Chapter Text
"Behind you!"
Halsin looked up at the sound of Karlach's voice, seeing Astarion turning around just before a blast of magic knocked him back against a stone pillar with a deafening crack of energy.
"Fuck, Fangs!" Karlach cried, trying to run toward their fallen comrade, but the enchanted automatons they were fighting showered her with a barrage of random spells.
They'd come here to this home hoping to find some spells and potions, having heard from the local townsfolk that the wizard who'd lived here had been gone a long time, and likely left behind many of their belongings. It was supposed to be a quick, easy task, a bit of simple looting and looking around, except the place wasn't as abandoned as people thought.
Well sure, the main house was empty enough, but the cellar below was not. Five automatons, old and in a bit of disrepair, but working well enough, and with only one goal: Protecting the home from intruders.
The fight had started off fine, with Karlach and Astarion taking down two of the bots, but quickly things got tricky. The automatons were twitchy, the spells they blasted wild and uncontrolled. One spell caused flowers to burst in brilliant blooms across the stone floor, another blasting a hole in the wall, and another still nearly electrocuting Gale.
And now one of those spells has just hit Astarion square in the chest.
"I have an idea!" Gale shouted above the sounds of fighting. "We need to group the three automatons together!"
"Understood!" Halsin said, casting thorn whip and dragging one of the bots closer to the other. Gale casted thunder wave on the third, the bot landing on its back next to the other two.
"Voco Arvina!" Gale shouted, a large puddle of grease sploshing upon the ground around the automatons. "Halsin!"
"On it. Ignis!"
Everyone ducked their heads as the grease lit up with a fiery boom, bits and pieces of the automatons flying across the room. Finally, the battle was done.
"Astarion! Can you hear me?" Halsin asked, approaching where the vampire had fallen, Karlach and Gale hot on his heels.
"You alright, Fangs?"
The area where Astarion was thrown was a mess of busted crates, stone rubble, and knee-high wildflowers. Halsin waved his hand, parting some of the flora, while Karlach pulled away stones and wood until the cape and hood Astarion had been wearing was visible. But something wasn't right. The clothing was in a heap on the ground, devoid of anyone wearing it.
"Oh Gods, he's been turned to ashes!" Karlach cried out.
"No, not ashes," Halsin said, frowning in confusion. The cloak and hood were here, but Astarion and the rest of his outfit were not. Looking closer, the wildflowers next to the clothing were trampled slightly, as if something small had crawled through them.
"Jelly, then! Gods, poor Fangs, what are we-?"
"Um, guys, you might want to, ah, well..."
Gale pointed helplessly at a spot beneath the wooden stairs that led down into the cellar. Halsin and Karlach approached, looking at what Gale was seeing. Halsin froze.
Huddled up pressed as far back against the steps as they could be was an elven child, no more than five if Halsin had to guess, with clothing that was far too big, and skin and hair as fair as moonlight. Or, perhaps, starlight.
"Oh, fuck," Karlach muttered.
"Astarion?" Halsin asked softly. The boy glanced up, eyes as blue as the waters of the Chionthar and dripping with tears.
"Papa?" The boy asked, sniffling and wiping his eyes. Halsin chuckled despite himself.
"No, little one, I'm afraid not. But I am here to help, if you'll allow."
"Oh," Astarion muttered. "You kinda looked like him. Who are you?"
"My name is Halsin, and these are my friends Gale and Karlach." He gestured to them both. "I assume you saw us fighting?"
Astarion gave a tiny nod, hugging his knees closer to his chest. "Was scary..."
Halsin nodded gravely. "Yes, I'm sure it was. Those robots attacked us, and we had to protect ourselves, but the fighting is over now. You're safe to come out. We're going to our camp to rest and eat. Are you hungry?"
Astarion hesitated, then nodded again. Halsin smiled and held out his hand.
"Come on then, we'll get you something to eat."
Astarion accepted the hand with his own, much smaller one, pulling himself to his feet on wobbly legs and stepping out from his hiding place. Gale and Karlach were muttering in frantic quiet whispers, but stopped when Halsin gave them a 'not now' sort of look.
"I'm glad you're all right, Fangs! You really had me worried there." Karlach said.
Astarion tilted his head. "Fangs? I don't got fangs."
"Have." Gale corrected.
"Have what?" Astarion asked. Halsin shook his head.
"Let us make our way to camp before we lose any more daylight. Although..." Halsin looked at the padded armor and trousers that hung off the boys frame and the leather boots that were several sizes too big on his feet. "Gale, is there perhaps something you could do to fix our friends outfit?"
"Hm? Ah! Yes, of course! A quick reduction of the sizing should do it. May I?" Gale asked Astarion, who shrugged. A few seconds later and the clothing and boots were shrunk down to much more acceptable sizes. Not perfect, but at least Astarion could walk without tripping.
"Perfect. We'll be there shortly. Follow closely." Halsin warned the boy. The four exited the cellar and headed toward where they'd set up camp in the nearby forest, Astarion clinging to Gales hand and firing off questions as they walked so rapid that even the wizard struggled to keep up.
"What were you doing in that basement?"
"Why did you need spells? Aren't you a wizard?"
"Why's she on fire?"
"Where are we?"
"How'd I get here?"
"Can I do magic?"
"Who is that? Are we collecting strays, now?" Shadowheart asked upon the groups arrival. Astarion ducked behind Gales leg, eyeing her warily. Shadowheart frowned, taking the boy in more closely, her eyes widening in shock.
"Wait, is that-?"
"I believe we need to have a group meeting." Halsin said wearily.