~Oh Day of Fate and Loss~Under sun and sky, holding ground through bitter winds thunderous winds, the banners of Wu stood tall above the mighty siege army. Spanning across vast fields, the army led by the Conqueror of Wu broke camp, leaving behind their fears and anxiety, bringing with them only their swords and bravery. The siege would last many days, but the men of Wu were prepared to fight a year-long battle. This was not a simple invasion. This was Xu Chang, the Wei capital. Here is where the emperor once sat. Here, only a few hundred feet from the horse of Sun Ce, is where the Conqueror of Wu held the Tiger of Jiang Dong as his father’s life fell from him.
The days were identical. The sun beat down with violent heat as the winds caused the viewers’ eyes to dry out. Sun Ce stood with an army outside the walls of the city while Sun Jian went to the palace with a small escort, under the pretense of peace. He remembered what had been going through his mind on that day. He remembered feeling so small beneath the magnificent walls of the imperial city of Xu Chang. He remembered how superb he thought the city was. This day, however, he did not feel small, and he felt no superior presence by being beneath these walls. He hated this city, and soon these gigantic walls would crumble like a weak rock beneath his iron boot. Today, the size of these walls were of no matter, for no matter how tall they stood, Sun Ce would stand taller above them, and watch as the city they protected burned.
It had been a long year since this exact moment. Sun Ce looked up to see banners rising and archers file to the walls, swarming around and concentrating on the location of Wu’s army. But they were many paces away, and would not be in distance of archer fire for a long while. It was ridiculous, Sun Ce thought, how much had happened since his father’s death. He had conquered Jiang Dong over again with the help of men like Zhou Yu, Lu Meng and Taishi Ci. He had pledged his love to Da Qiao, who would become his wife soon. Zen had become a premier power, while Liu Bei took Yizhou and sealed the country into four powerful deities. Sun Ce could not believe that all this had elapsed with time that should not have been taken before avenging his father.
No longer would the days and nights go by with Sun Jian’s cold tomb along the Chang Jiang lie still. Today, and by the conclusion of this battle, it would be vivid and flowers will grow prosperous as Sun Jian’s soul is truly… finally… but to peace. With the city of Xu Chang, the birthplace of the chaos of the land and the instrument of Sun Jian’s fall, torn completely asunder, Wu’s revenge would be complete.
The war drums beat fast, growing louder and louder. Sun Ce’s muscles tensed up, gritting his teeth and clinching his fists, he could not wait for the moment of their army’s ascendance of the walls. They would tear them down, conquer them, and from there, they would demolish the city from the outside in. They would destroy Xu Chang as simple as a child destroying a fort of sticks. Sun Ce, at the head of his army, turned to see Zhou Yu. He could not smile at his old friend, he only pierced a serious gaze into his eyes, nodding to him and halting his army. The King of Wu rode a few steps ahead, spurred his horse around, and cocked his head back.
“Brilliant,” He said, shouting for all who could see him to also hear him, “Unwavering. Under the heavens, there is no greater an army to dismantle the enemies of the Han. Under the heavens, I see no more worthy men to ride with. To stand next to in times of crisis, when arrows cascade around us like rain on a grey day. To fight next to with bravery and honor, blood splattering every way. Under the heavens… I pray that the gods can shed what little mercy they’d dare give to our enemies, for they will require much more then their own might to hold back this army that stands before them
“They will require the presence of the gods, a celestial sword of thunder and might to tear down upon us. But they will receive no such aid, as they are cowards and they are without honor. Cao Pi thinks himself a god, and for this, he shall never bask in their glory. When he dies with the setting sun upon this battle, he shall descend the earth into fire and rock, and his soul shall forever be banished for the crimes of he and his father.”
Sun Ce rode down his ranks, scanning the eyes of his men.
“You are strong, my brothers. I look upon you, eye to eye, and I fear you. I feel your gaze… and I feel your hatred. I feel your strength, your valor that you hide. I feel this and know that you shalt not uncover it until you are beneath the walls of Xu Chang, and only then will Wei feel it. And when they feel it… oh shall they fear you like I do now. For when we scale their walls and dismantle them stone by stone, and when we slaughter their men atop and brutally toss their tattered bodies from this life to the next, they will be face to face with their sins. And when they stand at the abyss of purgatory, they will realize only too late who they crossed, and how little a chance they truly stood against the godly steel of your blades.”
