Martitia looked into the fire, the creaking from upstairs slowly getting less and less loud until it stopped; Norbert heard the door close. Still looking into the fire, she stared at Norbert. “Elixirs are no fun and games. No easy shortcut with all upside and no downside." She said.
Norbert gulped all fun and games, the playfulness Norbert saw in her earlier today now all stripped away, the seriousness of their first encounters again fresh in his mind. "Elixir junkies are people that have gone too far, past their bodies can handle. The effects change depending on the last one you have. If it's mental, you most likely go insane, which differs from person to person. Shouting and screaming, not being able to interact with the world, becoming a baby again or a toddler. Sad to see it happen."
Staring at Norbert, she continued, "And for physical, massive growths on the body until the person collapses under their weight, unable to breathe and suffocate with death." She said, slowly going quiet.
Closing her eyes, she looked back to the fire, not waiting for it. Norbert shivered, already having had at least four different elixirs, not knowing what his max could be before he became something he wasn't.
"And what's the usual amount people have," Norbert asked.
Broken from her concentration, she leaned back in her chair, milling over her words, "Most people can have four and still make it out fine. Any more, and it starts getting riskier. The side effects after each one get worse and worse each time. There are horror stories of people just becoming black sludge, as their entire body wastes away."
Norbert remembered what he had seen in the tomb within the plateau. How he had the purple drink, finding himself in a puddle of sludge, even getting onto his bed. Now realising that could have been the end for him, Norbert shivered. The realisation that he was so close to death.
Thinking about the other times Norbert had elixirs, each time having less effect than the last, the question burned within him about himself. "What happens if someone has less of a reaction each time?"
Martitia just stared at him, the time passing as the fire crackled in the heath. Standing up and moving the chair back, saying, "If someone did that, then I guess they could go on forever, their body constantly adapting to the changes put before them, allowing them to grow that way indefinitely."
Walking away, she went up the stairs she turned around. "But there is always more than one way to gain power. Remember that, Norbert, and good night." Continuing up the stairs as they creaked behind her. Norbert followed her as she disappeared behind her door.
Alone again, Norbert walked to the window, seeing the moon still high in the sky and thinking about what he had heard previously, hoping that he could continue. Remembering the luck he had, he would need to continue.
Walking to his bag Norbert rumbled within, seeing if there was anything else he could use as a disguise, wanting to head out again to the casino and possibly win big. Rumbling through his bag, spotting the same clothes as before, Norbert removed his leather pants, just staying with the fabric ones.
Looking around the rest of the ground floor, Norbert finished his disguise; changing his clothes again, he donned a bright cloak with patchwork. Keeping his pants as they were, Norbert attached his belt, leaving the two daggers back and moving the money pouch to the other.
Taking a sack with him, Norbert also picked up the finishing touch, a hat. He was wearing the wide-brim hat made from straw, looking like a farmer's hat and hoping the shadows would obscure his face from recognition.
Looking around, Norbert climbed out through a window. Leaving half of his prize money here, in case it went belly up. Obsius followed him before Norbert could close the window, staying on his shoulder.
Navigating the streets, the lamps are now well and truly on. Most people are no longer walking; those hurrying past him and not looking down. Nobody wants to get in trouble. As Norbert made his way to the casino again, the building lights were getting brighter and brighter, sounds being heard all around.
Walking through the doors, the two staff stopped him, checking his bags and patting him down. One of them lifted off his hat and confirmed his identity. Looking at Obsius, the man said, "If it makes a mess, it will need to go outside."
Norbert nodded, looking to Obsius, saying, "Hear that, Obsius, you need to be on your best behaviour." The bird just nodded in return. Hearing a grunt in reply, Norbert went to the kiosk again in the centre, watching people walk up the stairs in the room's four corners.
Reaching the front, he asked the clerk, "What's upstairs?"
Surprised for a second, the clerk thought before replying, "That is for the bigger currencies. This is the copper floor, the next is the silver, and the top is the gold. Higher floors, bigger gambles, more money to be placed down and won."
Norbert just nodded in response, not wanting to get the attention of those in the establishment, already raking them dry once and trying to get even more out of them, to at least have another elixir under his belt or buy things he might need not knowing when he could get the next opportunity.
Placing the bag of coins in front of the clerk, the jangling of coins inside. Her eyes went slightly wide as she looked at the number that appeared.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Um, excuse me, sir, but would you like to go to the floor above?" Norbert looked around, seeing the stairs in the four corners, looking for ways out if he needed to quickly.
Going against his previous thought and just with the flow, Norbert responded, "I would love to. Is there anything I need to do so?"
The clerk returned the bag to him, fiddling around and papers flying everywhere. "To go upstairs, I need to see your identification card." Norbert thought about the linking of identity tracking him back to his platoon. The plan for any emergency escape dwindling before his eyes.
"I changed my mind; I think this floor is the right level for me. Don't think I'm ready for the big fish yet."
The clerk just looked back at him, organising the papers again and filing them away; placing them above, she checked the numbers. "How would you like these?"
"Twenty chips of fifty, please, the rest in ones" The clerk nodded in return, fumbling around with the coins, dumping them behind her before bringing them back, and presenting them to Norbert.
