Liu Ren woke up the next day, expecting to be run through. But all he found was breakfast. Chao Yun had caught some fish as he slept. After they had eaten, They packed up the camp and placed the gear into a small cart that had been hidden behind bushes. An ox had been tied up near it with a small pile of hay and covered by a blanket. Chao Yun hooked the cart to the ox and mounted his horse. He started to ride off and the ox followed. Liu Ren was amazed, "An ox that well trained." He jumped onto his gray horse and followed the cart. Two days past and the two spoke little when they camped. Liu Ren was only twenty and he guessed that Chao Yun was only a little older, but he spoke with the wisdom of someone twice his age. The forest thinned and they entered a large grassy field. A large stone and wood building stood at the center. Chao Yun ordered the ox to stay and both hedgehogs continued on horseback. They dismounted as they reached the building, "It looks abandoned."

Chao Yun pulled his halberd from his saddle, "Someone is here!"

"Come! Come!" An old voice came from the large doorway. The two entered and found an old human male sitting cross-legged on the floor. He was bald, but had a long white beard. He looked at them with milky white eyes, "You have come!"

"You're blind!"

"That is correct, Chao Yun!"

The green hedgehog gripped his weapon, "How does a blind man who I have never met know my name?"

The man held his hands over a large brown sheet in front of him, "Please sit and I will explain." Both hedgehogs set their weapons aside and sat down. The man coughed, "My name is of little importance since I was fated to die forty years ago. But I encountered something that extended my life as long as created what it desired."

"What was that?" Liu Ren leaned forward.

"I had a vision of your arrival. I sent a message to both of you saying I had crafted a sword. But I in fact created two swords." He pulled away the sheet and two swords in black sheathes laid on the floor, "When I was traveling, I fell into a dark ruin. In that ruin I ran into a monster of untold horror. Before it could kill me, two stones in the ruin glowed with light and destroyed the monster. The light was so bright I lost my eyes. When it was over I was given a vision. Two warriors that were fated to decide the fate of this world would come. Before then I was to craft two swords. One from each stone. So I took the stones and spent the last forty years crafting these weapons."

Chao Yun laughed, "But your blind. How could you have made two swords?" The man didn't answer. The hedgehog leaned over and poked him. The man fell over, "Damn!"

Liu Ren check his breathing, "He is dead!"

Chao Yun picked up one of the swords, "Well this was a waste of time." He drew the sword and stood transfixed. The handle was made of a dull green metal and the three-foot long blade was dark silver. A strange symbol was engraved on the top of the handle. He didn't know the language, but he could read it, "The Sword of Chaos!"

Liu Ren looked over the blade, "It looks like a master made it. I have never seen such a well-made blade." He picked up the other and drew it. The handle was a dull blue and the blade was silver. It matched the other sword's dimensions. He read the symbol, "The Sword of Virtue!" Liu Ren gave the sword a test swing, "What do you think it means?"

Chao Yun returned the sword to its sheath and grabbed his halberd, "I thrive in the chaos. I can only acknowledge my existence on the battlefield."

"Where I live for the hope of peace. I fight for a world with out chaos."

Chao Yun walked to his horse, "Seems that they were made right." He pulled a firebomb from one of the saddlebags. He placed his halberd into the saddle's holster and placed the sword on his belt, "It is time we left." He used two flint rocks to light the fuse, "Rest in peace old man!" He tossed the bomb into the building. The two hedgehogs rode away from the burning building and journeyed together until the reached the dirt paths. Chao Yun saluted, "I will see you on the battlefield."

Liu Ren saluted back, "You bet!"

A week later, The Allied Army approached the district of Chen Lu. A large castle stood in the center of a large collection of houses. The whole districted was surrounded by a stone wall. He district was the capitol of Zho Kai's army. Spies reviled that the villain was in the castle with his main force. Waiting for them. Shu Ran road a large white warhorse. Next to him road Liu Ren. The hedgehog had told his lord most of what happened. He left out the part with Chao Yun and the second sword. A secret message had been sent to the warrior in the hopes of winning him over, but he had rejected. Thankfully, he didn't say why. Shu Ran stopped his horse and his forces stopped as well, "The town looks abandoned."

