I know I'm really spurratic with these chapters. XP This is probably the only chapter from this series I even liked.
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Blood of Angels, Hearts of Demons
Mother
Chapter 4
"Wake up brother," May's soft voice drifted into Demon's dream. He felt her lift him into a sitting position. He whimpered and rubbed his eyes. Next to him, he felt his twin brother, sit up by himself. May, his older sister by two years, wiped his face and smiled at him. Her eyes were a red amber color, and her hair was the same shade of brown as Ryo's, and was long, almost reaching her waist. She was only five, but she was very mature for her age, taking care of her baby twin brothers. She was sitting on the edge of his and Lion's bed, with two pairs of almost matching clothes. The oldest brother, Nayota, was on the other side of the bed, helping Lion up. Nayota was older than Demon and Lion by five years, three years for May, and was a very mature eight year old. His hair was spiked, with some spiked being white hair, while others were black. His hair was naturally black and white. His eyes were a light red color.
"Wake up Lion..." he said softly to his younger brother. “We need to hurry and get dressed.”
"But why...? I'm still sleepy," Lion whined.
"We're going to visit Mother," May said, lifting Demon's shirt over his head. At the mention of their mother, Lion and Demon smiled, wide awake. "But we need to hurry," May said, giving Lion's clothes to Nayota. She held up Demon's clothes for him to look at, while Nayota held up Lion's. They were exactly the same, except for the waist sash. Lion's was red, the color of the Razada House, while Demon's was green, the cursed color of the Demon.
"I don't wanna wear green!" Demon whined to his older sister. "Everybody hates green!"
"We don't hate it," May tried coaxing, "And it goes so well with your eyes..."
"But how come Dad and everyone hates me because my eyes are green?" Demon asked.
"It's the color of a curse, a Demon," Nayota said sadly to his baby brother.
"I'll wear the green one!" Lion said reaching for Demon's outfit.
May held it away. "No Lion, you'll get in trouble." Nayota and May quickly dressed the twins and led them into the hallway. May walked holding Demon's hand while Nayota walked holding Lion's hand. They led the twins to a far bedroom of the house. Their mother's bedroom. It was still very early in the morning, and the sun wasn't even on the horizon. Lion tried looking out the windows at the stars while Nayota pulled on his hand to follow. When they came to the door, Nayota turned and faced his little brothers.
"Okay," he started, kneeling down to their height, "You two must do your best to behave, okay? Father and Grandfather are gonna be in there with us, and you know what that means. Don't make Father or Grandfather angry..."
May turned and gently knocked on the door. "Come in," came their father's voice from the inside. The four siblings slowly opened the door and entered the room. A young woman was lying in the bed her eyes closed, resting. She had long, natural white hair, and lightly tanned skin, and when she opened her eyes, they were light red. Two men stood in the corner of the room, behind the door. The younger one was a man with a sharp face, his hair graying, with dark maroon eyes. He was their father, Steel. His face was expressionless, and he didn't acknowledge any of his children once they entered the room. Lion and Demon didn't pay any attention back. They hardly ever saw their father, and barely remembered him. The other man was older, his face wrinkled and just as expressionless as Steel's. He didn't move when the children entered the room, and remained staring at his daughter-in-law, lying sick in bed. His hair was long and gray, his eyes were red, and empty. He was their Grandfather, and head of the Razada House.
The woman in bed smiled, seeing her children, especially her two youngest sons. "Come here," she said weakly, reaching for them. May and Nayota remained by the door, looking down at the floor sadly, while Demon and Lion happily climbed up on the bed next to their mother. She had been sick, sleeping so much lately, they hadn't seen much of her. Alera smiled weakly as her two youngest crawled next to her.
"Are you done being sick?" Lion asked his mother. She smiled and kissed his forehead.
"No, Mommy's still sick..." she said. Her twins didn't seem too downtrodden by it. She held her sons close, trying not to cry in front of them. "Lion, can you do me a favor?" she asked softly. Lion nodded his head, looking curious. She gave him a weak smile. For a three-year-old, her son Lion was very smart, and observative. "Can you promise me, you'll always look after your brother?" she said weakly. Lion cocked his head.
"Na'ota?" he said, attempting to say Nayota's name. Alera smiled.
"No...Demon. Your brother Demon," she said looking at Lion's twin. Lion nodded his head. "Okay...."
Alera smiled at the both of them, silent tears running down her face. Lion was the first to feel that something was wrong. "Mom...?" he asked in a concerned voice. She just smiled and rubbed both of their heads. "I love you two..." she said slowly and quietly, closing her eyes.
"Get them out of here," Steel said sternly to Nayota and May, who was crying. Nayota, without looking at his mother quickly went over and grabbed Demon, while May gently helped Lion slide off the bed.
