123 Chapter 123: Danger

Zelal sighed exasperatedly, "Come on, brother. You can't be serious to think that Hazel romantically loves Jinha. It just doesn't fit."

Usui grumbled, "What else am I supposed to do? How can I not believe her words when she gave me reasons?

Stella went forward and wrapped her arms around him, patting him comfortingly. She could understand how Zeke believed those words in that moment of weakness.

Usui leaned towards her as he remembered his anger when he heard that Jinha and her were a couple. He wanted her to reject those gossips but then, somehow or the other, things went downhill. But now, listening to their words, why does it all feel wrong?

He slumped on the bed and buried his hands on his palms. He mumbled, "So are you saying that there is a teeny tiny chance of that being a lie?"

Stella looked at Zelal before she nodded. 

"Yeah... Well, we don't have the mind-reading ability but from what we have seen, I think you do have a chance."

Zelal nodded and said, "I think the same... like even if the part of Hazel being in love with someone else is true. I don't think that someone is Jinha. Maybe it could be a person we haven't heard of like the one which made her go all bizarre at that small clearing in the forest."

Stella knitted her brows and thought, 'Bizarre? The person which made her go crazy?'

Then her eyes widened in realization, 'Is it the one whom she lost? The reason why she couldn't forgive herself?'

Usui looked at his brother grimly before falling back on the bed. He gazed at the ceiling and asked quietly, "So are you trying to say that I have a chance?"

"I guess...for love you always need to take chances. Just imagine love like a deep pond that you have fallen in. And, once you have fallen deep, you would want to grab onto any chances thrown at you just so you could remain afloat. If you let go of all the chances, you sink to the bottom of the pond like how we get drunk after a heartbreak."

Stella looked at Usui and said, "So, it all comes down to whether you want to take that chance? The one chance which might or might not give you what you want."

Usui stared at her blankly making Stella lean back against the table. 

She shrugged and said nonchalantly, "If you still want her, that is"

Usui rose from his position and narrowed his eyes, "I only want her in my life. She is the only one who has the right to stand by my side."

He looked down at the floor and mumbled, "The one who stole my heart. The only one who can make me feel all these strange emotions."

Stella clapped her hands and smiled widely, "Then you know what you need to do. Go get her, Zeke. I'm sure you won't regret taking this chance."

Usui looked quite lost at their words. To be honest, his mind was cleared up after several days. He was always walking in a daze after her rejection that he didn't know what he was doing. But now, his mind was cleared up with a single goal.

He wanted to know whether her words were true, whether she was lying to him, whether she loved Jinha. He knew that it was risky but like Zelal said, his heart was already broken once and nothing more can harm him. He had already faced the worst.

But one question ran through his mind. If the theory is true then, why did she lie?

Usui shook his head trying to thwart those questions away. He wanted to focus one by one. He laughed cheerfully making Stella and Zelal look at each other.

He is back

....

Twilight

Hurried footsteps echoed across the hallway making people make way for the two women who were running as if their lives were at stake.

"Isn't that our President?"

Hazel and Liz ignored those voices as they hastened their pace towards the Council.

Liz was sitting beside Zack who was fast asleep on her bed when Hazel entered with a flustered expression. Liz raised her eyebrow curiously but saw Hazel shake her head at her. 

She smirked inside, 'Later... I will drill it out of her.'

Her smirk faded when their bracelets emitted a bright purple. She looked at the bracelet before looking at Hazel who was staring at her with wide eyes.

They were in sync as they rushed out of their room towards the Council room. Their bracelets were specifically made for emergencies and lighting it up only means one thing - The academy is in danger.

Hazel and Liz met with Usui and the group in the middle of the hallway. Hazel panted while she took a look at his group. She saw Stella smile at her and wave her hand before she looked at Zelal who was staring at Liz.

Her eyes wandered back to Usui and to her surprise, she saw him staring at her. She knitted her brows as she thought, "Now, what is he thinking?"

"Council room"

They both said in unison before they hurried towards the Council room. They hurriedly opened the door with a loud bang making the people inside look at them in surprise.

Hazel wiped her sweat from her forehead as she asked urgently, "What's the emergency?"

A sudden silence fell upon them before they turned towards Loki and Zeno who was inspecting something.

Hazel furrowed her brows and approached them when she heard Jinha say worriedly, "Dhalia was attacked."

Hazel paused in her steps as she asked horrified, "What?"

Zeno finally looked up from the paper on the table and exhaled heavily, "The situation is quite strange but we have no means to know what and how it happened. Or whether there are any survivors left."

Stella asked urgently, "But why? Isn't Dhalia a little distance away from us? We could go and come back in a jiffy."

Zeno looked at her and shook his head sadly. He lifted his lips in a sad smile, "The entire town Dhalia was burned to its ruins. We won't be able to find any clues but.."

Hazel swiftly looked at him and asked, "But, what?"

Loki straightened up and said, "We have got the news from our people that they had spotted black marks."

He looked down and frowned, "Things are getting out of hand. But I can't seem to find the reason why they are attacking the towns."

Reyna nodded, "Yeah... attacking the towns to search for their lord seems to be not the case."

Hazel bit her lips and approached the paper which turned out to be the map spread out on the table. She furrowed her brows as she thought of something. She hesitantly took her pen and crossed the towns on the map, making her frown.

The others started discussing the reason behind each attack when Reyna saw Hazel let go of the pen in shock. Worried, she approached her and shook her shoulders, "Hazel?"

The others turned to look at Hazel who was staring at nothing in shock. Reyna looked at the map and gasped, "What the-"

"What is it?" 

Jinha asked worriedly as he wrapped his arm around Reyna and shook her slightly. She pointed at the map and saw what Hazel had done.

Jinha's body shook slightly and looked at Hazel who was pale in horror.

Jinha looked at the rest and asked slowly, "Which cities are near to these two towns?"

Zeno raised his eyebrow in shock as he gasped, "No way... Why didn't I think of it?"

Ren yelled worriedly, "Would you tell us what's the matter?"

Suddenly Usui spoke worriedly, "Doesn't Vernania and Dhalia lie between Crystal kingdom and our academy. Since the demons have attacked the two towns, then it only means..."

His face contracted as he continued, "We might be the next target or it could be the kingdom."

Everyone looked at Hazel who had her hands into fists. She looked up and said frostily, "They have also cut off our escape routes."

Town Vernania and Dhalia were their escape routes in case a battle were to befall on them. They counted on the towns to let the younger ones escape but now, it seems like they can't. She clenched her jaw when she thought of how her kingdom was also at risk.

"So what do we do?"

Loki rubbed his chin and said, "It looks like in either case we are surrounded."

"Our west and east towns were taken out while our south is the Forbidden forest. Now, it's only the north city that is in between Crystal kingdom and us."

Zelal looked at him and said, "But if they attack the north city, it means that they are trying to attack us."

Stella asked out of nowhere, "Are you sure they won't attack the kingdom?"

Loki nodded his head, "If they attack the north city, that means they have surrounded us. Unless they attack the Lilux city, they wouldn't be able to surround the Crystal kingdom."

Lilux city was the only guarded place in the entire South area. That was one place where all the military stayed making it the most guarded place. It would be really dumb to attack that place.

Hazel took a deep breath and ordered, "Since they have reached this far, we should be prepared for the invasion."

"Shouldn't we protect the city?"

She shook her head, "We won't reach in time. We can only inform them to evacuate."