Youth, Enthusiasm & Other Neuroses

by His Lordship Havoc

Two friends from a backwater little town join the Wu army in the hope of becoming heroes. But how do you become heroes in an army and a nation of renowned heroes? Ties into my 'Young Conqueror' story. Lots of action and battles, romance and humour. As you might have guessed, it helps to be a Wu-phile to read this story. Reviews are welcome, flames will be laughed at. Enjoy!

3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction, meant to be enjoyed by Dynasty Warriors players and those who enjoy the Sanguo/Three Kingdoms epic. Centered around some invented characters serving the Sun family, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, reviews are welcome, flames will be laughed at. Enjoy!

Youth, Enthusiasm & Other Neuroses, Chapter 3- Just Don't Mention Liu Bei

The company trudged under the blazing sun, everyone enduring it as best they might. Except for the four soldiers who had come from the region, the heat was becoming unbearable. Those from the more northern reaches of the Sun family's lands were suffering dreadfully, but there was little to be done. The Green Demon company was already two days behind in their march.

"How do they do it?" groused one man, his face almost beet-red and streaming with sweat. "How can the people of Fujian stand this?"

It had been slow going, since more than a few unscheduled rest breaks had been taken, along with several men breaking out of the marching column and drinking from nearby stream beds until they got sick from too much water too quickly in the heat. Guiren understood why they were irritable, but he was also focused on doing his duty. Complaining would not get him noticed, at least not in any positive manner.

"Stop complaining, Dun," Keung spat from the front of the squad he was commanding. "It doesn't matter how they do it, they have done it. Other men from the Changsha Prefecture have served here valiantly and felt no need to whine. Would you have their reputation marred by your griping?"

The soldier called Dun stopped complaining out loud but continued to mutter under his breath.

"Are you sure it will be only two more days, Sergeant?" Keung asked on behalf of the men. Of the hundred that the company had begun with, nine had been left in small settlements or military checkpoints due to dehydration and fatigue, brought on the ferocious heat. They would catch up when they could.

The Sergeant, seemingly unaffected by the sun's merciless rays, nodded. "Fujian lies not more than sixty li from here. If we set a decent pace and are not stupid about our water consumption, we will arrive just before sun down. But if you lot think you can just take it easy once we enter the city, you're sorry asses are mistaken. We have been sent south for additional training and I am told it is Lady Shang Xiang and her amazon guard that will be seeing to it. You have no idea how difficult your life just got, girls..."

In spite of the orders for silence, there were whispers and hushed conversations between the men at the mention of who would be training them. This had not been expected. Who would have guessed that they would be given this chance and good fortune?

---

Guiren wheezed and he slammed face-first into the dirt of the training ground. The wind was knocked from him and the world spun about him. He could barely remember what had happened. He'd lunged in to grapple with his foe...

He distantly felt a hand on his shoulder and tried to focus. As he steadied himself and sucked in air slowly, he blinked and stared up into Keung's face. The sun overhead hurt his eyes.

"Your attack didn't work so well," his friend said in a consoling voice. He then looked up at something and then back down at his comrade. "I think she's waiting on you."

Guiren squeezed his eyes shut and tried to push himself up on his hands, spitting out dust. His ribcage felt like it was in backwards, but he was reasonably sure that wasn't possible. Slowly, inexorably, he rose to his feet and turned around. His sparring partner stood not far away, looking unimpressed. She was leaning into one hip, eyebrow raised as she waited to see if he had any intention of continuing. She was younger than Guiren, no more than eighteen, but possessed of a confidence and aggressive spirit that only membership in an elite unit could instill. He thought her name was Bai, but he couldn't quite remember at the moment.

"Are you done?" she asked somewhat impatiently. "This is supposed to be training both of us, although I'll be damned if I know what I'm supposed to get out of it."

Guiren sighed and wearily took up an aggressive posture, one hand clenched in a fist while the other was flat and rigid like a spear. He made to step forward but the girl Bai darted in and whirled him about before slamming him down on his back. His head bounced off the dry, packed earth and white light exploded behind his eyes. His vision swam back to him and he was vaguely aware of her straddling him to pin him down and raising a fist back for a final blow...

"That's enough, Bai!" said a stern woman's voice from somewhere off to the left, out of sight. The girl immediately complied, getting off him swiftly and bowing before returning to her own squad. Guiren allowed himself to lay there for a few more moments before slowly rising, ever fiber of his being protesting with a shout of pain. He stumbled back to where his squad stood, some of the men patting him on the back and saying encouraging things his ears couldn't quite hear yet.

He clutched his hands over his face and tried to wipe the dizziness and blurred vision away. His stomach was knotted, though whether this was from the violence inflicted on him by the girl or just embarrassment at his ineffectiveness he did not know.

"I don't mean to sound disparaging, but are you sure you're the same Green Demons company that fought at Wang Jou?" the amazon commander with the stern voice asked tersely as she strode in front of them. "Bai is the newest member of my squad and one of the newest members of Lady Shang Xiang's regiment. She is barely a full eighteen summers, but I would not feel fear if I asked her to take on all of you at this point."

There were dark mutterings amongst the Green Demons assembled at her words but everyone knew better than to contest the warrior on her statement. Guiren just sighed and continued to breath deeply, just wishing the sick feeling would go away.

"Do you intend to blame the heat?" she asked somewhat snidely. "Is the warm weather getting the better of you? I would hate to include that in my progress report to the autarch."

Standing at the front of his squad, Keung now stepped forward, bowing his head and clasping his fist in his hand. "You are correct, of course, commander, our performance to this point has been inexcusable. You are burdened with training us and it is a rare opportunity. We would be remiss if all we did was complain instead of realizing our good fortune. Beat every one of us into the ground until you are satisfied with us."

"I'm not sure I have that kind of time, squad commander Keung," she said, giving him a wry look. "But the orders have been endorsed by none other than the Grand Marshall himself, so I will discharge my duty fully. Everyone sit and let us talk about what has happened."

Both the amazons and the three squads of Green Demons present sat on the ground. Guiren could tell that his fellow Demons were bothered by sitting on the hot earth but none said anything, since clearly the amazons were not bothered by it. The amazon commander, who was named Lixue, still stood and walked slowly back and forth between the squads.

"I understand that you are new to war," she began, her tone now conciliatory. "I also understand that your current environs are perhaps a bit taxing. But you cannot chose where and when you will be called on to fight, and these cannot be excuses. If you would fight for Wu, you cannot let such matters hinder you."

As grouchy as the Green Demons might have been, they could not argue that point. War was not a matter of convenience and they understood that after the battle of Wang Jou. Nearly half of them had died or were crippled permanently. They had been honoured with the chance to train with the personal regiment of Lady Shang Xiang and no excuses would be tolerated.

"I have watched you in your basic drills with spears and you have a solid grounding in the fundamentals of what you must do," she continued. "But having said that, you can never know enough and you can never practice the basics too much."

She now walked over to Keung and took up his spear, feeling its weight in her hand and then spinning it about effortlessly. She made several lunges and powerful thrusts with the weapon before resting the butt on the ground and looking at the young warriors.

"The spear is indeed the king of the battlefield, effective at any range if used by a skilled warrior. You own long-range melee, can effectively block in the mid-range and can perform quick stopping blows at close quarters. With this weapon you can control your foe as with no other weapon, even a halberd. You can move him about, direct his weapon and dictate the moment of his death, but only if you are the equal of your weapon."

Keung smiled and Lixue nodded, noticing his smirk. "Your squad commander has seen that none of the great warriors of the Southlands use a spear in battle. This is true. Lady Shang Xiang uses her wind and fire wheels, Lord Quan prefers the sword and our ruler uses his tonfas to devastating effect. But I assure you, gentlemen, that none of these gods and goddesses of war became the mighty heroes they are without knowing the spear and the basics of combat. Taishi Ci would best your entire company, and probably mine, with a spear, never mind those gigantic damned clubs he uses."

Several of the amazons chuckled or nodded, knowing the truth of it. Every one of them respected and was in awe of the commander of the Night Tigers, whom they knew to be the equal of Lady Shang Xiang in combat, no small feat.

"But you are not yet charged with being the mightiest warriors in the realm, you are charged with learning to fight and survive long enough to discharge the duty you have sworn. And in fulfilling said oath, you must train hard and learn from any situation presented to you."

The Green Demons all bowed their heads, indicating they understood.

"Now we are going to begin again," she said looking at them levelly. "And make no mistake, for several days in a row you are going to get thrashed. But that is not a sign of your inability to fight, it is merely tempering you in the fires of valour, training you in the Southlands method of war. You will emerge from this grueling methodology stronger and more able than you ever imagined. If you would have the respect of my women, then take your beatings like men."

They all bowed low.

"Now... who is next?" she challenged as she tossed the spear back to Keung.

Several men raised their hands, as did several amazons. Guiren sighed and sat still, waiting for his lungs to quit hurting. He felt no shame in not volunteering, there would be plenty of chances for him to get his ass kicked in the coming month.

---

Keung flopped down onto his blankets inside the small tent he rested in. The men of his squad slept in two-person tents, slightly larger than the one he had now, but as the commander of the unit, he had one to himself. The extra space was nice, but he missed having someone else to talk to. The night heat was oppressive and in spite of his determination to adapt, he still found himself wondering how others managed it.

"A grim first day of training, certainly," he thought wearily, his back and joints sore from being thrown to the ground or beaten around repeatedly. "The amazons promised to not go easy on us, but to give us hell, to make sure that our true worth was brought out. Like winnowing wheat from chaff or refining gold, there might be less of me at the end, but what is will be what is prized by the army of Wu."

He stretched, feeling the knots in his shoulders and the bruises on his body. His lower back and neck were sore, since he had been dumped on his head more than once. He'd been told by the healer that nothing was broken although it sure felt like something was. And in spite of his pains, he'd probably fared best of all the Green Demons in terms of giving an account of himself.

Or at least he had sucked the least. That was probably the more accurate way of looking at it.

Doubtless more of the same awaited him tomorrow. He tried to settle in and get some rest.

"Commander Keung?" whispered a voice outside the tent. "Commander Keung!"

"Yes?" he replied in confusion, tilting his head up from the small pillow he used.