"What's wrong with Mom?" Demon asked on the way out, looking back. Nayota shushed him and closed the door, leaving Steel and the Head of the Razada House alone. Steel sighed, and walked over to the bed. He slid a sheet over the head of his late wife, and stood silently looking down on her.
"What are you going to do with him?" Steel asked his father. The old man shook his head, and sighed himself. "She begged you to let him live."
"I don't know what to do with him," the older man sighed. "He has the eyes of a Demon, a bad omen..."
"Then kill him!" Steel suddenly yelled, turning to face his father. "If the readings of the Angels are true, then green eyes are the Mark of a Demon! Do what you think will preserve our way of life!"
The old man said nothing to his son’s raves, and stood with his eyes closed. "She begged me...me dear Alera, to give him life...it was her last wish, I cannot ignore it." He turned away from Steel and the bed, his hand over his face and eyes closed. He heard Steel exhale deeply.
"What should we do? The only reason he lived this long was because she begged for his life. Even in Death she begs for his life..." Steel said lowly.
The old man opened his eyes. "A Demon among Angels will bring the destruction of our very way of life...how do we keep him from destroying us and alive at the same time?"
Steel thought for a moment then looked up. "Release him," he said, "Leave him in Hollow to be raised by humans."
"No," said the Head of the Razada House. "We cannot afford to have him out of our sights." He lowered his hands and opened the door to leave. "He will become a servant," he said, "When Lion begins his training and schooling, Demon will serve me in this house until he's eighteen. He'll still receive the rites of passage, like any other member of the House, but he will work here for the rest of his life after."
Steel said nothing. It seemed like the only real thing to do. That and he couldn't argue with his own father. "Then he'll need an engagement as well....I'll search for one suitable for a Demon among Angels."
~~~
Ryo sat alone in his dark, cold, wet dungeon cell. He didn't try to resist when military personnel found him with Janon's dead body and his sword, covered in Janon's blood. He could have tried explaining that it was his father, Steel, and his party that did it, but at the time he thought no one would believe him. He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. He remembered the look on Leo and Dimi's face when they saw him being escorted away by five soldiers. Even Kalon and Caza stared at him in disbelief that he had killed another Steward. Ryo hoped Leo would be clever enough to figure out it wasn't him who killed Janon, and would try and get him out.
His cell was stone, and a guard was outside the door, to watch him and make sure he didn't use his Element to help him escape. Ryo lowered his head again. He wondered if the two maids he saved informed anyone of authority that he could use more than one Element. No, he thought, they were too scared, they probably won’t.
A small metal door at the bottom of the cell's entrance opened up, and a plate of food was given to him. Ryo ignored it the way he had ignored the last three meals he received. They all sat on the far corner, feeding mice brave enough to wander into his cell. Ryo kicked the new plate of food away to join them, scattering the rats feeding on his previous meals. He knew better than to eat meals given to traitors.
"You should eat," said the soldier outside. It was someone Ryo didn't know.
"No thanks...." Ryo replied. He had tried talking to the soldier, just out of boredom, but it never led anywhere. He had given up what he felt might have been a day ago. There were no windows, and he knew he was underground. He had no idea how long had passed since he was brought here.
From out in the hallway, he heard a door creak open. Ryo stood up, used to moving with his hands handcuffed now. He walked to the door and pressed his ear against it. He heard Mel's voice.
"I wish to speak with prisoner in cell K-78," she asked the soldier outside politely, but with authority in her voice. The soldier stuttered to reply.
"I would love to, Miss, Ma'am, er, Stewardess, but I got strict orders from the Council--"
"Then I'll take the consequences," Mel said simply, "Now take me to him."
Ryo heard footsteps coming closer to his cell. Clanking noises of a key being inserted in the door echoed in his ear and he backed up. If Mel was intending for him to do what he thought she was, he was ready. The door opened and light flooded his cell. Ryo raised his hands to shield his eyes, but he saw the silhouette of Mel and a tall man in armor. Mel turned to the soldier and gave him a smile. "Thank you, you'll be rewarded....eventually." The soldier gave her a questioning look. In an instant, Mel opened her palm, and blew a power in his face. The soldier jerked away, coughing from the powder. He reached for his sword, but Ryo was faster. With both hands, Ryo grasped the soldier's sword and held it at his neck.
"Relax," Ryo said, as the soldier slumped over against the door coughing and hacking.
"It'll just knock you out," Mel said before the soldier finally closed his eyes and ceased to cough. Ryo lowered the sword and sighed.
"What are you doing?" Ryo said, still looking at the unconscious soldier.
Mel reached back and pulled a hair pin out of her hair. "I'm releasing you," she said, handing Ryo the pin. Ryo look it in his hands and used it to pick his handcuffs loose. "You can use that to get into the armory," Mel continued, "And get your sword back."
Ryo looked up at her. "Why didn't you tell me Kaira was my daughter?"
