The discussion in the back room was not as casual as the one outside. Once the doors closed behind them, the Seredums removed the stale expressions from their faces and wore ones of stress and fear.
"Master Baylis," Erina said with a narrowed gaze. "We as helpers to our Lord Keeper raised concerns over the Eye's recent intentions and directives, but we are bound to our Lord's will. We were always told to respect the defenders but now the stakes have changed."
"I understand," Hugo replied. "I am inclined to support you any way possible."
"We feel the Eye has been leaking information."
"What kind of information?"
"I think you know the answer to that. The Keepers rarely ever reveal themselves to anyone, and rarer still is a trustee giving away their identity."
Vincent found a chair, dusted it off, and sat down.
"On the rare occasion that something like that would happen," Erina continued, "we would be sent in to deal with the miscreant and contain the spread of that information. But now it's not that simple. The information is spreading like fire in a forest, and we have no leads to follow, Master Zaatsu. And we should not be having to remind you that this is not the first Keeper to be targeted."
"I understand your concern and if you will let me, I am willing to explain."
"Please…"
Hugo took a deep breath and said, "Ten years ago, back when he was on top of his game, Ambris Ferrer, the infamous warlock, attacked and infiltrated our city and what followed was strange, to say the least. His brute strength was his greatest quality, and his followers, the Serpents of God, were also known for their brute strength and merciless attacking tactics."
"Why the sudden history lesson? We were there, Master. We were there to witness the horrors Ferrer brought upon the arcane community. As a matter of fact, he too was your fault."
"Will you let me finish?"
Erina looked away and Hugo continued. "Even they were never strong enough to attempt a break-in through the Palace's defences and live to see the light of another day. But that day, something was different."
The Zaatsu shook his head. "Many believed the City Guard was compromised. The defences didn't hold, and no one knows why. The Serpents infiltrated Ayn but didn't stay for a fight. They left as quickly as they came."
"Why?"
"They were never there for a fight. They came looking for a very specific target. They found it, took him out, and left."
"What did they find?"
"There was a time when the Seekers used to be a movement of their own much like the Mystics."
"Yes, we know."
"The last Chief Seeker – they were looking for him. They killed him and took his personal journal. A record of secrets, theories… maybe even knowledge the Eye never knew."
Vincent looked away.
"But why would they do that?" Erina asked. "Why did they want the journal?"
"There are theories but no one really knows. But it is a well-known fact that Ambris had his grudges against the Seekers. And he succeeded in killing the last of them."
"Indeed," Erina dropped her head and crossed her arms. "That was a tragic outcome."
Hugo nodded. "That journal, by the way, Chief Seeker's journal, could never be recovered and to further the mess, Ferrer's right-hand man, Velho Zimmerman, or the Inferno, as he became known, has been in the wind since the rogue's demise 8 years ago."
"And you think he is the one selling information in the black markets?"
"Could be." The Zaatsu looked at Vincent and asked, "Have you heard this tale?"
"Somewhat," he replied, speaking slowly. "But not quite like that."
"Too bad."
Hugo was now staring at the ceiling. "It really is a far bigger mess than anyone could have predicted," he said as he exhaled. Then, looking at the Seredums, he asked, "Can I ask a question?"
"Yes, you may," Erina replied, with a nod.
"What are the Keepers seeing these days? How are things in the other world?"
The Seredum smirked. "You have great knowledge on a vast array of subjects, Master Baylis, even things the Palace seems eager to bury." Leaning ahead, she added, "Reminds me of the Outsiders…"
"Nonsense." Hugo shook his head dismissively. "I was never with the Outsiders."
Eila smiled. "They served your people for five centuries, Master."
Outsiders were merely an extension of the Eye – skilled operatives sent into the world to watch, learn, and expand. From fashion trends to technological advancements, without the Outsiders, they would never have found a way into the Regal Palace or the City of Ayn.
"Hmm… without them, we'd still be decades behind the world outside." He shrugged lightly. They levelled the field against the Order."
The Order roamed the globe and had a much larger number of operatives compared to the Eye's secluded presence. The Outsiders did away with this disadvantage for the Eye.