In the darkness, someone quickly pulled open the flap and scuttled inside the tent. It was too dark for him to know who it was, but it certainly hadn't sounded like one of his squad members or another of the Green Demons. The flap was closed and then tied shut before the person exhaled, kneeling nearby him.

"I'm glad I wasn't noticed," the person said, fiddling with something that rustled. "It's not exactly breaking any rules, but I'd rather not have to answer any questions until morning, shi?"

"Depends on what's being asked," he replied back quietly, still confused. "Pardon my thickness, but who am I speaking with?"

"Oh, right," the visitor said, still rustling about. "It's me, Commander Lixue. We were training together today."

"Oh. Hi." Keung said, more puzzled than ever. "Uh... what can I do for you?"

"That's what we're going to find out," she replied, her voice almost a purr before he felt his light blanket pulled aside and a woman's naked body sliding in beside him. "See why I wanted to keep things quiet?"

Keung almost leaped out of his spot beneath the covers but just froze instead. Her taut yet soft form nestled to his and one of her hands began to wander. In spite of his shock, his body reacted predictably.

"Of all the Green Demons, it was you who performed most impressively," she whispered, finding and caressing a certain body part. "It is well-known that we of the Lady Shang Xiang's amazon regiment are somewhat unconventional when it comes to comporting ourselves. Though we tend to take lovers within our own ranks, we are not above seeking the warmth of other as we see fit..."

"Y-y'don't say..." he stuttered, his fingers flexing against the ground beside him in response to her attentions.

"Oh, but you seem tense." Lixue whispered in his ear, still stroking him.

"It's... been a rough kind of day..." he replied, trying not to shudder. He literally had no idea what to do. If he acquiesced to her intentions, he was not sure what might happen if they were discovered. But if he rejected her, this woman was perfectly capable of squashing his head like a grape, should he piss her off.

"I'm sure it was," she purred again, nipping at his shoulder. "Shall I do what I can to relax you?"

"Commander- uh, Lixue," Keung said unsteadily, trying to move himself away without giving offense. "This is... awkward for me."

Lixue paused. "Why? Do you not like girls?"

"No, I- I liked girls just fine." Keung said hastily.

"Then..." she said in a soft but dangerous voice, taking firm holding of a certain body part.

"I... I'm engaged to a girl back home..." he managed to say.

If Keung expected Lixue to release her grip at this revelation, he was mistaken. She simply paused in her gentle assault on his manhood.

"You're engaged..." she said somewhat flatly.

"Yes?" he ventured.

"Not married, just engaged to be married. Is she here in Fujian?"

"Well, no."

"I fail to see the problem here," Lixue announced. "If I were a sing-song girl or even one from the Willow World, it would cost money. I seek neither money no commitment, just a good time."

"Yes, I-"

Have you taken some vow before the gods about your celibacy until marriage?"

"No, I-"

"Are you a virgin?"

"Not at all."

"Now I'm the one that's confused." Lixue muttered, still not letting go. "I'm not a virgin either and I have no ties. What exactly is the problem?"

Keung tried to explain himself. "I... guess I just feel like I am being unfaithful to my fiancée, Min."

He couldn't see it so much as detect the wry face the amazon commander was making at his statement. "Wouldn't that require emotional commitment to be true? I don't love you, you obtuse male, I simply want to have sex with you and quench this heat in my loins. Do you find me unattractive?"

"No, not at all," he said hastily again, relieved to feel the grip on his member loosening. "From what I remember this of this afternoon, you're quite attractive."

"From this afternoon?" she demanded. "And what about now?"

"Well, it's dark and I can't really see you, can I?" he explained. "But I'm assuming you look every bit as attractive as you did then."

"I can assure you, I do," she growled. "Would your woman have objected if you'd lain with men during your deployment?"

Keung blinked. He had never once considered that issue before. "I... don't know. Never came up. I mean, I doubt she would, knowing her she might think it was funny and sort of hot. But-"

"So you're saying that the objection is based on my being a woman," Lixue reasoned. "Would your fiancée have objected if your company had been given a night with sing-song girls as a reward?"

"I... don't really-"

"Is it this hard for your fiancée to get laid?" Lixue groused.

"I... probably not." Keung answered.

The amazon sighed and released her grip on him, sitting and drawing her knees to her chest in the dark. "Well, it's not like you're the first man to turn me down."

Keung frowned. "Why would they turn you down?"

"Maybe they were all getting married." Lixue grumbled.

"Probably had more to do with that hellishly strong grip of yours," Keung added. "But then again, maybe not!" he said hastily as he felt her shoot him a withering glare in the dark. "Look, I- I don't know if there's anything wrong with me pillowing you, I really don't. And you're more than attractive enough for me to want to. But I'm just not willing to take that chance."

"You're never planning to take more than one wife or a concubine if you establish yourself?" she asked softly in the darkness.

"I've never given it serious consideration," he admitted. "Not because I don't like the idea in some ways, but it seems unrealistic at the moment."

She smiled. "Most men think the opposite way from yourself. They take more than one wife in order to ensure their family lineage continues. You must be from a strange place if this attitude is prevalent in your community."

"I don't think it is," Keung mused, feeling his body relax, now that the threat of being pleasured seemed to have passed. "But Pei is small and remote, only about two thousand people, and men can rarely afford more than one wife, forget looking after a large family. I think only one of the wealthier merchants has a second wife and he sure doesn't look happier for it."

Lixue muffled a laugh in the dark. "It's not like I was offering to become your wife, you dolt. So just one wife?"

Keung shrugged. "It seems to be good enough for Lord Sun Ce."

Lixue coughed and cleared her throat. "That is completely different. Never delude yourself into thinking that there is any basis for comparison, Keung. I'm not belittling you, I'm just being very serious. That Lord and Lady are the greatest love story of the age, destined by the Heavens itself. Our little lives and amorous entanglements are of no account in comparison."

Keung sighed. "That's... probably true."

"Did you know that the Lady was a member of the amazons?" Lixue asked, trying to banish her horny demons by talking.

Keung's eyes went wide. "I... I didn't. She fought with Lady Shang Xiang?"

Lixue nodded. "As far back as the battle of Hu Lao Gate and Dong Zhuo. I've had the privilege of fighting alongside her. She has progressed impressively as a warrior in that time."

"Remarkable," he whispered, as if to himself. "I never would have guessed."

Lixue smiled slyly and nudged him with her elbow. "Are all the men in your little company of misfits crushing on the princess as badly as you?"

Keung blushed furiously and she patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, you paragon of manly virtue, your secret is safe with me. Gods only know you're not the first group of greenhorns to fall in love with her and pledge their lives to her. Just try not to let anyone in her personal regiment find out, those guys are crazy about her."

He considered. "What does Lord Sun Ce think of that?"

"He doesn't care," she replied simply. "Matter of fact, he thought they were getting lax once and he insulted them all to the place where they attacked him."

Keung looked incredulous. "He insulted and fought them all?"

"Yeah, they didn't take the loss too hard," Lixue remembered. "They redoubled their training efforts after he kicked the crap out of them."

Keung didn't know what to say.

"Let me be honest before we wrap this up," she said finally. "You and I can train and exert ourselves and become our most formidable selves, Keung. But we're still never going to be like them. Any of them. That family, their peers, their greatest protectors, they're all way beyond us. I'm not saying that we don't matter, what I'm saying is that they need our devotion to help them move things forward. I'm a member of one of the most celebrated groups of warriors in the Southlands. Maybe one day you'll be a officer of the Stone Demons or the Long Fangs. That's one hell of an accomplishment."

"Hm," he mused. "Wonder if that's enough of a stipend to keep a second wife on."

"Males," she muttered as she laid down and drew some of the covers over herself. "Well, have a good night, commander."

Keung blinked at her audibly. "Are... you staying here?"

"Of course I am," Lixue said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Not going to go back to my own tent now. The girls in my squad will never let me here the end of it if I come back empty... handed."

"You told your squad?" he asked, bewildered.

"You're the only one this seems to be a big issue for," she murmured, trying to shut him up so she could sleep. "My squad is heading to a small town called Xiupo tomorrow, so it's not like we'll be training you anymore and therefore no perceived conflict of interest. So here's the deal- you keep my secret and I'll keep yours. Deal? We sleep in this tent together and everyone is envious. Now shut up and try to get some rest. That's an order."

Unsure of what to say, Keung simply sighed and laid down, settling in beside his new tent mate. He could feel her soft, warm body pressed to his and his own body began to react accordingly. She turned on her side and slung an arms across him, nestling into his flank.

"And don't get any funny ideas, you perv..." she murmured as she drifted off to sleep.

Keung spent the night awake wondering how dead he was.

---

Morning came too quickly, as did the gongs that woke the camp up. Guiren groaned as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head, which still throbbed from the repeated knocks it had taken. He clambered to his knees and crawled out of his tent, wincing in irritation as the early morning southern sun beat down on him, the temperature already exceeding what he had gotten used to in the north.

Wearing only his trousers, he bent from side to side, getting the cricks out of his joints. He looked around as the members of the Green Demon company began to stagger out of their own tents and try to limber up. The grunts and grumbles all around him were commonplace now and he had learned to ignore them.

Not far away, Keung crawled out of his personal tent and stretched, although the bags under his eyes indicated he had not slept terribly well. Was it the heat or his bruises?

Guiren's eyes went wide as the amazon squad commander from the day before, Lixue, crawled out from inside Keung's tent, her hair disheveled and her clothes bunched up in her hands except for the long shirt she wore. She said 'good morning' to Keung and smacked him on the butt as she went back to the small tent area assigned to her amazon squad.

Every member of the Green Demons was gaping at Keung, who coughed and stared back.

"What?" he asked challengingly.

Several of the men began to laugh and clap, applauding his manly conquest. Guiren just continued to stare.

Half a second later, the young warrior-woman named Bai, the one who had so unceremoniously thrashed Guiren the previous afternoon, crawled out of his tent, wearing even less than her sergeant had been, tousled his hair and wiggled off toward her own camp. A brief period of silence was followed with more cheers and applause from the men.

Keung and Guiren stated at one another helplessly before Keung pulled a small knife off his belt and drew the blade lightly along his palm, creating a crease that bled. Guiren did likewise.

"The girls never find out..." they said in unison.

How the hell many more times were they going to have to take that oath together?

