19 AWAKENING

*Diana's POV*

It was a wild monstrous wolf. They are huge and dangerous. I have read about them in tales but never thought they were real. Emilia was wounded. Blood was trilling down her forehead and her hands were bleeding. She wasn't able to get up because her legs were stuck and if she moved an inch the wolf might eat her. I slowly moved forward and pointed my bow and arrow in the direction of the bushes. I chanted the spell that was coming up in my mind and shot my arrow. The wolf was distracted and went in that direction, "Hah took the bait!"

I ran towards Emilia and helped her to get up. "What are you doing here? Do you even know what that is?" she asked. I felt the wolf's presence near us and said, "I don't have time for that. Run towards the camping area and I'll follow you shortly."

"Are you crazy Diana?"

"The birds will guide you towards our campsite. Follow them, and trust me I'll be safe and return on time! I can feel his presence.!"

Emilia somehow left the place while limping. I saw her figure fade away as I sighed in relief but that was not it. I could hear someone snarling behind me and of course, it was the wild wolf. I turned back and was terrified. It looked hungry, in tales it was mentioned he used to feed on humans as a whole. And after witnessing every myth turning true. I believed it. I aimed my arrow towards him as he was slowly coming towards me while I walked back swiftly. I shot my arrow but it missed, well I was nervous! He laughed. Did he just laugh? And then said, "So you are the famous Guardian whose rumors are all around" I was beyond shocked. I watched him transform into a human form. It was a guy, he was fully covered with dirt and was naked. I didn't let my guard down, I was still pointing my arrow at him. He gave me a dirty smirk and licked his lip as he said," You are gonna be a good meal for my dinner. I haven't had this much beautiful girl as my meal for a long time." He transformed back into his wolf form. I don't know why but I felt the urge to say something. "Let's have a duel you dirty dog!" I could feel his anger, he punched the ground as I got pushed back and hit my head and back on a tree trunk and groaned. "Bad choice Diana. Argh" I stood up wiping off the dirt from my body I saw the vision, a vision of my mother doing magic, somehow I knew all the spells.

While I got the vision the wolf gave me another blow making me fall on the ground I groaned again "Yaa...give me time to get up at least!" I shouted and he was taken aback by my behavior. I stood up again and felt immense pain in between my chest and stomach. I felt anger, the same amount of anger I felt when I killed my mother. I glared at him as I noticed my hair turning white I recited all the spells that just kept coming into my mind and used them. All the rocks flew towards him and he was injured I took this time to take up my bow and arrow I aimed at his eyes and shot him in the right eye. "Bull's eye it is!" I was about to shoot him in the other eye when I felt a sharp pain in my head. I saw a black smokey figure that had a shadow beside the wolf. This pain I had felt before. It was Emilia who did this. I didn't lose my grip on the bow and arrow But I was frozen in my spot. My mind went blank as I tried to recall the fire spell as I stood there helpless. My bones were breaking but I couldn't fall, my legs were giving up and so was my body. The wolf came near me and I could feel his saliva on my arrow he held my neck and choked me as he picked me up he was about to throw me when I recalled the spell and shot my arrow, it went inside his mouth. I was thrown by that huge wolf, but he didn't win either. After swallowing that arrow he was behaving like a mad dog and was burnt to ashes. The black shadow disappeared. I was thrown a long way back but I was able to see all this because of my vision. The fall was hard I couldn't move any muscle in my body, I spitted blood from my mouth as I kept looking at the sky full of stars, I lied there helpless, the vision in front of me was getting blurry I was barely able to see anything, my eyelids felt heavier as time goes by and after that, I blacked out…

*Emilia's POV*

I reached our tent, the boys were laughing and joking around but their smiles faded away as they saw me all wounded. "What happened to you?" Jade asked with all the worries and helped me out to sit down. They all bombarded me with questions when they all stopped talking as I broke out and said "I was helpless and vulnerable today for the first time! There was a wild wolf out there in the forest and... You guys stopped me from doing my magic and I…" my eyes were red as I kept crying. The boys stood there while pitying my broken figure. When I suddenly remembered about Diana.

"Diana!" I panicked as they all looked at all confused. "Why are you mentioning her name all of a sudden?" Sebastian asked annoyed.

"Lucas! You gotta save her, she saved me! She was the one who saved me! Her birds helped me find the way. She is in danger, she's all alone! And…"

"And what Emilia?" Sebastian asked.

"She has turned. She is the Guardian, but that doesn't mean she can fight the wild wolf all alone! Go to her!"

