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Greyashe chapter 348

Page history last edited by Sakaki 9 years, 4 months ago

 

 

 

Greyashe chapter 348 is entitled 'A series of unfortunate events'.

 

Previous chapter 347: One's greatest ally is the haste of an enemy.

Next chapter 349: A series of unfortunate events. II

Summary page.

 

-Short summary-

 

Butcher's malice becomes clear as the effects of the recall grip the everyone in fear.

 

-Long summary-

 

Hiram is by no means a brave man known by his 'heroics'. Truth be told he served the previous king of Shewlund only because that king had slaughtered his family under suspicion of treason. Be it pity or disinterest however, he had spared the man and allowed him to serve at first as a lowly serf. Through the years the only claim he had to his name --his opinion became invaluable to the King who was surrounded by those who feared his reputation as a bloodthirsty despot and therefore would not give him an honest answer out of fear of reprisal (which came anyway when the King found out they were lying to him). Hiram had always operated under a simple thought of gain vs. loss. He had already lost his whole family because of their inability to hide their treasonous treachery, but he wouldn't be so foolish. At the same time why in the world would he lie to the man who had taken so much from him? It seems pointless. Little did he know that the King valued his honest opinions enough to keep him alive. As such he resigned himself to a life of living without being alive for some time until Butcher came to Shrewlund and slaughtered the king known for slaughter. Hiram unable to shy away from his honesty asked the sentient why he had killed the King, and his answer spoke volumes despite it's simplicity. 

 

'Because this castle is to my liking, and two cannot occupy the throne'.

 

Hiram knew immediately that this ....creature, has a thought process akin to a spoiled child who feels he has been slighted in some way. If hell hath no fury more than a woman scorned, than a child's cruelty has to be a close second. However he had once again been able to live through a situation that should have been the end of him through sheer luck and his inability to be anything but honest. So when one of the few remnants of the Kaiser Mage elect who weren't either under Butcher's control or hadn't been killed by him had come knocking for him to do some espionage, his answer was a straightforward no.

 

Libitina Mors had caught him unaware in the palace garden, and had asked him to report to her any suspicious goings on with the evil sentient. She claimed that his help would invaluable to stopping his slow but seeming eventual control of the world. Hiram rebuked her again saying that he would not risk his life any more than he had already. Somehow he had managed to live twice despite being in life or death situations, and he's not about to go spitting in Lady Luck's eye. He sends Ms. Mors off with his well wishes and begins to leave, but she stops him by first asking him to address her as 'Libby', and secondly asking if he's ever experienced 'enjoyment' in his life? Maybe she's speaking out of line --okay she is speaking out of line, but to have a life extended just to continue living underfoot isn't much of a life at all. When was the last time that he had 'enjoyed' being alive? While she won't hold it against him for serving Butcher to stay alive, she will hold it against him if he ignores the suffering that the sentient is causing others, and doesn't realize the position he's in to aid in stopping him. Living in anonymity, or dying doing what is right.....that is the choice every human being dreads making, and thank the Goddesses most won't have to make, but for the few who do their 'choice' will change the quality of life for others. He is now in that position. What will he do?

 

Unfortunately whether the man had revered the Goddess of fortune or not, his luck had run out. What makes his death even more tragic is that Butcher had only lashed out in his fury and not because he figured out Hiram's status as a double agent. Ironically it is this that saved him from a far more brutal demise, but had completed a life of anonymity with a death of anonymity. It isn't fair, it isn't right, but if it could save---

 

Is what Libby who is nearby thinks as she processes the last thing Hiram had said. Butcher has figured something out? But what exactly? A shiver glides up her spine as the skies begin to darken over her. Whatever he had figured out has changed his leisurely demeanor into a murderous one. Perhaps the Kaiser Mage would know something about this 'discovery'. She needs to get back to Aerhaart and discuss these findings so that they can make a plan..she then escapes through a path she made for quick exits. Azha had asked her to use her ability as one without 'emotions' to find a means to monitor the sentients, however it's hard for her not to fear a helpless sense of bitter rage at this development. Even if he had agreed to help of his own free will, she had essentially sent a man to his death. How could she just feel nothing about this? Still, there's nothing more that can be done for him other than thanking his sacrifice and not allowing it to be in vain.

 

Butcher's fury emanates from the palace in Shewland outward to the rest of the world, like a ripple in a puddle of blood dropped over a period of time from a festering wound. The sentient glances over at his partner in crime and tells him that the time for action has come. If that deus thinks he has won sing his parlor tricks, then he is wrong --dead wrong. Although this is a sophistry at this point, he asks Baker if he has any objections to this? Baker shakes his head, disagreeing silently as he thinks to himself that he has abandoned his whole being to this plan formed over eons of hatred and anger. He has long since committed himself to being at the side of his friend, and no matter what happens that is where he will remain. They will either rule together, or die together. No one else understands he---Butcher than him, no one else has seen the pain he has endured like him, and no one else will be at his side.

 

Butcher roars and the wave of emanating hatred explodes in silent light.

 

Claire who was flying toward GMAGY feels this disturbance in the air and hastens her pace. She has an inkling she knows what this is, but every part of her being wants to deny this and hope for something better. It is this vain hope that keeps her from teetering into the grips of complete despair....

 

These vain hopes crumble when she reaches the academy.

