Chapter 64

Nash was already at the entrance of the cave.

"Hey, come back here. It's dangerous there!" Shiro loudly whispered. He's afraid he might wake the creatures inside.

Nash didn't listen and continued to get in. Shiro was already inside and was about to grab Nash out, but Nash made the first move.

"Sorry!" She pushed back Shiro using her powers and locked him up using the ground. Shiro was now inside a thick ball of ground made by Nash.

[screech]

Nash turned around to face the inside of the cave and noticed Mothmans soaring towards her. 'Shit.'

Nash looked behind to see if the ball of land was still sturdy as Shiro inside kept on slashing the ground.

'I can't back down...'

As the mothmans draw close to Nash, she used her gravitational power to push them down the ground.

[screeech!]

As she held them down, she combined another attack of compressing their body from different sides until they burst.

"Gross..." she whispered as she looked at the remains of the mothman.

[boogsh!]

The ball of ground blast and Shiro pinned Nash down.

"Argh!" She groaned.

"Why are you doing this? Who are you?"

"I need to know everything..." she said. She kept on looking inside using her enhanced eyesight. As she used it, the insides of the cave zoomed in and saw what other creatures were inside.

Trolls, mothmans, wendigo... What are those standing figures?

"Let's go!" The moment Shiro shouted, all the creatures Nash was looking at turned their way.

Nash has now seen the standing figures and is baffled by their appearance. One has a tree-like body surrounded by grass, while the others have an owl face and large black wings.

Nash snapped on her thoughts when they started to walk towards them.

"They're coming! Let's go, sir!" Nash grabbed Shiro's wrist and dragged him away.

"Nash!" Nash saw Idris running towards her.

"Go back! Faster!" She shouted. She was shocked to see the others, too.

Idris still runs towards her.

"Idris, go back! You guys, too! Faster!" Nash feels the presence near them. 'They're almost out.'

[screech]

"Stop! I'll fight!" Shiro said and pulled Nash's grip.

"Sir! You can't there's too many of them!"

"Nash!" Aidan breathes deep as he catches his breath.

"We have no time!" Nash yelled.

"Behind you!" Aeries shout in the distance.

Behind them are trolls. Trolls are fast runners.

"Shit!"

Nash used her gravitational power to levitate all the knights inside the forest and push them out the barrier. The trolls are still following them until they go out.

"The barrier is malfunctioning in this area!" A dark knight said, pointing to where Nash was dragged and where the Squad 15 entered. "They're going to get out! We already call the barrier sorcerers!"

"Step back!" Nash shouted.

Using the grounds on the forest, Nash made a thick wall that surrounds the malfunctioning barrier. She forced a few trees and tied it with vines using her gravitational power.

As soon as Nash was done, they continued to hear a loud shriek, causing others to cover their ears.

"The sorcerers are here!"

Sorcerers rebuilt the barrier and checked the other side as well, "It's done. The blockage was perfectly installed."

When the sorcerer left, the knight guards arrived and put handcuffs on Squad 15.

"You're arrested for entering a restricted area. You are to be detained until the council decides on your punishment." A knight said as he put on the handcuffs to the squad.

"Tsk tsk... why does it have to be that forest. You can get exiled just by entering the forest!" A knight exclaimed.

They are locked in the imperial prison for the meantime before all the council arrives.

Nash was sitting on the corner while the others were standing, "You shouldn't have to go inside."

"You expected us to leave you there? Inside? By yourself?" Aeries scolded. Nash kept her head down.

"Still, you shouldn't have. You know the consequences of that behavior. You might get exiled and never come back to the empire. It would've been fine if it's only me."

"By yourself? Away?" Idris said in a serious tone. Why do you always act alone and expect us not to follow?! Yes, we've just known one other for a few months, but we've been together since then! If you go inside that fucking place, you know what we'll do!"

Nash bit her lower lips.

"Fuck shit!" Idris snapped.

"Idris!" Yjhan exclaimed, but Idris ignored him.

Nash was about to respond when he was interrupted by a knight guard, "Quiet!"

They stayed quiet for a few hours before the knight come back. He opened the gate and let them out.

