This is a summary of Greyashe Episode 33.

OP: the dropouts.

ED: Chime.

Chapters Covered: 73 & 74.

Kani backs away from the area where she, Guy and Adele are hiding, and steadies herself using the nearby wall. Sliding down to her knees, she asks quietly if that thing is what she thinks it is. Adele affirms this without looking at her, and notes that its much further along than he would have imagined. Guy glances over at Kani, and asks her gently if shes going to be okay, in which replies that she will. She then joins them again and focuses her eyes on what lies before them.

In the center of the adjacent room, a chamber connected to several pipes and sockets hums and emits a low but powerful agape wave. Adele comments that the connections to the chamber must be siphoning magic out of the air, and that the deity that had only been a rumor up until now may in fact be very real. Kani asks the tutor slash spy what they should do now, and Adele admits that he hadn't put much stock into this mission, so he isn't too sure what protocol he'd follow in this situation. Surprisingly, it's Guy who suggests that they back off for now. Kani glances over at him, not attempting to hide her shock at his attitude. Guy rationalizes that theres no good that can come from fighting people crazy enough to do something like create a GOD. Adele and Kani agree, but a voice from inside of the room invites them in. Adele and Kani stiffen, caught between fleeing and meeting this invitation head on. Guy stands up and smiles grimly, noting that anyone who can cheerfully invite intruders into their residence probably has the means to catch them should they run, and so they shouldn't waste their effort. Kani and Adele stand up and join Guy in the doorway to the next room, and come face to face with none other than Joel Lupine.

Lupine muses, mockingly questioning his co-workers if they were expecting visitors. When they all reply that they aren't, he sighs and tells them that he has no tea or room for them to sit. He does however have a store room where they keep surplus supplies, and oh yes, those who end up dying because of their venture to spit into the eyes of nature. He laments that he can't send them away alive, but you know how business is.

Adele agrees, but he has library books to return, so  he'll need to remain alive. He quickly lunges at Lupine, who draws his fist back to attack. Guy is faster though, and tackles the mad scientist to the ground. Kani and Adele run inside and Adele threatens to destroy the chamber if anyone makes any funny moves. Lupine laughs derisively at his intruders, and claims that it is far too late to destroy anything, and that adding more magic wouldn't help their situation right now. Kani stares at the chamber, unable to see anything other than swirling smoke. She blinks, and then asks Lupine what he means. He sneers, and tells her that he has no obligation to tell her anything. Soon enough his greatest masterpiece would be upon them, and they would all learn fear. 

In a surprising change of attitude, Adele walks over to Lupine and with a snarl asks him who ordered this abomination's creation. Lupine claims that he doesn't know, and that Adele should just relax....after all, no one would be leaving here for a while.

With a roar, the opening behind them seals shut. Kani gasps, realizing that now Lupine has the advantage. The mad scientist grins and once again apologizes for not having any tea.

Van and Claire come back to the former's room after classes and begin on the arduous task of their homework. Van pours into the effort with his usual zeal, while Claire climbs into bed and shuts her eyes. Her headache had evolved itself into a migraine, and she wants nothing else but sleep now. The boy is so immersed in his reading that he doesn't notice Claire right away. When he does, she waves of his concern, stating that she's just tired. Van then realizes that their other friends haven't appeared all day either. He had expected to at least run into Guy, but then admits that he was so wrapped up in the applause and chatter after physical education class that he had forgotten to go to see how Kani's classes were going. Claire shrugs and figures that they're doing okay since they haven't reported otherwise. She realizes that this is the first time they've been alone since they had rescued Kani from Pajari, and decides to ask the boy how he feels about being out of Greyashe for so long, and meeting so many new people.

Van turns from high-lighting notes in his book and balances the writing utencil on his nose while blowing out air. He sums up his feelings in one word.....'Overwhelming.' Yet, he's truly enjoyed himself and treasures the friendships that he has forged through this long journey. Most of all, he treasures meeting Claire, the cataylis for all of these changes. If they hadn't crossed paths,  he'd probably still be in Greyashe wondering about the outside world, and his heritage. Claire manages to hide her blushing face by turning away from him, she admits that at first she thought he would be no more than a nuisance, but he's proven himself to be a capable ally, and someone she can trust unconditionally. Maybe she'd never fully understand what her purpose is, but the fact that she can travel with him more than makes up for this. Van agrees. He would love nothing more than to be reunited with his long lost mother, but what he has found on the road leading to her is just as valuable.

