All of them were seated at a round table, all of them Zian included.
"The condition?" Saphira asked him.
Zian shook his head dejectedly.
"But, it would have been worst if all of you weren't here," he commented.
Saphira sighed, "Well... this is indeed sad."
After they started their mission officially, this was the first biggest casualty that they have faced.
It was normal if it was just like what had happened, an all out attack.
But to hear that so many lives were lost, one would still feel the gravity of the situation.
The distraught of those who had someone dear who died because of the attacks.
But Zian was right, if they weren't there if it was only the Empire alone, surely the imperial city would have been wiped out already.
This on itself was a blessing already.
If they didn't decide to come here first, surely by the time they reached this place, it would already be too late.
The first attack on the imperial city, back when they were cleaning up on the other side, it was proof enough that Chester had started.
"Anyway, I really am curious how did the six of you woke up from the illusion?" Zian changed the subject.
He could feel that somehow the seven of them were being affected too much, almost blaming it on their inadequacy.
But they have done more than what was tasked of them.
They stayed and fought, they even planned ahead allowing his empire to be spared more than it could have.
He didn't want them to feel that they were lacking at all.
Instead he was looking up at them.
They were young but the way they took every possible outcomes into consideration was enough to say that the whole world were lucky to have them take on this mission.
But numbers will still be numbers.
No matter how strong one is, one will still have difficulties when faced with a great number of enemies.
They aren't gods who can flick a finger and the ocean would obey.
With a swing of a hand and the mountains will move.
They were also humans.
Humans who trained hard just to get the best result for the mission assigned to them.
If he were to hear that someone was slandering the seven of them, he would surely wage war against these people.
Without witnessing the effort placed in everything, people have no right to speak when they were simply at the comfort of their home just waiting for the news.
These seven teenagers were knights through and through.
Willow sighed before she looked at Saphira.
Saphira looked at her before realizing that the rest were looking at her the same way.
As if she was a key as well on how they snapped out of it.
"Did I somehow entered that place without me knowing and helped all of you?" she asked with uncertainty.
Was she really so amazing that with thoughts alone she could help them.
Willow chuckled, "As if, it is because of our current relationship."
She even rolled her eyes.
"Our relationship? Oh the relationship filled with evilness? Have we killed people there? I would not be shock though, we have so many people we hated."
Saphira rubbed her chin as she think of what they could have done.
"No, it was the change in your relationship," Hunter said next.
"Did we fall in love? Oh my, wasn't thata bit taboo? Ah but, well we are quite good looking, I guess I would no longer be shock to hear th- OUCH!!!"
She glared at Hunter.
She was simply having a monologue when he knocked at her head.
"You didn't hold back at all," she complained rubbing her head.
"I would have if you didn't left your brain somewhere else. What is with that conclusion?" he asked her before he sat back properly.
Saphira pouted while Zian broke out into a loud laugh.
He was unable to really interact with Saphira all this time.
She was not around when they first arrived.
When he finally met her she was brimming with authority and coldness.
When they arrived at the castle, she was brimming with anger that even her aura was too suppressing.
After that everything was too chaotic for him to really interact adn understand her charcter.
This was the very first time that he had witnessed her carefree side and it was too amusing.
It seems that the rest were used to it already as well.
If she weren't taking the reins on the battle then she is on par with the way Nixon acts, goofy and silly.
But if she take the rein, she was a domineering person no one could really say no.
"Aa~aah this is so much fun, I never expected such a character from the one who decisively cleaned up this empire," he commented.
Instead of being embarrassed, Saphira actually looked at him smugly before she turned at the rest.
"So what do you guys mean by the change in our relationship?"
She was truly curious as well, to be able to get out of such a strong illusion, and she could remember that it was Willow who got out first.
"We were too close," Willow replied.
Saphira frowned before realization his her, "You mean our relationship as a kid?"
This was one of the dramatic changes that happened because of what happened eight years ago, more like nine years ago already.
She and Willow were close, very close that they were treating one another as siblings.
Since Stormie loves going against Nixon, the other two ended up spending more time together than the three of them being together.
With that their relationship was sweet and filled with happiness.
But was destroyed due to what had happened.
Now, they were able to mend it. It may not be the same as before but both of them preferred it this way.
After all, they could speak more honestly about their feelings.
Whether hate or love.