The last gate opened onto a yard Noah had never seen before.
The first time through, the castle had shuffled its stages around him like cards. This yard hadn't been in the deck. It was big, a long rectangle of grey flagstones maybe two hundred feet end to end, closed in by walls so tall he had to tip his head back to see where they stopped. At the far end, set into the base of the inner keep, stood a pair of tall black doors with iron bands across them. Rotted banners hung down the walls on either side, so faded and torn that only scraps of red were left on them. Black grass had come up between every stone in the floor.
The gate shut behind him.
Noah looked at his health.
[Health Points: 139,860 / 147,600]
Almost full. The walk from the courtyard had given his regeneration time to finish most of the work Ironside had left it.
The lamp floated above the middle of the yard. Black flame, hanging on nothing.
