Author's note: Big, important chapter! New characters step in and
exciting things happen. Just to let you all know, I DID NOT WRITE DIAO CHAN'S SONG. This song is "Blue" from Cowboy Bebop, I really like it. You
can listen to it here:
Enjoy ^,^
Part 1
Rise of the Stars
Chapter 9
Fireflies
They day died quickly and Zhang He wondered what adventures Lu Bu, Diao Chan, and Dong Zhou's arrival would bring. He sat a while, musing in the bath, and creating fake scenarios in his mind. He dreamed up heroic battles between himself and the mighty Lu Bu, where he would end up the victor and Yuan Shao clapped for him proudly. After he was done bathing, he slipped into a restless sleep with not so pleasant dreams. He dreamed that he was in a bamboo forest fighting a tiger with a wooden stick. Then Rai Tso floated out of nowhere and took it away from him, and suddenly disappeared. He ran away from the tiger and found a radiant painting standing in the middle of the forest. It depicted the same forest he was in. When he touched his fingers on the dried paint he heard a deep voice around him. "The Dragon, the Demon, and the Firefly will dance into your life. Do no battle under the black moon, but let the Fireflies' light guide you away from them all, into the trees. There you will catch it. You may release it soon after, but you will always own it's heart." Zhang He sprung up out of bed. He looked around, and then put his hand on his head. "What an odd dream." He said to himself. He got up out of bed and stretched. He walked over to the wardrobe, put on clean clothes, then brushed and did up his hair. After a while, he stepped outside into the hall. Rai Tso was out there to, talking to one of her friends. "Good morning, Zhang He." She said brightly. "Morning." He answered groggily. "You should be on your toes, they'll be here soon!" Rai Tso warned him as he passed by. "Ok, thanks." Zhang He said. Outside in the courtyard in was still very cold and patches of snow were still on the ground. He sat down by his favorite tree and looked up at the cloudy sky. From near the gate he heard loud voice speaking. He at once thought of Sun Ce, but knew it couldn't possibly be him. Zhang He got up and started towards the gate, he wanted to see what Lu Bu looked like. Up near the gate stood Yuan Shao, stiffly greeting the three guests. Zhang He peered over, trying to get a good look but not trying to be seen. Yuan Shao helped some people out of a carriage, but all Zhang He could see was their feet. He decided he could get away and see them all later at dinner and he began to walk back to the courtyard. "Ah, there he is right now! Zhang He, come over here, would you?" Yuan Shao yelled in a pleading sort of way. "Yes, my Lord." Zhang He said, striding towards him. "I would like you to meet Dong Zhou, Diao Chan, and Lu Bu." Yuan Shao said, gesturing towards three people. The first person Zhang He noticed was actually not Lu Bu. Standing in between the other two was the fattest man Zhang He had ever seen. His expensive clothing burst at his belly, and he had his chubby arms crossed across his enormous chest. He had a large bushy beard and his face looked as though something with extremely large and dirty feet had stepped on it. He scowled down, crinkling up his nose and teetering slightly back and forth. Zhang He bowed very low to him, trying to hide his look of utter disgust. On Dong Zhou's left was a tower of a man. He had short, unkempt hair and a hat with long feathers growing out of it that made him look like he had antennae. His eyes were so brown they looked red and alive with fire. He looked at Zhang He as if he were a small, unpleasant insect he was about to crush with his mighty fist. On his back was a sharp, gleaming pike about ten feet tall. He cracked his knuckles, looking like he was preparing to tear someone's heart out. Zhang He backed up slightly, and then bowed to the horrible Lu Bu.
