Serenity | Halsin

Twelve

Their adventure to Moonrise Towers had begun that next morning, after Shadowheart and Lae'zel's falling out. It was a quiet journey between them all, apart from picking up another companion from the risen roads.

She was a zariel tiefling by the name of Karlach. She had been hunted down by some Paladins, who was hotter than fire— literally.

Halsin walked alongside of Roralei as they made their way through the risen roads. "Karlach is a strange name. And I've heard plenty in my 350 years."

"I forget how old you are. You're probably as old as these trees."
"I am, yes. Most of these trees were just small sprouts when I was your age."

"You're so old."

Halsin glanced over at her. "I may be old, but I don't look old, now do I?"

She laughed. "You're still old. You whittle ducks and you know way too much about them."

"The man who whittles also saved your quarterstaff, didn't he?" He asked her.

This caused her to remain silent. She could hear the dull rumbling from his chest as the man laughed.

Tav was walking along side of Astarion when the tiefling brushed her arm against his. Astarion looked her over, noticing the look in her eyes.

Astarion caught the woman's tail, allowing it to glide through his hand. "You will come to my bed tonight, won't you?"

Halsin smirked at this as he lowered his gaze to the ground.

"You don't have to ask me twice." She told him.

Astarion fell behind as Tav pulled Roralei to her to talk. As he walked alongside of Halsin, he tilted his chin upward.

"So, you and the baby druid?"
"Roralei? She's far from a child, no matter how much I treated her as." He responded. 

The vampire rose a brow. "It was sarcasm. But, I can see you care for her. I'm glad. I haven't known her for long, but she seems a good girl. She did everything possible to find you."

Halsin looked at him.

"She went to extremes, fighting her way through the obstacles to get to that camp. Just to find you locked away in a cage. For her sake, I'm relieved you're alive."

There was an odd look in his eyes. He was being sincere— sure, he didn't know Astarion very well. But his reputation told Halsin he didn't trust easily; and he surely wasn't empathetic right off of the staff.

"Thank you, Astarion. I'm grateful for her actions. But I'm also grateful for you and the others in aiding her. None of this was easy. I just wish it didn't end up that way."

"Ah, yes. Well, what can you do, now, hmm?" He hummed.

Halsin looked forward, watching as Roralei laughed between her conversation with Tav and Shadowheart. The way her lips curled to show her perfect teeth and her doe eyes squinted, he felt a sudden fluttering within the pit of his stomach.

Oak fathers preserve me.

The sound of distant screaming caused the group to quickly turn towards the direction it echoed from. Farther down the road, dark smoke lingered into the air, clouding the air.

"Something's wrong," Shadowheart stated.
"Oh, really? And what gave that away, Shadowheart?" Astarion asked.

Tav turned to him. "I suppose we can see what's wrong."

They each hurried down the path when they reached a town near the end of the road. Both buildings burned, being engulfed by active flames that produced a strong, breathtaking smoke that caused Roralei to grimace lightly.