"The people could have fled at our approach."

The lion shook his head, "No! I think a trap has been laid." He turned to one of his generals, "Send a few men into the town and see if anything is amidst." The dog bowed and rode toward the group of soldiers.

Shu Ran rolled his shoulders, "We have fought long and hard to get to this point. There is no need to rush."

Chao Yun stood at the top of the long staircase that led to the palace. The dust storm on the horizon told him that the Allied Army had arrived. The Sword of Chaos was resting at his side. A black fox in purple robe stepped up, "They will arrive soon!" He held out a large fan made of purple feathers, "They have fewer men, but better officers."

"Are you implying that I am inferior to them?"

"No my lord! But you stand-alone."

Chao Yun nodded, "Indeed I do! Our master has done a good job of chasing off our best officers. Now I will have are greedy men who do not deserve the privilege to hold a sword." He turned to a servant cat and took his halberd from him, "Bojack!"

"Yes my lord!"

"Why do you serve Zho Kai?"

Bojack chuckled, "I serve you my lord! The fat one is no master of mine. But if you follow him, I will follow him as well."

Chao Yun nodded, "Prepare the forces! I will be back soon!"

Bojack bowed low as Chao Yun entered the palace. He sent a couple of men to the barracks to ready the solders, "Soon my pieces will all be in place."

Zho Kai laid on a large mat covered in soft blankets. The pig was so large; he could barely walk for long periods of time. His head was laid back as a servant girl held grapes above his mouth so he could eat at his leisure. Two other servant girls constantly rubbed his body so it wouldn't become sore. He snorted when his general walked into his chamber, "Chao Yun my boy." He pushed himself up and the servants quickly piled pillows up so he could lean against them, "How are the plans?"

"If all goes according to plan, the Allied Army will be crushed before the sun sets."

"Good!" He rubbed his belly, "With you as my might and Bojack as my brains, this land will be mine." He grabbed a large goblet nearby and drank it down in a loud gulp, "I will prepare large rewards for you and the others. Gold, silks, and rank."

Chao Yun bowed his head and bayed one of the servant girls to come to him. Zho Kai didn't mind, he had plenty of servants to call upon. Like the others, the echidna was barely dressed and bore a black eye. No doubt she had done something wrong and the pig had punished her. He handed her his halberd. She struggled to hold it, but managed. Chao Yun walked toward his master, "My lord! I have a gift I would like to give you."

The pig smiled, "Oh really! There is really no need. But if you wish!"

The hedgehog smiled, "My lord is to kind!" He drew a jeweled dagger from his belt, "This was crafted by one of the smiths in the land. Some of the rarest jewels can be found in the handle."

"What a fine dagger. It would look good on my belt."

"I have a better place for it." He shoved the blade hard into the throat of Zho Kai. He stepped back and smiled as the pig died, "You only lived because of your wealth. So I let you die by wealth as well." Chao Yun walked to the girl with his halberd, "Thank you." He took his weapon from her, "Now leave this place!"

The girl bowed, "Please let me stay! You have always been so kind to me."

"After this battle, I will continue my journey. I cannot have anyone accompany me. Leave and know peace." The girl nodded and followed the other servants out of the chamber.

"You did the land a service." Bojack walked in and pointed his strategist fan at the body, "That man didn't deserve your loyalty."

"He never had it!" Chao Yun walked past Bojack, "Once this battle is over, you may do as you please." He left.

Bojack smiled, "You are truly a god of war. You knew I was planning to take over, yet you simply wished to test your power and skill." He chuckled, "Soon that power and skill will be mine."

Chao Yun walked out of the place and mounted his red horse, "Be ready men! Today, we end this war!"