A New War Begins

Zhōng marched through the same streets he walked last night. The sun hadn't peeked over the horizon but it was bright enough to see without torches. He wore black light armor to move quickly in as he glided with his cloak catching the incoming air. His hood was down, revealing his blond hair. It was pushed back to reveal his blue temporary tattoo which meant 'fallen prince'. He looked calm but pale as his mind seemed unease. "Good morning, my lords." he stated as arrived at a stable where the lords were organizing their men.

"Good morning, my lord," stated Lord Varius as they stood up when he approached them. "We found a way to communicate quickly if we need to, on your request."

"Each of us has a specific color assigned to us, white being yours while we choose our respectable colors." began Lord Reed.

"The first flare is to call all of our troops to the position, a second one is to request backup and a third is to retreat or request even more soldiers to the position." finished Lord Zhihao, he handed Zhōng his flare and three cartridges for it.

"I wasn't aware I'll be leading a squad." stated Zhōng.

"There's you and your two friends, apparently members of the criminal market as well as a few bandits and a civilian." said Lord Varius. The civilian Zhōng knew who as he saw him prepare last night.

"I simply must decline him to fight for me again, I brought him too much pain." stated Zhōng.

"If that's what you believe, your majesty, then let me serve you last time." stated the man. He approached them when he saw Zhōng coming, he was wearing his old armor and had a little limp in his steps.

"You serve this empire already, you've done your part. I can't let you fight knowing that you might die, I can't face your family if you do and have you never see her again." said Zhōng, turning around to speak with him. His eyes glittered with pity, it was a feeling he buried long ago. He already brought pain to them and he didn't want more.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take, as long as you promise to find her when you can." stated the man. Zhōng didn't know what to say, this man had served him and he thank him by taking his daughter away from him.

"Mr. Zhōng," interrupted Empress Wēi, she was wearing full armor with no cape, her Spriggan sword was on her hip and her hair was tied behind her head. "my lords."

"Your majesty," said the five lords giving their bows.

"Would you, Zhōng, come with me to the tower. I feel safer knowing you will be close as we can communicate." requested Empress Wēi.

"As you wish, your majesty." said Zhōng. He turned back to his lords and said, "Have Jack lead them, tell him his orders is to help guide people safely to the barracks near the palace. If any danger arises, set off a flare."

"Yes, my lord." replied Lord Varius.

Zhōng followed the empress to the tower where she'll watch the battle, the energy was felt as they climb up with the dawn of war about to begin. "Remember when you told me, this is where it started?" asked Empress Wēi when they reach the top of the tower. Captain Howin and a few generals were waiting for them, they bowed but some continued to bow longer for Zhōng.

"I was hoping it would go away." confessed Zhōng.

"So was I, I wished I had more time to prepare. I now understand how your father must have felt while trying to defend this city." said Empress Wēi. The sun begin to shine its first rays of light as drums began to play and the old begin their attack.

"I wished I tried harder to warn you." regretted Zhōng.

A missile whistle over the wall and exploded a house. Shouts of men telling where's the fight could be heard from the wall to the palace. Jack and John and the five lords led their respective squadrons to help people get to safety. "Anything?" asked John when he and Jack were together. They were escorting civilians to safety by the western side of the capital.

Jack looked up in the sky but saw no flares. "Nothing and I'm sure Zhōng hasn't sent any news to us." he said.

"Well I can see if it's a flare, I was wondering if you heard anything from him." stated John, it was the first time they saw war. However, they were in the back providing the last line of defense for the wall.

"Do you think Zhōng doesn't trust us?" asked Jack as they looked around with the echoes of rounds firing coming from the wall.

"I think he wants us safe, he doesn't want to lose us." replied John.

"I just wish we can do so much more than this." complained Jack as they guided more people through.

"Careful what you wish for, sometimes the easiest job tends to be the one that gets noticed." advised John. Suddenly a missile hit a house nearby them. "I hope no one was in there."

"Only one way to find out, come on." ordered Jack as he, John and their squad ran to the now burning house.

The girls watch in horror as the battle continued by the wall. They were all wearing light and moveable armor like Zhōng's and had their swords on their hips. "I don't know how she was still there." stated Xing, she brought her doll and was showing it to her friends.

