Hello everyone, Gulefritz here.
I bring to you the third chapter of Clash of Warriors.
The story got its first follower and I am happy to see it.
Let's begin shall we?
"The Mongols have destroyed Thi-Dah"
The words of the messenger only needed to be told once and almost everyone inside the Jade Palace knew. The grandmasters had gone outside when they had heard the messenger storm into the courtyard. Shifu rushed down to the messenger.
"What did you say, who destroyed Thi-Dah?"
The cheetah exhaled and inhaled fast but managed to get his breathing under control.
"The Mongols Grandmaster Shifu, the Mongols have destroyed Thi-Dah"
Shifu looked back at Oogway who stood there and looked serious but not worried. One day Oogway had seen a great war while meditating. Shifu could not think of anyone who could possibly invade China. Most warlords had been subdued with a few exceptions, so far only Manchuria had warlords who had not sworn allegiance to the emperor.
"This is troubling news… If Thi-Dah has fallen, then the Mongols have no obstacle between them and our border"
Thi-Dah was a border kingdom, set by Xhi Huangdi, an emperor of old, between China and the Mongolian plateau. Its leader, Teemutai, was one of the strongest grandmasters of Kung Fu, but he was also old. However, to think nomads had conquered this warrior kingdom, spelled trouble to the Kung Fu masters.
The masters read the message coming from the imperial palace. Shifu could only sigh as he wrote the words of the imperial message.
By order of the Heavenly Emperor Aizong, ruler of the Heavens and defender of the middle kingdom has called upon the masters of the Jade Palace to defend the Empire.
The Jade Palace is to send their masters to the Imperial post at Yungle Pass, and hold it until the Imperial Army, forming around Zheng-Du, is ready to march out.
Refusal of this direct order will mean the Valley of Peace and all living in it will be declared an enemy of the state and dealt with accordingly.
Signed Advisor Peng lei, Imperial Advisor and right hand of the Emperor.
Oogway smiled as he read over the words. Shifu and the others looked at the old master with an curious expression. He seemed quite happy in this time of war. Shifu broke the silence.
"Master Oogway, why are you smiling?"
Oogway raised his eyebrow. "Do I need a reason to smile?"
Shifu shook his head. He did not need to ask what the turtle was thinking as Oogway provided the answer.
"The universe sent me a vision a long time ago. The Mongol deity, Tengri, would pick a champion amongst the nomads and one day he would lay waste to the Empire"
The other masters nodded at this, all listening to the words of the old master.
"He will conquer city after city and destroy armies left and right, he will be unbeatable. If not for a legendary warrior"
Oogway paused and looked over the masters. He pointed up at the ceiling, pointing at the dragonhead holding the dragon scroll.
"This is the sign the universe send me. It is time to pick the Dragon Warrior"
The other masters gasped at this. No one had been named the Dragon Warrior for more a thousand years. Only a legendary warrior with no darkness in their hearth could become the Dragon warrior.
"But Master Oogway. What warrior is worthy of this title? Who is worthy of the dragon scroll?"
The turtle laughed and smiled at the other masters before shaking his head.
"I do not know. But he or she will be found in two days. Shifu, it is time we see the skill of the five. Arrange a course for the valley to see in two days"
Shifu nodded. Master Storming Ox walked forward and raised his hand.
"What about Tai Lung? Will he participate aswell?"
Oogway shook his head.
"Tai Lung is not suitable for the title of Dragon Warrior. There is darkness within his hearth, small but there. He will watch from the side-lines together with the rest of the masters."
The masters nodded.
Five days ago, Imperial tributary of Thi-Dah, City of Thi-Dah.
Temujin was true to his word when he said they would march on Thi-Dah in five days. Ten days ago, the Mongols formed a mighty host of united clans. Naimans, Uignurs, Merkits, Genkis, Timurids and Chagatai, all clans who used to wage war on one another. To believe all these warring tribes had united under one banner seems like madness, but united they had.
Teemutai, legendary warrior King of Thi-Dah had underestimated the Mongol Horde. He thought them to be nothing but mere nomads, "It would be harder to fight unarmed peasants than these warriors". Most of his generals thought the same, Thi-Dah had stood for more than a thousand years, and no leader of uncivilised steppe nomads would change that.
However, one of the generals were less confident in Thi-Dahs fight against the Mongols. General Wang Tong, an elderly Water Buffalo tried again and again to reason with the king "Do not meet them on the open field, let them come to Thi-Dah", but Teemutai would hear none of it.
Therefore, nine days ago the Warrior King sent out his armies. He himself could not lead them because of his old age, the buffalo had rounded eighty-two summers now, so he send his most trusted man, General Huang Ling.
To say it was a close fight, would be a lie. The Thi-Dah army, consisting of disciplined warriors clad in black iron armour and several mercenaries had walked out during the day on one of the hottest of days in Thi-Dah. By then raiding parties had pillaged the countryside and no wells were to be found for miles. The army walked out a small village, than was when the battle started, and two hours later, it was over.
Tamerlane lead the Timurid, Chagatai and Genki tribes into battle. The Giant tiger held his polearm and cut down warriors from left to right. His roar terrified the tired Thi-Dah soldiers, and the mercenaries retreated, they never got far. Temujin had taken the rest of the horde and marched around. He stormed the Thi-Dah forces from the rear and cut down the fleeing mercenaries. Several of them tried to defect, but Temujin hate betrayal. He cut them down where they stood, but allowed every one hundred of them live.
And just like that, Thi-Dah had lost its legendary army.
