Chapter XXI

Shadowed Heroes

It's Shiro…it's been a long, hard month since Kori's attack. There's been no sign from Aoi…I'm beginning to realize how serious war is…Aoi had to learn it the hard way, like I have to, now. But, he came back before, right? He can do it again, right?

Liu Bei's forces continued to march. It was silent aside from the galloping footsteps of horses. Aka, Shiro, Kori, and De all rode in the front lines.

Aka sighed, and thought of Aoi's words. Not once had he ever wondered what would happen if Aoi died on them. It was, in fact, more devastating to lose the head, than the arm.

Aka looked over to Kori, who, very apparently, had been taking this hardest of all. Shiro had tried hardest to comfort Kori, while De had been mostly protecting her. Aka had been trying to stand strong. Aoi once said if anything happened to him, to take over. Aka had never considered himself much of a leader, but Aoi trusted him a lot. Aka sighed, as this was one of the most silent days in a long time.

After camp was made, Liu Bei called a meeting to attack Mt. Dingjun.

Among the meeting were Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, Aka Usagi, Kuan De, Shiro Inazuma, Kori Kaze, Huang Zhong, and Zhao Yun. They surrounded a table of a battlefield, with plastic figurines of horses and infantry, along with colored blocks representing generals.

"Wei will concentrate mainly on their front gates," said Zhuge Liang, "but nonetheless we should begin an attack there. Zhang Fei will lead a force of three thousand men to that gate."

Kori was staring to her side, ignoring them. Shiro was also very low in terms of morale. De and Aka tried to pay attention, but were very mindful of Kori and Aoi.

Zhuge Liang pushed an orange block along with an infantry figurine towards the gate.

"Meanwhile," he continued, "Zhao Yun will lead the front attack force and go around the mountain, and Huang Zhong will guard the right. Lord Shiro Inazuma will guard the left, Aka Usagi and Kori Kaze will take the rear."

Zhuge Liang begun moving the blocks, when Aka's fists clenched in fury. Aka stood up fast and slammed his fist into the table, breaking it.

"DAMMIT MAN, CAN'T YOU SEE THEY'RE IN NO CONDITION TO FIGHT?! AOI IS DEAD! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?!" shouted Aka. "I won't allow them to fight like this, and neither would Aoi. Zhang Fei will take the left, De and I will take the rear."

Shiro looked at Aka surprisingly, but Kori made no motion whatsoever. Aka sat back down, and Zhuge Liang returned to his orders.

"Liu Bei will be with the main force, consisting of no less than one-hundred thousand." Said Zhuge Liang.

It was a battle in the dark night, illuminated only by the bright stars of the beautiful sky. Aka, again, remembered the words of his late friend, Aoi Kitsune. He rode up to the side and looked at the soldiers. Some tried to hide their fear, while others trembled. Aka rode back next to Kuan De.

"Hey De…are you ever afraid before going to battle?" asked Aka.

"Every battle we faced together I feared for my life…but as long as my blade is in my hand, it assures me succession." Said De.

Zhang Fei's forces rode uphill to the front gates. Xiahou Yuan ran atop the gate.

"Archers, fire!" shouted Xiahou Yuan.

Arrows rained from the sky, but Zhang Fei's forces endured. Spearmen charged from the gates and assaulted Zhang Fei's forces. Zhang Fei laughed and cut through them with his fabled pike, Viper.

The spearmen stopped coming, and the gate was left open. Archers hid all around the gate in spots, not visible from outside the gate. Zhang Fei's forces begun moving towards it, but Zhang Fei stopped. He turned to one of his men and took his sword, and threw it past the gate. One arrow fired at it. Xiahou Yuan blinked and shut the gates quickly.

Zhang Fei began turning back to join the approaching main force. A messenger ran hastily to Xiahou Yuan.

"My lord, the main force is approaching from around the mountain!" said the messenger.

Xiahou Yuan smirked and took out his blade.

"Great, I could use some exercise!" said Xiahou Yuan.

"Sir?" asked the messenger.

Xiahou Yuan walked down to see Zhang He wounded from his previous battle.

"Zhang He, I'm going to wait outside and fight them off. Watch the camp." Said Xiahou Yuan.

Zhang He nodded in response. Xiahou Yuan mounted his horse and sheathed his blade. He took his bow out and attached two quivers to his horse, then charged, along with a cavalry of one thousand five hundred and five hundred cavalry archers.

