CHAPTER XI
Revelation
Wow…never thought it'd end like this…sitting cold in some cell, wounds all over me…being beaten humiliated by Xiahou Dun…didn't see that coming…Cao Cao is trying to break me, to try and make me join him. Not a chance in hell of that happening. I won't allow myself to cower before Cao Cao…ever…however long that is for me…
Blue Fox sat quietly in his dim-lit cell. His back had two gashes, and some cuts. Blood was trickling down his back, and some down his mouth. He could thing of only one thing…revenge…but it would be impossible. He had pulled off some amazing stunts before, including defeating an army twice the size of his own, taking down Lu Bu, and defeating some of the fiercest generals he'd ever seen. But he doubted escape from this…
But for some reason, another thought broke through his mind…something that kept him going…he didn't know why, but he knew the thought…it was Kori. He missed her so much, and he envied to at least see her again, to at least say goodbye. But he took it back. It would have been so much more painful to her saying goodbye, much more being slaughtered before her. He thought to himself. Even if he escaped, how could he show his face to Shiro or Kori again? He led them to believe he was killed, though honorably, at Chang Ban. What would happen, if he just returned suddenly…he shuttered. But he would not escape, and he knew it to be true.
His cell opened, and Xu Huang lifted him up. He, and a few guards, bound Blue Fox's hands behind his back. Blue Fox fiddled with the chain, finding a weak point. He was brought into a room. It was so familiar…then it hit him. The nightmare from long ago…it wasn't a dream…it was a vision. This was his death, and he was now sure of it. But he swore to himself, he would never falter.
"Lord Aoi Kitsune…I give you one final chance of defection." Said Cao Cao. "You can join us, or be executed."
Zhang Liao and Xiahou Dun watched Blue Fox, waiting. The heart of Blue Fox's eyes shone in a blue flame.
"The only regret I have…is not killing you sooner…you would be wise not to make the same mistake." Blue Fox said.
"So be it…" said Cao Cao.
Xiahou Dun approached and kicked him to his knees, and two guards held his head down. Xiahou Dun took upon a blood-tainted sword, and lifted it into the air.
"However, you did help me take Lu Bu." Said Cao Cao. The guards let go of Blue Fox's head, and Blue Fox looked at him.
"Cao Cao…I must ask you. Are you a tyrant, or a merciful leader?" said Blue Fox. "I will leave you with the choice of execution."
"Get out of my sights." Said Cao Cao. "And just hope you never meet my eyes again."
Blue Fox's chains were detatched, and he was thrown out of the city, bleeding. He was given nothing but his bow and quiver.
"I will…don't worry…" mumbled Blue Fox.
Blue Fox weakly moved on and on. He did not make it far before he collapsed. Shadow finally came and lifted him onto his back, and marched towards Liu Bei's camp.
Ice Wind practiced her fencing with Shiro, as they sparred through the night. Aka watched carefully, noticing improvement in her technique.
Another duel started, Kori was armed with her buckler and a dull sword. Shiro used his staff in place of a spear.
Kori and Shiro stared at eachother, waiting for the first move. They moved clockwise in a circle, and then charged eachother. Kori grabbed her blade with both hands and made a swift forward attack, but Shiro blocked. He pushed her blade to the right and flipped the staff over, and got her stomache with what would have been the blunt end of a spear.
She backed away, and faked an attack to the right, and spun around to get his left. Shiro didn't fall for it, as he simply backed away from the attack and went for a stab. Kori ducked and leg swiped Shiro. He fell to the ground, but before Kori could declare victory, he rolled back and got Kori's hip with what would have been the blade of a spear.
Kori went for a diagnol slash downward and Shiro blocked. Kori's blade was on top, and Shiro's staff on bottom. She kicked him to the floor and put the end of her blade to Shiro's face, and won.
"Two out of four, not bad." Said Aka.
"You want a go?" asked Shiro.
Aka agreed and took up a blunt sword. Shiro took Aka's place in the doorway, and watched the two combatants ready themselves for battle.
Aka ran at Kori, and went for her neck. Kori ducked and got a blow across his side.
"That's one, two to go." Said Kori.
She backed away and readied for another attack. Aka ran at her again, and went for a stab. Kori dodged and went for a stab of her own. Aka dodged and spun behind her, and got a blow to her back.
"One all." Said Aka.
Kori ran at Aka, who went for a forward stab. Kori jumped and did a double kick to his chest and face, which caught him off guard. She landed and spun around, slashing across his chest.
"I'm winning again." Said Kori, mockingly.
Aka smirked and ran at her, she slashed at him, but he stopped himself and ducked and got a blow to her shin.
"Next hit wins." Said Aka.
They positioned themselves again. They stared into eachother's eyes, with a threatening gaze. Aka ran and jumped up, then thrusted his blade towards Kori. She jumped to the right and dodged, then went for him while his guard was down. Aka blocked it, and a few other attacks. He went back onto the offensive and made a clean slash to her sides. Kori ducked to stab him, but he pivoted and went for her back. She lunged forward to dodge it, and just barely made it. But before she could get up, Aka got the blade to her back, and won.
"You really have improved, before I thought Shiro was just sucking." Said Aka.
They had a good laugh and had a few drinks, until they each went to their tents to sleep.
It was a cold, but beautiful, snowy night. Frost was mounting upon the brown soil of the camp. It was around two o' clock, when Kori woke up. She took a short walk outside to the nearby lake. The moon was beautiful, and the stars were bright and clear. But she kept hearing some sort of noise. It was a distant clicking noise, that would not cease. She stood her ground, and the noise got louder, and much faster. She then saw a shadow in the mist. Her heart stopped…
She took a step back, her pupils became smaller, and a tear nearly fell from her eye.
