Katherine POV

"Attention! It has been reported that the wards have been broken from unknown reason and they can't fix it until the next full moon." The leader announced as the guardians gasped in horror. "The sun isn't down yet which gives us a few hours to get ourselves ready. Go to your assigned Morois and places!" he added and got out of the gym immediately. All the guardians except for our group and Dimitri immediately followed the leader and left the gym.

"Do you have assigned places?" Dimitri asked us before he leaves, Eddie was waiting by the door for Dimitri. 'Come on, man!'

"We don't need assigned places. We round the ground, look for the Strigois and kill them." Michael answered. "Don't even try to get in our way." He added threateningly. Dimitri understood that they won't get teamwork from us and joined the rest of the guardians.

We headed back to our place, got our specialized weapons, packed some foods (Yes, we bring foods in our hunts like a trail food for a mountaineer.) and put it all in a smallest bag possible. I got the map of the whole court that I drew before we headed to the gym, strategize our team play. There's no time to waste, the court is in full red alert.

We've been running around for the past five hours since the sun has been down. No Strigoi, No attacks, Nothing. We even checked the wards if it was really broken. We ran outside the wards but we didn't see anything. The hold is suffocating, waiting for the Strigois to come and attack us, not knowing when and where. It's almost midnight and nothing was reported a thing in the headquarters.

By three o' clock in the morning, other guardians are starting to soften down their guards. Thinking that in a few hours; the sun would come back shining at all of us. We couldn't blame them. 24 hours awake, waiting for almost 8 hours to fight and nothing has come. We weren't exactly wanting to have Strigois inside the court but the waiting is messing with our minds.

"We have to know who broke the wards." Sebastian said.

"No shit, Sherlock." Tyler answered grumpily. Patience isn't one of his strong suits, we all know that.

"To know that, we have to know the exact time it was broken." Michael answered.

"Definitely not a Strigoi, breaking it while the sun is up makes it impossible for them." I said. "It's either human or someone from the inside." I added.

"Why would someone from us help those Strigois infiltrate the court?" Mathew asked incredulously.

"Kath might be right." Michael interjected. "Even though humans can break the wards, it's simply impossible for them since the wards are being guarded all the time." He added.

"So it's probably a guardian." Sebastian finished and sat, feeling betrayed.

It has been three days since the war has started and it's a complete nightmare for everyone. At night, we wouldn't hear a single noise or commotion indicating Strigoi attacks. The whole court is as silent as a grave but by the time the sun rises, someone would suddenly scream their lungs out; a death of a whole Moroi family together with their guardians. They were taking us down one by one silently.

Every night, we round the grounds repeatedly every hour into two groups, looking desperately for a Strigoi or any sign that they've been in any place. By morning, we would get some news again about whose family is dead. We would try to get some rest by lunch until afternoon. Before we get to look for the Strigois, we would visit the victim's house, looking for any clue that might get us into anything at all.

We were getting desperate, looking for Strigoi like this, is like looking for a lost needle in a haystack. This silent war is like a virus, not knowing where our enemy is, yet we do know that it's there, lurking by the side. Before the sun sets, Michael and I would start to round the grounds while the rest would lock up the place then start their own patrol. The reason why we divided our team into two groups is while the others hunt for Strigois, Michael and I would look for some clues that would direct us to someone who's behind this.

For now, our number one suspect is the head guardian. It's too easy for him to access all the security of the court. We also consider that Morois can also be a suspect but let's face the fact that from Strigoi's point of view, Morois are far more delicious than a guardian.

Sometimes, we would follow him secretly, waiting for a clue to be dropped or a sign that he's cooperating with the Strigois. But waiting for evidence takes time and we couldn't waste a time while some families die every morning. After following him for two days, we decided that we move on to the next suspect since the attacks are still happening even if he has an eye for him. Problem is, our next suspect is a Moroi, one of those who cast the spells in the wards. We thought that it would be easy for him to destroy the wards.