"Where are we going?" Aidan asked.

"To the temple, the emperor and the council are waiting for you."

As they approached the temple, they noticed some familiar faces staring at them in surprise. One of those are squad 14 and 13.

"What happened?!" Marais covered her mouth in shock.

"They must be the one whom I heard entered the Forest," Grin said.

"Nash..." Ren whispered.

...

"Squad 15 will now enter."

They entered the meeting hall filled with debates. Not only the emperor and the council were there but as well as the knights who witnessed the incident.

"These kids? Really!?" Viscount Mhurt mocked them.

"Mhurt," The emperor said and made Mhurt silent.

The squad 15 are standing in front of them receiving disgusted glares from the council.

"Squad 15 really lives true to its moniker of the brutal and wild." Marquis Lucius murmured. Squad 15 heard it because he was right in front of them.

Nash recognized the Marquis, 'You're the father of that bitch Yeona.'

"Your senior knights have already informed me of what occurred. Nash was the only one who should have received the punishment among all of you, but because you all followed inside, you will all be punished as well." The emperor said, giving them death glares, "Am I right?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." they answered all at once.

"You should know what to expect just by entering, right?"

"Yes, your majesty"

"Your Majesty, as I previously stated, Nash was just dragged inside," Thed attempted to protect his juniors.

"I know, but what did she do? She still stayed and went inside the cave."

"They should be exiled! They're a disgrace to the empire. What sort of knight are you if you can't even follow a single law?" said a viscount.

"I agree!"

Duke Barcley looked at Nash with pity in her eyes and looked at the emperor, "But they are a big help in contributing information."

"They still entered the forest," Viscount Mhurt said, glaring at the Duke Barcley.

"Indeed, they might provide information," Duke Eiler stated.

"No!"

"We don't want any disgrace in the empire!"

"Right!"

Nash looked straight into the emperor's eyes, "is it possible that I will be the only one to receive the punishment? I am the sole reason for them to follow, so may I ask in sincerity, if I could just take all the punishment by myself?"

"We talked about this earlier!" Idris exclaimed.

"But—!"

"Silence." The emperor said, "As I previously said, all of you will be punished. It's their choice whether or not to follow you. If that's what you desire, you shouldn't have stayed inside and triggered even more creatures."

Nash bit her lips and started to fiddle her fingers. 'This is annoying.'

Roven saw it but ignored it. "Whether you make an argument with me or not, you will still be exiled from the empire."

"Emperor!" Both Duke exclaimed.

The other council members were celebrating not until Nash said something that caused them to get annoyed more.

"Your Majesty, with all due respect, may I offer a proposal?"

"You dare?!" Marquis Lucius exclaimed. The others disagree with Nash's request. "You're a mere commoner, yet you act arrogant? No wonder."

Nash scoff unconsciously.

"You dare laugh at me? A marquis?!" Marquis Lucius scoffed, "Thank the highest my daughter isn't raised like an insolent brat like you. I wonder what kind of parent you have? My daughter is a very sweet and kind child. And most importantly, she is the best choice for the crown prince."

'You have the guts to say that in front of the emperor.'

Nash scoffs once again, can't help but show her demonic smile.

"Marquis, you act exactly like your daughter," she smiled.

"Of course! I raised her well," Marquis Lucius said with a smug,

"Eh? That's not what I meant. You both think so highly of yourself." Nash said grinning.

[slap]

"Marquis!" The Dukes shouted and held the Marquis away from Nash.

"Nash!" Yjhan scolded.

"Since I'm going to be exiled, I'd just like to tell you how your daughter genuinely acts."

"You have the audacity to defame my daughter?"

Nash grinned wickedly, "Is it if I'm saying the truth? I have a witness, though."

"What is it?" Duke Barcley asked,

"Do you really believe her, Duke Barcley!?" Marquis looked at the duke in disbelief.

"Well, I'm curious as well, because, as you mentioned earlier, she's the finest choice for the crown prince. Do you want to know as well, your majesty?" Duke Barcley asked.

"Speak."

Nash grinned, 'I simply wanted to talk about the proposal, but you brought your daughter into it, and that's not my fault.'