Work Attire of a Mass Murderer

Allonia's grey eyes were large and her voice somewhat listless as she returned from the celebrating crowd already passing by.

- "I swear, I won't be amazed about anything anymore. It seems that an army of orcs was marching under invisibility spells in order to conquer and loot Suzail..."

- "An army? So what does..." Peri started, frowning.

- "Let me finish. It also seems that the army is no more. Sarevok killed them. Alone, they say. I mean, I knew he is a natural but that is no mean feat!"

- "And now he is their hero," Winski chuckled.

- "It's not funny, Winski," Peri said sharply. "I'd better go. This is not good. Where is he?"

- "The last he was seen he was still there at the field of the battle. Wanted to be alone, or so they say," Allonia replied. "They are arranging some sort of feast or orgy or whatever for him..."

- "He won't be in mood for anything like that," Peri said grimly. "I'd better go and find him now. Stay put."

- "Cespenar best friend all sadsadsad? Cespenar come too!" Clearly upset, Cespenar flapped after Peri,who was already on her way.

- "What is she going on about?" Imoen frowned. "I thought Sarevok wanted to do something good."

- "She is closer to him than any of us," Jelena said. "I'd wager the violence, however noble the cause of it, has upset him."

Winski nodded grimly.

- "I shouldn't have laughed," he said bitterly. "It just occurred to me how fickle and ironic everything is... how he can be the hated fiend and the beloved hero. But no, it is not funny, if he is suffering."

- "Never mind that now," Allonia said. "He's in the best possible hands if Peri finds him."

- "I have always known that Sarevok and 'discreet' don't mix very well," Winski sighed. "But I fear that this compromises our operation in even more drastic way than I was anticipating."

- "There is the temple of Tymora, though... and the officials of the city. I bet they will listen to us now that we have a hero in our midst," Jelena mused.

- "If we are sure that the matter will be dealt with, we can leave the capture of the child abusers to others," Winski said. "That would actually be good... we could continue our journey to Kara-Tur."

Jelena nodded, but in her eyes there was a distant look, determination without the usual warmth tempering it.

- "Yes... but be that as it may, I will personally pay a visit to a certain false Ilmatari," she said in a very matter-of-fact tone.

- "Jelena? Are you sure you want to do that?" Winski asked with concern. "You are not very... impassionate about this."

- "No," Jelena agreed. "I am not. And yes, I am sure that I want to confront him. Myself."

Winski watched her soft, gentle hands. Hands made for healing, comforting and nurturing. Yet the same hands had pounded a man to death when Jelena got mad. Winski shuddered.

- "There is something I have been thinking on," Allonia said. "This little Ali fellow... I like the kid, and I know that Sarevok is too worried to let a stranger escort him. I have been fancyin' to go to Calimport anyway... and I could take him home. Other kids as well, if they happen to live thereabouts."

- "I think that would be ideal," Winski said approvingly. "Sarevok trusts you... and you get along with Ali very well."

- "Nothing like a few sharp daggers to let a kid play with," Allonia grinned.

- "Poor Sarry... he will miss Ali so much," Imoen said.

- "Yes," Jelena sighed. "He spent much of his first life hating the little child he once was, denying his vulnerability. Now that he is slowly starting to heal, I think he sees himself in Ali. And the first time is able to accept vulnerability and want to nurture."


Peri reached the field of the battle. The sweet, heavy reek of blood laced with iron assaulted her nostrils. The moans of the wounded had quieted down to whispers and whimpers, the blood puddles on the ground had started to blacken and coagulate, and the severed body parts had started to cool down and collect flies. Death had visited these fields, death that never seemed to leave the wake of the children of Bhaal, whether the taint was in their blood or not.

Peri could see the familiar form in the distance. His brother, wearing heavy plate mail like he loved to do, without helmet, his eyes aglow. Sarevok was kneeling, trembling and sobbing. If he noticed Peri approaching him, he didn't show that in any way.

Peri glanced at Cespenar, who seemed to be unsure as to what to say or do. He wrinkled his nostrils at the smell of blood. Peri walked next to Sarevok with soft steps, then knelt beside him, saying nothing. Sarevok tried to cease his sobbing, but failed. Too much pain was crushing his chest.

- "Sar? Why don't you rest your head in my lap a bit? It always calms me when I get to do the same," Peri said. "And take the plate mail off. More comfortable that way."

Sarevok laughed bitterly.

- "Isn't it appropriate that I should always carry the work attire of a mass murderer? What else am I? And do mass murderers deserve any comfort?"

- "I doubt it makes any difference to you, but as far as the citizens of Suzail are concerned you are a great hero."

- "Ha! Hero or villain, there is a river of blood in my wake. I murdered hundreds of those orcs. And Peri... I enjoyed it. At the moment."

- "Sarevok. Take the plate mail off. And rest in my lap. Please. Humor me."

Sarevok reluctantly did. Peri started to gently stroke his head, for a moment just letting him cry and relax gradually.

- "Let me venture a guess, Sar. You thought now that the taint is gone, and you have new, worthier goals and values, you wouldn't feel the glory and joy of the battle any more."

A timid, tired nod.

- "But bro, it is not so. In a sense, it is nothing more than the natural pleasure one derives from competence, or a job well done. Ever since our youth we both have been warriors. The blood of our sire made us into legendary ones, and that history is a part of what we are at the moment, always will be. As for what you just did... you killed a lot of sentient beings who didn't wish to die, yes. But had you not done so, a city would have been more or less destroyed. Innocent people slaughtered, raped, and the ones lucky enough to survive would have lost their homes. Killing has its place in the world, and today you did it for lesser evil. That has most often to be enough."

Sarevok was too exhausted to decide what he thought about that, but he vaguely sensed it made some sense.

- "Sister. Will you be here with me if I sleep a bit in your lap. I am so... tired..."

- "Of course I will."

And Peri regarded the carnage calmly, not feeling particularly anything but love for the vulnerable large man sleeping in her lap.