 

Fires billow from the roof, and the forms of students crumpled over litter the landscape. Windows have been shattered, and she can hear the screams of people attacking and being attacked. There's no hiding from reality now. Butcher has completely released the 'recall' leaving no solace for sanity on this world. The voices tear at Claire's ears, until she hears one pleading for 'help'. The angel wants to keep holding on to that 'hope' and goes down to check it out herself.

 

Aerhaart is busy as well, as reports come in from all over of magicians suddenly losing all semblance of sanity and attacking whatever and whomever is nearby. Fathers decimating whole families, magicians who protect cities turning and igniting them in insanity...worst yet there is no rhyme or reason to these attacks, so the office of the Kaiser mage has no way to prevent these attacks, nor a way to prevent them. Every 'person' now is a 'weapon' that will go off at any given moment without provocation. The victims --those who don't or cannot use magic will have no defense to protect themselves from the horror of being annihilated by those they once called friends or family.

 

Azha despite her years is able to keep a cool poker face despite feeling her innards eat away at themselves. She calmly calls everyone together to cobble together a quick 'counter plan'. There has to be some 'method' to this 'madness'. Butcher is a sadist who derives pleasure from the suffering of those he deems his 'foes'. Who would he want to make suffer most...?

 

On that note, Van surprises the group by asking what is the farseer's 'secret'? He's been trying to work it out on his own, and he's sure he has an idea, but he needs confirmation. Azha asks him how this would matter now? Van's mother answers that she's not sure really, but her mother had told her to never forget that there is always a 'place' for her and their kind no matter where they go. No matter where their travels take them there is a place for them to return --a safe place that will remain 'safe' for them. Van considers this, and asks if this place is Greyashe? Is that why she had left him there? Anna Rose hesitates for a moment, but nods confirming her son's inquiry. She's not sure why that is since she had been exiled, but it had been what her parents had told her. Azha agrees that this is what she had been told as well --Greyashe is a 'safe' place that does not have a fear of 'death'. Van suddenly stands up and asks her to repeat that last part. It doesn't fear death? Why might that be? Colin chimes in this time, and surmises it's because as a place where farseers reside, they can 'forsee' most dangers (because of their ability), and guard against outside threats. Van nods and sits down, thinking in silence for a moment before reporting that there is 'another' place like this and he has been there. The others are shocked at this, as the boy continues revealing what he thinks Butcher's plan will be. The sentient is wily, hiding his 'intentions' behind a veneer of despair. If one wants to completely subjugate their enemies, they must take all hope from them. The thing about the world being destroyed before is untrue, and serves as a feint to keep the population at large from looking too far into the 'past'. Adding the farseer's secret to this is another distraction, perhaps thought up by Butcher and spread through his contact with humans over the centuries. If humans with their natural curiosity started to poke around too much then if this situation would occur they might have a means of stopping him and securing hope. In short there are places that they --the humans can run and hide from Butcher. Although he's not sure why this is, Butcher cannot directly attack these places, and as such had sought to keep them 'secret'. So it goes without saying that now he will secure and destroy them so that there is nothing they can do and no where they can hide. One of these places is 'Greyashe', and the other is the citadel he had been to with Aschner. Right now, with their forces as spread thin as they are they can probably only protect one of these places. The other will be completely destroyed by Butcher.

 

Azha glances at Dio who had been silent up until now, and is surprised at what she sees. The former deus has bit his lip hard enough for it to bleed, and stares down at the floor with an expression caught between anger and helplessness. He knew that Butcher was evil, but to go this far? To send magicians to slaughter helpless people just to get back at him....at the angels?! Azha goes to him and embraces the deus with a deep hug, pleading with him not to feel responsible. He has given them the 'weapons' needed to fight, and now it's their turn to take over. Then if he's headed to Greyashe, they will need to take their forces there as well and stop him. Van disagrees, and replies that they will need to take the battle to Butcher if they want to end this once and for all. Azha asks what he means, and Van narrows his eyes asking if he can spearhead the 'true' finale?

 

Claire flies in through a shattered window and begins to track down the voice calling for help, and quickly finds the source under a desk. It's Frieda Shen, a farseer who is in a veritable lions den of students who can use magic --something she cannot do due to her heritage. Claire asks her if she's okay, and after she confirms she is, the young farseer asks if she knows what's going on? Claire is surprised at first that she doesn't ask who she is, but remembers that her eyes have probably already told her the important parts. Frieda blinks and notes that she seems to know Van as well, so she can be trusted. Claire asks what she means by this, and Frieda comments that he only seems to associate with trustworthy people. Claire allows herself a genuine smile and replies 'That sounds like him.' The door to the room Frieda is in flies open and students with tattered uniforms and vacant looks in their eyes as their magic abilities flare with no control shamble into the room. Frieda informs Claire that the students started going crazy suddenly, and tried to kill her, but she managed to get away here. Claire tells her to get back, and promises she will protect the farseer.

 

Butcher grins evilly, and asks the former deus if he likes the show? Tragedies are really the only shows worth watching in his opinion since they come in oh so many forms. For example will he be annihilated by the very beings he tried to protect? Or will he choose to be the one who annihilates them to come to Shrewlund and stop him? He eagerly awaits to see what choice he will make as the show is just beginning.

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