To give a vain hope

"It's…", Lan Wangji was speechlessly staring at the statue.

"Wen Qing", Wei Ying confirmed grimly, "She's aware. I… don't know what was used to petrify her. Nor why they allowed us to find her."

"Has she been here for long?"

Wei Ying closed his eyes focusing on the energy of the place.

"A year or two. So she has not been kept here since her announced death."

"So she wasn't killed, was she?", Nie Huaisag joined them after having navigated the low wall of rumbles separating the cultivators.

"No. I'll try to reach her through Empathy", Wei Ying declared.

Lan Wangji was hesitating. The idea was a risky one but he knew how close Wen Qing had been to Wei Ying so he did not want to stop his betrothed.

"Wait!", Nie Huaisang said quickly, "They wanted us to find her. Empathy is your typical way of acting. It's obvious they're gaining time when we're staying here. We should leave a few cultivators here and focus on tracking them down!"

"She is suffering!"

"Wei Wuxian! She is a trap or an unsuccessful experiment! You don't have an immediate remedium, do you? We must stop them first, and only then help her. Their notes or confessions may be crucial to free your friend", the last word was said gently.

Nie Huaisang was obviously aware how important Wen Qing was for Wei Ying.

Lan Wangji wordlessly stood closer to Wei Ying to show him his support. He would respect his decision and do his best to protect him.

"Did you call Wen Ning?", Nie Huaisang asked hastily.

"Yes, however I am not sure how long it may take him to come. He is quite far away. He is sure she died… maybe it's better for him not to see her like this.", Wey Ying said gently, his voice sad, "but still I want to talk to her. You can track our enemy."

There was a moment of hesitation on Nie Huaisang's face, then he nodded - "I'll talk to my cultivators", he promised and left.

Wei Ying breathed in. He was scared but he wanted to reassure his old friend, to give her hope. Obviously it was possible that there was no more person he used to know as Wen Qing, the genius doctor from Qishan. There's no need to have human consciousness to feel pain. To be imprisoned for so long would everyone lead to madness.

Lan Zhan gently squeezed Wei Ying's hand.

"I'm here. I'll call you back.", he promised.

Wei Ying smiled briefly, grateful for the reassurance and acceptance of his decision.

He sat in front of the statue in a meditation pose.

Pain. Pain. Pain.

Fear.

Despair.

"Wen Qing? It's me Wei Wuxian, I'll save you! I promise!"

Despair.

An ugly dark fear so prevailing.

The pain of loss is indiscernible from the physical one.

"Wen Qing?", her name repeated as a prayer. Each word heavy with a desperate energetic signature.

Recognition.

"Wei Wuxian! Run away! Please! Save yourself!"

"Your brother is as safe as he can be. Jin Guangyao is dead. I'll find the way to save you."

Panic.

"You don't understand!"

"So explain it to me, please!"

"The spell they used to imprison me, it will hurt you! They wanted to create a spiritual weapon by binding a soul. Lan Wangji's soul!"

"What?! How?! It's impossible, isn't it?!"

"You're the last person who should think that being impossible may stop someone… They want to break him… to break him by your pain and death…A broken soul can be manipulated… and they were talking about the traps which would kill anyone trying to save me!"

Wei Ying tried hard not to panic. He was endangering Lan Zhan.

One moment! Wen Qing tells me about traps but I was going to be dead then… they were not aimed at me. Wen Ning was a real menace to them… they could have hoped they controlled him but still they were too well aware that this control may be easily taken from them...

"So should I leave Lan Zhan, shouldn't I?", this question hurt so much. His mental voice was a bit broken.

"No, you idiot! Each of you alone is easy to be destroyed. United, you're a strength which cannot be tamed. You're the most important part of this… Lan Wangji, Jiang Wanyin, Nie Huaisang… they love you, you're the one who is uniting them. Wei Wuxian, don't act stupidly! Don't sacrifice yourself! Think! You're the menace for them."

"For whom?", Wie Ying focused on gaining information.

"You don't know their names? Yao Bo, Jin He, Jin Dong, Jin Enlai… Those are the masters…", more pain, more fear, "They treated me like an object. They forgot I have been conscious all the time."

