Finally making it around the lake several days later. Now the lake far behind them, Norbert started to go up a hill as the group made their way through a thicket of trees. For the past nights and the ones to come, Norbert had been sparring with Dousan, racking up bruise after bruise and dropping his sword countless times.
The ferocity behind the man was unending; once under pressure it was constant, Norbert always on the back foot. But the true merit was the talking after their sparring, doing a play-by-play of what they did. How Norbert should react in turn, and how to take advantage of his strengths.
Norbert was just trying to cram in as much knowledge into his head as possible before they clashed swords again, and the cycle repeats. At the start, their bouts would be quick, Norbert quickly being pushed back, losing his sword or falling on the ground. The teachings long showed him what he was doing.
Thankfully it was slowly getting a complete ass-whooping on Norbert, who could now hold up longer than before. The outcome was still the same thought of him barely able to touch Dousan and him on the ground.
During the day was no respite for him either, as Azalea wanted Norbert to constantly push his purple energy at its highest potential, forcing his reserves to grow. Norbert remembered what Azalea said about magic and her theory on what he was doing with the augmentation. He could either study about it or constantly use it and get sophistication through constant use.
As they were nowhere near the ruins from which he received this, it was left for Norbert to practice using it repeatedly and not just sparingly. Thus Norbert had his jacket off; sleeves rolled up. Azalea looked at the back of his neck and arms, making sure he was constantly pushing the energy through his body, veins glowing purple in the daylight. During it, he had to control himself, keeping pace with the others in the group. The need and desire for a movement that the purple light gave him split from what Norbert was trying to do as he held back.
And whenever he slacked off slightly, Norbert felt Azalea's hand grip his shoulder, her saying that he wasn't pushing enough energy through his entire body. Forcing Norbert to push harder, staying on the brink of consciousness and does not get lost in the energy and lose control.
After running and resting, Norbert would train with Dousan; at this point, feeling completely spent, Norbert fell asleep for the night, waking up just before sunrise, where he would do more work with the Morenas language.
The group slowly made north by making adjustments with the compass, avoiding any people they could and stealing what they needed from towns and villagers. The temperature started dropping during the night as they all huddled together, not risking a fire, they huddled together, using a combination of heating spells and body warmth to stave off the cold.
Cresting over a hill days later, Norbert took out his compass, needing to confirm the direction as they circled the crater in the earth. After spending half a day making it a quarter of the way around, the dial still pointing in the centre, the team had confirmation on their next place to go.
Norbert spotted the train track on one side of the crater and going out the other. The crater they were now walking on was on top of a hill, allowing them to look far and wide, now the Dividing Mountains far away, only visible due to the altitude they were currently at. Tufts of green and blue grass covered the outside and fell within.
As Norbert scanned over the city living within, a scar in the earth split the city apart. Norbert could look down the crack seeing lights within and ramps going back and forth between them. Looking like a ravine in craft miner, Norbert looked, unable to see the bottom as the other side of the ravine was visible before; looking down, it would have to go nearly a hundred meters, if not more, to reach the bottom.
Scanning the buildings, they were made of stone, unlike the mud brick houses he had seen in the villagers previously. Rising high into the air, almost outside the crater hills they currently reside in. Others were smaller, a real mix and a small city in nowhere. Looking around, Norbert saw windows and lights down the streets; Norbert could not see the people precisely as they were, just tiny ants and how far away they were.
Watching the people come and go, a train pulling up and unloading things from it, the stone being loaded into the train before it continued out of the crater, punching through a hole in the hillside and popping out the other.
Norbert looked to Dousan, wondering if they would go into the city and find out what they could. Everyone else looked as he breathed in and started walking down. The others followed him, everyone walking alone now, waiting for anything to happen.
They went down the fields, making the paths there, hoping they wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb. Finally, through the fields, Norbert saw tiny one-story houses around him. The stone is cracking or falling off in pieces, the streets are dirty, and people are lying around the side. The people that he could see were humanoids of varying beast people. Ears, fur, and scales scattered around in flashes, Norbert rarely saw anybody that was fully human looking.
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Eyes being dragged to him, Norbert looked at everyone around them, giving them a curious look and not trusting them. The rags of their clothes compared to their groups, though complex, worn, and dirty, still in one piece, the metal on their waists and the purpose in their steps Norbert hoped would keep most at bay.
Passing an alleyway, they seemed to close in on them, darkness slipping past; Norbert saw someone being dragged off, eyes beading out at the darkness. Norbert stopped for a moment, wondering if he should do anything. Being dragged off by Azalea as she shook his head, Norbert allowed himself to be dragged down the road past whatever was happening down there, knowing that he had his people to save and that now wasn't the time to develop a hero complex.
