Dynasty Warriors - Rise of the Wang Empire

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Death's Head - I do not own Dynasty Warriors. It's owned by the people who created them. Not me. Just to reiterate, I do NOT own Dynasty Warriors. The only Dynasty Warriors stuff I own is the 2nd and 3rd game. Only the original characters in this story. they come from the warped, twisted and demented regions of my mind. Geez, that sounds bad doesn't it?

Oh, btw, I just got Dynasty Warriors 4, and I've been playing it to death! Damn, really, really, REALLY LOVE THIS SERIES!!!

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Chapter Ten :

Elsewhere :

Zhen Ji was sitting on a chair, found in the ruins of a nearby hut. As soon as she and her contingent rode into what was left of the village, her stomach had turned and she was forced to dismount. Face pale, she glanced again around her, before lowering her gaze back to the ground.

"This... this is... horrible..."

Wong Zhu approached her commander, her own face slightly pale.

"I've seen death come for soldiers on the battlefield, and in battle, death can be violent and brutal." She paused and sighed "Whoever... no, whatever did this... has no fear of anything in this world."

Zhen Ji looked at her second.

"Detail the troop to bury the dead, then we raze this village to the ground. Nothing good can come from these ruins anymore."

Wong Zhu nodded.

"As you command."

Zhen Ji watched her soldiers go about their grisly task, and she wondered who could have committed such an act.

I have never heard of such atrocities being committed, either with Wei or when I was with Yuan Shao's forces. Could the force which attacked this village, be the same from Zhang He's reports?

Zhen Ji looked over at where the bodies were being laid out, and she had to turn away when she saw some small bodies, bodies which hadn't experienced what life had to offer them. She stood and walked away from were the graves were being dug, and surveyed the damage to the village.

As she walked, a look of surprise appeared on her face. Almost all of the small huts were in perfect condition, next to no damage to any of the land. The only damage she could see, and most probably the most terrifying, was the loss of human life.

"There has to some sort of connection, something besides the dead bodies..."

One of her bodyguards, Li Lon, hurried to her side, kneeling on the ground.

"My Lady, we have found something rather... unsettling."

Zhen Ji looked at her, curiosity on her face.

"Lead the way."

The Wei general followed her bodyguard, to where her remaining five bodyguards were waiting. They stood at attention as Zhen Ji walked passed them, her gaze on the wall before her. Zhen Ji, who hadn't experienced much in battle, was both horrified and stunned as she was the writing. On the wall, written in still warm blood, was a message, left by the attackers.

What was once our territory, shall become ours once again. What is will end, what was shall return. So says the Wang Empire.

Zhen Ji paled as the blood was running down the wall.

"This... is something our Lord will want to know of, immediately."

Wong Zhu ran up to Zhen Ji, a look of worry on her face.

"My Lady, we've found... something..."

Zhen Ji faced her second.

"Something?"

Wong Zhu nodded.

"I can't describe it any other way, but 'something'. It may be one of the 'attacker's."

Zhen Ji's face hardened, as her bodyguards drew around her, their hands on their weapons.

"Lead the way Wong Zhu."

The small group made their way over to where the village met the forest. Zhen Ji noticed how her troops were nervous and, in some cases, skittish. Then she saw the reason why.

Lying on the ground, a black armoured figure was embedded in the ground, blood flowing freely from numerous wounds. Ignoring the gasps from her bodyguards and second, Zhen Ji knelt next to the figure and grasped the faceless helm of the figure and pulled it free.

Long flowing dark brown hair cascaded onto the black armour, as Zhen Ji studied the face of the... young woman before her. The warrior had to of been a year younger than Zhen Ji herself, but her eyes... her eyes had the look of someone far older than they look, someone who had lost a part of themselves and couldn't find it again. Zhen Ji spoke softly.

"You have nothing to fear. I have no intention of harming you."

The woman grimaced as a look of immense pain washed over her face. She looked at Zhen Ji, pain in her eyes.

"Kill... me..."

Zhen Ji frowned and looked at the wounds. The wounds, while numerous, could be treated. Zhen Ji spoke to her second.

"We need to help her."

Wong Zhu's face wore a look of surprise.

"My Lady... is that wise?"

Before Zhen Ji could respond, the woman grasped her hand tightly.

"Please! You must kill me! You have to! Lord Kian will return, and when he finds me, he'll..."

Zhen Ji grasped the woman's hand tightly.

"He'll have to find you, before he could do anything to you. I give you my word, you will be safe."

Zhen Ji stood and motioned for three of her soldiers to help the woman over to where her wounds could be treated. Wong Zhu approached Zhen Ji, her face wore a look of mixed confusion.

"It is not my place to question your orders in front of your command, but I must insist that you..."

Zhen Ji faced her second, a cold look on her face.

"Trust me Wong Zhu. This woman, if she is one of the attackers who destroyed this village, and our outposts, then we can get information from her. If this 'Kian' is in charge of the 'Wang Empire', then maybe we can use her, to our advantage."

Wong Zhu nodded as realisation dawned on her.

"You intend to use this soldier, for the glory of Wei, aren't you?"

Zhen Ji frowned slightly, then smiled condescendingly at her second.

"Yes, that's it exactly. Her help will help Wei, which Wu and Shu will be indebted to Lord Cao Cao. A debt which could be used to exact more control and more land for Wei."

Wong Zhu smiled.

"You are wise my Lady. Wei's future, is something you are thinking of, yes?"

Zhen Ji faced one of her bodyguards as she spoke.

"Indeed. Continue the burials of the villagers and prepare to raze the village."

Wong Zhu saluted.

"As your command."

As Wong Zhu turned and went about her orders, and Zhen Ji's bodyguards stepped back from her, Zhen Ji walked over to where her horse was tied up and patted it on the neck. She turned and faced the village.

"Wei will survive the firestorm approaching it. Shu and Wu may survive it as well, but I intend to survive myself. I will gain my freedom, from not just Wei, but also my past."

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Death's Head - Sorry about the late update to this story people. I've been busy with my other projects on this site, and for some weird reason I had a hard time writing this chapter. Gotta quit playing Final Fantasy X-2 and play more of Dynasty Warriors 4 and 4 Xtreme Legends, yes? Anyways, here it is people, the next chapter of this story, and it mainly focuses on my favourite, ZHEN JI! The next chapter... I have no idea when that's gonna be ready to post. I'm playing around with a lot of ideas for it, but we'll just see what happens, yes?

Please R&R.