Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Forty-Three ۞ Halt

Headache assaulted the older of the twins as his sister continued to elaborate on the matter at hand. The bad memories--the horrible events that flashed inside his head as the fire around them both raged and ate away on the materials deliberately placed within the arena, it made him feel nostalgic in a negative way as though he was enacting a scene that happened once before. And he knew it deep inside himself, that it did happen. He refused to remember, and he was afraid to remember.

There was this catch about Zevlin--a secret he never wanted to tell anyone. He wielded fire but he himself was quite afraid of his own element, this made his control over it a bit awry despite the huge flames and big moves he often took to dispose of suspicions . There was this innate fear stemming from inside his chest everytime he would see his fire.

"It hurts me as much to make you remember this but you have to stop blaming yourself. The demons that killed mother and father had been long dead and you did your best protecting the both of us just like dad wanted." She said, her eyes damp and sweat coating her face. "I have to keep those horrible nightmares to myself because I knew it would hurt you, but I think it's time you properly know. It may seem despicable of me invoking these memories, but it's your right to know what truly happened. You didn't bring that forest down for nothing. Dad helped you do it and that's what kept us alive 'til this day. I don't think I can stand by and watch you act like that all the time--as though you were making up for something that wasn't your fault."

Zevlin was sweating heavily as he knelt down, his father's words echoing inside his head and the cruel voice of the demon following shortly. His brow furrowed as he gritted his teeth, the fire flaming up around him as though heightened by the emotions he was feeling. He knew it was his fire that burned down that forest, it was his fire that made everything as it was now.

"We aren't those kids anymore. We can fight and we can fight to the death. Growing strong would've been what they wanted."

The Twelve was watching everything unfold with interest. They got a gist of what was going on and was somehow startled. Valeriana was quite clueless, unable to keep up. She did think whatever was happening was tragic. The flames were turning hotter at this point.

"What's going on?" She said aloud.

"Perhaps something personal." Said Charles. "We shouldn't pry in too much." He said that, although the look on his face made it clear he was quite curious himself.

"The twins' father was a legendary general of the Arlandian army. He died when I was still young during an attack of every demon he ever captured and sent back to the Dark Continent." Corvan stated, his face firm. "It was uncertain what exactly happened. Yet, Zevlin slept for a long time after being found and Genevieve did not talk until about a year later. She was a fragile thing when we were young so I do admit I know where Zevlin's coming from."

"Times have changed." Tamara stated hoarsely. "What needed protecting can now protect and he who protected needs to be assisted. Roles are alternate. It can't be the same for the rest of time."

"I did not understand a thing you said. You kept on croaking." Elfre said.

"Shut it. I was being awesome that's all you need to know." She replied roughly, her nose pointing upwards and her arms crossing.

Corvan kept quiet for most of the duration the Twelve had their conversation. As sharp as some of their members were, they did not easily notice the changes in his persona and demeanor as they were very busy with their own tasks at hand. Rowe, however, was very keen. He decided to bring up the topic, wanting to know the reasons for the sudden changes on the young lord's temper.

"You seem to be a lot calmer these days, Lord Corvan. Not a spike of fire to see around you, not even around Valeriana when you two speak." He quietly told him, his voice not too loud that it disrupted the others from conversing.