THE FOUR COUNSELORS OF THE UNDERGROUND

Walking amidst the councilors and the cops who gave way, the three men discussed seriously while the two had a serious expression while the other had a nonchalant look on his face as if the case bothered him the less but in reality, he was observing the environment and the body keenly. He spoke only when necessary.

"Sire, the footprints are leading toward the deeper side of the forest. Ms.Leeza had got a necklace that was found on the border of the forest track," said a man, and Astrel nodded his head as he walked toward the woman Leeza.

Leeza who saw him turned more than excited seeing him approaching her. She propped her dress and tried to look at her best tugging an innocent smile as she waited for him to walk toward her.

As he came to stand in front of her, she interjected in greeting him. The councilwomen who were present there had their eyes focused on Leeza and mainly on Astrel with an envious question bugging their heads, why would he go to her? The ladies admiring him wasn't something new. They tried to near toward them just to hear their conversation.

Astrel didn't bother to greet her back, instead took the necklace from her hand using his magic. Leeza had imagined him taking the necklace by his hand so she could brush her soft slender hands over his and feel him, but it was all just an imagination that fell on the ice bucket just when he used his magic. She cursed his magic inwardly and masked her annoyed face with a bewitching smile.

"Where exactly did you get it?" he questioned as he gazed straight into her eyes.

"There, beside the pine tree. The tree which the car got crashed to," she said as she pointed towards the direction where she had found it, but in reality, she had made up the lie so she could get an opportunity to speak to him. If she had a heart it would have been pounding hard to the content where she would be listening to it, but thankfully for her good, she was a vampire and the vampire in front of her would have caught her in no time. If they were in the human world, she wouldn't want to worry about such silly things.

But this vampire she had lied to wasn't any other vampire but Astrel, who was an expert in picking up lies.

"Are you sure you got this from there and not somewhere clean and beautiful?"

"Y-yes, yes, Mr.Watson. It was right here," She said nervously though she covered it with a confident look.

"Hmm... for it to be picked up from there this necklace looks pretty much new and tidy don't you think, Timandra?" questioned Astrel, dragging the lady who was eavesdropping them from behind.

Timandra craned her neck taking a look at the necklace and widened her eyes. It was Leeza's very own necklace. How stupid was she to lie with the necklace which she had been wearing a while ago? thought Timandra. She said nothing but glanced at her friend and nodded at Astrel giving her friend an apologetic look.

Leeza gritted her teeth silently fuming at her friend.

"Better not waste my time Ms. Ceridwen," He said, and not giving a glance at her, he left the necklace on the crashed vehicle and went past the ladies who were ogling at him. Leeza could hear them giggling at her whispering and mocking.

"At least we had communication unlike for you little ladies, who still could only glance at him secretly," said Leezah masking her reddened face and walking passed the ladies who turned quiet for once. Timandra followed her friend like a cat following its master.

"Talon!" called Astrel, walking towards his car, and the man who reported to him about the footprints came running.

"Sire?"

"Get the names of these three and try to find any other clues," he said as he looked through his phone. Talon bowed his head and did as he ordered him while Astrel walked and observed the man who had died earlier before the other two.

There were four deeply dug open lines on the neck with dried blood smeared. As he looked down he frowned. The earlier silver shiny object was turning black.

"What are you doing, Mr. Watson? The head has said not to touch the body till he reach the place," said a man walking with hurried footsteps toward where Astrel was.

Astrel kneeled and took the steely thing from the dead man's core, "I can't help but have a fondness for things like these, Lucinda," he said as he stood up and smirked at the man who felt irked by his presence for he never liked Astrel who would find the solution for the cases like these and never let him do his part.

In the past, he had tried to sneak into cases so he could lead something before Astrel, but he had ended up getting warned by the head of the councils to not be involved where he shouldn't have. Not only was he envied of Astrel but everyone who was down to him.

Huffing out, Lucinda left him be. Astrel ran his hand over what looked like a part of the creature's hand, and the words that Vilian had said about the creature's features resonated in his head. It was one of the fingers of the dark creature. Wrapping it with his handkerchief, he placed it inside his brown coat and replaced something similar to it, which wasn't exactly like the fingers but a steel piece.

Walking out of the council crowd he stepped into his car and started his engine heading toward the Blue mansion.

It wasn't unusual for him to not inform his absence to others. Everyone was used to his nonchalant and cold attitude by now.

Swirling the steering wheel slowly toward the mansion road but he turned the engine and stopped by a thick forest. Getting down from the car he started marching toward the forest observing the steely object in his hand. Walking calmly, he did not bother to fasten his speed to reach wherever he was heading. Passing through the denser area surrounded by tall and lush trees he entered a barely visible portal. If one were to walk near it, they would not catch a glimpse of it, for it looked just like any other part of the forest grown with big tall trees.

In came a view of a beautiful path stacked with small pebbles leading the way toward an old whimsical but small hut made up of stone surrounded by shady trees. It was a camouflaged hut, which might not be visible at the first glance if one were to look but he was used to it.

Astrel walked through the pebble's path. The gray door which looked smaller in size opened and enlarged its size of his. As he entered, he saw a short lady dressed in thick clothes humming a tune as she plucked the petals of a beautiful glowing blue flower. The glow of the petals was fading each time she tear it off of its stem and swishing sounds of wind could be heard in the ears of his.

"Just as I expected," said the lady turning to face him with a bewitching smile. Her purple eyes dilated from him to his hand which held the creature's steely finger.