Recommended Listening: [Yin Yang Tales – By Gabriel Saban & Tian Bo]
Wu Commandery – Capital of Jian Ye
Like any other day in the courtyard of Jian Ye's fortress, Sun Ce spent his time training alongside the warriors, old and young, under his command.
At age twenty, he was expected to lead and guide the armies under the Sun family's banners. And the weight of his responsibilities was something he'd been preparing for ever since his early teens.
Long before he was even old enough to wield a sword or spear.
His father, Sun Jian, had been born in the Wu county, hailing from low-class stature and serving under many imperial court warlords until he earned a prominent standing for himself.
And now having finally achieved the status of 'Grand General', Sun Jian reclaimed the remnants of the Wu county as his own homeland to rule.
Sun Ce had much to compete with when it involved his father's achievements, but he was certainly no quitter.
In fact, that only fuelled his desire to raise the Wu County into a memorable empire that ruled the land with peace and prosperity.
But dark times had befallen all of them. The rise of demonic beasts and dark rifts sending the provincial lords into an uproar was more than what Sun Ce had ever prepared for.
More than a week ago, his father received word of the Lushan rift crisis. The mountain peaks of Lushan had become a base for the gateways to the underworld, in turn making the locals suffer from the terrifying creatures that brought chaos to their land.
Only one was capable of resolving the Lushan rift crisis and Sun Jian had spared no second thought in summoning him.
A sense of nostalgia formed as a smile on Sun Ce's lips as he remembered his childhood alongside his sworn brother.
Six years his senior, his sworn brother taught him the ways of the sword and spear. He had much to be grateful for during their time together.
Sun Ce yearned for the moment they would reunite since it had been a lengthy eleven years since their departure from each other.
From that moment on, whatever Sun Ce had known about his sworn brother was from the rumours and tales of his deeds across the demon-riddled lands.
Today was a day he'd been looking forward to for many years.
But his thoughts were interrupted by a hand placed on his shoulder from behind.
"Lord Sun Ce," came a young voice, one no older than Sun Ce himself.
The young warlord pivoted around, his gaze settling on the youth whose long burgundy hair was drawn into a high ponytail by a golden clasp.
The youth wore black and red armour much like his own, possessing deep eyes as lush as the green forests just beyond Jian Ye's fortress.
"Ling'er," Sun Ce greeted his companion with a nod. "You have returned from your patrol so soon?"
Ling Tong, an officer and companion loyal to Sun Ce, let his lips curl up in a quirky smile.
"Why would I waste time needlessly on patrols that bear no results? Who would dare to invade Jian Ye when the notorious Gōngjǐn is on his way here at this very moment?" Ling Tong laughed, clapping Sun Ce on the shoulder.
Sun Ce shook his head light-heartedly. "Certainly, he is a name to be feared, but that is no reason for us to become complacent, Ling'er. Our enemy is not only of the demon legions but also of the young Imperial Emperor's faction."
Ling Tong crossed his arms over his armour's chestplate. "While having him in our forces is a great advantage, I still don't quite trust him, Sun'er. That man has stared in the face of demons and laughed at them. Who's to say he won't lead us to our doom?"
Sun Ce frowned. His sworn brother was not a man he considered malicious despite their long years of separation from each other. Perhaps much had changed about him since then, but whether he was to be trusted or not was an entirely different matter.
"It is true that we are unfamiliar with his true nature, but my father has summoned him for good cause and that is enough reason to trust in his abilities," Sun Ce answered, setting his hands on his hips.
Ling Tong chuckled in response. "So you agree that we should trust in his abilities and not him."
Sun Ce glanced away. "Do not twist my words, Ling'er."
"Speaking of my neglecting of duties, were you not deployed to investigate Lushan's borders?" Ling Tong arched his brow. "I believe Grand General Sun Jian had tasked you with that."
Sun Ce awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
"Do not tell me that you begged your father to send another in your place so that you could be present for Gōngjǐn's arrival?"
"I did not say that." Sun Ce avoided his gaze.
Before Ling Tong could voice his next opinion, the sound of sword clashes around them in the training courtyard fell to silence.
The only thing that could be heard was the ringing of the gong signalling the arrival of an outsider.
Sun Ce's head immediately perked up. There was no doubt from the delight in his smile that he'd been eagerly anticipating his sworn brother's arrival.
"He is here…" Sun Ce murmured gleefully.
Ling Tong's existence was forgotten in a matter of seconds, and Sun Ce raced from the training courtyard without a second thought.
He wove his way through the training warriors, hurriedly pushing them aside to make his way to the front wall of the fortress.
Ling Tong called after him, but Sun Ce heard none of it.
And when he finally made it to the wall, skipping many stone steps leading up to the parapet walkway atop the wall, Sun Ce looked over it.
The warriors on guard weren't surprised by his appearance, considering that he was entirely obvious about his admiration for his sworn brother.
And there, just over the horizon beyond the gravel fields of Jian Ye's fortress, Sun Ce spotted a riding figure in the distance.
A lone figure, leaving a trail of dust in his wake as he rode towards the fortress.
At that distance, Sun Ce could not see his face, but he was certain it was the arrival of the man he'd not seen in over a decade.
Beside Sun Ce, panting heavily with his hands perched on his knees, Ling Tong finally caught up to him.
Before he could speak to Sun Ce, the young warlord was already sprinting down the stone steps again, determined to meet his sworn brother firsthand outside the gates.
Ling Tong shook his head with a snort. "Excited fool…"