Wei Ying might not be able to ride his sword anymore but he had his ways of getting places fast when he put his mind to it. When he arrived at the mine Jin ZuXun had mentioned he paused astonished. He knew the Jin clan was spoiled and self righteous, that was one of the main reasons he didn't want his sister marrying into it, but he always thought they at least had some humanity in them. Looking over the sight before him though any idea that humanity existed in any of the large clans evaporated, after all they had all turned a blind eye to this.
It was pitch black and he could only see clearly because of his years of cultivation and practice. Ahead of him stood groups of people all shackled together, huddled under makeshift roofs that offered pitifuful little protection from the rain that was coming down harder and harder. The ground that was once just dirt had now been reduced to a sea of mud, and Wei Ying's temper was further hightened as he looked closer at the groups. No bedding of any substance to insulate them from the cold, no blankets or heaters of any kind. All the people there were children, women or the elderly…..there was not a man of fighting age as far as he could see.
Suddenly a voice broke into his anger. The happiness in it tipping him over into fury. Following the voice he found 4 guards within a cave, safe from the weather outside, all sitting round a table eating a respectable dinner. All the guards where dressed for the weather and they even had a heater keeping the cave warm. He was about to charge into the cave when two things happened at once. Firstly he noticed a woman bound in a small corner of the cave, her mouth was gagged, her legs tied together but otherwise she pulled and fought against her bonds. It was this fight still in her that made him pause for a second. It was Wen Qing, why was she tied up in the cave instead of out with the others?
Just as his mind was comprehending this fact and hand grabbed him from behind and pulled him part way out of the cave. Wei Ying swivelled ready to attack the intruder only to find Chenqing's blow blocked by the well known blade of Bichen. Lan Zhan stood there impassive, waiting for Wei Ying to recognised him and put the weapon down. Wei Ying was still to angry with everything that had happened over the last few days and was finally ready to release it onto something useful, he wasn't ready to be calmed down by Lan Zhan.
'Why are you here?' he whispered, just short of a his in his throat. 'I said not to follow me'
Lan Zhan simply looked at him and lowered Bichen, effectively exposing his head and throat to any blow that might come.
Wei Ying lowered Chenqing with a huff.
'Stubborn' He muttered, half turning back to the cave. He missed Lan Zhan's small smile.
'I'm not leaving without them!' Wei Ying spoke to no one in particular but Lan Zhan knew it was for his ears. 'They helped me when I needed them and now I intend to help them. And did you see the way they are being treated outside? I wont let that happen!'
Lan Zhan couldn't argue that the way the Wen's outside were being treated was appalling. He had never seen such bad treatment of children and elders in his life and didn't know how the Jin could still consider themselves a top Sect after doing this. However right now it was Wei Ying's behaviour that concerned him the most. Ever since his argument with Jiang Cheng Wei Ying had been on edge, and seeing all of this might just be the thing to shove him over that edge.
'I will help you'
Wei Ying turned, startled.
'You will?'
Lan Zhan nodded in the darkness and was relived when he sensed some of the aggravation and tension leave Wei Ying. It was only slight but it was a start.
'Ok' Wei Ying began 'This is what we do….'
The rain beat down harder and harder on the cave as the 4 men argued about whose turn it was to go outside and guard the prisoners. No one wanted to venture out in such awful weather. The argument got so heated that no one noticed the 5supth/sup person walking confidently though the cave entrance, that is until he was right on top of them. Wei Ying simply smiled down at the 4 guards who looked up at his face stunned, and then starred down at his hand as his idly twirled Chenqing. The stunned look on their faces turned to fear as they realised who he was. All 4 of the men immediately rose from their chairs and fell to their knees on the ground in front of him begging for mercy.
Wei Ying didn't say anything but motioned for one of them to untie the still struggling Wen Qing. He nearly smiled at how eagerly and fast the man jumped up to follow his orders, but his temper was still high. Wen Qing came to his side rubbing her wrists and in a dangerously low voice he asked.
'Did any of them touch you?'
The men seemed to cower even lower upon hearing this, one of them seemed to want to say something but thought better of it and remained silent. Wen Qing just shook her head.
'No no one did anything, apparently I was being kept for some boss of there's so no one dared' Wen Qing's voice was nearly as full of anger as Wei Ying's as she turned to the 4 men cowering on the floor. 'Where is my brother?'
Wei Ying's head snapped up in response to her question.
'What do you mean?'
'When they tried to take me, Wen Ning tried to help me, he tried to stop them. But they hit him, took him somewhere…...I don't know where he is.' Wen Qing's voice was getting more fragmented as she tried to speak, her frustration and hurt coming to the fore.