"I'm surprised he crept in without making a noise." stated Hannah, she was wearing the necklace after asking for Xing's permission.

"Well that's our brother for you, though there was a time he overdid it and sounded like a drunk man. I can tell you guys if you want." stated Xing.

"Maybe another time, Xing." said Princess Zhen as she continued to watch the battle.

"I'm sure they're safe, princess." said Cortana.

"Your brother and his friend might, Zhōng would be in the middle of it." stated Princess Zhen, she was worried about him.

"Mother, please convinced him to join him to be by your side to watch, if we lose him, we lose the other half of the empire." she pleaded just hours before the battle.

"I was going to do that, I already know how valuable he is to this empire and to you." said her mother.

"He isn't important to me, I know how much Xing loves him and I know she'll be worried about him." defended Princess Zhen.

Empress Wēi cupped her cheek forcing her to look up into her eyes. "She won't be the only one worried if I'm correct." she said. She let go of her and left with her guards to go to the wall.

"What are you eating Pina?" asked Silica, breaking Princess Zhen's thoughts for a moment. Pina left to find something to eat before returning with a plate of half-eaten cake.

"Chocolate cake, there was one piece left." said Pina, taking another bite.

"What happen to the rest of it?" asked Hannah.

"Someone must have eaten it." replied Pina, shrugging her shoulders.

"I wonder if the boys made it for Zhōng." theorized Xing, she was right that it was made for him but it wasn't them that made it.

"Unless my brother has figured out how to cook, then it's safe to say it wasn't them." stated Cortana.

"Well, whoever made it, it was very good." said Pina eating the last bit of it.

Princess Zhen sighed as it was saved for Zhōng after the battle. "I could make another one when this is over, it's not the end of the world." she thought.

A flare went up on the western wall, it was the first blue flare meaning to call all of its lord's men over. "I think we found his hidden men." stated Zhōng, watching it fade away.

"I'm glad you were prepared for that," said Empress Wēi with a little sigh of relief. "But we still need men at the wall."

The battle at the wall roared, men fought with bows and shields and in mechs. "Bring the wall down!" shouted an enemy soldier.

"For the emperor!" cried another one.

"So I step down only for you to claim the thrown that isn't yours anymore." thought Zhōng. "Where are Lord Xīn's forces? They should be here now." he said.

"Incoming!" shouted Captain Howin as an enemy mech came flying in to attack. It fired at the tower where they watch, shaking it. Luckily, none of the shots hit them as it came back around for another strike. Zhōng wasted no time and activated a Valtryek arm, he shot down the enemy mech with no trouble. "Nice shooting." complimented the captain.

"You know what I can do already, you saw me hit a rabbit hundreds of yards away." stated Zhōng. Another blue flare went up, requesting backup. "Looks like that wasn't a fluke." he commented.

Suddenly, the wall they were fighting at collapsed. As their men tried to recover the enemy begin to charge. Just before they could pass the broken wall, a bombing squad attacked them as rounds of explosions vaporized the enemy troops while destroying the ruins near the wall. "Long live the empress! Long live the empress!" shouted men marching from the east. They beat their spears and stomped hard after each cry, the sound could make any man afraid. They carried the orange flag with the white symbol meaning fallen on it. Lord Xīn led them, his armor was black with an orange and red cape flying over his left arm. He looked determined as they march to stand where the broken wall had fallen.

"Let no one pass you until the soldiers recover and join us. Our mission is to defeat these traitors to both the old and the new empires." ordered Lord Xīn.

"Yes, my lord!" shouted the men. The bombing squad rejoined them, landing just behind them as the enemy regain their feet and begin to charge again.

"Our blades are new! We are fresh! They thirst for blood but we want it more!" shouted Lord Xīn, raising his sword over his head. More of the soldiers in the back activated their mechs and prepared for battle. "Now men! Follow me!" he cried as he lead the charge. His men followed, yelling as they met the enemy.

"Come on, let's give them a hand." cried one of the empress's soldiers as they watch their ally face their enemy. The other soldiers agree and charged to give Lord Xīn a hand.

"For someone who hadn't faced a battle, he's showing what he can do." commented Empress Wēi.

Zhōng smiled and said, "If you want to defeat your enemy, you first have to study them. He never liked either one of us so he knows where you are failing and where my brother is succeeding."

