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Greyashe chapter 314

Page history last edited by Sakaki 10 years, 6 months ago

 

 

 

 

Greyashe chapter 314 is entitled 'Malease'.

 

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

Next chapter 315: A fiery end of innocence.

Summaries page.

 

-Short summary-

 

Aschner trains Van to seek strength using his own powers, all while a very serious threat stalks them...

 

-Long summary-

 

A man sidles out of a bustling café in one of the industrial parts of town, and after taking great care to avoid being seen and making sure he isn’t being followed he walks down the street briskly. He wears a long black overcoat and matching fedora to ensure that his face and visage isn’t readily availble, and to ensure that he blends into the background of the city. It is obvious that he wants to keep himself as low key as humanly possible, though the reason isn’t apparent until he rounds a corner into an alley and breathes an exasperated sigh. He takes off the fedora and uses it as a makeshift fan, and his identity becomes clear. It is Alekto, the beast trainer hired by Aschner to attack GMAGY in search of farseers and whom had more or less become the former headmaster’s right hand man. He had attended the election for the new Kaiser mage after which he had made sure to flee as far as he could and meet someone to send a message to his now former boss. Former since the contents of the message is pretty much his resignation letter effective immediately. Although he had nothing to do with how Acheron had died, he does have what could be seen as a very close relationship with his murderer---a literally unhealthy relationship. So the plan is to abandon Aschner and hightail it somewhere safe. The last thing he needs is to be found by those who are now zealously looking for leads that will turn up Aschner…especially since his name had been revealed in the midst of very powerful magicians during the election. Though to be fair, Alekto is mostly worried about one magician in particular. Being found by this individual would be certain death for sure.  Although escaping is an avenue of action that has a slim to none chance of being successful, he’d much rather take those odds to the alternative. Alekto curses himself for getting caught up in Aschner’s little ‘save the world’ spiel and promises himself if he should live through this ordeal that he will screen his potential employers more strictly in the future. With a sigh the beast trainer turns the corner…

 

And runs into the very last person he was hoping to see.

 

Hydon is leaning against the wall of a building nonchalantly lighting a cigarette with his thumb, the fire agape dancing around his finger in the form of red hot rune-like figures. Hydon is looking into the air aimlessly as if he’s just a part of the scenery. Alekto sees him and his blood turns cold, and his legs all but liquefy. Hydon turns to him slowly and asks if he is fleeing somewhere? Now if he weren’t in such a good mood right now, he might be hurt that it seems as if the beast trainer is trying to avoid him. Though of course that isn’t the case right? Fleeing would indicate that he is guilty of something, correct? He had noticed him acting very strangely when a certain name had been said during the election, despite there being no real connection between him and the owner of the aforementioned name. Of course he could be mistaken and there is a connection between the two after all. Now if he isn’t guilty of anything he could have just said what he knew back then instead of fleeing, and maybe they might have come to an understanding….now however….well…

 

Alekto can feel a grin creeping up the sides of his lips despite knowing that this situation here would be his very last. It isn’t so much a possibility anymore as it is a concrete, cold fact. It is still somewhat funny though, that he’d die like this, right here right now. Although many could claim to have met their end at the hands of Hydon, not many (or any?) could say they were killed because of a personal grudge. It’s almost something worth bragging about! The beast trainer turns to him and shrugs replying that things happen sometimes don’t they? People live, they make stupid mistakes, they maybe live some more, and then die. Hydon laughs humorlessly and grabs his neck, asking in a deathly whisper where Aschner is now. Alekto grins maniacally and asks what fun would it be for him to give up the goods so easily? If his death warrant is sighed either way then he’d might as well die the way he lived….defiantly.  Hydon sucks his teeth and watches as Alekto’s throat begins to melt, his vocal chords too scorched to scream out as his skin begins to peel off his body, distorting as it melts. People stop to stare for a moment, but realizing who the man acting as public executioner is, they keep their commentary to themselves and either watch silently or move on.  Hydon on the other hand can feel that same sensation that had come over him when he had attacked Delaney in the election hall…a need for destruction and chaos. This  time however, he only fends it off with minimal effort, citing to himself that he needs to savor this feeling for when he takes on Aschner. Alekto had come to meet a messenger right? Excellent. He would track this person down and then find Aschner. Vengeance would be his soon enough.

