The group left the grove and headed west where the goblin camp was located, where the druid Halsin was supposedly being held captive. Along the way, Vex started to gather some herbs like rogue morsels and mergrass.

"What are you doing?" Astarion asked her.

"I'm getting herbs to mix for potions for healing, poisons, and maybe a couple of bombs. We're going to need them for the journey." Vex told him. Up ahead from the path there was a long narrow stone bridge.

"So, your people know how to extract the parasites?" Astarion asked Lae'zel.

"My people can extract the parasites. Another method is by blade."

"Okay. Wonderful." Astarion deadpanned. "Definitely not taking that option."

Then Vex could smell the smoke in the air from what appeared to be coming from a village just across the bridge. But before anyone could decide on what to do, everyone heard voices coming to the far right, straying from the path. Vex began to walk over towards the voices.

"Where are you going? The goblin camp is this way!" Astarion called out to her.

"I know. But there's people up ahead. They seem like they might need some help." Vex told him.

"You can't go around helping every poor unfortunate soul with whatever mess they got themselves into." Astarion spoke. Vex ignored him and continued and crouched down, sneaking closer to get a better look. There were three people up ahead. A man was lying on the ground with a serious wound while another man and woman was talking to themselves, panicking on what to do to help him. Vex got up and walked over to the group while the others followed behind her, making themselves known.

The woman raised her knife at Vex. "You! Not a step closer!" She threatened. Vex could sense something in the woman's eye and so did the others. These people were infected with the parasites as well. Vex looked down at the injured man on the ground, seeing the large gaping wound on his side, long claw marks. Vex looked back up to the woman and the other man.

"I have some knowledge in healing. His wounds look deep but I might be able to help."

"He's hurt badly. An owlbear got him deep. If there's anything you can do..." the man pleaded to her. The woman nodded but narrowed her eyes at Vex.

"I'm watching you." She warned. Vex knelt down beside the injured man and she could feel the parasite in her eye churning inside her head when the man locked eyes with her. He was trying to tell her something, his final words. He knew that he was dying. Vex held onto his stare, trying to read his mind. His name was Edowin and these two with him were his brother and sister, Andrick and Brynna. New recruits. Yours to shepherd."

"Protect them." Vex heard him spoke weakly but he looked up at his brother and sister.

"She's a True Soul. Mind her. She will...she-she..." His slowly closed and his body went limp and gasped his final breath. Andrick quickly rushed to his side.

"Edowin. Ed! Please!"

"He's with the Absolute now." Brynna murmured, softly before she looked at Vex, surprised. "You're...you're a True Soul. Edowin, our brother, he was chosen. Like you. Do you have orders for us? We were reporting to Edowin." Vex glanced at the woman and her brother with a suspicious look. It seems like these two are in a trance of some sorts, unable to control themselves. Like puppets. And who is this Absolute that these three kept mentioning?

"What is a True Soul?" Vex asked. The two of them gave Vex a shocked expression.

"What?...Are you testing us?" Andrick questioned her, giving Vex a suspicious look. Brynna did so as well.

"A True Soul-like you, has been chosen by the Absolute. You speak with Her voice. Your words are Her command. She grants you the power to enforce Her will. And when the time comes, the True Souls-you-will rule."

"Please. Any supposed new god would have an uphill battle." Shadowheart scoffed.

"Why are you out here? The wilderness is dangerous." Vex told them.

"We know that all too well, ma'am, but...the Absolute sent us here. We're looking for fugitives. Survivors from the ship that crashed farther west of here." Brynna spoke. These people were after them.

"These fugitives, what did they look like?"

"We don't know what they look like, but anyone who survived that crash is bound to be injured. That's enough to get us started. The Absolute wants them found. At any cost." Andrick answered.

"You need to honor your brother's wishes and forget about the owlbear. You're both still alive, so go." Vex spoke.

"I suppose that's what he wants." Andrick spoke.

"May the Absolute protect us." Brynna replied. The two quickly left leaving the group to themselves, wondering what just happened.

"Does any know who this Absolute is?" Vex asked them.

"Not a clue." Astarion said.

"Whoever they are, they are after us. That's for sure." Shadowheart said.

Vex walked closer to Edowin's body, sensing the parasite still within its host. It began to call out to her, probing, clawing into her mind. Vex's arms began to move on their own and suddenly, Edowin's body began to lift up from the ground, dangling in the air. Why let its host memories go to waste? The tadpole has absorbed it all. Its experience could nourish her, strengthen her. The parasite began to draw her in, Vex could feel her mind slipping away.

Vex's eyes widen, realizing what she was doing. The parasite within her was controlling her against her will. She did not want to do this! Vex held her head, trying to fight against the urge to consume the man's parasite.

"No..I won't do it. You can't make me!" she growled. "I won't!"

"What's wrong?!" Shadowheart shouted, concerned.

"Stay back! All of you!" Vex shouted at everyone. "I don't know what I'm going to do-just stay back."

"I know of a way to put an end to this-" Lae'zel pulled out her sword and started to take a step towards Vex. Shadowheart stopped Lae'zel, blocking her from getting to Vex.

"No! There must be another way!"

"That thing has a hold on her mind already! She's going to become one of those ghaik!" Lae'zel hissed at Shadowheart.

