Way too untamed, way too wild

Leaving the Burial Mounds

Lan Wangji and Wei Ying were quickly walking, almost running towards the small settlement inside the Burial Mounds. Although it would probably be more true to say that the boy was running and the Second Jade was being dragged along. It seemed that the manifestation of the Burial Mounds had really been able to convince him to hurry, Lan Wangji had no other explanation.

He could still feel the boy's hand trembling slightly and he gripped it tighter when they arrived in front of the caves. Wei Ying squeezed back and then he yelled: "Everyone, take all you can! We have to leave at once!"

All the children who were playing outside froze for a second and looked in their direction. They must have seen that Wei Ying had been serious and they quickly hurried inside the cave, probably to inform the others and gather their belongings. Lan Wangji was slightly surprised they did not question anything, but then again, he already experienced just how much they trusted their protector.

Wen Qing and Wen Ning came out of the smaller cave, looking at them with hundreds of questions in their eyes. Before any of them could ask anything, Lan Wangji was already explaining, knowing fully well that since they went through the war, they knew the danger they were running right now: "Xue Yang is in the Burial Mounds, we have to leave."

Their eyes grew wide and an expression or pure terror illustrated clearly they were aware of all the implication Lan Wangji did not say aloud. As he had expected, both Wen siblings darted back inside the cave and he could hear sounds which suggested that they were packing anything they could find and could be of any use.

It did not even take five minutes and the inhabitants of the Burial Mounds were standing in front of the caves with all their meagre belongings in their hands. There was not much they could take in the first place, Lan Wangji knew that, but the sight still surprised and saddened him. The children had the blankets he had brought for them in their hands. They were bundled and he supposed that the toys and other necessities they possessed were hidden inside. The youngest children were not carrying anything, the older ones taking care of that for them and holding their hands as they stood in a small group, all nervous and with fear in their eyes. He felt sorry for them.

They could however not lose any more time. and Wei Ying seemed to have realized this as well because he overlooked the small group and sighed: "Good, everyone is here. Let us go."

He did not specify where exactly they were going but no one seemed to mind, they all followed obediently when Wei Ying started walking down the mountain, still holding Lan Wangji's hand in his own. If the boy needed that comfort, the Second Jade would not deny it.

He glanced back at the long procession behind them and his heart tightened in his chest. The children looked terrified, some of the younger ones were sniffling, although they still did their best to keep up the pace. Wen Qing and Wen Ning with A-Yuan in his arms were walking the last, keeping their watchful eyes on all the children. When a young girl fell down, Wen Qing quickly went to help her up and whispered something in her ear, it seemed to have worked because the girl nodded and continued walking down the path with the others.

He would have liked if he could just take out his sword and fly all the children safely outside. It would have however taken too long. And there was also the matter of the barrier which was still looming in place, already visible in the distance.

He glanced at Wei Ying. The boy did not seem to see anything around him. His face was a mask of concentration. Only then did Lan Wangji realize that there were swirls of resentment all around them, sometimes coming closer to their small group but never touching anyone. The boy must have been keeping them at bay judging from the way he always glanced at the closest ones and his eyebrows squinted with effort. He was panting heavily by now.

Lan Wangji did not know if it was the Burial Mounds resentful energy trying to attack them or Wei Ying's attempt at protecting everyone, however one thing was clear, it was tiring the boy quite a bit. Their progress slowed down with the distance they have already walked, both because Wei Ying was leading the group at a slower pace and the children getting tired themselves. They were all still far too malnourished to be able to keep this up for long.

Lan Wangji's worries were growing by the second. He was not sure they could do it after all.

Luckily, just as he really thought the children would not be able to take another step, they have arrived to the barrier. There was no resentful energy in their close vicinity, even though Lan Wangji clearly remembered just how thick and overwhelming it had always been this close to the barrier; though the cold piercing wind was present. This confirmed his suspicion that Wei Ying had been protecting them the whole way down the mountain.

He glanced at the boy and was immediately alarmed. Wei Ying was as pale as a ghost, his breathing laboured and sweat was coating his forehead and dripping down him cheeks and chin. He looked horrible, ready to fall over at any second, and they still had to pass through the barrier itself. It was more than evident that even with the Burial Mounds' help, and Lan Wangji was sure that Wei Ying's 'Big Sister' had been helping him, keeping the resentful energy at bay was incredibly hard and exhausting.

The boy swayed on his feet and Lan Wangji quickly caught him by his elbow, steadying him. Wei Ying turned his head towards him and spoke in a small, tired voice but with a ghost of a smile still on his face: "We are here, Lan Zhan. Just the barrier now. Let us go through first to check if it is safe on the other side, I will then open it for the children."

Lan Wangji was pretty sure that there was only the grass field outside, but he still nodded in agreement, when dealing with Xue Yang, one could never be too cautious. He could have just been waiting for them, ready to ambush them if he had known about their presence, which Lan Wangji hoped was not the case.

Wei Ying explained to the children that they had to wait just a little longer and he would clear the barrier away for them, they all nodded and stepped a bit closer together, seeking comfort of the others' presence. The boy smiled at them, only a shadow of his usual bright grin, dimmed greatly by his apparent fatigue.

Then he and Lan Wangji came through the barrier, Wei Ying not bothering to take it down for them, he was probably trying to preserve the remainder of his forces. As soon as they could see the field outside, they both completely stilled, they were not alone.