Heavenly Path Valley · Elegy of the Iron Cavalry
Heavenly Path Valley, the wind cuts like blades.
In the narrow gorge, sunlight is swallowed by the cliff walls on both sides, leaving only a dim stretch of shadow. Ma Chao reined in his warhorse; his steed Flying Sand stamped its hooves restlessly. He raised a hand to halt the entire army, his golden armor still glinting with cold light even in the gloom.
"The terrain ahead is perilous—ambushes lie in wait," Pang De rode forward, his voice steady as forged iron.
Ma Dai gripped his spear, youthful face blazing with battle hunger: "Brother, we ride to reinforce our father on his orders. Delay here, and Chang'an will fall!"
Ma Chao nodded slightly, unyielding battle fury burning in his eyes. He knew the danger of this march, but as the Famed Warrior of Western Liang, he feared no foe.
"Sound the order!" Ma Chao drew his Tiger-Head Pure Gold Spear. "All troops on guard—advance through Heavenly Path Valley at full speed!"
At his command, ten thousand Western Liang Iron Cavalry surged forward like a raging tide, thundering down the gorge. Hooves crashed deafeningly, churning up clouds of dust as if they would trample the narrow valley to rubble.
Yet the moment the cavalry's formation reached the valley's heart, disaster struck without warning.
Oath of the Assault Battalion: Fight till Death, No Surrender
"Loose!"
With a sharp battle cry, crossbowmen lying in wait atop the cliffs unleashed a storm of arrows. In an instant, the dark volley blotted out the sky, and screams erupted everywhere.
"Form ranks!" Ma Chao roared, whirling his spear to swat arrows aside. Disciplined to the core, the Western Liang Cavalry closed formation, raising spears and shields to forge an unbreakable wall of steel.
Before they could steady their lines, deep war drums boomed from the valley entrance. A phalanx advanced then, impenetrable as bronze and stone.
At its head rode a peerless general: crowned with a trident golden headpiece, clad in a crimson floral silk robe of Sichuan, armored with layered beast-face plate mail, girded with a lion-head ornamented battle sash. In his hand was the Sky Piercer Halberd; beneath him galloped the wind-chasing Red Hare steed. This was Lü Bu—the warrior of whom men said No man rivals Lü Bu, no steed rivals Red Hare.
Behind Lü Bu marched eight thousand soldiers of the Assault Battalion, led by Gao Shun. Heavy armor clad every man, each wielding long halberds and giant shields, marching in perfect unison like a moving fortress of steel.
"Brat Ma Chao!" Lü Bu's voice boomed through the valley like a great bell. "Your father Ma Teng rebelled against the realm—his crimes merit death! By the Prime Minister's decree, I claim your head today!"
Ma Chao laughed in burning rage: "Lü Bu! A fickle cur who swore fealty to three fathers—dare you spew arrogance in my presence?!"
Before the words faded, Ma Chao spurred his horse, driving his Tiger-Head Spear straight for Lü Bu's throat. Lü Bu snorted, sweeping his Sky Piercer Halberd to parry the blow.
Horses clashed; the ring of clashing metal echoed thunderously. One was Ma Chao, the Radiant Hero of Western Liang, his spear striking like a dragon; the other Lü Fengxian, unmatched under heaven, his halberd striking like a ferocious tiger. Blow for blow, they clashed as equals.
Ambush Unleashed: Beasts Trapped in Despair
As Ma Chao and Lü Bu fought furiously, Gao Shun's Assault Battalion flooded the gorge like a tide, colliding with the Western Liang Cavalry in a brutal bloodbath.
The Assault Battalion formed tight wedge formations—shields outward, spears inward, living hedgehogs of war. The cavalry's fearsome charge was rendered useless in the cramped valley. Horse shrieks, warrior roars, and clashing weapons wove a tragic battle hymn.
"Brother—ambushes to the east!" Ma Dai's voice cut through the chaos.
Ma Chao's heart sank. He glanced upward to see infantry on the eastern slopes rolling massive boulders and timber toward the gorge below.
"Chen Gong!" Ma Chao gritted his teeth. He had not expected the cunning strategist to lay this trap.
Boulders and timber crashed down like hail, crushing cavalry and horses alike. Soldiers were split open by the debris; panicked steeds stampeded, shattering the formation into chaos.
"Pang De! Protect the rear ranks!" Ma Chao roared, charging back at Lü Bu. He knew only defeating this greatest foe could grant a shred of hope.
Yet cruelty glinted in Lü Bu's eyes. Sensing Ma Chao's desperation, his halberd struck harder, every blow a killing stroke.
Brothers Fallen: A Hero's Last Gloom
"Ma Dai, watch out!" Pang De's cry froze Ma Chao's blood.
He spun to see Ma Dai locked in combat with Lü Bu. Lü Bu's halberd moved with unshakable weight, every strike carrying a thousand tons of force. Bold and young though Ma Dai was, he was no match. Within moments, he fell back, overwhelmed.
In an instant, Lü Bu seized an opening—his halberd striking like a striking viper, piercing Ma Dai's chest. Unprepared, Ma Dai crumpled, blood gushing forth.
"Brother!" Ma Chao's eyes blazed with agony, a soul-wrenching scream tearing from his throat. He tried to wheel his horse to save him, but Lü Bu's halberd clung to his every move, trapping him fast.
"Pang De!" Ma Chao roared again.
Pang De was fighting off swarms of Assault Battalion soldiers. Hearing the cry, he swung his great blade to scatter his foes, then galloped toward Ma Dai's fallen form.
He had barely ridden a few paces when a hidden arrow loosed by Lü Bu struck true, piercing his throat. Pang De stiffened, then toppled from his horse, motionless forever.
"No—!" Tears of blood welled in Ma Chao's eyes. In mere moments, he had lost his dearest brother and his most loyal general.
Broken by Fatigue: A Forced Retreat
"Ma Chao—your end has come!" Lü Bu's voice dripped with the cruelty of a cat toying with a mouse.
Ma Chao drew a ragged breath, channeling all grief and rage into his strikes. His spearwork turned savage, every attack fueled by utter desperation. Yet he knew he could never defeat Lü Bu now.
The Western Liang Cavalry was split, surrounded, doomed. Of ten thousand riders, fewer than two thousand remained—all broken and wounded.
"General, we must flee!" A loyal guard galloped to his side, shouting. "Delay, and all is lost!"
Ma Chao glanced at his soldiers, still fighting to their last breath, pain etched deep in his heart. But he could not die here. The banner of Western Liang must not fall in his hands.
"Retreat!" Ma Chao issued the order at last.
He drove his spear hard to force Lü Bu back, then wheeled his horse, leading his broken troops in a dash for the valley exit. Lü Bu snorted and gave chase, only to be pinned down by loyal Western Liang riders sacrificing their lives.
Through rivers of blood, Ma Chao finally escaped Heavenly Path Valley with less than a hundred loyal guards. When he looked back, the gorge was engulfed in flame, the cries of battle fading to silence.
Heavenly Path Valley had become the tomb of the Western Liang Iron Cavalry.
Ma Chao reined in his steed, staring toward the burning valley, fire of vengeance blazing in his eyes.
"Lü Bu—I swear I will not rest until this blood debt is paid!"