To the right, almost totally obscured by Dong Zhou plethora of blubber stood a small girl. She looked totally out of place next to the two fearsome giants. Her build was small and delicate, but she had already become a woman. She was about 14 years old, but quite short for her age. Her silky hair was done up in a beautiful pink hair dress with fake roses and pink ribbons. There was nothing on her shoulders, but the sleeves began again on the middle of her upper arm. A light pink cloth was tied around her waist and dropped in the back to ankles. Her gorgeous face had a sad look that wouldn't fleet. She almost looked on the verge of tears as she gazed up at the gray sky. She held two lovely maces, decorated with flowers and intricate patterns. Zhang He felt sorry for her just because he saw her face. He bowed in deepest respects to her, and then looked up into her eyes, almost trying to ask her if there was anything he could do. "Come now, let me show you to your rooms." Yuan Shao said, going ahead so Zhang He would be walking closer to Dong Zhou. They entered the large building and twisted down its spacious halls. They stopped up to the door of the most royal guest room on the premises. "This is your room, Dong Zhou, and I will send a messenger for you when I is dinnertime." Yuan Shao said slightly quivering. Dong Zhou burst inside and slammed the door. "The one next to it will be yours, Lu Bu." Yuan Shao said. "Thank you, Lord Yuan Shao." Lu Bu croaked unfriendily. "Zhang He, will you please escort miss Diao Chan to her room, it's the one beside yours." Yuan Shao said, stepping away from the scowling Lu Bu. "Yes, my Lord." Zhang He said. "Right this way." He said, beckoning to Diao Chan to follow him. She followed him slowly down the corridor, looking back occasionally. "Is there something wrong?" Zhang He said, looking back at Diao Chan "You look so sad." "Oh, it's nothing." She mumbled, looking at her feet. "Well, this is it." Zhang He said stopping at the door. "I hope your stay is comfortable, and if you need anything, I'm right next door." "Thank you." She said, opening the door delicately with her soft white hand. "Are you sure you're all right?" Zhang He said sympathetically. "Well." She said, looking back. "I am in a bit of trouble." "Can I help you in any way?" Zhang He offered. "You could maybe. No! Never mind, forget what I said." She said disappearing inside. Zhang He spent the rest of the morning with Yuan Shao; he had requested they be together at all times when Dong Zhou was around. Lu Bu was always talking in a hushed voice with Dong Zhou, and sometimes laughing in a cruel sort of way. That night at dinner, everyone was tense. Yuan Shao would keep looking and Dong Zhou and Lu Bu, waiting for them to strike. Zhang He was also waiting for something to happen. Yuan Shao had given him a dagger, which he hid from view. He kept fingering the hilt, waiting for that signal. Suddenly, Dong Zhou stood up. Zhang He grabbed the hilt and prepared to attack. "I must show you this girl's voice. She can sing very well, and her dancing is not bad either. Go, Diao Chan, sing for us that song." Dong Zhou announced. "Yes, my Lord." She said in a melancholy way, and stood up. She stood up and began vocalizing. He voice was clear and beautiful, like an angel. The song was so sad, and yet the most lovely any of them had ever heard.
Never seen a bluer sky,
I can feel it reaching out
And moving closer.
There's something about that blue.
Zhang He leaned forward and put his head on his hand. He sadness seemed to flow out in the song. The lyrics of the song seemed to make Zhang He's chest feel empty.
I asked myself what it's all for
You know the funny thing about it
I couldn't answer
No I couldn't answer.
Had he heard this song before? He seemed to remember it from a dream, or a long time ago, like when he first saw the stars, full of wonder, maybe like
death.
Things have turned a deeper shade of blue
Images that might be real
Maybe illusion
Keep flashing off and on.
What was it that moved him so about this song? He couldn't take his eyes off Diao Chan. He noticed a tear run down her perfect face, but her voice
retained that heavenly purity.
Free.
Want to be Free.
Got to be free.
And to move among the stars,
You know, there not so far.
Seeing Diao Chan cry hurt his heart. He longed to reach out to her and tell her everything would be all right, but he knew that was a stupid thing
to want.
Feels so free.
Got to know to free.please.
Don't wake me from the dream
It's really everything it seemed.
I'm free, no black and white in the blue.
Zhang He felt a tear fall down his face and he scolded himself for acting
like such a child. But, isn't ok to cry sometimes?
Everything is clearer now.
Life is just a dream, you know.
That's never ending,
I'm ascending.
Everyone sat in stunned silence for a long moment after the lovely music ebbed. Then, Yuan Shao started to clap. Zhang He joined in, followed by Lu Bu, the Rai Tso. Next thing they knew, the entire room was erupting with applause. "Isn't that the most beautiful song?" Rai Tso said to Zhang He. "So sad." Zhang He said softly, still in partial awe. "Diao Chan has an excellent voice, don't you think?" She continued. "It's among the loveliest things I've ever had the privilege to hear. Such clarity, and just loud enough where it isn't overpowering." Zhang He agreed. "It's too bad she has to be with Dong Zhou." She said, lowering her voice. "I hear she's treated terribly.." "That's terrible! No wonder she looks so sad.I wish I could tech Dong Zhou a lesson." Zhang He said bitterly. "You're going to take him on?" Rai Tso said superiorly. "Well." Zhang He began. "Didn't think so."
