"When I find the one that took it…" Norbert said, letting the thought trail off as he ran up the steps. Knowing he didn't have enough energy or ways to refill the test like before Norbert took out a dagger, it was normal.
Charging forward, not caring for the sound he was making, only focused on getting to the monkeys as quickly as possible. Wanting to make it through as many as possible to find the pendant he received from the plateau temple.
Making his way to the crossroads, still not finding anything, Norbert takes the left path, rising higher and higher into the trees. Unable to see the ground under the network of paths.
Running through them, it became narrower and narrower the further he went on. No longer seeing the marks of the paths being removed, the trees have grown again, swallowing the path the monkeys before had made.
Continuing forward, Norbert found himself falling, windmilling his hands trying to stabilise himself as he fell, smashing into the ground, the earth being thrown into the air and looking around himself as it fell around him. Norbert looked at where he found himself.
All around him, Norbert found the monkeys standing on seats within the ring. Hundreds of them were all sitting there, grinning at him. Their white faces and white teeth shone back at him. The green light made them look sickly like something was wrong with them.
He was shivering away the uncomfortableness that happened, Norbert sheathing the dagger, spinning around as he realised where he was. The monkey guys had made their stadium, and it seemed Norbert was the gladiator to run their gauntlet.
He looked around the crowd but did not find his pendant around one of the creature’s neck. While looking, his eyes found one holding a staff. The stick was as long as him, the creature giving Norbert the wickedest grin out of all of them.
Staring into its eyes, seeing something different, like it knew something about Norbert and setting up this entire display that he didn't know. Clapping its staff down once silence filled the crowd, all eyes turning to the monkey with the staff.
Tapping their staff twice more, the crowd cheers went up once more. Norbert moved his gaze off the sides of the barrier, the roots all around at base level, going several meters before the stands started. Looking around these roots, Norbert is waiting for something to happen.
Seeing a white shape move towards the roots from the left, Norbert turned in that direction as a creature burst out from it. Seeing the tiger before him, Norbert wondered how this was supposed to be a challenge.
The tiger looked around Norbert, seeing as its ruby eyes targeted Norbert. The creature pounced off immediately, a missile locked on and approaching its target. Fluidly unsheathing his sword, Norbert stepped forward while getting into his stance. The tiger leapt up into the air as Norbert swung the blade upwards. The two impacted as Norbert was pushed to the ground by the weight. The tiger impaled itself on the sword.
He pushed his energy around his body, and Norbert lifted the tiger off him, stepping away. The tiger rolled around on the ground before getting onto its paws, eyeing off Norbert as it dripped a stream of red blood, painting the ground in red droplets and its white-marred coat.
Norbert looked at it, seeing marks from something happening to the creature that it couldn't heal from—wondering what the monkeys did to it for that to happen to the creature. Norbert took a throwing dagger out and his dagger, throwing it at the tiger with as much force as possible as he charged at the creature.
Grabbing onto the tiger by its stomach, Norbert Pulling the creature into the air. Norbert leaned backwards as the tiger scratched at his back. Not letting go, Robert forced the sword deeper into his body, moving the weapon around as he held the dagger planted into the creature's side.
Arching his back, Norbert let himself topple, the two falling.
CRRUUNCCCH
The tiger's head impacts the ground first with the force of its jump. Norbert was pinned down by the creature's weight once more as it sprawled on top of him.
He was reaching his hand around, pulling the dagger around its body, opening it up as Norbert tried to get his feet underneath him. Lying on his back, Norbert pushed the tiger off his body, letting it fall to the side of him with a slight crash. Norbert rolled to the side.
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Standing up, the monkeys around him did not cheer for his success. Lifting both bloody hands in the air, wanting them to say something. Turning in a circle and walking towards the tiger, Norbert sees the annoyed look on the monkey with the staff.
Stepping towards the tiger, bending down as he pulled the two weapons still stuck in it. Cleaning them both, Norbert sheathed all his weapons as he looked back at the monkey.
"Is that all you've got?" Norbert asked, taunting the monkey and not knowing if the creature could understand what he said, he turned towards it.
Feeling his energy mostly filled, Norbert took out the dagger and waited for the monkey to decide. Cutting up the meat on the creature, calling upon the information that he remembered shown to him by Cossan so long ago.
