Chapter Text
The group stood around Art Cullagh who absently mumbled a song under his breath repeatedly. Halsin had arrived at the Last Light Inn overnight, after hearing word of the party’s appearance at the protected location. His thick eyebrows furrowed deeply as he perched upon the nearby bed, staring down at Art. He shook his head and sighed.
“He is lost to the curse…but we need to return his mind to him, so that we might learn more about it.”
“What can we do to help?”
Wyll immediately offered, much to the vexation of Astarion who was much preferring lounging around the warm inn as opposed to their usual pursuit of mindless heroics. As Astarion began his drawling complaints, Shadowheart lost interest, and instead she focused on Elara. The Chosen was pacing back and forth by the window, muttering something to herself. Her fists were clenching and unclenching as she moved, her face scrunched in thought. Part of Shadowheart wanted to walk over, and pause the lapping – before Elara’s pathing was permanently grooved into the wooden floorboards – but she didn’t, she forced herself to return her eyes and ears to the conversation at the mention of her name.
“Shadowheart? Which group do you wish to go with?”
Wyll asked, and the Half-Elf did not want to admit she had just been focusing on Elara, and not the group (mostly she just didn’t want to give Astarion more ammo against her in their playful spats.) and so she slowly replied.
“…The first one.”
“…Are you sure?”
Wyll questioned, his eyebrows furrowing, before Astarion grinned in a way that immediately sent a chill down Shadowheart’s spine.
“Of course she is…who wouldn’t want to go on a long walk with their ex-lover…where anything could happen in the dark.”
“Astarion, I do believe it is rather boorish to chide on matters of the heart.”
“Matters of the…oh for crying out loud.”
Shadowheart rubbed her temple as she ignored Gale and Astarion bickering back and forth. She could already guess who was in her group. And soon enough, she was walking with Elara, Karlach and Lae’zel through the Shadow Cursed Lands. Apparently, what Shadowheart had missed in her thoughts on Elara, was that the group was to split up in two groups of four (including Halsin), with the first group (Shadowheart’s) set to explore the Ruined Battlefield, and the other to explore the Tollhouse and the surrounding area for any way to wake up Art, as well as to attempt to figure out the source of the curse. Lae’zel and Elara were walking together, in what one could describe as a companionable silence. Shadowheart truly wasn’t sure what Elara saw in the Gith. Not that she was jealous. Not. At. All.
Besides, who needed Shar’s Chosen when you could have Avernus’s walking furnace beside you? Shadowheart had to admit, she did enjoy Karlach’s presence. Just like Wyll, Karlach was one of the more optimistic members of the group, which allowed some reprieve from the sinking doubts that sat in the back of Shadowheart’s mind (next to the tadpole, she supposed). Not to mention, she was definitely a nice way to keep the cold of the Curse off of her skin.
“Sooo, Fringe…what’s the story between you and Miss Brooding?”
Shadowheart tensed up at the question, unconsciously glancing back at said Miss Brooding, who thankfully was not looking at her, before turning her gaze back to Karlach and letting out a guarded response.
“What’s it to you?”
“Oh, come on, you’re telling me a girl can’t just be a little curious?”
“She can be, it doesn’t mean it’s any of her business.”
Karlach chuckled before crossing her burly arms over her chest, for a moment, there was silence, but of course it was broken far too quickly for Shadowheart’s liking.
“…Come onnn…just tell me how you guys met the first time round then I’ll drop it completely.”
The Half-Elf glared up at Karlach, although her green glower was far less intimidating considering she had to arch her neck up to an almost painful angle just to lock her eyes with the amused giantess’s own enflamed orange ones. Shadowheart chewed her lip as she thought, before she relented, her shoulders relaxing.
“We met at the Sharran temple.”
“How romantic…although I did guess that much.”
“What? What else do you want? You asked how we first met, and that’s how, we were in the same cloister.”
“That’s where not how…c’mon Fringe…gimmie something to work with!”
Shadowheart huffed and rolled her eyes, this was utterly impossible, then again…thinking back on that fateful day, where Shadowheart’s entire world transformed into something completely different and was altered in a way that could never be reversed was definitely a pleasant distraction from the mission. And so she shrugged, and began recounting what had happened all those years ago.
///
Shadowheart looked down at the sink, her hands shaking. How she – a 5 year old – had gotten her hands on a pair of rusted scissors had become lost to her memories, but the result was all the same. Rich, black hair filled the sink. And the marred hair that did survive on her head formed a chaotic and disjointed mess. The scissors clattered to the ground as the Half-Elf stared at herself in the mirror. What result she was going for, certainly was not met, and Shadowheart couldn’t help but feel tears beginning to rise in her eyes. What had she done? Would her hair ever grow back? Was she going to be stuck like this forever?