---

Regardless of any personal misgivings they might have had about their respective incidents, Guiren and Keung found they had some new notoriety, not only amongst their own Green Demons but also amazons as well. As they were packing up their small camp and stowing gear, the women seemed to smile and smirk at the two of them rather frequently, a few even winking. Neither of them felt up to the task of devoting any thought to the matter and simply let it be. The next round of their training, also known now as a sound thrashing, was due to begin after breakfast.

Not that either of them had much of an appetite, but they ate stoically. Getting your ass beat on an empty stomach seemed like a bad idea.

It turned out that getting your ass beat on a full stomach was still a bad idea and considerably messier. Guiren and Keung both watched as Dui, one of their comrades, came sailing into their midst from the sparring circle, having been kicked in the abdomen by his opponent and sent flying. He landed on his back, twitching in pain before crawling to his hands and knees, whereupon he promptly lost his breakfast. Several men yelped and complained in disgust as they scampered away from his ejections.

Their new trainers and sparring partners, a squad known as the Dìyù tiānshǐ ('Hell's Angels'), were known to be considerably tougher than their predecessors who had worked with the Green Demons. They certainly didn't seem inclined to take it easy on or show any mercy to the new warriors and mostly laughed derisively when a match ended.

The sparring contests were ending quickly, with little or no commendable efforts by the Green Demons. Keung and Guiren could feel their tempers rising with each humiliating loss and the scorn that followed. The men were getting surly and while they still got thrashed, they were rising from the ground more readily with each defeat.

"Alright, that's enough!" Keung called out finally, unable to watch any more. "Perhaps the commander would care to test herself against me?"

This was followed by a moment of silence form both teams but then then Angels squad commander laughed. "It's not wise to let your temper get the better of you on the battlefield or in any contest, little man. Trust me, you don't want to try and back up your actions."

"Probably not," he agreed as he stepped into the sparring circle, removing his shirt. The scar he had received while rescuing their fiancées was quite visible across his chest. "But I'm even less interested in hearing you keep insulting my men out of hand, simply because you're more experienced than them. And if this is what it takes, so be it."

He men all watched quietly as he strode past them and stood in the center of the ring, staring down the amazon squad. The Angels commander, whose name he did not yet know, stared at him stonily. She was much less attractive than Lixue had been, with a square jaw, a broken nose and a decidedly solid build. Scars she had acquired in numerous engagements were quite apparent around her body. Keung felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck.

Gritting his teeth, Guiren stepped forward into the circle too, removing his tunic. "I'll stand with the sergeant!" he called now. "If anyone else cares to join in, I'm ready."

Another rough-looking girl seemed up to the challenged and strode in, standing beside her squad commander. They regarded the two male warriors disdainfully. Unsure of what else to do, Guiren and Keung took up a fighting stance, each picking the one they felt most comfortable with. The men began to call out encouraging words, shouting that they could win and to make their foes pay.

"Well now," the Angels commander mused as she stepped forward. "Looks like I might get to fuck a little bitch after all. Are you ready, pì jīng?"

"We'll find out who the ass fairy is shortly." Keung growled, his face reddening at the insult.

Beside her squad commander, the trooper sneered. "What about you, fàntǒng? You're not gonna be so pretty with your dick stuffed in your own mouth..."

That was all Guiren could take and he snarled as he lunged forward, striking at his foe. She dodged to the side but then scrambled back hastily as he twisted and struck again with his fist, the first attack a feint. She slapped his fist away and kicked at him but he was ready and struck her inner with the blade of his hand. The men shouted in excitement as she staggered back but it was short lived as she kicked Guiren's legs out from under him. He landed heavily on his back but sprang back up and lunged in again, knowing he ultimately could not win but determined to give a ferocious account of himself and prove that they were wrong to mock the Demons.

Keung, meanwhile, backed up rapidly, parrying blow after blow as the sergeant advanced on him relentlessly. Her strikes were coming closer to breaking through his defenses since she was faster than him, seemingly. His mind raced as he tried to think of anything he could do.

He could only do the unexpected, whatever that was.

He let her in closer and closer with her strikes, seemingly only barely fending them off and convincing the sergeant that he was ready for a decisive blow. Just as she was preparing to hit him one last time, he surged forward and shoved both palms forward. The strike broke through her guard and hit her in the sternum, hard. She wheezed as she stumbled backwards some distance and fell on her behind in shock. The men roared in triumph but then gasped as she sprang forward like a tiger and slammed her shoulder into his chest, knocking him head over heels to the ground. She pinned him beneath her and her fist rained repeated blows down on his face.

Right next to them, Guiren's opponent had him on his stomach and was sitting on his back, gripping his chin and pulling backward, curving his spine. He moaned in pain while the men shouted in fright for their comrades. Unsure of what else to do, they began to leap into the fray, as did the Angels.

"Tíngzhǐ!" someone shouted harshly. For all their blood was up, every single member of the Angels scampered back to their own side of the sparring circle. The commander and the trooper who were locked in combat with Keung and Guiren both paused in their assaults and gaped at the newcomer for a moment before scrambling to their feet and bowing low. Everyone was silent.

Fu Chin Ran, the renowned Tiger Orchid and Duìzhǎng the Yamaxun Shouwei, strode toward them now, glowering at the unfolding fiasco before her. She was powerfully built, with pronounced musculature and a deadly stare. Her long raven hair was held back in a simple queue. A short sword hung from the belt she wore.

"Do you expect me to believe that this qualifies as training in any sense of the word?" she demanded, scowling at all involved. "Because I really don't see it."

"Apologies, commander," the Angels commander said hastily, clasping her fist in her hand and bowing her head. "These men were getting a little too big for their britches, if you will, and we thought it best that they learn a harsh lesson to temper their spirits."

"Is that so..." Fu Chin Ran mused, walking into the small circle and looking down at Guiren and Keung, who were struggling to rise to their feet. Blood dripped from Keung's crimson face while Guiren was gasping as he tried to get air in his lungs. She pulled Keung roughly to his feet and examined his face impassively. He tried to look back at her but his eyes were sticky with blood.

She lifted Guiren as well, waiting and watching while he managed to take deep breaths. His chest shuddered and two of his comrades moved forward quickly for him to lean on. She then turned and glared at the Angels.

"The Green Demons were sent down here to train with us as a reward for distinguished service and valour at the battle of Wang Jou," she said angrily. "At what point did you decided that this included belittling them?"

"Duìzhǎng," the commander answered, bowing her head again. "While their past service is not in doubt, there is so much they have yet to learn. If they cannot abide by a few insults, then they-"

"Since when is insulting and dishonouring your comrades the way of the Southlands?!" Fu snapped, her eyes flashing. "You were more than their measure and everyone knew it and you still felt the need to remind them of this fact, to the detriment of their learning!"

She glowered at the entire squad. "What have Lady Shang Xiang and I always taught you? Time and time again we have fought against foes who sneered at and belittled us because we were women! What became of them?"

"We made them pay," declared Guiren's opponent proudly. "We taught them not to underestimate us and insult us."

"Just so," Fu said, nodding. "You defended one another's honour, no matter what the cost. You exposed the dishonour of the enemies who belittled you, for resorting to such tactics. And even if you'd been defeated, you still knew honour."

What she was saying left the Hells Angels silent, many of them red with embarrassment at their behaviour. But Fu wasn't done with them yet.

"If Lord Elryk's bodyguard Glandyth stood before you right now and taunted you, calling you chòu jìnǚ, what would you do about it? You know damn well that every fucking one of you would die, but not before trying to avenge one another and keeping our honour, no matter how hopeless or unfair the fight."

The women said nothing, especially once the titan berserker of the White Wolves was mentioned. Not even the princess herself was certain she was a match for that man. Fu Chin Ran was making it abundantly clear that they'd crossed a line and there was a price to pay.

"So congratulations on proving to everyone that you could beat some almost green recruits," she growled. "Because you may have eventually won those fights, but they're the ones walking away from here with their honour intact."

Fu now stood right in the commander's face, glaring at her. "Do you know that it was Lord Sun Ce who instructed that these men should be rewarded with a few weeks of training by the amazons? Who the hell do you think you are to cheapen the Lord of the Southlands' gift to them? I should tell the Princess about your disgraceful behaviour and perhaps she will decide how to punish you. We all know what kind of a mood she's been in lately, thanks to her impending nuptials."

Slowly the Angels commander turned towards Keung and fell to her knees before bowing low, her face touching the ground. The other women did the same and soon all the members of the squad were kow-towing in the dust of the sparring circle.

"Warriors of the Green Demon company, forgive us," the commander intoned, loudly enough to be heard since she didn't dare look up. "We were wrong to scorn you as we did, there is no excuse. We have strayed from the path of humility and our pride was our undoing."

"Well spoken, for a damned fool," Fu grunted, staring stonily down at the sergeant. "But such flowery words are not enough, oh angels of Hell. As a mercy to you, certainly more than you showed your charges, I will not report this injustice to Lady Shang Xiang, at least not in any formal capacity."

Keung and Guiren could see that even though they were all bowing, the Angels were trembling with relief.

"However," Fu continued, not ready to let them off the hook for the transgression. "There is still the matter of your penance..."

She turned to look at Keung. "Do you speak for Sergeant Chun when he is not readily available?"

"I will." Keung replied, nodding.

"Very well," Fu declared. "Within our ranks, if once sister or a group of sisters dishonours another without cause, the offenders pay a penance and rediscover their humility by acting as the lowly slaves and servants of the wronged party. For the next ten days, this shall be the case. The Hells Angels shall serve the Green Demon company in all things."

The men muttered amongst themselves in amazement while Keung listened quietly. "I hear thee, commander. So be it. Would you be so kind as to explain the terms so my idiot comrades do not misunderstand you?"

Fu smirked. "The rules are simple, sergeant. They are yours to command, no matter how lowly the task, no matter how base. I don't care if your men fuck them. My only request is that you do not hurt, kill or impregnate them, since we need all the skilled warriors we can get."

More whispers of amazement. Guiren looked at Keung warily.

"I warn you now, squad commander, because I can see it in your eyes," Fu said firmly. "You must not take undue mercy on them. There is no dishonour you can heap on the that they have not already done to themselves in the eyes of our sisterhood. You would need to stoop to the excesses of Dong Zhuo before I thought you were out of line. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Duìzhǎng," Keung said, clasping his fist in his hand and bowing his head. "The women of the Hells Angels will service the Green Demons for ten days to atone for their actions. The only limits to what may be inflicted on them will be determined by what our commanding officer Chun is likely to kill us for."

