Author's Note: I see from my reviews that I have Liu Bei out of character already. And I'm just warning that he's about to do something really out of character, so please don't yell at me too much.
Lu Bu stepped over the body of Taishi Ci, still with the same smile on his face. He had downed a powerful opponent already and he wasn't even breathing hard.
Guan Yu stopped dead in his path. "He took out Taishi Ci already? He's not even hurt!" Guan Yu had obviously developed a great deal of respect for Taishi Ci while fighting alongside him. But, while this was impressive, Guan Yu knew that he and Zhang Fei were stronger than Taishi Ci. If not in physical strength, then in sheer skill of fighting.
"So," Lu Bu spoke very calmly, "I suppose you two are here for my head."
"Damn right!" shouted Zhang Fei.
Never really one for thinking, Zhang Fei attacked with his spear at that very moment, hoping to catch Lu Bu off guard. The warrior blocked with surprising ease, and he would have had time to strike back freely if he were not forced to block an attack coming at him from behind, via Guan Yu. Then both Shu officers were forced to jump back quickly as Lu Bu whirled around, becoming a spinning disk of death. He stopped suddenly and stabbed at Zhang Fei.
The tough warrior blocked, but he was amazed at the kind of strength Lu Bu had. The warrior didn't really look all that tough. He actually looked pretty scrawny. But he was so gifted at combat. Zhang Fei began to doubt his own abilities for the first time in his life. It was at this time that Lu Bu moved even faster than usual, kicking Zhang Fei in the stomach, and slashing downward to cut open his leg. But even the greatest warrior can never be perfect, and he had allowed Guan Yu plenty enough time. Guan Yu saw victory in sight as he swung for Lu Bu's neck. But, alas, he struck something much harder than flesh. Lu Bu had managed to see it coming and blocked with his armored hand. Guan Yu had trouble believing what he was seeing.
Lu Bu whirled around in apparent anger, smashing Guan Yu hard in the face before he could even think of blocking. "You're old fools," Lu Bu said as he finally found the two backing off a bit. Then, just as they were about to try their luck again, Lu Bu was suddenly struck by magical energy from the side and sent flying. The great warrior immediately rose, unharmed in anything but his pride.
Zhuge Liang then walked in from the side. "I know three-on-one is hardly fair, but the fact is that you have to die, Lu Bu."
Meanwhile, Liu Bei was in the back ranks, awaiting any information about the battle with Lu Bu. He really wasn't too sure about this battle. It just didn't feel right. For his men to be allowed to attack Lu Bu in such numbers, didn't that mean that the other enemy officers could be up to anything?
He was forced to note that that fear was not unfounded when he saw Cao Ren emerge from the hillside in the distance, surprising Zhuge Liang's forces and slaughtering a good many of them. He looked around and saw the sorcerer nowhere in sight. "I guess I'll have to save the day," he said tiredly, and took off on his horse.
He was about halfway to Cao Ren when a giant boulder flew into his view and smashed his horse out from under him. He landed on his feet. "What? Is this magic?" he asked nobody in particular.
His answer came from the side, in the form of the massive Xu Zhu. The large man ran at him, showing no real quickness or agility, with his mace raised high above his head. Liu Bei quickly prepared himself for combat and easily dodged the first attempt to hit him. But as he tried to strike back in Xu Zhu's unbalanced moment, he found the large man to not be as uncoordinated as he had surmised. Xu Zhu blocked, and charged Liu Bei, sending him crashing into the ground with his incredible mass. The Shu commander rolled to his feet. He had always viewed Xu Zhu as a lesser officer, but now as he fought him for the first time, he realized why Cao Cao kept him around. But this battle must go to Shu at any cost. Liu Bei was determined to restore the Han dynasty.
"You're dead!" he shouted and jumped up in the air, leaping for the big man's face. There was a smile on Xu Zhu's face as he blocked Liu Bei's mighty blow without much effort, but the smile faded as he realized what had happened. Liu Bei had used his charge attack to cover up the fact that he had pulled out a knife and stabbed with his other hand as well.
"Hate to do this to you, but this battle is more important to me than winning honorably. Besides, there aren't any rules of war about multiple weapons," Liu Bei said as he began to run toward Cao Ren, leaving his mangled horse behind.
Xu Zhu was on the ground just trying to stay breathing. "I don't want to die," he whined, and let out his final breath.
Liu Bei would not have even considered doing something like that under normal circumstances. It wasn't something the great leader of Han would do. But here he was seeing everything he had worked so hard for fall apart in front of his very eyes. He narrowed his eyes as he came within range to the battle. Cao Ren was next.
Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were both very tired, proving no match for Lu Bu. Zhang Fei had already collapsed from exhaustion and a sharp blow to the head and Guan Yu was barely getting up every time Lu Bu knocked him back down. Zhuge Liang was not tired, but his magic appeared to be having very little effect on the monster.
"I will stop you for Lord Liu Bei!" the sorcerer shouted and blasted another magic beam attack in the direction of Lu Bu. The prodigy yelled a battle cry and swung downward, cutting the beam of musou in half amazingly. While cool-looking, this gesture also gave him a very clear shot at Zhuge Liang. He would not miss a chance to kill the great sorcerer. Zhuge Liang could see this in his eyes and he felt a sudden flash of terror as Lu Bu began a stabbing motion toward his chest. Could this be the end of the legendary sorcerer? The thrust continued, and Zhuge Liang saw the world as if in slow motion.
Is this to be my death? He wondered.
End of Chapter