InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Honer Duel ❯ the past and the present ( Chapter 1 )

A Soldiers Story

Zhou Liang stood straight in his turquoise armor ready for war. This war would decide every thing for Zhou Liang; it also decided which kingdom would unite ancient China under one rule. Zhou Liang had lots on his mind at this very moment and he found himself surprised that none of his thoughts were on the battle.

1 month ago Zhou Liang was standing in the kingdom of Shu on the coastal northern part of China. He was standing behind his supreme leader Cao Cao's podium high above the kingdom. He was about to address his kingdom on a very important issue. So far Cao Cao had not shown up.

Zhou Liang had already been standing there for an hour already and his legs were tired and sweat glistened on his short beard and mustache. He shot a glance at the other supreme war commanders on his left. There were only 4 of them including Zhou Liang. Cao Cao's other war commanders where making sure that all the towns folk watch. Zhang Liang stared at Zhang Fei, the officer closest to him. He had the face of a child with a long beard; he had brown eyes and was not in the best shape but he had great skill with a spear. If he was tired he was not showing it. Lu Bu had his multi-colored battle armor he had the face of a warrior and was medium build. He had no facial hair and his hair was short. His weapon of choice was the Halberd as was Zhou Liang's. His skills where much more evolved compared to Zhou Liang's. Lu Bu's eyes said everything about him and by the way he looked at the crowed, the way he looked through them not at them Zhou Liang made a discovery that he was okay. Last but not least was the second in command Dian Wei. He was a monster, his muscles were huge and his head was tiny compared to his body. There was not a trace of hair on him. He was wearing long silk pants with no chest armor; his muscles were his armor. This monster was never tired.

An hour later Cao Cao showed up and was ready to address his kingdom. He went on and on about how their kingdom's rivals could attack at any time from over the western mountains. Zhou Liang was pretty sure that it was another "Join the army" campaign until taxes got involved and that is when Zhou Liang started to pay more attention. Cao Cao was talking about heavy taxes to fund the fortification of the walls around the kingdom. Then the crowd below screamed words and hate for the speech. Zhou Liang caught a glimpse at Cao Cao and saw that his eye twitching and he knew he was definitely mad. "Above that who ever doesn't pay those taxes will be executed by my supreme commanders," Cao Cao shouted looking at the men standing behind him. Zhou Liang nearly swallowed his heart and ran to Cao Cao," Sir with all do respect I can NOT do that." Cao Cao turned and said, " Don't worry about, it if they know what is good for them they will pay." Cao Cao hurried off and the other supreme generals liked their lips.

Zhou Liang sat on his saddle reminiscing on how his life turned rotten in one month. He now considers himself as the biggest hypocrite in China. He now had only one thing to fight for and she was the only reason for him to kill again.

Two weeks after the speech people started to disappear from the kingdom and it was the talk of the kingdom. Zhou Liang was thankful for not being sure that the people had just left on their own.

The next day Zhou Liang received a scroll from Cao Cao when he had awoken in his room of the palace. He knew what it said before he had opened it. Zhou Liang needed to kill a citizen.

Their was one thing funny weird about Zhou Liang and that was that he did not like to kill. He had only been in one war and had killed 100 men. After the first one he knew that as soon as his sword tasted blood it would not be his way. He had trained all his life for this and then when he tried it for real he did nit like it was a weird feeling for him. He just thought it would get better as he got use to it but after 100 kills he never wanted to have blood on his hands again. If he could turn back time he would have stopped at one. Now after he had accomplished a great deed to his kingdom he was promoted to supreme commander. Killing was now Zhou Liang's job.

He had left the palace under the cover of night with Zhang Fei. They moved silently though the night thought city blocks and roof tops so they would not be seen. Stealth was everything to this job. Not a word could be spoken until they reached their destination. Zhou Liang could smell blood already. Zhang Fei had reach the unlucky citizen's house minutes before Zhou Liang. Zhou Liang thought he might be lucky because the dirty work might be done by the time he got there, but he was sadly mistaken. The citizen was a beautiful young woman close to Zhou Liang's age. When Zhou Liang first saw her he knew in his gut he was in love and could never hurt her. Zhang Fei on the other hand was already pushing her down and swinging his spear around the dark light room where she been sleeping moments ago. Zhou Liang could not take it. He gripped his halberd and swung it so the cold metal blade was right next to Zhang Fei's neck." Put the spear down or you shall die," Zhou Liang bellowed with rage. " Zhou Liang, you are a fool this was a test of Cao Cao's and you just failed," laughed Zhang Fei showing no fear to Zhou Liang's blade. "You are removed from the army and are now a simple peasant. You are removed from the kingdom. If you are a peasant now, Zhou Liang, it is punishable by death" Zhang Fei smiled. Zhang Fei parried with his spear causing Zhou Liang to stumble. Zhang Fei's spear sticks end caught Zhou Liang in the chin. Zhou Liang fell out the door. Zhou Liang landed on his back, but still had his halberd in hand. Zhang Fei grew tired at Zhou Liang's lose of skill so he jumped up for the killing blow. Zhou Liang bought his halberd to bear and caught Zhang Fei in the stomach and impaled him. Blood squirted from the wound and on Zhou Liang's face and he felt like puking.

