Dragon's Soul: An End's Beginning

by Tony Tran

  Had they continued they Zhang’s army would have had been completely surrounded and most likely would not even have a chance at survival.

  “Brace for impact!!” Lu Xun yelled as he raised his sword into the air.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  Sounds of banging against shields echoed through the fort. The soldiers cringed at the sound of screeching of nail scraping against metal as the corpses clawed away at their shields.

  “KILL!!!” Zhang screamed as he jumped over the row of soldiers and wildly swung his halberd around. Everything in his path was cut to pieces but despite having many of their limbs severed the corpses continued to move. With each slash and cut the corpse's black colored blood sprayed about.

  “Hmph I’ll cut off all your limbs and then we’ll see if you can still attack.” Zhang said as he began dismantling the moving corpses.

  As he hacked away at the corpses that was when he remembered something. If these were indeed zombies, then if he chopped off their heads then they would stop moving.

  However, when he hacked off the head of one of the corpses it still continued moving.

  “You’re kidding me….” Zhang cursed to himself. But he realized even if they could move without a head then as long as he chopped off all of their limbs on top of severing the head then they would not pose a threat to his soldiers.

  “Charge!! Hack off the arms, legs and head!!!!!” Zhang commanded.

  “Yes my lord!!” The soldiers responded as the shield men bashed the corpses back with their shields and began rushing forward.

  The soldiers of Aurora were trained to be able to cooperate with each other to the best of their ability. So as the shield men moved forward with swords in hand the spearmen helped them keep the corpses at bay using the length of the spears.

  Shield men would hack away while using their shields to fend off attacks while spearmen stabbed their spears into the corpses and pushed them back.

  Lu Xun and Sun Ce joined the battle and quickly made their way toward Zhang. Lu Xun showed that he was extremely skilled in combat when he incapacitated the corpses with a few simple swings of his sword. Whereas Sun Ce overwhelmed the corpses with his powerful strikes. These two mowed down all in their path just like Zhang.

  “My lord fall back let us handle this.” Lu Xun beaconed for Zhang.

  But Zhang completely ignored him and continued hacking away at the corpses.

  Although they were able to change the flow of the battle in their favor there was no end to the sea of corpses that kept coming in through the fallen section of the walls.

  That was when Ai yelled, “Everyone get back!”

  Ai could be seen ascending into the sky using the Black Thorn whip to propel herself up. Then with a somersault she whipped downward while increasing the size of the whip.

  BOOOM!!!

  She had increased the whip to its maximum size and used its weight to crush a large portion of the corpses inside the fort.

  “Move the lines forward!!” Zhang ordered.

  “If possible we just leave the fort and break out of the encirclement.” Zhang thought. Although they could hold back the army of corpses now soon his soldiers will start feeling the fatigue of fighting an extended battle.

  “Those in the back row begin readying the horses we will break out of the encirclement when a chance appears!” Zhang yelled.

  Zhang’s soldiers pressed on and hacked away at the corpses. They managed to push all the way back to the opening in the wall. During the course of the battle the clouds had parted and the rays from the moon once more shone down. Thanks to this visibility was greatly increased.

  “Lu Xun have our men in the front lines swap with those in the middle.” Zhang ordered. He could see some of his men growing tired from the battle.

  As Zhang looked around he could see one soldier had gone too far out and was surrounded. If he did not do anything then most likely the man would be mauled to death so Zhang sprang into action. Skillfully weaving his way through the sea of corpses Zhang made his way to the isolated soldier.

  The isolated soldier despite trying very hard to fall back was not able to. The corpses clawed away at his shiny black armor leaving numerous scratch marks on the armor.

  “Stay back! Stay back!” The soldier screamed as he swung his sword wildly trying to break free. While swinging wildly the soldier could feel his sword strike into a hard object. When he tried to pull his sword back it did not budge and was stuck. The sword had hit bone and was caught.

  “Fuck! Com loose!” The soldier cursed as he tried to free his blade before the corpses swarmed him.

  That was when something pulled his leg causing him to lose his balance and fall onto the hard ground. The soldier watched with panic stricken eyes as the dead began clawing at him and tried to rip him apart.

  One particular corpse had a large odd looking worm sticking out of its eye socket. This particular corpse moved closer and closer toward the fallen soldier.

  But before it could do anything a shining blade could be seen swinging upward cleaving the thing’s head and sending it flying into the distance. As the blade struck the soldier could see the odd looking worm retract inside.

  “Are you alright!!?” A voice rang out as a hand appeared pulling the soldier to his feet.

  “Ye-yes my lord. Thank you for saving me.” The soldier said gratefully.

