Hyeon just stared at Norbert, shaking her head as she stood up and left without saying more. Norbert startled by the response just sat in the chair, dumfounded. The annoyance of the afternoon just draining out of him, replaced by mental exhaustion of his nerves being on edge for to long.
Staying still Norbert took his dagger up, flicking it up into the air and catching it as it landed. As he continued to catch, Norbert asked, "Hey Luck, should I just book it out of here?" Waiting around, two motes of light appeared before him, one chasing the other before they caught up.
"Guess that answers that question," Norbert said, leaning back in the chair as he stared at the sky as the stars twinkled back at him. "At least I'm not locked in a cell anymore."
***
As the sun rose again, Norbert chatted to himself and Luck as the night progressed, a plan forming for the next day. The canyon remains dark at night, no lights to announce anyone's welcome.
As Norbert continued to whistle, catching the dagger in the air, he saw the Korean woman walk down the path, nobody trailing behind her. Looking back to the other chair, the rubble of the table all over the ground, Norbert waited for her to come into view.
Sitting down again on the chair, she opened her mouth, but Norbert interrupted her, "What can I do for you?" Norbert asked.
Taken aback, closing her mouth, she didn't say anything, waiting for Norbert to continue.
"Well, it came to my attention the only humans that I've seen around here are my group and those in the slums. So, what can I do for you?" Norbert asked again, spreading his hands open, waiting for a response.
"If only it were that simple that a brute like you could fix it," she said, shaking her head.
"I would say most things do have a simple solution; you just need enough force to punch a fist through it." Norbert said, hitting his fist into his hand, the slap echoing around the ravine.
Moving her sleeve up her arm, her entire forearm exposed, leaning forward, he saw a tattoo of some kind on the arm, seeing the magic circles forming around it in black ink, stark against her white skin. Rolling her sleeve back down, Norbert looked up at her.
"It's a brand that keeps me obedient; if I do go against them, then the little family I have left is gone", she said.
Norbert just nodded his head. "Ok, enough of the pity story you just made up. I don't know about you, but I don't have enough time for this bull. I'll break a rule and speak it out. I know you are Korean and a jumper too. So let's get the two of us out of this country with as much loot as we can grab?" Norbert asked, risking it all and hoping he was right.
"미국인들은 너무 짜증나." The woman responded; Norbert was surprised that the translator didn't pick it up, thinking it should have everything. Chuckling to himself that his guess had been correct, Norbert held his hand out to her.
"So, what do you say, partner?" he asked her. Reaching forward, she grasped his hand, nodding and shaking before standing up.
"We've spent enough time here; I was sent down here to get you for Tashen; thankfully, you weren't in the cells again", she finished as she started walking away.
Norbert scrambled to his feet, catching up with her. "Wait, do I even get to know your name?" Norbert asked.
"Hyeon", she replied, turning around again, her hair falling behind her as Norbert started to repeat the name in his head, not wanting to forget it.
***
Norbert sat behind another stone desk, staring at Tashen sitting on the opposite side, Hyeon standing behind her. Looking out through the two full-length windows on either side of the desk showing the city fall beneath them. Now on the completely other side of the city where they entered from. He could see the casino if he just craned his neck to the side.
Sitting down, Norbert tapped his fingers again, waiting patiently as Tashen looked through papers on their desk, having not moved since Norbert entered the room and sat down. Seeing a pattern forming in her behaviour, minutes by now having gone by and still sitting there, no sound in the room except the rustling of paper.
"If you have nothing to say to me, I'm leaving," Norbert said, waiting a moment. He moved the chair back, the wooden chair grinding against the floor as he tried to make it as loud as possible. Remembering reading people did this to show their superiority to others, Norbert not believing that it was a tactic that would make its way over here. Tashen just raised a finger at him to wait, Norbert sitting down again, grumbling as he ground his chair forward.
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"Thank you for your patience," Tashen said, Norbert crossing his arms, a growl coming out of his mouth as he whispered about taking their sweet time. "I have called you here regarding the recent heist on the prisoners."
"Nothing to do with me. I got no info on how it happened or anything like that. Just had to distract Arzlan." Norbert said, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible.
Tashen stared at Norbert, who noticed the cat-persons hands slightly shake with annoyance before they grasped onto the desk, hands no longer moving. "We need you to do some spring cleaning in the lower levels." She said through grinding teeth. Norbert sat up straight as he waited for her to continue.
"Deep below the cells are maintenance shafts near the natural caves and lakes under Mount Vesivan, where the current city of Vesivan resides. Your to clean and report back what is found down there." Tashen said, Norbert, thinking about what she said.
"And what does me doing some 'spring cleaning' do with escaped prisoners?" Norbert asked.
