Chapter 5

The raising of the sun was as slow as any morning could be. At least, that was what the pitiful man thought as he settled himself upon the bed of delicate grass. It had been perhaps for hours or days since he had watched the warrior behind the wooden shafts, and it was bringing him pain and an endless twist of self-pity. Again, a sighed escaped his lungs as he observed the burnished blade, reflecting the shine from the corners of its jags.

The Fierce Dragon held an unnatural, dangerous, beauty within its edge. However it held a strange temptation of bringing the man bring the salient blade upon the very pulse he was feeling deep within the flesh of his neck. He was weary of this, the nights long after the Tiger General held an exclusive entertainment, but the consequences were far too much to make the prize worthy.

"You are having that look again."

The fatigued spectator only reacted tediously as he watched his partner with a pair of hollow eyes, and the sight of the disgusting being stirred almost nothing within his soul. His voice only moaned in despair to release him as he spoke to whom he see as his 'superior, "Why must I be putted through these nightly horrors?" The shadowed man only spoke nothing, as he looked at the slothful guard, whom was now nothing but a pathetic form of a human being, "Those eerie screams within the nights of stars, it is getting worse by every passing days…"

The heartless being that was barely listening to his pleas paid no attention, unnoticed that the caged tiger had escaped long before the arrival of the morbid observer. A sly grin only crept upon his features as he continued to fairly listened to the mindless babbling of his subordinate. The reactions of the guard were unseen, as the chief only brought his rough fingers upon the shaft of the spear, only to have the jagged blade slit the neck of the sorrowful being.

It was only seconds of the moment as the gruesomeness was spilled upon the delicate grass with the crimson, dark liquid, destroying the beauty and tainting the soils. Almost as if the gods of heaven had sensed the momentarily bloodshed, the hazes of storm came aloof to the skies, bringing the sun into meeting the shadows of the clouds. The asperous features of the bandit only grew into a sadistic smirk as the essence of blood came into the nebulous atmosphere.

And with a mistake of his life, a grunt, he threw the deadly weaponry away from the gore. A fatal mistake he did, not knowing that the warrior now slithered behind as the shadow of the storms.

However, it became too late for the former betrayer to react as Zhao Yun slipped upon the scene with an astounding speed. While his graceful movements took his grips upon his signature weapon and within the flash of the dull edge as he swung the Fierce Dragon diagonally, it was not long before the dark fluid came splattered upon the fallen body of his distressed partner. The expression only became stalled as the body collapsed from its stands, not even twitching for the instantaneous death. However, a blink was not rewarded, as the eyes of the fallen devil had only remained wide as the iris became hidden by its eyelids.

It was when the cackle of the thunder came with pelting droplets of rains, washing the blood away from the disgraced corpses. As the first droplet struck the grasslands, Zilong's attention became aloof to his escape as he watched the blood flow upon its mysterious pathway. The silent rumbling only brought a steady pulse upon the Tiger General's chest, as his dark eyes only observed the deaths that he had caused.

No… they don't deserve to live, not after what they are going to do.

Zhao Yun immediately took in the darkening emerald grasses as it had been fairly long since he had seen those emerald blades. A strange hollowness that lay under the pit of his midriff only brought a certain fear as he once again glanced upon his back, watching with excelled cautiousness.

Seeing the plains had been cleared for his departure, Zilong narrowed his eyes gravely toward the rumbling storm and strolled down hill, hoping that his scurvy captors. Not knowing that the beast behind the capture had played the very same trick upon the escaping captive. However, a smug smirk only grew upon the spectator's scruffy features.

The voice only gleamed with a certain iniquity as his gruff voice exploded with familiarity, "This will certainly work."

A nearby figure only approached the robed figure, "Are you certain? We are dealing with three mighty kingdoms after all."

The gruff voice immediately mocked at his confederate's shallow mind.

"Most certain."

The cloaked figure watched the slope with interest as his fingers only lingered upon the air, his hand were being waved upon the darkened skies. The ancient eyes of the mastermind only glisten with lust, as approached his henchmen's corpses. Giving one final gaze upon the corpse, a sickening crack exposed into his ears as his kick stabbed deeply upon the decaying flesh.

"We shall doubt no more, move now. Our plans shall proceed by dawn, his secret had already been exposed, and we do not need to waste anymore times before the other Prime Ministers discover our advances."

A noble nod was immediately given toward his 'master'.

"Very well, the Chosen One. If he is what you wish for, we shall grant you for heaven's will."

The ancient features only twitched into an ignorant smirk as he heard the determination of his henchmen, "Good. It is only the matter of time before he submits. Now, concede into the shadows, young one. The next dawn is still far from rising."

A sly smile slowly became present upon the disciple's features.

"Yes, my master. I shall then."

*****

The burning sensation that have engaged into the lungs was threatening to Zhao Yun as he felt a small throbbing came across his head. The thundering clouds only pelted the warrior with gentle raindrops as it brought a chilling coldness upon his senses as a tearing wind blew across the chaotic lands. Zhao Yun was thankful for once that the raging bloodshed had been abruptly halted for the rebellion, making it an ease to travel across the lands.

