A/N: Hey everyone. I loved Asterix and the Secret of the Magic Potion when I watched it earlier this year, and I've had this AU fic in mind for months now, but never had the energy to write it down because of the length I predicted for it, until now at least. You don't need to have seen the movie to read this though.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Asterix franchise.
Enjoy!
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"Chief, please!"
Chief Vitalstitistix sighed. "Asterix, for the last time. No. Now go back to your post."
Grumbling under his breath, Asterix slipped out of the chief's house. He stopped at the training ground for a bit, watching some men practice against some dummies and letting out a wistful sigh.
He suddenly recalled his plans to visit Obelix today and went inside the healer's hut where several beds laid across the room. Obelix was lying on one with some bandages around his abdomen and a look of deep boredom on his face. Dogmatix was snoring away by his master's side. The large man perked up upon seeing him.
"Asterix!"
"How have you been doing, Obelix?" Asterix said, putting on a smile as he sat by his side.
"Terrible! They're starving me to death here!"
Asterix chuckled. "I'm sure they're just giving looking out for you. I don't think your body could handle eating too much when you're hurt."
Sulking, Obelix huffed and laid down before giving him a curious look. "Say, how did it go with the chief? You told me you would go see him again."
The good mood Asterix was trying to force crumbled, and his shoulders sagged. "Same as before." He had been trying to convince the chief to let him be one of the village warriors for ages. He trained every day and learned how to use the dagger, but nothing ever convinced the others. They only saw him for his size and the chief gave him the role of a watcher, assigning him to keep an eye out in an area of the forest where nothing ever happened. He had half a mind to belief the chief did it on purpose to keep him out of the battles.
He thought about the men at the training ground and his chest tightened. What could he give to be there with them?
"Well, it's not fun, fighting out there," Obelix said, poking his bandaged abdomen and wincing.
Asterix huffed. "It's not about fun, Obelix. I can't stand seeing you all run off to fight the Romans while I'm just sitting on some tree watching birds all day."
It had been a daunting discovery when they found out that the Romans had conquered much of the land around them. The enemy's numbers grew every day and so was the number of injured warriors coming back from each fight.
They needed all the help they could get to ward them off. Asterix volunteered time and again only to be ignored and dismissed. One time he even showed up to help during a fight with a group of Romans only to be dragged away by his friends and punished by polishing everyone's swords and shields.
Obelix rubbed the top of Dogmatix's head and glanced at down him, frowning. "Well, I heard chief will be having a meeting tomorrow night. You could try talking to him again."
"I don't know what difference it'll make. I already tried a dozen times."
"Then I'll talk to him too once I'm all better. He will surely lesson when it's both of us!" the large Gaul added, looking proud of his idea.
Asterix smiled earnestly. "Thank you, Obelix."
Once he was out of the healer's hut, Asterix slumped. Obelix had known about his wish to be a village warrior since childhood. His friend got chosen, but Asterix didn't have the size or the physical strength they believed to be required. Seeing Obelix rush out to fight while he stood on the sidelines was one of the things that pained Asterix the most. He was his best friend yet couldn't be there to have his back.
Hoping that tomorrow things would turn in his favor for once, he headed toward the village gate and returned to his post.
Nothing again. Asterix fixed his footing so he was standing more comforting over the tree branch, keeping his eyes peeled at all times. He had several traps and snares set up just in case. Roman attacks had been far too prominent this past month and he couldn't afford letting them sneak up on them, but usually the only thing the traps caught was wild boars, which he would bring to the village. That was one use people found for him.
He honestly felt like he was wasting his time. The most exciting thing happened for the rest of the day was him catching some children having snuck out of the village. He scolded them and led them back to the village.
Old Geriatrix caught sight of them and came over. "What's all this about?"
"I caught them near my post at the western side of the woods. They were planning on playing in the river." Asterix told him. The old man bristled and glared down at the three children.
"You kids should have more sense than that! Do you have any idea how much danger you were in?"
Asterix nodded sternly. "Yes, you could have walked into one of my traps or been caught by some Romans."
"Forget that! There's something much worse than Romans dwelling past the river. There lies the home of the woodland demon. A terrible sylvan creature with the head of a deer who turns people into statues when they disturb him!" Geriatrix said, wriggling his fingers ominously. "I, in fact, ran into him in my youth while hunting boars."
Asterix blinked, a foggy memory from childhood resurfacing. He recalled his parents telling him of such a creature, probably to keep him from wandering off into the woods. He couldn't help voicing his skepticism. "But that must have been years ago. Are you sure the demon is still, you know, there?"
Geriatrix scoffed. "The sylvan demon is as old as the forest. He's probably still there in his hut and waiting for his next victim." He then added proudly. "Now let me tell how I managed to escape the foul monster. I even broke of his one of his claws!"
Excusing himself from the inevitably long tale, he sent a sympathetic glance to the groaning children before heading home. It was later that night while lying on his bed that an idea occurred to him.
What if the woodland demon did exist? If, by some slight chance, it did, then he could hunt it down and bring something back to the chief. That should be enough to prove he was worthy of becoming a warrior, right? It's not like anyone would give him a chance to prove himself as the chief told him not to go against Romans and run upon seeing them.
He knew it was a ridiculous idea, based entirely on a fairytale that was meant to scare children, but it's not like he had anything to lose if he did go out to search for him. The alternative would be spending most of his day with birds and boars as his only company, so it wasn't a difficult choice.
The next morning, Asterix sprung out of bed and gathered as many supplies as he could with some food. He didn't know how long he would be wandering the woods, so he needed to be prepared for anything, especially if the beast, somehow, turned out to be real.
Bidding a good morning to everyone he came across and stopping by to check on Obelix again; he dashed into the woods and crossed the river. The next few hours were spent with him searching the western side of the forest for any clues that someone or something resided nearby. Before he knew it, the sky shifted to a vivid orange color.
Standing on a branch to get an overview look of the area, Asterix gave a defeated sigh and leaned back. What was he thinking? He spent an entire day running around and it all proven to be fruitless. He should just go back to the village.
Just as he was about to climb down, something bright suddenly flashed in his eyes and nearly made him fall. Squinting, he made out a small butterfly having fluttered past him. The longer he stared it the more he realized something strange.
The little creature was made entirely of flame.
Impossible! He thought breathlessly, thinking he was hallucinating from exhaustion. It took him a moment to react as the strange creature fluttered away and he hurriedly climbed down, almost slipping and falling in his rush.