Mel closed her eyes. "Because, I didn't want you to think you had to take care of us..."
"I would have done it anyway! Did you know you were pregnant when I left?"
"No..." she turned away and sighed. "I found out right after you did....I choose Janon because...." she turned back to him, crying, "Because the Council couldn't find out..."
Ryo sighed, feeling like shit for making her cry again. "You could have told me..." he said quietly. Mel walked past him into the bright hallway. "We need to get you out of here. The Council wants you executed."
Ryo followed her out. "Why?! Didn't you or someone tell them I didn't do it?!"
"We tried," Mel said, leading him to the armory, "But they won’t believe it. They think me and Leo are just trying to get you out because you're family..." she stopped in front of the armory door and kept watch while Ryo picked the lock. The door clicked open and Ryo and Mel slipped inside. "Find your sword..." Mel said quietly.
Ryo started to look, then stopped. "Mel..." he said quietly, not looking at her. She stared at him, waiting. "I wanna tell you something..."
"Okay...what?"
"About when your father died..." He heard Mel exhale deeply behind him, probably to keep herself from crying.
"Not now Ryo," she said weakly. "I know you didn't kill him..."
"I still want you to know what happened..." Mel looked out the door.
"We don't have time..."
"It won’t take long..." Ryo said. Mel sat down on a bench and stared at Ryo, who still wasn't looking at her. "You know how...we were always together back then?" Ryo started, "And I started off as your personal bodyguard?" Mel nodded silently. "You know Dimi...he couldn't keep it quiet that he was dating your best friend, and me and you were..." his voice trailed off.
"It's okay..." Mel said quietly.
"Well...the other guards...soldiers didn't like me because of it, they thought I was taking advantage. Then, when your dad was going on that trip, to the Temple of the Eastern Sky, he asked me to come with him...."
~
Ryo walked behind the caravan, separate from the other soldiers and guards of the Steward of Hollow. They were marching across a prairie, and everyone was tired and hot from the scorching sun. He felt bad for not telling Mel he left but it was a last minute decision, and he couldn't read or write to leave a note. Ahead, he heard the other soldiers talking about him and Mel. He looked down at the ground as he walked in his stifling hot military uniform. The only reason he came was because Mel's father, Eliazar asked him to come. Ever since Ryo had been recruited into the military, and positioned as Mel's bodyguard, Eliazar had taken a liking to Ryo. He taught Ryo how to play chess, and given him his old sword, that Ryo cherished.
Ryo liked Eliazar, as a friend, and saw him as a father figure. His own father, Steel, had never been a father to him as far back as he cared to remember. Eliazar was considerate of him, and he thought Eliazar was just a good person.
Ryo snapped back to reality at the sound of his name being called. "Ryo! Come here!" Ryo recognized it as Eliazar's voice and quickly made his way to the Steward's coach. Eliazar had the coach door open, and was leaning out when Ryo approached.
"Yes sir?" Ryo asked, walking alongside the still-moving coach.
"I told you, don't be so polite around me Son!" Eliazar said happily. "Are you hot Son?" Eliazar had gotten into the habit of calling Ryo 'Son' since he found out he was dating his daughter. A couple he thought 'promised blessings'.
Ryo looked down. Eliazar didn't seem to notice, but the other, older soldiers were glaring at him for getting special attention from the Steward. "Just as hot as everyone else here," he replied.
"Well get in! It's much cooler in here!"
Ryo still didn't look up. "I'd much rather walk, sir. The heat doesn't bother me," Ryo said, barely loud enough for the Steward to hear him."
"Nonsense! No one likes being uncomfortable! Now get in, that's an order," Eliazar said, retreating back into his coach. Ryo slowly entered the coach, still feeling the stares of the other soldiers on his back as he entered. It was much cooler inside the coach. Eliazar motioned for Ryo to sit across from him. Ryo sat obediently.
"You shouldn't give me special treatment, sir..." Ryo mumbled, embarrassed. "The other soldiers think you favor me...”
"But I do!" Eliazar said happily. Ryo couldn't help but smile. "I have something I wanted to tell you anyways..." Ryo looked up at him. "Do you love my daughter Ryo?" he asked casually. Ryo felt his face blush.
"I suppose I do..."
An older soldier named Bron stuck his head into the coach, interrupting Eliazar. "Excuse me sir," he said, bowing his head and ignoring Ryo, "But we're gonna be passing through the forest now. We need water, but we don't have time to stop. Ryo is our youngest, and fastest runner, he'll need to fetch us water."
Ryo looked to Eliazar for permission. He knew the only reason he was going was because the other soldiers wanted him to get out of the coach and do some work. Eliazar motioned his hand for Ryo to go. "Just hurry back, all right Son?" Ryo nodded and left him in the coach alone. As soon as he stepped outside, Bron shoved several empty canteens into Ryo's stomach, making him drop them all.