 

The bells ring on the door of a small grocer located in a quaint village. A tall hooded man walks in accompanied by a boy wearing a winter cap despite the warm weather, a black jacket, white and blue fatigue pants and black boots. A few strands of red hair poke out from under the boy’s hat, and his blue eyes have a tired firmness in them that belies his years.  The hooded man wears something similar though his face is obscured by his hood. A man comes from the back of the store and greets the two with a warm tone that suggests familiarity. The hooded man greets him back and asks for the ‘usual’.  The shopkeep complies and gathers food items as he greets the boy with the hooded man. The boy ignores him, choosing instead to stare idly out of a window. The shopkeep sighs and keeps at his work, used to this treatment. He asks the hooded man why the boy never seems to speak? His son is living far away with his family now, but at that age it was tough getting him to stop talking. The hooded man laughs and replies that he’s more of the mind that children should be seen and not heard, as such he’s trained the boy to only speak when necessary. Other than that , there really isn’t any reason for him to interject when adults are speaking. The shopkeep looks a bit dismayed at this, but doesn’t verbalize his concerns. He instead comments that it’s been almost half a year since the two of them showed up and have been loyal customers, yet he doesn’t know where they live…or much about them at all. The hooded man takes the parcel, pays for his items and gestures for his traveling companion to follow him. He is almost out of the door when he turns and states that he’s only being secretive for his sake. Hopefully there will be a time where they can be more open with him, but that time is not now. The shopkeep raises an eyebrow, and the two leave without another word.

 

Outside the landscape is one of nature at its finest. There are a few signs of human life; a few houses and shops here and there, but for the most part foliage has got the village encircled. Trees are abound, and the forest is thick. The man and boy head deep into the woods until they reach a clearing where two small tents are located. The man places their purchases near one tent and then stands before the boy with his arms crossed. He then asks if the boy---Van, wants breakfast. Van’s response is a pensive stare into his eyes. The older of the two smirks and asks if he needs permission to talk? If so he may still have hope to be a decent soldier yet. He then states that he will have to get past him in order to get to the food he just purchased. If he can do so, then he will get the first pick on what he will eat. Van still doesn’t respond verbally, but upon the end of the last sentence directed to him he turns and begins to walk away from the older man. The hooded man watches him intently –despite how he treats the boy, he knows his abilities, so he cannot let his guard down. Van gets to a certain point, and suddenly dashes at him. The man grins and prepares to intercept him, but Van feints to the left and doubles back with a stick in his hand. The man rolls with Van’s strike and reaches out to him, but he flips back and attacks with a kick to his face. The sudden attack catches the man off guard and he takes a kick to his torso. Van lands and launches himself in another frontal attack, but the man recovers and sweeps the boy with his leg, causing him to lose his balance. He then follows up with a blow to his temple that sends Van flying into a nearby tree. The boy isn’t done though, as he grabs a pebble and using his thumb as a trigger fires it at his opponent’s face. The man looks unamused as he catches it, but what Van was aiming for was the opening this creates. Before the man can react he is upon him and the two grapple for a brief moment, exchanging punches and dodging all at the same time. They break away for a moment  before rushing at each other again, their bodies within close vicinity and changing positions as the grapple continues. When they are a complete 180 from where they first started, Van suddenly disengages, and dives for the food. The man glares at him, but realizes when he has been fooled. Van produces four apples and chews on one as the man watches him silently. The farseeing boy walks away from the bag and says his first phrase of the day. ‘Your turn’. The man makes a face and asks what he means by that, and Van humorlessly replies that he has to get the bag back from him if he wants to eat anything this morning. Gritting his teeth, the older man asks in a low whisper if he realizes what he’s doing? Van takes the bag, leans it against a tree and replies that turnabout is fair play.

 

Van lies flat on his back with his eyes closed after the morning spar is over, though it isn’t because he was soundly defeated (it had actually been a pretty close match.), but because he is reflecting on things thus far. After Aschner had suggested that he learn how to control his new agape powers, they had gone into seclusion away from his agents and begun their training. Though to be frank, he really hadn’t learned to use his agape all that much at all. While at first he had his suspicions that Aschner was trying to keep him from becoming stronger than himself, his eyes alerted him that the general simply doesn’t know how to approach using this new magic. Fair enough as the recall had really changed how the agape//magic game is played. Now some like himself have specific types of magic unlike before where the ‘classic’ elements; fire, water, electricity and earth. Case in point, his ability has to do with connecting minds and manipulating them. Till now he still has no idea how the ability actually works, but he does still appreciate Aschner’s training as he had more or less figured out that it is ability that requires him to be close in vicinity to his opponent. The training he is undergoing now makes it possible for him to subdue a foe in order to activate his ability so it is convenient. Van doesn’t forget however that Aschner essentially has turned him into a hostage, and exercises caution in regards to how much he trusts him. Still as someone who never had a real father figure in his life, he can’t help but wonder if this is what fathers and sons do? Guy had tried to teach him how to fight a few times during their journey, but he had only limited success. Maybe because back then there wasn’t much on the line compared to now.

