“Intention”: War for the Han Frontier sample -- TPMThorne.com

Ma Chao was almost always accompanied by two men that he trusted completely; the first was his cousin Ma Dai, whose abilities were far less impressive, but whose charisma and loyalty were essential; the second was Pang De, a fearsome warrior that some believed to only be matched or bettered by Ma Chao himself. All three of those men were on the battlefield, and Han Sui’s men suspected that their winning streak against Ma Teng was about to be broken.
“Come, worthless dogs, and lend your corpses to my blade!” Ma Chao screamed as he ran his spear through the neck of one of Han Sui’s cavalrymen. “And for the blood of my kin, your master’s head will be mine!”
“He’s too fast!” a cavalryman warned as he saw a colleague try to advance on Ma Chao’s unguarded rear; Ma Chao yanked the heavy spear that he had in his left hand from the body of his last victim, wheeled around with unnerving swiftness and cut down the approaching horseman with a sword that he had quickly drawn with his right hand. Many of Han Sui’s men were astounded and appalled as Ma Chao - now riding his perfectly-trained horse with the reins wound around the handle of his spear - feigned a rightward dash and then moved left, tearing into two more cavalrymen and unseating them in quick succession.
“Ma Chao is not the only man you face!” Pang De cried as he rode toward Ma Chao with six horsemen. “Here is Pang De!”
Ma Dai led the main force to attack the enemy infantry, but Han Sui’s force was already defeated if it was without a proper cavalry to lead a charge; Han Sui’s campaign officer ordered his men to withdraw, and the day belonged to Ma Chao.
“There’s no need for that!” Ma Dai said as Ma Chao - who was frenzied - pursued and cut down a number or Han Sui’s infantry.
“You’re all dead!” Ma Chao screamed as he killed one retreating man after another. “Every one of Han Sui’s dogs will die by my hand! THEN HIS CHILDREN, AND THEN HIM! I’LL DIG UP HIS ANCESTORS AND GRIND THEIR BONES!”

Some of Han Sui’s non-Qiang followers were weeping as they fled; the full-blooded Qiang men - for whom cowardice in the face of an enemy was a crime - turned and tried to fight, but Ma Chao and his allies had an overwhelming advantage and a ferocity that they could not match.
“ALL OF YOU WILL DIE!” Ma Chao cried. “ALL OF YOU!”
“That’s enough!” Ma Dai pleaded as he blocked Ma Chao’s path. “Save your strength! Your father might need us for his battle at-!”
“FATHER HAS LOST HIS NERVE!” Ma Chao replied instinctively. “FATHER IS A COWARD! HE WANTS TO SURRENDER! He… no! NO! THEY MUST ALL DIE!”
“Fine, Cousin, but do they all have to die right now…?” Ma Dai retorted.
Ma Chao glared at Ma Dai, but he could not be angry for long; Ma Dai smiled encouragingly, and Ma Chao started to laugh.
“They can wait!” Ma Chao said as he had his horse trample a dying warrior. “They can have one more day before I kill them to think about their worthlessness!”
“Aiee… what a mess this is,” Pang De said as he looked at the sea of bodies. “Why are we killing each other…? Aren’t we doing the Han’s work for them…?”

<< Main Product Page

<< Previous Page

Next Page >>