Post by Sun Quan on Oct 28, 2009 22:56:09 GMT
Of all the mighty warriors under Sun Quan, only one could be considered his lord's chief bodyguard. Such a task was not an easy one, for Sun Quan had many enemies far and wide; especially now that Chi Bi was done and over with. In fact, if one were to take such a job, they would have to prepare to throw themselves into incredibly dangerous situations and give everything they have into protecting their lord.. even if it meant their life.
Shou Shi could still remember the day he took the job as Sun Quan's personal guard. He'd been an unattached, traveling warrior before all of this- yet one day he wound up under the Wu banner and as Quan's protector.
He soon found out that the young Sun lord was bold in his actions and attracted much attention for that reason. In a way, it made his life more difficult, and annoyed him a bit, but he was his lord.. and sometimes the trouble just came to him because the circumstances of his situation..
Shi slowly drew a fine arrow from his quiver and placed it upon the notch in his bow. He'd done this a million times before, the act of drawing the bow and then firing it was something he had mastered long ago.. yet he still took as much time with each shot as he could- knowing that one's self was their most bitter enemy.
A hundred feet or so away a man slowly walked across a roof, oblivious to the actions of the Wu soldier. The man appeared older, and probably was too tired or just plain too old to care about checking his surroundings. Shou Shi would let this one go, as a younger, more virile man was walking just behind him. The two seemed to be departing after viewing the palace walls for some time. Alas, only one would return.
[green]"What do you think is sharper, boy, an arrow or a sword?"[/green]
The younger Shou Shi thought for quite some time before finally answering his master, [black]"A sword is undoubtedly sharper.."[/black] His master did not relent, he gave him the obvious 'and...?' as if expecting to hear more form his pupil. He knew him well though, as the boy was quick to continue, [black]"Yet neither pale in comparisson to the human spirit, or body. An arrow without man is nothing but a flimsy tipped stick. A sword nothing but a large cast of metal."[/black] His master smiled appropriately, and then offered even more, [green]"Indeed, a man wages war not with weapons, but with himself."[/green] The older man finished his comment with pushing on the spot just above Shou Shi's heart, emphasizing that his true weapon was what was inside.
His master had been a proud man who'd been taught how to fight by his master, and of course would only lead on one pupil as well. Thus, he taught Shou Shi how to utilize both his soul and body in the art of war. He turned the boy into a man, and then into a very dangerous, yet respectable man.
Shi exhaled the air from his lungs, and steadied his hand, a moment later his other let go of the arrow and sent the miniature spear flying across the rooftops. Dangerous he was, indeed. Shi watched it travel, remembering those first few days with his master.. the training. It had all made him what he was today.. the arrow struck the younger target, and cut right through his body. A fatal wound, the man immediately slumped to the ground and began screaming out in pain. Just ahead of him the old man scrambled around to grab his weapon, realizing they were under attack.
A second later the warrior grasped onto the ledge before him and swept his whole body over it, sending himself down upon the small hut beneath him. The cluttered mass of goods spewed forth from in chaotic destruction, yet Shou Shi quickly rolled away from it and began running through the streets, making a B line for the building that had been in question. Truth be told, his men were in the area and laying in wait- yet he was afraid of any backlash made by the gang of thugs that had been in question. They would not be so quiet after being attacked. So it was not to his surprise as he ran past the final building and was in the line of sight of the building's exit that he saw a man coming out with a large butcher knife to a woman's throat. He yelled obscenities at the warrior, pointing the knife to him and then dragging it slowly along the woman's throat.
Without hesitation Shou Shi grasped another arrow from his quiver and then brought it up to his bow. He only aimed for half a second, as that was all the time in the world he had. The man screamed in pain and the woman shrieked as the arrow shot through his left arm, which was carrying the blade. The intensity of the pain quickly made him drop his weapon and forget about the woman, who'd done well to run already half way down the street. With a grunt he drew the arrow from him- yet it was too late as Shou Shi was already upon him, sword drawn. A final cry warned his comrades of their impending doom; Shou Shi had cut him down in one quick sweep of his blade.
Running a leg up, Shou Shi kicked the man's corpse down and off his blade, his eyes already spotting more thugs running inside the building to the back exit. A commotion was coming down the street, but Shi already knew it was his troops who'd finally discovered the position of the thugs by their commander's obvious assault.
Even still, the Chief bodyguard of Sun Quan would not be finished with this. He swung his blade behind him and then began giving chase to the bandits as they made haste down the alley. He rounded a corner and narrowly avoided a large pole axe's onslaught. It was the old man from before!
[black]"Drop your weapon."[/black]
"You will pay for this!"
