A/N I'm sorry it takes me so long to update, It's just that I don't have much time to write. Anyways, I hope you will enjoy! Reviews are welcomed!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters (except the OC-s) were created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Asterix was lost in his thoughts and emotions. He knew his recent outburst looked childish, no matter how serious he had wanted to sound. After a while he decided to go out once again, feeling the need for fresh air.

Obelix was nowhere to be seen. The small warrior sat on the bench and leaned against the wall of his hut, letting the back of his head rest against it. The sun was still high above the horizon. Asterix closed his eyes, pointing out to himself that even so he could still see the light. His mind was clear and free of thoughts. His only wish was to let it last longer. Some movement by his side startled him a bit, shaking him out of his half-sleeping state. Asterix opened his eyes to see a small white dog on the same bench beside him. The dog put its head on the little Gaul's lap, looking up at him with its sad eyes.

"Now I know what Obelix means when he says that you understand everything he tells you," Asterix sighed, petting Dogmatix's head. The dog whimpered softly and licked the Gaul's hand. The warrior turned his gaze away, still petting the dog automatically. He wished to erase the past two weeks from his memory and make things be as before. Some small part of him had an insane hope it could be that way. But he knew it couldn't. Not after what he had realized. He closed his eyes again. Only a few days had made his life so much different from what it had been for years. Or was he overreacting? After all, Obelix did bring him home. And the others… Suddenly he felt that the light was blocked from him. He opened his eyes to see the menhir delivery man standing in front of him.

Obelix felt really uneasy. He was afraid to make Asterix mad again but he really needed to talk to him, to understand what was going on.

"I… I was looking for Dogmatix," he mumbled. There was a pause during which neither of them knew what to say. Even Dogmatix was silent, never leaving the little Gaul's side. Then Obelix sighed and sat down on the bench beside Asterix. Who could have ever thought that talking to his friend would be so difficult?

"You look tired," the red-haired Gaul started suddenly. Asterix wanted to make a sarcastic answer but it stuck somewhere halfway out as he looked at Obelix more attentively.

"So do you," the small Gaul replied, sounding somewhat surprised with that fact.

Obelix managed a weak smile.

"It's nothing," he muttered. "It's just… good that you're back".

He sighed, unsure whether to say what he was about to say.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't come to get you earlier," he flinched at the memories. "I was so scared. We all were. And they just kept playing with us… as if it were some kind of a game!"

Asterix looked at the well-covered Gaul, sensing anger in his voice.

"We were afraid we'd fail," Obelix went on, seemingly forgetting that someone was near him. He just needed to talk about it. "We had no other option but to play by their stupid rules…"

"What was it about?" Asterix asked suddenly, making Obelix frown and look at him.

"Oh, you don't know…" he remembered. "They made us pass some "challenges". It was our only way to… to find you". He took another deep breath. "I thought your Dad had told you about it… I mean…" he stopped, not knowing how to continue.

"You mean that's how he hurt his arm?" Asterix asked. He felt sorry for them and even slightly ashamed. They had done so much for him, and he thought… It was too much. He closed hi eyes, feeling the increasing headache.

"I don't know what actually happened," Obelix shrugged. "Although I was near. But it's all over now". He smiled.

Asterix felt almost like before. Before it all had started.

"Why did you hit me?" the question was so sudden that it made Obelix jump. He turned his head to his friend, staring at him. Then he remembered what the warrior was probably referring to. Asterix's eyes were closed, he looked absolutely calm. The intonation of the question was so… absent. As if Asterix just wondered about something casual.

"I… I d-didn't m-mean to…" the menhir delivery man stuttered, unable to find the appropriate words. He took a deep breath. His mouth felt dry all of a sudden. "I just…"

He was cut off as four people approached them. They were Asterix's parents and two druids. Astronomix and Sarsaparilla couldn't hide a smile as they saw their son finally outside.

"Well, Getafix," Newsix addressed his fellow druid, "I'm glad to see your friend is doing fine now. I guess I should be off now".

"Not before we have a goodbye party," the chief's voice sounded. Vitalstatistix just happened to pass by on his shield.

"Or it would better be a good recovery party," Astronomix suggested a bit flatly.

"Yes, that sounds better," Getafix agreed with a small laugh.

Asterix couldn't help but smile. Maybe he could just forget everything and live like he had used to… Or could he?..

0101010

Nakir couldn't hide her joy. It seemed that Newsix was going to leave that very evening. And she had nearly missed it because she was too sleepy! Unbelievable! Now she had to tell Nini… At last, they will do what they wanted so much! Well, what she wanted, since Nini didn't seem to be very enthusiastic about it.

"Newsix is leaving after the feast," the brunette exclaimed as soon as she saw her sister. Nini just nodded, her green eyes becoming misty.

"Look," Nakir began, "I just don't get it. What's wrong with you? Don't you remember how badly we wanted him to pay?"

Nini was unsure whether to tell Nakir about what was bugging her.

"It's just… Everything is so wrong," she sighed. "What we are doing is, I mean. Maybe somebody wants us to pay for what we have done to someone else?"

Nakir backed.

"Why do we need to care?" she asked. "It's their right".

"Don't you think is kind of insane?" Nini wasn't sure about that herself. Maybe it was how the world was built.

Suddenly they heard some strange noise.

"What's this?" the blonde whispered, on alert at once.

"It's coming from the Roman camp," Nakir replied. "We'd better hide".