Emerging from the tunnel, a fine orchard greeted the group. The sight of it was simply breathtaking that one wouldn't even believe that the city ahead of them was currently being overrun by demons. The trees bore beautiful buds of white flowers. Patches of lush, green grasses grew all over the place that the ground could barely be seen.

"Now this is unusual." Aneeka commented. "Spring in the middle of winter?"

A fork on the road came before them, each going into different paths. The mere sight signified the fact that they had to part at that moment. It made Valeriana disappointed that they wouldn't go together from then on, but it couldn't be helped. As she looked around, she couldn't help but think.

Valeriana knew that she was still getting used to her newfound abilities. She still didn't know the extent of what she could actually do, but she was getting the idea. She never actually came close to strong demons before. She had only personally seen a handful based on her experiences, and she tried not to go near the barriers around the academy as much as she could in fear of undergoing a situation she wasn't sure she could handle. She remembered asking Lady Agatha about her ability to sense demons' presence and if she could train with it, but the last time she asked, she was told that she should temporarily continue the 'usual' while the woman continued to look into the matter.

Although this was nothing compared to the presence of the demons around the academy, it was there.

She looked around and felt the tiniest sliver of suspicion. Now that she started to study her surroundings, the whole thing felt unnatural. Well, everything was out of place from the start. Considering how it was winter on the other side, and this place suddenly a blossoming nest of blooming flowers and teeming shrubbery and plant life.

A place of unsettling peace.

This wasn't the typical peaceful place one could actually let their guard down in. If ever, it made her hackles rise further. It was the same feeling as throwing yourself in the lion's den. This place resembled a Venus flytrap.

Tamara walked forward, rubbing her jaws and popping her knuckles. Charles, on the other hand, looked around suspiciously. The other members of the Twelve were in utter disbelief.

"This doesn't seem to fit an image of a city 'overtaken by demons'." Zion crossed his arms and eyed his surroundings dubiously. "This doesn't make sense at all. Winter's blowing hard on the other side of the tunnel and spring's in full bloom?"

True to his words, things didn't turn quite the way they expected it to.

Was this place supposed to be Loquin? Or were they mistaken? Valeriana was having the exact same thoughts.

"Well, this is unnerving. I expected a snowy scenario, but this completely went against my expectations."

"Don't get deceived by appearance." Corvan said, raking his fingers through his hair. The long strands slipped silkily between his fingers. "You saw what happened in the tunnel. This might be a trap."

Like, how does he do that with his hair.

"He's right. Don't let your guard down." Rowe agreed.

"I won't ever be comfortable in a place that's too peaceful anyway." Tamara commented. "Ah, so does that mean I can get out of these clothes? I'm feeling hot already."

Silently, Valeriana agreed with both of her previous statements.

"No." Corvan waved his hand in disapproval as Tamara started taking off her winter coat. "Keep those on. This is still Prelurésia, we don't know what to expect."

The third-ranker muttered protests. "But I'll sweat a lot if I keep it on . . ."

After taking a few seconds examining their surroundings, the second-ranker decided to speak. Valeriana took the time looking between each of her comrades, silently wishing them luck. Even Courtney, who she briefly exchanged gazes with. It was awkward having to look into each other's eyes though, seeing as both of them had an unpleasant history. Seeing that, they looked away at the same time.

"Well, this is where we part." Rowe said, the soft chatter of the others on the background.

"Make sure none of you die while you're at it." Elfre quipped as she turned her back and went with her group to the direction they were supposed to be heading.

"Nobody's going to die, of course." Someone said.

Zion approached Valeriana with a smile. She was just about to avoid him when he suddenly caught her wrist and pulled her back.

"Not so fast!" He exclaimed before tugging on her hand and bringing her fingers into his lips for a kiss.

The way his lips landed on her knuckles seemed almost surreal—and watching and letting him do that made her feel flustered as well. He looked up and smirked at her reaction before the girl willfully pulled back her hand, hiding it behind her back.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Oh, but I had to." He charmingly flashed her his seductive smile before winking. "I rarely even have time to talk to you seeing as you're very feisty and stubborn about avoiding me. I'll just have to chase you down if I must."

They both didn't notice but Corvan was eyeing Zion with utter disgust and what looked like contempt. As though he wanted to incinerate the guy and bury him alive somewhere no one would find him. If looks could kill, one could consider Zion dead.

Corvan looked away, huffing. Inwardly, he questioned himself why he even cared. "Enough with those unnecessary goodbyes. Let's head out!"

"Someone's jealous." Genevieve snickered, prodding her brother's ribs with her elbow.

Zevlin returned the gesture with equal playfulness as they both tried to go unnoticed from the first-ranker's piercing eyes. "I know. Shh."

Zion sighed and walked away from Valeriana. "Looks like I have to go."

"Seriously? Why don't they just kiss each other already?" Elfre crossed her arms as she stood beside the twins.

"It's because Corvan's an idiot. He obviously likes Valeriana." Zevlin said, shaking his head.

"I know. I don't get why those two doesn't realize it yet. It's agonizingly painfully excruciatingly devastatingly obvious!" Genevieve said.

