Since there was no longer a king, the fortress wasn’t restored, but the city is still called Black Castle.” The people fled, but decades later, they returned and built a new city. Long ago demons destroyed everything here. “Unfortunately, you can’t see it now,” he said, “but over there, there’s a castle-the Black Castle. Thoke wrapped his arms around his shivering body, turned half around, still walking, and looked into the distance.
“Why is the city called Black Castle?” she asked instead. North of the equator, but… let’s discuss this later.” “No,” replied Thoke, “at least not very far north. “We only have sunlight for a few weeks in summer.” “At this time of the year it’s always dark,” said Thoke. “It’s only the sixtieth hour, early afternoon.” “A market in the middle of the night?” Arvid asked uneasily. The air was filled with loud voices, only broken by occasional laughter and the loud shouts of merchants touting their wares. Many were decorated with pointy streamers, the rest of the market disappeared in the crowd of visitors equipped with baskets, bags and carts. Over their heads Arvid could see the roofs of colorful stalls. The branching alley led to a road that was almost overflowing with people. Arvid saw that they were very close to the market now. The market noise grew louder, and when they reached another street branch, Thoke pointed to the right. Had Thoke really been telling the truth? Or was she just losing her mind? The more she saw of the city, the more she realized that this could not possibly be a real place on earth. Arvid noticed the looks that followed them, but this was not the only reason why she felt more and more uncomfortable. Here and there a window rattled, and they passed people in woolen cloaks and thick furs, who looked them over with undisguised curiosity. Arvid saw that they held stones and small carved wooden figures in their hands.įrom a distance, music and noise could still be heard. Two reassuringly ordinary looking cats ran across the cobbled ground, and a little later they saw two children playing in front of a house.
In the spaces between Arvid could see baskets, jugs, bundles of wood, tools, brooms and other things, which remained hidden in the shadows. They followed Gjell along the edge of the square until they turned around a corner and reached a narrow alley. His boots looked warm, but other than that he was only wearing light trousers and a plain blue cloth tunic.
“Gjell will be with us, but we’ll make a detour to avoid the market,” said Thoke, after they had started to move again. Gjell gave commands in a loud voice, then he dismissed his men toward the town.
There were carriages and horses, and from somewhere voices, laughter, and soft music came to her ear. Most of them were wrapped in cloaks and furs and barely visible in the dim light. Arvid could not really see what it was, but from a distance it looked as if glowing glass balls hung there, which plunged the undersides of roofs, facades, and the streets in cold light.Īs they approached the houses, Arvid also saw people. The lower, narrow parts were built of white stone, above that several protruding floors of wood followed, which were crowned by tall, black roofs. The houses were all of similar design and at first glance they looked like huge, angular mushrooms. Arvid’s breath almost stopped at the sight, and suddenly Thoke’s words seemed not half as absurd and ridiculous as a moment ago. Behind it the outlines of houses emerged. They passed the old school, then a huge, dark wooden building, which was also a ruin. A murmur went through the group, as everyone grabbed their weapons and joined them. Gjell still threw her gloomy glances, and after Thoke’s explanation Arvid felt so confused that she followed him automatically as he turned around and went off.