They trekked the grounds that led to the direction Rowe's group pursued. Valeriana needed Aden to guide her as she wasn't very familiar with the grounds. They had to go back to the very entrance of the city where the fork on the road came, splitting into different paths.

Valeriana and Aden broke into a run, with Iolani flying behind them. The girl had hopes of catching up to the others to inform them about what was going on, hence, she looked up at Tamara's familiar and decided for the best.

"Iolani, why don't you go ahead and inform Rowe about what happened?" She asked.

'As thou wishest.'

The bird bobbed its head at her and did as she was told, soaring swiftly through the air with her large wings.

Fact was, if each of the groups were being attacked one by one, then what of Rowe's group? The girl had her doubts about them being next on the 'attack' list and she couldn't afford to let anything happen to them.

"Iolani's the perfect messenger bird." She muttered. "But we gotta do our best too. Come on, Aden."

Aden ran slightly behind her, panting. Sweat broke on his forehead and trickled down the sides of his face as he wearily followed the girl. He was already panting like a dog as he continued to run alongside of Valeriana and looked more than ready to collapse.

"I-I'm sorry . . . miss." He beseeched, reaching out for her back. "I am not as fast as you are and I do not think I have the same endurance as you do."

She slowed and stared dubiously at him. "Are you kidding me? I usually had to have Corvan slow down for me!"

"Y-you . . ." His knees shook visibly. "Seeing as you're one of the Twelve, it's no wonder."

Valeriana quirked a brow at this. "Are you alright?"

He bent his back forward and rested his hands on his knees, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "I'm alright. Please go on and leave me behind. I'll catch up." He nodded encouragingly at her, pushing her to run.

"I don't think I can leave you here." The girl replied with slight hesitance.

"Go." He said. "I swear I'll be right behind you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Then, I'll be going ahead."

Valeriana disapproved of leaving anyone behind, but seeing as she was in a rush and Aden himself told her to go ahead, she had no choice but to do so.

Aden watched her disappear. When he was certain the girl was out of sight, he leaned against the nearest tree and sank down, muttering angrily. "How could she last so long running that far and not even break a sweat? God, those people are monsters."

"Leader," someone called from above. "Should we move?"

"Patience." He looked up at the tree to find a pair of eyes staring at him past the branches. "Those people got overwhelmed, too. That girl was the only one immune from among all of them, and her conversation with that bird—I hardly got anything. Just standby and wait. I still have to see if these people are worth the risk."

With that, he stood up and headed out.

Valeriana breezed through the open pathway, past numerous trees and falling autumn leaves. There were crunches that resounded beneath the soles of her shoes as her feet continued to pound against the ground, fragments of dried leaves flying behind her as she continued to run. Her breathing slowly became labored, sweat soaking her back from the exercise.

She saw figures from a distance.

Iolani was talking to a snake curling around Raziel's torso while she rested on Rowe's shoulder. They had different appearances than the usual. They had shed their winter coats and donned themselves in 'peasant' clothing, something that wasn't flashy by means of appearance and threw in some dirt as well.

Their ragged appearance caught Valeriana completely by surprise, but made her stifle a giggle as well.

She stopped, reminding herself of what just happened.

"Rowe!" She yelled, running forward even faster.

She saw them turning towards her, following the sound of her frantic calls. Zevlin and Genevieve jumped at the sight of her while Raziel looked as though he was disgusted with himself. It probably had something to do with his appearance. Rowe, on the other hand, came forward.

"Valeriana. It's good that you are safe." He then smiled reassuringly at her. "You do not have to worry about Corvan and the others. If ever, this might actually be the perfect plan."

"Really?" She looked at him, hopeful.

"Yes." He nodded. "Though I do wonder if Charles will cooperate."

"Why not?" Valeriana asked. "I think we don't have to investigate the city anymore."

Genevieve came forward, her brows creased in concern. "Why? Have you found a substantial amount of information for it to be not needed?"

"I guess. I don't know." She shrugged. "But what I know is that the season around the city is being controlled."

"The seasons? That explains a lot."

"I have someone with me who can explain on the matter more than I can." She told them. "But, we have to save Corvan and the others right away!"

"Is that him?" Raziel warily pointed behind her.

They all looked towards the direction Raziel was pointing at and saw Aden staggering to catch up with Valeriana. He stopped before them, collapsing on the floor as he tried to catch his breath. Holding up a hand while flashing them a pleading look, he began to speak.

"I-I . . ." He gasped. "You didn't . . . even break a sweat!"

"We didn't run that far, did we?" Valeriana wondered. "And my back's soaked." She corrected.

Rowe chuckled as he pointed out, "You ran quite a length actually, Valeriana."

"Maybe teaming up with Corvan and all that work out you've been doing the past few days in the academy caused that. I do admit that the first-ranker is quite the slave-driver." Raziel whispered, shaking his head as though he was reminiscing something.

