Post by Liu Zhang on Apr 13, 2012 18:32:10 GMT -5
We Were Never Built to Last
Jiyu called out in rage, his voice immediately swallowed up in the sea of screams and the sounds of men dying. He loosed his arrow and it, too, was swallowed up, by the darkness of the moonless night, by the flesh of another. Jiyu was a plump man, a result of his (until very recently) easy life. He was of little use with a blade, perhaps a match for an awkward youth, but he had always enjoyed archery. He was no expert, old man Heng could outshoot him any day; however, he could most certainly hit a target so large as the swarms of treacherous assholes down below him.
Wang Lei was to his right, slaying a man as he nearly mounted the wall. Qin Min was behind them directing to supplies to where they were needed most upon the ramparts. Perhaps most importantly, Huang Quan was seeing to that evil bastard of a ram. "The oil has been heated!" Quan called out to the men handling the boiled pots, and motioned them to douse the ram and the men below with it. The going was rough for those carrying the oil. It was sloshing, and many of those carrying the large cauldrons dropped them because of burns they received. But others would appear where those fell off and eventually a few of the iron containers of death unleashed their fury on the men below.
No one was unaware of when the oil struck its target. The screams were terrible, deafening -- beautiful. Let them scream, those damned fools. Let them know the price of betrayal. "Qin Mi, now! Bring forth the arrows!" Qin Mi shouted his acknowledgement of the order and soon there were quivers filled with arrows made for burning. Around the heads were cloths soaked in fish oil, capable of burning throughout the arrow's flight and more than capable of starting a fire at the arrow's destination. This ram will trouble us no more.
Jiyu brought an arrow to rest above a brazier on the wall and once it caught fire, he aimed at the rather large target that was the now oil soaked ram. He loosed, and so did several others from behind and about him. Their flight left trails in the air and then they landed home. At first there was little reaction, but as more arrows landed, the beast began to burn. The once dark night was now lit up, a great blaze was now before the walls of Chengdu.
"Their ram is finished! Now let us send those who would try and take our home to the hells they have earned for themselves!" The enemy was stalling all around, they could not gain any progress on the walls. They would appear upon he wall and they would be slain in quick order. The north gate and wall was secure for the moment. But why is this going so well for us? It is not like Zhuge Liang or Fa Zheng to be so careless. What is their plan?!
Jiyu craned around to observe his other gatehouses. He could see the fires from the braziers and torches and the shadows of men still engaging in melee at the eastern and western ones, but they, too, seemed to be calming down. As expected, the southern gatehouse was peaceful, but it was still vigilantly manned. This assault is over -- it has failed. Or this is an extremely evil ploy by Liu Bei. Then again, that would not be surprising. . . These countless men wouldn't be the first he has sacrificed to get what he has wanted.
Jiyu looked back upon the enemy beneath him. There were fewer than when they had arrived, and they were faltering, obviously. "Don't let up, kill them all!" He shouted as he once again picked up his bow. He had been firing for what seemed like hours, and his soft flesh had torn and his blood slicked his bowstring. But that would not stop him. He would teach them all this lesson. He pulled back his bowstring and it dug into his open flesh. He winced, but he kept steady aim and released the arrow. He did not know if it hit home, but it didn't matter, he would fire until he was out of arrows, or his city had fallen.
He notched another arrow, and just then, a horn sounded, and the drums beat for a retreat. Jiyu was enraged then. All of the death, what was it for? Why would they attack just to retreat? They should have known how large their losses were going to be, they should have had some other plan. They should have known. "They should not have attacked, fools. Who could have ordered this assault?" He dropped the bow and stared out at the fleeing enemy. The sun was threatening to rise in the east.
Huang Quan approached his lord and paced a and on his shoulder. "My lord, the enemy will be outside of our range soon. A tight watch shall be kept on the enemy's movements. You should get your hand seen to and then get some rest. The sun will be up soon." Jiyu looked down at his blood-soaked hand and nodded in silent agreement with his general. "See that the Po's come and meet with me in the palace, Youzai, too. Your presence would be enjoyed as well, Gongheng." The man bowed low and gave a quick "Yes sir!" before finding messengers to send to the Po's and Dong He.
Jiyu looked at all of the dead and wounded on the walls and shook his head. Too many, too many died for this assault. Though he wanted to run, he made himself look out over the walls; he made himself look at his dead enemies. The moans of the dying still carried up through the air. The sounds, the smells, the sight, all of it made him ill. Jiyu wanted nothing more than to collapse in a heap and sob until he could find no more tears to shed. But he could not do that. His men were all about him, some cheering at their brief victory, many just as tired and morose as he was.
He thought to say something, to make a grand speech, but it was a worthless endeavor. They would all die within this city one way or another. There was simply no chance that they could turn back Liu Bei -- he had all of their territory. Chengdu was the jewel of the Southwest, but it was by no means impregnable, and it was certainly not self-sustaining. Jiyu turned away from the death below him, observing all the faces staring at him. He shook his head and offered a small, sad smile.
"You have all fought well, and you have defended your homes and families. We lost too many, but the enemy has lost many and more than that. I must go confer with my advisors on what course of action we shall take next. You will receive your orders soon. Until then, enjoy the rest you have all more than earned." Jiyu nodded and moved toward the stairs as his men responded to his words. Some with praise, some with cheers, and other with dying breaths and moans of pain and sorrow. Jiyu bore all of their lives as a burden, one that wore him down into nothingness. He chuckled then as he made his way down the many stairs toward his palace. "And I don't even have the luxury of that."
Oh, what I would give for the peace of nothingness.