Somewhere the winds of winter could not reach, the light of sun could not penetrate.

Three people sat in a room that seemed to expand nonstop. They were waiting for one of their own, staring at the empty seats, tapping on the table. They were anything but fine. What happened in New York and in Fulish's domain had shaken their world and other worlds.

" Here we are again, back in the room where one of our own was murdered just 4 months back. Yay!" Tetrax said.

" You forgot the part where one of us could be that murderer." Trexon added.

" Be quiet." Deuza raised his voice.

" What? It's true right?"

Deuza clicked his tongue. He stood up and began to circle the place. Tetrax leaned back in her chair, faced upwards. Trexon slouched on the table. Their patience was being tested again.

The door opened, or to be more exact, faded. Primitos appeared, soaked in water. He nodded at other Singulus Digiti.

" Everyone read Tetrax's report, I presume?" Primitos said as he sat down.

" Yes. One young hunter died. Samundo is actually a girl. Fulish's domain got destroyed, presumably because he decided to break the Halcyon. The New York massacre." Deuza said.

" You left out the brainwashing part." Tetrax said.

Primitos pressed his fingers against one another. " It happened in just one month. Anyone else think this time won't be any different?"

The room fell into silence.

"We had no idea what happened on Fulish's land and what Samundo is planning." Primitos continued."The events in New York are also ambiguous. The transformation of subject Wander, the machine, the presence of Samundo, none is clear enough to draw a clue."

"From what Aria and Hiatus told me, Wander said Maria-Samundo had nothing to do with his turn."

"He could be lying. Who knows. But if he was telling the truth, then who induced his transformation?"

There was no reply, just stares.

"What about the light that destroyed Muloculous? What is it, Tetrax?" asked Deuza.

Tetrax just gave a shrug. The other three sighed simultaneously.

The spacious room they were sitting in suddenly seemed so confined and suffocating. A darkness gloomed over the four. The darkness of ignorance.

" So, are we consciously ignoring Pentos' death?" Deuza asked, tapping the table.

" We got no clue. His DNA does not match with anyone in our database. The only thing we found on his body was the medal. His phone is missing "

" Well, the autopsy showed that he died around the time of the meeting. That's a clue?" Deuza said.

" Last meeting, who was here first?" Primitos asked.

Trexon raised his hand.

" Was Pentos here before, or after you?"

" Before."

" Was he already dead at that time?"

" I don't know. I said hi, but he did not reply. That could just be him being rude."

" Who was next?"

Tetrax raised her hand." I said hi to both of them. None of them hi back."

" I was sleeping, sorry." Trexon said.

Deuza pointed at himself. " And then it was me, then you."

The four simultaneously shivered.

" For all I know, he could have been killed before the meeting, then his body was transferred here. That would made all of us prime suspects." Trexon said.

Primitos stood up. " He did not even have time to text us who the traitor was. It must have been an instant kill. Tetrax is the most likely to have pulled that off."

" Hey!"

" Sorry. Anyhow, I think we should stop meeting each other for a while. And remember, do not ever agree to meet another without informing the others. The last thing we need is another death with no clue pointing out to the murderer. If you have new clues, text everyone. All information must be exposed."

Deuza, Trexon and Tetrax nodded.

" The war has officaly begun. Dismiss."

Deuza and Tetrax headed for the exit. Trexon remained in his seat.

" Trexon , have something to say?" Primitos asked.

The Singulus Digiti did not reply.

" Trexon?"

Tetrax unsheathed her sword. Deuza pulled out his gun.

Primitos touched Trexon.

" I'm not dead yet, idiots. I was just thinking!" Trexon raised his voice.

" You donkey butt! You were doing that on purpose!" Tetrax said.

Trexon stood up. " Sorry, just could not help it."

" Next time we will make your joke come true." Deuza said.

" Hey, Primitos, kick this jerk can you?"

This time it was Primitos's turn to remain silent.

" Seriously?" Tetrax said, approached her leader and pushed him.

The body of Primitos fell to ground, exploding into pieces. His blood splattered on the others.

" You've gotta be kidding me." Trexon murmured.

The three stared at each other.

" I'm resigning." Tetrax said." I mean it."

" I wonder if we really are the only ones aware this place." Deuza said.

" Uhm, the elder knew it too, right?"

" You just made all of this even more ominous." Tetrax said." And at the same time convinced me to hand in my resignation form."

______________________________________________________________________________

The doorbell rang. Aria rushed to the door, wondering who would come this early.

" Hello!" She said, forcing a smile.

There was no one, only a box lying at her feet.

Aria picked up the box. Attached to it was a piece of paper that wrote " To Aria."

She frowned, shaking the box. From the sound she guessed it was something the size of her hand.

She opened her gift, and inside was a cell phone.

"Ding!" The ringtone almost made her drop the device.

After staring at it for half a minute, she unlocked the phone. A message had just arrived, seemingly for her. She clicked "Open". There were two words only.

" Hello, Pentos"

END OF —

Thank you for reading! This is the end of book 1, and I am working on book 2, which means update will not be coming in the next few months. I apologize for that.

If you can, follow me on twitter. We can interact more there! I can ask for your advice, and give you update on book 2 progress!

My twitter: @bakamoshi (NeoLux)

Thank you again!