So the next day, Michael and I decided to split up to check more and budget our time. I would check the said Moroi while Michael continues to check on other suspicious guardians. Finally, by the end our shifts, the three boys managed to stop an attack from the Strigois and killed them while we found nothing. My patience was wearing thin. Since the start of the war, I've got nothing to kill but time. I was expecting a lot more fighting than this fucking mind game. My weapons are starting to get a little dusty and so does my skills.

Michael decided to lay-low for a bit, sensing that we were becoming on their top list of suspects since our group manage to spot and killed the Strigois. I would say that they're just jealous but of course, our team is infamous and they never wanted our help in the first place. We were the 'special case' remember? Because of this, it made it harder to look for suspects when all eyes are on us.

"This is annoying! We helped them and not a bit of gratitude were shown. They even suspect us!" Tyler almost shouted as we walk back to our place.

"Someone's trying to frame us." Michael said quietly.

"Maybe we're getting close?" I said, not really believing what I'm saying.

"It started when we suddenly stick our nose to different suspects. We might be getting close or we might lose him." Michael answered.

"How could you say that we're getting framed?" Tyler suddenly asked, bewildered about what Michael just said.

"I'm not saying that you're not capable of hunting Strigois but why is it that it took you guys four days to spot Strigois. The same day Rose and I chose another suspect to follow." Michael explained.

"Maybe the Strigois became careless." Tyler answered stubbornly.

"Or maybe they're waiting for us to do it to strengthen their proof against us and then let the guardians get rid of us." Matthew said sleepily after taking a nap.

"Makes sense." Michael agreed. "But we shouldn't let them know that we already knew what they're trying to do. We should just continue to do what we already started and act like we still don't know what's happening, supposing that our enemies are watching us." He added in a very low voice.

All of us agreed, vowing to ourselves that we will fight to the end.

DPOV

A lot of Moroi families have been killed but none of the Strigois has been found not until the Power 5 spotted a group of them before they attack another family. Since then, a lot of people are starting to suspect them as the one who destroyed the wards while the said group just ignored it and continued to hunt. But I knew better, they might be infamous but nonetheless, they kill Strigoi, not help them.

They're just finding someone to put the blame to ease their mind or someone's trying to set them up.

Basing on the time the wards has been broken; I was watching their group from a distance. Someone else is helping the Strigoi and pointing their filthy fingers at the innocent group. They've given us a lot of help by hunting them down. I always see them in the distance, running around the whole place constantly. I don't see why someone would want them out of the court, except if you're one of the Strigois, seeing them as a huge threat.

The others might not a feel a slight gratitude at all but I am glad that they're here, saving the rest of us here. So to pay them back, I'll go find that person who's responsible for all of this, the one who started it all.

"Is it okay if I left them with you and the others? I asked Eddie while he's eating.

"I have been actually waiting for you to say that since the wards has been broken." Eddie said with a smug smile. "You should have seen your face when we heard the news about the Power 5 killed their first hunt." He added.

"It's not them." I simply said and shrug.

"I know. They can't be the one who let the Strigois in." Eddie agreed and I breathe deeply, relieved that he's thinking the same. "The people just need someone to blame and end this creepy war." He added.

"I can't thank you enough." I said and knocked on the door of Lissa's and Christian's room told them that I would help the hunt for Strigois. When the war has started, other guardians weren't able to fight and just let others do the hunting. We have to stay wherever our designated Morois are and keep them safe from the Strigois, especially when the said Moroi is from a royal family.

Luckily, they said they didn't mind especially now that Christian mastered his element. He's quite confident that he could protect Lissa by himself, plus there are six other guardians including Eddie in this place, keeping an eye for both of them. In fact, they really think that I should be out there and help the others.

"Kill as much as you can for me!" Eddie shouted and chuckled as I left.

I decided to check discreetly the office of the head guardian first before anything else. If I want to have a clue about the person who's behind this, I'm sure that that place is a start that I should look first.

