Zhang Fei had notified Cao Cao that one of the northern most villages had been attacked by what he called a group of bandits that surprisingly thought out their plan before making the first move. This disturbed the Overlord greatly. According to Zhang Fei they were organized which meant someone behind the scenes knew what he was doing. Xu Huang agreed with the Tiger General, stating that whatever means they hoped to accomplish he been well thought out.
"Could this be an attack from the barbarian lands?" Cao Cao asked. Zhange Fei shook his head.
"Nah, even foreignors know better than to attack without notice," he replied. Cao Cao got to his feet and nodded.
"Assemble the unit," Cao Cao proclaimed, "and begin the march north toward this village. I want to see first hand what they had done."
Arriving on the scene they discovered the quaint little town had been decimated. As Xu Huang began to search for some signs of life among the dead, Cao Cao scanned the outskirts for any signs of the recent withdrawal of troops, his keen eye of battle wariness guiding him. He had seen and played a major part in many conflicts, granting him the knowledge of an opponent's weakness and strengths. Born into his very blood it seemed.
"They went east," said the Overlord, "toward Tian Shui."
"Luo Yang?" Zhang Fei, "why would they go there?"
"Good question," Cao Cao said kneeling to the ground, "either they came from there or it was their destination in the first place."
"You're right my lord," said Xu Huang approaching from afar, "I've looked into most the buildings and it seems nothing of value has been stolen. Not even the gold statues of the Mandate. They left everything…except any living souls."
Getting to his feet Cao Cao overlooked the battlefield once last time. In his minds eye he could see the roles played out, the view of the formation fresh in his mind. His thoughts dwelled on the actions of many a warrior as they fought with futilty against the rising tide. Then he stopped…something in the distance caught his eye. Striding forward his two generals followed as he surveyed something he had not seen since the Battle of Hu Lao. It can't be, Cao Cao thought, it's not possible.
"My lord," Zhang Fei said, "you all right."
"I…I don't know," Cao Cao said, "I've seen this formation before. It's old but I can still see the way it was played out."
"What formation?" Xu Huang asked. Cao Cao turned to his two generals, his complextion dark and foreboding.
"I know only one man that uses this style," Cao Cao replied, "assemble the unit for a return trip to the Capital. Yuan Shao…is still alive."
Zhao Yun awoke near a campfire, his head throbbing as if a bombardier left a bomb at his feet. Whether or not they made the ache worse he knew not but the campfire did comfort the pain. Bracing himself with his elbows he rubbed his sore head and scanned the area. He had no idea where he was or of the swordsman that whalloped him.
"About time you woke up," said a voice. Zhao Yun looked around nervously then took note of the armored warrior through the fire. Same as before he was clad in strange metallic armor that seemed to gleam in the moonlight and his large greatsword lay proped near a boulder within arms reach. However his impression of the warrior gave way to his bitterness.
"Why did you strike me?!" Zhao Yun growled.
"Please," said the warrior, "if I wanted you dead don't think you would be?"
"Only because I'm unarmed," said Zhao Yun. The man only laughed at the comment.
"Believe me," he said, "armed or not you would not have a prayer against me. Besides you're more important alive than dead right now."
"Why's that?" Zhao Yun replied sarcastically. At that Damien got his feet and circled around to him. Zhao Yun regained his footing and stood against the tall warrior who all but dwarfed him. Damien looked down on the man and then smiled in spite himself.
"You have courage for one so small," said the Northman, "but my reasons for keeping you are personal."
"If you had told me I might have been willing to help," Zhao Yun said.
"Really? Then tell me little man…if you have the knowledge of sorts," Damien rasped.
"What knowledge do you require?" Zhao Yun asked. At that the tall man suddenly grew smaller, as the weight has shoulders had become great.
"I want you help me," Damien said. Zhao Yun was at first perplexed, then laughed in bravado.
"Me help you! After you sucker punched me!! Why should I?!"
"Because I'm looking for something I lost," Damien shot back.
"Oh and what did you lose Northman," Zhao Yun spat, "common sense?"
"No," Damien replied. Then Zhao Yun noticed something unbecoming of the man. He could see tears welling up in Damien's eyes as the warrior drew closer to him.
"I want you to help me find my sister," said the Northman, "If you've any honor at all you will help me find her."
"What?" Zhao Yun asked in disbelief, "why ask me when I've no clue?"
"Because right now you are all I have," Damien replied. The Northman took a step back.
"You're free to go as you please," said the warrior, "this is not an order…it's a request. You are a warrior like me. If you are indeed honorable…you will help me find her."
For that moment Zhao Yun could not simply say no. Yes he was a warrior and a code of honor was in his heart, but why should help this foriegnor. If anything he should try and find a weapon and kill him yet he knew not how. There were no weapons and Damien would have the jump on him if he attacked bare handed. Also he wanted not to sully his honor by rejecting his request.
"Very well," Zhao Yun replied, "I will help you find her. Who is she?"
Damien saluted him, then took a seat by the fire. Zhao Yun sat crosslegged awaiting his response. At first the Northman peered into the flames as if an old hurt came boiling out then he blurted out the one name Zhao Yun had never thought another would say.
