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Greyashe chapter 374

Page history last edited by Sakaki 8 years, 8 months ago

 

 

 

Greyashe chapter 374 is entitled "Phantasmagoric."

 

Previous chapter 373: Just one life.

Next chapter 375: What was taken.

Summary page

 

-Short summary-

 

With his new found power, Van sets out to heal the scars of the world the best he can.

 

-Long summary-

 

Van pats down the ground before him using the opposite end of a piece of sheet metal he had found and then attached to the hardened bones of those long passed in the chaos of the "Recall". True to his roots as a sweeper from Greyashe, he had perfectly dug a hole in the highest point over the castle where he and Butcher had their battle, placed the body of the newly human and newly dead sentient in it, and then covered it up with the same amount of expert professionalism that one would expect from a person who had his past occupation. He acquiesced to himself for reasons unknown --had he been the one in this situation he knows Butcher would not have hesitated to destroy his body or worse. So why should he have given him this much respect in de--No. This had been the right play, and meandering on what he should or should not do will not change anything. Besides, it's not as if he's going to dig up his body and desecrate it in some way now is he?  

 

The magic had not helped him dig the grave for their former fallen companion. Understandable because he had made the promise not to use them and their abilities for his personal gain. Should he decide to, they will kill him (or allow him to die.) and raze the world several times over, rendering his first death and the sense of emptiness now claiming him moot. Despite this however, Van still has it in mind to utilize a loophole in his promise and march proudly through it. While it is true that they have a deal, he's not about to allow himself to remain under magic's thumb. Who knows what kind of things it would have him do if he allowed that? He would have to ensure there is some give and take between them. Of course they are now a part of his body, --or what makes itself up to be his body and know what he intends to do before he does it. As such when he splinters the bone-shovel he created to bury Butcher's body and strolls up to the edge of the higher ground he had found, he can hear magic murmuring in his ear, and throughout his body. Van allows it to make what seems to be a silent argument before steeling his thoughts and physically spreading his hands in an "enough" gesture. Yes, yes, He knows what their agreement had been. This however, is not for his benefit. After all, he's not even sure what kind of being he is anymore, and therefore hasn't got the foggiest idea if doing any of this will benefit him in any way. That being said, he will do it for the sake of others he knows it will help. That isn't breaking their deal, and therefore there should be no problem with it. The magic's murmurs quiet down and finally cease as if it had considered what he had said and then agreed to it reluctantly. Despite being alone, Van nods in acknowledgement. Ah, he'd have to get used to answering magic mentally and not verbally or physically. It might look strange to those who aren't privy to his "agreement". That being said, how would he explain this to others? Normally having a close relationship with magic is a good thing, but this is literally far and beyond what people meant by that. Oh well, he'd cross that bridge when he gets to it --after all, this whole fight and the aftermath are things he winged anyway.

 

The ruined land spreads before him as he stands above it all. So much destruction wrought by one deranged individual who regardless of right and wrong had his reasons for acting out such atrocities. The potential of one life is an amazing thing. Van now knows that personally. Yet what would he have been if he didn't have to do this? What would he be doing right now if this had not become the fate he inherited?

 

Passionate red engulfs his left arm.

 

What would he have contributed to society if he hadn't been the one to save it?

 

Cool blue creeps up his right arm.

 

Raising both arms and using the bone he had snapped free as a pointer, the farseer closes his eyes and points downward like a conductor directing an orchestra. The place he points down to shines briefly and a lone flower --a carnation grows. He turns his fingers upward and the sky --once dark red begins to break and allow other brighter colors to filter through. With small turn he points at the ground before him and the ruined clay like dirt gives way to grass and wildflowers. Van's hands follow a melody only known to him as they turn, twist, and point. Each time he does, the ruined earth becomes aesthetically pleasing, the broken is mended, and just a little bit --as he hopes, hope is being restored to the world. He figures it would not be beyond him to even raise those who had fallen, but by now their souls had departed to whatever point they would reside in, and while he is powerful, he is not omnipresent or all mighty. More importantly there had to be a "cost" to this victory, or no one would learn anything from it. It is a pity that people would have to deal with loss, but if they would become stronger from it then all is not lost.