The Shu army was puzzled but attacked nonetheless. Xiahou Yuan and his archers fired a barrage of arrows into the front lines, but Shu broke through. Zhao Yun led his men through the arrows and they took down the archers. Zhao Yun watched as several mounted soldiers charged him. He charged on his white horse and used his spearmen and swordsmen to attack the horses. Xiahou Yuan's forces were being decimated. He dismounted and charged the ranks. He feigned movement to the right, but zigzagged to the left and back right, cutting them down. He crouched and spun, upper-cutting his blade through a soldier, then slashed around him, taking out the surrounding men. He continued to cut down soldier after soldier, without breaking a sweat.

"I AM XIAHOU YUAN!" shouted Xiahou Yuan. "MY BLADE WILL BE THE LAST THING YOU SEE!"

Shu soldiers begun pulling back. Huang Zhong saw Shu soldiers running towards him, and he narrowed his eyes.

Huang Zhong charged forward, and saw Xiahou Yuan tearing soldiers up. He pulled an arrow from his bow and fired, and it landed just in front of Yuan's face, threateningly.

Xiahou Yuan looked to his right and saw Huang Zhong ride towards him. Xiahou Yuan rolled over and hacked at the horse. Huang Zhong pulled his horse's reign, and it leaped over. Zhong stopped his horse, and dismounted. He pulled out his curved, sharpened blade. The two stared each other off, and charged. They both slashed at each other and got into a saber lock. Huang Zhong pushed but Xiahou Yuan kicked him back and stabbed at him. Huang Zhong ducked on one knee and leg swiped Xiahou Yuan. Yuan jumped over the swipe and kicked Huang Zhong over. Zhong rolled back to his feet and readied himself. He discarded his bow and charged again.

It had begun raining lightly, but the mud begun appearing rather quickly. Huang Zhong slashed down at Xiahou Yuan twice, pulled his blade back and stabbed at Yuan. Yuan spun along the side of the blade and cut down Zhong's shoulder blade to his chest. Huang Zhong stood back and put his blade forward.

"Huang Zhong, you are sure you can guard this force?" asked Zhuge Liang. "Even with your elderly stature?"

Huang Zhong blinked, he had to win, or he would be degraded. Zhong charged through the mud as the rain increased. He hit Xiahou Yuan's blade hard to the left and cut across his chest to the right. He pulled the blade downward and cut diagonally to the left, but Xiahou Yuan dodged and slashed Zhong's back. Huang Zhong fell to his knees, and coughed blood. He used his blade to stand up and slashed at Yuan, who dodged and cut his back again. Huang Zhong fell to the ground. Xiahou Yuan begun walking past him, but Huang Zhong slowly stood up again, blood trickling from his lower lip to his gray beard.

Xiahou Yuan turned and ran at Huang Zhong. He viciously attacked Huang Zhong's blade till it was pushed aside, and he cut across Huang Zhong's stomach. Zhong again fell into the mud. Xiahou Yuan backed away, and watched. Just as about he was going to turn, Huang Zhong, again, stood to his feet.

"I…am Huang Zhong! I will not be…defeated!" said Huang Zhong, panting.

Huang Zhong ran at Xiahou Yuan and got into a saber lock. Zhong held the blunt back-end of the blade and pushed, but Xiahou Yuan took advantage of Zhong's fatigue and got the better of him. He pressed Huang Zhong back and kicked him hard to the ground. Xiahou Yuan sheathed his blade and pulled out his bow, and walked over to the grounded Tiger General, who saw his dismissed weapon next to him.

Huang Zhong was leaning on one knee for support. Xiahou Yuan pulled an arrow from his quiver, and aimed at Huang Zhong's head.

"Say your prayers, old man." Said Xiahou Yuan.

He fired the arrow…it was all so fast. Huang Zhong drifted to the left and the arrow hit his right thigh. He grabbed his bow quickly, and pulled the arrow from his thigh, and fired it…

Xiahou Yuan fell to the ground with an arrow to his neck. His blade fell from his grasp…he was dead.

Zhao Yun's forces finished off the cavalry, and Zhao Yun rushed to Huang Zhong's side.

"Once a war god…always a war god…" said Huang Zhong, smiling. Huang Zhong was brought to medical support, and Zhang He was forced into a retreat.

"Let it be known to this day, Xiahou Yuan was slain by Huang Zhong!" said Huang Zhong, gleefully.