Making a bypass for the stairs and coming to the bottom, he looked at the door as the butler guided him to the main room once more. The butler stepped forward as he opened the door for Norbert. Looking forward, the drawing room was once more presented, the table with the maps off to the side, a small coffee table in the centre with an assortment of biscuits and cakes there.
A cup of hot liquid in a cup and saucer, steam wafting off it as Vivienne looked towards Norbert, a smile on the witch's face as she placed the teapot back in the centre of the table.
Sitting down, Norbert popped his helmet off, laying it on the couch next to him as he reached for the tea, sipping the liquid and washing down his troubles. Reaching forward, Norbert took the biscuit, the circle frosted with icing sugar. Biting into it, a cloud of white dust fell to the ground.
Taking another bite, trying not to spread the mess from the sugar, Norbert nodded in approval of the biscuit. Finishing it off, he reached for another one. The sugar reminded him of the candy upstairs he left behind for testing and confirming. Opening his mouth to ask Vivienne about it, he closed it again, biting into the biscuit. The sugar tickled his throat, causing him to breathe out, and he covered his legs and feet with the light white sugar.
Nodding his head, satisfied about it, Norbert got up from the table. Vivienne rose with him. "Do you need help out there?" Vivienne sceptically asked him, with all the Kreevss after him.
"I can easily get in there. It will be a good bit of cardio." Norbert pauses briefly before continuing. "However, your assistance would be greatly appreciated in making it back out." Norbert looks towards the witch, hoping to get her support for his outing.
"My pleasure. Same place as last time?" The worry gone from Vivienne’s face from hearing Norbert’s confidence.
"That would be for the best," Norbert said, picking up the helmet and connecting the parts to his face. Patting himself down, making sure everything was as it should be, Norbert, with a nod of his head, aiming for the double doors and exiting the drawing room.
The butler at the front door was already opening it as Norbert stepped out, looking up and seeing the cavern roof above him as he walked down the path to the wrought iron fence and stepped out of the witch's.
Looking both ways, Norbert confirmed that there were no Kreevss in sight. As he looked up into the air, seeing the many columns connecting the two parts of the cities, Norbert wondered which would be the bested for him.
***
The classic path sometimes was the best as Norbert trudged up the stairs. He wondered what Brezan thought when he appeared once more in his inn if there would be a Kreevss waiting in the central area for him to come back. With only one way to tell, Norbert popped open the trapdoor, looking about the store room. Everything looked as he remembered the last time he came down here, only a few days ago.
Placing an ear to the door, Norbert confirmed that there wasn't anything there. Peaking around the corner, looking both ways, only the empty hall waiting for him.
Walking up the stairs, taking as light steps as possible as Norbert entered the main room. Seeing Brezan once more standing behind the bar, Norbert waved to the bartender as he approached.
"Are there any Kreevss about?" Norbert asked the bartender, preoccupied with watching everyone around him and making sure there weren't any.
"You've turned the entire place upside down quite splendidly." Brezan gruffly told Norbert, placing the glass down that the bartender was cleaning before Norbert showed up.
"Not my fault. Hope I haven’t gotten you in any trouble and I’ll be off” Norbert quickly spat out, heading towards the door, his hand hovering over
Brezan wildly exclaims to Norbert, "Where's Vivienne, I need the second set of hands."
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"The witch is in her mansion …" Norbert trailed off the sentence, stomping twice on the ground before opening the door. Brezan stared at Norbert in disbelief at his actions.
The sun hit Norbert's face as he looked up at it, the bustling crowd on the street, already heading towards the stadium, ready for the next round of battles that Norbert would be competing in and wondering if there would be anything different this time, a change of location or some ridiculous rule that would handicap him Norbert joining the crowd.
There was only one thought in his mind: "How long would it take until the Kreevss find him?" The question bounced around within his helmet. He was happy to be wearing clothes that correctly covered his body again, knowing he should find some way to reinforce them properly. Even without magic, there should be something better suited to him.
His nose took an interest in a shop. Passing through the crowd to the other side, Norbert smelt the wares on sale. Looking across at the pastries, Norbert stopped as he saw a set of papers cut into the wooden table with a knife. Imprinted on the front was some writing Norbert didn't understand. What he did understand was the clear picture of his helmeted face.
The mask that he currently wore, Norbert hoped, was red ink used on his glowing face pieces. Popping his head out, wondering when they had set up this entire thing, Norbert waving stepped away from the stall, looking for the best way to get out of the busy street.
Following through, Norbert found an alley, pushing energy into his body, leaping between the two walls. He stood looking out upon the city, planning the best course of action to get to the Colosseum, standing tall in the centre.
His eyes crossed over the temple section. From here, Norbert could see the tops of the most prominent buildings in that area. He moved his sight slightly to the right, where he believed Korn should be sitting, giving out the candies he had brought them earlier in the day.
Looking out on either side of the roof, several streets away, Norbert saw some people staring at him, pointing directly at him. Squinting over at them as they quickly rushed over to his side, five appendages bustling in the wind.
Wondering what they could be on about "FOR GLORY!" Norbert heard travelled over the wind.
Staring at the figures, Norbert could see others on the main street below, also looking at what created the commotion above them. Norbert's 'Norbert' plan had come to its completion. Looking about the other rooftops, more Kreevss were bouncing their way over to him, shouting and brandishing weapons Norbert was sure to use against him.
Nodding his head that it was time to move off, Norbert jumped off the rooftop, being careful not to break it as he made it to the other side. The Kreevss re-positioned their course to still come into contact with him. With that little bit of worry confirmed in his mind, Norbert changed his direction, heading straight for the Colosseum.
Changing his course, the biggest group of Kreevss in front of him, the only way out now would either be underground, resulting in an exacerbated chase or make it to the stadium and be free from them for the course of the jousts today.
Rushing forward, spells formed in front of him as Norbert leapt into the sky, watching as the spell casters stopped running, the runes about to be unleashed following him in the air as they waited for him to come to the apex.
Norbert watched as they unleashed, not wanting to use any daggers to hopefully distract a spell caster, not knowing when they could be handy in the next fight in the tournament. Residing that Norbert felt the spells impact him, his once nice clothes heated up on top of his skin, and he felt the leather crackle slightly under the heat.
Falling to the ground, Norbert balled himself up as he crashed into the street, feeling something mush underneath him. Not wanting to look down, Norbert leapt to his feet, the above-the-rooftop trick not working this time, happy that no arrows had been launched his way before. Remembering what the city guards could do to him if they also ganged up.
Sprinting forward, shouting into the crowd as they passed for him, running straight down the middle of the street, his hopes that there wouldn't be a mass shooting, likely hitting the citizens of whichever country they resided in rather than Norbert himself.
His theory proved right, as Norbert was no longer shot at. Looking at the rooftops, the Kreevss were still running, trying to keep up but ultimately not able to.
As he ran forward, the street finally opened, and he saw a line of bodies before him. Not caring in the slightest, the sun came high as he was dazzled by one of them. Their golden glittering scales directed the sunlight into his eyes.
Closing his watery eyes, Norbert veered to the side and smashed into a sandstone building. Crumpling to the floor, he heard the building shake and collapsed on top of him. Norbert held still, hoping nobody else was there, waiting for the dust to settle.
Holding his breath, Norbert waited as he moved around, getting to the top as he put all the energy into his legs, shooting himself out of the crumpled building, the impact cracking its neighbours. Flying through the air, Norbert sees the entrance to the Colosseum shoot by below him.
Windmilling in the air, Norbert hoped this wouldn't happen as he smashed into the side of the stadium. Several hands grabbed him and pulled him inside.