A Tale of the World **HIATUS**

Chapter 43: Missing Pieces

"It's a pleasure to be here," said Damon.

"So, what seems to be the problem since you came to get Nina personally?" Luka asked cutting straight to the point.

"Please, let us not talk here. Let us go into the council room and discuss the situation there," Dino kindly asked.

Dino opened the doors to a large room with a large granite oval table with comfortable chairs set up around the oval table. Each taking their seats, Dino cleared his throat as he placed his elbows onto the table surface. "As you have noticed, we have sent out notice that celestial spirits are being stolen from summoners."

"Yeah," Nina nodded. "We saw one of your flyers not too long ago."

Dino nodded his head, "These celestial spirits being stolen, it's been happening for quite some time now actually."

Nina furrowed her brow, "What do you mean?"

"We've searched the World Council records and these celestial spirit robberies have actually occurred often, quite frequently, actually," Clara started. "Here are some documents," Clara said as she handed papers to Nina.

Taking the documents, Nina laid them out before her. Clara then smiled, "You look so adorable with that new haircut."

Nina gave a nervous chuckle, "It's a long story."

Damon eyed the dates of the documents, "Some of these documents are dated back longer than 2 centuries ago. It's been happening for that long? And the World Council didn't say anything till now?"

"It's because they, and we, have never expected this to continue on for so long. There must be something big behind it," Ty commented.

Nina bit her lower lip, then asked, "Do you guys have any information about a doctor? Dr. Blake?"

All of their eyes went hard as soon as his name was uttered.

"How do you know that name?" Vera asked.

"Well, that's a long story. But do you have anything on him?" Nina directed the conversation elsewhere.

Dino waved his finger and a large digital screen appeared behind him. Standing up at the side of the screen, he began explaining. "Doctor William Blake; he was a geneticist a couple of years back. He was magnificent. Very smart and efficient. However, through his experiments, he believed he could do more than altering the genetics of humans and animals to cure illnesses and diseases. He believed he could make them stronger."

"And that's when everything went downhill," Ty whispered. "We've been tracking him a few years back when we discovered his experiments. However ..."

He hesitated. Nina leaned in attentively.

"However, he suddenly vanished from our radar, " Nora finished the sentence.

"Then how are you guys suppose to find him?" Nina questioned.

"Well, we think that he had some sort of accomplice with him that has been covering his tracks, as well as telling him his next targets. Celestial spirits," Sasha remarked.

"How do you know that? I mean, yes I've actually dealt with the man, but how did you know it was him and not just some other psychotic person?"