The Wizard stood before the group of Hunters with his hands clasped bedhind his back. He looked his nose down at the group. His face swept from face to face, and he even sidled on his feet to get view of the people he couldn't see in the back of the sitting Hunters. 

"I've come here to counsel you all for a very specific reason," the Wizard said. "Apprentices, Scouts abd Hunters—you're all here. Basically our entire team of enforcers."

Everyone remained silent. Every single Hunter was present except... 

Jin appeared amidst the room, not too far off from

the Wizard. He then walked right past the Wizard, and deliberately made his way over to the front row of seats. He sat in an empty, chair crossed his legs, crossed his arms across his chest, and smirked.

The Wizard opened his mouth, about to comment, but then he relented. He averted his eyes.

The other Hunters were dazed at the Wizard's failure of condemnation toward Jin. Although they were shocked, they hadn't said a word. The quiet lingered undisturbed.

Amidst all the people in the group, Jerald and his apprentice, Stephan Brave, wore sheer hatred on their faces. Jerald's eyes were locked on the Wizard where as Stephan's were locked on Jin.

When suddenly, Jin turned his head, and looked over his shoulder at Stephan Brave as if he'd sensed that he was being looked at. There was a subtle difference in Stephan's face but when Jin winked, all of his hatred and more manifested on his countenance. 

Amy—who sat in front of Stephan—had even heard him growl, and turned around to look at him. When she looked at Jerald, she realized that he was looking at the Wizard, and simply looked ahead again.

The Wizard cleared his throat. "Clearly someone's not at all late," he tittered.

Freak giggled but no one else laughed.

The Wizard then furrowed his brows, and somehow regained his prowesss, standing solemnly with a stern look on his face. "I've brought you all here today to discuss some of the problems we've been having because of the tournament, and I'm also here to 'out' a perpetrator."

Some people had somehow found themselves looking at Jin. Jin's smirk had become more clear right then.

"Murder," the Wizard said.

That word seized all of their attention and deterred it away from Jin's body.

"Errick Miller and West Willow—both recently apprehended for treason—were both murdered last night. One top of that, one of our officials were killed, specifically Ava's assistant, by the same person because she was a witness to his crime." The Wizard clasped his hands behind his back again. "And one of you is responsible. A single person."

Everyone became shocked. But one... remained in the group, well acqainted with what the Wizard spoke about.

Ava suddenly appeared next to the Wizard. "I shall now expose the perpetrator since we cannot have murderers running around within these walls." She then looked at the Wizard. 

The Wizard then inched closer to her, and spoke into one of her ears. She then nodded. The Wizard slowly inched away again.

"I begin with Jin Pierce," Ava said. "You may now stand."

Jin narrowed his eyes at her and reluctantly stood. 

Eyes landed upon Jin's body as if they were flies, landing atop a corpse.

"Jin," Ava said, "is it true that your apprentice was hospitalized no more than two days ago?" 

"Yes," Jin said brusquely.

"Wasn't he on the verge of death despite the Doctor's approval of the usage of anti-magic devices to slow the magical poison?"

"Yes."

"Is West Willow not the one responsible for your apprentice's condition?"

"He is."

Ava glared at him. "The doctor informed me of your rather... interesting take on the elimination of magic. You told him that the user must be killed so that the victim lives—something like that, yes?"

"I did."

"Now," she furrowed her brows, "did you break into the prison to kill West Willow and Errick Miller last night to reverse the magical effect on Stevan Brave?"

Jin smirked. Everyone directed their eyes at Jin, waiting for his short-worded answer—that "yes" was what they wanted to hear greatly. Jin's lips parted. Everyone was at the edges of their seats.

"I did not," Jin answered. 

People were disappointed.

Ava too wished he'd said the opposite of that. But truth be told, this woman knew Jin wasn't lying somehow. Jin's face showed sheer ambiguity, but overpowering arrogance and evil. But with one look in those apathetic yet so impenetrable eyes, she knew he was telling the truth.

Ava sighed. "So be it. Jin you may now have a—"

"I object!" Jerald shot up off his sea and stood solemnly. 

Everyone shifted their gazes to Jin.

