Shinsou listened carefully to his peers, one at a time. Storm was up first. The wizard always thought himself behind the intellectual curve, but that was something the Telgradian strongly disagreed with for good reason; Veritas had an eye for detail, logic and common sense, all forms of intelligence that even the smartest people sometimes lacked. Whilst Shinsou would often spend his time explaining and analysing his philosophies, ponderings, and looming strategies to the n'th degree, Storm was always there to point out that which his friend often overlooked. These were often small but critical details on which an entire operation could hinge, and this made his partnership with the electromancer invaluable.

The words rang in his ears again. He’s bound by rules. He HAS to be, or we’d be long dead by now.

The words nagged him as he paced the length of the office, head bowed. Storm was right, and this led the Telgradian to three possible conclusions as to why Arius had thus far not demonstrated his power. Firstly, it could have been that any prolonged use of this time magic would be detrimental to Arius, in some way. After all, if Canen was right and to be believed, experimenting with it cost the man his original body. Secondly, it was equally plausible that Arius had deliberately not used the power at his disposal. For what reason, Shinsou was unsure, although he did know by now that his former right hand man often had an endgame to all of his machinations. Thirdly, it was equally plausible that despite Canen’s evidence from before, Arius did not in fact possess the type of power that had been suggested. Perhaps there was another explanation for his arrival, currently beyond the realms of their comprehension? Or even a more obvious reason – that Canen was either wrong or lying?

As his thought process gathered momentum, Shinsou then listened to what his general had to say. Felicity's words almost defied belief; that she knew someone proficient in the sort of terrifyingly unknown practice of time magic, and mentioned this just at a time when further consultation on this dark art was never more required. At first, it seemed all too convenient. The Telgradian found himself wondering if she was just trying to impress both him and Storm, and an exchange of looks between the two men conveyed this. But then, as he scrambled to find the right words, cognizant of the need to not ridicule his apprentice in front of Storm Veritas, something came into his periphery. At first glance it was obviously an Owl, but Shinsou's vision only told him a half truth. The Telgradian couldn’t feel anything at all from the animal, even as he directed all of his focus to try and sense anything from it.

The only times in living memory he had not been able to sense another living creature was when he had encountered Joshua Cronen, and when they had both fought Draconis. The connection?

Joshua was a demi-god. Draconis was a full blown Thayne.

“What is that thing?” He kept his gaze fixed on the Owl, which seemed guarded and rigid. Was it the time-wielding accomplice that Felicity had referred to? It seemed crazy, but he and Storm had seen more absurdity than this in their lives.