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Wangji thought he knew what desperation felt like. He spent long years searching, yearning and inconsolably helpless trying to find his one and only soulmate. He thought that once he found him and bonded with him, things would be fine. He was not a fool, he knew wherever Wuxian went, trouble would surely follow. That's why he trained and improved his skills all those years to be able to protect their love no matter what. Yet, he's standing in the middle of a war zone filled with swords vainly trying to stop corporeal spirits and mundane people running and screaming in fear. He couldn't bring himself to care. At the moment, the only thing he can see is the terror in his soul-bond's eyes as he struggles to free himself from his captive. The only thing he can hear is his love whimpering his name in sheer panic, asking for him to save him. Wangji kept fighting his way, willing to destroy anything to get to Wuxian. Spirits kept coming. They kept blocking his way and delaying him.
Wuxian felt paralyzed. A mix of pain from the death grip the man had on his wrist and waist, the warm exhales of him sniffing his neck and the powerless feeling from being at the mercy of a mad man. He didn't even have time to look around and check if everyone else was alright. His eyes were uncontrollably fixed on his soul-bond.. begging him to make this all stop.
The man moved back enough to get a better look at Wuxian's face. He followed his eyesight towards Wangji and whispered: "Who is that?"
Wuxian's eyes widened in fear. Even in a weak state, he wouldn't wish harm towards his soul-bond. The man smirks: "He is your love, isn't he?"
Wuxian tried to swallow through a bruised throat and winced with pain. The man inched close to whisper: "Would you be more willing to join me if I looked more like your Lan Zhan?"
When he moved back into Wuxian's sight, his face was no longer featureless. He had Wangji's face. Wuxian started shaking in a mix of shock and denial: "H.. How?"
The man smiles: "I can be anyone as long as I know their birth name and how they look like. Isn't that funny? A man with many faces but none of his own."
Wuxian's eyes started to water as he shook his head: "No no no no no.." He was not prepared for this type of psychology warfare.
Wuxian didn't know it was possible but the man tightened his grip on his waist to the point where he could feel his fingers almost digging into his flesh. The man moved his hand from his defiantly-broken wrist to grab his neck tenderly: "I came here to receive the blessings of the deity guarding the well but you ruined my plans. It's only fair that you repay me."
Wuxian could barely breathe from the amount of pain he felt from the grip on his waist. The man whispered close to Wuxian's face: "This is a warning. Stand in my way once more and I will kill everyone you love and keep you for myself." He closed the gap and forced Wuxian into a tender kiss. The smaller man scrunched his eyes and pursed his lips tightly shut in a last act of defiance. The man didn't seem to care and continued to place small kisses from the corner of Wuxian's mouth to the underside of his jaw. He whispered: "So much power wasted on you.. I can taste it .. just under your skin." He licked Wuxian from his collar bone to his jaw.
Wuxian was at the verge of breaking down in sobs. The only thing keeping him together is the will to survive. If he dies, Wangji dies. He will not fail his soul-bond. The pressure that was holding his side suddenly disappeared and he crumbled into the ground. He didn't dare open his eyes. He was so terrified. All he could do is take deep breaths and prepare himself for whatever verbal, physical or psychological assault this vile man is planning to deal next. He felt a gentle hand touch his cheek: "Open your eyes."
Wuxian slowly compiled and saw Wangji's face. With all his might he started kicking and screaming. Punching and pushing until the vile man was out of his sight. The disheveled face of Healer Shi showed up in his stead and when the ringing in his ears eased up he heard her speak in a low soothing voice: ".. is ok. He's gone. You're safe now."
Shi was a few paces away from him, holding her hands up trying to reach him but not actually touching him: "I need to check your injuries. You need help."
Healer Shi was having a hard time reaching the blind-with-panic Wuxian. The man in dark clothing disappeared as suddenly as he appeared, taking his vengeful spirits with him and leaving many injured people behind. Her number one concern at the moment is Wuxian. He was so pale, his lips were turning white. He was sweating and shaking, holding his right wrist and looking around wildly. He was in shock and she needs to calm him down before his heart gives out.
Normally, she would let Wangji handle it. But from Wuxian's reaction from a few seconds ago, this was not an option for now. She dealt with abuse victims before and knows how hard it is to soothe them back to reality. She gestured with her hand to Mianmian and the woman understood her silent command. They both approached the fallen man with slow deliberate movements and spoke with a low calm voice. Mianmian: "No one will hurt you. We just want to help."
Shi was close enough to touch him but before she did, she asked: "I need to check you over. May I touch you?"
Wuxian dry lips started to quiver. He was tired, his brain wouldn't work properly and he was in so much pain. A few tears betrayed him and made their way down his cheek. He looked at the two women before him and nodded his approval.
With slow deliberate moves, Healer Shi and Mianmian were able to lay Wuxian on his side and check him over. Shi was frowning. The man before her was in a bad shape. Shi soothed Wuxian's stray hair back in an attempt to comfort him: "Little rabbit, can you stand?"
