The Generals’ armour shone as the pair crashed into the huns with a roar, the small space near the bridge working to the small group’s advantage as fewer enemies could face them at once. Usually they would have fought with the rhythmic strikes of the Singing Sword style taught to every soldier, but with only two people and such limited space they reverted to their specialities.

  Sheng moved faster than the eye could follow, his foes falling with long slashes through their chests with no evidence as to how they’d died but the blood he flicked off his blades before the next wave crashed in. Sun-Li’s movements were simpler but stronger, her spear whirling in deadly arcs that threw enemies away into the chasms as often as she took out their throats and ankles.

  For all their skill even they couldn’t make it through an army unscathed, the army worrying at them like an unending pack of wolves. The banner at Sheng’s back took arrows, the silk saving him while being torn to shreds. The buckles of Sun-Li’s armour were hit so many times the straps were nearly slipping in sweat and blood. And still they fought on, unleashing twin screams of defiance and pain as they cut through the horde like butter.

  The effects of the Generals' charge rippled through the battle like a wave. Each independent stranded soldier realised what was happening and immediately started to fight to reach them. Those who moved like monkeys tumbled over the chasms using their enemy’s weapons as a springboard, others trapped on ledges below leapt out the canyons like great birds, fighting to make space for others climbing out behind them, all focussing on reaching their beloved Generals.

  Suddenly the rout was a battle again, Sheng hiding a smile at how well their plan had worked as they surged forward with renewed strength. Sun-Li slid in front of him to clear a swathe before he rushed forwards and broke their defensive line, switching styles as easily as breathing as a spearhead formation formed around them.

  Now the rhythmic step, slash and block of endless drills kicked in. Every soldier of the Army was taught the Singing Sword style just for situations like this, each soldier adding to the next until they became a wall of weapons that flexed and counterattacked like a living thing itself. At the head of it Sheng could feel their chi moving in time with his, his own training helping him to put the feeling to one side enough to be able to direct the force.

  Soon they crossed the bridge leading to the tower. Imperials flooded in from all sides, occupying the Huns enough to leave the married pair of Generals breathing heavily but standing resolute in the small space that had cleared between the smaller fights and the woman who was obviously the Khan of this army.

  The woman was built like a bear with a giant axe in each hand, the hafts resting casually on her shoulders as if they weren't heavy enough for any other human to need both hands. Her eyes were a surprisingly warm brown that didn’t seem to fit with the skinned snow leopard wrapped around her shoulders. “” she said in crisp Hunnish, “”

  She rushed forward and brought both her axes down only to find the shaft of Sun-Li’s spear blocking them. Sheng flashed round behind them despite his feet not seeming to move, leaving a shallow cut round the back of the Khan's legs before the Hun pushed, throwing Sun-Li aside to move away.

  The Generals were getting in a few good hits but the battle had taken its toll, tiredness causing the pair to be slower than usual while the Khan’s stamina seemed to be inexhaustible despite her injuries.

  Neither of them could keep this up. Sheng’s eyes flicked round, he needed space to think. Sun-Li glanced at the Khan, growled and lunged forwards, catching both of her axes and pinning them to the ground, “”

  The Khan’s face slowly split into a smile, “”

  “” Sun-Li grunted as the woman slowly lifted her axes despite her spear, “”

  “” she said with a shrug, whipping her huge axes from under the spear with a speed that shouldn’t be possible in a battle that had gone on this long, “” The axes reversed and swung back down, Sun-Li spinning to one side to let them slam into the ground on either side of her, “”

  Sun-Li stuck at the Khan's stomach, then jumped back. “” She straightened and smiled, “”

  The Khan spun to see Sheng racing for the tower and chased him with a bellow. Sheng waited until at the last moment to step aside and let the hun strike the tower wall instead with an impact that sent chips of stone flying in all directions.

  “” Sheng taunted, backing up the tower steps to where the great axes the Hun wielded were too large to be manoeuvrable.

  Instead the Hun shouldered the axes and stood at the bottom of the stairs, “” She spun and sparks flew from where she caught Sun-Li’s armour, slamming into the wall she’d been using to cover her approach, “”

  Sun-Li stepped out and levelled her spear at the Khan, “”

  Sheng ran up the stairs and prayed for Sun-Li to keep their enemy busy as long as possible, eyes sweeping around what had been his command centre only this morning.

  It was, frankly, completely ransacked. The table had been broken in half and the brazier had been tipped over, fragments of parchment scattered where the Huns had tried to put the information back together.

  He couldn't pay attention to the bodies by the door. He went for his actual target, the beams that held up the higher floors. The only question was how to weaken them?

  … He didn't have time to ponder this. More to the point even if it would ruin his swords to use them as axes it wasn't like he was going to need them much longer.

  He gathered his remaining strength and found the thinnest place on the support beam to start slicing through. There were four, if he worked quickly he could probably manage to get through one in less than a minute. Four minutes, did he have that?

