The memories surfaced, Alaric's words painting pictures.
"'Please... treat him as your own. Give him a normal life. Away from all this... Away from the darkness... Let him be happy... Please let my baby be HAPPY.'"
"'I love you~ Mommy loves you so much... Be happy, my Little Crimson... Be safe... Find people who love you... Live the life we wanted to give you~'"
"'I'm sorry I can't stay... I'm sorry I can't watch you grow up... I'm sorry for everything. But Mommy will always love you... Always... Even from wherever I'm going... I'll love you forever~'"
Damian's breath shuddered.
"But this time, I understood everything. I saw the truth with perfect clarity."
His crimson eyes met Nerra's dead ones directly.
"A mother wants nothing except for her child to survive, to be safe and to be happy."
The fog began dissipating slowly, pulling away from his body.
"A mother doesn't blame her child for things beyond their control."
Nerra's corpse remained unchanged, just staring at him.
