The Search for Soul in Everything

Chapter 8

They walked along the path, crunching sand between rock every step they took. The leaves around them swayed in a hushed lullaby softly behind the bugs and birds that shouted in the distance. The air smelled sweet, like fresh hay and rain.

"We should probably find somewhere to shelter. It'll storm soon." Astarion said, looking up at the dark clouds that rolled on above them.

Vanora paused, looking up at the clouds. "Okay." She looked back at Astarion, waiting as he looked around the area.

He hummed. "There won't be any caves anymore. We passed the last of the mountains earlier. No sense in going back. We'll just have to make do with some tree coverage."

Vanora nodded, following him as he stepped off the path, looking for a good place to set camp. "I guess this will have to do." He said, throwing his pack down on the ground. They set up camp quietly, pitching some makeshift tents.

Vanora felt a 'plip,' on the top of her nose. She looked up as the rains started coming down. It was slow, not like the rains she could hear from the dungeons. The air was warm, with the subtle drips hitting the tops of the trees and into her hair, onto her skin. She smiled. Rain was so pretty.

"So much for a campfire. We'll have to make do." Astarion said, also looking up toward the sky. He looked at Vanora, thinking to get a nod. Instead, he found her looking up toward the leaves. Her face was lit up like stars, watching the rain fall. Inspiration and astonishment flooded her whole self. Astarion took a moment before he smiled a little, continuing on building his tent.

As the sun started to set, the rains grew heavier. Astarion sat in his own tent, a book in his hand. His tent stayed open slightly, and he looked outside for a moment. Vanora sat out in the open, the feeling of the rain making her hair heavy across her shoulders. She still hadn't finished putting up her tent, seemingly comfortable sitting in the rain.

'She must be comfortable,' he thought to himself. 'Being a half siren would do that, right?' He shook his head, looking back down at his book.

"You!" A thunderous roar of authority shook the trees. "Don't move!"

Astarion leapt up, crouching in front of the exit to his tent. He quickly grabbed a dagger, holding it in his teeth to keep himself steady. He watched as Vanora calmly looked forward, a dark look in her eyes as she lifted her hands in the air.

She knew what this was, she knew they would find her eventually. But throughout the time, she found herself hoping that it would never come. She had been praying that he would assume she died, that he would've given up. How stupid of her, to think he would let go so easily.

Three men bearing weapons strutted into the open, surrounding the girl quickly as if she intended to run. Astarion watched on, looking for an opening to strike at least one down. He wasn't about to let this happen.

"Boss wants you back, y'know? You'll have a lot of explaining to do. If he lets you explain at all." The three laughed as one of them circled her. She closed her eyes, hoping Astarion wouldn't interfere. Hopefully, he was asleep.

"I know." She said, taking a few breaths. She couldn't cry, not now. She had to remain emotionless, she wasn't allowed to cry.

"Oh, do you think the boss will let us hunt now? I really hope so, I'm starving." One said, a joyous look on his face as he pressed a sword into her back.

The leader laughed, throwing his head back in absolute joy. "Are you kidding?! Once we bring back his precious little pet? Cazador would let us feed for the rest of our lives!"

Panic rang down Astarion's spine. He could practically feel the name slip from the man's lips. Fear overloaded his senses. Cazador owned her? It couldn't be... but everything made sense.

"Tie her!" One of them shouted, as another pulled a strand of rope and walked toward her. He grabbed her arm, twisting it back as it gave an audible pop. Vanora shouted in pain.

Their leader put a knife to her throat. "You make another sound, I'll cut you up good you hear me? You'll wish that we were allowed to kill you!" He dragged the blade across her neck slightly, blood spilling down.

Astarion's eyes dilated, and in a flash of anger he jumped out of the tent. He ran hard into the man, driving his dagger into his side and barreling him into the ground. The man groaned, dying instantly as the elf twisted the dagger in his heart.

He got back up, twisting around just in time to dodge a sword that swung at his face. He ducked down, narrowly missing the blade. He launched up, forcing his dagger towards the man's stomach. It narrowly missed, dragging the sharp end along the man's side.

The sword crashed into his left arm, and Astarion shouted as he drove his teeth into the man's neck in retaliation. Blood quickly splattered across his face as he pulled away. Stronger, and ready to fight another.

He turned around, shock filling his lungs as he watched the man climb into a horse. Vanora was tied down to a sled that would drag behind them. A cloth was stuffed into her mouth, tied around her head. "Stop!" He shouted, his only hope at this point.

The man gave a shout and snapped a whip. The horse reared up for a moment, then set off in a dead sprint through the trees. The sled was yanked hard, sending the poor girl flying up as the sled hit a rock. It crashed back down hard. Vanora gave out a loud cry as the sled slammed into a tree, knocking her head hard as one of her horns flew off. There was an audible snap as the horn broke, flying up and hitting the ground in front of the elf. Astarion heard her pained screams through the cloth. Her fleeting voice carried through the forest as they ran out of sight.

He quickly picked up the horn, pools of blood falling out of the broken end. "Vanora!" He cried, sprinting to catch one last glimpse of them. Desperation filled his chest as he ran forward. Twigs and leaves cut into his face, and he slammed his arm into a tree. He shouted in pain, not slowing for even a moment.

He ran straight into the path, looking around desperately for a moment. In the distance, he could barely see the horse top over a hill on the horizon. They disappeared out of sight completely.

"No." He started running after them, quickly giving up hope to ever catch up. They were too far away now. "No, no!" He cried out into the nothingness in front of him, clutching the horn in his hands. He walked back and forth for a moment, then looked back where he last saw her fleeting away on the horizon.

Lightning struck above him and a loud, crashing thunder roared over the hills. "Vanora!"