Chapter Text
If Blade had realized that this, this was part of Elio's script, he would have never agreed to join the Stellaron Hunters. After the termoil he endured, the mindless hunts and countless deaths, they expected him to play nice with the source of his grievance?!
"Imbibitor Lunae is needed for Elio's script. And as he is, he needs you to survive." Kafka had delivered the news with finality. Something that fools would call pity on her features. Blade wasn't swayed, he knew that she was heartless. "Your condition will remain stable so long as you remain near him. You should be happy, Bladie, no more mara episodes so long as you play your cards right."
Blade growled, clutching his sword hard enough to bleed. How dare they act like this is some blessed resolution. Like what just occured wasn't a farce against the universe, like this wasn't some pathetic bullshit he was forced to endure.
"Blade." Jing Yuan's voice is rough, still distort from the fight that had only ended hours ago. The area is still covered in fresh blood and debris. Jing Yuan should have left ages ago, but has waited ever so patiently for Blade to get with the program.
One that Blade loaths to agree too, but has no choice. Elio won't fulfil his wish if Blade deviates from his script, and it states that Dan Heng, that Yinyue-jun, must survive through this trail and be able to rejoin his friends on the express when next the cross paths.
Elio didn't provide a time frame, only that it would happen and that Blade was needed to be by Dan Heng's side.
"We're dealing with a lot of vairables, Bladie." Kafka says with a smile and a shrug. "We have two people running around with stellarons inside them now. It's a good idea to keep a close eye on them."
That word, stellaron, forces the image of what Blade recently witnessed to his mind. Dan Heng, broken and half dead, held so carefully in The Abundance's hold. Whisphers of love and longing vibrating in the air, threatening to destroy anything no holding the aeon's attention.
How they so easily plucked a stellaron from their visage, like a fruit, and forced it into Dan Heng's mouth.
They had done it with soft mummers, encouragements and sorrow. Dan Feng hadn't known what he had done, surely. Didn't pluck the fruit Yaoshi had so carefuly cultivated in his body only to to feed it to some unworthy human.
That hadn't been the plan, oh sweet lover of mine, and now you must suffer yet more to regrow what we lost.
Blood had rushed through Blade, anger and fear and worry, at the aeon's words, their actions. Dan Heng had grown branches, flowers and leaves and wheat, a cruel amalgamation of Yaoshi's and the Vidyadharas features.
The trail blazers and Xianzhou had whisked Dan Heng away the moment they could move agian. The moment the Abundance's gaze had left the reawakened Vidyadhara.
Jing Yuan should have gone with him. But he had stayed at Kafka's request, an escort for the other new residencent Xianzhou would have to house once more. After all, according to Elio, Imbibitor Lunae would not be able to recover for a long time. And he would need both his former loves with him to get through this.
Scorffing, Blade turns away from Kafka's sweet smile. He avoid's Jing Yuan's eyes as he walks by.
"Let's get this farce over with."
Three days is all Jing Yuan can afford to the healers in charge of Dan Heng. He had been able to distract Blade with getting set up in his home, but the swordsman had an itch to see the Vidyadhara that couldn't be statiated with anything else.
Jing Yuan could tell it wasn't for something as beautiful as worry or love. The pain, the mara inside Blade, was resurfacing. He was supposed to be better but that was only in the presence of Dan Heng. According to Elio, he knew how to treat Blade's mara.
Of coruse, that asked the question that if he knew then why didn't he.
"G-General! I'm sorry but Imbibitor Lunae is not stabilized yet!" A poor Vidyadhara woman says as the two strongest men on Luofu breeze past her.
"My apologies." Jing Yuan says with a smirk, taking what little mirth he can from the situation. "But our dearest guest cannot wait further."
Blade doesn't react to his tease, dead set on honing in on his quarry. Cloud Knights try to stop them, but between Jing Yuan's presence and Blade's sword, they don't even slow them down.
Throwing a set of doors deep in the medical compound open, the two men are met with screams.
The thick smell of blood overpowers the delicate lotus' in bloom. Branches and flowers and wheat break off only to regrow, malformend and thin, snapping from their own weight and spewing more gore.
Dan Heng's draconic teeth are burried deep in a doctor's arm from the pain, yet his screams still resound in the chamber. The grand tree that the Abundance had planted in him tries to grow out his back, twisting like divine wings, only to burst and burn gold from the stellaron.
No effort will be spared, my beloved. The Abundance had spoken. Our tree will only grow when your fruit is ripe to bear.
"What are you doing?!" Blade roars, pushing past the shocked staff to grab at Dan Heng. The Vidyadhara doesn't react to his words or actions, blind to pain and fever.
"S-Sir Blade you can't be here-" A doctor tries to say but is resolutely ignored. Blade pushes past them, grabbing his target, and is met with fangs burrowing deep into his shoulder.
Pain like nothing he'd ever felt bursts for one hot moment before going numb. Blade blinks and sees the dark twisting of the mara around his body, only... only he's not mad. He can still think clearly, can still see-
The mara is wrapping around Dan Heng. It's being sucked into his being. Blade can feel Yingyue-jun's soul, the expanse that makes him him, an ocean that the putrid mara pours into.
