-Link-

Qin roared, even when more battalions of Zhao poured upon them. Hope was momentarily restored, and Qin fought back with Ouki organizing them. Link pushed his way to the front-lines. Despite being wounded before, Link had recovered enough to put up a good fight. He reached the front line where Zhao were pressing in, and with a roar, Link cleaved down any who came close. Every second counted. Every man counted. Link refused to let exhaustion come. He refused to give Zhao an inch of ground, and in his little way, the Qin around him retaliated and joined in. Together halting Zhao's advance to press in and squeeze them in.

"Watch out! There's something strange with that kid! Focus on him first!" A Zhao officer yelled.

Link grinned tiredly as Zhao around him turned their attention to him. His Gift flashed on his hand, and a moment later a dozen men fell dead. "You think you can take Ouki from me?" He taunted. "Come and try it, you shitters!"

One Zhao, barely alive, despite Link cutting him, reached out and grabbed Link by the legs in attempt to pin him down. Link fell backwards and dropped his borrowed sword. The man quickly reached up and grabbed Link by the neck to choke him.

A manic grin spread across the dying Zhao's face, "Do-don't get cocky, Qin dog! All of you have already lost! No one will be spared! Now you will feel the curse of Chou-hei! Now you will know what it is to lose family!"

Link choked under the much larger man's hands, but he managed to get words out, "Hey, I got something."

"What?"

"Your sword," Link stabbed him in the chest with the man's sword. He spewed blood from his mouth on Link's face. With a great thrust, Link shoved the dying man off him and pinned him to the ground with his sword. The man continued to gasp out profanities and threats like a haunted madman, so Link stabbed him in the head.

"Bastards just won't quit," Link sighed. He took a moment to breath before turning his eyes up.

A Zhao battalion had been defeated under the renewed moral of Qin, but it was one group of a thousand amongst a hundred other groups. That was just the Zhao's test. Now the reinforcements and main army slowly marched forward.

-Ouki-

"Ouki!" Ouki heard a roar behind him. He stopped giving orders and looked back. To his surprise, Harken was standing once more. "We aren't done!"

Ouki sighed. Harken's blade extended itself and killed an officer trying to block his way. Ouki extended his hand, motioning for the men to scatter. Bloody, barely conscious, covered in broken bones and with a cracked skull, Harken rushed him as furiously as ever. Harken came upon him like a man possessed, a berserker freed from his shackles of sanity.

It took all of Ouki's strength to block every attack barraging him. His men rushed in to help, no longer trying to give the space for a proper duel. However, they all died in their attempts when Harken cut them down easily.

Ouki grunted, "You are as tenacious as the very demon you spawned."

In a situation where he was outnumbered more than ten-to-one and surrounded in a closed-off chasm with weakened troops, Ouki knew every second counted. He needed to organize his army. He needed to regroup with the scattered soldiers, but with each blow, the tingling numbness in his arm spread further to his chest. Adding insult to injury, Harken would not allow a moment to do what he needed to do. He stood on the edge between life and death.

Never in his life had Ouki ever met an obstacle more difficult than this. He never met a rival who could take so much from him or push him so far. In a way, he almost wept inside because he knew what had to be done. He had to rid himself of a man who had helped shape him as much as his loved one. For what was hate besides being the other side of the coin from love? What was a man without his rival? To Ouki, a rival was as needed for completing the soul as a lover is, and now it was time to be rid of it. Now was the time to be alone.

He had to end this.

Ouki summoned his strength, breaking his body's limits, and cleaved his spear into Harken's shoulder and neck. It was not enough to decapitate him, but definitely was a lethal blow.

Harken gurgled blood and stared at Harken with wide eyes.

Without a moment to lose, Ouki kicked Harken hard to the ground and raised his eyes to the battlefield. They were being engulfed. Qin were dying all around him. He didn't have time to-

"What's the matter, Ouki?" Harken raised himself up. His eyes flashed red and his red hair shone as bright as ever. He struggled to his feet like a demon spawned from the chaos between realms. "You're weaker than I remember... your technique is slipping. You've grown old. If you were the Ouki of old, you would have managed to kill me by now. But you have failed. The master has already come. It is only a matter of time."

"So stubborn," Ouki glared. "You mean that demon of yours, I presume."

Harken smiled widely.

"Yeah... About that," Ouki smiled just as wide. With his smile growing, Harken's dimmed. The confidence Ouki portrayed made Harken question a few things. "I killed it. Reduced it to the ash, actually. Didn't you hear? I'm The Great White Fire of Qin."

"No..." Harken shook. His eyes widened in terror. "No!"

