Greyashe chapter 346 is entitled 'Negotiating in bad faith II'.
Previous chapter 345: Negotiating in bad faith.
Next chapter 347: One's greatest ally is the haste of an enemy.
-Short summary-
The Sentients side of the long conflict becomes clear.
-Long summary-
Butcher leans back in his---no, the throne he secured through the effects of his recall and sneers at no one in particular. What matters in 'fiction' is how much truth is woven into a story and then ignored or 'improved upon'. As such what makes 'fiction', 'fiction' is the amount of non-fiction it uses. The story that the angels tell is a part of this truth so miniscule that without the remains it is truly just 'fiction'. For now since the people are under his thumb until the moment he sees fit, why not regale everyone with the truth?
It is true that the deus had given them a set of rules to follow in regards to interaction with the human race. Little did he know that the grand plan that now lies bare before the masses had been born in the mind of the one who stands supreme before humanity. The Youngest had no idea why the angel had been so benevolent to him and his ilk, but he's not going to take a gift and refuse it! Why they could have had them all destroyed immediately and saved troubles later---at least that's what he would have done. For whatever reason, their second interaction with the deus had not ended with their destruction like he thought it would have, so now is the time for planning that uppity angel's demise...
Wait.
What if this is part of his insidious plan? Perhaps he cannot slay them with out 'provocation' and he is hoping that he --The Youngest will provide it to him? Laughable! Maybe he had just assumed 'physical' form recently but he was most certainly not born yesterday. On that note, why had he, The Silent one, and the 'girl' remained in these forms? They are foreign to them as well are they not? Yet....
The Youngest ponders this. His mind racing --yet another phenomenon he's not all that familiar with. Unlike the sensation of 'pain' however, this feeling is amusing --interesting even. He had never had a reason to think deeply about anything, and loathe be it for him to admit, this change had come from the 'fear' that had been associated with the 'deus'. Getting back to the subject at hand though....No, no. It would be foolish to try and combat the deus directly....or at all really. That isn't to say that he won't have his revenge, but he'll have to practice patience and prudence. So this angel 'deus' likes these people down below does he? Very well, that will be exactly how he gets his revenge. If he had to surmise the truth somehow, perhaps it has something to do with those 'bonds' things the people had been talking about...or at least the few he had 'shared pain with'. Perhaps these 'bonds' can be used to his advantage somehow, familiar as they be. His people had never given them names, but he feels like they have experienced this kind of thing before..
The Silent One always ever so attuned to his friend's feelings asks what kind of 'revenge' he intends to enact? Truly even this word is something they had only learned from the people left behind. They had talked about it for some time after the other angels had gone back, but soon they got used to living down below and as such had quelled these 'feelings'. The Silent One knows well that The Youngest won't be quite so forgiving and as such a scheme must be forming in his mind. The Youngest confirms this, though he regrets having to let his initial target, that loathsome angel girl go. In all fairness he doesn't know where she is anyway, so maybe it's for the best. The Girl then asks what he will do to strike back at the deus? It had alarmed her so to see him suffer so much, and she doesn't think it's fair. They had come here without permission and then made a mess of things! Why should they be able to walk away as if they had done nothing wrong? The Silent One feels unease at her words, she hadn't been involved in this matter until the end, and while he feels connected to The Youngest, he would have much rather keep that connection between the two of them. Especially since The Girl probably has no idea what she's getting into. How nice it would be if she could just leave peacefully and forget this whole matter...
The Youngest doesn't seem to share the same sentiment, or if he does he does not make it apparent. He agrees with The Girl, and paces --another trait picked up from those people. They had done well to study them before The Youngest's urge to grant 'pain' had caused him to kill a few via dissection. The Silent One is amazed at how much having another 'goal' had curved this appetite for pain and destruction. The Youngest then thoughtfully wonders what they could do to this 'Judge' the 'deus' had mentioned? It's true they can't 'harm' this person, but there must be some other angle they can pursue, an avenue not yet explored. The Girl suggests they think about what had led to this point? The Youngest takes this suggestion at face value until he realizes this is exactly what he needs to do. He thinks about everything that had lead them to this point and quickly realizes...they can 'influence' the thoughts of these people can't they?! The Silent One is quick to point out that influencing would be the same as 'getting involved with' which is against the ten commandments. The Youngest sneers evilly and points out that 'getting involved with' is a two way streak. The 'deus' had not said they have to stay out of sight did he? At some point they will interact with those people. While he may have meant that they can't 'harm' them, or directly force them to rebel against him, he said nothing about 'interacting' with them. If the people decide on their own that they want to rebel then....
The Girl quickly realizes what he means. All it takes is one incident for the rules to fall apart and for the natives to have their revenge! The Youngest sneers again. It will require 'patience' on their end, but the result will be beyond their wildest imaginations if they just wait....
