ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS
CHAPTER EIGHT: PIRATE OF THE PLAINS
Shu
Zhi Ning was in it, deep. The hook sword brother ran at her with all his speed, which, despite his size, was quite fast. The closer one had taken his swords and looped them around hers. He pulled and if she had not tensed her body for impact, she would have lost her sword. The brash and badly done disarm attempt allowed Zhi Ning the chance to get behind him. The smaller brother had gotten out his kunai and seemed ready to throw.
"Come on, Kado, hit him and be done with it!"
Are these people crazy? I'm standing right behind his brother and this idiot is asking to be thrown at? I don't like this.
Onbay Kado held a kunai next to his ear and readied it to be thrown. He took a step forward and launched the projectile.
Zhi Ning moved behind Saika and saw the dagger whiz by his head.
"Oh, c'mon Kado, I didn't even feel the wind."
Zhi Ning's eyes exploded in surprise. If he's lamenting about not feeling the wind, then I'm in trouble.
Saika took the time that she used in surprise to switch positions, and throw her over his shoulder. "Waah! That hurt!" yelled Zhi Ning, as she landed on the hardwood floor. Saika stood behind her, with his head near her ear.
"Not as much as this will." replied Onbay Saika in a tone reminiscent of her father when he was displeased. The tone scared her more than anything else.
Onbay Kado opened his vest; the inside was lined with the hand daggers. If Zhi Ning was scared at the tone, this scared her ever more.
Then the mute brother curved his ten fingers into the ten loops at the end of ten kunai, and lifted them above his head.
Zhi Ning looked at the spectacle, awed. She barely felt it when the older brother brought her wrist behind her back. Kado was about to throw, Zhi Ning tried to run, and Saika lifted her arm. With a cry, Zhi Ning crumpled to the ground.
"Now, Kado! NOW!"
The next thing she saw was ten pointed lines screaming for her head.
Jiang Wei was rather sad inside. He wanted to know more about this new solider before they had to bury him. He wanted to ask about how the new recruit could channel the force called "Musou." He wanted to ask how the solider landed on Shu's doorstep; particularly in the midst of a battle with the Coastal Kingdom, Wu.
Jiang Wei wanted to leave the ringside, he wanted to be alone, he wanted to watch no more of this bloodbath. He wanted to, but couldn't. Why can I not be a better person? Why do I only sit here and watch this murder; rather than do something to stop it? Is this what humans are? I remember taking great joy in battle, now I feel I can only weep. Is this the kind of being I am? I remember hearing tales of oni and monsters when I was younger; perhaps the real monsters are the people. Jiang Wei finally opened his eyes and gasped. Someone had jumped up into the ring and was saying something.
Zhi Ning forcefully closed her eyes and braced herself. She heard the daggers whistle through the air. Then instead of a deep pain all over her body, she heard a sound like a small amount of men jumping down on a sturdy hollow box.
When she found the courage to open them again, she saw a reasonably tall man. He was dressed in a dark green, full-body armor with light green trim. It was rather plain, but it surely suited its purpose. The man held a large scythe, very thick at the top, where the massive, curved blade came out. And at the top of his unique weapon, were ten kunai, all within a one-inch radius from each other.
The new, skillful man bowed, then spoke, "Your lordship, Liu Bei, I am sorry to have stopped the match before the inevitable conclusion. But I must interrupt. I feel that what I have been taught about you and your cause would make you to be unable to kill one of such talent for so small a transgression. His assistance in your army would be invaluable. As Zhao Yun taught me, I learned that your lordship is a light of virtue and justice among the tainted leaders of the land. For one so noble and moral to do such a thing would cause one to be tainted as the others who try to take the land for ambition."
Liu Bei looked dismayed at what had occurred. Not only was everything that the youth said true, but Liu Bei heard none of what was just said. The only thing he got out of it was that Liu Bei had fallen. He was determined to right what he had wronged.
"State your name," he called.
