Chương 18: Back to square one

Within moments, Doko was out of their sight. Lily didn't avert her eyes from the direction he went and said to Sasha,"He cannot manage it alone this time. He'll need my help. Please, don't move from here, Sasha. I'll be right back!"

"I want to go with you! I want to do whatever I can to help!"

"It's too dangerous!" Lily accidentally shouted at her. Then, she calmed herself down a bit and requested her.

"Please! Trust me, Sasha."

And so, Lily flew away using her greenish wings.

As the ground continued to shake , Sasha stared at the way Lily had gone to. "I can't just do nothing!" She thought and she started running to the village steadily so that she wouldn't fall down on the shaky ground. After running for a while, she noticed that the ground wasn't shaking anymore. She started running with all her might.

Finally, she reached the village entrance. She just couldn't believe her eyes any longer. She didn't see any house standing unharmed. Most of them had crumbled down. There were huge cracks and holes everywhere in the ground. She began to walk forward carefully and looked for the villagers.

At a distance, she could hear a groaning. She recognised that voice right away. It was Mr. Gratus's. She hurried to the source and found him trapped inside some strong and heavy pillars. She also noticed that he was badly injured.

"I'm here, Mr. Gratus!" She said to him out loud, "I'll get you out!"

And she tried to pull them using her bare hands. She knew well that it wouldn't work at all. At last, she called for Doko and Lily very loudly. As she wasn't sure whether they could hear her, she stood up straight.

"Wait here, Mr. Gratus! I'm going to bring some help." She said to him and ran off.

She looked around as she ran in their search. The houses were destroyed and the trees uprooted. But, she couldn't see anymore victims in the way she went. She thought that Doko and Lily might've rescued them already. She was relieved a little.

After a while, she finally found them. Doko was still in his beast form and was helping the victims get out of their destroyed houses and Lily was treating the injured. It seemed to her that they had their hands full. Before Sasha could say anything, Doko noticed her there and and said,

"What are you doing here, Sasha? It's dangerous!"

She avoided his question as she thought that Mr. Gratus needed help fast.

"It's Mr. Gratus! He needs help!" She said without delay.

He didn't wait much longer. Jumping in front of her, he pulled her up on his head and said "Lead the way!" And then jumped again really high with her. She pointed out the place after reaching high enough and he Landed right where she pointed. He found Mr. Gratus right away and rescued him. After that, he took him and went to where Lily was to treat his wounds.

The disaster was over for the time being. But, the damage it caused was far too great. It felt even greater than the great disaster in the past. The villagers got terrified greatly. They started to doubt again. It felt as if they went back to square one.

Doko and Lily helped them move to the 'White Forest' since it was not affected from it. They tried their best to provide them with their necessities. But, all of them lost their homes and properties. So, it wasn't enough at all.

Shito did his best staying at home and customizing the weather, temperature and other facts to make it less difficult for the guardians to assist them and to make the villagers calm down at least by a little.

As for Sasha, she really wanted to help. But, because of her lack of strength, she couldn't do much. She could only tend to minor and simple wounds. She became depressed.

The less wounded villagers started making temporary homes using leaves and branches in the forest, enough for all of the villagers to stay over night and Doko gave them a hand. Lily gathered dinner enough for all of them within short time. And, that's about all that they could do. But, no matter how much they did, the villagers didn't seem so happy about it. They couldn't shake off the negative feelings they had piled up.

Anyways, after all the hurdles, the place became silent as the villagers finally went to sleep. It was a clear sky with full moons thanks to Shito. He made it that way so that they would get enough light and gentle breeze at night.

Sasha went out from her temporary home and stood still staring at one of the full moons. Doko and Lily came to her from behind. They did not know how they should act after all that had happened. They just remained silent and stood with her.

And, silently the world she had rebuilt faded away like nothing.