BAHD Ch. 8 Hollow

Hollow
Chapter 8

It was not a quick death…

Ryo jolted himself awake, half gasping in a scream. He turned frantically in the bed, scanning the room for several seconds. His mind was still locked in the panic of his nightmare, unwilling to let go of the terror it had experienced in sleep. Now Ryo sat awake, still early morning with only a dim light coming in from the window, his lungs burning and his hands clenched.
Finally, Ryo gave a shaky sigh and gripped his face, shaking. He couldn't clearly remember the nightmare, but he had been having them for three nights now, and he knew it was of Eliazar. Unable to breathe correctly, Ryo laid on his back, trying to calm himself.
He was quickly interrupted by a dagger coming across his throat, cutting off his already uneven breathing. Ryo gagged, sitting up again and his attention turning to Kyo, sleeping next to him. Still half asleep and annoyed, Kyo withdrew his dagger and rolled over, satisfied with Ryo's silence again.
"Why are you always here?!" Ryo loudly asked. Kyo mumbled something incoherent in his sleep, as if commanding Ryo to be quiet. "You went to sleep at your own house last night, how do you always end up here?"
The child fell back asleep without offering an answer. Now calmed, Ryo sat up, awake. Kyo had been enough of a distraction to tear his conscious away from the forgotten dream. But the experience remained unconscious, as Ryo stared around the room in an unsympathetic aura.
Even then, the world seemed almost unreal. For two days Ryo had remained confined to his healing room, only leaving once with Gennosuke to walk outside and discuss what had happened. He wished to understand every aspect of the circumstances that led to Eliazar's assassination, curious about the one known as Janon and what it meant about Eliazar's promises to aid Weane.
Even without Gennosuke's urgings, Ryo had reviewed every detail as thoroughly as possible to himself. He had known he hated Janon since he first saw him, but Ryo bantered with himself, straining to recall if there had ever been even a slight sign of Janon's intentions. For his own life, Ryo could not remember. He even tried recollecting everything Eliazar had ever said to him, starting from the first day he asked what Ryo's family name was to the night before his death, Ryo racked his brain for quotes, comments, anything Eliazar had said. Miraculously, Ryo's mind turned up what seemed to be so little. He remembered what Eliazar had said, but not the exact words. The intentions, but never the meanings.
The engraved scimitar was still with Ryo, tucked away under the blankets of his bed, but he hadn't touched it. The first time he had drawn it, and he hadn't accomplished anything.
Recessing back into despair, Ryo held his head with both hands.
When can I go home…? Ryo wondered. Though Gennosuke was hospitable and Weane very welcoming, Ryo felt like a prisoner. Two days later Ryo was convinced he was well, despite the ache in his shoulders and back. Yet Oboro insisted along with her husband that Ryo rest, nearly convinced that he was still gravely injured and required full medical attention. Ryo tried several times to bargain his freedom, but she would hear none of it.
Ryo lifted himself from the bed and went to the window. Moving the thin white curtain aside, he peered outside.
It was still early morning, and he could tell the air was cool. It would only be a few hours before the sun rose in the sky and heated the earth. He had a view of the main street outside. Unlike Hollow, Weane was too small to have any outdoor stands in the main street. Here the temperature was critically more harsh and it reflected on the town. People stayed inside most of the time and the only well was gradually drying up. Because of this, Ryo took it upon himself to summon Water for the people whenever needed.
But looking out at the dry dusty road made Ryo's eyes narrow. Eliazar had promised Weane assistance from Hollow and the Ocean Community. Now it seemed only like a subjective theory.
The door knocked and Oboro poked her head inside.
"I'm sorry, is Katsushiro in here?" she asked. Even asleep, Kyo made an irritated grunt in his sleep at being called by his full name.
"I can't remember him being anywhere else." Ryo tried making it sound like a joke, but it was clearly bitter.
"He seems to enjoy your company," Oboro commented, entering the room and shutting the door behind her. She appeared to miss Ryo's statement. Going to pick up her son, Oboro's magenta eyes fell upon the tray of food she had left Ryo the night before. It was untouched.