"I am Shin Ka. Zhao Yun taught me my values. My fighting was mine entirely."
"Zhao Yun has quite the talented youth under his service. In fact, all of the officers here today do. I have gotten away from the purpose of this tournament: To prove the power of those who will carry the light of Shu.
"My sorrow is great, I have taken the day away from those who would use it. I have squandered my resources on a pointless personal vendetta. And finally, I have not seen my son after he has been wounded in battle.
"Forgiveness is something to seek, not something to give, I ask for you all to forgive me for my wrongful acts today. I will make certain to finish this tournament right tomorrow. As for Zhi Ning…Before the end of this night, an officer will formally take him in for training!"
In his mind, Pang Tong had lost; in his, Jiang Wei had won.
That night, rather than trust her care in the infirmary, Pang Tong had collected Zhi Ning and brought her to his tent. He talked to her for a while, and then they walked to his tent. Across the aisle, Liu Chan laid, grinning.
Wei
Dawn was breaking at the Wei camp. A lone man traveled towards it. He had a large staff on his back. His tan pants tied at the ankle, and were secured at the waist by a long white cloth, which was tied to hang off to the side, wavering in the wind. His armor was thickly woven cloth with thin metal sewn in. It covered his chest, and swooped up at the shoulders, it left his deeply tanned, muscular arms plainly visible. Also plainly visible were the tattoos on those arms.
"You now answer to Chienpo. Got that, Gan Ning?" asked Zhou Yu.
"Yeah, yeah. So since my sword is better known than I am, what do I use?"
"I never thought you'd ask. You get to have a three-section-staff," replied Zhou Yu.
"Sorry, I do believe that you said three-section staff, are my ears mistaken. I was trained with that weapon originally," commented Gan Ning.
"That's right. We found out by checking in at the monastery that found you," said Zhou Yu, elaborating.
"That's all well and good, but what about the tattoos."
"Nothing we can do about those. Unless you want to lose some skin."
"No thanks, Zhou."
"Finally we have your papers. Remember, you have no last name; you are from a tribe Northwest of here. Do you understand all this?" inquired Zhou Yu.
"Yeah, I got it. Now why don't you educate the new kid?"
"Hope to see you soon, and make sure to have your brush ready."
"I told you, we never shook on it."
"I don't care," nonchalantly commented Zhou Yu.
" I will get back at him for this. I swear," said Gan Ning with utter conviction in his voice. The covert Wu warrior arrived at the hastily completed picket wall set up around the perimeter of the Wei camp. "Let's hope Cao Cao isn't home."
Just Gan Ning's bad luck, Zhang Liao, the head of the camp, was on patrol and happened to come around the corner at that moment.
"What are you doing here?" Gan Ning froze. The man who had stopped his last raid on the Wei camp was running down the length of the fence. "This is a camp of the Wei army. Who are you?"
With sweat pouring down his brow, Gan Ning forced himself to look at the formidable warrior in the eye. He saw that Zhang Liao's light blue armor was very well polished. It covered his shoulders, chest, back, hips, and groin. Large cloth garments covered the rest of him. His black hair was cut short, simply so it could fit in his hat. His weapon was a Kwan Dao. Basically, a short, curved sword in a five-foot hilt.
"I traveled here from my tribe to assist the great warlord Cao Cao in his conquest of the land," said Gan Ning, with a wavering uncertainty in his voice.
"What's your name?" asked Zhang Liao, with an inquisitive tone and leaning in so as to hear the answer better.
"I am Chienpo."
"Last name?"
"Don't have one."
Zhang Liao cocked one eyebrow up above the other and asked, "Where are your papers?"
Gan Ning took them out of a flap of his chest armor and presented them to Zhang Liao.
"I'll take you inside. Cao Cao is coming today, so we will use the opportunity to gauge your abilities. Until then, you can rest up. By the way, what so you wield?"
"This is a three-section staff. A very unique weapon."
