As the trio walked up the steps, Lily in the lead, with Norbert following and Count von Count taking the rear. Obsius is still on Count von Count's shoulder, not wanting Norbert to look at her. Trudging up the stairs, the crowd made room for them without asking.
Walking up the spiral stairs, the people there looked familiar like he had seen most of them somewhere before, but all combined into a blur. As he continued, the feeling of déjà vu grew ever worse until it hit him, like he did so many of these here. These were all the people he had defeated or possibly saw him defeat the massive congregation.
As Norbert went through, whispers followed him, asking if he was one, feeling it drift out of range for Norbert to hear, only to be replaced by the same conversation from a new group.
Drowning the noise out as he climbed, he could now see more of the hall than before between the people's heads on the side. Seeing the domes, now emptying, slowly being deactivated one by one, the runes on the ground, tilting his head in thought, he viewed the veins through the granite connecting them all.
From above, Norbert could see the pattern painted on the floor before him, the entire hall a set of flowing magic circles, the points all connected into one massive network. As Norbert stared, the entire thing way out of his knowledge, a single thought came to his mind. What is it for?
Shrugging his shoulders, Norbert continued up the spiral staircase. Leaving it to people who knew much more about the topic than him. Nearing the top, Lily got to the next floor; the only thought on Norbert's mind was what the next fights would be and getting through them.
Stepping up and continuing to walk forward on the level, the opening differed from what he had expected. With all the other floors, they had been different, vastly different. But this one looked the same: a carbon copy of the hall he was on.
Spinning around in a circle, Norbert looked about; the more he looked, the more he could pick the differences. Here, the ceiling was a lot lower than before. Norbert felt like he would be able to touch the ceiling.
Norbert saw a lookout along each wall, some people staring down, talking and mingling with each other. Looking up there, reminding him of the people in the hall, he journeys through to see Lily and Sally in their offices.
As Norbert stepped on the floor, people on the watching platform pointed to him, feeling their stares burn into him. Norbert and Lily looked back at them before looking forward on their path.
Leaning forward, Norbert whispered, "You know I don't need to be babied around?" Norbert told her.
Lily did not respond, just flicking her raised hand, dismissing the question as they continued walking. Spotting the rings on the ground, the domes in the air, these of the same size, not differing in size, all of them the size of the giant domes on the floor below, the size not being a constraint on the fight.
Lily stopped several meters from the stairwell they entered; Norbert stopped beside her. Looking around, trying to see the reason why but unable to, the place they stopped looking the same as everywhere else.
He was moving his sight up to the onlookers above; he saw a familiar face. He nodded to Commander Sally up there before she looked away from him, talking to someone else above. Tapping his fingers on his dagger, Norbert waited for the waiting speech to come. The last dregs of people finally made their up the stairs located in the hall.
The crowd started to push around him, bumping shoulders with each other, though not with the trio. People give a wide berth to the vampire, not wanting to get near him. Norbert turned around, not surprised, Count von Count barring his fangs from the entire crowd.
She was shaking his head at the stupidity behind him, knowing why Lily hadn't turned around once while waiting. Quickly, the crowd grew quiet, and all the shuffling stopped as everybody looked up.
Joining them, Norbert saw Commander Sally stepping forward as she looked down on the crowd before her. Nodding, she said, "Thank you all for coming here. Some of you are new to this, but mostly are familiar faces."
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Commander Sally let her voice hang in the air, dying down before she continued, "For those that will make it through, I thank you and to represent Morenas in the tournament to come."
Backing away, Norbert and everyone looked around the crowd, expecting a longer speech from the commander to be heard. As Norbert felt the people around him look around in confusion and about to open their mouths, someone from the viewing platform stepped forward.
"Thank you, commander. Now, everyone will be battling each other, only a hundred people can make it through the competition. Fights will be called out to everyone. Prepare for your fights, and don't forget the number given previously. The first battles will start in ten rotations." The commentator above said.
