Fighting Uphill

Notes: WIP; look at the previous chapter's notes! Writing as I post and loving to write I am not so good at characterising both Ling Tong and Gan Ning yet but things get exciting!

As Ling Tong and Gan Ning revealed details of the battle, Lu Xun's eyes widened with each new titbit of information. That Zhuge Liang had been on the enemy ranks and how easily the enemy had defeated both Zhang Liao and Gan Ning with ease were things he could not take to so easily, but the fact that Wu had been defeated, even with plenty of their best warriors in the fray, said something.

Curiously, he wondered if - Maybe, he concluded silently.

Lu Xun threaded his fingers together and leaned on his hand, a position that indicated he was thinking and thinking hard. For the silence in the room, he understood both Ling Tong and Gan Ning were awaiting his orders - even as he was the youngest, he also held the highest rank amongst the three of them and the others who were at Lu Xun's side in Yue. And if they should need to go up against Zhuge Liang again, it was Lu Xun who held the only chance of defeating the famed strategist.

But if Zhou Yu had fallen... If Zhou Yu and Lu Su and Lu Meng had fallen... Lu Xun didn't like the low chances he knew he had of gaining a victory against the Sleeping Dragon.

Orochi – the name of the enemy leader was not one familiar, but Lu Xun could only guess as to what that man or demon truly was, from the looks of the enemy troops. They had not been human, with scaly bodies, and Ling Tong had sworn that he heard them make the sound of snakes. Orochi, the Snake Demon Lord, had somehow got Zhuge Liang on his side. Orochi had defeated Wu and captured their lords, marching onwards towards their next victim. It was only through luck and skill that both Ling Tong and Gan Ning were here now, alive. Injured, but still alive.

"So, Lu Xun, what do we do now?" Gan Ning asked, his voice barely a whisper as a soldier started to wrap bandages around the wounds on his body. On the other side of the table, Ling Tong was trying not to wince as another soldier did the same for him. "You're not going to let that demon get away-"

"Shut up, Gan Ning," Ling Tong hissed, "Boyan's thinking."

"What's there to think about?" Gan Ning retorted, "We ride to rescue our lord and claim our victory against those bastards."

"Oh, I'm sure we-"

"We can't." Lu Xun wanted to look away from the two pair of eyes that looked at him questioningly but he could not flinch. Again, he said, "We can't."

"What do you mean 'we can't', boy?" Gan Ning's voice was cold as steel.

"Boyan..." Even Ling Tong looked at him doubtfully now.

"From what I've heard of their army, even with my troops, there is no chance for us to successfully conquer them in a battle, not even with strategies," Lu Xun explained. He met their gazes levelly. "Even if we do catch them off-guard, the two of you are wounded and tired from your previous fight and the morale of my troops is already low from even being here at Hefei. Too many men have died here today and all we know of the enemy cannot even fill half a scroll."

"...and so we leave our lords to die?"

"No!" Lu Xun glared at his comrades. "I- That is not what I mean. What use are we if we were to die trying to save them? Who else but us can save them if we do not survive here? As much as I would love to march to fight against Orochi, right now we have to concentrate on the survivors, and on keeping our morale high."

"Boyan, what if our lords are killed while we wait here?"

He closed his eyes and leaned onto the back of his chair, considering. The one thread of thought he had since Ling Tong and Gan Ning had explained to him how the battle had fared came to the front of his mind again. "They are alive," Lu Xun said, and he was sure of it. "Orochi did not kill the two of you and you said that the rest were taken prisoners instead of being slain on the spot. Our lords are most likely... being forced to work for Orochi."

"What?" The cries of the two officers came in unison.

"I do not believe that Master Kongming has reason to work for Orochi, if Orochi seeks to destroy this world... If we assume that he is being forced to work, then the chances that our comrades are safe are very strong."

"And what if you are-" Ling Tong started, but stopped. "I understand, Boyan," he said.

Gan Ning sighed loudly. "Suppose there's nothing we can do now." He pulled his hand away and flexed it, grimacing in the pain.

"Please take this time to rest and recover," Lu Xun said, standing up. "Master Xingba, Master Gongji, I leave this tent for yourselves." As he made his way to the entrance of the tent, he heard Ling Tong grumble about having to share a tent with the former pirate of all people; for once that evening, Lu Xun allowed himself a tiny smile and left. The night breeze cooled his face as he tried to control the shaking of his hands - the shaking that both Ling Tong and Gan Ning had clearly seen.

I'm sorry, Master Ziming, Lu Xun whispered inwardly, hoping his apologies would reach his mentor in his sleep - wherever Lu Meng was. This is, I think, the best course of action for now.

He hoped sincerely with all his heart that it really was.