The Heavenly Swords' Journey - The Yellow Heaven Falls

Year 185 CE.

The air was filled with the sounds of battle.

Swords clashing. The thundering of cavalry charges. Tremors as siege engines battered through the gates of the final bastion for the Yellow Turban Rebels and their infamous leader, Zhang Jiao - the General of the Heavens.

Yellow banners clashed against the Imperial banners of the Han. The fate of the realm was on the balance. Three great leaders would rise from this battle. Each empowered by the enforcers of the Heavens.

Liu Bei, his sword flashing in the sunlight, charged into the heart of the fray. His sworn brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, thundered beside him, their battle cries echoing across the field. This was where he belonged – in the thick of the action, leading his volunteer force with unwavering courage.

"For the people! For the Han!" Liu Bei roared, his voice carrying above the din of battle. He fought with the desperation of a man who knew the stakes were high. If the Yellow Turbans were not stopped here, the entire land would be plunged into chaos.

In the middle of the enemy lines, Tien Shin, the "Smiling Dragon," seemed to dance through the ranks. His dual blades were a blur of motion, each strike precise and deadly. He moved with an almost supernatural agility, vaulting over the heads of soldiers, scaling walls with preternatural ease to take out archers perched atop defensive structures.

The boy revelled in the excitement this fight was giving him. His swords whistled happily in the air as he danced with them. The death cry of his adversaries didn’t bother him. His ears only heard the wind at his back, pushing him to fly in the battlefield. His acrobatics were an expression of freedom in the midst of battle. Having his heart pounding with the excitement of battle was the ultimate thrill for the boy.

"Hahahaha! This is a fight!" Tien Shin laughed, his voice echoing with youthful exuberance. "What's battle if not a dance between armies? What is life if not a dance with death in the end? Come on, you yellow-turban-wearing weaklings! Put your hearts into it!" He seemed to revel in the chaos, his joy infectious, lifting the spirits of the weary soldiers around him.

Liu Bei watched Tien Shin with a mixture of awe and concern. The young man's skill was undeniable, but his reckless abandon worried him. "Tien Shin, be careful! Don't get carried away!"

“You got it Boss!” The young warrior smiled and seemed to slow down his advance a bit. Focusing more on helping the other volunteers than seeking his own glory. It was odd to see the young man reining in his usual enthusiasm. After all… he had a promise to keep.

Yet, Liu Bei couldn't deny the effectiveness of Tien Shin's fighting style. The young warrior's speed and agility were breaking the Yellow Turbans' lines, creating openings for Liu Bei's forces to exploit. His laughter seemed to disorient the enemy, while his acrobatic attacks threw them into confusion.

"He is... something else," Guan Yu observed, his hand stroking his long beard as he cleaved through a group of Yellow Turbans.

"A whirlwind of steel and laughter, that’s what the men call him," Zhang Fei added, his voice booming as he swung his mighty weapon. "But a welcome one, eh, brother?"

Liu Bei nodded, a small smile touching his lips. Despite his initial reservations, he was grateful for Tien Shin's presence. The young man's unorthodox methods were proving to be a valuable asset in this chaotic battle.

“Tien Shin! We’re starting the push forward! Take out their archers before we get there! Please be careful!” Liu Bei shouted at Tien Shin who smiled, nodded and jumped at an incredible height, and began to wall-run forward to aid in their advance.

All they needed to do now was continue pushing forward and meet up with the rest of the army for the final assault.

In the south, Sun Jian led his cavalry in a thunderous charge, their hooves pounding the earth as they aimed to break the Yellow Turbans’ center. He was a seasoned warrior, his movements precise and decisive, his gaze fixed on the enemy's weak point.

"Forward march! For the future!" Sun Jian roared, his voice a rallying cry for his troops. He knew that this battle was crucial, not just for their survival, but for the future of the land.

Khan Bei, the "Jade Tiger," acted as the rearguard, his massive podao a beacon of strength and resilience. He moved with a measured grace, his strikes powerful yet controlled, ensuring that no enemy broke through to flank Sun Jian's advance.

