"What are you doing over here... boy?" The person behind the bar grizzled towards Norbert hostility dripping from his voice. As the door closed behind him, shutting off, the sounds of people walking and shouting out on the street, turning to the side and. The windows that used to be there were now boarded up several times, stopping the slightest ray of sunlight from entering.
Lamps dotting around on the tables, Norbert watching as the open flames flickered around on their wicks. Shadows dancing together to a tune Norbert couldn't hear. Looking towards the barkeeper, Norbert watched the arm that continued to clean the glass. His sleeves rolled up as he watched the bone of his forearm moving about, with off-white gloves on each hand, keeping it together. Looking towards his face, it seemed like the skin was half melted off, only stuck on by wax and not muscles.
Looking towards the bar, seeing several empty seats as people shuffled off in front of the barkeeper. Sighing at what Count von Count had brought him in, he sat down with a thud onto the hard wooden stool. Taking his backpack off and placing it between his feet, Norbert placed both hands on the table as he tapped his fingers, playing a drumming noise.
"A friend, buddy, whatever said to meet up here, so here I am." Norbert said, giving a quick reply as he stared at the barkeeper, not turning around as he felt everyone's gaze now on his back. They were feeling their hands going to their weapons as they weighed up Norbert's words.
"Does this 'buddy' have a name? And take the mask off." The barkeeper said, giving Norbert the last statement one as an order.
Not seeing the point of annoying the owner of the place he was meant to meet up with Count von Count, wondering how long it would take the guards to come to this section of the city if he made a disturbance. Norbert reaching for his mask and took it off his face before wiping it with his hand, feeling the skin move beneath it, before tussling his hair, letting the hand holding his mask drop to the side "Ah, sorry about that. Quite rude of me. And the friend I'm waiting on is Count von Count." Norbert said, placing the mask on the table with a clatter, still holding it down with his right hand as his left dropped to his waist.
Holding his breath, the bartender slowly released, audible in the silent room, "Guess the blighted curse is within our lands once again." The barkeeper said dejectedly, a round of ayes going around the bar as everyone took up their drink, downing it before slamming it on the table.
Finally turning around, Norbert looked at the depressed faces around the bar, surprised it could look so grim so quickly. Turning back to the barkeeper, his question was interrupted by someone behind him, "Maybe he won't be so bad this time." They said hopefully, voice wavering as they tried to make it accurate.
Norbert looked around and swivelled back to the barkeeper. "What do they mean so bad this time?" He asked, Norbert, starting to worry.
"Uhrrm," the barkeeper said, clearing his voice as he thought before continuing “His personality and humour are … grating to others." The barkeeper said, finishing it off with a nod of his head.
"Hear ye, hear ye!" Everyone in the bar shouted, slamming their empty drinks on the table.
"Oh, come on, he isn't that bad," Norbert said to the bar.
"Oh no, he’s one of them." Someone else said, Norbert, thinking one of them almost started crying.
"That's offensive; I'm only here for the contest. I don't know when the vampire will return, so you have some time." Norbert said to the bar, trying to quell the rising tension in the room.
The entire room shuffled as they looked towards the door, making sure that it hadn't started to move from the declaration of Norbert. They confirmed that the vampire hadn't burst through the door with the declaration.
Everyone left Norbert and the barkeeper to themselves as servers were called to the guests to refill the mugs.
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"How long are you going to be staying with us?" The barkeeper asked.
"How long does the tournament last for?" Norbert asked the barkeeper in response.
A slight chuckle came out of his lips "Kids," he said mostly to himself ", the tournament goes for twenty-five cycles, officially starting in two cycles' time, so twenty-seven cycles from today."
"And housing with meals for thirty cycles?" Norbert asked.
Everyone in the crowd once more grew quiet. Norbert was now looking around, and they all looked at him like a piece of meat.
"I wouldn't recommend staying here for an extended period." The bartender said as he started to look at Norbert hungrily.
