Ryoiki: Void Ghost (3)

CHAPTER 7: New day, new Journey

Luke sat patiently as he waited for the knock.

The ruckus at the tower had gone quiet...Hollow and Carmen had assumedly won, yes?

Their appearance at his doorstep once again would assure him.

But no knock came...Spot had already left. Wanting to explore another section of the kingdom...

But he heard the knock echo through the quiet home.

He got up, put on his mask, and walked to the door...but he had a terrible sinking feeling in his stomach.

He made it to the door and looked through the peep hole.

He hoped to see Carmens mask staring back...but it wasn't there.

But he did see the tips of Hollows horns and opened the door. Looking down at her.

She was a terrible sight.

There was a black liquid coming from her eyes, streaming down her face like tears...

She was holding Carmens mask close to her chest.

"Oh...oh no...."

The next few days were quiet and depressing.

Hollow didn't move, only sit on the chair Luke had given her...and kept 'crying'

Luke had gotten the mask from her...and spent several hours staring at the mask...pondering.

But...one night. As Luke was prepping for bed...he looked at the mask.

"I will miss you, my friend."

Luke picked up the mask and held it close and began to hear a ghostly voice speak to him.

He listened to it speak...

He didn't sleep.

Hollow felt him shake her back to consciousness the next morning.

"Hollow...I have some things for you."

Hollow tilted her head...but followed him to the kitchen table.

The shopping bag Carmen used was sitting on the table.

"I had...a visit. Last night."

Hollow looked at the bag. She understood.

He reached into the bag and pulled out the neatly folded cloak Carmen had purchased for Hollow.

"He told me to give this to you...a farewell gift."

She grabbed the cloak and inspected it...the black velvet, the fancy embroideries, the silver clamp on the neck.

"Would you like help putting it on, Hollow?"

Hollow nodded.

Luke helped remove her old cloak, putting it to the side, and slipped on her new one.

Luke clamped the silver neckpiece. It fit Hollow perfectly.

"I think it fits you quite well."

Hollow signed for the first time in a few days...

'Thank you, I agree.'

Luke smiled.

"I have another gift for you..."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace.

It was a simple string and latch with a shard of an odd material hanging off it.

"It is a shard of Carmens mask...I made it for you."

Hollow quickly snatched it and put it on herself.

"Heh...had a feeling you'd like it..."

Hollow fiddled with her clothing...but seemed satisfied.

"Now...come with me"

Luke quickly dressed himself, and brought Hollow through parts of the city...bringing her to a locked gate up to an area she's never heard about...

"That Keyring, do you have it?"

Hollow jumped at the question! The Keyring!!!

She forgot about it...she remembered taking it from Portic, but taking it back out hadn't crossed her mind...

She reached into her voidy body, and pulled out the keyring, Handing it to Luke.

He took the ring and flipped through the keys on it.

"and...there."

He singled out a key and slipped it into a lock Hollow hadn't noticed on the gate, then turned it.

As he pulled the key out, the gate retracted into the floor.

"Come on..."

Luke walked onward, and Hollow was getting afraid...had he been corrupted?

But he brought her to what seemed like a station for something...and rang a bell.

Hollow and Luke waited for several minutes...

And suddenly, a large green snake with slightly red hue for eyes sped into the station.

Hollow looked at it in surprise...but Luke chuckled.

"Nijarin, serpents bred to be ridden around the kingdoms tunnels..."

Luke helped Hollow climb onto the snake...

"Have it take you to the surface, speak to the man at the center of Deter...show him this."

Luke handed her a letter.

"Come back to me once that's finished, I'll keep the keyring...see what it can access in this city."

Hollow tilted her head and signed.

'This was Carmens wish?'

Luke nodded.

"Good luck Hollow. I can't wait for your return..."

Hollow nodded...and set off on the Nijarin.