His fist flew forward, smashing into Casper’s nose, feeling the crunch under his fist as blood sprayed out of the student's face. Not letting go of the scruff of his top, Norbert pulled his arm back for a second, his energy bubbling, feeling it flush into his veins, not caring as it started leaking out of him.
A hand on Norbert’s arm, as a second and third went on his body, stopping him from twisting and connecting again. A red burn came to his cheek like Luck had hit him just moments before. He was turning incredulously to the assailant, eyes locking with Sarah, wearing the clothes of a uni student and not of the commander of an army, ready to unleash her wrath on Morenas's enemies.
Sarah’s hand was holding in the air, waiting to give another hit to his face to wake him from his rage. Norbert’s arms went slack, letting Casper drop to the ground. The entire class was quiet as they stared at the commotion that he made.
Seeing Jack’s face as he stared at Norbert, horror dripping from it, eyes open and mouth slack, a scream frozen in his friend's throat. Turning back to Casper, the words Sarah had uttered to him long ago about a treaty on Earth. His eyes flickered over to Casper’s bloody, grinning face, looking back at him, begging Norbert to take another shot. The glare from Sarah stopping him in his tracks, turning around, trying to erase the smile on Caspers bleeding face, Norbert stuffed his books and equipment into his bag, kicking the chair in, stalking out of the classroom.
The door flew open, hearing it slam against the wall, its hinges crying out from the force as it closed on its own. Norbert stalked outside of the classroom, down the hallway to try and get outside, wiping his memory of the sneering face from Norbert’s mind.
Hearing a door open and close behind him, not caring who had followed him out, Norbert headed to the courtyard around the building, the light coming in from the railing as he walked around the second-floor passage. Making a corner and coming down the stairs, Norbert stopped just within the shadow of the building, watching as the sunlight hit the tree, dancing in the leaves, watching them brown. Having forgotten what season it was over here, whether it was entering Autumn or coming to Spring.
Hearing steps come beside him, hearing them stop right next to his, he saw Count von Count out of the corner of his eye. There was a flap of wings and the sound of nails on concrete as Obsius and the fox darted past Norbert, heading for the tree he was gazing at.
“You know it's not going to hurt you.” Count von Count told Norbert.
He felt the energy inside him slowly start to simmer, feeling the damage the energy pushing around his body had done. He was just another step further away from being healed.
“I know, but we both know that isn’t why I’m standing here,” Norbert replied, watching him run up the tree, chasing after Obsius as she flickered from branch to branch, always out of reach.
“Then go out there, experience everything you can of this world, and forget about Masanu.”
Norbert did not respond as he continued to stare out, biting his lip, gripping and lossening his backpack slung over one shoulder. “Do you know what the last thing Luck said to me was?”
There was silence as the vampire refused to respond. Norbert turned, seeing the raised eyebrow, the only reply to Norbert’s rhetorical question.
“She hoped I don’t see her soon, for my own sake.” As the words left his mouth, feeling himself begin to be crushed, the words he had said before he left banged in his mind.
“Gods don’t say things half-heartedly,” Count von Count provided.
“Do you know why she said that, for me not to return?”
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“Oh, most definitely, that is no mystery. Look at how you left it, the tournament in ruins, countries after each other's throats for the actions of the few powerful in there. That includes your stunts as well, Norbert.” Count von Count told him, poking him in the shoulder.
Norbert allowed his body to be moved as he thought about it. “But why would she say that, after so long trying not to be forgotten, to just so easily throw away one of her chances, possibly her only chance of not being forgotten like all those other statues, like all those previous gods?”
“A way to sway your heart? Because she cares for you? Or maybe because she doesn’t want you as a champion running more of her plans? I don’t know; she isn’t the goddess I follow.”
“Then what goddess do you follow, vampire?” The word stinging as it came out of Norbert’s mouth.
“Questions like that are not for places like this.” Count von Count beckoned to Norbert forward, to step into the sun. “Enjoy the time you have left, and think over the decision that you will need to make."
“But Casper?” Norbert asked.
Count von Count shook his head. “What that man has done cannot be undone. The snow has fallen, and the avalanche has started, so don’t fret about what has been done.” Digging his elbow into Norbert’s ribs, he said, “Even if there are people you cared about now gone.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Careful with getting smitten with a witch.”
“Why is everyone telling me to be careful with her? Nothing’s happened at all.” A rattling breath came out of Norbert’s mouth.
Count von Count wiggled his brow at Norbert. Opening his mouth to respond, Norbert remembered the glimpse of Vivienne standing in the crowd in the sun. “But she’s gone,” Norbert added
“Witches have a way of popping up again, once they crawl into your life. They never let go.”
Norbert shook his head; Enid’s father’s words were in his mind. “That’s enough about her. Though I might enjoy the sun...” Norbert said the words, not wanting to utter them, a small piece of him protesting out that somehow uttering the words of her death would make it so.
Norbert stepped into the sun, Count von Count coming in behind him, not a single bit of pain, no smoke smouldering off them and their flesh peeling at it. Taking a deep breath in, Norbert felt as the sun warmed him up, the thoughts of Casper and Morenas slowly slipping from his mind, opening them as he watched Obsius and the fox play with each other. The two of them stopped as
“Casper won’t escape scot-free.”
“You won't need to worry about him. Ambition must be tempered to survive fighting on the god's behalf, or the champion will get swayed and meet an untimely end.” Count von Count added, finally stepping into the sunlight as well.
Norbert turns Count von Count, taking several steps backwards, resting against the tree. “How come you’re here? And not back there? Why ever come here to Earth when Morenas would be what truly matters to you?” Norbert asked, not knowing where the question came from, as he looked at the peace on the vampire's chest, basking in the sun.
“There are some simple pleasures that cannot be found there.” Count von Count told him, raising his arms as they basked in the sunlight.
Norbert nods his head. “Toilets that let everyone can flush and showers that allow me to clean are truly wonderful,” Norbert said as he gave a big whiff of himself. “Speaking of showers, I’m off. Need to clean the grime; don’t think the hospital did it previously.”
And with just a wave, Norbert headed off, leaving the class behind. Obsius and the fox, no longer watching the discussion between unlikely friends, chasing after Norbert. not wanting to get left behind on the other side. Stopping and holding out his arm, the fox jumped off the branch, hearing it wobble and strain under the weight, the soft creature landing into his hand as it crawled up his arm, clutching onto his jumper until finally sitting on his shoulder.
The three of them headed off, Obsius on Norbert’s head with the fox on one shoulder and the bag on the other. Heading out, Norbert made his way across the campus, seeing several people rush about and heading to the classroom from which he had evacuated.
Not wanting to deal with that at the moment, Norbert kept the energy at bay,, he started going at a jog, feeling the power in him want to be released. His heart pumping, the physical activity replenishing his pathways, the energy flowing the smoothest out of
He stopped as he looked around, slowing as he passed the pizza place, looking for his apartment that he shared with Jack, the memory a hazy blur in his mind. Closing his eyes, Norbert followed his nose, going by instinct, only keeping an ear out to make sure he wouldn’t get run over by a car.
Stopping at the lights, pressing the button as it clicked, telling him to walk, he went up steps and stepped into the shade. Opening the door, Norbert went around down a hallway, stopping at the door. Norbert took out his key, put it in the slot, and heard it click.
Stepping inside, the apartment looked the same as always. Chucking his bag onto the couch, Norbert said to the empty apartment, “Its good to be … home."