"I would hate to have him against me then, his troops looked hungry for battle." noted Empress Wēi.

"I don't think my brother likes this either." added Zhōng. A third blue flare went up making him worried. "I must go, your majesty."

"I can't let you, you're too valuable to lose." refused Empress Wēi.

"My family has been fighters, my father, my brother, even I am one." stated Zhōng. "My father fought in many battles before and during the civil war, my brother is fighting you right now, and I have been fighting for you for five years. Let me do what I do best, and that is running and fighting."

Empress Wēi looked around at her generals and Captain Howin, they all were curious about her decision. She heard that her predecessor was a fighter, though she never crossed blades with him. "Perhaps there is that fighter blood in him." she thought. She looked at the battle enraging at the fallen wall, it was a struggle but they were holding. She turned her attention to the western side and saw fire and smoke coming from it. "They need him, more than ever." she thought. "Go then, do what you do best, Fallen Prince." she ordered.

"Thank you, your majesty." replied Zhōng as he bowed to her. He went down the ladder where he entered before the battle. When he was closed to the buildings underneath the tower, he jumped down on them and ran towards the western side where the other half of the battle took place. Firing a white flare into the sky as he ran.

The girls watch the white flare go up into the skies from the palace. "I wonder what that means." said Kotori.

"We still don't know what the blue flare means." said Silica.

"It was sent off three times already, I think it's for communication." said Cortana.

"Why do you say that?" asked Princess Zhen.

"Well, if I wanted to have more men come to my position, I would send something to mark my position." explained Cortana.

"But that would mean the enemy would know where you're low at." said Xing.

"Not unless you have even more men coming as well. If the entire enemy force decided to attack the spot at once, then if you send more flares they would get discouraged as more men arrived after each flare." explained Cortana.

"I guess that makes sense, but shouldn't they worried about the wall?" said Hannah.

"It looks like they are holding now, whoever just arrived is giving the Old a tough time to enter." said Kotori, she found a scope and was watching the battle play out.

"So if flares are to call more men, then the color must mean which lord." pieced together Pina.

"That would make sense since Lord Zhihao's colors are blue and black." said Xing.

"Then who's white? Lord Varius?" asked Cortana.

"His colors are red and white." stated Princess Zhen.

"But that's too close to the wall to be him, right?" commented Hannah.

"Then could it be?" wondered Silica.

"No, mother why?" thought Princess Zhen as they all realized it was Zhōng.

"Is the wall in trouble then?" asked Xing.

"No, they're holding it well." said Kotori.

"Then why would a white flare be fired that close then?" wondered Silica.

"Because I think he's calling his troops to battle." stated Princess Zhen. "I had my mother request him to stay with her during the fight."

"You should know that's not where he belongs." said Xing.

"I know but he's too valuable to lose." said Princess Zhen.

"Zhōng is too good to die to ordinary troops, he can take out anyone if he wanted to." said Xing.

"Xing, you said your brother is at his best when he is in his element. Isn't his element in the shadows?" asked Hannah.

"Shadows is where he rules, it's his element but he has another. One that he showed once, the ability to lead anyone to battle. He is fearless and the anger behind his eyes inspires those to fight. His skills no one can beat alone, not one but many won't be able to as well. He doesn't give up, even knocked down he won't stay there for long." stated Xing.

"He likes to fight then." concluded Cortana.

"That's how he was reheard, a battle where he won. But he isn't the only one that can be in that element." said Xing.

"You think we can fight as well as him?" asked Pina.

"Well not as good as him, but we are trained to fight," explained Xing.

"We're trained to protect the princess." said Cortana.

"But isn't protecting meaning we have to fight?" asked Hannah.

"There's no way we can do what Zhōng, Jack and John can do. Zhōng trained them to be fighters." said Pina.

"But he trained them to fight as if they are alone, we're trained to fight together." stated Princess Zhen. "If he's going to risk his life, then we should too, they are our friends."

"What happen to stay here?" asked Xing raising an eyebrow while smiling.

"We are the best mech fighters for this, we can provide Zhōng more strength to this fight." declared Princess Zhen.

"Then I guess it's decided." said Xing, all the girls nodded in agreement. They got up and left the room just before the worst had yet to happen.