I walked casually towards the office, while thinking of excuses to say to be inside of that room. I can't just say that I'm there to investigate about an inside job when I don't really have a proof, can I?

I knocked on the door, waiting for the leader to answer. A few seconds have passed; still no answer so I decided to knocked again and called out for his name. I waited a bit, thinking that he might be doing something important or he's not in the office. For the last time, I tried to knock on the door louder and almost shouted his name still, no answer.

So I checked if the door is locked and to my surprise, the door opened. I know I could get into big trouble by doing this but still, I slowly pushed the door slightly and peeked inside. I tried to call out the leader's name in an almost whisper and again, no one answered. I thought this would be a great time to check all the files while no one is here. Who knows, the leader might be the one I'm looking for.

I immediately went to his table when I saw a pool of blood behind his desk and at the middle of it; the leader's body was lying lifeless. His eyes were opened and the shock was definite in his pale face. I immediately shouted for help and went to his side, checking for some traces of the killer. I heard a rapid clicking of heels coming closer and closer by the second. Katherine looking confused as ever.

"I thought..."she trailed for a second before her senses came back. She immediately surveyed the whole room and checked the files rapidly and careful, not wanting to add more suspicion on her side. Few minutes later, a set of footsteps were coming closer to the room while Katherine looked straight through my eyes, a question hanging between us. Will I help her find the guardian who did this? Or we'll be on our own looking for the same thing?

"What's going on in here?!" One of the guardians burst through the doors together with two other guardians who obviously out of breath.

"We were checking the perimeters of this area when we decided to pay our leader a visit. We just found him like these." I answered calmly while I heard Katherine exhaled slowly, obviously holding her breath a while ago. The guardians seemed to weight my words when we heard a scream not far from this area.

"Go. A lot of establishments are being under attack all at the same time. We need some help especially from you, guys. We got this." He said immediately and went to the side of the dead body. Katherine and I didn't need to be told twice and went outside immediately.

We readied our stake at hand when one of the guardians yelled. "Wait!" he said. "Please don't tell anybody about this news yet." He added, afraid of what might happen to other guardians once they knew about this devastating news. We both nodded at him and ran towards the scream.

I have this feeling stirring in the very inside of me. Deep down I knew why, I looked sideways at Katherine. Back then at the St. Vladimir's Academy, I tried as much as I can to protect her. When we attacked the cave before I was turned into a Strigoi, I was afraid for her, for Roza, but of course I won't tell her that. She would definitely say that she could defend herself.

Today, as both of us run towards the fight, seeing how her hair swish through the wind, how her eyes blaze with fire, Rosemarie or not, I could definitely see the person I love and how much she grew into this wonderful young woman. I know this isn't the time to have some sudden realization but I couldn't help it, could I? Whatever she says, Katherine or Rosemarie, I wouldn't let go of this person. I would continue to love her as much as I could. I would hold on to the same fire I always see from the very beginning that I met Roza and I could still see it with Katherine. Whoever she says who she is, she's still the love of my life and I would definitely go back to her in a heartbeat. If only she would give me a chance.

As we reached our destination, I immediately recognize the area. This is the place of one of the Morois who will put the spell for the wards tomorrow when the full moon comes. We immediately searched through the whole place.

It has been a massacre. As the full moon is just around the corner, the numbers of dead bodies are getting higher. Lots of bodies scattered around the house, guardians who tried to give help were also killed. The sight of all the bodies being dumped like they were nothing, it is a nightmare to see. Some were swimming on their own pool of blood and others were the opposite, dried their blood to the last drop. All were wearing the same facial reaction, surprise and horror mixing in their face.

"This is a trap." Katherine whispered to herself. I checked the bodies of the dead guardians trying to speculated we we're about to face.

Sure, it's a Strigoi, seeing the two puncture in their necks but the lack of injuries and others having a pool of blood doesn't make any sense. Why would they waste the blood of the others while some are consumed to the last drop? It was like they never fight at all; just let the Strigois drink from them.

