With the jungle brightening up Norbert was annoyed at what happened, for nothing had happened. No weird beasts or attacks from the darkness, no magic out of the ordinary. It just looked like a jungle he would expect in a magical place. Weird sounds at night and buzzing around but no weird attacks from nothing. Now thoroughly annoyed at his wasted time he pulled his shirt up, looking at the black spot again.
Staring down he couldn’t even tell if there was a change since the night before, the spot looking about the same, and the purple circle around it looking the same as before. Lowering his shirt again he looked in his backpack, taking the sack of food out as he broke a piece of the bread into crumbs, holding it out for Obsius to eat.
Staring up at the canopy above and not seeing any village above them, or any sign of anything on them at all. Wondering what could be happening up there he spotted a bird zooming past up above. Looking to Obsius on his shoulder, making a mess of the bread she was eating.
“Want to see what they are doing up there?” Norbert asked Obsius as he pointed with his head above, more and more birds staring to move about. Only receiving a chirp of affirmation in response. Dusting his shoulder of crumbs Norbert placed the sack back in his backpack, putting it on his back as he looked up at the trees and started walking around, trying to find an easy one to climb.
After some searching stopping at one tree Norbert nodded his head, finding the best one out of the lot. Wishing he had his rope from before, to at least make the decent easier, but alas. Holding onto the vine coming down Norbert took his feet off the ground, confirming it could hold his body weight grasping one hand above the other Norbert made his climb up the tree.
As Norbert climbed higher, fortunate that the vine continued to the top and not needing to change to another one half way up the tree. Higher he went, finally making it to the first branch of the tree, just above his head the canopy, a nest of twigs and branches and a sea of green above him.
Turning his head to the side Norbert looked over at Obsius, gauging the reaction of the bird before he looked at the creatures around him. Unlike in the plateaus with a large variety of colours and sizes within the birds these were mostly the same, only slight alterations between that Norbert could spot as they zipped by him.
The size of hawks with the muted colours of green and brown, Norbert watching as they dived about themselves, constantly moving. Occasionally Norbert would see one shoot up above the canopy, creating a tendril of light going into the jungle bellow him. After a few moments the bird would return and continued about. The more Norbert watched he could see them all go above the canopy only to return later.
His curiosity piqued Norbert started to climb to the tops of the trees. Obsius now leaving his shoulder as each grasp higher became more and more shaky, the solid limbs of the tree now bellow him, only thin branches and twigs this high. Gulping and hoping he wouldn’t fall, Norbert continued until his head was scraping against twigs.
The sea of green opening up around him Norbert poked his head out, seeing the clear sky above the jungle of Transnu, smiling at what he saw. The clear sky above, not having a speckle of white stopping the ocean of blue above. Moving his eyes back to the horizon Norbert saw the birds diving up and down, congregating before going bellow the canopy again.
Wondering what they were doing Norbert felt one of the twigs near him start to wiggle, turning his head to the side, smiling as he saw Obsius stick her head out. Reaching down to assist the little bird in the retrieval process Norbert stood there with the bird as the two of them breathed in the clear air, that wasn’t as humid as bellow them somehow.
Feeling the sun on his skin, warming him up and drying himself out it felt like Norbert rested where he was, watching as the sun rose and fell in the sky. Staring at the sun as it finally set against the horizon, the sky filled with brightness one last burst before darkness started to descend.
Watching as the birds one by one slowly went bellow the canopy, no longer coming back up for whatever they were looking for. Norbert just breathing in at the stillness, feeling the wind blowing gently against him. Taking his mask Norbert put it on his face, clasping the back on it as well, protecting his full head. Not knowing what was going to come at him during the night but being as prepared as he could be with the limited moves he could make.
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Watching as the leaves rustled against each other, creating a cacophony of sound moving everywhere around him. Looking once more against the world of leaves Norbert ducked back under, checking his sword as he looked into the still world bellow him of the jungle.