Everyone looked at each other in response, wondering what their fate would be next. Lily turned around, reaching out her hand to Norbert. Unslinging his backpack, Norbert handed it over to Lily, watching as she opened it up, taking out the back half of the mask and handing it over to Norbert.
Combining the two over his head, he heard it click inside as it clicked into place. Hearing it all come together. Touching all his weapons, kicking himself that he didn't have any time to practice throwing daggers, touching his blades, the knife still on his belt.
Hand going over his coin pouch, Norbert looked down, unbuckling it from his belt, letting the coins rest in his hand before they continued forward, dropping out of his hand and into the backpack, hearing the clink of coins hitting each other before settling in the backpack.
Patting himself down again, confident with everything he had, Norbert nodded to himself, trying to push the butterflies in his stomach down, nervous about what was happening. Remembering all his previous fights, the hundreds he did, now amounting to nothing as they didn't matter.
The next few would be the ones that mattered; could people have been hiding their information and secrets from him, waiting for this moment?
Norbert tapped his hand over his dagger hilts, feeling them hit around as he waited for the timer to tick down.
The time ticked down until, finally, it hit the mark. The commentator, before stepping forward, voice echoing around the hall, "The first contestants will be …"
Norbert drowned the voice out, only listening for his name and number to go out. Names and numbers are going through, hearing the number 101 and as being called.
"And last but not least, 1543 Norbert Scout against 23 Aster Mage," the speaker above spoke, stopping as his voice echoed throughout the hall, falling to silence.
The domes appear, the numbers appearing on top of each one. Norbert continued down the line until he saw his number scribbled above it. The other is already standing inside, looking over the crowd, waiting for this person to appear.
Count von Count patted him on the shoulder before pushing him inside; Norbert felt himself through the barrier, the dome ceiling above him. He locked eyes with his contestant, not having seen her last time.
Norbert unsheathed his sword, hearing it slide against the bundle, before going into his stance, sword pointing at the woman's head and looking at the mage, wearing the expected blue robes. Her staff in hand raised, pointing at Norbert.
Seeing her mouth move, he chanted to himself. I looked at the dome, saw it flash red, and realised it was counting down. Steadying himself, Norbert breathed in again, holding his breath and keeping the air in his body.
He pushed his energy through his body, not wanting this to go over longer then needed to. Seeing as the dome's flashing stopped, Norbert wondered what to do next as a rune appeared before the mage.
Leaping to the side, Norbert throws his dagger in the general direction. Skidding to the side, looking to see if anything was coming his way. Seeing nothing, his opponent continued chanting. Taking his dagger out with his left hand, Norbert threw it towards the mage, watching as it spun through the air.
She followed it; Norbert came to the mage and watched as her eyes opened before she touched her staff to the rune. Norbert saw the blue rune disappearing before a torrent of water launched at him.
Seeing the small jet shooting towards him, moving his body to the side but not fast enough, the jet of water ripping through his arm. His arm flapped to the side as he pushed the energy into it. Norbert watched as the dagger continued, missing the mage.
Norbert did not stop himself as he rushed forward, sword in front as he gutted the mage. A barrier appeared, the sword sliding to the side, a blue barrier holding it off. Norbert stepped past as he swung the sword around, hearing it whistle, and it crashed again.
The mage held her hand up in a cross brace, a barrier around it, as she caught the blade. She felt herself pushed back under the force of his strike. Dropping the sword, Norbert rushed forward, hand forming a fist towards the woman's head.
The mage was looking, eyes going wide before he made contact. His fist sent her flying into the barrier on his right. The barrier lit up red, showing Norbert's number only, the other disappearing.
Norbert looked at the mage and saw someone from the side walking forward, a rune already appearing. Taking the mage through the dome and placing their hands on her face, Norbert watched as the face started to go down, the bruise disappearing.
Norbert turned around, looked at the other domes, and saw them continue to fight, and one by one, they stopped. Norbert is looking at a new number now next to Norbert's 1543. Not caring what it said, Norbert picked up his dagger and sword, sheathing them as he walked back, waiting for his next opponent.