  “Fallback to the rear line and get some rest!” Zhang yelled as he opened a path.

  That was when a voice could be heard in the distance. “My lord!!! The horses are ready!!”

  Zhang’s plan was to get all of the corpses to concentrate in one location and then he could light the fort on fire and have his soldiers retreat by knocking down the wall on the opposite end of the fort.

  But this was easier said than done. if they left up the offensive for even a moment then they would be overrun. Zhang definitely didn’t want to sacrifice any of his men to secure an escape route for himself.

  “It’s time for me to show you I can be of use.” Ling murmured as she climbed up the walls and began conjuring her essence.

  Soon small blobs of water began appearing around her and the clouds above began spiraling downward. Ling was channeling water from the clouds and the air for her use. Soon a huge pool of water could be seen gathering above her head.

  “Water Dragon’s Fury!” Ling yelled as the huge pool of water began turning into the shape of a long serpentine dragon. Under Ling’s control was a dragon made of water.

  Woosh!

  The water dragon came crashing down from above. The force from the impact of the water and earth alone was able to knock back many of the corpses, and to follow up on that the waves of water washed them away even further.

  Seeing an opportunity Zhang yelled, “Everyone finish them and quickly head to the horses!! Grab as much food as you can!”

  While the soldiers were preparing to fall back Zhang ran toward the wall where Ling was.

  “Jump down! I’ll catch you!” He yelled as held his hands out.

  Moments later Ling jumped and her clothes fluttered as she descended into Zhang’s embrace.

  After which he carried her like a princess to join the retreating soldiers.

  On the other side of the fort the wall was being knocked down to create a way out. Once the walls were knocked down by the soldiers with a bit of help from Ai thousands of horses charged out.

  Due to the congregation of corpses on the other side of fort this side was relatively clear.

  “My lord where are we headed now?” Sun Ce yelled as he saw Zhang riding with Ling on top of his inferno wind walker as Yuying and Ai closing in from behind.

  “We are going to Black Wind city! If we can get there we can hold out behind its walls.” Zhang said. They did not have the option of leaving the Black Wind Province due to most if not all of their supplies being left behind as they hurriedly tried to escape.

  The trip over the mountains would take too long and without enough
supplies they would be marching to their deaths. So their best course of action was to head toward the capital city and hope they don’t run into anymore undead.

  Once they were there could replenish their supplies and perhaps find help.

  “Everyone move north!!!” Sun Ce yelled.

  Since there were not enough horses, Zhang’s soldiers had to travel with two or three men on a horse. Their added weight had made the horse’s speed drop.

  As they rode away from the fort, Zhang turned back as Ling held onto the reigns. In his hand he had a bow and arrow. On the tip of the arrow there was a flickering flame and once Zhang released it, the arrow plunged into the wooden log wall of the fort.

  Chapter 61: Savior

  Although wary from battle, Zhang’s men were vigilant as they galloped through a road that cut through the forest.

  “Quicker! We can't fall behind from the rest of the army or else we might run into those things!” A soldier yelled. They had been riding on the path for hours without rest.

  The soldiers were constantly looking around hoping to not spot any of their pursuers. But every rustle behind a bush or every snap of a branch would add to their fear.

  If they were caught in the forest, they would be surrounded and killed but that was not the end of it. Perhaps, like the women in the village at the foot of the mountain, they would join the ranks of the undead.

  In front of the army while on top of his mount, Zhang was discussing with his generals on what their next course of action would be.

  “My lord it isn't possible for us to continue riding directly to Black Wind City. Our horses will give out before then.” Sun Ce said.

  “But if they manage to surround us out here, we would not stand a chance.”, Lu Xun commented.

  “Once we find a large enough clearing, have the men and horses take a short rest. We can't stay in one place for too long, so every often, we will have a short break. Also we will slow down our pace a bit.” Zhang said.

  Yuying, Ai and Ling were currently inside the magical carriage since it was the safest place they possible could be.

  “Sis you don’t know what those thing are?”, Ai asked while looking at Yuying.

  “They could be a number of things. There are numerous types of undead. But I know they aren't Jiangshi or else we would have been wiped out by now.”, Yuying said.

  “If I can examine one up close, then perhaps, I can figure out what they are.”, Yuying added.

  Ling could be seen peaking her head out of the window of the carriage.

  A while later, the army found a large opening on the side of the road to rest. A few of the horse had foam coming out their mouths. Had the army continued any longer, then these horses would have died from exhaustion.

  However, before anyone could catch their breath a soldier heard rustling sounds coming from behind a bush.

  “Who goes there!”, he yelled as he drew his sword out of its scabbard.

