The sun peeking its head through the trees once more, Count von Count staring up at the canopy, a pained look on his face as the streams of light started making their way through the leaves. "Going to need to find shelter soon." The vampire said.
Norbert nods, pointing ahead. "There's the ancient temple over there; we can head underground and out of the light." Norbert explained to the vampire, watching as his face relaxed slightly at the news.
Count von Count nodded and increased his pace to a sprint; Norbert caught up, remembering what happened to the vampire last time, understanding not wanting to partake in that unpleasantness once again.
Norbert saw the hole with the rope hanging out, only seeing the vampire jump into the air before disappearing into the hole, clothes flapping behind him. Norbert caught up to the hole, looking down, seeing Count von Count having grabbed the rope halfway down, looking up at him, the white canines seeming to glow in the darkness, the vampire dropping down further on the rope, Norbert watching as it moved slightly to the side.
Seeing it stay still, Norbert grabbed onto the rope, confirming there wasn't any more movement around them before joining the vampire. Grasping onto the rope, he coiled his feet around it, letting himself slide to the bottom.
Bending his knees at the bottom as he landed to absorb the impact, Norbert stood up, Obsius sliding down the rope to meet Norbert. The torch that he had left before now sputtered out, the ash marking the area that it spun around on the ground.
Count von Count near it picked the torch up, flipping it like a baton in the air, not catching it but instead letting it crack against the floor. The echo, bouncing around the cave and the tunnel beyond. Norbert gave the vampire a look of annoyance, smacking him on the back of the head.
"So, why have you brought us back here? I know we looped around the other side to make it here during the night." Count von Count questioning Norbert.
Norbert looked at the cave once again, seeing the natural cave that he expected to find. "Well, I didn't take us here; she did. Supposedly, there is something that I need to look at, and you as well. A second pair of eyes never hurts."
Reaching in and taking another torch, Norbert started lighting it again. Count von Count walks up and holds his hand over the fuel, stopping it from catching.
"No light; neither of us need it." Count von Count said.
Norbert flicked the torch to remove the hand as he indicated to Obsius, sitting on his shoulder, "But our guide here needs to see." Norbert said as he continued to light the torch.
Count von Count grumbled, conceding to it, "Always for the bird."
Obsius turned around on Norbert's shoulder before flying up to the vampire and giving a peck on his ear before returning to Norbert. Holding his hand up to his neck, the vampire moved it away, seeing the blood on it. Giving it a sniff, the vampire exclaimed, "I'm bleeding? But I'm a vampire."
"You were bleeding plenty before, so hush-hush, and now you know why I light the torch. Now, Obsius, which way should we be going."
***
Once more in the centre chamber, Norbert saw the blue smoke coalescing around the obelisk in the centre. Count von Count was lying beside him, watching as Norbert explained what he saw.
"Well, I am of no help at all to you. Never seen anything like this on Grimm." The vampire explained.
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Norbert turns to Count von Count, asking, "Grimm?"
"Yeah, the continent all the creepy crawlies have been subjugated to. Vampires, demons, werewolves and many more things that go bump in the night." The vampire explained.
Obsius tweeting in confirmation of the information. Norbert turns to the bird. "And how do you possibly know that? Never mind. But why Grim of all names? Seems a bit on the nose."
Count von Count just shrugging. "It was a grim piece of rock before most of us fled there. Enough of us pooled in one section changed the landscape, allowing life to come from it. Twisted and unnatural looking but life nonetheless."
"Huh, I guess I need to add it to my list of destinations, especially if you want me to represent you for the tournament. It's not like I'm one of you," Norbert said.
"Well, cheers to you if you can survive there. Most of those that take residency there aren't as … civilised as the vampires you have interacted with lately." Count von Count said.
Norbert stared at the vampire, nudging to the side away from it. "Guess there was a reason they were kicked off to their continent," Norbert said before turning to Obsius.
"Now, what is it that you wanted to show us?" Norbert asked Obsius.
Obsius takes off into the air, going around the topmost circle, going to the fifth doorway before going inside. Norbert followed after the bird, Count von Count going next to Norbert as the two of them made their way to the doorway.
The bird landed on Norbert's shoulder as the three stared down. Norbert looked to the bird, who nodded in response. Norbert holding the torch slightly higher, allowing it to show just a bit more of the room.
Moving forward, Norbert saw a simple room with a single rock carving—another torch hole on the single wall. Norbert turns to the bird, presenting the lack of entrance to him.
Norbert stared at the bird, raising an eyebrow, wondering what to do next. Obsius is not responding, just nudging her head forward. Norbert just scrunched his face as he placed the torch in the holder, feeling it click in place.
The wall disappeared as the torch fell into Norbert's hand again, catching it and stopping it from clattering to the ground.
The two people looking at Obsius, who just flew down the hallway. Norbert followed after the bird, torch in hand, as he looked around himself.
The first thing hitting him was the musty smell, the stale air unable to be moved afterwards. Stepping through, Norbert stared at the others, wondering what could be further done for him. As Norbert stared, not seeing the others that could have been.
He walked past with Count von Count next to him, going past tables falling to dust as he walked by, the wooden tables turning to dust as the trio walked forward. Seeing the test tubes and glass shattering around them, the liquid they contained now dried up, ring stains of blues on the glass.
Before he could even move to stop the table, the tables started to shatter around them. The sound of the glass shattering further along, Norbert stayed still, bathing in the symphony of destruction.
After the last one came in contact with the ground, the glass now covering it. Norbert dragged his feet around, hearing them rattle next to each other. The more profound in the room he went, seeing more stains, all of the same colour but becoming more frequent.
The last couple of tables Norbert saw, still holding up, were made of stone instead of wood, the liquid still bubbling inside. Count von Count walked forward, holding one of the beakers before swishing it, raising it to his nose and taking a deep whiff.
He instantly put back down; the vampire reeled back as he waved his hand. Norbert, picking up the beaker, looked inside, the blue liquid bubbling around. Placing it back down on the table, Norbert looked at the other containers, trying to piece together what happened here.
Seeing if any books could have remained intact, Norbert looked around, only piles of dust the only sign of work being done here. He looked around as he started to piece it together.
"Well, whatever happened here probably has something to do with the blue smoke and whatever the Break drank that turned massive." Count von Count said.
Norbert just nodded along as he looked around the room. Staring at the tables, Norbert saw the magic circles on the base, crystals underneath glowing faintly. Staring at the magic circles, Norbert wracked his memory, if he remembered anything. He was staring at the patterns; I saw them swirl around and form around him.
Looking away, Norbert blinked, seeing the walls swirl around him. Moving his weight from one to the other as his head continued to spin, wondering what was causing him to react that badly.
Catching himself on the stone table, Norbert breathed deeply, trying to stop his spinning head. Count von Count came beside him, holding his head up as Norbert saw his mouth move, only the faint sound making it to Norbert.
Asking the vampire why he was whispering, the vampire responded by taking the bird and Norbert, holding the man over his shoulder as he bolted out of the room, Norbert being bounced around, the light being left behind as it quickly winked out.