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Description
Finally, the last set of stairs, only a little further and I would enter the outside world I had long wished to live in.
Life in the cave city was like a nightmare. No, it wasn't even like life at all. Barely any plants could grow on the cold, hard rock down there, not a single breeze would ever caress your hair and only if you were so lucky as to live on the far edge you would ever see daylight. The air was stale and humid. It was only a matter of time until you got ill, both physically and mentally. Many resorted to harrassing others to make themselves feel better. It was a horrifying existence that left me fractured, broken, and shattered, but it was never enough to make me fall apart. Even in that terrible place, I knew I had to keep going, I knew I didn't have to die there.

That was back then. It wasn't easy to get here, but now I was standing at the base of the final set of stairs leading into beautiful freedom. My struggles hadn't been in vain.
The first step. It was a fantastic feeling. The colours of the outside world were so vivid, breathtaking. Suddenly I felt pressure on my left arm, and quickly, a little shocked, I turned my head to see who was grabbing me. It was a child, so young, yet already fractured by the underground life, like me. Just like me, she had still not collapsed despite the scars. I soon relaxed as I saw her expression. Despite having lived in that dreadful place like me, her eyes were alive with the smile that graced her face.
"We did it, we made it!" she exclaimed, "I had almost given up down there, but then I saw you. I saw how you kept going, how you could stay strong and... and I decided I would stay strong too! I knew that as long as you could keep going, I could keep going as well!"
She took a short break to happily look around at the outside world.
"Just look at this fantastic place! We're here because in the end, you didn't give up. Because of you I didn't give up either. You're my hero."
...I was a hero? The fractured me, who had only ever lived in that underworld, that pitiful thing that was myself... was a hero?
Yet, her smile proved her words. Those who could make someone from the cave city smile, were true heroes. Then I realised.

To be a hero, you don't have to be the best at something, you don't have to slay evil creatures, you don't even have to be fully intact.
If you can inspire others not to give up, if you can set an example for others in the toughest times... then, you are a real hero.

For the first time in years, the corners of my mouth curled into a gentle smile, and together we entered the beautiful world.

Be someone's hero.

Description
Finally, the last set of stairs, only a little further and I would enter the outside world I had long wished to live in.
Life in the cave city was like a nightmare. No, it wasn't even like life at all. Barely any plants could grow on the cold, hard rock down there, not a single breeze would ever caress your hair and only if you were so lucky as to live on the far edge you would ever see daylight. The air was stale and humid. It was only a matter of time until you got ill, both physically and mentally. Many resorted to harrassing others to make themselves feel better. It was a horrifying existence that left me fractured, broken, and shattered, but it was never enough to make me fall apart. Even in that terrible place, I knew I had to keep going, I knew I didn't have to die there.

That was back then. It wasn't easy to get here, but now I was standing at the base of the final set of stairs leading into beautiful freedom. My struggles hadn't been in vain.
The first step. It was a fantastic feeling. The colours of the outside world were so vivid, breathtaking. Suddenly I felt pressure on my left arm, and quickly, a little shocked, I turned my head to see who was grabbing me. It was a child, so young, yet already fractured by the underground life, like me. Just like me, she had still not collapsed despite the scars. I soon relaxed as I saw her expression. Despite having lived in that dreadful place like me, her eyes were alive with the smile that graced her face.
"We did it, we made it!" she exclaimed, "I had almost given up down there, but then I saw you. I saw how you kept going, how you could stay strong and... and I decided I would stay strong too! I knew that as long as you could keep going, I could keep going as well!"
She took a short break to happily look around at the outside world.
"Just look at this fantastic place! We're here because in the end, you didn't give up. Because of you I didn't give up either. You're my hero."
...I was a hero? The fractured me, who had only ever lived in that underworld, that pitiful thing that was myself... was a hero?
Yet, her smile proved her words. Those who could make someone from the cave city smile, were true heroes. Then I realised.

To be a hero, you don't have to be the best at something, you don't have to slay evil creatures, you don't even have to be fully intact.
If you can inspire others not to give up, if you can set an example for others in the toughest times... then, you are a real hero.

For the first time in years, the corners of my mouth curled into a gentle smile, and together we entered the beautiful world.

Be someone's hero.