Bring Me to Life
by Gingivere the Shadowreaver
Chapter Three
Taishi Ci rode ahead of the group of Wu soldiers, one of his twin rods in his hands. He was always poised for battle and ready for action, and the sick feeling in his gut told him that his troops were definitely needed. He just had that feeling that a loss would surely come if they did not make it in time. They were within fifty miles though, so time was not to be wasted.
"Be on the look out for Wei backup! Once you get there, leave no survivors!" He ordered, shouting back to his troops, as well as Sun Shang Xiang and Gan Ning.
On perhaps one of the slower horses, Gan Ning cursed, shaking his head, "Does he really think we're Gods of Wind or something?"
"You didn't have to chose THAT horse, you know!" Sun Shang Xiang shouted back to him, laughing at the ex-pirate's predicament. The only slower horse then that was Pat Se, and she shook her head as she gripped one of her Chakrams, testing its blade. "Hey, I bet I can kill more soldiers than you can!"
Never the one to like to lose a bet, Gan Ning accepted the challenge without a second thought. "If I win, you must sing for me tonight!"
'He must really enjoy my singing...' She giggled, giving him a smug look. "And if I win?"
Gan Ning snickered, "Then I shall dress as Xiao Qiao and dance for you in front of the entire army!"
"That is unfair; you simply cannot fit her clothes!"
"But I..." Giving her a wink, he slapped the horse hard on the rear, making it go faster to wear it caught up with her own. Then, he bent over and kissed her lightly on the cheek, before passing her by. "Will not lose!"
She was too surprised to do anything as he passed her by, more surprised from his kiss than his horse catching its second win. She brought a hand to her cheek, as if to worship it, before putting on her childish face, forcing her horse into a faster pace. "Not if I get there first!"
'Can't they take anything serious?' Taishi Ci looked back at their playful gesture, and he shook his head with a snort. The Wu was in trouble and all they could do was goof off? 'How did I get into a Kingdom full of fools?'
~*~*~*~
Zhang He went from enjoying himself to wanting to seriously kill this girl. Move for move, they were practically equally matched, and that bothered him as much as it enlightened him. Yes, he always enjoyed a good challenge, but it was making him pretty sweaty, and he felt horrible. He would just make sure she paid greatly for making him uncomfortable later.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see that the plan had truly backfired. They weren't expecting both troops to be this strong, especially the Shu. It never took them long to recuperate, and the Wu were fresh.
He swayed to avoid the first fan and had to flip to avoid the second. The minute he landed, he met her foot as he was kicked to the ground. He wasn't down for long, but she joined him. She gave a short cry as he tripped her, and they were back to their feet in an instant.
"I will admit, I wasn't expecting this much of a fight from you." Zhang He wiped the blood from his lips. He sneered, taking another glance at the battle through the corner of his eyes. He could see some action going on in Sima Yi's area, and he cursed, slashing blindly at her face. He was lucky, as it knocked her off balance, and he quickly took off, shouting, "Kill her!"
Da Qiao quickly got back to her feet, only to find herself surrounded by several of his bodyguards. She snapped, knocking one aside as she called to him. "You already lost!"
He only grinned, not stopping a pace and killing any solider, even his own, if they got in his way. "Not yet we haven't! Not at all!"
What happened to her was not his concern right now; the only thing that mattered was getting to Sima Yi and to protect him. In one hand he held his bow, and with his other, killed soldiers. He had one arrow left, and he was sharing it for the lucky man called Liu Bei...
He literally had to fight his way through, though to him it was so easy. These soldiers were practically nothing compared to him, so let them try to stop him. They would only meet their deaths. The only thing he regretted was having to slay some rather pretty looking soldiers, but it was the beauty of war that kept him going.
'Typical of you, Sima Yi, to get in trouble like this...' Zhang He almost laughed, as he entered the woods. After that small thicket, he was practically in the safe zone. 'You're so lucky that I am always there to protect you...'
When he entered the flatland, he could easily spot Liu Bei and Sima Yi, who, might he add in, was practically losing horribly. 'Not much of a fighter...'
Placing the last arrow on his bow, he took aim, waiting for the Shu leader to stop long enough to get a decent shot. He did not want to harm his Sima Yi in the process.
A soldier laid dying beside him, and doing what any normal general would have done, he killed him, driving his claws into his head to quick his death. A beam of light pierced through the chaos of the battle, making Zhang He momentarily freeze. There before him stood the most perfect avenging angel he had ever seen. Light brown hair, bright sparkling eyes, and skin the color of subtle tan leather, smooth, flawless, a vision of loveliness...
It took his breath away, watching this little warrior, a blaze of crimson silk and shining silver blades, striking all of his opponents without a moment's hesitation. This was like a child on the battle field, caught in a trance of a child grown up too fast. He had seen this creature before, yet when and where he could not quite place at this very moment. He could have study his life in that very instant, however, more important matters demanded his attention.
Sima Yi hit the ground, blood staining his now sleeveless arm. He cursed, drawing his full attention back to his original target, only to see an angry gray horse stampeding towards him. Horses were never known to attack people, but there was just something about this gray war horse that made him somewhat admirable when he wasn't going to crush you into a pile of nothing. He quickly dodged to the right, tuck and rolling to avoid the wild hooves. "Damn horse!!!"
He dodged the beast again, allowing it to plow its way into the soldiers that Lu Xun was fighting. Now with the horse out of the way, he turned his arrow back towards Liu Bei and fired, seeing the Shu ruler raise his sword to kill Sima Yi. "Farewell, you hideous bastard!"
