Cinders & Gold (Celeste Academy Fanfic👑)

Cinders & Gold ◇ Trip

♤chapter fifteen♤
TRIP

After the day's events, Valeriana decided to take a short nap before she could get down to cleaning and arranging her room. She'd just laid her head on the pillow and closed her eyes when she was jolted by a knock.

Her sleepy eyes shot open and she sat up, startled. The fifth ranker felt more exhausted than before and didn't know how long she had slept. She strayed her eyes towards the windows and saw that she had forgotten to draw the curtains. It was dark outside.

The knock came again.

"Valeriana, it's time to go," Corvan's voice sounded outside her door.

"Ah, shiznits," Val muttered under her breath. She had almost forgotten about the mission she was supposed to undertake with the first ranker. With exhaustion gnawing at her body, Valeriana almost regretted offering to go with him. Almost.

The honey-golden blonde yawned and stretched and forced herself to get up. "Just a sec!" she yelled back.

Standing up, she looked around and scanned the room to see if anything was lying around that would embarrass her. Her room was not too messy, but it wasn't in top notch order either.

Whatever, she thought to herself while straightening the slightly crumpled sheets. That idiot devil better get used to it.

Val then proceeded to open the door. Corvan wore his usual trademark frown as he scanned her from head to toe. "It's almost midnight. Are you ready?"

"Uh," she stared at Corvan's outfit. He was wearing a typical Celeste gear and had a sword hitched on the girdle around his waist. Valeriana then looked down at herself. She still had her uniform on.

"Should I change? This might—"

"You're good to go," he cut in. "I'll do most of fighting if there's any."

"Hey!" Valeriana fumed as she put her hands on her waist. "I haven't undergone through months of training just to end up being a damsel in distress, you idiot devil!"

Corvan's frown deepened. "Then take your sword and let's go. It will only be a few hours. No need to carry anything."

Valeriana sighed. "Okay."

She left the door ajar and went to retrieve the Empyrean. She then wore her trusted combat boots.

"What exactly is this mission about?" Valeriana asked once she closed the door behind her. The two began descending the steps.

"It's a capture mission," said Corvan in an indifferent voice. "There's been reports of rogue direct controllers going around."

"Rogue direct controllers?" Valeriana frowned, visibly worried.

"They're called the Arlandian Rovers."

"They're exclusively Arlandian?"

"Yes," said Corvan. "They tend to roam the deserts of the Dry Lands and their kind has not been spotted on the other continents."

Once the two were out of the Twelve's residences, Valeriana savored the cool breeze that hit her face while Corvan kept talking.

"From the intel that Headmaster Kylon received, he says that they have a leader who's made them go rogue and terrorise people."

"Wait," Val commented. "A leader? Is he controlling them or something?"

"Seems like it," Corvan replied. "The Rovers are a close-knit group that keep to themselves and don't use their abilities unless they're provoked."

"I see," the fifth ranker hummed. The two made their way towards the portals.

"This leader that you speak of," said Val. "Might it be the work of demons?"

Corvan paused and turned his face to meet her gaze. "We'll see."

He stepped forward and waited for the clock to strike midnight. Once it did, he said, "The Sieghild Oasis, Arlandia."

Corvan proceeded to open the portal door. The bright sunlight shining from the other side almost blinded Valeriana, causing her to squint.

"Let's go," said the first ranker.

Once the two rankers stepped through the portals, the atmosphere shifted significantly. Where Celeste Academy had an ideal temperature—not too hot or too cold—the Sieghild Oasis was sweltering hot. Valeriana was glad to not have worn her uniforms coat and she only hoped that Corvan was right in saying that the mission would last a few hours. Hopefully, nighttime wouldn't find them here.

The scene that stood in front of Valeriana mesmerized her. It resembled a trading town. Caravans of different colors lined the cobblestoned lanes in which numerous merchants traded their goods and services in makeshift tents.

As much as trading was vivid, not many people were present. Most Valemnians who walked around had tanned skin and there seemed to be an unspoken code when it came to the garbs they were adorned in. The materials they were clothed in were made of light flowing silk, with light colored hues. They were designed in such a way that skin from the arms and below the knees was visible.

Valeriana scanned her surroundings, wonder and amazement filling her eyes. "Whoa."

Corvan surprised the fifth ranker by taking her hand and clasping his fingers around hers firmly. He began leading her through the crowds the stalls that showcased their products. Valeriana gulped at the physical contact and her heart raced. She felt her cheeks slowly begin to heat up. After a few seconds, the fifth ranker tried to downplay her nervousness at the prospect of Corvan holding her hand and tried not too think too much about it.

Different smells hit Valeriana's nose and she inhaled deeply, savouring it. She'd never experienced so many different smells clashing together and creating a wonderful scent; not even the markets she had been to back on Earth could get close to this.

"Where are we going?" Valeriana asked once she felt the eyes of the merchants trailing the duo. They stood out like sore thumbs with their clothing, and it was painfully obvious they were not from around here.

"Brykern's Abysm," said Corvan, ignoring the attention they were getting. "That should be our lead."

"The leader's going to be there?"

"It's the nest of the Rovers, I heard."

"But I thought you said they roam around."

"Might be a temporary one. They do need a home, Valeriana." He stopped walking, prompting Val to follow his actions.

"We are going into an underground cave," the Arlandian heir informed her.

"I gathered as much when you said abysm," said Valeriana as she paused and looked at her surroundings. They had stopped in what looked like a narrow street alleyway.

"You'll need to do exactly as I say."

Valeriana pursed her lips at that.

"Please, Valeriana," Corvan pleaded and a strange emotion flashed across his eyes. "For your safety."

"Okay," I shrugged. She wanted to retort that she was very capable of handling herself but whatever emotion that had glinted in the first ranker's emerald eyes gave her second thoughts.

Corvan turned his back on her and started walking forward. "Follow me."

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Heyyo! Seems like a short chapter but the next one will be longer than this. Had to get this out of my writers block.

Thanks for reading!

—Marj  x