Greyashe chapter 341


 

 

 

Greyashe chapter 341 is entitled 'But, can it be done?'

 

Previous chapter 340: Solitude.

Next chapter 342: Guy, interrupted.

Summary page

 

 

-Short summary-

 

Van has his audience with the kaiser mage Azha and outlines a plan of action against the sentients.

 

-Long summary-

 

Delaney and Lazaro glare each other down subtly competing with one another to see who can have the most unamused expression as Van and Aicha stand to their sides as a captured audience.

 

Literally.

 

Delaney has Van handcuffed and a tight grip on his shoulder while Lazaro has Aicha tied up in an effort to keep her from escaping. The two captors glare at each other in a mutual –and seemingly eternal fight of subtle intimidation until Van speaks up asking if they can move this along since it is quite cold. The two give each other one more glare before launching a united front on Van who shirks away and remains quiet. Lazaro snarls at the farseer asking how he could manage to get captured? Here he was thinking they’d have an advantage but he goes and ruins that. Then again considering he ran away in the middle of his own plan should he have expected anything any better? Van shirks back even more wanting to deny what Lazaro is saying but being unable to. Delaney gives Aicha a quick glance and sighs in his should-be-trademarked exaggerated fashion. She’s the one who said that the dangerous guy is injured and shouldn’t be a problem right? Yet she’s been captured. What kind of nonsense is that? Aicha simply apologizes and remains quiet. Delaney’s eyebrow arches slightly at this, but he doesn’t press the issue.

 

Van is the next to apologize, but Lazaro will have none of it. He painfully raises an arm and yells at the boy that they have no choice but to do a hostage exchange thanks to him. It’s the only way to get him back safely isn’t it? He hates the very idea of trading anything with these louses, but thanks to his cowardly actions and weakness they’re not left with much of a choice are they? Van blinks at this and doesn’t hide his shock. Exchange?  Which means that Lazaro cares enough about him to want to trade rather than take his chances killing Aicha and then taking on Delaney? Lazaro hisses at the boy and states that the reason for this is twice fold. One, he can’t possibly beat Delaney by himself when his body feels like it might collapse from this cold at any second, and two he doesn’t mind having his failure of a father owe him one. Van sighs and makes a face –those reasons sound very Lazaro-ish, but he can tell that something happened during his fight with Aicha that took the fight out of him. It seems he’s forgotten that farseers can pick up on tells and habits, and Van’s own power amplifies that tenfold. Though if he wants to keep the reasons to himself, who is he to argue?

 

The boy shakes his head and informs him that there will be no hostage exchange. He should just let Aicha go, and he’ll go with the two of them back to see the Kaiser mage. Lazaro’s eyes widen in pure fury and he asks in a whisper why should he do that? Is this another one of his wonderful plans? Give up completely to the enemy? Van gives him a look and replies that he should at least see what the Kaiser mage wants from him. It’s not like they’re asking him to go too after all, so it shouldn’t be his problem.

 

Delaney corrects Van with a self-satisfied grin. It’s not that they aren’t asking him to go too, it’s that he can’t. The invitation is for one only. Van points his cuffed hands over at Delaney and opens his hands in a ‘See?’ gesture, but Lazaro once again won’t have any of it. He is completely against the idea of giving anything to anyone he deems an enemy, even if said thing is worthless. The farseer’s face twitches in annoyance upon the last part of his statement. He had somehow found a way to sound noble and insult him. Regardless of everything, that’s pretty impressive. Still, this is taking a lot longer than he would like, so he decides to take the proverbial low road with Lazaro. He then sighs deeply and replies that he understands what Lazaro means. After all if he’s gone then there’s no way he can spend time with Roysé. So they’d just have to continue fighting these two so that they can both return to her safe and sound. Who knows what she would think if he were to get carted away and leave Lazaro the heavy task of explaining what happened to him? It would be too much to ask him really…

 

