AN: here we are! another new chapter! woohoo!! and so many wonderful reviews! you guys (and gals) rock! review replies after the show people -wink-
now enjoy!
Final Act: Steal on Steal
Ning's smug façade almost disappeared as he noticed the other inhabitant of the cell. Zhou Yu's pallid features and motionless body sent chills through his spine. The pirate had seen countless dead bodies in the course of this war—even inflicted some of them—but never had he been desperately fighting to rescue any of those bodies.
"He's still alive," Zhou Tai seemed to read the other warrior's mind. "But not for long if we don't get him out of here." Ning would have sighed with relief had they not still been faced with such dire circumstances.
"um…key?" Ning asked dumbly.
"Dian Wei," Tai informed him. The pirate sprinted back to his last opponent and grabbed the ring of keys hanging from the man's belt. Ning hurried back and tried several keys before find the one that fit.
The click as Ning unlocked the cell door was like music to Zhou Tai's ears. Tai lifted Zhou Yu's unmoving form up into his arms. He felt his wounded side complain against the strain, but ignored it.
They hurried back down the corridor and up the stairs. Tai looked ahead in despair and confusion as the passageway lead to a dead in. To his surprise Ning kept walking forward.
The pirate looked back and saw the confusion on his companions face.
"It's an illusion," Ning informed the samurai. "Just shut your eyes and move forward." Tai reluctantly obeyed and Gan Ning grabbed the general's arm, carefully guiding him through the illusionary maze. Ning prayed that he remembered the way clearly enough. If they got lost again there may not be any guards to show them the way back at this time, at least not for a good while.
Time that Zhou Yu obviously did not have.
Ning could have shouted for joy as they reached the end of the corridor and exited out into the brightly illuminated passageways of the upper area.
The sound of steal on steal could be heard not far off.
"The others must have breached the fortress," Ning explained. "We'll have to find another way out." Ning's limited knowledge of the fortress' layout was at its end. He looked up and down the hallway and chose the one that seemed to lead in an outward direction.
They ran down corridor after corridor until they came to a fork in their path. To their right was stairs spiraling slowly up, to the left was a hallway with the sound of guards fast approaching.
"Up!" Ning commanded. Zhou Tai ran quickly up the stairs first, holding tightly to Yu; while Ning brought up the rear incase the guards caught up to them with an interest to fight.
They made it up the stairs undetected by the guards. As they left the staircase they found themselves on top of the roof. In front of them were dozen's of well armed troops. Tai and Ning exchanged glances.
"Should we do this?" Ning asked. Though his true question was, will Zhou Yu make it. Tai looked at the strategist in his arms.
"We don't have much choice," Tai replied. He carefully sat his ally down against the wall and drew his sword. Gan Ning nodded.
"For Wu!" The Samurai called out.
"For Wu!" Gan Ning echoed and the two charged forward. Adrenalin kept the two warriors from collapsing as they cut through the enemy troops. New wounds added to the old ones, but they would not relent.
Ning felt his blade slice into an enemies gut, but any thoughts of possible victory were stripped away at one sight.
"Zhou Tai!" He screamed out "it's Cao Cao!" The samurai looked up to see that Ning had been absolutely correct. Ridding right for them on his white stead was the mighty ruler of Wei, Cao Cao himself.
Tai quickly sliced the guard he had been fighting and braced for the coming battle. He tried not to think of the hopelessness of their situation as the Hero of Chaos came upon them.
"We can do this!" Ning shouted as he ran over to join the samurai. "This ends now!" Tai looked at the pirate in surprise, a new admiration for him shinning in the samurai's eyes.
They stood together and Cao Cao came at them, sword swinging. Tai and Ning lunged to opposite sides to clear way for the stead. Ning leapt up and over, hitting against Cao Cao and knocking them both to the ground. Ning jumped up quickly but not without suffering a blow from Cao Cao's sword. As Ning tried to regain footing, Zhou Tai quickly moved in attacking with all that remained in him.
Cao Cao shouted several haughty taunts, but they were lost on the two warriors who were too focused to hear anything but the sound of steal on steal.
