The Time Keeper

Chapter 68 - Wakley's Warning

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."