The streets begin to flow with blood as one of them was at a standoff. The enemy was in Spriggan mech forms and was advancing slowly. Lord Zhihao's men were trying to push them back but were out-armed. They were exhausted and couldn't reactivate their mechs. Those who still can, could only activate a weapon from their mechs, the rest used bows and spears to slow them down. It did nothing as the enemy continued to advance.

"Men! With me!" cried Zhōng as he leaped into the air. His hands were on both blades around his hip and before he landed, they were out. Two enemy mechs were deactivated as their dead pilots fell to the ground. Before the rest could react, three more fell with a fourth about to. They tried to take him out but were deflected by his swords or missed as he evaded. Zhōng had killed eight of them before Jack and John in their mech forms blasted the distracted enemy soldiers. Ten more of them fell and five others were trapped by fallen debris from houses before being slain, as Zhōng's squad walled off the streets. "What took you?" asked Zhōng swiping his blades clean from blood.

"Had to block any other paths to the palace on the way here." explained Jack.

"Smart, I'm impressed though they would soon find a way through it." said Zhōng putting away his blades.

"My lord, thank you for coming to our aid." thanked Lord Zhihao, he was bloody up and appeared to be worn out.

"It appears my theory was correct." stated Zhōng. "Are you and your men alright?"

"I say there's barely enough to split into three squads." guessed Lord Zhihao.

"Keep it in one, and patrol the roads from here to the capital. If we failed at the wall, it's an easy road to the palace." ordered Zhōng.

"As you wished, my lord." replied Lord Zhihao, he turned to his men and begin to give them orders on what to do next.

"We now know where your brother's forces are coming." said Jack as they took a quick break.

"Are we sure there won't be any others coming from the east?" asked Jack.

"Lord Xīn camped on the eastern side, if there was any, they're not there anymore. I told Lord Xīn to make sure no one was coming from that side before coming here." said Zhōng before taking a drink. Something isn't right, he knows his brother was hiding something.

"Are you worried about the weapon?" asked John, reading Zhōng's thoughts.

"Yeah," replied Zhōng.

"Maybe he didn't finish it." suggested Jack.

"The blacksmith we worked at had more working each night, remember? He surely has twenty parts that they built." said Zhōng.

"Well maybe the other factories didn't finish." suggested Jack.

"No, I think they finish." stated John. They followed his gaze and saw three huge cannons appear on top of three different ruin towers. They warmed up before firing at their target, which was the palace. Once they hit, the shields that protected it went down as the second wave hit the palace giving minor damage.

"A long-range weapon, this is your ace up your sleeve." thought Zhōng as the third wave charged up. However, the third wave wasn't aiming for the palace. It fired rapid rounds of explosive ammunition stretching from the wall all the way towards them.

"Watch out!" cried the man pushing Zhōng out of the way. Jack and John were able to evade but the man didn't as it spayed past.

"No!" cried Zhōng, once the rounds ended he ran to him and picked him up. "Stay with me." he pleaded.

"I'm sorry, your majesty." whispered the man.

"No I won't let you die." stated Zhōng. "Doctor! I need a doctor!" he cried.

"Your majesty, it's too late." stated the man looking into Zhōng's eyes peacefully.

"I won't be this time, there's still time." stated Zhōng as tears began to form.

"But I've done what I swore to do, I've fought for you even giving up my life." said the man.

Zhōng looked at the man's face, he was calm and accepting as the clock ticked its final seconds. "I promise, I will find your daughter." he swore.

"Tell her, I forgave you." said the man as he close his eyes and let out his final breath.

Zhōng put down the man and folded his arms on top of his body with his hands holding his sword. "You have served your duty and kept your word, now go in peace to the place prepared for you." stated Zhōng. The fourth wave of the cannons fired hitting the palace again, Zhōng turned his attention towards them as he got up with rage flooding his veins.

"Wait, Zhōng." said Jack stopping him.

"What?" growled Zhōng, his eyes were like fire dancing as the demons were ready to be released.

"Let us help you, it'll be dangerous to go alone." explained John.

"I can do it." stated Zhōng, he brushed off Jack and walked towards the cannons.

"We're here because you needed us. I have almost all your instincts, I can do what you can do with a sword." called out Jack.

"I'm your brain, I see what could go wrong. We both accept what the outcome could be, we'll follow you through it."