Her racing thoughts were interrupted when another girl entered the communal washroom, and Shadowheart couldn’t even run to a stall to hide herself, much to her dismay, she just stood there attempting to look…less like a mess. The girl, who Shadowheart hadn’t spoken much to previously, was Elara. Elara was someone Shadowheart didn’t particularly hate, but she wasn’t someone she liked either. Which wasn’t a hard metric to achieve, considering Shadowheart didn’t particularly like anyone in the cloister. The tearful girl closed her eyes and braced, expecting to be mocked, after all, who wouldn’t mock her for being such an idiot. It’s not like someone who had dubbed themselves Shadowheart was ever seen as anything other than a freak, an outcast anyway.
Instead of some insults, or cruel laughter, a lighter, more melodic giggle met her ears. She felt Elara approach, her big brown eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and amusem*nt as she softly asked.
“What happened?”
Shadowheart gulped as she looked away, she couldn’t explain herself. Not with how choked up she was. And so Elara silently ran her hands through Shadowheart’s hair, letting any loose strands fall from the other girl’s head. The Half-Elf felt the human’s hands trace over her dishevelled mess of her silhouette until the giggling girl mumbled.
“I like it…it looks like…”
She contemplated for a moment, her nose scrunching in thought before she nodded decisively.
“It looks like Shadowheart.”
Shadowheart frowned a little, what was that supposed to mean? Elara shifted her hands from Shadowheart’s hair and wiped away the remains of any tears. The Half-Elf closed her eyes, still sniffling a bit, before she mumbled.
“Will you…go…tell the others?”
“The others?”
“…Mhm…like…Buddug…and…Dreena…and…”
“Nope.”
Elara cut Shadowheart off, and Shadowheart opened her eyes to meet with a toothy grin. Elara shook her head and spoke up again.
“If you don’t like it…I’ll just say I cut your hair…that way it will be my fault!”
Shadowheart’s eyes narrowed slightly. Why would Elara cover for her like that? They weren’t friends, they weren’t anything at all. And yet, the brown eyed girl – who seemed to understand her suspicion – continued to speak.
“Besides…I don’t really like…Dreena…and…I especially don’t like Buddug.”
Shadowheart nodded along, she hated Buddug, to put it lightly, but everyone else seemed to just let his actions slide. But the Half-Elf would never forget the day he stole her berry tart on the rare day they were given such a precious thing. Never. She would get her revenge one day. She would get vengeance for her sweet, perfect tart that she never got the honour of eating. She swore upon it, upon Lady Shar, upon everything she’s ever known. She would get justice for her and-
“So…wanna come with me to my secret hideout?”
Shadowheart was snapped out of her tart filled anger, and gave Elara a small confused look. Secret hideout? Without waiting for an answer, Elara interlocked their hands and dragged Shadowheart away from the mess she created, and towards an untold secret hideout. One which would soon become their secret hideout.
///
“Awww…Fringe that was adorable!”
Karlach spoke when Shadowheart stopped her recount, and Shadowheart couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. She chewed her lip, feeling a smile she never consciously committed to slip onto them.
“She was different back then.”
She whispered, so that only the fired woman could hear, and not the shadow of Elara who was walking behind them. Karlach glanced back at the Chosen, before she sighed.
“Yeah…I definitely couldn’t imagine Miss Brooding being such a cute kid.”
“She was the cutest, back then.”
Shadowheart let it slip out before she could stop herself, and Karlach gave her a devious little smirk. Although the conversation was paused when something caught Karlach’s eye. She glanced up, looking through the depths of the shadows before she curiously asked.
“Is that…a house?”
Shadowheart followed her gaze and saw it as well, upon a hill, further down the path they were following, a decrepit, veiled building sat. Lae’zel and Elara halted as well. For a moment, the women remained silent until Elara slowly spoke.
“The curse, it feels thicker here…even with Selûne’s…interference.”
Elara was right, even with Selûne’s blessing the curse was still wrapping around their lungs, and it only tightened the further they walked along the path.
“Well then, guess we’re on the right path then, right?”
Karlach replied, glancing at the others before she continued walking. They walked until they saw the house in full view, and then they saw movement inside. Lae’zel immediately unsheathed her greatsword and stood forward as she shouted.
“Reveal yourself and die with honour!”
There’s a moment where the only sound is the deafening silence of the Ruined Battlefield, until a small giggle flows through their ears, as though the sound was simultaneously inside them, and around them. The group immediately goes on the offensive, pulling out their weapons, until a sliver of movement caught Shadowheart’s eye. A boy, a small Tiefling suddenly appeared in front of her, as though he was always there.
“Boo! I scared you – I saw it…Nobody beats me at hide and seek...will you play with me?”
Shadowheart’s heart slowed slightly as she took in the sight of the boy, she knelt down and softly spoke, soothing her nerves.
“Play? Who are you? Where’s your family?”
“They’re here! But that doesn’t matter…c’mon! Play!”
“Chk…We haven’t the time for this.”
“Oh, come on Lae’zel, he’s just a kid! We definitely have time!”
Karlach ribbed the Gith, before she turned to Elara, who had been watching silently.
“What do you say? Are you willing to have some fun for once in your life?”