It's a dream, thought Kori, another dream…I'm not even here…
But it was not a dream. The figure slowed it's pace, and it was clear to her. The sound was a horse galopping. The figure dismounted the horse, and it was him…it was Blue Fox.
"Aoi…" said the stunned Kori. "You…you're alive…"
Blue Fox slowly nodded.
"But…Zhao Yun said…" she started.
"Zhao Yun never saw me die, but I was captured, beaten, and nearly executed. Almost died…but…you kept me going…" he interrupted.
"Aoi…you're bleeding…you need some he-"
Blue Fox put his hands on her lips, and gazed into her eyes. She was speechless, and her heart begun beating hard. Blue Fox removed his hand from her lips. They stared into eachother's eyes. Their heads slowly moved towards eachother…
Kori's mind returned…her lips were locked with his…but…she felt it was right. She knew him so long, and they were so close…
It was two hours before Aoi returned the sleeping Kori to her tent. He left back to his horse, and left. He slept quietly in the forest…he would return the next day.
In the morning, Ice Wind was fast asleep. Shiro and Aka were cooking their meals, and the soldiers were discussing current events or cooking. A soldier then came running in.
"Open the gates!" he shouted. The gatesmen opened their gates and allowed a man to ride in. It was, again, Blue Fox. He tied Shadow to a wooden post, and walked towards Shiro and Aka.
"Aoi? You're alive!" said Shiro.
Aka remained silent, as did Aoi. He passed them and went into Kori's tent. He watched her sleep innocently, and took back his sword. He attatched the sheathed blade to his waist, and placed a new, thin, but deadly, sword upon her bed. He left, and sat down with Shiro. For a short while, it was silent.
"Glad to see you're alive, Shiro." Said Blue Fox.
"So…what happened?" asked Shiro.
"Well…it was back at Chang Ban's retreat. Zhao Yun had lost Liu Shan…"
Flashback
Blue Fox, still mounted on his horse, kept backing Shadow, and repeatedly shot down soldier after soldier. He took five more arrows, with dark auras, and shot down five men. A swordsman managed to get close to him, so he purposely fell off Shadow to dodge the attack. He unsheathed The Reaper with his right hand, and with his left he unsheathed his new blade, Trust in Heaven. Two swordsman attacked from both sides. Both of his swords had grown a dark aura. Blue Fox hit the right swordsman's attack away, and stepped forward, spinning around and severed the head of the other attacker. The right swordsman attacked again, and using Trust in Heaven, was able to break the enemy's sword. He used The Reaper to make the killing blow.
A spearsman ran at Blue Fox and nearly got him, but he spun around the attacker, spinning his blades, and stabbed him in the back with The Reaper. He gave The Reaper to Shadow.
"Shadow…get this to Kori, I want her to keep it. Then I want you to follow Cao Cao…if I survive, I'll see you there…"
With that, Shadow retreated. Blue Fox gripped the deadly blade, Trust in Heaven.
"I AM LORD AOI KITSUNE! IF YOU WANT MY HEAD, COME AND TAKE IT!" he roared. Soldiers begun backing away, but they came to their senses and realized they outnumbered him.
Three soldiers attacked…but something built up inside of Aoi…he felt the will of the dragon. He jumped up high and half flipped. Whilst in the air he took down a soldier. When he landed, he grabbed the spear from his victim and blocked an attack with his sword. He twisted around and slashed him down with the spear. He regained his position in center.
"Is that all you got?! The Black Dragon spares no-one!"
He backstabbed someone behind him, and used the spaear to impale someone else. He released the spear and grabbed a sword. He spun the blades all around him, threatening the others.
I won't last, thought Blue Fox.
As someone approached, he held his right sword, and the blade was in reverse position. He stabbed the attacker and removed the blade. He jumped sideways and hacked the head of another soldier. A pikesman managed to cut his back, almost a deep wound. Blue Fox moved forward and threw his extra sword at the attackers head. He gripped Trust in Heaven with both hands. He took down soldier after soldier, one by one. But he was wounded three more times, before he fell. They tied him up and took his weapons away. They put him in a carriage and sent him to Cao Cao's pursuit force.
"And that's what happened…I feel different since then…like a dragon…" said Blue Fox.
"I'm sure you could have been a dragon once before, Aoi." Said Shiro.
"Aka, I see you are still alive."
"I see you still get in more trouble than you can handle." Replied Aka. "But…glad to have you back."
"I never left…you did." Said Blue Fox. They discussed many things, until Ice Wind woke up. She joined the conversation for a while. Zhuge Liang soon called Blue Fox in.
"Lord Aoi Kitsune, I am honored to see you have survived." Said Zhuge Liang.
"Thankyou." He said.
"Your friend, Aka Usagi, has defected onto our side. I understand that you and the other three were once allies in the Shinek Relic campaign. I wish that you four visit the city of Liaozhou. I understand it is where you grew up."
"Why should I?" asked Blue Fox.
"Cao Cao may take it, and this would be a strategic point to take, being that it is a valuable supply source."
"Very well, then."
The four warriors mounted their horses and sped off to Liaozhou, along with a few. After few days travel, they saw the garrisoned city. But something was amiss. The streets were void of people, and the homes were empty.
They rode into the fields, and they were ravaged of food. Blue Fox saw four generals waiting for them. Sitting on their horses were Xiahou Dun, Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, and Zhang He.
"I got the cyclops." Said Blue Fox.
"I'll take Zhang Liao." Said Shiro.
"I'll take him." said Ice Wind, pointing at Zhang He.
"Guess that leaves me with that guy." Said Aka, pointing at Xu Chu.
The eight warriors charged at eachother, ready for a hell of a fight…