The meat was cut into bite-sized pieces, and Norbert turned them into little cubes to eat quickly. He popped one in his mouth as he cleaned the blade on the corpse's fur. Looking back up as he swallowed another piece, grizzling at the taste but never knowing when to use the energy. The monkey just stared at him as it struck the stump of its staff twice on the ground.
The roar of approval and excitement from the monkeys around them made Norbert turn in surprise, wondering what would be happening and moving his eyes towards the walls of the stadium, scanning over the roots to see which section would move in first, allowing him not to be taken aback by what was about to be released.
Standing there, Norbert's feet start to vibrate on the ground. Looking down, I saw the dirt shaking slightly to a dance. Unsheathing his sword, Norbert ran away from his standing, moving to the circle's centre.
The first creature bursting through, one of the bison creatures of before. As the second and third came out, all charged towards Norbert. Their heads were down as their horns were pointed straight at himself, almost able to see his reflection in the ivory horns as they approached him. No more came after the tenth; Norbert was unsure of the numbers as he ran towards the bison.
The creatures were meters long and two tall. Norbert looked into their crimson eyes as they stared him down. They were leaping forward, increasing his stride; Norbert counted as they came together. Finally, Norbert jumped into the air. From above, watching, they tried to wheel themselves upwards to catch onto him with their horns, almost going on top of one another to reach him.
Norbert fell to the ground, twisting himself mid-air as he fellated one of the bison.
Immediately, the creature, startled by its extra passenger, started to buck around. Sword swinging high in the air, leaning forward as he stabbed it down into the creature to act as a handle to hold onto the creature. This resulted in the bison underneath him swinging around even harder, smashing into its brethren around it.
As Norbert was smashed into another bison, feeling like his leg had turned into a paste between the two creatures. Before he could think about it, one came up, mounting it from behind as it swiped its head down, its horns coming for Norbert. Seeing that he was no longer welcome on this ride, Norbert freed his right leg, healing the muscle on it, keeping his bone in place with the energy as he leapt to the left, taking his sword with him.
With an almighty crash and a subsequent bleat, two creatures crashed onto the ground. The bottom bison could not support the unexpected weight, coupled with the horn now wrenching inside of its brother. The horns were ripped out, a trail of blood flowing in an arc, covering the two bison. All this happened as Norbert went through the air, landing on the side of the wall, quickly gripping onto its roots.
The monkeys above leaned down, jeering at him as they tried to push him off. Norbert gave the ones closest a death glare as he held the sword menacingly at them. Swallowing in fear, they slowly moved away from Norbert, returning to their seat.
He was turning back to the bison behind him, and Norbert dropped to the ground. Standing on the side, Norbert watched as the bison attacked each other in a frenzy. The calm and serene creature Norbert saw outside was gone, and the uniform team they had made had now turned against each other.
Watching as they all fell, only leaving one standing. The bison heaved; Norbert, seeing the gusts of air, was forced out of its body. Its white fur was bloody, pockmarked from the horns that tried to penetrate it.
Norbert slowly walked over, seeing his legs shake. It was too much effort to stand still, and he flipped his sword and spun the blade around. The bison looked back at him, not moving as it continued to pant.
Standing in front of the beast, Norbert talks to it. "It's ok; neither of us wanted this to happen. But mark my words, I'll make them pay."
Seeing the bison nod slightly, Norbert didn't know if it was in understanding or exhaustion. Norbert stepped forward, pointing the blade straight up into the creature's neck. Feeling the spine, Norbert pushed harder, hearing it crack as the bison fell to the ground, impaling itself down his sword.
The creature was dead before it hit the floor as Norbert worked the sword loose, covering its eyes, the crimson eyes no longer looking viewing the world.
The monkeys around him were in an outcry of what had happened. Norbert looked to the one with the staff, waiting for his verdict. The two stared at each other. Looking down, Norbert began butchering the bison at his feet, at least to get some use out of the creature.
"Are you not entertained?" Norbert asked the monkeys as he continued to work. Hearing the staff hit against the ground again, Norbert received his answer. He was standing up. He popped another cube of meat in his mouth, becoming dry from the lack of water.
"I guess you're not." He said, turning towards the last large section of the colosseum wall that hadn't been damaged yet.