"Steady, men! Hold the line!" Khan Bei's voice resonated through the ranks, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the surrounding chaos. He offered swift aid to fallen allies, mending wounds and offering words of encouragement, a calming presence amidst the storm. When he issued a command, like the roar of a tiger, it commanded the attention of those that followed him.

Sun Jian watched Khan Bei with pride. The man was more than just a warrior; he was a healer, a mentor, a pillar of strength for his men. His wisdom and strength were as valuable as his martial prowess. Watching him move was a spectacle to behold.

The way his body moved with certainty and power was a sight to behold. The man had only joined them recently, but he had become an invaluable force for his comrades. When an enemy proved to be too strong, he would step up and defeat them. The memory of how he had destroyed the gate of a rebel base still etched in the memories of those who were present that day reminded them that their wise doctor was also a powerful vessel for the very power of the Earth.

But when all was said and done, after the battles, after the fires of war were put down, he would step in as a cooling rain to ease the pain. It didn’t matter if they were friends or foes. The healing touch of the Heavenly Sword of Balance would be a balm that healed not just the body, but also the confused mind and heavy souls. Perhaps he might be able to teach his children and help them grow up once this battle is over and they return home to Changsha.

"He is a true asset," Sun Jian remarked to his trusted advisor, Cheng Pu. "A man who understands that true strength lies not just in the ability to injure, but also to heal."

"Indeed, my lord," Cheng Pu replied, his gaze following Khan Bei's steady progress through the ranks. "He is a rare find, but we should still be careful."

Khan Bei, for his part, remained focused on his task. He knew that his role was not just to fight, but to protect, to guide, to offer solace in the face of death. He was the balance, the anchor that kept Sun Jian's forces steady and resolute.

“Lord Sun Jian! Your men are healthy and ready to continue forward. We should be careful when advancing deeper into the mountains. No doubt the rebels are planning to ambush us.” Khan Bei’s words had the immediate effect of making everyone listen to what he said. “If we continue our advance as we’ve planned, we might incur many casualties. We must adapt to the environment accordingly.”

Sun Jian and his vassals took note of the Heavenly Sword’s words and began to converse amongst themselves on the next stage of their assault. The doctor held his massive podao over his shoulder while he placed his hand on the ground and closed his eyes.

“The volunteers and the western contingents are moving swiftly… very lightly on their feet as well. The eastern contingents are moving… surprisingly slow and methodical, but are not stopping.” Khan Bei opened his eyes again then looked at Sun Jian. “The rebels are pulling back into the mountains. We must beware of their trickery.”

“Thank you, my friend. Come! Let’s show the rebels how the Tigers of the Sun Clan fight!” Sun Jian’s roar was met with the same enthusiasm as his warriors as they moved forward cautiously.

To the East, Cao Cao observed the unfolding battle from a raised vantage point, his keen eyes assessing the field. He was a strategist, a master of war, and he knew that victory would depend not just on brute force, but on careful planning and decisive action.

"The Yellow Turbans are starting to waver," Cao Cao observed, his voice calm and measured. "Their faith is being tested, their resolve shaken."

This was all thanks to one man.

Kai Jin, the "Blade from Hell," advanced slowly, deliberately. His crimson eye glowed with an unsettling light, and his presence alone seemed to instill fear in the hearts of the Yellow Turban rebels. As he moved, a palpable wave of dread rippled through their ranks, causing some to falter, others to flee.

The solitary swordsman moved with a slow and methodical step. He kept the same line at all times. His eyes were aware of everything in their sight. His instincts were as sharp as the blade he wielded.

Nothing had managed to get inside his personal space… If an arrow flew in his direction, it was cut in midair as if sliced by a gust of wind. If a spear or a sword came within the range of his sword, it would be split in the middle by an invisible blade.

If a man challenged him and stood close enough, he would be dead without realizing what had cut him.

It didn’t matter if it was one or hundreds. Nothing and no one could touch the Blade from Hell.

They could not see the inhuman speed in which he drew his sword, slashed at anything within its range and returned the sword to its sheath in less than a blink of an eye. To onlookers, it almost seemed like he had willed them to die. In truth, his sword was simply too fast for them to see... only the truly strong could hope to match the Heavenly Sword of Order.