That night, Zhang He sat in bed and hummed Diao Chan's song to himself. "I wish I could play that, Sun Shang Xiang would love that one." He said, remembering her cute, round face. He was just dropping off to sleep, when he heard a loud crash outside in the hall. He sprang to his feet and seized the Metal Talons. He hurriedly snapped them on and crept outside. The dark frame of a person was sneaking down through the hall, just as they had before that night with the assassin. Was it Dong Zhou? Lu Bu? They weren't going towards Yuan Shao's room, so there was probably no need for them to die.yet. He followed their quiet footsteps down to the southern exit. They opened the door and casually walked outside. Zhang He followed, quietly as he could. The night was young, but it was still quiet cold outside. He couldn't see what the person look like because it was a new moon and there was no light to see by. He followed the persons dark shape along the courtyard and around to the back of his old building. They stepped onto the little observation deck and looked down into the forest. "Who's there?" Zhang He said a little loudly. The person gasped and cried out. "Please, don't hurt me!" A woman's voice said. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Zhang He said moving closer, but still keeping his claws up. "Is that.are you the bodyguard from before? Zhang He?" She said. "Yes." He said, lowering his weapon. "It's just me, Diao Chan." She said, going back to her sad voice. "I just came out because I couldn't sleep." "I have problems like that a lot too, I sometimes can't get to sleep at all." Zhang He said, standing beside her. "And why is that? I can never sleep because I'm too scared." Diao Chan said, looking down into the wood. "Scared? What would you be scared of?" Zhang He asked. "Dong Zhou and Lu Bu. their awful, Dong Zhou always hits me and stuff." "What? That's terrible! Why don't you leave their services?" Zhang He said loudly. "I-I can't." She said, and paused. "I.well." "It's alright, you can tell me." Zhang He said, leaning forward. "You must never let them know, I would be killed." Diao Chan said, whining a bit. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul." Zhang He said, eager to hear the secret. "Well, my father.No, why am I telling this to you." She stopped. "Please tell me, I want to see if I can help!" Zhang He said. "My f-father is very frightened of both Lu Bu and Dong Zhou, and wants them dead. He has sent me to pretend to be his bodyguard so that I can kill them. But I am too weak, and remain in his services. I can never return home unless they are both dead. If Dong Zhou ever found out I plan to kill him, I would be slaughtered on the spot. But sometimes, I think maybe that might be better." Diao Chan said sadly. "That's horrible, you shouldn't have to do your father's dirty work."
"I wish there was just some way to escape from it all, to leave it all behind." She said firmly. "I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to listen about me whine on about something I can't change." "No, It's fine, in fact, I want to help you." Zhang He offered. "Why would you do anything for me? I don't deserve it.I haven't done anything for you." "Yes you have." Zhang He said softly "When you sang that song today, you let me hear an angel's voice, and that's worth more to me than a mountain of gold." She giggled slightly and smiled. That was the first time Zhang He ever saw her smile, it was so beautiful all he could was stare. Suddenly something shook under their feet.
"Did you feel that?" She said, looking surprised. The world shook violently and they heard a cracking from the wood on the deck. Suddenly it broke clean off and they were hurled down the hill in a flurry of dirt and pieces of wood. They tumbled down the steep slope, bruising and getting cut. Zhang He slid down on his back, trying not to get hit by the Talons. Suddenly, the hill leveled off and they were launched into the forest trees. Diao Chan screamed when she landed and clutched her leg. Zhang He stood up slowly, rubbing his sore head. Diao Chan was whimpering and trying to get up.
"Stop moving." Zhang He advised her. "What hurts?"
"M-my leg." She said through tears. He bent down and examined her leg. He felt along the bone and discovered it was snapped in half.
"It's broken, don't touch it." He warned. "I don't know how to treat this, but I know you should try to keep it straight and moving it around is really bad."