"I'm glad you understand and applaud your common sense," Fu declared, laughing. "Be aware, though, that your training will continue apace and your bruises are just beginning. The Angels may spend more time cleaning you up than anything."

She looked down at the prostrate women one more time before shaking her head and heading back toward the camp. The men all rushed forward and began fussing over Keung and Guiren, one of them trying to wipe all the blood off the squad commander's face and out of his thoroughly matted hair. They were congratulating the two for their efforts, eyes shining with pride.

Keung held up a hand and all activity ceased. He walked over to where the amazons waited, still bowing low. He assessed them for a moment before determining his next course of action.

"Stand up!" he said roughly. The women complied, saying nothing and waiting silently.

"Guiren, the one you fought will look after your squad," he began. "The commander will be coming with me, of course. I was going to suggest that the other eight squads could arm-wrestle for the women of their choice, but that might be construed as flattering, so we'll simply draw straws instead. One woman to each squad. If you feel like swapping at any point, that's your business."

The men all nodded. Keung looked at the women, who bowed their heads in respect of his instructions. "Just remember, guys, and I'm serious. Don't do anything, and I mean anything, to piss old Chun off with your behaviour, you got that? I'm pretty sure that the lessons are over for the day, so go eat, relax and prepare for tomorrow. Like the commander said, it's just gonna get worse. Dismissed."

The men gathered around in a group and began the process of dividing up their slaves, several of them plainly unable to contain their excitement. Keung left the circle and went back to his tent, followed silently by the Angels commander, where she began the rather lengthy process of cleaning up the damage she had done.

---

Chun sat behind his desk, staring at the two men. They could try he was trying to not look bewildered, since he had already heard about what happened. His command tent, a full-sized structure large enough for his desk, boxes of scrolls with orders ,his bed and to accommodate one or two visitors. He leaned forward on the desk, rubbing his face and sighing.

"You two are, without question, the biggest pains in the ass ever to come through the army of Wu. Do you fuck-ups have any idea what you've done?"

"That... sounds like a question we should know better than to answer." Guiren said carefully. "But sir, Commander Fu Chin Ran herself said-"

"I know what she said!" Chun snapped, cutting his soldier off. "And her punishment of her troops is her prerogative. What's that got to do with you morons?"

Keung took a deep breath, both to prepare what he wanted to say and because the Angels sergeant had hit him so hard that his nose was swollen. "Sergeant, they dishonoured us. Guiren and I were simply fighting to make sure they understood that-"

"Oh, shut up for once, Keung," their commander snarled, slamming his hand on the desk. "You could have simply ignored the insults and continued your training! Now we have this!"

Guiren was about to say something but a single look from Chun warned him to stay quiet.

"And don't you dare bother bringing up the comparison of what those women have endured with what just happened to yourselves," Chun growled. "They have been the victors in countless battles against horrendous odds, belittled by arrogant foes whom they always proved superior to. Do you think yourselves superior in any way to the Angels?"

Guiren and Keung said nothing. They didn't dare.

Chun sighed and sat back in his chair. "What's done is done. I suggest you follow the Jiangjun's instructions, but do not let the men behave dishonourably. If they do, I'm holding you two responsible. Am I achieving clarity?"

Both young men nodded.

"Now get out of here." Chun grumbled, returning to his administrative work. Keung and Guiren both bowed and exited the tent.

"He's pretty pissed off, even for him. It's like he just expects us to screw up even the simplest things." Guiren muttered, kicking at a stone as they walked back to their tents.

"Pretty sure it's because it's the amazons we got mixed up with," Keung replied. "If it'd been the Bronze Cavaliers again, he probably would have given us a pay raise. Everyone reveres Lady Shang Xiang's guard for their skill and valour. We probably could have just endured the taunts."

"And maybe the men's morale might have survived, but this way we've given them solidarity," his friend mused. "All it cost me was some cuts and bruises."

"And me my nose," Keung sighed, touching his fingers to the tip of his nose. It still throbbed and he sounded funny. "I have the distinct feeling that administering this punishment will be more difficult than it should be. Who'd have thought having personal slaves could be so taxing?"

They parted ways at the Green Demon's camp and Keung headed into his tent. He paused upon entering, since the Hells Angels squad commander was kneeling beside his bedding and she bowed low.

"You have returned, commander," she said quietly. "What would you have me do?"

Keung said nothing for a moment, but then his eyes widened as she began to remove her clothes. Once she was naked, she crawled onto his bed and laid still, looking at him.

"Is this not what is expected of me?" she asked, wondering why he was still standing near the entrance of his own tent.

"I... haven't quite decided what I expect yet," he replied. "And since you just finished beating me up, I'm not sure that getting between the sheets with you is safe."

The Angel commander sat up and sighed, not bothering to cover herself. "Commander, maybe you need to hear some things in order to truly understand what is happening here..."

Keung came farther into the tent and stood, waiting patiently.

"My girls and I dishonoured ourselves," she began. "That much you have been told. Our folly has been pointed out to us. Worse, we have no place amongst our sisters until penance is paid. They will shun us and treat us with scorn. There is no act of contrition that we would not perform or endure in order to be welcomed back into the fold."

"So I gathered." Keung said simply.

"My girls and I would feel no humiliation in any task or purpose you and your men put upon us," she continued. "If you were to not do so and it was discovered by our sisters, we would be even further shamed."

She now looked up at him and her eyes glistened with honesty. "Please do not deny us our chance to redeem ourselves. I will do anything."

Keung sighed and sat down next to her. "Well, I guess I can't go easy on you, so the next ten days are going to suck for you. But I've got a girl back in Pei and I'm not going to mess around on her, not with some random army girl who just finished beating me up."

The commander nodded.

"But if any of my comrades ask, I totally fucked you." Keung added.

---

The next few days proved difficult for the Green Demons, primarily because the heat intensified steadily. Their training schedule did not let up and they spent most of their time exhausted. Guiren and Keung were covered in welts, bruises, scratches and cuts. They sat now in two large wooden tubs they'd had constructed and relaxed while their servant girls washed them and tended to their newest wounds with great diligence.

"Gnnn, this is a hell of a price to pay for receiving preferential treatment." Guiren said as the Angel assigned to his squad, who's name was Yao, massaged the knots out of his shoulders while she knelt behind him. Although she had to look after all the men in his squad, Guiren and Keung took precedence for obvious reasons.

"Not sure I'd have survived this long if it weren't for Dian looking after my war wounds every night," Keung murmured in reply while the Angels commander washed him. "Are we mistreating you girls properly?"

"You two go relatively easy on us," Dian replied, bowing her head humbly. "After all, it's you two who pay the price with your sergeant if he thinks you've abused the privilege so you err on the side of caution. Your comrades are much more in the spirit of making sure we pay our penance, admittedly."

"No argument there," Guiren said dryly. "I saw my squad mates and the guys from Second Squad make Yao here and another girl fight."

"It's not good for us to neglect our training entirely," Yao offered. "Although having a bunch of leering, slobbering men watch is unusual. I've had to personally service more than a few of them."

"Still don't agree with that." Keung muttered.

"It's not your place, commander," Dian said gently but with a touch of iron in her voice. "Redemption lies in our enduring whatever is thrown our way. Your men do not dishonour us with their depravity. I don't expect you to understand, I merely beg your tolerance. Your sergeant has raised no objections, so clearly he is not displeased."

"It's true," Yao chimed in. "If anyone should be getting sexed up, it's you two, but you have this whole 'I've got a fiancée back home' thing going on."

"Well, at least the other guys think we're getting laid like dragon eggs," Guiren observed. "It keeps us looking good."

"I've also decided that you can be of use to Guiren and I personally," Keung mused, letting his head fall forward while Dian massaged the base of his skull. "The two of us have our own ambitions, if you will, of becoming men of rank."

"A lofty and admirable goal." Dian commented simply. "How can we serve?"

"I'll explain what I mean so that you may better understand my intent." Keung continued. "Guiren and I come from Pei, a tiny town far to the west in the middle of nowhere and notable for nothing except for the fact that no one has ever done anything. The two of us were, in fact, the first and only people of the entire region to enter the service of Wu."

"That sounds pretty backwards and remote." Yao admitted.

"Our personal feats and Wang Jou, coupled with an incident where we took on some local bandits has made us heroes back home. I'm not kidding. Everyone back in Pei thinks we know Lord Sun Ce and drink wine with him every night."

In spite of herself, Dian snickered. "That's cute. You two are probably the best fighters in your entire company and you're still pretty lousy."

"Hey now," Guiren protested. "Keung and I did take on Cao Pi at Wang Jou, thank you. And yes, maybe he was kicking our asses until Lord Sun Ce came rampaging through, but we held him for more than ten seconds. That's got to mean something."

"So that really did happen," Dian mused. "Maybe you do deserve this extra training. Very well, please continue."

"Well," Keung said, gathering his thoughts. "There is no nobility out there. Anywhere. Village elders are about as close as we get. The families of our fiancées have expectations of us to one day return as great warriors and learned scholars, who will be honoured with titles by the Sun family for our efforts. It may seem stupid, but if there is anything that you or your comrades can help the two of us with in that regard, from tactics and strategy to calligraphy, Guiren and I would be grateful."

Dian and Yao considered what they were being asked. "That's... unusual," the trooper said slowly. "But the fact that you're serious is rather admirable. What do you think, commander?"

"It doesn't matter what I think, we've been given a task and we will obey it to the best of our ability," Dian stated. "But I agree, it is a rather charming notion. And if there is indeed no nobility in the region, then just maybe the gods have intended for you two misfits to take the reins."

Dian looked at Yao. "When you get a chance, go find Lai from the Tiě Diāo ('Iron Eagles') squad. She's the third daughter of a noble family in Changsha, she might be able to help our masters here. Tell her we'd consider it a personal favour."

Now that the matter was settled, the women saw to making sure that Guiren and Keung's cuts were bound and soothing ointments applied. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

---

The following day, the heat was oppressive and Guiren was sweating profusely, even though he was only wearing studded quilt. His shield was heavy and the grip of his spear slick as he stood in close formation with his squad mates. The sun beat down on the as they waited for the foe to attack. His light helmet clung to his scalp and itched maddeningly.