Zhōng sighed, his back was turned to them as he looked at the cannons which fired a fifth wave of ammunition. "Stay close, if any of you get hit, fall back." stated Zhōng. He activated his Valtryek and took off.

"Does that include us?" asked one of the bandits fighting for Zhōng.

"Yes, it's your choice to follow him." said John as he and Jack took off after him. The rest looked at each other, nodded in agreement, and took off after them.

Inside the palace, it shook as the fourth and the fifth waves from the cannons fired at the place. "What the heck is firing at us?" asked Cortana as they struggled to get back up.

"There's no way it's mechs, too powerful." exclaimed Silica.

"Must be some new weapon our brother must have created." theorized Hannah.

"That makes sense, Zhōng did warn us about something." said Princess Zhen.

"Either way, we need to get out of here before this place collapse or we are overrun." said Xing.

The girls hurried down the stairs when two guards heading up stop them. "Your majesty, we are being overrun, your mother request that you come with us." said one of them.

"Very well, come on girls." replied Princess Zhen.

"I'm afraid your mother wants them to help the Dual Bladed Ninja." said the second one.

"We have orders to stay with the princess at all times." stated Pina.

"Wherever she goes, we'll go." said Hannah.

"Guys, it's okay. Go get him." assured Princess Zhen.

"Princess, are you sure?" asked Xing.

"Yes, hurry," ordered Princess Zhen as her fists were shaking in terror.

"As you wish," replied Xing, she led them down the remaining steps and out of the palace.

"Why did you agree to that?" accused Cortana.

"We were supposed to be the only ones to protect her." added Silica.

"Because this battle is over, and he knows how to escape from here." explained Xing.

"You know they're imposters." said Kotori.

"I knew that when they said Dual Bladed Ninja, that's why we must hurry." said Xing as they continued to run.

The two guards escorted Princess Zhen down the remaining stairs and into one of the corridors to one of the end prison rooms. "So what is the plan of escape." asked Princess Zhen innocently but she already knew the answer.

"Oh, your majesty, I'm afraid there is no escape for you." stated one of them as he locked the door.

"Time to review what we taught you years ago." said the second as he hold one of the hanging chains. Princess Zhen suddenly remember who they were, they were the two that torture her every day since she was kidnapped. Tears suddenly formed as she hoped that her friends would come sooner.

The girls ran through the ruined street, men limped everywhere as missiles continued to rain down. They reached the tower and climbed up it where they found Empress Wēi, Lord Tyron, Captain Howin, and the generals up there. "Girls, what are you all doing here? Where's my daughter?" asked Empress Wēi.

"Where's my brother?" asked Xing, she was breathing heavily from running and climbing up.

Suddenly, one of the three cannons exploded, a squad of mechs flew away from it. They turned around for another past and hit another one, taking out two of them. The third cannon tried to turn around to fire at them, but the last one from the previous past aimed for that one instead, taking it out. "There he is." said Lord Tyron.

"Fire a flare, let him know to come here." ordered Captain Howin.

A bright white flare flew in the air, three mechs broke off from the squad and headed towards them. They landed nearby and climbed up to the tower. "Three have been disabled but I won't be surprised if my brother has more." reported Zhōng before seeing the girls. "Where is she?" he growled at them.

"Two guards said they were sent by the empress to have her daughter be taken somewhere safe while having us join you." explained Xing.

"So you listen to them and came here?" concluded Zhōng, his voice still growling as he was angry already.

"I told you girls, only you six are to protect my daughter." said Empress Wēi, she was angry as well.

"We said that to the guards." stated Hannah.

"And you still came here." snapped Zhōng.

"She told us, brother. She told us to get you." explained Xing, she looked into her brother's eyes to see his full demons were out. Something must have happened as he looked more terrifying than ever.

"So she feels it as well." said Empress Wēi with a defeated voice. All of them turn to look at her confuse. "This battle can't go on, we need to regroup and reset."

"You mean this is over, your majesty." concluded Captain Howin.

"This battle is lost but not the war, as long as she can get out of here." declared Empress Wēi. She look at Zhōng who looked at her coldly.

Zhōng turned to look to his uncle who nodded knowing what his nephew was about to ask. "She'll get out of here." he promised.

"Have her stay in the Spartan Empire till this is over." said Empress Wēi.

