[220AD]

“My lord, Guan Yu has left the Jing province, I recommend we strike now!” Sun Quan, ruler of Wu, nodded with a smirk on his face. “No matter how famous and skilled this man is, he is but a mere human, initiate attack on the Shu Han. Today, the Jing province will be ours! If Guan Yu tries to escape after realizing what’s going on, Zhu Ran! Pan Zhang! You two will lead your troops to defeat him.”

“Sir, I alone am enough to take on this…” Sun Quan steps forwards, grabbing onto Zhu Ran’s collar tightly. “He may be mortal, but never underestimate him. That man defeated 2000 men all alone, what makes you think he can’t defeat you guys?” Realizing his folly, Zhu Ran remain silent as Sun Quan released him from his grip. “Now go!” Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang nodded as the two led their troops to intercept Guan Yu.

[Jiangling]

“Where is lord Guan Yu? Who are these men?” Civilians questioned as Lu Meng and his troops seized control over Jiangling, a defense post belonging to Guan Yu. He had left to Fancheng leaving the post defended by his own soldiers. Lu Meng being an expert battle strategist and warrior easily overwhelmed Guan Yu’s forces, however civilians were spared. “Soldier of Guan Yu, do you surrender?” Lu Meng asked staring down at the remaining soldiers tied up with ropes around their arms. The atmosphere was eerie and quiet, no one dared to make a move or say a word. All the soldiers looked down on the cold hard ground as though they had lost hope and given up. Having surrendered and all their weapons confiscated, the soldiers made their way back to the Jing province to return home and escape death.

Lu Meng? This can’t be! I was not aware of an attack, curses, my arrogance got the better of me yet again! I must retreat to the Zhang District to reunite with my other men, I can’t beat them all on my own.

Guan Yu turns back from Jiangling getting back onto his house, just as he was about to leave for Maicheng village, a boy’s screams could be heard followed by the sound of a woman being abused. This instantly triggered a reaction in Guan Yu as he leapt off his horse and raced to the source of the screaming with his renown Dragon Crescent Blade in his hands.

“Lu Meng’s men! Our fight is between us warriors, it has nothing to do with the civilians!” In front of Guan Yu were two of Lu Meng’s soldiers raping a young innocent lady who was defenseless to their assault, lying close by was a little boy who was shocked and too scared to even move. “EH? That’s Guan Yu! Alert Lu Meng immediately…” Without a warning, Guan Yu send a quick yet hard knock towards the soldier’s head with his blade, instantly knocking him unconscious with blood forming in his mouth. The other soldier stood with shaking legs in fear, he stuck his sword out towards Guan Yu, “Stay away! I will kill you!” Guan Yu leaves his huge blade on the floor, shaking his head and advanced without fear, in one swift motion, he managed to grab the man’s wrists, knocking the blade off his hands, using it to severe the man’s arms off.

“There you are Guan Yu! What do you think you are doing to my men?” Lu Meng looks towards Guan Yu in anger and frustration. Guan Yu picks up his blade with one hand and swings it forwards at Lu Meng, “You think you can invade my post and harm my men and civilians without any consequences? Lu Meng, consider this your luckiest day, to die by the hands of Guan Yu!” As soon as he finished his sentence, he leapt into the air striking down hard on Lu Meng who was forced backwards due to the impact. “How does a man as big and bulky as you, be so quick and agile? You surely are a worthy opponent to face. Men onwards!”

A troop of around 200 men charged at Guan Yu, engaging in a close combat battle. Even with the clear numbers disadvantage, Guan Yu easily took down man after man, soldiers sent arrows shooting his way and yet he could easily deflect them with his huge blade and still deliver powerful blows to those in close range. “Enough! Lu Meng face me like a man! Thousand Crescent Slash!” Guan Yu’s blade glowed green in color a massive green aura surrounded his body, he easily threw thrusts of his blade at the troops and in mere seconds, every man was down.

“The green demon of Shu. It is really an honor to meet you, by now you must think that there is no reason to retreat or escape back to Zhang district. Well, let’s just say another two groups have been sent there to execute your family, if I were you, I’d hurry there.” Guan Yu gripped tightly onto his blade with anger written all over his face, “The day for your death will come soon Lu Meng of Wu!” With that Guan Yu hurried to his horse and raced his way to Zhang district…

[Zhang District]

“You bastards! Wait till my father arrives, he will kill all of you!” Guan Ping mocks at Shu Ran in disgust. Shu Ran laughs at the tied and beaten Guan Ping replying, “Father? You are but a mere son of a farmer, Guan Yu is your foster father yet you call him dad? What a joke!” Shu Ran sends a powerful kick towards Guan Ping causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood onto the floor. “Brother!” Guan Yinping yells as Pan Zhang slaps her hard across the face.

“Women aren’t born to fight, even if you are the daughter of Guan Yu! Women are born take care of children and be tools for sex!” Pan Zhang grabs onto Guan Yinping’s neck pinning her against the wall and with his other hand, he squeezes tightly onto her breast with a perverted smile across his face. “Let go… Please…” She begs for mercy as Pan Zhang rips off her top revealing her beautiful rosy breasts, “No!”

*whoosh*

From afar, Guan Xing hurled a spear towards Pan Zhang, nearly striking him in the head. Pan Zhang froze in fear, releasing Guan Yinping from his grasps, she then reaches for a knife and stabs Pan Zhang in his right shoulder causing him to stagger backwards. “Curses! How many children does Guan Yu have?” Zhu Ran turns around and dashes towards Guan Xing with his spear sending multiple strikes at him, one of which hit causing Guan Xing to fall onto the floor in pain as blood started flowing down his right arm. “Father... Save us…”

In the nick of time, Guan Yu arrived on his horse that knocks Zhu Ran off his feet before stopping to let Guan Yu dismount it. “Guan Xing! Are you fine?” He helps Guan Xing up as he looks around seeing his daughter in a struggle against Pan Zhang and his other son tied up and beaten badly. Before long, two huge troops of soldiers surrounded the four of them, at this very moment, Guan Yu knew, not everyone was making out here alive.