Just as the arrow left the bow, his smile shattered when he caught a glimpse of a man falling in its path to escape the same horse, completely clueless of the arrow meant for the man behind him. What happened next defied almost everything he had ever known, for he saw the arrow pierce the one he had been admiring so much only a moment ago. Then, not to lose sight of its original goal, it struck its target. Liu Bei felt the arrow pierce right where his armor lacked, between his chest and his stomach, and although it did not go all the way through, the pain was obvious on his face and in his eyes.
Every pump of his heart sent forth great sprays of blood, soaking the green grass and all other neighboring areas with the shining ruby liquid. But the worse, the absolute worse, to the great horror of Zhang He, was how it splashed on the youthful red warrior, never appearing on his crimson garments or registering much of a response.
Liu Bei was just as surprised as Lu Xun was, and he fell into unconsciousness quickly, lying a few feet away from the shocked Sima Yi. And Lu Xun, now realizing he had been struck, fell to one knee, passing a hand over his wound to feel the blood. Someone had struck him... he dared to look back, staring at Zhang He with disbelief. Their eyes locked for the first time on the battle field, and the two swords loosened in his hands, but did not fall. 'Shall I die like this?'
It appeared so, as the world around him crashed into a blood red haze, unable to stop the moan from leaving his throat. Soldiers around him, his own troops, stared at him with disbelief, one of his bodyguards rushing to his aid immediately. But Zhang He just stood there, letting Sima Yi kill the armed guard within inches of catching him.
'Why? Why... does he appear to regret this?' Lu Xun's other knee hit the ground, his head hanging slightly. He was defeated, and the only thing he regretted was not getting the chance to see the lovely Da Qiao again. "D-da Qiao..."
~*~*~*~
It was like a diamond ripping through her open heart, and Da Qiao gave a cry, falling to her knees before her enemy. She was lucky that her bodyguard was there, saving her from the enemy's blade. He protected her, showing his concern. "Lady Qiao, what's wrong?"
She had dropped her fans, grasping her heart with them. She couldn't stop the tears from rising, and she forced herself to wobbly feet. Da Qiao whispered, feeling faint all of a sudden, "My heart... Lu Xun?"
~*~*~*~
Down in the lower battlefield, Zhou Yu stopped, nearly dropping his weapon and turning towards the flatland beyond the thicket. "Lu Xun?"
He almost felt the arrow himself, and he turned from the battle, making his way towards his fellow strategist's position. "LU XUN!"
Seeing him take off, Ma Chao followed, knowing that something had happened. Zhou Yu slaughtered any man that dared get in his way, hacking and slashing with uncontrolled anger. "Lu Xun, you better not be dead!"
Seeing them leave, Zhang Liao was confused, just as he was relieved. He two sensed something had happened, but he didn't have the time to think about it, forcing back Zhao Yun's spear. The Little Dragon smiled confidently, fighting as if not to noticed the absence of the other two officers.
~*~*~*~
"What are you waiting for!" Sima Yi pulled the fan from the bodyguard's head, and he struck the wounded Lu Xun, knocking him onto the ground. He was furious, to be bested by the little runt and Liu Bei. And he was angrier that Zhang He just stood there, staring. "Kill him now!"
Lu Xun gave a short cry as the Wei general stomped his foot on his wound, but he cut it short, choosing to accept his fate at that very moment. He was so foolish not to notice Zhang He there, and he cursed himself. However, he almost smiled when he heard the distant shout; Taishi Ci was close!
Staring down at him, Zhang He threw his bow to the ground, and looked towards the South. More were coming, and he could almost see the enraged look on Zhou Yu's face if he glanced back at the battlefield below them. Any smart general would have known to leave now. This battle was over; Liu Bei laid dying, and the Wu had back up on its way. "Call off the attack, and head to the North, back to Wei territory!"
Sima Yi did not question, knowing they simply couldn't win this one. He gave the shout for the second time in a month, but again, took no shame to it. This time, they had successfully defeated Shu's ruler and one of Wu's valuable strategists. "Fall back! All forces fall back!"
Grabbing his waiting horse, Sima Yi mounted, and he looked back, staring with disbelief as Zhang He stood over the Wu general. "Zhang He, what are you doing?! Leave him to die or kill him now, make your choice! You've already won, and we don't have time for games!"
"I will catch up with you!" Zhang He shouted, glancing down at the bleeding youth. Lu Xun stared into the distance, desperately holding back tears. No, he did not want to shed tears in front of his enemy; it would be much too shameful to do such a thing. "You're nothing... nothing but a baby-faced child. What are you doing on the battlefield?"
Ignoring Zhang He's presence, Lu Xun felt his consciousness slipping away, and he spoke, hoping that Liu Bei could hear him. "I'm sorry... I didn't watch your back good..."
Liu Bei did not reply, and Zhang He winced with pity, as Lu Xun couldn't hold back any longer, letting one tear free before closing his eyes. "And Da Qiao... I... I'm sorry. You were right, Zhou Yu... I should have told her..."
Placing a hand on his soft cheek, Zhang He caught the tear, bringing it up to lick. It was bitter sweet, and he watched as the boy slipped into unconsciousness. No, he was not to die here, not by his arrow or his claws.
"What the Hell are you doing?!" Sima Yi bellowed as Zhang He lifted Lu Xun into his arms, letting his child's head rest on his bare shoulder. He saw the way he looked at him, with pity, and something else. "You aren't thinking of taking him, are you?! Why?!"
Throwing his hair over his shoulders, Zhang He replied, kissing Lu Xun lightly on the forehead. "I need not explain myself to you, nor to any other man."