"As you wish, your majesty." said Zhōng. He turned and led them down the ladder and back towards the palace. "Hang on, princess, I'm coming." he thought to himself as he ran faster than ever back.

Princess Zhen whimpered from the pain she received so far. Her face had tears flowing slowly off her face. Her hands were cuffed together hanging from the ceiling as her butt stuck out. It was raw and cut from the spanks and whips that gashed her clothes. Her legs felt numb from standing in the awkward position. "What's wrong, princess? Feeling familiar?" jeered one of her torturers as he whipped her butt making her cry out again.

"I think she missed this." suggested the assistant, kicking her in the stomach while holding her waist.

"Please… stop." pleaded Princess Zhen.

"You know, when she was with us before, we couldn't make her women because of Emperor Huo's request of keeping her pure for his son." stated the torturer.

"Now he's dead and the younger son abandon the throne, the older one took it and has no use for you." continued the assistant, cupping Princess Zhen's head and forcing it up.

"Meaning we can do whatever we want to you." finished the torturer.

Princess Zhen's eyes went wide and she tried to struggle away. "No, please don't." she pleaded as the men laughed and begin to undo their pants.

Loud bangs on the door stopped them as they went silent. "What is it?" asked the assistant.

"Hurry up, he's here." said someone from the outside. There was a loud cry then silence after a body fell.

"It can't be him, he must be busy or too far away." said the assistant. Suddenly, a Valtryek arm burst through the door knob before the door fell down. A boy rolled in with two blades armed, he attacked him with a quick few stabs. The assistant screamed in pain before the boy sliced his head off.

The boy then turned his attention to the torturer who position the princess between them. "What are you going to do? If you take a step, I whip her while trying to whip you." he stated.

"This," stated the boy, his eyes were glowing blue from under the hood before he sliced the chain cleanly and charged at him. He gave the torturer the same pain as his partner and more. He sliced off his arms and then his legs before grabbing the limbless body.

"Please spare me." he pleaded.

"You should have thought of that before you took her, try to pull your pants down on her, or show yourselves to me again." growled the boy. With his swords crossed in an 'X', he slit the torturer's throat. "You alright?" asked the boy as the princess open her eyes to see him.

"Zhōng," stated Princess Zhen. She pushed herself up and hugged him as her legs were still numb. She cried hard into him, he was shocked by her condition, and he hugged her back. "I'm sorry, this was the only way I could get you here."

"Don't do this again." disciplined Zhōng, he took off his cloak and wrapped it around her. He then picked her up and they left the room as the palace suddenly shook once again.

"Princess!" exclaimed Xing as the rest of them made intercepted them. They saw her wrapped in Zhōng's cloak as he carried her. "Are you alright?" she asked feeling guilty about this.

"I am now, thank you." whimpered Princess Zhen, she smile to assure her friend she was okay.

"We need to get out of here now Zhōng, I heard a fourth cannon appear and was targeting the men at the wall." said John as another blast shook the palace.

"We heard about it before he entered the palace." added Jack.

"Then we must hurry, this way." ordered Zhōng as he led them back the way they came.

The group entered the throne room and ran towards the doors before stopping as they opened. Entered were four enemy mechs and Zhēngfú in his black armor with a black sword by his hip. "Well if it isn't my brother, I thought I'll run into you. I can't believe it took this long to see you again as well as our sisters." he said.

"Brother," stated both Xing and Hannah.

"I thought I told you to stand down." said Zhōng.

"You did, but like you, I did the opposite and followed your example. However, I won't be licking the traitor's feet when this is over." said Zhēngfú.

"Don't do this brother, father wouldn't want this." pleaded Hannah.

"You have no right, half-sister." snapped Zhēngfú.

"She does too." defended Xing.

Zhēngfú shook his head and said, "You have turned both of them against me, brother."

"You've done that yourself," replied Zhōng, "this is your last warning brother, as your former emperor, stand down."

"I don't remember you being an emperor, I remember you being a coward like you always were." replied Zhēngfú.

Zhōng turned around and set Princess Zhen on her feet. Xing and Cortana helped her stand as they looked at Zhōng who looked worried. "Jack, John, at the end of the corridor behind the throne, there's a small stain-glass window surrounded by a cobblestone wall. Break the wall down and jump, you guys should land in the lake. Swim to the shore across, there should be someone waiting for you." he said.

