180 Chapter 180: Guardians

Hazel gasped as she unconsciously took a step forward to be only stopped. She slowly turned her head towards the frowning Jinha.

"Did you forget who he is?"

Hazel bit her lips as she shook her head. How could she forget? 

They gave her nightmares after discovering about Rin's connection with them. 

"Guardians" Hazel spoke, her voice quivering. On seeing her worried countenance, Jinha softened his gaze. 

Guardians were people who could predict the future and control time easily. The guardian clan secluded in the mountains between Sun kingdom and Crytal kingdom away from prying human eyes. 

The Guardians abhorred royals who used their status to force their will on them. The time when the Guardians treated equivalent to God was absent nowadays as the greed grew in humans. After the battle, the people started hunting down the Guardians just to escape their calamities that led to the declination of their clan.

They never cared about what happened to the guardians once they predicted the future or once they changed something in the upcoming events. As the royals started to prison the Guardian, forcing the latter to predict their future. The number of people who died in the clan increased as each prediction took their life essence away.

When things took a sudden turn, the Guardians decided to live their lives in seclusion until one fine day, a royal prince stumbled upon a Guardian maiden. He played with her for a week and threw her into a den of wolves like him. 

The royals drained her mentally and physically until the end. When the clan came to know about the royal's horrendous deeds, they became furious and unleashed their wrath on the people. That day, people feared them as they looked like miniature Gods descended to unleash their wrath upon these mortal beings. 

That day served as a warning to everyone to not slight the Guardians. Years passed, and the Guardians have decided to show themselves to take away Hazel's light. 

'Never'

Hazel glared at the intruders making the guardians who had followed their Chief shiver. 

She bit her lips and retracted her gaze when she saw Rin turn to her with his angelic smile.

"Sister" 

He waved his hand excitedly and then pointed at the cat as he marveled, "Isn't Luna beautiful?"

Hazel pursed her lips before she moved her eyes towards the red-haired youth who was keenly observing her. She narrowed her eyes making the man smirk. 

"I never thought I would meet the rumored prince on the street." 

Many eyes turned towards him instantly and the sound of swords unsheathing echoed inside making the red-haired youth's followers laugh.

One of the guardians chortled, "Seriously? Do you think you can defeat us?"

Rin frowned at the guardian's words, not liking the fact that they were threatening his sister. He glared unhappily at the red-haired youth. Biting his small lips, he wiggled in his arms making the latter chuckled.

Rin pouted, "Brother Spiros, let me down."

Spiros, smirked as he tightened his hold over Rin making the latter displeased. He raised his hand to ruffle his hair gently and asked, "Didn't I ask you to call me Uncle?"

Rin looked wronged as he said in a soft voice, "But you don't look old."

Spiros laughed. 

'Such a cute nephew!'

"I'm your Uncle by blood so don't you think you need to call me by that title."

"By blood?" Rin tilted his head as he asked confusedly. 

Hazel widened her eyes in horror. 

'Uncle?' 

Spiros glanced at Hazel over Rin's head and nodded, "Yes" Instantly Hazel looked over and her body shivered under his cold stare.

'This guy...how dare he stakes a claim on her brother?'

Hazel let out a deep breath and looked at Rin. 

"Rin, come over here"

Rin who was confused by his brother Spiros's words, instantly turned towards Hazel when he heard the hidden urgency under her note. He nodded vigorously and tried to wiggle his way out of the hold But as much as he tried to escape Spiro's, he couldn't.

Spiro smiled widely when he saw his nephew's face turn red from exertion. He was grinning and watching his nephew when suddenly he was hit by a slash of fire, letting Rin accidentally down. 

"Don't touch him" a cold voice snarled making him raise his eyebrow. He looked down at his sleeve that was half burnt before his eyes shifted to the scurrying rabbit.

The rabbit immediately clung to the angry woman's legs and gazed up at her with blinking eyes. He watched in amazement how the complexion of the woman's changed from boiling mad to love in an instant.

"Chief" his people called out in worry as they came over to look at his arm. He waved his hand, dismissing their worries as he stared at the royal duo. He wanted to laugh when he saw the princess shield his nephew away from his eyes.