Zhou Liang returned to the house to check on the girl. They talked for about twenty minutes. He found out her name was Zhen Ji but after that it was mostly Zhou Liang was comforting her. She helped him with the blood on his face with a wet cloth. At the end of the conversation was all about what the plan was for them because now Cao Cao

Wanted both of them dead. They had only one thing to do and they might still end up dead.

Cao Cao woke up in his lavish bed and opened up his window so he could hear the talk of the missing people from that night's killings. Dian Wei and Lu Bu had been successful with their own killings. It was a not long though that they had found the body of Zhang Fei in the out of the kingdom half barred. This did not make Cao Cao angry though he already had plans for this to happen. He also knew that Zhou Liang would fall in love with the girl he had sent her to kill. It was just a simple test to see his loyalty all of Cao Cao's supreme commanders had been but through it. They had all been sent to kill a defenseless citizen. Dian Wei had even killed his own family for Cao Cao, and now look at him; he was now in second in command. He could now never trust Zhou Liang and if he could not trust them Cao Cao made sure they died.

Zhou Liang was leading Zhen Ji through the mountains to the Cao Cao's rival kingdom of Wu. That was the only place in China they where safe.

They were not sure the ruler of that kingdom would trust them.

Dian Wei and Lu Bu chased the renegade Zhou Liang on horse back as Cao Cao had ordered them to. They never liked Zhou Liang because he was weak. He was a soldier but he hated killing. He was a joke to them.

Zhou Liang heard the sound of horses behind him he began to panic because he knew Zhen Ji could not fight. The sound was growing louder. Zhou Liang said " Zhen Ji, I am thirsty why don't you go get some water find some water and I will set up camp" try to hide the rush in his voice. Zhen Ji looked at him oddly and walked off. Zhou Liang saw her go off and turned in a 90-degree circle with his halberd ready. Lu Bu revealed himself with his hoarse on a rope behind him. Lu Bu walked leisurely and tied his hoarse to a tree slowly. Suddenly with a quick turn Lu Bu swung His halberd and nailed Zhou Liang in the arm. Blood gushed from the wound. Zhou Liang dropped his halberd and was forced use his feet to dodge Lu Bu's assault. Lu Bu was mad because he was not making successful blows and that was when he put all his power into 1 blow with the stick of his halberd. He successfully hit Zhou Liang in the head knock him down but broke the head of the halberd off. He then walked away leaving Zhou Liang on the ground next to the head of the halberd. Lu Bu was going to grab Zhou Liang's halberd from the ground. Zhou Liang had to hurry and do something. He then realized the halberd's head was next to him. He picked it up and chucked it at Lu Bu's back. It nailed him and Lu Bu fell to the ground lifeless.

Dian Wei saw this little bought and was interested in this. It was now his turn to fight.

Zhou Liang could hear the sounds of evil laughing behind him. He did not turn around; he knew what was behind him. He removed his halberd from Lu Bu's death grip. He knew he could not get close to Dian Wei so with the halberd in his good hand he trough it into the bushes and he knew he hit him because blood squirted out of the bushes.

Dian Wei was mad even though it had only nicked him nobody on this earth caused him pain. He picked up a huge rock and through it with all his might.

It hit Zhou Liang right in the stomach and collapsed in pain. Dian Wei moved in closer and started to wail on the fallen hero.

Zhen Ji returned with the news of the water only to see a monster pounding on Zhou Liang. She picked up a rock a started to run at the monster. She tripped over a long stick during her sprint, but it was not just any stick it was Zhou Liang's halberd. She exchanged the rock for the halberd and charged.

Zhou Liang had to kill to repay the favor of Zhen Ji and save her life. He had to win this war so Sun Quan would allow him access to his kingdom. He had to be a hypocrite and fight against Cao Cao not for Sun Quan but for Zhen Ji. "I only have to kill one more time," he said and he meant it. Zhou Liang charged into battle for one last time, for Zhen Ji.

THE

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