Chapter Text
Dan Feng smells blood.
The abominations of Yaoshi, the mara-struck soldiers, have decided upon war with the Xianzhou Luofu, and Dan Feng has spent his entire morning sprinting around, battling as many fierce enemies as possible, lashing out with his spear at any who dare face him and summoning his dragon with his vidyadhara powers.
So of course, obviously, without a doubt, Dan Feng smells blood. There is battle carnage everywhere, blood soaking the streets like puddles forming after a particularly heavy storm.
"Thanks." Jingliu mutters from behind him, slashing her blade through another mara-struck soldier. It falls for a moment, then revives and charges again. With a quick stab, Dan Feng quickly impales it again before it can cause any more damage. He watches as it dissipates.
"Where's Yingxing?" Dan Feng asks, slightly worried, even though he knows the man can hold his own just fine with Jing Yuan at his side.
"Not sure. I think he's situated next to the Ambrosial Arbor, but you can check Fortuna Argurstead near the Divination Commission." Jingliu replies calmly, dodging another strike and freezing her opponent, who was currently twice her size.
Dan Feng rushes off, jumping over fallen bodies and battle debris, before reaching the nearest space anchor and teleporting to the Fortuna Argurstead. He picks up the pace despite his screaming lungs and straining legs, panting heavily and finally comes to a stop near the Divination Matrix. He swivels around, scanning for the familiar sight of Yingxing. There he is-
-lying on the floor, soaked in what would be his own blood.
Dan Feng screamed, and the next second he was next to his lover, a long gash spanning over his broad chest, breathing shallow and eyes clouded. They clear immediately upon seeing him, which didn't bring much consolation.
"What happened?? Where is Jing Yuan?" Dan Feng asks, tears already forming in his eyes, threatening to spill over.
"There were no more mara-struck abominations left anymore, and Jing Yuan left to support Fu Xuan in Exalting Scantum," Yingxing lets out a shuddering breath, voice soft. "Then the last enemy creeped up behind me, I didn't react fast enough..." He trailed off, eyes almost drifting closed.
"Don't you dare! Keep your eyes open, love, please, just stay with me for a while longer until help arrives." Dan Feng scanned his surroudings desperately, hope as thin as gauze in his voice.
"You know there won't be any healers heading here, they're all battling for their lives right now, it's futile to hope." Yingxing breathes out, hand reaching out to cup Dan Feng's cheek before falling limp.
"I'm sorry, Dan Feng..." Yingxing smiles weakly at his lover.
Dan Feng cannot help but admire how Yingxing looks as handsome as ever, even as he is bleeding out on the ground, pearls of sweat beading on his forehead, white hair dishevelled and those beautiful lilac eyes crinkling.
"You can't die, please, please, there has to be a way!" Dan Feng sobbed. He looks around desperately, searching for some form of medicine, even though he knows it's already hopeless.
Then it came to him.
My heart. A dragon's heart will renew his life.
"I'm sorry, Yingxing. It's going to be so selfish of me to do this, but I just want to keep you alive, by me, if only just for a while longer." Dan Feng plunges a hand into his chest, before forcing it into Yingxing, his essense frantically churing to make up for the gaping hole in his chest.
Dan Feng waits with bated breath. Please work, please work, Long, please...
Yingxing opens his eyes.
---
"Guilty of sin...punishable by death."
Traitor.
Liar.
Sinner.
Dan Feng forces open his eyes in a haze of pain. He's given up on struggling against his chains of corallium, the cold metal unforgiving, the occasional clink and clank resonating clearly through the still, stale air of the Shackling Prison. He's still suspended by the Dracocatena Nails staked in his body. He's dreamt about the elders going back and forth, interrogating him, asking him what of the Dragon Heart, the truth of the arcanum. He does not speak.
I would've breached the ancient, forbidden Vidyadhara arts a million times over just to make sure you stayed alive, Yingxing. I do not regret it.
He dreamt of the Judges coming before him, standing underneath him, to read their decision of sentencing him to death. He still does not speak.
So be it. I just hope...my next reincarnation may find him again, and tell him "I'm sorry" for me.
I'm sorry, Yingxing.
He dreams that Jing Yuan was here, Jing Yuan had negotiated with the Vidyadhara, whom did not allow him to die, nor allow him to leave. He still does not speak.
I am so tired of dreaming. I am so tired of living.
He dreams of evolving back into an egg, of becoming someone else entirely.
He dreamed many, many things, like a never-ending immersia entitled "Self." Following the immersia was an even clearer but unreachable illusion.
He saw himself being exiled. He changed his name, changed his identity, changed himself. He boarded an express, rushing off into the stars, never looking back.
You lost me in that life.
I'll find you in this one, Yingxing, I'll apologise, as many times as it takes for you to forgive me.
Remember that for me, Dan Heng.