Chapter 26: The Battle of Yi Ling: Part II

Yue Ying murmured a silent murmur of thanks as her vast, granite allies descended upon the forest, raising their swords for battle. They would cover the retreat, to protect the soldiers who could no longer fight. The humans had already endured the worst of the fire attack, fanned by the summer wind and heat. Azhuge Liang awaited Liu Bei's main force at the Stone Sentinel Maze, the labyrinth that was constructed in the possibility of such a disastrous defeat. The survivors of the main force had pulled back, although the forest was still littered with the corpses of her men. The weary survivors marched as tidily as they could, surrounding Liu Bei and his wounded officers and hiding them from view as one of the sandstone giants gently escorted their minuscule friends to the waiting barges by the rivers, where they would make their escape to Baidicheng.

A breathless scout ran to the head of the vanguard. "Report," he cried, not bothering to even salute Liu Bei. "Enemy ambush parties supported by Pyrotroopers are approaching us from all directions!"

"Lord… Liu Bei!" roared Wei Yan, glancing up at his King with his crocodilian, horned helmet. "What… to… do?"

The haggard Liu Bei had become a husk of his former self, his eyes veritably dead and his body hunched over, having witnessed the deaths of so many of the men that he had promised victory to. His hands were weak and trembling as he looked at Yue Ying. She nodded. "Allow me to hold them back, Your Majesty. Please. You must live to fight another day. Rest assured; we'll annihilate the pursuing Yoma and Wu soldiers." She looked up, into the gemstone eyes of a Stone Sentinel. "Let us go! We must protect our retreating vanguard."

Liu Bei's horse began to gallop away from the battlefield, and the army followed hastily. It was fortunate that they did, for the ambush parties had already moved into position, and their flamethrowers ignited, surrounding Yue Ying and several stragglers in an all-too-familiar ring of fire. From beyond the sheet of flame came an aggressive mariner's voice. "Surrender! And we may spare your life."

Yue Ying shook her head. "In any other situation, I would have praised you for such an excellent strategy." She waved her hand. "But…"

From above, the Stone Sentinels swiped their hands, cleaving into the forest below, uprooting trees and sending them flying into the air. Their thick, massive fingers crashed into the Wu Pyrotroopers, crushing them to mash and pulp and banishing them to whence they had come. Marble crushed metal and bone and cartilage. A casual punch from one of the Sentinels splattered the brainy tissue of a Pyrotrooper against a smouldering tree. Another pressed its booted foot down on the fire that surrounded Yue Ying, snuffing it out of existence.

For now, the Shu Army enjoyed the advantage of shock and awe, thanks to Zhuge Liang's mystical foresight. But the Pyrotroopers put up a staunch resistance. "On my mark – focus your fire!" one of them roared. They aimed and attacked, immolating one of the statues in a combined inferno, pouring the full force of their flamethrowers against the colossus until it convulsed, bathed in white-hot power, and crumbled. Rocks rained down from the sky, pelting the earth with the remains of the defeated Sentinel. Its comrades roared in rage and lifted their swords, smashing them wildly against the tiny humans hiding underneath the canopy. They resembled elephants being overwhelmed by ants.

But…

"You'll need a lot more than mere ambush parties to finish us off." Yue Ying fired seven screaming fireballs from Sapphire Crescent at the struggling Wu soldiers, reducing them to burning hunks of body parts with her superior firepower. "Hold on," she gritted, turning and blasting through another squadron of advancing Pyrotroopers. "This bedlam… will soon be all over."

"We'll leave this battle alive… if it's the last thing we do!"

*

He hated doing this to her. He loathed the sadness in her eyes, the heart-wrenching despair in her voice. He despised how their love had forced her to fight beside him, to fight a Kingdom that she never even bore a grudge against. So it was with a heavy heart that Zhou Tai fought. He gave no quarter, but with every strike he landed against Miria and with every successful wound he inflicted on Zhao Yun, his hands stung all the more. Already he had witnessed Cynthia's sorrow earlier, when he slaughtered the Shu troops threatening Yidao in their strategic skirmish. Her compassionate eyes glimmered with desire to help him weather this curse of his body. To rid him of the bloodlust that came naturally with a Yoma's instincts.