Scrambling after the glowing butterfly, Asterix was reminded of old tales about fairies and spirts guiding hunters through the forest in search of vicious beasts. He watched it go over some shrubs and he winced as something scratched his elbow. In his hurry to catch up to the glittery trail the creature left, Asterix stumbled upon some stones stacked over each other. Cairn. Confused, he ignored it and went on ahead. It was easy to spot it since the woods were getting darker by the minute. His eyes widened when another fiery creature fluttered into sight. Then a third and a fourth appeared, as if they were all gathering somewhere.
It didn't take him long to find out where as Asterix dropped down to the ground upon seeing someone shuffling between the trees.
Alert, he reached for his dagger and crept closer, peering between the bushes. In the dimming light, he could make out the butterflies fluttering around a tall creature with dark fur and two white antlers. While he could only see his back, he watched him hold a boney hand out and one butterfly settled on his pale finger.
The demon! Swallowing, Asterix steadied his breathing. This was it. His chance to prove his worth. He steeled himself and without a second thought he slipped out of his cover, charging as fast as he could. Just as he was swinging to strike, the demon spun and clashed the blade of a sickle against his dagger, forcing him back. That's when Asterix finally got a good look at his enemy and was greeted with the face of an old man. He had a long white beard, long nose and cold eyes. The butterflies vanished in a flicker.
"What?" Asterix mumbled. Now that he got closer, he could see the antler were part of the deer skull the man was wearing.
"Huh. I didn't know elfin creatures lived in this part of the woods," the old man said with a chuckle.
As soon as he processed the jab, Asterix scowled. "At least I don't walk around dressed as a scarecrow!" Which brought him back to the matter at hand and he froze. "Wait a minute. You're the woodland demon? The one who turns people to statues?"
The old man grinned and took a step closer. "Oh, would you like to see?" he held his hand out and a swirl of flame came to life in his pale hand. The light was mesmerizing as it turned in circles over the old man's palm. Asterix's mind became fuzzy, and his limps began going numb. Seizing control of himself, Asterix knocked the hand away and backed off, glaring at the stranger warily.
"How…?" the old man murmured, looking stunned.
"Who…who are you and what are you doing here?"
A dignified look flashed in the stranger's eyes. "I am the great Sulfurix. Surely you've heard of me."
"Doesn't ring a bell," Asterix said, earning a scowl from the old man. "But what were you doing here?"
"I live near here. I was collecting herbs for a recipe I'm working on when you attacked me. You need to work on your stealth, by the way."
Ignoring the insult, it suddenly clicked in Asterix's head. "You're a druid…"
"Ha, I'm surprised you even know what that is."
"Hey!" It's true Asterix never seen a druid before, but they all heard the tales. Druids were supposedly powerful and practiced all sorts of magic. What he had seen the man do earlier with the flame creatures made sense now.
The old man held up his hand. "I think I have the right to be bitter when fools like you keep coming after my hide."
The reality finally settled in and Asterix felt his spirits plummet. There was no demon. Just an old druid dressed like one. He had no way of proving himself to the others now.
"Now, if you're done pestering me, I would like to return to my work."
"I'm sorry," Asterix muttered.
The druid blinked and huffed. "Just make sure to tell those idiots at your village to stay away from my forest!"
Asterix didn't reply and walked away. By the time he made it to the village gate, it had gotten quite dark. The guards questioned his late arrival and he told them he wanted to make sure his traps were well set up before he left for the night.
The guard hummed. "Alright, but make sure not to disturb the chief. They're having a meeting at his house."
Asterix gasped. He forgot all about the meeting. Wasting no time, he sprinted past the guards to the chief's house. Pausing at the door, he winced when he realized there was no escaping getting chewed up for interrupting them and coming this late. Just as he was about to push his way in, he stopped upon hearing loud arguing.
"Calm down, everyone!" Vitalstitistix groaned.
"How are we supposed to, chief? The Roman attacks are getting more aggressive, and our warriors are still recovering from the last one!"
"Well, we're not hearing you offer any ideas!" Fulliautomatix snapped.
"Neither are you!"
"Enough!" the chief growled over the tumult. "I know things seem troublesome, but surely there's something we could do."
In less than a minute, Fulliautomatix spoke. "I don't like the idea personally, but we might need to train more people to fight and help the warriors."
"Well, there's Asterix. He's always volunteering to help." Caconfonix suggested timidly and Asterix perked up.
Another voice laughed. "What's Asterix going to do? Stab them in the ankles? Set up a hundred snares for them?" the villager said followed by a few laughs, and he felt as if had been punched in the gut.
"Hey, now. Stop that! You know Asterix is always trying to help," Unhygienix protested.
The chief hummed. "True. Stubborn as he can be, Asterix is one of the most devoted people in our village."
The same villager huffed. "That's nice and all, but you know as well as I do that he'll get crushed the second he sets foot into a battle. Would you, on a good conscience, be able to send him to fight the Romans?"
Asterix knew he should back away from the door. Everything in him screamed to walk away and not listen in, but he was glued to it and couldn't move himself no matter how hard he wished it.
The chief sighed gravely. "No...I wouldn't."
Asterix's heart sank, feeling the world around him crumble. This was his answer, his final one. The chief had no intention of ever letting him become a warrior .
Eyes burning, he bolted away across the village and past the worried guards into the woods again. He couldn't see much thanks to the darkness and the blurriness in his vision, but he knew this path by heart, having walked in this direction every day. It wasn't his post that he had in mind. He crossed the river, barely managing to land on the steppingstones without falling into the dark waters. Stumbling through the bushes, he walked for a while without a clue where he was heading until he spotted it.
A lone hut stood in a small clearing. It didn't look inviting at all, with bones and charms hanging around it, but considering who was living there, it should come as no surprise. Swallowing his unease, the little Gaul approached it.
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Sulfurix coughed as he grounded up some more herbs and carried the bowl of powder over to the boiling cauldron. He couldn't pull off the new spell he was practicing just by exerting himself. He needed more power, even though he knew he wasn't good with potion brewing, not like-
Stomping the thought before it reared its head, he rubbed his temples and added a few pink petals to the mix, watching the concoction bubble up. A sudden knock against his door surprised him. It was dark out. No one in their right mind would be wandering the forest this late, not even to hunt him. Maybe it was some legionaries?
In any case, he pulled away from the cauldron and marched over to the door, fire already blazing in one hand as he yanked it open. "Who dares disturb the great-" He paused upon seeing the short Gaul from earlier staring up at him uneasily. "Oh, it's the little dwarf again. Didn't I tell you to stay away from my forest?"
The younger man twisted his hands together. "Um, Sulfurix, was it? Sorry to bother you, but I…I need your help."
"My help?" the druid muttered, somewhat amused. Out of all fools who ran into him over the decades, none of them made such a request.
"You're a druid, aren't you? You work with magic and potions, or so I heard."