"Go inside, ask Xiahou Yuan, he's chubby and has a good beard. He's probably on the archery field. You'll be sharing a tent with him. Talk awhile. Find out about each other. He's a good, if hefty man."
"Where's the archery field?"
But Zhang Liao didn't respond, he merely walked off. The door was open, and Gan Ning walked inside. He found the field easily enough. It was on the western part of the camp, surrounded by a tall wood fence. Xiahou Yuan was alone. The yard diameter target he shot at only had four arrows in it, but it must have been seventy yards away. Before noting his presence, Xiahou Yuan had launched another arrow. It struck the target dead center, shoving aside another arrow.
"Well, who is this?" his voice was gruff and rough, like the voice of a seasoned general. The kind of voice Gan Ning could admire.
"I'm Chienpo. Zhang Liao told me we would be sharing a tent and to get to know you a little better."
"Fine enough, how about we talk over some sake," suggested Yuan.
Gan Ning's eyes lit up. He hadn't had a drink since breakfast and it was already eleven. "Sure, I have no money."
"It's alright, I have plenty."
Gan Ning could already tell that this was one guy he was going to like.
Xiahou Yuan and Gan Ning were sitting at a table in the mess hall. Several other officers of Wei were also there, some drinking, some conversing, some just sitting and thinking. Xu Huang was sitting at a table across the room. His blue robe covered the ground around him. His butter cream turban was wrapped around the top of his head tightly. His huge poleaxe was nowhere around. He was sitting alone.
At the table behind theirs, Xu Zhu sat. He had a huge platter of meat buns before him. His great girth spanned the whole bench he sat at. But he was by no means merely a fat guy. His power and ability on the battlefield was able to catch entire armies off guard. His giant club, a massive solid iron ball on a three-foot long iron stick, was leaning on the table next to him.
A large, bald man sat at the table next to Xu Zhu's bench. He wore a small amount of chest armor, all studded with spikes. His left shoulder was covered with a globe shaped piece of golden armor. His lower right arm was fitted with a horse head-shaped gauntlet.
Legend has it that, when Cao Cao's horse was lame during battle, Dian Wei gave his horse to Cao Cao, and took the lame one for himself. He killed it with his bare hands, then used his axe to take off the neck and stuck his arm in the head. He was able to run away and later catch up to Cao Cao, and all because of the horse's head.
It was only a legend, but the detail in the gauntlet was such that Gan Ning wouldn't put it past him. His silver-plated hand axe with the lion's head was resting on the table next to him.
As Gan Ning was talking a to Xiahou Yuan, a small man came up to 'greet' them.
"Xiahou Yuan, what are you doing here? The new recruits need training."
"Relax, Shorty, me and the hefty man are talking here. Why don't you go and play with your wood dolls." Almost as soon as the words had left his mouth, Gan Ning had known that they were the wrong ones.
"Chienpo!" yelled Xiahou Yuan.
"Imbecile!" yelled Cao Ren.
Gan Ning took a closer look at the man he had so sorely offended. True, he was short, but there was also the overall look. Gan Ning may not have known, but we would have called Cao Ren's helmet a spiked football helmet. His shoulder armor was ridiculously oversized and ludicrously long. His regular clothing was almost as bad.
Gan Ning's traitor mouth got the best of him again. "Hey, I thought the dwarfs weren't supposed to be let out until later. Whatssa matter, midget? Didn't they believe that you were old enough for a drink?"
Before Cao Ren could retort with a few well-chosen words, Cao Cao strode in. The king of Wei was absolutely masterful in his appearance. From the top of his yellow pinned on hat, to the bottom of his dark lavender pants, he exuded excellence. His armor was similar to the style that Gan Ning was wearing, except that it was purple rather than a dirty brown. His weapon, a wide, rune-incrusted broadsword, hung from it's place on his belt.
A voice of pure ambition, like someone who knows that they are better than where they are, exploded from his mouth. "Cao Ren! At least give the new arrival time to prove himself before you kill him. How about we make him fight Xiahou Dun?"