"Shouldn’t matter with this where I stay or for how long" Norbert said placing the token he received from the guards for his boarding down on the table. Hearing a cackle of laughter around as the blue token shone out for everyone.
“Doesn’t work on this street. Go back to where you came if you want to use it.” The bartender said, crossing his arms in front of him, the glass he was cleaning on the bar table, wobbling around before resting.
Growling in annoyance at needing to pay Norbert said the few simple words “How much?”
"Gold coin." The bartender said with a straight face.
"Single room for thirty cycles and three meals a day, edible and enough for these two as well?" Norbert asked, finishing by pointing to both Obsius and the white fox.
Receiving a nod of approval, Norbert took two gold coins and placed them on the table with a thunck. Holding them both down with his fingers, Norbert tapped the second one closer to him. "And this one is to have no complications," Norbert said.
A quick nod of the bartender's head as Norbert raised his fingers from the gold coins, instantly being swiped the moment Norbert released them from his clutches, the two coins disappearing into the man's robes.
Norbert stared at the bartender as he wiped his glass without a care in the world, smiling. Norbert cleared his throat as the bartender looked back at him before the cogs began to tick in his head.
"Right food, I'll bring it out right away." The bartender said, moving from his position and going into the back room. Norbert looked into the kitchen briefly through the swinging doors before they closed. A single chef inside was moving about, trying to make food as the serving girls came in and out, dirty cutlery and plates going in, and fresh meals coming out.
Norbert looked around the bar, seeing a set of steps going down into the ground, underneath where he was, wondering what that was about the bartender coming back out holding a key for Norbert.
Handing it over, the bartender babbled, "Your meal will be ready in ten rotations. Will you want it here or in your room?"
Norbert thinks the best is "Whatever is easiest for you." Norbert replied.
The bartender gave a slight bow as he handed the key over, Norbert examining it as the bartender spoke again, "Well, we would love to have you here; your room is number ten; go up the ladder and the door at the end." The barkeeper said.
Norbert nodded as he left his chair. Obsius and the fox jumped back on his shoulders as he picked up his backpack and mask, holding the mask in one hand and the backpack and key in the other.
Walking down the stairs made out of sandstone, Norbert went up several steps before his head poked up, going to an open expanse, items everywhere with windows closed, a walled-off section with a single doorway. He was walking down to the end. Norbert looked at the key and saw that the number nine was written on it. Norbert chuckled as he entered the appropriate room, unlocking the door with a click.
Looking in the room, Norbert instantly saw two windows; Norbert realised he was on the corner of the building, the sun's light always making its way inside during the day. The curtains are currently closed. Norbert opened them, letting the light correctly in the room as he saw the dust everywhere.
He placed his bag down near the bed and noticed a chest there opened, the only other contents in the room. He placed his backpack in there and closed it up, hearing it lock again. Recognising the locks as the past one, whoever had closed the chest could open it again. Norbert breathed out, happy that his items and extra coins wouldn't be taken from him.
Taking the curtains, Norbert tried to billow the dust outside as he sneezed. Letting it rest, Norbert slapped the bed, another cloud of dust appearing once more in the air. Norbert continued grumbling, saying he didn't know and couldn't use a spell to clean the room.
The fox and the bird standing on the other windowsill, looking off into the street below them, continued to move about with no concern for Norbert as he continued his battle. He was wafting as much dust as possible out the other window overlooking the building next to them.
Sticking his head out as the dust went around him outside, slowly dissipating, Norbert looked around, seeing the alleyway beneath him and the other flat roof on the other side of the alleyway. There were only several chairs and a table on the top with no shade; as Norbert looked closer, he saw signs of use but not currently. Norbert didn't want to know what happened at night, hoping whatever it was wouldn't be so loud to interrupt his sleeping if he could even get any in this tavern.
Going back into the room to dust as best he could, Norbert heard a knock on the door, several taps one after the other filling the room.
Staring at the door, Norbert wondered who it was when it slowly opened.