Chapter 2; Truth and Betrayal

As they waited behind Si Shui gate, Otori Takeo seemed to be calm, while Kel Wei was

showing heavy signs of nervousness. "Why are you so nervous?"

"Me? Well...I....I just haven't seen any battles in my lifetime. I spend more of my time in

cities, helping out citizens and the government," Kel Wei answered.

"Then why the hell are you out here? You didn't look like a soldier at first to me."

"Well....To be honest, recently I have been having doubts of Dong Zhuo's abilities. I did

not think I belonged there anymore, so I came out here, hoping that in the middle of this battle, I

can run for my life, without being pursued by Dong Zhuo," Kel Wei said in a whisper.

Otori Takeo smirked as he said, "Why are you telling me this, huh?" Kel Wei's face went

pale.

"No, please don't tell anyone! I beg of you do not tell anyone! I thought we trusted each

other by now!" Kel Wei yelled, getting some other soldier's attentions.

"I was just kidding, ok?" Takeo quickly said, trying to quiet Wei down. "What would I

have to gain from telling them, anyway? All I would get is a 'then why didn't you cut him down'

then I'd be killed." As he spoke this, the captain of their unit was eavesdropping on their

conversation. "Besides, I got a friend on the other side that I plan on joining. I probably could

get you safely onto the Allied Forces' side."

"Umm, how? When we are in the midst of battle, the enemies will just charge right at us,

we can't just talk to them when they're like that." Otori thought a bit, then came up with a simple

plan.

"We could just stay at the back of the unit, that way, we wont have to face combat, and if

the unit retreats, we can walk up to them, saying we surrender. I'm sure my buddy can get us out

of it from there."

"You sure? What if he leads us on a suicide mission and our whole unit is wiped out

except us! They'd just keep attacking if that happened!"

"Calm down, Calm down." Otori Takeo closed his eyes to think. However, at that

moment, the captain of the unit, along with 4 guards came up to the two men, weapons drawn.

The captain looked at the both of them and yelled, "You two! What are you talking

about?" The guards surrounded the men as the captain spoke. "Are you two spies for the

coalition? Answer Me!" he yelled, taking out his spear and appearing to attack Otori Takeo by

stabbing him through the neck, but he stopped as soon as the tip of the spear was an inch from

Takeo's neck. Although Kel Wei fell backwards from it, Takeo stayed perfectly still, showing no

fear.

"We are not spies, captain, I myself joined this unit a few weeks ago." Otori answered,

calmly. His arms were extended outwards, showing that he had no intention of fighting back

against a comrade.

"I don't believe you, You must be spies for Dong Zhuo then!" the captain yelled.

"No! I tell you, we are not-........spies for Dong Zhuo?" Kel Wei said with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I was overhearing what you were saying earlier," the captain spoke in a suddenly much

calmer voice. "You plan to betray Hua Xiong in the middle of the battle, correct?" Neither

answered. "I've spoken to each and every soldier in this unit, and by the looks of it, the rear is

going to be the first part that sees combat." He lifted his weapon so it rested on his shoulder.

"Keep that in mind." Saying this, the captain returned to the front of the unit with the guards.

Completely perplexed, Takeo spoke, "That just raises two more questions, what the hell

did he mean, and why the hell are we still alive?" He looked to Kel Wei for an answer.

Slightly, Kel Wei smiled as he got up, "Maybe we aren't the only ones who think Dong

Zhuo is a tyrant."

As soon as he spoke these words, the massive gates of Si Shui opened, and the general of

the army, Hua Xiong, rode out. As the gate closed, everyone started whispering rumors about

what was going on. Over the course of this, Takeo overheard one of the guards speaking to the

captain, "But Lord Liu, what if they fire on you?"

"Do not worry about it, trust me, by the end of today, you'll all be alive."

Otori thought to himself, "Liu? Lord Liu Drew? Yea, that is him." He had read

somewhere in the city of a Liu Drew who had been extremely loyal to the government until Dong

Zhuo seized power. Ever since, he had been complaining and criticizing Dong Zhuo. However,

knowing him to be a good general, Dong Zhuo did nothing to Liu Drew. By the looks of it now,

Takeo thought, "He's going to regret not doing anything."

Soon after, the gates reopened and Hua Xiong came riding back in, carrying the heads of

two general of the other army. Many people were cheering for their superior leader as he

announced how he defeated two enemy generals in a duel.

"Damn It!" Yuan Shao yelled as he jammed a knife into the table at the meeting hall back

in the coalition's main camp. "Is there no one here, that can defeat Hua Xiong?"

Yuan Chu stepped up, "Actually, my lord, I think I know of someone how might be able

to compete on fair grounds with Hua Xiong."

"Who? I do not think you are referring to those peasants you told me of earlier. They

could not pose a match for Hua Xiong, nor are they even capable of being soldiers." Yuan Chu

remained silent as Yuan Shao gave his response. "I do not wish to send farmers to their deaths for

no reason."

After sighing, one of the people behind Liu Bei spoke out. "I'll deal with Hua Xiong."

Everyone looked at the man.

"You, take out Hua Xiong?," Han Fu asked. "Who are you anyways?"

"Just pour me some tea, I will be back while it's still warm." The mystery man walked out

of the tent, and rode out of the walls of the camp. After a few minutes, Liu Bei poured some tea

into a small glass.

"He should be back soon."

"When are they going to let us fight?" Lu Xian as he paced back and forth next to their

camp. It was dark, but the sun should have risen if not for the hills. The sky was a twilight.

