(Pure Light) Ironhorns

Chapiter XXIV: The Castle

 Their claws were covered in wet mud. And the only one that was complaining was Doug Harmot, who immediately asked Milhrio if he could go on his back. As you probably guessed and as Doug knew his friend, he accepted. He then asked to Œl, after a few minutes, to climb up a tree to try to spot a possible castle, telling him the details he could remember. The cheetah nodded and began to go from one branch to another.

When he disappeared, they all had their head up and Qualt said:

"I begin to like this kid."

"I am NOT a kid!" said Œl from the tree.

And, after some laughs, they waited. They only heard his steps on the branches. Then:

"I think I see something! Wait... Is it... Yes! Guys! I know where it is! I'm coming-"

CRACK!

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

No time to think! Drer was the first to deploy his wings and to jump while Œl hit another branch and continued to fall.

And when he could be seen, Drer was alright below him. Without a second, he caught him and saved him from death.

"Got you, Œl!" he said.

The cheetah's breath and his heartbeat were quick, his fur all spiky and messed by leave and wood.

"Are you alright, kid?" said Qualt, who was slower than Drer but who still began to fly.

"Yeah... Yeah... I'm alright", he answered. "Thank you..."

He fled down and putted him on the ground. After that, Œl didn't bothered cleaning himself and said:

"Didn't pay attention to the branch. It was too fragile and too slippery because of the humidity... But I know where the castle is. It's over there" he finished by pointing a direction. "But it's a bit far. Maybe we'll be over there in half an hour. Can I stay on your back? I really need to breath a bit, here."

"Ah ah! Don't get used to it like me, kid!" replied Doug, who was on the Oster's back.

"Please! Stop saying that!"

"Eh eh!"

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The old stones had a yellowish and greyish colour at the same time. Some were crackled while others were completely intact, just like if someone was take a good and precise care of them, just like if someone was living here. The castle was big. It maybe belonged to a king or a great lord or baron in a past time. It could easily welcomes hundreds of dragons for important events. After all, as Doug Harmot told Qualt Ironhorns before, this place had a shit ton of corridors. And, to be honest, it really looked like it was a manor at some point. The outside, for a few place, but especially the inside, for the placement of corridors and rooms. Yet, the placement was also really labyrinthine and, if the group could have the story of this place explained, they would have known that this specificity was a fantasy of the architect. It even was the kind of construction for what he was known for, which is why they called him to build up this castle. He even had a great notoriety at that time so calling him to build a castle was a sign of great economical power. It also was strategic: when you were inviting guest that you did not particularly appreciated, you could just lost them in the castle, wandering. And then you could wait the perfect moment to strike.

Œl was really fascinated by just the exterior of the castle, this mix of grandiloquent ruins and a maintained work of art. He was fascinated by this forest and all the panorama he could see: it was the first time he could see what the real world looked like, after all. All he knew before were the messy streets of the District just as the overpopulation, as violence and famine. He never really felt the wind dancing on his fur. He really had this impression of freedom: hunting a darker with a group of trained warriors was less dangerous than living every days as a 3rd Class Citizen. He even took a notebook in which he drew what he could see, what really left an impression on him. He looked closely at the stones, appreciating their placement. And, while the others were making the last preparations, he explored around. He took his notebook and a pen. Then he began to draw the castle. He looked back and then saw Drer.