Greyashe chapter 358 is entitled "Instants III."

Previous chapter 357: Instants II

Next chapter 359: Instants IV

Summary page

-Short summary-

Lazaro seems to be down for the count completely as the threat of Baker looms. Meanwhile Van and his group approach the other sentient and their final battle.

-Long summary-

Lazaro flops uselessly onto his back and coughs up some fluid. Probably the worse thing than not knowing what to do and therefore being unable to do it has to be knowing exactly what to do but being impeded from doing it not by physical obstacles but by one's own lack of mental fortitude. All he has to do is go up there and crush that infidel with the power he knows that he has, and it would all be over. He'd gain the adulation of his precious one and the people of Greyashe would understand that he possesses the power of a God. Truly this is the epitome of a win-win situation. Yet here he is in a dank room, unable to move a muscle and finding himself frustratingly on the brink of crying. What had happened? What is going on? Why is this happening now of all times? Lazaro's mind is filling with things unnatural to himself, and like Guy back in his hometown not too long ago he's worse off for it. In an instant a fight that should have been fair if not easy had turned into an exercise of futility.

The God to be had never considered the kind of strength he wielded and why it had been so powerful up until this moment. Could this be a part of the reason why he's suffering this breakdown? They had called it alchemy when he had used it to crush those who deserved to be underfoot, and as long as it worked for him he never really pursued finding out more about it. That could be considered his weakness couldn't it? The fact that he uses power that he doesn't truly understand? He hates that word, that ideology....of "weakness", he was strong after all, that's why he had survived the slaughter of his people, and that's why up until now he had never been defeated by another "man".

Yet even he realizes now that he had used "was" in the certification of his own strength. Suddenly his body feels even weaker than before, and his shock intensifies when he looks upward and sees what amounts to an ethereal eye watching him.

Roysé holds her hand to her chest and her troubled expression grows. She admits to not knowing much about Lazaro outside of his extremely passionate feelings about her, but she does have faith in his ability to get something done once he has put his mind to it. She had seen nothing less from him during this short time they had traveled together. Colin --Dad, had taught her how to manipulate him to her ends knowing what kind of feelings he has for her, and while she won't argue against it's efficiency she doesn't really like the idea of manipulating someone to do something for her. Perhaps it's just part of her angelic heritage which decrees against making mortals like him act against their will. Sure she knows that Lazaro would do exactly what she wants if she just asks and without any question but she still feels like he should know more about the situation than just "They're my enemy, so they're yours too". It's why she had explained the situation so clearly to him back then despite knowing that Colin would have advised against it.

She is brought out of her thought by Candle elbowing her in the side and pointing down a corner. The angel sees a young farseeing boy watching them, though he dashes away when the girls notice him. Roysé gazes upward and feels other eyes on them though as soon as she notes this the feeling of being watched fades. Candle comments that the people are starting to get curious about their presence, and can probably tell that neither one of them are "human" in the traditional definition of the word. It's not surprising that the eyes are on them, but this fight is far from over. From her time with Van she knows the farseers are a purely defensive class of people and if Baker decides to take them on unbridled that they will not stand a chance. She asks the angel if she's sure that this Lazaro guy can handle Baker on his own? Even a blind man could see the amount of doubt and regret on her face, and it's worrying to the sentient as well. Considering how their earlier fight against Baker had gone, is there any reason to believe that a rematch would end any differently? Roysé shakes her head and agrees that they're in trouble if Lazaro can't do this, but she still feels like this was the right thing to do. She had to inform him of the truth otherwise she couldn't live with herself if something happened to him and he didn't know anything. As ineffectual as it would be.

Baker suddenly lands behind the two girls, his approach and eventual landing being accentuated by fallen and falling snow. Both turn backward quickly, and leap back several feet from the disembarked sentient not knowing what his intentions are and not wanting to be too close to find out if they are hostile. Baker rises and rather than turning his gaze toward them he furrows his brow and looks out toward the horizon. The white clouds seem to rush away from the sun high in the air causing the sentient's shadow to ripple and shake with the sashaying light and shadow overhead. For a while both parties simply stand silently regarding the sky and their opponent respectively.

Baker talks to them without turning, asking how long they think it would take him to completely level this city? The man they had counted on to be their savior has failed, and now he has no reason at all to be merciful toward the ones who had attacked him. It's ironic how initiating an attack is what would lead to their dooms twice. Granted it's not like she had been around for the first "mistake", but the second time around is arguably their fault --her fault. Maybe he would have settled for killing her as revenge for what happened all that time ago. Now however? Everyone would have to die. Butcher had decreed it, and their attack against them is further evidence of the nature of the beast if he would allow them to live. He then turns to them and his eyes burning with merciless malice, asks his first question again --how long would it take for him to completely destroy Greyashe?

Candle is upon him quickly, and he reaches out to swat her away but she feints to the left and slams him in the side with a headbutt. Baker is moved back several inches, and he grabs the smaller sentient before she can escape and lifts her by her arm. Shaking his head in disappointment, he asks how she can possibly live with her weak self? If she had accepted the recall with he and Butcher she would be ten times more powerful than she is now. Instead she has to rely on human techniques and unsightly methods to attack him. On that note, he doesn't even understand why she's bothering with this in the first place? Surely they know that there is no recourse for them at this point...? Wouldn't it be better to just lie down and accept their fate?

Roysé starts to attack, but Candle yells back that this isn't the time. That Lazaro guy is their hope right? She can tell that he isn't dead since Baker has no reason to rush the mission given to him by Butcher. Like it or not, the sentient is closer to her in his thoughts and actions than he is to him. He could have killed her several times over by now but is instead questioning her actions.....it should go without saying that Lazaro is somewhere alive and could possibly still win this. She knows the jerk reaction is to attack now so that the eyes on them do not take it upon themselves, but all another frontal assault would lead to is a public execution. Roysé shakes her head and sadly says that she cannot tell where Lazaro is. Even if he isn't dead, it seems his "will" is too weak for her to find. He's either dying or doesn't wish to live anymore.

Baker flips Candle in midair and begins to squeeze her neck. He whispers his congratulations to the smaller sentient. She had astutely figured out the situation, and exactly why it's futile to fight back.

Roysé can feel her legs weakening as all the eyes around them seemingly focus on her and her lack of action.

Meanwhile Van opens his eyes as he sits with his arms crossed and his legs up on the dashboard of the vehicle. Despite the cliched phrase of "not being asleep, but resting one's eyes" being used to excuse oneself from actually being asleep, Van really was resting his eyes in preparation of the final fight. His eyes are hardened and face forward as the car comes to a complete stop. The girls in the back seat step out first as Guy does so up front. Van draws a deep breath and shifting his weight opens the door to step out.

Before them is a ruined road no longer accessible by vehicle. This had probably been done to prevent the "wrong ones" from accessing the area, which is further evidence that the mad sentient knows they're coming and has laid out a "welcome mat". There is only the wind whipping around the group as they silently regard the king's castle where the last confrontation with their enemy awaits.