Sasha's Dream

Hearing Mr. Gratus, Sasha finally smiled out of gratitude. He slowly came to her with the help of the female villager.

"Sasha. It's been a while. How have you been?" He said with his shaky voice.

Sasha kept on staring at him with her smiling face. It was as if she could not have been happier at that moment.

"Oh, my! Have you lost your voice suddenly?" He said smiling back at her.

She realized that she didn't answer his warm question. She quickly wiped her tears and replied.

"I'm fine, Mr. Gratus. What about you?"

"As you can see, I've grown quite old. It's hard for me to move these days. But, you know what? I'm glad I've lived long enough to see you come back. I really am glad."

Hearing him, Sasha couldn't check her tears yet again.

Waiting no longer, he stretched out his hand towards her and requested her to stand up. She wiped her tears again and slowly stood up like he instructed. The other villagers stayed quiet and looked at them. Lily and Shito had lost their words as well.

Mr. Gratus then introduced her to the female villager.

"I think you never got the chance to meet her before. This is my daughter, Hana." He said.

Sasha looked at her and smiled.

"Nice to finally meet you, Hana."

"It's nice to meet you as well, Sasha. I've heard a lot about you from my father," she said,"My father is a very wise man. Wiser than any of us standing here. So, I believe him. I believe you just as he does with all his heart."

Hearing those words, Sasha could never be more honoured.

"Thank you, Hana, for believing in me. I won't let you down."

Mr. Gratus then requested her to tell the villagers what she wanted them to listen. And, she did so. She explained everything to them. Including how the bridge built by humans were affecting the world and them. Her main point was to request them to let her try to wield the crystal once again. But, just when she requested, all the villagers except for Mr. Gratus and his daughter highly denied.

"We don't trust you!" Some said.

"What if you destroy this place, our only hope?" Few said.

"Get lost!" Others said.

Lily couldn't take it anymore. She understood that the villagers were helpless and confused. But, even after all the things they did to help them, she just couldn't believe how they could misunderstand them.

"Silence!!!" She said so loud that it echoed the entire place.

Sasha was surprised seeing her like that. Shito was startled are well. The villagers present were silenced.

"After all we've done for you...this is what we get, huh?" She said,"We don't care whether you believe us. At least you believe in the crystal, do you not?"

The villagers present there stayed quiet and didn't answer her. Because, they indeed believed in the crystal.

"Sasha will try to wield it. If the crystal finds her worthy, she'll be able to hold it in her hands. You don't have any problem with that, do you?"

After a short moment of silence, the male villager with dagger spoke up again.

"If that happens, we won't get in your way. But, what if she can't wield it?"

Just as he asked the simple question, the rest of the villagers stared at her with the eyes of the vultures. Lily stared at him as he asked. She then close her eyes for a while. Then again, opened them and turned at Sasha. Sasha stared at her, too. She nodded giving her a brave look. Lily nodded back.

"If she is unable to wield it, the three of us will leave this world and never come back. I swear to the supreme one!" She finally declared looking at the villagers.

The other villagers remained quiet.

"This should be acceptable!" Mr. Gratus said out loud,"Our savour is begging us countless times to let them at least try. Now, she is even promising to leave her own motherland should she fail. Just look at ourselves! How low have we fallen!?"

The others just quietly listened to him.

"Very well, then. The stranger may walk up the stairs and try to prove herself. But, the remaining of us will not move from here." The villager declared at long last.

With his command, the villagers made way for Sasha to pass through. Just as they did, Sasha looked straight ahead the crystal.

She started walking on the pathway. From behind, she could clearly hear Lily and Shito cheering her on.

"Sasha, I know you can do it!"

"No matter what happens, we will always be with you!"

Sasha appreciated those words. But, she didn't look back to thank them. She had to concentrate, after all. Just a few more steps away... The crystal continued to glow as Sasha kept on shortening the gap between them. Slowly, she climbed up the stairs as everyone watched her. Finally reaching the crystal, she closed her eyes and stretched out her hands towards it. Then, just like her previous trials, strong wind started to blow as if it had wanted to push her away. The crystal strongly lit up as well.

She wondered if she would fail miserably yet again. But then... She could see the faces of the ones who believed in her.

"I've promised!!!" She thought to herself, "So, failure shouldn't be an option. I will prove worthy no matter what!" And then, with a little more straingth, she put her hands closer to the crystal. And then...the whole place started to lighten up. The others present there were startled. They kept on looking around as they couldn't understand what was happening. Soon afterwards, it became so bright that none of them could keep their eyes open.

Sasha tried to hold on as much as she could. She refused to let go. She decided that she wouldn't let go this time.