17 LET THE GAME BEGIN...

Diana's POV*

"MAX, LIAM IS...LIAM IS DEAD!"

My eyes widened after hearing the word DEAD. How can someone die on a college trip? That's just…

*Emilia's POV*

I was just rambling around when I heard someone shout that Liam is dead. I was stunned. Liam worked with Lucas in the restaurant and he d-died!? Lucas and Sebastian stood beside me,thunderstruck.

After hearing that random guy everybody followed him to where the body was . I was about to see the body. The sight was shocking, I saw blood when I was about to see the body ,Sebastian hugged me as he knew I cannot see dead bodies. The sight was ungrateful. He hugged me tightly.

Lucas stayed there and Sebastian took me out of there.

*Sebastian's POV*

I knew how Emilia felt about dead bodies. I took her out of there. I saw Diana, she was leaning on a tree with a straight face. As if she felt nothing. My eyes trailed off to her hand. The Guardian mark wasn't there. I was relieved but wondered how was it possible? Even though we aren't on good terms but that can't change the fact of what she has been through.

I told Emilia to stay at the tent and take some rest. I went back to the place where the body was at,the police and ambulance were already there by now. I was going closer to the scene when Lucas pulled me and said "This isn't a normal death. Dylan will somehow convince all of them into thinking it was an accident. But...it was the demon." he sighed "We can't live normally for even one day! Can we?"

I knew how Lucas felt. He has always wanted to live normally but just couldn't.

"At this point I'm not even shocked at how harsh reality can be," he added. I felt bad for him.

We all went back to the camping area. Lucas's eyes were searching for someone. When he saw Emilia he felt relieved.

"You still care about her?" I questioned.

"Nothing can change the fact that she is a Guardian," he replied while looking down.

"She isn't the Guardian. Don't worry. I know you said harsh things to her. Things she did are unforgivable, but...you somehow can't fully hate her can you?"

"Firstly I"m still angry at her because of what she did to Emilia. I know Diana is my closest friend after you guys and Crystal but that doesn't mean she can hurt you all and I'll just keep quiet. Secondly...What do you mean by she isn't the Guardian? She has the mark on her hands."

"Look at her hands now. Do you see any mark?"

"How's this possible?" he said in disbelief.

"Maybe the angels think she ain't the right one!"

*Diana's POV*

The day passed by. Everything was so quiet today. After hearing about Liam's death, nobody seemed to be interested in camping anymore. How would they? Someone just died out of nowhere and the chaos was too much. I was sitting outside the tent with Caleb. Our professor called us all. We all gathered as he spoke

"I know you all are feeling down after what happened today in the morning. But one shouldn't mourn forever, right? Today we didn't have any chance to do something fun or interesting. So we planned out a treasure hunt for you all!"

Everyone's face glowed up! Our teams were already divided. And I was so unlucky neither I had Samantha or Caleb on my team instead I had Crystal. She stood beside me and rolled her eyes.

"UGH...Why do I have to be in your team?" She said while rolling her eyes.

"Your eyes will fall behind if you keep rolling them!" I snapped.

"Just go to…-" she was about to shout back at me but I left her alone while she stood there dumbfounded.

I saw Caleb making a puppy face. I smiled and mouthed "it's okay!"

"OK! So, now that you are standing with your team each team will get Five boxes and you are gonna select five members who will put their one belonging in the box. The boxes will be exchanged among the two teams with clues written for the next box. But there's a twist when you all collect the five boxes the last box will have a clue to this box, the final red box. Whoever finds it first will be declared the winner. The winning team will get their favorite cuisine for which Max is in charge, and the losing team will do the dishes."

There were cheers and boos but we all were excited.

The game began we all were trying hard to find the boxes. Our team found four of them, I guess I got the brains for it but then again Crustal kept irritating me and my members weren't of any great help either. I was going forward and when I looked back there was no one "Okay? So you all ditched me? Ughrhrh!" I groaned. But luckily I read the last clue. It indicated to a tree. It said, "It's magnificent centuries-old, huge cherry I'm close to you, you may see me!" that's when my bulb fused! It was an oak tree its near our camping site!

I ran there. The box was on a branch tied with a rope. "Woah it has camouflaged here!" I climbed up the tree and got the box. I opened it, it said that I won but the belonging in the box seemed familiar, looking closely at it I realized it was Sebastian's necklace. But it looked incomplete the pearl that used to be stuck on the necklace was missing I was looking at it when Lucas snatched the box from me.

"You don't need it," he remarked.

I was astonished by what he said I was about to snap when our professor blew the whistle and declared Lucas's team the winner.

I scoffed and saw a small scratch on my palm because of the box I hissed a little and went back. We had our dinner and our team did the dishes. It was such a work. Caleb came to help me but I refused "Hey it was a fair play. Your team won. Go get some rest now!" I smiled at him. He couldn't refuse me so he went back. After doing the dishes all alone cause my members ditched me and I had no other option but to do the task.

I wanted to have a chat with Lucas about earlier. He is crossing the lines now. And I cannot take it anymore after all I'm a human! I have a limit.

I saw Lucas all smiley in the tent. I didn't want to go in because I didn't want to face any one of them at the moment. I messaged him to come out. He looked at me as I gave him the look. He came out looking annoyed and asked "What do you want now?" in an irritated tone.

"As if I am interested to talk to you. Anyways why did you do that earlier? I mean I know it was just a game but I don't mind if I win or lose but I was just looking at the necklace. Nothing more you didn't have to be that rude." I said.

*Lucas's POV*

"You don't know what would have happened to you if you would have taken that necklace," I said. Even though Diana didn't have the mark of the Guardian on her hands anymore that doesn't change the fact that she was the daughter of a Guardian it's in her blood.

*Diana's POV*

He kept saying things that I didn't understand. My eyes went up the sky and I saw the crescent moon. I felt my body heating somehow. Lucas went on. I couldn't understand what was happening to me. I left Lucas there as he kept talking things I couldn't take on board.

I couldn't walk properly. I reached my tent and sat down near my luggage. I drank cold water but that didn't help. I switched on the table fan, even in this chili whether I felt hot. I couldn't understand what was going on in my body? I took off my jacket but nothing changed. I looked at my phone it was 11:30 pm it was too late to wake up anyone and ask for help. I wanted to get out of the tent when I saw my pouch glowing. I took it and noticed the two pearls were glowing in aqua color. "Is it that time already?" I whispered.

Anyhow, I put the pouch in my pocket and went out. I started to run I couldn't bear the heat I kept running until I saw the pearls that were inside the pouch in front of me floating in the air. I was shocked. They formed a triangle as I stood in the center. I kept looking at the pearls when I saw a shadow coming towards me. I tried to step back but couldn't. I only saw white smoke in front of me. The figure came closer the smoke disappeared and I saw a man with a big built. He felt familiar. There was someone I always used to dream about, as he saved my life once. The scar was a bad memory but he was the one who saved me at that time, he looked exactly like that person. I thought he never existed as it was a vague memory of someone saving me. My mother told me that it was me only who saved myself as a child I believed her.

He kept looking at my timid figure as if he was someone close to me. The way he looked at me made me feel warm. I was feeling hot all this time but it was all gone when I looked at him. As if he embraced me with just one look. He had platinum golden blonde hair, wearing all white clothes with golden and silvery embroiders. His eyes were platinum they were shining with happiness but still looked sorrowful. His eyes had pain still he smiled. Who was he? That was the only question I had in my mind.

He broke out the silence "It's been so long… my child!..