Vex groaned as she struggled to get the parasite's thoughts out of her head. But her hand moved on her own-No! Edowin's neck snapped, and the parasite crawled out from his body, it floated into Vex's hand. Vex stared in horror at the broken body at her feet. She sighed and stashed the parasite into her pocket, trying to take her eyes off it. These parasites abandon their hosts when they die and try to find new ones. Such vile things...

"Another reason we need to be rid of them." Lae'zel huffed. Vex hugged her arms, shaking a little. Her body moved on her own accord, and she had no control over it. Was this what they were destined to be? To become mind flayers, puppets to this Absolute. Vex felt her stomach beginning to churn, about to puke.

"Are you alright?" Shadowheart asked her.

"I'm fine. L-Let's just go. I want to get far away from here." Vex murmured.

Along with way as they were exploring the wilderness, the group came across a white stray dog, named Scratch. The dog was protecting his late master's body, waiting for him to wake up. But, he won't. He was dead. Apparently, the hunter was attacked and mauled by something big. Vex managed to coax the dog by offering her scent to come and find her camp once he was done, saying his farewells to his friend.

Everyone started to set up camp for the night to rest. As they slept in their cozy animal skin bedrolls, Vex wasn't able to sleep well, flitting between dreams and nightmares. Vex's eyes widened as she looked down at her hands seeing discoloration in them then her fingers snapped beginning to contort along with the rest of her body as it began to transform. Vex could feel something rising up her throat and tentacles sprouted out from her lips, breaking through her teeth. Her body exploded, destroying itself becoming a mind flayer. Vex screamed.

Vex gasped as she quickly opened her eyes, waking up from her nightmare only to see gaping fangs baring down at her as Astarion hovered over her trying to bite her.

"Whoa!" She cried out. Astarion's eyes widen, startled, and fell backwards.

"Shit." He hissed to himself. Vex glared at him and quickly stood up and Astarion retreated, backing away from her.

"You've got five seconds to start talking."

"No no-it's not what it looks like, I swear!" Astarion exclaimed, holding his hands out, showing her that he meant no harm. "I wasn't going to hurt you! I just needed-well, blood." Vex narrowed her eyes in suspicion, taking him in closer, seeing two sharp fangs and her eyes widen a little in shock.

In the dim firelight, Vex could see him for what he truly was. Astarion was a vampire. A slave to sanguine hunger.

"How long since you killed someone? Days? Hours?" Vex questioned him.

"I've never killed anyone! Well, not for food. I feed on animals. Boars, deer, kobalds-whatever I can get. But it's not enough. Not if I have to fight. I feel so weak. If I just had a little blood, I could think clearer. Fight better. Please." Astarion spoke, softly.

A strange sensation courses through her and Astarion's mind unfolds, secret's half revealed. She could see him attacking animals in the night, drinking their blood.

"I guess I should've seen it when you didn't want to eat with us. What didn't you tell me?" Vex asked.

"At best I was sure you'd say no. More than likely, you'd ram a stake through my ribs. No, I needed you to trust me. And you can trust me." Astarion assured her again. True, he could have attacked any one of them at any time. However, this time, Astarion's hunger had finally caught up with him.

"I believe you." Vex said. Astarion's eyes widen a little before he smiled.

"Thank you...Do you think you could trust me just a little further? I only need a taste, I swear."

"Fine. But not a drop more than you need." Vex told him. "Really?" Astarion's eyes widen a little in shock. She was actually going to let him bite her, just like that? This has to be some kind of trick. Every person he had met always wanted something, especially from him. Maybe there was more to this woman he was starting to like. His plan was going along perfectly. All he has to do was to continue to play along and manipulate her to protect him. This was going to be fun!

"You're staring." He heard Vex spoke and Astarion broke out of his thoughts.

"I-of course, not one drop more. Let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?" He smiled and he gestured over to Vex's bedroll. The two of them quietly walked over to it, trying not to wake the others up. Vex laid down and Astarion crawled on top of her. Astarion bit down causing Vex to his out in pain.

It was like a shard of ice piercing through her neck-a quick sharp pain that fades to throbbing numbness. Her breath catches and pulse quickens. Vex continued to let Astarion drink more of her blood. She leaned into him, losing herself. She wanted to wrap her arms around him to pull him closer to her but stopped. Would it freak him out? They only just met each other barely after a day. There was no way she was in love with him already, was she? She felt her blood racing, coursing through both hers and Astarion's bodies. A gentle numb feeling starts to spread. She was losing to much blood as she was starting to see her vision starting to fade in and out.

"Okay, that's enough!" Vex shouted. Astarion's eyes widen and he quickly got off of her and stood up.

"Ah, of course! I just got swept up in the moment." He laughed a little and wiped away some of Vex's blood from his lips. "But it worked. I feel good. Strong. Happy!"

"I'm looking forward to seeing you fight." Vex smirked, panting a little as she tried to calm down, breathing slowly. She felt like she was going to pass out.

"Shouldn't take too long. So many people need killing. Now if you'll excuse me, you're invigorating but I need to go and find myself something more filling." Astarion turned around and was about to walk off before he stopped. He turned his head, glancing at her one last time. "This is a gift, you know. I won't forget it."

Vex watched him stalked towards the forest. Stronger. More confident. Ready to hunt.