It was yet another mundane morning in the city of Minastoma, civilians went about their businesses and Magic knights patrolled the corners and the skies.
Three figures stood in front of the church facing the grimoire store. Two of them had on casual clothing of tunic while one was hooded and was covered with a flashy robe.
They approached the grimoire door and knocked.
The elf storekeeper responded and checked through a little open tab for who knocked. She was pushed aback when she saw a hooded head leaning forward but went at ease when she recognized those by the figure.
The door came open and they let themselves in.
Payne chatted with the elf, explaining to her the purpose of their visit.
"If you would just let us and free your mind to us. You'll be doing us a great deal of work and also to the empire." He explained.
She sighed, "Just give back the grimoire once you catch him."
"Understood."
After she affirmed, Edrion pulled down his purple hood and looked into her eyes, their eyes locked and she was entranced.
Her blue eyes dilated and a cloud of purple swallowed them.
Images flooded into Edrion's mind, he went back and back, eight days back and after seconds of searching, he found the character whose drawing he had been shown.
Shock appeared on his face momentarily. Every visible information was captured by eyes, his features, his Mana, mana signature, he could even tell that Tiagon was greatly suppressing his Mana.
Then he stopped, the elf grimoire keeper fainted and fell but Saris caught her before she hit the floor.
Edrion smirked, "Very interesting, Very, very interesting. You two did well to come to me."
Edrion walked out, and Payne followed while Saris worked on placing the woman on a seat, she opened her eyelids and saw that her eyes were still purple.
Edrion looked around like he was searching for something, his eyes quickly darting about trying to pick up something then he stopped.
He took in a deep inhale and then smirked, "I've found you."
He walked to the space between two desolate houses where Tiagon had forced the magic knight to get him a grimoire.
"What do you see Edrion?"
"Oh Payne, if you have my eyes, then there's nothing you wouldn't see. I see everything."
He squatted and looked down, his eyes magnified the area of concentration down to the microscopic level and an unobservable wisp of mana remained, its flame almost extinguished and swallowed into the atmosphere, had they waited another day they might not come across it.
Edrion recognized it, that little inconsequential wisp of magical energy, he recognized it and its signature and it belonged to none other than Tiagon.
"Such potent mana, an average mage's mana would disappear without a trace for about three days and it's been eight and yet this one remains, truly impressive. Looks like we have a highmage level criminal under our nose."
He stood back up and his blue starry eyes shrank, he turned to Payne and Saris who was walking towards them.
"What would you have done had you come across this mage? He's much stronger than you two you know?"
Payne's glabella creased, "We would fall back and request for reinforcement."
"That's just asking for a massacre."
Payne had nothing to say and he looked down in mild shame, he was much too weak and yet he ought to be one of the best.
'Highmages are just on a different level.'
"You mentioned that sharp wounds caused by blades were inflicted on the victim."
"That's true." Payne answered.
"And nobody saw anything or how it happened?"
"Indeed."
"I can't pick any of his Mana lying around, he must have teleported but to buy the shapeshifting grimoire? Does he intend to hide his identity? If that's the case then it's with certainty that he has done more than steal a grimoire around. We have to look at everywhere, no stones should be left unturned."
"But that's going to be you, you're the only one with such powers." Saris interjected.
"Oh right, I best be compensated well."
Thereafter, the team began looking around, they began with the streets around.
Edrion eyes darted, bouncing about from each corner of his eyelids frantically for just a sense of Tiagon's Mana.
Hours passed and it was evening, both Payne and Saris were exhausted from just following Edrion and they lagged behind while Edrion continued like he had just begun in his search.
"Aha!" Edrion cried.
By his side was the adventurer's guild and he had spotted multiple microscopic wisps of Tiagon's mana on the door to the guild.
He pushed the door open and entered. There was hardly anyone around, it was just some adventurers sleeping and the receptionist by the counter.
Payne walked forward to the receptionist and unrolled the parchment.
"Have you seen this man?"
"I haven't" the receptionist answered, his stoic expression not failing him.
"Ohhh, forget this." Edrion walked forward, his eyes enlarging.
"Don't go too hard." Payne commented.
"I know you have seen him, I'm just going to check."
His eyes locked on the receptionist and he had access to his mind.
Edrion frowned as the receptionist's mind was filled with many images, of things he found boring and those were records and stupid adventurers.
He sped up the process, the receptionist's mouth foaming as he stood.
"What the hell are you done?!" An Adventurer yelled from behind which woke the few that were asleep.
"No one messes with our man and gets away with it." The adventurer yelled and ran forward.
He was large but had little brain matter to compliment his size, if he had just a little larger, he would have realized that those I'm front of him were beyond his league.
"Saris" Payne called.
"On it."
She leaped forward at the adventurer, the adventurer threw a fist which she avoided by bending to the side. She then tucked his arm under hers locking it and struck an uppercut to his jaw rendering the adventurer unconscious.
"Found him but just as suspected, he has taken the form of another person."