"The ravine is where we need to go. Compass points in that direction, and the wolf-man said that it's used as a prison and military; sounds like what we need." Norbert said, remembering the rooms, "Krrrasna said the two rooms were half a silver for a night. I gave him a silver, so we already paid for two nights. Said I don't know how long were staying."
Norbert looked around the room, seeing it empty and wondering why they would even do this, not having a bed. Norbert didn't want to argue; having a cheap place for the next night was better than anything.
Norbert walked to the window, looking at the ground below. Seeing humanoids travelling around at the top of the ravine, bridges were in place at three points, allowing travel to the other side. Watching, he saw a pass being shown and others paying coins to go across.
Turning back to the others, everyone was quiet as they thought about their following action. Norbert wanted a conversation to start before anything else to have a bit more progress and get out of this place, becoming impatient. "Anyone knows any stealth to go in and out undetected?"
Everybody just shook their head, Dousan pointing out, "Our teams aren't designed that way. For stealth and espionage, they have others."
Norbert nodded, waiting for Dousan to continue leading him with more information. Dousan sitting by the wall, "Guess we've got to do it somehow. Does anyone have any experience with this even in the slightest?" Dousan asked again.
Everyone looked at each other, and Rachel raised her hand, still not saying anything. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that at least someone knew slightly what was going on.
Azalea tapped her finger on her lip. "Does anyone know the language here?" Everyone is just shook their heads.
Dousan nodded, seeing a plan form in his mind. "Thanks, Azalea. The first point of the call will be getting translators for all of us. You can't be going around this city knowing nothing; next will be getting information about this place and then the break-in." Dousan finished, counting it out with his fingers.
Mackey piped up, "And throughout the course, we'll need a way to make some coin."
Norbert nodded, turning around and looking out the window, seeing the mask in the reflection, the red light still coming off it, pulsing with his breath. "Any idea what types of jobs would be available?" Norbert asked.
Everyone just shook their head. Norbert placing down his backpack, looked around, remembering the coins he received before. "Does anyone else have any coins we can convert over?" Norbert asked as he looked at the others.
Everyone just patted down, opening up their pouches and wallets. Norbert threw his thirty silver into the pile, everyone else just looking and whistling. "Good to see you did win big with what I needed to shush up from before," Dousan said.
Norbert just smiled as he scratched the back of his neck. "Also got a resistance elixir with strength and vitality mixed in as well", Norbert said.
Everyone else looked at him, Mackey uttering, "But if you broke your hand punching …"
Silence filled the room as everyone took out their coins. Only Dousan had more than Norbert, having twelve stacks of ten silver on hand with thirty or so coppers. Norbert counted a gold and three-quarters worth of coinage before his eyes.
"Think that will be enough for our little trip here for the next several days," Mackey said.
Dousan nodded as he piled them all together. "So the plan is to convert these to something useable, buy translators and see what can be found."
Everyone just nodded. Dousan opened his hand to Norbert with a come hither motion. Norbert stays still, not moving. "Translator, please; I think you've done enough already and deserve a break."
Norbert just nodded, weariness from being alert washing over his body suddenly, taking it off and passing it over to Dousan as he caught it and placed it under. Norbert talked out loud, "Well, this feels weird".
Azalea responded, "Strange language," she said.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Norbert thought for a second and remembered he spoke English, needing to translate now. "Good practice properly," Norbert said.
Dousan nodded before getting on his feet. "I'll be back; anyone wants to come?" Mackey shot his hand up, standing, the two girls shaking their heads, declining; Norbert also shaking his head, not wanting to venture out there yet, already feeling naked without it around his neck.
As Dousan and Mackey left, Azalea also got on her feet, Rachel following as the two of them left the room, Norbert seeing them enter theirs, equipped similarly empty as the door closed behind them.
Norbert got to his feet, closing the door and locking it from the inside, happy that he didn't need a key or a spell to do so. Sitting next to the window again, looking down at the people below, Norbert saw Dousan and Mackey exit the Bulging Barrel waving up to Norbert, who waved back. Watching them walk down, the two talking to each other, Norbert moved away from the window.
Unsheathing his sword off his belt, hearing the metal hiss for release. Looking at the blade, Norbert was happy to see that no nicks had formed on the edge, still holding sharp even after the fight with Arzlan.
