Sprinting forward and rushing through everyone, Norbert saw the sack fall. Bending over, Norbert picked it up as he continued to sprint past. Seeing the others were still being attacked, Norbert opened it up, feeling the presence of the cube wash over him. Closing it, Norbert was thrown into the air, an explosion appearing underneath his feet.
Spinning his arms around for balance, Norbert was launched into the tree closest, the vines curling around him, keeping him in. A spell from the ground-launched above him, cutting through the vines and allowing him to drop to the ground.
Hitting the ground, Norbert went into the fray again, locating Dousan on the next part of the plan. Holding on, Norbert skidded to a stop in front of Dousan, battling one of the enemies wearing full green camo clothes, making them hard to see in the jungle.
His sword sliced cleanly through the opponent, the top half slowly sliding and crashing to the floor; the sword turned to Norbert, swallowing in response as energy crackled down the blade.
"Where do you want it?" Norbert asked Dousan as he pointed towards the sack.
Dousan went between them, a barrier appearing around the entire company as spells started pelting against it. Norbert breathed out as he looked, everyone on the outside smashing in with all their might, as a circle began chanting outside, Norbert seeing their staves raised as they moved their body in unison.
Dousan caught his breath as he looked around, the vampire on the inside and to the side. Dousan pointed at Count von Count and indicated for him to come forward. Quickly pushing through the crowd, the vampire came forward.
"You're the quickest two; you need to run to the villagers, notify them what happened and move that cube through the portal. They would have attacked earlier if they had more numbers. You have half a rotation before needing to get out of here." Norbert nodded as he walked, patting himself down again, now a habit that everything was in place. Putting the sack into this backpack, he confirmed it was sealed tight as he reached in, taking the back piece of the mask and transforming it into the helmet.
Count von Count stood beside him, slightly off to the side of the circle they found themselves in. Norbert kept counting as he turned to the vampire. "Have enough juice for this little stint?" Norbert asked the vampire.
The humour generally seen within the vampire is gone, only a curt nod in response. Steeling himself at the reply, this was worse than Dousan let on as he patted himself again.
Checking his knives, Norbert tapped him on the shoulder and leapt forward, pumping his arms as he ran ahead. Norbert realised he had stopped counting forced energy to pump through his body steadily, feeling that it would be a long run back.
As the vampire was about to hit the barrier, it moved, allowing him to go through; the next moment, Norbert was running through, the sounds from outside now battling against him. Dust flew through the air as Norbert didn't wait to turn around, shooting off into the jungle. Ahead of him, the vines closed around. Count von Count raised his arm and swiped forward, a blade of red blood coming out, cutting the tendrils and allowing the two of them to pass unhindered.
Something rocketed towards him as he ducked down, a spear shuddering in the ground as the two ran past. Hearing the shouts of others coming for them, the two continued to charge forward through the underbrush, smashing through vines and ripping past plants, leaving an unmistakable trail of where they were going.
After minutes of continuing, he did not care about the direction; he just wanted to escape from the expedition behind him. After minutes of going in that direction, no longer knowing if he was going straight anymore, Count von Count slowed down as the two jogged forward, no longer going at a breakneck pace.
"They're still following us, but we have some time. Which way to the village?" the vampire asked Norbert.
Norbert spun around as he felt around, taking out his compass. Flicking between the positions, only showing the temple and the expedition behind them.
"No clue, only know where the temple is located, but I know we can return to the village from there," Norbert responded as he showed the compass to the vampire.
Shaking his head in response, the vampire looked to the sky. "If only Obsius were here." I almost wished the bird would appear around a tree. After a moment of silence and nothing happening, Count von Count looked at the compass and changed their direction, heading towards the temple.
"Though what you say does make sense, it still feels like a trap." Count von Count said, primarily to himself.
Norbert nodded in approval as he looked down at the compass, confirming that they were heading in the same direction.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
***
Not hearing anyone else as they continued going forward, Count von Count said people were still following them just far away, now knowing they were being herded somewhere; as they came around, Norbert knew it was towards the tomb entrance they found.
Looking around, the trees now seeming familiar to Norbert, spinning around on his heels, he nodded toward the village. "That way's the village," Norbert said.
Count von Count spun on his heels, nodding in response as he followed after Norbert. He knew that the two of them would be followed straight away. Count von Count tapped him on his shoulder, Norbert understanding that the circle of people around them were now closing in and charging forward, wanting to meet as few people as possible before they were surrounded.
Up ahead, seeing a ball of fire appear, Norbert slid on the ground, Count von Count leaping into the air to move out of the way of the projectile. Norbert felt his helmet heat up from the heat as it was shot out, not wanting to get hit by that.