Honestly, this was last thing Sulfurix needed. He would not stand for people knocking at his door and disturbing his peace every time they stubbed their toe or something. "Surely you have a healer somewhere in your village. Otherwise, I would question how you all survived this long. Now leave me be."
"Will you just listen?" the man huffed, and his eyes darted elsewhere. "I just…I've been trying to convince our chief to make me a village warrior like the others, but everyone won't take me seriously."
"I wonder why."
The short man gave him an annoyed look but composed himself. "Don't you have anything that can help me? Something that would make me bigger or stronger?"
Sulfurix was ready to tell him no, because there really wasn't, but then his eyes widened, and a smile crept on his lips. "Actually, there is a potion that could give a person unimaginable strength, and I could easily make it for you."
"Really?" the short man perked up.
"However. I don't have the recipe for it. My old pal Getafix does."
"Oh. So…he's another druid like you? Where can I find him?"
"Unfortunately, Getafix has no intention of sharing the recipe with anyone. He's making the potion for another village a bit far from here, and they've been unconquerable since. I heard not even armies of legionaries could bring them down. Meanwhile, the rest of us have to deal with the Romans on a daily basis with no hope of driving them away."
The man frowned. "But…that's…"
"Remarkably selfish? I think so, too."
"Well...what are we going to do then?"
Sulfurix rubbed his beard in a thoughtful manner. "We could try obtaining the recipe through other means, if you know what I mean."
Blinking, the short Gaul gasped as he caught on. "Wait, you mean steal it?"
"Do you have other ideas? I could waste years of my life trying to make that potion, and Getafix would never share it with another soul, so…"
"I don't know…" the man said uncomfortably.
"It won't just solve your problem but also everyone else's in your village. Think about it and tell me in the morning. I won't pressure you. Now, you best be on your way, little Gaul."
"Actually…would it be alright if I spent the night here?" he asked hesitantly. When Sulfurix gave him a look, he slumped. "I would rather not be at the village right now…"
It was dim in the doorway, but he could still make out red lines around the short man's eyes. Despite his solitary nature protesting against the idea of letting some random stranger into his house, he heaved a tired sigh and took a step back.
"Thank you," The man said. "By the way, I realized I haven't properly introduced myself yet. I'm Asterix."
"Sure, sure." Sulfurix waved him off, but deep down he felt extremely pleased with this turn of events.
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Blinking away the silver morning light, Asterix yawned, and the first thing he saw were the dozen charms dangling from the ceiling. With the empty cauldron, the jars filled with powders, and the animal skull hanging on the wall, he felt as if he had awoken in a witch's house.
Sulfurix had offered him a fur blanket to sleep on which, obviously, was twice as big the one had back home. He could practically cocoon himself with it and still had have plenty of room left. Glancing over, he saw the old man snoring away on his bed. His dark, fur cloak was hanged on the wall and the deer skull left on his nightstand. His long grey hair arched at the end, making it look like pale flames.
He thought over everything the druid told him last night. While the thought of a simple potion that could give him the strength to become a warrior and protect his village from the invaders sounded almost too good to be true, he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with the prospect of stealing it, especially from fellow Gauls. Was this really the only way to fix their problems?
With nothing to do for the time being, Asterix decided to have a look around. He stopped by a table with some herbs and petals in a bowl along with a mortar and a pestle. He took one petal and sniffed it, barely suppressing the urge to sneeze. On another table was a long line of glinting druid sickles. Looking at them made him a tad uneasy. His foot then hit something, and he glanced down to see something golden and covered in cobwebs under the table. His interest peaking, he reached down only to feel a swift hand grab the hem of his tunic and pull him up with a yelp. Sulfurix's large dark eyes met his.
"Snooping around, are we?"
How did he manage to sneak up on him without alerting him? He always seemed to be moving around without making a sound. Asterix ducked his head. "Sorry. I was just curious. I've never been inside a druid's house before."
"I figured as much." The old man lowered Asterix and made a quick move of nudging the golden thing further into shadow of the table with his foot. He crossed his arms. "So, will you assist me in getting the recipe of the magic potion?"
Asterix grimaced and stared down at his feet. Thinking about his people and all those injured warriors, he found his resolve. "Yes."
Sulfurix nodded with a pleased grin. "Wise choice. We'll eat before heading out." He made his way over to put a few logs into the hearth then backed away, rubbing his hands together. Sparks flashed in his hands and another creature of flame appeared, perched on his finger. He let it flutter over to the hearth and it burned the logs.
Captivated, Asterix quickly broke his gaze with a huff when he caught the smug look on the druid's face. Such exercises of magic were completely new to him and a childlike part of him couldn't help being enthralled by them.
Soon, it was time for them to leave. Fetching his bag from the ground, Asterix stopped to glance back to the direction of his village and his heart ached a little. He didn't wish to leave the others, especially Obelix, but he had to get that recipe. It was their only hope to defeat the Romans. Tearing his eyes away from the sight before he could change his mind, he hurried after the druid.
They hadn't gotten far into the forest before they ran into trouble.
"Halt!"
Asterix stared the long line of legionaries that marched up toward them with dread. They must have been on their way to invade the village. He couldn't let them get through!
Unsheathing his dagger, he darted in front of the druid. The Romans laughed as he took a defensive pose, and he cursed his luck for never receiving a proper weapon. His dagger was given to him in case of an emergency and not for the sake of fighting.
"Why, isn't this endearing? Just get this over with, men. We have a village waiting for us," The centurion said. Two legionaries came at them. Asterix dashed forward and kept an eye on the sword of the legionary as he swung. He slid on the ground to avoid getting slashed in half and jumped at the surprised legionary, slamming the handle of his weapon against his face.
The other came over and tried to spear him. Asterix lunged forward to avoid the head of the spear as it came down at him and kicked the legionary in the knee, causing the large man to crumble. While Asterix wasn't as big or strong as the other warriors in his village, he learned to use his size to his advantage while training in the woods. His victory over the two legionaries seemed to catch the centurion off guard, but he scowled. "Don't just stand there. Get him!"
A dozen legionaries came at Asterix at once and he panicked only to yelp when a hand pulled him back. Sulfurix stood in his place and held his hand out with that strange spiraling flame hovering over it from the other day. Horror struck Asterix for a moment as he expected the old man to be torn to pieces, but something different happened. Instantly, all those who gazed into the spinning fire became petrified, as if frozen in time, their eyes wide and mouths open like-
Statues. Asterix realized apprehensively.
"W-what is that?" the legionaries stammered around them.
"So, who else wants to join their friends?" Sulfurix said with a wry grin.