  Hearing the soldier yell, all of the soldiers around him quickly drew their swords. Soon, a small mob of soldiers gathered with weapons ready. Being an army of fifty thousand meant it did not take too long for lots of soldiers to gather in one place.

  “Don’t attack!!”, a timid voice sounded from behind the bush.

  “Walk out here slowly!”, the soldiers yelled.

  Moments later, a young lady walked out from behind the bush with her hands up in the air. Following behind her were a pair of children roughly around the ages of six to eight. One being a boy and the other being a girl. From their appearance they seemed to be common villagers.

  Seeing the two children, the soldiers were a bit taken aback. They were constantly reminded of the words that the dying woman had said. The soldiers who were present when the woman had mentioned her final words had told their comrades and her words had spread through the out army.

  “Stay back! Don't come any closer!” A soldier yelled out while pointing his sword in the direction of the young lady and two children.

  “State your business!”

  “Ple-please help us. Our village is being overran by the undead. The other villagers are currently trying to fend off the undead. Please help us.”, the young lady said in a frightened tone.

  Before the soldier could reply, the bush behind the young lady and children began to rustle again and a corpse appeared. Seeing this, the two children cried and quickly ran toward the young lady.

  That instant, the soldiers charged and hacked the corpse to pieces. But of course many more corpses began appearing from behind the bush.

  “Protect these three and take them to our lord! And get more men over here!!”, a soldier yelled.

  Moments later Zhang could be seen rushing toward where his soldiers were engaging the undead. The three beauties along with the young lady and two children could be seen a bit away.

  “Kill!!” He yelled as arrived at the scene.

  Zhang’s halberd plunged into one of the corpses as he lifted it up into the air. With the corpse still stuck to it Zhang stuck the shaft of the halberd into the ground.

  The Slaughterer blade appeared in his hand along with a large Lightning Eater scale shield. With a swing of his arm he bashed his shield into a corpse knocking it to the ground.

  “Stay together! There aren't that many of them this time! Zhang yelled as he continued swinging his blood red sword.

  Thankfully this time they only ran into a small group of undead and were able to quickly dismember them.

  “Where is your village.” Zhang said while looking at the young lady.

  “Your lordship our village is in that direction.” The young lady replied while pointing toward the direction that she came from.

  “You go tell generals Lu Xun and Sun Ce to prepare to continue the march toward Black Wind city. Tell them I'll be taking a small group of soldiers with me and we will keep in contact through flares.” Zhang said to a soldier by him.

  “Yes my lord.” The soldier shouted as he ran off to look for Sun Ce and Lu Xun.

  “You men come with me.” Zhang ordered his soldiers.

  “Yes my lord!” The soldiers yelled as the gathered up.

  “Can you two stay here with a Yuying? Then move out with the rest of the army?” Zhang said to Ai and Ling while looking at Yuying who was looking at the corpse he had stuck to his halberd.

  “Stay safe.” Ling said while Ai nodded.

  “Lead the way.” Zhang said to the young lady. Although he wanted to tell the young lady to leave the two children with his soldiers but from the looks of it they wouldn't be willing to be separated.

  “Ye-yes this way.” The young woman said while holding hands with the two small children.

  Zhang walked beside the young lady to make sure that nothing jumps out on her while they make their way to her village.

  Since the village was located a bit into the forest neither Zhang nor the soldiers he took with him could ride horses. Meaning they have to set out on foot.

  “All of you stick close together and be on alert.” Zhang said to his soldiers.

  While traveling through the forest the worst thing that could possibly happen was to be separated from the group. Especially when undead could pop out at any moment.

  As they continued through the forest Zhang asked, “what’s your name and the two kids.”

  However, before the young lady could respond one of the kids spoke. The little boy said, “big sisters name is Ha Rin, and our names are Ha Yin and Ha Mei.” First pointing to himself and then the little girl beside him.

  “So you three are siblings I take it.” Zhang said.

  “Yes my lord we are siblings.” Ha Rin replied.

  After chatting a bit Zhang asked, “How much further until we reach the village?”

  “It should just be over that small hill over there.” Ha Rin replied as she pointed into the distance.

  Moments later they walked up the hill. On the other side of the hill there was a small village that was being surrounded by
the dead. From the hill Zhang could see some lit torches inside the village which could mean that there were still survivors inside.

  “Stick close to me.” Zhang said to the three siblings as he began descending the hill.

  Once they descended the hill they in front of them were hundreds of undead who were slowly walking toward the village.

  Zhang signaled for his men to move out with a wave of his hand.

  Without uttering a sound his soldiers moved in and quickly dismembered the corpses. First they went for the head, then the arms and legs.