Knight | Celeste Academy Series BK #1

35th Chapter ♣ Guardians of the Heaven's Sword

"To become a full-fledged Celeste, a complete eight years of experience in the academy is required."

♣

Chapter Thirty-Five ♣ Guardians of the Heaven's Sword

When classes ended, Valeriana dropped by the infirmary for her healing session with Olivia. After that, her hands felt a load better and she thanked the woman a thousand times before running off to head back to the dormitories. On her way out, she saw Corvan leaning against the wall next to the door.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes. "It's for the inauguration."

"What inauguration?"

"Don't ask questions. Just come with me."

He left her there, looking confused. Valeriana followed his retreating form and decided to keep quiet and do what he told her to. She couldn't help but feel curious. Still, they trod a path Valeriana remembered never taking and was more than confused when they met with Headmaster Kylon and Lord Aeron. They were standing in front of wall with a hanging portrait of a knight holding a mystical sword—it was a dead end.

"Lord Aeron? Headmaster? What's going on?" she inquired, brows furrowing in confusion. "Did I do something wrong?"

They were staring at the picture on the wall depicting the image of a man holding a seemingly unearthly weapon. Valeriana couldn't help but feel captivated by the photo and instinctively leaned closer to examine it. The sword seemed heavenly. The surrounding glow around it was eerie and mysterious, yet Valeriana knew it was a significant characteristic to portray the power it held. The man wielding the weapon did not shine any less. The long, golden flowing locks that delicately clouded around his face due to the blowing wind and his matching golden eyes added an air of elegance and nobility around him. The regal aura would make anyone grovel at his feet.

"Do you know this man, Valeriana?" Headmaster Kylon asked.

"I don't know . . ." she trailed off. "But my guess is . . . is this King Friedel?"

"That's right," he replied, nodding. "The legendary man who founded the first kingdom of Valemnia which his descendants still continue to rule. The very man who put the demon lord to sleep."

"And that weapon?"

"Ah, so you noticed it," he said. "That's Ouranos, Heaven's Sword, the weapon given to the king by the gods to help defeat the demon lord. It contains tremendous holy power that can only be wielded only with those who has the blood of the king."

"Where is it now?"

Lord Aeron grinned. "It's in front of you."

"Huh?" She looked at the man disbelievingly. "What? It's just a picture."

Looking back up at the portrait, she gave it a hard stare before looking back at the Court Leader, who smiled knowingly at her. She looked at it again and squinted until she saw a button as small as a dot on the sword's guard. Curiously looking at the three men before her, they nodded at her encouragingly—except for Corvan who remained still.

She reached towards the portrait and pressed the small button before pulling back her arm slowly. Nothing happened for the first few moments until the stone wall suddenly rumbled and moved, revealing a pathway that led to a very dark basement.

Valeriana cringed and jumped back. "I should've known. Where a castle is, there are always secret passages," she said, gulping. "What's down there?"