"We'll be taking this path here," he said pointing to the only path at the edge of the forest they were about to enter. "We'll be going down that path. You go that way," he pointed to the south, through the woods, "and you'll find a stream. Fill all of these canteens then catch up with us."
Ryo nodded and left, thankful to get away from the rest of the soldiers. He wondered why he didn't think about asking for Dimi to come along with them before they left. Even Kalon or Caza would have made better company then Bron.
Night had fallen and Ryo was still trying to catch up with the rest of the caravan. He had several full canteens of water slung over his shoulders, and they kept slowing him down. His head was lowered and he panted, stopping again for a break. He sat under a tree and looked up at the stars. Even the caravan stopped at night, he knew he was getting closer.
In the distance came a sound of an explosion, followed by a flash of yellow light. Ryo stood up and watched, as falling pieces of wood and limbs fell around him from the blast. He saw the limbs, and started running down the path, leaving the canteens behind. In the distance, he heard screams, and the sound of thunder
"Lightning Users?!" Ryo said to himself as he ran. He came into a clearing, where the caravan had stopped, and apparently set up camp. Ryo looked around and saw the coach was on fire. Strewn along the ground were the bodies of the other soldiers. Ryo ran over the bodies, searching among them for Eliazar, if he was there. Ryo called his name, but didn't receive an answer. Ryo cursed loudly.
"Oh there you are..." came a voice from the darkness. "I knew I was missing one body." Ryo drew the sword Eliazar had given him, searching for the source of the voice.
"Who are you?!"
"I," said the voice in a suave tone, "Am an assassin." Suddenly a man landed in front of Ryo. He was as fast as the lightning he summoned, and slender. He wore dark gray and his hair was held back by a bandana. "Janon will not be pleased you survived. He put so much emphasis in his words when he specified to me that you should be killed." He looked at the dead bodies around him. "Shame I used all my Lightning Seals on these..."
"Wait....Janon?" Ryo asked in disbelief. "Janon hired you to kill me?!"
"And the Steward, but he was no problem...I'm sorry to disappoint you, but if I were to fight you now, I'd be killed," he said slyly, eyeing Ryo's sword. As suddenly as he appeared, he was gone. Ryo stared into the darkness, wondering if he was bluffing to catch him of guard. He decided to ignore him for now, and continued to search for Eliazar.
Ryo saw, laying, a body that wore the white robes of the Steward. "Eliazar!" Ryo said, as he collapsed next to the body. He flipped the body over and was surprised. It was Bron in the Stewards robes. Ryo looked back up, at all the bodies dressed in Military uniforms. He dropped Bron and began flipping over bodies, looking for Mel's father, slowly slipping into a panic. All were dead.,. their hearts frozen from being electrocuted.
"Ryo..." a weak raspy voice called out. Ryo turned, and saw Eliazar, in Bron's military uniform, lying on his back, hiding a wound in his stomach. "Ryo...." his voice was weaker.
"Eliazar! It's all right..." Ryo said, trying to hold down his own panic. "It's gonna be okay...' Ryo said, holding back tears, and trying to convince himself it was going to be okay.
"Don't fool yourself....I know I'm dying...." Eliazar said weakly, but he was still smiling. "I'm old...I've lived my life..."
"Don't say that..." Ryo said, starting to cry. "Don't say that, I'm gonna get you back home..." Ryo tried lifting him, but he only caused him more pain.
"Ryo...Ryo take this..." Eliazar almost whispered, digging into his shirt, and pulling out a red pendant, and putting it in Ryo's hands. "Take this.....and....marry Mel..." Ryo stared at Eliazar in silence. He was really dying, and giving him everything. "Marry her, and...overthrow the Council, Ryo...make Hollow...a...better place...without the Council...I know you can..." His grip on Ryo's hand loosened, and then lost all its feeling.
Ryo sat up, and looked around hopelessly. He couldn't go back to Hollow, not now. The Council was too corrupt, they'd pin this on him. Janon would make it so to claim the throne. He'd have to wait before returning to Hollow. Ryo saw his bag with his spare change of clothes, and a canteen, half-full of water. He grabbed both, and started walking towards the North, where he knew the Dead Lands were.
~
Ryo started walking to the West, towards the Dead Lands. Mel and Leo had both helped him escape. He couldn't see Kaira, for she was under the careful watch of the corrupt Council. Leo and Dimi had both promised to watch her and make sure she was taken care of. He told Mel how her father had died, and why. There was nothing else he needed to do.
Ryo saw the border to the Dead Lands and sighed. The possibility of returning was bleak, and almost nonexistent. But it was the only thing to do, if he wished to live. Ryo took one last look back. He could see the city of Hollow in the distant. Its towers and cathedrals were needles on the horizon in contrast to the setting sun. He stood for a moment, taking in the sight, before turning away towards the Dead Lands.