"You haven't touched your meal." Oboro was irked.
"I don't need it," Ryo sighed a little to himself.
"You haven't eaten a thing since you arrived, how can you not feel even a little bit hungry?"
"I don't know…" Ryo tried thinking. It had occurred to him several times before that he never grew hungry like most people. There had been days Ryo did not eat, yet he never felt drained or starved. When it would take another man just a few hours to grow hungry, Ryo discovered long ago he could go days without eating before he even felt hunger. Oddly enough, the same went for Leo.
"I understand how you feel, seeing a small, struggling town like Weane…" Oboro went on. "But that does not mean you should turn down our hospitality. You narrowly escaped death! A meal will do you good."
"I don't need it." Ryo felt like he said that a lot. He found himself picking at his bandages. He also felt like he didn't need them as much anymore. Already his wounds felt as if they were healed shut. But arguing about it felt practically pointless.
Kyo mumbled as Oboro picked him up and hoisted him against her hip. Even in sleep the young boy clung to his dagger. Oboro rocked him gently and sat down in the spare chair before turning back to Ryo.
"Gennosuke was just outside," she began. "I did not get a good ear in on what he was discussing, but he was speaking with one of the messengers he sent to Hollow three days ago."
"They're back?!" Ryo raised his head up more.
"Yes. I'm only telling you because you came from Hollow. Though this does not mean we want you running off and getting yourself killed. You still need your rest, your wounds still have not completely healed."
But I feel fine…Ryo thought silently.
Kyo squirmed in his mothers arms, before stretching and finally waking up. Though young, it did not take him long to sit upright, dagger held tightly at hand. He resumed his usual look; glaring directly at Ryo with cold, silver eyes.
"Why do you always look at me like that…?" Ryo mumbled so Oboro did not hear him. It was unnatural, feeling so nervous by a toddler just staring at him.
Kyo's eyes turned golden brown, and he turned to the door just as there was a knock, and Gennosuke entered. His face was clearly vexed, and he shut the door behind him. He scanned the room as normal with cold, light blue eyes before sighing gently and relaxing a little
"She said the messenger from Hollow returned." Ryo wasted no time. Gennosuke nodded.
"I have news from Hollow," Gennosuke stated. Oboro stood up.
"I'll leave you two then," she said gently. Kyo squirmed again in her arms, but his mother carried him from the room quietly, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. As soon as the door was shut Ryo and Gennosuke could hear Kyo whining in the hall to be let back in.
"He seems to have some sort of attachment to you…" Gennosuke commented on Kyo's behavior. Ryo scoffed a little. For some reason he felt Gennosuke was stalling for a reason, and it irritated him.
"Yeah…"
"Perhaps it is because of the life you gave him. It would be well of you to remain in his life, though I suspect Kyo already recognizes your aura."
"Your wife said the messenger came back," Ryo said, a little ashamed at himself for interrupting Gennosuke.
"Yes," the sword master sighed and took a seat. "It is true that they have returned, but now I am a little concerned because of it."
"Why, what'd they say?"
"When I sent them to Hollow, I gave them instruction and permission to enter the city to alert Melody in particular about what had befallen her father. This is what you wanted, yes?"
"Yeah…" Ryo paused a little. He saw Gennosuke's eyes turn violet.
"Well…my messenger informed me that when they reached the great wall of Hollow, they found the city was turned in an uproar. When he spoke with a soldier about the matter, he was told that Hollow was already aware of the king's assassination."
"Melody already knew?!" Ryo felt a pain in his chest. So…she already knows without me…
"Yes," Gennosuke continued. "So my men did not enter the city, and instead returned. They saw no benefit in entering a riled city, and they did well."
"…and the bodies…?"
"Returned to Hollow, I suspect."
Janon had to say something….Ryo thought frantically, ignoring what Gennosuke was saying. Janon had to be the one to tell Mel what had happened. He's back in Hollow, and he probably has the Council on his side. But Mel won't give him power, not without seeing me first…
Suddenly, Ryo remembered the exact words Janon had used; "I can't very well complete my conspiracy if I'm not there to blame you for it, now can I?" It was insulting, and Ryo grit his teeth.
