Author's Note: I apologise in advance, for this. The first part, with Imoen, is what has held the installment up for so long, and nothing seems to have helped regarding it. So... I'm afraid it'll just have to do as it is, and hopefully it won't be too disappointing this close to the end. I promise the final three(ish) chapters will not be quite as... awful :(

General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.

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Tests

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The blue hazes were not as easy to pass as Maiyn had initially assumed. The darker of the two just pushed her back, preventing her from gaining access. She gave Jaheira a perplexed look.

"The choice is not yours as much as you would want it to be. I wonder if you were just lucky before, or if this one must remain until last," the druid mused.

Maiyn shrugged helplessly, smiling up to Minsc as he patted her shoulder affectionately, and continuing the gaze as she looked over to Xan. The enchanter was obviously worried -- he continued to cast dark looks around, eyeing the darker end of the room with open suspicion, and occasionally glancing at the central statue with obvious repulsion. When he caught her looking over to him, he looked embarrassed for a moment -- as if he felt bad for disliking what was, surely, her personal domain. He forced a small, tight smile onto his face, and Maiyn giggled, causing him to relax slightly, and for the grin to become slightly more genuine.

With that in mind, she marched over to the other exit and easily passed through the blue barrier. She hurried down the stairs, knowing that another companion would be waiting for her, and eager to free them as soon as she could. The passage wound its way along, further than any of the others, and it was a few minutes before she found the opening leading into a grand chamber. A solitary platform lay in the centre, and standing on top of it was her sister, standing with her back to the elven girl.

"Imoen!" Maiyn exclaimed, rushing forward. The human girl turned at the sound of the voice, and broke into a wide smile. They met and embraced briefly, before Imoen pulled away, her face slightly more serious.

"I knew we'd reach you. You were calling for us, weren't you?"

Maiyn looked at the mage helplessly. "I... I don't know. I guess I could have been, but I don't remember anything except Irenicus' face, and then... and then waking up here."

"Where are we?" Imoen asked. She cast another look around, and Maiyn wondered at her ability to mask her fear -- she knew her sister was feeling some dread about their location quite clearly; but the human was doing a grand job at hiding it, and Maiyn felt her curiosity shifting to the reasons behind why she was suddenly so empathic with her sibling. Imoen's look returned to her, and she blinked once, remembering the question that had been asked.

"Ah," she replied, scratching her head. "I'm not entirely sure. I mean... I think we're in... er... Hell."

"Oh," Imoen said casually.

"The others are here," Maiyn added hastily. "Well, Jaheira, Minsc and Xan, are. And you're here, and there's one other passage left."

The mage nodded sagely. "Coran," she said knowingly.

Maiyn's eyebrow rose.

"Just a feelin'," Imoen said cheerfully. "What do we do now? Go back up to the others? Is Irenicus here?"

"I think so," Maiyn said, wrinkling her nose. "There's a massive door up there, and a demon who says it can open it if I want it to -- but it recommended I travel down these corridors first."

"Clever demon."

"Quite," the ranger agreed. "Anyway, so far it's not been as easy as just wandering back up the passage. Something usually always happens by now."

"Happens?" Imoen's eyebrow rose this time.

"Like a... test, I suppose?" Maiyn frowned, quickly explaining how she'd found the others while Imoen listened silently.

"So you're having to work things out," the human noted thoughtfully. "Gosh, Maiyn -- most people are content just to have weird dreams without the development angle!"

The ranger elbowed her sister in the arm, which did nothing to deter the mage's giggling, and it wasn't long before the elf found herself smiling too. Trust Imoen to make a joke about it all.

"So, are we just going to wait here until whatever-it-is decides to happen?"

"I don't know," Maiyn replied with the briefest hint of a shrug.

Imoen nodded, and sat herself down on the platform, letting out a long sigh as she did. Maiyn gave her a quizzical look.