It was only distances away from his captor's camps that there was a rather familiar forest. Only a few miles away from the haunted camp, where Zhao Yun had once again been proven that innocence was not the word for the cruel world. The chilling awareness were merely at the corner of his mind as anxiety struck his chest like an arrow, feeding Zhao Yun's mind with fear as every step he took upon the muddy path brought him closer to an unknown aura.

The tender fragrance only declared his enter toward the forest, where the raindrops lightened to merely pecks upon his moisten skin, much like his footstep as it soon became hollow toward the mud, ending the tracks. Zilong could feel his spirit battling with his mind, a part of him wants to run away with shame, never laying his eyes upon his admiration, another wants to find him. It wants to embrace the strategist that had fed his burning passion for an inveterate time.

Whatever decision Zhao Yun had made, he did not followed it fairly well as he only stared at the crying shadows of the forest, where reflections of the raindrops only furbish the scattered leaves. Something unknown had enhanced this place, and Zhao Yun did not know what it was. The armor he had worn for a long time only sank upon his shoulders like an immense burden, as his vice grip toward his prized spear softened.

Zilong casts one last gentle glance upon the forest before finally taking his first step deeper into the woodland, where he had long passed through before a desolated arrow stabbed deeply through his skin, walking slowly and steadily toward where his heart was leading him to. The delicate leaves only shielded the rains from the muddy grounds, and each step the weary man took, his remnant of his arrival was marked down by the soft grounds.

A small bitterness only lingered in his mouth, as insecurity only brought him cautiousness about any possible reactions that he could be meeting, and each step he took only enraged the fear within him. His armors only preserved as rags as the decency of his white garments were all torn and drenched with the tattering rain. The drippings of the rains were much like to the chirpings of the crickets. His eyes squint in a distance as a small chattering along the woods broke his fear, his senses.

His senses only burned according to sounds, wishing to turn around and run. However, his feet only held their positions. Unwilling to move, but rather to pay heed upon the voices, both voices shined with familiarity.

And it wasn't someone that he would recognize to be in Shu, serving loyally within its ranks. It was just a sudden that he felt his mouth came into a lock, unwilling to open as his jaws only stressed into being locked. His head only spun with decisions, conclusions and consequences, his course of action or what he will do, his mouth only became tighter as his fear started ate away his heart.

Zhao Yun bit back a small roar of frustration. His muscle only became tensed as his fingers became clutched within his palm, forming a death-gripped fist. A small shiver crossed his spine as he only stood there, feeling the gentle wind from the raging storm.

It was unknown to him why was he forced into standing upon these artic winds, while hesitation only wavered within his mind. It was up until now his mind still dithered on what caused those foul words of the masked strategist, or what caused the arrow to pierce upon his delicate flesh. He was in doubt after all that happened, doubts of what his solicitude would have become.

Disregardful to his surroundings, he had become unaware that the minutes of his thoughts had rapidly become hours. The mist of the storm had receded into the clouds, bringing the emission of glimmers upon the forest, reflecting about the droplets that had remained on the leaves.

The Tiger General only became aware that his mouth had turned drier as time passes, where as he just found his spot upon saturated log, ignoring the rough textures of the lumber. Heedless to the crippling gelidity, the weary man only found his mind at the brink of exhaustion as his visions only faded into the shadows of his minds, drifting him into a silent composure. Unaware that someone had taken his time to edge closer to the warrior and brought him to where he had settled for momentarily.

*****

Alone within the dark, a solo moonlight tore brilliantly across the nocturnal shadows, cutting through the darkness with its afterglow. A soft murmur crossed the witching hours, however, Zhao Yun only found himself stirring against the delicate voice.

It was the sudden warmness that slithered against his skin snapped him awake. Unaware of whom stood in front of him; his instincts forced his arm to hold a death grip on his spear, swinging it toward to whoever was in front of him, threatening whoever was in front of him. The silver point only glittered against the moonlight, as fear glistened Zilong's eyes, watching the man in front of him wore a similar expression.

An instant impulse had forced the Prime Minister took a step backward, avoiding death from taking his soul. His lips trembled slightly at the form of the tiger general, surprised at the sudden violation of his motivations. Kongming knelt there, his eyes only scanned Zhao Yun, and he only partly wore his calm stature.

Carefully, the Sleeping Dragon grasped the Little Dragon's spear. Sensing reluctance against his wishes, for the very first time, Kongming felt his soul had been stabbed by an impassible dagger, and his head only arched within pain.

Did you really change that much… Zilong?

Zhao Yun didn't know how to react. His mouth twitched, and guilt almost washed over him, especially after seeing the maroon bandage around his love interest's forehead. Unknown to his emotions, Zhuge Liang once again forced his spear down.

