(Pure Light) Ironhorns

Chapiter XVI: To dance with Death

 They were back in the castle. Qualt was holding his other iron horn, ready to hack and slash with it. He was looking at each corner, at each room. He was determined to find the dragon.

He was hunting.

And it was the only thing that mattered anymore for him: now that he killed Usvork, he had to kill the blue dragon to completely finish his revenge and also to prevent him to make other darkers obey him.

Œl and Doug were on the back of a dragon, Drer for the first and Milhrio for the second, so they could more focus on everything around but mostly on everything behind. The torch's fire enlightened their way, surrounding them by a shield or a forcefield against the darkness. It was like an old horror story, where horror and danger could come from every corner, from every shadow, to strike and to suddenly kill kill kill. The only one who was able to see beyond it was the cheetah and that reassured the group. They all still were on the nerve. They knew that the dragon could come at anytime: just a simple slash from his claws and someone could die. Or, worst, if someone would look at him in they eyes, he could become his puppet, ready to kill the others or to kill himself. At some moments, they thought they heard a noise or saw something moving. But it was their imagination. Or was it? They were not sure. Their enemy was here since a long time, he could know each stone this place was made of. He then could be everywhere, watching them, waiting the right time to attack them.

It was a hunt between two different predators and between two different preys.

But this was the risk of the job.

As thunder continued to play its symphony, they continued through the dark maze-like corridors.

A form in the shadows moved. But it was Qualt who saw it while Œl, who was looking at the same direction, saw nothing. Then resonated from all the corridors the suave voice:

"Kill... Kill... Kill..."

The group stopped moving. They looked around. They watched around. They turned around. And they listened around.

But nothing.

He was there, really close. They knew it. But they didn't know exactly where.

And they started to move again. Really slowly.

Thunder.

Or was it?

It was strange.

They were all ready to attack.

Qualt prepared his dagger. One hit, one drop of blood, and Milhrio could kill him. But they had to injure him first. Easy, right? But he could kill Milhrio and that plan would be ruined. He watched over everybody in the group, one by one. He did not want another slaughter. But he was confident. They could kill that blue dragon and give an end to all of this.

But they had to find him first. Or else...

The dragon suddenly appeared from one door and planted Qualt's iron horn into Drer's chest! The sound dragon groaned with pain! Œl tried to slash their enemy but he dodged and took out the dagger before running away and returning where he came from, into darkness. The cheetah looked at him and saw him entering a secret passage in the wall of the room and told it to the others.

Drer fell on the ground and began to bleed out.

Qualt hold him and returned him, desperate. It was happening again... He knew the risks but he still wasn't accepting them... His friend was dying in his arms.

"No... Please, don't fucking die..."

Drer groaned again and looked at Qualt. He smiled. And he laughed. Then he answered: