“ There was no response from us, despite the loud noise. But it was only me, dad, and mom. So, my uncle asked, “ Where is the cute Birthday girl Roy? ” Dad didn’t answer. Mom went to the sofa, sat there, and started shedding tears.

They were worried, my aunt went to mom and tried to stop her. Uncle asked dad again. “ What happened, Roy? Where is Sara? ” Then dad explained everything to him. Three of them were shocked. They were not ready to believe that Sara cannot come back to us anymore. Along with mom, aunt also started crying. My cousin and I were sent to my room. 

He was two months younger than me. I told him to stay in the room, and I sneaked to see what is happening. I did not do anything except watching all of them crying. Dad saw me and told me to go to my room. 

I went to my room thinking about Sara. The moments we spent together, the times when we both fought for silly reasons. I sat on my bed mourning. Slowly I fell asleep without knowing.

The next day morning, I woke up because of the sounds coming from outside. Then suddenly I heard clattering from downstairs. I stood and started walking to the door. My cousin was still sleeping. I opened the door slowly closed it fastly so that he could not get disturbed. 

The clattering stopped, and it was hushed again. I went downstairs, and everything was messed up. Everything was not where it should be, and the tables, flower vases, and other items were broken. I did not understand what is happening. I went out and saw that… The beast appeared again.

Everyone was outside, but it was not attacking anyone. Even though all are at an approachable distance, it behaved like no one is around. It was not reacting to the yelling. It was looking here and there like it is searching for something. 

As it saw me, it started rushing towards me. There was no gap for anyone to help me. It dashed with an incredible speed. Mom shot it, but it did not affect the beast.

There was no way for me to run. It was not throwing spikes. If it uses them then I would have dodged, but it aimed to hurt me with claws. It came pretty close to me. I don’t know what to do.

That beast charged for tearing my chest with its claws…then…. As its claw touched me, it faded in the air by turning into sand—my jaw auto-opened as I was thinking, how does that happen.

After it turned into sand, First Guardian came to our entrance. He said to mom that I am safe now. Nothing like this will retake the place. But suggested sending me to any other site so that I can forget this incident and return to a normal state.

Then mom sent me to my uncle’s place. I was unable to forget that Sara is dead, and the reason is my stubbornness. Yet, I acted as if I was alright when I was with my family. After a week, I came back to India.

Everything was right for some days. Then I started getting dreams in which the beasts chased me. I said the same thing to mom. Mom discussed it with dad personally. I was curious, so I sneaked in and listened to their conversation.

Mom said to dad that the First Guardian warned mom about this already. He said to mom that if I am here, then I will be chased by these dreams. Then she called uncle again and explained him. He said that he would be taking care of me, and I was sent to the US.

From that day I have been living with them. After fourteen years, mom brought me back, saying that it will be a problem for my uncle if I stayed with him. The next day I enrolled myself in SDU. The next day after I registered, we met and you know everything that happened from then. ”

“....”

Pratik was standing at the window, facing outside. Gaurav heard the sobbing sound. Gaurav raised and looked at Pratik. At the same time, Pratik turned back with his somber face.

They did not observe that the First Guardian was at the door of the room listening to their conversation. 

“ It is not your mistake Gaurav. ”

Gaurav chuckled moving his head sideways and said, “ Everyone who knows about this has told me the same thing. Everyone said that I was a child and I did not make any mistakes. ” and continued chuckling.

Then Pratik walked near Gaurav, carrying his somber expression on his face, and sat beside Gaurav. 

“ I am not saying that the reason for saying it is not your mistake, is your age or that you were a child. ”

Gaurav stopped tittering and faced Pratik. 

“ According to what we know, the beasts will attack only the Guardian knights. ”

“...”

“ If your sister were alive, then she would be a Guardian Knight. Is that right? ”

“ Yes!!! ”

“ If you were not so stubborn. Suppose you did not ask your sister to play with you if you did not go far away from your parents. Then… Your parents would also be dead. ”

“ Why!!! ” 

“ Because your parents will never leave you like that. They would have risked their lives to buy you some time to escape. Now, you don’t have one of your family members. If you were not so stubborn, then two of them would be dead. Or maybe three or all of you. If you ask me, then your stubbornness saved your mom and dad. ”

“...”

“ So, from now on. Don’t blame yourself that you are responsible for Sara’s death. Be happy that you saved your parents, and try to think that Sara sacrificed herself to save her parents, and be proud of her instead of thinking that you killed her. ”

When Gaurav listened to Pratik, water started to form and flow from the corner of his eyes. 

Because everyone who knows about the incident told Gaurav that he was a child, but for the first time, a person said to him that he did the correct thing with a perfect reason which moved Gaurav’s heart and made him free from the weight that he is holding from fourteen years.