"I didn't mean Corvan. I mean Zion."

The twins looked at Elfre, shocked. "You want Valion?!"

Elfre returned the look with confusion. "Did you mean valiant?"

"Valion!" They chorused. "As in, Valeriana and Zion!"

Elfre shook her head. "You combined their names? What is up with that?"

"It's a must! We watched this movie with Valeriana and they have this 'OTP name' thing." Genevieve said. "But Zevlin and I are cheering for Corval!"

"Corvan and Valeriana?"

"Yup! It's obvious those two are into each other." With that statement, they gave a smug nod to Elfre and gave each other high-fives. "High-five!"

"I don't think I like those two together. Zion's better." Elfre told them.

"Corval!"

"Valion!"

"Alright, you three. Enough with that." Tamara clapped Elfre and Zevlin on the back before pushing them to different directions.

Corvan and Charles merely exchanged meaningful glances at each other, both not bothering to speak a word. Valeriana and the others knew that there was more to the look in their eyes than the words they could speak. Right then, they all became curious. Those two including Rowe might be planning something without their knowledge. What it was, they dared not ask.

"You know," Valeriana started as she watched Charles turn his back on them and follow after the group he was supposedly leading as they already left him behind. "I feel like Charles is acting more like the leader than you are." She said to Corvan. "Isn't that supposed to be your job?"

"Don't take it the wrong way." The first-ranker answered. "Charles may be telling you what to do but that's only because I told him to tell you to do it."

It took a few seconds for Valeriana to register what he meant exactly, but when she did, she couldn't help but get irked of his arrogance.

"Yeah, right. So you pass off your responsibilities to another person. Geez, what a responsible leader you are." Her boots pounded against the cobblestone pathway as she trained her eyes towards the stairway behind a wrought iron gate, the sound simultaneous with the others.

"Are you mocking me?" He turned to her with a glare.

"Nope." She answered, popping the p. "Just saying the truth."

His lips twisted. "Do not ever say that I shirk my responsibilities as a part of the twelve. I do everything but that."

The frown he made seemed almost permanent as he said that. Seeing the look on his face, Valeriana realized that she struck a nerve. He was probably serious, after all he looked genuinely angered. Now she felt bad insulting him.

"Alright. I'm sorry." She muttered. "I didn't realize that would offend you."

He straightened his back, the crease between his brows slowly vanishing. The look of anger, now replaced by confusion. "You're apologizing?"

"What do you think of me as anyway?" She asked. "I do know how to apologize when I'm wrong, you know."

They both went silent.

"Charles is better at explaining things, so I let him do the job." He said instead. "He's better acting as the strategist after all."

"Isn't that Tamara's job?" She asked. "Then doesn't that mean she's not doing it if Charles is doing it?"

"Hey!" The woman hollered sourly. "I try to do my job! It's just that Charles is better."

"So now you know who's actually shirking her responsibilities." Corvan told her, a wide smirk on his lips.

Tamara fumed and opened her mouth to speak when Keelan decided to butt in. "You're no good at doing it anyway."

"You mess up." Brindon plainly added.

"I do not mess up!" She glared at each of them angrily, her anger and fury as evident as her red hair.

"Then what do you do?" Valeriana asked, laughing quietly to herself.

"It's not my fault you guys choose to let Charles do it and not me!" She exclaimed, unwilling to answer the question. She huffed, crossing her arms and lifting her chin proudly.

Keelan cracked up. "That's because you never do anything right. No offense Tamara but you . . ." He continued to laughing, breathing in deeply.

"End up not doing your job properly." Brindon finished for him, seeing as he could no longer do it himself.

"Right. Right. I was getting to that." He said. "Besides, you aren't actually good at anything other than fighting and getting into trouble." His forest-green eyes twinkled with laughter although not a sound escaped from his mouth. He was trying to hold his snickers in, seeing as the third was already fuming with unvented anger.

"I'm good at something else!" She argued.

"Like what?" Valeriana challenged, feeling fun to tease Tamara with the other rankers. Corvan looked amused as well.

Tamara froze. "P-poetry!"

"Which are actually rhyming words that came out of your mouth coincidentally." The first-ranker smirked at the expression Tamara was making.

"Pottery!"

"You tried that?" Said Brindon this time.

"Gardening?"

"The plants died the next day." Keelan said.

"Cooking!"

"You burned the food." Valeriana sighed, shaking her head.

"Sports!"

"You make a terrible player." Corvan looked at her disapprovingly. "You sent the other players to their grave."

Tamara began brainstorming. "Writing!"

"You didn't get farther than two words."

"The flute!"

"Never saw you play it."

Silence fell afterwards and Tamara failed to think of another skill she insisted on being good at.

"Alright. I give up." She surrendered, her head hanging limp on her shoulders in disappointment. "I may not be that blessed after all."

"I think you're good at something else." Brindon told her.

"Really?" They all turned to him, eyeing the boy questioningly.

Brindon stopped walking though and didn't speak another word. Instead of answering, he turned and looked behind him.