"Might as well be comfortable while we wait," Imoen stated. "Though, this wood is pretty hard. Why couldn't your conscious conjure up lavish chairs, with plenty of cushions?"

Maiyn sat down beside her sister and smirked. "I don't know... all its attention must have gone into the interior decor upstairs."

"Oh?" Imoen quirked her head to the side.

"You'll see when we get up there," the ranger grinned. "Just... if we get out of here-"

"When!"

"... When we get out of here... if I ever decide to go for a nice sculpture for the garden, or a little statue for inside... check it out before I actually purchase it, will you? Because I'm starting to think that my tastes might not be like everyone else's..."

"Sounds intriguing," Imoen noted, falling into a short silence as they sat side by side before speaking again; this time, much more softly and quietly. "So you think you'll settle down after all this?"

"I don't know," the elf admitted. "It's... it's nice to dream that I will, though. Especially now, I suppose." Her hand idly moved towards her abdomen, settling there lightly.

Imoen watched and smiled. "You've come to terms with the idea now, then? I wondered, for a while, if..."

"It's not something I can ignore, hoping it goes away," Maiyn sighed. "I suppose I've... accepted it. I still don't know how I feel, though."

"I suppose the situation doesn't make things any easier," the human said thoughtfully. "I mean... I guess that it's Xan's?"

Maiyn nodded.

"And now that Coran is back..."

"Xan might not leave here," the elf said suddenly. "He says his blade will take his soul, but he's wrong. He has to be wrong."

Imoen frowned. "He must be wrong," she agreed. "I mean, he wasn't dead -- he wasn't even close to being dead, when I came here. And I thought his blade only took him in death?"

"He thinks he willingly 'died' to come here, and that's why his blade will take him," the ranger said. "But if that's true, if he did..."

Imoen reached out and took Maiyn's hand, offering it a gentle squeeze. "You know how much you mean to him. How much you've meant to him for a long time now. And everyone else knew... you just caught onto it much later."

Maiyn scowled at the mage. "Everyone knew?"

Imoen giggled. "Well, sure. Xan'd mope off, casting dark, longing looks over towards you. It was fairly obvious what he was thinking. Even Minsc knew, though I think that was because Boo told him..."

"Wait, wait," Maiyn said hastily, removing her hand from Imoen's, and moving away slightly so she could face the other girl. "You've discussed this with the others?!"

Imoen returned the gaze evenly. "What else do you expect us to do when we're keeping watch?" she replied demurely. "We have to have something interesting to talk about."

Maiyn stared for a few seconds, then chuckled and shook her head. "I thought people actually... studied their spellbooks, you know?"

Imoen snorted. "That doesn't take long, at all. And there's only so long you can talk about the wildlife, the foliage, or the impeding task. Plus, none of them are even half as interesting."

"None of them involve idle gossiping about people who trust you," the ranger noted.

"Hey! No one has ever said anything malicious!" Imoen replied defensively. "Anyway, don't act like you've not done it yourself."

Maiyn stuck out her tongue, and the comfortable silence returned.

"So," Imoen mused eventually. "What do you think is going to happen?"

Maiyn sighed. "I suppose we'll have to fight Irenicus."

Imoen blinked. "I meant here."

"Oh. I don't know. Maybe I'll just have to sit here and see how long I can put up with just your company."

The human punched her playfully on the arm. "I'm the best company you could ask for!" she declared, then grinned wickedly. "Well... for a girl."

Maiyn glowered over at her. "I could say the same about you," she shot back, only grinning slightly as Imoen's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "And anyway... you obviously know much more about my own desperate state of relationships than I know of yours... So, come on. Spill -- tell me all the details!"

"There's nothing to tell," Imoen mumbled, in a rare display of bashfulness. Maiyn tutted loudly. "Oh, all right then," Imoen relented with exasperation. "I assume you mean Anomen, and yes, he's a very sweet guy, and I do like him a lot."