The past thoughts still haunted his head, and unknown to him, Zilong only feared at the shadows that he blurted out partly his thoughts, "Are you not… are you not…"

Zhuge Liang flinched at the tone of Zhao Yun's voice, yet he held back all his emotions, and forced himself from halting Zhao Yun's words, "You… I… Why did you come…?" Those words only made Kongming glanced away from the warrior's dark emerald eyes, as his sight passed from Zhao Yun's glances, Zhuge Liang's eyes met something he never realized before. Zhao Yun's eyes seemed to hold a glimmer of jade, painfully reminding the strategist of the solemn happening between the Tiger General and the daughter of the Tiger of Jiang Dong. For a moment, he only glanced into the distant stars that had blazed brightly within the dark skies.

A blunt voice only came from the daoist, following his actions in sequence as his mind wondering at the possibility of their relationship in past years, "I expect you to know me better, Zhao Yun."

Silence drifted between the two alienated couples then, both of their thoughts wandering as neither forced to meet each other's glance nor figure. A taste of bitterness swept over his mouth as he knew that he had upset what he had considered his finest dreams. Unable to mutter an apology, Zhao Yun only rose upon his feet, his eyes almost blazed with tears as his mouth trembled, invisible within the moonlight, he met Zhuge Liang's figure.

Zhao Yun sudden movement shook Zhuge Liang, before the Sleeping Dragon also swerved around, his eyes into meeting those eyes he had not met for a time. Something within him burned his heart, forcing his jaws to only lock tighter into a deadlier lock, almost threatening into crumbling his jawbone.

Diverting his glance upon a spot on the leaf-ridden grounds, a weak mumble escaped his lips, "I… I truly am sorry, I did not mean… I did not want to…"

His voice soon drew away from his throat, leaving him speechless and the silence filling that atmosphere again. As the clouds passed by the moon, shadows were brought upon the generals, enraging the intensity between the sheets of silence. Almost as if it was the night that a strange necromancy had visited within the lands of the once-proud Han dynasty, picking worthy generals from the dead, Zhuge Liang only cast his eyes away from his friend's morose eyes.

"Do not worry about it." Zhuge Liang finally spoke, regaining his calmness from the sudden meeting of the Tiger General, "We needn't to spend anymore of our time here… especially with the Yellow Turban seeking for you."

And my head…

Hastily, the Sleeping Dragon observed his nightly surroundings. The darkness seemed to have grown thick upon the shadows of the trees. The moon glowed upon the nightly surroundings, consorted by the distinctive dazzling river of stars that crossed its path by the moon. However, as much as the skies illuminated against the shadows, their surroundings held a strong drift of insecurity.

"We have been here for too long," Zhuge Liang finally hissed at the unknown shadows that seemed to have crept upon the trees and disappeared. It was a tempest of movement, but the Prime Minister knew that they had walked into the captors' passionate welcoming. A small ferocity washed over the Shu strategist as he gritted his teeth in the minor anger, however, his head turned toward the Tiger General behind him, whom seemed to be forgotten within the strategist's mind for the previous few minutes. His features hidden in the shadows, unwilling to be revealed, leaning closer toward the general's ear, he whispered solemnly toward Zhao Yun, "Do not fear, and prepare to guard yourself... I would not allow them to take you back into that inferior hell."

A sly atmosphere instantly lifted into the air, lingering with the men that had hidden within the shadows, perhaps waiting for an excellent opportunity to strike their victims dead. Though the darkness seemed to have grown heavier within this moment, the moon reflected an amount of light within their vision. Nodding to himself, hearing every single word of his love interest, he grasped the shaft of his spear. His eyes only gleamed with courage, narrowing his eyes dangerously, warning the enemy behind the obscurity of the shadows.

His mind reflected upon the horror within the day that he had dreamt that the Sleeping Dragon had truly became a sleeping dragon. A small fear tingled at the bottom of his heart, as his eyes glanced at the Shu strategist with a slight fear.

Prepared or not, Zhuge Liang had his hand at the hilt of his sword. However, at the moment of spur, he felt an immense pain started crawling toward the core of his mind, splitting his vision into doubles. Trembling a little bit, the strategist's feet almost misguided him as he stumbled toward Zhao Yun, slightly, before gaining his balance again. The fear almost doubled at Zhao Yun's heart as he watched the strategist trembled slightly.

The sweat resurfaced upon Zhuge Liang's features as the sweat only beaded at his forehead. Gripping tightly at sword's hilt, his eyes only wavered with uncertainty as his visions only blurred within the shadows and doubled. However, not knowing his surrounding well enough, a concealed shadow blurred away from the trees, scattering the leaves toward the floor, as his hand were raised for a kill toward the strategist.

Zhao Yun almost immediately felt the presence of the armed shadows, his fear heightening toward a limit. The time seemed to have stopped at the moment the Tiger General found himself in the front of Zhuge Liang, shifting their position against the flying shadow as the dagger only hasted into taking its kill.

A sudden splatter of blood came across the forest ground as soon as body came falling over the growing patch of red.

***End of Chapter***