Rose Tint my World
By Gingivere the Shadowreaver
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Chapter Six
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Zhuge Liang never really thought twice about his actions, as he found himself avoiding the masked warrior with only a few slight complications. Tricking him was easy, but shaking him off completely was the problem. However, it didn't matter… soon they would be approaching the poison marches if his calculations were correct. He would return to camp with Wei Yan's deformed body, to tell the sad tale of his wrath leading to his ultimate doom. No one would dare question it, except for Zhao Yun perhaps, but again, that confrontation could be easily avoided.
He was, after all, the greatest mind ever to rise in China. What did he have to fear?
No one… not even the gaining Wei Yan, who stalked through the jungle aimlessly, relying on his mad sense alone to track down his pray. He wanted his death today, and today was to be the day where their fate was sealed, though the question of who was to live and die was only to be answered in time.
Soon, Zhuge Liang thought, he would he RID of this beast, this idiot. He had told Liu Bei from the beginning that this Wei Yan would be nothing but trouble, and now he was going to do away with the traitor before he could do Shu anymore harm.
He paused, taking note in the terrain and smiling. This was the area alright, and, turning around, he waited for Wei Yan now. This was it; Wei Yan the traitor would finally meet his death.
"Master Zhuge Liang!"
That voice caught his ear, as Zhuge Liang turned to face the aged general that rushed towards him. On the white stallion was the Little Dragon, Zhao Yun, and Zhuge Liang bowed, greeting him, "General Yun, it's good to see you."
Zhao Yun… the one who served Shu for many years, who saved Liu Chan at Chang Ban, who fought with unequaled fury, skill, and power. And the one man that could ruin his plan… "Master Zhuge Liang, please reconsider this! I know what you plan to do to Wei Yan!"
"It's for the good of Shu, Zhao Yun. He should have been executed from the very beginning, and I only regret that our late lord never saw things they way I did." Zhuge Liang proclaimed in a calm, cool confidence, his voice hardly heard over the thundering rain. He knew that Zhao Yun was going to cause problems to his plans, and he began to grow impatient, knowing that Wei Yan was due anytime now. "Now please step aside… I have a monster to destroy."
However, the Little Dragon refused, instead stepping his horse in front of the strategist and the clearing. He rose his spear, to defy him. "All these years, you have proclaimed him to be the monster, for the fact that he was brutal on the battlefield, for his appearance, for his rebellious nature! You have proclaimed him to be the monster, and now he is! Thanks to you, he IS a monster, one that you've created!"
"Step aside… there is no need to harm one such as yourself over him."
"No! Master Zhuge Liang, please listen to me! You have not fought alongside him in battle! You have not been with him when he was lost in his Bloodwrath, nor were you there to see what became of him after the lust!" Zhao Yun and his horse stood there, hands spread and spear raised, to defend the still missing general. Zhuge Liang could look into his green eyes, and at that very moment, the Sleeping Dragon could not challenge that Little Dragon's glare. "You don't understand him! The two who did understand him are dead, and it was they who kept him sane, kept him with you, even though he knew you could not care for him! He doesn't need to be punished; he needs to be helped!"
The rain and thunder crashed upon the jungles, but that did not stop the two's stare down. Feeling his plan begin to crumble from within, Zhuge Liang almost reconsidered his plan, to save for later, however, the beaming red eyes that stared at him past Zhao Yun and the horse caught his attention. With a sneer, he pointed, for Zhao Yun to see, "He's here for my head, Zhao Yun… there is our beast now."
And, sure enough, as Zhao Yun turned to look, he could see the eyes, and when the lightning struck, he could see the outlines of the bizarre general. It was as if he was the darkness itself, and he slowly withdrew from the darkness, stepping out to be seen. Zhao Yun instantly noticed the blood and the arrow that protruded through his back, but this did not stop the raving demon. Nothing could, as he looked right past the general and aimed his deadly gaze at his enemy…
"Wei Yan, calm your fury! This is all a misunderstanding!" Zhao Yun pleaded, turning his horse about and now facing him now, to challenge that glare head on. He could see his pain, and he only regretted that neither Pang Tong nor Huang Zhong was there to soothe the pain. "Please listen to me! Do not kill Master Zhuge Liang, or we will all suffer from it!"
Wei Yan said nothing, but he pressed onward, ignoring him completely. He didn't care what Zhao Yun said; all he wanted was that bastard's death… but alas, it would not come, as Zhao Yun took a swipe, barely missing Wei Yan's bare chest. That stopped the beast momentarily, and Zhao Yun tried again, "Wei Yan, please, LISTEN to me! Let me help you, even if he won't!"
"There's no use talking to him… now please, Zhao Yun, step aside. I do not wish for you to be killed."
The Little Dragon turned to Zhuge Liang, his eyes blazing, "Kill him and you are losing one of Shu's greatest warriors! Master Zhuge, PLEASE, don't do this!"
Zhuge Liang merely sneered at him, denying him his ear as he began to give the order, "Arbalist unit, prepare to open fire upon the traitor."