"C-can I walk?" She said, shaking.
"No, it'll hurt even more if you do." Zhang He said, pacing.
"What do we do? How do we get out of here?" Diao Chan said, utterly terrified. She was shaking so hard, you could see it from a mile away. "Don't worry." Zhang He said, "Everything's going to be ok." "What happens if a beast attacks? I'm sure this forest is full of them." She said, still not convinced they were safe. "Then I'll kill it, I'm armed." Zhang He said, holding up his arms. "I'm so scared." She squeaked, covering her head with her arms. Zhang He sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. Her body was so warm and soft, so lovely to the touch. "Don't worry, I'm here, nothing bad can happen." He reassured her. Just as soon as he'd said that, there was a fierce rustling in the bushes all around them. A group of men appeared. They were scarred and pierced and looked terribly hungry. "Look boss, a woman.. Hehehehe." Said one with a voice like nails. Diao Chan cowered against Zhang He's chest as the men pressed closer. "Get away!" Zhang He yelled at them. Diao Chan was hyperventilating and tears streamed down her face. He wouldn't let her be hurt! He promised her nothing bad would happen, and he intended to keep that promised. He stood up and stabbed his Talons through the first attacker. He slashed them all until only the leader remained. "She's mine!" The fat man gurgled. He pounded his enormous fists left and right, and Zhang He dodged with the speed of a cat. He shot forward and jabbed his Talons into the enormous man's chest. Zhang He wrenched it out and jumped back as he fell to his death. "Come on, let's get you out of here." Zhang He said, picking Diao Chan gently up. She buried her face in his chest, not looking at the corpses of the men. Zhang He slowly climbed the hill back to the palace. There was a sort of red haze where it stood. Smoke was coming out of the top. "Oh, no." Zhang He said, stopping. He raced to the top of the hill, as fast as his legs could carry him. The entire castle was covered in flames. The strong smell of smoke was in the air and people ran screaming. He could hear crashes from inside and saw windows break. "Oh, God, what have they done?" Diao Chan said in horror. Zhang He knew his priority. He was definitely going to help, but he had to get Diao Chan to safety first of all.
exciting things happen. Just to let you all know, I DID NOT WRITE DIAO CHAN'S SONG. This song is "Blue" from Cowboy Bebop, I really like it. You
can listen to it here:
Enjoy ^,^
Part 1
Rise of the Stars
Chapter 9
Fireflies
They day died quickly and Zhang He wondered what adventures Lu Bu, Diao Chan, and Dong Zhou's arrival would bring. He sat a while, musing in the bath, and creating fake scenarios in his mind. He dreamed up heroic battles between himself and the mighty Lu Bu, where he would end up the victor and Yuan Shao clapped for him proudly. After he was done bathing, he slipped into a restless sleep with not so pleasant dreams. He dreamed that he was in a bamboo forest fighting a tiger with a wooden stick. Then Rai Tso floated out of nowhere and took it away from him, and suddenly disappeared. He ran away from the tiger and found a radiant painting standing in the middle of the forest. It depicted the same forest he was in. When he touched his fingers on the dried paint he heard a deep voice around him. "The Dragon, the Demon, and the Firefly will dance into your life. Do no battle under the black moon, but let the Fireflies' light guide you away from them all, into the trees. There you will catch it. You may release it soon after, but you will always own it's heart." Zhang He sprung up out of bed. He looked around, and then put his hand on his head. "What an odd dream." He said to himself. He got up out of bed and stretched. He walked over to the wardrobe, put on clean clothes, then brushed and did up his hair. After a while, he stepped outside into the hall. Rai Tso was out there to, talking to one of her friends. "Good morning, Zhang He." She said brightly. "Morning." He answered groggily. "You should be on your toes, they'll be here soon!" Rai Tso warned him as he passed by. "Ok, thanks." Zhang He said. Outside in the courtyard in was still very cold and patches of snow were still on the ground. He sat down by his favorite tree and looked up at the cloudy sky. From near the gate he heard loud voice speaking. He at once thought of Sun Ce, but knew it couldn't possibly be him. Zhang He got up and started towards the gate, he wanted to see what Lu Bu looked like. Up near the gate stood Yuan Shao, stiffly greeting the three guests. Zhang He peered over, trying to get a good look but not trying to be seen. Yuan Shao helped some people out of a carriage, but all Zhang He could see was their feet. He