"Where's Enryuu?" Azil asked.
Anwyll, resting his chin on his folded arms, glanced up at him. His expression was unreadable, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes—almost as if he had expected this question much earlier. He let out a soft chuckle.
"He's on a mission," Anwyll said.
Azil remained silent, his gaze was steady.
"He left two days ago. He should be back in a few hours—two or three at most," Anwyll continued casually. "I'll let him know you're looking for him when he returns." His smile remained unchanged, unwavering.
Azil didn't say anything, instead gave a look.
With that, he turned and walked away with Johan.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Anwyll reached for the small bronze bell on his desk and rang it once. Within moments, a man stepped in and bowed deeply.
"Summon the elders, overseers, and ministers," Anwyll ordered without hesitation. "Inform them in advance—I want the meeting arranged as soon as possible. Preferably today."
"Understood, my lord," the man responded, bowing once more before swiftly exiting.
Alone again, Anwyll leaned back in his chair, shifting his gaze toward the massive open window that framed the vast expanse of Azara. The wind carried distant echoes of rustling leaves and the soft calls of birds, yet he barely registered them.
His expression had changed.
This time, he wasn't smiling.
Ash Grey: Resonance
Chapter 8: Shade and Shelter.
Azil and Johan wandered through the corridor without a clear destination. Their footsteps echoed in the empty hall.
"So, where are you planning to go next?" Johan asked.
Azil came to a slow stop. "Wait... I plan to wait."
"Wait? Wait for whom? Enryuu?"
Azil glanced at him, "It's too late to go back now. I might as well stay until a concrete result comes."
"I suggest you head back for now. Once everything's settled, I'll come for you myself," Johan said with his tone firm yet unreadable.
Azil narrowed his eyes. The sudden shift in Johan's demeanor—his choice of words—made it obvious. He's deliberately trying to leave me out of this.
Johan, catching the sharp look, knew immediately—Azil had figured it out.
"You think they won't accept me?" Azil asked with a calm voice. Johan said nothing.
Azil let out a small scoff. "They don't really have a choice, do they?"
Still, Johan remained silent.
"Not that I care," Azil muttered, almost to himself. "I don't even know why I'm doing this anyway."
They walked down the hallway in silence until they reached a door marked Guest Room.
Azil reached for the doorknob, fingers just about to twist it open—
"You don't have a choice either, do you?" Johan's voice cut through the air.
Azil froze. His grip on the doorknob tightened for a moment before he turned his head slightly, casting a sharp glare at Johan standing behind him. Without a word, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Johan followed.
"Aren't you an Azaran?" Johan's voice was steady, almost indifferent. "Not that it matters. Denying it won't change a thing."
Azil said nothing, walking over to the bed and sitting down.
"You're bound by promises, aren't you?" Johan continued. "But circumstances twisted the very promise you made—turning it void, making it contradict itself. And yet..." His gaze lingered on Azil. "You still chose to follow it. Because that's what your mind told you to do."
"I wouldn't call it circumstance," Azil finally spoke, breaking the silence. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "It's outright treachery—choosing to protect dignity and pride over admitting the truth."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze unwavering. "Yeah, I'm following what my mind tells me to do. But do you know what it's actually telling me?" He exhaled, as if steadying himself. "To help Azara—the place that once gave me shelter."
Azil calmly said. "I don't blame Azara itself. I blame the ones who run it."
"And that's exactly what I'm saying. Follow the Azara that once gave you shade," Johan said firmly.
Azil exhaled. "In an hour or two, a meeting will begin. The elders, overseers, and ministers will all be there. Most of them will refuse outright, insisting they can just take the pendant by force. A handful might support me. The rest… will stay silent."
"Quite the insight", Johan said with a smile.
Suddenly, a knock echoed through the room.
Johan's brows furrowed as he exchanged a glance with Azil. Still, he stepped forward and pulled the door open.
"Oh, Sir Johan! So you were here," a man, slightly out of breath.
"I've been looking for you everywhere. Anyway, there's a meeting in two hours with all the faction superiors. The General has ordered all overseers to attend. I trust you'll be there." With that, the man gave a short nod before shutting the door behind him as he left.
Johan stood frozen for a moment, his mind reeling. What Azil had predicted just moments ago had come true in an instant. Slowly, he turned back toward him, eyes filled with surprise.
Azil, on the other hand, simply met his gaze with an expression that said it all—I knew this would happen.
"Anyone could figure that out," Azil muttered, his gaze distant. "But what really interests me is how Anwyll is going to handle it. With so many against me entering, how will he decide?"
Johan chuckled. "Come on, he's the General of Azara. You really think he doesn't have a way?"
Then, glancing at the time, Johan stood up. "Anyway, I have to go. The meeting's about to start. I won't be long, so stay here and don't wander off." Without waiting for a response, he stepped out of the room.
Azil simply sighed.
Meanwhile, in the General's Office.
A knock sounded at the door before it opened.
General Anwyll looked up and a faint smile crept across his face. "Oh, welcome back," he said. "Someone's waiting for you."
The man stood still, his medium-length wavy white hair tinged with gray. His skin was pale as snow, his eyes closed, unreadable.
Draped in a black cape over his black haori, the standard uniform of the Spiritual Sages, he stood in silence.
"You heard about the meeting, right?" Anwyll asked.
"Yes."
"I hope you'll be there."
The man didn't respond to that. Instead, his voice came steady.
"Where is he?"
"At the resting room," Anwyll replied.
Without another word, the man turned and left, the door closing behind him.
—
A knock echoed through the resting room.
Azil opened the door, and there he stood—the same figure from before. But Azil's expression didn't hold surprise. Instead, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Enryuu, long time no see."