Zhao Yun could hear the sounds of the deadly weapons loading, but Wei Yan continued his march. He grabbed the warrior, moving into dangerous territory as he grabbed the top of his hair, gripping his long wet hair and trying to stop him. He shouted, trying to talk since into him as Zhuge Liang flicked his sleeve and turned around. "Wei Yan, if you want to live, listen to me! Wei Yan!"
"Don't… care!"
Those were Wei Yan's last words before the arbalists attacked, and, to Zhao Yun's horror, he turned to see the line of arrows, announcing their deaths. To think, he was to die like this. He prepared for the sudden hit, for the pain, but it never came. Instead, his horse gave a wail, bucking him off and as he toppled on top of the startled Wei Yan, the white now red horse gave one final wail before falling to its side, accepting its fate as silently as he could.
They were spared for now, and Zhao Yun finally regained his senses, feeling the force of the enraged Wei Yan. He was thrown off of him, and as he landed on his back, he could hear Zhuge Liang's shout as he released the arrow from its crossbow, driving, yet, another arrow into Wei Yan's body. The cry of pain was obvious, only to be blocked out by his cry of rage, and Zhao Yun shot back to his feet once again, gripping his spear and ready to intercept them. Someone HAD to stop this!
When Zhu Rong entered, it was utter chaos. She spotted Zhao Yun, seeing as he immediately leapt between the two, taking the blow for the now retreating Zhuge Liang. What chaos!
"It's a madhouse…" She muttered, and she felt for her last two daggers, taking quick aim to Zhao Yun's spear and Wei Yan's voulge, in a sad attempt to stop the fighting. When she released the two knives, their aim was true, and both men stopped their struggles, though only Zhao Yun turned to her. "Hey, cut it out, will ya? Aren't you guys on the same side?"
Hearing her voice, Wei Yan turned is head, and that was when she noticed… his eyes, blood red with every emotion that this torn man could muster. Pain, confusion, lust, rage. All of them mixed together, staring at her, ignoring Zhuge Liang's final string of attacks.
Those eyes became fixed with pain, as one final arrows implanted itself into Wei Yan's rib, and before Zhao Yun could stop him, Wei Yan turned his attention from Zhu Rong to look at the Prime Minister, giving him enough time to load the last arrow. Zhao Yun went to grab Wei Yan, but he was too late, and he gave a look of pure horror when the arrow drove itself right between the eyes, implanting itself into the mask that shielded poor Wei Yan's face. All was silent, and Zhuge Liang was gone, dropping the crossbow and disappearing into the darkness of the woods. No one went after him, as Wei Yan's mask fell in two pieces off of his face, falling to the wet floor before his body did.
Now, maskless, in pain, the warrior felt as if his strength fell when his mask did, but he tried to remain strong, to at least stay on his knees. In front of his blurred, red vision, he could see that mask, torn like himself, the arrow cut in between… his face was exposed, but more importantly, his mask… his protection… was destroyed. "Mo… Mother…"
"Oh God, Wei Yan don't move…" Zhao Yun immediately went to his aide, careful not to touch the wounds. He could see the thorns and barbed metal that wrapped around and driven into Wei Yan's bleeding body, and he feared he would have only made it worse if he tried to remove them.
Of course, Zhao Yun had noticed the fallen mask, but he refused to look at the face, in fear of what he might see. And Zhu Rong stared, fixing her eyes upon the mask herself as she tried to hold in tears. Immediately, she tore off her small, torn cape on her back, looking at the material her husband had given to her for a second before handing it to the Shu general. "Here…"
Zhao Yun merely nodded, quickly accepting it and covering Wei Yan's exposed face. If the man had spent so many years hiding his face, they dared not think that he wanted his face to be seen now… he draped it over the worn-down golden wings and his wild hair, looking like a bonnet almost. "Come on, Wei Yan… I'll get you help."
The confused, wounded, and exposed general just looked at him, his eyes black and dead once again, and he spoke, his voice sounding distant in his own ears. "You… you… fri-end?"
"Of course… now please, be still, and don't talk. Don't waste your energy; I'll save you, somehow…"
But even as he, the Little Dragon, said this, he had his doubts, and he quickly caught the general, refusing to let his soaked, beaten body hit the ground. He could almost feel his own tears, fearing he returned too late, until he heard Zhu Rong's voice. "You're wastin' time… can ya carry him?"
