Dance of Steel
Looking across the battlefield, Xu Yen was feeling rather left out. It wasn't so much that she liked fighting, but it was more of the feeling that her brother was being over-protective of her. Ordering her to stay behind with her unit while the rest moved off to charge head on against the forces of Shu. But she could not disobey his orders, after all, he is the king of Wu. The sounds of clashing metal and men dying were loud and ringing in her head. Death. She had seen so many deaths, that it was like a demon for her. She closed her eyes for the moment, trying to set her thoughts in the correct place. This was a battlefield. She shouldn't get emotional.
The sudden sound of shouting caught her attention. Looking up, she saw a small unit breaking off from the main fighting, and charging straight for her. About five men. She wasn't too far behind the fighting, but she wasn't close enough to be in a strategically bad position. In fact, she wasn't even supposed to be seen by the enemy, but she knew that there was a possibility that her unit could be seen, since they weren't completely invisible. She drew her sword, turning to her men. They looked as ready as herself.
"Let's show these dogs of Shu what soldiers of Wu really made of!"
Xu Yen shouted, and heeling her horse at the same time. A roar of approval from her men, and she charged, her men, all horse riders, following closely behind. The five brave men who attempted to attack her unit, found themselves staring at the gallop of fifty horses, and turned to run, but were taken over. Xu Yen cut down one of the men with one swing of her sword, grabbing his spear at the same time. Her unit charged out into the open, and some of the men of Shu were surprised by her sudden appearance.
Maybe those five units were a fluke, just trying to escape from the fighting, or maybe they really did see her unit in hiding. Whatever the case, it was too late to turn back. Readying the spear she took, Xu Yen summoned all of her might, and throwing the spear. The spear flew at great speed, straight into the chest of an enemy who flew off his horse from the sheer force of impact.
His armour depicted him as a leader. A general, she hoped. Her unit charged into the fray, joining the main forces of Wu in their fighting. Slashing to her right, then her left, Xu Yen was trying to get her horse out of the crowded fight. Calvary were meant to attack with speed, charging from afar, but in close quarters, it may prove fatal. She glanced over to her men, who seemed to be doing fine. Bringing her sword high into the air, before crashing it down on an enemy soldier's head.
"Xu Yen!"
She looked up at the call of her name. Her brother was not too far away, the leader of the entire army, with a smile on his face as usual.
"What are you doing here? Bored?"
"Maybe!"
She shouted back at her brother, since the sounds of the battlefield were deafening. He gave her the thumbs up, before turning back to his own battles. But just as Xu Yen turned back, the corner of her eye caught the glint of a spear. She immediately leaned back, as a spear narrowly went over her chest. Knocking the spear off her, Xu Yen turned to where her attacker was, but was greeted by a kick, which sent her off her horse, hitting the dirt hard.
Xing Li did not even think that it would work. The moment the enemy parried her spear, she used the momentum of the parry, having her spear spin a hundred and eighty degrees from where it was suppose to hit, stick the tip into the ground and pole vault her feet into the enemy. With the enemy on the ground, Xing Li quickly grabbed her spear and stood over her fallen foe, tempting to strike, but paused.
With the helmet off, Xing Li could clearly see that her enemy, was a woman. A young and beautiful woman. Xing Li was quite confused for the moment. This would be the first time she would see a female soldier on the battlefield, besides herself. Does Wu need soldiers so desperately that they used female soldiers on the field as well? But she also noticed that this woman is an officer.
Her armour's design was different and more elaborate. The woman groaned, her eyes slowly opening, before they flew wide open when it fell onto Xing Li and her spear. But the woman quickly calmed down, as though she knew what was going on the moment she woke up.
"... Kill me."
She spat at Xing Li, who could feel her hands shaking. Xing Li had killed soldiers on the field, and she simply shut those deaths out. But this was different. Coming face to face with the enemy, knowing that it is a woman. Xing Li felt like it was all going wrong.
"Xing Li!"
Zhao Yun's voice shook her from her thoughts, and she jumped back just in time as the same officer whom she had pinned down managed to grab her sword and swing it at Xing Li. Thanks to Zhao Yun's shout, and her quick reflexes, Xing Li managed to escape with a minor cut to her right arm. But the enemy was up on her feet. Xing Li quickly ducked as her opponent's sword swung at her head. Moving quickly, Xing Li thrust her spear while still in her crouched position.
Her opponent, however, was swift, jumping into the air, and landing on Xing Li's spear, forcing the weapon out of Xing Li's hands. Using her quick reflexes, Xing Li dodged multiple thrusts and swings from her opponent, who had a skill that certainly warranted a rank of a General. But Xing Li was even more surprised that she herself could dodge the attacks. She rolled to one side, picking up the sword of a fallen soldiers, before getting to her feet in time to parry another attack. Her opponent stood back, watching with great interest.
Xing Li had never liked using weapons, but she knew how to use them. Her village was small, but there was a military training camp, and she, together with the town's children, would sneak into the camp to watch soldiers train themselves. Though they were caught several times, they weren't punished, but rather, welcomed by the soldiers, who would lend the children miniature weapons to practice. But they weren't formally taught how to use weapons. It was more for fun, like how a small child would mimic an adult.
