Notes:
Thanks for the nice reviews everyone! It made me very happy and it also helped to boost my powers and see my mistakes (spelling is not my strong point)
Here is chapter 4 for you! And hopefully a very long one, as a token of my appreciation :) 2.600 something words... Is that long enough or not cu I don't think so. I used to write until 5.000. Oh well, I'll think of an idea soon enough
Chapter 4: Battle of Chibi and Rescue Xu Shu's Mother!
The drums were drumming. The birds flew away from the battlefield. Ships were busy with their defenses. Sun Quan, the commander of the Allied Forces, stood in the entrance of the main camp.
He could felt the breath of the wind, blowing towards their direction. He was worried about the plan they had designed, 'Can this Zhuge Liang person can change the direction of the winds? It seemed impossible' he thought as Zhou Yu and Lu Su, two f his most trusted strategist appeared right behind him
"Zhou Yu, are you sure that this plan will work solely on Liu Bei's strategist?" He asked. The handsome man nodded, "That is right, My Lord. We must protect the altar at all times, only until the winds have changed. That is when Master Huang Gai will appear with the fire attack unit"
Sun Quan was still unconvinced. He was never a man to believe a simple magic trick to work, but for the good of the Wu kingdom... He must rely on that alone, 'It is time...' He thought, 'The Battle of the Yangtze River starts now!'
At the same time in the large altar near the main camp, Liu Bei looked towards the massive fleet of Cao Cao's. He would be lying if he wasn't worried and confident of their victory. The sheer size of it would make the strongest warriors to run away, terrified by the fear of death at the hands of a dictator.
He felt a presence behind as he looked back to see his warriors, all prepared in their fine armor and equipped with their most favorable weapons, "Are you ready, My Lord?" Asked Zhuge Liang. The new lord looked at the fleet for the last time and thought, 'No matter what happens, we must prevent them from attacking the altar and knowing our plans' before nodding
Zhao Yun, however, felt twist in her stomach. Something bad was going to happen, she knew it from the beginning, 'This battle might prove to be a challenge for this new body, but I must endure it' she thought as she gripped her spear tighter, 'Its time'
The horns blew loudly across the large battlefield, sending a sound wave from their high towers to the low parts of the field. The battle has began... Officers and lieutenants scattered from their position to fulfill their task, commanders and strategist stayed where they were. Zhuge Liang had kneeled down in front of the fire place that illuminates the altar inside out, and began praying:
Shénfēng, tīng wǒ de qídǎo!
Gēnggǎi nǐ de fāngshì xiàng wǒmen de dírén
Bāngzhù wǒmen bǎohù zhè piàn tǔdì
Cóng rúcǐ pángdà de xié'è chuánbò
Bìng ràng nǐ de guāng zhàoyào zài wǒmen shēnshang
Shénfēng, tīngdào wǒmen de qǐngqiú!
Wǒmen xūyào nǐ de zhìhuì hé lìliàng
Wèile kèfú zhège kùnnán de kǎoyàn
Zhàndòu de jiānxīn
Tīngdào wǒmen de qǐngqiú, bìng huídá wǒ de qídǎo
(God of Wind, hear my prayers!
Change your ways towards our foes
Help us to protect this land
From the evil that spreads so vast
And let your light shine on us
God of Wind, hear our pleas!
