Being Beheaded By You Notwithstanding

- "I have taken care of it. He has a soul now," Ilmater said, his eyes serious.

- "To... to have such a spectrum... inside of me... I barely recall..." Irenicus whispered. "How much each moment holds... I used to feel..."

He fell silent, but the tears continued to roll on the leather mask.

- "Well. I always held that bitch Ellesime at least as much responsible as you," Peri said.

- "Peri, perhaps you shouldn't start that rant now," Imoen whispered, shooting a glance at the solar and Ilmater.

- "I don't care!" Peri said hotly. "I don't care if she is a 'good and just leader of ancient Suldanesselar', tampering with souls is evil no matter who does it!"

- "Leaving one a soulless and emotionless shell perhaps isn't the best way to teach him," Ilmater acknowledged. "I am of the opinion that punishments should be more about learning than vengeance."

Winski nodded, emotion flickering in his eyes.

- "But what will be done with him?" the solar asked. "He is not welcome back to Suldanesselar."

- "That is sorted out too. I will take him with me, to Bytopia. I will help him to learn how it is to have a soul and emotions and how to use them to make moral judgements," Ilmater answered.

- "I am grateful. Peri, I do not yet possess the capacity to understand what I have done to you, and what you have done to me. But I do thank you," Irenicus said, looking young and lost like he had never before.

Peri nodded.

- "Goodbye, Irenicus."

- "Before we go," Ilmater said, "I have yet some news. I thought it would please you to know that I have deemed Daidoji Yoshimo worthy of release of the geas placed upon him."

Peri wept, smiling, so happy.

- "This really... thank you so much! Can I talk to him?"

- "I am afraid not. His soul has passed to the sphere of reflection, Meido, as it is called in Kara-Tur. It is a place of reflection where unfulfilled souls wait to be reborn. Perhaps, if you reach the Daidoji lands, you can talk to him in a shrine."

- "It is enough that I know he is not in some horrible torment. Goodbye, Ilmater. You sure don't suck for a god."

Ilmater and Irenicus were gone.

- "Now the question of your destination remains," the solar said.

- "Hey, let's go to the Friendly Arm Inn!" Imoen suggested. "We can go to Baldur's Gate a bit later and pick Tamoko's urn, but I think there is a bit of catching up to do before that."

- "That, I find, is something of an understatement," Winski nodded.

- "So let it be done then," the solar said. "Fare well."

- "Bye... I hope this wasn't a too shitty gig," Peri said. "I know I was a bit of a pain at times..."

- "I am an immortal spirit, child," the solar smiled. "Such things pass quickly for me."

- "I am too, though. But I guess you have a bit more experience."

There was no booming and cracking. No earth-shattering thunder, no lights in the skyline. No violins or storms. Just a sudden silent moment and they stood before the stone wall, on a road winding in the fresh-scenting pine wood like they never had been away from the material plane.

- "Wee. So it is over now," Imoen said incredulously.

- "So it would appear," Peri nodded.

- "How does it feel not to have the taint anymore?" Sarevok asked.

- "Better, somehow. Not like being a murky pond where a sea snake is lurking just under the surface. But somehow... emptier as well. Hey, let's go get drunk and catch up!"

- "I'll pass the drunk part, but I will be happy to catch up," Winski nodded.

- "I really want to hear how you ended up here, mage. The speech you made to me when we last met didn't exactly sound like Ilmater's credo," Peri said, glancing at him.

- "Well. You probably don't find it hard to believe that a lot has happened since, my being beheaded by you notwithstanding. And I didn't really believe that at the time, either. I just wanted to have some dignity."

- "Didn't buy it then, either. I suggest we order a beverage of our choosing, and everyone tells at their turn what exactly happened."