Dusk And Dawn ✔️

Jade's Promise

Gayo continues to laugh, "Will you believe me if I told you that I didn't do anything?"

"What was it that you drank just now?" Xian demands, and Gayo suddenly stops smiling, his brows knit together. He holds his throat and a second later, starts gasping for breath, 'What is happening?' He panics. He feels like his windpipe closing up. He falls to his knees and closes his eyes, "XiChen! Help me. Protect me!" he speaks with difficulty. But Xian is not looking at him at all; his eyes glued to Wangji, who has stopped coughing. He looks pale, but otherwise fine.

"YiJun... " XiChen ignores Gayo and looks Wangji, who looks at the older man, "What was in the vial?"

Wangji looks at Xian. He knows that if Xian discovers what he had planned, it will hurt him, so he decides to give a vague reply, "It's something that will stop Gayo."

"How?" Xian asks, but before Wangji can answer, Gayo leaps at Xian once more with his fangs out, aiming for Xian's throat. Wangji gasps and pushes Xian out of harm's way, shielding him with his body. He closes his eyes, expecting the worse, but nothing happens.

Wangji and Xian sit up to see Gayo's decapitated head rolling on the floor. They see blood splattered on the cellar wall, and their eyes fall on XiChen, who is standing with a gleaming sword in his hands. The sword's blade is dripping with blood. XiChen's wrist is exposed, a triskelion mark visible under it.

There is a satisfied smile on the older Jade's face, "I have ended the curse, I have fulfilled the promise: Jade's Promise."

With that, XiChen falls to the ground and closes his eyes. There is a satisfied smile on his face.

"Nooooooooooo... Brother, please. Please wake up." Xian calls desperately, shaking his brother's shoulder.

Wangji holds XiChen's wrist in his hands. His eyes fill with tears. He doesn't realize as a tear makes its way down his cheek and falls on XiChen's wrist. It's not red. It's not blood.

Xian looks at Wangji, "Your tears are not red anymore. How?"

Wangji shakes his head, "I think there is more to XiChen...I think it was him."

"What are you talking...."

Before Xian can voice his doubts, from the corner of the room, he hears Zhau call him, "Xian... "

Xian goes to Zhau and helps him up.

"What happened here!?" Shen exclaims, entering the cellar. His eyes fall on Zhau, and he runs to him and takes him in his arms.

Xian returns to XiChen's side. Meanwhile,

Zhau cribs, "No need for physical display of affection. I am perfectly fine."

Shen growls, "You are not fine. You are bleeding, you dumb fuck!"

Zhau grins sheepishly before looking around. His eyes fall on Gayo and then on Xian holding XiChen. "Xian, wasn't he with Gayo?"

Xian nods, "Gege, he is my brother." Before Xian can say more, Wangji squeezes Xian's shoulder and gestures him to look at XiChen.

XiChen opens his eyes slowly, "What happened? How am I not dead?" He enquires;

Xian's face erupts into a big smile, "Brother, are you ok? How are you feeling?" Xian asks, taking his elder brother's hand in his.

"Fine, actually, more than fine. All these years, I felt like my every breath was owed to him." XiChen confesses, looking at Gayo's headless body. "Now, it feels like I am finally free." He looks around the room, "I owe you all an apology. I deceived you all." He adds; everyone looks at him questioningly.