"Rayne," Damien replied, "her name is Rayne. My father named her after my mother when she died."
"What?!" Zhao Yun breathed. He couldn't believe it…this man was her brother?! The only woman he ever loved was the sister of a Northman. It is indeed a small world, Zhao Yun thought. Zhao got to his feet and stood over the campfire to peer at Damien.
"Your eyes," Zhao Yun said, "let me see your eyes."
Damien looked up at him in bewilderment, and then the warrior took note of the look of fear, denial and sheer worry that crossed his face. It then became aparent to him.
"You know her don't you?" Damien asked. Zhao Yun looked away and sighed.
"I do," he said, "you have her eyes. They are blue. Something rare and odd in these lands."
"Where?" Damien asked. Zhao Yun was silent a moment. He still not had the heart nor will to tell him. What if he took her away? At that Damien rose to his feet, the anger and pain his eyes seething.
"I SAID WHERE!!?" Damien bellowed. Zhao Yun faced him, bringing his fists to bear.
"I won't let you take her," he rasped, "I'll die first."
"That can be arranged," Damien threatened.
"Then you will never know where she is for I will die with the knowledge that you will wander in search for her," Zhao Yun returned, "in that my spirit will find comfort."
"She's my sister," Damien growled, "I will not rest until I find her."
"She will be my wife!" Zhao Yun returned, "it is better to die than to live without her!"
"Wife?!" Damien said agast, "you mean to marry her?"
"Yes," Zhao Yun said, "it's been nearly 4 months now." At that Damiens guard calmed as he sat down and laughed to himself.
"Well I'll be scorned of Valhalla himself," Damien said looking Zhao Yun up and down, "I always knew she was a heartbreaker but I never dreamed she would get married. At least she's good taste in men…a warrior…father couldn't have asked for anything more."
"Then why do you seek her?" Zhao Yun asked, "to take her back?"
"No," Damien replied his voice heavy in grief, "just to know she was alive. For nearly 3 years I wandered around the north lands in search of her."
"Where did you go?" Zhao Yun said resuming his seat, "surely you not have left your own sister behind?"
"I had no choice at the time," Damien said, "where I came from, the clans are always at war with one another. The Bulgors and Hazars are constantly fighting to claim the desert lands that have been so greatly called the Cradle of the World. All that time the Romans have laid waste to any army that stood before them. I was a general…General Damien Corthadis Vulcanis, the prime of the god Vulcan. I left my family to fight for Rome, the great capital that would one day rule the world. However…something happened to me when in Jerusalem."
"What?" Zhao Yun asked.
"I met a man," Damien said, "I knew not his name, but he made me see the plight that Rome would unleash. Famine, disease and chaos. I had blinded myself in search of glory only I found that the greatest betrayer was to myself. Renouncing my rank and place in Legion I went home only to find my parents dead and my sister missing."
"She's blind," Zhao Yun said. Damien nodded in agreement.
"Yes," said the warrior, "been that since she was 8 summers. She had come down with a strange fever in the night. The next morning I heard her screaming in terror. I ran to her and clutched her my arms while she screamed over and over that she couldn't see. From that point on I never wanted to feel that helpless…even if it killed me."
"I'm sorry for misjudging you," Zhao Yun said with a sigh, "if you wish I will take you to her."
"There's one thing that remains however," Damien said.
"What?" Zhao Yun asked. Damien got to his feet and strode to his horse.
"Your odd friend with the bells," Damien replied, "the pirate."
"Gan Ning!! Damn we left him behind," Zhao Yun wailed, "and we don't have a force ample enough to go and help him."
"We don't but but one of your Overlords does," Damien said, "I'm not sure who he is but he was followed by a great deal of soldiers. He had an odd turban with a shaft of wood lay flat across the top. He looked like an Arab…they always look strange."
"That must be Sun Quan," Zhao Yun said, "they're probably planning on rescueing him. Perhaps we can assist them."
"Don't be to hasty," Damien said fixated on something strapped to his horses saddle bags, "while they keep that bitchs force busy we can slip in and retrieve him ourselves. You need a weapon of course."
"My weapon is still in Nan Zhong as you recal," Zhao Yun retorted with a sour look.
"Yes such a low grade weapon," Damien replied withdrawing something from the saddlebag and facing, "here this should be better."
Zhao Yun took the weapon in hand and scanned it. It was an incredible feat of artistic weaponry. A long masterfully crafted spear with a large multi-pronged head, the metal glinting with an unknown aura. The shaft was crafted with a golden dragon circling about the stock with a strange red jewel encrusted into its single eye. It had a good weight and Zhao Yun had never seen a weapon like it before. The blade itself was larger than Guan Yu's Blue Dragon and along the base of the blade were a set of rune words that puzzled him. He knew not what they were.
"I call it the Dragon Heart," Damien said, "I'm not much into spears so consider it a gift."
"Oh…this is far to extravagant," Zhao Yun said in awe, "I can't accept this."
"Yes you can," Damien said turning to face him, "your getting married are you not?"
"Well…yes," ZhaoYun said with a chuckling. For once the warrior smiled.