Zhao Yun looked at her, but not once did he question anything about her allegiance. He nodded, ignoring Wei Yan's groan but loosening his grip slightly. He stopped and pointed to the crushed mask planted in the dirt. "Could you get that, madam? It's very important to him…"
"No problem… now keep quiet." Zhu Rong barked back, grabbing the mask and immediately catching her bearings as she tried to remember the quickest route to her own village. She knew the perfect person to see, someone that could quickly fix Wei Yan's injuries. However, she only feared that they wouldn't be able to make it to her in time. She gave one last look at the mask in her hands, feeling the skull and pressing it against her chest as she lead the way, making sure that Zhao Yun kept up. 'Just don't die on me, big guy…'
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'Why do you give him the time of day, Zhong? Just because you don't have a kid of your own doesn't mean YOU should take him in…'
Words. Words… what were words, the young boy thought, overhearing these words spoken through the mouth of a general that he could not recognize. He did not care for this general, so he paid no attention to his words. Whatever he said was not important to him…
A second voice responded, one that the boy from the woods recognized. Yes, he knew this voice well, a high baritone but not quite tenor, that of an old man, though the words came from the mouth of a middle-aged veteran. He knew this man, and he rose his head, to watch him, to hear him, but not understand. 'No one else will, and besides, I don't see where it's any of your business! Just because you are heartless doesn't mean that I should be!'
Two weeks he lived with Huang Zhong, and still, the man did not know his name, nor did the boy know it himself. No, he just would stare blankly about when someone would ask, and he was never given a name. Perhaps he was always nameless? What was a name anyway, he thought bitterly?
A name was something that he, the nameless boy from the woods, did not have.
'What do you plan to do with him? He looks so weak.'
Weak?
'And he hasn't a brain in that skull of his… can't he speak?'
Speak? The boy kept his mouth shut, knowing that no words would come out. He allowed Huang Zhong to do his talking…
'Hey, now, no need to be insulting the boy!' Huang Zhong curled his fist, as he looked ready to fight the two generals. They instantly backed off, as the veteran carefully grabbed the boy and lifted him into his arms, like a child. 'If you went through half of what he did, then you would understand! Wasn't it your soldiers that attacked and plundered the village?'
Oh, that thought alone brought tears, but the boy fought them off as one of the generals asked, 'Where are you taking him?'
'Back to is village… hopefully, seeing his home might unlock some memories and get the boy to speak again.'
Huang Zhong had a heart for the boy, as anyone could plainly see, so no one argued about his affection for the boy from that day forward. They knew better then to dare ask, and the boy was thankful to that. He was always a trouble for Huang Zhong, even later in their lives, he seemed to be nothing but trouble. But still, the veteran did not let that affect him, only barking and shouting every once and awhile, but never casting him away or striking him like others would. The boy would not have been alive had it not been for Huang Zhong.
"Huang Zhong…"
Wei Yan never realized he spoke the words aloud, making Zhao Yun stop dead in his tracks to look at him, to make sure he was still alive. Those two words struck fear into his heart, and Zhu Rong stopped to ask, "Why'd you stop?"
"He spoke the name Huang Zhong…" Zhao Yun stated, and, seeing her blank expression, he tried to explain. "He… was a general, a Tiger General that I worked alongside with. He and Wei Yan joined Shu together, and he was like a father to him."
"Where is he now, eh?" Zhu Rong asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
This is where Zhao Yun's fear was, as he answered, "Dead… and if Wei Yan is speaking to him, then I fear we might be too late for him."
He received an angered look, as the Nanman Queen pressed forward. "Come on, it's only another three miles away! We can make it in time! Hurry up already!"
As she stormed forward, Zhao Yun only sighed, praying aloud. "Just a little while longer, Wei Yan… please, just stay with us for a little while longer…"
Wei Yan did not respond to him, as he remained lost in his flashbacks. Now he could see the ruins of his smoldering village, and he nearly cried at the sight, but he remained brave for Huang Zhong, shedding no tears and holding in his cry. His Huang Zhong was strong for him, then he should return the strength…
The veteran wore an angered expression, but it was doused by sadness, 'An entire village… who can be so cruel?'
No one answered, and he turned to the silent, blank child that stared at the ruined city. 'Does anything look familiar to you, young one?'
The boy said nothing, only staring until recognition sparked in his cold, dark eyes. Following the boy's gaze, he spotted a house that seemed to only blend in with the others around it, and as the veteran pondered how could a building as dull as this stick out in a child's mind, the child seemed to reach for it with his dark hands. This was his home…
This was good, Huang Zhong thought with a slight smile; this was progress! Something sparked in his head, and he brought himself, the child, and his fidgeting horse towards the house. Within a few steps, he had to step back, trying to hold in his vomit as the horse gave a swift snort. The smell of rotting flesh was horrible to their noses, but the child did not seem to care, as he gave a grunt through closed lips. Keeping a sleeve over his nose, Huang Zhong coughed, 'By the smell alone we might not like what we see… but if it will get you to talk again, then I'm willing to risk it…'
Words! Words! Words! The child didn't care for words! Just let him inside the house already, so that he could go home! He longed to see his mother, to embrace her thin knees as she would sit and sew for him. She was so sickly, it was the only thing she could do other than to return the hug and wake each morning. He wanted to run in, tell her about this horrible nightmare, to be comforted and told to go back to his chores…
He almost struggled, but soon he and Huang Zhong was within the house, and after practically breaking open the door, the veteran was appalled by the sight that laid before him. Three weeks of neglect had exposed the bodies to the dangerous heat, causing the flesh to practically boil before the worms had the time to eat it away, and now, though skeletons, the bodies of the soldiers and the poor woman were very clear to their eyes. Huang Zhong could see the stabbing pain that rose in the child's eyes, and his strength wavered as he could not contain him any further, letting him leap from his arms and make a mad dash to the corpse of his mother.
