《The Sanguine Stars》


 Prologue: Intrusive Thought

    ¡°You might think that you couldn''t possibly wish death for anyone, but just look deep inside yourself.¡± he whispered in a soft, lulling voice.


    In a dark alleyway, hidden from the light, a man sat against the wall. He caresses the hair of another man resting on his lap.


    The man was unusually well-dressed for the area of the city he was in. He wore a suit and tie, not caring about the rough gravel beneath him.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Humans like us were never¡ªand will never be¡ªtotal saints. There¡¯s always something in our hearts that gives us certain thoughts,¡± he continued.


    The man below him mumbled something unintelligible. He smiled softly and leaned in closer. His eyes twinkled as he heard the man¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Hm, so you want her gone? Well, it depends on how much use she might be to us.¡±

 Chapter I: The Detectives of Stonehill

    *********Manchester, United Kingdom*********


    <<Wednesday, 7:03 A.M>>


    Theodore Stonehill, the 54-year-old private investigator who is the founder and namesake of the Stonehill Detective Agency, sat in his office chair. He took a sip of his coffee, and stared at the door expectantly.


    After another minute, the door opened and a brown-haired young man entered the room. He wore a grey jacket over a black turtleneck, and held a black briefcase in his hand.


    "Apologies, Mr. Stonehill. The barista took a little longer than I expected," he said in between breaths.


    "It''s fine, Arthur. Sit down," Theodore smiled.


    Arthur Callum was one of the best detectives in the agency, only surpassed by Theodore Stonehill and his secretary Azalea Crowley. At 23, he''s solved countless homicide and arson cases in England and France.


    "So, what''s the assignment?" Arthur asked.


    Theodore straightened in his chair, and adjusted his tie. "A 17-year-old girl by the name of Abigail Hartrand went missing last night in Duke''s Lake. Her mother, Evelyn, went directly to me and hasn''t reported it to the police."


    "Duke''s Lake?" Arthur recalled. "Isn''t that the site of the homicides last month? What was it again?"


    Theodore nodded. "The Woodskiff family was killed by the 15-year-old son using a kitchen knife. The son went missing after the murder. A week later, his body was found in an abandoned house''s basement. He died of cyanide poisoning, but no bottle has been found anywhere in the house. Even after three weeks of searching, no leads have turned up," he recounted.


    "Duke''s Lake has become quite the hotspot lately," Arthur commented. "But doesn''t Azalea live there? Why not send her?"


    "Azalea''s been on maternity leave since yesterday. She gave birth to a baby boy two days ago."


    "Ah, I''ll pay her a visit as soon as I can then. Do they have any flats there?"


    Theodore lifted the case file within a folder and handed a set of house keys to Arthur. "No need. Azalea rented a house next to hers during the Woodskiff investigation. It''s only a few blocks away from the Hartrands'' house."


    "Thank you, sir. If you''ll excuse me, I''ll return to my flat, pack my bags, and inform my roommate."


    "Understood," Theodore said. "And say hello to that boy for me."


    Arthur smiled and left the room. Theodore sighed and raised his legs on the table. He picked up his phone and dialled a number.


    "You''ve been calling me relentlessly for the past few days. Who the hell are you?" he said angrily into the phone.


    The reply from the other side sent shivers up his spine. He hung up and tried to pick up his cup of coffee, but his shaking hand dropped the now-warm liquid onto his pants. Cursing, he wiped down his legs with a handkerchief.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through the area where the coffee spilled. He grunted in pain and held his leg. It felt like a bullet pierced through his shin. He tried to scream for help, but no sound came out his mouth. His muscles were now locked in place.


    "Someone...agh...please...," he managed to say, but it was inaudible to anyone outside the room. He sat helplessly in his chair, having to endure the ripping agony. He felt his consciousness slipping, and fainted in his chair.


    But as quickly as the pain came, it went. Theodore Stonehill''s eyes opened, but they were blank and emotionless. As if nothing happened, he stood up and calmly walked out the door. The other employees turned their heads as he left with bewildered expressions, but none dared to ask him what was wrong.


    <<7:52 A.M.>>


    Akio Fujimori was playing video games on his phone with his body sprawled on the couch. He was interrupted by the sound of the door opening.


    "Hey, Akio," Arthur greeted as he walked in.


    "Arthur, finally! Caleb stopped by around half an hour after you left. He dropped this off," Akio said. He pointed to a paper bag on the kitchen counter.


    Arthur raised an eyebrow and placed his briefcase on the floor. He opened the paper bag, and inside was a box of chocolates and a note.


    [Hey, bro! Bought a box of chocolates last night, but the cashier gave me an extra one for some reason. I decided to give it to you and Akio instead. Wanna go hangout sometime? Sam and Samantha are coming home from America next week, remember?"


    P.S. Sorry for yesterday! I''ll buy you another shirt when we hang out.]Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Arthur opened the box and sniffed it. "Milk chocolate, huh? Tell him I said thanks, Akio."


    "Why not tell him yourself?"


    Arthur sat on a stool and looked at Akio. "Mr. Stonehill¡ªhe says hello, by the way¡ªis sending me to Duke''s Lake to investigate a missing person case. A teenage girl disappeared last night."


    "Oh, damn," Akio gasped. "So, do you need me to stay here and take care of the flat for you?"


    "If you want to, you can invite Caleb to use my room until I come back. You should take advantage of your time with him before he goes back to London, you know."


    Akio''s eyes widened, and he averted his gaze. "Y¡ªYeah sure, I''ll invite him over."


    Arthur smirked. "Have fun. Just don''t mess up the place, alright?"


