CONTENT WARNING:
Brief mentions of torture and other similar activities, though nothing explicit or graphic.
~••••《♤》••••~
Your song calmed me, it calls me; can't believe I am late.
A great mess
A single wreck
The long held silence
The promised violence
A clever move
Will decide,
checkmate or
A silver spoon.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
His eyes felt heavy and there was too much silence. No place was ever completely silent.
He tried to open his eyes but the task turned out to be quite difficult, as they were stuck with dried tears and dirt, the feeling akin to waking up after a long and fitful night. Bichen was lying beside him, the blade out of its sheath.
Something was off.
His hunch was proven correct when after walking through the corridors(?)halls (?) of the manor(?), Lan Wangji felt someone following him. He continued walking, trying to reach out his senses as much as he could while also trying to appear aloof.
He knew sooner or later the person will have to reveal themselves.
They chose sooner.
Clang—crack...That must be a bone, Lan Wangji thought wryly before ducking once again. The person following him didn't have much patience as just after a minute or so of noticing the presence, Lan Wangji felt the tell-tale shift of air by a weapon. He turned, deflecting the blow and noticed not one but two men standing in front of him with swords and hand dagger out.
Great.
Fighting had been difficult. The two men were trained to kill, as was evident from their fighting style and Bichen was being highly uncooperative.
In the middle of an extremely precarious stance, the sword had embedded itself in the wooden panel lining the place and Lan Wangji had to make the tough decision to leave it behind.
It was hard to squash the ache which came with the knowledge that Bichen would be calling him if his golden core was not sealed. Lan Wangji tried anyways.
Now, he ran; trying to out-run his attackers was his only hope as they continued to follow him, throwing an attack or two in between.
He wasn't trained in close-combat, the sword and qin being his usual focus and for the first time in his life, Lan Wangji cursed the Lan Clan's prohibition on such fighting styles.
Landing a sidekick in the ribs of one of his attackers and tackling the other in the head did little to stop them.
At some point they had taken out wrist daggers and now Lan Wangi had to watch his sides, lest he get the blade in his stomach while fighting.
Times like this he wished for Lan cultivators to have it compulsory to carry a weapon on person. Daggers and any small weapons weren't something the Lan Clan approved off, claiming it to be a sign of evil intent.
'A thorough review of clan rules is needed, after finishing this.'
A blade struck on the pillar beside him and Lan Wangji startled back into reality.....or whatever this place was.
'This isn't real. No place can be this vast and empty. Someone was bound to notice them.'
It was true though. The manor or the place whose hallways Lan Wangji had probably mapped by now seem to continue for forever. The hallways led him to rooms, which led him into another corridor or pathway.
Never a door though. Anything but an exit.
Was this a maze array? Or a dream spell ?
'I need to focus.' He tried to focus on his core but the energy was dormant, locked. With a sigh Lan Wangji gave up and continued to run, thinking about the possibilities of escape. If this was a spell or array and he was trapped in it, then everything he sensed was unreal. That would mean the men following him were also a figment of his imagination.
Only one way to find out.
At the next turn, he skidded to a halt, facing the men in black. They didn't disappear or stopped and Lan Wangji focused once again, only giving up when the blade came too near for comfort. A kick landed on his side and Lan Wangji stumbled. The pain was very real.
But how could it be? If this was a spell, shouldn't they be imaginary? Then why the pain?
"Remember, every array, curse or spell has a weak point, a centre, something it latches on. Just hit that place and you will find your way out."
A weak point. But where was the weak point? He needed to calm down, nervousness won't help him. His mind was playing tricks for sure but.....
'It's either our mind or the soul. But most importantly it's you, your conscience, who decides who makes the rules.'
Right. His mind. The next time the men lunged at him for an attack, Lan Zhan took a blow directly on his abdomen, the next one leaving a scratch on his knee after tearing through the fabric; but he stood still, chanting in his mind no, this was not true, this is all a farce, a dream, this is not the real world.
And then something changed.
It happened slowly, a shift in action, a change of scenery and direction. Instead of deadly blows, now the two attackers switched between still fatal but comparatively less life-threatening swipes. Three more turns and the blades were barely making contact with him.
After the sixth bump against a pillar, the surroundings cleared and Lan Wangji found himself standing at a large door. The attackers vanished and Lan Wangji breathed tiredly before opening the door, stepping past the threshold.