"And his eyes are firmly fixed on you," the ranger noted.

"Well... maybe. I mean..." Imoen sighed. "It's complicated."

Maiyn's eyebrow rose up. "Complicated, huh? Well, let me tell you about-"

"Okay!" Imoen raised her hands as she interrupted. "It's not as complicated as yours! But... well. He's a Knight of that Order, and he's so very law-abiding. I mean... I've stolen from people! I've picked pockets, I've lied!"

Maiyn smiled softly. "You haven't done anything like that for a long time," she reminded her sister. "And you've never been malicious or cruel or evil -- you've always had the best intentions and one of the biggest hearts of all the people I've known."

"Maybe," the human replied, sounding unconvinced. "But he's nobility, too. He's just from a completely different world to me, and I don't know... I don't know how I'd fit into it. I mean, look at you and Coran -- you have so much in common, in comparison."

Maiyn's frown returned. "Are you implying-?"

"Mystra's mantle, no! All I meant was that... well. You're both elves-"

"You're both humans!"

"-And you both seem to enjoy adventuring-"

"Well, that's going to have to stop, for me at least."

"-and you can talk so easily, together."

"We can argue admirably," Maiyn agreed. "But you're failing to mention that we've travelled with Coran for much longer than you've known Anomen. Everything takes time, not least getting to know someone."

Imoen nodded slowly. "Guess that's sorta easy for an elf to say, though," she replied quietly. "You'll have a lot more years to get used to your partner than I will."

Maiyn watched Imoen closely; it was the first time her sister had made a comment regarding their different races that felt so... resentful. It didn't take long for Imoen to look up and see Maiyn's gaze, and instantly look slightly crestfallen.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"It's okay," Maiyn replied honestly. "It's just... well, you're right, I suppose. But I don't see myself that way. I just... I know what I am, and what I should maybe feel like, but... Well. I suppose I'm as human as Xan feared I was."

Imoen chuckled. "Hey, it's not so bad, is it?"

The ranger shook her head. "Not at all. I don't know how to be anything else, after all."

"And Coran always did have a thing for human women," the mage remarked slyly. It was Maiyn's turn to lightly punch, and the two girls broke into smiles, the brief moment of discomfort past.

"I think that I'm hoping that when we get out of here... when we're done with Irenicus. When we're ready to move on. I hope that, maybe, I can remain close to Anomen, and see what happens," Imoen said. "He will have to return to Athkatla, of course, because of his duties, but if I can manage to visit him, sometimes..."

"Why only visit him?"

Imoen shifted. "I... I assumed that when we were done here, we'd... we'd just move onto the next thing. Of course, that was before you..."

Maiyn nodded. "I don't know what'll happen," she admitted. "But going back to Athkatla wouldn't be such a bad thing, and it would give me some time to consider what to do next. And, more importantly, where to do it. People will eventually find out what we are, no matter how hard we try to hide it, and I can't risk any danger coming to my..." She faltered, unable to say the last word. Her sister just nodded understandingly.

"Do you remember when we went to Gullykin?" Imoen asked suddenly. "When you split our group up, and you went with Xan and Coran and Kivan back to the Firewine Bridge? I was so scared, then, that you'd end up leaving me alone somewhere, go off to discover the lands of the elves or something with them. I think, though, I ended up accepting that it'd happen, one day -- I mean, I hoped it wouldn't be soon, or anything, but I couldn't see us still trekking through forests and mountains when I was all old and decrepit, and you still didn't look a day over twenty!"

"I didn't, and don't, have any intention of leaving you."

"It was the fear, I suppose. We'd left Candlekeep, and all I had was you. I thought all you had was me, but then we met the other elves, and... And I realised that despite how close we were, how alike we were -- we were so very different, as well. I suppose that's why, when Garrick joined..."

Maiyn winced. "I was worried that he was the reason you were so unsure of Anomen."