Wei Ying just looked at the 4 men, before speaking.
'Well! Answer the lady!'
Who he assumed was the head guard lifted his head and spoke up.
"'Heee….weee….heeee feelll…...heee …..hee is with…..the other bodies' he blurted out the last part of the sentence as if it would be the last words he ever said.
Wei Ying said nothing but turned towards the mouth of the cave, just as Lan Zhan appeared leading a wave of freed prisoners. Some of the freed prisoners ran up to the table for food, some to the fire for warmth and others to Wen Qing. Lan Zhan just stood looking to Wei Ying closely.
'I have to go out and find Wen Ning' Wei Ying said quietly to Lan Zhan.
Lan Zhan simply nodded and stood aside allowing him to exit. When Wei Ying walked past Lan Zhan whispered.
'Be careful'
Wei Ying nodded as he walked out of the cave, once again into the darkness. Lan Zhan looked around at the 4 men still cowering on the floor. Part of him wanted to tell them to rise, that they were no longer in danger with him here. Another part however wanted to leave them there, after all they had hurt all these people for no reason, but most of all they had hurt Wei Ying.
An hour later a howl came from outside. Lan Zhan's head snapped up and he reached out automatically to stop Wen Qing running out into the dark for probably the tenth time since Wei Ying had left. He could understand her wanting to know what was going on with her brother, but didn't she realise that by going outside now she would be more of a hindrance than a help?
The howl came closer, this time with a strange soft music along the cold wind. Lan Zhan's senses suddenly went on alert. He knew the music, and the player. If Wei Ying was playing his flute again then who knew how much control he had over himself.
'Get the prisoners into the corner' He told Wen Qing in a voice that anyone rarely argued with.
As expected she didn't argue with it either and in a few moments all of the Wen survivors where huddled in a small corner of the cave. As it happened it was just in time because in burst….someone…..someone not quite alive but not quite dead. Behind him stood Wei Ying, the flute pursed to his lips. Both of them had their glare fixed on the 4 guards.
Wei Ying slowly lowered the flute from his lips and spoke.
'You said you did nothing to him…..well why don't we ask him ourselves?'
'Wen Ning' Wen Qing shouted from the other side of the cave.
It didn't take Lan Zhan long to realise that this was the man Wei Ying had gone looking for, and that something had again gone horribly wrong. He automatically reached out and grabbed Wei Ying's wrist, putting enough pressure on it to make Wei Ying turn and face him. The glazed eyes where cold, the power within him had almost taken over, and he didn't seem to be fighting it.
'Wei Ying' Lan Zhan tried 'Wei Ying, fight it!….you can't kill these men. If you do you become what everyone thinks you already are!'
That flicker of response, his grip tightened.
'Wei Ying…...fight it'
Wei Ying's arm trembled under his grip and his eyes shut with the effort of regaining control. Still Lan Zhan didn't move, or release his hand.
Without guidance Wen Ning had not moved either towards or away from the guards, who still coward against a wall, although right now Lan Zhan couldn't care less about them. Wei Ying's eyes slowly started to clear and he lowered Chenqing.
'They need to pay' He said, his voice filled with anger but no longer icy rage.
'They will' Lan Zhan replied 'All the Sects where there when the Jin told you about this place, do you think they wont get punished for it?'
A tired smile appeared on Wei Ying's face as he nodded and turned to Lan Zhan.
'I need to get them out of here' he nodded to the Wen survivors 'they have no place to go, no home any more' he gave a small smile ' a little bit like me...…..but I know where I can take them to be safe. Thank you for your help Lan Zhan, but I don't want to drag you down with me. You still have your Sect and your family. Go Home!'
Wei Ying shrugged his arm out of the stunned Lan Zhan's grasp and motioned for the group of survivors to follow him as he left the cave. Wei Ying was right Lan Zhan realised, he should go home. All of this was Wei Ying's choice, not his. All of this didn't involve Gusu, but if he kept following Wei Ying into this trouble then pretty soon his own Sect, his own brother and uncle would soon get dragged into it as well. He had responsibilities at Gusu and he couldn't just abandon them. On the other hand Wei Ying had been abandoned by everyone, although he was putting on a brave face Lan Zhan could tell from his voice that he was feeling heartbroken. Could he let himself be another person to abandon the man he loved?
Lan Zhan didn't want to think to much about what he was doing or why. He just hoped he was doing the right thing as he unsheathed Bichen and rode his sword in the darkness chasing after his heart.