'If I wanted to take him away, I would have taken him long before you knew.'

He looked at Hazel and commented, "I heard the princess was very kind." He paused as he examined her face, and continued with a slight shake of his head, "but never heard that she enjoyed violence so much."

Hazel snorted making the smile disappear from Spiro's face. 

"You shouldn't keep my nephew away from me."

Hazel's face darkened as she tightened her hold on Rin and shouted, "What nephew? He is the future king of this kingdom."

For the first time since he entered the room, Hazel saw the anger on his face. His face twisted as his lips curled backward. 

"Future king? You think a guardian would become the king of your likes?"

He roared, "He belongs with us"

Hazel shuddered as she held Rin tightly and exchanged gazes with Jinha who nodded at her. The soldiers formed a protective circle around Hazel and Rin, allowing them to leave early.

But before they could move, Rin asked Hazel in a soft voice, "Sister, what's wrong?" 

Spiros looked at Rin before he looked at Hazel and smirked, "Aren't you going to tell him?" 

Hazel looked up at him warningly which he ignored. He took a step forward and immediately the soldiers, as well as Jinha, pointed their weapons at him.

Spiros ignored everyone as his eyes focused on Hazel as he asked, "Aren't you going to tell him the truth?"

Hazel mumbled under her breath, "Shut up"

Rin knitted his brows as he looked at his sister who had an aggrieved face and then to Spiros, who had a strange expression. He spread his arms out and stood in front of his sister, glaring at Spiros, "You can't bully my sister"

Spiros's eyes landed on his nephew and his gaze softened. He asked, "Would you protect your sister, Rin?"

Rin nodded determinedly making the latter smile.

"Will you keep protecting her knowing that she was lying to you?"

Instantly Hazel screamed at him, "SHUT UP"

Spiros smirked, " Are you not planning to let him know about his true lineage?"

Hazel stared frigidly at him as she said, "That's none of your business." 

She pulled at Rin, urging him to leave when Spiros asked, "So you are never going to tell him that he is not your brother?"

Suddenly Rin froze as he turned around and asked horrified, "What?"

....

Inside Usui's ward,

Julie and Lily were pacing back and forth as they wondered what was happening. Half an hour ago, some guards rushed towards them and urged them to stay inside Usui's ward. 

"Just what is happening out there?" Lily asked as she paced worriedly.

Julie shrugged as she looked at her sister who was pacing worriedly. Her eyes moved towards Usui who was sleeping soundly without any care. She sighed, "Sister, would you please just sit down? You are making my head spin with your walking."

Lily glared at her but took a seat beside Usui. Her fingers caressed his face as she spoke worriedly, "I feel like something is wrong."

Julie pressed her lips. Even she thought the same when the soldiers hurriedly pulled them to Usui's room. Suddenly their ears perked up at the approaching footsteps moving along an irregular rhythm. Julie stood up and glanced at Lily, "I will go check it out"

Lily nodded and watched her sister leave the room before she looked at Usui and whispered, "I hope Hazel is safe."

As soon as Julie stepped outside the room, she saw a horde of soldiers running towards the main hall. Furrowing her brows she stopped one of the soldiers and asked, "What's happening?"

The soldier widened his eyes before he bowed his head down and greeted the princess. 

Julie waved her hand, and urged, "Tell me, what's happening? Why is everyone running in a hurry?"

The soldier stammered, "The G-Guardians are here"

Julie widened her eyes in shock, "What?"

The soldier nodded, "Apparently they are here for the little prince. Princess Hazel refused to hand over her brother so everyone is rushing forward to protect them."

Julie nodded and saw the soldier hurry off before she entered the room, mumbling, "For Rin?"

Lily straightened up and asked hurriedly, "What's wrong?"

Julie pursed her lips as she conveyed to her sister what the soldier said. Lily's eyes grew wide as she asked in disbelief, "What connection does Rin have with that clan?"

Julie bit her lips and shook her head. 

Lily hurriedly stood up and said, "Let's go over and help them. We might be able to protect Rin and help Hazel."

The room returned to its serene stillness as the party left the room. But soon the silence was broken by a weak stutter.

"Frey-aa"