Fear spread through the army, clearly not expecting having to deal with magic on this battle to conquer the small village. The centurion looked back and forth between his men before yelling at them. "What are you waiting for? Ch-charge!"
The fire in Sulfurix's hand suddenly burst up in the shape of a blazing pillar and the legionaries screamed, fleeing back into the woods all at once.
"Cowards!" The centurion turned to glare at them. "This isn't over!" he glowered and scrambled away, nearly tripping.
Asterix gazed through the line of frozen legionaries in awe. A fight that would have ended with several of their men injured was resolved without the druid having to move a muscle.
Sulfurix turned to him with a smug smile, extinguishing the fire with a flicker of his hand. He reached a finger and closed a frozen legionary's mouth shut. "I was just getting worried about having lost my touch," he said, but Asterix's eyes remined locked on something else.
"You're bleeding!"
"What?" Sulfurix finally noticed the cut on his forearm. "That last spearman I didn't freeze fast enough must have done it. It's more of a scratch than anything."
"Please sit. I'll get you something." Rummaging through his bag, Asterix poured water from his water gourd onto a piece of blue cloth and went over to tend to the wound.
The old man, of course, couldn't help complaining. "You know, sooner or later you'll remember that I'm a druid and can take care of a tiny scratch. You should be glad it wasn't these brilliant hands that got hurt. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to make the magic potion."
"But it's my fault you got hurt in the first place. You wouldn't have been here if it weren't for my request, so it's only fair," Asterix said, wrapping up the cut. He got hurt a lot while training in the forest and learned to take care of his injuries on his own so he wouldn't have to go to the healer and be faced with questions.
The old man stared at him in puzzlement then looked away. "I'm interested in the recipe as well, so no need for all this heroic talk."
"You are? What for?"
"That's for me, and me alone." Sulfurix sat up and examined his bandaged forearm before sparing him a glance. "It's pressing too hard on it, but…thanks, I suppose," he said haughtily before waking ahead.
Asterix rolled his eyes. Something told him this would be a longer journey than he imagined. He just hoped this "magic potion" was real. Otherwise, he'll have a few words with this conceited druid.
They travelled for days, stopping every evening to make camp. Asterix's feet were growing sore from walking. He stopped when the druid's stride came to a halt on a curve in the road in a forest, his gaze scanning the area.
"There should be a big rock here," Sulfurix mumbled to himself, stroking his beard. "There should be, if memory served."
"Just consult the map," Asterix huffed, tired of walking while the sun glared down on his exposed head mercilessly. The druid's lazy stare widened a fraction at that and Asterix's jaw fell.
"You forgot the map?" Asterix muttered in disbelief.
"Never had one to begin with. What's the point of a map when you lived in the same forest for decades?"
As much as Asterix found the idea of this creepy, old druid wandering their woods all these years without any of them running into him, well save for those like Geriatrix who went on about of the "woodland demon", this didn't help their situation. "You brought us all the way out here without knowing where you're going? We could be lost for all you know!"
"Quit shouting and let me focus." Sulfurix sat down on the ground and closed his eyes, holding up both his hands. Asterix watched perplexed as a fire came to life in the druid's hands, bright and shimmering. The moment the old man's eyes opened over it, it roared and flared, as if having gained a mind of its own.
Uneasy by the eerie display, Asterix took a hesitant step back when he began to make out hands and faces flashing in the ribbons of flame. With every crackle and roar, he could have sworn he heard something akin to human voices, but they were raspy and dissonant.
Sulfurix, finally, extinguished the ethereal fire and blinked, as if having awoken from a hazy dream.
"What was that?" Asterix tried and failed to hide the quiver in his voice.
"I used my fire spell to peer into my mind," he casually explained. "Just like how I can hypnotize someone and lock away their mind, I can search through my memories and recall whatever I want."
"And…?"
"We're at the right place. My memory isn't faulty," the old man said proudly.
Resting a hand on his forehead exasperatedly, Asterix looked around and pointed at a nearby tree. "I'll climb up there. I might get a better view of where we are."
Without waiting for a reply, Asterix marched up to the tree and began climbing, shuddering a little. No wonder people think he's a demon. Forget the creepy choice of clothing, that spell was downright horrifying. If Obelix had been here to witness it, he would have been frightened out of his wits. He thought back to all the wonderous stories he heard about druids and their work and found none quite this unsettling.
Reaching a high branch with a huff, he squinted and tried to get an idea of the layout of the land. Not long after, he spotted the large rock Sulfurix must have been referring to not too far from here. He was about to call down and tell him so when he spotted the old man gazing at something moving through the grass, a little wild boar.
Asterix grew worried when he noticed the druid's hand disappear into his cloak only to be confused when he took out a small acorn. He tossed it to the boar who made a delighted sound and ate before trotting over in front of the druid. Grimacing slightly, the druid bent down and scratched the head of the little animal hesitantly.
At a loss, Asterix's heart leapt when he lost his grip and almost fell off the tree. Calming his breathing, he slid down with greater care. The druid shooed the boar just as he came over and took on a nonchalant look as if nothing happened.
"Well?"
"I…I did find the rock you were talking about."
"Heh, see? There was no need to get all worked up, was there?"
Asterix raised a brow and glanced to where the little animal had fled.
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When dark clouds rolled in and the sky began to pour, they raced to hide under a tree. The branches didn't offer enough protection and occasionally droplets of rain hit Asterix's head, making him shiver. "Hey, do you have a spell that could shield us from the rain?"
"Would you like a spell that summons you wild boars along with it?" Sulfurix snarked back. Asterix snorted and shook his head.
"Well, I guess your magic isn't all that great then." They had been exchanging snarky and sarcastic remarks with each other since they set off and he meant it as another of those, expecting the druid to shoot another back. He was taken aback when Sulfurix's face darkened and could see the old man's long fingers digging into his knees.
"Oh, is that so?" Sulfurix growled and shot up, storming out into the rain.
"Hey, hold on. I was only joking!" Asterix called out. "What are you so upset about?"
The old man gave him a searing glare. "Hypocrites, all of you. When your heads aren't simply empty, you just want more and more!" he snapped. "Here I am, spending countless, grueling nights working on my spells, but once my work is not good enough for the people of Gaul anymore, they toss it aside like it's nothing!"
Surprised, guilt bit at Asterix now. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know. I was only poking fun," he said. "But…believe it or not, I do understand what you mean."
Sulfurix scoffed. "Ha! What could you possibly know? A fool like you only thinks about being a mighty hero."
