Next morning, when Aria and Hiatus reached the rendezvous point, Veritas was already there with Tetrax. The two were facing each other, in front of the pitch black tunnel entrance, layers of stones scraping each other under their feet.

"This is our extra companion?" asked Hiatus.

" Well, I had a talk with him, and he agreed to share with me some Council information, if I let him come with us. Are you guys okay with this?"

" I don't really mind," Aria said with a firm voice." I just want to find Wander, who I go with is irrelevant."

" Well said," Tetrax smiled."Veritas, keep to our deal."

" I will hold true to my words. And are they coming with us?"

" Yes, we are coming. I thought it was obvious." Hiatus replied.

Veritas frowned. " Unacceptable. The children must not be put in danger."

" Wow, easy there, adult guy. I'm pretty sure they can take care of themselves. If not, I can take care of them. It's just a young turn, what can go wrong?"

Veritas shook his head. He stared at the two youngsters, then turned away from them.

Tetrax shrugged, taking out a vial containing Wander's blood. She poured the blood on the insignia, and the latter absorbed the former, radiating a shimmering green light.

" This insignia can track any demon to anywhere, but it has limitations. It reveals places the targets have visited, not ones they are currently visiting. And it burns the blood slowly. So we need to be quick, or else we will lose his trace. And Veritas, please give me your phone or whatever contact devices you have. I don't want you to leak anything to Alados."

______________________________________________________________________________

The insignia radiated for a while, but could not locate Wander. Tetrax walked around impatiently, kicking the stones in her way.

" The boy is quite good at hiding. Even this insignia has difficulty finding him. I tell you what, this thing here used to track a very powerful turn in minutes." said Tetrax.

" How does it work exactly?" asked Veritas.

" I don't know. The one created this insignia did not reveal." Tetrax said, shrugging.

" Who created it?"

" Now, I don't think that piece of information is relevant to our chase, is it?"

" Well, true." Veritas slightly clenched his fists.

Tetrax shifted her eyes to the two young hunters. Hiatus was standing against a tree, his head drooping. Aria stood a few steps away from him, staring at the stones.

" You two are doing good over there?" asked Tetrax.

" Yeah, we are fine. At least I am." said Hiatus as he glanced at Aria.

Tetrax went to Aria's side. She looked at the girl and noticed that she was lost in her own world.

" Aria, earth calls you." Tetrax touched the girl's shoulder, startling her.

" I... I was thinking about Wander and Maria. Something is still bugging me."

" What is it? Veritas, leave us alone for a while." Tetrax shoved Veritas away with her hand.

The Councilman glanced at Tetrax as he distanced himself from her.

"I still don't understand why Maria had to make him turn. Furthermore, I still couldn't believe Wander wanted to turn just because he needed and wanted power. He couldn't be that kind of hunter!"

Tetrax stared at the confused girl. The compressed eyebrowns, that drooping eyes, that pursed lips. She thought about how she was just like Aria many years ago.

" Do you really know him as well as you think you do?" asked Tetrax.

"What?" Aria turned her eyes on Tetrax.

" Exactly what I just said. The boy you thought you knew may very well be a person you never actually know."

Tetrax knew her remark got to Aria: she could see her face twitch. Next to her, Hiatus frowned.

" Now, your story, one point of interest: Who put up the fourth layer?"

" Maria, she must have set up that layer to keep him inside, within her control."

" Ah, that is the illogical point: What is the point of setting up the layer when she could just simply tell him to stay? This girl got him under her thumbs, right?"

Aria answered, compressing her brows." A cautionary measure. She did not completely trust him to follow her order."

" And why so? He trusted her enough to make himself a turn right?"

" That is because..."

" No Summoner has anything to do with my turn" what Wander said ran through her mind.

" He didn't know it himself that Maria manipulated him into turning." said Aria as her eyes lighted up.

" We don't have proof yet, but now we have one theory where he didn't betray us, right?" Tetrax smiled." Now, the beasts, what are they?"

" We don't know. "

" Oh, but I think there is a very sound possibility right here: Who were there with you all apart from your fellow hunters?"

" The summoners."

"Exactly." Tetrax nodded.

" You are telling me, those beasts, they are familiars of summoners?" asked Aria.

