Chapter 53

"This is one rocky place," A knight said as he examined the surroundings. "This is a refreshing area, it has a river."

Nash's eyebrows furrowed. 'Rocky? Could it be..., but a river near?'

"Are there physical attackers among the creatures? Don't creatures either have sharp teeth or claws?" Ken asked Thed.

"Not really..." Nash interrupted, "...sir."

"And how is that?" Ken asked, his right brow furrowed, as he did not believe what Nash was saying.

"There are creatures without claws as well as those with teeth." Nash replied confidently as she walked near a clump of large rocks. "Is it okay, Sir Thed, if I wake up one?"

"Wake what?"

"A creature," Nash said, pointing to the boulder in front of her.

Some knights serving under Thed laughed and murmured to one another.

"What could a normal rock do?" One of the senior knights asked.

"Hey kid, why would we believe you, you disrespectful brat?" remarked a dirty-mouthed knight.

"Tado!" Thed glared at Tado.

Squad 15's eyes narrowed as their brows drew closer together.

Aeries drew Nash away from the elder knights and towards their squad.

Nash balled her fist, ready to attack when Yjhan noticed it, "Don't think about fighting back, Nash"

"Annoying jerk," She muttered angrily.

Yjhan smacked Nash's head, "Watch your mouth. They're our seniors, learn to respect them."

"They're not even worthy to be respected." Nash replied.

Nash glared at Tado.

"You can't just stay silent, huh?" Kane said, smirking.

"Shut up, idiot."

Kane brows furrowed, 'just where did she go for her anger issues to rise?'

Tado slowly walked towards the rock, "this, you say? A creature? Pfft. As if!"

Tado stomped on the rock, shattering portions of it.

Nash smirked, "we'll see"

Nash took a step back, dragging her team with her as she sat on the ground.

A few seconds have passed and there was nothing weird going on.

"See? It was all just a bluff!" Tado said, to which a few knights laughed.

"Tsk, are they really grown-ups?" Idris said.

"Their minds must be aging backwards," Aidan added.

"Let's continue se—"

The ground began to tremble, causing the elder knights to become agitated and lose their balance.

"Here they come," Nash remarked, his gaze fixed on Tado.

"H..hey! Tado... behind you!"

The piece of rocks began to rise to the size of a human.

"W..what is that!?" Tado exclaimed as he ran away from the golem.

"A golem," Nash answered, "a juvenile one"

"Grrraaa!"

The knights positioned themselves.

Nash looked at her squad, "they won't attack you. You guys are not the one who wakes them up. It's that bastard over there."

It's only one big golem but there are still a few big rocks that are the same as the golem, once triggered, it would be a hard time for them to take care of it.

"Attack!"

The knights and the squad began to battle it with their swords, but it only resulted in a few scratches on the golem and no vital damage.

"That won't work," Nash said, still sitting. "That guy who provoked him will be its target; the more you assault it, the more you become a target!"

"What are you doing there!? Why don't you fight!?" A knight said, one who laughed at her earlier.

The golem continued to attack Tado who managed to avoid it, but causing the ground to break.

One knight even uses lightning. Nash shook her head as she watched them, 'that won't work over a rock, stupid.'

"Haaa..." Nash rises slowly and walks approaching the other knight. "Push it down to the river."

"Huh?"

"I said push it to the river...sir," she felt Yjhan's glare over her shout.

"How would we do that?!"

"Ask that senior to lead the golem to the river, 'though the golem would be aware...' just lead it near it and we could do the rest."

"Tado! Lead the golem near the river!" Thed shouted.

"Are you using me as bait!?"

"Yes, I am. Now go!"

The knights braced themselves to push the golem as Tado led it.

"Ready everyone!" Thed exclaimed.

Once the golem was near enough, the knight used force to push the golem.

"It won't budge!"

"Push it more!"

Nash concentrated, her eyes turning red as she pushed the golem with a massive amount of gravitational power.

"It works!"

The golem sunken at the river, slowly its body turned into mud.

"How did it turn like that?" Thed asked.

Nash looked at Thed who's looking at the golem's pieces, 'Is he talking to me?'

"Water could make the rock creature at rest."

"No, I mean, turned to golem, is there some kind of magic in them?"

"Naturally, golems are forest guardians, but they became tainted and began attacking humans and other creatures. They were created by forest nymphs to protect the forest."

"But this is not a forest?"

"How about evil creatures discovered on the other side of the empire where there were previously no such creatures lurking?"

"What are your thoughts on that?"

Nash looked at Thed and raised a brow.

"What?" Thed asked, perplexed as to why Nash was staring at him so intently.

"Hypothetically speaking, I think there might be someone who controls them, witches? I don't know."

"How did you come up with that?"

"How would they then be transferred to other parts of the empire?" Nash asked, "...sir."

"I see,"

"Then, please excuse me, sir Thed."

"Wait" Nash stopped and looked at her senior, ""I'd like to apologize on Tado's behalf. It's natural for him to speak like that with his filthy mouth."

"That kind of thing shouldn't be said casually; it's a little insensitive of him." Nash bowed and walked away from Thed.

'She matured?'

Thed looked at her retreating figure.

...

Before leaving, they pushed all of the large rocks into the river to prevent future attacks.

"Let's go back!" Thed shouted and the knights followed him.

The squad knights are walking behind their seniors, solemnly.

"Haa..." Nash sighed. "Are we going back to the Capital already?"

"Maybe," Aeries answered.

Nash pouted, "I don't want to go back yet."

"Why?"

Nash shrugged, "Just because."

Aeries patted Nash's head, "Work on your attitude"

"I already did," Nash pouted.

"What's the outcome?"

"It's gotten worse," Nash grumbled.

Aeries chuckled and mess with Nash's hair.

It doesn't bother her because she enjoys it when someone plays with her hair.

When they arrived at the center, lots of knights are already awake.

"Are you doing fine?" Thed asked a knight.

"Yes, we are,"

"It hurts! Why do I have to suffer such thing?" They all look at the lady knight who kept on grumbling. It was Lady Gwyneth from Squad 1.

"Just shut up! You're noisy." Mhurt said, annoyed.

"Huh?! Look I haven't even change my clothes yet! Urgh!" Gwyneth turned around and noticed Nash talking with Jaxael from a distance. "You!"

No one knows who she's pertaining to.

"Hey! You! Short hair!"

Nash slowly turned to look and saw Lady Gwyneth. "Who are you?"

"W...what!? You don't know me?" Lady Gwyneth looked at Nash in shock.

Nash continued to look at her, uninterested. 'Would I ask if I do know?'

"How impudent! I am the Viscount Feret's daughter, Lady Gwyneth!"

"Nope, doesn't ring a bell." Gwyneth gaped, can't believe she doesn't recognizes her, "Anyways, what is it that you want?"

"Help me change my filthy clothes," Nash stares at her for a second before sighing. There are only a few lady nurse here but all are busy.

"Fine, let's go,"

"I'd like to be escorted!"

"You still got your feet attached."

"W..what!? Grr!" Gwyneth stood up and walked passed by Nash.

"I'll be back," Nash said to her squad.

"Don't fight," Yjhan said.

"I'll try,"