Taking the specks of dried blood on it, not wanting the blade to rust, Norbert sheathed it again before checking his daggers. Cleaning the one he plucked from the ground, seeing a chip on it, Norbert reached into his pack, pulled out the whetstone and strop, placing some water on the stone. Norbert began sharpening the blade.
Hearing the rhythmic sounds of the blade going over the stone, Norbert continued until he was happy that it was uniform again. Running it against the strop, Norbert confirmed the burs were removed, placing it back in his sheath and happy with its location Norbert leaned back against the wall.
Taking his mask off, Norbert stared at it, seeing the black design stare back at him, hiding everything from the world. Tracing his fingers across where the lights would show when activated, Norbert imagined what people would see in the night when he struck them down.
The four red lines came out of nowhere, his sword reflecting the torchlight as it came down at them. No matter what they did to resist, the sword did not stop until they fell to the ground, pain shooting over their body as they stared at Norbert as he went to the next person to fall.
Shaking at the imagery, Norbert got out of the funk, not feeling sleepy but resting his eyes. Norbert took out the coin and flipped it in the air, time after time. He was flipping and catching it again.
Norbert was unsure how much time was passing; no sound was coming from him or around. Hearing steps echoing on the stone outside, Norbert heard a click in the door before it opened. Still flicking and catching the coin, Norbert opened his eyes and placed the coin away as he looked at who had entered.
Dousan came in, followed shortly by Mackey. Dousan sits on the wall on one side of Norbert, Mackey on the other. Norbert just looked at the two of them. The shadows lengthened out the window as everything started to go dark.
"So, how did it go?" Norbert asked.
Dousan removed the pendant around his neck and returned it to Norbert; inspecting, Norbert confirmed it was the same as before, the stone still glowing inside.
"Charged it up for you and have the coins changed over to something we can use; the cost left us only with a single worth in gold." Norbert just nodded again, knowing there would be some cost to it.
Mackey spoke up. "But we have the translators, so we're all good to go out again", he said.
"Tomorrow, we start tomorrow," Dousan said, his voice firm having no room for saying anything else.
Norbert picking up his mask, held it out to Mackey. "Charge, please?" Norbert begged in a kid's voice.
Mackey nodded, placing his hand over as light appeared, the mask lighting up and becoming solid again; Norbert could see the light shining now. Nodding his approval, Norbert went to his feet.
"Do we have anything left?" Norbert asked
Dousan squinted at him, suspicion in his eyes. "Sixty silver left … why?" he asked.
Norbert whistled, "Oh, no reason. Just wondering if I could borrow it for a night?" Norbert asked.
Dousan just repeated, "Why?"
Norbert just smiled. "Well …. Do you know if they have a casino here?" Norbert asked.
Instantly Dousan got to his feet. "NO!" he said to Norbert, his voice raised more than usual.
"But we need the extra coin; look, I was able to win it back last time," Norbert said, starting to plead.
"Yeah, after being chased around the city", Dousan replied.
"But we need the coin; how is that going to last? We all need some clothes, equipment and paying people off to get to the prisons," Norbert added, trying to think of any reason to go out. Continuing, Norbert thought of something else to add. "And if I do get caught and locked in prison, then I will be closer than anyone else", Norbert added, hoping it would stem the tide.
Dousan opened his mouth before closing it again. Taking out the coin in his pouch, he started counting the silver. Norbert smiled as he walked towards Dousan. Handing over fifteen silver coins to Norbert, Dousan replied, "Said to be one on the other side of the ravine, the passage will cost you a silver."
Norbert nodded, walking to the door, placing his sword back on his belt and the coins in his coin pouch on his hip between the daggers and knife. Norbert opened the door and placed his mask on Dousan; grabbing his shoulder, he stopped him before he left.
"Don't get caught and return here before the sun comes up. The window will be open here, so come up through it" Norbert nodded as he left, leaving his pack behind as he descended the stairs to the ground floor.
Waving to Krrrasna, Norbert started to open the door before he spun around. "Do you have directions for the casino?" Norbert asked the cat person, a smile creeping on Norbert's face at the payout he was aiming for.