    "You have nothing to worry about," he winked. "Yeah, so I''ll leave you to pack your stuff. Need any help?"


    "I''m fine. You should call Caleb now, so he can come sooner."


    "Yeah, sure," Akio said. He picked up his phone from the couch and disappeared into his room.


    Akio tried to be indifferent, but Arthur could tell that his roommate was ecstatic. Akio''s had a crush on Caleb Bennett¡ªhis colleague and lab partner¡ªsince the start of the year. Arthur can''t blame him, though. Caleb was extremely attractive and nice, and he was the star of the swimming team.


    Arthur packed two weeks'' worth of clothes and supplies into his luggage. When he came across his mother''s photo, he sighed and caressed the frame.


    His mother, Mary, was his best friend for all of his childhood. His father, William, was a drunkard and was barely home. And the times he was, he terrorised both of them through numerous verbal and physical abuse. Arthur''s elementary school tried to report his father to the police, but William was able to bribe them with his wealth.


    When Arthur was 15, he found his mother hanging in her bedroom closet. William was nowhere within the proximity, so the police were quick to rule it as a suicide. But Arthur was not convinced by the conclusion.


    At 20, when he was accepted by the Stonehill Detective Agency, his first case was the death of Mary Callum. With the help of Theodore, Arthur was able to get William to admit to murdering his wife. William Callum was given a life sentence, but he died of a stroke at 49 after only 6 months.


    He rubbed tears out of his eyes and placed the picture frame inside. He then entered the bathroom and stood under the steaming shower, contemplating the plan of his investigation.


    "Hey, Arthur? Are you about to come out?" he heard Akio''s voice suddenly call out from behind the bathroom door, followed by a series of knocks. He stepped out of the shower and put a towel around his waist.


    "Yeah, what is it?" Arthur asked, emerging from the bathroom.


    "Yeah, um, your phone has been ringing for the past 10 minutes. I looked at the caller''s name, but it seems that it''s a new number."


    As Akio finished talking, the phone rang again. Arthur brushed past his roommate and picked up the phone. He was right, it was an unknown number. He accepted the call and put it on speaker for Akio to hear.


    "Who is this?" Arthur asked, but there was no reply. He glanced at Akio, who shrugged.


    "If you''re not going to say anything, I''ll just hang u¡ª"


    ~Arthur.


    A woman''s voice rang out. Both Arthur and Akio recognized the voice immediately, and they looked at each other with confused expressions.


    "Azalea?" he said.


    ~Hi, Arthur. Are you on your way to Duke''s Lake?


    "No, actually, I just came out of the shower."


    ~Oh, I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean to disturb you. I was just wondering when you''d arrive.


    "Don''t worry, I don''t mind. But why are you calling from a new number?"


    ~This is my husband''s number. You''ve met Gabriel, haven''t you? During that party a few months ago.


    Arthur''s mind flashed back to Theodore''s 54th birthday. There was a huge banquet with both the detective agency and the police force, and he saw Azalea with a tall, handsome man in a police uniform.


    "He was a cop, right?"


    ~Yes, yes, he was! But I''ll have you know, he became the sheriff of Duke''s Lake last week! So he''ll be working with you on this case.


    "Congratulations to him, but...I thought that Mrs. Hartrand never told this to the police?"


    ~She hasn''t, but word gets around pretty fast.


    He heard a faint chuckle from her as she said that. But suddenly, a feeling tapped the back of his head. He kept his voice low, and whispered into the phone.


    "Akio said that you''ve been calling me for the past 10 minutes. If it''s just to check up on my location, why the persistent calls?"


    ~Huh? What do you mean? This is the first time I''ve tried to reach you. Maybe someone else was calling you, and that''s who Akio heard? Oh, by the way, hello Akio!


    "Hey, Azalea," Akio greeted. "I don''t know¡ªI just checked who was calling you right before I knocked on the door, as I was about to grab a snack. But I heard your faint ringtone from within my room for longer than that."


    ~That''s strange. Well, I''ll let you go. See you later, Arthur.


    "Yeah, I''ll stop by after I talk to Mrs. Hartrand. I''ll come to the house around 3 P.M.?"


    ~Sounds great!


    Azalea said goodbye and hung up. Arthur quickly checked for any missed calls, but there was nothing.


    "You''re sure that someone''s been calling me for 10 minutes?" he asked Akio.


    "I''m not crazy. Your ringtone is as easily identifiable as a cat''s meow. There''s no mistake."


    "Did you touch my phone while I was in the shower?"


    Akio raised up his hands defensively. "Of course not! I know how possessive you are of that thing. Plus, mine''s better anyway."


    Arthur glared at him because of the last comment. "Maybe it''s the phone''s fault. It shouldn''t be a big deal."


    Akio, who still had his hands up, proceeded to shield his own eyes.


    "What are you doing?" Arthur asked.


    "Put on some clothes, man. I''ll get envious," Akio laughed, his eyes still covered.


    "Oh, I''m sorry," Arthur smiled. He went back into the bathroom and emerged a few minutes later, in a brown suit and tie.


    "I guess this is goodbye for now," Akio said. Before he could react, Arthur was wrapped in a hug.


    "What''s gotten into you?" Arthur strained, suffocated by Akio''s arms.


    Akio pulled away and exaggerated a frown. "I''ll miss you."


    Arthur playfully punched his roommate''s chest. "Stop doing that. You know you''re happy that I''m gone, because you can bring him over?"


    Akio didn''t respond, but Arthur saw a slight smile form on his lips.


    "Alright, I should be back in a week or two. I''ll call you when I''m settled," Arthur said, patting Akio''s shoulder.


    "Yeah, Caleb should be here in an hour."