Zhang He saw Liu Bei's horse, looking over its dying master. He quickly took the opportunity to officially claim the horse, putting Lu Xun on first before hopping on himself. He kept a firm grip on him, not wanting to harm the poor child any longer. Sima Yi hissed, unable to control his rage. "What will you say to Lord Cao Cao when he asks you?!"
"I'll come up with something, now let's go!" Seeing Zhang Liao run through the thicket, that was their indication to leave, and without much more of an argument, the Wei troops hastily retreated, Shu and Wu forces trailing in their mists. It was a draw of sort... when they reached the flatlands, they were not sure who had won.
~*~*~*~
Zhou Yu was the first to arrive to the flatlands, kicking over dead bodies to make his way towards the fallen Liu Bei. He could see the arrow sticking out through the top of his stomach, and he cursed, instantly knowing who had shot the arrow. "Zhang He, you demon!"
The Shu ruler was already unconscious, but Zhou Yu was more worried about the paleness of his skin. Poison... he turned to the nearest soldier, "Do you have a doctor or healer among you? He's still alive, but he's been poisoned! He needs attention quickly!"
The soldier shook his head, and Zhou Yu cursed again, looking up and noticing something as Ma Chao, Zhao Yun, and Da Qiao arrived. He asked, almost frantically, fearing that he knew what happened. "Lu Xun! Where is Lu Xun?!"
Just as he had asked the question, Taishi Ci had arrived, with Sun Shang Xiang and Gan Ning, no longer in their game state, in close pursuit. The general was astonished at the sight, guessing correctly that the battle was indeed over. "Set a tent for the wounded; get a fire started!"
He dismounted, noticing Zhou Yu's face. "I'm horribly sorry we're late; we came as soon as possible."
"Better late then never." Zhou Yu took a glance towards Da Qiao, seeing her look of horror light up her face. He wanted to find Lu Xun, but he helped Ma Chao and Zhao Yun with their ruler first, knowing that they could not lose him. "The arrow has poison in it, bring him to Sun Shang Xiang; she can take care of him."
Seeing him off, the strategist turned, and Taishi Ci asked, "Who else was with you?"
"Lu Xun... I... I haven't found him yet."
"Maybe he went after some of the Wei?" Gan Ning, who was listening in on the entire thing, suggested. He knew the chances were slim, and each man feared the worse had happened. Zhou Yu gripped his sword, seething. He knew, he just KNEW he should have came earlier... Gan Ning saw his anger and nodded, "I'll search the area; don't worry, I'm sure he'll be alright!"
The ex-pirate had hopes, but has his doubts as well. The minute he left, the battle weary Zhou Yu lost all strength in his legs, and Taishi Ci looked down at him as he rested his face in one hand, dropping his sword with the other. The other general tried his best to console him, knowing it probably wouldn't work. "It's not your fault, Zhou Yu. If he died, then his-"
"If he was dead, we would have found his body! And it IS my fault... I was too brash! I should have came up with something better with the time we had. We were never suppose to attack in the first place, but when we found the Shu, I lost focus on the original plan! No one was suppose to die, dammit!" Sighing, he looked up, nothing but rage on his face. He could see Da Qiao helping with the wounded through the corner of his eyes and it only made him angrier. "Those bastards... I'll make them pay. For every scratch on his body will be twice as much blood on their garments!"
What made him feel worse was remembering their argument, to see his blush when he embarrassed him in front of Da Qiao. He sighed again, tearing grass from the ground as a way to relieve his untamed fury. 'You should have told her, Lu Xun! Damn you! You should have told her how you felt! Now she will never know!'
"Calm down..." Zhou Yu said nothing when Taishi Ci touched his shoulders, only shaking his head. "I know it's hard to accept it; he was a great scholar and fighter, one of the finest, well, besides you of course. Better to be dead then captured."
When the words left his lips, both men shared the same look, and he asked as Zhou Yu looked up towards him, "If there is no body, then we must presume he is captured, correct?"
Captivity was far worse then death, and with a new found strength, the Wu strategist rose to his feet again, driving his sword into a nearby tree, nearly slicing right through it to Taishi Ci's surprise. The others heard his shout, looking back as he seemed to have a little trouble withdrawing his sword from the thick trunk. "THOSE BASTARDS! THOSE LOW-LIFE, VILLIANOUS BASTARDS!"
When Taishi Ci tried to pry him off, he was pushed back, and he practically shouted back, once again trying to calm the brute rage within Zhou Yu. "Save your strength for them! They can't possibly be that far off; we will get him back, Zhou Yu! Calm your fury!"
Zhou Yu's eyes were red, like the flames he adored so greatly, striking slight fear into the general's heart. "If they have Lu Xun, do you know what that means?! It MEANS that they will do whatever is in their power to extract any and all information of Wu, its secrets, especially its strategies, even try to turn him AGAINST us! The Wei will not only have the manpower but they will have yet ANOTHER thing to pit against us!"
The troops turned their heads when Taishi Ci decked him right in the jaw, and Zhou Yu was quick to hit back. Soon enough, both men were having an all out battle, though they never reached for their weapons. Da Qiao was the first to try to interfere, but she was stopped when the hilt of Zhao Yun's spear gently hit her gut. "Stay back and let them fight... there's entirely way too much tension in both men at the moment."
It was over just as soon as it started, ending with Taishi Ci overpowering the enraged Zhou Yu and holding him in a headlock. He shouted, trying to make his words to soak in. "Zhou Yu, I know you're stressed out right now, and you have all the right in the world to be! But this is not helping the problem we have at all, especially not Lu Xun whether he's dead or captured!"