decided he could get away and see them all later at dinner and he began to walk back to the courtyard. "Ah, there he is right now! Zhang He, come over here, would you?" Yuan Shao yelled in a pleading sort of way. "Yes, my Lord." Zhang He said, striding towards him. "I would like you to meet Dong Zhou, Diao Chan, and Lu Bu." Yuan Shao said, gesturing towards three people. The first person Zhang He noticed was actually not Lu Bu. Standing in between the other two was the fattest man Zhang He had ever seen. His expensive clothing burst at his belly, and he had his chubby arms crossed across his enormous chest. He had a large bushy beard and his face looked as though something with extremely large and dirty feet had stepped on it. He scowled down, crinkling up his nose and teetering slightly back and forth. Zhang He bowed very low to him, trying to hide his look of utter disgust. On Dong Zhou's left was a tower of a man. He had short, unkempt hair and a hat with long feathers growing out of it that made him look like he had antennae. His eyes were so brown they looked red and alive with fire. He looked at Zhang He as if he were a small, unpleasant insect he was about to crush with his mighty fist. On his back was a sharp, gleaming pike about ten feet tall. He cracked his knuckles, looking like he was preparing to tear someone's heart out. Zhang He backed up slightly, and then bowed to the horrible Lu Bu.
To the right, almost totally obscured by Dong Zhou plethora of blubber stood a small girl. She looked totally out of place next to the two fearsome giants. Her build was small and delicate, but she had already become a woman. She was about 14 years old, but quite short for her age. Her silky hair was done up in a beautiful pink hair dress with fake roses and pink ribbons. There was nothing on her shoulders, but the sleeves began again on the middle of her upper arm. A light pink cloth was tied around her waist and dropped in the back to ankles. Her gorgeous face had a sad look that wouldn't fleet. She almost looked on the verge of tears as she gazed up at the gray sky. She held two lovely maces, decorated with flowers and intricate patterns. Zhang He felt sorry for her just because he saw her face. He bowed in deepest respects to her, and then looked up into her eyes, almost trying to ask her if there was anything he could do. "Come now, let me show you to your rooms." Yuan Shao said, going ahead so Zhang He would be walking closer to Dong Zhou. They entered the large building and twisted down its spacious halls. They stopped up to the door of the most royal guest room on the premises. "This is your room, Dong Zhou, and I will send a messenger for you when I is dinnertime." Yuan Shao said slightly quivering. Dong Zhou burst inside and slammed the door. "The one next to it will be yours, Lu Bu." Yuan Shao said. "Thank you, Lord Yuan Shao." Lu Bu croaked unfriendily. "Zhang He, will you please escort miss Diao Chan to her room, it's the one beside yours." Yuan Shao said, stepping away from the scowling Lu Bu. "Yes, my Lord." Zhang He said. "Right this way." He said, beckoning to Diao Chan to follow him. She followed him slowly down the corridor, looking back occasionally. "Is there something wrong?" Zhang He said, looking back at Diao Chan "You look so sad." "Oh, it's nothing." She mumbled, looking at her feet. "Well, this is it." Zhang He said stopping at the door. "I hope your stay is comfortable, and if you need anything, I'm right next door." "Thank you." She said, opening the door delicately with her soft white hand. "Are you sure you're all right?" Zhang He said sympathetically. "Well." She said, looking back. "I am in a bit of trouble." "Can I help you in any way?" Zhang He offered. "You could maybe. No! Never mind, forget what I said." She said disappearing inside. Zhang He spent the rest of the morning with Yuan Shao; he had requested they be together at all times when Dong Zhou was around. Lu Bu was always talking in a hushed voice with Dong Zhou, and sometimes laughing in a cruel sort of way. That night at dinner, everyone was tense. Yuan Shao would keep looking and Dong Zhou and Lu Bu, waiting for them to strike. Zhang He was also waiting for something to happen. Yuan Shao had given him a dagger, which he hid from view. He kept fingering the hilt, waiting for that signal. Suddenly, Dong Zhou stood up. Zhang He grabbed the hilt and prepared to attack. "I must show you this girl's voice. She can sing very well, and her dancing is not bad either. Go, Diao Chan, sing for us that song." Dong Zhou announced. "Yes, my Lord." She said in a melancholy way, and stood up. She stood up and began vocalizing. He voice was clear and beautiful, like an angel. The song was so sad, and yet the most lovely any of them had ever heard.
