BATTLE OF BAYOU
Just before Ouki and Sei Chou crossed blades…
GEN POU POV
From atop his strategist tower, Gen Pou overlooked the entire battlefield. His focus was at its maximum as he saw Sei Chou lead the vanguard into the Qin army; Ouki had been drawn out as a result of the Vice General's action. Now, Gen Pou also looked to get involved, but he waited for the right time, right place, and the right people. That was why he stayed silent and continued to scan the battlefield, looking for openings that would be most damaging to the Qin.
"Old man, if you take so long, you will be left with nothing to do." A young, playful voice reached his ears, and Gen Pou looked down to see the closed-eyed smile of Rinko beaming at him. Irritation flared inside Gen Pou, but he let it simmer instead, choosing to lecture his fellow heavenly King, "Kyou and Ouki are posing something of a challenge… I can not use simple tricks, but now that you are here, I am sure that if you follow my plan, we will open up a chink in their army."
Gen Pou could read where this battle was going; his years on the battlefield helped him in reading the hints. Already from the outset, both Vice Generals were going at each other's throats; Gen Pou deduced that the Commanders in Chief were only moments from doing the same as well. Then everyone would throw their whole troops in to compensate, and this battle would be primarily focused on whose offence was strongest.
This was, of course, what his Lord Ren Pa wanted, and it just so happened that Kyou was not a defensive commander. "What are you thinking?" Rinko asked. Gen Pou turned back to the Qin army in front of him; the three Generals Kyou led it, only one of whom was unknown to Gen Pou. "Test their defensive formation, however you see fit, Rinko."
Rinko nodded and rode ahead, though Gen Pou hated the younger man's laid-back and careless manner. Gen Pou had also taught the boy strategy since he was barely able to walk; he also knew that Rinko mainly liked to face off against opponents he deemed worthy. So when Gen Pou heard Rinko whisper, "Worthy foes." He knew his former student was not going to take his task seriously.
Still sitting in his strategist tower, Gen Pou focused on the movement of Rinko's troops; all of the infantry moved back to form rectangular formations, while the cavalry moved forward before turning 360 degrees. From there, they continuously picked up speed; the hooves of thousands of horses trampling the earth sounded like the beating of a drum. Gen Pou allowed a faint, proud smile at the tactic Rinko had created. "My Lord, Gen Pou, the name of the Qin General Lord Rinko is going to target is called Bu Kou." One of his cavalrymen announced to him, but Gen Pou clicked his tongue. "Now you have spoiled the fun! Dammit! Don't report every little thing!" Gen Pou rightfully scolded the cavalryman.
Though he saw that the Qin General was not completely brainless like many others who had witnessed the Rindou tactic for the first time, they usually would empty the centre of their formation, but this Sa Mei was trying to reinforce the centre of his troops. Yet, it was proving too much of a challenge for him; as the first of Rinko's cavalry started to make contact, the Qin troops naturally went with the flow of momentum. That was one of the strong points of the Rindou and the other…
Gen Pou saw the troops still going in circles; squinting, he saw the flags of Rinko moving closer to the top, but then the circle broke, and two lines speared directly into the now-shaken defences of the Qin; the impact was devastatingly brutal. This view also brought the opportunity Gen Pou wanted; with 15,000 troops, he moved out using the cover of Rinko's attack as a disguise.
"This feeling of being able to butcher your opponent with only your mind… It cannot be found anywhere else." Gen Pou said as his troops headed diagonally across the battlefield towards one of the other Kyou Generals.
GEN POV DONE
QIN SIDE POV
General Bu Kou had watched as the Zhao troops ran in circles. At first he was confused, but once he noticed the circles coming closer and closer, it made him realise the danger of the Zhao tactic. Quickly, he ordered his troops to form up around him, but it was too late, and the Zhao momentum had already built up to a point that it could not be stopped as they started to attack the troops in the first rows of the formation.
His troops could do nothing more than try to dodge the attacks and attack back, but there was a consequence to that which meant breaking the formation and emptying the centre. To his right and left were the experienced Generals Den Ko and Sa Mei; both men had been following Great General Kyou for much longer than him. He also had the least amount of troops, so it only made sense as to why the Zhao would attack him; that was also why Bu Kou was so calm as he watched Rinko lead a charge towards him.
He knew this was all going according to plan; it was a risky gamble, but they needed to draw out two of Ren Pa's Heavenly Kings and eliminate them as quickly as possible to give Great General Kyou the best possible advantage before she entered the fray. None of the 3 Generals under Kyou was stupid enough to think their Great General would not fight on the front lines.
So while Rinko led his troops in a charge towards Bu Kou, Sa Mei from one flank and Den Kou from the other looked to box in the Zhao army and create a killing encirclement that left only one way out; it was a solid plan. However, just as Sa Mei was moving, finishing his own part in the trap and with his troops just about to attack, the Kyou army General spotted something unexpected.
"General! It's the Gen Pou army!"
