We were on the roof of the castle.
Balanced, we walked on roof slopes, in order to get out of there. I had never done a gym in my life and my balance was not really an asset, quite the contrary. I had a hard time keeping it. Let's add that I should in no case let go of Kalidas's hand at the risk of becoming visible again, the ordeal was only getting tougher.
I almost fell for the fourth time and Kalidas caught me with a strong grip.
"You can't be careful, you'll end up knocking us down," he muttered.
- Because you think I do it on purpose, maybe? I annoyed.
- I'm just amazed, I didn't think the Earthlings had so little balance.
- And I didn't know there were such ugly beings in the universe. Like what, we learn every day. Kalidas looked at me, looking amused by my remark.
- Take back what you just said! he ordered me, you have no idea what beauty is.
- You can always run so that I reconsider my remarks, I replied, releasing a mocking laugh. Kalidas stopped and I ran into him. Being invisible, I couldn't see it and understand what had caused it to come to a sudden stop, yet there was nothing distracting in front of us. He had no reason to stop. I felt his breath caress my skin. He was facing me. His breath disgusted me. Not that it was pestilential, no, but I hated human contact, and even a breath repelled me. Holding his hand was already a real torture.
Kalidas put a hand on my shoulder, and I had to force myself not to reject it. What was he doing?
Suddenly, he pretended to push me into space and I started screaming.
- But it's not right! Stop, I'm going to fall, I shouted.
- Take back what you said, he asked me. I felt his breath on my ear and realized that his head was right behind mine.
- No, you can still dream, but stop it before I fall into the void, I ordered him. Kalidas took me off the ground and I was suspended in the sky. I screamed louder.
- So? he asked me. His voice was shaking as he held back laughter.
- Okay, okay! You are all incredibly beautiful beings with a charm worthy of the gods! Now lay me back on the roof, you moron, I yelled.
Kalidas brought me back to his side, bursting out laughing. I was very happy to find something solid under my feet.
- You are completely crazy! I got carried away.
- I would never have let you go, he confided to me before taking on a more teasing air. But admit it was funny.
- No, there was nothing funny in that, I gritted, then, that's not how I would change my mind about you. It is lost in advance. Kalidas burst out laughing but said nothing more. We arrived at the end of the roof which finally led out of the castle. The problem was that the palace was against a mountain and you had to climb a flight of stairs to reach it. The sides of the castle offered only emptiness.
- How are we going to get down? I asked. I heard a scrape and assumed Kalidas was massaging his head.
- Usually, I would have teleported, but we will have to find another way.
We couldn't get through the stairs, guards watched the entrance, and even though we were invisible, we weren't mute. Impossible to go around a tower and climb a smooth door, even more so in the greatest silence, with one hand already occupied.
- Are you good at rock climbing? the Ranger asked me when he saw stones that allowed you to climb up. I looked at the rocks that offered a weak grip, then at the void. I felt nauseous.
- No, I confessed.
- Climb on my back, I'm going to have to carry you, then ordered the thief. I opened my eyes wide.
- You are sick! I exclaimed, without wanting to admit that I was afraid of falling.
- We don't really have a choice if we want to get off, he pointed out to me. He was right... But between going down yourself and having to hold Kalidas to yourself so as not to fall, I didn't know which was worse. But the fear of falling was pretty scary, I had to admit. Gritting my teeth, I finally let the Ranger hoist me onto his back.
With agility, he clung to the rock of the castle and descended carefully. He no longer needed to hold my hand to keep our touch invisible since I was clinging to him.
Halfway down, he put me on the stone, holding my hand to keep me invisible.
- I can't keep carrying you, he explained, you may not weigh a ton, but it's complicated to go down with someone on your back and the slope is getting steeper.
With that, I had to go down on my side, while synchronizing my movements with those of Kalidas, still holding my hand. More than once, I thought I was slipping, but fortunately, I managed to catch myself each time and keep my balance.
Finally getting closer to the ground, although there were still a few meters to go, I breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, my foot slipped out of the rock I was leaning on and this time I couldn't catch myself and regain my balance. My hand let go of Kalidas's and I fell into the void, becoming visible again.
I fell heavily into my arms.