The old man swung the blade across his body, hoping to catch Shou Shi, yet he was not prepared for the warrior's agility. Shi had managed to duck down to avoid the attack, and then launched himself forward at the man, sword pronged out to end the aging thug's life. Further up his soldiers cut off the other bandits and quickly ended their lives as well.
Coldly, Shou Shi explained to the man how fleeting a cause like his was as death slowly sunk in, [black]"Just like the rest, I have reminded you of how foolish you indeed are, to pick up a blade against Wu."[/black]
"Bastard, you have no idea what you're doing.."
The old man struggled with his words, then again having a sword rammed through your stomach was quite distracting. For the pain was.. exquisite, the worst he'd ever felt in any of his years. It seemed to suck the remaining life from him, sapping both his mind and body of it's power. Blood began to appear instead of his feinting words and Shou Shi decided it was enough. In one smooth, simple motion he drew the blade from the villain and sheathed it, the blood still coating it.
The old man began to lose consciousness and fell to the ground, where he would bleed out and die, choking on his own blood for a few rounds too. Shou Shi stood emotionless, his face as cold as the waters they'd dealt with at Chi Bi.
Well too he'd done on that day to end many lives yet well he'd also done to remember their faces... the ones who were too old, the ones who were too young. Slowly the pain seeped into his mind, the death of this particular man the final drop that made the concoction very real. Pain swelled up in his stomach now.. and a single tear ran down his cheek... what was this?
[black]"Master.. what happens to people when they die?"[/black]
Now it was the time for his master to pause and contemplate an answer to his pupil's question. Looking the boy over, he decided not to sugar coat his answer, [green]"When someone dies.. they swell up inside with fear, and are immediately taken by both the cruelty and severity of the moment. Their whole life flashes before them and if you are close enough, you can see it in their eyes.. how they dull, how the fade, how the gift of life is ripped from their clutches. Their blood spills across the ground, coats your clothes and stings your eyes.. And after all of their wiggling and aimless thrashing, they die and become no more. Their is no place for man after death..."[/green] The boy seemed shocked, yet kept his head high, still starring into his master's eyes.
[green]"Death stops at all of our doors.. I tell you all of this now to prevent the pain from hitting you later in life, when you realize the true evil of man... But this is why we train, this is why we respect the fallen, and this is why we forever respect our friends and our enemy.. You see, their is no other way to live with the pain of committing such vile acts. One must come to agree with it, and understand both the pain it inflicts on them and others.."[/green] The man's words faded for a moment, and he gazed off to a nearby water fall, it's powerful surge rocketing down straight for the ground, and the splintering off and running into the small pond. The droplets shot down into the water, disappearing into the darkness of the pool, the only sign of their existence the ripples that they formed..
[green]"The true act of god is not life.. but our ability to understand the world around us and affect it. Our pain, our struggle, the very waves we create is what gives us our power."[/green]
Shou Shi turned away from the old man and slowly began to walk off from the scene. Behind him a lieutenant spoke of finding stores of gold and treasure in the inn where the thugs had been held up. Also, plans of the palace were found, it was obvious these men were on some sort of mission against Wu. Such an act was punishable by death. Shou Shi had done well to prove this to them.
Several hours later after the events of the day had ended Shou Shi settled down in his room and let the pain settle in. Remembering still the old man, he drew his blade. A long streak of blood had managed to fade itself across the blade, the coating surprisingly thick for how long ago it'd made its mark. Shi continued to look over the weapon while his mind thought endlessly about the sorrow he'd suddenly found when he'd used it earlier. What was it that made him weep? Had he lost his respect? Had he lost his will?
What seemed to scare him the most was his inability to answer these questions. As he further sunk his vision glazed over and suddenly he remembered a tale his master had once told him..
[green]"..Eons ago, there was was a man who's skill in battle was unmatched- and the many lords of the land sought to acquire his talents, yet he simply could not be defeated. He had a plethora of skill; his arrows being the fastest, his reach the longest and his skills the most extensive. For this many sought out the man in combat, but all were left dead by the end of the exchange. Because of this the man one day sought out a life of peace in the mountains, thinking this would end things. Yet his enemies were nothing short of wolves, and wanted the man still. After much deliberation his enemies decided upon a plan to ruin the man, knowing they could never wield him. So, day after day they sent their forces against him, and the warrior, having no other choice, slew each one they sent."
"Yet- after a year of endless fighting, the warrior was finally defeated. Do you know what it was that lead to his death?"[/green]
The boy was stupefied, unsure of where the story was leading to, he fumbled his words, leading his master to continue.
[green]"Killing does well to turn a man into a weapon... and without his heart, there was no tip to his sword."[/green] His master again pointed at the boys heart, his words fading into the air yet being etched into the boy's young mind.