Taking out a dagger, Norbert threw it in the direction, a mass of green falling to the ground, as a red flower plumed on it, covering the grass as well. The shapes broke as weapons were drawn. The vampire, not caring at all, charged forward, sending another wave of blood at the three ahead.
A shield came over, the blood splattering harmlessly against it as another two came from the side, these holding staves like the other mages from before—a fireball appeared again as it was flung at them.
Norbert jumped over it as he smashed into the caster, bowling him into the ground as Norbert barrelled forward. Sprinting with Count von Count on his heels, they approached the village. Norbert remembered the path now, having traversed it in non-optimal conditions before.
Cutting through it, Norbert now heard their attackers trailing after them, more insistent now than before, continuing to launch fireballs and other spells, pestering into Norbert as he just shrugged them off, able to smell his back burning, a faint tickling on it, having swapped his backpack to the front of his body to protect its contents from the barrage of attacks.
As they continued, Count von Count blocked the stray spell that came his way. Suddenly, it stopped, Norbert not giving it any attention before it came from above. Trying to dodge to the side, they seemed to trace him, not just wanting to smash against his back like previously. He aimed for the ground and the trees in his path, now destruction all in his ears.
Panning to the side to look at Count von Count, having nothing thrown his way, just running through the jungle, Norbert was given a slight wave as the vampire barrelled through a swarm of insects.
Passing a familiar tree, Norbert opened up to the clearing of the village; what was usually in peace with a few was in ruins, not focusing on the smell of the fire raging within the jungle.
Passing through, Norbert saw more of the attackers, fully garbed; Norbert was unable to see their identity as they ran around, setting fire to anything they could. Passing through the rest of the expedition already there, Norbert was thankful that the place hadn't been attacked due to their detour.
Running through, Norbert made his way to the portal, seeing the traveller standing by it, looking out tensely around at the situation; Norbert saw their clenched fist in annoyance. A stream of villagers heading inside, most with nothing but burns on their bodies, others needing to be carried in, a circle of other villagers there protecting them, the same druid spells as before, the trees and vines coming alive to protect them.
Taking his backpack off his front, Norbert skidded to a stop, the villagers letting the two of them pass through. Heading to the traveller, Norbert passed his backpack over, not wanting to take out the sack the cube was in.
The traveller looked curious at Norbert and his actions as Norbert shouted in through the cacophony of noise, "What they are after is in there. Don't let them get it; run through the portal if necessary. I want it afterwards, and please keep Obsius safe!"
Before waiting for a response from the traveller, Norbert pushed back, Count von Count on his heels again. Taking out his dagger, keeping the sword sheathed for these individuals, Norbert jumped into the air, past the wall of guards, crashing into one of the intruders mid-air. Pistoning the knife into them several times, the two of them dropped.
Positioned so he was on top, Norbert landed on the dagger, digging it in even further. Seeing the life drain out of the person's eyes entranced Norbert for a second, the thought forming in his head, interrupted by a bolt of lightning shooting forward at him.
Locking contact with the intruder, Norbert leapt forward, one dagger out, his right hand free as he sliced forward, running past the attacker as a trail of blood came from them. Looking to the side, Norbert swapped to magical sight, seeing Count von Count creating the same spell on the ground as last time, his blood flowing everywhere.
Pushing forward, Norbert continued to fight back, looking out for anyone who may need to be rescued in the chaos. Seeing the blood start to flow through the air in streams, the bodies of people writhing in pain on the ground as they became ghastly white, then turned to mummified corpses.
Watching Norbert saw the blood go into Count von Count then above his head in a ball of swirling red mass, it quickly grew bigger and bigger. Finally, it stopped growing in size until it reached the tops of the trees.
Dropping his hands from the air, so did the ball of blood. All of it falling to the ground, a tsunami hitting everyone to their ankles. Passing harmlessly around Norbert, he heard sizzling, followed by screams. The attackers slowly melted away as they toppled into the blood, the ones escaping in the air and trees before they were forced to retreat from the concentrated fire.
Norbert turned around, seeing the villagers were safely together. Walking towards Count von, Count Norbert patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks, mate."
The vampire just nodded in response, hearing him panting under his multiple layers of clothes, now wholly covered In all types of blood. The duo walked towards the traveller, fist no longer clenched as he held the backpack out for Norbert.
Nodding in thanks, Norbert opened it up, confirming the sack was still in there; looking around, Norbert found a bench carved out of a tree sapling, positioned so it would grow upwards, the shade of the tree covering the seat.
Sitting down, both of them groaned together as Norbert rested his backpack on his lap, waiting for the two friends to share the company as the villagers started coming out of the portal and cleaning up the village.