Love: tormentum

Chapter 4

Wei Wuxian could never have prepared himself over a thousand years for what was about to happen. He could have died and reborn a million times but it would not have helped him through the pain that coursed through him when the first whip found it's way to his beloved's back.
At that moment Wei Wuxian didn't care if anyone could hear him or not. He shouted at the top of his voice in heart-wrenching agony," Lan Zhan".

Lan Wangji was suddenly jolted out of his meditation in the Jingshi. The room was permeated with the smell of calming sandalwood but Lan Wangji felt no calmness in his heart. A strange cloud of uneasiness enveloped him as he sensed his husband in some kind of danger. He sprang up from where he was sitting with the one name on his lips that he uttered like a prayer, "Wei Ying".

Lan Wangji looked haggard as he rushed from Jingshi to the library pavilion. As he was nearing the library pavilion he saw Lan Xichen talking with Sizhui and Jingyi. Wangji bowed seeing his brother. Xichen was a bit surprised seeing his brother anxious.

"Wangji, what happened? Is everything all right?"Xichen asked.

"I am going to Wei Ying", Lan Wangji said,"I had promised him I would meet him in the library after the meeting with the elders but since the meeting ended earlier than usual I thought of meditating for half hour before going to him, but it seems I made an error in judgment."

"Why are you worried about such a little thing?", Lan Xichen asked perplexed," Surely young master Wei wouldn't mind you meditating for some time before you went to him."

"It's not that brother," Wangji said getting more agitated by the minute," During meditation I felt like something bad was happening to him, like he was in some agony. I felt him calling out my name in pain. Today he had taken the key to the special section of the library he had been asking for so many months. I am just worried something might have happened there."

"Well if that is the case I will come with you Wangji,"Xichen said softly,"but do not worry so much. I am sure there is nothing wrong with him."

Lan Xichen started walking with Wangji towards the library pavilion. Sizhui and Jingyi followed just behind.

Lan Wangji entered the library pavilion with a feeling of dread in his heart he couldn't understand. The front room of the library was empty. He realised Wei Wuxian must still be in the forbidden room. He slowly walked towards the forbidden room and saw that the door was closed. He lightly tapped on the door and hearing no response he pushed the door open. 

Lan Wangji's knees buckled at the sight in front of him and he would have fallen on the ground had his brother not caught him at the right moment. The love of his life lay sprawled on the floor  with a purple haze encircling him. After the initial shock Wangji walked towards where his husband lay with the others following suit. Lan Xichen was the first to bend down and he touched Wei Wuxian's forehead. He extended his hand forward to touch his wrist. In this process he realised that he could move his hands inside the purple mist. Wangji checked Wuxian's spiritual energy and made sure he was alive. Eventhough Wei Wuxian looked simly asleep, Wangji sensed there was something wrong with the posture.

"Young master Wei appears to be completely healthy to me,"Lan Xichen said,"It is surprising why he has fainted in such a fashion."

It was then that Jingyi noticed a dial like instrument lying beside Wei Wuxian almost hidden by his robes. He pointed at the it and asked,"What is that instrument?"

Everyone's attention turned towards the object lying near them. The dial like object puzzled everyone. It seemed that the purple smoke was coming from the centre of the dial. Lan Jingyi bent down to pick the instrument.

Xichen stopped him and said,"No Jingyi, we have no idea what the instrument is. Even touching the instrument may prove harmful to young master Wei. First we have to bring elder Bao ( a name I invented again 😁😁) to check him thoroughly and we should also inform our elders about this matter. Unless we identify what this instrument is we can do nothing."

Lan Xichen looked at Wangji who was sitting frozen like a stone with Wei Wuxian's head on his lap. Xichen sighed heavily thinking why always misery seemed to be following his brother. He touched his brother's shoulder and said sofly,"Wangji, I will go and inform the elders. You wait here with young master Wei and monitor for any changes."

Lan Wangji nodded his head and looked back at his husband. Xichen went out of the library followed by Sizhui and Jingyi. Xichen turned to Sizhui and said, "Sizhui, you wait here. Do not let anyone enter the library. We will come back with the elders."

Sizhui nodded and stood guard while the other two went in search of the elders. 

Inside the library the one guarding his husband was experiencing indescribable emotions with rage, shame, pain, fear and anger in the forefront. Rage that threats always found his Wei Ying, shame that he was never there when his lover was in danger, pain of seeing his husband suffer, fear of losing him again forever and anger at himself for being so incompetent that he can't even protect the one he holds so close. Lan Wangji felt himself getting drawn into the inferno he was in when Wei Wuxian first died.

Don't go there, don't go there, Lan Wangji schooled himself. His Wei Ying needed him now and he would be strong for him. 

Lan Wangji gazed at his husband and choked on a silent sob,"Wei Ying".