The nest was covered in snow so the bird had to fly, even when the snow thawed the cold didn't die. It was exactly like that day, years ago when land was bleeding but this time, even the sky was oozing red.

Song Lan immediately went inside the Temple hoping he would escape this nightmare. But little did he know that hell was waiting for him. The webs of arrays made in blood covered most of the walls. In front of each array were people, bathed in red - completely dead.

He froze like his life had been cut short. His body didn't move. His eyes were wide and breathe so tight.

They could be any random people, it didn't have to be his family, right?They were all tormented by the spirits? What else could the array be for?

Song Lan pushed his cold limbs to move, taking one step at a time. He wobbled as his feet bumped into something. The moment he looked down, shiver ran down his spine.

There was a body of a young man guarding the door, as if protecting the others. His skin was wrung like the blood was squeezed out of it. His eyes that were poked out, had been placed between his teeth. His legs had been pounded to the ground.

I will watch over the rest so you don't have to give that worried expression, Da-ge!

The trail of bodies in front of him, covered most of his view. Each killed in more gruesome way than the other. The arrays were used to drain out their souls. And each soul was fed to the undead like a feast. There was no escaping, wherever he looked he saw death. His memory from that day, filled the places with more dead bodies. Was it a reality or was it a memory?

In order to wake up his mind he (SL) pierced his arm with Fuxue but his blood only added more color to the ground. The droplets of his blood fell on the body beneath.

There was a young boy, he was curled up like a ball. His spine had been pulled out and back of his skin was minced dreadfully. There was another body underneath as if the boy was shielding the other body.

Gege I will be strong like you and protect A-Qi!

Upon a closer look, the other body was of a girl and the only girl among 9 dead bodies.

They really were his family!

Gege!

Song Lan could hear Lin Qi's voice when he held her little frame in his arms.

"A-Qi wake up!!!" Song Lan shouted to a soul-less shell.

"Look! Gege is back!

A-Qi! I brought you new books, with more stories of angels! Wake Up! I will read them to you!"

He talked aimlessly, desperately, hopelessly trying to get an answer

"HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA!"

A mocking laughter could be heard from a distance.

"Here, Catch!"

A blob of meat was thrown at Song Lan. It was an organ that lost it's thumping function. Lin Qi's heart was shoved off right from her chest. She was the only one who's body still retained its original form, rest were terribly distorted.

"Xue Yang!" Song Lan immediately recognized his evil voice.

"What happened to your phobia? I made sure they are perfectly dirty." Cheng Mei was standing on the boulder swinging a familiar tassel. Emerald Stone! Master Guang had twin stones, he gave one to Song Lan and kept the other to himself.

"That girl, I made sure she's dirty, even from inside." Cheng Mei gave another mocking laugh.

Song Lan laid down A-Qi ever so gently.

With in the breath of his laugh, Fuxue had already stabbed his (XY) arm.

It was fast as blizzard that Cheng Mei couldn't dodge it in time. Song Lan used his whisk and stuck his arm with the tree. Just as he was about to slash his throat he heard,

"Zichen Stop!!!"

Fuxue recognized the voice and immediately halted.

It was Xiao Xingchen. After alerting the Yueyang Chang Sect and placing protective arrays, Xiao Xingchen dashed to the Baixue Temple.

"I told you we would meet again, Daozhang." Xue Yang mocked wincing in pain.

"Look around Daozhang, this is all your fault AHH!" Cheng Mei mocked Xiao XingChen. Song Lan stabbed his second arm. Cheng Mei was injured before by Master Guang while protecting his children and now by Song Lan. No matter how much power he (xy) had, he was still in fact a child.

Xiao Xingchen called him out again,

"Zichen! stop! if you go through with his then Fuxue will be tainted with blood!"

The two of them had made a promise, to never have a human blood on their blade. That way they could build a sect with clear conscious.

Fuxue was rattling as Song lan tried his best to curb his anger, his sorrow and his loss. Xiao Xingchen slowly took one step at a time, passing each dead body.

"We will hand him over to a sect and they will punish him for his crimes."

"SECT??? THE SECT WHO SIDED WITH HIM AND EVEN LET HIM FLEE?" Fuxue was blazing.

