He felt something draped over his eyes, spots of white speckles covering them, remembering when he was young, when spots of light would dance over his vision in the dark, moving with his eyes and disappearing into objects. As Norbert moved his eyes around, the white speckles on the black canvas stayed still, not moving with his sight.

Feeling something tickling his nose, Norbert blew on something over his lip, seeing the curtain above him ruffle around.

"Obsius?" Norbert asked. The blanket of stars moving, the two over each eye coming over himself as Norbert leaned forward, his head swimming, the back of his throat dry, begging for something to drink.

A water skin went to his lips; Norbert sucked on the tip and trying to swallow as much liquid as possible to wet his mouth. Before he could grab a proper hold of it, the water skin was moved upwards, only drops wetting his lips and mouth.

Licking it and swallowing the drops as they bathed his throat, he felt it absorbed. Several more drops came after the first few, slowly increasing in speed until finally, to Norbert's relief, he could suckle on the stopper.

Swallowing it down, Norbert continued until it was empty. He popped the mouthpiece out with an audible pop, and Norbert felt correctly hydrated again, whatever was previously going through his body now clear.

Sitting up, Norbert looked around where he found himself; dangling from a hole in the ceiling a rope, the torch set to the side, now sputtering after its time being lit, nearly coming to an end.

His pack on the side, the contents spread out around the group. The biscuits had been taken as Count von Count leaned forward after taking the water skin, handing him a biscuit. Taking it and nodding, Norbert munched on the dry piece of food. Feeling his mouth dry again, he swallowed it down, not wanting to re-supply so soon.

Count von Count leaned forward with a new water skin, and Norbert graciously took it as he took a gulp, swishing it around in his mouth, putting the stopper back on and throwing it into his open backpack.

Swallowing it down, sighing in relief, stretching his arms above his head, feeling his joints crack, asking, "So, how long was I out?"

Count von Count, standing up as he stretched his back out, heard no pops from the vampire. "A couple of hours, still daylight out there, so not that long, thankfully."

Norbert just nodded in response, taking the answer as he leaned forward, picking his items up and placing them back. "Any idea what knocked me out?" Norbert asked.

"Assume it was whatever liquid that was; the bird seemed fine but didn't get as big of a sniff as you." Count von Count replied.

Norbert packed everything else into his backpack, knowing they would have to move, having spent too much time already in the tomb. Everything packed back up, Norbert patted himself down, confirming everything was in its proper place.

Norbert turned to Count von Count, who stared at the opening above them. Turning his head down to look at Norbert, the vampire exclaimed, "Have any spare clothes you could lend a friend?"

***

The three of them standing around the rope going into the ground. The vampire wrapped up from head to toe, using Norbert's spare items and taking his gloves. Norbert looked at the man wearing his second mask, the helmet version on himself now, his head fully engulfed within the metal, breathing out as he saw his hands in front of him slightly light up.

"Gonna leave the rope?" Count von Count asked Norbert, his voice slightly muffled by the mask on his face, unable to fit correctly into it.

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"Eh, not like we're going to need it," Norbert replied, a grin forming on his face as he started jogging, following Obsius, who had taken flight, leading them around the village to the other side in a large circle, on the lookout for any signs of the massive Brealk.

"Oh, now you've done it!" Count von Count shouted after the other two, snickering as he charged forward, catching up with the other two.

***

Staring down from the tree he found himself in, the single sentence came to his mind.

"How the hell is this here?"

Spread out underneath them was the Brealk that they were after. Norbert stared into its eyes as it was lying on its belly, the trees around them shaking with the beasts snoring.

Norbert asks the vampire beside him, "Think we can take it?"

Count von Count leaned beside Norbert's ear, whispering, "I think we're going to need a bigger boat."

Norbert just stared at the vampire, chuckling silently as he turned around and leapt for the branch of the next tree, taking out his compass as he retreated, seeing the position on the compass, hoping he would remember which direction to go, and if not then he would have Obsius to guide him.

Landing on the ground, Norbert continued going through the jungle, not believing how the rest of the expedition could have missed the signs; in some areas, whole trees were uprooted, the roots showing in areas. Whole tracks set through the forest of the creature's paths to get to this place.

Having found the trail hundreds of meters away from the creature and still only taking them meters to find it, the signs of the jungle point the trio in the right direction. None of it added up to him; this should have been an open-and-shut case as long as there was no interference.

***

Brushing the last of the vines hanging down and entering the clearing, the sun started rising after their run of the previous day. Not stopping, the trio continued into the village, hearing shouts from above and around him, the villagers knowing something was up.

Not heading their words to stop, Norbert continued going forward, occasionally looking up at the bridges above him, confirming he was heading in the right direction.

The shouting had gotten louder; as Norbert saw the ladder he wanted, an arrow appeared where his next step would be—stopping, watching as the arrow quivered in the ground, pointing into the air at an angle. Moving his foot to the side, stopping his boot from touching it, Norbert reached down, picking up the arrow.

Looking at the barbed point, it's black metal shaped with an arrow, hooks coming off the back, making it tear into flesh if it was to be removed. The only way to do so would be to push it further through and out the other end.

Staring at the direction the arrow came from, Norbert locked eyes with the man, a grimace coming out of his mouth, the villager frowning at him, another arrow already knocked. Staring at him, Norbert, holding the arrow, made the come hither with his hand, welcoming the confrontation.

The archer pulled back once more as he aimed, Norbert stepping forward. Tried as he might, his feet wouldn't budge; looking down, he saw vines coming out from the ground, slowly wrapping around his feet, barely touching him until he moved, now firmly rooting him in place.

Whipping his head up, next to the archer was someone with a staff, raised in the air and halfway through chanting. A flash of light caught through the leaves, pain blossoming in his leg. Bitting his tongue to stop himself screaming out, he looked down, seeing an arrow blooming out of him like a flower. Seeing the point of not going through him, he ripped it out, not caring about the extra damage it would cause.

Pushing energy throughout his body, Norbert leapt forward for the ladder, feeling his ankles pop as he lunged out of the vines holding him. Reaching for the ladder, Norbert scrambled up it, the ligament it was created from grasping out to him, becoming sticky, slowing his progress even more as he heard the rushing of footsteps above him.

Scrambling up, Norbert saw something flash past him, a ball of cloth landing on the walkway above him. Scuffling for a moment, there was a stampede of movement. There was a moment of silence, and Norbert just made his way up; grasping onto the ledge, a gloved hand came down. Norbert grasped onto it, feeling himself pulled up, part of the ladder coming with him.

Standing there, all wrapped up, was Count von Count, the villagers on the walkways on either side to continue the loop, slowly backing off at the sight of the vampire's movements.

Walking forwards towards the mess tents, he could see poking up around the trees, watching as they flashed in the distance. Pointing in that direction, Norbert saw the villagers quickly look that way before staring back at the vampire. One of them gulping, wiping his clammy hands on their legs before putting it on the spear.

Turning to the vampire, Norbert asked, "How come they're scared of you?"

The vampire turns to Norbert, "Because they aren't stupid." Count von Count replied. An arrow sprouting from the vampire's heart, two more joining it in a tight circle. The vampire did not even flinch as he waved to the arrows. "See, tis but a scratch."

Shaking his head, Norbert spotted Obsius far above and heading towards the expedition camp, happy that the bird wouldn't be in the crossfire.