Oh, how he regretted to bring him here! But now it was too late, and Huang Zhong witness the boy's pains as he grasped the bones of his mother's arms, as if to try and wake her. But the boy said nothing, no cries, no grunts. He only stared at the pile of bones with pain in his black eyes, hypnotized by the realization of his mother's death…
'Poor little whelp… he didn't deserve this!' Rage built up in Huang Zhong's heart, as he crushed the skull of the closest soldier, letting the snake give a fatal cry as it died along with it. Oh, he wished he was there to save the child's mother! He would have slain his own men on the spot for doing this to an innocent's life! 'Wei bastards! That Cao Cao had no right to do this!'
He could not look at the boy now, for it brought too much pain and anger, and so the veteran walked over the bodies, deciding to search around the house to give the poor child some time alone with his mother… perhaps now he could find out the child's name and relatives.
The house was so small and usual for the life of peasants, so Huang Zhong automatically knew the child's class. Two rooms, one for the living room, kitchen, and dining room, and another small one for the bedroom, where he found a single bed, perhaps to fit both the father, mother, and the child. He spotted an old war helmet right next to the bed, battle worn and stained with blood, and on it's top three red feathers… that belonged to the father, who had probably served in a war of some sort. And above the bed was a wooden shelf, made for fitting a sword.
The father was a general, he could tell, and he could also tell that the father never made it home after that battle. The helmet was brought to the family to tell them of his fate, and the sword should have been brought back as well, but it was missing its weapon…
Now, he returned to the living room, where he spotted the child one again, still staring down at his mother's skeleton. Now he noticed the tears that freely flowed down his dark cheeks, as he held his mother's skull within his hands. Had Huang Zhong had his wits about him, he would have taken the skull away, but he couldn't find the nerves to tear it away from him… this was all he had left of her.
And what could he do? The child knew his only relative, his only mother, was dead… and as the child brought the skull to his chest, he muttered his first words, the one word that brought tears to the old veteran's eyes. 'Mother…'
After that moment, Huang Zhong lost reason to why he was even here at all, as he swooped up the child, not caring rather he released the skull or not. The trek home was a long and silent one, as he found no words of comfort for the still nameless child, and as night began to fall, he returned to the camp, to be questioned by a few generals who had even cared enough about the nameless child and the veteran.
'So? Anything?'
Huang Zhong sent them an icy glare, narrowing his eyes and ignoring them completely as he went to his tent, making sure it was the furthest away from the others. He would rather not speak with them, fearing that his words would be treacherous to Han Xian's command. So now he and the child were alone in the tent, and he sat across from him, letting him hold his mother's skull to his chest in silence. When Huang Zhong spoke, the child looked up, his eyes big with curiosity, 'Well, young one, it appears that I'm the only one here for you now… and I'll admit that I'm no good with kids. That's why I don't have a wife, you know… never thought of settling down long enough to breed one, but you'll do.'
Blank eyes stared back… the child could not understand him, but he kept his eyes fixed on him. He wanted to understand! That alone made the veteran continued, smiling to cover the overbearing cloud of depression over their tent. 'Now, you'll need to know my name; it's Huang Zhong! You call me that, okay?'
Again, the blank eyes stared, but he gave a tilt of his head, and a blink. And he open his mouth, as if to speak the name, but no words formed, so he closed them again. Progress!
'Now, we need a name for you… in time you'll know mine and I will know yours, okay? Now… what's a good name for a little one like yourself? Let's see… nothing with Huang on it! Don't want to curse you into my family name.'
Enough words, the child thought, looking at his mother's skull and giving a inaudible sigh… what was a name anyway? He didn't care; he wanted his mother. He brought the skull to his cheek, to nuzzle it, as Huang Zhong spurted out names.
'Hm… perhaps Wang Fu… no, I know a guy named that already… brainless oaf! Nothing with the words Dong Zhuo in it either! Disgrace to all Dongs and Zhuos in our land! Qiao is too sissy…'
As the man spoke more names, the child did something rather strange with the skull, and by the time Huang Zhong had noticed, his words fell to the ground, lifeless, as he stared at the eyes of the child that looked up at him now. He had placed the skull over his face, to hide his dark-skinned features, and only his bottom jaw and eyes could be seen through the protective shell.
