I do.

I smiled with a heavy heart, knowing it won't be easy, but-

It's the least I can do.

[Guo Jia]

I walk around the base as I calm the soldier as they train and work towards reforming the ranks from the raid they had did. Keeping my promise, I oversee every meal the Shu citizens eat and occasionally talk to the supposed elder. She never seemed to truly trust me, which was understable due to the situation they were in, but the conversations were intriguing nonetheless.

I didn't bother to ask her on her feelings of the war, it was clear that these citizen supported Lord Liu Bei and his emotional quest for 'benevolence'.

An amusing thought, but not much substance to the chant.

I walked through the people, as they eat their meals, and place a stool in front of the elder's cell as I awaited for her to approach to accept her plate.

She does eventually emerge and graciously accepts the food, with a kind bow and words of gratitude. The people around her, talking and loving amongst themselves, they seemed to pay no heed to my existence.

"My Lord." her voice came out to me in between her meager bites and I tilt my head acknowledging her call to me.

"I must say, I am very grateful for your graciousness to us peasants."

I shake my head slightly and smile at the elderly woman. "Please Ma'am, I am simply fulfilling my promise, I don't exactly wish to harm any people."

She nods slowly, and eats a little more before speaking again.

"You remind me of someone I had known long ago. He was just as kind as you and possibly just as handsome."

"Well then, I'm not too sure who you speak of, because I feel as if I am bold enough to point out that I am extremely handsome."

We both chuckle, the comment quickly overlooked as she continued her point.

"He was close to me. And I had loved him unconditionally."

"You husband ma'am?"

She nodded slowly, as she took another bite and slowly chewed. I patiently waited for her to continue.

"We were young when we met, we didn't get along too much then. He was a prideful boy. But I wasn't a girl taken lightly."

"I can see that." I respond, kindly. Her wrinkles rise as she smiled kindly at me.

"We fought a lot, and I won a lot. And as we grew we had come to love one another. He was beautiful, his life was beautiful til the very end."

She slurps the final product off of her dish, and hands it to me. I accept it and bow graciously.

"How did he pass, if you don't mind me asking."

She stood and dusted off her old dress as her brown eyes twinkled slightly.

"You'll have to come back later for a continuation of the story. "

We chuckled again as I stood and make my way out to turn in the dish. In only minutes I found myself overlooking all of the supplies and thinking about the woman again. She is truly an interesting person.

As I counted the amount of ingredients for meals, I had remembered to eat myself.

Twenty minutes later I found myself in a room eating rice and some soup. As the flavors danced on my tongue, my mind danced around back to Yuanzhi. I began to wonder if he was okay. Which knowing Wei, he is.

Maybe I should write to him? It would reach him quickly. And he doesn't even need to write me back. I should be returning back to the castle shortly.

After I eat, grab paper and some brushes and began to write everything that came to mind.

Dear Yuanzhi,

I know that this is a bit surprising to see me write to you. I am not too far away after all, but I couldn't help but miss you. I had met a woman. She's a village elder and she's very interesting. She's kind, resourceful, and very caring for her people. She slightly reminds me of you. Or maybe that's just the weight of being separated from you. I hope you are healing up well and aren't just being alone at the castle. I'll be back soon alright? I love you too much to be away for long.

Love,

FengXiao

Mere minutes later I watch as a messenger unit rides off towards the castle, as I watch the sun slowly go down. As I watched the sun vanish my chest felt warm and I smiled.

[Xu Shu]

The sun was going down by the time I tied my new purple ribbon onto my sword and hook. I made my way to the stables and pulled out a brown horse. I pulled my hood over my head and climbed onto the horse as I gently lead it to walk out of the boundaries of the town. My head turns back to the castle as I smile and mentally make a promise to return quickly.

I'll be back soon, to continue my life with FengXiao.

This is my chance to continue forward. To bury everything that Xu Shu failed at in his life. And even then I could continue to work to bury Shan Fu's failure's too. I will bury all of this and move on.

Move on with Guo Jia. Move on with our relationship and truly grow.

"Hya!" The horse dashes off towards the base, as the greens of the forest blur past me. My sword and hook being held in my right hand as the charred Xiangqi piece jitter against my leg. As the artifacts of Lu Huang and Jiang Ping sit in my pockets.

Even though weight sits on my heart, I also feel a bit of freedom off of it at the same time.

I feel truly free.

[A/N] HAPPY 2018! So Nice to start the new year off with some good old Xu Shu and Guo Jia! Even though we're going full speed into an angst train! BUT! Thank you all for reading and continuing to support this story. I know that I technically went on a huge hiatus but this is the second year of writing his second life (ba dum tsh!) and WOW! That's so amazing me to me!I know Dynasty warriors isn't exactly a large fanbase, and even then Xu Shu is exactly everyone's favorite character like he is mine. BUT still thank you! Thank you for supporting and enjoying the story, because honestly I probably would've deleted it by now without you guys enjoying and commenting and favoriting, I sound a little conceited or weird now, But I really do like it. (BTW I'm literally kinda winging this story, and I'm so glad you guys like it cause I'm not following the true stories or event he dynasty warrior canon but HEYO fanfiction right!) ANYWAY! Again thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! SEE YOU NEXT CHAPTER!