The Demonic Clan of Yiling (MDZS Fanfic)

Xiao-Gege (Pt.5)

As soon as he spoke Sizhui appeared, looking less beat up than the other two, but Jingyi noticed he was also bleeding from his ear where two of his piercings were missing and his robes were torn. His scars had also flared up over his hands where they held his sword in an almost fighting stance. Jingyi rushed over to join them.

"Lets get inside, who knows how many of them are starting to recover." He mumbled turning his back to them and raising his sword.

"I had at least three on me." Sizhui stated, grabbing on of Zizhen's arms and pulling it over his shoulder to support the older boy.

"I had four or five, but the dog distracted them for me." Jin Ling said and now that he was closer Jingyi noticed him shivering.

"Are you alright?" He asked the golden boy who simply glared at him.

"Of course, its just a scratch." Jin Ling answered, but even the other two seemed concerned at how pale he was becoming.

"I'll check you both over once we're inside." Sizhui said leading them all to where the open door was. 

He and Zizhen both entered first, going up the steps slowly due to Zizhen's injury. As soon at they were inside Sizhui set Zizhen down on a box and lifted his leg up onto another one which made the boy in green groan in pain. It was after his groan, just as Jin Ling was about to start up the steps, that several rustling noises sounded from within the black fog. Followed closely by many many sets of footsteps. They both braced their swords. Although the effort made Jin Ling sway a little.

"Go." Jingyi breathed softly, afraid that if he spoke too loud all of the puppets would come running towards them.

"Where is my dog?" Jin Ling hissed and it was only then that Jingyi became alarmingly aware of the sheer lack of growling or barking.

"No one said her name, right?" He asked the younger boy.

"I didn't." Jin Ling muttered. The sound of a foot dragging nearby made them both turn, knowing it was one of the puppets. Jin Ling had his foot on the first step, Jingyi still on the ground, both of them completely unsure of how much time they had.

"Go." Jingyi said again, a little more forcefully.

"Both of us." Jin Ling persisted grabbing the back of his white robes to further prove his point. But Jingyi didn't budge, because something felt off. 

The puppets were slow, far too slow... Like a cat stalking its prey. He had a feeling that as soon as one of them ran for it the puppets would pounce and with their back turned neither of them would be able to react on time.

"You first. I'll cover and follow straight after."

"No. You go first and I'll cover." Jin Ling growled tugging Jingyi's robes again.

"You're injured."

"And you're stupid!"

"What's going on?" Sizhui's voice was soft over their whispers and for a moment Jingyi wondered how his demonic abilities were affecting him. Could he hear the resentment coming off of the puppets? Could he sense more than them?

"Nothing. The Young Mistress was just on his way up." Jingyi replied.

"Oh- You-"

"Hurry up! I swear you bickering will be the death of you two!" Zizhen's voice hissed over Jin Ling's and the youngest boy sagged. He shot Jingyi one last sceptical glare, before going up another step. Then another one. And another one. And another- The puppets charged, sprinting at inhuman like speeds at them.

"Fuck!" Jin Ling screamed, speeding his way up the rest of the steps. Sizhui dragged him inside as soon as he was within reach, passing him off to Zizhen quickly so that he could grab Jingyi who was following behind.

Only Jingyi wasn't following... He was stuck, pinned in a choke hold at the foot of the first step, by a different disciple from the Nie clan.

"Shit! No!" Jin Ling spurted out of Zizhen's grip charging for the door when Sizhui grabbed him and stopped him from leaving. He roared in anger.

At the foot of the steps Jingyi struggled, one hand reaching for his sword that was just out of his reach and his legs kicking relentlessly at the man on top of him. The other puppets around were already trying to get up the steps and he refused to let them get to his friends.

Get off!

He shoved the heel of his foot into the man's chest. A loud crunch rang out. The man crumpled on top of him coughing and spluttering. Jingyi clambered away, grabbing his sword as he went and stumbling to his feet.

He had to get up the stairs...

A presence was felt behind him. Something so sudden and so cold that Jingyi didn't have it in him to react. Jin Ling screamed. Sizhui took a step through the door. The wind slashed behind him for a moment and then a deep, guttural growl from the very essence of hell took over. The presence once there disappearing. Loud braking and growling filling his ears.

Jingyi glanced behind him to see the girl for the Yao clan he was fighting earlier pinned underneath Fairy's giant paws. The dog's teeth bared in her face.

"Hurry!" Sizhui yelled, waving Jingyi along. He turned to look up at the older boy, somewhat in shock. He ascended the steps, still dazed enough that he hadn't realised the puppets around him had frozen after Fairy's attack. 

Sizhui's arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him inside with the others. They felt foreign. They felt odd. The other's tried talking to him, but his ears didn't want to listen to them. He could only hear the song outside. The song he had tuned out for most of their fight. It was on that part the part before they called the name...

Xiao-gege, Xiao-gege, who is it today?
Xiao-gege, Xiao-gege, what is their name?

Silence...

Silence...

More silence...

The others had stopped talking to listen too, but as the quiet stretched on they began to let out the breaths they were holding. Jingyi let his shoulders untense. He wasn't fully out of his daze yet, but that was probably because he had just been chocked.

"A-Ling let me see your arm." Sizhui said approaching Jin Ling when suddenly that croaking, broken, husk of a voice sounded in all of their ears. Causing every single one of them to stiffen and pale. All Jingyi could do was focus on his breathing. Not the rising panic. Not the over coming numbness. He knew that name... He knew it well... He knew it... because is was his...

Lan Jingyi...