*Lucas's POV*

I was astounded. Just an hour ago she was talking to me and now she is…

"Didn't you all say she isn't the Guardian anymore? How is this possible then?" I mumbled.

"You guys go to her and I'll stay with Emilia" Dylan suggested. We all agreed but Sebastian was nowhere in sight.

*Sebastian's POV*

After Emilia told us that she was the Guardian I left the place that moment. I ran through the woods as my mind kept thinking negative thoughts. "Just be safe Diana...please! I'm sorry for whatever I said to you! Just be safe please!" I kept running as I encountered the worst scene: The wild wolf's ashes. I could feel it. "Ahh" I groaned as I felt weak, this region had a lot of negative energy which drained my power. I didn't give up and kept running as Diana wasn't there.

I kept running as my energy kept draining. After running a few miles I saw a body lying on the ground, I ran faster, I kept falling on the ground but I somehow reached her. I stood there aghast at the sight of so much blood. She was wounded and looked vulnerable. I felt her pulse and it was very weak! "Please be fine Diana Please!" I pulled her in my embrace. I saw her Guardian mark and it was still glowing. I channelized her and gave her my energy just so that she can be alive! She opened her eyes for a short period and her pulses were back. I sighed in relief as it started to pour. I picked her up in bridal style and walked back to the campsite. I felt weak but I had to take her back. Halfway through I saw Lucas, Jade, and Asher. I was about to collapse when Lucas took Diana. Asher and Jade helped me to walk as I hung on their shoulders to balance. We all reached the campsite.

*Caleb's POV*

I was running back to our tent when I saw Lucas carrying a girl in his arms and a boy somehow injured who was hanging on Asher and Jade's shoulder. I wondered what happened but I didn't have time and also it was raining. I went back into our tent and saw Samantha sleeping peacefully but Diana was missing. My eyes widened as I remembered that the girl Lucas was carrying was wearing the same clothes as Diana. I was confused and angry. I took an umbrella and made my way to their tent.

*Lucas's POV*

We all came into our tent and I laid Diana onto my bed. She was all wet. I took out a towel and dried out her hair. Asher and Jade helped Sebastian to lay on his bed. I told Emilia to look after her for a while. I went to Sebastian. He was half-awake. I was worried. I asked him, worried "What happened to you?" He slowly sat down taking my support. I helped him to get a cushion to lean on. "Her pulses were weak. I had to do something. She was bleeding too. So…"

"So what?"

"I gave her a little of my energy!"

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? WE WERE ALMOST THERE! WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING THIS DANGEROUS? You still haven't gained your powers yet! Do you wanna die even before you get to live? Huh?" Sebastian was about to say something when Caleb barged into our tent. "Diana...What the hell is she doing here? What did you do to her?"

I was about to answer all his questions even though I didn't want to! When Dylan stepped in.

*Dylan's POV*

This human just barged in and bombarded us with questions. I was already done with everything happening around us in one night. I stood in front of him and looked him in the eye and said, "You came here and saw Diana. Diana told you to go back to your tent as she wanted to stay the night with us because of some business." I compelled him and after that, he went back. I looked back and they all were staring at me. "What? Well someone had to make that human understand!" They went back to minding their businesses. The rain stopped and I went out to take a stroll as I was done too much with today.

*Author's POV*

Emilia helped Diana get changed and cleaned her as she was still unconscious. All of them slept after such a tiring night. Lucas went to Crystal's tents to sleep for the night as Diana slept on his bed. He didn't want to leave but Emilia forced him to. They all were tired and slept peacefully.

But Sebastian wasn't able to sleep. His bed was just beside Diana's. He kept looking at her. He felt sorry for her. He was reminded of every hurtful word that he and the rest of his friends said. A lone tear fell from his eyes. He kept looking at her when he realized she wasn't comfortable sleeping. Her forehead had wrinkles while she kept murmuring something in her sleep.

*Sebastian's POV*

I went to her and held her palms. It was sweaty. I came closer to her lips to understand what she was saying. She kept murmuring the same words. She murmured "I"m sorry mom" I didn't know why she kept saying that but I whispered to her "I'm sorry Diana, I won't hurt you from now on. Please forgive me!" I slept just like that, clutching her hand.

*Author's POV*

Sebastian slept behind Diana just like that. But what nobody knew was that the black smoky shadow was still following Diana. The black smoky shadow was watching all of them sleep peacefully as he smirked and said, "Sleep peacefully for the night Diana. I'm coming for you and your friends…"