BOOK 1: LIFE

CHAPTER 2:

THE BEGINING

The sun beat down over the dusty ring as the contenders sparred back and forth. Four years had passed with relative speed as Zhong now took his last few planned steps and gave a hard thrust against his opponents arm. He gave a grunt of pain and fell to the ground as he gripped his arm. Zhong leapt on him and pulled his already wounded arm back around to pin him down.

The referee gave the count. "Three. Two! One! Out!" The large crowd of spectators gave a loud cry as Zhong got off the man, pushing him further into the dirt, and stood with his arms raised triumphantly over his head. A beardless man walked over the circle line to hand Zhong his flask.

"Great match, Zhong." The aide said as Zhong gulped down the cool drink and then slipped his tunic back on. "Took a bit longer than you usually go, but great nonetheless."

"Can you blame me?" Zhong asked with a raised eyebrow. "I like playing with my food." He gave a hearty laugh as the rest of the spectators swarmed around him to congratulate him on another victory in the ring. His opponent got to his feet and brushed past his friend, who stood there with a towel and a bowl of water.

"Well, it was the best record you've ever set." His friend tried to cheer him up.

"Don't try and kiss up." He shouted back, ticked off at his loss.

"Well, you wanted to go up against Zhong and he hasn't lost a match yet. Did you expect to be the first one?" His friend grumbbled as he walked away, still shaking off the pain in his arm.

The rowdy crowd eventually made its way to the mess hall, where trays and bowls of food were lined up. Zhong didn't have to worry about a line. A tray was handed to him discreetly as he moved steadily towards the front of the line. The young woman behind one of the large counters saw him coming. As soon as he had set his tray down in front of a large bowl of noodles, she pounced.

"Nice match today." The lady said as she placed a large loaf of bread and some extra tarts on his tray.

"Thanks." Zhong said as he scooped out the rest of his food and shot the lady a smile, making her weak at the knees. He turned and moved towards his table. He never had to worry about eating alone either. As soon as he sat down, there was a mad dash from the other tables as men crammed themselves into the benches around him in order to be close to the legend itself.

It was slow on the base as always. They would get up at the gong and bell (Zhong always being first to rise) go to the parade field for briefing on the news (there never was anything to report since not much trouble had brewed up in the world that required a military to fix) they would then return to their bunks and either work out, go to training, or practice marching and go over battle tactics.

Zhong gave a laugh as he drank his cup of wine that never seemed to end as the others continuously poured him some whenever the last drop went down his throat. Zhong gave a quick glance around the mess hall and spotted the old, round table that he had sat at before. Alone. After it was revealed that he was a kid, they abandoned him. He was alone, left to prove himself on his own. And now he had. He was there at seventeen and the most popular solider on the base.

There was a clang and then a loud thud as the group turned and the mess hall went silent. "WHAT WAS THAT REMARK, PRIVATE?!" the snarky voice rang out as some men even got to their feet. A boy, only a little younger than Zhong himself was on the floor, food covering him as his tray and bowl continued to spin around the stone floor. The drill sergeant was glaring down at him, his face purple with rage.

"I said sorry." The boy added feebly from the ground as he cowered and tried to pick up his tray. The drill sergeant kicked it away and bent down and scooped the boy up by the scruff of his shirt.

"Sorry, what?" the drill sergeant hissed. "I worked hard for this title and I hold it proudly, you piece of cow pig droppings."

"Sorry, sir." The boy stammered.

"Louder!"

"Sorry, sir!" the boy yelled.

"If I pass you one more time without hearing that or without the proper salute, it'll be your neck, you got it?"

"Aww, looks like the little girl has been offended. Does she need a nappy?" The drill sergeant turned with ferocity towards the offender, dropping the boy as he slunk under the closest table and tucked his knees up. Zhong gave a laugh as the drill sergeant, who seemed to almost regret his outburst.

"Zhong, why don't you get back to your little tea party and let the men talk here." The drill sergeant said.

"I always thought a fight was the best way to defend ones honor." Zhong replied as he motioned to the growing crowd as a circle seemed to form from the on lookers. "Or did I give you enough of a beating before?"

"I did not lose that fight. I just thought that if I continued I would hurt your precious little bones and then I would have child abuse on my hands." The drill sergeant snapped back, easily lying to try and protect himself.

"Or you just got beat up by a thirteen year old boy." Zhong smiled. The crowed jeered as the drill sergeant became even more angry, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Zhong stepped back and smashed his fists together. "Come on, I'll give you the first punch for free." Zhong gave a smile and the drill sergeant rushed forward with a cry.

Zhong side stepped but not far enough. The bare knuckles smashed into Zhong's chin and caused him to stumble backwards for a few steps before the drill sergeant was on him again. They were rolling on the ground as the crowd began to cheer in the ever widening circle. Zhong threw a kick upwards and knocked the air out of the sergeant. He doubled over, falling off of Zhong as the latter began to drive kicks into the sergeant's side. With surprising speed, the sergeant wrapped his arms around Zhong's knees and tackled him down, tossing backwards over a bench and smashing through a wooden table.

No captain or commander was trying to break up this fight, there was too much fun in seeing Zhong put to an actual test. The blows came hard as the two struggled up from the mass of splinters and timber. Zhong rammed the sergeant backwards into a wall, pinning him there as the men scrambled out of their way. He drove into him, sweat pouring off his brow until finally he let go of the sergeant, who crumpled into a bloody and bruised heap on the ground.

"Don't mess with my friends." Zhong shouted as him as he caught his breath and the circle broke. Men were bending down over the sergeant to make sure he was all right as Zhong strutted back to his table, even more people there than before. Zhong once again drank his wine before he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He turned to see the boy behind him.

"Thanks for standing up for me." The boy said meekly.

"Yeah…well don't worry. That guys just a piece of dirt anyway. I was just waiting for an excuse to beat some manners into him." Zhong joked as he took a swig from his cup. When his eyes settled downwards once more, he found an extended hand.

"My name's Aitoku." The boy said as he gave his outstretched hand a jiggle. Zhong took it firmly and shook.

"Zhong." Zhong responded. And thus began the only true friendship Zhong would ever know.