The Last Phoenix

Chapter Three

His entire body was covered with a bright glow that emanated, and he was engulfed with the flames. He wasn't even shaped as a human, but a different creature.

He was a bird.

A vermilion bird that was covered entirely. He had one large tail that separated into three. 

He turned his body to see that a bright trail of mist followed him. His tail gently swung. He found it beautiful, but also horrifying. 

Each and every one of his feathers were on fire, and they almost appeared to be glass. They looked fragile, but he could tell that they were strong. 

He looked back to Wei Wuxian, and he had a gentle smile on his face.

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Lan Wangji swam back to consciousness in halting, slow stages. His head ached, but the bright, hot searing pain in his foot was much worse. He kept his eyes shut because of the blinding light from what could only be a window beside him was also present.

How long was he out?

And what kind of nightmare was that?

It happened too fast. It was too short. Nothing was clear, and could barely get a glimpse of anything.

He didn't want to open his eyes again, but he also didn't want to fall asleep. If he did, he wished that he could dream something beautiful.

Sometimes, he would dream of the Prince. And when he'd wake up, he would be disappointed. When he would dream something beautiful, he didn't want to rise from bed.

When he did, he felt that nothing was good.

So he wished to never open his eyes and stay with Wei Wuxian, holding him tight.

Another reason to keep them shut is because he was afraid his mask had been taken off. For a long time, he refused to move. It felt like he couldn't do that, nor speak, anyway. Merely opening his eyes felt like an impossible task.

Lan Wangji wondered where he even was, because he was laying on a bed. Someone had surely taken him somewhere. He had trouble remembering what had just happened before he blacked out. His mind was hazy and he was dimly aware of what was going on around him.

His ankle got the best of him, though. He knew that. 

He slowly lifted a hand to his face. It was the first movement he had made. The sudden grab of a work-roughened one startled him, and it quickly pulled his back down.

"Don't move."

A sharp, serious voice made him jump, and that caused him to do exactly what he was told not to.

His foot moved just slightly, but the even that small bit felt severe. Lan Wangji couldn't remember the last time he had an injury to any of his feet like this. 

The ache became worse and he couldn't help but let out a groan of pain.

He kept his eyes closed, refusing to look at the person. He didn't realize anyone else was with him in the room until then.

He wasn't very aware of his surroundings at that moment, and he honestly did not care.

The voice became agitated and snapped, "I said 'don't move', idiot! Which part of that do you not understand?!"

The sharp voice came from someone he already didn't want to meet. They sounded exhausted and riled up, as if they were on the verge of killing someone. Who could've made this person so upset?

Did Lan Wangji do it?

That voice sounded familiar, though. It was a voice he felt he hadn't heard in a long time.