Crimson Dust: Happiness and Scars of Life

The little ball is yellow this time and seems to fly around the room. I catch it and the world around me changes. I can see Dust barely 4 years old, chasing after what could be her mother. The two play together and laugh, a little later, a boy comes as well.

They're so positive that I start to smile as well. The scenery changes often after that but there are always Dust and a certain man in them, she seems quite happy, her body is that of an eleven year old now.

The picture changes again and I see one of my encounters with her, to be precise the one where she sung in the middle of Redforest. The picture vanishes and I'm back in the former room.

„'My' happiness" I hear the version of her say this time „It was stolen from 'me' you know" She appears right before me, akin to a ghost „First 'my' mother, father and half-sibling. Two died, the last disappeared. Then it was the nice policeman who took care of 'me', he died as well.

It even seems he betrayed 'me', there's only one left... Will you betray 'me'?" she wonders and looks me into the eyes.

I reply to her confused „What do mean with betray?"

„Fool..." She wispheres, she continues in a sweet voice „You're part of 'my' happiness, yet 'I' don't know why. Somehow 'I' felt happy and at ease from the second time on that 'I' met you. Will you betray 'me' by dying like 'my' parents did, will you betray 'me' by vanishing like 'my' brother did or will you betray 'me' by letting 'me' feel safe and hopeful like the policeman did?"

When she asked those questions I felt terrible „I would never to that!"

„But you will..." she answeres with complete lack of trust „Everyone did one way or another. You will, too. Don't deny it..."

I feel even more terrible than before, my voice gets louder in despair „I said I would never do that! ...Can't you trust me?" I wonder in hurt.

She stares at me „'I' would but 'I' already gave up. Everyone betrayed me"

„I won't!" I tell her reassuring but I don't even trust myself right now.

„Swear it" she says „Swear that you will never betray 'me'!"

„I swear!" I cry out in despair.

She smiles and vanishes „When you break it... I will personally destroy you" her voice resounds in the air.

I go back and enter the next room. The ball of light here is pitch black and lies on the ground, I pick it up. As expected, the scenery changes.

I see a lot of scenes in this one and curse myself for not being able to help. I can see her getting bullied and beaten in most of them by either kids around her age, her family or her familys friends. I watch how she discovers one corpse after another, her eyes growing dull.

After a while I can see her beind dragged by an adult. He takes her into an alleyway and I can see the knife in his hand.

I panic at the sight of it „Dust!" I run up to him but pass right through. I clench my teeth and look away in anguish when I see her throat get sliced. Her scream resonates in my ears even after the scene changes to the one where she overheard Nan Gong Zui talk about the policeman who cared for her.

The next one is where she shouts at the archer which shot Yulian. Somewhat feeling shatter myself after seeing all that I hardly notice the verion of her.

„Awful, right?" Is all she asks and I nod my head.

„..."

„..."

„...The other versions of you talked more..." I say with a faint smile.

„'I' can imagine that..." she replys dull.

„..."

„..."

„..."

„What do you think about 'me'? The real 'me'?" she wonder calm.

I look at her puzzled „What is there to think? I don't even know why I'm helping you, I just feel like I have to, even though I hate humans... They created me and control me, I hate them but... I can't hate her..."

„Are you sure you don't know?" she questions indifferent.

I stare at the ground with a blank expression „Am I? I don't know..." I remember what the necromancer girl said:

You really love her, don't you?

/Do I... love Dust? I don't know.../ I don't look at her version at all.

She sighs „'I' will go then. Good luck with the final part, there should be no more flashbacks"