Recognition dawned upon me, the pieces of a puzzle falling into place. The face before me was familiar, not from the boat but from the auction. The same figure who had intervened, blocking a bullet with an arm seemingly made of bulletproof metal.
"Who are you?" I asked, my curiosity tempered by a newfound wariness.
The hooded figure responded, "Wakley of the Webber family. Again, I advise against seeing Rex."
Wakley Webber. The name echoed in my thoughts. I remember Darius mentioning the initial W on a sealed scroll, specifically warning us about the stolen artifact. The Hand of God. Was the W meant to represent the Webber Family?
"Rex?" I questioned, a frown creasing my brow. "Who is Rex, and why shouldn't I see him?"
Wakley's response carried a weight of revelation. "Xerces is an alias for Rex. The man you and your companions are pursuing."
I reached for my revolver, the instinct to defend myself surfacing as Wakley's revelation hung in the air. "How do you know this? How do you know what we're doing?" I inquired, my fingers brushing against the cold metal of the weapon. But a peculiar sensation overcame me, as if an invisible force compelled my hand to retract from the gun. It was as if I never intended to grab it in the first place.
I felt a twinge of realization, the name "Rex" triggering a cascade of connections within my mind. Lorenzo, Uvan, and Rex—all names I had encountered on that list back in the warehouse when going to take down Pandora. Xerces, the supplier, was Rex.
Lorenzo was tied to The Black Rose, as were Pandora and Fritz. The realization formed a cohesive picture—a shadowy network operating in the underbelly of the arcanist world working under the organisation The Black Rose. Lorenzo, a part of the supply chain; Rex, the supplier; Pandora, experimenting with materials to create false artifacts; and Fritz, conducting the experiments.
But what were they working towards? Surely creating perfected False Artifacts wouldn't be sustainable with how the one Pandora worked on turned out. And Pandora seemed to be turning into a Lamentor I think? They definitely don't hold up good business practices.
"I've been keeping an eye not only on The Huntsmen but also on you," Wakley disclosed, his gaze steady. "Since the day Darius took an interest in you and recruited you into The Huntsmen group."
The revelation hit me with unexpected force. That far back?
"Why now?" I asked, a hint of frustration lacing my words. "If you've been watching all this time, why reveal yourself and provide information only now?"
Wakley's response was cryptic, leaving me more bewildered than before. "The threads of fate are intricate and ever-changing, Elias. Only when the patterns align does one receive the revelations they seek. I was instructed to watch over you," Wakley continued. "By the head of the Webber Family, Valarious Webber, the [Spider of Chance]."
I shook my head in disbelief. I was no closer to understanding his motives. It was like he was speaking in riddles.
"Wouldn't it have been better for you to help before when we actually needed assistance?" I pressed, trying to make sense of the enigma before me.
"Timing is crucial," he replied, his tone unwavering. "I've been ensuring you tread the right path. Now, circumstances dictate that you need to know certain truths."
Frustration simmered within me, a persistent itch of confusion that refused to abate. The elusive answers slipped through my grasp, leaving me more disoriented than enlightened.
"What about The Black Rose?" I inquired, attempting to redirect the conversation towards a topic that I knew he could possibly help with.
Wakley's response, however, offered no respite. "You're not ready for that information. Given time, you will know."
Oh this guy just isn't any help. The irritation flared within me, and I took a step closer to Wakley. "I'm tired of half-truths and riddles. Tell me what you know about The Black Rose now. I need to know more."
Wakley, without uttering a single word, took his metallic arm out from under his cloak, the glint of artificiality catching my eye. Recognition flashed through me—I had seen that arm before back in the auction.
Before I could react, Wakley reached out with his non-metallic hand, pressing it onto my forehead in a swift motion.
"Be careful Elias Ashborn. It is not your time to meet the Seven."
Upon hearing Wakley finish his sentence, I shook my head like I was waking up from a daze. For a split second, I was confused. What happened, where was I?
Looking around, I was in the middle of a random street in Araway's main town centre. I could see the clock tower nearby as well as the familiar Church of the God of Domination and Will.
Slowly, things came back to me as if my memories had been locked away till this moment. The man in the alley, Wakley if I recall correctly. His warning about Xerces, well now Rex. How did he know I was after him?
I subconsciously reached for my revolver to see if I still had it, as well as my pocket watch and my brooch. My revolver was still there even though Wakley had taken it briefly, and my watch was there too. But my brooch was missing.
It wasn't in my pocket where I had left it. Nor was the scroll casing lid from the Barros Family scroll. I could've sworn I had them.
Did Wakley take them both? Why would he do that if he was on my side?
And why I couldn't remember what happened after he pressed his hand to my head. As well as that last sentence. The Seven. Who or what did he mean by that?
He was an arcanist I was sure of it. Was his ability to be able to make me forget things? What kind of Arcanist could do that? What Tier and what Authority? Time, Space or Fate?
While thinking about what happened, I realized I was walking rather urgently through the cobbled streets. I had wanted to go to the library or bookstore, but now I felt the urge to go back to our accommodation no matter what, like it was the most important thing I could do.
Upon entering the room we had booked, the comforting sight of my companions greeted me. Fleur and Caius were seated, finishing up some food they had acquired, and Lucas was already awake. The low hum of conversation ceased as they turned their attention toward me.
Caius looked up as I entered. "Eli, where did you disappear to? You were gone after we got back a few minutes ago."
