Dancing With Your Hands Tied (LXC x reader)

(21)

It was a split second decision. The rage and the grief made you forget everything. Your mind was clouded and heart pounding loudly defending your ears. All you knew was that look in Xiaohui's eyes which would haunt you forever if you won't snap out of it.

Get up! Get up! Get up!

You yelled in your head. The lights in room flickered as you can no longer control your overgrowing aura.

In a blink JingFei was laying across the floor and in next, you were calling for it. Blood rushed to your heads and you felt dizzy by the intensity of power you used.

Once the hilt met your palm, you spun around, unsheathing the blade and clashing it against Guangyao's sword. With a sharp gaze, you glared at him.

His composure was broken for a moment but he fought back. You used every ounce of your energy to push through JingFei. Your power was draining at alarming rate but the experience of being able to use the weapon again made you forget it momentarily.

You were fighting to kill. With every nerve in your arm was screaming in pain while your feet were carrying you to charge again and again.

When you were unable to duck, you turned your hand into claw and grabbed the blade. Your eye met Guangyao's who was desperate to get out of there.

Your grip tightened on the blade against the effort to free it. You knew you won't hold long so you concentrated your power and broke the sword. Thin splinters of blade flew around across the hall.

You raised your sword to attack, expecting Guangyao to back away but he lowered himself and lunged at you. This move caught you off guard enough for him to get close enough.

With manic in eyes and the shard of sword, he raised his hand to stab you. As the blade inched near your eye, you held your breath. Your fist meeting him at the same time pain exploded over your right eye socket.

You flung back and collapsed on your knees. Hand reaching the place where pulses of burning ache were spreading.

Behind you, you heard Guangyao get up. He lifted Jingfei and limped closer to you.

"It's.." he huffed, "It's a shame you cannot follow your daughter-" his voice was breathy and ragged, "But that doesn't mean I won't try-"

As he was close enough to attack, your eyes fell over Xiaohui's resting form. Mingjian who was beside her gritted her teeth and tried to get up but you shook your head.

It's not her fight. Despite your vision being blurred you can see the despair in that girl's expression.

As Guangyao raised Jingfei, the ground rumbled. Heavy footsteps sprinted across the room. Hair swaying back and the eyes glow red, Nie Mingjue swung his fist in midst of momentum to send Jin Guangyao flying away.

Lan Xichen, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian were stunned when their subduing failed out of nowhere. Thy followed the corpse out of the room to see what was going on.

On spotting Lan Xichen, Jin Guangyao cried, "LAN XICHEN!" But it was short lived ad Nie Mingjue grabbed him by the neck and raised other hand to impale him.

Lan Xichen spotted you, collapsed on your knees, head hung low, one hand pressed to your head which had trail of blood running till elbow.

He skidded to your side while his brother tried to control Nie Mingjue. The strums of his Guqin hit an invisible barrier before reaching big brother.

"A-Ying! What happened-" Lan Xichen reached out to hold your face and lift it. You jerked your head up. Hand pressed against the bleeding eye while other glowing red...