The Tamed

Lan Wangji's calamity

Lan Wangji stared at the teacup in front of him. Lan Xichen was a little concerned seeing his brother troubled expression. Others' might not be able to tell but he's an expert of decrypting the micro-expressions of his younger brother.

"Anything troubled you, Wangji?" He asked.

Lan Wangji, "No." Just one word.

Lan Xichen sipped his tea, knowing that it was a yes.

"I heard there's a Young Master Wei in the lecture hall." Lan Xichen asked although he already knew the answer.

"Mn." Zewu-Jun got his answer of the source of his brother's trouble. Brother is going to have a same aged friend soon; he was pleased with the thought.

The conversation stopped there. Both didn't mind the usual silent breakfast.

Amidst the silence, the second Jade of Lan was lost in his deep thoughts. He woke up an hour earlier than his usual 5am Gusu Lan sleeping pattern. He never had a nightmare before so when he was awakened rudely by the horrific dream, his heart raced, and his chest hurt. He tried meditating but he could not concentrate. He went to the cold spring again when his last visit was less than 9 hours ago. The same person caused both visits.

In his dream, someone was playing a flute. The melody was eerie and shrilly, a summoning of resentful spirits. The air was filled with the smell of blood, Sulphur, and decayed corpses.

Lan Wangji looked around, his heart quickened at the sight of chaos and bloodbath. Some are fighting what resembles hundreds dense black smoke and most are killing each other. He recognized these people. Majority of those people he thought he knew all his life, were not behaving like their usual selves. Clouded by greed and driven by killing intents. Manic. Evil. Willing to cut and slice, step over each other to get their hands on some kind of taunting floating iron piece.

The tune stopped. He saw the man laughed at the sight of massacre. Strangely, he was also crying at the same time. He looked so broken and his eyes full of sorrow and despair.

Now, in front of him, the man was standing too close to a cliff and a black flute fell from his hand.

A grown-up Wei Wuxian. Ravaged and injured. Blood seeped down from mouth. His clothes stained with blood. Tears were rolling on his cheeks while he was watching vacantly at the bloodbath commotion that was happening behind the scenes.

Lan Wangji's mouth moved on its own and his body felt like it was not his to control.

"Wei Ying." Lan Wangji felt his heart were throbbing in pain as he called out softly like he was genuinely terrified that his word would hurt the man further, "Come back." He pleaded with all his heart.

Wei Wuxian looked at him with apologetic gaze for a couple second before shutting his puffy eyes. Refusing to meet Lan Wangji's eyes.

Lan Wangji felt his own heart were breaking apart. Shredded to pieces.

More tears rolled down the man's cheek. He took another step backward closer to the edge. As he took another step, he fell.

Lan Wangji had no extra second to register the shock of seeing Wei Wuxian who was determined to take the final step to his death. He lunged and flew himself forward as fast he could. Desperately trying to pull him back into safety. Into his arm. He managed to grab one of Wei Wuxian's hands with his injured arm. Blood gushing down from the deep slash wound as he kept his grip on Wei Ying tightly. He could feel the pain registered in his brain, but he did not care at all.

Wei Wuxian eyes flung open, surprised to feel someone's hand on his. Shocked at the sight of an aggrieved man he once considered his soulmate. He smiled. A beautiful but sad regretful smile.