To Wield Such Prowess || ZHANYI/YIZHAN FF

26

Xiao Zhan feels the rapid drain of energy, but he can't care less, only a singular thought remaining in his heart.

He won't ever part from Yibo again.

Yibo's eyes blink open in confusion when the familiar sharp stabbing pain of his spell doesn't come. He sees Xiao Zhan's hand wrapped tight around his fist.

"You, brat. Why don't you listen?" Xiao Zhan rasps.

Yibo's brows twitch to a frown, and Yibo lifts his gaze at Xiao Zhan only to see him gritting his teeth with effort, breathing out shakily.

"Zhan-ge," Yibo trails off.

Xiao Zhan gasps, and he winces, stumbling forward in fatigue. "Yibo, stop," Xiao Zhan rasps. "Stay. Stay with me."

Yibo's eyes waver, and he blinks down at Xiao Zhan's hands. "Zhan-ge," he exclaims, seeing the sword he made also slowly fading.

Xiao Zhan is trying to seal the sword to its former state.

Xiao Zhan also already dissolved the other steel swords in Yibo's body.

Yibo gasps, flicking wide eyes towards Xiao Zhan. "What are you doing, ge?!" Yibo sobs loudly, pulling his sword away himself and turning it back into a ring.

Xiao Zhan breathes out in exhaustion, but he falls over onto Yibo with relief.

"Zhan-ge," Yibo whispers, collecting Xiao Zhan in his arms, head spinning at his wounds healing from the stabs and at the thoughts racking his mind. "Zhan-ge, why would you... do that—"

"You told me, that I could do anything to you, anytime, anywhere.." Xiao Zhan breathes, grabbing Yibo's arms, gentle but firm. "Do you think I'd let you essentially kill yourself?" Xiao Zhan whispers, looking into Yibo's eyes with hurt. "Do you not understand what you mean to me, Yibo?"

Yibo's eyes flutter, and he looks down. "I'm sorry.." he croaks.

"Wang Yibo, there's no need for apologies."

Yibo sniffles. "A-Alright, ge.."

But Xiao Zhan suddenly jerks forward, making Yibo freeze.

"Time's up, lovebirds."

Xiao Zhan gasps, a searing burn spreading from his back into his diaphragm, and he feels his blood running up his throat.

"Zhan-ge!"

Xiao Zhan slowly looks down and sees the bloody edge of a silver sword that has gone through his stomach. His grip on Yibo loosens, and his gaze wavers.

"Seers hate being challenged, and questioned if they could maintain their ruling." Rough fingers card through Xiao Zhan's hair, yanking Xiao Zhan's head backward.

Xiao Zhan seethes through his teeth.

"There was absolutely no reason for Anshan to believe that they could start the defeat of seer wizards, but here you two still are, struggling to defy our will."

The silver sword twists in his guts before it gets yanked out to cause a deeper cut, and Xiao Zhan gasps a pained sob.

Xiao Zhan glances down at his wound as blood continuously drips out of him, lifting his shaking hands as his gaze wavers. Back is the silver burn that he'd always despised and feared, causing his vision to blur.

It makes him want to run and hide, to put up a protective shell around himself, to give up trying for what he truly wants and just let his eyes droop and his body to rest.