The Child of Demonic Cultivation

Core of the Dark... Bunny? part 3

WC: 1361

Jin Ling tried to call out to his uncle to move but couldn't choke out the words at Ortis rose higher. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he watched his uncle fall to the ground panting. "Lan Ti..." Jin Ling began to call as he noticed Ortis had not moved, only Lan Tian's gaze. They glanced down, head cocked to the side examining a small ball of fur nestling my their feet.

Jin Ling rose and lowered Ortis putting it back by Lan Tian's side. "Cute." Was all Lan Tian said still staring holes in the ball of fur below them.

Jin Ling's eyes began to wander, first, to the two standing near the opening of the Demon-Quelling Cave. He noticed Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were completely covered by various shades of black, red, and brown, with the only exception being Lan Wangji's forehead ribbon.

His eyes then fully made their way back to Lan Tian to examine them. They were also covered in red and black from head to toe and blood splatters marking their face. "None of it's mine." Lan Tian said picking up the white rabbit at his feet.

Jin Ling nodded before lightly planting his head on Lan Tian's shoulder and turning his head to watch them pet the rabbit in their hands.

"Is it... over...?" someone asked.

Cheers began to erupt through the group of survivors and with each added clap or scream Lan Tian jumped a little, closing their eyes. Jin Ling stood up fully to face them before placing his hands on either side of Lan Tian's head and leaning forward so they stood forehead to forehead.

Lan Tian mouthed the words "Thank you." as he took a large breath he had been holding in.

Everyone began moving hurly around to tend to the injured while the two young cultivators stood facing each other contempt with simply being near each other.

However, Wei Wuxian's raised words seemed to be the only thing that could separate the two of them, "Quiet."

He looked serious. Everyone fell silent, one by one, gazing troubled at him. Only soft breathing echoed through the Demon-Quelling Cave. Until another sound was becoming increasingly clear. The sound of feet crunching withered branches and leaves underfoot. It wasn't just one person either. There were endless footsteps, crammed and packed together.

The people inside the Demon-Quelling Cave didn't dare breathe anymore. Countless fearful eyes turned to the cavern's entrance. Something was slowly moving through the black woods creeping along. It was hazy, obscured by darkness, barely visible. All could see the ghastly white faces, the wizened hands, and the fangs in varying shades of red and yellow.

A new wave of corpses emerged from the darkness. And it was even bigger than the horde before !

The people inside the Demon-Quelling Cave had thought survival was in sight. Now, a monstrous sense of despair devoured the entire cave in an instant, and doom enveloped all present. Even Jin Ling, Lan Sizhui, and the other boys were left petrified, chilled to the bone by hopelessness. Some fainted, and some started to weep feebly, but none had the energy to stand with sword in hand and keep fighting.

Even of Wen Ning stood guarding at the cave's entrance again, how long could he last on his own?

Suddenly Wei Wuxian called out, "Hanguang-jin!"

Lan Wangji looked back at him. Wei Wuxian took a breath, then stated, "I want to do something."

His words drew the attention of Lan Tian who was staring egarly at the horde of corpses approaching.

"Will you accompany me?" Wei Wuxian added.

Lan Wangji gazed right at him. His answer was clear and decisive.

"Yes."

Lan Tian watched Wei Wuxian strip off his outer robe and begin to smear a few lines on it with his bloodstained hands.

Lan Tian made quick eye contact with Lan Wangji before he gave them a quick nod and Lan Tian went off towards the horde.

"What are you doing?" Jin Ling asked grabbing Lan Tian's robe.

Lan Tian's face broke into a giant smile. "What I do best of course, fighting."

Jin Ling tried to pull Lan Tian back but he wasn't strong enough to stop them. "You can't fend them off all on your own!" He yelled at them.

"Wanna bet?" Lan Tian responded drawing their sword. With those words Lan Tian disappeared into the crowd of corpses with only his blade barely visible striking about the horde occasionally.

Once again Lan Tian got swept up into the battle as if it was all they'd ever known. The only difference was that this time, Jin Ling was watching every move they made. With each glint of their blade Jin Ling let out a sigh of relief, because if their sword was still moving then so was Lan Tian. He couldn't help but mentally compare Lan Tian to those around him. They fought with the elegance and weightlessness as Lan Wangji, but with the cunningness of Wei Wuxian and the ruthlessness of Jiang Cheng. The one thing they all had in common was that they fought as if every battle was their last, because they refused to loose anyone else they loved while there was still blood in their veins.

Wei Wuxian stood next to Lan Wangji, then waved at Lan Sizhui and the other boys to beckon them over. The juniors gathered around. Jin Ling moved to follow but was pushed back down by Jiang Cheng.

In a few minute, when the second wave of corpses breaks in, Ill lure them to the Blood Pool. Hanguang-jun will be in charge of striking them down. This," he said before patting his heat, "will be their target. They won't pay attention to you. Do not get distracted by fighting; focus only on getting out."

Lan Sizhui raised his voice for once. "What?! No! Absolutely not!"

"It's alright, after all, Lan Sizhui, you have the most important part of them all." Wei Wuxian said patting him on the shoulder. "We need you to go get our Lan Tian. They've probably gotten swept up in the battle so it won't be easy but you must do your best."

Lan Wangji nodded looking to the crowd of corpses.

Lan Sizhui and the others were about to keep talking, but Lan Wangji stopped them. "Heed him."

Then he turned to Lan Qiren and bowed deeply. Lan Qiren opened his eyes but didn't speak.

"Lan-xiansheng! Hanguang-jun, he...he..." Lan Sizhui said anxiously.

"This is how it should be," Lan Qiren said impassively.

Lan Sizhui wanted to say more. "But...!"

"Wen Ning! Open the path." Wei Wuxian shouted.

The black lines spreading from Wen Ning's neck instantly grew across nearly half his face. He no linger blocked the corpses from entering t=but let loose a long howl and tore the thick of the horde to open a path.

With the barrier gone, the second wave of corpses set foot in the Demon-Quelling Cave.

Wei Wuxian gave Lan Sixhui a push, urging him, "Go! Get them and run."

"What the fuck? Where did they go?" Lan Tian stood glancing around to see where the horde they were just fighting went. As their eyes slowly settled on the cave in front of them, Lan Tian's body began to shake. "No... not again..."

By the time Lan Tian had regained some composure, he noticed the other juniors were fighting their own battle to try and stay in the cave to fight while Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji tried to kick them out. Only about half the people orginally left in the cave had made it out and the mound of corpses kept piling up.

Out of the corner of their eyes Lan Tian saw Jin Ling being dragged out by Jiang Cheng and let out a sigh of relief. One less person to worry about. Satisfied, Lan Tian ran up the side of the horde to try and thin it out before it reached Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian inside the cave.

"Jiujiu! I..." Jin Ling cried out to his uncle.

Lan Tian mentally cursed as Jin Ling's voice grew closer. They quickly yelled at the boy, "If you die, I'll kill you. If you get hurt I'll never forgive you. So if you're going to stay," Lan Tian slashed a corpse about to ambush Jin Ling from behind in half, "Don't get in my way."