    Arthur smirked and walked out the door, carrying his suitcase and luggage. He put the luggage in the trunk, and entered his car. He rested his arm on the steering wheel. The mysterious calls still tugged on his mind.


    "If Akio isn''t crazy, then why are there no trace of any missed calls?" he whispered to himself.


    He decided to brush it off for the time being. He started the car, pulled out the driveway, and started driving south to the small town in the shadow of the hills.

 Chapter II: The Nonsensical and Unseen

    *********Cornwall, Duke''s Lake*********


    <<Wednesday, 9:14 A.M.>>


    Under the sweltering heat of the summer, Arthur stood in front of the Hartrands'' front door. Wiping sweat from his forehead, he knocked three times but was met with silence.


    "What''s taking them so long?" he thought to himself. Surely, the family would be more alert after their daughter went missing.


    He was about to knock once more when the door suddenly creaked open. A woman''s head peeked out from behind the door. Her eyes darted around cautiously, as if she expected an intruder to barge in.


    Arthur coughed to get her attention. "Good morning. Mrs. Hartrand, I presume?"


    The woman looked at him and breathed a sigh of relief. "That''s me, Evelyn Hartrand. And you''re...?"


    "Arthur Callum, ma''am. Theodore Stonehill sent me to investigate your case."


    The door finally opened fully and Arthur got a full view of Evelyn. She was fairly tall and slender, and she was wearing a casual blouse and jeans. He could see that she would''ve been beautiful, if not for the dishevelled state she was currently in. Her long brown hair was messy and unkempt, and there were bags under her bloodshot green eyes.


    "Please come inside, Mr. Callum," she said, motioning for him to enter the house.


    "Thank you, Mrs. Hartrand. And please, just call me Arthur," he smiled. Evelyn nodded and tried to smile back, but her current situation rendered her unable to.


    "Is the detective here, darling?" a male voice boomed from upstairs. Arthur looked up to see a man rush down the steps and approach him.


    "Good morning. I''m Adam Hartrand, Evelyn''s husband," the man said, shaking his hand.


    Arthur noted the stark differences in the couple''s appearances. Unlike Evelyn, Adam was rugged and muscular. He was wearing a tank top and jeans, with a cap atop his head. He also looked to be in a better state than his wife, but his eyes were still red-rimmed.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you both. Should we talk somewhere more comfortable?" Arthur asked.


    "We can sit on the couch over there," Evelyn suggested, pointing to some couches near the fireplace. "I''ll make us a drink. Coffee, Arthur?"


    "No need. I already had a cup on the way," Arthur replied.


    Evelyn nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Arthur sat on a chair nearest to the fire, while Adam collapsed onto the couch.


    "I have to ask, sir, why didn''t you report it to the police?"


    Adam sighed. "Evelyn doesn''t trust the local police, even if the new chief seems very promising. When our son, Seth, returned to the house with three large cuts on his back, the police just called it a bear attack and haven''t investigated further."


    "And was it just a bear attack?"


    "No, obviously! There aren''t any bears within 10 miles. And the marks on his back were definitely from a blade."


    Arthur thought for a moment, tapping a pen on his notepad. "Do you think that, perhaps, the culprits for both cases are the same?"


    Adam shook his head. "We thought that at first. But we didn''t want to imagine what Abigail would be going through if that was the case."


    Adam buried his face in his hands and sobbed. "I just want my daughter back."


    "I''ll do as best as I can, sir," Arthur reassured him. Adam wiped tears from his face and leaned back on the couch, gazing longingly into the distance.


    Arthur thought of the mysterious attacker. If it was really the same person that took Abigail, then he feared that the case would become a homicide investigation.


    Evelyn came back with two cups of coffee, waking her husband out of his trance. She rubbed her hand along Adam''s bicep, and leaned her head on his shoulder.


    "Excuse me," Arthur interrupted after a few moments. "Mind if I check her room for any clues?"


    "Of course," Evelyn said. "We haven''t touched her room since she went missing. Her room is the one at the end of the hall."


    Arthur tread slowly up the stairs, with each step creaking as he put his weight on it. When he reached the top, he immediately spotted a slightly open door at the end of a long hall.


    Entering the room, the first thing that caught his eye was the absolute mess that the room was in. The bed was undone, and both pillows were on the floor by his feet. The girl''s desk was on its side, and everything on her shelf was dropped to the floor.


    "It''s like a fight broke out in here," he mumbled to himself.


    Arthur made his way across the room, stepping over the girl''s stuff to avoid damaging them. He started to search all over the room for anything that could be useful.


    He found nothing after 20 minutes of searching every corner of Abigail''s room. He was about to leave and apologise to the couple, when he had a gut feeling to check the bedroom window.


    It was locked.


    Now, it wouldn''t normally be strange, if it weren''t for the fact that the room''s occupant had been presumably taken. If Abigail''s parents hadn''t tampered with the crime scene like they said they didn''t, then there were only two possibilities.Stolen story; please report.


    "Either Abigail was taken out the front door, or the captor re-entered the home, locked the window, and escaped using the front door," Arthur figured.


    But neither made sense. He noted how the stairs going downstairs made a creaking sound when a weight was put on it. It would be impossible to escape without waking up the sleeping family members.


    With these two scenarios ruled out, Arthur considered another two.


    "If the captor couldn''t escape using the front door, then only two things would make sense. Either the captor is still in this house, hiding in some closet, or¡ª"


    Arthur stopped himself from thinking about the second one. He didn''t want to believe that this could be the case.


    The only other explanation would be that Abigail''s captor was one of her own family. He ran around the second floor of the house, opening closets and peeking behind every possible hiding spot he could think of. He hoped that there was some stranger, no matter how dangerous, that was the real culprit.


