Chapter 71: The Carpet of Death
"A WHAT!?" Aziel yelled out in disbelief, his face growing closer and closer to Arthur’s by the second. His eyes were wide with shock, pupils dilated in the darkness as if trying to absorb every detail of Arthur’s expression.
"A-a castle," Arthur repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. He was still staring with blank eyes, his gaze fixed on something only he could see. Far in the distance, barely seeable even with Arthur’s enhanced eyes, stood a castle. Multiple pointed-tipped towers reached toward the star-filled sky like accusing fingers, standing far above what looked to be a wall that surrounded it.
Aziel’s smile took over his face, stretching from ear to ear with an almost manic intensity. His teeth gleamed in the moonlight as he began to pace back and forth excitedly, kicking up small clouds of dust with each energetic step. The prospect of refuge had transformed him from a weary traveler into a bundle of restless energy.
"A freaking castle?? Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed, running his hands through his hair in disbelief. His voice cracked slightly with emotion—relief, excitement, and perhaps a touch of hysteria born from days of deprivation. "In the middle of nowhere? This is... this is..."
Arthur did not respond, still staring transfixed at the distant silhouette. There was something about it that didn’t sit right with him. The castle seemed both a salvation and a warning, and the contradiction rooted him to the spot.
Aziel noticed the odd expression on his friend’s face and slapped him on the back, the sound sharp in the quiet night. "You good?"
The slap knocked Arthur out of his trance, the physical sensation dragging him back to the present moment. He blinked rapidly, as if clearing away cobwebs of thought, and looked at Aziel. "Oh, um, yeah, yeah, I’m fine."
Aziel raised an eyebrow, giving him a questioning look. The excitement on his face dimmed momentarily, replaced by small concern. "...Ok," he said finally, deciding not to press the issue. "Well, we should get your training in. After that, we’ll get some rest and make a sprint for the castle tomorrow, ’kay?"
Arthur forced a smile and nodded, grateful for the change of subject. "Sounds good." The familiar prospect of training would give him something concrete to focus on, something that didn’t involve the unsettling mixture of hope and dread that the castle inspired.