Thank you, Wei Ying.
——*——
Opening his eyes, he gasped, feeling as if he had just resurfaced after a long dive. His senses registers the nearby surrounding slowly, still sluggish after breaking the dream spell.
But as soon as his eyes focus, Lan Wangji finds himself staring at an unconscious figure: slumped forward where he is tied to a pillar.
"Xiongzhang."
He didn't dare breath, worst case scenarios passing through his mind.
His brother was the best cultivator of their generation, surely he was just unconscious (probably, Lan Wangji really hoped he was).
On reflex, he tried to move towards his brother and then noticed that he too was bound to a wooden pillar in the middle of the room. Deity Binding ropes. This was the work of a cultivator.
Unable to move, Lan Wangji scanned the room, finding it bare except a few assortments lining the wall.
What kind of room was this? Just then, sounds of heavy boots resonated in the large room accompanied by a mocking voice.
A group of armed men, all wearing the royal insignia came in view and Lan Wangji ran his eyes on them, bemused.
"Lan Wangji...ah...Lan Wangji. We meet again." The source of voice comes near, the crowd of armed men sidestepping to let the person in.
A coward. Hiding behind his goons.
Footsteps come to halt in front of him and Lan Wangji glares as the person comes in view. He should have listened to his gut feelings when it screamed at him to not come here.
Beside him, Lan Wangji hears more than see his brother opening his eyes. He sighed in relief.
"Chief Cultivator, I am talking to you. Give me some attention, will you?"
The prince sounded petulant, like a bratty kid demanding a toy.
But Lan Wangji could see the madness lurking behind his eyes. But then something else flickered in the prince's eyes, shocking Lan Wangji.
"Wangzi, you are not yourself right now. This is the curse speaking."
The prince turned towards Lan Xichen, smile taking a menacing edge as he stood in front of him.
"Lan Zhongzhu, who said I am if not myself ?" He made a show of looking himself over, turning towards his men with a confused expression, disregarding the last sentence completely.
"You! Tell me, am I not myself? If no, then whose self I am in? Did I change personalities ?"
The men in question shook their head furiously, not wanting to face the wrath of their master.
"You see Lan Zhongzhu, I am perfectly myself. It's you who isn't yourself, and your dear didi." The prince turned towards Lan Wangji, leaving Lan Xichen's side.
The prince leaned forward, his fingertips just shy of touching. The nails scraped against his soft skin under the jaw and Lan Wangji inhaled sharply.
Too close.
Lan Xichen struggled, but soon realised that his core was locked because of the Ropes and he couldn't break through the Deity Binding Ropes.
A rough hand grabbed his face when Lan Wangji turned his face away.
The action got the prince another glare but the later just smiled darkly.
"Ah Lan Wangji, don't give me that look or I would think you love me!
Your name is kind of interesting, do you know that? It means freedom from worldly possessions, to forget and yet you are a sinner. You remember. "
Lan Wangji flinched like someone slapped him. Outside, his face is blank except the tightness in his jaw and the ice in his eyes, no one could guess the storm going on inside his mind.
"Hit a mark there, didn't I?"
Lan Wangji averted his eyes, even as the grip on his jaw tightened and that preposterous prince's face almost touched his, he remained unmoving.
"Fine, ignore me for now. We will see how long you can keep that façade for!"
The prince turned towards his men who nodded and the Lan brothers watched as many covered boxes were brought into the room.
If not for the precarious situation, Lan Wangji would think the prince had brought political gifts for them; but as the time was, he would be lucky if a blade wasn't hidden underneath those silks.
As the prince uncovered the first box, Lan Wangji saw a glimpse of something moving. Turning towards his captives, the prince smiled gleefully.
"Let's answer a few questions Chief Cultivator, shall we?"
Two sharp intake of breath were the only response to the question.
——*——
"Stop! Please, Wangzi! This isn't the correct way to get what you want!"
"Nothing which happens in this room is ever good anyway Lan Xichen. But you," The prince didn't look at the Lan Clan Leader, but the implication was clear. "You do have a nice way out of this."
The prince caressed the smooth skin, his fingers finding sharp jaw and supple cheek. The person in his hold was almost limp, not resisting against the assault.
"Wake him up! Probably he will make the correct choice this time and save all of us some time."
A splash of water and Lan Wangji coughed and spluttered, drenched from head to toe.