Sun Ce turned his horse around, slowly riding back down the lines, back toward Zhou Yu and his generals, and past them.
“So clearly do I remember that day! Yes, many of you soldiers were there as well. Many of you fought along my side. Do you remember, my brothers!? Do you remember the feeling that pierced your veins when you heard the deceit of our enemy? Do you remember the ghostly dagger that twisted at your heart the moment you saw our beloved King my father fallen in the palace of Xu Chang? I ask you! Do you remember the might at which your gripped your sword? Do you remember how you grunted as you swung it, or how satisfied you were to bask in the blood of the traitors you killed? Do you remember that day as I do? Does it haunt your nights and disturb your days? Do you relive its terror in your dreams as I do?
“Then I say stand with me! Take your blades with the same vigor you did that day, and right the wrongs of the daunted past! I wept that day, but this day my eyes are dry. This day I fight, and the arid steel that forms my blade will be drenched in crimson as I pierce the hearts and lock the heads of all who stand against me. We have fought long, a full year has passed since my revenge has been planned. We fought strong this year, and here we stand, at the peak of our vision. Such a shame it would be if our struggles were to be all for naught.
“I have no more words for you, my brothers. You know what must be done and you feel the same as I do. Fear does not bind me but my hatred is the spur that pricks the side of my ambition. Join me today, and join me tomorrow, and join me for the coming days it takes to flatten this eye-sore that stands so tall among the horizon. Join with me and avenge the fallen Tiger of Jiang Dong!”
A roar sounded from the distance, tens of thousands shouting in an outcry of mixed emotions, each of which drove them to grasp their swords and painfully awaiten the moment they could be put to use. That moment would not be much longer. Sun Ce waved his sword ahead, and as his horse picked up speed toward the walls, thousands of men around him trailed him.
The battle ahead was expected to be grand. But the men of Wei on the walls and the men of Wu beneath them had no idea the spectacular event that was only minutes from forming before their very eyes.
Sun Ce rode closer and closer, looking up to the walls to see, among thousands of archers, a grand usher of soldiers. At their center was a man who stood with honor, a spear standing next to him. As Sun Ce’s army drew in, the bold defender left his post at the wall, and as Sun Ce’s army got into range, the enemy archers did not fire down upon them. As soon as Bofu was about the begin the siege, he was halted at the sound of the southern gate opening.
Bofu looked to the opening leading into the city, cocking his brow in curiosity. A unit of what could be no more then one hundred began to march out, and at the head was the bold general who abandoned his post atop the wall. Sun Ce’s heart began to sink. Could it be? He gazed over the general’s armor, a faded silver scaled plate over crimson battle robes. He stared at the helmet, a tall helm that matched the silver armor with a long crimson plume falling down the warrior’s back. In his right hand was a thick spear, long, with a mighty blade at the end. Sun Ce recognized this warrior, as every one of his men did, and Sun Ce could not move. The general aimed his spear ahead, beckoning an opponent forth. Sun Ce, though brave and a well-known mighty warrior, dared not answer. A long moment passed before Sun Ce heard from behind him.
“Brother…”
Sun Ce turned around to see his younger brother next to him. Sun Yuan Ci, the mighty spearman who had flanked him every battle, the mightiest warrior Wu had seen, and perhaps the mightiest warrior to possibly cross blades with the one who challenged Wu beneath the southern gate.
Sun Ce grit his teeth, his eye watering as he looked upon his brother.
“Zhiyun…”
He sighed, looking to ground. He took one last moment before bringing his gaze back to his brother, placing his hand on Zhiyun’s shoulder.
“Never may the honor of you and your deeds be forgot,” He said, Zhiyun knowing he was nearly condemning himself, “And may you forever brandish a strong spear.”
Sun Yuan Ci nodded to his elder brother, boldly turning his head forward and riding ahead. Silver armor enclosed around him, a fine white plume fell from his helmet, and two light spears rest upon his lap. He looked to the general beneath the southern gate, who now stepped forward to a bare arena of dust and dirt. An open plain, nothing to use as an advantage and nowhere to run. Zhiyun looked up to the walls as he now stood almost directly beneath. The archers could easily kill him, but they stood and watched. This was a fight between two mighty generals, and honor surrounded the arena.