And behind this terrifying monster were the other thousands of warriors under the service of Lord Cao Cao. Moving in slow formation, well outside the range of the swordsman, shields up and spears forward. Waiting for their chance to fight against the rebels. Faith was not going to shield them against an army of monsters.

"He is a force of nature," Cao Cao murmured, his gaze fixed on Kai Jin's relentless advance. "A weapon honed to perfection."

"Indeed, my lord," Xiahou Dun replied, his voice tinged with a mixture of awe and apprehension. "But a weapon that must be carefully wielded."

Cao Cao nodded, his mind racing ahead. He knew that Kai Jin's loyalty was conditional, that his thirst for challenges could lead him to seek new masters, new battles. But for now, the Heavenly Sword was his, a terrifying instrument of war that could turn the tide of any battle. If what he’d learned from his informants were true, the musician girl he frequented might be the key to keep his “Sword” near, even if there were no great challenges ahead.

"Now is the time," Cao Cao declared, his voice ringing with authority. "Unleash the full force of our attack. Let them see what true strength looks like!"

As Cao Cao's army surged forward, their battle cries echoing the confidence that Kai Jin inspired, the Yellow Turban Rebels' morale crumbled. The battle that had once hung in the balance tipped decisively in favor of the coalition. The tide had turned, and the rebels were retreating into the mountain paths. No doubt they were trying to lure them into a trap. Unfortunately for them, Cao Cao had foreseen this.

“Kai Jin!” Cao Cao called out from his horse. The Heavenly Sword turned to look at him and approached. The red eye continued to flare up, but his demeanor remained calm and stoic.

“Lord Cao Cao.” Kai Jin’s laconic answer came after he bowed his head respectfully.

“The rebels will be preparing an ambush. I want you to head into the mountain paths and eliminate their lieutenants. Spring their traps if you can. Disrupt their coordination. By now, the western contingent is pushing through and the center cavalry will be entering the rebels’ main base. You must make sure the rebels fail in their ambush.” Having given his orders to the Heavenly Sword, Cao Cao kept a steady gaze on him.

“It shall be done.” Kai Jin nodded at his Lord and when he turned around, he began to run at full speed leaving only a trail of kicked up dirt behind him.

The battle continued to rage on… the coalition forces were pushing forward without delays, bolstered by the knowledge that their numbers were plenty, their losses were minimal and the rebels’ morale was plummeting.

The ambushes they had set up for the combined army had been found out and their men had been slain by an assailant brandishing a black sword and stared at men’s souls with a blazing red eye. The eastern front had already merged with the center and continued their onslaught without any signs of slowing down. Cao Cao continued to watch the mountain passes with expectation. But the sounds of men screaming and suddenly being made silent told him that his “Sword” was making short work of the Yellow Turbans that were waiting to spring their ambush. They were no match for the Blade from Hell.

The stoic warrior was now moving with frightening speed to cut down the Yellow Turban leadership. Many of their generals were being slain with cold brutality. There would be no warning, no challenge and no mercy. All they saw before the end was a red eye staring at them for a split second, the sudden feeling of cold steel cutting through their flesh… then everything went dark.

Sun Jian’s forces had managed to reach the main army of the Han forces and joined in their assault. The cavalry moved with renewed vigor as they were now joined by a powerful warrior on foot which continued to protect the rear guard of the entire army. Those who didn’t know this man only saw a man of extraordinary strength wielding a massive podao like a knife in his hands, cutting through the rebels that tried to attack them from behind. His imposing presence and the booming voice of the man pushed the enemy back with a hard warning:

“Surrender and you’ll be spared! Refuse, and I shall cut you down! Now choose!” This warrior’s voice was like the roar of a tiger. The rebels who heard his warning soon lost heart and ran away from his presence. The man who was known in Changsha as the Jade Tiger was not only a doctor, but also a fearsome warrior when needed.