"No sign of force at all." I said to Katherine. "Just like what happened to our leader." I added, remembering the head guardian earlier, wearing the same expression with these guardians as well. "She was stabbed."

"Then it's definitely a guardian." She answered casually and went to sit on the almost destroyed couch. "Give me a minute." She said and then closed her eyes. I could definitely see the wheels in her head turning. Does she really do that in the middle of their hunting? She might be attacked in that situation.

"What the..." She started as she opened her eyes. I just raised an eyebrow at her. She just sighed heavily in return. "Underground" She said simply. "I never thought of it before and it was so stupid of me to never thought of it before." She added not looking directly at me, embarrassed at herself. She stood up and suddenly moved all the bodies aside.

"So... We're looking for a secret underground passage?" I asked skeptically, not really believing what she said.

"Not exactly but something like that." She said as she continued to arrange the dead bodies of the victims. I have no idea what to do next nor what is she doing. As I'm about to ask her, Katherine knelt down in front of the lined up bodies.

"Are you praying?" without thinking, the question just slipped through my mouth.

"No but I'm trying to say thanks to their souls and promised to get back to those Strigois who did this to them." She said quietly. Right. Spirit bounds can see spirits of those who passed away.

"Why not ask who did this?" I asked.

"They can't talk." She answered and stood up. She got some paper from her pocket. "This isn't a trap now. This is just a dead end." She said as she laid out the paper in front of me, a map.

"Where did you-" I started.

"I drew it." She cut off, obviously getting annoyed by all the questions I'm making and started put a X mark to those places that had been attacked for the past days. "The place of attacked are kind of lined up, right? The court has been built hundred years ago and has been remodeled as the time goes and a lot of buildings were added." She said and breathe deeply. "which gives a reason to create a new sewage system and abandoning the older one."she added in a whisper.

"The old one were being used by the Strigois as their passage which enables them to attack directly to an establishment. With that, it looks like they could attack in a broad daylight." I said as I realized what Katherine has been trying to say. Once the wards are sealed again, they won't be able to use the sewage system as their passage so they killed the Moroi who's going to enchant the wards.

"There was no war in the very beginning." Katherine said in a whisper. "We were invaded the minute they arrived." She added.

"What are you saying?" I said, not believing that she gave up already.

"They could have attacked us from the very beginning, giving us an all out war when the wards broke yet they didn't take us on all at once. When Strigois attack large group of Morois, they threat it as a buffet meal. But now, they made us as their food supply. This court is now officially their huge refrigerator that they could just go for a food whenever they want." She explained and sat again on the couch.

We were both silent for a moment, thinking deeply about what Katherine has just said about the state of this court. So this is why they haven't attacked Royal Morois yet huh? Save the best for last. Even though I don't want to believe it, I knew that what she said was right.

"We should go now. You have to tell them everything." She said after a few minutes of our silence but not standing up from her seat. I walked to her slowly and kneeled in front of her.

"Hey. Everything will be all right. Now that you've solved the puzzle, it will be easier for us to fix this. It is all thanks to you and your talented brain." I said lightly but serious as well. She closed her eyes and breathe deeply. As she opened it, the fire was back in her eyes again. I stood up and helped her to get to her feet.

As we went towards the headquarters, we heard some rustle coming from the location of the previous attack. We immediately followed and found a possible entrance from the sewage system.

"We're not ready yet. Inform the other guardians and I'll call for my team." Katherine said immediately not wanting to waste more time. I didn't want to waste more either so I ran towards the headquarters. As I looked back at Katherine, she was still standing at the entrance and talking to her phone.

I never thought that that might be the last time that I would be able to have a glimpse of her.

KPOV

As Dimitri and I found the entrance, I immediately recognize a signal from Michael. He's been here. It was one of our signal shen one of us is in danger. We have different kinds of signals but the one I saw isn't the one I've been expecting from Michael. It's his piece of earing and it still has its lock on and not a single blood is there which means it's not accidentally droppe. But the dreadful thing is, that's the way of Michael saying 'I'm in danger and don't look for me anymore.' It's a dead man's signal.

