Me instead of you

16: Escape

Lan Wangji had woken up when his scary Lan timing demanded him of to. Wei Wuxian had started surveying the cave to find any other sort of exit other than the one being blocked by the Xuanwu. It had been three days, the time measured by Lan Wangji's sleeping schedules, and no one had come for them. Which meant only one thing. They had to escape before either of them died due to untreated infected wounds or hunger. Lan Wangji had explained to Wei Wuxian about his plans to kill the Xuanwu. With the help of Wei Wuxian they had made a full proof plan. Wei Wuxian was oddly proud and satisfied of their teamwork. They had to wait until that day, enough time to let Lan Wangji's leg heal enough to walk around without support. Lan Wangji was a very strong cultivator for his age and he healed as fast as Wei Wuxian did. The wounds from the Xuanwu had closed up and Lan Wangji managed to walk around, even if he limped a little. 

Wei Wuxian went to sit back next to his companion when Lan Wangji woke up. "Lan Zhan! Good morning." Lan Wangji hummed, pulling his robes closer against him to compensate for the warmth the dying flame could not provide. He looked at Wei Wuxian and said, "We can not wait any longer. We should execute the plan today." Wei Wuxian hummed and looked down to inspect his leg one last time before he nodded, "Yes, we should." He stood up. Picking up the bunched up bows and handing over the tied up bowstrings that was enough to strangle the Xuanwu with the help of Chord Assassination. "Shall we?" Wei Wuxian asked and walked over to the entrance with Lan Wangji behind him. The Xuanwu was submerged in the murky waters. "Well, here we go. Wait for it to come out. Good luck, Lan Zhan!" And Wei Wuxian dived into the dark waters.

The events that followed Wei Wuxian was not very pleasant, his mind growing heavier with the stench of rotting corpses. He barely remembers provoking the Xuanwu and swimming out luring the beast's head with him. He remembers the terrified screams that echoed through his entire being as he clutched at the dark sword he found inside the shell of the Xuanwu. The near death experience. The reassuring sounds of the strings playing the Chord Assassination. Wei Wuxian remembers all these as vague as a slipping dream, his name being called out by his favourite voice echoing in the back of his mind, as the screams dragged him away from reality and into darkness. He does not remember anything other than the wet feeling of his robes dripping and sticking to his skin and the feeling of raged breath fanning against his wet skin before darkness enveloped him and dragged him to the depths of unconsciousness. 

When Wei Wuxian had opened his eyes he was met with light. It was not the light of flame. It was bright and garish. It was sunlight. Soon, a face swam into his view. He only knew one person it could possibly belong to. "Lan Zhan, we made it" he whispered, his lips curling into a soft albeit  exhausted smile. But, the face frowned. Even in his half unconscious mind he knew Lan Wangji was physically uncapable of expressing this much emotions. Wei Wuxian knew it was not who he wanted it to be. "He's awake!" the person above him shouted causing him to wince at the pain the loudness of the voice brought on. In the back of his mind, darkness called. The temptation was great but he fought against it. A flurry of purple danced in front of his eyes, another frowning face came close to his, "Jiang Cheng!" to his own ears, Wei Wuxian's voice was hoarse with exhaustion. "You sound like you woke up from death. Go back to sleep, we'll move you to the camp" Jiang Cheng's voice sounded from above, somehow sounding as tired as he felt. Wei Wuxian nodded, he felt the darkness enveloping his senses.