Oxygen. Finally. Lovely, blissful oxygen-rich air. She took it in greedily, feeding her deprived deoxygenated blood rushing through her veins from the adrenalin.

Her vision was cloudy, spasms wracking her entire body as it tried to raise itself from the temperature it dropped into. Her hands were stiff, her skin numb and goosebumps trailing her skin beneath her clothes. Blinking up towards whoever helped her, she saw Tamara, asking her if she was alright.

"Quick! She's too cold!"

"Get out of that spot, quickly! We can't light a fire in that area!"

"Don't . . ." Her teeth chattered as she tried to spew out the words. "Don't kill . . . those demons." She gasped. "They aren't . . ."

"Hey! It's alright now, we'll warm you up. Promise." Tamara tapped her cheeks and grimaced at the coldness that bit at her own skin.

The snowy-white creature emerged from the water just then, steadily mounting the ice and pulling itself out. Tamara and Zion, who had come to her aid, were amazed from the sight as it shook its fur and gazed at them.

"By the name of the five great gods!" She gasped. "Are those golden eyes?"

With a short step forward, it opened its mouth wide and roared.

They covered their ears and leaned away from the sound. Once it died down, a huge change in the air shifted.

"Tamara." Zion said in urgency. "Give her to me, hurry."

"Oh, right."

"Listen, Valeriana." The blue-haired lad started. "I am so sorry for leaving you alone back there. I just couldn't wait for you to-"

"It's alright . . . I didn't die."

Zion's arms circled around her weak form and cradled her before hoisting her up. Within a few moments, they were already making their way to the nearest carriage. Tamara wanted to make the ice firmer, but the weird thing was that the ice itself was hardening too fast to be normal.

The other Twelve were busy 'cleaning up'. There was an entire pack of these things. It would've been nice if they were caught but fact was they were too strong to hold captive. The entire vicinity they just traveled on had been turned to a battlefield, with holes in the snow and cracks somewhere in the ice. The train of their carriages was disrupted, not to mention significant damages were inflicted.

Courtney was with Brindon, Keelan, and Aneeka. They were busy honoring the dead-one driver and a few horses. They were unfortunate enough to have been the first targets of the attack. They tried not to get the man killed, but his panic eventually caused his own demise. The rest of the living horses probably ran off into the wilderness. The other drivers who survived though, one sustained injuries and was unconscious but the others were fine. Charles, Rowe, and Corvan were all wearing worried faces in their own style.

"Tamara!" Aneeka jogged up to the approaching group. "Have you found her?"

"She needs fire." Tamara said plainly.

"Oh my gosh!" Genevieve said. "What happened?"

This cued a signal as they all gathered around Valeriana with both worry and wonder.

"Is she alright?"

"What happened? We heard a roar."

Corvan glanced their way at the declaration and saw the state the girl was in. Without further ado, he approached her, eyed Zion warily, and looked forward to examine her. The non-ranker only shrugged when their eyes met and innocently smiled.

"What?"

"Are you familiar with the plasma coating?" The first-ranker asked him.

Zion responded with a short, "Huh?"

That was all the answer he needed.

"Put her down." He commanded.

Zion went to the nearest carriage that was in good condition-well, half of it, considering a certain somebody with a name starting in T thought it would be a good weapon and cracked a bit of it out of desperation-and made way for Corvan. The young lord rubbed his palms together and procured a small ball between his hands. He then leaned over Valeriana, who gazed at him with her azure blue eyes, and stretched the ball around her. He pulled it downwards until it reached her foot.

"Whoa."

The ball resembled a bubble of some sort, but that was more of the surface characteristic it possessed. It molded into the shape of Valeriana's current position, adjusting itself that it resembled a skin-tight suit.

"I cannot subject her to a sudden change in temperature as that would prove to be detrimental to the body." He said. "The plasma coating is an efficient heat insulator, it will slowly help her regain the heat she lost submerging herself into water."