We need your wisdom and your strength
To overcome this difficult trial
And the hardships of this battle
Hear our pleas and answer my prays)
As Zhuge Liang kept on repeating the same prayers he said before, the rest of Liu Bei's officers were fighting off the Wei troops that had reached their side of the battle field. Zhao Yun slashed and stabbed her foes with her spear as they fell on the ground, bleeding to death or already killed. An opponent was behind her, holding a sword in his hand as he attempted to slash her
Zhao Yun was quicker on her feet as she blocked the sword with her spear in a deadlock. Seeing an opportunity, she stabbed the shard part of her spear on the ground as she used her legs to lock on the man's head and spinned around while stretching her spear several times before using her feet to kick the man and slammed him on the ground, 'At least I'm wearing short pants' she thought as she realized what she had done. It was more reflex than an act
She looked around to see no more enemies were there, everyone scattered as they prepared themselves to enter a nearby boat to connect them and one of Cao Cao's fleet of ships. Her hair was flowing towards the south, and not the north anymore, "The wind... " she said. She gripped her spear harder as she ran towards the boat nearby, 'Its time to reek havoc on the fleet of Cao Cao'
At the main camp, Sun Quan's eyes widened as he sucked his point finger and held it up to feel the cold feeling. The wind was blowing towards Cao Cao's ships, not to mention they haven't found out about the plan yet. The ships were still in linked, thanks to Pang Tong. Another of Liu Bei's strategist, otherwise known as the "Fledgling Phoenix" , "Well I'll be a father to a monkey, they've done it" Lu Su said as he felt the winds blew towards the south
Sun Quan could only nod, he looked over to where a ship was near their foes fleet. It illuminates brightly as torches and lanterns filled the ship, "Master Huang Gai's defection had been successful, My Lord" Zhou Yu said as he returned to them, "Ah, that is good news indeed. Who would've thought that Cao Cao was naïve enough to fall for such a simple trick, now My Lord... What should we so now?" Lu Su asked the young lord
He answered, "We wait and have trust on our officers who is carrying their duties faithfully" he crossed his arms as he watched the battle unfolded in front, 'I'll leave the success of the fire attack to you, Huang Gai'
Insert OST - A Thousand Suns - DW7 (Author's note: Most Epic Song EVA)
On the ship, an old muscular man was standing with a torch on his hand. He looked at the nearest ship in front of him, "Master Huang Gai! Should we light the fires now?" Asked a soldier from behind, "Yes, it is time!" He said as e looked towards the heavens, "I have served you all, Lord Sun Jian, Lord Sun Ce... And now you my lord"
One of Cao Cao's lieutenants had spotted a ship, as his eyes widened in shock, "Archers! Fire!" Dozens of archers had began shooting at the said ship, only to be reflected or dodged. Huang Gai threw the torch to a nearby hay stack as his unit threw theirs towards the ship's sails, "Now we're cooking. Behold, soldiers of Wei!" He yelled out
"Behold! This is the burning desires... Of the three leaders of the Sun Family!" The boat had crashed onto Cao Cao'a fleet. The crimson flames began to spread to the linked fleet as the winds spread them further towards the main camp, his unit jumped towards the ships as he too followed them. He landed on the wooden floor, surrounded by his enemies, "Now lets get this started"
"Cao Cao's ships! They're burning!" Said Zhang Fei as the boat they were on crashed with their enemies. Zhao Yun saw this as well, everyone entered the belly of the beast and fought off the remaining soldiers onboard. Using the butt of her spear she knocked out a few soldiers as she ran towards Cao Cao's camp. When she arrived, however, it was empty and abandoned
'He escaped...' She thought as she saw a boat sailing towards the shore across the main camp, "There he is!" She yelled as the allied officers looked towards the direction she was pointing, "Everyone get to your boats!" Yelled an officer as they boarded the un-blazing ships
Everyone raced their way towards the ships as they set sail in pursuit of Cao Cao, until they saw a 2 figures. One was clad in white and the other was in metal, "Xu Huang and Zhang Liao!" Said one of the lieutenants there. Zhao Yun's eyes widened at that, she had less stamina because of the body she was in. How on earth was she going to defeat Xu Huang and Zhang Liao, 2 of Cao Cao's elite officers of Wei?
"Zhao Yun! Leave this to me! Brother Yu go with her! For the rest of the men back me up!" Zhang Fei ordered. Zhao Yun hesitated as she grasped her spear tighter, Guan Yu nodded before saying, "Zhao Yun, let us go" he said
She nodded slightly as they ran towards the boat that was free from any soldiers of Wei until she spotted someone that shouldn't be there, "Xu Shu!" Guan Yu said as they approached him
Replace OST with Find My Place by Xu Shu
"Lord Guan Yu! And... Um, forgive me but you look familiar somehow with that armor but I can't tell you who you are" Xu Shu said with his sword hanging lazily on his left hand. Zhao Yun sighed as she explained her situation, "I was accidentally cursed by Master Zuo Ci, I used to be a male now I'm a female. Zhao Yun is my name"
The young swordsman seemed to have taken aback, his eyes widens as his jaw was on the floor, "Ma-Master Z-Zhao Yun?" Before he could ask again, Guan Yu demanded him, "Why are you with Cao Cao's forces? Surely you did not see the ruthlessness of his ways" he said to him
Xu Shu held his head low as his eyes began to water slightly, as if like he was forced to serve him, "It's my mother..." He finally said. Take took both warriors of Liu Bei a back slightly, "Your mother?" Repeated Zhao Yun. Xu Shu nodded as he began his side of the story
"After the Battle of Xinye, Cao Cao came to recruit me. I refused of course, but... They claimed that they had my mother in their captive" Zhao Yun gasped as Guan Yu tightened his blade. How could Cao cao do such a thing!? "I thought they were bluffing at first, until I saw the figure behind him. 2 soldiers were grabbing an elderly woman with a sack on her head"
"They unmasked her to reveal..." His eyes closed tightly as he let a few tears flowed down to his cheeks, "... My place isn't here..." He said, capturing Zhao Yun's feminine heart. To make it worse, the troubled strategist kneeled down in front of them like his life depends on it
Tears were spilled as he said his vow, "My place is not here with Cao Cao, my place is with Lord Liu Bei! But I cannot abandoned the one who gave birth to me... Please, help me find my mother so I can return to my true lord!"