Blinking several times, I finally realized that Kalidas had teleported to catch up with me. The Ranger put me down, taking my hand again to make me disappear again.
- Let's see the good side of things, he threw me, and we are finally down. I sighed, tired of his teasing voice. Where do you want me to take you, finally? he asked me. You asked me to make you leave the place, but after? I leave you here, to fend for yourself? I remained pensive. Basically, where could I go? Going home was too obvious a place, not only would the Royal Guard easily guess where I had been, but I was also easy prey for Evilash. It was clear that I would have to wait before getting back into my routine.
- I don't know, I confessed. I will try to find a place where I will not attract attention.
- With your Terran physique? It's lost in advance, the Ranger informed me. Just your eyes betray you. They are the same brown as those of the Ogres, however, without wanting to offend you, you do not make a very credible Ogre.
- And isn't there a place isolated from everything, where I could take refuge?
- How do you want to manage on your own in a world you don't know? Kalidas asked me before heaving a deep sigh. Ok, I understand, I'm taking you home.
- Your house?
- It is a place isolated from everything, you will be quiet and you will not be on your own.
- But... The Royal Guard isn't likely to think of looking for us there. I wondered.
- No one knows where I live, there's no risk.
- In that case... Why not, I accepted.
Kalidas tightened his hand and I had to take it upon myself not to withdraw mine. His skin against mine was turning me around. If I touched him, it was out of necessity.
- On the other hand, the road is likely to be long since I can't teleport with you, the Ranger told me. Unless we steal a dragon.
- A dragon! I exclaimed.
- Yes, a dragon. Well, more like a dwarf dragon. We won't find any big dragons around, it's a pretty rare mount.
- And you have other weird mounts? I asked, appalled that we could ride on the back of an animal normally drawn from the fruit of the imagination.
- It depends on what you call weird, the Ranger answered me simply, pulling my arm so that I start to move forward. Small dragons can be found for sale in a village not far from here, he informed me.
- Is a dragon expensive? I questioned him, although deep down I didn't care. I was simply trying to understand this world, as I had promised myself. Having knowledge would allow me to better understand this world and find a way out of it.
- Enough and I don't have any money on me, that's why we're going to steal it.
- Aren't you afraid of reprisals?
- I'm a Ranger, it's up to me. We'll get through this. Kalidas guided me to a piece of mountain and in the distance, I saw a village. He led me into a hollow offered by the mountain and we became visible again. Kalidas took off his black scaled hooded jacket and handed it to me.
- Put it on.
- to do what?
- So that if we spot you, we guess that you are an Earthling.
- You don't keep us invisible anymore? I asked, frowning.
- Stealing a dragon while holding your hand may not be obvious. Wait for me here, I'll take care of the dragon and I'll come back for you. I nodded and took his jacket, running my fingers over the solid black scales. When I looked up, Kalidas was already gone.
I put on the jacket and was surprised by the warmth it gave me. Adjusting the hood over my head, I felt like I was locked in a pleasant cocoon. It was the first time I liked something from this world, I didn't know if I was going to want to give back its garment. I felt so good, warm, wrapped up inside.
So I waited, stuck in the hollow of the mountain. Then, a noise, like a heavy object falling on the ground, sounded. Yet there was nothing.
As if by magic, Kalidas reappeared on the back of a black dragon.
- So, are you going up? he called out to me, holding out his hand. Not wanting to show him that riding on the beast terrified me, I advanced in his direction, avoiding the slightest gesture of hesitation. Fighting back a grimace of disgust, I grabbed his hand and he helped me pull myself onto the black dragon. He may have been a dwarf, but he was really big in my eyes. I didn't even dare to imagine what a medium-sized dragon was.
- Hold on tight, Kalidas advised me. I obeyed, not wanting to fall. We suddenly became invisible and the dragon flew away with lightning speed. I held myself back from screaming in fear.
Flying on a dragon might seem terrifying, but what was even more so was flying on an invisible animal. I felt like I was suspended in the air and the void beneath my feet that I couldn't even see seemed to be calling me.
I end up closing my eyes, suppressing the fear. I didn't want to see anything anymore, it was much more reassuring.