Never seen a bluer sky,
I can feel it reaching out
And moving closer.
There's something about that blue.
Zhang He leaned forward and put his head on his hand. He sadness seemed to flow out in the song. The lyrics of the song seemed to make Zhang He's chest feel empty.
I asked myself what it's all for
You know the funny thing about it
I couldn't answer
No I couldn't answer.
Had he heard this song before? He seemed to remember it from a dream, or a long time ago, like when he first saw the stars, full of wonder, maybe like
death.
Things have turned a deeper shade of blue
Images that might be real
Maybe illusion
Keep flashing off and on.
What was it that moved him so about this song? He couldn't take his eyes off Diao Chan. He noticed a tear run down her perfect face, but her voice
retained that heavenly purity.
Free.
Want to be Free.
Got to be free.
And to move among the stars,
You know, there not so far.
Seeing Diao Chan cry hurt his heart. He longed to reach out to her and tell her everything would be all right, but he knew that was a stupid thing
to want.
Feels so free.
Got to know to free.please.
Don't wake me from the dream
It's really everything it seemed.
I'm free, no black and white in the blue.
Zhang He felt a tear fall down his face and he scolded himself for acting
like such a child. But, isn't ok to cry sometimes?
Everything is clearer now.
Life is just a dream, you know.
That's never ending,
I'm ascending.
Everyone sat in stunned silence for a long moment after the lovely music ebbed. Then, Yuan Shao started to clap. Zhang He joined in, followed by Lu Bu, the Rai Tso. Next thing they knew, the entire room was erupting with applause. "Isn't that the most beautiful song?" Rai Tso said to Zhang He. "So sad." Zhang He said softly, still in partial awe. "Diao Chan has an excellent voice, don't you think?" She continued. "It's among the loveliest things I've ever had the privilege to hear. Such clarity, and just loud enough where it isn't overpowering." Zhang He agreed. "It's too bad she has to be with Dong Zhou." She said, lowering her voice. "I hear she's treated terribly.." "That's terrible! No wonder she looks so sad.I wish I could tech Dong Zhou a lesson." Zhang He said bitterly. "You're going to take him on?" Rai Tso said superiorly. "Well." Zhang He began. "Didn't think so."
That night, Zhang He sat in bed and hummed Diao Chan's song to himself. "I wish I could play that, Sun Shang Xiang would love that one." He said, remembering her cute, round face. He was just dropping off to sleep, when he heard a loud crash outside in the hall. He sprang to his feet and seized the Metal Talons. He hurriedly snapped them on and crept outside. The dark frame of a person was sneaking down through the hall, just as they had before that night with the assassin. Was it Dong Zhou? Lu Bu? They weren't going towards Yuan Shao's room, so there was probably no need for them to die.yet. He followed their quiet footsteps down to the southern exit. They opened the door and casually walked outside. Zhang He followed, quietly as he could. The night was young, but it was still quiet cold outside. He couldn't see what the person look like because it was a new moon and there was no light to see by. He followed the persons dark shape along the courtyard and around to the back of his old building. They stepped onto the little observation deck and looked down into the forest. "Who's there?" Zhang He said a little loudly. The person gasped and cried out. "Please, don't hurt me!" A woman's voice said. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Zhang He said moving closer, but still keeping his claws up. "Is that.are you the bodyguard from before? Zhang He?" She said. "Yes." He said, lowering his weapon. "It's just me, Diao Chan." She said, going back to her sad voice. "I just came out because I couldn't sleep." "I have problems like that a lot too, I sometimes can't get to sleep at all." Zhang He said, standing beside her. "And why is that? I can never sleep because I'm too scared." Diao Chan said, looking down into the wood. "Scared? What would you be scared of?" Zhang He asked. "Dong Zhou and Lu Bu. their awful, Dong Zhou always hits me and stuff." "What? That's terrible! Why don't you leave their services?" Zhang He said loudly. "I-I can't." She said, and paused. "I.well." "It's alright, you can tell me." Zhang He said, leaning forward. "You must never let them know, I would be killed." Diao Chan said, whining a bit. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul." Zhang He said, eager to hear the secret. "Well, my father.No, why am I telling this to you." She stopped. "Please tell me, I want to see if I can help!" Zhang He said. "My f-father is very frightened of both Lu Bu and Dong Zhou, and wants them dead. He has sent me to pretend to be his bodyguard so that I can kill them. But I am too weak, and remain in his services. I can never return home unless they are both dead. If Dong Zhou ever found out I plan to kill him, I would be slaughtered on the spot. But sometimes, I think maybe that might be better." Diao Chan said sadly. "That's horrible, you shouldn't have to do your father's dirty work."