Zhao troops under the command of Gen Pou had shown up from completely nowhere, and the Sa Mei soldiers were caught off guard. All plans to crush Rinko were dismissed as General Sa Mei ordered his troops, "Turn and face, men! Turn and face! Incoming cavalry!" The 15,000 troops of Gen Pou smashed into the unprepared Sa Mei army; it didn't take long before Sa Mei was completely overwhelmed.
At the centre, Rinko cut a bloody path right towards General Bu Kou. The Bu Kou army could scarcely believe there was a tactic that could get a person to their target so quickly. "W-what speed!" A cavalryman under Bu Kou said with alarm, positioning himself in front of General Bu Kou.
"Dammit! General Bu Kou, you must fall back!"
"Yes, fall back and regroup. I am sure Generals Sa Mei and Den Kou are acting with haste as I say these words!" Another soldier tried to persuade their General, but Bu Kou's mind was made up.
'Both Den Kou and Sa Mei are not here… The plan has failed.' Bu Kou knew it at that moment, and as his eyes went to the smirking face of Rinko, his thoughts were cemented. 'His troops are very powerful… But it seems they are feeding off his own actions.' Bu Kou could see that with each kill of cavalrymen, the troops following Rinko grew more bloodthirsty; it made his own blood curdle.
'Dear me… There's no other choice for me than to meet this man head-on…' Bu Kou kicked his horse into a gallop, and readied himself for combat. His horse raced towards Rinko; the General's cape he wore moved in the wind. A mighty war cry left him as he gripped his glaive with two hands and executed the best swing of his life.
His swing was fast and precise, taking his whole body and momentum with him. He ended up behind Rinko; he wanted to turn, but his body was still for a moment. A single line on his neck felt cold; he felt the cold air breeze against the line. There was no pain.
Psschitt!!
Blood sprayed out of the opened neck of General Bu Kou; his head tilted backwards, looking up to the heavens as he fell back, dead.
….
DEN KOU POV
On the other side of Sa Mei was the Den Kou army, and while being on opposite flanks, he was faring no better than Sa Mei and the Sa Mei army, because in front of him was a butcher who was cutting and cleaving deep swathes into his troops. Like Sa Mei, Gyou'un and his troops had practically appeared from thin air. But they were so much more devastating than the Gen Pou army, as the morale of the Gyou'un troops was high and their General was personally leading the charge against Den Kou.
Seeing the flow of the battle, Den Kou's face twisted into a displeased frown as he'd had enough of the Gyou'un running rampant against his troops. Den Kou was a veteran of many battles, firstly under Ouki before he transferred to the Kyou army on Ouki's recommendation. At the start, he'd only seen it as his duty to Ouki to see that Kyou be protected, but more and more she continued to exceed his own expectations of her, and now she stood on the conquest of her 100th city.
"A damned Zhao army stands in my Great General's way!" It vexed him more than anything, raising his massive spiked mace. Den Kou raced towards Gyou'un, swinging his mace and brutally crushing the first few cavalrymen who came his way. Again and again he swung his mace with vigour and the weight of a man who was fighting for his Great General; heads were crushed while bodies were pulverised.
Den Kou went on a rampage, and the Den Kou army, who saw their General fighting so valiantly, felt emboldened to fight on.
*CLANG!!!!*
A loud clang sounded as two warriors locked weapons; their horses stamped and trampled the earth below, trying to gain an advantage for their riders. However, both warriors were completely even.
Though in the very back of Den Kou's mind something tried to grab his attention, he dismissed it and shoved Gyou'un back. "RAGHHH!!" He shouted as he looked to continue to pressure Gyou'un with a strike of his mace, and then another, and then a third, on and on and on… Den Kou kept attacking, trying to go faster and with more power, but Gyou'un was matching him every step of the way.
Once again, something in the back of his mind shouted at him, but he dismissed it once more as he looked to deliver an overhand downward strike on Gyou'un, only to meet a swift backhand swipe from the glaive of Gyou'un. The air seemed to shoot outwards every time the two made contact, the power of both warriors more than enough to cause shockwaves.
The backhand swipe of Gyou'un was enough to send Den Kou careening backwards; his eyes widened in surprise at the strength that had just come back at him. "You've become more powerful since the last time we faced off, Gyou'un!" Den Kou shouted towards his opponent as he stabilised himself.
"It seems so, though your might has not slackened either," Gyou'un replied; the two stared at each other for a moment. Before they renewed their duel, charging at one another with a fury, Den Kou felt his mace crash against the flat of Gyou'un's glaive and be directed off-centre, causing him to jolt to the side.
As he looked to recentre himself, he felt his mind scream at him once more and this time he allowed himself to listen… but it was too late. Den Kou's eyes glanced towards Gyou'un and widened in shock and horror as he saw the glaive's blade coming directly for his eyes.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl for Den Kou; he saw his life in his mind's eye. The first time he had fought beside Lord Ouki, then the first time he had met Kyou and then his surprise at her might when she took her first city. He saw the promise he made to Ouki as he knelt and saw on his own life to keep Kyou safe.
'Is this how my life concludes?' Den Kou asked himself. As the blade of Gyou'un came dangerously closer, he felt a surge of strength enter his body, and acted.
DEN KOU POV END