"Wangji! Wangzi! There are other things the Lan Clan can give you, stop this, now!
"Answer me Hanguang-Jun, yes or no?"
The prince ignored the Clan Leader, waiting for the drenched figure to speak. Lan Wangji stared at the wall across the room in silence.
Maybe, if he ignored the prince for a long time that man would leave him alone. His voice was irritating and after the previous incident, Lan Wangji was starting to feel a headache approaching.
Seeing the Second Jade silent, the prince punched him. Lan Wangji, who had not anticipated the move turned to the side with the force.
Blood oozed out from where the punch had split his lower lip. The prince grabbed his hair, straining the strands and hurting his scalp. It took all his willpower for Lan Wangji to stop the small sound in his throat from escaping. His eyes were already watering with the effort.
"Wangji!"
"Answer me when I ask you something! Don't try to play mum or I will cut that clever tongue of yours."
But Lan Wangji remained silent.
The prince smirked suddenly, before removing his hands.
"Fine, don't speak. We will see how long you can keep this act up. Don't forget Lan Wangji, that it was your sect which put forward the proposal. Now do your brother a favour and accept my proposal. Or else...."
Lan Wangji couldn't believe his ears.
He threw daggers at the prince who looked quite smug with himself. If looks could kill, the arrogant prince would be six feet under the ground.
If only...
"Lans only love once. The proposal is fake. You cannot force my hand."
"Oh? Are you sure I cannot. Chief Cultivator, I thought you were clever. My army is stationed at the borders of Gusu territory. Just one signal; one signal and they will burn down your home again."
The prince chuckled, whispering the last part. "And this time, there won't even be ashes left for you to mourn."
Lan Wangji pressed his lips in a thin line. The prince surely had planned this well. The Royal was not a joke, he needed to choose his words carefully to keep the prince engaged. The more torture, the better. Him suffering was better than all those innocents suffering.
"Wangzi. No matter what reason, the proposal is not void unless both parties are present during the discussion. Lans cannot..." He took a breathe, staring straight in those eyes which continued to blaze with fury, as he said the last sentence.
"I reject your proposal."
A single sentence but a slap on face, hanging between the tense daze.
This time, he was ready for the impact but it still hurt when the prince slapped him. Lan Xichen screamed.
"You—! This isn't your sect, nor am I a simple cultivator whom you can defeat in a duel Lan Wangji. Think nicely, if you refuse one more time then your little abode in the mountains will turn to ashes in seconds!" The prince burst out, furious at the prospect of being rejected.
Lan Wangji remained silent. If he had been a bit more inclined towards politics, had known how to talk like chess move then maybe they won't be in this situation. But as it was, he did not know how to wager for more time. He refused to bend, to bow down in front of his enemy. He will kill himself before giving himself to this man. Doesn't mean the threat has not affected him. A Yuan is still growing up, the juniors don't even know what it means to fight for life seriously when it comes to battles. He cannot make them suffer through one.
Cloud Recesses is still rebuilding, even after all these years. They cannot afford another battle. Absolutely not one against the imperial rule. It would be like fighting a losing battle.
"Wangzi! Stop this madness right now! If power is what you want, you can ask for anything from our sect! Please spare my brother!"
The prince laughed, the sound low and mocking.
"Uh....uh...Lan Xichen, Lan Xichen.
How naive you are. But I don't blame you for that. After all, ignorance is bliss, isn't it? You would know that, of course."
Lan Xichen didn't need to hear more to understand. He tensed, his body locking itself in apprehension.
"You are telling me that you would give me anything, anything which extinguishes my hunger of power; right? But you know what? There's only one thing which can satiate this burning flame inside me, which I have stoked ever since hearing a rumour. Yes, a rumour! Now, don't look so shocked.
The people who have travelled throughout the cultivation world and those who left after your great Sun Shot Campaign talk about very peculiar things. They talk about the undead, the magical power of golden core, the secrets of immortals and the gallantry heroes of the war.
They talk so much that even I, a royal who never cared much about your little world and the strange things happening there learnt of all about them.
Of course, I had to look through resources....but that's nothing.
Imagine my surprise when I heard about the Yiling Patriarch and his forbidding enemy Hanguang-Jun!
Two people who lived through their teens in a war and then were separated by the society because of their different thoughts and paths.
Very fairy-tale like, isn't it?"
The prince stopped, gauging his captives' reaction. Finding whatever was there on their face satisfactory, he continued.