 

Kani's good eye --the one not seared shut and covered by bandages after her run in with Candle so long ago opens suddenly. The last thing she remembers is fighting off deranged magicians with Guy by her side. "Fighting off" may not be the correct term as they were savagely beating them within an inch of their life. It was bad enough that for a moment the witch considered allowing herself to give up just to free herself from the pain of being beaten, but something deep within her had said to hang onto dear life as long as she could. Of course there was no way for her to know that while Van could restore that which is still alive he cannot bring back the dead, so it had only been pure instinct on her part to not give up. That and her own naturally inborn stubbornness, which she secretly thanks herself for. She unsteadily gets to her feet, and for a moment stands in place unsure of what to do. She oddly feels...rejuvenated? Somehow. She checks her body and true enough all of the injuries incurred from her fight with Luge have mostly been healed, though anything before that remains; such as the aforementioned burn scars from before. Without a doubt this is the doing of something with more power than Butcher, but who? She would have to find that out, and if this being is hostile or not. She then glances back and sees Guy still lying on the ground. Kani seizes up in fear and kneels beside the fighter shaking him and asking and then begging if him to be okay. She checks his heartbeat and immediately is relieved to hear it. She checks his arms and legs and finds that his injuries are healing as well. He'll probably be fine soon enough she figures, and sits cross legged beside him deciding not to leave until he's awake. It is then that she spies the sky above in a puddle in the ground and is surprised. Glancing upward slowly the sky is becoming bright from it's earlier dark red hue. While this in and of itself isn't anything particularly noteworthy, it's the speed of which it's occurring that is shocking. It's akin to someone pouring sugar into black coffee and stirring, and Kani is witnessing it change rapidly before her. What on earth is going on?

 

Van's mind focuses now as he stretches his arms and points into the air at places he hasn't been to but have surely been ravaged by the "recall". Magic acts as his eyes and images of places he has never been float up into his subconscious, each more ragged than the one before it. Van with his eyes still closed makes grand gestures into those directions and plants the seed of revival where he can. Underpasses, rivers, and on cliffs if he must. As he has not personally been to these places around the world, he cannot properly revive them. It is up to those people to harvest those seeds and utilize them as they best fit their society. His symphony of rebirth continues even as his own thoughts impede the process.

 

Could I have been a person like this? The farseer asks himself. Someone who creates something beautiful for others?

 

It is when he is filled by this doubt that the magic takes over for him. Directing his movements to plant the seeds of rebirth in this fantastic and almost illusionary banquet of revival. Rather than being the conductor at these moments, he is a dancer --new and unsure in the hands of a master who offers their hand and takes the lead. Whether this is magic's pity, or simply it's way of getting this job done faster is unknown even to the boy who is a part of it, but he doesn't mind. He is careful not to seek too much solace in the hands of the very same magic that had almost ended him and everything he holds dear, but still welcomes it's presence and mindfulness of his own limitations.

 

It feels like hours later when Van lowers his arms --the overture now complete, despite the actual time only being a mere fifteen minutes. It truly is incredible how much power can change everything. Pocketing his hands, Van unsteadily wobbles to and fro as he heads back down the precipice, only stopping to give Butcher's makeshift grave a fleeting look. His head swims as he walks, and he feels like he could collapse at any second. Maybe this is the recompense for using magic so quickly after he got it? As a farseer who had "illegally" come into his use of this ability, he had never really had more than two modes for it's usage --now, or never. He'd figure normally one would train themselves to use it without facing fatigue, but once again he had very little choice in the matter. The skies are now azure and the ground below is verdant, almost as if Butcher and the recall had never been. He allows himself a small sense of accomplishment as his leg finally gives out, and he falls to the ground--or he would have if a hand hadn't grabbed his arm before he completely collapses. Van and Kani's eyes meet and for a moment silence does all of their talking. Kani's eyes are full of questions as her mouth tries to keep up and form at least one of them. Finally she manages to stammer an inquiry. "Wh--what are you?"

 

Van's consciousness is fading, but he still smiles at her and answers, "Dead and alive. Everything and nothing. I am Me."

 

 

 

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