"No! We will hand him over to a prestigious sect, Like .. like Gusu Lan Sect! Put Fuxue away, Zichen!" Xiao Xingchen was painfully aware of the reality of the mortal world. The Yueyang Chang sect had to surrender to the evil just to protect the survivors.

"WHAT GUARANTEE DO YOU HAVE THAT GUSU SECT WILL NOT LET HIM GO? IT'S BEST IF I KILL HIM RIGHT HERE AND NOW!"

"Zichen! this is exactly what he wants, do not give in to your rage!" Xiao Xinghcen was desperate, he knew if Song Lan took a step further he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"HOW CAN I DO THAT AFTER EVERYTHING HE HAS DONE?? CAN'T YOU SEE XINGCHEN?"

it was the first and the most painful way he said his name.

"Song Lan! if you don't trust Gusu Sect then we will hand him over to Qinghe Nie Sect! Sect Leader Nie will surely be just!"

Xiao Xingchen was few steps away from the boulder where Song Lan had trapped Cheng Mei. Song Lan was trying his best to calm himself but his loss was too overwhelming.

"How touching." Cheng Mei said as he flung his arm and Jiangzai gashed his eyes.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

" A- Lan !!!" Xiao Xingchen rushed to him and Cheng Mei took it as an opportunity to run away. Xiao Xingchen couldn't leave Song Lan and follow him. Xue Yang was injured severely, even if he ran he couldn't go far.

"A-Lan!!!" Xiao Xingchen begun to wipe the blood

The once white snow was all red now.

Song Lan was barely keeping his conscious together, his eyes were badly injured and he lost a lot of blood. Amidst the chaos he heard a faint sound.

"...A L-Lan..."

"Master Guang!" Xiao Xingchen followed the sound. Master Guang was just behind the boulder with tattered body and soul. He couldn't even use his last breath to apologize.

"....take ..him.. to...the...great..Immortal..."

And thats what he did. Xiao Xingchen carried Song Lan all the way to Celestial Mountain.

He broke the vow!

                                                                    . . .

"Niang! I promise this is the last thing I ask of you, please save him!"

" Not only did you disobey me and descent the mountain you also broke the vow."

"He's the disciple under Master Guang! Niang, he's alive! but he won't be for too long! I beg of you please save him!

"I will save his life but I will not restore his sight."

"Take my eyes and restore his sight! I will take whatever punishment you inflict on me!"

"I will not hurt my own child to save another."

"Niang I beg of you!"

"What is he to you?"

It was the first time BaoShan Sanren had seen Xiao Xingchen so desperate.

A-Chen! Your eyes are yet to bloom!

                                                                                   . . .

Weeks later Song Lan finally gained conscious, but his eyes were still covered. It was the red again. It terrified him. just as he was about to take off his bandage a voice called

"Do not take off the bandage." it was a woman's voice.

"Where is Xingchen?"

"Oh? "

"Aren't you going to ask who I am first?"

"Where is Xingchen?" His voice was stern now

"He's here! If you rest properly then I'll let you meet him." With the voice he could deduct that the woman herself was a cultivator, a strong one at that.

                                                                             . . .

"Zichen! you're awake!" As soon as Xiao Xingchen heard about Song Lan gaining conscious, he dragged his body to meet him.

Song Lan didn't say a single world. His face was hung down and his eyes were still covered.

Darkness surrounded them both!

When Xiao Xingchen didn't hear a response he searched for his frame and patted whatever he could hold. Luckily it was his shoulder.

"Zichen what's the matter? does it hurt somewhere?" Xiao Xingchen asked gently.

"Why did you stop me?" Song Lan muttered.

"Zichen you kno-"

"WHY DID YOU STOP ME???"

The blood started trickling down his (SL) face from his eyes.

"After everything he did.. why didn't you let me kill him?"

Even without Seeing Xiao Xingchen could tell that Song Lan was crying.

"It's all your fault." Song Lan said between the sobs.

Xiao Xingchen reached out to him and tried to comfort him. Song Lan brushed him off.

"I don't ever want to see you again!"

And that was the last time they spoke to each other again.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry for the errors! not sorry for the angst. 

Thank  you for reading.