The others could only raise their brows at the sight as they, as well, ceased from walking and diverted their gazes towards the direction where he turned to. There, they saw Courtney standing frozen on the path they walked on like a deer on the headlights.

"Um . . ." She trailed off, looking away. "Rowe told me to bring you something you will need." She strolled forward and reluctantly placed a leather bag on Corvan's hands, all the while obviously trying not to pay attention to the current fifth ranker.

Corvan gave her a glance before turning to the item she gave him. He tugged gently on its clasps before pulling on the flap and looking inside. He took a few moments staring at what it could possibly contain, so brief that he didn't even give the others a chance to see for themselves what Rowe sent over.

Corvan dragged his gaze back towards Courtney, throwing the bag over his shoulder. "Is that all?"

"Well . . . I suppose." Strands of her hair fell loosely over her face, brushing the tip of her nose. "I'll be going then. I've done what I came for." She then turned to leave.

"No." Corvan said after her. "Stay and come with the group."

"I'd really rather—"

Tamara pulled Courtney beside her, smiling widely at the girl. "You know how much I've missed you? Don't be in such a hurry to leave so soon! I need someone on my side against these four!" She cried. "You won't leave me here all alone and helpless will you?"

Instead of staying to listen to Tamara's overdramatic dialogues, Corvan decided to go on ahead. Brindon followed him shortly, but Keelan stood quietly watching the two girls. Valeriana hesitantly urged her feet forward.

"No, Tamara, I am not—"

"Just as I thought!" The third cut her off. "You really are as kindhearted as you seem."

"Tamara! Let me go this instant! I did not say anything about—"

"And here we can now enjoy the beautiful scenery of a city overtaken by demons! A tour of a lifetime you surely wouldn't want to miss!" She continued, talking nonstop. "Valeriana is doing great as the fifth-ranker, but I missed having you around too!" She then waved at Valeriana. "Sorry about that, Val! Love you!"

Valeriana turned to her with her brows raised. "Really?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head, feeling a faint smile appear on her lips.

They finally reached the wrought iron gate. Corvan reached over and pulled it open for the group, letting it noisy hinges creak noisily. Going through the gate, Valeriana climbed the stairway ahead of her, feeling troubled by the suddenness of knowing that Courtney was actually going to join their group.

So . . . this was awkward. What got to Corvan that he made Courtney join them? It wasn't like she hated Courtney or anything . . . it only felt awkward to have to work together with your former enemy—the same person who you took the position you're holding from.

One word—awkward.

After finally reaching the top of the stairs, Valeriana stopped short and thought for a moment. Maybe this was a good time to patch things up with the former fifth-ranker.

But how exactly was she going to do it?

Looking back at Courtney and the others, they seemed to have missed her so. Well, even though she now took the position as fifth-ranker, there was no way she could replace Courtney. Before even coming, she already forged a bond with the others.

Knowing that, she sort of started feeling shy about acting. But if she didn't do it, Courtney surely wouldn't either. The girl had that pride of hers. It would be hard for her to swallow it—since it was probably as big as the sun.

Even so, all the doubts about Courtney being responsible about the demon attacks were somehow erased from her mind. From what happened the past couple of days and hours, she was able to properly acquaint herself with Courtney—not exactly through communication though, nor was it exactly mutual. But, would someone like Courtney be actually be able to do such horrible things?

After contemplating about it, there was no way someone like Courtney would be responsible for those events. She could be hotheaded and . . . 'bitchy' at times, perhaps, but she cared for Prelurésia. She was a proud warrior and noble, much like Corvan. What she did was probably because of the way she was reared—a reliable leader who would someday be one of the people who would lead an entire continent. An entire continent.

Valeriana somehow understood her actions. Courtney was a little rough around the edges, but given the proper time, she would grow. She also had to fix her mindset and attitude a bit—fix her viewpoint about humans and other things.

Taking a deep, long breath. She decided.

She was going to make up with her. Make friends and something else.

But don't you remember? A voice whispered from the back of her head. She tried to kill you before.

She shook her head. Courtney must've had a reason. Whether it was because Valeriana was really annoying or she just was really angry.

Nevertheless, Valeriana had that thirst. She wanted to get to know the girl she defeated in the duel. She wanted to understand Courtney, get to know her some more. Valeriana wanted to know the reason why she did all the things she did. There was no way she could accomplish that if she wouldn't take the initiative to do something.

Corvan brushed past her, his face nonchalant. But something gleamed in his eyes, something that words would not be able to express.

That was when she realized.

Yes. If there was anyone who knew Courtney, it would be the Twelve.

This must be their way of helping the two of them understand each other and solve the issues they were having. Because, even though she acted very badly towards Valeriana and treated her horribly, discriminating her from the rest because of what she was . . . there was no way Courtney could be that evil.

They would know. The whole Twelve would know.

Because, setting aside their differences, they were all friends.

No one said anything about it, but that was a notion that went untold. They must've not tried to bring up the topic back then when they were in the academy, but considering the things that have been going on, they decided to do something about it.

Corvan and the others sure had a different way of doing things.

But that was only because they were the Celestial Circle.