Act IV: Deception

Sun Ce felt the rythmatic motion of his stead below him. The sound of hoofs beating against the ground filled the afternoon air. They had been ridding since before the first rays of dawn had a chance to peak over the distant hills. His mount was growing tired, but Sun Ce had mind only for one thing.

They were going to bring back Zhou Yu, today.

Ce turned to see Gan Ning ridding up beside him. The pirate met his scowl with an annoyingly cocky grin.

"I know what you think," Sun Ce stated. Ning raised his eyebrow curiously.

"Do you?" Ning asked, intrigued.

"You think I'm angry because you are stealing the glory, but I'm not."

"Who said you were?" Ning tossed back. "All I see is that Sun Jian didn't want to send his son on a suicide mission so he sent one of his generals instead, all to rescue two guys that Cao Cao's probably already killed." The look Sun Ce sent the pirate had Ning reaching for his weapon, just to make sure it was there and ready. But Sun Ce merely kicked his heels into the horse's thighs to spur it forward.

Shang Xiang rode up beside Ning and promptly punched him in the shoulder…hard.

"Ow," the former pirate moaned rubbing his shoulder. "What was that for?"

"Idiot," she replied sharply before ridding after her brother.

"What?" The clueless pirate called after her.

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Zhou Tai lifted the bowl to Zhou Yu's lips. Yu barely swallowed any before he was sputtering and coughing.

"You should drink more than that," Tai admonished, but Yu merely shook his head weakly. Yu closed his eyes and it was only a second before he faded off into sleep. The strategist's strength was waning more and more with each passing minute.

It won't be long now. Tai thought bitterly. It was becoming terrifyingly obvious that the strategist didn't have long left.

The samurai ran a hand through his dark mane. He was faced with a horrible dilemma, either betray his lord and country or watch his friend die slowly. Tai knew little of poison, but he knew this. Things would get much worse for Yu before the end.

Tai kicked the water bowl in frustration. He instantly regretted this act of rage. It would be several hours before they would be brought anymore water to replace what he had just spilled across the floor. He cursed under his breath.

Always water, never food. Cao Cao wanted them alive so he kept them from dehydrating, but he also wanted suffering to loosen their lips so he never sent food. Hunger was gnawing at his gut and every time his stomach growled it sent pain shooting through his injured side.

At least it stopped bleeding He thought with a sigh. That was mainly due to the jimmy-rigged tourniquet he made out of stripes of his sleeve.

A moan from Yu brought him out of the sullen reverie. He kneeled beside his dying companion and wondered how much longer they both had left.

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Gan Ning stood on a hill, a gentle breeze whipped through his short red hair. In a few minutes Sun Jian would give the order and they would begin the last stretch of their journey.

Ning knew she was behind him before she ever said a word.

"Why are you doing this?" Her soft voice questioned. He turned to face the oldest Qiao sister.

"Doing what pray tell?" He asked feigning ignorance.

"This mission. You don't have to do this. Ce said you volunteered. What do you hope to gain from this?" She replied accusingly.

"Believe it or not I am on your side," he replied harshly, "Just because I was once a pirate doesn't mean I am always out for selfish gain. When I rescue the general and the strategist maybe all of you will stop questioning who my loyalty." Ning turned and quickly mounted his horse.

Da watched him silently for a second, wondering if perhaps she had misjudged the surly pirate. She walked over to her sister and put a comforting arm around the younger girl.

"It won't be long now," she assured Xiao. Any forth coming answer was cut off by Sun Jian's booming voice.

"Let's ride!" He called out. The Qiao's watched as the troops rode off. They continued watching until the armies were barely visible in the distance.

"Come sister. Let's prepare for their return." With that Da turned back to the make-shift medical camp they had set up.

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Ning leaned forward on his stead to make it go faster. The sound of battle rang out all around him. His warrior heart begged to join the conflict, but he was on a mission. He weaved through the soldiers, avoiding their swords as he went.

The fortress walls were coming up fast, and with them the crossbowmen.

Cao Cao always did love his archers. Ning remembered in annoyance as an arrow whished by his head. The back gate was coming closer, now he just had to put the second act of the plan into play.

An arrow caught overly long cloak he had dawned for this task. It struck somewhere near his shoulder. Perfect.

He threw himself off his mount dramatically and tumbled roughly to the ground. He forced himself to lie still and wait. Waiting was never his strong point and he could feel himself getting more and more agitated.

It seemed like forever before the crossbowmen's voice called out.

"He's dead."

Ning smiled. Part three was now in motion. He rose and quickly darted for the shadow of the fortress walls. He pulled the dark cloak around him tighter and drew the hood over his head. Now he could walk through the shadows practically unnoticed.

He quickly crept the remaining distance to the gate and crouched down to examine his surroundings with less chance of being noticed. Other than a gate captain and about six men the area was clear. Luckily the gate was open to let troops pass through.

Ning quietly walked over and easily slipped past the guards. He chuckled inwardly. The Wei foot soldiers were not hired for their intelligence.

The pirate passed several more guards unnoticed, but his warrior instincts were telling him that his luck would soon run out. So when he found himself knee deep in the enemy's fortress with still no resistance in sight he grew wary. This was becoming too easy. He realized that his disguise made it hard to determine which side he was on, but he had expected someone to try and found out by now.