Shadowheart winced slightly, as she assumed Elara would lash out. Surprisingly Elara instead scoffed before she leaned against a nearby broken cart, her gaze locked onto the boy with a strange intensity.
“…Do as you wish.”
And with that, the boy grinned and disappeared with some parting words on the wind.
“Yes! Come find me!”
Lae’zel scoffed and moved to sit by Elara, as Karlach (who was grinning like she was the child in the game) began searching feverishly. Shadowheart glanced around as well, although she was attempting to act a bit more contained than Karlach. For a moment, it felt almost as though the boy had gone invisible, or had somehow completely escaped the area, that was until a triumphant Karlach yelled.
“Found him!”
Shadowheart swiftly moved over, where the boy was stomping his foot, accusing the engine-hearted woman of cheating. Elara and Lae’zel walked over as well, and the Fighter sighed – as though she was personally suffering at the sight of the tantrum.
“Is it so common for children in these lands to scream so incessantly?”
“You cheated!”
He shouted again, Shadowheart grimaced slightly, she was starting to regret siding with Karlach. Surprisingly, it was Elara who spoke up next, her eyes intently focused on the boy.
“Play again.”
“What?”
“Play his game again.”
Shadowheart looked over at Elara’s face with an expression of incredulity. What was Elara thinking about? Why did her tune change so randomly? Elara glanced up at Shadowheart, before she suddenly connected their minds together.
“He has something to do with the curse.”
“How can you tell?”
“How can you not?”
Shadowheart’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, but she nodded, and turned to the boy, cutting her connection off with Elara – who continued to watch intently. She knelt down once again and offered.
“What if we played again?”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Okay! You guys are way more fun than the last people who played with me…let’s go!”
The air grew still as he disappeared once more, before the shadows themselves seemed to flicker and form humanoid shapes. The humanoids didn’t immediately attack the group, and they instead began almost…searching for them. The group crouched down, and Elara moved into a familiar prayer position, before she started the blessing she whispered.
“Hide…I will find the boy.”
Before any of the party could counter this plan, Elara’s body was whisked into the shadows, and for the first time Shadowheart was able to see what Elara’s Shadow form looked like, without being effected by it herself. If the Half-Elf was not looking directly at The Chosen, she would not even notice her. She was like a mirage, like how heat waves glimmer and flicker but disappear once not directly looked at. And then, she was gone.
The remaining members all crouched behind the broken wagon, holding their breaths as the shadowed humanoids approached, their empty gazes searching between crates and shattered walls, chilling noises escaping their mouths. The whistling groans snuck closer and closer, until their moans were replaced with…the boy. The group slowly crept out of their hiding spot, and saw Elara – now visible – holding the boy by the scruff of his collar in the air, as the boy kicked and struggled fruitlessly.
Shadowheart couldn’t help but snicker a bit as she approached, although her eased expression slipped away when she saw the deep concentration on Elara’s face. Elara was staring at the boy, holding him up to her face as he squirmed, he managed to boot her in the nose, which caused her to drop him while clutching it.
“Ugh…”
She groaned, as Shadowheart quickly stepped over – once again trying to hide her laughter – as Karlach talked with the boy. Elara pulled her hand from her nose, which was bleeding.
“Little bastard…”
She grumbled, more to herself than anyone else, Shadowheart clucked her tongue and shook her head before she lifted her palm to Elara’s nose to heal it, her other hand resting on Elara’s shoulder to keep her from escaping. As her magic began to flow through The Chosen she retorted.
“Maybe if you weren’t examining him like he was a specimen he wouldn’t have been so offended.”
“He is a specimen…he’s not a normal child.”
“Well…I feel like the…blighted mark on him and his powers gave that away.”
“No…no he’s not a normal child.”
Shadowheart’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she lowered her palm off of the healed nose. She searched Elara’s gaze, and eventually Elara continued to explain.
“I can’t understand why but he feels…Sharran in nature…like My Mistress is somehow involved.”
“Outstanding.”
“Watch your tongue, Selûnite…there are no barriers to protect you here.”
“And yet Selûne still protects us, and you by extension.”
Elara’s jaw clenched, her eyes darkening slightly, before she wrenched Shadowheart’s hand off of her shoulder as she walked past her towards Karlach and Lae’zel. Shadowheart stood back watching them talk with the boy. Sharran in nature? Shadowheart couldn’t feel anything of the sort, other than the uncanny thickness of the air. But if Elara was right, if this boy was somehow connected to Shar, could he be connected to the Curse? The Selûnite felt ridiculous for considering it, but he clearly was not a normal child, even just by virtue of his apparent ability to disappear into thin air. Or perhaps he melded into the shadows like Elara did? But he showed no sign of prayer when he vanished. Shadowheart sighed, and looked at Elara – who stood over the boy (who in turn stuck his tongue out at her – clearly still not keen on the person who had beaten him) watching with a smothering stare. Regardless whoever, or whatever this boy was certainly was worth returning to the Inn for, and discussing with the rest of the group. Even if it was just a way to escape from the ever-constricting Cursed Lands.