"You are the one who failed, Harken. Now all that's left is to finish you. This time I'm taking your head off your body. Let's see if you can stand back up without that."

Ouki and Harken continued to clash. With each blow Ouki delivered, Harken seemed to get stronger. Ouki was familiar with the mindset of a berserker, even reveled in it from time to time, but never had he been shown how deeply natural being a berserker was for the Dragmire family. The closer to death Harken came, the stronger and faster he moved. The more Ouki fought, however, the slower he became. His body had long surpassed its limit, and he pushed himself further. The weight of Qin was on his shoulders. Failure was not an option, yet...

Harken cleaved his blade twice across Ouki's chest when Ouki failed to block. Ouki took a step back.

"Good grief..." Ouki coughed and blood flew from his mouth. "To deal with a Dragmire champion and a master tactician at the same time is quite an ordeal. You're right, Harken. Perhaps I'm holding back just a bit. I have been thinking of plots and plans of how to win against him even as I fight you. I am divided between two minds. But as I feared..." Ouki sadly grinned a little bit, "I cannot think of a single plan for this."

"He has given up!" The Zhao yelled. A few considered it their chance to move in, but Ouki quickly cut them down.

"Who said anything about giving up!?" Ouki yelled. "If a plan won't work, then we just throw it away." He raised his voice, "Men of Qin! I have an order for you! The enemy has tenfold our number. Therefore, your duty is simply to kill ten men each! You are NOT allowed to fall before killing ten enemies! Men! Become and fight as if you were a beast! Remember the demon from last night and let yourself become one! We shall use our strength to overcome this deathtrap! I, Ouki Mitagi, shall be right behind you all every step of the way!"

Qin's thunderous cheer shook the earth.

-Riboku-

Riboku sat on his horse, overlooking the battle as the last of the Qin refused to fall to his forces. He held up a spyglass and studied from afar. Riboku, for a moment, felt himself doubt. Ouki had changed the battle's winds with barely a word, and he was a man with the talent to create miracles. With the slightest shift, Ouki could still break free. "Have to give Ouki credit," He began. "He is tenacious, and he inspires hope in even the darkest of times. Qin just refuses to fall..."

His second in command rode up beside Riboku. She was a small woman, a novice, and his prodigé. Her name was Kaine. With her came Gika Dono, a commander of ten-thousand men.

Gika said, "Perhaps, but I imagine even Ouki would never have expected us to go as far as deceiving our own allies."

"We did precisely because our enemy is Ouki," Riboku said. "His perception and abilities are almost psychic. The only way to deceive him, and Qin, was to deceive ourselves as well. Ouki reads his enemies for signs. When his enemies don't know, neither can he."

"Isn't all of this a bit overkill?" Kaine asked. "Surely, we can take his head and the rest as hostages. He's just one man. A lot of people are dead for him. Zhao... Qin..."

"Ouki is more than 'just one man.' He is the symbol of Qin's military strength. He is known as the Pillar of Qin... and to remove him would deeply weaken the state of Qin. In the last several generations, Qin's rapid expansion has been unparalleled, and despite a brief lapse, is showing signs of kicking back into motion. A war is coming, Kaine. A war that threatens not only the stability of the seven kingdoms, but the very existence of Zhao. I am stopping it before it comes."

"And what if you're wrong? Gerudo, Zhao, and Lorule all border Qin. Qin knows if they go after one, they leave themselves open to the others."

"So the nobles would have us believe... but I see further than that. Qin is ambitious, more so than any of the other states. Qin will not settle for the established borders. They will throw themselves against them like unruly children... they would rather die fighting and reaching for more than be content."

"How would you know this?"

Rather than answer, Riboku peered once more through his glass, "We can't afford to wait any longer. The army of Duke Hou will notice us if we tarry and cut us off from returning home. Gika, if you will lend me your bow."

Gika bowed, handed Riboku his bow, and watched as Riboku rode alone into the conflict. He chuckled and put a hand to his face as tears fell.

"You don't look happy, Gika."

"The time has come for the monstrous bird to fall to the earth. I am overjoyed so much that I may witness it... I have goosebumps. The Zhao heart that beats in my chest is overjoyed that Qin may finally feel a fraction of our pain since Chou-hei. But the death of this man cannot be summed up by simple emotions, young Kaine. Amongst all the military generals that exist in Hyrule, right now there is no other general as hated by the masses as Ouki. There is no other general whose death is desired as much as his. There is not a single family in the states beyond Qin which has not suffered at his hands. There is not a single one who does not loathe him. His death is wished, prayed, and dreamed for by every soul."