Zhao Yun thrust his spear into his leg, before spinning away and landing smoothly on the ground. But before the Shu champion could attempt another assault, Zhou Tai swung Duskstrike, cutting open his silver armour and drawing blood. Miria's Phantom Mirage shot past the Wu admiral's defences, but he managed to meet her blade, lightning crackling from cold steel. He bared his sharpening teeth and pushed, forcing her to give ground. His gauntleted fist smashed into Zhao Yun's chest, sending a shockwave through his ribcage. Zhao Yun fell back even as Miria attacked angrily, hacking and slashing at his legs and head. But he parried her swings and stabs repeatedly, determinedly. Such power! How can he control it?! she thought angrily. If we don't force him on the defensive as soon as possible, he could well have the advantage…

Duskstrike suddenly hummed, and a jagged, livid bolt of lightning shot from the tip of its blade. Miria quickly attempted to create an illusion, but the crackling energy struck her with an elemental fury, electrocuting her body and sending shock after agonizing shock through her fried nervous system. Nothing could have prepared her for such a swift attack. She collapsed, on all fours, sizzling and gasping for breath. "Lady Miria!" cried Zhao Yun, clutching his chest. "You'll pay for that!" he snarled, glaring at Zhou Tai.

Yes. After all, he was no longer human.

And yet, Lady Flora had managed to stop Cynthia's tears… somehow. What had she told her? Was it something to do with him, perhaps? Or had she reminded her of their old friendship, when they first fought together at the Red Cliffs? It didn't matter either way. She no longer wept. And that was enough.

"I cannot," he muttered to himself, as Miria and Zhao Yun attacked him again. He had already suffered far too many injuries over the course of just one night; his regenerative powers still had their limits, especially after being immolated continuously. But that was not why he was weakening. His voice lowered further. "I… I cannot hurt your friends," he murmured, looking back at Cynthia.

"Tai," whispered his beloved. "What are you saying?" Only now did he notice that she had dropped her sword on the ground. So she had made her choice? If she truly no longer wished to fight… then as much as he loathed disobeying orders, to disobey her was damnation itself.

Damnation…

He suddenly staggered, barely managing to block Zhao Yun's aggressive thrust with Dragon Spike. But no longer was his strength what it had been only heartbeats earlier. Cynthia's tears had weakened him to the point of powerlessness.

"My apologies," whispered Miria suddenly. With one swift, ingenious attack, she surrounded him with two body silhouettes, and as he hastily dispelled one of them with a wild, careless slash, she levelled her sword and ran it through his abdomen.

He roared in pain. "I shall remember this," he gritted.

At first, Miria's gouge should not have crippled him. But she did not take any chances. Roaring with all her might, she plunged the greatsword through the full width of his scarred body. It punctured metal, then flesh, then bone, then organs… before emerging from flesh and armour again. The blade emerged from his left ribcage, perforating his innards, liver and kidneys. His eyes widened, and time seemed to slow as he collapsed on all fours, unable and unwilling to recover, the full length of a Claymore lodged in his body and preventing his muscles from closing back up together. At this rate, he would not be able to regenerate his wound. It had been a most inventive and brutal strategy.

"No!" screamed Cynthia hysterically.

The pain… was almost exquisite.

Cynthia glared at Miria, her eyes uncharacteristically distraught. "How could you do this to him?! He wasn't going to fight back, dammit!" She rushed to her lover and pulled out the Claymore as quickly as she could, gritting her teeth and the gush of blood that poured from both his sides. "Take it," she spat, throwing Miria her sword, Zhou Tai's blood splashing across her face. "I hope you're happy."

"What's her problem?" muttered Helen, standing back up, her severed sinews still struggling to heal.

"No, Helen. Let them be." Miria's face was utterly calm as she caught her sword and closed her eyes. Something's changed in that man… over the course of our skirmish. Something's become different, almost too quickly, as if he only needed a nudge. Could it be Number Fourteen who gave him that nudge?

"Tai, please," begged Cynthia, holding his head tenderly in her hands. "Any more and even you could be killed. Let's just withdraw now. It's so obvious… that none of us want to fight. Let down your burden, too. Come with me."

He gazed at her, his yellow eyes returning to their lustrous silver. "It is my fault that you are crying," he replied quietly. "You will not shed tears, not in sadness. I swear it."