“Guan Xing, you take your sister and get the hell out of here now!” Guan Xing nodded as Guan Yu made his way towards Pan Zhang forcing him to retreat beside Zhu Ran and the troops. Guan Xing took off his top rope and covered up his sister’s top as the two made their way out through an escape hole in the walls of their home. Guan Yinping turns around one last time yelling, “Father! Don’t die! I can fight!” Guan Yu ignores her plea and offer for assistance, instead he focuses on the enemy at hand with his blade held tightly in his two hands. “Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang, death awaits you!”

The frontline rushes at Guan Yu only to have their bodies severed into two pieces with one fell swoop. Pan Zhang lets out a cry of shock, “Impossible! No man has ever done that! The green demon of Shu, it’s real…” “Tsk!” Zhu Ran became impatient as he himself charges at Guan Yu with his soldiers engaging in a heated battle. With each strike the men of Wu sent to Guan Yu, Guan Yu returns doubly hard and within minutes, only Zhu Ran and Guan Yu are left standing on their feet.

“I must say Guan Yu! You are impressive but your stamina is depleting fast, you can’t keep up!” Guan Yu stabs his blade onto the ground using the end of his handle as support whilst he catches his breath.

All this fighting has made me tired, I haven’t slept in days, this doesn’t look good… I have to save Guan Ping first…

The green demon of Shu suddenly without any hint grabbed onto his blade’s handle tightly and sending a huge swing upwards nearly taking Zhu Ran’s head off if he didn’t step back quick enough. Then with his blade in the air, Guan Yu spins clockwise sending the blade crashing down on Zhu Ran’s spear in a diagonal direction, the shock sent Zhu Ran falling onto his back with his spear broken into two. “What monstrous strength!”

Guan Yu falls onto one knee coughing out blood onto his right palm, “What?” As he turns around, an arrow has found its way into his left shoulder without him realizing, the poison on the arrow has seeped into his veins causing him to feel weak.

I can’t die now… Liu Bei… My brother…

Getting back onto his feet, Guan Yu went into a more defensive stance as his body grew weaker and heavier. Pan Zhang laugh with a bow in his hands mocking Guan Yu, “Do you like my arrows? They don’t really hurt but they can really kill you!” He lets out a cruel and wicked laugh as he made his way beside Zhu Ran unsheathing his sword pointing it towards Guan Yu.

“So, the coward has finally come to face me after seeing me weakened, how so like you Pan Zhang!” Guan Yu thrust his blade forward narrowly missing Pan Zhang’s neck as the weight of the blade causes him to lose his footing, seizing the chance, Pan Zhang slashes his sword at Guan Yu’s torso cutting open his chained armor. “Pan Zhang one, demon zero! You, remaining few, chase after his children, they couldn’t have gone far!”

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Guan Yu quickly gets back up and tackles one of the soldier’s down taking the man’s sword and stabbing it through the man’s neck. Then he gets up quickly slashing down two more soldiers before another arrow hit him in his neck, the poison spreads quickly as his eyes and face turned blue but yet he continued knocking down the soldiers after his children and soon enough, all the soldiers were dead at his feet.

“I must say, you are persistent. Your children may live but you and your foster son shall die!” Pan Zhang stabs Guan Yu through his stomach with the spearhead of Zhu Ran’s broken spear. With the spear through his stomach, blood started flowing down his mouth as he held on tightly to the spear to prevent it from going further inwards. Suddenly, Guan Yu kicks Pan Zhang over, sending him flying backwards as he removes the spear from his body. He hobbles over to Guan Ping with the spear in his hand to cut apart the ropes.

“Guan Ping, I’m here…” Just a few more steps… *slash*

Guan Yu collapses onto the floor unable to move and even feel his legs, he crawled on the floor with his arms towards his son with his last ounce of strength and will. Zhu Ran steps hard onto the back of Guan Yu preventing him from moving further as he drives a sword into his back, paralyzing him from moving. “You are this close to saving your son, it’s a shame, you didn’t reach him in time. If only you came here faster, maybe he wouldn’t have to die… Pan Zhang! Kill him!”

“Please! Let him go! I’ll give my life over to you! I will serve under Wu!” Zhu Ran laughs with tears breaking out of his eyes, “Give me a break old man, you don’t even have legs, you are paralyzed, you are worse than a woman who tries to fight like a man! Just relax and enjoy your son’s death!” With that, the spearhead was taken out of his hand as in an instant, the spearhead drove through its second victim, only this time, ending the victim’s life immediately.

The blood of his son spurted out over his face, as he couldn’t bear to see his son’s death, Guan Yu closed his eyes shut with tears flowing down fast and free. “Guan Ding… I’m sorry… I have failed your son…” The head of Guan Ping rolled along the floor towards Guan Yu landing right below his chin, Guan Yu opens his eyes and placed his forehead over Guan Ping’s before his life ended with a blow from Zhu Ran…

A warrior once calm and respected became a warrior of power and arrogance. Power can lead any warrior’s path astray, with arrogance comes blindness and with that comes consequences, consequences that prove to be fatal… This was Guan Yu’s last ever memory, a curse stuck to him from death and even till this day after his resurrection, this memory still haunts him forever…