Diane stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the message. The words, the photo—it all hit her at once. The memory of the bar, the tango, Alexander's grip, the way her body had moved as if it remembered every step… it all came rushing back in flashes.
Her pulse quickened. What happened after the dance? Why did she take on the identity Ruby and what was Ruby's mission?
She scrolled through her phone, hoping for a clue—texts, missed calls, any record that could tell her what followed. But there was nothing. No follow-up, no explanation. Just the unanswered message and the echo of his presence.
Frustration bubbled up. She had been so immersed in the night, so controlled, and yet some piece of it had slipped through her fingers. Who had found her afterward? How had she ended up in the hospital? And most importantly… why couldn't she remember?
Determined, Diane shoved the phone aside and stood. The apartment felt suffocating now, the walls closing in with questions she couldn't yet answer. She needed to find out, even if it meant following a trail of shadows from her own memory.
Her fingers clenched into fists. I'm not letting this go.
She would uncover what had happened after that dance—every detail. Whoever—or whatever—had interfered that night, Diane would find it. And she would remember it all.
Diane searched through her college documents as she saw them lying in get cupboard. It hadn't been opened in a while so it looked dusty. She picked it up seeing her application form and some awards given in a name different from her recent memory
Ruby Raven...
That name rang a bell, but why would she use her real surname if it was fake? Or was Diane the fake name? She couldn't remember and it frustrated her.
Diana walked in as Diane in a swift moment had discarded all the documents and was just lying in bed. She noticed a look that did not belong to her twin....worry
"It's hard to believe you're Ruby"
"And it's hard to believe you have that look on"
"Guess 3 years apart in the seasons can change even the toughest steels uh?" Diana's voice faltered a bit but her compose remained
"Rose..." Diane said unconsciously shocking both herself and Diana
"You remember?" Diana asked as Diane frowned in silence questioning why she said that name
"I'd like to be alone now" Diane replied as cold as winter her voice without warmth
"Sure, if you need anything I'm just a call away" Diana assured
"Sure" Diane replied her eyes avoiding her twins' till she walked out. Betrayed by her emotions she frowns as the pain in her head rang violently.
Rose… why did I say that name? If she responded, does this mean my real name is Ruby? If so, why does Alex know it? If I was only a tool to be used for his progress, why would I reveal my real name to him… or to anyone at the college?
Her thoughts spiralled as the memories of Kui'er and Zi Cheng pressed down on her, heavy and suffocating.
"That you would feel our emotions even in this lifetime makes everything worthwhile."
The voice—identical to hers, cold and distant, yet trembling with pain—cut through the silence.
Diane's eyes sharpened as she scanned the room, dangerously alert, searching every corner for an intruder. Nothing. No malice. No presence.
"At ease, soldier. It's not my style to suddenly take over when I've only just emerged."
Her fists clenched. "You're real alright. But you can't hide for long…"
A bitter thought slid through her mind: Has being in the hospital for so long reduced my IQ? I'm chatting with someone I can't even sense.
Then the ache returned. Sharp. Merciless. Her skull felt like it would split open. She clutched her head, choking back a scream, and the world around her shattered into white.
When her vision cleared, she was no longer on her bed.
She stood before a crystal castle suspended in darkness. Its towers spiralled upward like blades, glinting with cold light. The doors creaked open—not by her will, but by something inside her.
And there she was.
Yingkui, crown princess of Wei. Her black silky hair from the vision now silver spilling like molten light tipped with frost. Black silk robes laced with phoenix fire. Untouchable. Radiant. Terrifying.
Diane's chest tightened. This wasn't resurrection. This wasn't a soul. This was a memory programmed to live—a shard deliberately sealed inside her.
Their eyes met. Cold. Knowing.
"So… you finally woke me."
Diane's pulse spiked as she muttered coldly "You're not real. You're just an illusion."
Yingkui smiled—sharp, cruel.
"Call me whatever you like. Illusion. Fragment. I think, I feel… and through you, I live."
Diane let out a bitter laugh. "Live? No. You had your chance. I'm not your puppet."
The castle walls shuddered, resonating with Yingkui's voice.
"You carry my blood… but do you truly live with and comprehend my pain? For thousands of years I've been a wandering soul, clawing through every reincarnation, just to find a way to see him as I promised. I thought he would be looking for me as desperately as I searched for him. My hair has turned white over the years, yet my heart is still red and alive for him.
And yet I see, in your memories, you let him have another?! That's not what we promised!
When you bled and he didn't spare you a glance… when he turned his gaze to another… when you were plotted against and helpless, watching him rot away in the arms of the enemy while hating you for eternity—we were in pain. You were in pain.
I dare you to deny that pain, RUBY RAVEN!"
The castle shook violently. Diane staggered, clutching her chest as the migraine ripped through her.
Her eyes snapped open. She was back in her own body, black veins spread around her black ink tattoo like a disease. The castle was gone. The woman was gone.
But the illusion remained. Whispering. Watching. Waiting.
And Diane knew deep down—this wasn't going to fade. This was war.
Her war.
And the war of a woman who refused to stay dead.
Diane's body trembled but not in fear, the potent poison had spread faster now as she sank to the floor, folding her legs beneath her. She buried her face between her knees, clawing on her skin in anger
"What the hell happened to the mission? Why am I still here?"
Her fingers dug into her sleeves, trembling in anger.
"I don't remember, and I don't want to, I'm not supposed to be here, why is this happening? This is not what was promised" She repeated hands clawing into her scalp tugging at it in pain as the black veins moved now silver like lightening causing her severe pain
"This isn't what..was..promised.."
Her voice thinned into a whisper before she fainted, collapsing against the cold floor. For the first time, Kui'er's eyes widened—not with fury, but with shock.
White strands began weaving themselves into Diane's black hair, subtle and unnoticeable at first glance, but undeniable under the dim light.
Stunned, Kui'er steadied her storming presence. She extended her hand, pulling Diane's unconscious spirit back into her space. Gently, she laid her atop the still water that reflected a dark, star-scattered sky.
The reflection rippled, framing Diane's pale face, stained with tears.
Ruby Raven… did you truly not know who he was? Do you truly want nothing to do with him? Kui'er's thoughts twisted, conflicted for the first time.
She hovered closer, her silver hair shimmering like moonlight as her eyes narrowed.
If you're not my enemy, then what are you?
Her fingers moved in a slow arc, and the air split with the force of her Yin and Yang energy. A glowing portal unfurled across the water's surface, leading into the fragmented labyrinth of Diane's soul.
Kui'er's voice echoed in the darkness:
"Let's see what you went through… before I arrived."
The portal pulsed, waiting.