Imoen grinned and shook her head. "No! I mean, it took me a little while to get over it, but I did. I can honestly say he doesn't ever cross my mind now, except when I'm actively thinking of the past. But I don't feel hurt by it. I learnt a lot from it all, and I'm just more wary this time round."

"I don't think you need to be wary with Anomen," Maiyn noted. "He'll value your honour more than just about anything else in this world."

Imoen smiled softly. "I guess. Time will tell."

"It will," Maiyn nodded. "And I bet anything that-"

They both jumped as something cleared its throat behind them. When Maiyn turned round, she was unsurprised to see the demon from the upper levels staring dolefully at her. She gave it a quizzical look.

"Must we wait much longer for you both to join the others?" it asked politely.

Maiyn stood up slowly. "I'm sorry... I thought I had to wait here and... well, do something."

"Oh, but you did. And now, if you don't mind, you should really get on with things. I'd really rather go back to my home sooner rather than later, if you don't mind."

"Uhm, I'm sorry," the ranger offered, following the scaly beast as it waddled back through the doorway and towards the stairs. She shrugged helplessly at Imoen as the human girl gave her a querying look. "Suppose we'd better do as it says... and I know Minsc'll be overjoyed to know his witch is well."

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Minsc was, indeed, gloriously happy when he saw Imoen emerge from the passage, sweeping her into his strong arms, and giving her the largest bearhug Maiyn had ever seen from him. She watched them with some amusement, then nodded to Jaheira and padded softly over to the final barrier.

She took a deep breath before she passed through its haze, cautiously descending down the stairs and into a cosy, dimly lit room. She gasped audibly as she looked around; everything was so familiar. The regal rug on the floor, the floral decor on the walls... the lattice on the windows, which used to cast small shadows across the room whenever the sun shone inside. She was back in the Duchal Palace of Baldur's Gate. She was in Coran's room.

And the bed was there, as it had been before. The chair... the worn-looking, almost threadbare green chair, that had been found in another dusty room, and hastily taken there for her to sit on during her vigil -- it was drawn close to the side, its back to the window.

She let out a small yelp as she noticed a figure lying on top of the silken blankets, his eyes closed as he gave the impression of being within a peaceful slumber.

She darted over to him, shaking him, quite violently, by the shoulder and calling his name, but Coran failed to stir, just as he'd been back in the city before she decided to leave. And as she began to despair, a strange sensation fell over her. She slowly turned around to see Sarevok standing in the doorway of the room; instinctively her hand shot to the hilt of the sword.

"We meet again, sister."

The sound of his voice was enough to instil a sensation of fear deep inside, but she fought to contain it. She wouldn't be terrorised by him again -- not ever again.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed.

He laughed. He wore the same armour as he had on the day of their battle, with metals and leather and spikes concealing every aspect of him; the fearsome helmet covering his face almost completely. She knew he was dead -- he had to still be dead -- but his eyes were glowing with the fierce golden glow. She could feel her own mirroring the intensity.

"I was rather hoping you would be able to tell me, little sister," he replied lazily. "It was you who called me here, drawing me from the Abyss that dwells on the very edge of this plane. I was not sure why. But now... Now, I think I know."

She snorted. "Lies," she said, confidently. "I want nothing from you, least of all your filthy presence. Begone from here... shade."

His eyes seemed to change. He no longer appeared to be as assured, as collected and arrogant; the gold became stronger, the hostility apparent. With two steps he stood before her, towering above her smaller frame easily. She desperately fought against her need to tremble.

"Whether you want to believe me or not, sister, the reality of the situation remains the same. I am here because your will forced me to come." He paused, shifting his gaze to look behind her. This closely, she could see, slightly, beyond his helmet; his mouth was curling into a cruel smile at the sight. "And now I see I have found my entertainment... and perhaps a chance to finish what I once began?"

"No!" she screamed, launching herself forward and into his massive frame with all the force she could muster. It was enough to catch him slightly off-guard, making him stumble before he pushed her roughly to the side, causing her to fly across the room before landing on the ground in a heap.