"Then I need to go," Ryo repeated himself.
"Again?" Gennosuke asked. "You've yet to fully recover."
"No, if Hollow knows that Eliazar's…" Ryo paused. "…then I need to go back right now."
"Ryo, I understand your desire to reap justice upon Janon, but you can bide your time while you rest. Plan your actions carefully, as your father would have expected of you."
"How can everyone here expect me to just sit back and let Janon get away! He's in Hollow right now and he's probably telling everyone that I was the one who killed Eliazar! How can I let that happen?! How can I not see Mel at a time like this?!"
"Does this mean you are concerned of her loyalty?" Gennosuke asked respectfully. With confidence, Ryo shook his head.
"No. She didn't want the Council's decision…but the Council will try pressuring her to follow their orders. Her will isn't strong enough to fight them for long…" Ryo still felt the need to snap, but held himself back with difficulty.
"But she will wait for you. You are Eliazar's son, and the throne is rightfully yours, you haven't anything to worry about."
Ryo opened his mouth to speak, but froze. It wasn't until the way Gennosuke had stated it that Ryo had noticed. Gennosuke actually believed him when Ryo said he was Eliazar's son. He hadn't ever mentioned that it was Mel who was actually Eliazar's child. In one comment Ryo suddenly felt the reality of having no direct ties to the throne. Eliazar had never made the engagement public.
"I…" Ryo searched for the right words. "…Eliazar…wasn't my real father."
Gennosuke's eyes grew. "You said he was your father and mentor…"
"No, he was just my mentor. I mean, he was like my father, but…he wasn't…" Ryo struggled.
"And Melody is your intended…?"
"Yeah…"
"…does Janon know?"
Ryo remembered; he had told him. He had told Janon he was going to marry Mel. It fit into Janon's plan perfectly.
"He knows…" Ryo admitted.
"And did Eliazar ever make your engagement public, so that all of Hollow would know of your succession?"
"No…"
"I see…" Gennosuke's voice trailed off. He held his chin with one hand and closed his eyes in thought. With Gennosuke's eyes closed, Ryo held his face again, thinking, but unfocused.
Eliazar never stated it openly, so Ryo could work his way into Hollow subtly without open confliction with the Council, Ryo knew this. But suddenly Eliazar's wisdom seemed irreversibly flawed. No one in Hollow knew, other than Leo, but even then, Ryo knew no one would trust the "murderer's" brother. It was unreliable, and therefore unstable. He was only Eliazar's student.
"Tell me…" Gennosuke stared talking again. "…more about this Janon Groesbeck."
"I don't know that much about him…" Ryo thought. "I only met him the day before I left Hollow. But I know he's been in the Council's favor for awhile. I'll bet anything they planned Eliazar's assassination together."
"That is a reasonable assumption. Although, now we face the issue of their conspiracy…it is very possible that Janon and your Council are plotting to have you framed for the assassination. They may already have Melody convinced of this lie…"
"No, she wouldn't believe that," Ryo said firmly.
"You said yourself Ryo, that she was a weak-willed woman. It's not implausible for them to have convinced her otherwise."
Ryo couldn't say anything. He wanted to believe it was a stretch, but a part of him knew otherwise. Eliazar had known Melody's opinions could be manipulated, that was one of the reasons he wanted the Council disbanded. Ryo remembered that clearly.
"I don't think so…" Ryo mumbled, a little defeated.
"I can see your perceptive on that, and I cannot hold it against you. Regardless of what she may feel, there is still the Council to consider."
"Then I'll handle them the same way I take care of Janon when I get back," Ryo spit.
"Going back…" Gennosuke thought for a moment. "…you will not like what I say, but I will be straightforward. Returning now would be most unwise. If the Council has turned all of Hollow against you-"
"That doesn't mater, I still need to go back. I have to tell them Janon was the one who killed Eliazar, I haven't done anything!"