The two are silent for a few moments, but then this is broken when they rise simultaneously and head towards the door. Although they treasure each others company, its the friends outside of their own relationship that make them who they are. These friends are important to them as well, and theres nothing wrong with going out to make sure that their other friends aren't in harm's way.

The students in the hallway of the school part as the figure of one imposing figure makes its way down the hallowed corridors of GMAGY. Headmaster Aschner has returned from a meeting off campus, and his power and prestige act as a bumper to those around him, scattering them as he walks by.

In all honesty, Aschner was supposed to be at the school, but Kaiser mage Hekerzos Acheron had called him away for an emergency. The headmaster went reluctantly to see his boss, as he was expecting something to happen at the school, and it was for that reason that he excused himself as soon as the opportunity presented itself. He suspected that Acheron had only called him as to divert his attention away from his school, but being that he is the Kaiser Mage, he couldn't call him on his bluff. It had been Aschner's idea to form a school for youth gifted for magic after his stint in the military, but it was Acheron's influence that made it happen. So quite literally, Aschner owed the Kaiser mage one, and as appearances would dictate, he seemed to have no problem giving back to the powerful wizard by producing strong and capable magicians.....

...But appearances have a way of being deceiving....

In any case, Aschner was back, and felt much more comfortable because of this. He worried that he may miss something important by not being at the school, and upon his return had found that nothing unusual had happened. Returning to his office, he gets settled in and checks his phone for messages. Upon finding none, his anxiety returns. 'Why haven't I received any messages?' he thinks to himself. He then calms himself, and reminds himself that such a delicate operation would have it's setbacks, and if he doesn't want to drive himself into an early grave, he'd best learn to be patient.....no matter how much the prospect of waiting vexes him.

Adele completes a magical bind on Lupine that seals him to a nearby chair. Glaring at his captor, Lupine asks him to consider the situation before him. They are sealed in a room that he has control of. If he felt like killing them, they would already be dead. Adele steps away from the scientist and paces about, unconcerned with this very true outlook on the current scenario. He points out that normal thought patterns don't apply to Lupine, and he could very well try to kill them without concern for himself. He then tells Lupine to turn off any magic he has going right now, to which the scientist smiles evilly and complies. All of the other 'scientists' disapear one by one, leaving the three men and woman alone in the room. Kani is amazed that Adele has already changed the flow of the situation so that it is under his control. Adele grimly admits that Lupine is still in control, and that he's just leveled things.

Meanwhile Guy stands in front of the chamber and tries to figure out what exactly it does. Kani chides him, and he moves away from it. Adele turns to Lupine and asks about it's contents, and he boredly replies that he won't answer any obvious questions. Adele's face turns grim and he bluntly asks why he hasn't released 'it' yet. Lupine's expression changes to that of mild irritation, and he quietly admits that he's tried to, but 'it' has grown used to having magic given to it. Adele and Kani's eyebrows rise, and Lupine explains that 'it' requires a great deal of magic to even exist. They had been siphoning it from nature, only taking bits and pieces so that no one would notice. However the being inside of the chamber had gotten so used to this life that it won't come out no matter what they do.  Adele smiles slightly, and comments that this would be considered a 'failure' to most people.  Lupine agrees, and with a grin of his own replies that he isn't 'most people'.

Adele suddenly falls backward, and in a flash Lupine is upon him. Kani wastes no time in lunging at the scientist, but he uses Adele's body as a shield. He muses that the tutor's undoing had been telling him to deactivate his magic. Creating clones actually takes a fair bit of agape, and now that he had recalled them, he had in essence recovered his strength. He tosses Adele aside, and glares hungrily at Kani, asking if she really believes that she can defeat him. Guy balls his fists and asks in a flat tone if Lupine has forgotten about him. Lupine asks in mock confusion when he got in, and Guy grins proclaiming that Lupine's ass is 'dog food.' With this the three launch themselves into battle.

