The toad, dwarfing over Norbert, seeing the patchy skin on its legs, dark green with a white belly. Its black eyes on either side of its head stared at Norbert, its mouth opening Norbert seeing its tongue rolled up.
Unsheathing his sword, Norbert slashed it in front of himself, the toad's tongue shooting forward, getting sliced and recoiling back, a line of blood going between Norbert to the toad.
Not letting the amphibian rest, Norbert charged forward, gripping the sleeper at his feet as he pushed forward, feeling the wood crack underneath the force. Not caring about the damage, Norbert held the sword in front of him, impaling into the beast, its skin unable to stop him as he came out the other side, covered in guts.
Running and slowing down, Norbert turned around, seeing the toad lying on the tracks, not moving twenty meters away. Not realising how far he went, he quickly returned to the group, wiping the sword on the toad's body before putting it back in its sheath.
Taking the body, Norbert slid it off the tracks and into the water before he jumped in, washing himself off.
Coming back out, Norbert looked at the group staring at him. Norbert just stared back. “What?” he asked.
The others stared at him, not responding, Azalea stepping forward and casting a spell before her, Norbert feeling himself drying again.
“Thanks,” Norbert said in response before continuing to look at the others in the expedition.
“What’s got them all flustered like that?” Norbert asked
Dobert coughed. “When could you do that?”
Norbert just shrugged. “Eh, guess all that running paid off. And anyway, why are you back there talking in the crowd? Not going to hug your buddy after finally meeting each other for so long.”
Dobert just waved Norbert off, Norbert laughing in return. Turning to Azalea, Norbert asked, “So, why did nobody else react? I know some of you can do lightning much faster than me.” Norbert asked.
Azalea just nodded. “True, but after the cuffs have them on, it takes time to move the mana around the body again and replenish the depleted and choked-off reserves that the cuffs create.”
Norbert nodded before understanding washed over him as he clicked his fingers. “So that’s why we are going so slowly now.”
Azalea sighed before nodding and whispering to herself, “How did I teach this one anything.”
Norbert bent down. “Did you say something?” Norbert said, grinning from ear to ear. Before he stood straight, taking off his pendant, Norbert held it to Azalea. “That reminds me, can you?” Norbert asked
Azalea held out her hand, wincing slightly at the effort as a magic circle appeared, the pendant growing brighter once more. “Don’t know why you need it?” Azalea said.
Norbert just shrugged, “Better safe than sorry”, Norbert responded.
“True, true, for they do speak another language here. Guess you're going to be an interpreter then.” Azalea responded.
Norbert rubber necking gazed at Azalea. “Great!” Norbert shouted out. As he continued walking, Norbert wondered if they would ever even make it out of the lake.
As they continued to walk, others also saw the lake's end. Norbert stopped, feeling something along the tracks before he leapt into the air. His fears were confirmed by the movement on the tracks, seeing coming from the direction the last train came from, another appeared, quickly going over the rails.
Landing on the tracks, Norbert shouted, “Another train is coming”, before meeting the group.
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Everyone looked around, trying to find somewhere to hide. The only thing close by was the lake itself. Dousan first, as others followed, all jumped into the lake, swimming as far as they dared.
Spreading out, Norbert also went out into the water, the furthest out of anyone on his side. Treading water Norbert kept his head stuck out of the water until he saw the train coming. Taking a deep breath, Norbert went under the water.
Closing his eyes, Norbert started counting, one, two, three. Onwards Norbert counted, not wanting to get up too early. Reaching one hundred, Norbert slowly stuck his head out of the water, seeing the train gone and the others making their way to the tracks again.
Norbert swam forward, remembering his backpack now soaked. He just shrugged; the bestiary should make it through. Swimming forward, Norbert stood up and joined the line of people getting dried off.
Once dry again, the group continued, until finally, for Norbert, who cheered, they no longer had to be surrounded by water and fear the train coming. Taking out his compass Norbert led the party forward, disregarding any paths that could be found and just walking forwards.
Norbert does not remember seeing any stations along the way, hoping they would at least be able to find a town or something similar so he could finally rest on something soft.
***
As Norbert took the sacks out of his bag under the moonlight, standing around the campsite they had made on the dryer ground, Norbert just shook his head. Another day spent outside, it would seem.
They were moving the food off to the mages to enlarge and distribute it again. Norbert still had enough food for the rest of the trip, but knowing they wouldn’t have enough food to make it back, the atmosphere tense around everyone.
As they ate in silence, Norbert just waited as one after the other they began falling asleep; Norbert took a coin out and flipped it into the air. He just watched it spin before catching it again, waiting for the night to continue.
Others were taking swaps. Norbert just stayed up as he watched over them all, looking at the coin, thinking Nessie would no longer be there. Someone going down next to him, Norbert looked to the side, seeing Nancy looking at the coin in his hands as it flew into the air once more.
The two of them just sat in silence, looking out at the rest as they slept, both having enough sleep to last the next night. As a shift change happened again, Nancy whispered, “Thank you for saving us.”
Norbert just nodded. “Anyone would do it”, he responded
“But not anyone would have succeeded.” She responded.
Norbert just shook his head. “Nah, I’m sure Dousan or any others would have easily made it through.” He said, dismissing the others.
Nancy shook her head. “No, the others couldn’t have. The entire area was an anti-magic field; the crystals were embedded into the walls. Trying to form anything out of your body would be sucked away.”
Norbert opened his mouth. “But what about elixirs? That’s all I have”, He asked.
Nancy looked at him, staring deadpan. “Look, take the compliment. And I’m sure you’ve realised by now that you get a greater effect than others.” She said
Norbert, not saying anything, just continued to flick the coin into the air, looking as it tumbled around into the air. Catching it, Norbert just spun it around. He was looking at the moon as it came out of them. “Anything you want to talk about,” Norbert asked.
Nancy just shook her head as she rested it on Norbert’s shoulder. Norbert just continued to flip the coin in the air, not whispering anything to Luck; at this point, he did not want any questions to be answered; he just wanted to live in peace for a moment.
As he watched as the sun finally came up in the sky, Nancy moved off his shoulder as she got up, stretching her arms above her head as she went down to the others.
Norbert just looked at them all talking to each other; looking out over the marsh, Norbert waited for it to continue. Norbert thought back to the other day, not seeing any food places or them to catch it, wondering if he should have taken apart the toad to get some food.
As he looked at people before him, Norbert wondered how they would get enough food for around forty people, knowing there wasn’t enough food and what he brought would not last them any time.
As Norbert also went onto his feet, thinking they would have another long day ahead of them, one of the mages called out, “Everyone who needs assistance travelling from together a the centre. The others follow!” They shouted.
As Norbert looked around, everyone had eaten already as three-quarters of the group had made their way to the centre. Norbert watched as the mages c, connected circles around them, forming up.
Looking up in awe, Norbert saw the entire group as one slowly lifted off the ground before they started moving away in the direction Norbert had instructed before.
The more the field moved, the faster it went; Norbert saw the riders' clothing whip in the air. Laughing joyfully, they would finally be moving; Norbert was the last to take off as the others began running.
Norbert blasted himself forward, flashing past everyone with a smile as he made his way to the front of the pack. He pointed them in the right direction as he slowed down slightly, keeping pace with the others. The wind blew through his hair as he looked forward, wondering what next place this adventure would take him.