The expedition continued ahead, going at a reasonable but fast pace throughout the day as the sun set to the side of them. As the sun set, Norbert looked forward, seeing they were just at the mountain's base; no village could be seen.

Wondering how fast the train was going before, if only in several minutes at most; it took them days to travel back. Norbert had no proper way to tell out here unless they were going especially slow. As everyone rested, Norbert was happy that they were making progress, not seeing anything that could go wrong.

Looking forward, Norbert looked around as others around him began eating their food, Norbert not touching his, still just nibbling on the biscuit he had started the other day, knowing that he didn't need the food and would give the extra supplies to someone else.

As Norbert looked around the camp, he laid back and stared at the stars in the sky. He was starting to pick a pattern between them, seeing some familiar shapes now in the sky. Happy at his skill Norbert just rested, waiting for day to come.

As the moon came over the sky directly above him, Norbert listened as the wind went through the marsh. Smiling at it and happy for a successful day, hopefully, in a couple more, they would be over the mountain range and back in familiar territory, tell the supervisors what was happening and continue with the group he was in, killing other beasts terrorising citizens.

BAARK BAARK BAARK

Norbert bolted upright, looking out towards the marshes, trying to locate where the dogs barking was coming from. Standing up, he looked around, finding everyone else sprawled and sleeping. Looking for anyone else watching the night with him, Norbert found nobody sitting or standing to attention.

Running over to one of them, Norbert nudged them with his foot, only seeing them turn around and go back to sleep. Grumbling in frustration, Norbert looked around the marshes, seeing people now appear at the edge of his vision carrying torches.

Norbert started panicking; everyone was now fast asleep, likely from the food they had just received. He was getting annoyed at himself for putting everyone in this situation, as he wondered if any magic was used to detect tampering with food. Too late for him to start figuring it out. Norbert started moving around, from person to person, hoping for at least someone else to wake up.

But sadly, once again, Norbert was alone. Thinking of what he could do next too whoever was after him, remembering the poster thinking if he should play the character or fake it and try to hide his association. Realising that the clerk would know his face anyway and having forty people out in the middle of nowhere was suspicious in itself, it wouldn't matter if he had it on or not as he donned the mask. Hoping the intimidation would help him and hiding his face assist his nerves.

Thinking at what he could do, Norbert looked around; nowhere to hide as he went to a raised area, taking the sword off his hip as he whistled a tune, knowing that a surprise wouldn't work in this atmosphere; the red light slightly shinning out and reflecting on his sword, as he played with the reflection making it dance around the landscape.

After several minutes of waiting around, nobody had shown themselves; Norbert just sighed into the air shouting as loud as he could, in one last attempt at possibly waking someone from their slumber, "Can we get this over with! We both know we are out here, so just come out of the weeds, ok! My mouth is getting dry!"

Looking around, nothing moved for a moment; standing up, Norbert said, "Well, guess there isn't anyone out there" he leapt forward, striking at the grass in front of him.

Having previously heard a rustling in the grass over there, Norbert didn't hold back, wanting his intentions to be precise. Hearing the clang of metal on metal, a groan and a whimper as his sword hit resistance before continuing to pass through. Falling, Norbert saw a man covered in fur fall forward, having metal armour under it. Quickly looking down, Norbert saw he struck the man through his arm, seeing his hand on his left side.

Moving his eyes up, Norbert listened for the next sound of movement, knowing that surprise kept him alive. Several paces ahead of him, Norbert saw dozens and dozens of torches light up in front of him.

Looking at them all, Norbert charged forward, keeping up the pressure as he knew he was outnumbered drastically, no one else on his back. Facing the first humanoid face, Norbert saw their face under the torchlight; knowing they could track him in his mask, Norbert tackled right into him, the two of them shooting backwards.

Tumbling around, Norbert landed on top of the person, moving his sword around and stabbing them in the throat, hearing them choke on the blood as Norbert twisted around, finding his next target to dispatch.

Half the people were looking at him, the others approaching his party. Jumping into the air Norbert leapt forward, shooting past the heads of the others as he provided energy into his body, knowing that everything would be needed to have even a chance of escaping with everyone around.

Catching up, Norbert landed on somebody, not even moving his sword as he battled his way around them. Slashing to the side, Norbert felt something block his sword, a clang going out from everywhere, spinning around. Norbert put everything behind him, feeling something try to stop the sword but could not, hearing a cry pierce his ears.

With the cry as success, Norbert continued forward, leaving the person to their fate. Norbert looked to the next one, slicing the sword at the other's head; Norbert remembered how his sword was knocked out, doing the same to the other person.

Norbert saw them form around him, ready for the next one, disengaging. Norbert crashed into another one, hoping they didn't have a blade sticking straight out as he did. Catching the man in the stomach, Norbert made it out of the encirclement, lowering his sword and jumping into the air, allowing the person to fall off his blade.

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In the air, Norbert scanned around as he slowly fell, knowing that he would need to move again as they were almost upon his party, knowing when they met, the game would be over.

Landing on the ground, Norbert instantly pushed off, sprinting as he flew towards his party. Feet first, he smashed into someone, feeling something dig into his foot as it hit the person's back; Norbert slowed down and landed on his feet as the man flew away, hearing a splash in the water some distance away.

Norbert looked around, leaping to the next one when suddenly, a giant of a man appeared before him. Seeing a gleaming something come for his head Norbert slid on the ground, going under the blade as he kicked up into the air, running from the giant as he looked for easier targets.

ROOOAR

Norbert heard from behind him the giant screaming from before; just noting his position, Norbert pushed himself a little more, knowing he would need to wrap this up quicker than he thought.