Zhou Tai's head began to grow foggy as he received yet another cruel blow. A memory stirred in his mind of one of the few conversations he had ever had with Zhou Yu.
Zhou Tai had been asked to find Zhou Yu. A meeting of the generals was about to start, and the strategist had not yet shown up. Tai searched for quite awhile— wondering why they hadn't just sent one of the servants to do such a trivial task. Finally he located the other general standing out by the training fields.
"Zhou Yu," the samurai greeted his superior with respect. "Sun Jian is about to start the meeting." Tai did not often let his curiously overcome him, but seeing no harm he asked, "What are you doing out here?" Zhou Yu nodded toward the two foot soldiers sparring.
"Sometimes it is refreshing to watch the new recruits train."
"Why?" Tai had asked. He himself found it rather annoying. The new warriors made such ridiculous mistakes and took such needless risks.
"Their fighting is much simpler, and less refrained. Sometimes it helps to get back to the basics," Zhou Yu responded without taking his eyes off the battle. Zhou Tai turned his attention to the spar. The one foot soldier obviously had the upper hand; he was beating the other back relentlessly.
"Come Zhou Yu. The meeting is about to start and this fight is over anyway," Tai said.
"No it's not over. Never underestimate a fighter, even when they seem sure to loose. A warrior sometimes fights with ten times his normal strength when he is on the brink of defeat, if they choose to face it head on without hesitation."
Zhou Tai smiled. He and Ning now found themselves on the brink of defeat. He could hear Zhou Yu's voice echoing in his head.
Face it head on with out hesitation.
Zhou Tai looked at the Wei Emperor. He had obviously become cocky because of the easy fight. Tai lunged forward and screamed out in rage. He felt the sword clank loudly against a very surprised Cao Cao's blade. Tai threw himself into every vicious attack; fighting with easy, basic, but unexpected maneuvers.
Gan Ning took heart in his friend's desperate attempt and lunged forward also. The two drilled into Cao Cao, driving him back.
Zhou Tai sliced low and felt his blade connect with Cao Cao's leg. The man called out and fell backwards. Ning didn't miss his opportunity to strike in rapid succession.
Cao Cao dropped to his knees.
"How can this be?" He begged as he felt Tai's cold blade against his throat.
"That's the problem with you Wei. You don't care about each other enough to understand the ways of Wu." Zhou Tai cast the final blow.
With the relief that washed over him the adrenalin began to fade, leaving him shaking. The color red danced before his eyes as pain shot out from almost every part of his body.
Darkness swept over his vision and he fell willingly into it, glad for a reprieve from the pain.
AT: Before you jump down my throat for that cliffhanger...there is an epilog! it will either go up before I go back to school on the 4th -pouts- I don't want to go mommy! lol...juuust kidding. schools actually kind of exciting...but here I am talking about myself! moving right along then. Don't Forget to check back here for the epilog!
review replies:
Calenmarwen: thank you so much for your wonderful review! I'm really glad you liked these chapters! and don't fret...your questions will be answer -wink-
iana silmir: -is hugged- -hugs back- yay! I don't know if I've ever been hugged by a reviewer before. Me like hugs! (oh and btw you can just call me Zooky). I'm really glad you liked the chapters! and it's soo sweet the reviewed both, with such amazing reviewers! you are officially my most loyal reviewer for this story, and your reviews are the longest I've gotten on any story! thank you so much!! you have no idea how much this means to me. you really made my day! you're really sweet!! thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!
wertyase: thanks a ton! I love Ning too he's such a witty guy. hehe. Pirates -scuffs- lol! glad you like the story!
obi-wanster: Thank you friend! mate huh. are you astralian? I love thier acsent!! coo! I have some friends from there and it's so fun to talk to them. anyway glad you like the story please hope you review again
celzie: Soon enough for you celzie? I hate it when I'm reading a fic and I have to wait a really long time for and update so I try not to do that. and for anyone who are reading Rescue Me or Division! gominasi!!! I really do need to update those stories. -sweat drops- Anywho thanks for the review!