What stared at him almost frightened him, and, had Huang Zhong had the nerves, he would have taken the skull off immediately. However, even as he went to reach for it, to do so, all his strength seemed to die away, and his natural courage that he once had in the battle field was useless to him now for the first time. No sword, spear, or war horse could leave him as useless as the sight of the child with this odd mask…
And still, Huang Zhong could come up with no name…
By Gingivere the Shadowreaver
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Chapter Six
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Zhuge Liang never really thought twice about his actions, as he found himself avoiding the masked warrior with only a few slight complications. Tricking him was easy, but shaking him off completely was the problem. However, it didn't matter… soon they would be approaching the poison marches if his calculations were correct. He would return to camp with Wei Yan's deformed body, to tell the sad tale of his wrath leading to his ultimate doom. No one would dare question it, except for Zhao Yun perhaps, but again, that confrontation could be easily avoided.
He was, after all, the greatest mind ever to rise in China. What did he have to fear?
No one… not even the gaining Wei Yan, who stalked through the jungle aimlessly, relying on his mad sense alone to track down his pray. He wanted his death today, and today was to be the day where their fate was sealed, though the question of who was to live and die was only to be answered in time.
Soon, Zhuge Liang thought, he would he RID of this beast, this idiot. He had told Liu Bei from the beginning that this Wei Yan would be nothing but trouble, and now he was going to do away with the traitor before he could do Shu anymore harm.
He paused, taking note in the terrain and smiling. This was the area alright, and, turning around, he waited for Wei Yan now. This was it; Wei Yan the traitor would finally meet his death.
"Master Zhuge Liang!"
That voice caught his ear, as Zhuge Liang turned to face the aged general that rushed towards him. On the white stallion was the Little Dragon, Zhao Yun, and Zhuge Liang bowed, greeting him, "General Yun, it's good to see you."
Zhao Yun… the one who served Shu for many years, who saved Liu Chan at Chang Ban, who fought with unequaled fury, skill, and power. And the one man that could ruin his plan… "Master Zhuge Liang, please reconsider this! I know what you plan to do to Wei Yan!"
"It's for the good of Shu, Zhao Yun. He should have been executed from the very beginning, and I only regret that our late lord never saw things they way I did." Zhuge Liang proclaimed in a calm, cool confidence, his voice hardly heard over the thundering rain. He knew that Zhao Yun was going to cause problems to his plans, and he began to grow impatient, knowing that Wei Yan was due anytime now. "Now please step aside… I have a monster to destroy."
However, the Little Dragon refused, instead stepping his horse in front of the strategist and the clearing. He rose his spear, to defy him. "All these years, you have proclaimed him to be the monster, for the fact that he was brutal on the battlefield, for his appearance, for his rebellious nature! You have proclaimed him to be the monster, and now he is! Thanks to you, he IS a monster, one that you've created!"
"Step aside… there is no need to harm one such as yourself over him."
"No! Master Zhuge Liang, please listen to me! You have not fought alongside him in battle! You have not been with him when he was lost in his Bloodwrath, nor were you there to see what became of him after the lust!" Zhao Yun and his horse stood there, hands spread and spear raised, to defend the still missing general. Zhuge Liang could look into his green eyes, and at that very moment, the Sleeping Dragon could not challenge that Little Dragon's glare. "You don't understand him! The two who did understand him are dead, and it was they who kept him sane, kept him with you, even though he knew you could not care for him! He doesn't need to be punished; he needs to be helped!"
The rain and thunder crashed upon the jungles, but that did not stop the two's stare down. Feeling his plan begin to crumble from within, Zhuge Liang almost reconsidered his plan, to save for later, however, the beaming red eyes that stared at him past Zhao Yun and the horse caught his attention. With a sneer, he pointed, for Zhao Yun to see, "He's here for my head, Zhao Yun… there is our beast now."
And, sure enough, as Zhao Yun turned to look, he could see the eyes, and when the lightning struck, he could see the outlines of the bizarre general. It was as if he was the darkness itself, and he slowly withdrew from the darkness, stepping out to be seen. Zhao Yun instantly noticed the blood and the arrow that protruded through his back, but this did not stop the raving demon. Nothing could, as he looked right past the general and aimed his deadly gaze at his enemy…
"Wei Yan, calm your fury! This is all a misunderstanding!" Zhao Yun pleaded, turning his horse about and now facing him now, to challenge that glare head on. He could see his pain, and he only regretted that neither Pang Tong nor Huang Zhong was there to soothe the pain. "Please listen to me! Do not kill Master Zhuge Liang, or we will all suffer from it!"
Wei Yan said nothing, but he pressed onward, ignoring him completely. He didn't care what Zhao Yun said; all he wanted was that bastard's death… but alas, it would not come, as Zhao Yun took a swipe, barely missing Wei Yan's bare chest. That stopped the beast momentarily, and Zhao Yun tried again, "Wei Yan, please, LISTEN to me! Let me help you, even if he won't!"
"There's no use talking to him… now please, Zhao Yun, step aside. I do not wish for you to be killed."
The Little Dragon turned to Zhuge Liang, his eyes blazing, "Kill him and you are losing one of Shu's greatest warriors! Master Zhuge, PLEASE, don't do this!"
Zhuge Liang merely sneered at him, denying him his ear as he began to give the order, "Arbalist unit, prepare to open fire upon the traitor."
