Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Seven ۞ Plan to Fight

"I'm not really hell bent on taking a credit." Genevieve said. "I guess I will."

'Apparently,' quipped Cifaro as his form towered over Genevieve's balled one. 'You are to look after each other.'

Valeriana was nervous about the upcoming commencement, although she had to just sit back and watch. Technically, she had a job entrusted to her, and it was having to look over the guardian beast. Cifaro was alright, though.

Genevieve seemed curious as she gazed at the beast.

"You can speak to everyone else, unlike the familiars." She commented, glancing sidewards at the panther-like creature.

'Thou must know the significance of a connection between a familiar and its contractor.' Answered Cifaro. 'Their conversations are very confidential, especially in battle. If ever the opponent hears of incoming commands, it would jeopardize everything. Though it is quite surprising.' His golden eyes twinkled as he gazed at Valeriana. 'Although Direct Users in general have strong connections with auras, they cannot intervene with the telepathical colloquies between the two. To be quite frank, although these people are qualified under one category, they still have specific distinctions.'

"Like . . . ?" Valeriana trailed off.

'An altruistic direct user, and a manipulative one.'

Valeriana was dumbfounded from the newlyfound information, but Genevieve seemed as though she knew all along. She somehow got the gist of it and what it meant since it was quite obvious. Even so, the girl was quite unable to comprehend the situation properly.

"In which category do you think I belong to?"

'The altruistic ones. This type specializes in 'tapping'. They can only see but not directly interfere. The manipulatives, on the other hand, are for 'twisting'. They cannot see, but can 'poke their noses', in a sense. Telepathy, for example, is a type of manipulation, however, being able to hear a telepathical communication between others is an ability of an altruistic. Generally, these two have very little but clear boundary and the rules limit the ability of both. Their capabilities has far more consequences than indirect users. After all, wielding the elements only require physical energy. But auras require more than that.'

Valeriana sat silently on the snowy terrain as she watched the Twelve move. Charles was barking out the last of the order--which he had been doing for the past ten minutes--until Zion brusquely walked out on them to head for his designated waiting spot. It was about time they move. After all, the sun was not patient. It was getting harder to see around with no light.

"So I won't be taking part . . . I guess I'll watch for once." The younger twin seemed disappointed as she gazed at her older brother.

Cifaro pulled himself to his feet limberly and made his way over to the team. Since it was Valeriana's duty to be beside the beast, she followed after him.

There was something about Cifaro that did not seem right. After Valeriana gained the ability to see auras, the guardian's had been terribly unsettled. His presence was powerful, so were the familiar's. In fact, it was hard to ignore them all. Even from a mile away, she could feel them and could somehow pinpoint their location. One could say she was a bit overwhelmed that, unlike before, she found a hard time getting 'comfortable' around them.

"Is something wrong? You don't look good at all." She told him.

'It is time I do my job properly.' Cifaro's voice was firm and his conviction was flagrant.

After the entire group had scuttled to their positions, with each member occupying a specific side of the lake to guard, Charles, who was looking over the farthest point in which Valeriana and Cifaro were, gave a brief nod to the beast as a sign they were ready.