"It's too late to confront the city. Without proof--"
"I don't care about that!" Ryo harshly cut in. "I know I don't have proof, but I can't just sit here and do nothing! What would you do if you me?! Would you be able to let Janon just walk away with it?"
Nothing was said for a moment once Ryo was finished. Gennosuke's eyes now burned red, and one hand rested on the katana at his waist.
"Justice would not escape my blade," he answered. "I would not be able to sit idly by while the murderer went unpunished."
"Then you know I can't just sit here…" Ryo said coldly.
"But I would not rush in like a fool. Is there at least another person in Hollow aside from Melody who knew about Eliazar's intentions?" Gennosuke finished on a strong note.
Ryo scoffed, growing steadily more irritated at Gennosuke's calm attitude. The swords master was too confident, too sure of his own wisdom. A part of Eliazar radiated from the man, but Ryo didn't like it. It was similar, but agonizingly different. He wasn't Eliazar.
"Perhaps I am overstepping my bounds. I am only offering the advice I have to give," Gennosuke said.
"There is my brother, Leo," Ryo decided to answer him. "He's smart, but he won't be able to do anything for me now…"
"They will not listen to a relative," Gennosuke confirmed. He went to go on, when the shuffling sound came through the door. Shortly following it was a whining grumble. Slightly amused, Gennosuke got up and opened the door. Kyo crawled in promptly, still holding his dagger under one arm.
"You again." Ryo and the baby eyed each other carefully.
"Forgive my son for being so aggressive," Gennosuke laughed a little and picked up his Kyo. To Ryo's surprise, Kyo didn't fight him at all. "There aren't any children his age in Weane. And Kyo is already familiar with everyone, so having a stranger visit must be a special occasion for him."
Don't know why…Ryo thought gloomily.
"It is still early," Gennosuke went on. "You should get more rest."
"Yeah…yeah, I think I'll try that for awhile…" Ryo said. But the conviction had gone out of his voice.
"You are welcome to stay in Weane for as long as you desire. At he moment, I believe it is the right course of action. You are innocent, yet somehow you have been cursed with enemies. It would appear some demonic God has looked your way."
Ryo flinched at the word. "Demonic…?"
"I meant no ill by it. I was only thinking out loud to myself," Gennosuke mused. He turned to leave, but then paused. "My wife says you have not been eating anything she brings you. Is it that you dislike her cooking?"
"No, nothing like that!" Ryo said quickly, thinking of the right words. "It's just that I'm used to not eating. I don't get hungry."
"Never?"
"No…I do, but it takes a long time…"
"Hmm…either way, my wife would appreciate it if you would eat from time to time. Please oblige her if it is not too much trouble."
"All right…" said Ryo, but Gennosuke had already shut the door behind him. Now alone, Ryo sat down and stared blankly at the wall for a while in an attempt to reorganize all of his memories and thoughts. He noticed the cup of cold broth left for him the night before. Feeling a little guilty Ryo picked up the cup and held it with both hands. He instantly heated the broth with Fire to near-boiling, then took a sip without any concern. The flavor was weak.
These people don't have that much…I shouldn't be eating their food… Ryo felt a stab of guilt and put the cup down. Reluctantly, he thought about Gennosuke's last offer. It wasn't living in Weane that was his concern, it was Hollow.
I've been in Hollow for almost ten years…Ryo thought sullenly. How am I supposed to just leave? Without even going back and saying anything…? To Mel…
Ryo laid down and closed his eyes, but he wasn't tired. His mind went through every possible outcome, trying to deduce the best strategy for returning to Hollow. The first thing he could think of each time was Leo. If he could only reach Leo, explain everything that had happened and what Janon had done, he was sure Leo would think of something. After that, he had to talk to Mel.
Ryo buried his face into his pillow. Mel already knew. Everyone in Hollow knew, and they probably all knew his name as well. They were probably already expecting him.
"But Leo wouldn't believe them…" Ryo tried convincing himself out loud. "Mel either…"

"Is there a reason why we are all being summoned?" Leo asked curiously. The messenger shook his head with a practiced response.
"No. They said you will be informed of everything once everyone has gathered."