    But there was no one there.


    He returned to Abigail''s room breathing heavily, exhausted from the search, and slumped against the wall. His mind flashed to his father, who was revealed to have murdered his mother and staged it to become a suicide. The thought of the same thing happening to someone else was unforgivable.


    "Arthur, are you alright?" he heard Evelyn say. He turned his head to find her coming inside the room with a glass of water.


    "You look exhausted. What happened?" she said, handing him the glass.


    Arthur immediately maintained his composure, as if nothing had happened. If this family was hiding something, he couldn''t let them know about his suspicions.


    "I was looking for more clues in the other rooms. I apologise for the intrusion."


    Evelyn smiled. "Don''t worry. Anything that could help find my sweet Abigail."


    His suspicion was replaced by guilt as he gazed into her red and hopeful eyes. He almost felt sorry for considering them a suspect, but he remembered the Woodskiff murders and how a 9-year-old girl and her parents were killed by her elder brother.


    "I couldn''t find anything useful right now, I''m sorry," he said, averting his gaze from her. "I''ll come back tomorrow once I''m more prepared."


    Abigail sighed but said nothing. She and Arthur came back down the stairs, where Adam was waiting patiently on the couch.


    "Apologies, Mr. Hartrand. I''ll have to come back with better gear."


    "Understood," Adam said. "Please, take your time. We''re not going anywhere."


    Arthur nodded and waved the couple goodbye. While he drove down the street, he tried to think of any other alternative options to what could''ve happened. He didn''t want to pin the blame on the grieving family without evidence, but he couldn''t cross them out either.


    <<10:56 A.M.>>


    Arthur arrived at his new residence. It was a fairly large bungalow, with white walls and a black roof. He stared in awe, in disbelief that this is where he''d be living for the time being.


    When he entered the house, his amazement grew even more. The whole house was cleaned beforehand, and the smell of flowers hung in the air. But what caught his eye the most was the grand piano in the centre of the room.


    "Akio would faint if he saw this...," Arthur chuckled to himself. He sat down and gazed upon the ivory keys. He remembered the time when Arthur lived with Akio in his uncle''s house, and he''d hear faint music often. He envied his friend''s ability to memorise an entire piece with just one glance.


    The silence of the house made him realise how much he enjoyed Akio''s company. Even after a distressing investigation, the sight of his roommate when he came home always lifted his spirits.


    Arthur brought the luggage to one of the rooms and laid on the bed, gathering his thoughts. He was sure of two things.


    1) The rooms of the house were completely soundproof. He figured this out during his search for a possible culprit, after he heard loud music from one of the sons'' rooms only after he opened the door.


    2) The captor must''ve known about the soundproofing, otherwise they wouldn''t have attempted to use the creaky stairs.


    He narrowed down all possible suspects. Her family, close friends, and the house''s builders. He crossed out the builders and close friends as they wouldn''t have had a key to the house. And he knew for a fact that the window was locked, as there''d been a rainstorm on the evening she disappeared.


    No matter how much he tried to think, all evidence points to the Hartrands being the suspect. But what was their motive?


    Arthur figured that he should try to collect information on the Abigail''s brothers. If he''d interrogated them at their house, they would know who he was and could possibly withhold information. He had to somehow go undercover in a place where he could keep an eye on them.


    <<11:41 A.M.>>


    "You''re very lucky, young man. If you''d come to us a week later, it would''ve been too late to accept you," an old woman said.


    "Thank you, ma''am. Just to be clear, I''m the history teacher for all levels?" Arthur asked.


    "Yes, dear. We''re a bit short on teachers. Most of them resigned after Penelope, the previous history teacher, was murdered by her son."


    Arthur''s eyes widened. "Wait, Mrs...?"


    "Clark, dear."


    "Mrs. Clark, you mean that the teacher I''m replacing is Penelope Woodskiff?" Arthur asked, recalling the name from one of the files Theodore had on his desk.


    "Yes, that poor soul. She was a wonderful woman, and so was her husband. And the little girl was such an angel."


    "I''m sorry for your losses, Mrs. Clark."


    "Oh, no worries, the city has moved on. Well, it seems that the police moved on two weeks earlier than we did."


    Arthur slightly raised an eyebrow at her comment but said nothing.


    "Alright, Mr. Callum, your teaching starts tomorrow. Come a little early, and I''ll ask one of my students to take you on a tour around the school."


    "Got it. Thank you, Mrs. Clark."


    <<12:23 P.M.>>


    ~You finally called!


    Akio''s face lit up Arthur''s phone screen. He was sitting on the couch as always, in a loose-fitting grey shirt.


    "Is Caleb there already?" Arthur asked.


    Akio nodded enthusiastically and flipped the phone''s camera. Arthur saw a hooded figure laid down on the other side of the couch. Although his face was obscured, Caleb''s red hair could be seen poking through the jacket''s hood.


    ~Hey, come on, it''s Arthur.


    Akio jabbed Caleb''s side and pulled his hood down. Caleb feigned sleeping, but both Arthur and Akio saw through his trick.


    "Hey, wake up!" Arthur shouted while laughing.


    Caleb started laughing and faced the camera.


    ~Hi, Arthur! Haha, did I get you?


    Arthur shook his head, still smiling. Caleb pretended to sulk.


    ~I knew you''d catch on immediately. Anyway, how''s it going there? Akio told me about your holiday in Duke''s Lake.


    Arthur sighed, relieved that his roommate hadn''t spilled his secret yet. Most of his friends are oblivious of his double-life as a detective, and Akio always covered for him. But he was worried that Akio''s obvious crush on Caleb would make him end up saying everything.