Zhao Yun could hear the sounds of the deadly weapons loading, but Wei Yan continued his march. He grabbed the warrior, moving into dangerous territory as he grabbed the top of his hair, gripping his long wet hair and trying to stop him. He shouted, trying to talk since into him as Zhuge Liang flicked his sleeve and turned around. "Wei Yan, if you want to live, listen to me! Wei Yan!"
"Don't… care!"
Those were Wei Yan's last words before the arbalists attacked, and, to Zhao Yun's horror, he turned to see the line of arrows, announcing their deaths. To think, he was to die like this. He prepared for the sudden hit, for the pain, but it never came. Instead, his horse gave a wail, bucking him off and as he toppled on top of the startled Wei Yan, the white now red horse gave one final wail before falling to its side, accepting its fate as silently as he could.
They were spared for now, and Zhao Yun finally regained his senses, feeling the force of the enraged Wei Yan. He was thrown off of him, and as he landed on his back, he could hear Zhuge Liang's shout as he released the arrow from its crossbow, driving, yet, another arrow into Wei Yan's body. The cry of pain was obvious, only to be blocked out by his cry of rage, and Zhao Yun shot back to his feet once again, gripping his spear and ready to intercept them. Someone HAD to stop this!
When Zhu Rong entered, it was utter chaos. She spotted Zhao Yun, seeing as he immediately leapt between the two, taking the blow for the now retreating Zhuge Liang. What chaos!
"It's a madhouse…" She muttered, and she felt for her last two daggers, taking quick aim to Zhao Yun's spear and Wei Yan's voulge, in a sad attempt to stop the fighting. When she released the two knives, their aim was true, and both men stopped their struggles, though only Zhao Yun turned to her. "Hey, cut it out, will ya? Aren't you guys on the same side?"
Hearing her voice, Wei Yan turned is head, and that was when she noticed… his eyes, blood red with every emotion that this torn man could muster. Pain, confusion, lust, rage. All of them mixed together, staring at her, ignoring Zhuge Liang's final string of attacks.
Those eyes became fixed with pain, as one final arrows implanted itself into Wei Yan's rib, and before Zhao Yun could stop him, Wei Yan turned his attention from Zhu Rong to look at the Prime Minister, giving him enough time to load the last arrow. Zhao Yun went to grab Wei Yan, but he was too late, and he gave a look of pure horror when the arrow drove itself right between the eyes, implanting itself into the mask that shielded poor Wei Yan's face. All was silent, and Zhuge Liang was gone, dropping the crossbow and disappearing into the darkness of the woods. No one went after him, as Wei Yan's mask fell in two pieces off of his face, falling to the wet floor before his body did.
Now, maskless, in pain, the warrior felt as if his strength fell when his mask did, but he tried to remain strong, to at least stay on his knees. In front of his blurred, red vision, he could see that mask, torn like himself, the arrow cut in between… his face was exposed, but more importantly, his mask… his protection… was destroyed. "Mo… Mother…"
"Oh God, Wei Yan don't move…" Zhao Yun immediately went to his aide, careful not to touch the wounds. He could see the thorns and barbed metal that wrapped around and driven into Wei Yan's bleeding body, and he feared he would have only made it worse if he tried to remove them.
Of course, Zhao Yun had noticed the fallen mask, but he refused to look at the face, in fear of what he might see. And Zhu Rong stared, fixing her eyes upon the mask herself as she tried to hold in tears. Immediately, she tore off her small, torn cape on her back, looking at the material her husband had given to her for a second before handing it to the Shu general. "Here…"
Zhao Yun merely nodded, quickly accepting it and covering Wei Yan's exposed face. If the man had spent so many years hiding his face, they dared not think that he wanted his face to be seen now… he draped it over the worn-down golden wings and his wild hair, looking like a bonnet almost. "Come on, Wei Yan… I'll get you help."
The confused, wounded, and exposed general just looked at him, his eyes black and dead once again, and he spoke, his voice sounding distant in his own ears. "You… you… fri-end?"
"Of course… now please, be still, and don't talk. Don't waste your energy; I'll save you, somehow…"
But even as he, the Little Dragon, said this, he had his doubts, and he quickly caught the general, refusing to let his soaked, beaten body hit the ground. He could almost feel his own tears, fearing he returned too late, until he heard Zhu Rong's voice. "You're wastin' time… can ya carry him?"
