CHAPTER 104: I Am Retiring From My Post

"They are kids after all and they are family in the end. A family who ended up losing so much precious time with their children," Reginald replied.

"Even so, she came here with an order but she still didn't follow through. What would the other feel by then?" Ernest replied.

"I guess, not all groups are the same. Their group have their own misunderstanding as well. But the heaviness in my son's voice, tells me that they truly felt their own failure," Reginald commented.

"Maybe part of this is our fault," Asherton said.

"We took away their childhood and freedom, we kept telling them it was their duty. They were still kids after all," he added making the rest sigh.

On the other hand, Drake and the rest were shock to see Juno and those they thought have died in the base camp.

Not just them but even Leon and the others were shock.

Together with those they thought have died on the other side.

"This..." Stormie reacted.

"We are a failure but that doesn't mean our whole group is," Hunter spoke up.

He knew how this happened.

"What are you all still standing there? It's time for you to pack up."

They turned and there they saw Saphira leaning on one tree.

"So many of them could have died because of your negligence. Because of your one sided thinking, so go on and pack up," she added.

Hunter had actually realized that some who were in grave danger disappeared instead of simply dying.

That's when he realized that they didn't die but were actually saved by Saphira.

Still he couldn't save them because he too was focused on another battle, that he was still a failure.

Leon and Juno were not far from them.

"I guess that child matured too much," Juno said to Leon.

When he was saved by her, he was ready to go back to the battle but she stopped him.

She then said that he had 'died'.

"She wanted them to feel the gravity of their own decisions without thinking more about things," he added.

"Mistakes could be made in a battlefield I told her but she replied that she wasn't telling them not to make any mistakes because those are inevitable. But instead she wanted them to remember the true essence of their mission. It is not to eradicate the darkness but to save the world from darkness," he continued.

Everyone must have thought the same as the rest, killing darkness was the same as saving the world.

But Saphira was different.

Leon sighed, "That's right, they aren't perfect or too responsible. They still makes mistakes. We have forgotten about it because of how she was leading them."

"A born leader indeed," Juno replied.

*****

They borrowed a tent for a meeting, the other six were sitting in front of the orb for communicating, while Saphira was standing on the side leaning on the pole with her arms crossed over her chest.

A few more seconds and the orb emitted light, it is now transmitting a video of Reginald.

The seven of them bowed their heads in greeting.

"I have heard about the situation. Commander Saphira, do you really..."

"If it's the majesty's command then they don't have to go back. But this will be the last time I will be saving the people that they are neglecting."

Her words were heavy making the other six even more guilty at the thought of their mistake.

"Saphira..."

"And I am retiring from my post as commander of the Order of the Seven Myths, your majesty," she added looking at Reginald's projection seriously.

The other six looked at her, even Drake.

He didn't expect that she would be this serious in this.

"Why- But... you..."

"I promised indeed. But I have no desire of protecting anyone who will allow so much casualty when they could have avoided if they just listened."

She looked at them, "Mythological beasts aren't just beasts. They have lived longer than us, known more knowledge than human. If you listen then you will have more options in your battles. But you chose not to."

Reginald has no rebuke to this.

He could only sigh, "Then your post shall be taken..."

He couldn't continue.

Watching their training on their stay in Qillian Empire, he knew she was the best in this condition.

But he have heard how the rest weren't taking her seriously.

"And I apologize, your majesty. I will go on alone on another place."

She brought another shock to all of them.

Hunter understood what she meant.

"But you.." he looked at her.

"I am not unfeeling or thick skinned. Even I know when to get hurt and when enough is enough. If no one takes me seriously because of a matter that I wasn't even included in, then I don't mind staying away."

Reginald didn't expect that this matter became this grave when they just departed.

"What makes me even more mad, is the fact that your lives were saved by looking at the bigger picture. Yet you chose to do things without understanding the whole situation."

"What... are you suddenly saying?" Hunter asked.

He can tell that it has some underlying meaning, a meaning only she was aware of.

And when he glanced at his father, he could see how grave his look is.

He knew then, that Saphira withhold more information than he thought she had of the tragedy of eight years ago.

Saphira looked at him with her eyes wavering, "I am leaving now, your majesty. I can meet them someday but I have more things I need to check into."

She didn't wait for anyone's reply before leaving, even though they run outside to follow her, she was already nowhere to be seen.

Stormie flew up and turned to check the sky and she was still not there.

"How... did she disappear so fast?" Nixon asked.

"Maybe because she had checked the whole place and found the fastest route to leave," Ridge sighed.

This was too abrupt for all of them.