Walking closer, they came to the ravine; the places looked cleaner and cleaner as they continued—signs appeared on the side of the building with pictures demonstrating what they were selling.
Passing places to eat and buy clothes, weapon shops, and places to stay the night by yourself or with a friend, Dousan passed all of them. Norbert just followed, trying to get a piece of the dialogue around him and looking down at his compass as it still pointed down the ravine.
Now out of the city, with no building, Norbert just saw the ravine in front of them, the compass pointing to the other side somewhere on his right; Norbert pointed out and told those around him what he found, only receiving nods in return.
Leaning over the rail, stopping people from going over, Norbert looked down into the ravine, a crack running deep into the earth. Going randomly back and forth, Norbert saw wooden bridges spanning the cliff face. Losing track of how many, Norbert started to look up the other side.
All around the side, walkways jutted out of the cliff face; other times, Norbert saw it was cut within. Doors leading further in scattered on this side, Norbert assuming it was the same over where he was. Leaning over the railing, Norbert tried to look down, spot how deep it could go. Leaning further and further, he still couldn't see, interrupted by someone shouting.
"Stop leaning over the railing, can't you read the sign!" Norbert leaned backwards, seeing a beast man with wolf ears and a snout, dark grey fur covering their arms. In their hand holding a spear, Norbert stared at clawed hands grasping around the shaft loosely. On his chest was simple leather armour; the individual wore no pants or boots.
Norbert just nodded in response. "Sorry, and thank you for directing me. Just wondering what's down there?" Norbert asked
Feeling a hand on his shoulder from behind, Norbert swivelled his head, seeing Dousan looking back at him with an eyebrow raised. Norbert just shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the person before him.
"Prison and military." The wolf man responded curtly.
Norbert just nodded. "Thanks, just wondering, is there a place you know close by we can stay the night?" Norbert asked, knowing he was starting to push it but trusting it would be fine.
"Ah, well, I would recommend the Bursting Barrel, just in that direction; it has a sign of a wooden barrel with liquid coming off the sides", The wolfman replied.
Norbert just nodded and waved his hand as he turned around, able to see the sign he was talking of. Saying thanks, Norbert walked back, his companions following him, Norbert waiting to be out of ear shot of the wolf man, not knowing how good his hearing was.
"Recommended place called the Bursting Barrel should be able to have a room for us to stay the night before moving off," Norbert said. He received only a nod in reply from Dousan, not trusting anyone in the unfamiliar city.
Walking down the city street, Norbert gazed off to the side now and then until they reached in front of the Bursting Barrel; Norbert confirmed the sign was the same that he was told of.
Norbert looked up at the narrow small building compared to the height of those around it, seeming to be squished between the two on either side of it. Seeing someone leave, Norbert saw the same stone on the inside, a grey with lines of something white running through it, similar to all the other stones in the city.
Stepping forward, Norbert walked in; the first thing he saw was a desk on the side, a cat man from the ears and the eyes, the rest of the face looking human.
Norbert turned to his companions, asking, "How many rooms?"
Dousan replied, showing two fingers; Norbert nodded before turning back to the man sitting.
"Hello, I would like two rooms for at least the night, but it could be longer. Was recommended by someone patrolling the ravine of this fine establishment." Norbert hoped the reference would lower the price.
"Ah, was it the wolf man with grey fur, just past Nobly Lane?" The person asked.
Norbert just nodded in return, hoping that it would lower the price. "The old bugger is still at it, and just for you, I can assist you. Kinda look like you need all the assistance you can get," He said.
Norbert just smiled, "So how much will two rooms be …" Norbert waited for a response to find the person's name.
"Krrrasna ", the cat man said. Norbert just nodded, supplying his name.
Krrrasna nodded. "So Norbert will cost you normally one silver, but just for you half off." Norbert just nodded, pulling out the coins they had captured from the towns; now having several silver of this currency worth, Norbert felt the smooth, placing two on the table.
"Then I would like two nights at this establishment then", Norbert responded, receiving a nod in return.
Krrrasna turned around, pulling two keys off, Norbert not knowing the numbers.
"Third floor on the right, two next to each other at the front", He replied.
Norbert thanked them and started walking up the stairs, giving one of the keys to Rachel, who was closest to him. Walking up the steps, the stone jutting out and the hand rails, Norbert wondered how it would come out like this.
Making their way up, Norbert saw a hall way leading both forwards towards the street and backwards away, thinking there mustn't be any windows. Getting up to their floor, Norbert looked at the keys, finding the door he was in.
Unlocking the key, Norbert was happy that there wasn't any magic. Norbert stepped inside, seeing the stone walls and the window but nothing else in the room. Everyone else pushing him forward, stepping inside.
As the door closed behind the group, Norbert locked the door, turning around Dousan and the rest staring at him. "So, what did the wolfman say?"