"I know, right?"

"Even so, we have to do something about this situation immediately. If Corvan and the others were abducted, then that means the enemy is on the move." Rowe stated, turning serious. "Did that demon give you any clues as to why he targeted your group?"

"He just showed up and challenged Corvan to a fight." Valeriana answered, her brows furrowing. "The way they talked seemed really personal."

"So this demon has an issue with Lord Corvan?"

"So there was an advantage splitting up." Zevlin quipped.

"We're going to have to depend on Tamara to keep the others safe while we work something out. And since things didn't go as planned, it's best if we try to regroup with Charles and the others." Rowe decided before he turned to Aden with a comforting smile. "And what is your name?"

"A-aden." He answered.

"Well, Aden? You are willing to help us." Rowe flashed him that equally charming smile.

Valeriana shuddered as she stared at the second-ranker. Although his face was benevolent and his tone gentle, the way he spoke meant that he was not asking a question, but rather demanding something from the boy. Rowe had his own way of being 'intimidating'—truly something Valeriana hoped she would never have to face.

"I-I am." Aden hesitantly nodded.

"Wonderful." He said. "Now, let us find Charles and the others. You don't mind, do you? Iolani?" He turned to the bird who gave him a pair of uncaring eyes, as though she knew what he was going to ask of her.

'Thou dost not need to ask that of me.' Tamara's familiar replied, her eyes moving in a very similar way to that of a roll before taking off.

"Now, let's think up of a plan."

#

Faolan had first contemplated whether he should leave the others behind and take the person he came for, but he thought twice and opted to bring them all along instead. He would be able to use the others to threaten the brazen Lord Corvan if ever he decided to fight. He doubted if the lord would simply choose to comply with his lady's demands, and it wouldn't be wise for her to become upset once again.

Asthore had come cheerfully bouncing towards him as he entered the family manor with a few of the Celestial Twelve in tow. He remembered that they were more than a dozen when they came to the city, so he made a mental note to find the others before they cause him bigger trouble.

Still, no matter who they thought they were, they were still a bunch of snot-nosed brats who thought they could take on the world. That explained their attitude when they confronted him. To underestimate the enemy was a big mistake. It was clear to the demon that they have not gathered enough experience. What made them think they could easily defeat him with such attitude?

He was about to shove the others into prison when Asthore told him that he wanted the boys separated. They were to be treated like honored guests while the girls were to be detained as prisoners. He did not know what to make of Asthore's command, but did it nonetheless from the fear of upsetting her once more.

Inwardly, he felt very disgusted. He despised having his lady acting that way towards other men, but she still felt happy, so he would try to bear with it.

After having to carry three men to a guest bedroom, he would have to attend to Asthore's needs. The other servants were no longer present as they could not fulfill her wishes as she wanted them to. So far, he was the only one who could perfectly do as she wished, but he knew that his time was running out.

Faolan shoved the three on the canopy bed sitting in the middle of the room he prepared and worked hard to decorate himself. To think some useless morons would occupy it instead horrified him.

Rushing out of the bedroom as casually as he could, he still could not hide the look of revulsion and utter displeasure crossing his expression. Faolan stifled the urge to bang the door behind him as he closed it.

An endless river of curses filled his mind. He knew he would have to face Asthore right after this, so he could not allow himself to show her such nonsense emotions. It might possibly cause her to become upset.

Taking a deep breath, he willed the tensed muscles on his shoulders to relax, letting the calmness wash over him. His brushed back his raven-black hair, sweeping back the unkempt strands in an attempt to fix his appearance.

"Milady . . ." He found himself thinking about the way her icy blue eyes shone with innocence.

He had decided long ago that he would protect that innocence with his very life. Faolan made it his goal to keep those eyes from shedding tears. "To never make you cry . . ." He trailed off.

Without realizing, he reached into the breast pocket of his outer coat. The material was unbelievably clean with not a speck of dirt to be seen.

Even so, he looked down and felt a wave of sadness as he stared at the soft color of pastel blue silk in his hands. The velvety feel of it against his skin came with that heavy emotion that weighed down the corner of his lips. How light it felt inside his grip was equal to how heavy it burdened his heart.

He was willing to damn his soul for eternity if need be.

'Do you want to be invincible? You want power, do you not?'

He bit his lip as he recalled that memory.

'The only way for you to get what you want is to agree.'

He had stared into eyes that reflected utter darkness, the very doors that tempted him to walk a path of eternal damnation in exchange for fulfilling his grandest wishes.

But alas, what could he have done? He was about to die that time anyhow. He was beaten, battered, and bruised. He would have not survived.

Borrowing the abilities of a demon was the only way he could think of.

"Faolan!" Asthore called.

But his wishes weren't for himself.