"Hold," the squad commander said tensely as they waited in two rows of five. Not more than a span on either side stood another squad in a similar formation, the entire company forming a hedge-wall of shield and spears. "Keep steady..."

Guiren knew that three squads over, Keung was standing in the middle of his troops, giving them similar instructions as they awaited the enemy's charge. He wanted to look but he knew he wouldn't be able to see his friend. All he could do was fight.

Dead in the center of the line, Sergeant Chun stood with his command squad, his steely gaze on the approaching foe. They were to hold a position against five squads of amazons, who were wearing light armour, carried shields and used sword straight swords.

"They're grouped together against our center," Guiren thought as he watched the amazons approach swiftly. "If we time it right, we can outflank them and even surround them. And even if they outfight us, we will still give a good account of ourselves, which must count for something!"

The amazons were maybe twenty five spans away from contact when they let out a great cry and surged forward, with the outermost squads suddenly veering on the oblique to attack the Green Demon squads at the edge of the formation. Their speed was incredible.

"Shit!" Guiren thought. "So much for a flanking advantage! Maybe we can pivot every second squad in to get at their flanks once their hit us?"

The wooden spears were meant to keep the enemy at bay, but the amazons in the front rank of the squad on the farthest right let out a piercing shriek and skidded across the ground at the last moment, holding their shields up to protect from the spears. Their feet crashed into the shins and legs of the warriors in the front line of the shield wall and disrupted it. With practiced speed and agility, the women warriors then surged up and broke through, bursting their way to the rear of the formation.

"Shit! Shields down to the ground!" Guiren yelled as loudly as he could at the last possible moment while his squad commander seemed confused by what he was seeing. His squad mates did as he instructed and the skidding attack of the amazons that assaulted them was bought to an abrupt halt. They recovered swiftly, but Guiren and his follow Demons were already thrusting their padded spear tips at them savagely, keeping them at bay.

Sergeant Chun's squad in the center seemed to be holding against the assault but chaos was clearly being wreaked along the line, with most of the squads being burst apart and overrun quickly. Guiren's squad was one of maybe three that had held, but now that the women were on their feet, it was getting difficult. Two of the amazons had been 'slain' once the skid attack was halted, but eight remained and they were fighting furiously to get inside the formation.

One of the amazons leaped through the air, trying to vault over the heads of Guiren's squad. With no opponent in front of his for half a second, Guiren took a risk and raised his spear, thrusting it upwards and stabbing her in the torso. She cried out and tumbled to the ground, calling that she was dead before scrambling away from the melee.

The Demons did their best to keep their shields locked together, preventing any amazons who had dodged their way by the speartips from bulling their way through. But the women were fast and strong, their short wooden swords allowing them to reach over shields and thrust down at a deadly angle to find weak points in the defenders' armour, something they did with unnerving skill.

"Second row!" he shouted in a panic. "Back two paces and kill the ones who break through!"

The second row scrambled back and managed to take down one woman-warrior who broke through, waiting nervously for any more.

"Shut up, Guiren!" the squad commander shouted angrily. "I give the squad orders, not y-"

He never finished the sentence as the squad commander attacking him struck him across his exposed neck with her blade. He tumbled back in the dust, cursing angrily before three more women charged over him. The formation was broken.

Thinking fast, Guiren whirled and struck two more women in the small of the back, 'killing' them. He thrust at the commander but she twisted aside and struck down one of his squad mates in the second line. The first line turned and attacked them as a group, a chaotic battle developing. But the close quarters favoured the swords of the amazons, who proved swift and nimble. Guiren shoved his surviving squad mates into another line, managing to present a wall once again to their foes.

But then several of the amazon squads broke, retreating before the Demon squads that had not yet lost their formation. Several of the men shouted in triumph and surged forward, determined to put an end to their foes and heartened by their withdrawal. Sergeant Chun shouted angrily for them to stop giving chase and to return to the line but for two whole squads it was now too late- the retreating amazons suddenly rounded and attacked savagely, annihilating them in seconds.

Guiren brought the remains of his squad alongside the sergeant's, while Keung did likewise on the other flank. Survivors of other decimated squads rushed over to join the formation, but seconds later a horn sounded and the exercise was over.

Sergeant Chun sighed and stepped away from his men, walking over to join Fu Chin Ran and several other amazon officers who were observing the training exercise. Amazon units that were not on duty looked on from nearby, including the Dìyù tiānshǐ. The Demons panted and wheezed, trying to catch their breath. They waited patiently, knowing better than to say anything at all. Those warriors on both sides who had been 'slain' joined their respective units but sat down, so an accurate tally could be taken.

Finally, Fu Chin Ran walked in between the two groups and looked at them each levelly. Chun was beside her, staring stonily at his men.

"The Qīngtóng yún ('Bronze Cloud') formation is a means for a smaller force to swiftly attack and burst open an enemy formation that must hold a line. It relies on speed, agility, surprise and the ability to overrun the position." Fu called out to both groups. "Applied correctly, a skilled smaller force can potentially render an enemy unit ineffective at up to three-to-one odds."

She now looked at the amazons pointedly. "Of your fifty troops, twenty either died or were wounded and unable to continue fighting. That is not acceptable, since losing a third of your force means you will not be available for further actions in a wider battle. You let your foe's inexperience get the better of your judgment. Several units held and showed resolve, meaning that you needed to rely on the Xià wù ('Summer Mist') retreating feint to finally break them. If they had kept their discipline and not followed..."

"Which brings me to you," Fu said, turning to look at the Demons. "The first half of the battle went surprisingly well for you. Each of your foes should be worth at least three of you in combat, but you showed considerable resolve and impressive intuition. Several of your squad commanders managed to counter the Shā shēng xiù ('Rusted Sand') skidding attack that would have let their swords inside your spears' myopic zone."

One of Guiren's squad mates put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. Guiren nodded.

"When a battle stops being a pushing match and the enemy is in your midst, spearmen have a choice," Fu continued. "They may either use their shields to protect themselves, which usually doesn't work in such close quarters against swords, or you can discard them and use your spear with two hands, which gives it much greater versatility as a defensive tool."

"Remember what you were taught," Chun added. "The spear is the king of the battlefield. Once you master it, you will know no fear at any range of close quarters combat."

"Once the enemy was inside your formation, some of you kept your heads and fought as a team, others went straight to hell," Fu said sternly. "Worse, once you formed up again on your sergeant, you then broke ranks to chase an enemy you thought defeated, only to be slaughtered. It is that foolishness we cannot afford in our wars against the north or anyone else."

"You've tasted battle but you still no nothing of the iron discipline necessary to be great warriors," Chun growled, trying to not let his irritation get the better of him. "Before battle you will be hungry, thirsty and subjected to unbearable heat. You will want to come to grips with your foe, to throw yourselves into battle just to give vent to then anxiety that can build up from those conditions. You must rise above it all, remain stalwart. In your desperation to end the battle, you broke ranks and fell for an enemy ploy that cost you victory."

"Your sergeant speaks the truth," Fu agreed. "Had you held, by our point-counting system, you would have won, had you not given chase. "Though my women slew or wounded sixty-three of your number and only lost twenty, you might have held a strong defensive position and they wete too few to use the Bronze Cloud again."

"Duìzhǎng," Keung intoned humbly, bowing low before the mighty captain. "Forgive me, but do you mean to say that we might actually have won?"

"It is a possibility," Fu answered. "My warriors expected too easy a victory and got sloppy in their lack of contingency plans. That will most certainly be addressed later. As to your potential victory by point-count, it might have happened. It was not certain, but there was a good chance of it. Several of your squads held formation very well. It was impressive for a green unit."

The Green Demons all bowed low. A compliment from the Tiger Orchid was nothing to take lightly.

"This will conclude today's exercises," Fu announced. "Tomorrow you will return to basic spear drills, your skills are not up to where they might be and certainly not worthy of any unit commanded by the great Chun Lao."

Several nearby amazon units laughed cheerfully as the sergeant of the Green Demons blushed. It was not lost on Keung and Guiren that Fu Chin Ran held him in high regard.

"Retire now and prepare for tomorrow, unless your sergeant has any additional tasks for you. Dismissed!"

The Demons all bowed and waited patiently in their squads for Chun to address them. Fu Chin Ran and the amazons departed without another word. Chun wandered over to them and stared for several seconds before sighing.

"What is with your morons?" he demanded loudly. "What perverse joy do you take in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory? You had them! All you had to do was not fuck up!"

"Sergeant!" said the squad leader of Guiren's group suddenly, clasping his hand and bowing his head. "We might have done better if Guiren had not decided to try and usurp the chain of command from under-"

"That's not true, Chao!" interrupted another trooper from the squad angrily. "While you were standing their with your jaw slack, Guiren had the presence of mind to put a plan into action that saved us We'd all have been dead if it weren't-"

"Zhùkǒu!" Chun snarled angrily, glaring at the squad. "What's there to pick between a squad commander paralyzed by indecision and a bunch of morons who don't know the chain of command?"

The squad members went silent, not daring to say a word.

"But you are correct," Chun said finally. "There was a command breakdown and only quick thinking saved you all from death and possibly others in other squads. Xiàshì Chao, step forward."

Chao stepped up from his squad.

"You will be reassigned to Third Squad, serving under Dun. Guiren, you're the new Xiàshì for Fifth. Assume your position."

Both men bowed and went to their new posts, although Chao was clearly furious.

"Xiàshì Gan and Keung, step forward."

The two squad commanders stepped forward, bowing.

"Excellent work keeping your squads intact and stalling the Bronze Cloud formation. Our near-victory was your doing. Well done."

They both bowed and stepped back to stand with their squads again.

"As for those of you who broke formation," Chun now said, giving the offending squads a wilting glare. "Perhaps a very strong reminder of the importance of discipline and the chain of command. You disobeyed my direct order to hold the line. I should have you whipped, but instead you will make yourselves useful and spend the rest of the night on latrine duty for the amazon First Company. Don't you dare come back until the good Captain says you are finished. Now fuck off!"

Three entire squads bowed hastily and ran off to find First Company.

"For fuck sakes," Chun muttered. "Half of them have fucking slaves, the other half are cleaning the shitters. What did I do to deserve any of this?"

---

"That was an interesting exercise," Dian said quietly as she poured more tea for Keung while they sat in the tent. They were sitting around a low table, along with Guiren and Yao, who likewise was attending Guiren. "You did much better than anyone expected."

