Completed: Raid! (Attack! Quest)

[Zhu Jian (Malarky)]

Quest: Attack!
Type: Normal
Mod: no
Difficulty: Medium
Description: Lead a successful attack upon a caravan - the rewards will be sweet if completely to a suitable standard.

Part 1 – The Plan

The camp sat in the clearing of the jungle, the heat driving many of Zhu Jian’s men to complaining. Most were used to it, some were not. They were a jumbled group of Nan Zhang natives and Han people. They all had one thing in common though. They followed Zhu Jian because they believed he could lead them to greatness. They believed him strong and valiant.

Zhu Jian was in his tent, in full battle armor. A few of his men stood around him. He nodded his head and then his second in command, Mei Xin, stood up from around the small table that had a map placed on it. She smiled, “I have some good information that a large caravan is on its way not to far from here. It should be here in a few hours so I think we should plan for it.”

Zhu Jian nodded and said, “It is believed they have money, armor and weapons, clothes, and food. Actual food.” The men sitting around the table smiled and whooped in agreement. Some actual food for a change. They were tired of eating small game and berries.

Mei Xin smiled, “I definitely think that we should have five groups of soldiers spread out. One in the front to halt the caravan, two on the north side of the road, one on the south, and one behind it. It is said that the caravan is of moderate sized and has at least three wagons.” Mei Xin said pointing at the places on the map. The men nodded.

She continued, “However, we are unsure of exactly how much protection they have, but I hear it is quite well protected. A good group of 50 men or so.” The men nodded. They understood. These guards were probably veterans.

Zhu Jian stood up and stretched, “Tell the men to get ready and tell them of the plan. You can decide who does what. Remember, no survivors.” The men nodded, stood up, and left. Mei Xin was about to leave when Jian said, “Wait. I need to talk to you.”

Mei Xin turned and looked at her leader, “Yes sir?”

“That was a good plan. Question how accurate is the information that we received?”

“Quite accurate my lord.” Mei Xin said bowing her head. She smiled shyly.

Zhu Jian’s face grew stone cold, “I am not your lord. I am your comrade in arms. Don’t forget that. Anyway, tell your group to attack the front with me. I want some blood flowing today. Lots of it.” Zhu Jian said smiling darkly. His eyes grew cold and Mei Xin was now frightened. She hated it when he got like this.

“Yes sir.” She said bowing respectfully and walked off…

[Zhu Jian (Malarky)]

Part 2 – The Attack

Zhu Jian stood in the middle of the road. All of the men where in place. The plan was perfect. He sent a scout ahead to check it out. He returned as quickly as possible and said to his lord, “Zhu Jian, the information appears to be correct.”

Zhu Jian nodded quietly, “Good. Go with the other troops and prepare for the attack. It is time that we let the blood flow today.” The scout nodded and left. Zhu Jian stood quietly in the middle of the road. The heat was almost unbearable for most men, but for Zhu Jian and his men, they thrived. They lived in the heat constantly. Usually his recruits die because they can’t handle it. But the tough survive.

He heard the caravan before he saw it. He heard the hushed words of people and the sound of the horses’ hooves. He smiled as he saw the lead in sight, his odachi behind him in the ground. They caravan leader saw him first and halted it a few yards from Zhu Jian. He called out, “Tell me, how far to the next city stranger?” The caravan leader already knew the answer, but he had to make sure of course.

“Far away.” Zhu Jian said, “You will never make it.”

The caravan leader laughed, “I have been through down here in Nan Zhong many times, and my men could easily handle any bandits, I am sure I can make it.” How naïve was he.

Zhu Jian smiled deviously, “Oh so you think.” The caravan looked puzzled by this and Zhu Jian laughed, “I am Zhu Jian the Blood Thirsty.” The caravan leader gasped. That maniac here?

Zhu Jian pulled his odachi out of the ground behind him and smiled, “You say your men are so good…” The caravan’s guards now spread out in front of him, after all it was one guy wasn’t it? “You’re men should meet mine.”

With those words Zhu Jian’s small army descended on the four wagons. The guards were shocked but fought valiantly. Mei Xin and her men ran out from behind Zhu Jian and charged. Zhu Jian also ran forward, with a surprising speed for someone who wields such a large weapon, and he immediately instilled fear into the caravan.

The fighting was intense. Blood splattered everywhere, and even the caravan drivers fought valiantly. With all the blood around him, Zhu Jian grew more violent and ferocious. Each swing of his giant weapon killed another man. It cut, crushed, and demolished the people. He even killed the horses guiding the wagon. He was unstoppable.

Out of no where, a man knocked Zhu Jian’s odachi from his hand and on the ground beside him. But Zhu Jian was not powerless. He grabbed the man’s spear and yanked the man to him. His fist connected with the man face, and instantly broke his nose. The man’s blood now coated Zhu Jian’s knuckles and he took the spear from the man, spun it around and drove it into the man’s stomach. It pierced through his armor and out the back, the spear was now all the way through the man. And he did this with all one hand. He picked the man up by the neck, who was know struggling to stay alive, “The last thing you will see is me, drinking your blood.” And with that, Zhu Jian drank the blood that fall dripping and falling from the man.

The remaining guards were disgusted and fear gripped them. “HE’S A DEMON!” On of the guard’s yelled. Zhu Jian dropped the man and laughed, “His soul has been freed and his strength is now within me. He is no longer.” Zhu Jian said laughing. He pulled out his two knives from his belt and shook his head. It was pathetic. These men are pathetic.

He rushed forwards cutting the nearest mans stomach, blood shooting out of his abdomen and coated his face. He licked it up and went to another man. Soon, all the guards were dead, their blood littered the road and coated his men

However, one guard was not dead, he was hiding, in the forest when the fighting got out of hand, he turned and ran only to be stopped by Mei Xin’s spear, “Oh no you don’t. Zhu Jian wants to have a word with you.”

The guard pissed himself. He was frightened. He was scared. He felt as if the walls were closing in, death was sure to come to him. Mei Xin guided the man to Zhu Jian.

“You tried to run…” Zhu Jian said, taking a sword from the ground. He put it to the man’s throat.

The guard shivered and cried, “Please don’t kill me. I beg you!” Zhu Jian smirked. The blade began to be pushed against his throat, “Please!”

Zhu Jian lifted the blade and chopped of the man’s hand. The man screamed, but Zhu Jian laughed, “Anyone who wants to drink his blood, come now!” Only Mei Xin stepped forward and lapped up the blood on now pouring from the man’s wrist. Zhu Jian then lapped up some more as he was screaming in pain. Zhu Jian smiled, the blood was good. It was great.

He let the man go with some cloth, “Wrap that around your stump and run and tell everyone that the Blood Thirsty is alive and well.” The man ran off screaming.

Zhu Jian now turned to his men, they recoiled for Zhu Jian’s face was now coated with blood, his eyes wild with excitement, “Go, take everything from the wagons, I will decide how it is split.”

END

[Zhou Yu]

Rewards
200 gold
20 Fame
5 Bravery
15 Feared