Valeriana forced herself to say, "Thank you." After a while, a thought occurred to her. "Where are . . . the demons?"

"We knocked them out!" Zevlin said from a distance, grinning widely.

Seeing as the girl could not talk too much, seeing as her jaws were halfway frozen, the third-ranker stepped in for her.

"Something big's going on, you guys." Tamara stated, looking between her comrades with rare solemnity. After a short pause, she and Zion stepped aside to reveal the sight of the purified beast making its way towards them gracefully.

"What." Elfre began.

"Is."

"THAT?!" Keelan yelled.

"That looks like those beasts we fought . . . only white . . . and not a demon." Aneeka stated slowly, trying to wrap her mind around the idea.

"No way on Valemnia." Courtney crumbled to her knees. "I never thought I would see . . . they are still alive?" She could not help but show the joy on her face. "They're the most sacred animals in Prelurésia, the guardian animals of the continent. The Gilerads."

The innocent, quiet drivers were all suddenly struck with awe that they started prostrating themselves-hailing . . . praising.

"So that's why it had golden eyes." Tamara muttered while everyone else was somewhat shocked. "By most sacred, that means they're also the messengers of the north!"

It held a grace only felines would possess, not to mention its captivating golden eyes. Making its way towards them slowly yet magnificently, every step it took seemed to increase the tension and awe from the entire group.

'Where is the girl?'

They all parted as it made its way through, pausing as it looked up to take in each of their faces.

'I have roamed these mountains with my pack for a while now. But now, it seems I am the only one left who has not given in to demonic temptation.' It said, before looking towards the Evereeshan second princess. 'I see that thou hast the blood of Degenhard Veralidaine and a few of you are descendants of the original Celestial Knights.'

Courtney was too star-struck.

Its mouth moved in resemblance to a smile. 'This girl.' It looked at Valeriana. 'I owe thee my thanks. If it weren't for thee, I would've stayed a demon.'

"What about your uh . . . friends?" Zion wondered.

''Tis no problem. This beast will be responsible for bringing back the entire pack.' But then, its smile seemed as though it faded. 'This lake before us was not always frozen. 'Twas a lake of purity. It helped us maintain our right mind and condition as we were somewhat very weak to demonic influence. 'Twas the price we had to pay for our invincible physique.'

"Oh, so that was the reason why your hides were so thick. But then, since the lake was frozen . . ." Charles could not help but contemplate. "Why didn't you just break through? Seeing your strength and elemental abilities, you should've been able to at least crack it a little."

'We are incapable.' The beast answered. 'We have been cursed. Even if we try to break it, it will mend itself together at a faster rate than normal ice.'

"I did see it." Valeriana muttered, feeling a bit warmer than few minutes ago. "It was weird. But I guess since the carriage was in between and cracked it a bit, it couldn't mend itself that well. When I tried to swim back up, I couldn't see a hole anymore."

"You and your carelessness." Corvan suddenly interjected, remembering the incident the stupid girl had gotten herself into. "Did you not hear the call when I said to disembark?"

A look of irritation crossed Valeriana's face. "Seriously . . . I'm sorry." She shivered before looking at the others who were gazing at her in both wonder and confusion.

"She was too fast asleep." Zion started, rubbing his neck with guilt. "I opted to get the weapons first. I tried to . . ." He then

"You are both to blame." Corvan scolded.

"Wait, Zion." Genevieve tugged on his arm, noticing since a while ago that he was injured. "You're bleeding? Are you alright? I can heal you if you want-"

He looked down at the ranker and refused. "No, it's fine. I deserve this anyway for my cockiness."

