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Greyashe chapter 333

Page history last edited by Sakaki 9 years, 8 months ago

 

 

 

Greyashe chapter 333 is entitled 'Priorities'.

 

Previous chapter 332: The necessity of walls.

Next chapter 334: Guardian.

Summary page.

 

-Short summary-

 

Azha delivers the truth of her priorities while in office which are --much to the chagrin of the people different from what they imagined.

 

-Long summary-

 

Summoned by executive order, magicians and the press alike team into Dover tower both excited and impatient by the prospect of finally hearing the Kaiser mage’s take on the death of Hydon and the continued danger of Butcher’s recall. As the two are not mutually exclusive, people are hoping that she’ll address both issues in her statement. Of course there are just some who want to meet the youngest Kaiser mage ever in person. Putting aside the fact that she is also female (which is unusual but not improbable), there is her inability to use magic. Which ironically had been something the former mage Acheron couldn’t do either although in his case people had only learned that recently. Whether it had been on purpose or incidentally Azha had been very vague about her intentions and even more so in regards to where she would lead the people under her tenure. The facts had been what elected her into office more so than she as a person. The fact that she is a farseer, and that they have been able to see their way through disasters and survive through mishaps all while keeping a low profile is what swept her into office in short, people wanted the seemingly  effortless peace of mind and aversion to danger that the farseers had been treated to.

 

Still dressed in her informal attire, Azha makes her way from the Kaiser mage’s abode to Dover tower with a purposeful stride. Of course whether this purpose is reluctance to talk to the people or to buy more time so that she may figure out what she needs to say isn’t readily apparent. Every so often she slows her pace and seems to be lost in thought. There’s no turning back now, and she knows that all too well. She’s also all too aware that she’ll eventually have to tell the people something –they have that right. The reason for her seeming reluctance is despite her ability to tell with high accuracy what the future holds, she’s unable to truly ascertain what people will do once she conveys this ‘truth’ to them. As in, she can see the future coming but can’t control what will happen when it arrives. The one in control –Butcher is one who seeks only to spread mayhem and cause harm. That is without a doubt the worst part of this whole situation. He could simultaneously make things worse and better for them without a second thought. The intel she has suggests that he’s no more than a sadist with a broad agenda, so for now they’re safe, but all it takes is agape and emotions running unchecked for the entire fabric of their society to unravel. The walls are weakened from the continued abuse of Butcher and his unknowing cohort Van Rayleigh, and all it would take is just another push from public opinion for them to fall completely. This is not something she can allow on her watch, especially since she has her own broad agenda to follow. What she would tell the people now is the truth, unabashed and unfettered. What the people would do with this information once they have it would be their own prerogative, but she hopes from the bottom of her heart that they will be able to handle the truth she will give them. After all she had suggested this position to them and gracefully accepted it. To offer no less than the best of her abilities and the truth that she holds dear would be disrespectful to the office enacted by the people and for them.

 

She approaches the doors leading down into the assembly hall located in Dover tower where Leah stands at attention. She nervously tells her boss that the people have gathered, but the mood couldn’t be worse unless they were the ones responsible for the recall themselves. She advises Azha to watch what she says as anything may set them off. She then regards her outfit with an unusual expression of distain and starts to ask why she didn’t change, but thinks better of it and instead inquires as to whether she’s ready. Azha nods and thanks her for the concern. She then opens the door and after taking a deep breath walks in leaving Leah outside.

 

Almost immediately once she’s inside she can feel the pressure of all the eyes in the room being upon her. If a glance had weight, the ones she is receiving would certainly be enough to crush her mercilessly, despite being so few there. This sets off an alarm in the young Kaiser mage’s psyche as if they aren’t here, it means they might have succumbed to the effects of the recall. At this point there’s nothing she can do if this is the truth, so she turns to address the people who are here.

 

There are some familiar faces, Inman and Skye from the Kaiser mage election, as well as Larter who had attended despite only technically being a magician himself. She recognizes some of the members of the press from both major cities Luxar and Aerhaart as well. A few unfamiliar magicians are here as well bringing the number to a slight bit more than a Baker’s dozen.

 

Inman gives the young Kaiser mage a pointed look it’s meaning very clear. He should have been the one running things as the Kaiser mage rather than her. He would have done something about the recall by now, or at least lead an offensive against Butcher by now. Considering the effect the sentinent has had on the world thus far, Azha admits he has a point. If she had the limited knowledge that he has she might consider a frontal assault on Butcher just to have the satisfaction of being in action. Waiting is the antithesis of instant gratification after all. Skye also gives her a look of disdain and disappointment, and she can immediately sense that he just doesn’t approve of her inaction. Even without her eyes that much is clear. With them however, she can tell that he simply pities the teenage leader pitying her that she has stepped into a role she cannot possibly handle. The press on the other hand is overcome with curiosity in regard to the tiny political powerhouse that stands before them.

 

Standing at the podium where the recently departed Hydon stood when addressing the crowd during the elections fills her with an unknown energy. Not quite foreboding, not quite indignation, not quite inspiration. If she were to label this feeling in some way, maybe…

 

Resolution?

 

Azha greets the people and thanks them for coming on such short notice. She then apologizes for being silent for so long and promises to field any questions they may have after her presentation. To begin she already knows who killed Hydon, and has sent her men to find and capture this person so that he will be brought to justice. He had in the end completed his mission to destroy Aschner so Acheron’s death at least had been avenged. It was against her own wishes that he carried out this execution, but what they should dwell on is not the past but the future. As in what they will do about the ongoing problem with Butcher and his recall that is claiming the lives and sanity of many magicians and those who refute magic alike. 