I inwardly sighed, relieved that I hadn't been away for too long. "Just needed some air, went for a walk," I explained casually. With forgetting what happened after the encounter with Wakley, who knows how long I could've been out for. If only I had kept my eye on the time beforehand.
"Hopefully, Eli wasn't getting into trouble out there," she said to Caius, a chuckle escaping her lips.
As we settled into the room, a knock came from the door and Fleur got up to open it. Standing outside was a man with a wide face and ashy black hair. It was Darius, our boss of The Huntsmen.
After closing the door behind him and without preamble, he declared, "I've gathered some valuable information about Xerces. Sources say he's staying with his boss for the time being at his estate. The Stanway Estate of Pink Stanway."
The mention of Pink Stanway's estate drew a thoughtful silence from the room.
"It's about half an hour north of Araway's city centre, in a grassy area of northern Araway. Secluded, private, away from the hustle and bustle of the city," Darius explained, his words painting a picture of a luxurious sanctuary. The mental image of an expansive estate surrounded by greenery sparked both intrigue and trepidation.
Lucas, sitting upright, ran a hand through his hair. "Well this complicates things, doesn't it? A private estate means heightened security, and it won't be as easy to slip in unnoticed."
"No, getting in won't be easy if that's the plan," Darius confirmed. "But it's Pink's Estate, he's not one to have an abundance of security. Just a couple of loyal Arcanists is likely all. Well, that doesn't make it any easier either."
I took a moment to absorb the information, the mental gears turning as we considered our options. Pink Stanway's opulent estate posed a challenge, but as we had learned, challenges were not insurmountable.
"So, how do we actually approach this?" I mused aloud, my gaze flickering between my teammates. The room fell into a thoughtful silence as we collectively pondered our next moves.
"First, we need to gather more intelligence on the estate," Fleur pointed out. "Its layout, potential vulnerabilities, and any peculiarities that might aid us."
Darius interjected. "That shouldn't be an issue. I've been to the Estate, albeit a long time ago. I should still remember my way around. On top of this, we won't have any artifacts on deck from the Church of the Keeper of Time. So it's just up to our own abilities."
As the discussion unfolded, my thoughts began to drift into contemplation. The mention of Xerces—now known as Rex—staying at Pink Stanway's estate prompted quiet internal deliberation.
Could I simply just handle this alone?
If Rex was merely a supplier, as the gathered information suggested, then animosity might be unnecessary. Negotiation and information extraction could be viable alternatives.
Rex had shown his abilities at the auction to get closer to me from across the room in an instant though. It wasn't an ability that would be extremely detrimental to me, yet it would be something I would need to be wary of.
With how I had managed to take care of Lorenzo by myself, this shouldn't be impossible and maybe I might be able to learn a thing or two from him. If handled with finesse, perhaps the same outcome as Lorenzo could be achieved with Rex.
But I would have to keep this to myself till everything blows over. If push comes to shove, I'll just come up with an excuse that I thought I could get a headstart, or that going alone would cause less disruption.
Darius, sensing the contemplative air, addressed the group, his voice carrying a confident resolve. "Alright, tomorrow at dawn then, we make our move. We need to be early. Let's gather the essentials tonight and get some rest."
The unanimous agreement reverberated through the room, and with a shared understanding, we dispersed to make preparations for the upcoming operation. As I retreated to my temporary quarters, I checked my pocket watch out of habit.
"Five in the evening already?" I murmured to myself, the day having flown past in a blur of planning and strategy. The realization of time slipping away prompted a sense of urgency, and I set about organizing my gear and reviewing my plan once more.
I would leave sometime during the night and get a private carriage to take me near the Estate and walk the rest of the way. With Fractured Sight, I should be able to sneak past any guards or obstacles with ease, that won't be an issue.
But finding my way around the Estate would be difficult. Darius knows his way which is the only thing that makes me want to wait for the others.
Just as I was engrossed in the task, Caius approached, breaking the focused silence. "Hey, Elias. We're thinking of wandering around the town for a bit. Care to join?"
The suggestion struck a chord. My previous excursion through the city had been marred by the unexpected detour into the alley. This time, however, there was a sense of control, a respite from the pressing matters at hand.
"Yeah, sure," I replied, a rare smile tugging at the corners of my lips out of assured preparation. "Let's see what this place has to offer."
As I stepped out into the evening air, Fleur and Lucas were waiting near the entrance, Caius by my side.
Fleur wasted no time in expressing her intentions. "Caius, let's explore the markets. There's so much to show you."
As we strolled through the bustling streets, Fleur became our guide, navigating the labyrinthine pathways with an ease born of familiarity.
"I used to come here quite often," she explained to Caius, her voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "Things have changed, of course, but the essence of Araway remains."
My thoughts momentarily drifted to the conversation that Fleur had with me on the boat. About her and King. That could be why she came to Araway so much.
As we strolled, our path led us past the Church of the God of Domination and Will. The architectural marvel stood imposingly, its stone-carved emblem capturing my attention. A Sword piercing through a Spiky Crown at the top of the archway, a symbol of strength and dominion. My eyes traced the emblem down to the massive wooden doors.
Fleur, noticing my pause, turned around as Caius and Lucas continued ahead. "Elias, are you coming?" she inquired, her expression a mix of curiosity and encouragement.
"I'll catch up soon," I replied, a vague determination seeping into my words. "There's something I want to check out."
Fleur nodded understandingly, her anticipation for the market exploration evident. "Alright, we'll probably be wandering the markets."
As they disappeared around a corner, I turned back to the imposing church and pushed through the heavy wooden doors.