Abner didn't have much time to contemplate if he really could kill a corrupted Beast or not though he quickly realized he had to somehow think of a way to convince everyone Arthur wasn't a follower of Weaver...
Abner sighed and sat down as he told Arthur "Stop beating corpses and come here. We have to convince everyone you aren't a follower of a daemon."
Arthur stopped and looked at him with a bit of a grin "Well, all this work has got me tired. You will probably think of something on your own maybe"
He casually lay on the luxurious bed he summoned like he didn't just treat his friend as if he were mere air as he thought.
'The divination about Abner surviving had probably been interfered with by me or that oracle. I doubt it's the oracle. Why would he hide if Abner would live through the nightmare?'
So Arthur was sure 'it was probably me. Ugh, future me better have a reason to give me this headache. Since he said he could escape if the worst happened with his innate ability I will just believe him; there's not much else I could do'
Abner just watched Arthur completely ignoring him as he thought, 'You just don't want to deal with this!'
He didn't say anything, though afraid he might find himself kicked out of the grey fog in the city, surrounded by people who think he has colluded with Daemon followers.
Abner sighed and thought, 'How do I convince them he isn't a Daemon follower?'
.....
After spending a few hours contemplating it, Abner was sure
It was impossible he had heard them mention how Arthur's mask was what a follower of Daemons wears, and there was nothing he could say or do that could disprove that Arthur isn't an underling of a Daemon.
Just as he lay completely defeated, Arthur woke up and said "Ah, you are still here? Did you come up with a plan and wait for me to wake up? You really didn't have to."
Abner shook his head as he said "I didn't come up with anything. Convincing them you aren't a Daemon follower is impossible; we lack any proof or sufficient trust."
Arthur just tsked and almost spat out, "Amateur! Since when does anyone need trust or proof to convince another person of something?"
Abner looked at him and asked "Well, do you have a plan to convince them? I'm all ears."
Arthur grinned as he said, "All they know is that I wear a Weaver mask; that's practically nothing. I can easily spin a tale of how I got it."
Abner sighed as he said, "So that mask is Weaver's? How did you even get the mask of a daemon and what gave you the idea to wear it so publicly!?"
Abner continued "There's no way they would even listen to you Weaver is known to be a liar; his subordinates are probably known for that as well."
Arthur just shook his head and said "Remember what I just told you, Abner? Since when did anyone need proof or trust to convince anyone of something? Since forever! And I can get both."
Abner was doubtful as he said "What proof is there? Why didn't you start with that?"
Arthur just smiled as he left the Grey Fog with Abner, returning to the Shrine in the meeting room of the Wall.
There were about 20 people in the room; they were talking with grim expressions about possible evacuation plans after all Olwen had seemingly been assassinated and a Daemon follower had infiltrated their ranks with the possibility of corrupted Tyrants appearing as Olwen had said they were chasing him.
It was clear fighting the corrupted was pure lunacy in the state their small awakened army was in.
Before suddenly Abner and Arthur, along with Olwen the Marionette, appeared out of nowhere.
There was a moment of stillness and silence before Arthur calmly said, "Olwen the Impostor is now under my blessed Abner's control; these two will lead you all to victory against the corrupted."
One of the Awakened shouted his fear clear: "Wait, I-if we listen we might as well be Daemon followers. Just leave both of you!"
Arthur shook his head as he said "Neither I nor my blessed worship or work for any demon This mask is just something I picked from a corpse."
One of the Braver Awakened spoke to Arthur: "And how are we supposed to believe that? Why would anyone even wear a mask of weavers if they don't serve them?"
Arthur nodded casually as he replied in a completely even tone as he lied through his teeth "Well, after killing a demon I thought keeping a trophy to remember the occasion would be a good idea."
Abner looked at Arthur in shock as he thought, 'Arthur, you bastard what are you doing telling such an obvious lie! We are as good as dead if they realize you are practically powerless!'
And adding to his anxiety, one of the Awakened said bravely, seemingly having calmed down seeing as it wasn't likely Arthur was hostile to them, or having resigned himself to death.
"If you truly killed Weaver, aren't you still an enemy of the gods? Killing a daemon is said to be forbidden, and we still can't trust your words without proof of what you say. Don't think we would be fooled by a daemon follower just because of our dire circumstances!"
Arthur smiled and said "Good, you aren't spineless cowards and complete fools. I have proof I don't follow Weaver. Look, the mask isn't the only trophy I took."
As he said that he summoned Weaver's Blood in the air, and everyone in the room became completely silent.
One of the Awakened muttered, "It really is the lineage of Weaver you actually killed them!?"
Arthur nodded shamelessly, taking credit for killing Weaver as he dismissed Weaver's Blood.
Arthur then asked "Can you trust my words now?"
The awakened seemed hesitant as one of them asked "Wouldn't that still make us the enemies of the gods? Killing the Daemons is prohibited by them! Following you we would still die, and probably more gruesomely!"
Arthur, keeping his composure, thought, 'They still have a point, but in their situation, desperation will win. I just have to be persistent about "trying to rescue them," and they will definitely give in!'
Arthur easily lied as he tried to convince them he was their way to salvation, "Now why would the gods know you ever had my help? They don't know anything that is happening here; I can guarantee it."
The 20 Awakened were quiet as they looked at each other, and one of them eventually sighed and stepped forward as he asked "What do you want in exchange?"
Abner was surprised as he thought 'it actually worked!? Is Arthur a genius!? No it must be due to that mask that they are even taking him seriously."
Arthur thought about it. 'Good question. What would a Daemon slayer even want from this place?'
Eventually he said "Just spread my name, the fool who does not belong to this era."
The 20 Awakened agreed, and Arthur left after saying "My blessed Abner will lead you all."
Soon the 20 Awakened gathered everyone up; they were surprised to see Olwen back and looking so soulless and Abner not dead or even injured after trying to assassinate him.
One of the current leading Awakened told them "Listen, everyone! After further investigating that mysterious existence named the Fool who does not belong to this era, and the missing City Lord's son, they aren't followers of Weaver the Daemon—he's dead! The Fool killed him!"
Immediately there was a bunch of noise as people inevitably asked among themselves, "A Daemon died!?"
"Is this really true?"
"If it is, then that's a historic event! I've never even heard of the Fool; it sounds like fake news."
Eventually the Awakened in command shouted "BE QUIET, ALL OF YOU!"
Soon the noise died down, and he continued "In our dire circumstances, he has decided to offer the help of his blessed and... what he calls the Marionette of the fake City Lord Olwen, a corrupted who had infiltrated our ranks by posing as the City Lord."
Immediately there was even more noise: "Lord Olwen was corrupted? No way That must be a lie!"
"Look, he's not saying anything! It must be true!"
"... Wait, wasn't killing a Daemon strictly forbidden!? Isn't accepting his help the same as being an enemy of the gods!?"
After hearing the last part, instead of becoming louder the crowd of Awakened became quiet.
Eventually one of them sighed and muttered quietly although everyone could hear him due to their enhanced hearing "Let me guess what this gathering is about: so we either stand here keeping our faith in the Gods and die stupidly or accept his help and be hunted by them?"
It was quiet until the Awakened In command nodded and said "The City Lord's son is in charge from now on. If you fear you might be branded a heretic don't worry; 'He' has guaranteed no one will know 'He' is helping us, and so no one will be hunted down after this is all over."
Doubtful of the Fool's promises, one of them asked "Do we have to follow him for the rest of our lives now? And if we do, will he really save us?"
Abner responded in the Awakened commander's stead "You don't have to worry about following him; he doesn't want that, and 'he' won't be coming here to help... he has entrusted that to me."