Bursting out of the water, Norbert held the bag above his head once more. He watched as the train continued moving down the track, Norbert just nodding, happy that they weren't turning back.
Kicking around in the water, Norbert watched the rest of the expedition move off to the side with the tracks. Spinning around onto his back, Norbert rested his backpack on his stomach, keeping it out of the water as he kicked towards the shore.
Hitting his head against the shore, Norbert turned around onto his hands and knees, resting as he left the lake. Standing up and dripping on the shore, Norbert felt inside his bag, his Frontier clothes still not dry. Sighing in annoyance at being wet again; at least the book was still intact, and he now believed something was keeping it together, not just luck.
Squelching with every step, Norbert walked towards the group, him having the furthest to go as he was the last one off. Reaching the others, Norbert waved to them, seeing them form a clusters around the tracks.
Received a wave back from everyone, Norbert jogged the rest of the way, seeing that everyone else was dry. Looking down at his water-logged clothes, he looked up at everyone. "Can someone dry me off?"
One of the mages stepped forward, a magic circle appearing before him a circle Norbert felt heat radiate over him as steam came off. Finally dry, Norbert flipped his bag around, taking out the Frontier gear and asking, "This too?"
"Sure; anything else you need to be dried?" the mage asked. Norbert just shook his head, responding, "Cheeky."
Finally dry, Norbert patted himself down, happy no wet spots on him. Dousan walking through the crowd stepping up to Norbert and grabbed him in a bear hug.
Feeling squeezed, Norbert hugged the man back, wondering what could have caused him to be so welcoming. Dousan quickly pulled them apart, patting his back and looking him up and down before nodding. "Nice gear, though it isn't standard. Planning to do some more stealing and swindling?" Dousan asked.
Norbert just shook his head. "I'm a man that likes black." He responded, wobbling his hand back and forth before continuing, "And I'm not one to say no to some extra coin lying around."
"Yeah, you not wrong about that!" Dobert shouted up from the crowd, waving at Norbert.
"Hey, I have private time with the commander, so shoo", Norbert said, shooing off Dobert and his antics.
Norbert looked to Dousan, asking the big question on everyone's mind "So, what now?"
Dousan looked towards Norbert before asking, "Well, great escape artist, what was your plan after this?"
Norbert just shrugged in response, "Nothing really, just followed the compass and taking each problem as they came. No real plan for what to do when I met up with you." Norbert said, showing the compass and clicking between the positions, staying on the third one as it pointed to the village now so far away.
Dousan just nodded. "Well, whatever the plan is, we need to move; don't want to stay on these tracks when they come looking for us!" Dousan shouted to the group as he began heading off, waving for Norbert to follow.
Jogging to catch up, the two walked at the front, everyone else falling behind. Dousan asked Norbert, "So, how did you get over here?"
Norbert recounted his experience, how he followed the compass, climbed over the dam and into the cave before going up, about the mural he had seen before running onto the train.
Ultimately, Norbert asked, "So, how did you guys even get captured?"
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"Well, it all began after seeing the dam, at night after continuing and resting at night after unleashing on the raptors and getting our tents up for the night; the bats came down out of nowhere, many more than ever seen. If it were just the bats, it would be fine, but all across the dam, spells were held in position, the humanoids jumping off the bats and trapping us. There was nothing to do but accept it." Dousan said, stopping for a moment.
"Some resisted getting captured and stopped in their tracks, which stopped the others from moving. Others lost the fight in the interrogation, stripped of their magic and weapons; we could do nothing. So for all of us still here, thank you." Dousan said, a tear forming on his face that he quickly brushed off.
Norbert just nodded. "Well, at least most of you made it out of there; guess it's time to go back?" Norbert said, waving the compass around as it desperately tried to continue pointing to the village.
Dousan just nodded in response as he walked slower and joined the group, hearing them talk slightly louder with him around. Shrugging his shoulders, Norbert just looked at the mountain range, now only a brief line on the horizon, knowing they would have many more days ahead. Hoping they would have enough food, Norbert patted his backpack, happy to find the sacks still there.
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Norbert put it on again, adjusting his sword to be comfortable on his hip after all the movement, happy that everything was in its proper place. Norbert looked around them.
They were on the train tracks bisecting the lake in half, Norbert seeing the water on both sides. Looking ahead, Norbert realised it would probably take a quarter of the day before making it off the lake and going straight to the village and off the train tracks.
Looking past the lake, Norbert saw trees dotting the area, mostly marshland; the lake must have gone over and made everything wet. Staring at these boots going over the sleepers, Norbert was unhappy at being ankle-deep in mud for days. He shook his head, knowing whatever happened would be inevitable and out of his control anyway.
Removing his pendant, Norbert looked at the light inside, barely able to see it; Norbert just shook his head, wondering if he needed it any more. Now comfortable with the weight on his chest and happy for the translation skill more than anything else.
Hearing steps behind him, Norbert turned around and saw Martitia heading his way; Norbert placed the pendant back under his shirt, making a mental note to ask Azalea sometime soon if she could recharge it.
"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?" Norbert asked Martitia.
Martitia just smiled. "Just wanted to see why you're here alone", she replied.
Norbert looked back, seeing everyone else idly chatting with each other "Just been alone for a while now, and I'm sure they've all experienced stuff they don't want to share. Don't want to bring up anything bad accidentally." Norbert responded, staring off at the mountain where the compass pointed at.
"Anything else?" Martitia asked, knowing there was something else bothering him.
Norbert sighed again in frustration, throwing his hands in the air and saying, "It's just that we're going so slow", he whined to her.
Martitia just laughed. "Good to hear it's nothing major then. But I did want to tell you that not everyone made it."
Norbert just breathed in a shaky breath. "Yeah, I know, Dousan told me. Anyone I would know?" he asked.
Martitia nodded. "Zachary and Nessie out of the scouts, a couple more throughout the rest, but you wouldn't have known them."
Norbert just solemnly nodded, two less meaning … Norbert was at a loss at what it meant. Was it more work, less work, or recruits? Should he be crying or remain cool and calm?
Taking a shaky breath, Norbert just nodded, sad that one of the five of their little group was no more.
"If you would like to know Zachary w-"Martitia started to say before Norbert held up his hand before her.
"No need to say anything more," Norbert said. Martitia nodded in response. They walked silently for some time, keeping each other company.
Norbert asked Martitia, "Who are they, and where are we?"
"Just part of the Dividing Range, the natural barrier between Morenas and Arzatech, which cuts through the northern section of Masanu," Martitia responded.
Norbert just nodded, hearing the geography lesson. "And why are they forming this track, the bats and the dam?" Norbert asked
Martitia just shook her head. "Don't know exactly why. Changes are coming everywhere, and in history, war always strikes out when there have been changes of beasts." Looking towards Norbert and smiling, "But for the exact details, you would need to talk to someone else. Not really into all that political stuff."
Norbert just laughed. "You and me both, you and me both", Norbert replied, looking off into the distance, seeing the train tracks come together at a single point, wondering how long they would be walking.
Norbert thought that if only he could adequately run, it would take them much less time. Being uncomfortable in unknown territory, with anything or anyone around their backs that could pop at any corner, and knowing he could be faster.
Jumping from the lake, splashing over Norbert, a giant toad was on the tracks, one foot on it and the rest in the water. Norbert just looked towards the frog, thinking, just my luck.