"What about you?" asked John.

"I'll be right behind you, but first I have to finish something. If I'm not there in an hour after you make it, get the princess to the Spartan Empire without me." ordered Zhōng. He turned around and unsheathed both his blades. "Now go!" The group took the princess through the corridor as he stood in between his brother and them. "Let's do this, brother." he challenged.

"Oh, I don't think you're a match for me and my new sword." stated Zhēngfú as the four enemy mechs surrounded Zhōng. "They will provide you a challenge while I handle your friends." he said.

Zhōng tried to cut him off but one of the enemy mechs got in his way, he had no choice but to beat them. He turned around suddenly and attacked one then turn to another one before attacking a third. Suddenly, he was smacked and was sent flying into the throne. He looked up to see the four mechs were advancing on him. He wiped the blood coming from his mouth before smiling and charging at them again.

Jack and John led them through the hallways till they reach the place Zhōng describe. "Glad we kept these," stated John.

"Oh, I grabbed this yesterday when he said to have them just in case." stated Jack as they started to dig.

"Well, look what's about to save our lives again." said John. They hammered the chisel quickly as the girls watched them work.

"Uh, guys, you might want to go faster." suggested Pina. They all turned around to see a full black mech standing on the other end.

"Why hello there," said Zhēngfú as he smiled.

"Jack," started John.

"Let's go!" said Jack as they got back to work as Zhēngfú advanced slowly towards them.

"We'll buy you time." stated Kotori. Silica and Pina activated an arm of their respectable mechs and opened fire.

The impact had Zhēngfú stumbled backwards before he regained his balance. "Cute, just how girls should be." he said as advanced through the blast.

"Guys, he's still coming." warned Cortana.

"We can't have the entire wall fall on us, we're working as fast as he can." stated John as he and Jack dug faster.

Hannah activated an arm of her mech and fired at Zhēngfú but it was barely slowing him down. "He's still coming." warned Xing.

"What type of mech is that?" stated Jack looking at it.

"Eyes on the wall, we need it to come down fast." said John as they went faster.

Kotori joined the four girls and fired as well but they weren't slowing him down. "Activate your mechs and take the wall down." suggested Silica as they begin to panic.

"If we go full, this room could collapse and if we do an arm and shoot at it, we might bring the wall down along with the corridor." stated Jack hammering his chisel faster than ever.

"We're out of time," thought Princess Zhen as she watch Zhēngfú almost hover over them.

A mech suddenly came running from behind Zhēngfú. "Brother!" cried the pilot flipping over him as he turned around. The mech trucked Zhēngfú's back and sent him flying back where he started. He turned around to see a blue and silver mech standing in his way.

"Finally! You may look like a fighter, but let's see if you are." stated Zhēngfú as he got back up.

"Bring that wall down or have it ready to." said Zhōng. He charged at his brother in Valtryek and the two begin their dual. Jack and John wasted no time getting back to work as the girls watched the brothers fight. They parried and landed crucial hits, they gave everything they had. Zhōng was able to keep up and even surpass his brother but it was only for a short moment. Zhēngfú launched a hit at Zhōng that forced him off balance. Seeing this, Zhēngfú grabbed his brother and threw him into the wall. Zhōng stumbled but before he could regain his balance again, his brother landed more hits and threw him up then back down. The girls watch in horror as the events turned against Zhōng.

Zhōng was slammed into one wall and then the other before falling down on the floor. "Is this all you have brother?" mocked Zhēngfú. Zhōng looked up to see the girls' faces in horror, he got up and continued to fight a hopeless battle as Zhēngfú slapped him around.

"No, this can't be happening," thought Princess Zhen watching him getting beaten up. "I will never," echo in her head as she remembers her promise. Tears formed but couldn't fall from her face as she continued to watch.

Zhōng took one last attempt and desperately parried all of his brother's attacks before preparing a rocket to blast him. He saw that Zhēngfú had his blade prepared just like in his nightmares, he knew how this could end. Before his brother could strike, Zhōng turned his rocket around and shouted, "Duck!" Jack and John turned around to see it pointing at them. The girls, Jack and John dive away from the wall as the rocket whistles past them and into the wall. The blast from the launch pushed smoke into the brothers' faces, but the impact shook them apart as the wall came down. Jack, John and the girls looked up to see the empty area where a wall used to stand. They turned around to see Zhōng leaning on a wall breathing heavily. "Run!" he shouted then his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped.

