Korgan was roaring and slapping his knees. Imoen giggled, her face purple, almost gagging. Peri was laughing heartily and meeting Sarade's friendly, mischievously glinting eyes. Keldorn and Sarevok were chuckling with amusement, and Minsc was laughing as everyone else was apparently having fun, even though he didn't understand what it was about. Edwin was the only one who wasn't the least bit amused.
- "So let me get this straigth," Peri sniggered. "He pissed off the lich and caused a damn good fight, even though a more diplomatic approach would have gained you the scroll without a fight, then ignored its warnings, even though it was guarding the damn thing, and then ignored YOUR warnings even though he had asked you to accompany him for the very reason that you are an expert on Netherese relics?"
Sarade smiled widely and shrugged, nodding her head.
- "It is the Edwin I love," she said, and the wizard's petulant expression eased by a degree.
- "He was really turned into a... woman?"Imoen grinned.
- "And a rather... voluptuous one at that?" Sarevok said.
- "Har! A shame you dinnae stay that way, bag-o'tricks!" Korgan grinned.
- "Well. Being his fiance I wouldn't agree," Sarade said to that.
- "(These insufferable monkeys don't understand the inherent value of experimenting and hunger of knowledge, the hallmarks of a superior mind.) Are you quite done with your infantile sniggering?" Edwin demanded. "And you, Sarade. Was it really necessary to relate the unfortunate affair to these imbeciles?"
- "Awww, the story was just too funny to pass. Eddie, you are cute when you are indignant," she answered, looking gently at the wizard and ruffling his dark hair. Edwin tried to look unaffected but was failing - a smile was creeping up into the corner of his mouth.
- "Monkeys? Imbeciles? For someone who has just been more or less saved by Peri, not to mention been given a great opportunity to gain power and riches, if that is what you want, you certainly don't ooze gratitude," Sarevok said irritably, cocking his eyebrow.
- "And you, Sarevok, 'ooze gratitude'? Why your sister resurrected you I don't know, but certainly it is unnerving to see the madman previously known for dressing in a hideous, overbuffed plate mail making him look like a porcupine," - Peri stiffled a burst of laughter at this point- "and trying to start a war suddenly turned up an ally and a party member," the wizard retorted.
Sarevok's eyes took a darker, more sad shade. He even forgot to react to the jab about the armor.
- "I am not the same man any more, Edwin," he said quietly. "I have very different goals now."
Something in his voice prevented Edwin from spouting his usual insults.
- "What goals are those?" he simply asked.
- "Redemption," Sarevok answered. "Redemption above all."
Peri shot Edwin a warning glance, but it wasn't necessary. The wizard just rolled his eyes and nodded.
- "As for the monkey business," Peri said, "I wouldn't take Edwin's commentary too seriously. He has just a very... unique style of an entertaining conversation."
- "So I noticed," Sarevok answered. "I will get used to it then."
- "There is someone I would introduce you to," Peri said to the newest members of the group. "You see, I have an own little cocoon in the Abyss, however free of demons and other sort of unpleasant things usually so abundant in there, and can teleport us there at will. And naturally I have a butler. His name is Cespenar. He is Sarevok's best friend. He is an imp, and he is 1347 years old. He is a good cook and a blacksmith of magical items."
- "Edwin..." Sarade said, glancing at her fiance, "Is this sort of thing quite usual with her?"
- "I wouldn't know," Edwin answered, "but with these Bhaalspawn wreacking havoc around, I wouldn't be surprised about anything."
Later on, when everyone else had already gone to sleep, Sarevok and Peri sat together, watching a campfire Cespenar had conjured for them on Peri's request. Currently the imp was sleeping in Imoen's arms.
- "Does Edwin bother you, Sarevok?" Peri asked.
Sarevok shook his head.
- "He is a bit like... me, actually. A younger me, proud and defiant and arrogant."
- "Which you, of course, are not at all anymore?"
- "Perhaps I am... but being in the pits of the Abyss makes one think... and mellow a little."
- "What was it like? Was it as awful as they say?" Peri's eyes were compassionate.
- "No. It was more awful," Sarevok spoke, his eyes in pain. "Hard to describe, as in life all suffering will finally end in death or shock and unconsciousness... but there it just goes on and on. I don't know what is worse, the physical tortures or the sheer raging malevolence of it, how it seeks you to despair or give in."
- "I'm so sorry you had to go there. If only I could have talked to you so that I wouldn't have had to slay you," Peri said sadly, stroking Sarevok's palm.
- "I am not sorry," Sarevok said. "At least I got a punishment... if not, this guilt would just twist my so that I could not think ahead and try to find a redemption. Or even try to forgive myself about Gorion. It is the one thing I would undo, Peri. I know I should say flooding the mine, for example, as many innocent people died there instead of just one. But it is not what I feel. It is that I took your, and Imoen's father away."
- "Hey, I certainly am not a hero," Peri said. "I have killed people because I have been too tired to think of another way to deal with it, and I have enjoyed it too."
Sarevok nodded, but still there was considerable pain on his face.
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Some chat, establishing relationships. Sarade entertains the group with the Nether scroll story. Sarevok and Peri chat about the Abyss, and guilt.
Makings of a monster
