Greyashe chapter 312 is entitled 'Deductions and farewells.'

Previous chapter 311: Last rites of the unloved

Next chapter 313: A most delightful conversation with the reaper.

Summaries page.

-Short summary-

Azha reflects on what she has discovered about the Kaiser mage position and makes a difficult decision to say farewell....

-Long summary-

Adele takes a long sip of tea before answering the door to his office. He has an idea of who it is, and knows that the conversation he is about to have will probably end up being a long one so he’d like to avoid being parched. Truth be told he had wondered when this person would show up at his door since the results of the election had been so kind to them.

Where had he been during the election? To him the investigation regarding the attack on GMAGY by the beast tamer is still ongoing. To think the man had the audacity to show up at the election like he hadn’t done anything wrong…! Though truth be told, the need for a new Kaiser mage had been so urgent that many of the magicians there had been temporarily pardoned from certain wrongdoings. Ironically, it was because Van had been there to stop him that his crime had not harmed anyone and as such, he was granted a temporary pardon. This cats paw reaction to trouble is per the course for the political parties involved and Adele tried to distance himself from it, hence taking the position of being a mere teacher. He’d be lying if he said he doesn’t enjoy tutoring the youths and hassling a certain young man, but the reminder that he could be in a position of greater influence should he decide to give in to the whims of higher society is something he keeps in mind almost daily.

Speaking of Van, he had found himself thinking of him right before hearing the tap on his office door. What had happened to him? His ability to subjugate magic had been really impressive and a magnificent spectacle to behold, so he can’t imagine that the boy simply disappeared or Goddesses forgiving the thought—that he had died. Yet his information sources had no news to offer up on him. He’d love to go check out the rumor mills on his own, but with the hubbub of the election and it’s results he found himself in a position of being locked in and unable to leave. Granted there is still plenty for him to do here, including the investigation behind the beast tamer and his client, and of course the visitor to his office. Adele sets the tea down and makes the unusual effort to open the door himself rather than simply invite his visitor in. Why? Well…one does not tell the Kaiser mage to open the door herself after all.

Standing in the doorway is Azha dressed in her school uniform as if the news of her position hadn’t reached her yet. Adele offers an exaggerated bow and gestures to a seat in his office so that they may continue their conversation while comfortable. Azha nods and takes the seat, her face unreadable, leaving the teacher to surmise that she’s considering some very important changes. He sits behind his desk and asks how things are going for her, and she replies that they’re going more or less. She won’t make excuses and say she didn’t realize how momentous her new job is, but perhaps just a little she is realizing that there’s a lot of work to be done. Adele nods and asks if this is a farewell visit? Azha smiles in response and the teacher returns hers with one of his own, his question answered. She then asks him  how the investigation is going? She can tell that he’s not one to drop something he finds interesting simply because he was ordered to. Adele blows air and asks if she’s asking as a concerned student? Or as the newly appointed Kaiser mage? Azha asks him to pick one he prefers, and after a moment Adele responds that nothing is forthcoming.  He has his suspicions, and most of them point to one man…Aschner.

Azha sighs as if she figured as much and states that ‘Aschner’ won’t be a problem for much longer. Even without her farseeing eyes, she can tell that much. Though she wonders if his demise will be worth everything that comes with it? It’s not as if he’s some nobody, so there will be fallout from his death. Adele notes that she’s talking about Aschner as if his death is something as obvious as the sun rising in the morning and realizes very quickly who will do it. He asks the young Kaiser mage if she knows where Aschner is, and she shakes her head. He’s got enough experience with staying low profile that if he has no intention of being found that he won’t be found, and that’s as simple as that. Though Hydon is merciless as well as intuitive, so she’s sure he’ll dig something up.

Changing the subject, she asks him if he knows anything about the power the Kaiser mage is supposed to have. Although he wasn’t there himself, she knows he must of heard of Delaney’s revelation during the election. To think that the leader of magicians would be unable to use magic himself…! It is unfathomable. Adele leans back in his chair and admits he’s still digesting that himself, but it does make sense in retrospect….no one had actually seen the Kaiser mage actually use agape in years. His last will and testament had been created after his staff had urged it, and it specifically mentioned some sort of power is to be handed down to his successor. If the Kaiser mage himself was powerless however, what kind of power could he hand down?

Azha closes her eyes and states that she’s mostly figured out what she should do and what he meant by this. She had been struck by inspiration after his funeral, and that’s why she is here right now. Among other things, she wanted to talk to the actual successor and have her remove some doubts she has. Adele smirks and asks if she also intends to say goodbye to a certain slacker? If so she should keep in mind that he has completely devoted himself to that successor’s cause, especially after what had happened to her during the election. Azha looks as if she wants to say something in response, but instead laughs politely and thanks him for regarding her feelings. There’s no need to worry though, as she has had plenty of practice in putting her feelings aside for a greater good. Farseers had been on the run for a long time after all. She then rises and offers her hand to Adele in hope that the two of them can continue to work together. Adele rises and shakes in compliance, stating his intention to serve her well. He then adds that they’re in the middle of a break period in the school, so she can probably find her circle of friends hanging out in the courtyard. Azha thanks him, and murmurs that it had been a great undertaking to avoid being seen so far so he should pray to the goddesses she’s able to get in and out without being seen or there might be a huge ruckus in the school.