“Brave warrior, what is your name?”
“My name,” the challenged warrior said, holding his head high, “Is Sun Zhiyun. I, Sun Yuan Ci, have responded your challenge. I must applaud you. I was told you were a man of honor, despite the man that your loyalty resides. In that regard, you’ve earned my respect. Now, let us cross blades, and my respect for you in that view will either die with you or manifest itself with my death. Ready your spear, Shen Ha. There is no escape from this arena of fate lest death grasp a hold of you.”
“Nothing matters here, my opponent, but you and I. I wait for your first bout.”
Shen Ha spun his spear above his head, and as he brought it down, it was aimed toward Zhiyun, who dismounted his horse and sent it back to Sun Ce. Shen Ha and Sun Yuan Ci in a duel that neither could escape. If the gods were not drawn to the battlefield to gaze at the amazing sequence that took place at Xu Chang yet, they were now.
Sun Yuan Ci took to his feet, picking up his pace with each step, his opponent drawing closer and closer with each step he took. Planting his foot, he shot up to the air, coming down with a mighty thrust of his spear. Shen Ha stepped back, and with finesse, he spun his spear to derail the path of Zhiyun’s strike. He would answer back with a series of thrusts, in which Zhiyun would carefully avoid and parry, slowly stepping back to prevent Shen Ha to close in. He was powerful, and though he took the first bout, he unleashed a mighty offensive immediately after Zhiyun’s advance.
Both these warriors were known for their style. Both could stand a defensive battle and end a duel in one well timed strike at an opening, and both could unleash a fury upon an enemy and overpower them until an opening presented itself through their own strength. But it was not this that made this fight so worth watching. Shen Ha was a mighty tiger, Sun Yuan Ci a wise crane. Shen Ha waved his spear with a ferocity to it as a tiger hunts his prey with a steadfast lack of mercy. Sun Yuan Ci played a careful defense, as a crane would play in the seas. The crane stood still, motionless, and became one with it’s surroundings. Only did it strike when it’s prey came to it. This duel was the Tiger against the Crane.
Sun Yuan Ci’s defense was impeccable as he awaited for his prey to draw in. But Shen Ha’s offensive knew no fault, with a spear in hand and fury in his heart, he was invincible. Zhiyun could not wait for Shen Ha to make a mistake, for if he did, he would soon fall to the mighty striking spear of his opponent. As Shen Ha brought his spear down, Zhiyun crossed his own, sliding the shafts of his own spears up that of Shen Ha’s. As he broke the deadlock, he slashed both spears inward toward Shen Ha’s body, who brilliantly dodged back to evade the strike.
The two took to battle once more, each fighting with a rage of force and spirit. Two invincible generals of colossus talent and ability putting it all on the line, a single slip would be caught immediately. The battle lasted minutes, and soon the helmets of the two warriors were lost, and their hair flew freely in the wind as their sweat splattered across the arena of dirt.
Shen Ha thrust his spear with power to Sun Yuan Ci, who parried with both spears, and fell back. With distance, the two spearmen reared back to prepare for the final bout. Fire in their eyes, fate wielding their blades, and thousands in witness, they charged each other a final time. Shen Ha struck with his blade, and Sun Yuan Ci launched his in an immediate response.
Blood flew across the field, as the sound of armor piercing and flesh tearing could be heard far and wide. From the walls, soldiers stood tall over ramparts, frantically attempting to see what had happened. From Wu’s main force, Sun Ce leaned forward on his horse, squinting his eyes to make out the scene.
One of the two fell to his knees, holding in the grunts of pain to withhold their honor. The victor, seeing this, spared them the pain they did not deserve. Raising their blade, the victor dropped it down to fell his opponent. With the honor and glory of victory, Sun Yuan Ci turned around and began to return to the main force. Sun Ce cheered, and his men responded, waving their blades high in the air. With a mighty shout, Bofu issued the charge. Zhiyun returned to his horse by his brother’s side while Shen Ha’s body was removed from the field Wu now charged upon. Catapults fired upon the walls, and archers lit up the sky with arrows. The unholy Siege of Xu Chang had begun.
Sun Ce’s Forces[/u]
5,000 Gong Jian Bing
4,000 Chu Ke Nu
4,500 Chang Jian Bing
4,000 Qiang Bing
1 Catapult
10 Ladders
2 Siege Towers