Zhao Yun looked at her, but not once did he question anything about her allegiance. He nodded, ignoring Wei Yan's groan but loosening his grip slightly. He stopped and pointed to the crushed mask planted in the dirt. "Could you get that, madam? It's very important to him…"
"No problem… now keep quiet." Zhu Rong barked back, grabbing the mask and immediately catching her bearings as she tried to remember the quickest route to her own village. She knew the perfect person to see, someone that could quickly fix Wei Yan's injuries. However, she only feared that they wouldn't be able to make it to her in time. She gave one last look at the mask in her hands, feeling the skull and pressing it against her chest as she lead the way, making sure that Zhao Yun kept up. 'Just don't die on me, big guy…'
~*~*~*~
'Why do you give him the time of day, Zhong? Just because you don't have a kid of your own doesn't mean YOU should take him in…'
Words. Words… what were words, the young boy thought, overhearing these words spoken through the mouth of a general that he could not recognize. He did not care for this general, so he paid no attention to his words. Whatever he said was not important to him…
A second voice responded, one that the boy from the woods recognized. Yes, he knew this voice well, a high baritone but not quite tenor, that of an old man, though the words came from the mouth of a middle-aged veteran. He knew this man, and he rose his head, to watch him, to hear him, but not understand. 'No one else will, and besides, I don't see where it's any of your business! Just because you are heartless doesn't mean that I should be!'
Two weeks he lived with Huang Zhong, and still, the man did not know his name, nor did the boy know it himself. No, he just would stare blankly about when someone would ask, and he was never given a name. Perhaps he was always nameless? What was a name anyway, he thought bitterly?
A name was something that he, the nameless boy from the woods, did not have.
'What do you plan to do with him? He looks so weak.'
Weak?
'And he hasn't a brain in that skull of his… can't he speak?'
Speak? The boy kept his mouth shut, knowing that no words would come out. He allowed Huang Zhong to do his talking…
'Hey, now, no need to be insulting the boy!' Huang Zhong curled his fist, as he looked ready to fight the two generals. They instantly backed off, as the veteran carefully grabbed the boy and lifted him into his arms, like a child. 'If you went through half of what he did, then you would understand! Wasn't it your soldiers that attacked and plundered the village?'
Oh, that thought alone brought tears, but the boy fought them off as one of the generals asked, 'Where are you taking him?'
'Back to is village… hopefully, seeing his home might unlock some memories and get the boy to speak again.'
Huang Zhong had a heart for the boy, as anyone could plainly see, so no one argued about his affection for the boy from that day forward. They knew better then to dare ask, and the boy was thankful to that. He was always a trouble for Huang Zhong, even later in their lives, he seemed to be nothing but trouble. But still, the veteran did not let that affect him, only barking and shouting every once and awhile, but never casting him away or striking him like others would. The boy would not have been alive had it not been for Huang Zhong.
"Huang Zhong…"
Wei Yan never realized he spoke the words aloud, making Zhao Yun stop dead in his tracks to look at him, to make sure he was still alive. Those two words struck fear into his heart, and Zhu Rong stopped to ask, "Why'd you stop?"
"He spoke the name Huang Zhong…" Zhao Yun stated, and, seeing her blank expression, he tried to explain. "He… was a general, a Tiger General that I worked alongside with. He and Wei Yan joined Shu together, and he was like a father to him."
"Where is he now, eh?" Zhu Rong asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
This is where Zhao Yun's fear was, as he answered, "Dead… and if Wei Yan is speaking to him, then I fear we might be too late for him."
He received an angered look, as the Nanman Queen pressed forward. "Come on, it's only another three miles away! We can make it in time! Hurry up already!"
As she stormed forward, Zhao Yun only sighed, praying aloud. "Just a little while longer, Wei Yan… please, just stay with us for a little while longer…"
Wei Yan did not respond to him, as he remained lost in his flashbacks. Now he could see the ruins of his smoldering village, and he nearly cried at the sight, but he remained brave for Huang Zhong, shedding no tears and holding in his cry. His Huang Zhong was strong for him, then he should return the strength…
The veteran wore an angered expression, but it was doused by sadness, 'An entire village… who can be so cruel?'
No one answered, and he turned to the silent, blank child that stared at the ruined city. 'Does anything look familiar to you, young one?'
The boy said nothing, only staring until recognition sparked in his cold, dark eyes. Following the boy's gaze, he spotted a house that seemed to only blend in with the others around it, and as the veteran pondered how could a building as dull as this stick out in a child's mind, the child seemed to reach for it with his dark hands. This was his home…
This was good, Huang Zhong thought with a slight smile; this was progress! Something sparked in his head, and he brought himself, the child, and his fidgeting horse towards the house. Within a few steps, he had to step back, trying to hold in his vomit as the horse gave a swift snort. The smell of rotting flesh was horrible to their noses, but the child did not seem to care, as he gave a grunt through closed lips. Keeping a sleeve over his nose, Huang Zhong coughed, 'By the smell alone we might not like what we see… but if it will get you to talk again, then I'm willing to risk it…'
Words! Words! Words! The child didn't care for words! Just let him inside the house already, so that he could go home! He longed to see his mother, to embrace her thin knees as she would sit and sew for him. She was so sickly, it was the only thing she could do other than to return the hug and wake each morning. He wanted to run in, tell her about this horrible nightmare, to be comforted and told to go back to his chores…
He almost struggled, but soon he and Huang Zhong was within the house, and after practically breaking open the door, the veteran was appalled by the sight that laid before him. Three weeks of neglect had exposed the bodies to the dangerous heat, causing the flesh to practically boil before the worms had the time to eat it away, and now, though skeletons, the bodies of the soldiers and the poor woman were very clear to their eyes. Huang Zhong could see the stabbing pain that rose in the child's eyes, and his strength wavered as he could not contain him any further, letting him leap from his arms and make a mad dash to the corpse of his mother.