"Thanks," Keung said, actually somewhat flattered. "I'm kind of amazed we did that well too."

"I should warn you though," Dian added, setting down the teapot and spooning more rice and pickles into a bowl for him. "It was mostly due to overconfidence on the part of my sisters. I'm not meaning to sound like I am disparaging what you accomplished, but they did not fight as well as they should have. They let your inexperience override their natural caution and they paid for it."

"Sounds like we only get anywhere because of dumb luck and people thinking we're no good at this." Guiren muttered.

"That's actually partially true," Yao said, smiling at his discomfiture. "At Wang Jou, Cao Pi and his men, elite warriors that they were, discounted you and completely ineffectual and suffered for it. The same thing happened this afternoon. If your foes chose to not discount you and fought as well as they could have, not a single one of you would be alive this day."

"Your valour has carried you this far," Dian agreed. "Along with a healthy dose of dumb luck and your foe's arrogance. It's a pity you cannot keep relying on it forever."

Keung looked at her. "Don't you think we're improving at all, though?"

"Yes, I'd say you're improving," she answered. "But you're doing much better than you should be, mostly for reasons beyond your control. It might just be happenstance, but if you choose to believe that there is a higher purpose involved, then I feel compelled to warn you that the gods are a fickle lot and you two had better pray every day without fail to keep their favour."

"Pray to the gods and don't fuck up," Guiren grunted as he finished off yet another bowl of rice and pickles. "Helluva way to become a hero."

The women cleaned away the food and dishes, leaving the tea. Yao then pulled out a small harp and began strumming it gently while Dian laid several scrolls on the table, presenting it to the two young warriors.

"We inquired with our sister Lai in the Iron Eagles and she agreed to give you some copies she had of texts concerning the subjects you were interested in. There are two small scrolls about calligraphy, two more about poetry and this one is a very basic explanation of the principals of geomantic harmony with the land. It talks about the Lóng diànliú ('Dragon Currents') and how to position buildings and shrines around them."

Keung and Guiren frowned as they looked at the contents. "Why are the pictures so funny and why are the characters so big?"

Dian blushed. "It's... actually meant for children, but it's all she had."

Keung sighed. "Feng Shui for dummies, is what you're saying. Well, it'll certainly be enough for the people back home to work with. Any more and their heads would burst."

They discussed what they saw for nearly two hours while Yao played and Dian served tea. Eventually, though, Guiren yawned and stretched, muttering that he was tired.

"C'mon, hero," Yao said, helping him stand and then massaging his knees in case they were numb. "Let's get you back to your tent and give you a rub down before tomorrow's grueling trials."

Guiren nodded to Keung as he left. Keung yawned and stretched before looking over to see Dian removing her clothes, preparing for the nightly ritual they'd agreed on.

Perhaps having a second wife wouldn't be so bad...

---

The grueling drills never happened, though. There was a buzz of activity around the camp and several companies of amazons seemed excited, although no one would tell them what was happening. As the Demons milled about, one could not help but notice that the Angels were mysteriously absent from their duties as slaves.

"What's going on, sergeant?" Keung asked Chun, who was reading a scroll he'd been given by a messenger.

"Seems like there's a bandit or insurgent rebellion happening not too far away," Chun mused. "Looks like the amazons are going to go and teach them a lesson."

"Poor rebels," Keung mused. "That explains where the Hells Angels got off to, the guys've been complaining about having to wash their own-"

"Just shut up, Keung, the sergeant growled. "Important things are happening, you retards being without your servant girls isn't one of them, I promise."

Then horns started blaring and the camp burst into activity. Chun turned and began shouting for the Green Demons to form up immediately. Anyone who moved do slow got a cuff across the ear from him as he cursed and yelled, clearly in earnest. Within two minutes, the men were all lined up in their squads and waiting silently. Across the swards of grass, company after company of the amazons stood at the ready, armour and weapons gleaming in the southern sun.

Soon they saw horses approaching, the lead stallion a brilliant white, clad in scarlet and gold livery. Keung, Guiren and the others could not help but gape. Astride the white horse, a tall, noble woman rode, her short auburn hair gleaming in the sun, her eyes a shining amber-gold like those of an eagle. Across her back was slung a great bow and at her hips sat two gleaming steel chakrams, glittering with jewels in the gilded handgrips.

Lady Sun Shang Xiang, the Bow-Hipped Princess was come.

In her train rode magnificent warriors, wearing burnished armour and carrying deadly straight swords. One in particular caught the eye- a tall, pale maiden, with long hair as golden as the sun and with eyes as blue as the sea. There could be no doubt she was one of the Bailangren, the people of the White Wolf, those terrifying barbarians from the Uttermost West.

Everyone bowed low as Shang Xiang stopped her horse and looked at them. Fu Chin Ran approached, clasping her hand in her fist and bowing with reverence.

"My lady, your warriors await your inspection..." she intoned humbly.

Shang Xiang nodded and pulled her horse around to approach the amazons, riding down the front of the companies, assessing them casually. Once she was finished, she turned her horse back and approached the Green Demons slowly.

Not a single heart wasn't thundering in every chest.

"Good to see you again, Chun," she said from atop her mount, smiling at the sergeant. "I trust the weather isn't too disagreeable to you northerners?"

"My lady," Chun said, bowing low, an action his company followed. "You needn't concern yourselves with us."

"Nonsense, old man," Shang Xiang said cheerfully, her smile bright, almost dazzling. "So these are the heroes of Wang Jou, hm? May I?"

Chun bowed and shuffled aside hastily. Shang Xiang pressed her heels gently into her mount's flanks and it slowly walked forward, her squad staying behind.

"Let me see your eyes, soldiers of the Green Demons!" she commanded as she approached.

She started at one end of the line and rode at a very casual pace down to the other end, her piercing eyes almost too much to endure. Most of the men looked away after less than a second. Everything about her was magnificent. She was like a goddess of war, come to earth.

Keung steeled himself, meeting her gaze and feeling his body trembling as he fought to not avert his eyes. Guiren bit his lip as her gaze passed over him. They both sighed in relief as she made her way down the line, finishing her inspection.

"Sergeant Chun!" she called out as she wheeled her horse around and began riding back to her command squad. She waited patiently while he rushed over and bowed humbly.

"I've already heard about everything that has transpired concerning your company," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear her. She had a strong, musical voice and it carried easily to all assembled. Her charisma and presence were astonishing. "I want then to come along on this little mission to suppress an uprising. They could probably stand to sharpen their teeth on a real foe now."

"My lady," Chun said, bowing. "You do them too great an honour!"

"I know," Shang Xiang replied simply. "All the same, your eaglets could use some wind under their wings. Tie to see if all this training is paying off. Have them ready tomorrow morning at the eight hour."

He bowed again and rushed back to his company, his eyes flashing with urgency.

"Run, you fuck-ups!" he hissed at them. "Run the hell back to your tents and begin mustering your kit and getting ready! Do it now!"

The men all bowed and then dashed for their encampment, still not sure what had happened.

---

Keung was lying on his mattress roll, looking up at the darkness when the flap rustled and opened. Someone came in and snuggled up next to him. He recognized the scent immediately.

"Hey, Lixue," he said quietly. "Ready for tomorrow?"

"I am," she replied. "Will the Demons be?"

"No, but I'm sure we can fake it. As everyone keeps pointing out, we're still pretty raw."

"I just thought you'd want to know that the Demons have been assigned to a formation with our Fifth and Sixth companies," Lixue told him. "That means you'll close to my squad and also the Angels."

"Great," he muttered. "Guardians to make sure we don't get hurt." Then he sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, it's just- it's probably all the bruises and aches talking."

"No it isn't," she chided gently. "And I understand how you feel. But we're not there to protect you, not directly, anyway. We were given no such orders. But Dian and I agreed that you have earned the right to face these foes and test your mettle."

"Meaning..."

Dian smiled in the darkness. "Our foe is a rag-tag force of bandits, marauders and malcontents, probably not numbering more than three thousands. Lady Shang Xiang is taking her entire amazon guard on this mission, meaning the odds are perhaps three-to-one. Hardly a fair fight, we will annihilate them. All I'm saying is that Dian and I agreed to make sure that you and the Demons have a chance to give a good account of yourselves."

"So that the Lady can see we have earned this training." Keung concluded.

"Well, maybe to a degree," Lixue answered. "To be honest, you're hardly going to be her focus. That stunning barbarian warrior, with the yellow hair and blue eyes? Her name is Austuro and she is a daughter of one of the lords of the Bailangren. She was just admitted to our ranks and the Lady no doubt wants to assess her in open battle. That and this may very well be the Lady's last battle with us before she marries Liu Bei and leaves us all."

Keung sighed. "It sounds like you're as devoted to her as we are to Lady Qiao. And I understand why now. The Princess is..."

Lixue nodded. "It is the same with all of the Sun siblings, I assure you. They take your breath away. Just being in their presence is enough to make one speechless. Our mighty lord, Ce, Lord Quan of Wuchang, Lady Shang Xiang, even the youngest, Kuang."

"They inspire devotion without trying." Keung murumred.

Lixue giggled. "Just wait until you meet our lord's daughter, Kai-Ying, then you'll truly know awe and devotion. But yes, Keung, perhaps you now begin to understand a little. We of the amazon guard have fought alongside Lady Shang Xiang and even Sun Ce in the most dreadful battles and we are stronger than you can imagine for it. Their mere presence next to you makes you capable of things not otherwise possible."

She took his cheek in her hand gently and turned his face to hers. "Do not waste this opportunity, you and Guiren. Dian told me about your ambitions, and if you would succeed in them, then do not hold back in this coming fight. I'm not saying be reckless or foolhardy, but I'm saying give it your all. We'll do what we can for you."

She nodded to him and then exited the tent. Keung laid back on his small pillow and sighed. He didn't doubt that Guiren was getting the same pep talk, especially now that he was a squad commander. Danger knocked once again on their door.

No, it was opportunity.

He would be ready.

---

The Demons rushed to keep up with their comrades while still keeping their formation. The enemy had not been at all prepared for the assault, especially given the blinding speed with which the amazons attacked. Their Léidiàn ('Thunderbolt') formation drove deep wedges into the ill-prepared enemy lines and burst it open, with the foremost amazon units rampaging through and giving no heed to the enemy they left behind, because the battle-sisters following up would take care of those.