Shou Shi took a cloth and began cleaning his blade, using a small pale of water to aid in his task. Tears streamed down his face, forming little hanging droplets that crashed down into the large bin of water before him. They hit the bottom, making small waves across the water's surface, before disappearing into the bin's depths.
Shou Shi smiled through the pain.
Shou Shi could still remember the day he took the job as Sun Quan's personal guard. He'd been an unattached, traveling warrior before all of this- yet one day he wound up under the Wu banner and as Quan's protector.
He soon found out that the young Sun lord was bold in his actions and attracted much attention for that reason. In a way, it made his life more difficult, and annoyed him a bit, but he was his lord.. and sometimes the trouble just came to him because the circumstances of his situation..
Shi slowly drew a fine arrow from his quiver and placed it upon the notch in his bow. He'd done this a million times before, the act of drawing the bow and then firing it was something he had mastered long ago.. yet he still took as much time with each shot as he could- knowing that one's self was their most bitter enemy.
A hundred feet or so away a man slowly walked across a roof, oblivious to the actions of the Wu soldier. The man appeared older, and probably was too tired or just plain too old to care about checking his surroundings. Shou Shi would let this one go, as a younger, more virile man was walking just behind him. The two seemed to be departing after viewing the palace walls for some time. Alas, only one would return.
[green]"What do you think is sharper, boy, an arrow or a sword?"[/green]
The younger Shou Shi thought for quite some time before finally answering his master, [black]"A sword is undoubtedly sharper.."[/black] His master did not relent, he gave him the obvious 'and...?' as if expecting to hear more form his pupil. He knew him well though, as the boy was quick to continue, [black]"Yet neither pale in comparisson to the human spirit, or body. An arrow without man is nothing but a flimsy tipped stick. A sword nothing but a large cast of metal."[/black] His master smiled appropriately, and then offered even more, [green]"Indeed, a man wages war not with weapons, but with himself."[/green] The older man finished his comment with pushing on the spot just above Shou Shi's heart, emphasizing that his true weapon was what was inside.
His master had been a proud man who'd been taught how to fight by his master, and of course would only lead on one pupil as well. Thus, he taught Shou Shi how to utilize both his soul and body in the art of war. He turned the boy into a man, and then into a very dangerous, yet respectable man.
Shi exhaled the air from his lungs, and steadied his hand, a moment later his other let go of the arrow and sent the miniature spear flying across the rooftops. Dangerous he was, indeed. Shi watched it travel, remembering those first few days with his master.. the training. It had all made him what he was today.. the arrow struck the younger target, and cut right through his body. A fatal wound, the man immediately slumped to the ground and began screaming out in pain. Just ahead of him the old man scrambled around to grab his weapon, realizing they were under attack.
A second later the warrior grasped onto the ledge before him and swept his whole body over it, sending himself down upon the small hut beneath him. The cluttered mass of goods spewed forth from in chaotic destruction, yet Shou Shi quickly rolled away from it and began running through the streets, making a B line for the building that had been in question. Truth be told, his men were in the area and laying in wait- yet he was afraid of any backlash made by the gang of thugs that had been in question. They would not be so quiet after being attacked. So it was not to his surprise as he ran past the final building and was in the line of sight of the building's exit that he saw a man coming out with a large butcher knife to a woman's throat. He yelled obscenities at the warrior, pointing the knife to him and then dragging it slowly along the woman's throat.
Without hesitation Shou Shi grasped another arrow from his quiver and then brought it up to his bow. He only aimed for half a second, as that was all the time in the world he had. The man screamed in pain and the woman shrieked as the arrow shot through his left arm, which was carrying the blade. The intensity of the pain quickly made him drop his weapon and forget about the woman, who'd done well to run already half way down the street. With a grunt he drew the arrow from him- yet it was too late as Shou Shi was already upon him, sword drawn. A final cry warned his comrades of their impending doom; Shou Shi had cut him down in one quick sweep of his blade.
Running a leg up, Shou Shi kicked the man's corpse down and off his blade, his eyes already spotting more thugs running inside the building to the back exit. A commotion was coming down the street, but Shi already knew it was his troops who'd finally discovered the position of the thugs by their commander's obvious assault.
Even still, the Chief bodyguard of Sun Quan would not be finished with this. He swung his blade behind him and then began giving chase to the bandits as they made haste down the alley. He rounded a corner and narrowly avoided a large pole axe's onslaught. It was the old man from before!
[black]"Drop your weapon."[/black]
"You will pay for this!"
The old man swung the blade across his body, hoping to catch Shou Shi, yet he was not prepared for the warrior's agility. Shi had managed to duck down to avoid the attack, and then launched himself forward at the man, sword pronged out to end the aging thug's life. Further up his soldiers cut off the other bandits and quickly ended their lives as well.
