A few hours after the battle, Xixin's institution was swarmed with people from the Hunter Council and from the Summoner Round Table. Chaos was an understatement.

            On the campus, parents held the bodies of their children while crying their eyes out. They ceaselessly called their children's names while shaking their bodies, hoping that their children would wake up. The luckier ones cried no less, holding their sons and daughter as tightly as they could, as though if they let go for one second they would lose them. For now, they wallowed in grief, but soon they would unleash their fury upon the school, and the summoners.

           Reporters soon swarmed the institution. No one knew how they got hold of the news so early. Their colleagues, who was outside the school before everything went down, could have informed them. Both hunters and summoners did not appreciate their presence.

            It took hours and hours to dispel the effects of the brainwash and to ensure that no Summoner was still under the spell. Dead summoners had no one to mourn for them but their schoolmates, as their loved ones most likely had not heard the news. Principal Hamilton fell into a coma, suffering critical damage to his brain. Healers said he could fully recover but it would take a while.

            Debates surfaced throughout the institution. Hunters consistently accused summoners of being in league with demons, while the summoners pointed out that their kindred were manipulated. What the summoners said was true, but at times like this emotion overwhelmed rationality.

______________________________________________________________________________

            Inside the principal's office.

            Principal Xixin stared at thin air and did not move an inch. He had not expected that Hamilton, or rather the one controlled him, could pose such a terrorizing threat. He shuddered when he recalled Hamilton's smile, now  knowing that was the smile of a psychopath lurking in the dark. He felt disgusted thinking of all the talented youngsters massacred today. He could not dare to think of what would happen in the future, of the chapters that would unfold later.

            " Principal Xixin" Veritas's voice brought him back. "Please inform me of every abnormalities the last few weeks."

            He stared at Veritas, at the stranger that saved Hiatus, at Hannah, and at Dessina- the representative of the summoners. It took a while before he could gather the will to talk, and he disclosed all the incidents and mysteries that he knew.

            " And you still went forward with the contest despite all that?" asked Veritas.

            " I... decided to trust him. Everything had been prepared, and this is a great chance for both races to come together. I just..."

            " We council are here as your countermeasure, aren't we? And the runes you inscribed under his seats. You don't trust him, principal, you just want to take a risk, a risk that is your students."

            Xixin stared at Veritas, unable to retort. Standing next to him, Hannah slightly shook her head.

            " Lucky for us, the reporters did not record the massacre." Dessina said." Things could be much worse if that had been the case. Now I think about it, you did forbid them to go in. Good move."

            " And who is this manipulator we are talking about?" asked Veritas.

            " Her name is Maria Gwendolyn." said Jake as he walked into the room with Aria and Hiatus." Pardon my intrusion, but there is a lot we can reveal."

______________________________________________________________________________

            After Jake told the adults of his investigation with Aria and Hiatus, all of them seemed visibly shaken. Veritas and Dessina both called their subordinates to request investigation into Maria.

            " Are you telling me that none of you here ever saw her on the campus?" asked Dessina.

            "Yes, she rarely appeared on campus" said Jake." I only saw her once. She did not even show up during meals or during meetings."

            Aria and Hiatus glanced at each other, knowing Wander must have come into contact with her.

            " This is very serious. Solus, this must be a scheme, a scheme to tear apart the already fragile bond between summoners and hunters." said Dessina

            " I can't say anything for now. But your words hold true, at least we have proof that they were all under spells. However, don't expect others to be convinced easily like me. They are overwhelmed by emotions for now."

            " This Maria, where is she now?" Dessina turned to Jake.

            " She must have escaped. No sight of her."

            " Principal Xixin," said Hannah. "Aidan just texted me, we have one missing student."

            " Who?"

            "Wander."

______________________________________________________________________________

            The name rang a bell within Tetrax's mind.

            " Ah yes." said she." I want to know about that boy. Is he a turn?"

            Every one in the room turned to her, their eyes widened.

            " What? You don't know? His green blood was everywhere.Well, I'm not sure but it's most likely."

            " A turn?" Veritas almost shouted." What else have you been hiding, Xixin?"

            " I don't know." said the principal. "I know nothing about this."

            "It's hard to trust your words after today." said Dessina.

            " Oh my god, use that spell, use that lie-detecting spell!"

            " Such a convenient spell has yet to be created, I must say."

            " This is ridiculous," principal Xixin shouted."I don't even care about that brat, how do I even know he is a turn? Ask them, they are his friends."

            Veritas turned to Hiatus and Aria, and looked at them with a fierce gaze.

            " Do you two know about this?"

            While the two had not found an appropriate lie, Tetrax had already stood in front of them

            "I think I will take over this subject, captain. You can go back to investigate the manipulator and negotiate with the summoners."

            " Move aside, you are obstructing my duty, and thus the council's power."

            " Captain, I really don't give a damn about your council, or your duty. Wander is my job."

            " The council decides what your job is, Hunter."

            "Certainly not, I am beyond its power. I only answer to the Singulus Digiti."

            The name silenced the whole room. Singulus Digiti- the only force that stood against the council- had never been seen for centuries. And now all of a sudden, it returned. Hunters and Summoners in the room widened their eyes.

            " You are... one of them?" Veritas grimace.

