Reader prompts

Who are you -3

Warnings: Mentions of blood and violence.

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The sky was clear and it was easily one of the most beautiful sunsets that anyone has ever witnessed. The place looked heavenly bathed in the setting rays of the sun. It looked like the perfect setting for a lovers rendezvous and not for a fight.

Once the roar of the crowd died down the swords were presented to the fighters, the anticipation started.

They were simple swords made up of study iron and a standard handle. The kind that is given to foot soldiers or guards serving in the army. 

The stone podium in the middle of the arena was cleared completely for the upcoming fight. It was constructed with flat square bricks giving the podium an illusion of a chessboard. 

Lan Zhan hesitated a moment before tightening his grip on the sword's hilt and walked over to the podium and stood in position with his sword-wielding arm extended to the side. Wei Ying stood with his back to Lan Zhan and seem to be contemplating this whole situation. 

He turned around with his robes whipping in the wind. His lips held a smile but his eyes were dark. They held shadows of untold stories in them. 

"Fighters to position" 

The announcement ran across the entire arena silencing everyone. 

Jiang Yanli got up from her high seat and choose to walk over to the floor of the arena. She was escorted by one of her brother's guards. She stood with her hands clasped, waiting and hoping that Wei Ying sees her. 

Wei Ying stepped on the podium and cynically smiled at Lan Zhan. "Do not look so tense second master Lan. This is only a friendly fight."

Lan Zhan chose to say nothing and held his sword in position. 

Wei Wuxian was the first to move and the clank of swords could be heard in the entire arena. They exchanged a few friendly blows. Anyone looking could say that this was nothing close to a serious exhibition of skills. People were starting to make more noise.

"Oi! This aint what we wanted!"

"Yeah!"

Jiang Cheng really did not want this situation to get out of hand. And the crowd could not be pacified. 

To make things worse, Jin Guangshan stood up to make an announcement. 

"My dear warriors and leaders and my people! I say we increase the intensity of this fight!"

He looked at Wei Wuxian dead in the eye as the crowd was cheering, and smiled. Wei Wuxian was yet to see smile uglier than this one. It held everything vile in this world. But this was a direct order from the leader of the most powerful cultivation clan and he better obey it.

He steeled his impulses but the darkness shrouding his eyes only increased twofold. Lan Zhan could see the difference in the demeanor of the other man. This was a serious fight now. 

Wei Ying rushed to the center to deliver a blow which Lan Zhan easily dodged by bending backwards. He quickly stood up to his feet and held his sword for the next blow.

Wei Wuxian was relentless.

Lan Zhan knew Wei Ying was, in all basic sense, a warrior. His childlike personality seems to shield that truth a lot sometimes. But right now... with fire in his eyes and hair pulled back... He looked like he was the demon king himself. 

Wei Ying took advantage of the distracted man and delivered a series of well-coordinated blows. Lan Zhan caught up very quickly and met all the blows with swipes of his sword. At a point the two swords connected in a perfect X bringing their faces close. 

They locked eyes and a trance fell in between. Wei Ying chose to break the trance by pushing Lan Zhan with his forearms. 

But instead of stumbling, Lan Zhan twisted around his body to swipe his sword in a wide arc. They both stopped a minute to catch their breath. 

Wei Ying could feel an odd sensation in his arm and noticed the cut on his left bicep. 

Lan Zhan was so quick that he made sure only the tip of the sword was used to make the cut. Which made a precise and quick cut that you only feel it once the blood starts pouring. It neither slowed down the fighter nor made it hard to hurt the other party. In a friendly fight, this was perfect. 

He was light on his feet. Quick. Like a feather floating on the clouds. Yet deadly. Calm like the air yet strong like the wind. Lan Zhan was an extraordinary swordsman. 

Whereas Wei Ying had a much stronger approach to fighting which made him use his arm muscles a lot. This also gave him a steady, grounded footwork rather than light one. Which was key during hand to hand combats. This gave a winning edge to Lan Zhan.

As much as Wei Ying wanted to stop it, jealousy seeped in like poison. His talents seem to pale in comparison to Lan Zhan's natural skills. The poison took form and his eyes darkened. He rushed forward in a moment of insanity.

As the other man raised his sword to block the blow... It never came.

Wen Ying bent his left knee as low as possible that made him almost drop down to the ground and swung his sword. He could hear it ripping through flesh before he struck the sword on the ground to balance himself. 

After a moment of catching his breath, he looked behind him to see the other man slightly bent and the whole arena silent. 

The cloud in his mind cleared only after seeing the pool of blood by Lan Zhan's feet and he could almost see the femur through the gash. He could hear Lan Xichen calling for the medic. He could see the stunned expression on Jiang Yanli and the rest of the crowd. He could also see the disapproval on the elders's faces. 

He wanted to scream.

He wanted to reverse time.

Lan Zhan finally dropped to his knees unable to stand straight. He turned to look at Wei Ying behind him. 

That's when he snapped. 

Wei Ying dropped his sword drenched with blood, right there on the podium and walked away. He never looked back. 

And Lan Zhan never stopped looking back. 

-----------------------------To be continued-------------------------------