Dynasty Warriors : Rise of the Wang Empire

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Death's Head -      I do not own Dynasty Warriors 3. Koei and THQ have that honour. All I own is a copy of Dynasty Warriors 2 and 3. This is my first Dynasty Warriors fanfic, so if you flame me for it, I'll send Wei Yan and Ma Chao to deal with you!

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A small village, within Shu territory :

Ma Chao leaned against a tree and watched as his small, but determined troop of soldiers continue repairs to the damaged village walls, and also erect the defences he had directed to be built. The village had been the target for numerous bandit attacks, so Liu Bei, the ruler of the Shu Kingdom, had ordered Ma Chao and his troop to this village and to remain there until either the bandits had been routed and defeated, or until he is relieved and receives new orders.

He picked up his spear, and gazed at the spear tip. He considered about polishing it again, when one of his troops approached him.

"My lord. We have finished the repairs on the Southern wall, and placed barricades at the South and West gates. Only way in, is through the North gate."

Ma Chao nodded.

"Good work. The East dock?"

The soldier smiled.

"In case of invasion, the boats are ready to evacuate all the villagers."

Before Ma Chao could respond, a peasant ran up to them, panting.

"Milord! Bandits are approaching!"

Ma Chao stood on his feet, his spear drawn. He looked at his soldier.

"Ready the troops! Have all the villagers near the docks, ready for departure!"

The solider nodded and hurried off. Ma Chao hurried over to the North gate, and stood on the battlements. His eyes widened as he saw the number of bandits. His troop were outnumbered, three to one, but he smiled grimly. He had faced worse odds against either the Wei or Wu empires, and had survived. He had no doubt, he'd survive this altercation. He looked at his archers.

"Load bows!"

Out of the seven hundred strong troop, two hundred of them raised their bows, and nocked an arrow. Ma Chao turned back and gazed at the rapidly shrinking distance between the village wall and the approaching bandits. He raised his arm, and at his signal, the archers pulled the drawstrings of their bows back and readied themselves. Fifty of Ma Chao's soldiers were waiting near the docks, guiding the villagers to the boats, as the other soldiers prepared themselves for battle.

Ma Chao waited, and then lowered his arm. Two hundred arrows rained over the village walls, directly onto the approaching army. Bandits screamed as the arrows struck them, their bodies falling to the ground. The bandits seemed to stop, them continued their mad charge at the village. Ma Chao grimaced, the bandits didn't seemed to care about how many of them died. Either they were truly mad, or they feared their leader more than they feared death. He leaped down from the battlements, and looked at his soldiers.

"Men! Prepare yourselves! Now, we show these bandits, what true fear is!"

The soldiers cheered as they raced after Ma Chao, out the gate and into the first wave of bandits. The archers ran onto the battlements, and rained their arrows down onto the enemy's second wave. Ma Chao charged into the enemy, his bodyguards with him, his spear hitting a bandit with every swing and plunge. The survivors of the archer's attack, charged Ma Chao and his bodyguards, effectively separating them from the rest of Ma Chao's soldiers. One of his bodyguards fell to the ground, chest cut open by a bloodied sword. The bandit faced Ma Chao.

"You're next!"

Ma Chao stared at the bandit.

"I do not think so."

Before the bandit could say anything, another wave of arrows rained down, one of them striking the bandit between his eyes. Ma Chao watched as the bandit fell to the ground, dead from the arrow embedded in his forehead.

"Do not tempt fate bandit."

Ma Chao only just managed to deflect the sword blow of the bandit leader, who struck Ma Chao with a flurry of fierce strikes. Ma Chao managed to raise his spear and assumed a strong defensive posture, blocking his adversary's attacks. However, an enemy arrow embedded itself in the side of Ma Chao's armour, causing him to grimace with pain.

The bandit leader smiled and slashed his sword downwards. Ma Chao raised his weapon into a blocking position, and the spear shaft broke from the blow. Disarmed and wounded, Ma Chao staggered away from the bandit, who approached the wounded Shu warrior, a haughty, superior look on his face.

"And so, a Shu warrior dies today. I'll make sure to have your head removed and sent back to your lord, with great care!"

The bandit raised his sword, and was about to strike, when a cry echoed behind him. Another bandit yelled.

"Shu reinforcements! It's… It's… AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!"

The bandit fell down as a masked warrior stood over him. His weapon, a double bladed spear called a Voulge, in front of him. He raised his weapon into the air and roared one word.