"Are you mad?" she whispered, kissing him on his forehead. "It's not your fault at all. I've made my choice. I will always follow you, Tai. I… I'll fight for you!"

Helen turned away, making a face. "I want to puke."

Zhou Tai looked up at Miria and Flora. The organs within his body had been cut apart, and he was in no condition to fight for the moment. "You have felled me," he said quietly. "We are not in a position to hinder you any longer." His silver eyes shone. "If you wish to make your retreat… do so now."

As the anti-Yoma division turned their backs and prepared to synchronize their auras with Yue Ying's, Flora bowed low before Zhou Tai and Cynthia. "Thank you," she murmured. "And thank you too, Miss Jean."

"Miss Flora," cried Cynthia, still embracing Zhou Tai protectively. The flames had eased off somewhat, but without any water to put out the inferno, it would continue to burn, until the entire forest was destroyed. "Don't forget why we dropped out swords tonight."

"Yes," agreed Flora, her eyes flashing. "We will fight together." She backed away, following Miria's lead. They had no choice but to depart, to flee this forest.

This battle was not decided. It could not be determined. A resolution would only mean unwanted death and grief.

"We have decided. We cannot go on like this. We must reforge the alliance between Shu and Wu… if we are to ever stand with each other."

Jean smiled, and Zhou Tai could not help staring at his silver-eyed comrades in reverential amazement. "In that case… we'll be seeing you very soon. But for now, hurry out of here, Flora. You don't want to be seen consorting with the enemy, do you?"

*

His blonde hair and blue cloak blew lightly in the wind as he stood on a high hill that gazed out across the banks of the river of death. His tall and handsome form was one that not many saw. But even since he had begun to launch wave after wave of Awakened Beings against Chinese cities of strategic value, his name became widely known and feared, at least, amongst those who had fought and commanded troops against Awakened Beings.

His name was one of shrouded, notorious legend. His name was Isley of the Silver Locks.

"The fire and brimstone looks beautiful," he commented approvingly. He nodded at the woman beside him, her slender body hidden underneath her red robes. "Humans are as naïve as I remember, despite the passing of so many centuries..."

"I will have this realm's southern regions," cut in the other rudely, inspecting her fingernail offhandedly. "Just like when we dwelled on the Continent. The humans must not know of the experimentation you have been conducting over these years. But neither will I draw them out just for your sick little games."

"Very good. I will wage war in the North, against the armies of the Central Plains. Wei shall fall by my hand, and we shall see perfection itself through Lu Bu's power." He turned away smiling. "Once again, your part in this was quite valued. It is thanks to your intervention at Fancheng that they were driven to war against one another. Without you, we could never have crippled the two Kingdoms in one night." He took a deep breath, closing his serene eyes. "Ah, the fragrance of distressed silver-eyed women attending to dying human beings… they cannot fathom how easily we could destroy them now. I do not care how many of those Chinese natives die, but it's simply boring to take everything for ourselves. Sooner than later, they will come for us. But I will be ready."

"Ironic," sneered Luciela, staring at his retreating back. "That we should have joined our strategies together to make this battle a reality. It amused you, didn't it? Did you taste a portion of your past as a human being? We truly are monsters of the most vile order, aren't we?"

Isley did not turn around. "Soon, very soon. In time, this so-called Middle Kingdom shall be mine. The entire surface world will be mine.

"And Heaven itself shall weep."

*

She could smell the presence of those two infernal beings as if they were rotting carcasses. But fighting them now was not her objective, nor in her interest. For now, she and the Abyssal Ones remained content in watching the widespread destruction that Shu and Wu had inflicted upon each other.

Far away from where Isley and Luciela conversed, Rafaela stood on a tall ridge on the other side of the Yangtze, observing the Shu generals Wei Yan and Ma Chao cutting through a swathe of Yoma, ensuring a safe escape for Liu Bei's remnant forces. Her unscathed eye narrowed as she stared at the lurching Stone Sentinels in the distance, their towering bodies looming over the mountains. She had observed the battle for many hours now, and it seemed that both factions had expended their remaining strength completely. She was surprised why the Stone Sentinels had not been utilized further. Perhaps it was because they had already lost three of their kin to the Pyrotroopers. The Wu humans must have proved more tenacious than they had hoped. That the Shu had managed to execute some semblance of an orderly retreat was miraculous to say the least.

