I huffed, stumbling into the forest behind our camp, grabbing ahold of the tree closest to me for stability. Was this far out enough? Would I be seen here in the dead of night, miles away from our camp? I staggered, digging my nails into the bark as my head spun, a familiar stinging at my side. I grunted, turning myself around and pressing my back against the trunk while I slid down to the ground, one hand firmly gripping my side as blood slipped through my fingers.
We had managed to free Halsin the druid and escape the goblin camp safely. For the most part. I had taken quite the amount of damage, being the only frontliner besides Karlach, and one of the bastards had gotten me better than good.
I tore off my helmet, tossing it aside as I gasped for air. The night sky was blurring and I could still vaguely hear the sounds of celebration from our camp stationed far, far away. I groaned, my bloodsoaked hand reaching into my armor and unfastening the strap, letting my chest piece fall to the ground with a thud. I looked down at my wound, the moonlight barely breaking through the canopy of trees overhead. It was a deep slash, nothing I hadn't been through before, nothing I hadn't survived. I rested my head back, staring up at the sky with a deep breath. Shadowheart had almost tried to heal me, I had to assure I could patch myself up. What Paladin couldn't cast heal? I managed to hold it together until we made it back to camp, where I was finally able to slink away unseen and unbothered.
They couldn't see how badly I was hurt. They couldn't know...if they knew...
I raised my bloody hand to my face, my lip trembling as my body had already known the pain I was about to inflict upon myself.
"Burning hands." I whispered under my breath, watching as my fingers lit aflame, the bright light blinding me at first, before warming my face. With my free hand I grasped a smaller tree branch at my side, sticking it into my mouth and biting down as hard as I could. "Come on, Thora." I mumbled to myself before pressing my hand against my wound, searing my flesh, cauterizing my cut. I shut my eyes to the pain, scrunching up my nose as the smell of my own flesh wafted upwards. I pushed deeper, further, until I felt my spell die out and my bare fingers gently grazed my seared skin. I exhaled, the stick falling from my mouth as my eyelids felt heavier.
Had I gone too far this time? Was I really going to die here? In the dead of night, where no one would ever find me? I felt a gentle smirk spread across my lips.
This is finally my end.
My eyes slowly opened, my head feeling light as I drew in a shallow breath.
I'm still alive.
My vision slowly came to a focus and I realized, someone knelt beside me, their head tilted ever so slightly.
"You..." He said softly, "You're an Oathbreaker." I reached up, my hand touching my face before spotting my helmet across from us.
Damn it.
I looked back at the man, his white hair brighter under the morning sun, making me squint as I spotted the blood dripping from his chin and onto his bare chest. My light green eyes met his ruby red ones.
"And you are the Vampire, Astarion."
