Celeste Academy One Shots

The Vanishing

A/n: I've LITERALLY always wondered what Corvan seriously went through when Val disappeared. This also doesn't necessarily follow the original plot line :) there will be a part two

When Keelan and the others had arrived, Corvan's breathing was shallow, his heart rate erratic and his normally tanned skin was the color of snow. Keelan took in his surroundings quickly, but saw no signs of the fifth-ranker.

Keelan stopped next to his hurt comrade to begin addressing his wounds. His rough and calloused hands hadn't even touched Corvan's terribly wrapped bandages when the first-rankers eyes shot open in a panic.

"Val. Demon. Help," Corvan managed to croak out as he frantically searched for honey blond hair and azure eyes. Blood coated his teeth, and the eleventh-ranker couldn't tell if it was from getting hit in the mouth or from the large wound under the gauze.

"Just lie still. We'll find her," Keelan said as he gently pushed the first-ranker back onto his side. He was slightly alarmed when Corvan didn't seem to have the strength to resist. Corvan's pupils were dilated as he tried to turn his head, searching for someone who was literally in another world.

It took Keelan and Rowe both to manage Corvan's wounds. By the time they were done, the first ranker was out cold once again except he was stable this time. Occasionally, he would mumble something about a "stupid witch" and a "damn demon" before drifting off.

Eventually, they reached the mouth of the cave with Corvan in tow on a makeshift gurney. His eyebrows were scrunched together in what could only be pain and sweat poured down his face. The first-ranker had been cut out of his shirt so he could be properly bandaged and his torso was coated in old blood.

With a vice grip, Corvan unexpectedly grasped onto Keelan's wrist, making the eleventh ranker jump slightly. For the first time since he had arrived, Keelan could see clarity flash within the first-ranker's green eyes.

"You have to find her. She needs our help, Keelan. That's an order," he said, barely above a whisper as he spat blood onto the ground.

"We have people searching now. You've received serious injuries, cousin. We need to get you out of her, so that you can be seen by a healer."

A heavy silence settled between them as they stared each other down, green on green. For once, Corvan allowed himself to back down with nothing more than a huff of irritation as he closed his eyes to focus on his breathing.

•••

It took nearly an hour to get back to level ground with the first-ranker in tow. Corvan's eyebrows were scrunched together as he continued to keep his breathing steady. His entire body was coated in sweat from the pain shooting up his back and abdomen, but nothing more than an irritated sigh or a small grunt escaped his lips.

As soon as Keelan, Rowe and the rest of the extraction team hit flat land, arrangements were made to have Corvan immediately treated. He had lost more blood on the trip down and the first-ranker seemed to be unconscious once again which made him to unstable to transport through the portals.

As soon as word reached his father, Lord Rupert, a team of the best Arlandian healers as well as some of the best soldiers made their way to Aetheria. When Lord Rupert arrived, he was met with a heart stopping sight. One of Corvan's hands were curled in a tight fist against his chest while the other hung limply over the edge of the medical cot he had been placed on. Goosebumps and blood coated his entire upper body.

Of course, Corvan had suffered his fair share of injuries. Saskia loved to tell the story about the time their eldest child, Deli, shoved Corvan from atop a tree in the garden. Upon landing, Corvan had broken a leg and busted his head wide open.

At the time, they had hoped that would be the worst injury they would ever have to nurse, but they knew that would be too good to be true.

Without a moment of hesitation, Lord Rupert was by his son's side as the healers assessed the damage and prepared treatment to help the first-ranker stabilize. Throughout that rough and long night, Corvan would periodically wake, looking for Valeriana.

The other rankers had searched high and low for the blonde fifth-ranker. Lord Charles and Tamara had even personally dredged the water from the lake in case things had taken an unplanned turn for the worse, but it seemed as if she had simply vanished into thin air.

The only person who might've had any clue to what had happened was lying in a medical tent, fighting to return to consciousness.