chapter six.

"I have been meaning to ask," Cristobal began before the elder finished, "how does the council work? or what is their system with their reputation now that is coming to light," he asked the elder who was the one responsible for educating him on political matters.

"at the moment it's very well known some are corrupt, still some of the wolves and pack have theorized some of these may be under some kind of a ruse that is controlling them. in the past, they were not like this, and believe it or not, they worked a lot with your father. whatever got to your father, it is believed it pulled them in." he explained to him.

"All I remember of my father is ever being harsh and strict. I don't think there is any good fibre on him. but even then, my own father is a stranger to me," Cristobal said to him.

"oh, your father does a reputation, of playing hero, believe it or not. he was once a very respected alpha," he paused as if remembering something from the back of his mind, "now that I think about it, this change began around the same time he met your mother. it progressed and the council got worried and had to call him for a meeting in order to speak of things as they stand between their relationship. whatever happened in that room. who knows," he looked at Cristobal and asked, "something wrong?"

"I have a mother? and she is alive?" he asked him surprised. even the other elder in the room with them was surprised.

"yes she is, have you not known her? like ever?" the elder asked him.

"no, the first outside world contact I made was martin with his brother Amos. with them, they taught me how wrong it was of me to be in there. until that point, I thought that was the norm," he clarified, "I learnt about magic from Amos who found an old book on magic and brought it to me. the cave was huge so I studied it from beginning to the end. that's how I learned to manipulate magic and form my own magic. The more I defied the laws of magic, the more I learned. in that cave, I learned magic can also be used on one's self, that's how I gained all the flight skills and defense." he explained to them.

"what of your spells? you have your own way of visualization," the elder asked him.

"oh, that was martin actually, he brought me a handbook he had printed out for me. he does not look much but his spells are stronger than mine," Cristobal replied chuckling.

"stronger than yours, he is that strong?" the elder asked.

"he is, his mother is a witch. makes him a mage or wizard whatever. but his way of visualization is complex for me so, I came up with my own way of visualization the spells." he added to his reply. both elders were surprised. they would never have guessed it at all.

"Moving on from that, the council system as per the book should be, at the bottom, you find council guards and their captains. they mostly perform fieldwork and investigations. whenever they find a case, it is supposed to be taken to a mediator or mediators. here if a case is not solved. it is now taken up to the councilman responsible for court dates and charges overseer and where the problem was. many suspected this councilman was corrupt. there were clear cases that were won by the opposers due to some things I don't even understand and the victim can do nothing because they won't be given appeal or a second hearing." the elder explained to him.

"I see if you were to estimate, how many cases do you think he destroyed? and also when field investigation is done, do they collect evidence and witnesses? and where does the evidence go? what happens to the witnesses?" the elder chuckled at the questions, "sorry, I am just curious about this whole thing, something is wrong somewhere in the system, if we can find it, maybe I can do something before I take my throne," he apologized when he realized the number of questions he asked.

"I will answer, I can estimate five hundred plus cases. I don't know much on-field investigations but we have heard rumors of evidence being destroyed or hidden, even witnesses being found dead. those who make it to court day, their say is disregarded as they are not either the defense or the victim(s). it is disappointing most times," he replied. at soon as he finished, Cristobal's phone rang. he reached for it on the table and frowned at the call, did not feel like good news.

"Kova, what is it?" he asked picking the call.

{i found the missing councilmen,} his voice came through, he sounded alarmed, {you have to see this yourself, we are at the border of Gabriel alliance and his neighboring alliance, meet us here. now,} the call ended.

"odd, something is wrong, let's resume later," he said walking out and was about to take off when Devika walked in.

"Going somewhere?" she asked him.

"yeah, Kova called. he sounded alarmed and worried. I should check it out. something tells me I won't like it all." he replied.

"take care," she said with a kiss on his cheek as he flew away. five minutes later, he hovered above the huge gathering.

"you won't like this, my king," cage said seeing him, all looked up, "at all," he added.

"tell me, what happened?" he asked lowering down. most bowed as it was the first time seeing him as only rumors were going around.

"Tyler, show him, "Gabriel said to his beta who was with four body bags. they made way for him as Tyler opened the body bags. even he flinched seeing their corpses.

"time of death, between twenty-four to thirty hours ago. cause of death, insulation of flames from within. I have never seen anything like this, as a coroner or as a beta. they are no defense marks or wounds. the best theory at the moment, a spell caster jumped them, caught them off guard." Tyler detailed the information for him.

"where is the original crime scene?" he asked.