Once Arsha was gone, Kin quickly made his way to the tree. The trees looked like the others, but this one was significantly larger and had an opening beneath it. Kin entered the tree through the opening, and once inside, the scenery shifted from the bizarre looking forest, to the dining room of Su Yin's house. Su Yin was sitting on one of the chairs, sobbing.
It seemed this was her safe space, a place she had created in her mind where she felt safest—her home. Nothing compared to the security of her home.
Another tremor rocked the entire place, causing Kin to almost fall. He knew he had little time. He wanted to move closer to her, but he hesitated. He had seen with his own eyes what Su Yin had gone through. He wasn't oblivious to her plight. Although he had been eager to save her from the start, he wasn't sure if he should. What awaited her in the world was something even Kin couldn't predict. Wouldn't it be better to let her go freely?
Arsha was right. Making a choice that could either save or kill her was difficult. Even now, Kin could feel Ashell trying to stop the wall from crumbling, but it was more difficult than it seemed. Even Arsha had played a part in trying to prevent the collapse. Now it was up to Kin. He knew he couldn't afford to hesitate. If he was going to pull Su Yin out of there, he had to make sure she wouldn't be heading straight into danger, and he had to ensure he protected her. Kin strengthened his resolve and approached her, sitting down beside her.
"Su Yin," he called. "I know you can see me, and I know you can hear me too. You don't have to look at me; just listening will be enough."
"I've seen it too," he continued, "in a way. What you've gone through. I believe many others have gone through it as well—the pain of losing those we loved, the unfairness that life has dealt us. Many things have happened to many people over the years. For me, it was my uncle killing my father. Then, he killed my mother, and then he captured and tortured me. In fact, I should have died back then. I wanted to, just like you did. I wanted to crawl into my safe space and stay there."
At this point, Su Yin was no longer sobbing. She had raised her head, staring at Kin. His bald head was smooth and shining, his eyes glowing with a golden hue, making him look like something carved from a fantasy story. Kin didn't stop, though. He kept speaking.
"But something happened as my uncle and his band of crazies tortured me. I summoned a curse. My curse, though still a curse, saved me. I wanted to die at the point of torture, but my curse saved me. Just like yours is trying to save you, I know, it sounds like I'm trying to say I went through more than you, that you should overcome just like I did. But that's not it. It's not a competition of who suffered more. Trying to tell you just to overcome your plight like I did would be selfish and untrue. I never overcame anything that night. My mind hid itself from the world for weeks. So, you see, I didn't overcome it immediately, and frankly, I'm still not over it. But I'm going to make them all pay. Everyone who had a hand in what my uncle did to me will face my wrath. Not one person will be spared. That's how I chose to live."
"Now, you might not want the same thing I did. Revenge might not be your answer. You might even want to live the life you always dreamed of. But first, you must choose. You can stay here forever and fade away, or you can come with me. Come with me, and let's show the world and those who wronged us that we will live. Come with me, and I promise you, you will never go through this again. Despair will no longer be something you fear. You will no longer have to live as prey. Come with me, and I'll make sure no one dares to put a tear on your face again."
At this, Su Yin was looking straight at Kin. He hadn't noticed until now, but he saw her staring at him when he looked toward her.
"I'm sorry," Kin said, rubbing his hair. "I might have sounded presumptuous."
Before he could say more, he suddenly felt a massive tremor. Unlike the previous ones, which had stopped after a while, this one lasted much longer, and Kin could see the entire place coming apart.
Ashell's voice suddenly rang in Kin's head.
"You have to leave now. I can no longer buy time, and her curse has exhausted itself. It's time to go," Ashell said.
Kin looked at Su Yin and asked, "So, what do you say?"
Su Yin faced down, unsure of what to say.
"It's alright," Kin replied. "You don't have to feel bad. You can rest now. I'll carry the torch for you." He said, then turned and left the table, leaving Su Yin alone.
Su Yin sat there for a while, wondering how her life had led her to this point. She had been happy with her friends and family. Her father was a farmer, and her mother a seamstress. That was where she had gotten her passion for making clothes. She would have been satisfied with a simple, quiet life—growing up in the village, making friends, and marrying a suitable partner when she came of age. But now, she was in a realm beyond the ordinary. Who could fault her for wanting nothing to do with it? But did it really have to end like this? Who says the realm beyond the ordinary couldn't be a perfect fit for her? Maybe she could find herself here. Maybe she could survive it. She just needed to see the light.
She turned towards Kin as he walked away. Maybe, just maybe, he could help her find purpose, she thought and stood up.
As Kin was about to reach the entrance, he felt a hand grab him.
Kin turned, and he saw Su Yin holding onto him. She looked at him and spoke.
"What's your name?" she asked.
Kin smiled and replied with glee. "Kin. You can call me Kin."
"Can I come with you?" she asked.
"Yes," Kin said, and they both walked out of the room.
Once they both emerged, they found themselves back at the place where Kin had entered her mind. The walls were down, and the storm trying to invade her mind was drawing close.
Ashell noticed Kin and smiled.
"It seems you brought her out," Ashell said.
"Well, what did you expect from a charming person like me?" Kin replied.
"So, what now?" Kin asked.
Ashell wanted to reply, but Su Yin spoke first.
"You've done enough, Lord Kin," she said. "I'll take care of the rest."