The company ran in squads, as fast as they could without losing individual unit cohesion. They'd been assigned to the right wing, charged with mopping up any enemy units broken by the initial charge and also preventing any flanking attacks from slowing the amazons down. As promised, the Hells Angels and Iron Lotus warriors fought nearby, slaying the remaining rebels from the broken units.

Guiren had never seen anything like it when the amazons attacked- true, he'd seen Lord Sun Ce at Wang Jou do impossible things, but that was one extraordinary man. Now he was watching as hundreds of women moved with incredible speed and precision, bursting apart the enemy as if they were nothing. Only countless hours, weeks or years of dedication and training could account for such puissance on the battlefield.

And then there'd been a terrifying warcry, one that reached across the battlefield. Lady Shang Xiang led her personal guard into the fray, leaping high overhead like some type of war goddess, pulling her bow off her back and firing off arrows with deadly precision before she even touched the ground. And when she did land, she already had her Wind and Fire Wheels in hand and was cutting bloody swathes through the foe- scarlet ribbons of vitae arcing away from the blades.

Nearby, Captain Fu Chin Ran led another force, her style of fighting swift and brutal. She lacked the Princess' grace but made up for with unnerving strength. Her straight-sword made short work of her foes, cracking open entire enemy units and destroying them mercilessly.

He then saw the barbarian warrior, Austuro, fighting with another squad- her golden hair was pulled back in a long braid and tied at the bottom with an iron spike. She fought with two short swords and was a whirlwind of destruction, like unto the princess, if not quite so effective yet. Her blue ice flashed like ice and her warcry sung of murder and death.

Horns sound and he was snapped from his reverie as another squad called out the approach of an enemy. A large force of rebels, armed with swords, spears and clubs, was charging towards them, shouting and cursing. They numbered close to two hundred. They were little more than a horde, with no formation, but they had momentum and clearly meant to do the Demons harm.

"Form the line!" Sergeant Chun shouted loudly. "Form up on me, two ranks per squad! Prepare to receive the charge! Sixth squad to the right flank, Seventh of the left!"

Guiren shouted for his men to take up their assigned position on the far right while Keung made his way to the left. Though the enemy outnumbered them, they were not spread across a wider front than the Demons, simply coming on headlong in a mad charge. The squads all planted their feet, bell-shaped shields locked and spears leveled.

"From here we have tactical option in spite of their numbers," he thought. "If they try to spread out and get around us, the four outermost squads can refuse the line in order to prevent a flanking maneuver. If they stay concentrated against our center, we can flank them in spite of their numerical superiority!"

He had only one moment to pray fervently and commit his soul to the gods before the enemy hit their line.

And all hell broke loose.

"Push!" Keung yelled as his Seventh squad struggled against the press of foes. They had weathered the shock of the enemy charge and held the line, now they were thrusting with their spears and protecting one another against the frenzied assaults of the rebels. Keung gritted his teeth as a club smashed into his shield and he felt his arm tingling and go numb. He snarled and thrust over his shield and down at an angle, his spear going right through the jugular notch above the man's sternum.

His fellow Seventh Squad warriors fought desperately to hold the foe back. Once the fighting had become general, the foes behind the front line began to spread outward, desperate to get at the defenders. The Demons of the Sixth and Seventh found they could soon be overlapped.

"Sixth and Seventh! Refuse the line!" he heard Chun call out as he fought in the center.

Slowly and carefully, the Sixth and Seventh squads fell back on an oblique angle to their line, extending it and keeping the rebels from getting around. Keung and Guiren anchored the pivot points individually, making sure no gaps in the formation appeared. The tactic worked at holding the enemy for a while, but casualties would soon start to mount. Any time a man in the front rank was injured or fell, the man directly behind him surged forward to plug the hole and keep the for from getting in.

It was a maddening sensation to stay and hold position, when all you wanted to do was throw yourself forward and fight with abandon- anything you could do to relieve the stress of the orders and the anxiety of holding still. Guiren could hear many of the men screaming in frustration as they fought. He felt their desperation and the tightness in his chest. It was more oppressive than simple fear, it was the madness of imminent death and the the need to fight back against that clawing feeling.

Yet they held.

Keung's shield screeched and groaned as a club smashed into it again and the treated and iron-bound wood finally gave way. The shield cracked in half and Keung flung it aside, yelling in fury as he griped his spear with two hands and began fending off his foes like a an possessed. He held his position, waving the deadly point back and forth to keep the rebels at bay, thrusting savagely at any who go too close.

Guiren's men fought on the other flank, holding formation, but Keung began to notice that the enemy was not as concentrated here and their numbers were greater toward the center and left. Only one man had fallen in his squad, leaving him in a strong position. He made a quick decision once he was certain the enemy had no reserves to throw against him.

"First rank hold!" he said urgently. "Second rank, move right and take up an oblique formation!"

The second rank hustled over and formed another part of the line at an angle to the first rank, facing in toward the enemy. They held formation but stabbed and thrust at the enemy from their side, felling several. They were almost uncontested when Guiren gave his next order.

"Carefully now..." he said, panting and ignoring the burning pain of the gash on his forehead. "The entire squad will form an oblique line and then advance toward the foe!"

The enemy was too busy fighting in the center to respond effectively to Guiren's movements and before long he had his whole squad arranged on the flank against the foe. Those closest to the squad on their left assisted in repelling the rebels, careful to never break the line.

"They're breaking through!" Chun shouted. "First through Fifth, retreat!"

The center gave way, falling back before the enemy press. The rebels shouted and poured in, desperate to finish off their foe. The center squads held but fell back steadily, refusing to rout even if they had to retreated. The rebels followed, charging straight into the bottleneck.

"Sixth through Tenth!" Chun shouted. "Now!"

Except on the left flank, where Keung and his men were still fighting furiously against the press of foes, the outlying squads from the center began to turn inward, pressing against the crowded rebels from left and right, with Guiren's unit even managing to close in from the rear. Assaulted on all sides, the enemy began to die in droves as their assault faltered.

Keung leaped forward, spinning his spear around to grab the enemy's attention while the troops of his squad advanced relentlessly. The wild melee swirled around him, almost a separate battle from the engagement in the center. The numbers were about even at this point and he fought desperately to dispatch his foes so they his squad could join the rest of the company.

He swatted aside a sword thrust with his spear and twisted sideways, kicking his for in the chest and knocking him back. He rammed the butt of his weapon backward, into the midriff of a rebel who rushed up behind. The man died as two of his squad mates plunged their spears into his chest.

It was too much and the the rebels opposing him broke. As they fled, Keung and his men turned and charged into the rear of the remaining foes. The enemy was now surrounded and the battle became a slaughter. Chun began frantically to call for order as he watched his troops kill men who had thrown down their weapons and attempted to surrender, but to no avail. The madness of combat was upon them, the need to give vent to the fury they felt.

The need to kill and ensure their existence.

"Hold, dammit!" Guiren yelled angrily, trying to get hold of his men. "Don't kill the ones who are surrendering!" He could hear Keung calling out the same instructions and was relieved to see his men slowly comply, concentrating on those rebels who refused to give up the fight. In spite of the continued fighting, he felt a flood of cold relief wash over him, knowing that they had survived this intense test of their will to triumph.

Keung fought now with a great brute who was wielding an iron-bound club, calling for his comrades to clear the way and not interfere. Dozens of Green Demons got out of the way of the duel and concentrated on capturing the rebels who had surrendered or just watched warily.

The rebel charged in against Keung, knowing his force was defeated and determined to take one more for with him. Keung ducked the savage swing and thrust his spearpoint at the man's face, causing him to dodge frantically. The rebel swung the club down in a great arc and Keung spun out of the way, wincing as he heard the club slam into the ground where he had been.

"Get him, Keung!" Guiren shouted. His friend was joined by the other Demons in cheering for him, urging him to kill his foe.

Chun just watched silently.

Keung swung the spear in a wide arc, feeling the blade slice through his foe's leather armour, tearing long gash in his side. Blood came away with the spearhead and the rebel grunted in pain but did not relent. He swung again, keeping Keung at bay, his eyes flashing angrily. Keung lunged in, stabbing repeatedly at his foe's eyes, causing the man to back up, cursing loudly. He kicked Keung in the midriff and the commander staggered back, wheezing loudly as the edges of his vision went black. He thrust and swung his spear about desperately to discourage pursuit.

He tumbled to one knee. He could hear the shouts of panic from his comrades and saw his foe surge in, determined to finish him.

He spun low and thrust hard, the tip of his spear plunging through his foe's right shoulder. The man collapsed to his knees, eyes wide in shock and dropping his club. Keung stood, glaring at his enemy. His chest heaved as he pinned the rebel, holding him in place. Their eyes met.

"Surrender," he breathed. "Or I'll pin you to the fucking ground and leave you for the scavengers."

The man cried out as Keung twisted the spear in his shoulder and nodded, holding up his uninjured arm in supplication. A cheer went up and two troopers rushed forward and bound the man, helping Keung remove his spear from the prisoner's shoulder. Breathing heavily, he looked around, noting the carnage about him.

Not far away, he also noticed the Hells Angels and the Iron Lotus squads were holding position. He saw Dian and Lixue watching intently and nod to him subtly. He closed his eyes and shook his head to clear it of the fog of battle. Some distance away, horns called out, indicating that victory had been attained. Cheers and whooping war calls went up, echoing across the battlefield.

Keung found Guiren, who clapped his hand on his shoulder, ignoring the gash over his eye that was still bleeding. They broke into laughter and clasped one another's wrists before embracing. The green Demons cheered.

They were still alive.

---

The Demons were recovering in their encampment, their spirits high after their victory in battle. Only seven men had been killed and another eight seriously wounded, but only two of those were expected to not be able to fight again. Thirty had received minor wounds but would recover quickly, including Guiren.

Guiren and Keung sat inside a mess tent, drinking heated wine and ignoring the celebrations going on around them. Sitting with the two commanders were Dian, Lixue, Pao and Bai, joining them in drinking the plum wine. The women smiled at the men, knowing why they were so pensive.

"Trying hard to be upbeat, are you?" Lixue said lightly. "Not working too well?"

"Not really," Guiren admitted. "We scored a victory over a bunch of disorganized rebels and bandits. Big deal."

