Promise and Betrayal: A Mo Dao Zu Shi (the Untamed) Story

Chapter 11

**Again, apologies for the late update! I need to re-examine when I update to be more consistent. When I do, I will update the story's summary.

A roar shakes the cavern, bits of rock fall from the ceiling. I stumble, forcing myself to stay upright and keep my balance. Lan Zhan and Wei Ying do the same, their stability challenged as the monster's roar rocks the cave. If only a roar is sufficient to knock us off our feet, I shudder to imagine the remainder of its arsenal we have yet to see.

"On your left!" Wei Ying shouts, dashing forward to slice the monster with an arrow, his attack drawing little blood. The arrow remains stuck in the beef of the monster's neck. Lan Zhan leaps into the air after him, spinning to injure the beast's snout. He succeeds, cutting shallowly, but I hear a snapping sound as its teeth sink into Lan Zhan's leg. I grimace. He falls to the ground, scrunching his eyes shut.

I take advantage of its momentary distraction to fly up and stab it in the eye. Blood sprays from the entry point, soaking my clothes and running down my face. I wipe its blood out of my eyes. "It is blind in its right eye," I say, stumbling to a stop near the other two. The pain has intensified, my vision now switching between distinct and indistinct shapes--yet I cannot stop. Someone needs to keep fighting. I pant, "But if this keeps up..."

"We will be killed," Lan Zhan finishes. "We need a new strategy."

"Well, I'm all ears," Wei Ying says, breathing heavily.

I pause, reflecting on its patterns. As far as I can tell, it responds to sound. But its armor is invulnerable to any standard sword metal. We will not penetrate it with the arrows and swords we have at our disposal. I relay my thoughts to the other two.

"Where do we find different weapons?" Lan Zhan asks. "We have no other options."

We fall into silence, at our wit's end. "All of us are exhausted," Wei Ying says. "We can't keep this up forever. For now, let's wait it out and see if Jiang Cheng, Nie Huiasang, and Jin Zuxian make good on their promise."

The three of us settle on the ground, in the safe area near the cliffside. The beast cannot see us, but we cannot see it. The lake is blocked from our view by a rock wall. We make as much of a camp as we can for the night.

I sit opposite Lan Zhan and Wei Ying, crouched close to our meager fire to ward off the cold. I am not tired, only physically exhausted. I watch through flickering flames as Wei Ying keeps glancing sideways at Lan Zhan in concern. Lan Zhan appears not to notice, but his eyes sparkle with a mixture of pain and another emotion I cannot identify.

"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying says at length, "if I don't treat your wound, you'll lose your leg."

Lan Zhan glances at him. He blinks, then turns back to staring ahead. He voices no protest. Wei Ying, in turn, stands, beginning to untie his outer layer of clothing.

The other two of us glance up at him, startled. I do not want my secret to place me in an awkward position, and although Lan Zhan does not have a secret such as mine, he appears equally as uncomfortable. Wei Ying looks between us, first with confusion, then with amusement. "If I'm going to treat Lan Zhan's wound, I need fabric," he explains. "Unless one of you would prefer to lend your clothes?"

We both avert our gazes. He chuckles, sitting back down in his underclothes. He drapes one layer of cloth over Lan Zhan's shoulders; the other he tears into strips and begins to construct a splint for Lan Zhan's leg. He looks up at Lan Zhan every once in a while, sometimes catching Lan Zhan staring at him and chuckling as he hastily looks away. Other times, it is Wei Ying who stares at Lan Zhan, his task momentarily forgotten.