During his time in Cao Cao's army, Gan Ning was mostly out on the seas. He had barely spent any time in the fortress and had never had reason to visit the dungeon—for which he was quite thankful. So other than it's location he knew little of it. He remembered hearing a few rumors before from some of the guards. Supposedly the dungeon was designed to keep intruders from rescuing the prisoners, as he was trying to do now. According to these guards Cao Cao had commissioned Sama Yi to enchant the corridor leading down to the dungeon. It was said that only Cao Cao, Sima Yi and Dian Wei were able to get down there with out difficulty. Some rumors went so far as to say that there were still men stuck in that hallway from a rescue attempt years ago, but Ning found that about as likely as the pirate ghost stories he'd heard on his ship.

So it was without hesitation that he ran into the final corridor. He looked down it and smirked. Obviously the rumors had been just that, pointless rumors. It was a straight shot to the staircase at the far end from where he stood.

Ning ran quickly down the corridor, anxious to get in and out quickly. It was several minutes before he stopped and scratched his head in confusion. No matter how far or fast he ran the staircase never got any closer. He turned to head back and ran straight into something huge and hard. Pulling himself back off the ground he found that a solid wall now replaced the way he came.

The pirate turned around to see that the staircase was no longer in view. Instead, ahead of him lay a dark passageway that turned off quickly. Seeing no alternative he ran that way. The turn seemed to be going in a complete circle as he ran around it and suddenly he was standing back where he started in the long corridor leading to the staircase.

"What kind of deception is this?" He asked of the air, his frustration now at its peak.

The sound of armor banging against the floor quickly clued him in to the approaching guards. He looked all around for some means of keeping the element of surprise.

"I heard it over here!" Ning heard the guards call out. Thinking fast his eyes traveled for the ceiling. Running across it was to wooden beams. The agile pirate leapt up and grabbed hold of these. He pulled himself up and positioned himself between them, pushing against them hard to keep himself up.

The guards emerged from one of the 'solid walls' and looked around in confusion. Ning couldn't help but put on that cocky smile as he dropped down from the ceiling, his cloak flowing around him as he did. He landed gracefully behind them. They turned to face the noise and found themselves looking at the hooded stranger.

"Who are you?" One of the guards asked, gripping his weapon firmly.

"You already know who I am," Ning replied throwing his head back to cast of the hood. The gasp that escaped the guards' mouth was pleasing to Ning's warrior ears. Oh yes, his reputation preceded him even amongst the mighty Wei army.

Gan Ning sprung into motion. He'd left his huge Kiliji back at the Qiao's medical base, trading it in for two small duel Sai blades. More fitting for this particular mission. They were lighter and easier to conceal, but none the less deadly. His hands moved quickly slicing at the one guard, then turning and attacking the other. Both fell to the ground without getting a single hit on the cocky pirate.

Ning placed his hand against the wall they had come through and found he could also go right through.

"Nice try Cao Cao," He boasted walking through the illusion. Once on the other side he found a dark corridor leading to a stairway. He moved forward cautiously, praying that this was not the same trick.

To his relief he was able reach the stairway this time, but he still proceeded with wariness so against the pirate's nature. Half way down the stairs a strange odor reached his nostrils. Gagging with reluctance to breath in that horrific scent, he realized he had reached the right destination.

"Smells like a dungeon," He commented to himself as he proceeded down into the darkness. He made it to the final step and…

"Well well well, if it isn't the traitorous seadog Gan Ning." Ning knew that voice well, and loathed it greatly.

"Dian Wei," He growled, readying his blades. The huge man wielded his trademark axe.

"I've been waiting for this," Wei taunted, cracking his neck intimidating.

"As have I," replied the pirate. The two lunged simultaneously. Ning's sai blade's crossed, blocking the axe's progress. Sparks flew as metal pressed against metal. Both warriors threw all their strength the locked weapons. Ning was strong, but Wei was just a little bit stronger. He pushed Ning's blades back, causing the pirate to loose his balance. A moments slip and Ning felt the axe press against his shoulder.

Quickly the pirate jumped away from Dian Wei's attack. Ning could feel the blood trickling down his arm. Adrenaline pulsed through the warrior of Wu's body. He attacked with all his might, slicing with fast but controlled swings. Dian Wei quickly found his hands full with the enraged pirate's attacks; it was all he could do to defend against them.

Wei's slow swing gave Ning time to strike before the broad side of the axe slammed against Ning knocking him into the wall. Ning saw stars dance in front of his eyes, but quickly shook the dizziness off.

Dian Wei was coming in for another strike; but Ning drop into a slide kick knocking the Wei General's feet out from under him. Ning was on his feet again before Dian Wei could pull himself back up. Ning took the advantage for all it was worth and sliced wildly at the huge warrior.

The pirate kicked his boot into the enemy general's gut and made the final slice. Dian Wei fell to the ground, but Ning himself was also worse for the wear.

Panting with exhaustion, Ning ambled down the remaining hallway, glad that Dian Wei had decided to visit the dungeon alone.

Ning glanced in each ceil as he went and found most of them empty. He wondered morbidly if Zhou Yu and Zhou Tai were even still alive.

He came to the one at the far end and looked inside. His jaw dropped with shock as the eyes of a very much alive Zhou Tai looked back at him.

"Gan Ning?" The hopeful question of the desperate samurai was heart breaking, even to the untouchable pirate. Ning forced his smug-everything-is-fine smile back on his face.

"I'm here to rescue you."

AT: I hope you all liked this chapter!! since it's a double post there are no reviews yet. (I'll reply to both next chapter) hope you all enjoyed!! this one was quite fun to write!