 

He then thinks of his friends who probably are endlessly worried about him. Especially Kani whom he had only recently been reacquainted with after she had been kidnapped by Kutkh. He knows her temper well, and imagines she must be furious with him. Despite himself, he finds going back to face that ire scarier than taking down the sentinents. Still, he would have to find them again as soon as possible. He is doing all of this for their sake after all, as he wants to be able to fight alongside them in the war against magic, even if it means making a deal with the ‘enemy’.

 

Aschner calls out to Van who sits up and sees him approaching. He doesn’t reply verbally, but does give a curt nod to acknowledge he heard the war hero. Aschner gives him a look, but asks if he has felt anything strange. Van blinks and shakes his head, replying that things feel about normal, and that he must be imagining things. Aschner replies that a good soldier never ‘imagines’ things –his body has been forged to a point that even if he is unaware of danger it can tell. Van narrows his eyes and retorts that this is exactly why many soldiers find it hard to adjust to everyday life, how they end up hurting the innocent. Aschner is silent for a moment, and replies that there is a disadvantage to everything from agape, to a soldier’s instincts, to even his eyes. Relying on his eyes too much has dulled his other senses to a point of uselessness. The body is all about the ‘friction’ it causes while in motion. Reading these ‘frictions’ can be what encourages life or death on the battle field and even in ordinary life, especially when the enemy is unseen, unheard and unfelt. Right now the amount of ‘friction’ is unnaturally high, as if it is being manhandled or being warped around against its will.

 

Van rolls his eyes and stands up. Now even ‘friction’ has a will of its own. That’s just ridiculous. He then offers a faux apology for breaking his mind back when he tried to save it. It is obvious that something’s wrong with him since he’s offering lame commentary such as this. Van also decides to reveal that he knows Aschner is only trying to figure out the extent of his magic, and actually has no idea how to train him in using it. He’s fine with this, since he’s only going to use Aschner up until he deems him unnecessary and then return to his friends. He reminds the ex-headmaster that he fixed his mind, so breaking it shouldn’t be impossible. He’s played his little game for some time now, but game over is approaching, so he should be sure to remember that he is not the only one who has power in this struggle for supremacy.

 

The boy then stretches and walks deeper into the forest claiming that he’s going to find some water. Aschner watches him go with a small smile, all too happy that not only had his physical training on the boy been successful, but so had his mental conditioning. Before long Van would think completely like himself, and going back to his friends will be the last thing he wants to do. He still needs the boy and his ability to save everyone from the sentinents, and to atone for killing Acheron. As much as he prides himself as being a man with a rigid set of priorities and morals he can’t help but place the atonement above the fight against the sentinents. Acheron is a fair man, and he hated sneaking behind him to research means to stop magic’s influence on humanity but it had to be done. Killing him had been the result of a bid for self-defense, but it didn’t make the weight on his own soul any less. He would have to atone by saving what Acheron holds dear, and then throwing himself on the mercy of the people.

 

Still…this sense of malaise….Van is wrong. That much he is sure of, but he’s not sure where the source is which is problematic. It means that the source is so strong that even being unseen he can sense it, and if it’s that strong, would he be able to stand up against it? If he can’t there’s no way a fledgling like Van can, and as much as the boy vexes him he must not die. The headmaster can only hope that his strength doesn’t fail him when he may need it most.

 

Meanwhile the local village near the forest is in arms about a building suddenly bursting into flame. They have managed to control the flame, but that only leads to the discovery of another mystery. There doesn’t seem to be any indication of how the fire started, and inside the shopkeep is dead, decapitated before the fire had begun. The villagers aren’t used to such horrific crime in their midst and are unsure how to proceed…meanwhile a lone figure walks slowly into the woods, the smell of smoke and death in his wake.

 

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