The volunteer army had been making steady advances and had finally met with the main army, adding to the numbers from the center and eastern contingents. Liu Bei and his sworn brothers were bravely pushing through the rebels bursting with righteous confidence. Amidst the war cries and the clashing of steel, the air above them was also filled with the sounds of the wind carrying laughter. Some of the Han leaders had been wondering why there had been no arrows raining on them as they advanced. It was as if the rebels’ archers had simply vanished!

The volunteer army was roaring with enthusiasm as they looked on the walls of the mountain pass how their young comrade was moving with the agility of a tornado. He wasn’t being stopped by something as “ridiculous” as logic. The boy was running up and down the walls, reaching small hiding places and perches with ease, cutting down rebels and their archers. Some in the army had heard the story of a “Smiling Dragon” helping them in the fight. They couldn’t see this “dragon” or its smile. But they could hear it…

“Come on! At least give me a challenge! Ahahahaha!” The laughter of this “dragon” certainly was contagious as the leader of the volunteer army and his brothers cheered by the young dragon’s enthusiasm.

The final push had finally come…

The coalition army, now a unified force of thousands, surged forward. The initial terror at facing the Yellow Turbans and their massive numbers had subsided, replaced by the grim determination to end this rebellion. The Yellow Turban rebels, despite their earlier zeal, found themselves overwhelmed. Their lines crumbled, their cries of faith replaced by shouts of fear and desperation.

Within the heart of the Yellow Turban's final bastion, Zhang Jiao, the self-proclaimed Great General of Heaven, realized the tide had irrevocably turned. His once-mighty army was in disarray, his followers scattered and routed. The aura of invincibility that had surrounded him dissipated like smoke. The sorcerer saw his doom coming.

The final clash was a maelstrom of steel and fury. The coalition forces, their diverse banners now intertwined, pressed their advantage. Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei fought with renewed vigor, cutting through the remaining pockets of resistance. Sun Jian's cavalry encircled the enemy, preventing any escape. Cao Cao's disciplined troops, their movements precise and coordinated, tightened the noose.

Zhang Jiao, seeing his forces falling one by one, knew that the end was near. He fought with a desperate energy, his sorcery flickering erratically as his control slipped. But even his powers were no match for the combined might of the coalition. He could see the determination in the eyes of the soldiers that were coming for him.

A brave hero of the Han, with a final, mighty cry, struck the blow that felled Zhang Jiao. The rebel leader, his eyes wide with disbelief, collapsed to the ground, the light fading from his eyes. With their leader fallen, the remaining Yellow Turbans surrendered or fled, their rebellion, now leaderless, would collapse.

The battlefield roared with the cries of victory. The ground was littered with the fallen, a grim reminder of the cost of war. But amidst the carnage, there was a sense of triumph. The coalition forces, against all odds, had prevailed. The Yellow Turban Rebellion, which had threatened to tear the Han Dynasty apart, was no more.

The leaders of the coalition, Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song, their faces weary but triumphant, gathered amidst the field with the rest of the army's leaders. Liu Bei, Sun Jian, and Cao Cao stood together, the leaders of the force that had saved the empire. They knew that the road ahead would still be fraught with challenges, but for now, they could bask in the hard-won victory. The unity of the coalition, and the bravery of their warriors, had been the key to their success. The Heavenly Swords, with their immeasurable power, had played their part, but it was the strength of the many that had brought down the Yellow Heaven.

However, the three Heavenly Swords knew something that the leaders of the land didn’t know. Something they noticed despite their youth, their detachment or their wisdom could reveal: The world was still in chaos. Their duty was not yet fulfilled.

The world would change once more. Liu Bei had done his part in showing his desire to do what was right. Sun Jian, a loyal servant of the Han, had secured his family’s future and reputation. Cao Cao already pondered what would be his next move now that the chaos of the rebellion had destabilized the realm; his foresight told him that he needed to address the real illness in the realm… from its very core within the Imperial Court.

But despite their desire for good, the need to secure their family’s future or their intentions of cleansing the land, each leader had questions that needed to be answered…

Who really are the Heavenly Swords? Where did they come from? And what part will they play for the future of the realm? 

Will they be friends... or foes?