Greyashe chapter 266 is entitled 'A unique existence II.'

Previous chapter 265: A unique existence.

Next chapter 267: A unique existence. III

Summaries page.

-Short summary-

Van tries to deduce who his 'client' might be, but has no time as he is literally shoved into doing the 'job' he was hired for, despite knowing nothing about it. What awaits him there is....

-Long summary-

Alekto and Van enter the cathedral, and once again Van asks what he will be doing for the 'client'. At least if he has an idea of what he's here for, he can properly prepare for what needs to be done. Alekto doesn't respond to him, and so Van pesters him a bit more before he turns and reaches to try and strike at him. Alekto is still very sour in regards to his overwhelming loss to Van back when he had tried to kidnap Azuha and Frieda from the GMAGY campus, and does not appreciate the irony of the situation. Van is no slouch though, and manages to avoid the beastmaster's strike. The two stare at each other a fight inevitable, but then a guard comes and admonishes Alekto, saying this is no place to fight. 'That person' has died, and 'it' has escaped after all. To Van's surprise, Alekto actually is taken aback by this news and asks the guard if he's serious. The guard confirms, and the two of them begin to converse all the while ignoring Van's presence.  The farseer takes this chance to ascertain his current situation as follows.

1) The 'client' is not 'that person' because if he were, Alekto would have killed him (Van) immediately.

2) 'That person' has to be a higher up in the organization since his or her death has even Alekto surprised.

3) Van probably has nothing to do with 'that person' or 'it' since these events are being spoken of in past tense.

4) The guard didn't acknowledge that he is here, so 'hiring' Van was something done only recently.

5) However even though it was 'recent', it was enough time for Alekto to find and spy on him.

6) This would mean that he (Alekto) has been following them before the request.

7) Which could mean that either he is simply obsessed with revenge, or someone KNEW Van would opt for gaining magic.

8) Does the client then have an ability that allows him or her to see into the future?

9) Or...is his third assumption wrong and they know him well enough to figure he would take this option?

Alekto raises his hand and nearly smacks the boy on the back of the head, but Van reaches up and blocks the blow. The beastmaster is impressed that his instincts and movements have improved a bit, but he needs to concentrate. He had been calling for him to get moving for some time now, but Van was too busy in la-la-land. Van smirks and asks if he's forgotten about getting him to the client 'unharmed'? Alekto glares at him and responds that as long as the boy is 'relatively' unharmed he still gets his paycheck. The two begin to walk down the corridors of the cathedral in silence until Alekto asks Van if he knows what this building is for. When the boy replies that he doesn't, Alekto takes great pride in talking condescendingly to the boy about how this cathedral is 'a place that doesn't acknowledge death'.  There is one other place like it, which can even withstand the sentient being's apocalyptic attack. This is what people are scrambling around to find the farseers for, since rumor has it they know where this other place is. Van asks why people just don't use the cathedral, and Alekto (after going to great lengths to call him an idiot), points out that ONLY the cathedral is safe from 'death'. The rest of the land around it is unsuited for anyone to live on for an extended amount of time. Meanwhile this 'other' place could supposedly sustain life indefinitely. The beast master then cryptically muses that 'death' is what separates the humans from the deities, and it is in fact their 'strength'. Van thinks about this, but doesn't reply.

They arrive at a door, and Van immediately shirks away. The door has an unmistakable aura of despair emminating from it, so much so that Van feels energy leaving his body. Alekto grins, he knows that Van is deeply disturbed by this aura, and remarks to him that it's like a lullaby. His faceless are even disturbed by this place however, so he doesn't bring them here. Van on the other hand....

He opens the door and kicks the boy in, cackling that his job is 'only beginning'. Van falls into the room, his body shaking uncontrollably upon entry. Mist surrounds the boy, and it is so deep and thick that he can't tell if he's still indoors or outside. He focuses his eyes and sees two people in the distance, one holding the other's head in their lap. Van immediately hates this place, as it not only as Alekto said 'doesn't acknowledge death', but completely makes a mockery of it. For the first time during this journey..no, his life, Van has never felt such a deep, pervasive, provocative distaste, and his fear is almost soul shattering.

Yet....his curiosity allows him to take the first step forward. Armed with only the desire to not let his friends worries end in vain, Van begins to walk forward. He doesn't know what the client wants of him, or if he can even do what will be asked of him but in this darkness he uses his bravery as a flint. Even if it's a tiny torch in the depth of night, a single oar in the sea of despair, it is all he'll need. 

Van walks forward in the mist as both metaphorically and literally his one exit to the real world disappears from sight.