"Idiot," he growled. "Do you think that you are stronger than me, simply because your pathetic band managed to be lucky once before?"

"I won't let you hurt him," she warned, scrambling to her feet as her fingers desperately searched for her weapon. "Not again... not ever again."

"You could not stop me if I really wished it," Sarevok stated confidently. "You are weak... why you were victorious when we met is something which shall always mystify me."

"I could stop you," Maiyn said, drawing her sword free from its scabbard. "And I will..." she continued, moving cautiously towards the armoured figure, the blood in her veins singing with the taint as her hate and anger silently took control.

"Child -- do not do this."

She paused, turning to the green chair where she had once spent all of her wakened hours, silently watching the steady breathing of her lover as he slept. It was no longer vacant -- a painfully familiar figure sat there, his piercing, grey eyes staring intently at her, ignoring the other presences in the room.

"Father?" she asked, her arm faltering as her sword was lowered to the ground. The rage that had begun to course through her was suddenly abated, and calmness began to spread its way across her being.

"Do you remember, child, when last we spoke? When I warned you of the dangers your blood has cursed you with?"

"Is it really you?" she asked in a whisper, barely hearing his words.

"It is I," he affirmed, nodding his head and allowing a small smile to reach her before his stern expression returned. "You have called us here, all those who are closest to you."

She shook her head, pointing over towards Sarevok. "No... not him. He says I called him, but he... he's not close to me!"

"He shares your blood, to a degree," Gorion patiently explained. "It is only natural that your conscience has drawn him here."

Maiyn glared around at the tall figure. He was looking smug again, despite his shrouded features. She hated him for it, more than she'd ever hated him before.

"I'd rather see him die than feel as though I have any bond with him," she spat venomously.

"But he has already died," her father pointed out. "He has paid for his crimes with his own life. There is no need to feel this continuing vengeance."

Maiyn gave Gorion a disbelieving look. "He killed you! I saw him! And he tried to kill Coran, too!"

"And, in turn, he fell to your group. Your companions were the ones who ended his life. Was that not enough?"

She frowned slightly. "I... I'm..."

Gorion slowly stood from the chair, walking around until he stood at the end of the bed, closer to her than Sarevok was. He never once looked at the armoured figure, nor at Coran, who still slept peacefully in the background.

"Do you choose to carry your grudge throughout your life with you, child? Allowing your hate and your resentment to be nurtured in your essence, merging with the taint of your blood? If you do, then you will become exactly as he did."

She turned back to Sarevok. He stood there, impassively, watching the exchange. When the silence lasted for more than a few moments, he snorted disdainfully.

"The old man tries to guide you, even though he is as dead as I am? As we three all are." Another sidelong glance at Coran followed. "Is it not a shame that he does not share our fate? With one move, sister, I could ensure that he joins us here."

"Leave him alone!" she repeated fiercely, her eyes drifting over to the elf with a hint of apprehension and confusion. "Wait... what do you mean, 'join us'? Can he... the others... they're not all dead! Imoen told me! He doesn't have to be dead to come with me from here!"

Sarevok shrugged. "Perhaps he does not need to die. But perhaps he can only assist you if his ties to the other planes are terminated. I can do it for you. I can ensure he is here to fight with you against the mage."

She shook her head slowly. "No... I don't believe you. He doesn't need to die!" She looked back at Gorion desperately. "He doesn't need to, does he?"

The old man shook his head, and relief flowed through her, closely followed by the familiar anger she'd felt only minutes before. Her sword was raised again, and she was carried across, closer and closer to her 'brother' as the taint wound its way around her senses, succeeding in its attempts, this time, to take control.

"Maiyn! You must fight this!"

Gorion's words were so faint, he sounded as though he stood many miles away from her. Her blood roared, drowning out most other sounds; her arms jarring as the metal blade of her weapon solidly struck the heavy platemail of her victim, not even causing a dent.

