Makings of a Monster

The dizzy Winski could hear the sound of approaching footsteps. Could only be Peri, after the poor boy. Poor? There certainly are not many who would use such a word of him, but there you have it. That's what I feel. Regret, too... how insignificant it feels now that he would have reached those grandiose goals. Perhaps I should still have tried to live for a better purpose, trying to listen to Jelena's memory inside me. That way I could have, together with Tamoko, helped him become a happy man with whole and sound mind instead this broken thing. Too late for that now.

As Peri appeared from behind the corner, his expression hardened and he coughed blood and spoke.
- "Well well, I thought it would be you. Quite the little family reunion shaping up now, isn't it? I knew you would follow; you two are of the same blood. You must take the fight to him, lest he strike you down at his leisure. Not that it will matter; you have already beaten him. His plans are in ruins and his allies are fleeing in droves. Such glorious goals they were, though none understood the true desire behind them. None but me and Tamoko, that is. Unfortunately I am now expendable, but I expected no less." Winski was damned if he'd let the girl see the waverings of his dying mind. He had a part to play, and he wouldn't give up until the final curtain.

- "Wow, he really managed to find some fanatical allies," said Peri, crouching next to Winski. "What was your exact role in this?"
- "Most of his allies were just cowardly opportunists like people generally are, as you will find out if you are the one who lives through your confrontation," answered Winski. "As for me, I'll die of old age," he grinned humorlessly at this, "if I explain our relationship in its whole complexity. Suffice to say that I was his mentor, and tutored him in the blackest of rituals. If he were to succeed there is no doubt I would be among the dead, but my name would live on in his wake. There are things beyond death if you die in the right fashion, and how could there not be a place in history for the architect that shaped the actions of the ascending Lord of Murder?" Blah, blah. Do I really care? Did I ever believe it, or was it just a suitable fixation to keep me focused?
Peri also seemed to suspect this.

- "You puzzle me, mage. I'm not here to make moral judgements. Not my strong area by any stretch of imagination. But as a life goal.. sad. I believe you have lost your desire for life for some other reason altogether and hung on this."
The clarity of her perception reminded Winski of Sarevok. He got tears in his eyes in spite of his resolve to play his dark mentor's unrepentant role to the end. He shrugged.
- "Would he truly have ascended? Who can say? If you have the arrogance of a god and can kill like a god, who's to say you are not a god?" he mused.
- "For what I know about gods they are just nasty and petty beings with a bigger sandbox to bicker in than the rest of us," said Peri. "Don't know why brother so desperately wanted to become one. And Abyss doesn't seem such a nice place to dwell, much less for an eternity."
- "He wanted power," answered Winski, his strength starting to wane.

Peri motioned to the dwarf, who examined Winski for a while, then shook his head. Peri nodded grimly.
- "He wanted power, and even his own soul is completely out of his control. Tamoko saw clearly in this. But you are dying. Just tell me where he is, and I will make it quick and painless for you."
Winski thought of this. Sarevok was truly gone now, the confrontation of the siblings necessary. Perhaps he would even be better off meeting this woman. He saw no reason to not to speak.
- "There is an altar in the Undercity; it was to be where the ritual would take place, but now serves as his last refuge. If you do not go to him, he will strike at you at his leisure."
- "Thank you."
And Winski never even had time for anticipation as his life was gone in a quick flash of a blade.

Tamoko was nervous, waiting for Sarevok to arrive. Her last hope, Peri. Please, former enemy, please succeed. She was confident that the party had managed to kill Cythandria, but the rest of the plan was a rather desperate one. What she hoped for was that Sarevok would be imprisoned for a trial, accused of murder and treason. Then she would do like she had done with Yoshimo. Break in the jail and free him, and ride someplace safe. Teach him to live as a man, as her lover.
Then the massive doors of the temple were opened, and Sarevok arrived, not at all pleased to see her. He was followed with the half-orc Tazok, perhaps the most fanatical of his followers who all but worshipped him. Isn't that enough worshipping during your mortal life, Sarevok, thought Tamoko bitterly.
Sarevok approached her very rigid in his massive height, his eyes again cold as stones, narrow as beast's.

- "I know, Tamoko. Only you can have betrayed me. You sold me to Peri. You, of all people, spit on my trust."
- "You left me no choice, love. No one else could have stopped you in your madness. I tried for so long to make you listen and make the decision yourself," she said, facing his look without flinching.
- "This is not madness! I would have made you a goddess! I would have given you all you desire! You... whore!" his voice rose in anger.
- "Sarevok, it IS sheer madness! I won't indulge you anymore. I saved you, Peri saved you, from a certain demise. It is still not too late! Come with me and learn to live!" she pleaded, yet dignified.
- "Your treachery cut my heart, Tamoko. Go. I should kill you, but... but I cannot. Go, and be killed, whatever, I care not. I never want to see you again," said Sarevok, turning his back.
- "I believe you don't have a heart anymore, my love," said Tamoko quietly, and walked away, tears slowly rolling on her cheeks.

Now there was only one thing left to do. She would fight Peri, go down in honor, or defeat her and regain Sarevok's trust. That would be her last chance to make him listen.