    "Yeah, it''s pretty nice. Guess what¡ªthere''s a grand piano here."


    ~Really?!


    Akio exclaimed loudly as Arthur expected.


    "Yeah, wish you two were here to see it."


    ~No, no, it''s fine. We wouldn''t want to intrude on your vacation.


    "You don''t know how much I want you to intrude, Akio," Arthur thought to himself.


    ~Well, uh, we better go now. We''re heading off to the mall in half an hour, and we''re going to get ready. See you later!


    "Alright, I''ll call you back. I''ll take a nap for a bit."


    Akio and Caleb bid farewell before hanging up the phone. Even when short, the conversation helped Arthur clear his mind after everything that happened.


    He turned around to walk back to his room, when he noticed something odd.


    "My notebook wasn''t placed like this earlier. There''s no open windows or anything, so there isn''t any wi¡ª"


    He suddenly felt the wind get knocked out of him by a sudden blow to the back. He fell forwards, hitting his head on the side of the wooden table, and blacked out.

 Chapter III: A Star Set Ablaze

    *******Astraeus Manor*********


    "Sirius, is he really of any use to you?" a man asked, glancing at the unconscious man slumped on the wall of the room.


    "It was already a close call with the police when we killed Shane Woodskiff. Now that those detectives are involved in Hartrand''s disappearance, we have to take more drastic measures."


    The man approached the unmoving body and slapped it. There was no response, although the unconscious man''s breathing sped up.


    "Why not just dispose of them, instead of going through the trouble of keeping them here?"


    Sirius''s fist slammed on the large wooden table, causing the man to flinch.


    "I have my own reasons, Elnath!" he roared. "Even if your father failed to secure the Erebus''s soul, at least he was a competent man."


    Elnath went stiff at the mention of his father. "My apologies, sir. I''ve stepped over my rank."


    Sirius stood up. "Watch the man, and alert me when he wakes up. I''ll be in my office."


    "Yes, sir."


    Sirius left the room, leaving Elnath alone with the unmoving body beside him.


    "What an oblivious man," he laughed to himself. "He calls himself the leader of our organisation, but he can''t even see through a lie."


    He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. "Sirius has a use for this detective, but is he himself useful at all? He doesn''t deserve his rank," he thought.


    His mind drifted back to the month before, when Sirius tasked him and his father, Aldebaran, to Duke''s Lake to retrieve a 15-year-old boy named Shane Woodskiff.


    "Vega''s intel suggests that the Erebus has entered his body. It is your job to contain it, and bring it to me." Sirius said.


    Elnath and Aldebaran bowed. "Consider it done, Sire," Aldebaran said.


    When they arrived at the Woodskiff''s residence in the middle of the night, they walked into a bloodbath. Three bodies strewn on the floor, mutilated and mangled. Two adults and a little girl, their lives forcefully taken from them.


    It made Elnath smile.


    And in the middle of the room was Shane. He was covered in blood from head to toe, and he was holding a blade to his throat.


    "I''m sorry...," the boy mumbled. "I''m so sorry..."


    Elnath approached Shane and grabbed his collar. The knife clattered to the floor as it fell out of his hand. Elnath picked the blade up and examined it curiously, before putting it in his pocket.


    Elnath turned his head to face his father, who was watching intently. "His eyes are completely black. Vega was right," he chuckled.


    He turned back to Shane and started talking in his warm, mellow voice. "Don''t cry, Shane. It''s over now. Just close your eyes, and everything will be fine."


    The boy did what he said and fell still. Elnath threw him over his shoulder and turned to Aldebaran.


    Aldebaran started to laugh. "After all these years, the Enneasteri has gai¡ª"


    He gurgled mid-sentence, watching horrified as blood started to erupt from his mouth.


    "Apologies, father. I just can''t let you take all the credit," Elnath said with a smile. He had thrust the blade into his father''s chest.


    Aldebaran stared at his son with a mix of fury and confusion. Elnath knocked his father to the ground with a blow to the stomach, and he lifelessly fell to the ground.


    Resisting the temptation to taunt his dead father any further, he dragged both bodies out of the house. He brought them to the basement of an abandoned house, and sat Shane¡ªwho was still unconscious¡ªon a wooden chair.


    "What a terrible accident that has befallen you, dear father," he said. He doused his father in gasoline and set it alight. His eyes glowed as the flames rose.


    After disposing of the ashes, he turned his attention back to Shane, who had now woken up.


    "Where am I...?" the boy asked groggily.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "You''re in a better place now," Elnath replied with the same sweet voice.


    A smile formed on Shane''s lips as his shoulders relaxed. Elnath slowly approached the boy and sat in front of him.


    "This will make you feel better. Be careful not to move," Elnath said. He handed the boy a bottle filled with liquid. "Drink."


    Shane greedily drank the contents of the bottle, to Elnath''s amusement. But as he was halfway finished, he was hit with an agonising pain that ripped through his chest. He dropped the bottle onto the floor, shattering it. The liquid spilled out and seeped into the ground.


    It was cyanide.


    Shane looked at Elnath with fear. Elnath''s eyes were calm and unmoved by the situation. He started to convulse and thrash around the chair for a brief moment, before all fell still.


    Elnath watched as the shadow in Shane''s eyes dissipated. Veins turned black until it reached the boy''s lips, before a shadowy creature emerged.


    Unfazed by the sheer size of the monster, Elnath revealed a sapphire pendant dangling from a golden chain. The creature bellowed as its form started to be pulled into the gemstone. The sapphire''s blue hue turned crimson as the shadow was imprisoned inside.