"Maiyn!"

Sarevok was laughing at her attempts. She ignored the pain she felt each time the steel struck against the impenetrable force.

"Maybe you were worthy of defeating me, little sister." Her 'brother' was amused.

You make me proud. Give in wholly; completely, to me. Together, none could stop us.

"Maiyn!"

Gorion's voice pierced through her, causing her to jump backwards, her sword dropping from her hand as she came to realise what she'd been doing; and then she stood there, a scandalised expression on her face as she realised what had happened. She couldn't bear to meet Gorion's gaze, but couldn't face seeing Sarevok's arrogant pose returning. Her eyes drifted to the floor, remaining there as the uncomfortable silence lingered.

"My child..." Gorion spoke softly, and his touch to her shoulder was gently and loving. She allowed him to turn her to face him, reluctantly looking up and into his saddened face. "What happened to you to make you feel such bleak emotions?" he seemed to wonder aloud. "Am I to blame, for sheltering you too long? For falling when you needed me most? Does your resentment spread to me?"

She shook her head, her eyes widening in surprise at his words. "No... no! I could never feel anything but love for you, and sorrow and grief when you died!" she exclaimed. "It wasn't your fault -- it was his!" she continued in a hiss, glaring over her shoulder at Sarevok.

Gorion's hand firmly turned her gaze back to her father. He looked dismayed. "My child, are you listening to me at all?" he asked, causing her rage to vanish immediately once again. She stood as she had, so many times before; the dutiful child, listening to her father's words as he tried to make her see what she'd done wrong. This time, though, it seemed harder than it had ever been before.

"I lived a long, good, happy life," the sage continued, his expression softening as he spoke. "I could never regret a single moment of it, except, perhaps, with regards to revealing your heritages to both yourself and Imoen. But at the time I felt it was my duty to protect you both from it, and I make no excuses for how I acted. Whether it was the correct path to take or not no longer matters; what is done, is done.

"And that is what you need to learn, Maiyn. What is done is now in the past -- your brother by blood may have my death on his hands, but you avenged me enough when he fell in the Undercity. Perhaps you avenged me too well, though I am prepared to overlook this since he was a threat to many innocents, and not just to you." He sighed softly. "I did not want you to kill for me. I did not want you to ever find the blood of others on your hands, and yet a trail of bodies lies in your wake.

"Many of those who fell to your group had evil intentions, and you would be lauded for your actions. But as time goes on, the killing becomes easier for you, the reasoning becomes cloudier. You will find an excuse to end someone's life, rather than looking for a way to avoid the shedding of blood. This is not you, my child. But you know this.

"I know," she said quietly.

"You must remain aware," he continued, his tone more urgent than before. "The touch of a God is a strong thing, indeed, and fighting against it will be hard -- harder than you think. You were created to serve a dead deity, not to be an individual. But you, and Imoen, both... you can change this. You can live your lives for yourselves, and rise above what was intended for you. But you must learn to let go -- to let go of your resentment, your bitterness, and... most importantly... your hatred."

She nodded thoughtfully. "I should forgive?" she asked hesitantly. Gorion smiled.

"Forgiving is the hardest part," he noted. "And it is not a simple case; acceptance must come first, and then, perhaps, forgiveness can follow. Do not grieve for me, or for your young lover's injury from the battle in the Gate. I have accepted my fate, and he..." Gorion paused slightly, glancing over at the sleeping elf. He smiled slightly as he looked back to his ward. "I believe he is quite content with his own, more so now your paths have crossed once more."

Maiyn smiled softly. "I understand," she said.

"I am glad," Gorion replied, returning her smile. "But it is not done yet... you must still defeat the urge of your blood before you can leave here. My part, however... I fear it is done. Your future will be decided by how you act and if you have heeded my words. Be careful, my precious Maiyn; you have a lot to look forward to if you can find the correct way in this accursed place."

