Banality of Evil

- "This is now it. No matter how unoriginal the bitch is, she wields a great power," Peri said. "I fear that this time I can't make the this is not your fight speech. You are in it, and it may be that we all will be destroyed by this time tomorrow."

- "Minsc doesn't understand very well what is going on, but Boo affirms that Melissan is the evil in need of the bootprint of justice! Minsc will fight by Peri's side, and Boo will gnaw the vitreous humor of the gazing eyes of evil!"

- "Thank you, Minsc. Boo. I think. Very... vivid," Peri answered.

- "If this isn't something a paladin of Torm should partake, then I don't know what is," Keldorn said.

- "Har! Me, I donnae back out from a good fight! Let us kick yon lass' tail and be done with it," Korgan grinned.

- "I will be most interested to see how the psycho will fare against my unmatched arcane power," Edwin said. Peri guessed that was the closest to comeraderish support he was capable of.

- "You know. The same," Sarade smiled at her.

- "Redhead take Cespenar now, maybe? Cespenar can help! Is good littlest butler!"

- "Yes, I wouldn't leave you to be destroyed with the pocket plane. Now you at least have a chance to survive."

Peri scratched Cespenar behind his ear. While her relationship with the imp had always been more distant than that of Imoen's and, to her amusement, Sarevok's, she liked the little pest.

- "I will bid you all good night then," she said. "Rest well, and know that if I go down tomorrow, I will be grateful for all of you for all that we have endured together. I would have my siblings with me, if it is all right, Sarevok and Imoen."

The others took the hint and left the family alone.

- "Just this. While I wish to live yet, if I die and by doing so let you live, I consider it justice," Sarevok said, his jaw firm, his eyes serious.

- "No, Sarevok. Don't think like that. You have been forgiven by both of us, and Gorion. I wish you to live, just as much as myself and Imoen. You didn't hear us talking the other day... I have a goal now. My goal is to travel with you to Kara-Tur, and see you happy and at peace, and see all those places Yoshimo and Tamoko have told us about. That won't happen if you die," Peri replied, as serious.

- "Sarevok, I'm sorry that I was so unrelenting for such a long time," Imoen said. "I never knew what kind of suffering..."

- "No! Don't. Let me... I am not used to this. I love both of you so, my soul burns so bright. And that Melissan would seek to destroy you fills me with the kind of murderous rage I would be better off avoiding..." Sarevok looked lost and helpless.

- "I think differently than you do, nowadays," Peri said. "I never try to be good, I just try to be. And you feel this enormous guilt, and seek to be good... I think this is the difference in our makeup. You always have to have a grandiose goal, while I just observe and get annoyed if I have to get too involved."

- "I would want you to live too, Sarevok," Imoen said, hugging her brother's huge shoulders. "Now that you are not the crazy monster any more, I really, really like you. I think... I am out of my league now. I will leave you two alone, and study my spell book. Good night. I love you both."

She went away, and Peri and Sarevok were left alone, Sarevok's eyes welling with tears.

- "Trust her," Peri said. "She does. She is not one who lies about such things. Neither am I. Nor is Gorion."

Sarevok was quiet, squeezing Peri's arm.

- "Sarevok?"

- "Yes?"

- "Share it with me. For real. Gorion showed us, but it was kind of like watching a story unfold. Show me how it was to be you, share with me being the little boy afraid of Reiltar."

- "No use in dwelling in such things, sister. You have said so yourself. Don't dwell in what you can't change, think ahead."

Peri shook her head.

- "You are avoiding it. You are ashamed. You are proud of being big, formidable and one of the greatest fighters on the face of Toril. You don't want to acknowledge that you once were small, and just had to do as he said and take all the lashes of his belt as he laughed at you. Share it with me. I respect you like almost none, and I will respect you no less for that you once were a helpless child. I want to know, truly know, in case we don't make it tomorrow."

Peri's eyes were full of compassion, so sad. Sarevok felt strange stirring in his chest, suffocating, threatening.

He faced her sister, his golden eyes alight.

- "Very well..." he said, feeling like jumping into a chasm, letting his control go.

He unleashed his memories onto Peri's mind, this all possible without words between them, and he didn't hold back.

And when it finally was over, Peri was crying, crying and gritting her teeth in rage. She hugged Sarevok as hard as she could, trying to cease her frantic sobs.

- "I want him dead! I want him..."

- "He is dead already. Tamoko killed him, though I don't know how exactly," Sarevok said, drained and hollow.

- "I know... I know. It is just that... a man like him, he is not an epic villain in a story, just a disgusting, evil, ordinary man. I have seen others like him… they always prevail, they are everywhere, smug and pleased with themselves… they RULE this world, Sarevok, they ruin all that is beautiful. Just… banality of evil… Sarevok, sleep near me tonight. I am not sure if I need you or you need me."

- "I know. Neither am I. We will fight Melissan, and protect our little chirpy sister, and we will survive. Let's believe it. We will survive."