Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Fifteen ۞ Seraphina's Request

"I'll watch from the window!" Lienhard waved at them. "Go and enjoy."

"Can't believe I'm doing this . . ." Zander growled.

As they all left, laughter echoed followed by a loud remark.

"Don't forget to smile!"

With the opposite of the wanted expression present on their faces, they all proceeded to the yard and did as they were told to do. Zander had the sourest of looks among them all. Cail was a bit more positive while Coral seemed a little nervous. Valeriana, on the other hand, being a little more used to the lord's weird antics, was pondering the possible reasons behind the abrupt request.

After they changed to, what Valeriana liked to call, their 'gym' clothes, they all headed out and started working through the relay. Lacking enthusiasm and all positive vibes, the mood was gloomy and neither one talked with one another aside from the occasional offer of assistance from Cail to Coral.

While jumping over a series of hurdles, Valeriana's foot caught into one of the fences and pulled it down with her. She came off with just a grunt of pain and a hurt ankle, but she was generally fine.

"What happened? Oh my gosh!" Coral was panting when she came over and pulled her up, Cail helping pull up the hurdles back again.

Valeriana shook off the pain and smiled at her mates. "I'm fine. Just haven't lost being a klutz."

"A member of the Twelve a klutz?"

"Believe me, I'm not the worst. But I'm not as great as them either."

She dusted off her dirt-stricken clothes and wiped off her dirtied face. Zander whipped past her for their next obstacle, disregarding her recent accident.

Well, he wasn't obligated to care anyway. Val was already used to such heartless people.

Even so, when the whole period was over and they were wasted from all the exercising, they all crawled back to their classroom and saw Lord Lienhard fast asleep on his chair.

The sound of the door opening seemed to have awoken him as he stirred and gave them a weary look.

"Oh, are you done already? What time is it?"

Zander walked past him and gathered his book before slipping out wordlessly.

"It's time for our next class." Coral informed him breathlessly, the candy pink strands on her head stuck against the wet sides of her face.

"I see. See you guys next meeting then."

He didn't even call them and tell them to stop like he said he would, and now, he was falling asleep once more.

With their energies burned out from the activity, they all separated ways and said their goodbyes. The time would have been fun if they weren't given such a redundant task. Valeriana lost track of how many times she tripped and injured herself in that obstacle relay. Because of this, she dropped by the infirmary to patch up the majority of her wounds at the end of the day.

Life in the academy guaranteed a bruise-filled experience that came in package with gaping abrasions and bloody scratches. No doubt about it.

She still had to talk to Seraphina, though. After that, the Gathering with the Twelve was up. Having her schedule so packed made her miss those crazy, carefree days. This emotion initiated her homesickness, making her think back on the freedom she had before she came to this academy.

"Valeriana! Good thing you came." Seraphina smiled, but something about her seemed troubled.

Having not seen how her aura looked before, she was confused what to make of how it looked right then.

"I hope it wasn't much trouble for you to come."

"Of course not! Is there something bothering you, Lady Seraphina?"

"No." She answered.

"You can't exactly lie to me, you know. Auras say a lot about how the person is."

"I see . . ." She laughed at the irony and was mildly embarrassed her poker face did not work. "But I need your help on something. Can you tell me about the purification method back in Preluresia?"

She felt taken aback by her question. "Well, it won't be much trouble but, why?"

Seraphina sighed. "It's an important emergency. This 'infection' might've infected a close friend of mine. Time is running out for him and we need a cure, fast."

"Oh, then, I don't think I can help you out much." Valeriana bit down on her lower lip, racking her mind for the most significant information she could remember. "Amril said something about a sacrifice being needed to tap into the spiritual facet of the lake. Cifaro needed to lay down his own life just to purify his entire pack. The only season they can do the usual purification thing they do once a year is during spring. Otherwise, they cannot."

The lady knight turned problematic. "So there is no hope?"

"There is." She said. "Does this friend of yours really need help?"

"Yes."

"Coming from you, it must really be dire." Valeriana gazed at her with concern. "I'll help you, then. I know a way. I'm not really sure since circumstances were a bit different from before, but I will give it a try."

"Thank you! You don't know how much help this is."

The elatedness in her overall form gave the girl a smile. This seemed to have relieved her stress a bit. She looked better all of a sudden.

"After all you've done for me." The girl began. "This is nothing."

There was a small pause that made the girl feel uncomfortable. There was something else she needed to ask that made her unsure if it would be allowed.

She swallowed. "I need to ask you something though. It might seem big."

"What is it?"

"Can I meet this person?"

Seraphina was speechless. "I do not think I can . . ."

"I need to see him to help him." She replied, breathing out heavily. "I know I may not be too trustworthy, but I swear on my life I'll keep it confidential." Seeing the torn look on Seraphina's face, she felt as though she was crossing the line. "Please think about it."

She then stood, leaving Seraphina alone.

If she would be given a chance to return all the favors done for her by the woman, she would. If she was given this ability to help out, she would. She would do everything she could if given a chance.

She only wished they would give her that chance.