Quickly looking through, Norbert confirmed their colours with what he remembered before. Nodding his thanks, Norbert picked up his sack, scooping them up and putting them in the sack. Norbert headed off. He looked around to see if anything had changed in the staff's demeanour.
Having confirmed and received a peck from Obsius, Norbert relaxed. Fearing he was out. Looking at the tables again, he looked at what his first target would be, wanting to move around a bit more this time and not just hog a table to himself.
Walking around trying to find his first target Norbert stopped at a table, piquing his interest. Seeing three dice placed in a box, Norbert leaned closer, seeing people place chips on squares marked. Remembering the even and odd and not recognising any other blue markings shining light on the board.
The box is shaken before opening up, seeing the dice be a three, four and one. People were winning and losing, others happy and some not. Norbert looked as the money changed hands, trying to work out his position in the game.
Watching a few more games played, Norbert eyed out the two squares he would use. Norbert went for in two groups, not knowing the words but assuming they divided the numbers. Flicking his coin in the air, thinking heads on left, tails on right.
Catching it again, Norbert looked down, seeing it show him heads. Moving half of his pile onto the left, Norbert waited for the dice to be shown. The staff ran the game, splitting it up and adding chips to his pile. Happy that he still had it, Norbert cut his pile in half again.
***
After every time he thought he had enough, Norbert would return to the kiosk and redeem part of his winnings, always returning to the original thousand coppers. Knowing that he could have pushed it further but forced greed not to consume him, Norbert ordered drink after drink, having everyone else drink as well. Hoping that would stop the house from coming after him.
Jumping from table to table, not returning to the same one as before, seeing more games of chance than he thought possible, staying away from anything he couldn't see a clear way of making a fifty-fifty decision, he steered well clear. His coin is ineffective with them, and he does not want to ruin his streak.
Looking around, Norbert found himself at the roulette table again. Even guests stared at him, a convoy around him with each clinking of his step. People are laughing, drinking, wanting to see the spectacle, and seeing more and more food being ordered by the moment.
Flicking his coin in the air, Norbert could see money being changed behind him after a while, realising the people were betting on him if he got it right or not. He was shaking his head in disbelief; Obsius enjoyed the attention and snacks he constantly received. The duo is a constant source of attention.
He stayed at the table, knowing this would be the last one of the night before departing; the time had gone on long enough, and the weight of the coins was now heavy on him. He did not want to go up any further than he was, trapped in this limbo.
His winnings increased as he continued to play; at one point, Norbert noticed the chip signet changing. Calling a waiter, Norbert ordered a light, bubbly drink, asking, "What's with the chip change."
The waiter looked towards where he was pointing and the chips, only to see his chips had changed over. The waiter explained, "Those are the chips usually used on the upper floor."
Norbert nodded and thanked the waiter, knowing his plan to go unnoticed had gone out the window. Seeing how much that would account for, Norbert steeled himself; now was the time to go big or go home.
Norbert felt the cage crawl around him, not knowing how he would get out of it but trusting there would be a way out. More accurately, he was already in deep trouble anyway, and trying to flee would cause more issues. Better to at least finish his drink.
As he looked at the board, his plan summed up. Norbert flipped the coin again, seeing it land on heads. Placing it on the blue section Norbert waited, seeing it roll around.
Seeing him win again, Norbert continued to do so, betting repeatedly. His drink arrived; he looked down, seeing a card beside him. Looking at it and not understanding what it had written, Norbert slipped it away before sipping his drink. Playing the crowd up as much as possible, having them hang on his every word. Making sure the servers were called over as much as possible.
With the last of his drink finished, Norbert now stood up from his seat, seeing them changed over and not understanding the worth of how much he could have potentially made. Turning to the crowd, Norbert exclaimed, "And that folk is all out for me. Obsius is feeling a bit tired, so we shall leave." Obsius stopped his eating and looked at Norbert, beak open. "Yes, that means you, Obsius, you sleepy bird, you're going to be cranky tomorrow, and I don't want to deal with it."
Obsius jumped around before flying to Norbert's shoulder and pecking at his ear—the crowd around him laughed at his antics. Norbert gave a quick bow to the people before turning and giving a bow to the staff running the game.
As Norbert waded through the crowd dispersing around him, Norbert made his way to the kiosk.
"I would like to cash out now, please," Norbert said to the man sitting behind it, placing his bag of chips on the counter. Nodding in return, the clerk moved forward, grabbing the bag and placing it over his eyes, widening with it.
Scampering away, he went over, holding a device to his ear as he turned around, talking into it. Norbert, not paying attention, knowing this would be coming, flicked the card he was given previously between his fingers.
The man came back after several minutes, carrying the amount. "Here are your winnings, nine gold, thirty-seven silver and fifty-nine copper coins."
"Perfect, just the amount I was looking for", Norbert said, not understanding if that was the proper amount. "By the way, what is this card for?"
Presenting the card to the man, he cleared his throat before saying, "The establishment owner would like to talk to you. At your discretion, either now or later."
Norbert thought about it and the amount of coin on him, knowing he could quickly get jumped somewhere on his way back by accident. If they wanted their coin back, they should be polite.
Norbert nodded, replying, "Now would be great, thanks."
The man nodded, "Give me a moment, sir", He added before moving back to the device and talking into it.
After some quick words, he placed the device down. "Follow me, please".