"Good thing you are finally aware." His archenemy bit at him. "I was wondering what in the world it was going to take to tell you that your inflated ego is insubstantial to protect somebody else. And here you are blithely prancing around with gaiety as though this was some sort of game you play as a child! Now you see how unreliable you are-"

"Alright, I get it!" Zion exclaimed, his nose flaring. "I am incapable and unworthy of Valeriana, stop rubbing it to my face! But how about this for once, huh? Lord Corvan? You have no right to tell me what I already know when you-forget it. I don't need to get it through the head of someone whose skull's thicker than the hide of those beasts." He spat.

Zion then walked out on them, heading out to the farthest side of the vicinity to get some time alone.

Tamara started snickering from the background, along with a few others of the Twelve who all turned away so that Corvan would not see their reaction.

Valeriana was amused by how a previously serious conversation turned into something . . . funny. Corvan gritted his teeth at the reaction on everyone's faces and huffed as he proudly lifted his chin ever so subtly that they were all made aware Zion hurt his pride. Again.

'Perhaps thy group has its own problems as well.' The beast said in wonder.

"We all have our . . ." Charles trailed off as he tried to find the right word. "Differences, Your Holiness."

"Do tell, Holy Beast. What got you and your pack into this . . . sacrilegious state?" Corvan started, his eyes narrowing as his mind tried to fully assess the situation at hand, trying to drive away the attention from his and Zion's recent spat. "And why are you thanking Valeriana?"

It was very suspicious. The first-ranker found it unconvincing for the fifth-ranker to have done . . . this. Turn a demon back to its original state? Cleanse a holy beast and restore its purity? This was a Gilerad for goodness's sake. Messengers of the north and were subjects to many songs and stories to be one of the most sacred beasts. They were not easily overtaken by demonic temptation, unless through some serious instigation. But who in this universe except for the gods had the ability to turn these creatures into demons? And how, for the love of the gods, did they do it?

'It started during the dawn of spring barely two years ago. A cleansing ceremony was needed in order to maintain the clear state of mind of us mountain beasts. However, one of the pack members happened to chance upon a small boy lying in the snow with grave physical injuries and bruises and brought him to the sacred lake.'

"Why does this sound familiar?" Keelan wondered.

"Loquin." Brindon stated simply. "Tod. Faolan. Demon."

"Oh right!"

'You know of this boy?' Asked the beast. 'How is he?'

"Now that . . ." Corvan paused and everyone else turned to look at him with curiosity. "He turned into a panther demon similar in form with yours . . . he could not be related to this incident, could he?"

'So it turned out like that . . .'

Charles's brows knitted as a look of puzzlement crossed his face. "Perhaps this will uncover a big part of the mystery. We still aren't sure who ever in the world did such an unspeakable thing to the victim. In fact, it is highly plausible that, to obtain the power Tod had used in that little scheme of his, he must've performed a contract with a demon-but . . ." He almost ran out of breath at the realization.

After a while, the fourth-ranker started going on and on about other speculations that the Twelve started giving him looks of dubiousness.

Tamara was the first to sigh. "We lost him."

It was when the quiet and most calm of the group, Rowe, stepped forward and started doing the negotiations on behalf of everyone within the team. "We introduce ourselves to you as the Celestial Twelve from the Academy of the Celestial Knights."

'Ah . . .' It nodded. 'Knight fledglings, how wonderful. Then thou canst call me Cifaro. Shall I go on with the story?'

"Please do."

'The boy was on the verge of death because of the coldness and even we had no chance of reviving him. He was far gone, and anytime he could lose his life. But that was not the only battle he was fighting. Demon markings had invaded the skin of his arms and legs, not too far from his heart. In an effort to save him, we tried to lay him at the bottom of the lake to help purify his soul. However, something strange was amidst. The moment his body touched the water, ice broke through the surface. A blizzard of dark snow rained upon this place. And that was when we knew it had been too late.' Cifaro showed his upset by hanging his head low.

"Alright this is freaky. Since when was holy water not effective?" Valeriana quipped, causing all eyes to turn to her. "Sorry. What happened next?"