"I wish there was just some way to escape from it all, to leave it all behind." She said firmly. "I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to listen about me whine on about something I can't change." "No, It's fine, in fact, I want to help you." Zhang He offered. "Why would you do anything for me? I don't deserve it.I haven't done anything for you." "Yes you have." Zhang He said softly "When you sang that song today, you let me hear an angel's voice, and that's worth more to me than a mountain of gold." She giggled slightly and smiled. That was the first time Zhang He ever saw her smile, it was so beautiful all he could was stare. Suddenly something shook under their feet.
"Did you feel that?" She said, looking surprised. The world shook violently and they heard a cracking from the wood on the deck. Suddenly it broke clean off and they were hurled down the hill in a flurry of dirt and pieces of wood. They tumbled down the steep slope, bruising and getting cut. Zhang He slid down on his back, trying not to get hit by the Talons. Suddenly, the hill leveled off and they were launched into the forest trees. Diao Chan screamed when she landed and clutched her leg. Zhang He stood up slowly, rubbing his sore head. Diao Chan was whimpering and trying to get up.
"Stop moving." Zhang He advised her. "What hurts?"
"M-my leg." She said through tears. He bent down and examined her leg. He felt along the bone and discovered it was snapped in half.
"It's broken, don't touch it." He warned. "I don't know how to treat this, but I know you should try to keep it straight and moving it around is really bad."
"C-can I walk?" She said, shaking.
"No, it'll hurt even more if you do." Zhang He said, pacing.
"What do we do? How do we get out of here?" Diao Chan said, utterly terrified. She was shaking so hard, you could see it from a mile away. "Don't worry." Zhang He said, "Everything's going to be ok." "What happens if a beast attacks? I'm sure this forest is full of them." She said, still not convinced they were safe. "Then I'll kill it, I'm armed." Zhang He said, holding up his arms. "I'm so scared." She squeaked, covering her head with her arms. Zhang He sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. Her body was so warm and soft, so lovely to the touch. "Don't worry, I'm here, nothing bad can happen." He reassured her. Just as soon as he'd said that, there was a fierce rustling in the bushes all around them. A group of men appeared. They were scarred and pierced and looked terribly hungry. "Look boss, a woman.. Hehehehe." Said one with a voice like nails. Diao Chan cowered against Zhang He's chest as the men pressed closer. "Get away!" Zhang He yelled at them. Diao Chan was hyperventilating and tears streamed down her face. He wouldn't let her be hurt! He promised her nothing bad would happen, and he intended to keep that promised. He stood up and stabbed his Talons through the first attacker. He slashed them all until only the leader remained. "She's mine!" The fat man gurgled. He pounded his enormous fists left and right, and Zhang He dodged with the speed of a cat. He shot forward and jabbed his Talons into the enormous man's chest. Zhang He wrenched it out and jumped back as he fell to his death. "Come on, let's get you out of here." Zhang He said, picking Diao Chan gently up. She buried her face in his chest, not looking at the corpses of the men. Zhang He slowly climbed the hill back to the palace. There was a sort of red haze where it stood. Smoke was coming out of the top. "Oh, no." Zhang He said, stopping. He raced to the top of the hill, as fast as his legs could carry him. The entire castle was covered in flames. The strong smell of smoke was in the air and people ran screaming. He could hear crashes from inside and saw windows break. "Oh, God, what have they done?" Diao Chan said in horror. Zhang He knew his priority. He was definitely going to help, but he had to get Diao Chan to safety first of all.