It took a few seconds for things to register with Wuxian's slow brain and he nods. The moment he tried to put pressure on his bruised side, a pain filled cry made its way out of him and with the help of Mianmian he was laid back down. Mianmian: "What's wrong? What hurts?"
Wuxian lethargically points to his left side and both women share a worried look.
Shi turned to give Zewu Jun, who was holding a freaked out Wangji back, a desperate look: "We need to move him now!"
Wangji tried to push his brother to go carry his soul-bond but was shaken to the core when Healer Shi said in a threatening voice: "Not you!"
Wen Ning stepped up and carefully helped move the injured man back to the inn.
Zewu Jun helped his brother follow them all the way to their room. He stopped him from entering the door and gestured for him to join him in his room instead. They know what happened. They all saw Wangji's features on the evil man's face. They all horridly witnessed him taunt Wuxian and force himself on him. And worst of all, they all saw Wangji desperately trying to calm his struggling soul-bond who didn't recognize him afterwards. It was not something any of them want to ever witness again.
Zewu Jun watched his brother grip his sword and look down in shame. They have all failed to protect Wuxian. But Zewu Jun knows that no one will take it harder than his brother: "Wangji, you need to calm down."
Wangji's furious eyes snapped up: "Calm down? CALM DOWN!"
Zewu Jun took a step back. Thankful, they were secluded in a room with no witnesses to the meltdown that is about to happen: "I know how you must feel, but.."
Wangji bangs his sheathed sword on the ground: "Don't you dare patronize me! HE HURT MY WEI YING WHILE I STOOD THERE AND WATCHED!"
Zewu Jun: "You weren't idle. We were all fighting.."
Wangji banged his sword a couple more times, leaving a sizable dent on the flat surface: "HE USED MY FACE!"
Zewu Jun had never seen this side of his brother. The unadulterated fury was beyond frightening: "Brother Wei was just scared. Once he calms down, he will recognize the difference.."
Wangji turns and marches out the door, leaving an exasperated Zewu Jun. He ran to follow him, making sure his brother didn't do something rash. Wangji stopped and stood stoically outside their room until Healer Shi got out to give them an update. She sighed deeply then said: "It's not good. His side is bruised deeply. The bastard used spiritual energy to force more damage on his body. I'm worried his internal organs might be bleeding. His wrist is broken too. I gave him a heavy sedative to calm his racing heart for now."
Wangji asks in a frighteningly calm voice: "He's asleep?"
Shi nods so he walks past her and enters their room. Wuxian was wrapped in heavy blankets laid on his side on their bed. Wen Ning and Mianmian saw him enter and left the room to give them privacy. Wangji felt the weight of the world on his shoulder. The shame, the guilt and the hurt was all mixed together and boiled down to one thought: revenge.
He kneeled down next to his sleeping soul-bond and slowly removed the blankets and bandages to see the damage done by his incompetence. Purple, almost black, painful marks on the pale skin on his soulmate almost shot an arrow through his heart. He couldn't get the memory of Wuxian's terrified face as he fought to get away from him out of his head.
Wangji kissed his soul-bond's forehead and yanked his headband, placing it gently in his uninjured hand and closing his fingers around it before whispering to him: "I will fix this. I promise."
He stood up and with determination left the room, walking with purpose past his brother who tried with no luck to stop him. He ran into the young disciples who stood in his way. They all knew where he was going. One look at his stubborn set features and they knew he will not rest without seeking revenge.
Bhao: "Hanguang Jun, you cannot leave!"
Taiho put his hands up: "You have to stay!"
Kaoji shook his head: "You taught us that together we can accomplish any tasks. Don't do this alone!"
Wangji's sharp cold glare that carried a promise of pain made them move out of his way to face the last two disciples. Jingyi held his sheathed sword up: "I will not allow you to leave him! You're his soul-bond! What are we supposed to say when he asks for you?"
Sizhui was close to tears: "Hanguang Jun, please calm down! We need you here."
Wangji barely spared them a look and pushed them both out of his way as he made his way to the door.
They were left behind, looking at his back as he continued to walk away and felt a mixture of sadness and sympathy. Wangji passed by Nie who was covering half his face with his fan. Nie said to the man as he walked by: "Think about what you're about to do. The last two times you chose to abandon him, he died a horrible and painful death."
Wangji turned to sneer at the man: "I am not abandoning him!"
Nie closes his fan and looks defiantly at him: "You could've fooled me. From where I'm standing, all I see is a man running away."
Wangji glares at Nie: "I am going to find that monster and depart his soul from this realm."
Nie: "And while you stupidly look for a man that can vanish and appear as he pleases, who's supposed to take care of your soul-bond and protect him?"
He used his fan to point at Wangji: "Last time I checked.. that was your job."
They glared at each other for a few minutes then Wangji threw Bichen on the ground and walked towards the forest at the edge of the city. Nie smiles over his victory and kneels to pick up the discarded sword. He walks back into the inn and hands it over to Sizhui: "Put this where Wei Wuxian can see it. His soul-bond will be back soon."
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