The leaves and branches scratched at his face and arms as he burst through the undergrowth. He could hear his pursuers hot on his tail, yelling to him, slicing through the bushes with their weapons. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed several figures closing in on him, the butterfly general scything through the forest.
His ponytail slapped the back of his neck and provided a tiny breeze in the humid atmosphere. His breaths came in gasps, his feet thumped across the floor, slipping on patches of mud here and there. To his left he saw another figure burst through the trees, axe in hand, roaring demonically. Ling Tong sighed, this one was going to be harder to get out of then he had thought.
Pang Tong shuffled his feet awkwardly as all three of the Shu generals glared viciously up at him. The rest of the Wei camp had gathered their weapons and sprinted off into the forest to catch the notoriously speedy Wu general, leaving Tong to guard the prisoners.
That was something he didn't want to do. He had been trying to avoid guard duty since his first shift, after enduring the hatred and anger seeping out of his, once, fellow generals. He knew that now was his perfect chance to free them and be a hero but he still wasn't sure, what if that giant Dian Wei returned? Tong wasn't much of a fighter.
"Let us out Tong," demanded Cai, "If you actually are still on our side then you'll let us go."
"I want to Cai…. It's just…" Tong mumbled but he couldn't find the words, he had never been good at finding the right words to express himself merely resorting back to his usual sense of humour to see him through life's hardships. But now he had to choose. Free the Shu Generals and endure Wei's wrath or join Wei and desert his friends.
Zhang He delivered a spinning kick to Ling Tong's already bruised face. Tong stumbled back into Dian Wei who threw him to the floor. Dun kicked at him viciously and Tong whimpered, trying to shield his face.
"Well, well, the speed demon has fallen," Pi laughed emerging from the trees, Yi, Cao and Ji following him. "Take him…" Pi began but Cao cut across him.
"I am in command here! Drag him away and chuck him with the rest of the prisoners" ordered Cao. Pi acknowledged Cao's superiority grudgingly sharing a quick glance with Yi.
Meanwhile Dun and He could not stop staring at Ji's outfit, which had been somewhat ripped during the chase and now almost revealed her nipples, noticing their stares Ji bent down to retrieve a flower from the floor giving her audience a good show of her petals.
"They're coming back," sighed Yu, slumping down despairingly.
"Tong! Now is your one chance…" Cai pleaded, staring up into Tong's grey-blue eyes. Tong felt his resolution grumbling, his sense of duty to Shu fortifying and his fear of execution amplifying.
"Go…" he whispered and then yelled it loudly, "Go! Get the hell out of here! I'll hold them off."
Moments later the three generals had all climbed out of the pit and were preparing to leave. Standing next to Tong, Cai suddenly felt so tall and grown-up, how could Tong expect to hold off Wei? He was no fighter; he didn't stand a chance.
"You're coming with us," Cai said defiantly, shaking her head as Tong tried to argue with her. Bei agreed with Cai but he began to worry as the sounds of Wei's return became louder and louder.
"If you don't leave right now, we're all going to end up dead," Tong said, grabbing a sword and swinging it from side to side. Bei sadly nodded and pulled Cai away as she tried to disagree.
"Goodbye my Lord," Tong said, bowing deeply.
"Goodbye my friend," replied Bei returning the gesture.
Turning away slowly, Bei and Cai broke into a run, disappearing quickly between the trees.
"Hurry up and leave," Tong murmured angrily at Yu, who was still standing, resolutely smiling at Tong. "What are you waiting for?"
"Dear Tong, you can't possibly expect me to let you fight alone," Tong grinned nervously as Yu grabbed his spear from among the rest of the weapons.
As the Wei forces arrived they both fell into sparring stance; the fledgling phoenix and the giant; Guan Yu.
The first figure who came sprinting towards them was a battered looking Ling Tong followed by an angry Zhang He. Both of them paid little attention to the Shu fighters, too intent on their game of cat and mouse.
Following behind them was Xiahou Dun and Dian Wei, thoroughly out of breath. Upon noticing Yu and Tong the two Wei warriors looked worried to one another, confused as to what had happened.
"The Blue dragon has escaped," gasped Dun, readying his sword.
"Then let him taste my axe!" Roared Wei, charging into battle with Dun just behind.
The sound of metal on metal clashed around the forest clearing as Yu and Wei fought each other furiously. Meanwhile Tong found himself overwhelmed by the talented Xiahou Dun.
Tong fell to his knees just barely blocking a downward slice at his head. With a sneer, Dun kicked Tong's weapon from his hands, throwing Tong onto his back from the force. Dun lunged his sword at Tong's heart but Yu threw his weapon aside at the last moment, the shaft of his spear keeping Dun at bay, whilst the hilt dealt with Wei. Yu span and slashed at the two Wei generals, holding them both back. Wei and Dun exchanged angry glances as they began to be pushed back, the furious Blue Dragon blocking every one of their attacks.
"Get out of here Tong," Said Yu quietly, concentrating on the axe and scimitar in front of him.
Hesitantly, Tong rose to his feet and, hating himself with every step, fled from the battle. Running, sprinting, tumbling through the trees. Tripping over roots. Leaves and branches scratching, pulling, confusing him. Tong fell, hard, onto his knees, breathing, gasping, choking.
He looked up slowly. He saw a familiar pair of legs just in front of him. He heard the callous remark. He saw the gleam of a double-bladed sword. He heard his own scream as the sword sliced through his body. Then, almost instantly, he felt nothing.
Yu felt himself tire, his arms moving sluggishly as he swung his huge spear.
"I think," he muttered to himself, "that I have bought enough time."
With a roar, Yu leaped into the air, throwing his spear out in front of him horizontally. Dun was thrown to his hands and knees, his sword clattering away from him. Wei tumbled onto his back, the shaft of Yu's spear lying across his chest.
"I thank you for the battle," said Yu, before turning and hurrying off into the forest, after the others.
Ping lowered his bucket into the water, watching the clear, perfect liquid fill the bucket. Lifting the, suddenly much heavier, bucket out of the river, he turned and began to walk back to camp.
He stopped. He dropped the bucket to the floor, the water seeping out onto the ground below. Before him, stood the figure of a girl he had assumed dead. A ghost?
Cai stared at him. She had dreamt so many times about this meeting, but now that it was happening, she had nothing to say.
They both began to walk to each other. They both began to run. She leaped into his arms, tears streaming down her face, soaking into his hair. Ping squeezed her tight, as though trying to make sure that she didn't fade away again.
Ping looked up to see Bei standing awkwardly behind Cai. Letting go of Cai, Ping bowed politely. Bei waved the formality away.
"My lord, how did you…" began Ping, but Bei cut across him.
"They are coming, the forces of Wei." Bei said sternly, Ping started to question him but Bei continued regardless. "Are there others? We must find them, lest we all be captured by these fiends."
Cao Pi burst through the undergrowth, blood still dripping from his sword. Dian Wei and Xiahou Dun joined him, both still panting from their bout with Guan Yu. Zhen Ji strutted behind them along with Sima Yi. Cao Cao marched at the front, trying to stay in control.
Pushing their way out of the trees, they stepped foot on the soft surface of a beach. A cough alerted the Wei forces to Zhang Fei and Zhou Tai who stood behind them. Cao gasped as Wu and Shu forces closed in on all sides, weapons at the ready.
"Drop your weapons scum!" bellowed Sun Ce.
I'm back!!!
I know it was a short chapter
But I hope you liked it
My 2nd death so far, I'll miss you Pang Tong!
I hope everyone who had been reading previously will continue to read and review the upcoming chapters!
Peace Out!