"All right. Thank you." Leo thanked the man and closed the door. For a moment, he remained with one hand resting on the door handle as he stood in thought.
All Hollow soldiers and Elementalists are called to the palace courtyard…he repeated the message to himself. …the Council must be the ones summoning us. Eliazar isn't in the city right now. But what reason would there be for our presence…?
A woman with long black hair peered in from the other room. Her eyes were a gentle lavender color and her skin lightly tanned from the desert. She wore a plain white gown and nestled in her arms was a young boy not quite a year old yet, asleep.
"Who was that?" Shell asked in a small voice. Leo gave her a small smile.
"It was a messenger from the palace. All Elementalists must go to the courtyard immediately."
"Really? So early…" Shell commented sadly. Davis shifted in his sleep, and his mother rocked him subtly. "And on your day off too…please come home as soon as you're finished, Leo."
"I will," Leo promised. He kissed his wife's forehead and rubbed Davis' head before they returned to bed. Then Leo wrapped his cowl around his neck and fastened his fire emblem to it, still with a concerned gaze.
It was early morning in Hollow and the streets were mostly empty. Those Leo did see were other Elementalists Leo recognized, all heading towards the center of the city. The air smelt uncomfortably cool for spring.
The palace gates were open when Leo arrived. But unlike other mornings, countless soldiers were gathered around the gates. They were specialized, wearing badges of the Council to show their high standings. Leo's crimson eyes narrowed when he saw them, but proceeded through unhindered. Even then, he could feel their eyes watching him carefully.
Inside the courtyard, before the palace doors, every summoned Elementalist and soldier stood idly around. Many appeared lethargic while many more stood in small groups, discussing the meaning to their summoning. They stood in to observable order, and wore no identical uniforms, as was Eliazar's preference for his soldiers and workers. His lenient approach allowed the people to be nearly casual, so long as they were presentable. Leo remained detached from the majority, glancing nervously around.
"Hey…" a deep, dull voice said.
"Hello, Caza," Leo said without looking. A tall man with uneven blonde hair stood next to Leo without saying anything else, and stared forward. His eyes were a dull gold color, and his face void of any expression. The man wore plain light green clothes, with his Wind emblem badge pinned to his chest: a light green and gold symbol of fluid lines, representing him as a Wind User. Leo took no notice to his strange appearance, for it was usual with him. "Caza, you wouldn't happen to know the purpose behind why we were summoned here, would you?"
Caza shook his head without a word. A little disheartened, Leo and Caza stood in silence.
The earth was beginning to slowly warm from the rising sun when the doors to the palace finally opened. Conversations halted immediately and all eyes turned to the open doors. Near the back of the crowd, Leo and Caza watched on, still held in silence.
The six Councilmen of Hollow strode out from the doorway, each clothed in heir respectable Elements robe. Heads bowed slightly in respect, but near the back, Leo and Caza kept their heads level. As heads lowered, there was uneven shift in the crowd of Elementalists. Eliazar was not present.
Leo's head perked up. Just behind the Ice Councilor stood a man with slicked back dark brown hair with cold blue eyes. He was smirking to himself, out of the spotlight behind the Councilmen.
"We apologize for having to summon you all here on such short notice…" the Earth Councilor began with a slow, shallow voice. "but understand that this meeting is of the utmost importance…"
The doors to the courtyard creaked, causing the entire crowd to turn their attention behind themselves. The courtyard was closed off to the public, leaving only the soldiers and Elementalists before the Council. Leo's eyes sped through the crowd, becoming more alert.
"Hollow has faced a….most unfortunate loss," continued the Lightning Councilor. Leo thought his mouth was hiding a smile.
"Your King, Eliazar, has been assassinated."
The man with the cold blue eyes stepped out from behind the Councilors, but attention was hardly on him anymore. The sentence had hardly been finished before there was reaction from the Elementalists. Many were cries of protest, many more exclamations of disbelief, followed by anger. Leo's mouth opened, and his logical mind surprised him by denying Eliazar's death. Next to him, Caza's face remained almost unchanged. Only his eyes opened slightly wider, the only emotion he could display.