Suddenly Aicha is stumbling towards them, and Delaney has to side step and release Van for just a moment to keep her from falling. Van glances over at Lazaro who’s expression is even as he lowers his foot. When he puts it that way, perhaps it would be better for him to go with those two. The Kaiser mage is the kind of person who wouldn’t bother sending people if it wasn’t important right? Moreover, even if it isn’t important, he should still go for…reasons. As for worrying about how to convey what had happened here to his ho—Roysé, he agrees that it is a lofty endeavor to take on, but he is more than prepared for it. He should just worry about watching his back while traveling with those two. Who knows what kind of things they might do to him when his back is turned? The boy nods and thanks Lazaro for his concern. He handwaves this and gives Delaney and Aicha one more look of contempt before turning around and beginning the walk back to Mr. Sike’s home. He stops for a moment and gives Aicha one more look for a moment before saying to her that this time was a fluke and it won’t happen twice should they meet again. He has to uphold honor enough for an entire kingdom, and that won’t happen if he’s pardoning every commoner who commits grievous acts to and on him.  Aicha remains silent which seems to annoy Lazaro who turns and walks away in a huff. Delaney gives the farseeing boy a puzzled look to which Van replies ‘long, long, long story.’ He figures they’ll have some time before returning to Azha anyway so he’ll try their best to explain what’s going on –something that will take some effort since there are parts he’s not entirely sure of himself.

 

Delaney nods and then unties Aicha. He asks if she’s okay, and she replies that she’s mostly fine, but she could see the loneliness in that Lazaro guy’s whole being. Unfortunately, for one reason or another he seems to have lost the ability to deal with it internally and instead does so with action. That in and of itself isn’t a problem, but it seems he simply wants to crush those who might harm him rather than trying to understand them. He could be a strong ally if he could get over that side of himself, but it’s to be seen if he ever will.

 

Van speaks up, replying that he already is. It’s a slow, slow process but he feels that eventually Lazaro will come to an understanding of how to combat that part of himself built to protect a fragile ego, but as for when and how even he’s not sure of that. Delaney shrugs replying that the matter doesn’t really bug him either way. In any case they have to find their ride back to Aerhaart and report to Aicha. The sooner they can, the better as he’s freezing here. He supports Aicha with one arm and pulls Van’s cuff with his other hand. The farseer looks back at his hometown, secretly happy that he’s able to leave sooner than he thought. The honest truth is while he has an ‘idea’ of what to do next, actually executing said idea and moving forward were both beyond him. He thought he’d be stuck at home for some time trying to figure out what he needs to do next, but it seems fate has smiled at him and given him a clue.

 

Finding another driver sanctioned by Azha, the trio begins their journey back.  Aicha is in the front seat of the small vehicle while Van and Delaney are in the back. As Aicha contacts Azha with the news, Delaney gives Van a once over and then glances over at the driver. The farseer shakes his head and states simply that ‘Now is not the time.’ Delaney stops for a moment and then grunts as he leans back in his seat. The farseer gives him a small smile and a gentle ‘thank you’, that Delaney quickly dismisses and comments that ‘He can’t hide forever from it, from her.’ Van nods in agreement, and sits back as the vehicle rides past the winter limits of Greyashe, and a few days later they reach a northern city with a train system that leads all around the continent. The trio transfers to a train that leads them back to Luxar which connects to Aerhaart. While riding the train, Van remembers how when he first left home that he and Claire had wanted to ride a train but couldn’t figure out how it worked since neither one of them had done so by themselves. Now he’s able to ride for free, but the situation he’s in is less than desirable. How things had transformed from back then…

 

How is Claire doing anyway?

 

The ride back is uneventful, and in a day or two they are back in Aerhaart and on their way back to Dover Tower, where Azha and another young man await them. Azha is slightly less unprofessionally dressed, this time at least wearing a dress and shawl, and her pink hair smoothed out. The young man is dressed in casual wear –jeans, a t-shirt and black jacket. The two look up upon the trio’s entry, and Azha smiles warmly welcoming her subordinates back. She then makes a face at their appearances and asked if they had any trouble? Delaney shrugs a shoulder and replies ‘nothing we couldn’t handle.’ Azha frowns and points at her eyes. Delaney grimaces and groans as the Kaiser mage walks past him and tsk-tsks. She thanks them for their work, and then excuses them asking that she have audience with Van and the other young man alone. Delaney remains facing forward for a moment before telling Aicha that they’re leaving. Aicha nods sleepily, too tired to comment or object.