    "So this is what Sirius is looking for? Well, he must have a taste of not getting what he wants every once in a while," Elnath whispered. He hid the pendant in his shirt, and left the poor boy to rot.


    *********Cornwall, Duke''s Lake*********


    <<Wednesday, 2:39 P.M.>>


    Arthur woke up in his living room in a daze. His head was throbbing, and his back was sore from the blow.


    "Huh?"


    He found himself shirtless on the carpet. His jacket was on the floor beside him, while his shirt was tied around his neck like a makeshift noose.


    "Weird choice of restraints," Arthur thought. He untied the shirt and stood up. He immediately searched for any items that were stolen.


    Nothing seemed to be missing, until he checked his suitcase. The handgun he''d packed was gone.


    "Strange, how did they get inside? And why go through all the trouble just to steal a gun?"


    He ran around the house, checking for the point of entry. He came across a broken window in the back of the house, in a spot where he couldn''t hear it break from where he was.


    After confirming that there was no one else hiding in his house, he went to the bathroom to check his wounds. There was a cut on his forehead from his fall, which he bandaged.


    "Huh?" he said, noticing something on his chest. There was a scar he''d never seen before, oddly shaped similar to a nine-pointed star.


    "This must be new," he wondered. "But how did it scar so quickly?"


    Feeling unsafe alone in the house, he locked every door and window, put on another set of clothes, and left for the Crowleys next door.


    <<3:02 P.M>>


    "So this...mysterious person broke into your house, knocked you unconscious, and didn''t steal anything other than a gun?" Azalea asked.


    Arthur winced as she cleaned his wounds. "Well, they also left this weird scar."


    Azalea examined the star-shaped marking on Arthur''s chest. "You''re sure that this isn''t just a wound that went unnoticed?"


    Arthur nodded. "I''m sure of that. There''s no way I''d miss a wound of this size."


    "You should watch yourself for any unusual changes. Headaches, mood swings, anything like that. Even if you only feel a little bit, call me immediately."


    Arthur smiled. Azalea was always like a big sister to him. "I will, thanks."


    The faint sound of an infant''s cry alarmed both of them.


    "Ah, Michael''s awake. I''ll go get him. Stay here, Arthur."


    Azalea went upstairs to get her baby, leaving Arthur to sit down on their couch. A few seconds of silence passed when the front door suddenly opened.


    "Arthur? What are you doing here?"


    Arthur turned around to see Gabriel¡ªAzalea''s husband¡ª come into the house. He was wearing a police officer''s outfit under a white coat.


    "Ah, someone broke into my house, knocked me out, and stole my gun," Arthur replied, pointing to the wound on his forehead.


    "Oh, I see. I''ll send a squad to patrol your house and watch for any burglars. In the meantime, make yourself comfortable here."


    Gabriel smiled and went upstairs. After a few minutes, Azalea finally came down holding Michael in her arms.


    "Look, Michael, this is your uncle," Azalea said to her son.


    "Uncle?" Arthur asked.


    Azalea laughed. "Fine. You can call him big brother."


    Arthur approached the child and smiled. "Hello, Michael."


    The baby stared at him intently.


    "Want to hold him?" Azalea asked.


    Arthur nodded enthusiastically. Carefully, he took Michael from his mother''s arms.


    "He''s heavier than I expected," Arthur commented.


    "I thought the same."


    Arthur sat back on the couch and Azalea sat beside him.


    "So, did you find anything?" she asked. Arthur knew what she was referring to.


    "I...I''m not really sure. All the evidence I found points to the Hartrands themselves being the culprits, but I can''t seem to think of a motive."


    Azalea thought for a moment. "Well, when we investigated the murder of Penelope, Howard, and Alice Woodskiff, we couldn''t think of a reason as to why Shane decided to murder them. But one of the murder weapons had his blood and fingerprints on it, no doubt."


    "Wait¡ª" Arthur interrupted. "One of them? There were multiple?"


    "One of the weapons used in the murder was determined to be a small pocket knife. This should be what Shane used to attack his parents. But the little girl''s stab wounds were from a kitchen knife, which was missing from its rack. We suspect that whoever killed him also took the knife."


    Arthur was speechless at the nature of the case. "This is very strange. And you haven''t turned up anything else?"


    Azalea''s eyes narrowed, and she leaned closer. "There is something that we''ve found, but haven''t shown publicly," she whispered.


    Michael made a small squeak from under them, as if reacting to the sudden secrecy.


    "After collecting the blood from the crime scene, the forensic scientists found something...strange. Mixed with the blood of the Woodskiffs, is the blood of a man named Thomas Alec Irving. We tried to search for him, but it seems that he just disappeared without a trace after the murders."


    Azalea let silence linger for a few seconds, letting the information sink in.


    "You think he influenced Shane to kill, then murdered him afterwards?" Arthur asked.


    "That''s the theory. But it''s strange that no one has seen him in weeks."


    "Maybe he wa¡ª"


    Their conversation was interrupted by Gabriel calling their names. They rushed upstairs to see the man pacing the hallway with a panicked expression.


    "What happened?" Azalea asked.


    Gabriel looked at her with saddened eyes. "There was a fire at Mayor Kingfield''s mansion in Richmond. Azalea, Arthur...


    "The mayor is dead."

 Chapter IV: The Mind of a Rebel

    *********Richmond, Duke''s Lake*********


    <<Thursday, 7:03 A.M.>>


    "We are gathered here today to remember our dear mayor..."


    The vice mayor¡ªa man old enough to be Mayor Kingfield''s father¡ªstood at the foot of the coffin, reading a script solemnly.