"Why don't we just start looking for that supply camp now? You know, to make the job

of the generals a little easier." Zhang Ce said, crossing his arms. "I'm sure it would have to be

somewhere near the gate.."

"Of course, but we do not wish to act now," Xiu Luo explained. "We might encounter

patrols, and that wouldn't end well. When we find the supply camp, we wouldn't be able to take

over anyways, they probably have plenty of guards there."

As Xiu Luo spoke this, a horse rode right by them, and riding the horse, was.......

"How did you?"

"That's his head!"

"Who are you?" many of the commanders spoke in astonishment, as the man presented

Hua Xiong's head.

"My name is Guan Yu, sworn brother of Liu Bei," the man said as he picked up the glass

and drank from it. "As I killed Hua Xiong, though, the gates of Si Shui gate opened, and by the

looks of it, they are going to try to push us back." The generals, still amazed by the man's

achievement, discussed what to do next.

"We should strike them, trust me, my army can easily take them out," Sun Jian of Chang

Sha said. "Give me the command and I will drive them back through Si Shui gate."

Yuan Shao pondered a bit, then responded, "Si Shui Gate is a difficult target to attack, it

will take you much time to succeed. However, I am confident of your abilities. Sun Jian, you

attack the enemies in front of the gate." Turning to Yuan Shu, "Yuan Shu, you get supplies ready

for transport in case the battle takes longer than expected." Reluctantly, Yuan Shu nodded. Both

men and Yuan Shu left the tent, while the other commanders stayed. As he was walking back,

Yuan Chu spoke to Zhang Ce.

"Listen, Lord Sun Jian is going to engage Dong Zhuo's forces in front of Si Shui Gate.

By the looks of it, that battle will last many days, which led Yuan Shao to give the order of

sending extra supplies after a few days. Unfortunately, he gave his brother the task. Yuan Shu

wants the glory, himself, and I do not trust him with the little task he has."

"And what do you want us to do?"

Yuan Chu explained in thorough, "Remember you Yuan Shao said he eventually wanted

you to eliminate the enemy supply depot? Well, go and find it, and do your best to control it while

keeping the supplies intact. That way, you can send them to Sun Jian so he can continue the

fight." Hearing this, Zhang Ce told his comrades of the plan. The next day they set out to find

their target.

"But Lord Liu Wei, where are you going?" A servant asked a man wearing armor,

brandishing his spear. "You're not planning on fighting, are you? You know your parents would

disagree!"

Liu Wei didn't stop walking towards his steed. "I know my parents wouldn't like my

doing this, but I have to. I can't just let people die because of other's arguments! Father told me

that before he was murdered, I can't just let it go by. Yuan Shu must at least pay for his actions!"

Liu Wei mounted his horse and rode off in the direction of Luo Yang.

As they were marching out of the gate, Liu Drew was telling Kel Wei and Otori Takeo his

plan. "Before we are close enough to attack, I will ride out to meet someone of the enemy force

and tell them that we surrender and wish to fight on their side. Unless they are running at us, then

it should work. Perhaps we can give you over to them at that point, too, so you never see

combat."

"No. Thank you, but I would rather be among many if that happens, they might not trust

me. I'll survive in the battlefield."

And so it happened as planned, Liu Drew told Cheng Pu that they surrendered and wished

to fight for the Allied Forces. Immediately, A unit led by Huang Gai attacked the enemy forces

from the front, while Liu Drew attacked from the back. The enemy almost immediately was

forced to scatter and retreat back through the gate. Liu Drew's unit went into Sun Jian's camp,

now as members of the Coalition. However, this massive increase of troops brought supplies

short, and so Sun Jian sent out the report for more food.

Back at the camp, Yuan Shu sat alone in his tent, "Even if I send supplies, the glory will

be all Sun Jian's." A soldier entered the tent,

"What are your orders sir?"

"Do not send the convoy out yet, keep them ready, though." as Yuan Shu spoke these

words, though, someone else entered the tent.

"Lord Yuan Shu, why must you seek the glory in a battle that's for the Han?" Yuan Chu

demanded. "You are going to starve and kill people for your own good? This isn't the first time,

either, you have ordered your troops to pillage villages whenever you ran short on supplies.

Don't you have any shame for your actions."

"Why do you criticize me now?"

"Because for all we know, Sun Jian might be killed along with all of his troops. With that

incredible victory, they'll use the momentum to march on top of us! You might be the death of all

of us."

"How hard is it to find a supply depot, I mean they aren't exactly small." Lu Xian yelled as

he and Xiu Luo along with 50 others were searching for the enemy's camp.

"They are good at hiding it. After all, if it was easy to find, it wouldn't make it a very

good place for a supply camp." They had split up with Zhang Ce to cover more ground. Ce

wasn't having much luck either.

"Maybe they would keep it behind the gate, to protect it from harm?" Ma Yuan asked

him. The troops were getting tired.

"I don't think so, then it would take too long if they wanted to invade the main camp.

Perhaps they-" Ce stopped as a horseman that had been riding right at them, stopped. "Who are

you?"

"My name is Liu Wei, of Ru Nan, are you part of the allied forces?"

Thinking of this person as an ally at first, Zhang Ce said, "Yes, we are volunteers seeking

out he enemy's supply-" this time he was cut off, as the rider charged right at him. Involuntarily,

he quickly leaned sideways to fall off his horse to avoid the blow. Getting back to his feet, Zhang

Ce took out his weapon. "What the hell are you doing? Are you one of them?"

"You 'Allies' say you're fighting for the people of Luo Yang, but you leech off of

everyone else!" Liu Wei yelled as he charged back at Zhang Ce. "I'll teach you bastards!"