Slamming into the next person, Norbert hit them into the ground, feeling their head under his foot as he pushed forward, the skull breaking under him. Shaking his head but leaving them him no choice, the desire to protect his party greater, and the fear of what would happen if caught. Adrenalin is now coursing through Norbert, blocking out unimportant questions.

"Come back and fight!" The giant from before said; Norbert just shook his head. He did not want to face the thing, not knowing his outcome.

Looking around again, Norbert leapt into the air, trying to get a position on the next ones. Around his party, all sleeping, Norbert saw a circle of torches, knowing that if they wanted to, half of the group could be killed before he did anything.

Landing, Norbert lifted his blade, positioning the flat of his palm against its blade's holding it in both hands. Slamming down, Norbert felt the giant push his blade down.

CLANG

The blade reverberated down his arms, Norbert's feet buckling at the force behind it. Puffing out air, knowing he was lucky to stand still, Norbert backed off, holding his sword up.

Staring at the giant, Norbert looked at him, his armour reflecting in the moonlight. He did not want to change his vision to see more, knowing it could shave off his reaction time, possibly making it his end. The giant wore plated armour, seeming to be riveted to the being itself. Norbert not knowing how it was possible to move like that.

Staring up, he was quickly two meters tall, likely more and most of that wide. Both arms hung limp on his side, Norbert seeing two butcher cleavers in each of his hands, looking slightly oversized on him, but on anyone else, would be downright monstrous, taking up nearly all of their height.

Switching his eyes away from the giant, Norbert looked to the circle of lights, some distance away.

Norbert's eyes slammed back onto the giant, hearing him breathing deeply through his nose. "Oh, I'm happy you're still awake," the giant said.

Norbert lowered his sword and pointed it to the ground as he relaxed, asking, "What do you mean about that?"

"Heh, smelt something funny on you. What you've done to the men shows you're not just showing," The voice grumbled to Norbert.

"Well, I'm happy that you are at least satisfied. Is it ok then if me and my group schedule when the sun comes up again, and we can both leave happy?" Norbert asked, hoping that the other person would agree to it.

The giant snorted again. "Not happening; you're coming with us. Will it be the easy way or the hard way?"

Norbert just nodded, lifting the sword and getting into the side stance. "And what if I choose the hard way?" Norbert asked

Seeing a grin form, "I'm happy you chose that, but before we begin. May I know your name, for the record?" The giant asked.

Seeing a change, Norbert stood up straight, saying, "It's normally courteous to give your name first when asking someone else's."

"Arzlan", Arzlan grunted, sounding more animal than anything else.

"Thank you, Arzlan, those call me Norbert", Norbert said. Instantly jumping forward, hoping to get an early strike in. Moving his sword in a diagonal with one hand, Norbert saw one of Arzlan's cleavers come up, stopping the blade.

Spinning around with the strike, Norbert felt the second one come down behind him, grazing his arm as Norbert felt a sharp sting on it. Now positioned slightly closer to the camp, the torches on his back Norbert now had a good look at Arzlan's face.

Or what he could see, only a metal helm covering it, long diagonal slits for the eyes, no light or reflection in it. A grill over its mouth Norbert just seeing the teeth from behind. No plumes or anything like that, just a simple helmet that was utterly black, Norbert wondering what it was made of.

The light in Arzlan's eyes, Norbert took a dagger out of his belt, hoping he could hold off the second blade when needed. Arzlan swung wide, Norbert jumping backwards, feeling the cleaver brush past his clothes.

Glancing behind him, Norbert saw the line of torches; leaping forward, Norbert in the air slashed down at Arzlan, hearing a clang of metal as he was pushed further away. Arzlan rushed forward, Norbert not knowing how the giant could move so quickly.

His cleaver slammed into Norbert as he spun, losing grip on the dagger as he rolled into a puddle. Getting on his hands and knees, Norbert looked up, only to receive a boot in the face as he went flying away, losing track of the sword as he tumbled.

Looking up at the moon, Norbert watched, wondering what Luck was thinking. Bouncing along the ground, Norbert lifted his mask, spitting blood out of his mouth. Wiping his face with his arm Norbert stood up on shaky feet, placing his mask on his head.

"That was fun, but it's over now", Arzlan said to Norbert. He looked down at Norbert, the pitiful man only a pile before him. He would be a fun opponent with more training, though sadly, he never would get it.

Norbert nodded in response, knowing he would only have one chance to make it out of there. Pushing as much energy through his body as possible, Norbert watched the purple light leak from the cuts in his clothes, not caring if his opponent saw.

RAAAAWR

Norbert screamed at the giant before him, not taking any weapons out as he leapt into the air once more; quicker than the giant could react, his fist connected with the man's human. Norbert flipped over, unable to move it, as he felt his hand crack and break underneath the force. The pain was instantly whipped away, but knowing it would return with a vengeance.

Running to the sword Norbert found sticking out of the ground, he quickly sheathed it with his left hand, running towards the group. He wouldn't rescue everyone from his party, but for some of them, he definitely could.

Breaking through the line of torches, hearing a roar of outrage from Arzlan behind him, Norbert as he ran through the group. Quickly picking up as many people as possible, he picked up two people under each of his arms, not even able to tell exactly who they were, hoping it was someone significant that could help.

Running out the other side Norbert ran for all he was worth, hearing people chasing after him as they slowly dropped into the distance. Norbert was not stopping running until he felt himself start to tire, forgetting he was still pumping energy through himself.

Turning it down, Norbert dropped his baggage on the ground, making sure they weren't rested, trying to regain his reserves as he watched the moon move slowly across the sky.