    "In honour of his services, all work should halt for half a day as the city mourns his passing."


    The silence of the crowd was broken when the mayor''s brother began to chuckle. All heads turned to him.


    "Hehe, merely half a day...," he said. "They say that Duke''s Lake''s true currencies are blood and tears. But vice mayor, even speaking as the mayor''s elder brother and influence, that sounds a little unconscionable."


    Mayor Scott Kingfield''s elder brother, John, was what the citizens called "eccentric". No one knows what''s wrong with him, whether it''s a mental illness or dry humour, but it was certainly not the right time for this.


    The mayor''s wife, Amelia, pushed through the crowd and faced John. Her eyes were red and wild.


    "Scott was murdered...," she cried, "But you heartless jerk, always with a convenient excuse to remain in the comfort of the home my husband provided you."


    She breathed heavily, and looked as if she was about to faint. She took another look at John. He was smiling. His expression made her fury intensify.


    "You couldn''t hope to understand, so why don''t you keep your mouth shut!" she yelled. "We don''t want to make the children cry..."


    She broke down in tears right there. Her son Lucas hugged her and stared daggers at John. The rest of the crowd was silent, but were looking at Amelia.


    The vice mayor cleared his throat. "Shall we continue?" he asked in a monotone voice. All heads¡ªincluding the Kingfields¡ªturned back to him.


    "Essential services such as groceries and hospitals will continue their work. But schools, recreational facilities, and malls will close until 6:00 P.M. tonight."


    <<8:01 A.M.>>


    After the ceremony ended, the crowd slowly dispersed. John Kingfield got into his car and drove off to who knows where.


    "Excuse me...," Arthur heard someone say as they tapped his shoulder. "Are you Theodore Stonehill?"


    He turned around. It was Lucas, the mayor''s son. The man''s brown eyes were teary.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Kingfield, but I''m just Mr. Stonehill''s employee."


    Lucas nodded disappointingly. "I see. So you''re Arthur Callum, the one solving Abigail Hartrand''s disappearance?"


    "That''s right, sir."


    "Your boss told me that he''ll be investigating my father''s murder. He said he''d arrive today, but didn''t mention a specific time," Lucas explained.


    "Understood, sir. If I run into him, I''ll inform you. Is there anyone I can contact?"


    Lucas pointed to Arthur''s notebook. "May I?"


    Arthur handed it over. Lucas wrote something down with a pen, before giving it back. Arthur saw two phone numbers written.


    "The first one is my personal number. But in case that I''m busy and you''re unable to reach me, you can call Todd Irving."


    Arthur''s eyes widened and he nearly dropped the notebook.


    "W-Woah," Lucas exclaimed, holding out a hand to support Arthur. "Are you alright?"


    "I didn''t quite catch his name, sir. Who else should I contact?"


    "My butler, Todd Irving."


    Irving. He had the same last name as the mysterious man whose blood was mixed in with the Woodskiffs. Was it a coincidence?


    "You look like you''ve seen a ghost," Lucas said, worried.


    "I''m quite alright, sir. I just have a slight illness at the moment," Arthur lied.


    "Oh, get well soon then," Lucas said, patting Arthur on the back. "Until we meet again."


    "It was a pleasure, sir," Arthur replied, shaking his hand.


    When Lucas left, Arthur entered his car and just sat there for a few minutes. He was thinking of a connection between the Kingfields'' butler and Thomas Alec Irving.


    "The Woodskiffs were just an average family with no connection to the mayor whatsoever, so why would the Irvings target them? Were the Woodskiffs a random target?" he thought.


    He remembered the crime scene which he and Gabriel arrived at last night. The bottom half of the house was charred black. He vividly remembered Amelia''s hysterical cries while the paramedics tried to console her.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Scott''s body was never recovered from the ashes. No matter how much the police and firefighters looked around, there was no sign of the mayor anywhere.


    On the night of the murder, theories spread throughout the internet about a "rebel uprising" in Duke''s Lake that stemmed from the police''s indifference to the Woodskiff murders. They said that the failure to find Abigail Hartrand was the last straw, and that the Hartrands themselves were the ones who burned down the house.


    Arthur had visited the Hartrands at around 10 P.M. to see if the sons were present. But, conveniently, Seth¡ªthe younger one¡ªwas at a friend''s house while Cain had moved out.


    "Are the rumours true, that you committed¡ªor at least planned¡ªthe arson attack against the Kingfields?" he''d asked them.


    Adam''s eyes grew large, stunned that Arthur would dare accuse them of such a thing. Without raising his voice, he told Arthur to "have a good day" and "we''ll see you when you find her".


    *********Cornwall, Duke''s Lake*********


    <<9:16 P.M.>>


    ~Either all of them are involved in this, or the rest are covering up for one.


    "Makes sense," Arthur commented. He was laying on his bed, calling Akio about the recent situation.


    ~You know, as soon as news of Mayor Kingfield''s death spread out, I knew you''d call me anytime soon.


    "You know me too well. By the way, where''s Caleb?"


    ~Oh, sleeping in the other room.


    "On my bed?"


    ~Nah, on mine. I''m the one who took your bed.


    Akio turned the camera to reveal Arthur''s room.


    "I trust that you won''t disturb any of the things I left there."


    ~Do you take me for some kind of snooper?


    Akio''s almost angry tone made Arthur laugh. "Remember three months ago? When I caught you going through my phone?"


    The other side went silent for a few seconds.


    ~I didn''t see anything, I swear! I only scrolled your messages with the other university students...


    "Right, I see. I totally trust you. After all, the only reason I found out about your crush on Caleb is because I found your phone lying on the couch."


