'Devotion'

Written by Diablo Omega

Summary: Dian Wei's struggle at the night time attack on Wan Castle.

Rating: FF-14

Warnings: Gore and violence.

A tremendous man rushed out of his door and into the corridor of Wan Castle. Flames had begun to lick at the wooden paneling of the hallway, and the shouts of battle came from all around. The man looked back into his room and narrowed his eyes. His halberds had been stolen and his armor, too. Growling, he stumbled along the hallway until he found the quarters of his lord. A group of five men were already hacking at the door with swords, throwing their weight against it and trying to break it down.

A bellowing war-cry escaped the man's throat as he grabbed the nearest one's arm and snapped it easily. The sword clattered to the floor as the soldier cried out, white bone gleaming from where it had burst the skin. His attacker grabbed his shoulder and his leg, lifting him effortlessly and hurling him fifteen feet down the corridor. The helmet did no good as the thrown man's skull shattered on contact with the wall.

Moving on, the burly man smashed two other soldier's heads together, killing them both. He took their swords and slew the remaining two, snarling viciously. He hammered on the door with the pommel of the blade, shouting, "Lord Cao Cao! Are you awake?"

The door slid open and a finely dressed man emerged, looking around. "Dian Wei, what is going on?"

Dian Wei replied, "Zhang Xiu's forces are attacking. Hurry, my lord! You must escape and live to fight again!" He pushed his lord back into the room and called in as he locked the door, "Exit to the north! Your troops should be waiting by their garrisons. Hurry!"

"Dian Wei…I…I owe you my life," said Cao Cao, turning to flee.

"Go! Do not worry about me!" The man found a heavy axe among the soldier's bodies, and he picked it up. He stood before the only other exit from the wing of the castle he was in. He would defend it with his life, to ensure his lord's escape.

Moments later, more soldiers came 'round the corner, charging Dian Wei. "He is only one man! Kill him and break down the door!" cried the officer, running behind his troops.

The gargantuan figure of Dian Wei shifted as he cut the first two warriors in two in a single stroke, feeling droplets of hot blood splatter his skin. The next soldiers came four at a time, but Dian Wei fended them off, leaving a large pile of slain foes at his feet. The officer growled and turned to run, but his foe dashed forward, grabbed his head, and smashed it forcefully into the wall beside him, leaving a brilliant crimson smear. "You shall tell none of your allies of Lord Cao Cao's escape, you wretch."

Still more fighters poured into the narrow hallway, pressing harder and harder to defeat Cao Cao's mammoth bodyguard. Dian Wei was wounded many times, but never let such trivial things such as pain or blood loss stop him from his duty. Eventually, his axe, slick with spilled blood, cracked, leaving Dian Wei with what was essentially a poor cudgel. Still he hammered his foes to death with the handle until it too shattered. Finding himself without weapons, the giant of a man began to hurl his foes at each other, breaking limbs and killing others. Finally, archers began to fill Dian Wei's burly frame with arrows, but still he fought them, strangling one with a bowstring and crying, "I shall see you all in the fires of the inferno, you vile curs!" He snapped another's neck and smashed yet another's face into the floor, before hurling the broken corpse down the corridor, taking down two more. An arrow hissed viciously and buried itself in his throat, but still he fought, blood pouring from the many wounds he had amassed. Blood loss eventually killed him, and he died on his feet, giving a great cry and strangling an enemy swordsman.

The castle began to collapse, and when all the exits had fallen, all within were crushed or burned alive. When Cao Cao was told of the loss of his son and Dian Wei, he broke down into bitter tears, crying, "I have lost my son, but I grieve for him not so much as I grieve for Dian Wei!"

A/N – Two chapters in two days has got to be a record for me…Anyway, tell me what you thought, so I'll know if people want to read more.

Until next time, this is Diablo Omega. Nothing but the best, and never trust a mime.