" The most likely scenarios, she controlled other summoners to unleash their familiars into Mirilad, the strongest beast was hers. The reason there were only three? She never tried to actually get to you, she only wanted to make you fear."

Aira nodded. " Thanks to those beasts, we were scared off for good, did not dare to return to Mirilad. The layer and the familiars, they are both preventative measures of Maria. Sealing off Mirilad, and she knew other ways out of New York would be quite impossible for us."

" She thought of the escape plan before you did." said Tetrax.

Aria bit her lips.

" And one last question: Why did she help Wander turn? No, why did she manipulate only him into turning? Surely there are better candidates. Heck, she could even mind-control other hunters and make them all turn. But only Wander. Which means, he was chosen specifically."

______________________________________________________________________________

Jake sat next to his unconscious principal, contemplating all that transpired. Just this morning, Hiatus called him, saying that he must look for Wander. Hiatus also apologized for hiding the case of Wander from him and went to tell him anything he needed to know. Jake felt a bit upset that Hiatus did not trust him completely, but he could not blame the hunter. He blamed himself instead.

He still remembered the day Maria came to Hamilton's School for Summoners. The girl had a mesmerizing aura, but her aloofness blocked out any attempt of further contact. Frustrated by her cold attitude, Victor wanted to " teach her a lesson", only to get taught himself.

" Why can I be so stupid? I should have been more careful, more perceptive. She was right there with her overwhelming power, and I didn't for one second raise any suspicion."

Someone knocked on the door.

" Please come in." Jake said, rubbing his eyes.

It was Alicia. She had an air of concern despite her nonchalant face. She nodded at Jake.

" I am sent by Sir Xixin. Are...are you in need of anything? How is Sir Hamilton?"

" I'm doing okay. As for him, no progression. The spells implanted in his head are healing him, but he would not recover soon."

" I see. Maybe I can help."

"How?"

"I am adept when it comes to magic, unusual for a Hunter. I can use some personal spells to heal him."

Jake stared at the girl. She averted her eyes as soons as they met his. Her two hand were woven with each other, slightly fidgeting.

" Sorry, but the spells we use are the most advance. I don't think there is anything else you can do, but thanks for the intention."

" Right, of course. My apology, I was arrogant. The best spell users were here, and yet I assumed I could do more." She said, her fingers fidgeting.

" No, I don't mean it that way." Jake hurriedly comforted Alicia." You can stay here with me, it helps."

Alicia stared at Jake with her head tilted. She nodded, then moved on to take the seat in front of him.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. Jake tried to initiate a conversation.

" Can you tell me about Wander?"

" Wander? Oh, you were investigating the mysteries. You still want to solve more?"

" It's not like I have solved anything. Now I have more questions than answers." Jake shook his head.

"I see. Wander, I do not know him well . Forgive my rudeness, but I do not like him much."

" Because he's weak?"

" No, he ... I do not know why, but whenever I see him or stand near him I become unease. Like he reminds me of something horrible."

" Interesting. Are you sure it isn't his body odor?"

" Yes, I am sure." Alicia gave a faint smile." I have quite good instinct, and I can assure you he makes me feel threatened sometimes."

Jake wondered if he should consider Alicia's instict as a valid clue.

" He skips school often. He is quite good at Runes, History and Chemistry, not the best though. However, his practical skills are horrifyingly under standards. He rarely talks to anyone besides Hiatus and Aria. That is why he is very unpopular. I do not know how his best friends see him, but most of us only see an awkward, unsocial and dependant kid."

" A typical unpopular child. ."

" No, not so typical. There are strange rumors regarding him."

" Please elaborate." Jake found his curiosity easily piqued.

" Mostly from Karen and Jonathan. I do not tattle, so the details are beyond my knowledge. I suggest you see them for further information. They are on campus right now. I can guide you."

" Thanks. Let's go at once. I want to find out as many things as possible. For us summoners, and for my principal too." Jake looked at principal Hamilton with sad eyes." He trusted the wrong person."

" And maybe Aria and Hiatus did, too. Maybe strangers know something about Wander his best friends do not" He thought.

Together with Alicia, he left the room.

______________________________________________________________________________

" We found him," said Tetrax." He went to.. Oh boy. How the heck?"

" What? Where did he go?" asked Aria.

" South Africa."