A Close Contest

Guo Sheng quickly raised his Halberd and parried the incoming spear, the strength behind it much heavier than what he expected from the tall ebony skinned man in front of him. Beside him, the Celtic Mercenary Captain, Cunomoltus, was being pushed back by two muscular Tongpai Shang Swordsmen. Around them the other Celtic Warriors, either those that Cunomoltus had taken with him, or the reinforcements from Guo Sheng, were all in difficult battles against a different grade of Tongpai Shang Swordmen. These Swordsmen were larger, more muscular and more experienced with the Sword, making Guo Sheng believe these must have been an upgraded version of the original, similar to the Praetorians over the Legionaries or the Spartans over the Hoplite that he had learnt about in his short briefing since arriving. 

He parried a second strike, as the Ebony Commander feinted and switched targets suddenly and stabbed his spear in to the shoulder of the Celtic Warrior on Guo Sheng's other side. The Celtic Warrior was completely unprepared as he was fighting against a muscular Tongpai Shang Swordsmen in front of him and had no way to defend against the incoming strike. The Celtic Warrior gasped in shock and stepped backwards, the spear was then being retracted by the Ebony Commander, but the Celtic Warrior grabbed the spear that was in his shoulder, showing bloodied teeth as he slowed his opponents momentum and gave Guo Sheng an opportunity.

Gou Sheng reacted quickly to the Celtic Warrior's demise and he decided to counter attack the Ebony Commander whilst he was still attempting to retract his spear. He swung his Halberd heavily towards the Ebony Commander, who released his spear and lifted his Cheetah skinned shield to defend, using both hands, taking the brunt of the attack. 

Guo Sheng quickly pulled his Halberd back, as one of the muscular Tongpai Shang Swordsmen who was fighting Cunomoltus disengaged and used the opportunity to stab towards Guo Sheng's now exposed side, a technique they kept attempting. Thankfully Guo Sheng noticed and shifted his weight to avoid the stab, which Cunomoltus took advantage of and swung down his broadsword, cutting through the forearms of the Tongpai Shang Swordsmen who was attacking Guo Sheng.

The Swordmen dropped his sword, his hands falling with it, as blood gushed in a stream from the two empty stumps, wetting the floor and spreading across those who were fighting around him. The Swordsmen screamed loudly in agony as he fell to the floor in shock from the pain and the blood loss. 

Guo Sheng was grateful to Cunomoltus for his timely support, but now Cunomoltus didn't have anyone to protect him and took a slash from the other Tongpai Shang Swordsmen that was fighting him, causing him to clench his teeth in pain as a deep gash appeared on his exposed tattooed side. He threw an elbow at the Swordsmen that slashed him, catching him in the chin. The Swordsmen stepped back dazed, and another Celtic Warrior jumped on him, throwing all of his body weight in to the attack and driving him to the ground, punching him in the face, giving Cunomoltus time to step back.

Whilst this happened, the Ebony Commander had collected his spear, that had now been released by the Celtic Warrior whose shoulder it had been embedded in. He took a step back as more Tongpai Shang Swordsmen of a higher level rushed in, pushing back the attackers of Guo Sheng and the only five remaining Celtic Warriors that were still on their feet back. Cunomoltus was dragged back by one of them, whilst the one who had jumped on the other Swordsmen had now been killed by others that had arrived.

"Put your weapons down." The Ebony Commander said, wanting to take Guo Sheng and his group as hostages, giving him chance to escape or negotiate with the rest of the attack force.

"You wish!" Guo Sheng replied, looking over the Ebony Commander's shoulder and seeing the gates had now been opened and Lu Fang and the main force had now arrived.

"Commander Zuberi, we have more enemies coming!" One of the Swordsmen said, pointing his Sword towards the gate that had now opened.

"Get the men organised and get them out of my camp!" Zuberi shouted angrily, spitting as he said it, his damaged Cheetah skinned shield shaking as his arms showed his frustration, before turning back to Guo Sheng. "Surrender now or die!"

Guo Sheng replied in the best way he could think, he quickly swung his Halberd straight at Zuberi the Ebony Commander, trying to catch him off guard. Zuberi was prepared though and dodged to the side and dived forwards striking his spear in to the chest of an unsuspecting Celtic Warrior next to him, the Tongpai Shang Swordsmen all charged in response. 

...

Tomyris charged across the battlefield, the Riverside Warriors charging in and killing the Tongpai Shang Swordsmen that stood in front of them. The Balearic Slingers on the Military Camp ramparts constantly rained stones down on their foe, whilst the Legionaries butted their shields in to their enemies and then stabbed them with their short swords. The former Tang Bandits followed Tomyris as well, charging towards their commander who was fighting Zuberi at the back.

A Swordsmen appeared in front of Tomyris, swinging his sword wildly at her as part of the mass that were being engaged across the battle for the Tongpai Military Camp. She ignored his swing and threw up her shield in front of her, charging straight in to him. She then slashed her sword across his throat whilst he was dazed and pushed him away before continuing her charge. His blood arched in the air like a red water fountain and the trail behind Tomyris was drenched in his blood.

She looked ahead of her and saw that another Celtic Warrior went down, leaving Guo Sheng with the last two, who stood on each side of him, protecting him and Cunomoltus's who lay behind them, who was now unconscious and his arm lay limp.

Tomyris flanked to the left, a wall of Riverside Warriors between her and her enemies. Every time a Tongpai Shang Swordsmen approached her, a former Tang Bandit would engage them. The Legionaries controlling the main front of the attack with the Celtic Warriors. Riverside had the momentum, and were quickly dispatching their enemies, but the time to rescue Guo Sheng reduced as his opponent had no intention of disengaging. 