"Dealings with those above your station, you simply wouldn't understand." Tashen responded. Norbert just grunting. More like saving face as someone made a big boo boo.
Keeping his thoughts to himself, else get even more irk from this person sitting in front of him "And what do I get out of helping you?" Norbert asked.
Tashen smiled, "Why, freedom, of course", with a smile on their face.
Norbert knew it was a trap but not seeing any way out of it. "Ok, but I will need assistance and supplies, all at your cost", Norbert said, a plan starting to form in his mind.
"Supplies can be done, but what do you mean by assistance?" Tashen asked Norbert, feeling her worry picking up.
Norbert nodded to Hyeon. "I want her with me", Norbert said, not hiding it.
"No" Tashen replied instantly.
"Then we are done here", Norbert replied without a second thought, grinding the chair back again. He stood up, glancing and smirking about the marks he made on the floor. Throw stones in glass houses and whatnot.
A barrier formed there as he walked towards the door, stopping Norbert from reaching the handle. Spinning around, he made a face showing why he wanted her. Tashen relented. "Fine, but you have three days-"
"Six", Norbert responded instantly, having no clue the amount of time needed but the more, the better.
"Four days, and if I haven't heard from you, then Arzlan will not be stopped next time," Tashen said, trying to muster everything they could. Norbert nodded in agreement and reached for the handle but hit the barrier.
"Well?" Norbert asked, the barrier disappearing as Norbert opened the door, holding it and waiting for Hyeon to come. With a wave from Tashen, Hyeon bowed to them as she left, the door closing behind as the two walked out of the stone structure.
As they stood there, Norbert remembered something. "Shit, how are the people here going to know that I get free stuff," he said aloud.
Hyeon continued walking down the main road, the ravine seen below. "They aren't", she said.
"Rats," Norbert replied as he jogged to catch up. "Well, I guess I need to get my gear back. This feels too open," Norbert replied, pointing down at himself.
Hyeon changed direction, spinning around and entering the building they just left.
***
Outside under the sun, Norbert felt better again, everything where it should be, and he still had some coins left over in his pouch. Sadly, his mask had been destroyed, and he asked Hyeon if they wouldn't have any replacements in the city; the enchantment needed was not available in these shops and must be imported.
Shaking his head in annoyance, Norbert stood on the steps to his favourite place, where he was most welcome. The glass windows of the casino stood before them. Norbert opened the doors, looking around the place, not at all busy compared to the nights.
The security gave him a look, and sighing in annoyance, he tied his sword around the belt, stopping it from being drawn quickly. Receiving a snort of acceptance, they were allowed in. Bee-lining towards the kiosk desk to exchange chips. No queue there today. He stood in front of the worker, staring and smiling. Another of the reptilians he was served before, Norbert unable to see if it was different than before.
As he began to open his mouth, he was spun around by his shoulder, Hyeon staring at him. "What are you doing: She seethed at him.
Norbert looked around the place. "Getting coin", Norbert replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"The first thing you do is start to gamble. Why did I ever place my trust in you" Hyeon replied, saying the last part to herself. Norbert spinning himself around, smiled as he leaned on the kiosk desk.
"Sorry about my partner. I'm here to get nine gold worth in silvers and one hundred coppers. Oh, and if you can let the owner know about this request and that Norbert has made it, that would be great," Norbert replied, leaning back as he took out a coin and began flipping it.
"I'm sorry, but we don't offer that service here. If you want to withdraw coins, a bank or money lender will be a more appropriate destination," The kiosk worker said.
Norbert looked down at the name tag on the shirt, unable to read the language. "Ok, if you can just pass the message along, it would save both of us some time," Norbert said. As the worker was about to protest, Norbert pulled a coin from his pouch, seeing it was copper. "How about this? I want a chip worth one copper then", Norbert responded, placing the coin down.
The worker looked at him quizzically before shrugging and muttering to themselves about gamblers and giving the single chip back. Taking it, Norbert headed over to the same roulette table as before, this one empty.
A dealer came out of somewhere as he stood there, standing at the table. Norbert took the coin out of his purse, flipping it. "Heads blue, tails purple", Norbert said as he flipped the coin into the air, catching it and palming it to the top of his left hand. Looking down, the heads stood back at him. Leaning forwards, he moved it over to the blue square, waving for the dealer to spin.
Around it went, the sound clattering; Hyeon just stared at him. "So your him", she replied.
Norbert spun around, leaning on the table, not even watching as it spun. "I'm him what?" Norbert asked, smiling back at her knowing exactly what she was talking about, more surprised that his fame had reached this far.
Hyeon just shook her head, Norbert turning around as he flicked the coin into the air, seeing two copper chips before him. Catching and seeing heads again, Norbert removed one chip, moving it to the blue square again. He wondered how long he could get before the owner gave in to the requested coins.