There Is This Little Detail
Imoen woke up first, Cespenar perched on her shoulder. She tiptoed where Peri and Sarevok were sleeping, curled next to each other. She tried to be quiet but Sarevok felt her presence and immediately sat up, his eyes wild. Then he relaxed. Peri moaned in her sleep, stretching.
- "It is all right, Peri. You just sleep some more," Sarevok said softly. He stood up and walked away with Imoen, and they sat quietly for a moment, smiling shyly at each other.
- "So how has it been, Sarevok? You have had that piece of my sugary sweet soul for some time now. How does it feel?" Imoen asked.
- "Well, aside from a slight obsession about my weight and a resuscitation of a few pimples it has been simply grand," Sarevok answered with that dry tone of his, with only a barest hint of glee in his eyes telling that he was joking.
- "No, I mean for real. We will have the hardest battle forever ahead of us, and you owe me that much," Imoen insisted.
- "I suppose you are right, girl. But what do you want me to say? That I feel Irenicus' cold eyes and his hands and tools all about you? The despair of your soul ripped away and nothing but the blind-red murder inside keeping you from falling apart? That you always secretly wondered if Gorion didn't love Peri more?" His eyes were deadly serious.
- "All right," Imoen winced. "I see your point..."
- "I know many things, Imoen... and I know that you are stronger than you think," Sarevok said gently and quietly, putting his arm around Imoen's shoulders.
- "Wow, big brother... you suck at small talk," Imoen managed.
- "Perhaps. I never had much use for it. Today, trust in your strength and survive... little sister, just... survive."
Eventually the others gathered to eat breakfast. Cespenar had wanted to make a really luxurious one complete with fried bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes and syrup, but Peri had tersely pointed out that they had some rather demanding fighting to do right after it. Cespenar had sulked, muttering something about a 'spoilsport great one', but now he had already forgiven Peri and hovered serving fruit, rolls, coffee and tea.
The normal joking and grumbling had ceased, everyone just sat in their thoughts. They realize there's a good chance we will not live to see tomorrow, Peri thought. Sarade and Edwin, wanting to marry. Keldorn, his family waiting. All of them her friends and allies.
- "Friends. Comrades in arms. All so different and all important to me in your own way. Let's show the psycho that children of Bhaal and their companions are more than just pawns!"
Peri felt there was no need to say more. She had already expressed her gratitude for their loyalty through hell and more. She had persuaded Sarevok to share his greatest burden, and expressed the strange love and closeness between them. And Imoen, she had always known.
The spellcasters started to prepare the group for a battle, while the warriors lifted their weapons and cheered.
- "Evil, meet sword! Sword, meet evil!"
- "Torm guide us!"
- "Life gets nay sweeter than this!"
- "We children of Bhaal can not be stopped!"
- "Let's kick some psycho ass!"
Peri drew a deep breath, the adrenaline rushing in her veins, and stepped out of the pocket plane, leaving it forever behind. For a moment it was strangely quiet, dark and empty. Then she realized that they were standing on a large plateau floating in empty space, a huge pool brimming with the familiar, dark power in the middle of it.
- "Well, well. It is the tenacious fool. Welcome to the Throne of Bhaal... and to your imminent death," Melissan mocked. She was not alone. All The Five were with her as well. The dark-haired archer Illasera. The massive fire giant Yaga-Shura. The drow priestess Sendai. The half-dragon Abazigal. And Balthazar, who had sought to prevent Bhaal from ever ascending again by killing off his spawn, doing exactly as Bhaal wished. But the Five were less than they had been. They just stared ahead, subservient as zombies.
- "I would have resurrected them anyway, to act as my demigods," Melissan said. "But I actually prefer them that way."
- "You used the essence to recreate the Five. Foolish. It must have cost you dearly," Peri said.
- "Perhaps. But already I am immortal, and once you and your pathetic sister are crushed, all the essence and the Throne is mine!"
- "There is this little detail. You have to kill me and my friends first," Peri said. "Psycho."
- "Do not worry. I am getting to that in a minute. In fact, I will have some help... Sarevok, I have an offer for you."
- "What are you speaking about, wench? I have no business with you," Sarevok said, his voice bristling with contempt.
- "Oh, but you do! You are one of the greatest warriors ever walked the Realms. You would make a fine general for my earthly forces. Unlimited power, riches, slaves, all that you could desire!"
- "I see. And what makes you think I would be interested in your offer? Peri is doing just fine against you." Melissan didn't recognize the dangerous hiss in Sarevok's voice for what it was.
- "I have enough essence to give you back what Peri took from you! Come, join me, Sarevok! Become the demon you were, and more!"
- "Last time when you approached me with that offer, I gutted your messenger and hung him from the spire of my tower for the crows to feast on his entrails, as an answer. While my methods have changed, the sentiment has not. I am not the demon I was, nor do I wish to be. I am better off now than I ever was, thanks to Peri. Wallow in your madness, woman. I want no part of it," Sarevok spoke, regal in his withering contempt.
- "Then die with your idiot sisters, if you so wish!" Melissan screeched. "There are other slain enemies easily culled my own, left at your wake, Peri! Such as this..."
