[MDZS] The Dragon and the Fox

Mystery

That night, Xichen snuck through the gate when no guards were present. He knew Lan Zhan would be upset if he found out, but Xichen didn't care at that moment. All he cared about was finding his brother and Wei Ying and bringing them home.

(Somewhere deep in the forest of Gusu, Lan Zhan sneezed).

Xichen knew their uncle would be furious for them taking off. If it were Qiren, he would have just left the poor fox boy to die, rather than take them in to care for them. Something about the foxes rubbed their uncle the wrong way. Xichen needed to know why it was his uncle hated foxes so much, but he needed to find Lan Zhan and Wei Ying first!

After successfully crossing the border of Cloud Recesses, he transformed into a dragon and took to the skies to find the two of them.

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Qiren was furious the next day after finding out that, not only had one of his nephews left without permission, but both had broken the rules and snuck outside the boundaries of Cloud Recesses at night.

"They'll pay for this insolence!" he shouted aloud. One of the guards passing by shook his head solemnly and sighed.

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Xichen knew what he was doing. He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew exactly where he was going.

Or so he thought.

He ventured upon a fork in the road. He looked one way, then the next. He contemplated which way his brother would have gone. The problem was, there was no chi. He'd been following the trail of chi up to that point, then it suddenly disappeared.

"Hm. Now what should I do? I feel as though I should go right. However, instinct tells me to go left."

He stood there contemplating and debating which way he should go. He finally decided to take the right of the forked path.

Little did he know what lied ahead.

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Lan Zhan shot through the trees at a speed difficult for any mortal man to achieve. He needed to find Wei Ying and find him fast! The fox boy was all the dragon could think of in that moment. Why had Wei Ying run away? Why hadn't he said anything? Man Zhan felt betrayed and saddened all at once. What had gotten into the fox's head? Surely, if only Wei Ying had gone to him with the problem, Lan Zhan would have found a way to fix it.

He followed the trail of dark magic leading him ever deeper into the forest. Where was the trail taking him? The fox boy's scent was there as well, though it was faint amongst the magic.

Wei Ying! I am coming to find you!

The trail went on for miles, even into the heart of the forest itself. Then it suddenly vanished. The magic completely disappeared without a trace. Lan Zhan held his hand out. It disappeared. He startled and pulled it out. A barrier had been erected by someone. Lan Zhan would find out who it was.

The magic was unfamiliar to him, however, and he decided it was best to walk through it. He did. What he saw on the other side was nothing more than something from a nightmare.

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Xichen followed the left fork on the trail all the way down. However, he found himself back at the same spot again. So he followed it again, and once more was back to where he'd started from. It confused him. He sat down, legs and arms crossed, his hand resting on his chin.

"Hmm. This is quite peculiar to say the least. I feel as though I've been walking about in circles. Either there's many forks along this same trail, or someone is trying to keep others out, because something is hidden of which they don't wish for anyone else to discover. My gut feeling says it's the latter of the two choices."

He stood once more, brushed himself off, and began walking again. "Let's see where this leads, shall we?" He walked the left fork of the trail with his hand held out. Once he was at the end of the fork, he disappeared.

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Leave me alone! Go away!

An eerie laugh erupted inside Wei Ying's mind. The poor fox would have covered his ears, but he had no control of his body.

You're mine! You'll be forever mine! I won't allow anyone else to have you!

No! I don't want that! Give me back my body! Lan Zhan! Help me!

Hahahahahahaha!!!! No one can save you now! Not even that stupid half-dragon!

Lan Zhan! HELP!!!!!

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Lan Zhan was already deep into the forest. He swore he heard Wei Ying call for him. He stopped for a moment and listened, his eyes closed and breathing steady. He heard it again. His eyes flew open, and he flew in the direction he'd heard the fox boy's voice call to him from.

Wei Ying, hold on! Am coming to save you!

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Meanwhile, deep in the forest. Xichen had gotten himself turned around.

"Oh bother. It seems I've gotten myself lost."

He turned around to go back the way he'd come from, but then realized one thing.

"Which way did I come from? Oh bother. I can't quite remember."

(It seems Xichen was bad with directions.)