I rapidly made a call to everyone else when Dimitri left, explaining everything to them and also about Michael. I talked about the location but didn't say anything about Michael's signal. I know once they find out about this, they would definitely follow his wishes.

But I am THAT stubborn. I just can't let Michael go like that now that I know the whole court knew about the sewage system by this time. There would be a help coming from both our team and the court's guardian. I could still save him.

I added my bracelet to Michael's piece of earring, knoing that I can't keep lying to the,. I breathe deeply and readied myself. It might gonna be a long passage towards their base. I stuffed my stake at my back and got out my true weapon. Double sword enchanted with the same elements with our stake. Unfortunately, I'm not just going to stake the, I'll behead them and fight as long as I'd have to to save Michael.

I got down the sewage system and looked back at the entrance. I'm sorry Dimitri, I can't wait for the rest of the guardians. I started to walk slowly and prayed to whoever's out there that I would be able to keep my promise to Abe. As I walk deeper into the sewage system and meet some shocked Strigois, I realized a dreadful mistake. This isn't a passage. This has become their nest itself.

As I came to my own conclusion, it feels like my own ending is coming to an end as well. Lots and lots of groups of Strigoi surrounded me but to my surprise, they aren't attacking me yet. Suddenlym a guardian popped in front of me. Anton Rilet, the second-in-command, the one who showed us where our place is right after the ritual for the new guardians in the court.

"Oh... So you're the one who betrayed the whole court." I said casually. "I'm quite surprised you're not a Strigoi yet." I added with a smirk.

"Oh I will. Soon. And so you are." He said as casual as I am. It seems like we're just talking about the weather in the park.

"Yeah. Yeah. Both sides always want me." I sand and winked at him. "But I'm telling you, I'd rather die than be with you. Strigois smells sucks." I said as I cringed my nose.

"I know you would refuse and... we can't lose more Strigois. Your team are all pain in the ass so I got a present for you." He said and Michael's limped unconscious body has been taken forward and shoved in front of me. I could feel my mask cracking, realizing what the hell is about to happen.

"It took us almost two dozens of Strigois just to take him down. I know it's gonna worth it." Anton said with a blissful smile. "Your dear Michael is going to be dead if you decide not to join us. Bottom line, how many lives do you want to give up, Katherine? Or should I say, Rosemarie Hathaway?" he added.

I am deeply frozen in the ground right now but all the thoughts running through my mind is that I could still save Michael. I know they're going to let Michael go and instead, they would both turn us into a Strigoi. But I want to believe that somehow, someone out there would save us, I just have to trust and risk it. I know Michael would never forgive me but it's better than being dead, right? But if I would be in Michael's position, would I want to be a Strigoi rather than dead? No. Our biggest nightmare is to be like them. I'd rather die and so is Michael.

My decision has been made.

"Wow! You really did consider things, don't you? Isn't that a bad thing? Or you're just shicked at everything that you can't seem to think straight?" Anton said while laughing at me, circling around me.

I chuckled at his statement. "No, not really. I know where this is going and I am going to save Michael." I answered.

"Well...You could have save him in another way." he said darkly as he realized what I just said. "Sorry to say, you don't really have much of a choice." He added in a mock sadness.

"I know." I answered with a smile as every Strigoi around us started to attack and I readied myself to fight until the end. Sucks to know that I wouldn't be able to keep my promise to Abe.

As I'm about to black out, Dimitri face suddenly popped in my mind. I smiled a little. I guess it's true huh? That you see the face of the one you love when you're about to die. I felt a single tear drop in my face as I close my eyes.

THIS STROY IS FAR FROM OVER. THIS ISN'T DONE YET. It took me days to figure out this chapter. Whew! Longest chapter I've written so far! I hope you enjoyed it! Our vacation is coming to an end and a new school year to come. Comments please! Thank you!

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