Charis regards you with sadness in her eyes. She nods at the scorch marks where Melchizar was consumed.

"A tragic tale, Sister. Of duty frustrated, misdirected, and grown into obsession; of loyalty tested to breaking point, and a failure of the bonds of fealty on both sides. But, thanks to you, it was in the end a tale of redemption. Take solace in that, child of Kirest; and in the knowledge that he, of us all, was truly at peace with the inevitability of death.

"Not so the Betrayer. His end is long and richly deserved; his immortality never part of the Father's design. I do not know if he truly believed the motives he claimed - or if they were lies he told himself to justify the bitter hate he nurtured. I do know that he was responsible for immeasurable suffering across the planes. And in this, I invite you to judge the tree by its fruit."

She takes a deep, steadying breath - although her physical form has no need of such things - and shakes her head.

"I have hoarded my strength of will for generations to have these precious minutes of lucidity. I will not squander this chance. You may proceed with the ritual when you are ready - but I can hold myself together long enough to answer a few more questions first, if you wish."

She meets the eyes of each of you, lingering last and longest on Theo.