Greyashe chapter 273 is entitled 'Luck'.

Previous chapter 272: Heresy.

Next chapter 274: Breaking your heart so no one else has the opportunity...

Summaries page.

-Short summary-

Bakers actions come into question as the group continues their battle for survival in Rexcist.

-Long summary-

Ra lies on the ground twitching for a few moments before becoming completely still. The group glances over at Anu who after a few moments comprehends their attention and waves her hands frantically proclaiming her innocence. He had attacked them, and besides that he's not dead. Anna Rose confirms this, and without even blinking walks away from the group. Anu follows her, and Kani asks where the two of them are going. The farseer smiles and without turning around asks her to recall their last conversation. She is here to find a strong magician to help her with Ritcher, so she can't dilly-dally in one place for long. Now that one threat had been neutralized, her mission can continue. Guy volunteers himself  for guard duty, and joins the women as they walk away. The corners of Reid's lips twitch as he watches them leave, and he makes a comment about how Guy makes chivalry look so...dirty. He glances back at Kani who is staring at them, and every so often at her staff. Reid realizes she's seriously contemplating knocking Guy out and dragging him with them, and tries to pacify her rage. She's been doing a good job of keeping her anger in check, so why lose it now over Guy of all people?

Candle is still in shock over Baker's disappearance. She had felt him, she was sure of it! Yet, now he's gone somewhere, which would mean their journey to Rexcist had been in fact a bust, and they're literally risking their life for no reason. After Kani assures him that she won't bludgeon Guy to death, he turns his attention to Candle. He gently prods her to think about their situation. Had Baker ever shown off a power to teleport? Or to move between places quickly? Candle confirms that he never has, which in itself is strange since if he had such an ability it would have come in handy. For the most part, since the trio had become sentient, they had traveled like any other person would have, using transportation or on foot. They could run faster than humans, but nothing as dramatic as disappearing completely. Though with the 'recall', it could be very feasible that Baker had developed such powers, which would mean that they could chase him around the world and never find out where he is, since he could just move at the last minute. Reid disagrees, and then asks her to think of the reason why he'd need to come here or anywhere for that matter? With guys as strong as Ra and Wulf running around, the sentients could just sit on a lofty throne somewhere until humanity finishes itself off. Why bother coming to a place like this?

Candle claims that Butcher is a sadist. He'd probably come just to watch the people die, or help them along. He had interfered before, just dancing right outside of the rules of the deities concerning free will. He wouldn't force them, he'd just 'incubate' a desire to do as he wishes. If a person had a strong enough will, they could refuse his offer, and that would be the end of it. Of course, Butcher is -if anything, the embodiment of temptation. Though she rides this train of thought, considering Reid's words. What would be the reason Baker would come here when the magicians with high agape are already under their control? Considering that neither of the others have come to deal with her yet, Candle figures if the other sentients wanted her dead, they would have already done it. That alone debunks the theory of them becoming concerned with her involvement with the humans. Butcher looked upon her like one would a lone fawn in the forest. Helpless. Weak. Insubstantial. Then what? What could possibly motivate Baker to be running back and forth to Rexcist? Moreover, why Baker? Butcher is a hands on sort of sadist, who would gleefully get his hands dirty if it meant maximum enjoyment.

Reid nods and in an exaggerated grandiose style welcomes her to the human race. Whether you either get busy thinking and living, or get busy losing and dying. They (humans) have been able to survive so long because of their adaptability, and resistance to death. It's obvious that she's leaning more to the human side on the Sentinent to Human gradient scale, and if she wants to hang with them she'd have to think like them. Candle narrows her eyes and asks why he seems to be so concerned with her, since he's been the main one giving her extra consideration -does he expect something in return? Reid laughs and points out how very human she sounds. He shrugs off her question and asks if she came to join them because she expects something from them. Sure Ivan had asked her to join them as his dying wish, but she could have easily joined the other to sentients and become a power without equal.

Candle mulls this over and throws this back at Reid. What's stopping her from doing that now? She could offer Butcher and Baker the heads of the group on a silver platter, and more likely than not Butcher would readily agree to let her in their exclusive club. Reid grins infectiously and reveals humanity's last secret weapon....luck. With it, they can stand up and face death hundreds of thousands of times. If humans are too worried about dying to put faith in something as completely insubstantial as luck, they'd be plenty in numbers but lacking in progress, in freedom.

'...Freedom'. That word echos in Candle's mind. But why? She doesn't have time to really consider the implication as Guy carrying Anna rose on his back, with a protesting Anu running along side him jets past their location running at full speed. Kani follows, and yells back at Candle and Reid to move, as Wulf has managed to find them. The two inadvertently glance back in the direction from whence the others came and sure enough the giant white wolf that had been chasing them earlier rushes into view. Reid and Candle wordlessly panic and quickly sprint to catch up with the others. Reid asks Guy what happened, and he states simply that they need to not die, so they started running. Reid admits that he likes the fighter's brevity, and then fakes back. The others glance back and ask what he's doing, and with a wink to Candle in particular, he replies that he's relying on 'luck'. Kani figures out what he's about to do first, and readies her staff. Anna rose approves, since the wolf would be upon them in no time at all if all they did was run from it, and besides she likes men who can take care of themselves, like her son. This comment earns her a glare from Kani, and a battle roar from Guy, who proclaims he will protect the farseer.

Reid readies two blades, and dashes back at the wolf. It's image flickers and he goes through it. It then turns to try to use it's muzzle as a guillotine on the swordsman. He leaps back and is nearly hit by one of it's paws. With a shout, he instead leaps upon the paw and slashes downwards, drawing blood. The wolf howls ferociously and slams the ground causing the swordsman to fall. He glances behind himself and dashes in that direction, and is suddenly hit by a gale force wind that sends him flying into the side of a building. Guy grins and realizes that Reid is trying to point out that Wulf has in fact been following them. He asks Anna Rose if she can 'see' the wind, which she confirms she can. He then tells her to hold on tight, and dashes towards Wulf. The magician sees him coming and calls the wolf over to block Guy's advance, and the fighter prepares to tackle the wolf head on until Kani using her slight edge in agility, and the fact that he's carrying someone on his back to block the wolf. She then 'rejects' the wolf's existence as magic using her staff. Candle has gone to Reid and shakes him asking if he's okay, in which he replies in the affirmative. He reveals that another one of Wulf's abilities is to switch his 'Wolf' from magical 'shape' to existence 'shape'. As a real Wolf it could do damage to them, and have done damage done to it. As a magical apparition, they couldn't hurt it while it could kill them....all except for Kani who magic rejects, and so in turn she rejected it. Reid jovially adds that they're 'lucky' she had stayed here rather than going with Van.  Candle nods and then reveals that she knows the 'why' to Baker's actions now.

Meanwhile on a building far above the group Baker watches the din unfold, and can 'sense' Candle as well. He steps off the building and free falls into a dark alley below.