  Sheng tracked what was happening outside from the sounds floating through the shattered window, “”

  “” Sun-Li replied, and Sheng delighted in the pride of hearing his wife compliment him as he moved to the second support beam. There was the sound of metal on stone and he imagined the Khan's axe's blunting as she unintentionally helped along her own downfall.

  Wait… could he angle the collapse, make a safe space for him and Sun-Li to survive?

  No. A safe space for them would mean a safe space for the Khan, and the woman had the annoying tendency to survive things if given half a chance. He needed to make this inescapable. They weren't going to get another chance as good as this.

  He noted with concern that the sounds of wider battle were considerably harder to hear. Was it because the Empire's troops had taken and held the tower? Had the Huns? Or were both sides just watching, giving the duel the respect it deserved?

  He hoped their charge had saved more lives than it had cost.

  The second support beam was cut, its weight holding it in place to hide the impending trap. This patch of wall was wonderfully clear, a perfect place to give the final blow and make the tower give way. He moved the shattered remains of a chair to make the space more appealing to fight in and moved to the third beam as voices drifted up once more.

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  "" the Khan said, her voice almost a purring growl, ""

  There was a pause, then there was a thud and the Khan's voice rose in shock, "" The shock faded to suspicion, ""

  Damn. Sun-Li had been forced to use her strength. They were going to be in here any moment. Sheng threw himself at the beam, uncaring of the noise he was making.

  "" Sun-Li sounded smug, ""

  What was she doing? Was she trying to make the Hun come after- Oh, yes, of course she was. The Khan was notorious for avoiding traps, and Sun-Li knew that Sheng was setting up something inside, a plan that he hadn't dared tell her in case they'd been spied on even on the battlefield. Sheng loved his wife, but occasionally it felt like she had a little too much faith in him.

  A flurry of crude Hunnish swearwords filled the air, ""

  Sheng grinned as he always did when he'd managed to get someone to react. The clash of blades reminded him that he was getting company soon and needed to hurry up.

  The third support was cut, but he heard a crash right at the bottom of the stairs. Sheng couldn't let the Khan see him attack the last beam or it would give away the trap, which meant he needed to make it look like he was planning something different.

  "" the General of the Eagle Army said, proud defiance in every note of her voice. ""

  "" the Khan roared.

  He moved to kneel next to his comrades who had stayed behind to make sure the Huns got nothing of value. He murmured an apology and thanks for their final service as he crouched next to their slumped bodies, his blood soaked armour matching with theirs. It wouldn't be long until he was truly indistinguishable from them, all buried under the rubble.

  He felt better that they would have a grave rather than being open to the air.

  Footsteps thundered up the stairs and Sheng readied himself. The Khan burst through with Sun-Li's spear right behind, forcing the Khan to jump aside straight into Sheng's reach.

  His blade bit deep into her side despite the armour. Sheng took the grunt of pain as the compliment it was before putting the fallen brazier between him and the Khan. It spoke to the Khan's constitution that the wound didn't appear to slow her down much.

  Fragments of half-burned parchment fluttered around as she returned his strike with one of her own. Sun-Li intercepted it. Sheng took the opportunity to get out of the way, leading the Khan into the cleared space so that he could circle back round to the last support.

  The debris and the size of her weapons meant that the Khan was finding it much more difficult than Sheng to make her way around the room, hitting walls and floor with enough force that Sheng wasn't sure he'd manage to cut the last support before she brought the whole thing down.

  If this plan were going to work he needed her to think they were fighting her instead of setting up a trap. So Sheng ducked and weaved around the room, using his short stature and shorter weapons to deliver small attacks that nipped away at the Khan. The small strikes were only a cover though - hiding the Unseen Talon Strikes directed at the final support beam.

  Unfortunately the cramped conditions hampered his wife even more than the Khan, reducing her to blocking the Khan's movement to keep her contained. He hated to admit it, but the help was desperately needed. Doing so many quick movements in succession was taking more energy than he could afford to spare.

  Sun-Li managed to get a good hit in, using the butt of her spear to slam the Khan backwards into the wall with enough force for dust to shake loose from the ceiling. Sheng saw the moment that Sun-Li frowned at the dust before a slow smile of realisation spread across her face.

  She threw him a grin she always did when she'd worked out what he was up to and felt himself smiling with how much he loved his wife's intelligence. To work it all out from a puff of dust… Sun-Li was truly something.

  It had been an honour to be her husband.

  Sun-Li fought with renewed vigour as Sheng's path took him towards the final beam one last time. This time he glanced at her, a check to confirm that everything was about to come down. She breathed out and nodded.

  How he loved her, to know that the end was coming and still face it with such resolution.

  Sheng jumped to sever the final beam as Sun-Li swung, the Khan-Al-Khan mockingly darting away from the strike. Sun-Li's spear crashed into the wall. The stones were knocked out entirely, letting in the light as the ceiling groaned.