"RELEASE ME!" Zhou Yu was a frightening sight of a man on the verge of insanity, if he had not reached that level yet was a matter of opinion.
"Not until you calm down! Think, Zhou Yu! THINK! If they DID capture him, where would they take him?!" Taishi Ci gripped harder, knowing he would regret this later. "We need a plan! Rushing in head-on will not get back Lu Xun, nor avenge the life loss here today! We must wait until Gan Ning returns with news, then we'll make our move!"
Struggling a bit more, Zhou Yu gave a cry of pure frustration before forcing himself silent. He knew Taishi Ci was right, and he cursed himself, doing a good job in holding back his tears. He learned to do this some time ago, and tears to him were practically legendary. He sighed, "We'll wait... now release me..."
And Taishi Ci did just that, letting Zhou Yu fall to his knees;. His long hair covered most of his face, hiding it in shame of his actions. He completely lost it; he turned to Taishi Ci, speaking lowly. "I'm sorry for my despair... please forgive me."
"Nothing to forgive, friend." Taishi Ci gave a slight bow, before glaring at the staring soldiers. "Well, are you going to set tent or not? The wounded do not have all the time in the world!"
The general went off to collect the wounded, leaving Zhou Yu alone to brood in silence. Da Qiao was still there, watching him as he sat cross-legged, resting his head in his hands to wipe away the sweat and blood strains from the recent battle. He wanted to be alone, but he felt her presence, and sighed, "I'm sorry Da Qiao... it's all my fault this happened, that Liu Bei is wounded and Lu Xun is missing."
He looked back at her, seeing the look on her face, seeing that she didn't blame anyone. Lowering his eyes, he turned away. "Even though he didn't show it... or at least he didn't admit it, but he lov-"
"I... I know he did..." She spoke up lowly, quickly wiping away her tears. Now she understood half of what the feeling was she felt earlier, but she could not admit to it. Yet, like Lu Xun, she knew she should have spoken up earlier... and the chance was ruined now. She turned away to return to her duties, seeing if there was something useful for her to do. "And I would have gladly shared my life with him... if he had asked."
~*~*~*~
The ex-pirate could see the fresh tracks ahead of him, grinning as his spirits lifted slightly. The Wei weren't that far off, swearing he could almost hear their footsteps. He sneered, silently withdrawing his scimitar. He had not conscious against him as he could see a Wei soldier few a few feet ahead of him. The scoundrel would pay for taking the life of Lu Xun, and he thought the same thing as his blade sliced through his victim's neck in an instant.
He killed another before he was noticed, but by that time it was too late; he was much too fast for them. He disposed of the small group that lagged behind, withdrawing his scimitar from the last man's chest before continuing on his way. He had yet to find Lu Xun's body, and that only drove him further.
'Kill my friend...'
It was about another mile before finding another soldier, and he gave a war cry, slitting his throat as he rode by. 'And you will all pay!'
He would have gone after more soldiers, but his cockiness got the better of him, and an arrow practically came out of no where. He seem it in enough time to dodge it, but he lost grip on the reigns, falling off of his horse and down a steep hill, rolling into the stream at the bottom. He was quick to his feet to greet his attacked, hating himself for having to slay the horse with the archer.
"Bastards... still no sign of him..." Gan Ning wiped the blood from his face, kicking the dead archer face first so he would have to look at his pathetic face. He was already too behind to catch up to the Wei now, so he suspected he was out of hearing range. "Lu Xun! Can you hear me?! Lu Xun!!!!!"
He received no reply, sighing and making his way up the hill once again. He had his scimitar at the ready, preparing himself for a possible attack that did not come as he reached his horse. Now, half soaked, the ex-pirate galloped a few feet more before something caught his eyes. Something shiny, cylinder shaped, and red. As he advanced towards it, he jumped off the horse, quickly grabbing a blood stained hat. He didn't even have to examine it to tell who it belonged to, and he cried out, almost crying, "LU XUN! IF YOU'RE STILL ALIVE PLEASE ANSWER ME! LU XUN!"
The forest was silent, with the exception of his echoes, allowing him to hear how desperate his voice was. He shouted again, this time even louder. "LU XUNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!! ANSWER ME!"
Still nothing, except perhaps Wei soldiers coming his way. Gripping his scimitar again, he set the hat aside, and launched himself at the first soldier that dared show his face. He drove the blade into his face, welcoming the enemy. Let them come; he wanted revenge!
It was a small group, only consisting of two already injured soldiers and three perfectly fit ones. They were simple, but he left one alive, grabbing him by the throat and placing the sword's blade under his blood-damped chin, giving him no room to struggle. "Tell me, where is Lu Xun?! He's a Wu officer, short in stature, wears-" He pointed to the hat resting on the horse's saddle. -"that hat. Where is he?!"
The soldier could barely speak, and he spat in Gan Ning's eyes, making a costly mistake that he welcomed. "Zhang He shot him with an arrow! Dead he is! DEAD!"
With a simple movement, the soldier had joined his colleagues in their eternal slumber, but it gave no justice. Gan Ning felt horribly defeated, and he looked back to the hat, unable to believe that this torn and bloody thing once belonged to a man he practically considered his little brother. He let his hand touch it, resting his head on the horse's fuzzy neck, ignoring its look of confusion. "If you are dead, Lu Xun, then rest in peace... let your spirit be like the open sea and let it be free."