Asterix shook his head. "When I was little, all I wanted was to become a warrior and fight alongside everyone to protect the village and all my friends. They told me I was too young to fight at the time. So, I trained hard through the years to prepare myself for that day, but when I didn't grow up to be a big and strong man, they told me I wasn't fit to be a warrior. I didn't even get the chance to prove otherwise," Asterix said, downcast.
The old man's dark eyes studied him for a moment and there was a flash of uncertainty in them.
Asterix gave a small smile. "I…I never did thank you for what you did the other day. You saved my village from those Romans and I'm indeed grateful for that."
"Alright, enough with your flatteries. I'm coming back," The druid grumbled and returned to hide from the rain, covering himself with his cloak.
Asterix hummed and leaned back against the cold bark. After a minute, he was surprised when something was draped over him and realized the druid had thrown the other side of his cloak over him. The old man's face turned far away from him.
"Not a word of this to anyone, or I'll set your mustache on fire."
A feeling of gratitude flowed through Asterix. He held back a chuckle and basked in the warmth.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
They were getting close to the village Getafix was residing in. That became clear to Sulfurix. They were growing closer to his lifelong goal by the minute.
"And then Obelix and I smelled like fish for days, but it was worth it, I tell you!" Asterix went on, laughing. Sulfurix sighed, causing the shorter Gaul to falter.
"Um, hey. If you want me to stop talking then I-"
Sulfurix wanted to say yes to that, but something in him was against it. "No, it's not that." He grumbled. "I guess I'm not used to having someone to talk to. I've been living on my own in those woods for years."
Asterix's face fell a little. "That…must have been difficult. I can't imagine living all by myself that long without my friends and family."
Flustered, the old man huffed. "Don't pity me. I chose to live there by my choice. I can experiment with magic in whatever way I want without those fools at the Forest of Carnutes getting in my way!"
"Speaking of that…there's something I still wish to know about, if it's okay."
"Which is?"
"You seem pretty interested in the magic potion whenever we speak about it, Sulfurix, but what do you need it for? I mean, I do need its power to protect my friends from the Romans, but you, on the other hand, paralyzed those legionaries with ease using that hypnosis spell of yours."
Raising a brow, Sulfurix clutched his fists as he thought about it. "Rather than selfishly hiding it from the rest of the world, I wish for the magic potion's power to be distributed equally among the people of Gaul. Then we can triumph over Caesar's armies and end this war. Whenever I think of those idiots hoarding such great power, and whatever those other foolish druids are cooking up at the Forest of Carnutes, it reminds me of why I left that place. They go on and on about pushing the boundaries of magic for the good of all, but once they manage to make something outstanding, they keep its secrets to themselves and use it when it's convenient for them. Their hypocrisy just drives me mad!" he growled and flinched when a burst of flame caught onto his fur cloak. He frantically tried putting it out and cursed only to stop his angry ramblings when he noticed the short Gaul staring at him. "What's the matter with you?" he asked, half irritated and half confused.
Asterix rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I do owe you an apology then."
Sulfurix frowned. "For what?"
"Well, when I first saw you, I immediately assumed you were a threat to us, thought you were a sneaky and scheming old man-"
"That's not very far off."
"-but now I see, despite those things, that you wished to bring more justice to Gaul all this time. I was wrong."
The short Gaul was staring at Sulfurix with such glowing respect it made the old man want to puke. "Sure, whatever, little dwarf," he said, ruffling the other's blonde hair.
"Hey, I'm not a child!"
"I'm practically ancient. From my perspective, you all are," he said with an easy smile. Usually, he would soak any and all praise directed at him, but something about the sincerity in his companion's voice made a part of him unwilling to latch onto those warm words. It was easier to just have their usual back-and-forth than this.
Asterix rolled his eyes and went on with a dip to his head. "If only I could be of some use here."
"Hmm?"
Asterix's eyes drifted away, and he sighed. "Look, I haven't been really honest. The truth is…things haven't been alright at my village for a while. The Romans are becoming stronger, and everyone is despairing, even me. Every day had been the same. The invaders would come, and we would be left to pick up the pieces of what they've done. The entire time I felt of no use to anyone. Even when I offered my help, I was doubtful of what I could do to make things better for them. Then something different happened." He looked up at him. "I met you, Sulfurix, and you kept talking about the magic potion, defeating the Romans, and ending the war, and that…honestly gave a little hope."
Sulfurix wasn't sure what to make of this. Some discomfort was rising within him just from hearing this and for the life of him he couldn't understand why they were affecting him in such a way.
"I felt of no use to anyone."
Maybe it's because it reminded him too much of the thoughts that plagued him over the years when he was castoff by the people of Gaul and the other druids, left only with the feeling of being unable to produce anything special and a consuming rage. Sighing, he turned to the shorter man. "Listen, if someone else had found me in the woods that day other than you, I wouldn't have bothered coming on this journey and tiring myself. I chose to come because it was specifically you who came to me."
"Huh? But why me?"
"I used that hypnosis spell on numerous people in the past. Gaulish Warriors, bandits, Romans, and so on. Do you know how many managed to resist it?"
"Um…"
"One, and he's standing right in front of me," Sulfurix said, and the other stopped walking altogether in surprise. "You're the only one who withstood my spell. Why? Because you're too sharp to fall victim for it. Shouldn't that count for something?" he told the stunned man. "My plan requires someone who is immune to my mind spells. It wouldn't work without your…help." He forced himself to admit.
"Oh, I see..."
Sulfurix went on despite himself. "Since you're so caught up on whether you are fit to be a warrior, here's what I think. From what I've seen when you fought those Romans alone, you were focused and used your size to your advantage. You're clever and cunning, like me." He couldn't help adding with a grin and Asterix rolled his eyes. "If you ever become a warrior, you'll be a different kind, relying on your wits to fight rather size and brawn. You don't see many like that. In fact, considering all the brutes around here, it might even be somewhat refreshing and-will you stop looking at me like that?"
Asterix stared at him wide-eyed and smiled warmly. "Thank you, Sulfurix. It…really means a lot to me."
"You must be infectious if you got me talking like that. I hope you're happy," he said gruffly with a dramatic shudder. Even though Asterix was smiling beside him, he pretended not to notice the shorter Gaul wiping at his eyes as they walked.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"There! We made it!"
Following the old man's pointing finger, Asterix squinted to make out a small village upon a hill with smoke rising out of the chimneys. The sight made him a tad homesick. He wondered what the others were doing right now. How was Obelix doing? He must have found out about him having ran away by now.
He also came to notice the random shields and helmets scattered around near tree stumps and bushes, a clear sign of recent battles.
"I need to look around for one final herb for the potion I'm working on. It's essential for my plan."
Asterix nodded at his friend and followed him as they wandered through the woods, savoring the smell of sap and pine.