 

She will not authorize any hunts or attacks directly aimed at Butcher for now or the foreseeable future.

 

The silence in the room isn’t deafening as silence never is, but the statement is enough to fool the gathered into thinking they are deaf or dumb. She gathered them here to advocate her stance on doing nothing?!

 

Inman stands and angrily protests this decision. The enemy has them in his palm! How long are they going to roll around in his hand until he bores of games and crushes them in his fist? Isn’t it better to gather intel and attack before he does? The saying is to ‘do before you are done upon’ isn’t it? A member of the press raises his hand and asks in an even tone if there is an ulterior motive to her lack of action? At least if she’s not going to do anything she should inform them as to why.  Larter smirks and adds his two cents as someone who’s been traveling and seeing the devastation with his own two eyes, he wonders if she simply doesn’t have a proper grasp of the situation. As someone who’s grimoire is an interest of the state (does this still hold the same status under her regime by the way?) he feels that stating his own observations should be state interest as well. In his opinion, the situation as is can only get worse with no hope of getting better.  Though collecting magics has been so much easier now, loathe for him to admit.

 

The others in the room shoot him a pensive gaze, which he seems to ignore. Then the other member of the press from Aerhaart asks the question on everyone’s minds.  Does she even with the knowledge of how much the recall is causing people to suffer intend to do nothing and allow it to happen? To give Butcher a sense that they have given up?

 

Azha smiles knowingly. This is the entrance she had been hoping for. If she is going to drop this weight then it should be now.

 

If she’s to prioritize, their sense of safety is frankly the lowest.

 

Silence.

 

Admitably that’s the platform she ran on when being elected, and what she did promise but in the scheme of this situation unfolding before them, it’s truly the least important aspect of her reigning as the Kaiser mage. If she’s to put what she is responsible for in perspective ---in proper priority, it should be more like this: Herself, her people, and then the peace of mind of those she serves. For the first, no one here can truly say that they are altruistically thinking of others in their outrage. Be it pity for the hapless child who ended up in this position, or indignation that she stands before them and does nothing, the fact is what worries them most is their own future being in the hands of a being who cares little for them. Therefore if they’re worried about themselves, then she should worry about herself. After all if she doesn’t do that much who will? While she ran on a specific platform, she has a lot to consider doesn’t she? After all it’s the farseers they want to save them from Butcher’s mad plot if they can’t seek shelter from his recall. Her inactivity against the sentinents is actually because she has her sights set on something different completely. She has been out of contact with her people as of late, so she doesn’t have exact knowledge of where they are at this moment, but they’d be much more likely to deal with her directly than if some magicians were to come in and make demands right? The key to their survival is flight or fight. No one in their right mind would fight Butcher with no plan, and as such they should consider ‘flight’. If the rumors are true and the Farseers know something, then they should be collaborating with them. They shouldn’t feel as if she fooled them into thinking that she knows exactly what to do in regards to finding them or their secret, since she never once said that. It was their assumptions that lead them to believe it as a possibility. She’s also not saying that this possibility is not in the realm of ‘reality’. It is still very possible that she---they can save people from the effects of the ‘recall’.  All of this planning and scheming that they’re doing to assuage their own feelings of guilt and weakness might lead them to believe that lashing out at the unknown with directionless anger is what should be done, but all that guarantees is that they will die very quickly.

 

Placing her hand on her heart, the young Kaiser mage affirms to them that when she says ‘her people’ she means all of them. Not just the farseers, not just the magicians, not just those who reject magic…everyone. Promising their peace of mind in this time of great turmoil is something she can’t guarantee, but she will promise to get them through this. There is a means of stopping the recall –and bringing Butcher to justice. Her inactivity shouldn’t be seen as weakness –rather a gathering of arms and knowledge. The reason why people turned to magic was to protect themselves for the sake of protecting others. The romantic ideal of laying one’s life down for another need to be put to rest. She doesn’t want to see others die for her, nor does she want to die for others. She wants to live for their sake. Hydon might have sought revenge for his friend and leader’s sake, but what he should have been looking for was a means to save the land he ruled over and loved. To live for those she loves is the true reason why she took this office. It is her top priority to keep living and to keep others alive.

 

All eyes are on the Kaiser mage who humbles herself before them, bowing her head and asking them to give her more time. She cannot stop them from taking matters into their own hands, but she begs them not to.

 

The door to the assembly hall opens and a boy walks in with Leah right behind him. She apologizes to Azha and explains that despite her explanation that there is a meeting in progress he forced his way in. Azha immediately recognizes him and asks Leah if she has forgotten who he is? She tilts her head in confusion and gives him one more look before realization sets in. This boy! Hadn’t he…

 

Young Dio greets the group with a friendly and somehow characteristic ‘Hey’, and asks if he can have an audience with the Kaiser mage for a moment? It’s not that he doesn’t want to share her with them, but there’s something he wants to discuss. For good measure he also adds that her thinking is on the right track and his ‘Mom’ always paid tribute to the state by paying her taxes. Azha smirks and replies that she may have just gotten the job, but she understands all too well that she has to give special interests her full attention. Of course he’ll need to explain who he is in detail.

 

Dio grins and replies that he’s no one in particular. He had a job like hers in a past life so they’re kindred spirits in a way.

 

 

 

 

 

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