"Then it is wedding gift from me," Damien said, "as you're future brother-in-law it is my honor and duty to give as such."
"Any word on the whereabouts of Zhao Yun?" Sun Quan asked. He had never been this concerned about a man whom used to be an enemy. However times were different now and much to his chagrin regard the spear master in great regard. Who would've thought?
"Not of as yet my lord," said Ma Chao, "but I know Zhao Yun well. He would have found a way to escape by now."
Also another surprise to Sun Quan the Ma Chao would end up being his Lieutenant at arms. Scratching his head ignoring the thought Sun Quan looked over the plan to assault Nanman. According to last scout report Meng Huo was fully prepared for full out offensive yet the Sun son saw something amiss. A breach in the lines defense around the central castle. Pointing it out Ma Chao nodded his head.
"As near as I can tell that would be the most logical way to gain the upper hand," said Ma Chao.
"We should centralize our priority to that flank," Sun Quan replied, "Lu Xun has recommended we use the poison lakes against the Nanman and drive them into their traps by use of the large…." Sun Quan stopped as Zhang Liao rushed up to the HQ tent.
"I have some news," he replied, "this queen of the Nanman has threatened to execute Gan Ning if we don't surrender something to her."
"What," Sun Quan asked. He could hardly believe the arrogance of the woman. She dared to make demands on them?!
"She said a Northman," Zhang Liao replied, "seems someone had given her quite a beating."
"Wait did you say only Gan Ning?" Ma Chao asked. Zhang Liao nodded as Ma Chao looked back at Sun Quan and smiled.
"Speak of the devil," Ma Chao smirked, "he got away somehow. All that's left is Gan Ning."
"Yes," Sun Quan remarked rubbing his chin in thought. His mind was a flurry of ideas as he began to overlook the intricasies. Surely Zhao Yun wouldn't have left his comrade without somesort of plan. It then occurred to the Overlord.
"Ready the unit," Sun Quan said suddenly, "and prepare to lead an all attack upon the central flank."
"What?!" Zhang Liao and Ma Chao said at once.
"I think I know whats going on," Sun Quan said, "Zhao Yun needs a distraction."
Creeping along the outer walls of the strange castle Zhao Yun and Damien inched along the corridors quietly. In the distance they could make out the telltale signs of people running in all directions and the large four legged beasts the Nanman rode half near made the ground shake.
"Smells like a battle," Damien replied, "your Sun Quan has great timing."
"If I now him he's giving the Nanman a one-two punch they deserve," Zhao Yun said, "come on lets get down to the dungeons."
Upon approaching the lower levels it didn't take long to hear the unique voice of Gan Ning. Already Zhao Yun could tell the bully of a man was taunting his guards with gusto more than likely about the battle above. Peering behind a corner Zhao Yun tried to stifle a laugh as the pirate irritated his guards to the point of flogging.
"Yeah they're gonna kick your cans good," Gan Ning said through the bamboo bars, "I suggest you make your peace with whatever gods you-."
"Silence," screeched one of the guards. Zhao Yun could tell he was frightend. Gan Ning did nothing but laugh. This was their chance, both guards had their backs to them. Zhao Yun nodded to Damien as the Northman crept forward behind them. Gan Ning pretended not the notice them as Zhao Yun thrust out and speared one guard killing him. Damien however didn't even draw his sword, he simply grabbed the Nanman guard and broke him like dried out branch. Gan Ning squinted at the sickening crunch of smashed bones as the Northman threw the corpse aside. The pirate looked the Northman up and down with an appraising eye then looked to Zhao Yun.
"About time you showed up," Gan Ning smirked.
"Sorry I was delayed," Zhao Yun apologized, "Oh this is Damien, he's a-."
"Northman yeah I know," Gan Ning ended, "I've met them before. I've learned to have a healthy fear of them."
"Smart man," Damien remarked with a grin.
"We have to figure out how to get you out of here," Zhao Yun said shaking the bars. Damien moved him aside laying a firm grip on the sticks of bamboo and with a mighty grunt tore the bars away, flaunting his awesome strength. Gan Ning stepped out through the break as the Northman stood aside, the two smaller men gawking up at him.
"You could be stronger than Lu Bu!" Gan Ning replied.
"Could care less who that might be," Damien said walking off, "come on lets get out of here." Gan Ning and Zhao Yun followed as Damien led them to the upper levels.
"Have you seen my sword?" Gan Ning asked.
"Here," Damien said drawing a strange scimitar from his back and handing it to him. Gan Ning took the weapon in hand and nodded his head. It was a bit overweighted but he could manage. Upon reaching the surface all three were greeted with what seemed like an army in wait for them.
"Well we should've have expected it wouldn't be that easy," Gan Ning said bringing his new sword to bear. Zhao Yun hefted Dragon Heart up and prepared himself. Damien drew his huge greatsword from his back and slammed the flat of the blade into the ground, the shock of the blow causing many of the soldiers to shrink back.
"Shall we?" Damien announced bringing the Sword of Kells up.
"Of course," Zhao Yun sneered.
"Oh yeah!!" Gan Ning grimaced. All three thus charged forward, throwing themselves into the fight.