It was Lilah's turn. Her opponent was Malcolm, a skilled Taekwondo practitioner.

However, there was little suspense. Lilah effortlessly dominated the match, leaving Malcolm breathless and struggling to keep up.

Suddenly, Lilah glimpsed a familiar figure. He stood among the staff.

Darian!

She spun around abruptly, locking eyes with his towering figure, his face etched permanently in her memory.

It was Darian. What was he doing here? How had he appeared?

“Hey, watch out!" Briseis and Effie shouted simultaneously.

But it was too late. Lilah was sent flying by Malcolm's swift kick.

The crowd gasped in disbelief as they witnessed her tumble.

After enduring a flurry of attacks from Malcolm, Lilah felt shaken, struggling to regain her composure.

Yet, with a quick glance, she saw that the man had vanished.

Gritting her teeth, Lilah refocused on the match. With each move, she gained momentum until she finally outmaneuvered and defeated Malcolm.

“What happened? Why did you suddenly lose focus?" Briseis rushed over, her face filled with concern.

“Lilah, are you okay? That kick from Malcolm was insane. I was freaking out." Hadley's eyes were full of concern.

Quietly, Lilah brushed past them, threading through the crowd while scanning her surroundings.

Darian wasn't anywhere to be seen.

She approached the staff, asking about a tall, handsome man. They vaguely remembered seeing him but had no clue where he had gone.

Lilah hurried outside to look for him.

She combed through the lobby, the nearby beach, and even checked hotel rooms, but found no trace.

An uneasy feeling settled in Lilah's chest.

Just then, an email notification lit up her phone screen.

"Something's happened. Several elders are missing."

Lilah's scalp tingled, prompting her to dial a number she hadn't called in a long while.

The other party answered immediately. "Finally! You've been gone for over a year; it's been a mess! Several elders thought something terrible had happened to you and desperately wanted to find you. But they've disappeared since then..." He ended his monologue with a Long sob.