Then, taking the hat and placing it on his own head to keep track of it, Gan Ning unwillingly climbed onto the horse's back, turning it around and slowly heading back towards the flatlands Wu and Shu rested. This battle was lost, but he swore that there would be a day for revenge... but the day to come would be a day to mourn.
by Gingivere the Shadowreaver
Chapter Three
Taishi Ci rode ahead of the group of Wu soldiers, one of his twin rods in his hands. He was always poised for battle and ready for action, and the sick feeling in his gut told him that his troops were definitely needed. He just had that feeling that a loss would surely come if they did not make it in time. They were within fifty miles though, so time was not to be wasted.
"Be on the look out for Wei backup! Once you get there, leave no survivors!" He ordered, shouting back to his troops, as well as Sun Shang Xiang and Gan Ning.
On perhaps one of the slower horses, Gan Ning cursed, shaking his head, "Does he really think we're Gods of Wind or something?"
"You didn't have to chose THAT horse, you know!" Sun Shang Xiang shouted back to him, laughing at the ex-pirate's predicament. The only slower horse then that was Pat Se, and she shook her head as she gripped one of her Chakrams, testing its blade. "Hey, I bet I can kill more soldiers than you can!"
Never the one to like to lose a bet, Gan Ning accepted the challenge without a second thought. "If I win, you must sing for me tonight!"
'He must really enjoy my singing...' She giggled, giving him a smug look. "And if I win?"
Gan Ning snickered, "Then I shall dress as Xiao Qiao and dance for you in front of the entire army!"
"That is unfair; you simply cannot fit her clothes!"
"But I..." Giving her a wink, he slapped the horse hard on the rear, making it go faster to wear it caught up with her own. Then, he bent over and kissed her lightly on the cheek, before passing her by. "Will not lose!"
She was too surprised to do anything as he passed her by, more surprised from his kiss than his horse catching its second win. She brought a hand to her cheek, as if to worship it, before putting on her childish face, forcing her horse into a faster pace. "Not if I get there first!"
'Can't they take anything serious?' Taishi Ci looked back at their playful gesture, and he shook his head with a snort. The Wu was in trouble and all they could do was goof off? 'How did I get into a Kingdom full of fools?'
~*~*~*~
Zhang He went from enjoying himself to wanting to seriously kill this girl. Move for move, they were practically equally matched, and that bothered him as much as it enlightened him. Yes, he always enjoyed a good challenge, but it was making him pretty sweaty, and he felt horrible. He would just make sure she paid greatly for making him uncomfortable later.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see that the plan had truly backfired. They weren't expecting both troops to be this strong, especially the Shu. It never took them long to recuperate, and the Wu were fresh.
He swayed to avoid the first fan and had to flip to avoid the second. The minute he landed, he met her foot as he was kicked to the ground. He wasn't down for long, but she joined him. She gave a short cry as he tripped her, and they were back to their feet in an instant.
"I will admit, I wasn't expecting this much of a fight from you." Zhang He wiped the blood from his lips. He sneered, taking another glance at the battle through the corner of his eyes. He could see some action going on in Sima Yi's area, and he cursed, slashing blindly at her face. He was lucky, as it knocked her off balance, and he quickly took off, shouting, "Kill her!"
Da Qiao quickly got back to her feet, only to find herself surrounded by several of his bodyguards. She snapped, knocking one aside as she called to him. "You already lost!"
He only grinned, not stopping a pace and killing any solider, even his own, if they got in his way. "Not yet we haven't! Not at all!"
What happened to her was not his concern right now; the only thing that mattered was getting to Sima Yi and to protect him. In one hand he held his bow, and with his other, killed soldiers. He had one arrow left, and he was sharing it for the lucky man called Liu Bei...
He literally had to fight his way through, though to him it was so easy. These soldiers were practically nothing compared to him, so let them try to stop him. They would only meet their deaths. The only thing he regretted was having to slay some rather pretty looking soldiers, but it was the beauty of war that kept him going.
'Typical of you, Sima Yi, to get in trouble like this...' Zhang He almost laughed, as he entered the woods. After that small thicket, he was practically in the safe zone. 'You're so lucky that I am always there to protect you...'
When he entered the flatland, he could easily spot Liu Bei and Sima Yi, who, might he add in, was practically losing horribly. 'Not much of a fighter...'
Placing the last arrow on his bow, he took aim, waiting for the Shu leader to stop long enough to get a decent shot. He did not want to harm his Sima Yi in the process.
A soldier laid dying beside him, and doing what any normal general would have done, he killed him, driving his claws into his head to quick his death. A beam of light pierced through the chaos of the battle, making Zhang He momentarily freeze. There before him stood the most perfect avenging angel he had ever seen. Light brown hair, bright sparkling eyes, and skin the color of subtle tan leather, smooth, flawless, a vision of loveliness...
It took his breath away, watching this little warrior, a blaze of crimson silk and shining silver blades, striking all of his opponents without a moment's hesitation. This was like a child on the battle field, caught in a trance of a child grown up too fast. He had seen this creature before, yet when and where he could not quite place at this very moment. He could have study his life in that very instant, however, more important matters demanded his attention.
Sima Yi hit the ground, blood staining his now sleeveless arm. He cursed, drawing his full attention back to his original target, only to see an angry gray horse stampeding towards him. Horses were never known to attack people, but there was just something about this gray war horse that made him somewhat admirable when he wasn't going to crush you into a pile of nothing. He quickly dodged to the right, tuck and rolling to avoid the wild hooves. "Damn horse!!!"
He dodged the beast again, allowing it to plow its way into the soldiers that Lu Xun was fighting. Now with the horse out of the way, he turned his arrow back towards Liu Bei and fired, seeing the Shu ruler raise his sword to kill Sima Yi. "Farewell, you hideous bastard!"