Gika's breath shook as emotion overtook him, "However, at the same time, there is no man more respected. The fire that burns across all Hyrule against him is proof that he is a hero worthy of having his name etched into history. This generation has been his age, where his movements dictate everything. But today... is the passing of that age. The passing of that generation. I remember my father dying, and this reminds me of that feeling. The old die and the young lay claim to what was theirs. Today... marks the age of Riboku. To be present at this place, to witness the curtain rising on this new age... my heart cannot help but tremble."

-Link-

"Another wave comes!" A man yelled.

"Doesn't matter! We each just have to kill ten! Any of you that dies with even nine, I will spit on your grave!" Another yelled.

"How many is ten!?"

"Don't know! Just keep fighting!" Link yelled. He panted and breathed as deeply as he could to catch his breath when yet another wave of Zhao crashed against them. His body was becoming covered in small scratches and shallow wounds. Little bits of armor broke off and stuck to his flesh, dug in like arrows, and burned. His clothes were rags, and his sandals were reduced to scrap.

In the distance, as Link cut down man after man, his eyes caught something. A faint stir of troops behind the Zhao line caught his attention. In between brief clashes, he saw a group of horsemen come close, but not within melee range. One raised a massive bow and aimed towards the fray.

Link wondered at first if the man was aiming towards him, but a quick check confirmed it was not. It was far worse.

"No..." Link gasped. "No! No! Outta the way!" Link activated his Gift as far as he could push it, and instantly cut down a dozen men in front of him. However, for every man he cut down, for every inch of ground he gained, and for every time he used his Gift, there were a dozen more. A hundred more men would appear, and beyond them, another thousand. The Zhao were so closely compacted he couldn't push through.

Link threw his sword. It spun high into the air and planted itself in the ground some distance off, but still several meters short of the archer. The man fired.

-Ouki-

"You are incredible, Harken," Ouki said between blocks. "Even at the border of life and death, you fight like a man possessed!"

Ouki barely managed to avoid a blow and a massive chunk of his shoulder-armor was torn off. Blood flew and Ouki knew he had lost a fair bit of flesh in that attack. "However, you cannot defeat me with such a battered body!"

Ouki used a brief chance to cleave down. Harken blocked the thrust, but to his great surprise, the spear in Ouki's possession flared with a white flame and cut his sword in two. Without a sword to block, the spear continued and cleaved Harken's chest. Fire erupted across his torso, and Harken roared in pain. The pain, however, only seemed to fuel him. He took his broken blade and made to stab Ouki with it.

Ouki moved to block it.

The block stopped short.

Harken pierced through Ouki with his broken sword. Blood flew from Ouki's back as the sword protruded out of it. Had Ouki's arm not been numb, he might have noticed beforehand the arrow impaled into his shoulder. He might have chosen to react differently than attempting to block Harken's stab. However... he did not because he knew not. His defense failed at the opportune moment.

Harken was not dumb. He could clearly see the arrow lodged in the cuff of Ouki's shoulder. He glared at the arrow furiously.

Harken whispered, "They interfered... That is war, I guess. That is the arena you chose, Ouki."

"No!" Link yelled from nearby. The Englishman yelled, the Qin nearby yelled. Desperate, they all clashed furiously with the Zhao around them to stave them off and reach their lord.

Ouki, seemingly aroused by their voices, raised his spear and brought it down on Harken. However, it was weak. Harken neatly caught the spear in his hand. He gazed on Ouki with pity.

"What are you playing at? Just die, you fool," Harken said.

In answer, Ouki, with one hand on the spear, thrust it down hard enough to force Harken to a knee. Harken grunted against the sudden force. Even when Ouki had an arrow in his shoulder and a sword through his chest, Harken found he was losing in the fight of strength. How was this man capable of such power with one foot already in the grave?! Harken pushed back with all of his strength, but the spear slowly pushed itself into his neck.

"A general..." Ouki gasped. "The same as a hundred... or a thousand-man commander is nothing more... than a rank. However... only a few can achieve it... Only those who overcome... numerous brushes with death... and create miracles can... arrive at it. A general oversees thousands... and tens of thousands... of lives. Hence a general's existence carries... so much weight... Hence, a general shines so much... they become as shining... as the sun."

Harken felt the spear reach further into him. His neck bled openly, "What the hell are you?!"

Ouki laughed. Even with a sword in his chest, he found the strength to laugh.

"Do you even need to ask?... I'm the Great Bird of Qin."

Harken pulled his fractured sword out of Ouki's chest and stabbed again.