"Dan Heng! Let go!" He yells, trying to pull the Vidyadhara off of him. Dan Heng just clutches harder, claws digging into Blade's back and body glowing gold.
"Blade, Dan Heng!" Jing Yuan shouts, reaching for them.
The moment he touches them, its like the air clears, the heat dissipates. Dan Heng's jaw cracks open before he goes limp. His eyes flicker open, but he doesn't move, just breathes.
The never ending growth finally ceases. His body stabilizes. The soft green of Yaoshi burns red from mara, turning black as it settles.
Blade's arms clutch at the man in his arms, his body shaking from the exertion of what just occured. He... he can't make sense of it. What just... what just happened.
"Blade, are you still with me?" Jing Yuan asks. Blade jolts out of his mind, turning to look at his friend.
"Just... Just sit down for now." The general says, pushing Blade to sit on Dan Heng's medical bed. The Vidyadhara still hasn't moved, though his eyes remain open, his breaths even.
"S-Sir Blade..." One of the doctors, the lead, addresses. "M-May we please approach? To inspect Imbibitor Lunae."
Blade nods, speechless.
The doctor approaches with care. Her touch doesn't linger, but Jing Yuan can see her consenstatrion, the movement of her power. She is clearly a skilled Vidyadhara healer, which is only suitable given who she is treating.
"The growths... they've been cut-off." She says, awe in her voice and shock on her face.
"Growths?" Jing Yuan prods.
"Ah, apologies general. We are still trying to make sense of Imbibitor Lunae's condition. It would seem that whatever... whaterer the Abundance has done to him as resulted in an accelartion of long dormant Vidyadhara features." The doctor touches the base of her horns. "Normally our horns are just that, bone and blood. But Imbibitor Lunae's has always had a certain alignment with life, with nature. His powers far exceeded our understanding, and truly we thought nothing wholy of it. Had we only noticed it sooner..."
The Vidyadhara shakes her head. "Such regret does not matter, it will not help. The growth I am referring to is that of nature, of the Abundance. His horns and tail were stuck in a never ending cycle of growing. But his body was unable to handle it, sucked dry of nutrients after the initial phase. The Abundance must have released some seals inside him, or awaken some long sleeping seeds, and now they are all racing to bloom.
"I believe..." She looks at Blade who still clutches Dan Heng. "I believe the mara may have stopped it. Stuntted it in some manner. I don't know how but," she reaches out, hand resting near Dan Heng's horn. The man flinches, eyes watering. Blade instrictivly curls him away. "It's stabalized him and has stopped the seeds from sprouting. I would believe that such an episode will occur again, in which case he will need to absorb mara once more."
She frowns, lost in thought for a moment.
"There are... records... horror stories of Vidyadhara consuming flesh. The elders have locked them tightly away, afraid of how other species may react to such words, but perhaps Imbibitor Lunae's condition is related to it."
"Then it is important we research it." Jing Yuan says. "For now, however, it is apparent that my guests need to rest. Is Dan Heng safe to leave your ward?"
The doctor looks up at the general. Her eyes are cold, observing. They look between the general and Blade, examining them before falling on her patient.
"Let us treat his open wounds and then I will release him to your care. I will visit him tomorrow morning to ensure he is well. His condition is new to all of us, so we will have to work together to ensure he stabalizes." She says this with a sharp look at Jing Yuan. Her eyes soften when they go to Blade.
"Sir Blade, I request to tend to your wounds before you leave as well. Your coniditon is tied to Imbibitor Lunae, so I wish to understand it better.
Blade's focus on Dan Heng is finally broken, sharp eyes cutting into the doctor as his grip tightens. Dan Heng eyes fall shut with a deep exhale, body leaning into the hold.
The two glare at each other, until Blade comes to a descision. He nods, hold loosening on Dan Heng as the other doctors and nurses approach. The two are seperated and the leading doctor examines them both carefully as their wounds are treated and wrapped.
Jing Yuan smiles down at Blade as the two watch the group finish up Dan Heng's treatment.
"I didn't expect you to allow them to touch you." He remarks.
"You shouldn't." Blade barks back. "I only allowed it so that we may leave this dreaded space sooner. It wreaks."
Jing Yuan laughs but doesn't argue.
When the doctors begin discussing a wheelchair for the resting Dan Heng, Jing Yuan steps forward before Blade can get any ideas.
"I'll carry him. Body warmth is good for Vidyadhara, right?"
Some doctors look ready to protest, but the leading Vidyadhara nods. "Yes, it would also help him rest. Imbibitor Lunae can sense living creatures near him, so the presence of one he loves so close will help keep him from getting anxious."
jing Yuan doesn't correct the doctor on her assumption of Dan Heng's feelings. In truth, it is difficult to figure out where any of them stand after what occured. But Jing Yuan isn't about to get into a debate, even moreso when there is a well earned rest to be had.
He carefully scoops Dan Heng into his arms, felling how cold and light his friend is. Turning, he motions his head for Blade to follow. He scowls but does so without complaint.
The trio arrive back at their home in silence.