Never Let You Go, Again

31: The Last Tribulation

"Wei-xiong, there you are!" Nie Huaisang frantically waved his fan to his favourite brother. "Where were you?"

Wei Wuxian, having just returned from the bunnies with Sizhui and Lan Zhan, ran to his saviour and tossed his hand around the other's shoulder. "Nie-xiong! Good to see you! I went to feed the rabbits."

"Oh?" Nie Huaisang put out his hand. "Got some left?"

Wei Wuxian doubled laughing. "You're far from a bunny, Huaisang! But wait. A-Yuan!"

Sizhui didn't speak a word. He just smiled and handed one carrot to Huaisang, leaving the others for Lil Apple. Then he bowed to the three Nie, Jiang and Lan sect leaders standing together, waved to his fathers and skipped away towards a waving Jingyi.

"Hey, Nie-xiong, what are you doing here?"

"I came with news. Oh right!" He banged his fan on his head. "I almost forgot about it! Hanguang-Jun, good that you're here too. It's serious. My scouts reported seeing some Jin traitors traversing the lands. The number of disguised spies had mulitplied and seem to be approaching one place. But we don't know what they're up to. We need to do something, Er-Ge!"

"Massacres. That's what they're planning." 

"What the hell?"

Lan Xichen couldn't care less for Wanyin's swearing. "Massacres?"

Lan Zhan nodded. "A-Ying was right."

The three sect leaders turned to the couple. "Wei-xiong knew it?"

Wei Wuxian was just staring at the floor, his hand shaking, the speed increasing with each breath.

Lan Zhan grasped the shivering hand, enwrapping it with his scarred one, before speaking for his husband, "Nightmare. Foresight."

Jiang Cheng sighed. Lan Huan walked to his brothers and laid a hand on Wei Ying's shoulder. "Didi, it's fine. We'll do our best to put a stop to it."

"Wei-xiong, it's her isn't it? That snake's woman?"

"Yes, Nie-xiong. And they'd kill without restrictions. From the fittest father to the tiniest toddler," Wei Wuxian said, his voice trembling at the memory of the slain babies.

"Luo Qing-FEI!" A deep, cold voice crackled as Zidian flashed against the ground.

"Wanyin," Xichen held his arm.

Jiang Cheng nodded. "A-Xian, do you want to come along?"

Wei Wuxian shook his head. "I might only bring more trouble."

"I'm going," Hanguang-Jun said. When Wei Wuxian smiled sadly and nodded, he continued, "So, A-Ying is too."

"Huh?"

Lan Zhan clenched the other's hand, speaking resolutely, "I won't leave you here."

That earned him a smile. A smile so sincere and true that Lan Zhan's whole being felt uplifted. But deep down he had a feeling. A bad feeling. Bitter, ominous. How had Wei Ying seen the dream? And such a strong foresight? Not just how. Why had he seen it? Was some heavenly person or immortal warning him? In the midst of this, Lan Zhan couldn't ignore his own dream. He'd awoken from his own nightmare to see Wei Ying like that. But while Wei Ying had seen massacres, he'd seen...

Cultivators shouting in glee at the sight of an abandoned Stygian Tiger Seal. The bloodshed, the cries all stopping momentarily as everyone rushed to claim the despicable ornament. Out of millions, only two people noticed the even more detested creator walking to the edge of the cliff. While Lan Zhan ran to save him, he could feel the wails of his heart. 'No. Don't.'