Xing Li never imagined that one day her days of watching soldiers train would actually come in handy. If there was one thing Xing Li was good at, it was learning by watching others. She remembered a single stance, letting her left foot stretch out forward, her right hand holding the sword forward over her head, with her left hand forward. It was more like a martial arts stance that Xing Li had heard so much about. Her opponent seemed a little surprised by Xing Li's stance, but her expression quickly changed to a smiling one.
Xing Li's opponent held her sword in an awkward position, backwards. With two fingers straightened along the hilt of the sword, and the broad side of the blade itself flattened against the length of the arm, Xing Li's opponent stood tall, her feet perpendicular to each other, unlike Xing Li's stance, where the legs are far apart. The two stared at each other for a long time, before Xing Li charged.
Springing forward from her crouch, Xing Li's hands moved in a blur of strikes against her opponent, who seemed to gain Xing Li's reflexes, moving gracefully like she was the wind that Xing Li could never land a hit against. Feeling frustrated, Xing Li's attacks began more violent, placing more emphasis on force, but even that did not help. Her opponent side stepped her vertical swing, and kicked at Xing Li's hand, forcing the sword out of the girl's hand. At the same time, having her own blade at Xing Li's throat.
Xu Yen had never faced a strong opponent in the form of a young girl in a long while. The last formidable female person she faced was actually her own sister, Shang Xiang. But still, Xu Yen had not lost against her own sister, and she would most likely not lose against someone like this Shu soldier. A mere soldier, who had the skills of a Lieutenant, or Major. She held the young girl at the tip of her blade, who seemed to be frightened of what was to happen. This was war, there would be deaths, Xu Yen knew, but there was something about this girl that seemed to invoke some feelings in herself.
"Xing Li!"
Xu Yen jumped back as a spear flew in-between herself and the girl. Xu Yen quickly regained her composure, looking at who threw the spear. A Shu general, young and handsome, running up to her. She knew who he is. She swung her blade at him, but he jumped over her, landing where his spear was imbedded in the soil. Taking it out, he swung it at Xu Yen, who parried it with her sword, but felt the force vibrate her sword. She nearly lost the sword, but held onto it tightly. She pushed him off, and he stood back up straight, in-front of the young girl.
"So, general Zhao Yun. Since when did Shu get such strong female soldiers?"
Xu Yen rested her blade on her shoulder, with her other hand on her hip. Zhao Yun raised an eyebrow, turning to the young girl.
"She's strong, maybe stronger than your own lieutenants. Kind of shameful to have a girl stronger than guys, isn't it?"
"Li Xu Yen, you do realize that this is a battlefield?"
Zhao Yun turned back to Xu Yen, standing his spear on the ground. Xu Yen shrugged.
"I can't help it. You should know my nature, Zi Long."
"You're different, Xu Yen, there's no way i could know what you're like."
"Really?" Xu Yen looked down at herself, as though checking for dirt on her clothing. "I don't think i'm hard to figure out."
"... We're now standing at the opposite side of the field as enemies, yet you stop fighting."
Zhao Yun seemed slightly irritated, and confused by Xu Yen's actions, but that was to be expected. Xu Yen smiled, lifting her sword and putting it back in its sheath.
"I don't feel like fighting anymore."
"What?"
"Meeting you on the field, i was hoping to get a chance to see who has improved more, you or me. But i guess after talking, i lost all will to fight."
Xu Yen threw her hands into the air, turning around to head off. Zhao Yun, feeling slightly agitated, charged at Xu Yen's back with his spear. But Xu Yen twirled around, a smirk on her face. Using one hand, she grabbed onto his spear, and stepped on it with her right foot. Zhao Yun lost balance for a moment, but he gathered his strength, and swung her up into the air. Xu Yen flipped gracefully in the air, before landing on her feet, drawing her sword and parrying another attack form Zhao Yun.
"You tricked me, again!"
Zhao Yun flared up at her face, which Xu Yen simply giggled.
"The last time was your own fault. You should have known that a lady travelling alone would be armed and have at least some money. And that wasn't really trickery. You simply didn't ask."
"..."
Zhao Yun slowly stepped away from Xu Yen, who sheathed her sword once more.
"Look, Zi Long. I really don't have time for this."
Xu Yen had spotted a single rider of Wu charging towards her brother earlier on when still fighting with Xing Li. A messenger, and one who has urgent news. Something has happened, and she knew it.
"Wait-"
"I will tell you this, Zi Long, that that girl is strong. She may be a formidable fighter in the future."
Xu Yen gave a loud whistle, and a white stallion ran up through the fighting, knocking two Shu soldiers out of the way, before halting next to Xu Yen. Saddling up on the horse, Xu Yen looked at the girl, who seemed to be staring back at her, before riding off. At that time, the sounds of the retreat signal was sounded. The men of Wu were slightly confused, but they pulled back all the same. Riding up to her brother, Xu Yen saw a grim look on his face.
"What is it, da ge?"
"It's Wei. They've attacked the town of Hu Liang. Damn those Wei bastards. Attack us while we're fighting Shu."
"... I'll head there with the advance team."