"Hurry!" She shouted, at both her own exhausted legs to speed up, and the Riverside Warriors that ran with her.

....

"I think you should be the one to surrender!" Guo Sheng panted, his own exhaustion kicking in as the two Celtic Warriors on each side of him parried attacks that came at them.

Zuberi looked behind him at the chaos of his falling Camp, before teasing, "I still have time to finish you before I escape."

Guo Sheng was a capable warrior, an expert in his own field, but the exhaustion from the long day and the constant fighting was starting to kick in. Only yesterday he was running from another battle, after fighting against Song Jiangs Bandits, and now he was fighting again. He looked to the two Celtic Warriors beside him, both with as many blood red swirls on them now as the blue tattoos that covered them. He looked down on himself and saw that he had gathered a collection of wounds himself, not that he had realised due to the adrenaline flowing through him right now.

Guo Sheng looked at his opponent once more, he had joined this battle to help his new Lord take this Town and create a buffer in the wilderness. His decisions so far had been sound, protecting the stairs and giving Tomyris an opportunity to open the gate, the only rash decision he had made, was to reinforce and protect Cunomoltus, and now both of them were on their last legs. He wouldn't be defeated, no, he couldn't be defeated, not when the rest of the battle was in their favour.

"Die then!" He yelled, before swinging his Halberd one more time, his eyes flaring as he refused to go down without a fight.

...

Tomyris heard Guo Sheng roar as he swung his Halberd at Zuberi, who seemed unprepared for the vicious attack, the exhaustion from a night of drinking starting to take its toll. She looked and saw that the two Celtic Warriors beside him also swung their long broadswords at the Tongpai Shang Swordsmen beside Zuberi, a final attack that held their life on the line.

"We can make it!" She said to herself as she almost reached them.

The pace of the battle around her started to slow, as some of the Tongpai Shang Swordsmen around the battlefield began to throw their weapons down and surrender. The larger number of Riverside Warriors entering and the death of their comrades causing them to want to prolong their own lives.

Tomyris thought to herself that the battle was won now, it wouldn't be much longer before the rest surrendered.

She watched in panic as Zuberi deflected Guo Shengs heavy swing.

.....

Zuberi took a step back, deflecting Guo Shengs Halberd swing, the weight behind the attack sending a sharp pain through Zuberi's arm. With his other arm he struck forwards with his spear towards Guo Shengs exposed stomach.

The Celtic Warrior to Guo Shengs left, the one with the gruff voice, struck successfully with his sword, detaching his opponents head from his body, another stream of blood arching in the air and moistening the already soaked floor. The other Celtic Warrior had his strike deflected and he quickly had to prepare to defend against a counter attack.

Guo Sheng saw the spear approaching, but the momentum from his attack was taking him forwards and his body was not listening to his commands to avoid it. He quickly let go of his Halberd, hoping he could roll in the air to the side, or some miracle would rescue him.

Suddenly, Zuberi shockingly dropped his spear and fell forwards as well, causing the two exhausted bodies to clash as Guo Sheng and Zuberi fell in to each others arms. A strange look as the two Commanders looked to be hugging.

Guo sheng looked behind Zuberi and could see Tomyris a few metres away, her right hand empty and outstretched. In the back of Zuberi was her short sword, which she had thrown, leaving herself unarmed. Thankfully she was flanked by former Tang Bandits and those around her were throwing their weapons down in surrender.

Zuberi gasped deeply as he looked angrily in to Guo Shengs eyes, the two of them still entangled at an awkward angle, holding each other up.

"I hope you die a horrid death." He spat, as blood came up his throat. He began to cough, as more blood flooded up his throat.

"Put your weapons down!" Guo Sheng heard Tomyris yell at the other Swordsmen as the former Tang Bandits surrounded them. He wanted to respond, but Zuberi coughed his last and his eyes went blank.

With the death of their commander the other Tongpai Shang Swordsmen dropped their weapons, which were quickly kicked away, the two remaining Celtic Warriors angrily punched the two in front of them in the face, before being reprimanded by Tomyris.

Guo Sheng dropped Zuberi and went to stand up, but the adrenaline ran out and the exhaustion in his body, as well as the pain from the wounds finally fit hit him and he fell to the floor.

...

Tomyris stood in the centre of the Tongpai Military Camp, Centurion Percennius and Lu Fang were in front of her as they discussed next their next steps.

"Commander Guo Sheng and Captain Cunomoltus are both being given medical care by my men. Commander Guo will be fine, he's had something to drink and is being bandaged up. I'm not sure if Captain Cunomoltus is going to make it, we can only do a limited amount of aid here." Centurion Percennius replied. "We lost eighteen men in total, mainly Celtic Mercenaries and some of the former Tang Bandits, we have a further eleven injured, including the two Commanders."

"The number of enemies killed is one hundred and forty eight, with seventy three captives, but at least half of those are injured." Lu Fang added, having led the main assault through the gate, whilst Tomyris had headed to rescue Guo Sheng. Most of former Tang Bandit deaths were during this rescue operation, and she hoped Guo Sheng appreciated what some of his men had sacrificed for him.

"We were supposed to persuade them to surrender and join us." Tomyris lamented, still covered in blood from her earlier exploits, "We need to get this place cleared up, as we may need it ourselves."

"I'll get all the Legionaries here who aren't tending to the wounded, to improve the Camps fortifications." Percennius stated, "There is a lot that can be done in a short time to improve this place."

"I'll go check on my sworn brother." Lu Fang added, heading towards the area where the wounded gathered.

As he turned to walk, a Balearic Slinger was running towards them, another was waving from above the gate of the Tongpai Military Camp, that was currently being secured.

"Riders approaching from Tongpai Town!" He shouted as he ran.