The General of the Army, Huang Ling, was caught by the Mongols and was brought before Temujin. He had been wounded in the battle, but he refused any aid the Mongols would provide. He spit on the ground and said "Teemutai will beat you, Savage!" before Temujin personally ended the buffaloes life by cutting his throat with his right paw.
Now nothing stood between Temujin and revenge on King Teemutai.
Four days after the battle, City of Thi-Dah.
The Mongol army had set camp at the northern part of the city. Temujin had appointed Tamerlane to lead the attack into the Thi-Dah capital. A flaming arrow flew from the Genki camp. The battle of the city had begun.
Tamerlane led his forces to the walls. They were under heavy fire and several Mongols died, but soon they fired back. Mongol archery was quite the sight to watch. The archers could fire several arrows per minute but still have a high accuracy. Tamerlane and fourteen Siberian tigers brought a battering ram to the main gate. They had brought down the gate of Thi-Dah.
On the other side stood a line of Thi-Dah soldiers, those left to garrison the city. Wang Tong had formed a last line of defence with the remaining soldiers he had. As the Mongols charged, his soldiers perform a counter-charge. Water buffaloes clashed with snow leopards and Siberian tigers. Soon both lied dead on the ground.
For a moment, it looked like Wang Tongs men would turn the battle around and kick Tamerlane out of the city, when something odd happened. A lightning bolt hit the ground behind the Thi-Dah defenders. It shocked most of the men, and the bolt itself had hit a nearby house, which was now ablaze.
The distraction was all the Mongols needed. Tamerlane charged again and he leapt. He jumped over the line of Thi-Dah forces and thrusted his halberd forward, straight into Wang Tong chest. The old buffalo choked as he felt the life leave his body and finally succumbed to fatal wound. The tiger roared and the defenders routed, but they never got far. Mongol archers destroyed them from the now conquered walls of Thi-Dah.
Now all that was left, was the Palace of Thi-Dah.
Teemutai watched as the city he had ruled for more than sixty-five years, conquered in less than a single day. In total, it took the Mongols eight hours to capture the city. He knew it was the end, and decided to face the Mongols himself.
He knew Temujin. He was once a slave held at the Thi-Dah slave market. The Merkit tribe had sold him for a single roll of silk. He had decided to show this "Champion of Tengri" in a cage in the middle of the market. What a fool he had been by doing that.
One of his favorite servants, the Siberian Tigress Fi-Dai of the Merkit tribe had stolen his keys and freed the snow leopard. He did not know it, but the two had meet earlier and was betrothed, in an attempt to unite the clans. They had fallen in love on first sight, but had been separated for years, only to meet again in the Thi-Dah slave market.
Teemutai looked down from his throne. The door to the courtyard of the palace sprung open. In walked a snow leopard and a Siberian Tiger. Teemutai recognised them both. It was Temujin and Tamerlane. Several soldiers of their tribes followed the two felines.
"King Teemutai, former ruler of Thi-Dah. I am Temujin, Khan of the Genki, ruler of Mongolia. I am here to end your life for the atrocities your people have committed on mine. From this day on, will the slave trade that turned Mongols into objects sold for a roll of silk, will end!"
Silence followed, but soon laughter followed. The old King laughed at the snow leopard and rose from his throne.
"You claim you have come to kill me, well slave. Let's see what you got!"
The warrior king was bigger than most buffaloes. He was three heads above the average and despite his old age had several muscles on his body. The ground shook as he walked forward, and the look on his face made the soldiers grab their weapons, even Tamerlane brought a hand on his polearm.
Temujin laughed at Tamerlanes reaction. "Lord Tengri aids me, I shall win this battle alone"
Tamerlane nodded and he, together with his men, stood back.
Teemutai and Temujin circled one another. The old king held a battle axe. He liked to rely on the axe as he could bring down strong vertically strikes to end the battle, something Temujin knew.
The snow leopard was walking with very light steps. He held his halberd in his right paw. Temujin was the first to move. Temujin had dashed forward and dodged a blow from the buffalo. As strong as he is, he is still old. The blow was late and Temujin hardly needed to do anything to dodge. He reached the side of the king and cut him across the right leg and arm with the halberd.
The King send out a roar of pain. He swung his battle-axe again, narrowly missing the snow leopard. Temujin ran to the side and thrusted the halberd forward again, piercing the legs of the old king with the halberd.
Before Teemutai could retaliate to this blow, was Temujin already on the move. He thought he had seen an opening and went for the kill, a blow to the neck. But Teemutai saw it and caught the halberd. He pulled it out of the snow leopards reach and threw it away on the ground.
Teemutai turned towards Temujin and swung the axe again. The king was slow and Temujin dodged, but was unable to attack as the king swung again.
"Why won't you stay still!" the king yelled.
The King brought the axe down and something fatal happened. The axe dug into the ground. It was what Temujin needed to get an advantage. He bolted forward and hit the buffalo several places on the chest and neck. The old king tried to parry, but when he tried to parry one blow, another was already on the way. In the end, the king fell forward and landed on his knees, exhausted from blood loss and fighting.
Temujin went to his halberd and picked it up. He looked to the old king.
"You have been bested, old man"
He threw the Halberd. It pierced Teemutai's chest and went completely through to the other side. The old king gasped for air and called out for his ancestors, but soon enough the old king fell. He lied, motionless, on the floor of his palace.
And just like that, Thi-Dah had been conquered.
And that was chapter 3 of Clash of Warriors. Hope you liked it. Comment in the reviews what I should improve/remove and what you liked/disliked.