"Eliazar…?" Leo whispered to himself. "…but Ryo…!"
"Please! My people, be calm!" the Fire Councilor stepped forward with his hands raised. His face was unnaturally calm, though he feigned concern.
"Who did it?!" another Wind User soldier from the crowd called out. "Who was the one who murdered our King?!"
"Unfortunately, we were not present to this attack…" The Fire Councilor replied, lowering his head.
"But…" the Ice Councilor spoke up. "This man here, was witness!"
The man in blue with cold eyes was ushered forward by his Elemental Councilor as the soldiers reacted again, growing more furious and mournful.
"My name is Janon Groesbeck," the man began with a low voice that commanded silence.
"Janon…!" Leo gasped the name to himself. Caza cast him an unemotional, but curious look.
"You know him?" Caza asked. His voice was deep.
"No, but Ryo warned to be weary of him, before…" Leo's voice faded as Janon began to speak again.
"Our great King did not want the people of Hollow to know…" Janon spoke strongly. "….but he was going on a short journey. He left Hollow, just over a week ago, and he did so, not wanting his people to fear for him. For when he left, he had a small band of trusted soldiers with him, I being one of them…"
"He's lying…" Leo said quietly to himself, so only Caza could hear. "He wasn't going with them! Ryo would have told me…!"
"And our King was enlightened by his journey into the harsh Dead Lands…" Janon went on. The crowd of mournful Elementalists and soldiers clung to his words for the guilty party. "…but there was one man in our company who, I regret, had ill intentions…"
"Who?!" The crowd began to demand again. Janon's twisted mouth was turned downward in a sad expression, but Leo could see the glimmer in his eyes.
"He was a man who had slowly worked his way into Eliazar's trust, a man I only knew as Ryo."
"Ryo…?" Caza even raised an eyebrow, despite his face still appearing expressionless.
"He lies!" Leo said again. He looked around at the other soldiers gathered. Ryo's name was familiar to them as a Fire User, but now their faces were furrowed in anger.
"Ryo!" one soldier near Leo and Caza exclaimed. His eyes were alight with fury. "He was always with the King, like a body guard! How could he have turned his sword on our king?!"
"He must have thought he could steal the throne!" another man commented. Leo was compelled to say something, but held his tongue. There was nothing to be said. He could see it in the eyes of the men around him. They had bought it. They believed Ryo had killed their king somewhere in the desert, and Janon's word backed by the Council was all the proof they needed.
"Leo!" a familiar voice called out to Leo. Leo turned, seeing an unmistakable man pushing his way through the crowd towards him. The man was slightly shorter than Leo with sapphire eyes wide with shock and long light cerulean hair. Pinned to his sleeve was his Water emblem in blue. Just behind him was a taller, muscular man in black with short black hair and grey eyes. He pushed noticeably harder than Dimi through the crowd, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, unlit. On his chest was his status of an Earth User, a brown emblem.
"Leo!" Dimi gasped, finally making it to Leo and Caza. "Leo, he just said Ryo killed Eliazar! That's not true, is it?!"
Leo shook his head, thinking. Dimi, normally lighthearted and unserious, even now looked confused in disbelief.
"You think this smug bastard is lying?" the man with short black hair, Kalon, asked Leo. His voice wasn't concerned, but more compressed with anger.
"He has to be," Leo had to yell a little to be heard over the sounds of the others around them. "I saw Ryo right before he left, Janon wasn't with the company Eliazar took with him, something isn't right…"
"Hey…" a hand grabbed Leo's shoulder, turning him around. "Ryo is your brother, isn't he?"
"I…" Leo couldn't think of what to say. The man accusing him was a infamous Lightning User in Hollow. He glared mercilessly at Leo, expecting an answer.
"That man's lying! Ryo couldn't have done anything to Eliazar!" Dimi's shock and sadness had turned to unnatural anger, and he felled it on the man, pulled Leo away from him. The User looked as if he was going to reply, but Janon's voice echoed through the courtyard again.