Dropping to the ground Norbert unsheathed his sword, holding it warily in front with one hand. Obsius sitting on his shoulder, feeling the bird constantly hop around, the two of them not wanting to get caught by surprise like last time.
Staying crouched down, waiting Norbert focused on his breathing, as quietly as he could. Not wanting to disturb anything and miss something that could save him from being attacked again. Patiently Norbert slowly looked around, turning around with his back towards. Changing his vision once again Norbert stayed on the magical sight, seeing the world have a faint green glow to everything.
Starting to pump energy throughout his body, getting it ready for everything Norbert saw his breath come out as slightly purple, staring down between his nose Norbert wondered how that would come to be, was he wasting his energy with the excretion when he could be saving more, was there some untapped efficiency he was loosing out somewhere?
His conscious mind unable to see it but his instincts ready, or he was just lucky as at the corner of his vision coming from the darkness a swipe came at him. Spinning around Norbert dashed to the side, holding Obsius so the bird didn’t fall off him and get caught in the spell.
Watching Norbert followed the spell, a great arc of blue light in his vision, flicking to normal vision darkness controlling the world, nothing could be seen at all before the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
Once more dashing to the side, changing to his magic vision again Norbert could just see a coalescent blue smoke forming, no creature there at all. Taking a dagger from his belt Norbert threw it into the smoke, hoping that it would impact something.
Sadly it did not, Norbert loosing track as it passed through, the smoke none the wiser now as another wave came at him. Continuing his path Norbert dashed to the side again, hearing the thunck of his dagger hitting a tree, able to hear it wobble in the night air.
Knowing that he had no way of hurting whatever was attacking him Norbert placed his sword back in his sheath, more focused on manoeuvrability and survival at this point.
With the sword sliding back in, a zing filling the air Norbert just stared at the blue smoke, waiting for the next attack to happen Norbert waited on the balls of his feet. Staring at the blue smoke it seemed to shudder for a moment before it quickly receded back, running away from Norbert.
Stunned for a second Norbert just stood where the empty space was, not believing that it would go away so quickly. Obsius pecking at him broke him from his surprise, as the bird chirped at him.
“Yeah, your right. And thanks for getting me out of it.” Norbert replied as he quickly dashed forward, running past the tree that he threw on his way as he retrieved the dagger, placing it back in his belt.
Now happy he wasn’t leaving anything behind Norbert picked up the speed, staring ahead of him as the trees and bushes rushed past. Happy to have his mask as he didn’t feel anything, knowing his face would be scratched up otherwise.
Continuing forward Norbert headed in the direction, going as fast as he can, hoping to get a glimpse of the smoke. After running for several seconds as fast as he could go, knowing the danger of him hitting into a tree was high Norbert caught his first glimpse of the smoke again.
Rushing forward Norbert continue to follow it behind ,seeing as the further it went the faster it became and the denser as well. Following it Norbert continued running, now breathing heavy from the amount of time he was running for, knowing that normally he wouldn’t be this winded already. Not wanting to give up on the chase and loose his only lead Norbert continued on.
Several minuted later Norbert saw as it entered a hole in the ground, sliding to a stop as Norbert skidded over the hole starting to fall within it, following the blue smoke, scrambling with his hands on the side so as not to fall down into the unknown. Fingers scraping against the rock wall Norbert felt he finally stopped. Looking down at the hole Norbert saw the smoke disappear. Changing his vision to night, trying to see something about it all along the passageway he was now in, runes where everywhere.
Staring around him Norbert slowly climbed himself up, wanting to confirm something. Finally out of it and at the top Norbert made his to the surface. Looking through his pack Norbert brought out the pendant, the piece of stone he had received from with the goblet he left all those weeks ago.
Staring around at the place he was now Norbert just fell back down, staring up at the canopy above as he steadied his breathing. His first task for when light came would be to have a look at the area he found himself in, then go back to the camp and notify them what he found. But before any of that Norbert felt his eyes grow heavy, sleep taking him.