Time sidles by with no further contact from the 'deus'. As the beings ---both angels and natives have lifespans that dwarf that of the humans who had taken to the surface, centuries feel like mere years to them. As the centuries go by, the natives notice that the people lose their angelic properties and become more like the humans of the modern era. No longer able to summon wings, no longer impervious to climate, no longer the bearers of long lifespans. It seems the ability of these people to adapt and furthermore to forget is strong....soon they have different classes, and races. Eventually these different races and classes give birth to those who are curious of the world around them, and those who have different abilities to explore this curiosity. It is then that the deus sends an angel to them and introduces them to the 'Judge'.
The 'Judge' is a young man. Slightly less than two decades to claim in his life span. Apparently he had been born with an ability to 'perceive' into others, as a small epoch of humans had. He had lost his creators some time ago and had simply wandered until he caught the deus's eye. He had talked to the young man who had agreed to be the 'Judge' who would watch the sentients. In return he would be granted a longer life span, and the guarantee that they would not harm him, --they being the angels and sentients alike.
The sentinents --(as the angels had started to call them) got their names from them taking the shape of sentinent 'humans' but still being mostly (if not wholly) made of magic. They too had grown some, The Youngest now much like the 'Judge'. A young man, --in appearance at least. The Silent One had similarly aged, but The Girl had oddly remained the same. Perhaps because she hadn't been exposed to angelic energy like the other two? This had been the Youngest's summation at least. The 'Judge' introduces himself as 'Faulkner', and states simply that he no longer wants to be alone. His eyes are empty, and his demeanor emotionless. Perhaps the loss of his 'creators' had affected him in ways that he couldn't perceive. How ironic since he could easily perceive others... is what 'The Youngest' thinks. As he can only 'Judge', he has no say in how they live their lives or where they go. As long as they don't harm people, they are free to interact with and go where they want. The Youngest agrees with this and apologizes for involving him in such a boring job. It must be so unfair that the angels should make him, and him alone bear such a major responsibility....
Faulkner shrugs this off and mentions that the angels had said there are 'others' who will be granted abilities and immortality like him. He's met them...four girls who it seems have an 'affinity' of sorts. The five of them had gotten along well until he had been chosen to take this endeavor. He's a little bit sad about this since he did really enjoy being with them. The Youngest loses interest, only trying to 'incite' Faulkner, but since that's clearly not working he offhandedly suggests that he simply abandon this 'mission', and go back to the girls he likes so much then? Faulkner seems to think about this for a moment, but declines. For one reason or another the angels had trusted him with this, and asked if he wanted to do it. So much of his life form his birth to his parents dying seemed to be 'predestined', that he likes having a responsibility like this of his own choosing. The Girl seems to be taken by this, while The Youngest boredly waves him off. Faulkner asks what he should call them, and it is only then that the trio realizes they have simply known to which they refer when they speak to one another. The Youngest, never one to shy away from his objective asks that he be called 'The Butcher'. After a rhyme the children of man had grown fond of in the time since they had seen the deus. The Silent One perks up upon hearing this recalling that he has heard this rhyme...and takes the next line, the 'Baker', which leaves the 'Candle Stick Maker' for The Girl. The girl protests and asks that at least it sound cuter. Faulkner suggests 'Candle', and The Girl already taken with his sad back story immediately accepts the name. Butcher then allows Faulkner to lead the way, as they are only followers. Faulkner seems to baulk at this somewhat, but nods in agreement and walks forward, not knowing that he is a man in a tiger cage, and the tigers that follow him are only waiting for an opportune moment to strike.
Present Butcher closes another book and looks almost wistful as he recalls this. Perhaps it had been their travels around the world, and the deepening sense of retribution that had lead to the first human discovering that they could form a link of 'agape' with the invisible dregs of his people which would allow them abilities far beyond them. It is upon learning this that the sentinent realizes his plan changed somewhat. Although by adopting the form of the beings he now wants to slaughter he had created a wedge between he and his people, perhaps he should embrace them and in turn use that bond--their bond to advance his own plot. He consulted with them, the magic within him and asked if they are really satisfied with the humiliation, the greed of the angels? Shouldn't they want to strike back against those who had wronged them? If so, he can make it happen. He can ensure that not only will he get his revenge but that their suffering not be forgotten. For now he has to follow the 'rules' handed down by that 'deus' but soon...soon there would be a time where he could be free of them and enact the plan that would bring them to the forefront where they belong. They had been on this 'world' long before the angels had corrupted it with the lesser members of their people who now abuse them! Ah...ah....it had been wonderful when the magic had agreed with him and in little ways followed his plot. Driving the humans mad in small ways by making them strive harder, and harder to get that agape level high enough to grant abilities. Oh it had been splendid to see the magic strike back against those who would abuse it! All of it well within the 'Ten Commandments', since it is not he --Butcher or his two compatriots harming the humans but their own avarice! All he had to do is whisper to them...the words they want to hear when they are at their lowest. They could turn him down if they were stronger, their free will would allow it, but rarely did they...rarely....