            " Yes. I am one of them. And I am here for my mission: to find the turn that is Wander."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

            " You disappeared for centuries and now you think you can just go back and do what you want?"

            " Veritas, the Singulus Digiti runs deeper than you could ever imagine, and we did a lot of things during our disappearance. I suggest you stand back, your boss has no power over us, let alone you."

            Veritas frowned and clenched his fists. Tetrax knew she won.

            " Very well, do what you want. But soon the council will make you obey."

            "Like I care. Now, Aria and Hiatus, I presume? Come with me."

______________________________________________________________________________

            Aria  could not believe her eyes. A Singulus Digiti was standing right in front of her. Never had she hoped she would see one. And more so, a SD and a Captain in one room.

            " Tell me about your demonic friend."

            The request killed Aria's excitement. She inhaled, then answered.

            " We will tell you what we know, if you promise to let us in on your investigation."

            " Sure, why not." the Singulus Digiti answered instantly.

            Both Hiatus and Aria was surprised by the immediate reply, not to say an affirmative one.

            " Uhm, your name is?" asked Aria.

            " Call me Tetrax."

            "So Tetrax, you will really take us with you?"

            " Yeah. I'm not the lonewolf of the pack. But your parents' permission, what about it?"

            " I will talk to them. And Hiatus's parents basically let him do whatever he wants."

            " Okay then. We have a deal." Tetrax shook Aria's hand. "Now, Wander."

______________________________________________________________________________

            Veritas's glare lingered on the door the Singulus Digity just closed.

            " Principal Xixin, this institution will not be closed, for now. However, I do believe it is only appropriate to let the students have an one-week off." said Veritas.

            " Yes, I agree."

            "I will arrange for the departure of summoners." said Dessina, heading towards the door.

            " No, the summoners will not leave." said Veritas.

            Dessina stopped midway. She slowly turned around to look at Veritas.

            "Excuse me?" She raised her eyebrows.

            "My apology, but all the summoners involved will be kept here. They will be thoroughly interrogated. "

            " You have no right! They do not answer to the council!"

            " After what happened here today, I don't think summoners are in a good position, Dessina. We have enough proof and power to make your kin homicidal crazes."

            Dessina stared at Veritas, seething in anger. Nonetheless, she knew he could very well do what he just said, and her fellow summoners indeed would not gain much sympathy after this event.

            " This is an insult of the highest degree to us summoners, Veritas. But very well, I will let you have this one. Just remember, what goes around comes around." said Dessina as she left the room.

            " Principal Xixin, the councilmen will stay here for a while. Please arrange for our stay."

            Veritas left without hearing Xixin's answer. He went into an empty room, then contacted the Chancellor.

            " Chancellor Alados, the situation is dire."

            " How dire?" Alados asked.

            " This incident will definitely create a rift between summoners and hunters. A serious rift."

            " I see. With this, I hope Xixin finally give up on that foolish dream of his. Any other news?"

            " We have investigated the name Maria Gwendolyn. It's a fake name, and this girl, this being simply does not exist. Address, phone number, parents, ID and et cetera, all fake. We don't know what this being is. There is yet to be a connection between Maria and Samundo."

            "And about that .... Wander?"

            " The Singulus Digiti prevents further information. We contacted his parents, and aside from trivialities, we found not thing relevant. But he is a demon, that can be confirmed. The blood, it's his."

            " So a mysterious being and a turn in New York. Well, this sounds troublesome. I leave New York in your hand, then. The other two are still busy with Samundo's return. That's all for now."

            " Yes, sir. I will contact you again when there's news." Veritas said before hanging up.

            He looked out of the window, and noticed the Singulus Digiti was talking to Aria and Hiatus. He thought back to what happened in Swordgrave, and remembered that the SD called his name. After contemplating for a while, he came to the conclusion that he must extract some information from that Singulus Digiti.

______________________________________________________________________________

            Aria and Hiatus informed Tetrax of everything related to Wander that she had yet to know. She listened attentively, sometimes nodded, sometimes shook her head. After hearing everything, she did not say anything, other than telling Aria and Hiatus to wait for her at the tunnel tomorrow morning, then bid them good bye before vanishing.

            " You know it is useless to find Wander now, right? He's been exposed. Even if we find him, there's nothing we can do for him anymore." said Hiatus.

            " This is not just about him, Hiatus. He lied to us all. He had some connection to Maria, but he didn't tell us anything. The runes, where do you think he learned it from? Books? To use runes so adeptly, and his experiments too. Maria has been in the forest with him for weeks. She must have taught him dangerous things. He was manipulated by her. A boy, alone, weak, hated, isolated meets a mysterious girl in the forest who is willing to teach him, to make him stronger. We have a story right there!"

            Hiatus remained silent.  He recalled what Jake said. " Sounds like a couple". Aria made sense, Maria must have made Wander feel like there existed a bond between the two, like he was special. And so to coerce him was a piece of cake.

            "If he had told us, we might have prevented the incident. Nobody had to die! Instead, that thrilling romance got to him, and he tried to protect her! This is our fault, and his too. I want to know the truth!" Aria said, clenching her fists.

            Hiatus stared at the frustrated Aria. She had always spoken up for Wander. He wanted to tell her that he was right, that they should have turned Wander in. He had never thought that the rift among the three of them would emerge like this. Not this soon, not in this manner.