CH 16 – Number three

The two worked in silence looking through the messy mountains of scrolls the healers had either written or been discussing before they became ill. Of course Wei Ying had already done this once but now he knew a little more about the illness and wanted to see if this new knowledge would help him find that …..something …..that could allow him to figure how to solve the puzzle. Jiang Cheng of course was a little less knowledgeable with what he was actually looking for and generally flicked through a book aimlessly before putting it down and picking up another.

Eventually with a theatrical sigh Jiang Cheng dropped another book on his pile with a slap and looked over to Wei Ying who was busy cross referencing two different volumes and hadn't responded at all. Jiang Cheng coughed loudly to try and get his attention, when that didn't work he moved over to the other desk and leant over slightly before speaking.

'Wei Ying!' His annoyance at being ignored was not hidden but for once it was not meant to be confrontational. 'We have been looking through these scrolls for hours and they aren't helping. You told me you tried to heal Lan Zhan before you healed me. What did you do different between the two of us? Maybe that holds the key to fixing this mess.

Wei Ying looked up. The anger and being disturbed quickly changing to thoughtfulness. Jiang Cheng gave him a moment to process the question without moving but he kept his eyes on his elder brother, watching the subtle changes in his expression as he thought about the answer.

'What is did differently between you two?' Wei Ying eventually murmured to himself 'I found a patch on one side of Lan Zhan's core, it was darker there than anywhere else. I thought that be where the illness took control of the core. But then I found the connection Lan Zhan and I share as cultivation partners. That was dark to but in a different way, and the darkness on the core stayed away from it. I thought I could put more energy into that bond and spread cure it somehow….but it didn't work.'

Wei Ying wasn't really speaking to him but Jiang Cheng was listening carefully and taking mental notes. Wei Ying still continued.

'As for you I used your core, after all it used to be mine, The darkness fought me but I managed to force past it and with the with the more resistance I managed get more of the core showing.

Wei Ying paused and looked up staring at his brother who looked back confused. When it was obvious Wei Ying wasn't going to say anything Jiang Cheng probed eventually.

'What? Did the resistance have something to do with it?'

'I didn't get any residence with Lan Zhan but I did with you'

'And Lan Zhan didn't get better but I did' Jiang Cheng was finally catching on.

Wei Ying nodded and went to get up from the table but his brother grabbed hold of his wrist to gain his attention. Jiang Cheng's eye where wide with shock as he stared at his brother before speaking almost in a whisper.

'There is one thing both of us have in common though Wei Ying. You!. You said Lan Zhan hasn't been as ill as he should be because of the link between you. I got better because of my core…...Your core...Both of us have a link to you….a link to your demonic power!'

Wei Ying just stood shell-shocked facing his younger brother. Not quite sure what to make of the new information. How could HE be the link? How could HE be the cure? It didn't make sense but he couldn't find a fault with Jiang Cheng's logic. Taking a deep breath he pulled his wrist out of his brothers grasp before turning and almost running out the door, although as he was still close to exhaustion it was a bit wobbly. Jiang Cheng was taken by surprise but still yelled behind from behind him.

'Where are you going?'

'To wake up my husband! If your right I should be able to do it!'

The small thread was unchanged as Wei Ying's spirit searched around Lan Zhan's core. Although the darkness had increased, which he supposed was to be expected, happily the area where the thread joined the core could still be seen as a patch of gold among a sea of darkness. Lifting his conciseness back into his own body he looked up into the eyes of concerned Jiang Chen who although close to them both had stood just off to the side as if he didn't want to get to close.

'Well?' He asked as if the one word question couldn't mean a thousand different things.

Wei Ying simply took a few breaths to re-orient himself with the world and then spoke.

'It's both good and bad. Where our bond touches his core the core is still untouched, however the rest of it is getting worse' He glanced down at his husbands unresponsive figure. The breathing had definitely gotten worse over the last few hours and he was sweating more than before as well. 'It could still work but I'm not sure if I have enough power left from healing you and trying to heal him the first time. I haven't had much time to recover myself yet.'

Jiang Cheng just nodded.

'You can only try' He replied solemnly. 'We need him. With HanGuang-Jun's knowledge of things we might be able to solve this completely. '

Wei Ying nodded again but rather than returning to his work on Lan Zhan he stood up and walked over to the door. A moment later a messenger butterfly appeared in his palm, Wei Ying whispered something to it and it flew off. Jiang Cheng wished he knew who Wei Ying was communicating with, obviously someone from the Lan Clan was still awake. Wei Ying had said he needed to save his son so that ruled SiZhui out and Lan Zhan was unconscious in front of him, both Master Lan and ZeWu Jun where powerful in there own rights so the chances of them not being ill by now where no existent. But who else would Wei Ying trust enough to entrust the lives of his family? Subconsciously he realised he still hadn't earned back the right to be included in that group.

