Now That Was Helpful

- "I'se come with you, maybe? Help pinkhead?" Cespenar fidgeted next to Peri.

- "No, Cespy. I need you to do some... butlering," Peri answered.

- "Me'se have some wanderlust, maybe..." Cespenar grumbled. "Must sometimes adventure, like... always shining and cleaning... making shinies... cooking pancakes..."

- "Cespenar, perhaps you can adventure with us later when your services as a butler are not needed any more," Sarevok tried to comfort the imp.

- "Really? Me'se sosososo happy if can's adventure! Yesyesyes?"

- "We'll look into it," Peri smiled. Cespenar looked a bit happier and flapped away.

- "Very well, it is off to the caves again. Everyone has their protective spells on?"

As everyone nodded, Peri teleported them back to the caves of the drow priestess Sendai.

As they opened the entrance to a large cave there was but one person greeting them. An ebony-skinned beauty of a drow, her silky white hair flowing around her face. Her bearings were noble and proud, and she eyed them with a mixture of awe and malevolence. And the Bhaal essence. It emanated from her, so strong.

- "My army has been slaughtered, falling helplessly before your might..." she spoke.

- "This is a pleasant surprise," Peri said. "Usually they just brag about how they are going to kill me."

But Sendai didn't look the least bit amused.

- "You would have made a great ally, but alas, the time of such possibilities is past. However, my underlings didn't give their life up in vain. They bought me the time to arrange a little surprise for you. Enjoy!"

She made a magical gesture, and the group saw that the cave had several pedestals with life-size statues of her. And now one of them was awakened, wasting no time to start summoning an elemental storm upon them. Also, from behind them two drow warriors attacked the magic-users, blocking the way out.

The battle lasted a long time. As soon as they killed one of the statues, another one came to life, and more drow warriors came to pester them. Edwin and Imoen chanted their most massive damage spells and summoned their most powerful allies, Sarade kept the undead coming as soon as the previous were slain, and the warriors hacked like whirlwinds.

- "By Torm! Is there no end to these things!" Keldorn shouted in exasperation as yet another statue fell, and another was awakened. This one was an assassin, and Keldorn's Torm-given ability to see through invisibility and illusions helped them to kill the foe easily.

Sendai again, her red eyes glowing with unholy rage. Peri and Sarevok twitched feeling the Bhaal essence so strong.

- "So the statues fell, but I shall not!" The drow attacked them, and a formidable foe she was, skilled as a priestess as well as at physical fight. But however exhausted Peri's group was, she was alone against them, and all her rage helped not. After not too long Peri made the finishing strike.

- "Noooo!" Sendai screamed. "Damn you! My essence... ripped away! But I shall rip you of the sweetn.."

Her talk was interrupted as Peri beheaded her.

- "You said it yourself," Sarevok said. "She might actually have said something useful."

Peri, wide-eyed, stared and panted for a while.

- "Uh... I guess. I am just... so tired of this..." her voice trailed off, and suddenly she was gone.

- "Time for another chat with the solar, I wager," Sarevok said.

Indeed. Again the glittering creature addressed Peri.

- "Again we meet, godchild. Your past was made clear to you... and now it is time to talk about your future."

The solar made a gesture, and Peri was facing a woman who looked just like her.

- "This is getting creepy. Is that me?" she asked.

- "It is a copy of you, or perhaps it is you in another time and timeline," the solar answered.

- "Yes... it makes sense," said the other Peri. "I was addressed in this manner in my time."

- "Is that thing actually going to say something useful, or just some vague platitudes I can make anything, or nothing, of ?" Peri asked wearily. There wasn't even venom in her voice. Just the bottomless weariness.

- "Poor godschild, burdened with much," the solar answered. "You are getting weary and cynical. Draw strength from the bond between you and your siblings. And listen now, as not many have an opportunity to be counseled by themselves."

- "You are going to continue your quest to save the Realms. My question is: why will you do this?" asked the other Peri.

- "Well, because it seems that I have preciously little choice!" Peri snorted.

- "There is always a choice," answered the other Peri.

- "Yeah, I suppose I could just lay down and wait to be killed," Peri said acidly.

- "Perception is truth in this instance," said the solar. "Face the new challenge, godchild."

She extended her hand and opened another cave. Then she was gone.

Peri sighed, leaning on her sword so that the point was dulling against the ground, not caring.

- "Now that was helpful," she whispered. "I hope Sarevok will soon be here."