 

Once the two are gone, Aicha stands before Van. He isn’t very tall for a boy, but she’s shorter than him still. She looks up into his eyes and he stares into hers. The two remain like this for a moment before Azha giggles and steps back. She admits just wanting to confirm not being able to see into ‘him’ like she can everyone else. It seems to be true on her end…what about him? Van smirks weakly and comments that he can tell behind her cute face lies a wily and clever woman. Azha gives him a thumbs up and states that this is the ‘correct’ answer. He’s become a freak of sorts hasn’t he? She’s not sure how, and nor does that matter really ---what does is what happens afterward. Surely he thought of that when he gained this power isn’t it? Of course her ‘afterward’ is wholly dependent on his. Truth be told her people have been through enough without him adding more negative press.

 

The boy chimes in with his agreement as he stands up from his seat in the stands. They should be trying to fix what is in front of them, not add more problems. Azha introduces the boy as ‘Dio’, and apparently he used to be ‘Deus’. Right now he’s a free agent who’s trying to save ‘humanity’ from ‘magic’. Dio makes his way down and greets Van with his characteristic ‘hey’. Van blinks and says ‘hey’ back, which amuses Dio. No one’s ever done that before.

 

Azha then turns to her fellow farseer and asks what he intends to do with his power? Again, what she will do depends on what he will do. Van hesitates for a moment, realizing that the wrong answer will land him in a world of trouble. He considers fabricating something, but then decides that the least problematic answer is the truth. He explains his ‘plan’ of dealing with the sentients and magic, to Dio and Azha.

 

To his surprise they listen to the very end without interrupting him. Dio whistles upon his completion and asks if he was able to come up with that all alone? Van admits that a lot came from his friends one in particular had inspired him the most. The old Deus smirks and says that he understands. Pragmatically speaking it’s a good plan with a high likelihood of success ---and failure. It has a lot of variables that remain out of their control which in a situation against enemies like the sentients is far too much risk. Azha asks Dio if they have an alternative? They’ve been bouncing ideas back and forth for days now and haven’t made any significant progress. This plan is quite frankly the best they’ve got.

 

Dio raises his hands in defeat. Admitably he has nothing either, and even if he did his hands are tied since he’s not quite the powerhouse he used to be. Van watches them in awe –he had expected them to stop him, to reject this plan. However this is the difference between ‘emotion’ and ‘practicality.’ They are not here to save ‘him’ but everyone. Had this been what he had been missing this whole time?

 

Azha then turns to Van and with a resolute expression states to him that the most important aspect of anything is it’s practicality. So she will ask him. ‘Can it be done?’ Van returns her resolve with his own.

 

‘Yes’.

 

Even without his abilities he can tell the true question she asks isn’t ‘Can it be done’? They would not have this conversation if it couldn’t. It’s ‘Can we trust you do to it?’ Referring to his own powers, his own crime, his own sins. Can he truly be trusted?

 

If such a thing like a miracle exists then…

 

But the truth of miracles is that they are not happenings of chance, but opportunities created by ‘people’. Every small action people take can lead to a ‘miracle’.

 

Meanwhile in the city slums of Oakland, a blond haired woman stands on a street corner looking out into the distance.

 

A sign indicating a bus stop looms overhead, though now this sign is as effective as the Police had been against the magicians that had overrun the town due to their madness. She thinks to herself that even if a bus would come and give her the means to escape she wouldn’t. This is the place she knows, and to give in to them is….

 

A familiar voice tinged with nostalgia asks if the 567 out of Oakland is still the perpetually late ride it’s always been? The girl looks up and is scarcely able to contain her surprise and elation. She whispers ‘You’re back? I thought…’

 

Guy Cowan stands over her with a bottle of iced coffee in one hand and a duffel bag in the other. He replies to the girl that it’s been a while but he’s home.