Disclaimer- I own none of these characters, but I wish I did. It would be cool to say I had the soul of an ancient Chinese warrior. And I understand now it will start getting historically inaccurate.

Chapter the fourth- The battle of Xia Kou, revisited.

"Are you certain of this?"

Lu Meng stayed in his dutiful position "Yes My liege. Gan Ning realised that he could get nowhere with an indecisive leader like Liu Biao, or a commander as stingy as Huang Zu."

"This defection is heaven-sent. Bring him forward!"

Lu Meng stepped aside while Gan Ning was brought forth. Lu Meng merely faded into the background While Gan Ning and Sun Quan talked of matters concerning the empire, Military, people and other trivial matters. It seemed like Gan Ning had intelligence enough to become a strategist himself.

During Sun Quan and Ning's conversation, Meng noticed a shadow creeping past the window near where Gan was sit and drinking wine. A dagger, unsheathed was brought down with such force on Gan Nings skull he was instantly killed. Or would have been, if Meng had not shot an arrow to knock the dagger out of in the intruder's hand.

Ning promptly jumped in front of Sun Quan to avoid Quan being hurt, and leaped forward, knocking the assailant down.

Quan then ordered the assailant brought forth. It was Ling Tong, son of Ling Cao, seeking revenge for his father's death.

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In a matter of weeks, another invasion of Xia Kou was planned. Meng was to take the vanguard with Ning and Zhou Tai. Reinforcing the battle would be Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and Zhou Yu. Emergency reinforcements would come from Sun Quan himself.

Uneasiness was over the vanguard. They were unsure if they could really trust Gan Ning. When the force disembarked off their ships The enemy were nowhere.

Zhou Tai eyed the area very calmly, and very slowly. "THERE!" He quickly yelled, and snatched a bow off a poor troop who was so shocked he actually fell off his feet in fear. Two seconds later, a Liu Baio troop corpse fell from the cliff above. Soon, a grand battle had begun. In the frenzy of battle, Lu Meng had found himself separated from Tai and Ning. Swiping left and right, spinning, fighting with the strength of a dragon, Lu Meng found his way to Zhou Tai. "He's gone....." Tai calmly said, ignoring the fact that he was just given another scar from a troop, who was promptly killed seconds later.

"What!?" Gan Ning had betrayed us!"

Tai shook his head. "No, he has dashed ahead."

Lu Meng took all of three seconds to decide on his course of action. He left the Vanguard in the very capable hands of Zhou Tai while he went ahead to help Gan Ning. Leaping aboard Shadowmane he trampled all in his way, and slashed the head of those who were clever enough to move.

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"There is the one......archers, fire!"

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Next he knew there was an arrow in his stomach and Shadowmane lay dead as he rolled safely off. The arrow shaft was broken off, Meng would have to wait for medical aid when he got back.

He expect to have to make a last final stand against Liu Biao's soldiers, but none came. He was seemingly alone.

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"hmm.....So he survived......"

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Meng gave a quick display of his glaive-work, and issued a challenge.

"Yield, you scum, or die. Choose quickly!"

Gracefully, a small looking warrior wearing a mask flipped down.

"You do not realise it will be YOU who dies here, Lu Meng."

Lu Meng laughed and lunged forward, bringing his spear down, and would have split the warrior in two had it connected. But he was no longer there, having rolled over Lu Meng and leaving one of his sword in Lu Mengs back.

"Poisoned. Indeed, YOU will die Lu Meng."

Strength fading, Meng fought on desperately but passed out.