"But what intrigued me the most was when stories started floating that the Yiling Patriarch had died and resurrected back, removing all stains except few from his past and proving his innocence; with the help of none other than his arch-nemesis Hanguang-Jun.
That's when I learnt more about your brother and well, let me tell you one secret Lan Zhongzhu."
The prince leaned towards the Lan Clan Leader and whispered,
"I understand why the Patriarch was so willing to save your brother from falling in dirt with him. He definitely is worth it."
This was true, but the way the prince framed his sentence, it made Lan Xichen feel like his brother was being compared to an object, a thing for pleasure, a treasure. And Lan Xichen hated himself for being unable to do anything about it.
"Tell me Lan Zhongzhu, isn't it true?"
What does the prince expect from him? Agreement? A simple response?
Before Lan Xichen can think of something to say, the sound of someone coughing makes both of them turn, finding Lan Wangji coughing and heaving. There's blood on his mouth.
"Wangji!"
"Ah, your time is running thin, isn't it. Though it should have happened earlier. Not so arrogant and stuck up now, are you?"
The prince spoke as if he was making a speculation and Lan Xichen inhaled sharply.
"Wh–what d-o you—mean should have ha–ppened e–arlier?"
Beside him, Wangji continued to cough, his brother's whacking and dry coughing a morbid background as the prince smiled gleefully.
"I think I have said enough Zewu-Jun~ why don't you connect the dots? What? Still having trouble? And they call you the Twin Jades.
Hmm...how about this? I will say three words and then you try. Okay?"
Lan Xichen's blood boiled. The prince was playing with them.
"Core. Whip Scars. Meili."
Core, Whip Scars, Meili. Three simple words and yet; Lan Xichen felt as if his world had crashed down.
The nighthunt in Meili; the return of Wangji's scars; the unexplainable sealed core. It all made sense. And yet, none of it made sense at all.
"....Why...? You..."
The prince shrugged, speaking nonchalantly.
"No reason Zewu-Jun. I just wanted something, but that something, someone is quite difficult to get.
So here we are."
Before anyone could something else, a guard came running into the room.
"Wangzi! We have been attacked!"
"What?"
"Forgive me dianxia, but a man in black has killed the front battalion, the east gate is demolished and he...he is advancing towards the palace!"
No. It couldn't be. Only one man would come here like this.
"Who is this man?"
"A demon! He...he is using black magic! Our killed men are attacking us!"
The prince shook his head wildly, not believing for a second that he was there. He had taken all the precautions, no one should have noticed.
This wasn't supposed to happen!
Just then, another soldier came barging through the door. The man had blood on his hands and was breathing like he had run through the entire palace.
He probably had.
"Dianxia! The palace is under attack! The Emperor is being held hostage and the madman is demanding that you be present."
"How is it possible? You fools!
Can't even do a simple task."
Lan Xichen watched the exchange in a daze, only catching a few words.
Wei Wuxian was here. Only one man could raise the dead and control them.
The prince swept a glance towards them, turning an accusing finger at both.
"Don't think it's over Lan Wangji.
Just so you learn a lesson, I will bring that man's head for you to see.
Then, you will know what happens to those who dare to defy me!"
"Guard these two and don't let them escape! Or else you will not breath the next day!"
"Understood dianxia!"
The prince took one last look at them, a madness present in his eyes.
But fear was overpowering it, the terror was rising inside him and Lan Xichen only hoped the prince would live to feel what Wei Wuxian would surely put him through.
"Wait for me, will you my guests? I need to welcome someone else."
To Lan Wangji, he said "I will make you mine, soon" before snatching his forehead ribbon.
As the prince strode away from the room, the door closing on them; Lan Xichen glared at the door before turning towards his brother.
Hold on Wangji. Just hold on.
°——————《♤》——————°
S
o here's an update! I wrote this numerous times and finally settled on this one. Do tell me if it's okay. First time writing such things, like torture and other heavy stuff so I tend to recoil from some thoughts and ideas or can't express them nicely.
I am not hurrying with this story as I planned earlier because then the flow will break and the story will be ruined as a whole. So I hope you all understand.
Vote and comment if you liked this chapter!
*****
15 March, 2022 (probably earlier)—26 March, 2022
Last Edited: 30 March, 2022— 1 April, 2022
Published: 2 April, 2022 (00:15