"Here it is!" the druid snatched a plant from underneath an elm tree and put it in his satchel. That's when Asterix spotted a flash of white and pulled his friend out of sight behind the tree.
"What are you-"
Asterix shushed him and peered beyond the tree. Another old man with a long white beard like his friend's was tending to a sack full of mistletoe while pleasantly talking to three men. They appeared to be Gauls too.
"We couldn't be any luckier," Sulfurix murmured, a long grin on his face. "We didn't have to waste time looking for them. This is it."
"Wait, you mean that's Getafix?" Asterix said with some surprise. He's…not exactly what I expected, especially after what Sulfurix told me.
Sulfurix took off the deer skull on his head and put it down. "We need to be stealthy. This will surely get in the way," he explained, taking out the contents of his satchel and preparing the potion.
"So…what's the plan?" Asterix asked, bending down to watch him work in slight fascination.
"I'll be using a powerful spell and this potion will give me enough strength to pull it off. It's not as effective as the magic potion!" he quickly stressed with a begrudging tone. "But it'll have to do."
"Alright, but where do I come in?"
"It'll take me a minute to perform the spell, so you'll have to distract them long enough and make sure they don't leave the area. If Getafix sees me, he'll try to counter it. They should be caught off guard when it happens. I trust you are ready?"
Asterix wasn't sure. He still didn't like the idea of ambushing strangers and stealing from them. He tried to remind himself that this was for a great cause, that this might lead to saving the entirety of Gaul, and that the man they were stealing from kept the power of the magic potion in one village and left the others to fend for themselves.
Hardening his heart, he nodded. "I'm ready to do what it takes."
The druid raised the tip of the bottle to his lips and hesitated for a second before chugging it down in one go, shuddering. He stood up and held up his hands, watching the first few sparks of the spell drifting over his boney hands. "Go, Asterix," he said and there was almost a glint of something like fondness in his eyes.
This was one of the few instances where the gruff old man called him by name, and that made him more determined. With a quick glance around, Asterix went over to pull an old Roman shield out of a bush and strode to the clearing where the four currently were. "Hello there!" he called out with a hand wave.
The three men tensed up while the druid watched him with inquisitive eyes. "Who are you?" the warrior with the dark mustache asked.
"I am Asterix. I've heard stories about a village of undefeatable warriors and traveled all the way to see if it's true." He unsheathed his dagger and held up the shield. Having already became familiar with it, he recognized the amused looks that took over the three men's faces upon seeing him do so.
"So, you've come here to prove your strength?" Getafix asked with a raised brow.
Asterix shook his head with a calm smile. "Not really. Just looking for a friendly duel. I'm striving to be a great warrior one day and wish to face as many opponents as I could. The stronger the opponents are, the better, right?" he said good-naturedly, hoping it would be convincing enough while trying his best not to glance in the direction of the forest. Hurry, Sulfurix!
The dark-moustached one turned to Getafix. "What do you think, venerable druid?"
"Well, Jasperix, since our friend here came this far, it would be unkind to turn him away," Getafix said. "Just make sure not to hurt each other, alright?"
"That's what I would like to hear!" a burly man with a brown mustache stomped over, grinning widely while flexing his fingers. "Brace yourself, little guy."
Asterix scowled at the 'little' bit and took a stance. He and the warrior then charged at each other. Just before they clashed, Asterix slammed his shield on the ground and threw his himself over it, using the momentum to send himself sliding across the grass and slamming against the warrior's left leg. Yelping, the man stumbled before falling face first onto the ground. Asterix hopped off the shield, beaming.
"You call that fighting?" the Gaulish warrior snapped as he stood up, dusting himself.
Asterix shrugged. "But I still knocked you down, didn't I? Obviously, I wouldn't be able to bring you down in a duel since you're larger than me, so I had to come up with another way," he said, and the warrior fumed. Glancing over, he saw Jasperix and the other man looking bewildered while Getafix stroked his beard with an impressed look in his eyes.
That's when a bright flash came from the forest and a red, fiery flare shot out of the trees toward them, taking the form of a fire bird. They watched in shock as it flew above them in circles in a way that was all too familiar to Asterix and he looked about to see the others transfixed by its glow.
The fire bird then vanished in a dazzle of red lights. Asterix saw the warrior he just fought frozen stiff and so was the third member of the warriors.
"W-what was that? What happened?" Jasperix stammered as he tried moving his petrified friend.
"That was a spell, a powerful one." Getafix said worriedly. "But who could have casted it?"
"Right here, old friend." They all turned to see Sulfurix stepping out of the tree line. Horror flashed on Getafix's face before it turned to outrage.
"Sulfurix. I should have known!" Getafix glared sharply at the other druid who maintained his calm demeanor. "Only you would practice such spells!"
"Not even a 'hello'? Shame. Thought you would have grown to miss our friendship over the last few decades," Sulfurix said, hand over his chest.
"Hardly. Just tell me why you're here."
Sulfurix gave a weary sigh. "I'll get to the point then. I'm here for the recipe of the magic potion. Would you be so kind as to share it with your old friend?"
"Never! You're one of the last people in Gaul I would ever handed it over to."
Jasperix stood in front of Getafix protectively. "I don't know who you are, but if you're here to threaten our druid, then you'll have another thing coming!"
Despite being lost amongst all the arguing, Asterix saw Jasperix's hand reach for the gourd strapped to his waist and it immediately clicked in his head. Snatching the shield from the ground, Asterix flung it in the direction of the warrior, and it knocked him back, sending the gourd landing in front of Asterix.
Getafix gasped. "What are you-"
"Well done, Asterix!" Sulfurix called out victoriously.
Shock colored Getafix's face. "You're working with him?"
Ignoring the accusation, Asterix darted forward and snatched the gourd from the ground, feeling his hands shaking. This was it. He finally had the potion.
"Hey, give it back!" Jasperix growled and ran over to him with the shield as a weapon.
Without thinking, Asterix removed the cork and drank the potion. His vision nearly doubled over as a thunderous energy shot through his system and his surroundings felt as if they were ignited. He never experienced anything like this in his life. He saw Jasperix coming at him, and he threw his arm back before swinging a punch. The warrior protected himself with shield just in time before Asterix's fist collided with him and he was sent flying back with the dented shield.
Stunned, Asterix stared at his hand in disbelief then turned his eyes to the gourd. That…that was incredible. Sulfurix was telling the truth. He could take down an entire Roman army alone with this kind of strength!
"How could you? I was beginning to see great promise in you!" Getafix shouted at Asterix while tending to the unconscious Jasperix.
Something twisted inside Asterix, and he quickly pushed the feeling down. "I'm sorry, but I need the magic potion. You wouldn't have given it to us."