Oh, how he regretted to bring him here! But now it was too late, and Huang Zhong witness the boy's pains as he grasped the bones of his mother's arms, as if to try and wake her. But the boy said nothing, no cries, no grunts. He only stared at the pile of bones with pain in his black eyes, hypnotized by the realization of his mother's death…
'Poor little whelp… he didn't deserve this!' Rage built up in Huang Zhong's heart, as he crushed the skull of the closest soldier, letting the snake give a fatal cry as it died along with it. Oh, he wished he was there to save the child's mother! He would have slain his own men on the spot for doing this to an innocent's life! 'Wei bastards! That Cao Cao had no right to do this!'
He could not look at the boy now, for it brought too much pain and anger, and so the veteran walked over the bodies, deciding to search around the house to give the poor child some time alone with his mother… perhaps now he could find out the child's name and relatives.
The house was so small and usual for the life of peasants, so Huang Zhong automatically knew the child's class. Two rooms, one for the living room, kitchen, and dining room, and another small one for the bedroom, where he found a single bed, perhaps to fit both the father, mother, and the child. He spotted an old war helmet right next to the bed, battle worn and stained with blood, and on it's top three red feathers… that belonged to the father, who had probably served in a war of some sort. And above the bed was a wooden shelf, made for fitting a sword.
The father was a general, he could tell, and he could also tell that the father never made it home after that battle. The helmet was brought to the family to tell them of his fate, and the sword should have been brought back as well, but it was missing its weapon…
Now, he returned to the living room, where he spotted the child one again, still staring down at his mother's skeleton. Now he noticed the tears that freely flowed down his dark cheeks, as he held his mother's skull within his hands. Had Huang Zhong had his wits about him, he would have taken the skull away, but he couldn't find the nerves to tear it away from him… this was all he had left of her.
And what could he do? The child knew his only relative, his only mother, was dead… and as the child brought the skull to his chest, he muttered his first words, the one word that brought tears to the old veteran's eyes. 'Mother…'
After that moment, Huang Zhong lost reason to why he was even here at all, as he swooped up the child, not caring rather he released the skull or not. The trek home was a long and silent one, as he found no words of comfort for the still nameless child, and as night began to fall, he returned to the camp, to be questioned by a few generals who had even cared enough about the nameless child and the veteran.
'So? Anything?'
Huang Zhong sent them an icy glare, narrowing his eyes and ignoring them completely as he went to his tent, making sure it was the furthest away from the others. He would rather not speak with them, fearing that his words would be treacherous to Han Xian's command. So now he and the child were alone in the tent, and he sat across from him, letting him hold his mother's skull to his chest in silence. When Huang Zhong spoke, the child looked up, his eyes big with curiosity, 'Well, young one, it appears that I'm the only one here for you now… and I'll admit that I'm no good with kids. That's why I don't have a wife, you know… never thought of settling down long enough to breed one, but you'll do.'
Blank eyes stared back… the child could not understand him, but he kept his eyes fixed on him. He wanted to understand! That alone made the veteran continued, smiling to cover the overbearing cloud of depression over their tent. 'Now, you'll need to know my name; it's Huang Zhong! You call me that, okay?'
Again, the blank eyes stared, but he gave a tilt of his head, and a blink. And he open his mouth, as if to speak the name, but no words formed, so he closed them again. Progress!
'Now, we need a name for you… in time you'll know mine and I will know yours, okay? Now… what's a good name for a little one like yourself? Let's see… nothing with Huang on it! Don't want to curse you into my family name.'
Enough words, the child thought, looking at his mother's skull and giving a inaudible sigh… what was a name anyway? He didn't care; he wanted his mother. He brought the skull to his cheek, to nuzzle it, as Huang Zhong spurted out names.
'Hm… perhaps Wang Fu… no, I know a guy named that already… brainless oaf! Nothing with the words Dong Zhuo in it either! Disgrace to all Dongs and Zhuos in our land! Qiao is too sissy…'
As the man spoke more names, the child did something rather strange with the skull, and by the time Huang Zhong had noticed, his words fell to the ground, lifeless, as he stared at the eyes of the child that looked up at him now. He had placed the skull over his face, to hide his dark-skinned features, and only his bottom jaw and eyes could be seen through the protective shell.
What stared at him almost frightened him, and, had Huang Zhong had the nerves, he would have taken the skull off immediately. However, even as he went to reach for it, to do so, all his strength seemed to die away, and his natural courage that he once had in the battle field was useless to him now for the first time. No sword, spear, or war horse could leave him as useless as the sight of the child with this odd mask…
And still, Huang Zhong could come up with no name…