Greyashe chapter 371 is entitled "No way back."

Previous chapter 370: What we must do.

Next chapter 372: What fear itself fears.

Summary page

-Short summary-

The literal mind games between between Butcher and Van. The farseer hopes his passion will make up for his inexperience in regards to his power, but will it truly be enough?

-Long summary-

The lights around Van dim and fade quickly as if he is in an underground tunnel lit exclusively by overhead lights giving the illusion of movement despite him standing completely still. Suddenly the lights explode into motion around him and cover him in a blue glow, stretching themselves around him and covering his entire line of vision. Opening one eye and then the other, Van glances upward and around, noting the blue dome of florescent lights with the occasional lining of silver dripping downward like that of a water show in a theme park. He jumps back slightly when he sees an electric yellow current traveling at his feet. The farseer watches it travel into the distance, and for a moment stands in complete awe of the mind he had barged into. To his credit, he had only really invaded the minds of two others before this, and both of them had been under various states of decay for various reasons. Butcher's is the first who's mind is --for all intents and purposes, in good upkeep. The lights and currents are proof of this. Van also notes that this is the first time that he hasn't immediately met with the metaphysical symbol of the owner of the "dwelling" upon touching down in their mind, which suggests that either Butcher had an idea that Van had an ability of this kind, or that Van's "death" had weakened his powers greatly.

Van allows himself a rueful smile.

He can really only go forward from here, since he has nothing waiting for him once he returns.

Interestingly enough, this actually emboldens the boy. It's not like he has much else to lose at this point does he? He had betrayed his friends's expectations by taking this option, and it had been one of the different "results" of the planning stage. Azha and Dio hasn't really tried to stop him which is fair enough since the whole world is hanging in the balance. Could they really tell him to place the likelihood of his death above stopping Butcher once and for all? As cold as that sounds there's still something even worse; the plan doesn't really end once he dies --there's still plenty more to do even after: especially considering that Butcher isn't dead. So now his mission is to travel the sentient's mind, and crush him where he is most vulnerable. Van checks his digits; flexing his fingers and toes and adjusting his head, to ensure that being chopped in half outside hadn't left him short inside. After being reassured of his body's functionality, he then uses his hand as a visor and scans his surroundings. He would have expected Butcher to come for him by now. He's playing the ultimate away game, so he can't just stroll around and hope that he'll run into Butcher. The sentient can show up at any time and in any form he can conceive since the battle field is within his mind, which is a fact that bring Van no end of unease. It is true that for all intents and purposes he has died, but the repercussions of being killed in Butcher's mind are unknown to him and that tiny rational side of his mind has given way to a very irrational fear. Despite this, the farseer grits his teeth and takes a step forward. Nothing will happen if he doesn't start it, so he'll just have to suck up his fear and get it started.

The electric currents travel past Van, and through them he sees little glimpses of Butcher's past with an emphasis on his "sister" and Dio lunging for him with the power of the angels within him. As he figured, the sentient has this scene etched into his mind and it had been one of the many inspirations for his actions. The farseer realizes that he had never asked his "sister" about more details in regards to her relationship with Butcher, and quickly stops himself from wondering why. Besides it being pointless at this time, he surmises that this had been done on purpose as to whet his abilities. If he had known more about the two of them, he might not have the resolve he does now, and might not have been so willing to make the needed sacrifices. In retrospect, he thinks about how he and Butcher simultaneously know very little and a whole lot about each other, and yet the fate of the world --for better or worse is in their hands.

....Though because of this they might just be the perfect representatives for the most important struggle, ever.

His thought completed, Van turns around to give his full attention to the thing that had been stalking him for several moments now. It had appeared slightly after he had begun moving and had remained several steps behind; a lion making the unnatural choice to play with it's food before eating it; better known as Butcher's M.O.

Behind the farseer is a massive beast with multiple rows of catlike yellow eyes on either side of a narrow reptile like face. It breathes heavily, and slowly, it's stomach rising and falling under a massive amount of dirty black, ink like fur. It's feet are green and it's claws purple and jagged, and a long tail curves back and forth in the air simultaneously curious and impatient. Van narrows his eyes and stares upon the nape of the beast's back where a figure wearing jet black armor sits pensively with it's arms crossed. It's black cape billows as the beast breathes in and out, and it's helmet has two horns protruding from it's sides and one from the front. The eyes are overcast, but from Van's vantage point, he can see them clearly as they burn a lavender-red. The mask curves around the face of the knight, so that his mouth is visible, though his expression isn't quite clear. Disdain perhaps? Or quiet anger? Either way, it is clear that he is ready to fight and kill the intruder into his space. Van smirks and asks out loud if he's supposed to be afraid of this? If so he's sorry to disappoint, but he is actually relieved. If Butcher's mental defense is something this audacious and visible, then it makes his job easier, and not just because he's easier to find. The beast rears back and roars shaking the farseer and causing the electric currents to speed up around him as if they fear for their safety, but Van holds his ground. The beast paws the ground and lunges as if  Van's insolence has caused it to lose it's temper and the farseer leaps out of the way in time to avoid it's attack. The knight takes the reigns of the beast and it quickly recovers from it's attempted attack and swipes at Van destroying a bit of the floor and causing sparks to fly up from where the electric current is exposed. Van pivots into action and runs under the beast as it tries to grab at him, but fails as he manages to slide under it's last ditch effort to whip him with it's tail. He glances back at the beast as it pursues him and allows himself a smirk as he bolts down the apparently endless halls of Butcher's mind. Truly things had become easier for him on several fronts. For one thing, he was wrong about Butcher being prepared for his attempt to hijack his thoughts since his guard had been reflexive. Another is the size and unwieldy nature of his mental guard --Butcher intends to smash him by force rather than through mind games, and while force is absolute it is also easy to defend against. One can deflect a fist better than a question most of the time. Lastly to have such a huge mental guard means that Butcher has an equal or greater secret in the recesses of his mind that he must protect. If it is large enough for him to know unconsciously that he needs to protect it, then it is large enough for Van to easily exploit and then destroy. Now all he needs to do is find it.

A secret that a being who has had eons to forge his mind with the intent of hiding it.

A secret that Van knows and does not know.

What could it be, and where?