Getafix gave him a cold look. "I've chosen these people because they've proven they're worthy of my trust. What you're doing isn't improving my opinion of you!"
Asterix flinched, struggling with the guilt now, but the accusation gave rise to his bent-up anger. "You don't get to judge me when you selfishly left so many to suffer under the hands of the Romans. I've watched many of my friends get hurt while fighting for our village. My best friend is bedridden as we speak, and there's nothing I can do for him! I refuse to let that happen ever again!"
The druid's face faltered at that. "Fine, let's say you got the recipe for the magic potion, spread knowledge of it everywhere, and the Romans are defeated. What's next? What's stopping people from abusing the power of the potion and resorting to it for all their conflicts. That could lead to a greater catastrophe." He gave Asterix a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry to hear about what's happening with your village and friends, but you have to understand the disaster this could unleash upon us. Would you really be willing to put everyone's safety on the line just to fix this? That, to me, would be truly selfish."
"So, you would rather let things stay the way they are?" Sulfurix snapped. "That's just like you, Getafix!"
Getafix glared back at him. "Until we find a better solution, the recipe for the magic potion must remain a secret, and that's final!"
"Asterix, don't listen to him. We've got what we came for!" Sulfurix insisted.
Asterix stared down at the gourd conflictedly now. He thought of the people in his village whom he sworn long ago to protect with all he had, his best friend Obelix, and the years of dreaming to become a warrior. With the help of the potion, they wouldn't have to live in fear anymore. No worrying about the next attack or tending to another wounded. The chief would make him a warrior without a doubt, but the words of the other druid made his insides churn. What if he was right, even just a little? Could he bear the consequences if this plan backfired? A hundred emotions he couldn't name wrestled inside him on what to do.
What could he choose here that wouldn't end badly for everyone?
"Asterix?" Sulfurix called out.
Sighing, he finally made his decision.
And threw the gourd back to Getafix.
The old druid fumbled with it and held it for a moment in surprise before an appreciative look shone on his face. Nervously, Asterix turned to face Sulfurix's disbelieving stare.
"You…how could you...after everything…"
Asterix's resolve crumble under his gaze, and he lowered his head. The look his druid friend was giving him wasn't just of shock and betrayal. It held the same bitterness that flashed in his eyes whenever he spoke of those who casted him off. "Sulfurix, I'm sorry, I-"
Unfathomable rage swept over the old man's face. "You lying, traitorous imp!" he exploded. "I should have left you and your village to the Romans!"
Before Asterix could get a word out, Sulfurix waved his hand and a wall of fire forced him back. When the flames died down, his friend was gone.
Standing there startled for a moment, everything finally caught to Asterix, and his heart twisted. He dropped to his knees as his vision misted over. It didn't matter where they stood on the matter of the magic potion. He knew he just betrayed someone who was beginning to trust him and see him as a friend.
He willingly attacked all these people.
Asterix heard Getafix shuffling closer and making a concerned call, but he didn't look up, didn't care about any of this anymore. He was back to square one. There was no saving his village and Obelix now. An agonized cry ripped from Asterix's throat as he let his tears flow.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Asterix felt numb to the world around him. He had been taken to the house of the chief of Getafix's village to be questioned. He hadn't been listening to most of their questions, stopped paying attention to anything other than the hollow feeling that made home inside him, and hummed or shook his head occasionally. Now he was sitting in the druid's hut after Getafix left him to speak with the chief alone and honestly being here wasn't doing him much good. Standing in such a place once filled him with wonder back at Sulfurix's hut, but now he felt as if someone was mocking him. The cauldron, the mortar and pestle, and the jars filled with herbs and powder only served as painful reminders of what happened.
Light fluttered within the hut as Getafix returned. Hands behind his back, he gently spoke. "How are you feeling now?"
Asterix grunted, eyes to the floor.
"I spoke with the chief, and he agreed to forgive you since I managed to cure those Sulfurix froze." He smiled lightly. "Because of the situation at your village, I convinced him to send a few of our warriors supplied with magic potion to fight the Romans and help you deal with them. That should scare them away for a while."
"Thank you," was all Asterix could say.
Getafix sighed. "It's unfortunate that you ran into Sulfurix of all people. He's a devious man and had been exiled from the Forest of Carnutes by the council of the druids for dabbling with the forbidden arts. You shouldn't trust a word of what he says. He was simply using you."
Asterix thought back to the strange old man who offered him to stay in his hut for the night when he didn't want to be at his village at the time, the one he had caught feeding and petting a little woodland animal, the one who shielded him from the rain with his cloak.
The strange old man who told Asterix he was special in his own way and could accomplish his lifelong dream despite not being the largest or strongest.
But he knew these were things only he had seen and heard, and wouldn't be believed by a single soul, so he chose to remain quiet. He suddenly felt Getafix's hand on his shoulder and peered up at him.
"Asterix, right? Despite everything, I can tell you're a kindhearted man who only wanted to help others. I know things may be difficult right now, but the solution doesn't lie in sharing the power of my potion with the world where it could fall into the wrong hands. I do believe there is an end to this war, somewhere. We just have to keep fighting with all we have until that day comes."
Through his numbed state, a single tear streaked down Asterix's cheek, and he wiped it away. "I hope so, too." He smiled weakly. "And I also hope we could still be friends one day, Mr. Getafix."
The old druid chuckled. "Just call me Getafix, my boy."
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
With a final farewell, Asterix left the village with the same three warriors homeward, apologizing profusely for what he did during their first encounter. On his way through the forest, he found himself absently glancing every now and then to the trees for a glimpse of dark fur or pale antlers. There was none.
After several days, he was back to his village where he was greeted with much rejoicing. Despite his injury, Obelix had come over and gave him a tearful hug along with much scolding for vanishing on him like that. Everyone apparently had been searching for him since he disappeared and warmly welcomed his return. After explaining to them about the warriors whom he brought to help his village, a banquet was decided in honor of that.
Sitting beside his best friend who was finally allowed to attend, he took a sip from his drink and laughed at how ravenously his friend went down on each roasted boar.
"How I missed this!" Obelix mumbled.
"To the return of our missing friend from his long journey and the welcoming of our new guests!" Chief Vitalstitistix said, holding his cup high and the rest cheered. He turned to the new warriors. "I hope you enjoy your temporary stay at our village and I'm rather looking forward to seeing you all in battle."
Jasperix grinned. "Don't worry. I promise to give those Romans a good thumping for you all!"
The chief then frowned at the short Gaul. "Still, Asterix. While we deeply appreciate what you've done, you shouldn't have pulled a stunt like this. You've been gone for almost two weeks. Everyone was worried sick that something happened to you!"