"KILL!!!"

The warrior's troops, surged into the bandits, and with their leader leading the charge, they had cut a swath of death and destruction through the bandit forces. The bandit leader cursed, then let his gaze settle on the masked leader. His eyes went wide, and he nearly lost his grip on his sword as he recognised the newcomer.

"It's… Wei Yan!"

Ma Chao looked, through pain filled eyes, as the masked dervish, known as Wei Yan, leaped into the air and landed on two bandits, slashing their backs open with his weapon. Wei Yan looked at the bandit leader, and said two simple words.

"You… Die…"

Wei Yan spun his weapon and leaped. Each time he spun, his weapons slit the throats of bandits, cutting into their bodies. He tackled the bandit leader, his weapon before him like a spear. However, another bandit stepped into Wei Yan's path, and took the blow meant for his leader. The blade bit deep into the bandit's armour, sending him flailing backwards. Wei Yan roared as he swung his weapon, decapitating another bandit.  The bandit leader, turned and fled. Other bandits, noting their leader's urgent departure, followed suite. Wei Yan roared.

"Coward! Face me!!"

The remaining bandits turned and fled, some being cut down by Wei Yan's troops, or arrows being sent into them from Ma Chao's archers. Wei Yan turned and looked at Ma Chao.

"Aid… Arrived."

Ma Chao smiled as he stood on his feet, facing his fellow Shu warrior.

"Wei Yan, under the circumstances, I'm glad to see you."

The masked warrior shrugged his shoulders.

"Orders… are orders."

Ma Chao nodded. Liu Bei, under the advice from his strategist Zhuge Liang, had ordered Ma Chao to the village, to protect it, and to hopefully kill off the bandits threatening it. He knew reinforcements were on the way, and had assumed it would either be led by Zhang Fei or Guan Yu. Still, he had grown to respect, and count on Wei Yan, and knew Liu Bei was taking this threat of bandit uprising seriously, to send two of his warriors out to investigate and protect the people who had sworn fealty to him and the Shu Kingdom.

Wei Yan looked at the village, then at Ma Chao's wound.

"Village safe. You wounded."

Ma Chao pulled the arrow from his armour, relieved to find the arrow tip wasn't poisoned.

"Just a scratch. I'll be fine, when we've finished those bandits off completely."

Wei Yan grinned and spun his weapon in the air.

"Half troop stay. Rest come with us."

Ma Chao nodded.

"Let's finish this."

Wei Yan raised his weapon in the air, and let a whoop of delight escape him. Ma Chao faced his lieutenant.

"Have half of our forces stay here, to restrengthen and fortify the village. Wei Yan, myself and the rest will follow the bandits."

The lieutenant nodded.

"Good hunting sir."

Ma Chao's remaining bodyguards rode up to their charge, bringing his horse with them. Ma Chao mounted, as Wei Yan mounted his own horse. With a look at Ma Chao, Wei Yan laughed .

"We crush them."

Ma Chao nodded.

"That we will Wei Yan, that we will."

Both warriors, led their force after the bandits.

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Death's Head -      Heh, heh, heh, HA HA HA!!! My favourite Shu warrior, in none other than… WEI YAN!!! In the game, he is, in one word, a MADMAN!! A berserker, a lover of a good fight. Heh, I've got plans for Wei Yan and Ma Chao, oh yes, plans… MWA HA HA HA!! Ahem, now that I have that out of my system, and can now act normally, or at least, as near to being normal one can be. Also, next chapter will be longer, promise. R&R please.

Sneak peak, next chapter -                Zhen Ji, a woman of exquisite beauty, looked out of her window and sighed. It had only been a month since the death of Cao Pi, the man who had taken her as his wife, and she was now a free woman once again. Free to make her own decisions in her life, free to love again. She was busy thinking to herself, that she didn't hear the knock on the door to her chambers, until she heard a voice.

"Lady Zhen Ji…"

Zhen Ji turned and allowed a gracious smile to spread on her face. The man standing there smiled nervously at her.

"Lord Cao Cao, has requested your presence immediately."

Zhen Ji sighed a little and nodded.

Who is the man she's speaking to? Don't ask me! That's all I've written of the fourth chapter so far! Everyone, place your bets, as to the identity of the mystery man. Also, a little warning, Cao Cao has a stab at Xu Zhu. Nuff said.