It's been almost an year now, since Wei Ying and Lan Zhan parted at the hill just outside the territories of Gusu, now Lan Wangi often finds himself playing their song at night instead of Inquiry and the change is soothing for the whole Cloud Recess...
Lan Wangji had battled against his own body countless times since his childhood. A never-ending inner war- between his brain and his conscience, his very own soul, going on since he had been born.
But nothing could compare with the hollowness he had to fight now. After a hazy view of Lotus Pier, he woke up to find himself in a room similar to the ones at Cloud Recesses. His brain was too sleep dazed to connect the dots and tell him the exact name but he figured that he had been brought back.
Opening his eyes he looked around, feeling his limbs protest slightly against movement; probably due to recent inactivity and bed-rest. Seeing as no one was there, he decided to get up. His whole being felt compelled to lie still for as long as he could which was wrong. He had never felt his body to be this weak since those dreadful years ago. Every fibre protested against a slightest twitch, his eyes barely keeping themselves open in response to his stubborn will if nothing else.
But, he needed to know about the boys. The nighthunt's result must have been fatal. A flash of the incident came in front of his eyes and Lan Wangji forced himself to breath steadily.
No. Now was not the time to panic.
After a third attempt, he managed to stand without swaying and dragged himself towards the doors. Outside, no one was there. Not a single disciple. Lan Wangji tried to walk slowly, taking each step cautiously, lest he falls and injure himself further. He cannot feel his core healing the wounds which is worrisome. He will think about it later. Right now, he needs to know.
His senses tell him that something is wrong and Lan Wangji knows from experience that it's better to trust his senses.
As soon as he got a few meters ahead, he saw some disciples murmuring among themselves. They seemed restless, nervous eyes glancing around continously. Another disciple came and told them something before they walked away briskly, as running was forbidden in Cloud Recesses.
Though before Lan Wangji could move further, Sizhui came crashing towards him, only stopping himself at the last moment from barrelling into him. He looked surprised to see Lan Wangji there but didn't say anything about it. He simply clutched his hands and said in what Lan Wangji recognised as panic, " Hanguang-Jun! You...you have to come with me! Wei qianbe..."
" Where ?" " Main Hall"
He had been correct.
With that, Lan Wangji sprinted towards the hall with Sizhui on his tails. This was probably the first time he had done so as many heads turned upon seeing him but he didn't care. He had to get to Wei Ying. Four disciples blocked his way in front and Lan Wangji stopped. Sizhui caught up to him, huffing " Huh ?"
" Hanguang-Jun, you must rest. " A disciple spoke though there was a bit of nervousness in his stance.
" Move. " None of them did, though it was a bare thing. Years of discipline ingrained in their body and their current order conflicting their stance.
One of them, probably too arrogant for Lan Wangji's liking pointed his blade at him. The others gasped seeing his action but Lan Wangji had seen enough. He moved, his body working mostly on adrenaline and pushed by his worry for Wei Ying. A hand on the blade and a well aimed low kick was all it took to take out the disciple. The other scattered away after this, not willing to go through the same experience.
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After that, Lan Wangji only remembered reaching the Main Hall to find Wei Ying commanding the resentful energy and suffocated the elders, pleading him to stop and being denied, taking an attack meant for Wei Ying even as Xiongzhang and Sizhui tried to hold him back and then, blank.
It was all his body could take and then, he collapsed.
As the darkness encompassed him fully, his only thought was this,