Just as the arrow left the bow, his smile shattered when he caught a glimpse of a man falling in its path to escape the same horse, completely clueless of the arrow meant for the man behind him. What happened next defied almost everything he had ever known, for he saw the arrow pierce the one he had been admiring so much only a moment ago. Then, not to lose sight of its original goal, it struck its target. Liu Bei felt the arrow pierce right where his armor lacked, between his chest and his stomach, and although it did not go all the way through, the pain was obvious on his face and in his eyes.
Every pump of his heart sent forth great sprays of blood, soaking the green grass and all other neighboring areas with the shining ruby liquid. But the worse, the absolute worse, to the great horror of Zhang He, was how it splashed on the youthful red warrior, never appearing on his crimson garments or registering much of a response.
Liu Bei was just as surprised as Lu Xun was, and he fell into unconsciousness quickly, lying a few feet away from the shocked Sima Yi. And Lu Xun, now realizing he had been struck, fell to one knee, passing a hand over his wound to feel the blood. Someone had struck him... he dared to look back, staring at Zhang He with disbelief. Their eyes locked for the first time on the battle field, and the two swords loosened in his hands, but did not fall. 'Shall I die like this?'
It appeared so, as the world around him crashed into a blood red haze, unable to stop the moan from leaving his throat. Soldiers around him, his own troops, stared at him with disbelief, one of his bodyguards rushing to his aid immediately. But Zhang He just stood there, letting Sima Yi kill the armed guard within inches of catching him.
'Why? Why... does he appear to regret this?' Lu Xun's other knee hit the ground, his head hanging slightly. He was defeated, and the only thing he regretted was not getting the chance to see the lovely Da Qiao again. "D-da Qiao..."
~*~*~*~
It was like a diamond ripping through her open heart, and Da Qiao gave a cry, falling to her knees before her enemy. She was lucky that her bodyguard was there, saving her from the enemy's blade. He protected her, showing his concern. "Lady Qiao, what's wrong?"
She had dropped her fans, grasping her heart with them. She couldn't stop the tears from rising, and she forced herself to wobbly feet. Da Qiao whispered, feeling faint all of a sudden, "My heart... Lu Xun?"
~*~*~*~
Down in the lower battlefield, Zhou Yu stopped, nearly dropping his weapon and turning towards the flatland beyond the thicket. "Lu Xun?"
He almost felt the arrow himself, and he turned from the battle, making his way towards his fellow strategist's position. "LU XUN!"
Seeing him take off, Ma Chao followed, knowing that something had happened. Zhou Yu slaughtered any man that dared get in his way, hacking and slashing with uncontrolled anger. "Lu Xun, you better not be dead!"
Seeing them leave, Zhang Liao was confused, just as he was relieved. He two sensed something had happened, but he didn't have the time to think about it, forcing back Zhao Yun's spear. The Little Dragon smiled confidently, fighting as if not to noticed the absence of the other two officers.
~*~*~*~
"What are you waiting for!" Sima Yi pulled the fan from the bodyguard's head, and he struck the wounded Lu Xun, knocking him onto the ground. He was furious, to be bested by the little runt and Liu Bei. And he was angrier that Zhang He just stood there, staring. "Kill him now!"
Lu Xun gave a short cry as the Wei general stomped his foot on his wound, but he cut it short, choosing to accept his fate at that very moment. He was so foolish not to notice Zhang He there, and he cursed himself. However, he almost smiled when he heard the distant shout; Taishi Ci was close!
Staring down at him, Zhang He threw his bow to the ground, and looked towards the South. More were coming, and he could almost see the enraged look on Zhou Yu's face if he glanced back at the battlefield below them. Any smart general would have known to leave now. This battle was over; Liu Bei laid dying, and the Wu had back up on its way. "Call off the attack, and head to the North, back to Wei territory!"
Sima Yi did not question, knowing they simply couldn't win this one. He gave the shout for the second time in a month, but again, took no shame to it. This time, they had successfully defeated Shu's ruler and one of Wu's valuable strategists. "Fall back! All forces fall back!"
Grabbing his waiting horse, Sima Yi mounted, and he looked back, staring with disbelief as Zhang He stood over the Wu general. "Zhang He, what are you doing?! Leave him to die or kill him now, make your choice! You've already won, and we don't have time for games!"
"I will catch up with you!" Zhang He shouted, glancing down at the bleeding youth. Lu Xun stared into the distance, desperately holding back tears. No, he did not want to shed tears in front of his enemy; it would be much too shameful to do such a thing. "You're nothing... nothing but a baby-faced child. What are you doing on the battlefield?"
Ignoring Zhang He's presence, Lu Xun felt his consciousness slipping away, and he spoke, hoping that Liu Bei could hear him. "I'm sorry... I didn't watch your back good..."
Liu Bei did not reply, and Zhang He winced with pity, as Lu Xun couldn't hold back any longer, letting one tear free before closing his eyes. "And Da Qiao... I... I'm sorry. You were right, Zhou Yu... I should have told her..."
Placing a hand on his soft cheek, Zhang He caught the tear, bringing it up to lick. It was bitter sweet, and he watched as the boy slipped into unconsciousness. No, he was not to die here, not by his arrow or his claws.
"What the Hell are you doing?!" Sima Yi bellowed as Zhang He lifted Lu Xun into his arms, letting his child's head rest on his bare shoulder. He saw the way he looked at him, with pity, and something else. "You aren't thinking of taking him, are you?! Why?!"
Throwing his hair over his shoulders, Zhang He replied, kissing Lu Xun lightly on the forehead. "I need not explain myself to you, nor to any other man."