"Wait... father! Don't go!" she cried; but it was too late, as his form slowly faded until there was nothing there. She sighed; resisting turning to face Sarevok until she'd composed herself. His patience, however, was beginning to run out.

"I tire of this," he announced suddenly, his voice sounding louder than it had before. "Make your decision now, before boredom compels me to make my own entertainment with your pretty boy."

She grit her teeth. Mild irritation -- she could control it so that she was only irritated, and not angry. Her hands were clenched, though -- she was running out of ways to direct her energy in order to divert it from her temper.

Slowly she turned around to him, and forced herself to smile. It was a tight smile, initially, but then she heard Gorion's soothing words once more, and imagined Jaheira standing beside her. Would the Harper would have agreed with all Gorion said? She sought retribution from Irenicus for Khalid, did she not? But perhaps, once she'd gained it... would she, too, be able to find acceptance?

Sarevok wandered over to Coran, and stared down at the elf's body. One hand reached out, and it was all she could do to stop herself from screaming and throwing herself at her apparent sibling once again. Instead, she forced herself to breathe in, and then spoke as calmly as she could.

"My father-"

"Your foster father," Sarevok pointed out, not looking at her.

She bit her lip, closed her eyes, and took another deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, Sarevok's fingers were gently tracing a line that seemed to be heading for Coran's throat.

"Gorion", she stressed, "was correct. I have no reason to hate you any longer. You are dead -- the pain you caused to me, and many others, has been avenged. You cannot hurt anyone any longer, least of all me. I will not waste my life by feeling this irrational... loathing on something that is, now, so decidedly unimportant."

Sarevok's hand stopped. The rest of him remained motionless.

"That means, I think, that I have accepted what you did," Maiyn continued, her hands unclenching slightly. "I can't change it, and ultimately, by killing my... foster father, you made a large, important mistake. You made yourself important to me, and as such you brought about your death. Had our paths not crossed... who knows where we both would be by this stage."

He was turning to face her now. Undaunted, she continued.

"I can't say I've forgiven you, because I haven't. But one day... perhaps. If I thought you were at all possible of remorse, it would be easier, but you are not. You are only able to feel cheated by it all, as if I somehow stole your rightful destiny from you. But it wasn't your destiny, was it? Because if it was... if it was, you wouldn't be dead."

"Your insolence shall bring about your end!" Sarevok roared, now fully facing her and heading her way.

"You cannot hurt me!" she shouted back at him defiantly, backing away as he strode towards her. "Your days of harming people are over, can you not realise this? You cannot hurt me, and you cannot hurt Coran or Gorion or anyone! You are dead! I have accepted this!"

She felt the wall of the room behind her, knowing she was trapped and she could not escape his wrath. And then... with a strangled cry, he slumped to his knees, and he vanished. She stood, deathly still, for several minutes, before she managed to move forward cautiously, almost terrified that he'd jump out from behind one of the large wardrobes, or appear from behind the curtains.

Realising how silly she was being, she ran back to the side of the bed, gently shaking Coran and urging him to waken up. Still he failed to stir, and the despair began to set in again -- perhaps Sarevok had been right? Could he only help her if he was truly dead? Was he lost to her, in a time when she needed him, and needed his support?

She lay on the edge of the bed, allowing her head to rest on his arm, and feeling herself tremble as the adrenaline left her body from her confrontation with her sibling. She almost didn't notice, at first, as the arm began to move, slowly trying to work itself free from the weight of her body. She started when she eventually felt it, moving to sit up, but feeling another arm push her back down, onto the rearranged limb beneath her that was now able to wrap around far enough for the hand to entwine in her hair.

"A'maelamin," came Coran's whisper as he held her in his arms, close to his body. Her own arms instinctively worked their way around him in return, and she buried her face into his tunic, unwilling to let go of him any time soon.

And she didn't.