Van and Claire search inside the school's corridors for their comrades. According to Kani's classmates, she hadn't appeared in any of her classes since the morning, and no one had seen her since. Van could track her if he had an idea of where she was going to go, even if she weren't going there, but without that lead he wouldn't be able to find her easily. To make matters worse, Claire's headache had only gotten worse since they left the room to begin the search. Van wants to tell her to go back, but hes already well aware that she won't listen. Van then comes upon a corridor that Cayden hadn't mentioned in his quick tour, and figuring they have nothing to lose decide to continue their search down that way. Claire's head throbs even more, but she doesn't heed the warning and follows Van.

Lupine keeps Kani and Guy on their feet with his lightening fast magic strikes and iron clad defense. The two are also at a disadvantage, as neither of them use magic. Lupine exposes this weakness mercilessly, and attacks from a distance. Kani deflects one of his attacks with an anti-magic device, which breaks a hole in the chamber. Lupine pauses for an instant, which is all Guy needs to hit him in the chest hard. He emits a magic attack which grazes the fighter, and severs one of the pipes. Kani feels the magic in the room slowly dissipate, and then gets a foreboding feeling. She turns to the chamber and realizes that something.....is reaching out of it.....

Claire and Van run down the corridor after hearing all of the noise from the fight, but run into the barrier. Van examines it, and finds that it can be burned down. He does also pick up a very foreboding presence behind the door, and hesitates in asking Claire to burn down the doorway.

The chamber begins to shake, and the swirling mist inside starts to seep from the hole. Lupine realizes what's going on, and decides to make a hasty retreat. Adele wakes up to see the scientist opening a secret hatch to escape, but is still too weakened to stop him. He asks if Guy and Kani are okay, and after receiving a reply from Guy, goes to see if the young lady is unhurt. The mist from the chamber is surrounding her, as she tries to struggle for freedom. Adele yells that she shouldn't use any magic as the mist is actually unstable agape. Kani shakily agrees, but yelps in fear when the mist wraps around her mouth.

Van hears this from the other side of the barrier, and shakes off his hesitation. He gives Claire the go ahead, and in a moment the doorway is a thing of the past. As the two rush in, Adele jerks his head around and yells a warning against magic...

....Too little too late.

The chamber explodes, and mist erupts from its embers. Claire hasn't  yet deactivated her flame, and the mist lets Kani go and tackles her upwards, the force sending them through the ceiling of the room. Van yells out his friend's name, but to no avail. Adele tells them that they have to leave here quickly, grimly noting that this is the worst of the worst case scenario.

Cayden and Iselia are outside of the school, Cayden trying once again to convince her of his feelings, and Iselia trying to convince him once again that she wouldn't be moved if he were to die. Their conversation (or lack thereof) ends abruptly when the girl senses a strange agape closing in on them. Cayden doesn't get the same vibe right away, but when he does, he suddenly dives and knocks the girl out of the way. A stream of mist erupts where she once stood, and flies into the air. Claire lands several yards away from them, and lies unmoving. Cayden gets up to check on her, but the mist rushes past him and slams her into the ground. Claire who is face down tries to get a look at her enemy, and comes to the slow realization that the mist is slowly taking shape. Her headache is gone now, replaced by a gentle sensation, akin to a person drifting into sleep. Claire is filled with dread however, realizing that this is the same sensation she had when she lost herself during her fight with Lupine in Auysdin. She couldn't risk losing herself now, not again.....not when she had finally become happy. She hears her name; Cayden is calling it and trying to destroy the mist with his ice powers. She begins to fade, but then hears Van calling her. She sees him and the others coming towards her, and with slow choking breaths she pleads that they don't come any closer. She doesn't want Van to see her that way.....

The mist has now slowly begun to resemble a human, and it uses it's foot to keep Claire from moving. She gasps in pain and continues to plead that Van take the others and run. He doesn't seem to hear her however, and continues to run towards her, determination and worry in his expression.....

With one last futile effort she tells Van to run, and finally her eyes blank out and disappear completely.