Norbert stuck back away from the group, knowing that if he entered the thick of it now, he would be explaining his story over and over again countless times. Better to get it all over and done with at night when they were all together and at least present it properly and as dramatically as possible.
So Norbert stayed back from the others, frowning as the sun slowly set on the horizon. He was being told to slow down by Dousan, heading to a tree for the night to take shelter. Everyone started to go around the base preparing their rolls for the night. Norbert just looked at the tree branch and climbed onto it, the closest one to the bottom, as he looked down at everyone.
Occasionally he would receive looks from people, Norbert knowing that they were all waiting expectantly, or at least the scouts were. Over the run, murmurings between them have said about what he had accomplished while over there.
Finally, with everyone's bedding arranged for the night, they opened their packs for their food, Norbert wondering where they were storing it all. They probably raided a town like they did on the way there. However, this food did not seem to put people to sleep.
As they all munched away, Norbert cleared his throat, everyone staring at him. Now looking down at them, Norbert saw the scouts the closest to him, the further back the other parties were with the leaders of each in their little huddle.
With everyone quiet, Norbert waited, hearing the wind rustle across the plains. Wondering how long it would take before someone said anything. A minute he crawled by as everyone waited patiently.
Clearing his voice again, Norbert opened his mouth. "Ok, that's enough of me being annoying for one day. What's the bit you want to catch up on?" Norbert asked, not knowing if Dousan and the others had shared their story.
A voice from the crowd shouted, "When you saw the dam!"
Norbert just nodded. "When I saw the dam that came out of nowhere, I wanted to see what was on the other side. Now, instead of being a sane person and going around and climbing the mountain, I had the bright idea of climbing over the dam. With no gear to rappel it, I smashed my hands into the structure, creating hand and foot holds. Then…” Norbert continued with his story, glossing over parts that he was with the others, as they had already been notified of this from them.
He was slowing down and explaining the caves underneath it, the mages in blue peaking up at it. Rummaging around in his backpack Norbert pulled out his journal that he made of all the magic there. "Here you go, look at it yourself; the colour was blue and super-hot down there, too." Norbert continued the story and finished with them looking out at the horizon on the top of the mountain.
"And then I just slid down the mountain and went over here. Nice and easy," Norbert finished. The others just stared in silence. I was waiting to see if there was any more.
"That's it?" someone said.
"Well, I'm sorry. How about next time you have a tussle with Arzlan!" Norbert shouted back as he stayed on his branch. "Now, isn't it all your bedtime? After having some food, aren't you all sleepy?" Norbert said, acting like a child.
The others around him just waved him off, entering their sleeping arrangements and preparing for the night. Norbert stayed up in his branch as they all started going to sleep. As the minutes passed and the sounds of people sleeping filled the night, Norbert looked out at the plains.
"And once again, I watch over the night alone." A single mote of light hitting into his head. "Well, I guess I'm not alone. Even though it should be two there Luck and not one, you cheeky thing." Norbert finished, flicking the second light as it appeared, watching it spin around under the night. The second one chased after it as Norbert watched them play.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Watching over the group, Norbert did a count in the night, seeing fewer people here than last they checked on the marshes. Knowing there must have been more deaths in the group, Norbert sat back and waited silently, mourning the loss.
As he breathed a shaky breath, at least this time, he knew he had tried everything he could. There wasn't anything else he could have done that would have saved lives than what he did at this time. Happy with a reasonable effort and everyone back, Norbert took out his original purse, happy to have the coin back again.
Norbert caught it into the air as he hummed to himself, not wanting to whistle and disturb anyone.
***
Norbert opened his eyes, feeling the branch move underneath him. Pulling themselves up, Norbert saw it was Martitia as she flipped herself over and sat on the branch, dangling her feet in the air as she looked across out at the plains as well.
"So, what did you come up all this way for?" Norbert asked her as he started flipping the coin in the air.
"Nothing. I just wanted to see how you were going. You were out alone again for some time." She said, turning to Norbert.
Norbert looking past her at the horizon, not wanting to make eye contact, just shrugged his shoulders. "Comes with the job, not like there is anything bad that comes along with it", Norbert said as he continued to flick the coin.
"Ok, I just wanted to do a quick check-up on you. If there isn't anything to say, I'm glad to hear. And if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, then we are all here." She said. She picked herself up and was about to take her feet onto the ground.
"By the way, were you ever told what the hand sign of the Frontier is supposed to mean?" Norbert just shook his head, thinking he might have told it before but having forgotten ten. Little details like that slipped his mind with everything he had been dealing with recently.
Martial made a fist with the finger pointing up and the thumb behind it. "In this, you are the finger, standing high and proud." She said, wiggling her index finger. "Now, if you get pushed or broken down", she said, pushing the finger down but stopped by the thumb from bending all the way. "Then the others behind you will prop you back up and keep you standing tall." She finished, her index finger flicking back up and standing high again.
Norbert nodded as Martitia continued, "Even though you might feel like you have everyone on your shoulders, you don't. We all support each other in our little ways. The group is more than the sum of your parts." She finished.
Spinning around, facing the other way, she continued, "Take Hyeon and Arzlan, the battle you had with them, for example. Most everyone here would not be able to take on Arzlan at all. Getting demolished almost instantly, and if not, then in a minute for the rest. However, you could stand tall and hold him off long enough. Longer, actually than was needed for the plan." She said.
"However, with Hyeon there, you were a sitting duck. Having a look, you know that most of everyone else could get past her barrier, especially the mages if you know how to run the interference correctly," She added.
Norbert just stared at her. "So you're telling me it was that simple to get through?" Norbert said, bewildered.
"Oh yes, with her training, it would get more difficult to dissipate, but that's the fundamentals of it is simple enough." Martitia responded, nodding her head in thought.
Norbert just shook his head. "Guess I'll keep what you said in mind then, Martitia. And thanks for coming up here." Norbert said.
Martitia leaning towards him patted him on the back before dropping onto the ground. "Time for this lousy lot to get up and start a new day. Isn't that right, Norbert!" shouting the last bit and hearing groaning from all around as tents started to stir.
He was laughing, remembering when Lily did the same back at training. "Oh, that brings me back. And I do believe it is time to get up!" Norbert shouted, seeing the sun start to come up on the horizon. As the grumbling continued taking a piece of biscuit out to eat, the complex food was still not eaten through and getting old.
As he looked around, he saw Hyeon sitting next to Mackey, a circle appearing as the two talked with something in her mouth. Norbert left the two to her healing, hoping she could have her arm back good as new before she jumped over to Earth again. Standing at the edge of the camp, Norbert bent down, took a blade of grass and started to fold it against itself.
A new day was here.