Wei Ying turned away from the doorway breaking him out of his reverie. Slowly again sinking to the bed beside his husband Wei Ying looked over at his brother with concern in his eyes.

'This time it might be dangerous for us both brother' he began in such a serious tone it made Jiang Cheng want to turn and rune away. It took things just hovering above The world folding in on itself to make Wei Ying turn serious. 'You are right that we need him, and this time I will bring him back I promise you!'

Before Jiang Cheng could ask what Wei Ying meant by that last statement he had already separated his consciousness and begun his healing of Lan Zhan. Jiang Cheng had seen this done by healers enough times, and done it himself once or twice so he knew that disturbing the healing could be catastrophic for both men concerned. Instead he stood watching as the pair didn't move. When watching no longer seemed enough he paced the room erratically, coincidentally following in almost the same pattern Wei Ying had a few days earlier.

After about half an hour of sitting, standing, sitting, standing only to sit again, even Jiang Cheng was getting on his own nerves. He couldn't just walk out the room and get some fresh air because he needed to watch his stupid selfless brother. It was then he noticed the sweat dripping down Wei Ying's cheeks. His brother shouldn't be sweating this much even if he was working hard to heal Lan Zhan. Moving around slowly, taking care not to disturb either man, Jiang Cheng took a look at his elder brother and his eyes went wide. Wei Ying's eyes were not just closed but forcibly pushed shut, his brow seemed to be the top of a waterfall of sweat. But most worryingly of all his lips where in a position he knew all to well. Wei Ying was in pain but to stubborn to show it.

Without thinking Jiang Cheng grabbed hold of his brothers shoulder with his palm. He might not be able to wake him up but he could still help. He closed his eyes and felt a slow constant flow of power move from his own core into his brother. He kept the flow as steady as possible, allowing Wei Ying to both not get overloaded with the new power while at the same time being able to use it effectively. His first thought was that the alien power in his system might surprise Wei Ying and wake him up, allowing him to break the healing bond himself. Then he realised how foolish that assumption was, his core had once been his brothers, if any power was less likely to appear alien to Wei Ying's system it would be his.

The three men remained this way for a while. Jiang Cheng with his hand on his brother feeding him enough energy to remain conscious, while Wei Ying unknowingly used the same energy to fight the darkness around Lan Zhan's core. Nether of them knew they were actually working together, it had just happened naturally. Jiang Cheng eventually lost track of the time. He didn't know how much power he had transferred or for how long but he was beginning to reach the edge of his ability to endure. Wei Ying had been right when he said this would be risky as there had been no time to heal. Both of them had already been weak why they had tried this.

Just as Jiang Cheng felt he push break contact and leave his brother to fight this particular enemy alone he felt a hand atop his. Forcing his own eyes open, which felt they had been closed for days, he looked at the man in front of him. Wei Ying looked beyond exhausted, his eyes where drawn and his lips white, his breathing was ragged and his hands shook.

'I told …...!' was all he could manage before passing out completely at the side of the bed.

If Jiang Cheng hadn't been so tired himself and the situation so serious he would have seen the pure comedic stupidity of the situation. He had just woken up and now his brother was unconscious. Sadly though he didn't have the ability or the energy to move Wei Ying to another room so he simply rolled the older but smaller brother onto the bed next to Lan Zhan. Just as he turned to leave, and try to work out a way to wake up one or both of the men in the room he heard a gentle, almost whisper.

'Wei Ying?'

Turning round so fast he almost gave himself whiplash he stared at the bed. Lan Zhan lay there with his eyes open and staring at Wei Ying's still body, his hand curled around his husbands as if hanging on for dear life. When he noticed he was being watched he looked up. Even after being unconscious for days those piercing eyes of Lan Zhan's could freeze a man in place when he wanted.

'What happened!' It wasn't a question it was a demand.

Jiang Cheng tried to think about how to answer but he only knew parts of the answer himself. The only one who knew everything was Wei Ying. The man who of course at the minute had left him to ….Jiang Cheng tried to figure out the emotion in Lan Zhan's eyes….Annoyed? Confused? Worried? With a shock it occurred to him and he silently cursed his brother. Great your beloved husband is pissed off and I don't know any of the answers. If I survive this you owe me brother!