Oscar looked towards Norbert, looked at the papers again for a moment, and leafed through them again and a third time before reaching over and touched the rune.
A display popped up backwards for Norbert as the man continued to type away at it frantically. Norbert turned to Count von Count to the side. “How much trouble am I in?” Norbert asked as Oscar started typing even more furiously, Norbert scared he was going to get poked if the man didn’t stop his fingers in time.
Oscar nods before sitting down again. “It says here that you have... You have taken significant time off between your last time in the jungle and your tournament.” Oscar said to them.
The door opening up behind them, Norbert turning around as someone came in, delivering a single piece of paper in front of Norbert before exiting, the memory of what they looked like fading from his memory until it was only a figure.
Shaking his head, Norbert felt the energy turn slightly sluggish inside him before ramping it up again, whatever had happened to him causing the hairs to stand at the back of his neck. A response that worried Norbert when he was supposed to be safe here, wondering how safe he was.
Oscar placed the paper on the table after giving a satisfying nod and spinning it around for Norbert to see. He reached forward, and Norbert picked it up as he quickly read through it.
“As you can see its all filled out and with your approval, orders from Commander Sally are to keep your leave until later. The reasoning under ‘he will need it.’” Oscar said quickly, as Norbert’s eyes flew over the piece of paper, quickly grazing the information that confirmed what the man in front of him said.
Placed it down, Norbert slid the paper back to Oscar, drumming his fingers on the table as he thought about what it could be referring to. “Ever seen this before?” Norbert asked Oscar.
“Your entire file is strange, stranger than I last left it. Some things are best not to make comments any more than needed,” Oscar told Norbert.
Norbert raised an eyebrow as he heard the words, concerned for a moment before dismissing it with a shrug. He placed it in the back of his head for the moment, something to ask Sally later if he hadn’t figured it out himself.
“Anything else you want?” Norbert asked as he sat there, most of the questions already answered.
“Yes, a few more things like travel? Putting aside the Traveller you somehow bargained to help you, they should not have transported you from Libitina to Alasium.” Oscar told them, Norbert wondering which part they were more interested in, his movement or the use of the Traveller outside of their limits.
“No, different method. Didn’t use the Traveller that brought us to Flare-dew for the ride from Libitina to Alasium.” Norbert told them, seeing Oscar visibly deflate, whatever worry they had about a Traveller going AWOL was the major thing on their mind.
Norbert is sitting there tapping his fingers on the table, his right hand going from his thumb to pinkie on the table, only to repeat.
“Anything else you want of me?” Norbert asked, feeling like a slightly broken record at this point, the interview much more tedious than he thought it would be.
“Just want to flesh out some more details,” Oscar told Norbert.
Count von Count groaned from the side as Norbert mentally reflected the same thoughts but did a slightly better job of hiding his annoyance at the inconvenience. The only part holding him back was knowing he didn’t have much to do in the city besides picking up his mask.
***
“That took forever!” Count von Count shouted out as he walked out of The Frontier building; Norbert, ignoring his remarks, followed him down the steps, looking around the city as he tried to remember the best way to navigate to Beckia’s shop.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Staring at the sun, Norbert said to Count von Count, “You really should wrap yourself up. The sun's about to rise soon.” Norbert pointed to the wall, where the sky was lightening up.
Count von Count cursed for a moment as he began wrapping the clothes around him, having only half placed them around his body, wanting to carry them in case he needed them.
Standing on the steps, Norbert watched the vampire, not caring which way was black or rainbow, as he stepped off the stairs and moved to the buildings on the other side of the street. He hoped to get himself out of the approaching sun for a month before moving.
Norbert looked around in magic vision, finally seeing what was happening inside as he changed it back to normal. He was thankful that everything returned to how it should be, slowing down the energy within his body as he no longer needed to protect himself.
Feeling the purple energy within at an acceptable level, I was still surprised by how much it would rise just from having a meal and letting it rest without constant explosive use.
Standing in the sun as it hit his head, Norbert looked out at Count von Count, having finished the final pieces. “All good over there?” Norbert asked him.
The vampire walked towards Norbert, looking at both sides of the road as traffic started to move about. People were moving d it towards the walls as carts clacked across the cobblestones.
“All good. Now, where is this mask? You're so desperate to get your hands on it.” Count von Count asked Norbert.
“No clue, really; that’s what this guy is for,” Norbert spoke as he patted Obsius, who was once more on his head.
The bird chirping to Norbert in annoyance, Norbert just nodding his head “Yes yes, it’s a mystery I find my way out of bed every morning without it taking me half a day.” Norbert agreed with the bird, hoping it would stem the conversation before progressing further into a pick on Norbert.
Seeing Count von Count open his mouth, Norbert whipped his head around, looking at him, the bird pecking Norbert on the forehead for his quick movement.
Norbert just looked back as he started walking towards the tree that towered over the city, nodding as he mentally confirmed the damage he did so long ago, having previously confirmed it wasn’t there hadn’t magically re-appeared to him.
Moving down an alleyway from Obsius's direction, Norbert made it through several streets, feeling the sun in his eye as he scratched his forehead, feeling sweat drip down.
Making another turn, Norbert continued walking, feeling the sweat in his eyebrows again and wiping it off again. He was surprised not to have been sweating for such a long time. He placed his gloved hand in front of his eyes as he spun around, walking backwards up the street and staring at the sun, making sure it wasn’t anything different.
Count von Count turned around, looking at Norbert as the two passed, only for the vampire to stop.
“What have you done now?” the vampire asked, locking his lips before realising what he was doing and stopping himself.
Norbert wiped the sweat from his brow once more, turning to Count von Count, wondering what the vampire was on about. “What are you on about?” Norbert asked.
“Look at your hand, dumb skull and your head in a reflection. You're thick, but being this thick is a bit much even for you.” Count von Count told Norbert as Norbert was dragged to the closest window on the side of the street.
Norbert was being pulled, looking at his reflection, the blistering skin that had cracked, the blood now trickling down his face. Once Norbert saw it, he was holding down the energy within him much more than he thought as he released it to its natural level, the wound on his head already working away, disappearing, only leaving the blood on his head behind.
Leaning forward, Norbert looked at his slightly pale skin, shaking his head as he turned to Count von Count. “What is happening to me?” Norbert asked.
“Why would I know what’s happening to you? I’m not you.” Count von Count told Norbert.
Shaking his head, feeling the energy within him cleared up, he continued walking to where Beckia had her store, his mind racing as he tried to think of what could be happening to him.
Count von Count followed after Norbert as the scout went quiet, starting to think to himself about when it could have happened.
“Drank, anything funny?” Count von Count asked as he saw his friend worry about it.
Norbert shook his head, a slight smile on his face. “I’ve been drinking funny things since I set foot here, literally,” Norbert added as he quickly flashed through his mind all the elixirs he had taken.
“Ok, but apart from the first thing, what other strange things are there?” Count von Count asked, prodding the question, hoping to add something more beneficial to the conversation and get out of the sun.
“Apart from the weird foods around me, the first thing that kicked this started,” Norbert said, waving his hand in the air, flashing purple. “Lots of times, with the random drops from the casino when help was needed.” Norbert sighed, thinking about all the elixirs he had drunk.
“Maybe you’ve hit your max, and it’s only the start.” Count von Count added to Norbert.
Nodding, Norbert smiled at the vampire. “Yeah, just the start. I guess the easy progress is gone for now.” Norbert added with a sigh as he walked several streets down the road, taking heavy steps before stopping at one and opening the door.
The familiar sounds of banging escaped from the open door as the bell nailed to the doorframe rung announcing Norbert’s welcome.