    ~See?! We''re even!


    "Fine, fine, I guess you''re right," Arthur chuckled. "Anyway, Duke''s Lake is flooding with reporters now after the story of Hartrand''s disappearance got out. Seems that Evelyn got tired of the delays and just decided to tell the police."


    ~About time she did. What''s her deal with the cops anyway?


    "Her youngest, Seth, was attacked by some sort of creature¡ªor human, I don''t really know¡ªin the woods last year. The police just wrote it down as a bear and didn''t think much of it."


    ~I guess she decided to give them another chance, seeing as the police chief was changed.


    "I think so too. Well, anyway, I have something else to ask you."


    ~Sure, go ahead.


    "It is possible for two people to be completely unrelated to each other, but share a last name, correct?"


    Akio raised an eyebrow at his friend''s strange question.


    ~Uh, obviously, yeah.


    "Even in a city one-fifth the size of Manchester?"


    ~Unlikely, but not impossible. Why?


    "Azalea told me about a lead they found a few days ago that they kept confidential. Mixed in with the blood of the Woodskiffs, was the blood of a completely unrelated guy. His name was Thomas Alec Irving."


    ~Uhuh, yeah. And?


    "Wait, hold on¡ªhave you seen Mr. Stonehill around there?"


    ~No, Ethan told me that he hasn''t been to the office since you left.


    "Huh? But he just told someone that¡ªnevermind. It''s probably private. Anyway, the mayor''s son Lucas approached me after the funeral. He told me to keep an eye out for Mr. Stonehill, who had told him that he''d be the one to investigate the arson. He mentioned his butler''s name¡ªTodd Irving."


    Akio was left speechless for a moment.


    ~That is crazy. Have you researched anything about the Irvings?


    "I did for a few hours before I called you. The government records state that Todd Irving was a 60-year-old man from London, but Thomas was a 52-year-old man who immigrated from France and took on an English name."


    ~I have another theory.


    "Spill it," Arthur said in anticipation.


    ~What if...Thomas Alec Irving is an alias?


    Arthur didn''t expect that revelation. But it made sense to him.


    ~Think of it like this¡ªwhy would a Frenchman take on an English name? Hell, I didn''t even change mine when I moved here 10 years ago.


    "He either just wanted to, or was under a disguise."


    ~Bingo. I personally think the latter is more likely. Now we just need to trace his real identity.


    "Any way to narrow down thousands of French immigrants?"


    Akio shook his head and frowned. This is going to be harder than they thought.


    "I have a hunch that ''Irving'' is the leader of the so-called rebel group, and have taken both Abigail and Shane. He already killed Shane, so I just hope we''ll get to Abigail in time."


    ~Do you have anyone nearby that can help? Like...Azalea?


    "No, she still has her baby to take care of. And her husband will probably be caught up with the mayor''s death."


    ~Damn. So what''s your plan?


    "I applied for Duke''s Lake High School as a history teacher."


    Akio erupted in laughter.


    ~You what?!


    "What''s so funny? It''s for a reason. Seth Hartrand studies here, so I''ll use this opportunity to gain intel and possibly get him to help in the investigation."


    Akio wiped tears from his eyes. A big grin was left on his face.


    ~Sorry, just the thought of you in front of a large class makes me laugh. But, yeah, that''s a great idea. But what about the other one?


    "Oh, Cain? Uh, his parents told me that he was a dropout who now resides in his friend''s house, so I figured that he''s less approachable."


    Akio stifled a yawn. His eyes were drooping, and almost closed shut.


    ~It''s getting late, and I still have classes tomorrow. I''ll go to bed now. Goodnight, Arthur.


    "Yeah, good luck. Goodnight."


    Akio hung up, leaving the room in total silence. Arthur sighed and collapsed onto the mattress.


    "I should get some sleep too, I guess. I should be at the school by six."


    *********Astraeus Manor*********


    A woman leans on the doorway to a private office. Her fingers ran through a dagger''s blade, which was glistening in the moonlight that streamed from a window.


    "Killing him was a bold move, Elnath. But are you sure that the other members would agree?"


    Elnath sits on a velvet office chair, his gaze locked with the woman''s. The nameplate on the desk reads ''SIRIUS''.


    "The others hated Sirius as much as we do, Vega. But was disposing of his body really necessary?"


    Vega sighed. "Did you forget about the little tussle you had with Sirius before he died? Your fingerprints and blood were all over him. And you''re a well-known figure¡ªthe most famous of us all, even. There''s no saying that you''ll get off scot-free."


    "We''re Enneasteri, Vega. Our talent is to manipulate and instil fear into the commoners. And you''re worried about the police?"


    "Yes, I''m worried¡ªbecause of the branding that Sirius did."


    Elnath clicked his tongue and leaned back on the chair. He placed his legs on the table. "Ah, yes. The lucky one chosen by our leader himself. What was the reason, anyway?"


    "This specific power''s requirement is a stable mind, a keen eye, and an ambivert personality. The boy he chose perfectly fits all three criteria."


    "Tsk, poor choice. He''ll be a hindrance to our plans, and we can''t even control him now."


    Elnath rubbed his forehead with his palm. He shook his head. "Why would someone as ambitious as Sirius choose to become the mayor of Duke''s Lake?" he asked, chuckling to himself. "But at least most suspicion will fall on his elder brother. Vega, you''ve used my father''s books to manipulate him, yes?"


    Vega nodded. "Of course. Giving dear Johnny a sense of nihilism will for sure turn some heads."


    "Good," Elnath said. "Now let''s see if we can make that girl one of us. Call Alpherg, and tell him to come here as soon as possible."


    "Understood."