"It was two nights ago when the King was slain. I regret not being able to save him, though I did manage to return to Hollow before the culprit could. The coward would have you all believe a lie to cover up his own sins!"
"You lie!" Dimi yelled.
"Quiet!" Kalon hissed, hitting Dimi's head down.
We can't say anything against him…Leo thought, hazing around again. They're already convinced…
Around Leo were discussions of Ryo's arrest already taking place. The other Users not familiar with Ryo spoke ill of him, and voiced their hatred to the Gods. Eliazar was gone, and Janon stood above them all, hiding his smile.

"They are like cattle," the Water Councilor mused.
"Yes, they did buy into it as soon as I mentioned the King's assassination," Janon mused. He was gathered with the Council in the Eliazar's audience chamber. The Councilmen gathered around, while Janon sat proudly on Eliazar's thrown, legs crossed and one hand supporting his head.
"Just one thing concerns me…" the Wind Councilor spoke up a little reluctantly. "Ryo did have a brother in the city…"
"Never mind it," Janon waved it off. "He is but one man. Should he even speak out against me, we can have him and his allies silenced quickly…besides, how would he know anything about his brother's innocence? He hasn't any evidence against us."
"Of course, Lord Janon."
"You've made arrangements for the Demon to be arrested the moment he is spotted in the city," spoke the Fire Councilor. "Does this mean you expect him to show up at the city gates?"
"I'm not sure," Janon said, uninterested. "The man was barely alive when I left him. Even if he does make a miraculous return, he'll find all of Hollow turned against him. "
"Hollow is practically ours…" the Ice Councilor grinned.
"Yes…" Janon's eyes narrowed, suddenly annoyed. "All that is left is for me to sway Eliazar's daughter to our cause…"
"Will she prove difficult?"
"Hardly. She is a weak-willed woman. She will see things my way before long."
"We must alert the Master," the Councilor of Earth reminded the other Councilmen. "He would want to know of our success."
"Of course. Lord Janon, please excuse us. We must write our Master. Do go and convince Melody," the Ice Councilor stated.
"Of course, Sages…" Janon spoke, but his eyes watched he Councilmen leave in a cold aura. He remained motionless on the throne, until he was left alone. Even then, Janon remained brooding. "My Master, hmm? He's hardly my master…"

The Councilmen all gathered around the writing desk, as the Water Councilor scribbled on parchment everything they recited. The assassination, the reaction from Hollow, everything was updated thoroughly in the letter.
Once finished, the Wind Councilor took the letter to the balcony, where a lone pigeon waited in a cage. Carefully, the old man tied the report to the bird's leg tightly. When all was finished, he pushed the pigeon into the air, giving it flight.
Freed, the pigeon knew it's course, and climbed higher into the sky, away from the Councilmen, who had retreated inside. The bird went on, unhindered through the night sky, nearly unnoticeable to Hollow down below.
An arrow screamed through the night, tearing past the pigeon's left wing. The bird gave a shriek, as Ice quickly grew from the wing, to the pigeon's body, freezing the entire bird solid. Heavy, the frozen bird fell straight downward, coming to a final crash against the now empty palace courtyard and shattering.
Janon stood motionless for a minute, his bow still aimed at the sky. He lowered it, seeing the bird's body shatter against the ground nearby. Satisfied with his aim, Janon did not smirk. He strode sternly to the frozen corpse and knelt down. He picked through the frozen, melting-bloody remains of the bird, and picked up the frosted parchment from the detached leg.
Still serious, Janon unrolled the report and read through it briskly. Even in the dim light, his eyes grew sharp, and he scoffed near the end, re-rolling the letter.
"Forgive me, Sages…" Janon said the word bitterly. "…but I believe I have earned Hollow. I'll work with you awhile longer, for as long as you suit me. I have no intention of handing over Hollow on such a whim."
Janon summoned intense cold to the parchment, freezing the paper near solid. With both hands, he crushed it to a fine, moist dust and let it blow away to the desert winds.

"Eliazar…" Ryo whispered to himself, half asleep . "…I feel so helpless…"