Jin looked over his shoulder and his eyes met with Jerald. In those green enigmas for eyes, Jerald quailed, but did not avert his eyes until the very moment Jin giggled softly and looked ahead.

"Jin is the murderer," Jerald said. "It's clear. Look at his face. He's smiling and laughing and smirking and giggling. Can't you see he's the perpetrator, people? It was his apprentice so he rescued his apprentice. And he only rescued his apprentice so that he'll have a duo in the tournament. It's that simple!"

One of the fancy new Hunters stood, and raised a hand to his breast. His name was Ronaldo. "I stand for Jerald's sentiment. I do not trust Jin. That look on his face is not innocence—it's malice."

Jerald nudged Stephan with a foot.

Stephan stood. "I agree with Jerald and Ronaldo."

Amy stood. "I agree with Jin's haters. Honestly though, I only agree so that I'd have one less cocky bastard to fight in the tournament."

Kyle stood. "I am a scout. I don't really have the right to vote or anything but I'm not fond of Jin and his attitude toward authority. He's always late to these meetings, he doesn't care about anyone in this room, he's incredibly lazy and on top of that, he doesn't give the Wizard the respect he deserves as the founder of these walls."

Freak stood. "Why am I standing again? Are we finally getting to leave? I found a Nintendo switch—it's currently in a bucket of rice."

More than half of the Hunters and apprentices and scouts stood.

Jerald furrowed his brows. "I'm very certain that all of the standing people are in favor for Jin's prosceution."

Ava shook her head. "I'm afraid that is not possible."

Jin smirked.

"What do you mean?" Jerald grimaced. "The majority rules!"

"This isn't a democratic placed, Jerald," Ava said, "the Wizard's rule is absolute."

"Then Jin's rule would be absolute," Jerald said, "once he takes the Wizard's place? You're going to make Jin a totalitarian? Are you people fucking serious? Are you blind? Am I the only one with common sense? You're all arseholes—all of you! Can't you see they don't care about us?"

The Wizard furrowed his brows. "That's enough, Jerald!"

"You're taking for him, aren't you? You think I don't know your plan, old man? You're gonna have Jin rule. The tournament is only there to feed Jin more power!"

The Wizard's eyes suddenly started to glow white. The entire room shook. "JERALD THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Jerald clenched his teeth. Then, he balled his fists. 'What am I doing?' He thought. 'Jin can't get apprehended. I want him dead. I'm not supposed to be trying to kill him. I'm breaking my own plan. I'm supposed to wait until the tournament and that's how I'll have him killed.'

The room was quiet. Jerald then frowned. "I rest my case. Jin's innocent."

Jin smirked again. 

***

Jerald and his apprentice, Stephan, were atop a building together. They had left the Wizard's counceling a few minutes ago.

Jerald stood with his back turned on Stephan, his hair blowing vigorously in the wind. "What did I tell you?"

"Dunno. What did you," Stephan said, "tell me?"

Jerald aggressively turned around. "Don't play stupid, boy! You know what I'm talking about!"

Stephan pouted. "I had to do. You weren't gonna—so I did, okay!"

"You fucked up," Jerald facepalmed, "you fucked uo real good. You're supposed to lay low, and stay out of trouble until the tournament. You could've gotten us caught? Was murdering those two really nescessary?"

"Was having them go after Jin really nescessary?" 

"I didn't didn't put them to the task of assassinating your brother, you little fool! They did what they wanted to do."

"You're telling me to relent until the tournament," Stephan said, "when you're literally trying to get at Jin."

"Jin Pierce will be killed on the day of the tournament," Jerald said. His face softened. "I know I almost blew it. If he got arrested today—our plan would have been foiled. For that, I am sorry. I'm also sorry for your loss."

Stephan sucked his teeth. "Yeah right. You're just saying that."

Jerald turned, and started looking at the sky again. "This is the second time we've almost blown it. We must be careful. You killed an official—they're now skeptical of the Hunters. Which is a good thing—we'll make Jin the bad guy. The tournament's getting closer. You will avenge your brother very soon, boy."

Stephan clenched his fists, and furrowed his brows.