Chapter 53 - Fifty-One (1/2)

”So, care to explain?”

He takes a torch made of wood with a shining stone at the tip, illumination the dark corridor as we walk one at a time, his back turned towards me.

Before he could explain anything, however, the place shock again, making the opening we came in close and locking us inside.

”This is a safe passage I discovered without their knowledge, preparing for the possibility of needing a way in without their permission. That rune back there was made before my time, when the castle was built I supposed, when the runes knowledge wasn't so far and scarce as it is now. The only thing I did was reactivated it, being the only one able to even recognize it in here.”

”If it was that used in the past how it ended up as a rarity?”

He gives me a side look over his shoulder, his golden eyes framed by the darkness beyond.

”It has too much information, too much to learn, and most aren't even able to make sense of it at all, nor have the patience to cultivate it. Furthermore, it is a long term investment, and many are not willing to learn it with so many other quicker ways to cultivate.”

”What is it used for then?” I ask after a while, since it seemed we would walk quite some time inside the walls and into these hidden dusty halls.

”Many things, depends on what you specialize in, but mostly protection or passive effects. The stronger the rune, the more mana it would cost though.”

Well, forget it then, didn't want to learn it anyway.

After more turns, ups and downs; can we travel through the entire castle like this?; we finally reach the end were another rune is activated, leading us into the fancy part of the castle once more.

I blink a few times, letting my eyes adjust to the sudden bright environment, but once it does I take my time looking the place up, and knowing for sure that this opulence wasn't me style at all.

First of there was a red and gold carpet stretching out all around, the floor beneath made of monogamy wood, polished until it shone. Then there were the walls that were divided in the middle; the lower part was made with white wood squares, and the upper part had a red and golden wallpaper, both holding detailed drawings made by hand with gold, making every inch of wall a masterpiece to be appreciated.

Those, however, were the outer walls, the inner part of this grand chamber held pillars made of marble but in the form of statues; some were made resembling a very toned man holding the ceiling with his back and strong arms, other had a woman with a delicate veil over her features, seemly smoothly supporting the ceiling up with the palm of her hand.

There was even two strong horses in the back, their hooves high in the air.

Cool.

Beyond this open space, however, were the mountains of golden coins, chains, jewels, cups and all stretching out in front of us in an almost uninterested and carefree way.

Never thought it to be a very organized way to keep your treasures, laying around like that, but who I'm to judge right?

We advance into it and look at the same time as one of the mountains starts to move, coins rolling down like waves, giving passage for a creature to emerge.

”The Guardian.” Says Leo, going for his weapon, but I hold it down, inside the holster, and with a c.o.c.ky look I say:

”Hey, that's my prey, why don't you stay and watch the a.d.u.l.ts fight?”

He raises an eyebrow at that, but with a smirk he says: ”Do you realize that I'm older than you right?”

I ignore his commentary and walk down the final steps inside the chamber, a golden, red and white palace filled with opened arcs and domes, the high curved celling's made of golden glass, letting the moonlight shine throughout the treasures, all the gold making it look like it was bright outside, not in the middle of the night; though a silver glint still made its way through the golden glass.

Glass on top of your treasure room? Maybe it was enchanted or something…

I looked down at the moment the Guardian surged, and it wasn't something I would expect protecting a treasure; like, usually is dragons, gnomes, stuff like that right?

So why there was a freaking moving tree there?

He had a humanoid form, except he was taller and had longer members. His whole body was made of wood, branches growing here and there, especially on his head like horns, with some leaves covering him like fur.

But instead of eyes on his face there were holes in it with a bright green light shining inside, some of it escaping through the gaps on his face. With a raspy voice, as if it had a sore throat or an elder voice, the thing spoke with unmoving lips:

”My name is Oakspur, little thief who dare to come, you shall now face my wrath!”

Really? A wooden creature? Against a fire creature like me?

Pff, to easy, come on, you shouldn't have!

But instead of coming close to fight, the creature steps back, making me aware of the environment we were in beyond the golden treasure; plants and vines that grow all around, but mostly over the pillars and the walls on the far corner, as well as some metal armors hidden behind bushes.

The creature catches my attention once more as its feet turn into roots, or rather, it dismantles the format of a feet as the long tiny roots had intertwined themselves to make his form.

As a pond of water his roots expand over the floor until he reaches the plants around, and once he does the strong and thick trees start to stretch and crack their limbs out of the ground and wall they were attached to.

They were hollow shells of the creature before me, attached by his roots like marionettes. I stood with my hands on my h.i.p.s, looking kind of bored by the display, waiting for them to come closer.

It would be very easy I thought, but I should put up a little show for my watcher now, shouldn't why?

It was my turn to make him watch on the sidelines. I pull my sleeves up, crooking my face sideways, smiling as I analyze my enemy, starting to focus on the fight.

The closest tree throws itself on me, so slow that I had enough time to step back when it hit the floor face first. Poor thing, almost made me laugh… Until I throw a Black Fire Ball at it, the wood burning quickly and nicely, especially with my Black Shadow Fire.