Pai and Lixue looked at one another for a moment before Pai reached across the table and slapped Guiren lightly across the face. Everyone in the mess tent stopped and stared for a moment before going back to celebrating their victory. Guiren's eyes went wide for only a moment before he sighed and rubbed his cheek.

"Why did I hit you?" Pai asked.

"Because Lady Shang Xiang fought the same foe," he said. "I've no business trivializing her victory by moping about my own."

"Precisely," she agreed. "I wasn't angry or insulted, I just wanted you to adjust your perspective. No victory over a determined enemy should ever be made light of. Your company fought against a foe with superior numbers. You used the tactics you'd been taught effectively and when the enemy threatened to overwhelm you, your nerve held and you adapted accordingly."

Dian nodded. "It's not the greatest victory in history, to be sure," she added. "But for a green unit, it was a worthy one, my friends. None of the dumb luck that succored you at Wang Jou, this was tactics and discipline. You should be proud."

"We almost lost our discipline," Keung murmured. "We began killing our foes who surrendered."

"It happens, Keung." Lixue said softly. "It's not a good thing, but it happens to even more elite units than yours. Hell, some units have no rules about censuring its warriors for killing enemies who surrender. Lady Shang Xiang is ambivalent about it. Your sergeant is a good man, we all respect him great as a former member of the Stone Demons and he has the respect of the Sun family. He will deal with it fairly, I assure you."

"Your victory will be noted," Bai mused, taking another drink. "And both the Angels and the Iron Lotus squads will make sure everyone is aware of it. Take heart, it is the beginning of your journey."

Keung and Guiren both held up their cups, saluting their comrades. Perhaps they were right.

---

The two warriors were walking through the darkness of the amazon camp, having just returned from talking with the Iron Eagles trooper named Lai about the proper arrangement of a town. They were not saying anything, having been rather subdued for the past three days since their participation in the battle against the rebels.

They were walking past the rear of a large tent went Guiren took Keung firmly by the forearm and made him stop. He nodded his head toward the tent and indicated they should be silent. Keung complied and they both hunkered down in the shadows and listened.

"You've had this coming for some time, Chun," said a woman's voice that they recognized as none other than the Princess Shang Xiang's. "Your promotion to Shuzhu (Garrison Commander) is well-deserved. You actually deserve a higher rank, in fact. Are you sure I cannot convince you?"

"My Lady, this humble warrior is thankful for your words, but he is certain of his decision," they heard Chun reply. "The Demons are my charge, I feel it in my heart. Should the day come when it calls me elsewhere, I'll let my commanders know, I assure you."

"Your troops, they did well for themselves," Shang Xiang continued. "I've been told they fought well, though I couldn't witness it for myself."

"Understandable, Princess," Chun answered. "They played their part and even I admit that they did well, a pleasant surprise for me."

They heard the Princess laugh. "As you say. And what of those two warriors of yours? The squad commanders of the Sixth and Seventh? Give me your honest assessment of them, since I've already heard from my own commanders."

Chun was silent for several seconds before he responded. "My lady, if those two morons to do not get themselves killed, I think they will make not only excellent warriors but damned fine officers. They have a long way to go, but the seeds of adequacy can be found in them. Perhaps it falls to me to nurture that."

"Will you be promoting them?" she asked.

"Not immediately," Chun said. "I'll probably make Keung my executive corporal, but they both still have a lot to learn. I don't want them to get ahead of themselves."

"And what of their intentions that my commanders told me about?"

"You're referring to their tiny village that wants them to become nobility and bring them out of obscurity," he mused. "From what they've told me, the people of Pei have ridiculous expectations of them. If we're bing assigned to the region anyway, we might as well give the people some hope of a future of their own making."

Keung had heard enough and stood up, walking away from the tent rapidly, followed by Guiren. They didn't talk until they'd returned to the mess tent set up in the Green Demon's area. They sat down at one of the long tables and Guiren drew a deep breath and sighed.

"Didn't expect that," he murmured. "D'you ever worry we're getting in over our heads?"

"Constantly," Keung replied. "But I just keep telling myself that my destiny is more than just settling for life in a backwards little bumpkin town. Mei's worth it, so's Lin. The effort is worth it."

"Even if that means nearly getting ourselves killed constantly." Guiren added. "Well, congratulations on your upcoming promotion."

"Dunno why he chose me over you," Keung muttered. "You're the one who got to turn their flank while I was bogged down in a fight. You used that oblique tactic perfectly."

"He chose you because my side of the battle saw less fighting, so using that tactic was easy." Guiren pointed out. "You held your men together against greater odds and still won. That's leadership. You deserve it."

"Well let's get some sleep," Keung said finally. "I somehow doubt the next few days are gonna be easy on us."

---

As predicted, the last few days of training were tough and unrelenting. The Angels had returned to their duties servicing the Demons, although Dian and Pao spent most of their time with Keung and Guiren now, bathing them, tending to their injuries and also teaching them everything they could that fell outside the scope of their training.

When their training was complete, the Demons were given their new orders, with Chun acting as garrison commander. They were to relieve the company that had been on garrison duty in the far west for nearly three years, along with three other companies. The Demons would be stationed near Pei. Guiren and Keung were uncertain of how they felt about this. .

"It still feels like a set-up to me somehow," Guiren grumbled as they loaded their gear into the wagons. "I know I should be thankful to be closer to home, but I'm becoming more and more convinced our townsfolk are crazy, the more time I spend around other people."

"Fair enough," Keung agreed, slinging packs onto the wagon. "My semi-promotion and your actual promotion will no doubt play well back home."

If the Demons had been hoping for another inspection by and perhaps high words of praise from either the Bow-Hipped Princess or her captain, they were disappointed, since they had both returned to the capital of Fujian. Two units of the amazons did remain behind, however, the Angels and the Iron Lotus. Lixue and Bai approached the two warriors, smiling as they presented them with small satchels.

"We packed you some special lunches, courtesy of our company's cook," Bai said, smiling as she handed the parcel to Guiren. "It's not much, but hopefully it's enough to remember us by."

"You've been a big help," Keung replied, grinning at Lixue as he took the gift from her. "We're in no danger of forgetting you."

"Well, just to make sure..." Lixue said in a sultry voice as she pulled him to her. The Green Demons looking on all hooted and cheered as Lixue and Bai kissed the two men suddenly, much to the shock of Guiren and Keung. When they finally let them go, both men just stood there, looking amazed. The two women winked, turned and walked away, waving their goodbyes.

Keung gazed at Guiren, who made a wry face. "Last oath is still good," he muttered. "My hand still stings anyway..."

---

The long road home remained pleasingly dull. When they were not marching or on guard duty, they sat together in the back of one of the wagons, going over the scrolls they'd been given or eating the food Lixue and Bai had presented.

They also couldn't help but notice that there were two sealed scrolls, one marked to Lin and the other to Mei. They knew better than to open them but were understandably paranoid about what they contained.

Six weeks later, they arrived in Pei to great excitement. The entire town, informed by outriders that a garrison was coming to be stationed nearby, all bowed low when the Green Demons approached, marching in an orderly fashion. Keung and Guiren couldn't help but notice the look on the faces of their fiancees and their parents when they entered the village.

The Demons all waited silently while a messenger read a scroll aloud, announcing the Sun family's presence in the region and their intentions. Garrison Commander Chun now announced that not only would his company be guarding the region but also helping to facilitate improvements around the town to meet its needs and help it join the other settlements of Wu in prosperity.

Keung and Guiren gave the scrolls they'd brought to the village elder for safe keeping while the other Demons eagerly availed themselves of the little towns facilities. Several seemed to find admiring girlfriends rather quickly. Lin and Mei hugged their men tight and dragged them off to their little houses, which had been so empty of late.

"I read the scroll you gave me," Lin said to Keung as she lay snuggled into him, tracing a finger down his bare chest. "Seems like you have an admirer or two."

He blushed. "I doubt it's anything that grand. Those women are extraordinary warriors who just felt the need to compliment our meager efforts."

"Is that so?" Lin mused, smirking. "Is that why she told me that if I ever feel like you are in need of a second wife I should contact her?"

Keung's eyes widened. "What?!"

---

The Demons camped outside Pei for the next week, acting as labour for the town's improvement projects, directed by Keung and Guiren. There were, of course, initial protests from the people of Pei about some of the change they would need to make.

"Look, you're the ones who whined at Guiren and I to find out about these things," Keung shot back as he addressed them in the town square. "If you don't like it, there's no obligation on your part to please the gods, not on the part of Baifu, anyway. And people are not obligated to come here and admire how much we haven't done, to come and spend their money and make Pei successful. Your choice. I did my part."

They grudgingly agreed to the proposals and began to realign the town in accordance with proper feng shui principals. With the help of the Demons, work progressed quickly. The garrison commander was busy overseeing the construction of a permanent camp not far away. Guiren was overseeing the construction of a new ancestral shrine when Chun approached him.

"Appoint some people you consider competent to look after these projects, because we have new orders."

Keung joined them and asked what was happening.

"We've been ordered to move out immediately," Chun said, looking grim. "We're heading back to Baifu..."

---

Author's Notes: Big chapter, I know, but one I had fun writing. I enjoy thinking about what to do with Keung and Guiren, since they are not superhuman like the Dynasty Warriors crew and require a different hand. Their trials and tribulations are much simpler, their desires having a more attainable feel to them.

One of the problems with writing a period piece like this is trying to make some of the cultural norms they represent seem acceptable without sounding misogynistic. Girls as slaves? Second wives as a norm? How does one write these things without sounding like a chauvanist or like it's some type of hormonal fantasy? I've allowed Quan to have at least two wives, one of whom is the amazing Lian Shi and people don't seem too bothered by it.

Granted, right now Keung and Guiren are in no position to handle second wives, but I also don't want their celibacy while on campaign to feel forced. Availing themselves of sing-song girls or courtesans would not be frowned upon at all. And since I already have two dynamo couples in Ce and Da plus Zhou Yu and Xiao, I'm not feeling a big need to add another set. This isn't exactly a self-gratuitous fic, after all.

I'm also trying to not promote them too quickly either. There needs to be some progression, of course, but finding the right balance for where I plan to have the story going is key. Make sure you tell me if you think I'm missing it or if I'm far off.

Keep your stick on the ice!

- Management