Zhang He saw Liu Bei's horse, looking over its dying master. He quickly took the opportunity to officially claim the horse, putting Lu Xun on first before hopping on himself. He kept a firm grip on him, not wanting to harm the poor child any longer. Sima Yi hissed, unable to control his rage. "What will you say to Lord Cao Cao when he asks you?!"
"I'll come up with something, now let's go!" Seeing Zhang Liao run through the thicket, that was their indication to leave, and without much more of an argument, the Wei troops hastily retreated, Shu and Wu forces trailing in their mists. It was a draw of sort... when they reached the flatlands, they were not sure who had won.
~*~*~*~
Zhou Yu was the first to arrive to the flatlands, kicking over dead bodies to make his way towards the fallen Liu Bei. He could see the arrow sticking out through the top of his stomach, and he cursed, instantly knowing who had shot the arrow. "Zhang He, you demon!"
The Shu ruler was already unconscious, but Zhou Yu was more worried about the paleness of his skin. Poison... he turned to the nearest soldier, "Do you have a doctor or healer among you? He's still alive, but he's been poisoned! He needs attention quickly!"
The soldier shook his head, and Zhou Yu cursed again, looking up and noticing something as Ma Chao, Zhao Yun, and Da Qiao arrived. He asked, almost frantically, fearing that he knew what happened. "Lu Xun! Where is Lu Xun?!"
Just as he had asked the question, Taishi Ci had arrived, with Sun Shang Xiang and Gan Ning, no longer in their game state, in close pursuit. The general was astonished at the sight, guessing correctly that the battle was indeed over. "Set a tent for the wounded; get a fire started!"
He dismounted, noticing Zhou Yu's face. "I'm horribly sorry we're late; we came as soon as possible."
"Better late then never." Zhou Yu took a glance towards Da Qiao, seeing her look of horror light up her face. He wanted to find Lu Xun, but he helped Ma Chao and Zhao Yun with their ruler first, knowing that they could not lose him. "The arrow has poison in it, bring him to Sun Shang Xiang; she can take care of him."
Seeing him off, the strategist turned, and Taishi Ci asked, "Who else was with you?"
"Lu Xun... I... I haven't found him yet."
"Maybe he went after some of the Wei?" Gan Ning, who was listening in on the entire thing, suggested. He knew the chances were slim, and each man feared the worse had happened. Zhou Yu gripped his sword, seething. He knew, he just KNEW he should have came earlier... Gan Ning saw his anger and nodded, "I'll search the area; don't worry, I'm sure he'll be alright!"
The ex-pirate had hopes, but has his doubts as well. The minute he left, the battle weary Zhou Yu lost all strength in his legs, and Taishi Ci looked down at him as he rested his face in one hand, dropping his sword with the other. The other general tried his best to console him, knowing it probably wouldn't work. "It's not your fault, Zhou Yu. If he died, then his-"
"If he was dead, we would have found his body! And it IS my fault... I was too brash! I should have came up with something better with the time we had. We were never suppose to attack in the first place, but when we found the Shu, I lost focus on the original plan! No one was suppose to die, dammit!" Sighing, he looked up, nothing but rage on his face. He could see Da Qiao helping with the wounded through the corner of his eyes and it only made him angrier. "Those bastards... I'll make them pay. For every scratch on his body will be twice as much blood on their garments!"
What made him feel worse was remembering their argument, to see his blush when he embarrassed him in front of Da Qiao. He sighed again, tearing grass from the ground as a way to relieve his untamed fury. 'You should have told her, Lu Xun! Damn you! You should have told her how you felt! Now she will never know!'
"Calm down..." Zhou Yu said nothing when Taishi Ci touched his shoulders, only shaking his head. "I know it's hard to accept it; he was a great scholar and fighter, one of the finest, well, besides you of course. Better to be dead then captured."
When the words left his lips, both men shared the same look, and he asked as Zhou Yu looked up towards him, "If there is no body, then we must presume he is captured, correct?"
Captivity was far worse then death, and with a new found strength, the Wu strategist rose to his feet again, driving his sword into a nearby tree, nearly slicing right through it to Taishi Ci's surprise. The others heard his shout, looking back as he seemed to have a little trouble withdrawing his sword from the thick trunk. "THOSE BASTARDS! THOSE LOW-LIFE, VILLIANOUS BASTARDS!"
When Taishi Ci tried to pry him off, he was pushed back, and he practically shouted back, once again trying to calm the brute rage within Zhou Yu. "Save your strength for them! They can't possibly be that far off; we will get him back, Zhou Yu! Calm your fury!"
Zhou Yu's eyes were red, like the flames he adored so greatly, striking slight fear into the general's heart. "If they have Lu Xun, do you know what that means?! It MEANS that they will do whatever is in their power to extract any and all information of Wu, its secrets, especially its strategies, even try to turn him AGAINST us! The Wei will not only have the manpower but they will have yet ANOTHER thing to pit against us!"
The troops turned their heads when Taishi Ci decked him right in the jaw, and Zhou Yu was quick to hit back. Soon enough, both men were having an all out battle, though they never reached for their weapons. Da Qiao was the first to try to interfere, but she was stopped when the hilt of Zhao Yun's spear gently hit her gut. "Stay back and let them fight... there's entirely way too much tension in both men at the moment."
It was over just as soon as it started, ending with Taishi Ci overpowering the enraged Zhou Yu and holding him in a headlock. He shouted, trying to make his words to soak in. "Zhou Yu, I know you're stressed out right now, and you have all the right in the world to be! But this is not helping the problem we have at all, especially not Lu Xun whether he's dead or captured!"
