The Mad Ҡìղց

Journey

"Ayana, stop," Wanji whispered, his voice barely audible as blood pooled beneath him. His face was pale, his breaths shallow, but his gaze was steady on her.

"I can heal you," Ayana replied, her hands trembling as golden energy flickered weakly from her palms. Her tears fell freely, mixing with the dirt and blood on his chest.

"You can't... do anything for me now," Wanji coughed, his body shuddering with the effort.

"They're just wounds! I can heal you!" Ayana cried, the gold light in her hands intensifying as she pressed harder, her heart racing with desperation.

Wanji winced but did not pull away. "I went through your journal," he admitted, his voice a rasp. "You can't save a life... without losing two."

Ayana froze. Her heart dropped, and her trembling hands faltered. "Why would you do that?" she hissed, her voice cracking as her mind raced.

"I was worried about you and what happened with Niobe," Wanji whispered, his lips curling into a faint, bittersweet smile. "Please, I didn't want you... trading more lives for mine."

The golden energy dimmed as Ayana's tears fell faster. The weight of her choice crushed her. Would she defy fate or let him slip away?

"Ayana, promise me... you won't tell anyone what happened," Wanji rasped, his voice fragile. His hand trembled as it reached for hers. "And you won't hold it against Wei Ying. It wasn't his fault. It was the curse." His eyes locked with hers, filled with a silent plea. "Please."

Ayana's heart tightened in her chest, anger bubbling up, but she nodded, her sobs growing heavier as she felt his cold hand grip hers.

"No, Ayana," Wanji murmured, his voice so quiet it almost seemed to disappear in the air. "I want you to promise me. I need to hear your words."

"I promise," Ayana cried, her voice cracking under the weight of her grief.

Wanji's lips curled into a faint, tired smile. "Thank you," he whispered, pulling her closer. "Please stay with me..."

Ayana held him tightly, her heart breaking as she gently guided his head to her chest. She whispered soft chants, trying to ease his pain, to keep him with her.

Wanji's body went still, his hand slipping from here.

Ayana's breath caught in her throat. She pulled him closer, her wail of sorrow echoing in the stillness of the mountain. Her body cracked as if the very air around her had shattered. She couldn't save him. She couldn't hold onto him.

Meanwhile, back at home, Lan Xichen sat in restless silence, his hands clenched tightly around the sleeves of his robes. Ayana was supposed to be back by now with Wanji. The sun had risen and was now beginning to set, yet there was no sign of them.

Lan Qiren sat nearby, his face solemn, his heart weighed with sorrow. The loss of Madam Lan had already cast a shadow over the clan, and now, an unshakable dread loomed over them.

Jiang Cheng and his clan had come to pay their respects, offering quiet condolences for the loss. As the gathering remained steeped in grief, Lan Xichen stood abruptly.

"Cheng, can I see you?" His voice trembled with fear.

Jiang Cheng rose from his seat and followed him outside. "What is it?"

"I need to go to the mountain," Lan Xichen said, his breath uneven. "Ayana and Wanji should have returned by now."

Jiang Cheng's brows furrowed. "Do you need me to come with you?"