CHAPTER 15: The Option Laid In Front Of You

"You have such wonderful knights, sir," Saphira commented.

She and Hunter are with Hamlet.

"The rest of the knights brushed us off when we tried asking. Some even belittled us for asking questions, they didn't understand that preparedness is better than surprises," she shook her head after remembering how the rest of the knights have treated them.

"You have to understand, most of the other knights were down. Only a few of those noble knights are left. It is quite understandable that they think highly of themselves for surviving up to this point," Hamlet speak up.

"Even so, I find you nobler than them. Those who can still laugh and smile. Those who can stay positive in such a perilous time are the ones who treasure lives more," Hunter commented.

"How can you say so?" Hamlet asked him.

"If you can still see good in everything, then the clearer your head will become. If you keep thinking of negative stuffs then the more narrow your thoughts will be. The more narrow it is the more you will not be able to see the option laid in front of you."

Saphira nodded her head in agreement, "If you stay positive, then you will have the chance to see your surrounding more and you will get more chance of seeing that there are other ways of staying alive."

Hamlet was once again left with no words towards the two of them.

The words they just uttered made so much sense especially since most of the knights in the shore are already losing confidence that they can stop the beasts within the shore.

To the point that the nobles are already thinking about where to stay once the beasts get farther in land.

They had completely disregarded the fact that it was the commoners who will suffer first once the beasts are to go in any farther.

"We have seen the villages in between the main town and the shore. We know why you guys are doing your best to stay positive in here. Why there are more of those from yellow squads than the rest," Hunter faced him and said seriously.

"We will make sure that we will also do our best to help you eradicate as much beasts as possible until your Empire was able to recover to fight on your own again," he promised.

"Your thoughts are enough for us to keep going, knowing that there are others who understand why we are doing our best," Hamlet replied with gratitude.

"But you see, I think your Emperor is also doing his best to send more support," Saphira speak up.

"How are you able to say that?"

"I heard from the people in town that he had been commanding the hospitals to do their best in healing the knights and commanding the noble knights to step out and be of service."

She started speaking with admiration.

"He will surely receive some ire form the nobles who actually didn't want to do anything to risk their safety. But he will surely receive the admiration of the rest of the population."

Hamlet finally showed a relaxed look, "The emperor loves his people, that we all are sure of. And not all nobles are bad, some are fighting more than we are. That is why they are not here, because they are the first to be injured."

"Then with how much the hospitals are doing their best, we will surely meet those knights as well," Hunter commented.

"Speaking with you feels like I am speaking with those of the same age as me. This is a first," Hamlet stopped walking and looked around.

"This is where the giant beast was first witnessed. Causing the injuries of the knights whom I was talking about. They were the ones on duty back then," he commented.

Since the miasma have infiltrated this part already, the plants have died as well.

Even the soil itself turned black.

"This never happened in the past, the miasma could be contained where it usually started but because of the sudden increase in number and the appearance of such a strong beast. We are unable to contain it causing the death of the plants near the shore."

Hunter and Saphira looked around.

Hunter gave Stormie and Willow a signal through his eyes and two nodded their heads walking around the place.

Hunter squatted down on the ground while Saphira walked towards another direction.

'What do you think?' Hunter asked through his mind.

'The soil has completely been dyed with the miasma, even if we were to defeat the beasts around here. The soil will no longer grow the plants unless many years are to pass or unless the place is purified again.'

Hunter frowned, if the soil dies then the land will have a barren land in it. And basing from what they have seen, the forest was also part of the resources of Alquira Empire.

'How will it be purfied?' Hunter asked.

'There are ways in the past but to this day, there are no other way.'

'Past? How?'

'The descendant of that person, that person has a special power but no one could remember just how it was attained. The descendants still received it but through time the power declined ending with no one being capable of purification.'

Hunter sighed, even if they are to eradicate the darkness, if more lands have been affected then how long will it take before it will be gone with the miasma.

He looked up at Willow and Stormie, both of them shook their heads as well.

It means that the wind and plants are the same as the soil.

Qirin, the ruler of the earth ability was his inborn beast.

Roc, the ruler of the wind ability was Stormie's inborn beast. The same beast they rode on when coming here.

Azure Dragon, the ruler of the wood ability was Willow's inborn beast.

White tiger, ruler of metal ability was Drake's inborn beast.

Basilisk, ruler of poison ability was Ridge's inborn beast.

And Black Tortoise, ruler of water ability was Nixon's inborn beast.

All six of them were the hosts of six of the seven mythological beasts.

Saphira once had the Phoenix but she lost him. Together with the Phoenix was Vermilion Bird.

Both were lost 8 years ago.

Hunter looked around and saw Saphira standing not far from them looking seriously straight ahead.

"What is it?" he approached her.

"This," she pointed at the ground.

The ground looks like something swept through it towards the innermost part of the forest, whose other side was the cliff.

Hunter squatted down, 'What do you think?'

'Poison was oozing from what it is that passed through this.'

Hunter looked back at Hamlet, "Were those hit by the giant beast poisoned as well?"

Hamlet nodded his head, "They were, it was so potent that it was taking time before they are to recover."

"Ridge," Hunter called.

Ridge rushed over, grabbed a soil and placed it in a bottle.

Though not understanding what was going on in their minds, Hamlet watched them in awe.

They had asked questions when they arrived, now they are conducting investigations on their own without asking anything on what they should do.

The path Saphira found was also hidden by the trees and high grasses that are surrounding them. If one were not to look closely, they wouldn't be able to see it because more rocks and dead plants have fallen in it.

The other two, Drake and Nixon were also looking around the area in pair, they are farther within the forest quite far from the group.

Knowing that danger still lurk they didn't go one at a time but instead in pair.

As he watched these seven work, Hamlet could tell, they aren't just trainees sent for their first training.

They are much more than that.

"Let's go?" he asked seeing as they were done with whatever it is they were doing.

Their next destination was the water itself, he plans on walking towards the shore but Saphira and Hunter insisted that they walk towards the cliff.

The cliff height was about 250 meters high.

With just a look, Nixon walked over and used his ability to take a sample of the water directly below the cliff.

This was placed in another bottle of Ridge.

"We are good here," Hunter then said towards Hamlet who nodded his head.

The other ten knights they were with were also in confusion but seeing as the captain was not saying anything, they didn't say anything either.

Just as they were leaving Hamlet and Hunter looked back at Saphira who were standing at the edge of the cliff looking down at the water below.

"What's wrong?" Hunter asked when she turned to follow them.

Saphira shook her head before remaining silent all through out their patrol towards the shore.

They met a few beasts here and there but the seven of them were unable to do much because the knights they were with were so used to it that they are able to defeat the beasts by themselves.

This proved that a help was called for the purpose of subduing the giant beast alone.

But when they indeed got close to the water, bigger beasts have appeared that they also took out their swords and fight along side these knights.