That was the last straw for Zhao Yun as she cried by his deceleration. Guan Yu smiled at both of them before saying something to him, "That is an act of benevolence, Xu Shu. You wanted to save your mother, even if it kills you. I respect that, Brother will also be delighted to see you again"
Xu Shu perked up as he wiped away his tears, Zhao Yun followed shortly after him. Guan Yu chuckled, "It would seemed that the sudden change in body would also change emotions as well" Zhao Yun pouted slightly before adjusting her eyes to the environment again
"Lord Guan Yu, you pursue Cao Cao. I will help him find his mother" Zhao Yun said as Xu Shu rose up and said, "She is still captive on the ships, I heard some soldiers talked about it. Somewhere in the northeastern fleet"
Guan Yu looked at them both before nodding, "Understood, I will see you later then" with that he ran off, looking for a free ship. Zhao Yun and Xu Shu raced off to the northeastern ships as they fought of some soldiers there
A soldier was about to slash at Xu Shu, who ducked at the right moment and was stabbed by Zhao Yun's spear. She jumped over him as another soldier tried to cut of her ankles, only for Xu Shu to use his hidden knife that was attached to his sword. He maneuvered it as if it was his own hand, the soldier was slashed and stabbed at the same time.
Blood was spilled as the soldier died from blood-loss and severe injuries. Zhao Yun looked around, to see no one was there anymore. Only bodies of the bloodied soldiers. Xu Shu nodded in conformation as if the enemy were no longer there.
The spear-woman nodded back at him, "By the way-" Xu Shu started after they started walking, "How did you transformed into a... A female?" the long-haired warrior winced at the question for it was most delicate and embarrassing story
"R-right... It's a funny story really" she began, "It all started when Cao Cao was charging at me with a deck card behind him. The said card was actually chasing him, it was a curse" Xu Shu looked interested as she continued her story
"He managed to avoid it by side-stepping, the card was absorbed into me. And that's how I transformed" she finished. Xu Shu looked at her dumbfoundedly. He never thought that he would actually meet a make that could transform into a female but the evidence was right in front of him
They heard a muffled voice, like it was yelling for help. Zhao Yun pin-pointed the source of voice, it was at her far right. Xu Shu nodded and slowly but surely walked with extreme caution. They reached a door, inside was like someone who was captivated. He slowly reached for the door-knob and opened it slight to peek inside
"Mother!" He yelled as he opened it fully. Dressed in ragged clothing, her face wrinkled from old age and starvation. Her grey hair was so messy that you couldn't see pass it. Zhao Yun ran inside along with him as she cuts off the ropes binding the old woman together
Xu Shu un-sacked her, she closed her eyes because of the light, "Mother! It's me, Xu Shu!" He said. The old woman slowly opened her eyes to find her son and another woman, "My boy..." She whimpered. The young man nodded as he helped her up, "Mas- er, I mean Lady Zhao! Please find us a boat that is not burned or linked!"
Zhao Yu nodded as she ran outside to find a free boat. Xu Shu was holding on to her like his life depends on it, slowly and yet so swiftly they walked... Until-
BOOM!
Cliffhanger! Sometimes that's an awesome way to end a chapter, I like it!
Notes:
1. Huang Gai's jump in DW 7 was so epic, I just can't help but insert it here :p
Anyway thanks again! Next time on "Cursed"... In Cao Cao's point of view, and a certain son of his -chuckles madly - oh! Ma Chao will also get his share in the spotlight next time!
Ja!