  Even then the Hun didn't give up. She lunged toward the hole, a cornered rat trying to escape. A leap from this height wouldn't go well for the Khan, but a broken leg was survivable and this Hun had shown time and time again how she would survive given half a chance.

  Sun-Li stood in the way, a giant standing against the sun. Sheng shouted a cry of warning, lunging forward to join her in blocking the gap as the Khan threw herself at Sun-Li with axes raised high.

  Sun-Li swept the butt of her spear round, catching Sheng in the waist and throwing him out the hole behind her. The axes bit into her shoulders as she drove the spear forward into the Khan's gut.

  The world seemed to slow as Sheng fell, the tableau searing into his mind. The Khan looked up at Sun-Li, gaze clear and voice sharp with mirth over the roar of falling stone.

  ""

  The world narrowed to Sun-Li's grim but triumphant smile.

  "For Empire and Family."

  When the dust settled there was silence.

  Sheng couldn't see anything but stone and Sun-Li's face, slack and unmoving under the rubble.

  We were meant to die together.

  He didn't care when someone grabbed his forearms and dragged him away.

  He didn't even notice the voices around him were Hunnish until they'd left the Valley of Twelve Bridges behind and they didn't pass the Wall.

  —

  There was a silence around the campfire after his story.

  Xiong looked at the embers. It was so different from the official story. That one was a tale of glorious battle and the tactical brilliance to bring the army together, the married Generals heroically sacrificing their lives and walking into the Golden Phoenix's Court with their heads held high.

  For the first time Xiong saw the grimness of war, a desperate suicide play and accepting their own death before they walked on the battlefield. How his Grandfather- who they had been - had died with his wife.

  "What did you do after you were captured?" He found himself asking.

  Sheng gave a hollow chuckle, "In a way my grief saved me. They wanted to defeat the Fox in combat, not a broken man who couldn't fight back. They kept me as a trophy in a prison to show off their strength."

  If he had faked the grief it would be a brilliant tactical play to get them to underestimate him. But Xiong remembered how silent the house had been once his mother's breathing fell silent. How he had only moved when his master had dragged him out by the arm.

  "What got you to live again?"

  A huff that could almost be amusement. "They held archery training outside my cell. I was half mad and thought I was back in the army camp. So I started giving tips to the bullied boy nearest me - Gon Wu Ping, the man you just fought and I am oddly glad you did not kill." Sheng gave a wry smile, "Would you believe that the harsh language of the Huns and their disdain for Imperial Honour helped? The boy had no idea who I was and no sympathy for my grief. He just told me to get over myself and 'if you have no honour, do something to regain it, then go back. Now tell me how my stance is wrong'."

  Xiong blinked in shock as his grandfather laughed. Sheng spoke like it was funny, but he failed to see the humour. He could recognise the practicality though. "Two days after my mother passed my master dragged me to the forge, saying that even if the world stopped work didn't."

  Sheng smiled, kind but sad, "It is amazing how heartless practicality can help, isn't it?"

  Xiong nodded, silent.

  They both sat in silence for a few moments before Sheng sighed, "And there is yet another example. I travelled in search of wisdom to bring back, I learned enough of the Huns' mindset to perfect the Howling Arrow Style that I had been crafting." He gave a hollow laugh, "And then I realised I couldn't even use it here! Not without being called a Hun spy! No, I find that the most important lesson in all my wanderings was that I should have stayed home. That home and family are worth far more than glory."

  Xiong looked at the tired old veteran and finally the scales fell from his eyes. His grandfather became a man. A man who had done great things - a true Grandmaster who had created his own style! - but a man who had lost his family just like Xiong had. He saw the grief, the guilt, that maybe he could have done more, that he should have been there, all his own pain and expectations that came with the name.

  It didn't stop Sheng being the brilliant tactician of his stories. It didn't stop Sheng being the cynical veteran in the teashop or someone who had said they were proud of Xiong without even needing to think about it.

  Looking at the hurt Xiong felt his resolve crystallise. It wasn't right that someone who had given so much for the Empire could be reduced to looking so small and hurt. But here he was, coming back and helping people again, giving even more of himself when he didn't have to.

  He never wanted Sheng to look so haunted again. Someone needed to protect him, from himself as well as the world.

  "I understand and I forgive you." Xiong said firmly. "I would be honoured if you allowed me to call you Grandfather, and even more so to be your Grandson. Please, allow me as a Mother Bear stylist to protect you, not only from weapons, but also from the demons in your own mind."

  Sheng's face lit up with a smile brighter than the sun, ignoring proper Imperial etiquette by wrapping the much larger and taller 20 year old in a fierce hug. "I accept. Thank you for saving an old man." He looked up, eyes full of tears, "Please, allow me to be the Grandfather I should always have been."

  "Of course." Xiong returned the hug, and found that he didn't mind the informality, "You have already imparted great wisdom on me, Grandfather. I look forward to learning more."