"Why did they let us find you?"

"I'm useless for them… They… don't have the skills and knowledge of Su She and the Yin Tiger Amulet. They tried to reconstruct but with no avail.", bitter satisfaction.

"So it was Su She who… imprisoned you?"

"Yes. Wen Ning…? Have you found him? They took his awareness from him…"

"He's aware. He'll come here."

"No! I… he cannot see me like this! Please!"

"He won't."

Wei Ying had just decided that he could not leave Wen Qing. If their enemies wanted to use this time, he did not care about it. He cared about her, trapped and tormented.

"Wei Wuxian! You don't know how to help me! It may be too risky for you!"

"Has it ever stopped me?", he smiled sadly, "I'll save you!", he promised vehemently.

Fear. Fear of hope. Fear of getting him killed. So much fear!

It was breaking his heart. He focused on the energy coiling around the statue. It seemed only to be a side effect. Without the knowledge of the spell it was very hard to counter it. He needed time, probably months of experiments.

"I'll leave now, but I'll come back and free you, I swear…", Wei Ying hesitated for a moment, "you haven't seen the symbols used to petrified you?"

"They were painted on my body. I was conscious, though I haven't seen much, I am sorry."

"Don't be… I can ask Lan Zhan to put you in sleep, if you wish."

"No. I prefer to remain aware. Is my brother… well?"

"Yes, he is. He is the best person to protect you, so please… let him see you."

"Can you give him a way to talk to me, to hear me?"

Wei Ying nodded. Then after a warning, he broke the contact. Lan Zhan was still standing near him ready to defend him, to fight for him. He could feel his tension.

Oh, Lan Zhan! It's so beautiful and amazing you're by my side, so ready to fight my battles for me!

Wei Ying drew a slow breath to calm down and then he shared all the gained information. Jiang Cheng paled and started to avoid his gaze.

"I'll send a message to my brother and ask for help.", Lan Zhan declared solemnly. He did not have to add that he had never heard about such a cruel spell.

Though Nie Huaisang stood clearly undecided what to do.

"You know something!", Wei Ying relearned to read his friend.

"I must verify it. I don't want to give a vain hope. We need to secure this place. I expect the message from my scout to reach us soon. Then we decide how we should act. "

Lan Zhan was watching Wei Ying create talismans. He knew how talented his betrothed was, but still was a bit amazed by his resourcefulness and true ingenuity. When the last piece of paper covered in ink symbols was ready, he added his spiritual energy to strengthen them which earned him a bright and thankful smile.

"It should work for some time!", Wei Ying said pleased but then his smile disappeared, sadness filling his face. He hastily licked a few drops of blood which appeared on his lips. Lan Zhan sighed. He knew that there was no danger in this, but still he could not feel comfortable when seeing his bloody mouth. He approached Wei Ying, and gently wiped the blood with his fingers.

"Lan Zhan! Stop it, you'll waste your clothes!", Wei Ying protested but he leaned into his touch when Lan Zhan's fingers stroked his cheek. Lan Zhan hoped that Wei Ying could read the unshaken faith in him and all support Lan Zhan was ready to give freely.

"Your clothes have never been dirty, how are you doing this, Lan Zhan?", Wei Ying muttered just to talk, to fight his feelings and thoughts, to call this false smile which had never reached his eyes.

"Mm", Lan Zhan agreed, allowing the spiritual energy to pass with his touch. It had been becoming easier and easier. Wei Ying leaned against him, so that Lan Zhan was taking much of his weight. Wei Ying was clearly exhausted. Probably he should have stayed in bed, but Lan Zhan could agree that his presence was so far essential.

Suddenly Wei Ying's body stilled and stiffened. Lan Zhan stopped to breathe afraid that he scared or hurt him. Wei Ying withdrew a bit, so he was able to look in Lan Zhan's eyes.

"How do you exactly clean your robes?", he asked. His whole posture focused, like a predator ready to attack. His alert eyes betrayed the significance which Lan Zhan's answer may have.

A/N

I am still here and writing :)

How much Wei Ying should sacrifice to free Wen Qing? (a devil smile).

My gratitude to Legate_of_Apples for betaing :)