"RELEASE ME!" Zhou Yu was a frightening sight of a man on the verge of insanity, if he had not reached that level yet was a matter of opinion.
"Not until you calm down! Think, Zhou Yu! THINK! If they DID capture him, where would they take him?!" Taishi Ci gripped harder, knowing he would regret this later. "We need a plan! Rushing in head-on will not get back Lu Xun, nor avenge the life loss here today! We must wait until Gan Ning returns with news, then we'll make our move!"
Struggling a bit more, Zhou Yu gave a cry of pure frustration before forcing himself silent. He knew Taishi Ci was right, and he cursed himself, doing a good job in holding back his tears. He learned to do this some time ago, and tears to him were practically legendary. He sighed, "We'll wait... now release me..."
And Taishi Ci did just that, letting Zhou Yu fall to his knees;. His long hair covered most of his face, hiding it in shame of his actions. He completely lost it; he turned to Taishi Ci, speaking lowly. "I'm sorry for my despair... please forgive me."
"Nothing to forgive, friend." Taishi Ci gave a slight bow, before glaring at the staring soldiers. "Well, are you going to set tent or not? The wounded do not have all the time in the world!"
The general went off to collect the wounded, leaving Zhou Yu alone to brood in silence. Da Qiao was still there, watching him as he sat cross-legged, resting his head in his hands to wipe away the sweat and blood strains from the recent battle. He wanted to be alone, but he felt her presence, and sighed, "I'm sorry Da Qiao... it's all my fault this happened, that Liu Bei is wounded and Lu Xun is missing."
He looked back at her, seeing the look on her face, seeing that she didn't blame anyone. Lowering his eyes, he turned away. "Even though he didn't show it... or at least he didn't admit it, but he lov-"
"I... I know he did..." She spoke up lowly, quickly wiping away her tears. Now she understood half of what the feeling was she felt earlier, but she could not admit to it. Yet, like Lu Xun, she knew she should have spoken up earlier... and the chance was ruined now. She turned away to return to her duties, seeing if there was something useful for her to do. "And I would have gladly shared my life with him... if he had asked."
~*~*~*~
The ex-pirate could see the fresh tracks ahead of him, grinning as his spirits lifted slightly. The Wei weren't that far off, swearing he could almost hear their footsteps. He sneered, silently withdrawing his scimitar. He had not conscious against him as he could see a Wei soldier few a few feet ahead of him. The scoundrel would pay for taking the life of Lu Xun, and he thought the same thing as his blade sliced through his victim's neck in an instant.
He killed another before he was noticed, but by that time it was too late; he was much too fast for them. He disposed of the small group that lagged behind, withdrawing his scimitar from the last man's chest before continuing on his way. He had yet to find Lu Xun's body, and that only drove him further.
'Kill my friend...'
It was about another mile before finding another soldier, and he gave a war cry, slitting his throat as he rode by. 'And you will all pay!'
He would have gone after more soldiers, but his cockiness got the better of him, and an arrow practically came out of no where. He seem it in enough time to dodge it, but he lost grip on the reigns, falling off of his horse and down a steep hill, rolling into the stream at the bottom. He was quick to his feet to greet his attacked, hating himself for having to slay the horse with the archer.
"Bastards... still no sign of him..." Gan Ning wiped the blood from his face, kicking the dead archer face first so he would have to look at his pathetic face. He was already too behind to catch up to the Wei now, so he suspected he was out of hearing range. "Lu Xun! Can you hear me?! Lu Xun!!!!!"
He received no reply, sighing and making his way up the hill once again. He had his scimitar at the ready, preparing himself for a possible attack that did not come as he reached his horse. Now, half soaked, the ex-pirate galloped a few feet more before something caught his eyes. Something shiny, cylinder shaped, and red. As he advanced towards it, he jumped off the horse, quickly grabbing a blood stained hat. He didn't even have to examine it to tell who it belonged to, and he cried out, almost crying, "LU XUN! IF YOU'RE STILL ALIVE PLEASE ANSWER ME! LU XUN!"
The forest was silent, with the exception of his echoes, allowing him to hear how desperate his voice was. He shouted again, this time even louder. "LU XUNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!! ANSWER ME!"
Still nothing, except perhaps Wei soldiers coming his way. Gripping his scimitar again, he set the hat aside, and launched himself at the first soldier that dared show his face. He drove the blade into his face, welcoming the enemy. Let them come; he wanted revenge!
It was a small group, only consisting of two already injured soldiers and three perfectly fit ones. They were simple, but he left one alive, grabbing him by the throat and placing the sword's blade under his blood-damped chin, giving him no room to struggle. "Tell me, where is Lu Xun?! He's a Wu officer, short in stature, wears-" He pointed to the hat resting on the horse's saddle. -"that hat. Where is he?!"
The soldier could barely speak, and he spat in Gan Ning's eyes, making a costly mistake that he welcomed. "Zhang He shot him with an arrow! Dead he is! DEAD!"
With a simple movement, the soldier had joined his colleagues in their eternal slumber, but it gave no justice. Gan Ning felt horribly defeated, and he looked back to the hat, unable to believe that this torn and bloody thing once belonged to a man he practically considered his little brother. He let his hand touch it, resting his head on the horse's fuzzy neck, ignoring its look of confusion. "If you are dead, Lu Xun, then rest in peace... let your spirit be like the open sea and let it be free."
Then, taking the hat and placing it on his own head to keep track of it, Gan Ning unwillingly climbed onto the horse's back, turning it around and slowly heading back towards the flatlands Wu and Shu rested. This battle was lost, but he swore that there would be a day for revenge... but the day to come would be a day to mourn.