Cao Ren dared not argue with his cousin, and Dun was quite the capable fighter. "Agreed. Where is Dun?"
Cao Cao promptly replied, "At the dueling grounds. I asked him to be there."
"Let's go then!" yelled Gan Ning.
When the party of Wei officers arrived at the grounds, Xiahou Dun was already there. "Well cousin, I see you have at least brought me a challenge this time."
"This will be interesting to say the least, eh brother Dun?" commented Yuan.
Gan Ning took a long look at Xiahou Dun. Gan Ning had heard much about the fighter. And with all the legends, he figured some must be true. Some say that he fought 10,000 men and won. Some say he ate his own eye, Gan Ning noticed the cloth wrapped around his head and figured that at least the latter thought was true.
He was dressed in regular blue armor with shoulder pads, not overly long, but reasonably so. His deep blue cape easily touched the ground. His weapon drew Gan Ning's gaze for the longest time. It was as if a child had a falchion for a ten-foot man. Its width was at least that of Gan Ning's thigh. Its length from point to posterier, five feet.
Gan Ning took the staff off his back, it instantly collapsed into its chained stick self.
Cao Cao shouted, in his deep, ambitious voice, "Let the match begin, first to draw blood wins!"
Gan Ning shot a look of amazement at Cao Cao. The solitary thought going through his mind was, Thanks, Cao, my weapon is BLUNT!
Xiahou Dun raced at him, his sword trailing in the dirt behind him. As he closed the distance, he swung the severely oversized weapon at his foe. Gan Ning shouted, "Don't you want to know my name?"
His only reply was, "No."
"Fine then, I'll just have to make you pay attention."
After backing up from the initial swing, Gan Ning began to strike back. Only to find out that Xiahou Dun was making a back swing. Gan Ning barely managed to duck and threw the end of his weapon between Dun's legs and pulled. Dun only stumbled a little, but enough so that Gan Ning could maneuver his weapon in such a way that when Dun started to swing again, his sword flew out of his hands. It landed at Cao Cao's feet.
"Pick up your weapon. And by the way, I'm Chienpo."
Xiahou Dun only glared at Gan Ning the way a dog looks at a particularly annoying cat. After getting his blade back, Xiahou Dun started to swing it crazily around. Gan Ning was too busy dodging the flurry to worry about attacking. Xiahou Dun let one had off the sword and thrust it into Gan Ning's stomach. Gan Ning instantly doubled over and couldn't breathe for a while.
"Never, ever let your opponent stand up if you have knocked them down. That was where Hannibal screwed up. Since you spared me the fight, I will let you recover."
After a little bit of time spent gasping and wheezing, Gan Ning stood again and decided that he should take the initiative. Xiahou Dun was waiting. Ning feinted and Dun wasn't ready. Gan Ning used his weapon to help bind Dun while he reached for his boot knife. Dun was still struggling, but found that his foe's grip was tight. Ning cut across Dun's forearm, drawing blood. Then Gan Ning let go.
"Match to Chienpo!" yelled Cao Cao in an ecstatic manner, "It seems that we have some reasonable officer material after all."
"But cousin,"
"Enough blathering Cao Ren. This man is definitely officer material. Tell me, Chienpo, do you know about battle tactics?"
"Reasonably well enough."
"How about a test?" questioned Cao Cao.
"What kind of test?" questioned Cao Ren.
" A test of battle strategies, we will give Chienpo one hundred men, Xu Huang one hundred men and Zhang Liao one hundred men. Have Xu Huang and Zhang Liao work together. Do you think you can take those odds, Chienpo?"
Gan Ning replied, confidently, "I'm pretty sure."
"Good. The battle is set for tomorrow at dawn. See you all there."
Now you know why this is the romance of the THREE kingdoms. The triple threat is now in place. Get the fireworks ready. Stuff will be shooting off. BANZI!!!