Norbert stood up, and Obsius fluttered over to land on his head. Walking behind Count von Count, Count slaps the vampire on the back, “It's show time, buddy.”
His buddy was just staring back at him, and the beer he was trying to drink now spilled everywhere from Norbert’s unnecessary gesture.
Looking down at his wet clothes, he shrugged as he took them off. The multitudes of colour were no longer needed for the moment. Norbert saw what Count von Count was doing. “Why are you talking them off? I’m not leaving here for at least another day.”
The vampire's groan was worth the comment as he looked down at his wet clothes, not knowing what he would be doing.
Norbert looked at what the others had been doing, seeing the pleading looks on their faces as they waited for the two latest arrivals to leave and the bar to return to its previous state.
“So long and farewell! I hope you enjoyed our stay and the entertainment we provided!” Norbert shouted over, hearing his voice echo around the walls of the pub. Behind him, he heard a slight wince from the person who had called Norbert over.
Norbert walked around, saying goodbye with a final wave, Count von Count begrudgingly following after the scout. The attendant breathing out as he walked away, Norbert seeing the same corridor the last time he walked through.
The group walked down the corridor, passing several doors, until the man stopped at one, opening it up as a white room greeted Norbert. All four walls, the floor and ceiling painted white, and the stone that made up the floor of the hallway he was currently standing on seemingly disappeared past the door frame.
As a man looked over papers, The black metal table with three seats around it, two on one side and the third already being used.
Stepping through, Norbert took the seat on the right and Count von Count on the left, the two of them scraping the metal chairs along the floor. Norbert was unsure of what material it was, for even though it felt hard under his feet, the chairs themselves didn’t make a single noise, almost like gliding over the carpet, even though his feet and eyes said otherwise.
Staring at the nondescript man sitting in front of him, going over the papers, Norbert stared at him, something tickling in his mind, a memory of the man. Unable to pinpoint exactly what it was, he sat "Hello there, my name is Oscar. I heard you came in contact with others on your … trip?” The man questioned Norbert, having stopped writing whatever he had been and now staring down Count von Count, even though Norbert knew he was talking to him.
Norbert was surprised by the looks that the vampire was experiencing from an office worker in the Frontier. “That’s where I remember you!” Norbert exclaimed aloud, causing Oscar to stop his death stare at the vampire and focus on Norbert.
“You’re the one that first interviewed me.” Norbert pointed his finger, triumphantly adding, “I never forget a face!”
“Norbert, are you really going to claim that statement?” Count von Count asked Norbert, Obsius on his head piping up in agreement with the vampire.
Dismissing them without even a flick of his wrist, Norbert leaned forward, looking towards Oscar. “Even if you don’t remember, it should be written down in one of those reports?” Norbert asked, leaning forward, trying to read the reports upside down.
Getting a single look of annoyance, Norbert slowly returned to his chair, and Oscar looked through the papers again. He took one out as he quickly scanned through it. “Though Norbert does seem to be correct that I was the one that interviewed you. But please, let’s put this discussion to rest, and please let me know what happened?” Oscar told them, purposefully looking over Norbert, pumping his fist in the air in victory before turning back to Oscar.
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Nodding his head, Norbert began, “When in Flare-dew, I, I had a bit of time until I was picked up. So—” Norbert spoke before getting interrupted almost immediately.
“By who?”
“Traveller friend of this guy,” Norbert told him, pointing at Obsius, the bird still sitting on his head.
Oscar looked up at the bird for a moment before he continued scribbling down again on the paper.
“So after dropping off the kids, I headed towards t-” Norbert continued his story before getting interrupted again.
“Kids?” Oscar interrupted once more, and not at the point in the sentence.
“Yes, kids, didn’t you see them all …” Norbert stopped as he looked to Count von Count on his side. The vampire wiggled his eyebrows in response to Norbert.
“Do you know how annoying that is?” Norbert asked the vampire about his new antics.
“I have no clue what you’re talking about. Now, what did you do with your free time?” Count von Count asked Norbert, Oscar nodding his head in agreement, wanting the interview to proceed in its normal manner.
Norbert quickly changed his vision to magic as he looked around the room. There were multiple runes that Oscar was using for recording devices like the pen, and one was inscribed on the table as well. Several were on the walls Norbert thought he had seen previously for air, but he was not sure what they could be for as his attention was taken up by Count von Count by his side.
The vampire was invisible to Norbert. A shroud of pink mist pumped out of him, filling the room as it started tentatively snaking its way to Oscar.
He pushed energy through his body, not feeling any difference as Norbert saw he was not in the cloud. Before looking at Count von Count, he wondered what the vampire was playing at, but whatever it was. Norbert knew best than to let the Frontier know he knew something was up, or else a punishment more than what he already may be receiving would come to him.
Continuing the story, Norbert had to describe to Oscar, “Had free time and was told that the creatures of the plateau were coming down near the town. Said they already asked the Frontier for help, but since I’m there…” Norbert let his explanation hang in the air, waiting to see if Oscar would interrupt him again.
Not hearing anything from the man, Norbert continued, “After climbing up the plateau, I followed down the river until I interacted with the people.” Norbert added as he looked back to Oscar. The man nodded his head and waited for Norbert to continue.
“Men about the height of this chair, the mages they had, could move metal around. The entire group was governed by a man, Charles Nais Med Charles, like someone rough. The entire group was looking inside ancient ruins.” Norbert told Oscar.
“Know what they were looking for?” Oscar asked Norbert.
Norbert plucked Obsius off his head, placing the bird in front of Count von Count and leaning back in his chair as far as he could. Norbert gazed around the place, finding where one of the runes was on the wall. Flinging one of his throwing daggers, strapped to his leg at it, Norbert releases the energy into it so it is smashed in, a cloud of dust hanging in the air.
Once it settled, Oscar turned around, seeing the dagger now a bent piece of metal warped from the impact. The wall had a large crack running down to the floor.
“If either you or Sally can’t work it out, you don’t need to know,” Norbert added as he continued.
“Whatever they were after, they didn’t get it when I was there. I left promptly afterwards, seeing as they wanted to trap me there to assist them with the next place they wanted to investigate. And as I had already reserved dinner, I was not planning on missing it.” Norbert told Oscar, the man, to write away what Norbert had added.
“They had a barrier up, which failed for a moment. In the resulting confusion, I escaped, made it back to the town, had my dinner, and now I’m here.” Norbert finished by showing his hands in the air to them.
Oscar continued to write for a moment before looking up. “And why did you choose that place out of all?”
“The family helped me when I fell off the plateau, should be in the previous report. And I thought it would be nice to see them again, especially their son, as he seemed so sad when I had to depart last time.” Norbert added, remembering Nassan waving to him the first time he went through the portal.
“Ah, good kid, thought it would be nice to see them again. He seemed pretty excited when I showed up out of the blue. Though they did mention one thing.” Norbert added as he landed his chair again, no longer leaning back on it. Obsius jumped off from Count von Count and headed over to Obsius, resting back on the scout's head once more, fluffing herself up before resting.
Making note not to make any sudden movements, Norbert continued, “They asked me where I had gone for my break instead of back to them. To which I replied I hadn’t been on a break and still haven’t. Now, isn’t that peculiar?” Norbert asked as he looked towards the crack that was still in the wall before returning his eyes to Oscar.