He lifted his eyes and gazed at the eyes of the former fifth, challenging her calmness. Nevertheless, Courtney unwittingly steeled herself at the eye-contact. 'It was a dark entity I am not certain of. We are invincible with our hides, but our souls were fragile. If we do not cleanse ourselves that day, the lake will not be pure enough the entire year around to help safeguard us from demonic temptation. Of course, we were foolish enough to try breaking the ice with our strength, but the ice grows back before we could even try. The raining snow left impurities on our white coats, subjecting us to unbelievable transformations that completed just this year. I lost myself before my older brother, and now I am uncertain what happened to the others.'

"This . . . dark entity." Charles had already taken out his notebook, a pen ready between his fingers, not to mention the fire of determination in his eyes. It was amusing how he looked like a detective. "Any sort of clue you can give us?"

'From front to back will point a star,' Cifaro started cryptically. 'To the right then the left its sweeping starts. When the head turns black like coal, the moon will bleed to our goal. Obtain the cross, face a loss. Break the shield, start the wield. Rubies will open by the morning light.'

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

Everyone felt frustrated by the indirect and cryptic message the beast gave to them that the guys were all losing their minds. The girls could not help but stare into space, their minds blank. Even Valeriana was gaping. Charles, on the other hand, was hesitantly writing everything down.

'A message it left behind. I am unsure myself.'

"I'm confused." Said Elfre, speaking up. "Not just about that, alright? It's not spring, is it? It's supposed to be summer. If you can't purify yourself if it's not spring, how are you like that?"

''Tis that girl.' The beast turned to Valeriana. 'I am not sure what abilities thou hast but I am certain that thou hadst helped in the purification.'

"WHAT?!" They simultaneously cried.

"It seems we need to go back to the academy sooner so that investigations regarding this case can go underway." Charles said. "Not to mention, I need the answers to the questions and I am more than willing to lay some solutions to this problem. Like what is this dark entity? Of course, since it must be related to the abilities Faolan had obtained, not to mention a contract, it must be a living organism of some sort with consciousness. I am not sure if it is a sentient being, but that will be answered soon enough. The clue, I am unsure what symbol a star can hold, nor the rubies. What is the head-"

"And . . ." Tamara started. "We lost him again."

"How exactly will we go back, though? The carriages are destroyed, one of our drivers is dead, not to mention the horses are gone." The twins commented. "And we're cold. We'll freeze ourselves before we can even go farther than a mile from here."

Silence ruled over the entire group until mad grins tugged on their lips. The maniacal look on their faces seemed as though they were ready to do something . . . criminal that Valeriana felt nervous about how the wheels were turning inside their heads.

"Do you need further help with the restoration of your pack, Holy Beast?"

''Tis not needed.' Cifaro seemed amused. 'Thou canst go, unless you have an idea in mind and would like some action. I shall have to ask thee to refrain from hurting my pack brothers, however.'

Corvan turned to Charles with a mad grin, his eyes as bright as a child whose favorite treat was awarded to him. "Charles, have you thought up of a plan already?"

"Why?" The fourth inquired. "Have you?"

"I have. But I'm not very good in strategies so I might need a bit of help."

"Interesting. Let me hear it."

Cifaro could not help but chuckle at the kids before him. 'I shall need to ask thee a favor, aside from this.'

"What is it?" They asked, exchanging glances.

'The leader of this pack is called Amril.' He started, stepping forward as his fur vibrated from a soft sound he made in his throat-perhaps as a sign of reverence. 'He is also my older brother. An alpha's presence can be felt by its members, but I cannot sense him at all.'

"I know it's odd but . . ." Zevlin obviously could not contain his excitement. "CAN WE PLEASE GET TO THE GOOD PART ALREADY?!"

Feeling left out, the girl finally said aloud the question she dreaded the answer to. "What are you guys gonna do?" Valeriana fearfully queried.

"What else? Call on everyone's familiars!" They cheered.