The switchers were the creatures from the dark, from the realm of the dead whose only ability was to take forms of the people who were either dead or were alive with the only criteria that they had to touch the person they were taking the form of. 

Apart from mimicking and taking the shape of a person, they had no other ability. These switchers were the same people who used to work for the black witches and had been deceived by coming here to only be used as a sacrifice in a few minutes. 

"How are things so far?" asked Hendrick, staring at the various machines that had numbers and made sounds while releasing steams every now and then. 

"We are on the track, Master," Inot answered, his feet slightly crooked, the short man limped towards the gears, pus.h.i.+ng it forward, "We have ten of them, and they show a great deal of potential compared to the humans," the switchers were not in their original form but they had been turned to pureblooded vampires after which Inot had given them shots to make sure they wouldn"t be able to turn back again.

"Good to know that you used your brain on what was needed," Hendrick said, his eyebrows raised up as he looked at them, "Who knew that things like these existed and would come in use," Hendrick had moved away from the devices to look at the switchers who were bound in a line of chairs while connecting each of their chairs together, "Such slimy creatures," he looked at them with a sign of disgust in his eyes. 

"More the slime, better is the conduction, Master," Inot chuckled, walking around as he prepared the devices for the oncoming storm that was soon going to hit the towers antenna to pick the needed electric energy that would start the devices and create a portal. 

Inot who was working, looked over his shoulder to see Hendrick who was walking around and looking at the switchers. He was a mediator witcher who didn"t have a specific master or mistress. He would change teams and people depending on what would favour him. 

"Soon the portal to the council will open. A place where not many are supposed to go and don"t get to see," said Hendrick. 

Curious, the witcher asked, "What is there in the council?" Inot knew it was a portal to the council, a place where witches couldn"t step in, especially the black witches who would burn into a crisp paper. Hendrick was banned from entering. 

"There"s a book. A book that was created years ago by someone unknown who I don"t care about. This book speaks about how to destruct the world, speaks about the secrets of a world which we aren"t aware of," this made Inot curious, "You will be able to raise people from the dead and control them. You can acquire abilities one couldn"t even imagine about."

"Is it what the Mistress wants?" asked Inot, his small eyes looking at Hendrick.

Hendrick chuckled, "You are my servant so I will tell you this, she won"t be getting it," the vampire had no plan to hand over such a book which was full of treasure, "I will come to be known as the ultimate vampire who will stand tall above everyone else. People who shamed me will be killed and I will do it slowly."

"Of course, master," said Inot who went back to working with the device but the witcher couldn"t help but ponder about the book. The book that would give a person power, he wondered what more it held that the people were not aware of. 

Soon the rain started and the lightning struck the antenna to pa.s.s the current through the wires which continued to pa.s.s through the switchers, and the devices started running. The electricity continued to crackle with energy. Both Inot and Hendrick covered their eyes because of the white flashes that were created in the room. The switchers who were strapped to the chair shook tremendously, their skin starting to melt away as seconds pa.s.sed by to lead for a portal to open. 

The portal opened in a circular motion, widening little by little to show a dark pa.s.sage that had no light. 

"Keep it open until I return!" shouted Hendrick because of the noise in the room as well as the wind that was circulating around them, "I will be back soon!"

Inot nodded his head, putting his round and thick gla.s.ses on his face.

Hendrick walked towards the portal and disappeared behind it. 

The vampire continued to walk through the portal, the wind slowed down and he was surrounded by the quiet darkness in the pa.s.sage that belonged to one of the council rooms that was built underground. 

The council was a huge place that was used to accommodate the council members and the duties that had to be done. There were many floors and during the period of his work as a council in the past, Hendrick had explored many places except for this particular room which was a storage room when it came to the case files and belongings of people who were involved in the case. It was a room where people were not supposed to enter. Not even the elders and was restricted to the head council only. 

The Mistress witch, Sabbi, had told this is where the book was. The book that held treasures in it. 

Hendrick picked up a lantern that hung on the side of the wall, picking it up, he lit it and continued to walk to come to stand in front of the racks that were wide and tall.