Asterix's face fell as he felt everyone's eyes on him and looked down at the table. "I'm sorry. To tell the truth, bringing help wasn't originally my goal from leaving. I…I ran away," He admitted, and a surprised gasp rushed through the crowd.
"R-ran away? Why?" Cacofonix said through his binds.
"I came to attend that meeting you held a while ago and…I overheard those things you all said regarding me."
"What things?" Obelix mumbled obliviously while looking around in confusion at the guilty faces many wore.
The chief sighed, rubbing his neck. "I'm very sorry, Asterix. It was wrong of us to speak of you in such a way. I've known you cared greatly about the village, but I always refused to let you become a warrior because I was…too afraid."
Asterix blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I've seen too many men come back hurt and injured after every battle with the Romans, and I was afraid of putting another of my people in harm's way, even if it meant holding you back from what you wanted. Forgive me."
He didn't know what to say, having never imagined hearing such words from their proud chief. Rubbing his neck awkwardly, he stammered. "It's…it's alright, chief. I understand-"
The chief shook his head. "No, what I did wasn't alright." he then smiled. "But I've been planning on making it up to you since you've arrived."
Confused, Asterix watched a man carrying a pillow make his way over to him with something that stole his breath. A shiny helmet with two white wings and a glinting sword were placed in front of him. Asterix carefully picked up the helmet as if it's made of glass and glanced at the grinning chief.
"Wear it with pride, village warrior," the chief said.
"Asterix! Asterix!" everyone chanted and cheered around him.
Tears welling up in his eyes, Asterix swallowed the lump in his throat and put on the helmet, causing another wave of cheers to sweep through the table. "T-thank you. I won't let you all down."
They then ate and celebrated late into the night.
xxxxxxxxxxx
Asterix sighed contently as they patrolled the forest. Obelix was playing with Dogmatix in front of him. He unsheathed his sword and watched the blade glint in the sunlight. The past few days had been rather peaceful and being back at home did help him feel a little better after that long journey.
"Asterix, can I be honest about something?" Obelix asked.
"Um, sure?"
Obelix rubbed his arm sheepishly. "I used to not like being out here. I found it a little...scary , but now that you're here, it's not so much anymore."
Warmth filled Asterix's chest. "Obelix…"
Obelix looked away and marched on. Asterix chuckled at his flustered friend. He was glad to be here and fighting by Obelix's side at last.
That's when a glowing butterfly flew in front of him. Asterix watched speechless as it fluttered between the trees.
"What's wrong, Asterix?" Obelix asked, looking back at him.
Thoughts catching up, he quickly mumbled. "W-wait here, Obelix. I...I forgot one of my traps is still set near my post! I'll go remove it quickly!"
With that, he dashed into the trees, following the glittering trail of the creature of flame, and stopping in a small clearing where it vanished into nothing like a ghost. He froze when he saw the dark figure shuffle into view.
"Huh, looks like someone's fortune took a turn for the better after his glorious stunt," Sulfurix said, eyeing Asterix's helmet and sword.
Fighting back a flinch at those words, Asterix put on a guarded face. "What do you want, Sulfurix?"
"What do I want? Funny. If I recall right, you came with me on that journey because of what you wanted, yet you backed out at the last minute, despite knowing what you were in for before agreeing!" he said bitterly.
Despite the hurt it brought him at the reminder of that incident, Asterix spoke. "You know exactly why I did it. Everything I've done was to ensure the safety of everyone. If there was even the slightest chance of putting them in greater danger, then I won't ever risk it. I'll never forgive myself if they got hurt because of me."
Sulfurix scoffed. "If you hadn't come to me, you'd still be a watcher. I put my trust in you when I should have known better. I even told you things I've never shared with another soul."
"Here I am, spending countless, gruelling nights working on my spells, but once my work is not good enough for the people of Gaul anymore, they toss it aside like it's nothing!"
"But I guess we were always meant to be foes," Sulfurix concluded.
Asterix sighed. "Why did you bring me all the way here then, Sulfurix? Looking for revenge?"
"No," Sulfurix said begrudgingly, much to his surprise. The druid seemed to be surprised by his own response. "Despite everything, I'm here because…a foolish part of me…is proud that you've succeeded."
What? Asterix froze and felt his arms fall limp on his sides. The old druid shuffled over and knelt in front of him, eyeing the sword with a wistful stare. "You and I both had goals that seemed impossible, and you accomplished yours, at least. That's worth something, isn't it?"
Asterix couldn't take it anymore and threw himself into the old man's chest, eyes burning. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He apologized, but for what he didn't know. He didn't regret the choice he made with the magic potion gourd, but still felt the need to apologize. He felt the old man's hands awkwardly pat his back.
"That's enough now. You apologize a lot, you know. Fixing this mess we're all in has nothing to do with you. The feud between me and Getafix has been going on probably before you were even born, too." Sulfurix then pulled away and stood up. "Besides, it's not like I've given up on my goals. I'll never stop until I created something more powerful than Getafix's magic potion! Then, everyone will see how wrong they were about me."
Asterix watched the druid turn to leave and grabbed a fistful of his dark cloak. "Sulfurix, why don't you come to stay at the village? We would all appreciate having a druid around. You don't have to live in that old hut alone. I mean it."
Sulfurix rolled his eyes. "Ah, yes. Go back to living with people who take my work for granted and throw it away when it's no longer impressive for them?"
"I wouldn't," Asterix said firmly. "I never take my friends for granted."
The old man looked at him with an unreadable look before pulling at his cloak and freeing it from Asterix's grip. The warrior's face fell as he watched him walk away.
"Why the long face? We're bound to run into each other again. Maybe we'll still be enemies or…" a faint smile then tugged at Sulfurix's beard as he looked back at him. "Until then, farewell, village warrior."
Taken aback by those words, Asterix watched him step into the shade of the forest, his fur cloak fading into the shadows while the antlers standing out in the dark like those of a spirit's before vanishing altogether.
Saddened, he was about to turn around when he spotted a bright flicker in the same direction the druid had gone. A glittering butterfly came out of the shadows and fluttered around him in a circle before fading into the air. Asterix stared at the trail of light left in its wake and found himself smiling.
"Farewell, dark druid, and thanks," he said to the wind before walking away.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A/N: Thanks for reading. I had a blast writing this despite the length. The reversal of having Asterix be the one wanting to steal the magic potion instead of the Romans is a sad yet interesting idea that has been on my mind for a while and wanted to try out. Sulfurix is hands down my favourite Asterix antagonist since he's both funny yet menacing and I wanted to develop him a little while keeping the original spirit of the character.