Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Sixty-Five ۞ Camp (pt. 2)

"Impudent or not, I have the power to revoke your title as continental guardians."

Valeriana gasped. "You do?"

"I'm quite sure once this title disappears, these lions will lose all the use they have for the demons. Am I not right?"

Avaro growled at Vallore threateningly. 'Thou canst not.'

Vallore held out his hand and a wild stream of fire erupted from his fingertips. Avaro cowered from the flames.

"A creature of fire afraid of flames? Look how far the mighty have fallen."

"Vallore," Valeriana said as she pulled on his arm. "You cannot keep provoking them like this!"

"You are Avaro," he said, pointing at the lion before him and dismissing Valeriana. "I challenge you to a duel. The title of continental guardian will be at stake!"

"Will this even work?"

'The kid does not bluff,' Cifaro reassured her. 'He does have the power to revoke the title of continental guardians. His bloodline is the most powerful of all creatures of fire.'

"What are the drakons?" Valeriana asked, the question suddenly weighing significantly greater. "It feels like there are more to them than just dragon keepers."

Cifaro kept silent. Seeing as Valeriana refused to hurt the twin-tailed lions, she had him sheathed. She had taken cover behind Vallore as he confronted Avaro and stared down at him with all the might he could muster.

'Thou darest challenge me. You may be of Arland's bloodline but thou must not forget I, too, wield the power of demons!'

"This really doesn't sound like Avaro," Valeriana helplessly blurted. "Vallore, please go easy on him. He's not himself!"

"I am well aware, but this matter concerns a lot of people. I will show no mercy. This matter regarding demons, you cannot be so naïve." Vallore's eyes glinted with cruelty that Valeriana had to take a step back and swallow heavily.

"But it isn't their fault—"

"Be it their fault or not matters very little right now. We are up against demons, Valeriana. This situation, you understand it very well. Eat or be eaten, kill or be killed. Sometimes, reality is not what you make it to be."

Her eyes glistened with helplessness as she looked between Avaro and Vallore. She swore she would bring him back, but the situation was slowly spinning out of control. She didn't expect Vallore to interfere like this, but if he didn't, who knows what could've happened?

'Thou desirest a fight, then a fight thou wilst get!'

It was then that Cifaro's voice rang out. 'Valeriana, be careful. Demons are no honorable beings.'

Avaro is not a demon! She wanted to shout it out but could not find the voice. She shut her eyes close, denying the truth. It was a childish thing to do but she could not bear it. Valeriana felt really upset.

When she opened her eyes, the pack suddenly bounded forward altogether that Valeriana stiffened. When Vallore challenged Avaro, she thought it would be Avaro who would be fighting alone. She did not expect them to attack all at once!

All Vallore did was sweep out his hand. Fire erupted from the ground, forming a protective layer around them. Consequently, another layer formed around the entire area the guardian beasts entered. The flames flared to the sky and actually spun, wounding together to form a small barrier that encased them all.

Valeriana was awed at the sight while the twin-tailed lions started roaring in furry.

In one moment, he had all of them trapped! He basically placed himself as bait, perhaps saw the opportunity with the gathering of all of them in one area and took advantage of it.