Serenity | Halsin

Seventeen

The bone-chilling sounds of anonymous creatures and more echoed through the darkness that surrounded the paths leading farther into the Shadowlands. The darkness was accompanied by a thick, lingering fog that carried a dreary feel along with it.

When they exited the ruins and into the Shadowlands, there was a large, flaming brazier with several torch sticks beside of it that Halsin immediately reached for.

"Two of us will carry a torch. But we must sticki together." Halsin said to them. He burned the ends before handing one torch off to Tav.

"Lead the way then, bear man." Tav said to him. Roralei's nerves wracked her body as she stuck close to Halsin, following behind him as they all followed behind her.

"It's a shame these lands look this way, isn't it?" Halsin asked as they walked.
"Do you remember what it was like before?" She asked.
"It was a very long time ago. It was nothing like this place."

Halsin seemed distraught reminiscing on the past.

"What was it like?" She asked him.
"It was bright." He answered. "It was beautiful. The leaves on the trees always danced in the wind, as I describe it. The sun always shined just perfectly on the flowing rivers as they flowed after the heaviest rains. And the smell? It was rich and glorious. The fields had the most wonderful flowers, with flower petals so soft. . ."

Halsin smiled as he glanced down at her. "I could write a novel. But, do you know what's softer than the petals of all of those flowers?"

"What?" She asked.

"The fur of newly-young rabbits."

She pouted lightly. "Gods, I want to hold a baby rabbit."

"Come early spring, I will take you to a very well-known place where some are born."

"Yes, you two don't have a tadpole in your heads, therefore you will live that long to pet baby bunnies." Astarion clapped enthusiastically. Tav rolled her eyes at the man.

"You're just angry because there are no rabbits around here for you to eat." Tav stated.

"There are a few things around here I could get a taste of, actually." He smirked, his hand trailing up the tiefling's spine. The woman blushed as she swatted his hand away.

"Gross," Shadowheart muttered.

Halsin stopped moving. "We have arrived. Just. . . Allow me to speak. Stay here."

Handing the torch to Roralei, the druid watched as Halsin walked towards the group of goblins and the orc that stood beside a large brazier. One of the goblins waved a large stick around at the hyena, tossing it directly through the thick fog and out of sight.

"Go get it!"

Roralei's eyes widened as the hyena darted through the darkness, and the sudden echoes of whimpering and crunching followed.

"No!"

As she moved forward, Astarion quickly grabbed her arms and pulled her back.

"Are you out of your goddamned mind? He told us to stay put. Do you realize what is out there?"

His words were dark and firm in her ear as he held her from behind, restraining her.
"That was cruel." She said. She felt sorrow for the hyena, her blood boiling as the goblin grinned from large ear-to-ear. He was satisfied with the act.

Halsin approached as did the group. Roralei tried to compose her anger, but by the way her nostrils flared and her eyes turned to thin slits, Halsin's eyebrows furrowed.

"D'ya see it? Little shit went for it." The goblin said.

Tav smirked. "I did. But, you know what would even be better?"

"Wot?"

"You. Go fetch."

Roralei swallowed as Halsin sent her a weary look.

The goblin hesitated. "W—Wot?"

"Fetch. Now."

There was no trying to object. They saw Tav as one of the absolute, someone they must obey and worship.

Halsin gripped her arm as he turned her around. "Watch yourself."

Roralei turned and watched as a large, white haired arachnid approached the group with a large dangling lantern in his hand. His dark, several eyes caused her to step away uneasy, looking to Halsin.

The man leaned forward to make it seem that he was pressing a kiss to her head. "We must pretend we are of their people. Just long enough until the halfway point."

"And when is that?" She asked as his lips tickled her hairline.

"We'll know."

Kissing her head, he smiled as Kar'niss, the drider, demanded they all stick close as they began to walk.

"Tell me. Would the Underdark have been safer?"
"Neither place is safer than the other." He answered. "At least, not anymore."

"You spent a lot of time everywhere." She mentioned.
"Yes, well, that does happen when you've been around for a very long time. You're just at the beginning of your story, Roralei."

She reached for his hand. "Well, I would like you to be apart of my story, through every part."

He smiled and hummed. "As long as you'll allow me to be, then I will."

After several minutes walking, Halsin reached for Roralei's arm and pulled her close.

"This is it. This is where we part ways. Just do as I do." He whispered to each of them. Kar'niss hissed as he watched the rooftops of the broken down building they approached.

As the drider raised the lantern and the goblins raised their weapons, Haslin pushed Tav and Roralei down to the ground with the others following.

"Do not engage, pretend we've been taken as hostages!" Halsin demanded as he kneeled.

Roralei watched the scene unfold before them as the drider and his group fought the harpers as their arrows soared across the dark sky, piercing the orc in his chest. Roralei raised her hands and casted sanctuary over the harpers, noticing one of the half elves looking in their direction.

"How dare! How DARE?!" The drider hissed as he swung at the closest harper.

Halsin breathed heavily. "By the oak father, let them last."

Roralei looked up at him. "Shouldn't we help?"
"No. They will never believe us if we don't tell them we were held captive." He said.

"Ugh. So, we get to miss out on all of the fun." Astarion pouted.

The orc had finally fell to his knees before collapsing on the ground just as two harpers tackled Kar'niss, finishing off the drider with a strike to his skull with the end of a broken dagger.

Once the harpers stepped out from the building, they immediately turned to the remaining people.

Halsin stood.

"Who in the hells are you?"
"We were taken as prisoners. We are only seeking a way through these lands." Halsin said. The harper lowered his bow as he studied them.

"The Last Light Inn—"
"No!" One shouted in protest.

He immediately pointed to Roralei. "That one casted Sanctuary, to protect us. They were hostages. We must aid them."

The one sighed.

"Come. We will take you to the Last Light Inn."