Coldly, Shou Shi explained to the man how fleeting a cause like his was as death slowly sunk in, [black]"Just like the rest, I have reminded you of how foolish you indeed are, to pick up a blade against Wu."[/black]
"Bastard, you have no idea what you're doing.."
The old man struggled with his words, then again having a sword rammed through your stomach was quite distracting. For the pain was.. exquisite, the worst he'd ever felt in any of his years. It seemed to suck the remaining life from him, sapping both his mind and body of it's power. Blood began to appear instead of his feinting words and Shou Shi decided it was enough. In one smooth, simple motion he drew the blade from the villain and sheathed it, the blood still coating it.
The old man began to lose consciousness and fell to the ground, where he would bleed out and die, choking on his own blood for a few rounds too. Shou Shi stood emotionless, his face as cold as the waters they'd dealt with at Chi Bi.
Well too he'd done on that day to end many lives yet well he'd also done to remember their faces... the ones who were too old, the ones who were too young. Slowly the pain seeped into his mind, the death of this particular man the final drop that made the concoction very real. Pain swelled up in his stomach now.. and a single tear ran down his cheek... what was this?
[black]"Master.. what happens to people when they die?"[/black]
Now it was the time for his master to pause and contemplate an answer to his pupil's question. Looking the boy over, he decided not to sugar coat his answer, [green]"When someone dies.. they swell up inside with fear, and are immediately taken by both the cruelty and severity of the moment. Their whole life flashes before them and if you are close enough, you can see it in their eyes.. how they dull, how the fade, how the gift of life is ripped from their clutches. Their blood spills across the ground, coats your clothes and stings your eyes.. And after all of their wiggling and aimless thrashing, they die and become no more. Their is no place for man after death..."[/green] The boy seemed shocked, yet kept his head high, still starring into his master's eyes.
[green]"Death stops at all of our doors.. I tell you all of this now to prevent the pain from hitting you later in life, when you realize the true evil of man... But this is why we train, this is why we respect the fallen, and this is why we forever respect our friends and our enemy.. You see, their is no other way to live with the pain of committing such vile acts. One must come to agree with it, and understand both the pain it inflicts on them and others.."[/green] The man's words faded for a moment, and he gazed off to a nearby water fall, it's powerful surge rocketing down straight for the ground, and the splintering off and running into the small pond. The droplets shot down into the water, disappearing into the darkness of the pool, the only sign of their existence the ripples that they formed..
[green]"The true act of god is not life.. but our ability to understand the world around us and affect it. Our pain, our struggle, the very waves we create is what gives us our power."[/green]
Shou Shi turned away from the old man and slowly began to walk off from the scene. Behind him a lieutenant spoke of finding stores of gold and treasure in the inn where the thugs had been held up. Also, plans of the palace were found, it was obvious these men were on some sort of mission against Wu. Such an act was punishable by death. Shou Shi had done well to prove this to them.
Several hours later after the events of the day had ended Shou Shi settled down in his room and let the pain settle in. Remembering still the old man, he drew his blade. A long streak of blood had managed to fade itself across the blade, the coating surprisingly thick for how long ago it'd made its mark. Shi continued to look over the weapon while his mind thought endlessly about the sorrow he'd suddenly found when he'd used it earlier. What was it that made him weep? Had he lost his respect? Had he lost his will?
What seemed to scare him the most was his inability to answer these questions. As he further sunk his vision glazed over and suddenly he remembered a tale his master had once told him..
[green]"..Eons ago, there was was a man who's skill in battle was unmatched- and the many lords of the land sought to acquire his talents, yet he simply could not be defeated. He had a plethora of skill; his arrows being the fastest, his reach the longest and his skills the most extensive. For this many sought out the man in combat, but all were left dead by the end of the exchange. Because of this the man one day sought out a life of peace in the mountains, thinking this would end things. Yet his enemies were nothing short of wolves, and wanted the man still. After much deliberation his enemies decided upon a plan to ruin the man, knowing they could never wield him. So, day after day they sent their forces against him, and the warrior, having no other choice, slew each one they sent."
"Yet- after a year of endless fighting, the warrior was finally defeated. Do you know what it was that lead to his death?"[/green]
The boy was stupefied, unsure of where the story was leading to, he fumbled his words, leading his master to continue.
[green]"Killing does well to turn a man into a weapon... and without his heart, there was no tip to his sword."[/green] His master again pointed at the boys heart, his words fading into the air yet being etched into the boy's young mind.
Shou Shi took a cloth and began cleaning his blade, using a small pale of water to aid in his task. Tears streamed down his face, forming little hanging droplets that crashed down into the large bin of water before him. They hit the bottom, making small waves across the water's surface, before disappearing into the bin's depths.
Shou Shi smiled through the pain.