Cayden, Iselia, Damien, Harrow and Frieda had more or less created a clique after the events of the election. They may have been friends before that, but near death experiences for some of the group had only made their bonds stronger. Now the group is often seen together in the school, and in the dormitories. Cayden and Iselia’s relationship had improved considerably too, and as such the snow user could almost ignore the fact that his power could be driving him mad slowly. Almost. Save for Frieda, the members of the group all use agape and as such are susceptible to the effects of the ‘recall’. That had been another reason to hang out with one another….to keep one person from succumbing to the madness.  As Adele surmised, the group is in the courtyard of the school about to dig into lunch that is until Azha appears in their midst and greets them with a cheery ‘hello’.

All five stare at her for a long moment, processing that their friend the Kaiser mage is here before Iselia returns her greeting. The boys follow suit, though Frieda is too immersed in her lunch to really notice (or care.) Cayden asks Azha how her job is going, and the young Kaiser mage replies that things are going fine.  A heavy silence falls on the group for a moment as they all realize why Azha would be here, but keep from letting it escape from their lips in a foolish effort to keep it from becoming reality. Finally Azha turns to Iselia and states that thanks to her intervention (and to some extent the Triad) she had avoided a huge burden.

Iselia asks if she means the Kaiser mage mantle, and Azha nods. She then proclaims she’s more or less figured out what kind of ‘power’ the Kaiser mage ‘handed down’.  It was all so obvious that no one had thought about it. Cayden and Damien exchange glances as Harrow asks bluntly what she means.

The young Kaiser mage clears her thoughts and asks them to think about what Delaney said. The Kaiser mage had lost his powers some time ago, yet no one dared to attack him outright. Even the Triad who had knowledge of this secret had made sure to stay quiet about it until after his death when such knowledge becoming public would have the least impact. If one were to think about it, there should be no way that Aschner—as strong as he is should have been able to best him if he had the power that one of his mantle should have had. So then, why? The answer is the ‘power’ he intended to pass down to the next of his ilk…to be more specific, Iselia had she not been forced out of the running. The power itself is nothing the Kaiser mage possesses, but the cabinet that surrounds him….the Kaiser mage’s staff. Simply put, these people who are more than willing to lie to the nation, risk destruction, and most of all themselves for the noble cause known as their leader are the biggest assets, no the strongest power the Kaiser mage possesses.

Azha reveals she realized this after peering at his body, and the actions of the closest ones beside him. Revenge, sorrow, and lament were all the main emotions….and while this isn’t strange considering the way he died, not a single one of them had at all considered the man himself. He had thrown himself into finding Aschner and stopping his treachery while knowing all too well that that he does not have the power to stop him, foolishly choosing a small vain hope of victory over experience and understanding. In short, he had died hoping to save them. This is the ultimate example of the snake that eats itself, but rather than living forever it simply extends into an endless circle of death. One person is dying for another who in turn is going to die for them, and so on. Everyone is more than willing to die for each other, but no one is willing to live for another’s sake.

Azha rises and walks a short distance from the group. She then says without turning around that she cannot associate with her friends any more if she doesn’t want this circle of sacrifice to envelop them.  She will take the brunt of the beast, but she has no intention of allowing it to consume her…no. She will fight it and win for her sake, for her people’s sakes and for them…her dearest friends. Yes it’s true, she came today to say farewell to them, but only because she cannot allow their bond to be the rope that hangs her or them. Cayden begins to rebut this, but Iselia gives him a sad look and shakes her head. The ex-successor then nods and replies that she had an idea of this when she had been trained to be his successor, but had been too power hungry and revenge thirsty to really care. Damien admits he doesn’t like this sort of farewell, but as long as she intends on coming back he can live with it. Harrow agrees as Frieda manages to look up from her food, and adds that she’s representing the farseers now, so she’d better not screw up. This gets a small laugh from the group except for Cayden who looks down at his shoes in silence. He quietly says that he doesn’t like how everyone in the group has left him at least once to pick up the pieces after them when they ran off to do their own thing for his sake. He hates feeling so powerless, despite having agape on his side. Azha starts to turn around, but Cayden orders her to face forward. The only way he’s going to accept this is if she finishes it with her head held high and comes back. He then adds with a smirk that everyone has to leave home eventually, but they all come back. So if his role in this is to be ‘home’, then so be it, though she had better not keep him waiting.

Azha grins and asks if he’s okay saying that in front of his girlfriend? Not that she particularly minds. Cayden arches an eyebrow and asks why she’s not leaving, and this gets another laugh from everyone. The young Kaiser mage reflects that she has a group around her that is willing to live for her sake rather than die. Now if only she could impart this on the adults, perhaps her job would be just that much easier. Though with Hydon already on his way to end Aschner, maybe it’s all too little too late….though she won’t allow herself to think that….no. She’ll just throw herself into her work and hope that the steps forward she takes are more than the ones backward.

You know.  It’s all just another day in the life of the teenage Kaiser mage.