"They also opened doors," Eira added quietly. "With Cults. With commoners."
Cults had been alienated. Order termed them criminals, Eye was too far away to interact. Outsiders provided them with a bridge. Relations flourished.
Hugo nodded. "To some extent."
A brief silence followed.
Then he said, more coldly, "The Eye does not recognize any Outsider as trustworthy. Once a careless arcanist… always a careless arcanist."
The room stilled.
"Ambris Ferrer changed everything," Hugo went on. "When he rose, the blame had to land somewhere."
"So many paid for that mistake," Eila said.
"Master Delun Yang paid for it," Hugo corrected. "Along with many others."
Seear Delun Yang, Renekom's predecessor, paid with his life in the final battle along with many other senior and important figures of the Eye to finally bring about the end of Ambris Ferrer and his followers – the Serpents of God.
"The aftermath…" Hugo exhaled softly. "It was devastating for so many more."
After assuming office, Renekom along with the majority of the decisive voices within the Palace decided to abolish the Outsiders and punish the operatives for their carelessness.
To some, Renekom's strict rulings were a bit too extreme. However, the casualties from Ambris's reign of terror were so significant that no one argued much.
Erina shook her head as she whispered, "They were all punished."
Some of the Outsiders found refuge with distant Cults shedding their ties with the Eye. Some others surrendered and did time inside the Atramentum after which they rejoined the Eye but with no hopes of ever gaining any meaningful ranks.
Then there was a large contingent which was simply removed from the equation. It did not matter whether they surrendered or not – they were killed regardless.
Then Erina asked, "May we know who your mentor was, Master Baylis?"
"I have had three different mentors." The Zaatsu smiled. He crossed his arms and leaned against the bookshelf. "The one you're looking for would be Warren Ford."
Zaatsu Master Warren Ford was the leader of the Outsiders for the last 39 years of their existence. He was the strongest Zaatsu of his time – arguably the strongest of the Era of Disenchantment. He fought beside his friend, Delun Yang against Ambris in that final showdown. What frustrated the Eye was that the man was never seen again.
Eila's expression shifted. "So, it is true then," she said, smiling. "The spirit of the Outsiders still lingers."
"Does it?" Hugo scoffed, though his gaze dropped. "I had nothing to do with them."
Vincent's eyes flicked toward him, but he said nothing.
Silence followed for many moments.
"What about him?" Erina eventually asked, pointing at Vincent.
"What about him?" Hugo responded, looking at him. He then looked back at the Seredums.
"We were aides to the Lord Keeper." Erina leaned ahead. "We have been hearing about a white-haired bounty hunter who seeks forbidden scriptures."
"Yes. This is him."
"Then why is he here?" Eira asked, staring with a narrowed gaze. "Who are you?"
"I already told you who I am," Hugo replied calmly. "As for this young man… well, he is who you think he is, but he is also the only one who can help us right now."
"Please, don't talk in riddles…"
"He can track your Lord."
"Wait… What?"
The Zaatsu looked at Vincent. "Can't you?" he asked.
The bounty hunter blinked slowly as he nodded just once.
"Can you?" Erina asked. "Really?"
"We have tried every possible way." Eira added. "And when we can't find the Lord, you most certainly cannot. What do you think you can achieve here?"
Hugo pointed at him. "This young man has been stealing Scriptures of Rasalhague. You do the math…"
"Dark Arts?" Eila asked wide eyed.
Eira added, "Is there a way to track an ambiguous Ki signature?"
"How do you think I've been finding the Keepers and the Scriptures so easily?" Vincent responded. "When beings with Ki move, they disturb Ki in their path, leaving not just their own residue but also a chain of disturbances in the atmosphere. Usually, Ki disturbances fade within minutes. But where there's Ki, there's Dark Ki. And Dark Ki disturbances last far longer. So… in the words of Master Zaatsu here, you do the math…"
"Rasalhague was by all accounts an excellent tracker," Hugo added.
With raised eyebrows, Vincent nodded. "Indeed…"