Faulkner could tell immediately what is going on, but as the judge he can do nothing to stop it. The humans are harming each other, and as Butcher's scheme dictates, have the free will to reject him. Most of all they are not invoking people to use their agape to advocate violence against the angels. In fact, the very existence of the angels had been mostly forgotten with the advent of agape and the abilities of magic it brings. Many thought of them as simply fairy tales, and as long as the angels stayed out of the way and in their lands on high people would have no reason to believe otherwise. Truly the situation only became worse as time went by, despite nothing happening on the surface. Faulkner has the knowledge of this but can do nothing but watch and report....
What Butcher did not realize is the angels themselves were planning a counter to him all while staying within the 'Ten Commandments'. If Butcher could spread his propaganda, so could they. A small angel --Akariel had been sent with two missions, to spread the 'truth', and to find a previous angel who had been sent down to find the one in the center of it all --Ambriel. Butcher and Faulkner knew of this movement, and neither reacted in accordance to it. Butcher because it does not affect his plan, as they cannot manipulate free will to stop him, and Faulkner because he can only watch and report. Butcher's inclination however had finally started to come to light as humans started to discover that magic is not the ally they had thought it was, but the wily sentient had already figured this and through cats paw methods had started a war using the 'guardians' of the Goddess supporters..the elite squadron of magic users, the WITCHES. The war would serve to hasten the advancement of his 'plan', and erase those who knew too much. Butcher had seen the humans fight over pettier reasons in the past, and in his own sadistic way had wanted to start one of these wars himself. Agape VS. Non Agape had a certain ring to it as well. Besides this world had only experienced two grand wars before this one, and three is a lucky number.
The war....the lives it had claimed, and changed....
Butcher was only half successful. His devilish inclinations had been satiated, and those who knew too much had been killed, but now the fact that his magic brethren are the enemies of man kind had become public knowledge. What could they do though? It had been ingrained into every part of society by now --could they really be rid of them...of him so easily? Never. Faulkner too had finally grown tired of watching, and decided to stage a desperate act of his own by declaring war on the people. He didn't actually use the sentinents to harm anyone so he was still within the rules, but doing such a thing right after the WITCHES war would have to prove to the people the danger of using magic wouldn't it? Unfortunately it brought upon the wrong attention...the attention of a certain boy and his friends, who had misunderstood the message the 'Judge' was trying to tell them.
Van Rayleigh and his friends upon seeing this declaration had thought 'he' to be the 'ringleader' and not the 'Judge'. They attacked the group in hopes of stopping them once and for all. To be tragically heroic.....a gambit that had failed and pushed Butcher's mad plan into high gear. The cardinal rule had been broken, and the 'humans' had attacked the Sentients who had 'seemingly' done nothing to deserve it. Worst yet, the 'judge' had been killed by one of the very angels who 'set' the rules! Now Butcher was unbridled in his wish to destroy the humans that the deus had held dear for so long....by using those very same humans.
The Recall. If each agape 'bond' is a string, then all Butcher had done during this 'recall' is to tug on the strings of the whole world once, collectively. The agape bonds that were between a person and their magic now directly run to he and Baker. Even those 'girls' who had been chosen to watch him with Faulkner wouldn't be able to resist him now. Candle had fallen to the wayside through their journey, the angels had plotted to use her relative neutral-ness to their whole fight to bring her to their side. She only knew of what she had been told. No matter--in the end Butcher had gotten what he wanted. Complete and uncontested power to strike the humans back as he wishes.
Butcher now sits upon the land with no equal. The humans cannot oppose him, the angels cannot oppose him. What else could he ask for in his revenge?
Hiram picks up the books that Butcher has tossed aside and bows as he walks them down a corridor to be destroyed. Butcher is alone in the room for a moment as he comments that it was 'fun' examining the story that had lead to his ascension once again. There is no real need for him to hurry in doing anything now.
Baker strides into Butcher's throne room and acknowledges his partner. Butcher asks if he 'finished his errand'? Baker nods, and then his expression becomes grim. Butcher gives him a look and asks what is the matter? Did he find unexpected resistance? Baker shakes his head, but admits that while there isn't any 'unexpected resistance' now, he thinks that they've missed something fundamental...that will lead to 'resistance' later should they continue down this path. The sadistic sentinent asks what this is supposed to mean....? Who could possibly stop them now?
Baker gives his partner a long look and replies that the 'gears are in motion'. The enemy who seemed least likely to be a threat is now in the position to make a power play. Butcher narrows his eyes and asks if he's serious?
Baker says it in a quiet breath. 'Those who do not fear dying at our hands'. They will stand up and now have the power to do so.