“Turmoil”: Battle for the Han Empire sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“These men must have been too enthusiastic for their own good!” Gao Shun said as he charged at the infantry
and ploughed through them, killing four men in his single pass and wounding two others.
“You throw your lives away!” Zhang Liao taunted as he fought a short duel with an outmatched cavalry
captain and cut him down with ease.
“WHO DARES TO SEND SUCH WEAKLINGS TO CHALLENGE THE ‘MAN AMONG MEN’?” Lü Bu proclaimed as he
cut down two more riders and charged at the remaining infantry. “THAT MAN WILL DIE A THOUSAND TIMES FOR INSULTING ME!”
Lü Bu’s control of his large, reddish-brown Arabian horse was close to flawless; man and steed were as one as he moved
this way and that, cutting down the men with such ease that one could be mistaken for thinking that they were not trying to attack
or evade him at all. Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, Wei Xu and the rest of Lü Bu’s rear guard were also impressive as they provided
their reckless commander with support.
“Back! Back to the camp!” one Yan cavalry captain ordered; the decimated pursuit force retreated gladly.
“Your men can go, but you’ll stay here!” Lü Bu cackled as he charged at the fleeing captain
and felled him in a single swipe.
“Aiee… I saw other forces in the distance!” Wei Xu cried.
Gao Shun followed Lü Bu and shouted, “You mustn’t stray too far, my lord! Li Dian is not far
behind these men and-”
“I need none of your prattling! We’re going now!” Lü Bu snapped as he ended his
attack and turned to follow his army.
“…Yes, my lord,” Gao Shun said as he followed Lü Bu once again.
“…Aiee… aiee…! …Bu knows no decency!”
the Yan officer Li Dian complained as he surveyed the scene of Lü Bu’s improvised massacre an hour
later. “There are men cut down as they tried to retreat; these were good men!”
“What now, sir…?” a cavalry captain asked. “He’s almost at the border!”
“…We report back to my brother and ensure that these men are given dignified burials,” Li Dian replied.
“After that… we chase him down until he is dead or, less ideally, in Xu Province. We can’t be careless -
these poor men prove that - but we can’t give up either. Bu has to be dealt with.”
Li Dian’s pursuit would not lead to Lü Bu’s capture or death: Bu’s forces
reached and crossed the border before any more battles could take place. Lü Bu’s forces coalesced and started
to set up a camp at some distance from the Yan-Xu border.
“So here we are… Xu Province,” the former Yan Province official and exiled rebel Wang Kai said needlessly.
“We can only hope that we’ll be well received,” Wang Kai’s colleague and co-conspirator Xu Si said.
“I have lost so many men,” Lü Bu complained. “Do you know that I lost Xue Lan and Li Feng in Chengshi?”
The adviser Chen Gong frowned irritably and said, “Yes.”
“And Qiao Long…?” Lü Bu continued.