"No!" cried Princess Zhen as they saw a black blade from the dust pierce the right side of Zhōng. It pulled out as he fell to the ground, deactivating his mech.

"Brother!" cried Xing in shock as well.

"Come on! Let's go!" said Jack. He, John, Pina, Silica, Kotori, Cortana, Hannah, and Xing jumped.

Princess Zhen looked at Zhōng one more time as he looked at her. His eyes pleaded for her not to do what she was thinking. "Die! Brother!" shouted Zhēngfú. Zhōng quickly turned around and draw his Valtryek, it deflected the blade away but like his Longus, it shattered from the impact. Zhēngfú then looked up to the princess, with tears still forming around her eyes, she jumped as well. "Well look at what you made me loose." he jeered at him.

"She'll be out of your reach, you won't be able to get her." said Zhōng, he breathed heavily as he smiled.

"A pity that she left you," noted Zhēngfú.

"She did that so she can retrieve something more powerful." stated Zhōng.

"The Ninja Sword? She still won't be a match for me and this Samurai Mech." declared Zhēngfú.

"She's more skillful than you think."

"Thanks for the warning, now die." stated Zhēngfú as he raised his mech's sword for the final blow.

Zhōng closed his eyes, he shut them tight as he believed that it was over for him. Finally, the demons could leave him alone. Suddenly, a spread of missiles hit Zhēngfú, sending him flying backwards. Zhōng reopened his eyes to see a red with yellow trimmed Roktavor taking him. "What are you doing?" he stated.

"No!" expressed Zhēngfú. He fired at them as Princess Zhen took them away. The shots found their marks, causing critical damage to the mech as they leaped from the window. They free-fall down into the waters below as Zhēngfú watched them hit the water. "No! No! No!" he shouted with frustration.

"My lord, their leader has recovered from our push and is coming this way to capture you." stated a soldier running in.

Zhēngfú kicked and killed him as he stormed out. "You may have gotten away, brother, but don't think you're safe." he said to himself.

The group reached the other end breathing heavily from swimming. They looked back to see the capital was on fire. "Where's the princess?" asked Jack as he and John looked around.

"There, she has someone with her." stated Xing. The others looked to where she was pointing. They saw her dragging a body as they got closer to the shore it begin to move back to life. He got up and was clenching his stomach.

"It's Zhōng," exclaimed John in disbelief.

Zhōng limped towards them leaving Princess Zhen on her knees when they reached the shore. The girls ran to her and see if she was alright but all she could see as her tears fell was him walking away from her again. "You alright?" asked Jack.

"Check her first then me." he snapped as he continued past them.

On the edge of the forest was someone waiting with a horse and cart as Zhōng approached. "Are you the one that requested me?" he asked.

"Depends how far you can get us." said Zhōng.

"I take you two towns north from here, then you'll be on your own." he said.

Zhōng turned around to see them checking on the princess as she looked at him. He turned to face him and said, "We're going to need to bury our armor and get clean."

"I can help you with the stitching for that and I can provide new clothes for you all. There's also a clean small pond nearby where you can get yourself clean." he said.

"Very well, we'll have the girls bathe and change first." stated Zhōng.

An hour later, Zhōng was finishing cleaning his face. He looked up to see the capital still burning under the orange clouded skies. He looked back down at the water and saw his mark, a mark that reminded him who he was. He scoop up some more water and scrub hard as the blue dye water ran through his hands and fingers. The horse was prepared for the voyage as the girls in their new clothes sat in the back with their swords, while Jack, John and the helper sat up front. "Let's go." he stated when he reached them.

"Zhōng, you should rest and let that wound heal." suggested Jack as got up to let Zhōng take his seat since there was no more room.

"If I can stand, I can walk." declared Zhōng, he felt Princess Zhen's worried look on him "Sympathy won't help in our journey, your majesty," he said to her as Jack retook his seat with guilt. The cart started to go as Zhōng turned to look at the capital one more time. He failed again and now he was no longer welcome in the empire as he pulled up his hood. With his broken Valtryek and the Ninja Sword around his waist, the story wasn't over.