Ok, I'm sure this is the last of the Wu set for now. So enjoy.

Chapter 37

The battle of He Fei part 4

Duel.

Xiahou Dun versus Fu Xi

Two skilled swordsmen with massive blades

One speedy, the other strong.

Why don't I fancy my odds against speed?

I held my blade firmly in my hands, pointing it at Xiahou Dun. He held his blade pointed upwards, like you'd expect a samurai to. He paced around each other, never looking away, never talking.

Suddenly, he acted, holding his blade low and charging at me, moving at an almost unseeable pace. I quickly moved my blade, making it collide with his as he swung it upwards. The sound of steel on steel rang out as we collided, my blade was launched upwards. I still managed to keep it in my hand, not that it mattered. He followed up, swinging it along his and my chest. I quickly bent over backwards, feeling the blade cut through the air above me.

That was a close shave. I got back up, pulling my blade down. Xiahou Dun smiled, swinging his blade down. I quickly swung my blade in one hand, blocking his attack between us, locking our blades together. I put my other hand on the sword, putting everything I had into it. We both gritted our teeth, trying to break the other.

We both jumped back, landing on the grass behind us. I span my blade in my hand, holding it just above my head, pointed at him. He went back to his samurai-esque stance, the pair of us restarting our pacing.

"You're good" I told him.

"So are you…for a dog of Wu" Xiahou Dun replied, looking more serious then before.

"You say that, but I'm not doing too badly" I charged at him, swinging my blade along my chest. He moved his blade, blocking me. he smiled…was he getting a kick out of this?

He pushed my blade back, spinning around. I got pulled around by my blade, using it to my advantage. We both swung at the same time, interrupting each other's attacks with our blades. He swung again, aiming vertically. I span halfway around, crouching and blocking it with my sword, like I did against Shang Xiang back in the arena. I didn't have to see him to tell he was surprised.

"Got you" I spoke, spinning around to try and take his legs out. He jumping, spinning in the air to try and get by my guard. I jumped up to dodge, seeing the blade dig into the ground. I swung my blade down, using the momentum to spin around in the air and slam the blade down. He jumped back, dodging my blade.

I got up quickly, stepping back in order to get my bearings. I felt the chain from my spear coil around my leg, along with my back injuries playing up. I took a hand off my weapon, taking the chain off my gauntlet. It fell with a ching, staying on my spear. I put my hand in the gauntlet, getting it out of the way, and getting some armour on my hand. Good thing it goes on and off so easily.

Xiahou Dun saw me putting the armour piece on, smiling.

"So you think that small thing is going to save you" he commented, laughing a bit. "A small piece of rust isn't going to save you" Oh you didn't! "If you think that will help, fine…it's your death"

I gritted my teeth, charging at him, swinging my blade downwards. He held his blade above his head, blocking my blade. I smiled, throwing a punch at him with my 'iron' hand. He fell back, recoiling as he held his nose. I watched him, seeing him look at his hand, then spit on the ground. He turned to me, blood pouring from his nose. THAT had to hurt, judging on the way it's out of shape. He's lucky I'm not using these steel boots for something equally painful.

He charged back at me, swinging his sword wildly. I moved my blade to block, getting knocked back about 5 feet. Xiahou Dun kept on coming, swinging his blade around.

He swung at my head; I moved my blade to block, stopping him inches from my head on the left. He span the blade over his head, going for my right. I raised my gauntlet, the blade colliding with it. I felt pain in my arm as it felt the blade. while it didn't dig in, the blunt impact hurt enough. I wacked his blade with mine, knocking him back.

He went for a stab on my right side. I jumped to the left, spinning whilst doing that and bringing my blade up behind me. When I realigned with him, I brought my blade down heavily, hoping to hit him. He held his blade diagonally, blocking my attack, mostly. I clipped his hand, my attack sending him back 10 feet.

"Never underestimate the strength of a warrior of Wu" I told him, holding my Gauntleted hand up in a fist. "You'll live…and die…regretting it" Xiahou Dun wiped his nose, getting more blood.

I breathed heavily, the adrenaline rush leaving my body. This battle could only end in two ways: me or him losing. I hold my blade to my side, hoping to get a good rush next round. He mirrored my action, holding his blade behind him.

We both charged, screaming at the top of our voices. Everything else was being drowned out.

I swung my blade low.

He swung his blade high.

We both ended a foot behind each other, not moving, except to breath. I was crouching, my knee getting coated in crimson mud. He was stood tall, his blade high.

I fell first, letting my sword go as I put my hand on the ground to keep myself up. I felt a burning pain in my back, putting my hand on it and finding my injury open again. Another burning pain erupted in my side. I looked at it, seeing that he had gotten me, a cut not quite deep enough to do any real harm.

I looked at my sword, seeing blood coating the edge.

Then heard Xiahou Dun fall as well. I turned around, seeing him gripping his side. Seems I struck him good. I got up, using my sword as balance again.

"Surrender…Xiahou Dun" I told him, setting the chain back up quickly and pointing the spear at him. "Surrender and you'll live" Su and Shang Xiang appeared by my side, each one looking worse for wear. I saw Su had a few cuts along her arms and legs. Shang Xiang had a few on her legs.

"Hah, you want me…to surrender?" he stood up slowly, turning around and using his blade for balance. "I must go on" he whistled. "For my lord's dream!"

He held his hand out, grabbing the reins on the horse and letting himself be dragged off. I got my crossbow quickly, firing a bolt and missing.

Well, we're done with him. Gan and Tong ran back to me, smiling. I guess they took care of Cao Cao.

"We beat him…but unfortunately he escaped" Gan told us, brushing his cheek. Both of them had several wounds, nothing too threatening. Su ran up to Tong, the pair kissing each other.

"So we've won here?" I asked Gan. He nodded. "Thank god. I thought I wasn't going to last" I put my weapons away, putting my arm around Shang Xiang. Sun Quan, Zhou Tai and Lu Meng rode in, each one looking like they had taken a good couple of hits.

"Good work" Quan told us. We all did our little bow as he dismounted. "We've broken the enemy lines, but taken heavy casualties"

"We need to pull back my lord" I told him. He looked at me, smiling.

"Lu Meng informed me of the same course of action" Lu Meng stepped forward.

"If they follow, we'll hold them at Ru Xu Kou" he told us, smiling with his halberd over his back.

"Wei can have He Fei for now…we've kept them busy and taken some of their elite soldiers out" he got back on his horse, the other 2 following suit, and the trio riding off.

We all set up to leave, knowing that we wouldn't have long before the bigger, main force of Cao Cao's army would reach us. i looked between Su and Tong, seeing them next to each other, helping each other, recounting the battle. i looked at Shang Xiang, thinking about when to tell Quan to set the date...

one thing was for certain, my armour, having been cut from behind, side and other areas, was now ruined

I don't really know how close to death I came

Frankly I don't care

As long as it works out in the end, I'll endure any pain.

And I actually made it!!!!!

ONE BATTLE, SURVIVED UNTIL THE END, AND WON!!!!

I'M GONNA DRINK MYSELF SILLY WHEN I GET BACK

But I know Shang Xiang, to name one, wouldn't allow it.

Not without a drinking contest TO THE DEATH...

YES, the return of THE MASS OF CAPITAL LETTERS.

Moving on, So there. Done. Next chapter shoots over to Shu for a while.

I don't know how long it will be, but I may have to invent a battle or two, even things out.

and, as i said at the end, the armour is now broken, and so my look will change.

but that will be 'shown' when we return.