Seis : the Ruins of the Wind

Chapter 8: The Dark Ones (Part 2)

Suddenly, the ships around them stopped moving forward. The humming of their engines quieted down, and the vessels seemed to make a small salute with their noses before retreating and disappearing into the branches. Seis's group had arrived on a metal platform built at the same level as one of the titanic branches. Arémétria and Bubu landed delicately, and the tentacle holding the young man loosened. He jumped easily onto the metallic surface. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he felt a force emanating from it and penetrating him. He heard a faint rustling and turned his attention toward the sound.

A dozen individuals seemed to have emerged from nowhere. The young man observed them with a mix of admiration and respect, fascinated by their appearance, which could have outshone the very light of the sun. Their imposing forms dominated the space, each towering well above any man. Each stood two heads taller than Seis. Their eyes, a brilliant green, were covered by a light muslin veil. Dressed in immaculate ceremonial attire, they seemed to be the very embodiment of purity. Their white tunics, draped with natural grace, appeared to be woven from clouds, creating a striking contrast with their dark skin and luminous eyes. On Albion, their beauty would have seemed unreal, a vision straight out of the deepest dreams. But here, in the heart of this magical forest, they seemed to be perfect pieces of the puzzle, creatures born from the perfect balance between the ancient and the futuristic, between nature and technology. However, none of the Drakons present matched the perfection that was Arémétria.

The ten Drakons bowed before the group. Seis was surprised, but Arémétria was not. The most advanced of the ten spoke:

- "Respect to the guardian Arémétria, and to our predecessor, the Magnificent Buburatouvila."

- "Rise, Atrazak, you serve Silvzar, the Drakons, and the Tenth Tribe. Please lead us to my brother."

- "The wishes of the guardian are commands."

Like a perfectly choreographed dance, the Drakons stood up and formed a perfect circle around the trio. The one named Atrazak, who seemed to be their leader, stepped forward and exited the circle to guide them. Immediately, the other members shortened their formation to maintain the perfect shape.

His impression of the Drakons had changed. After meeting the two guardians, he had imagined them as hermits close to nature, living in self-sufficiency. It seemed, on the contrary, that the Drakons were a very organized society, almost military, possessing superior technology and physical abilities. As he looked at them, he couldn't help but compare himself. He strangely resembled them in appearance. He was certainly smaller than the average Drakon, and his skin was different, but he could have passed for a sick Drakon.

He was walking next to Arémétria, who touched his shoulder with her hand to reassure him. The softness of her skin sent a shiver down his spine. He gave her a smile. They walked along a boulevard made of a white material. Seis had never seen anything like it. This immaculate stone, which covered the bark of the tree, looked like a kind of sap that had dried and turned into marble, shimmering but incredibly hard. The entire road was covered with it, and there were also long pillars made of this material on either side of the path. The pillars were connected at their tops by phosphorescent vines.

They moved quickly along this long avenue, the path clear, with the other inhabitants seeming to cluster at the edges of the road, as if to give them an honorable route. Seis asked:

- "This looks like an important road. Why have they blocked the entire path to the public for three people?"

- "For three people?" Arémétria chuckled, "They blocked the way for a certain Magnificent, you mean."

- "I didn't ask them for anything, but they insist every time," Bubu explained calmly.

- "Are you that important, Bubu?" Seis asked in surprise.