Kingdom: Hyou Ren

Fuck, fuck. We need to go faster. I thought to myself as we rode through the forest. Kaen, Hozu, and Tetsuji following me closely behind.

We had ridden for a few days now, and although the enemy army would require a 6-day march to reach Kanyou, and longer with all the castles, but luckily. Our horses and mountain-roads were faster, and as such it would only require 2 days.

I heard the sounds of fighting and shouting from up ahead. We were getting closer—closer to the battlefield. 

We rushed through the trees, coming up on a cliff. A cliff overlooking the battlefield underneath.

"LORD HYOU!" One soldier shouted, and due to his voice, I managed to find Hyou by searching around that voice.

The Battlefield had turned into a gigantic whirlpool, with 2 different cavalry units charging around each other. And in the centre of it all, stood Duke Hyou Kou, fighting Hou Ken.

I saw my father's glaive thrown into the air, flying straight above the two fighters, and suddenly. My father grabbed Hou Ken's arm, intent on breaking it. 

I felt tears well in my eyes, but I held them in.

I knew it, I knew it was too late. Deep down, I knew it was too late. 

I cannot save him, but I will avenge him.

They were about 450 meters away, far outside my range. But it didn´t even enter my brain, as I took out my bow, fury shown throughout my face. As I loaded it back.

All the while Duke Hyou and Hou Ken were fighting, for Hou Ken's arm. 

I stretched the bow far back, beyond what it should be capable of. As I aimed, calming myself as I focused on my target, and I released the arrow. 

It flew true, and fast. I couldn´t even see the arrow as it flew straight towards Hou Ken, and it pierced his arm. Going through it, right in the middle. 

"What?" I heard a murmur of voices from down below, all the while Kaen, Hozu and Tetsuji kept silent. 

But it was all broken as Hou Ken took a few steps back, and my father looked up. Staring straight at me, as he laughed.

"Ha hahaha! Ren, you´ve come to save me. And I appreciate it! BUT! I AM A DEAD MAN, MY DAYS ARE PAST. AND NOW IT IS YOUR TURN, DUKE HYOU! I HAVE FAILED YOU, I BROKE OUR PROMISE. BUT I SHALL LEAVE YOU WITH A FINAL GIFT!" My father shouted, as he grabbed his glaive, just as it fell, before throwing it at me.

It landed in front of me, its blade piercing the ground. 

I saw Hou Ken get back up, and my father turned towards Shin.

"SHIN! DON´T LET YOUR FLAME DIE OUT!" Was all he said, as he fell. And mid fall, he was beheaded. 

"KILL HOU KEN!"

"AVENGE DUKE HYOU!"

"DIE, ZHAO DOGS!" 

"TAKE AS MANY WITH YOU TO THE AFTERLIFE"

The men from Duke Hyou´s Army, 4500 as it stood right now. Had gotten their second wind with my father's death, and they had decided to die with their general.

I looked down at the glaive, it was beautiful. It had a simplistic design, its blade being just a normal glaive. But the wood was sturdy, and it was intertwined with Golden details.

But, although the blade was simple, its power could not be underestimated. 

I walked up to the glaive, my hand reaching for it. As I struggled to lift it with one hand, as I refused to use both of them.

I took a deep breath, my eyes turning to the skies. As I settled for a determinate expression.

Hou Ken, Ri Boku. They would all die, for what they did to my father. But not today. 

"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE! MEN OF KYOU KOU´S ARMY!" I shouted with all my might, my voice resonating across the battlefield. And all fighting stopped. 

"MY FATHER DIED FOR YOU, FOR QIN, FOR ME. HE DUELLED WITH HOU KEN AND BROKE HIS RIGHT ARM, FOR WHO? HIMSELF? NO, HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF TO BUY US TIME, TO HANDICAP THE GREAT HOU KEN, AND WHAT WILL YOU USE THIS GREAT SACRIFICE FOR?" I bellowed, my anger resonating in my voice. 

"WILL YOU NEEDLESSLY KILL YOURSELF? ARE YOU SO DESPERATE TO SPIT ON MY FATHER'S BODY!? HIS LEGACY STILL LIVES, AND HIS SACRIFICE HAS GIVEN US A SECOND WIND." I shouted, trying to find the 5 commanders.

"ALL MEN OF THE DUKE HYOU´S ARMY, HEAD FOR SAI! WE WILL MAKE OUR STAND. MY FATHER SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR QIN, AND WE WILL LIVE ON, THROUGH HIS SACRIFICE. IF YOU DIE, WHO WILL SPREAD THE LEGACY OF HYOU KOU?"

"SURVIVE! WIN! THAT´S WHAT MY FATHER WOULD WANT, AND THAT´S WHAT WE WILL DO. SO CHARGE! CHARGE FOR SEI!" I shouted.

The speech was entirely made up at that moment, but it worked. The men, originally high on morale, to take revenge for their General, now had an even higher morale. To live on, and spread his legacy. 

I strapped Duke Hyou´s glaive to my horse, as I began running.

"Great speech, Ren." Hozu said with a smile.

"Indeed, you've changed the battlefield with that speech." Kaen said.

"That's good, but it's not over just yet. We´ll take the rear, the men are exhausted and we´ll need to safeguard it. The 4 of us should make a difference in that matter." I said.

"Yes, Duke!" All 3 shouted.

I would not get used to that anytime soon. 

Down below, the survivors. Led by Shin and Heki charged forth, breaking out of the whirlpool, followed up by 4000 of Duke Hyou´s Men. 

Unlike in the original, where they were quickly hunted down. Due to our numbers, we broke through quickly and our breakthrough did a lot more damage, so we were hunted by some 1000 horsemen.

Kaen, Hozu, and Tetsuji should be capable of stopping them, so after we rendezvoused with the troops. I headed to the front, to lead us.

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**EVERY 50 POWERSTONE IS AN EXTRA CHAPTER**

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Captain Vaughn: +11 Chapters

House Bracken: +12 Chapters

Hyou Ren: 40+ (soon, gotta fix a few things)