Sephir guided her carriage to the nearest village, her heart heavy with concern for the injured bandits. Villages like this often boasted local doctors skilled in treating wounds inflicted by animals and had stocked up on medicinal supplies for such emergencies. As time passed, the bandits gradually healed and regained their strength. During this period, Sephir had ventured back to retrieve the precious pottery she had left behind before continuing her journey to the outer city.
Once her business in the outer city was concluded and her rations replenished for the return trip to her father, Sephir retraced her path along the road that had led her to the bloodied streets of Kasim. And there, in that very place, she encountered the same bandits once more.
"Wait!" The sudden cry of Flint and Ajax pierced the air, their voices now bearing an uncharacteristic humility. Sephir reined in her carriage, curiosity sparking within her at the transformation in their demeanor.
"We've been searching for you," Flint began, his words measured and sincere. "To express our gratitude. But, even more importantly, we wish to understand why you chose to save us."
Ajax nodded in agreement, his eyes reflecting a newfound sense of gratitude. "Indeed," he added, "we've pondered it for days, unable to comprehend your selfless act."
Sephir's unwavering gaze met theirs. "I simply did what I believed to be right," she replied, her voice gentle yet resolute. "All I request of you is that this time, you consider forsaking your previous path and embrace the path of morality."
The two former bandits exchanged a wordless understanding and stepped closer to Sephir, their expressions earnest.
"We owe you our lives," Flint admitted, his voice tinged with sincerity. "Our only destination now is the perilous mountains of Kasim, where only our fellow bandits await. We desired to repay you and show our gratitude, which is why we've brought you this loot we've gathered so far."
Sephir regarded the stolen riches they offered, her eyes filled with a mix of sympathy and determination. "I cannot accept that which rightfully belongs to others," she stated firmly. "If you are genuinely committed to turning over a new leaf, then return this loot to the city guards. It is the first step in atoning for your past deeds."
The two bandits humbly accepted Sephir's counsel and earnestly requested her to stay in their village and embark on a new path alongside them. They pledged to return the loot to its rightful owners and begin life anew. Thus commenced a budding friendship between Sephir and the former captors who had once bound her. They learned the art of pottery from Sephir's father and assisted her with her deliveries. This chapter marked not an end but a fresh beginning in Sephir's extraordinary journey.
Meanwhile, in the celestial realm, the angel and her goddess discussed the outcome of Sephir's first trial.
"I never expected the bandits to change their ways," Sraptor mused. "From what I have seen, humans rarely deviate from their nature."
"Yet change they did, and it was not their doing but hers," the goddess replied. "Her kindness transformed them, a compassion those bandits had never known."
Sraptor, deep in thought, posed a question, "But how could she possess such kindness? You told me Sephir had endured a cruel past."
"She has," the goddess acknowledged. "But can one's nature be solely defined by their past experiences? Choices matter as well. Sephir, throughout her life, has consistently chosen not to repay cruelty with cruelty. She knows only how to be kind."
The goddess continued, her celestial voice unwavering. "Sephir has now successfully completed the Trial of Life. She will continue her existence and be summoned again in her youth at its end. If she triumphs in the Trial of Death, she will ascend to my position, and the winds shall heed her call. She will become the new goddess of the wind—a testament to the power of kindness and the unwavering spirit of one remarkable soul."