There was nothing left now, except to retrieve the shattered remains of honour and dignity that had been scattered along with the cremated ashes of dead men.

"Fools," she muttered, her cape billowing in the early morning zephyr. The bright sun began to shine on her scar, that painful reminder of Luciela's presence in the Middle Kingdom. "You think you pre-empted us, sister? No. You've all opened yourselves up completely. Fully. Direly.

"Nothing escapes the gaze of the Wei King."

*

The sun was now reigning in the heavens like an Emperor, no longer meekly hiding behind the mountains after the battle that had dragged on until the early hours of the morning. The forest had been entirely burned down, and only dead stumps remained to overlook the Yangtze River, their magnificent, ancient trunks reduced to firewood. But that was not the most staggering conclusion of the confrontation.

The Shu Kingdom had suffered forty thousand dead, whilst the Wu troops had endured a similar body count. But it was Shu's fate that had been sealed. The western Kingdom would be incapable of mustering an offensive force of comparable magnitude for the next few decades. The outcome of the calamity had proven devastating to those who sought to uphold Liu Bei's dream of a restored Han. But the Wu forces had also suffered greatly. Much of southern China lay in ruins, and Jianye had been spared the invasion's wrath thanks only to the brave warriors who fearlessly cast away their doubts, and given the ultimate sacrifice. Ironically, there was only one man who would benefit from this horrendous massacre.

That man was none other than Cao Cao.

Zhou Tai understood all of this, but he felt far too exhausted to worry about it for the time being. He had removed his helm, and he allowed himself the luxury of sitting on the charred river shore, embracing Cynthia by the quiet tributary where the embers of the Pyrotroopers still wandered. Lu Xun had pulled back his forces, and they awaited a magnificent victory feast attended by Sun Quan himself. Jean had accompanied Zhu Ran back to Jianye; she would be reporting directly to Lu Xun afterwards. But on this beautiful, dewy morning, the couple only wanted each other, to comfort one another in the aftermath of everything that had transpired.

"Sweet Cynthia," he murmured, holding her in his arms as she nestled in between him, their legs pressing together by the grass and reeds. His hands clasped her curvaceous waist protectively. Her slender fingers stroked at his knuckles, stroking the painful-looking calluses in wonder. They sat in silence until he spoke, and she closed her eyes, purring, as he moved to kiss her neck. "I am sorry," whispered the demon-man, "for frightening and hurting you. I know I almost lost control. You must have believed me a different person."

"Silly baby," smiled Cynthia, holding his hands tighter. "Have you forgotten that I'm also half-Yoma? After all, I was… created like this. For only one purpose."

His right hand moved up to stroke her left hairtail. "The memories. Do they still hurt?" he murmured gently.

She breathed in his scent. "Not for a long time. I've learned to live with my past… because I can't be worrying about it, not when I need to take care of you. You're my friend, my true, best friend. I don't care how many times you hurt others, how many times you hurt yourself… or how many times you hurt me. I'll stand beside you in love and war, forever. I am yours. That's a promise from your nightingale."

His cuddle tightened. "I thank you," he whispered, nuzzling her like the wild, free, untamed, noble beast that he was.

Cynthia guided his hands to her warm chest, and he gladly obeyed. "Say, Tai. We've loved each other for so long, and so many times… but you're still such a dark mystery to me. We still fell in love… even though I never asked you of your family. I was too scared I would hurt something inside you," she admitted. "But now that we're here, by this river… won't you tell me more? That is… if you're prepared to. Tell me everything, even more than the things you told me when I first gave myself to you."

She looked up at him with dreamy silver eyes. "I want to be your voice, the voice of the quiet admiral that sings of his wonders. I want to sing to the world of your life."

He lowered his head and pressed his lips to her crown, and she reciprocated by lifting her head and returning with a kiss of her own. "May I ask the same of you, songbird?" he asked.

"Well… you go first," she giggled.

"Very well." He took a deep breath and prepared himself as she eagerly awaited his story.

"I was born in Xiacai, Jiujiang, to a poor family. My father was a pirate, and my mother a beggar…"

They continued talking and laughing like that, for a very long time. How long they remained immersed in each other, even they did not know.